PHOTO GALLERY: Cyclone Alfred sweeps the Australian golden coast
An uprooted tree lies across thAn uprooted tree lies across the roadside in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast. AFPe roadside in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast. AFP
An uprooted tree lies across thAn uprooted tree lies across the roadside in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast. AFPe roadside in the aftermath of Cyclone Alfred on the Gold Coast. AFP
Man looks over a flooded road in the northern New South Wales town of Lismore, Australia. AP
Man looks over a flooded road in the northern New South Wales town of Lismore, Australia. AP
A damaged home is pictured after a tree uprooted by strong winds crashed into the structure in the suburb of Elanora as Cyclone Alfred passed near the Gold Coast. AFP
A damaged home is pictured after a tree uprooted by strong winds crashed into the structure in the suburb of Elanora as Cyclone Alfred passed near the Gold Coast. AFP
Residents remove branches of an uprooted tree across a road in the suburb of Currumbin after Cyclone Alfred passed near the Gold Coast. AFP
Residents remove branches of an uprooted tree across a road in the suburb of Currumbin after Cyclone Alfred passed near the Gold Coast. AFP
Foam from large waves generated by Cyclone Alfred surround a surf lifesaving club along the coast at Currumbin on the Gold Coast. AFP
Foam from large waves generated by Cyclone Alfred surround a surf lifesaving club along the coast at Currumbin on the Gold Coast. AFP
A woman surveys the damage to the roof of a motel caused by strong winds in Labrador, near the Gold Coast. AFP
A woman surveys the damage to the roof of a motel caused by strong winds in Labrador, near the Gold Coast. AFP
A cycle path sign stands submerged in floodwater at the edge of the Wilsons River near Lismore's CBD. AFP
A cycle path sign stands submerged in floodwater at the edge of the Wilsons River near Lismore's CBD. AFP
Floodwaters reach the levee walls holding back the Wilsons River in Lismore. AFP
Floodwaters reach the levee walls holding back the Wilsons River in Lismore. AFP
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Al-Ahram Weekly
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Southern Europeans braced Saturday for their first heatwave of the northern hemisphere summer, as climate change pushes thermometers on the world's fastest-warming continent increasingly into the red. Temperatures are set to rise to 37 degrees Celsius (99 Fahrenheit) in Rome, driving the Eternal City's many tourists and pilgrims towards the Italian capital's 2,500 public fountains for refreshment. With residents of the southern French port city of Marseille expected to have to cope with temperatures flirting with 40C (104F), the city's authorities ordered public swimming pools to be free of charge to help residents beat the Mediterranean heat. Two-thirds of Portugal will be on high alert on Sunday for extreme heat and forest fires, with 42C (108F) expected in the capital, Lisbon, while visitors to -- and protesters against -- Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos's Friday wedding in Venice likewise sweltered under the summer sun. "There is no wind, a lot of humidity, we are sweating, and I'm suffocating at night," Alejandra Echeverria, a 40-year-old Mexican tourist to Venice, told AFP on Saturday. "I try not to think about it, but I drink a lot of water and never stay still, because that's when you get sunstroke," Sriane Mina, an Italian student, told AFP the day before. Scientists have long warned that humanity's burning of fossil fuels is heating the world with disastrous consequences for the environment, with Europe's ever-hotter and increasingly common blistering summer heatwaves a direct result of that warming. The heatwave is forecast to become even more intense on Sunday. Spain, which has in past years seen a series of deadly summer blazes, is expecting peak temperatures over 40C (104F) across most of the country. Outdoor work ban According to the Spanish meteorological agency, temperatures may even register 42C (108F) in some areas, including the Guadalquivir, Guadiana, and Tagus regions. The past three years have been the hottest in Spain's history. With peaks of 39C (102F) expected in Palermo, Sicily has ordered a ban on outdoor work in the hottest hours of the day, as has the Liguria region in northern Italy. The country's trade unions are campaigning to extend the measure to other parts of the country. In Nice, where the mercury hit 33 degrees Celsius at midday, residents and tourists sought refuge in misted parks and museums. "We're not going to stay cooped up all day," said one retiree resting in the shaded Promenade du Paillon, a central greenway. Families with young children flocked to water jets and cooling sprays. "We live in a city-centre flat without a pool, and the sea is tricky with a two-year-old," said Florence Oleari, a 35-year-old GP. At the Albert I garden, organisers of a triathlon to be held on Sunday briefed 4,000 competitors on emergency measures, including ice stations and electrolyte stations. "If I feel unwell, I'll stop," said Frederic Devroye, a participant who travelled from Brussels for the triathlon, which includes a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km cycle with 2,600 m of elevation, and -- to top it off -- a marathon. Local authorities have distributed nearly 250 fans to schools over the past fortnight, while tourists like Jean-Luc Idczak opted to explore Nice's air-conditioned museums to keep cool. "With this weather, it's perfect," he said as he entered the city's photography museum. In Seville, where forecasts suggested temperatures could reach up to 43 degrees Celsius, locals and tourists used handheld fans and caps to shield themselves from heat. "Lots of cream, sun protection, on the face, everywhere, and very light clothing," said Marta Corona, a 60-year-old tourist holding a fan. "People come asking for water and drinks, that's what sells, because with this heat you have to cope somehow," said Fernando Serrano, a 69-year-old kiosk owner at his stand. The heatwave comes hot on the heels of a series of tumbling records, including Europe's hottest March ever, according to the EU's Copernicus climate monitor. According to Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Europe has been warming at roughly twice the global average since the 1980s. As a result of the planet's warming, extreme weather events, including hurricanes, droughts, floods, and heatwaves like this weekend's have become more frequent and intense, scientists warn. By some estimates 2024, the hottest year in recorded history so far, saw worldwide disasters that cost more than $300 billion. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Egypt Independent
16-06-2025
- Egypt Independent
An earthquake off Peru's coast shakes capital, leaving one person dead and 5 injured
AP — A 5.6 magnitude earthquake that struck off Peru's central coast Sunday, rattling Lima and the port city of Callao, has left one person dead and five injured, authorities said. The earthquake happened at 11:35 a.m. local time in the Pacific Ocean, according to the United States Geological Survey. Its epicenter was located 23 kilometers (14 miles) southwest of Callao, west of the capital Lima. A 36-year-old man died in northern Lima while 'standing outside his vehicle waiting for a passenger' when a wall from the fourth floor of a building under construction detached and fell on his head, Police Col. Ramiro Clauco told RPP radio. The five people injured are being treated in hospitals, the Emergency Operations Center said. The agency also reported damage to roads and educational centers. President Dina Boluarte is heading to Callao to monitor developments, the Peruvian presidency said on X. Footage shared by local media also showed cars hit by falling debris, damaged houses and collapsed billboards. All of Lima's districts felt the earthquake, Hernando Tavera, executive president of the Geophysical Institute of Peru, told local TV channel N. Local radio stations reported that a professional football match at Lima's Alberto Gallardo Stadium was paused for several minutes. A mass at Lima's cathedral was also interrupted, after frightened worshipers fled the scene. Peru is located along the Ring of Fire, a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by frequent earthquakes and active volcanoes.
Al-Ahram Weekly
05-06-2025
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Muslim pilgrims pray at Mount Arafat in hajj apex - Region
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