Latest news with #RescueTeams
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Dozens dead after tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam due to stormy weather
At least 34 people have died and several are still missing after a tourist boat capsized in stormy weather in Vietnam. The boat, carrying 53 people, tipped over at around 2 pm local time (0700 GMT) in Ha Long Bay — a popular tourist destination in the north of the country. Most of the passengers were reportedly Vietnamese families visiting from the capital Hanoi, according to local newspaper VnExpress. It comes as Storm Wipha approached the country across the South China Sea, bringing strong winds, heavy rainfall and lightning. There was no official announcement on the nationality of the tourists as emergency crews kept looking for survivors. Rescue teams found 11 survivors and recovered 27 bodies, eight of them children, the state-run Vietnam News Agency said, citing local authorities. Halong Bay, about 200 km (125 miles) northeast of Hanoi, attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. Boat tours are hugely popular. Storm Wipha, the third typhoon to hit the South China Sea this year, is projected to make landfall along Vietnam's northern coast early next week. Weather linked to the storm also disrupted air travel. Noi Bai Airport said nine arriving flights were diverted to other airports, and three departing flights were temporarily grounded on Saturday.
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Climate
- Al Jazeera
Pakistan monsoon rains death toll rises to 159 after 63 die in one day
Heavy monsoon rains across Pakistan's Punjab province have killed at least 63 people and injured nearly 300 in the past 24 hours, provincial officials said, bringing the nationwide death toll from the rains to at least 159 since late June. The downpours on Thursday caused flooding and building collapses, with most of the deaths caused by the roofs of weaker homes failing. Lahore, the eastern provincial capital, reported 15 deaths, Faisalabad nine, and the farming towns of Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan several more. Rescue teams used boats to evacuate families from villages along riversides further south in the morning, but the water had begun to recede by the afternoon. 'Children were screaming for help, and women stood on rooftops, waving their shawls and begging to be rescued,' said Tariq Mehbood Bhatti, a 51-year-old farmer in Ladian village. Residents living in low-lying areas near the Nullah Lai River, which runs through Rawalpindi city, neighbouring the capital Islamabad, were ordered to evacuate after a sharp rise in the water level. 'Rescue teams are on standby for more evacuations,' a spokeswoman for the disaster agency said. The Rawalpindi government declared a public holiday on Thursday to keep people at home. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Punjab's Chakwal district, said 'heavy rains [are] causing extensive damage and also loss of life' across the Punjab region. Rains have 'swept away small dams which have burst at banks,' he said, adding that the military is using helicopters to evacuate people who are now surrounded by water. 'Pakistan has seen devastating floods over the last few years. This monsoon season is not different,' Hyder added. Experts have warned that the country can see extreme weather in the coming years, he said. Since late June, the monsoon rains have killed 103 people and injured 393 in Punjab alone, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). More than 120 homes were damaged and six livestock animals killed. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) gave the toll of at least 159 deaths nationwide since June 25 and said more than 1,000 homes had been damaged. A high flood alert was issued for the Jhelum River at the northern town of Mangla, where water inflows were expected to surge to high levels, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. Authorities warned that adjoining streams could also overflow in the next 24 hours, putting nearby communities at risk. Monsoon rains are a routine part of South Asia's climate and are essential for crop irrigation and replenishing water supplies. However, their adverse impact has worsened in recent years due to rapid urban expansion, poor drainage systems, and more frequent extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Climate
- Al Jazeera
Dozens killed in Pakistan as heavy monsoon season persists
Heavy monsoon rains across Pakistan's Punjab province have killed at least 63 people and injured nearly 300 in the past 24 hours, provincial officials said, bringing the nationwide death toll from the rains to at least 159 since late June. The downpours on Thursday caused flooding and building collapses, with most of the deaths caused by the roofs of weaker homes failing. Lahore, the eastern provincial capital, reported 15 deaths, Faisalabad nine, and the farming towns of Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan several more. Rescue teams used boats to evacuate families from villages along riversides further south in the morning, but the water had begun to recede by the afternoon. 'Children were screaming for help, and women stood on rooftops, waving their shawls and begging to be rescued,' said Tariq Mehbood Bhatti, a 51-year-old farmer in Ladian village. Residents living in low-lying areas near the Nullah Lai River, which runs through Rawalpindi city, neighbouring the capital Islamabad, were ordered to evacuate after a sharp rise in the water level. 'Rescue teams are on standby for more evacuations,' a spokeswoman for the disaster agency said. The Rawalpindi government declared a public holiday on Thursday to keep people at home. Al Jazeera's Kamal Hyder, reporting from Punjab's Chakwal district, said 'heavy rains [are] causing extensive damage and also loss of life' across the Punjab region. Rains have 'swept away small dams which have burst at banks,' he said, adding that the military is using helicopters to evacuate people who are now surrounded by water. 