Latest news with #Wipha
The Star
4 hours ago
- Climate
- The Star
Flash floods take five lives, dozens evacuated
Under the rubble: Rescuers clearing debris after flash floods in Son La province. — AFP A weekend flash flood in the mountainous north killed five people, authorities said, while another person remains missing after the deluge. Heavy rains triggering flash floods were reported on Saturday night in Son La province, destroying 22 houses, damaging scores more and forcing dozens of families to evacuate, the agriculture ministry said yesterday. Three bodies were recovered on Monday, a ministry statement said, adding to two others already found dead in the aftermath. The search for another person is ongoing. More than 180ha of crops and 2,600 cattle and poultry were also swept away. Last week, Tropical Storm Wipha killed three people and flooded nearly 4,000 homes in the country's central Nghe An province. A sudden whirlwind and abnormal weather pattern overturned a tourist boat in Vietnam's Unesco area of Ha Long Bay on July 19, killing 39 people, including several children. In September, Typhoon Yagi devastated northern Vietnam, leaving 345 people dead. — AFP
Bangkok Post
6 hours ago
- Climate
- Bangkok Post
Rising river levels trigger flood alerts
Flood warnings have been issued as river levels have surged rapidly in some northern provinces, with a Cell Broadcast (CB) alert sounded as water rose quickly on the Kok River. The Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) issued a CB alert to residents in low-lying areas along the Kok River in Chiang Rai province, warning them to move belongings to higher ground and take care of vulnerable groups, including the elderly and bedridden patients. The alert follows a continued rise in river levels, with potential flooding expected around 6pm Wednesday in tambons Huai Chomphu, Mae Yao, Doi Hang, Wiang and Rim Kok, and other areas within Chiang Rai municipality. The municipality posted an update on Facebook detailing a preparedness meeting earlier in the day. Water levels at Nawang Bridge–Tha Ton Station stood at 6.91 metres, or 0.41m above the riverbank, with stable flow rates. At King Mengrai Bridge Station, the current flow reached 611.20 m³/second, just 0.18 m³/s below the bank level, with forecasts indicating levels could rise to 6.20–6.50m by evening, potentially flooding riverside zones and low-lying urban areas in Chiang Rai. Also Tuesday, officials in Mae Hong Son reported that the Pai River, a key waterway, had surged past crisis levels. Floodwaters have begun affecting farmland in tambons Pang Mu and Pha Bong although evacuations are not yet required. The flooding in Mae Hong Son is attributed to heavy rainfall in upstream Pai district, which has accumulated in recent weeks. This year's rainfall exceeds seasonal averages, partly due to remnants of storm Wipha, compounding earlier persistent rainfall that has inundated homes and farmlands along the Pai River. In the northeastern province of Nakhon Phanom, the Mekong River continued its rapid rise, reaching 11.3m Tuesday morning -- just 66cm below the 12m critical level. The river has overflowed onto Sawan Chai Khong Road, flooding over 5km behind the local highway office. Businesses along the river have begun moving goods to prevent losses as floodwaters reach storefronts. Meteorological reports forecast 70% thunderstorm coverage across the province, with heavy to very heavy rain in isolated areas. Nakhon Phanom's rainfall peaked at 54mm in Muang district. In Nan, several days of persistent rainfall have triggered flash floods and road collapses in Chalerm Prakiat district. Social media images posted by "Kon Lanna" show road sections completely washed away, posing severe risks to motorists. Sukrit Koetsang, director of the Northern Meteorological Centre, warned of persistent heavy rain in the upper North, although rainfall intensity is set to subside as the monsoon trough shifts northward. However, the risk of landslides and flash flooding remains, especially in hilly areas, low-lying zones, and near riverbanks. Meanwhile, Deputy Interior Minister Theerarat Samrejvanich chaired an emergency meeting Tuesday to coordinate flood and landslide response operations triggered by tropical storm Wipha. She instructed provincial authorities to accelerate aid to affected residents and prioritise the protection of critical infrastructure, including hospitals, communities, and economic hubs.
Russia Today
8 hours ago
- Climate
- Russia Today
Dozens dead as China hit with year's rainfall in days (VIDEO)
Torrential rains and floods in China have killed at least 38 people, damaging roads, cutting power, and prompting mass evacuations, state media have reported. Heavy rains began last Wednesday in Northern China, affecting 11 regions in total. The deluge peaked on Monday in the capital, Beijing, and surrounding provinces, where 30 people were killed and over 80,000 evacuated, Xinhua reported on Tuesday. It also triggered landslides near Chengde City in northern Hebei province, where eight people died and are four missing, according to the media. Around 100,000 people were relocated in southwest China and near the capital. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered 'all-out' search and rescue efforts to minimize casualties. The Chinese People's Liberation Army, the People's Armed Police Force, and local militias have deployed troops to join disaster relief efforts in flood-stricken areas. Beijing's rainfall record of 534mm (21 inches) was set in the Miyun district, approaching the capital's average annual rain volume of 600 mm, Xinhua reported. The city of Baoding, which neighbors Beijing, also experienced a record-breaking downpour with 540 mm (21,3 inches) over an eight-hour period on Saturday, exceeding the city's average annual rainfall of about 500 mm. Torrential rains have resulted in the evacuation of more than 3,000 residents in #Beijing's suburban district of #Miyun, prompting an upgraded red alert for torrential rains on Saturday night. Chinese social media videos show roads cut off and damaged by rain and flood. The National Meteorological Center has predicted some regions will see up to 300 mm of rainfall within the next 24 hours. Northern China has experienced heavy precipitation in recent years, exposing densely populated cities to flood risks, according to Reuters. In 2023, Beijing saw extreme floods caused by the heaviest rainfall recorded in at least 140 years at the time. Dozens of people were killed while 1 million were relocated. Other countries across Asia have also suffered from water-related disasters this summer. The tropical storm Wipha - combined with the East Asian monsoon - battered countries in Southeast Asia last week, resulting in multiple casualties.
