People in a remote part of eastern Afghanistan were buried under mud and debris when heavy rain brought flash floods during the night. Children and women are said to be among the victims in Kamdesh, with at least 60 people dead and dozens more missing, and many homes destroyed. The disaster zone is held by Taliban militants fighting the government. Talks are being held to try to let rescue teams enter the area which is hard to reach in normal times. Afghan officials gave a death toll of 60 but the Taliban say 150 people died in the flooding, the Associated … Continue reading Global Flooding: Flash flooding kills dozens in Afghanistan

Two international airports in the Chinese city of Shanghai have cancelled all flights and authorities banned outdoor activities as Typhoon In-Fa lashed eastern China with high winds and heavy rains. In-Fa landed in the Putuo district of the city of Zhoushan, a major port in the eastern province of Zhejiang, at 12:30pm (04:30 GMT) on Sunday, state broadcaster CCTV said, citing the China Meteorological Administration. The storm hit as central China is still reeling from record flooding that killed at least 63, cut off power and forced the relocation of more than one million people. “We will make every effort … Continue reading Shanghai cancels flights as Typhoon In-Fa lashes eastern China

A Russian archer fainted during Olympic qualifying as intense heat in Tokyo was in the spotlight just hours before the Games officially open. Svetlana Gomboeva, 23, collapsed while checking her scores. She regained consciousness and left on a stretcher. Earlier this week experts said Tokyo’s heat and humidity could pose a significant threat to competitors. The Japanese Environment Agency has issued heatstroke alerts, warning the public not to exercise outside. “It turns out that she couldn’t stand a whole day out in the heat,” said Russian Olympic Committee coach Stanislav Popov. “This is the first time I remember this happening. In … Continue reading Extreme heat & humidity at Games as Russian archer faints

Terrified subway passengers in central China were left clinging to ceiling handles inside flooded cars on Tuesday, trapped up to their necks in rising water, as record breaking rains devastated parts of Henan province. At least 12 people have been confirmed dead in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, where more than 20 centimeters (7.8in) of rain fell in one hour on Tuesday, according to the meteorological observatory. It is not clear how many people were trapped on the subway and rescue efforts remain ongoing across Zhengzhou, a city of 12.6 million on the banks of the Yellow River. More than 100,000 people … Continue reading Heavy floods kill at least 12 in China and strand thousands in Henan province

At least 19 people have died and many more are missing following severe floods in western Germany, police say. The worst of the flooding has been in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia, where buildings and cars have been washed away. Two people have also died in neighbouring Belgium, while the Netherlands has also been badly hit. It follows record rainfall in parts of western Europe that has caused major rivers to burst their banks. Malu Dreyer, chief of the Rhineland-Palatinate state, described the flooding as a “catastrophe”. “There are dead, missing and many people still in danger,” she … Continue reading Update: 19 people dead and dozens missing after record rain

Heavy rain and once-in-a-generation floods on Wednesday night caused the collapse of six houses in Germany’s western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, leaving several people missing and many stranded on rooftops, police said on Thursday.Vehicles travel on a flood affected road after the Erft river swelled following heavy rainfalls in Erftstadt Some 30 people were missing and about 25 more homes were at risk of collapse in the district of Schuld bei Adenau, in the hilly Eiffel region, SWR broadcaster said earlier, citing police. “We currently have an unclear number of people on roofs who need to be rescued,” a spokesperson for … Continue reading Several people missing in Germany as houses collapse in heavy rain

Wildfires are raging in the west of the United States as the region is hit by a heatwave that has brought record temperatures to several areas. Communities have been told to evacuate as firefighters struggle to battle the blazes in the extreme conditions. In California, residents were urged to cut power consumption after interstate power lines were knocked out. On Saturday, two firefighters in Arizona died when their aircraft crashed while responding to a blaze. Meanwhile, Las Vegas, Nevada, matched its all-time temperature high of 47.2C (117F) on Saturday. Firefighters battling the many wildfires in the region say the air is … Continue reading Wildfires rage in western US as temperatures soar

After causing devastation in the Caribbean, Tropical Storm Elsa is moving north towards the Florida Keys. More than 100,000 people in Cuba were evacuated before Elsa hit on Monday, causing mudslides and “flooding rains”. In the days before, the storm passed over the Dominican Republic and St Lucia, killing three people. Officials in Florida have said they are “very hopeful” that they won’t have to pause rescue efforts at the site of a collapsed building in Miami. The demolition of the partially collapsed apartment block had been brought forward, for fear that Elsa might topple the building in an uncontrolled … Continue reading Cuba devastated as Tropical storm Elsa moves towards Florida

More than 230 deaths have been reported in British Columbia since Friday as a historic heat wave brought record-high temperatures, officials said Tuesday. The province’s chief coroner called it an “unprecedented time.” “Since the onset of the heat wave late last week, the BC Coroners Service has experienced a significant increase in deaths reported where it is suspected that extreme heat has been contributory,” Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe said in a statement. The coroner’s service normally receives about 130 death reports over a four-day period. From Friday through Monday, at least 233 deaths were reported, the chief coroner said, adding … Continue reading Update: Canada heat wave causes more than 230 deaths in British Columbia

A sweltering heatwave has hit large parts of the US Pacific Northwest and Canada, sending records tumbling. The US National Weather Service (NWS) has issued excessive heat warnings and watches across nearly all of Washington and Oregon state. Parts of California and Idaho are also affected. Multnomah county, in Oregon, has warned of “life-threatening” heat. Some cities have opened cooling centres, where residents can escape the heat in air-conditioned buildings. The soaring temperatures are due to a dome of high pressure hovering over northwestern United States and Canada. Experts say climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme … Continue reading US and Canada heatwave sees record temperatures

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange cancelled its morning trading session on Monday due to extreme weather. The decision by Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing comes after the government issued a so-called “black rainstorm” warning. Hong Kong has three levels of rainstorm warning, with black being the highest after amber and red. It is the city’s first black rainstorm warning his year, with at least 70mm of rain forecast for several districts. Trading of both securities and derivatives markets were cancelled in the Asian financial hub. The Hongkong Stock Exchange said that if the black rainstorm warning is cancelled before midday … Continue reading Its Raining Day: ‘Black rainstorm’ warning suspends Hong Kong trading

A powerful tornado has swept through several villages in the south-eastern Czech Republic, injuring 150 people and causing major damage, local media say. Thursday’s storm blew off roofs from a number of buildings in the southern Breclav and Hodonin districts, uprooting trees and overturning cars. The worst-hit places looked like a war zone in videos posted by witnesses. “It’s living hell,” said South Moravia regional governor Jan Grolich after visiting the area. Rescue teams from across the country and also from neighbouring Austria and Slovakia have been deployed. Half of the village of Hrusky was destroyed by the tornado, its … Continue reading Powerful tornado sweeps through Czech villages