'Pakistan has seen devastating floods over the last few years. This monsoon season is not different,' Hyder added. Experts have warned that the country can see extreme weather in the coming years, he said. Since late June, the monsoon rains have killed 103 people and injured 393 in Punjab alone, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). More than 120 homes were damaged and six livestock animals killed. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) gave the toll of at least 159 deaths nationwide since June 25 and said more than 1,000 homes had been damaged. A high flood alert was issued for the Jhelum River at the northern town of Mangla, where water inflows were expected to surge to high levels, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. Authorities warned that adjoining streams could also overflow in the next 24 hours, putting nearby communities at risk. Monsoon rains are a routine part of South Asia's climate and are essential for crop irrigation and replenishing water supplies. However, their adverse impact has worsened in recent years due to rapid urban expansion, poor drainage systems, and more frequent extreme weather events linked to climate change.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
54 people killed in 24 hours of heavy monsoon rain in Pakistan
Heavy rains have been linked to 54 deaths in the past 24 hours in Pakistan, taking the toll to about 180 since the arrival of the monsoon in late June, the government's disaster agency said on Thursday. Torrential rain has poured almost without pause across parts of Punjab province since Wednesday morning, causing urban flooding and houses to collapse. Rescue teams used boats to evacuate families from villages along the river further south in the morning, but the water had begun to recede by the afternoon. "Children were screaming for help, and women stood on rooftops, waving their shawls and begging to be rescued," said Tariq Mehbood Bhatti, a 51-year-old farmer in Ladian village. Residents living in low-lying areas near the Nullah Lai river that runs through Rawalpindi city, neighbouring the capital Islamabad, were ordered to evacuate after a sharp rise in the water level. "Rescue teams are on standby for more evacuations," a spokeswoman for the disaster agency said. "Residents of vulnerable areas should prepare emergency kits with food, water, and essential medicines for three to five days in case of an emergency," the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) added in an alert. The Rawalpindi government declared a public holiday on Thursday to keep people at home, with the national meteorological department warning that heavy rain would continue until Friday. - Electrocutions, buildings collapsing - Around 180 people have been killed, including 70 children, and about 500 injured since the start of the monsoon on June 26, according to the disaster agency. "In the last 24 hours, 54 people were killed and 227 injured across Pakistan, with the majority of fatalities reported from Punjab," the NDMA spokeswoman told AFP, adding that the toll had been counted at 8:00 am (0300 GMT) on Thursday. The majority of deaths were caused by collapsed houses and sudden flash floods, while dozens were also electrocuted. Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, and runs from June until September in India and Pakistan. The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers, but also bring destruction. South Asia is getting hotter and has seen shifting weather patterns in recent years, but scientists are unclear on how exactly a warming planet is affecting the highly complex monsoon. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 255 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and killed 1,700 people. zz-stm/ecl/dhw Solve the daily Crossword
France 24
5 days ago
- Climate
- France 24
54 people killed in 24 hours of heavy monsoon rain in Pakistan
Torrential rain has poured almost without pause across parts of Punjab province since Wednesday morning, causing urban flooding and houses to collapse. Rescue teams used boats to evacuate families from villages along the river further south in the morning, but the water had begun to recede by the afternoon. "Children were screaming for help, and women stood on rooftops, waving their shawls and begging to be rescued," said Tariq Mehbood Bhatti, a 51-year-old farmer in Ladian village. Residents living in low-lying areas near the Nullah Lai river that runs through Rawalpindi city, neighbouring the capital Islamabad, were ordered to evacuate after a sharp rise in the water level. "Rescue teams are on standby for more evacuations," a spokeswoman for the disaster agency said. "Residents of vulnerable areas should prepare emergency kits with food, water, and essential medicines for three to five days in case of an emergency," the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) added in an alert. The Rawalpindi government declared a public holiday on Thursday to keep people at home, with the national meteorological department warning that heavy rain would continue until Friday. Electrocutions, buildings collapsing Around 180 people have been killed, including 70 children, and about 500 injured since the start of the monsoon on June 26, according to the disaster agency. "In the last 24 hours, 54 people were killed and 227 injured across Pakistan, with the majority of fatalities reported from Punjab," the NDMA spokeswoman told AFP, adding that the toll had been counted at 8:00 am (0300 GMT) on Thursday. The majority of deaths were caused by collapsed houses and sudden flash floods, while dozens were also electrocuted. Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, and runs from June until September in India and Pakistan. The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers, but also bring destruction. South Asia is getting hotter and has seen shifting weather patterns in recent years, but scientists are unclear on how exactly a warming planet is affecting the highly complex monsoon. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 255 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and killed 1,700 people. © 2025 AFP