Russia Today
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Russia Today
Dozens killed after China records almost a year of rainfall in days (VIDEOS)
Torrential rains and floods in China have killed at least 38 people, damaging roads, cutting power, and prompting mass evacuations, state media have reported. Heavy rains began last Wednesday in Northern China, affecting 11 regions in total. The deluge peaked on Monday in the capital, Beijing, and surrounding provinces, where 30 people were killed and over 80,000 evacuated, Xinhua reported on Tuesday. It also triggered landslides near Chengde City in northern Hebei province, where eight people died and are four missing, according to the media. Around 100,000 people were relocated in southwest China and near the capital. Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered 'all-out' search and rescue efforts to minimize casualties. The Chinese People's Liberation Army, the People's Armed Police Force, and local militias have deployed troops to join disaster relief efforts in flood-stricken areas. Beijing's rainfall record of 534mm (21 inches) was set in the Miyun district, approaching the capital's average annual rain volume of 600 mm, Xinhua reported. The city of Baoding, which neighbors Beijing, also experienced a record-breaking downpour with 540 mm (21,3 inches) over an eight-hour period on Saturday, exceeding the city's average annual rainfall of about 500 mm. Torrential rains have resulted in the evacuation of more than 3,000 residents in #Beijing's suburban district of #Miyun, prompting an upgraded red alert for torrential rains on Saturday night. Chinese social media videos show roads cut off and damaged by rain and flood. The National Meteorological Center has predicted some regions will see up to 300 mm of rainfall within the next 24 hours. Northern China has experienced heavy precipitation in recent years, exposing densely populated cities to flood risks, according to Reuters. In 2023, Beijing saw extreme floods caused by the heaviest rainfall recorded in at least 140 years at the time. Dozens of people were killed while 1 million were relocated. Other countries across Asia have also suffered from water-related disasters this summer. The tropical storm Wipha - combined with the East Asian monsoon - battered countries in Southeast Asia last week, resulting in multiple casualties.
The Star
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Grasshopper's Remus Choy returns to stage for first time since brain surgery
Grasshopper was the guest performers at Hong Kong singer Kelly Chen's concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum. (From left) Calvin Choy, Kelly Chen, Remus Choy and Edmond So. Photo: Kelly Chen/Instagram Singer Remus Choy of Hong Kong pop group Grasshopper has returned to the stage on July 27, performing for the first time since his brain surgery in October 2024. Grasshopper was the guest performers at Hong Kong singer Kelly Chen's concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum. The Cantopop trio comprise, Remus Choy, 58, his brother Calvin Choy, 60, and Edmond So, 59. The Grasshopper members and Chen, who all dressed in white, performed the fast-paced songs Beat The Heat Wou Bom Ba (1993) and Open The Sky (1995). Calvin looked to be in great shape as he sang and danced on stage. Chen's concert on July 27 was the final night of her 10-show Season 2 Live In Hong Kong 2025 concert series. The show was originally scheduled to be held on July 20, but it was postponed by a week due to Typhoon Wipha. Remus said on stage that Chen, 52, was the first person to message him after he dropped a bombshell in October 2024, when he disclosed on social media that he had gone for an operation to remove a brain tumour. His post then was accompanied by two photos: a selfie of himself with a shaved head and a close-up shot of the long surgery scar on his scalp. 'Kelly said she was very worried about me and the large scar on my head broke her heart,' Remus said. 'She hoped I would recover soon and cheered me on, even complimenting me on how good I looked with a bald head.' Remus said Grasshopper has watched Chen's career progress since her debut in 1995. He added that their last collaboration was about 10 years ago, when she was a guest performer at Grasshopper's concert. The Cantopop trio also performed its new song, Lou Dik Lat (which means Old Is Spicy in Cantonese), at Chen's concert. Remus also took the opportunity to announce that they would be holding a concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in April 2026, and would invite Chen to be its guest performer. Remus has been charting his recovery on social media since his surgery. He has shared videos of himself working out in the gym in recent months. He posted on July 22 a photo of himself in the recording studio, writing that a new song was coming soon. – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
