Latest news with #disaster
CNA
an hour ago
- Climate
- CNA
Pakistan flash floods and heavy rains kill 24
PESHAWAR, Pakistan: Heavy rains and flash flooding across Pakistan have killed 24 people including 12 children since the start of the monsoon season this week, disaster management officials said. The area's disaster management authority said on Saturday (Jun 28) that at least 13 people have been killed in the eastern province of Punjab since Wednesday. Eight of the fatalities were children, who died when walls and roofs collapsed during heavy rains. The latest toll came after officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said 11 people were killed in flash floods and landslides over 24 hours. Those victims included "four children and three women - while six others have been injured", the province's disaster management agency said late on Friday. The agency said 10 of those killed were in the northwestern Swat Valley where, according to local media, a flash flood swept away families on a riverbank. Flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has also damaged 56 houses, six of which were destroyed, the disaster agency said. The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday. Last month, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms in the South Asian nation, which experienced several extreme weather events in the spring, including strong hailstorms. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million inhabitants are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.
Khaleej Times
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
Pakistan: 11 killed in flash floods as monsoon season begins, local officials say
Flash flooding in Pakistan's mountainous northwest has killed 11 people, including several children, at the start of the monsoon season, disaster management officials said. "In the past 24 hours, flash floods and landslides have claimed the lives of 11 people, including four children and three women, while six others have been injured," according to a report issued late Friday by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial disaster management agency. The report said 10 of those killed were in the Swat Valley, where, according to local media, a flash flood swept away families on a riverbank. Flooding in the province has also damaged 56 houses, six of which were destroyed, the disaster agency report said. The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Tuesday. Last month, at least 24 people were killed in severe storms in the South Asian nation, which experienced several extreme weather events in the spring, including strong hailstorms. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million inhabitants are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.
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The Independent
16 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Not the ‘realest ID': Waffle House card won't get you through airport checkpoints, TSA warns X poster
In a lighthearted yet increasingly necessary clarification, TSA confirmed that, despite internet jokes, a Waffle House employee ID does not meet the standards of a federally recognized Real ID. The chatter started when Meteorologist Matthew Cappucci tweeted a bright-yellow laminated Waffle House ID with his name and meteorologist title on it this week, writing, 'TSA might want RealID, but I have the realest ID.' The post quickly went viral, racking up over 2.2 million views. It even caught the attention of the official TSA account two days later, which replied, 'Respectfully, no… Waffle House IDs will not suffice as a Real ID alternative (sorry).' The humorous exchange with the meteorologist and eatery super fan brings to mind the Waffle House Index, an informal metric used by FEMA to assess the severity of natural disasters, especially hurricanes, based on whether Waffle House restaurants in affected areas stay open. Since nearly all Waffle House locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even on holidays, the chain is known for its disaster preparedness and resilience. As former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate told the Wall Street Journal in 2011, "If you get there and the Waffle House is closed? That's really bad. That's where you go to work." The Waffle House Index uses a simple three-color system to reflect the severity of a disaster's impact on a local area. A green rating means the Waffle House is fully operational and serving its full menu, indicating that the area has experienced minimal damage or disruption. A yellow rating signifies that the restaurant is open but operating on a limited menu, often due to power outages, staffing shortages, or supply chain issues, suggesting moderate impact but still-manageable conditions. A red rating means the Waffle House is completely closed, which is rare and typically signals severe damage, unsafe conditions, or significant infrastructure failure in the area. The ID kerfuffle recalls TSA's recent post about using Costco IDs at the airport security counter. "We love hotdogs & rotisserie chickens as much as the next person but please stop telling people their Costco card counts as a REAL ID because it absolutely does not," the TSA said in a post last week on social media. The TSA Costco post came a few days after Chowhound published an article titled, "How Your Costco Card Could Save You At The Airport." They later updated it to clarify that "TSA does not explicitly state you can use a Costco card as a form of identification.'
CTV News
2 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Residents of Denare Beach, Sask., returning home to find much of community destroyed
WATCH: Wildfire evacuation orders have been lifted for residents of Creighton and Denare Beach. What can those returning home expect to see? After a month-long evacuation due to a wildfire, residents of Denare Beach in Saskatchewan began returning home on Wednesday. The community of about 700 residents northeast of Prince Albert was forced to flee their homes on May 8, just two days after the Wolf Fire ignited and ripped through the area. As residents trickled back into town, they were met with a scene of devastation. Hundreds of buildings were destroyed with estimates suggesting that up to 400 buildings in the community may be gone. 'Having a plan, having information, having support systems, being told that everything is being done to help you, would have gone a long way,' said Jennifer Hysert, who lost her home in the fire. The destruction is a harsh reality for residents who are still reeling from the disaster. Jennifer Hysert Denare Beach resident Jennifer Hysert speaks to reporters about losing her home in the wildfires, June 25 (John Flatters/CTV News) Despite the trauma, the community is relieved that no one was hurt or killed in the fire. However, many are frustrated that the community couldn't be saved, despite warnings about the gravity of the fire. 'We were given nothing in terms of funds, support – you name it. There was nothing. And it's really bothersome to me that that's possible with the resources we have. We're not living in 1910,' Hysert added. The Wolf Fire is the province's third-largest active wildfire, burning nearly 162,000 hectares of land. The smoke was still visible in the distance on Wednesday as residents were grappling with the aftermath of the disaster. Repatriation efforts were slow, with some evacuees coming from Manitoba having to wait until Wednesday to drive back. Denare Beach (John Flatters/CTV News) The province is still dealing with multiple wildfires, with 19 active fires burning in northern Saskatchewan as of Thursday. Only two are considered contained while five are out of control, including the Shoe Fire, which burned over 554,000 hectares, and the Pisew Fire, which has burned over 184,000 hectares. Saskatchewan has seen 267 wildfires this year exceeding the five-year average of 169. Over 30 communities were evacuated and according to the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), as of Thursday, only two communities - Creighton and East Trout Lake- were under an active evacuation order. - With files from Hayatullah Amanat
The Independent
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Death toll from this month's flooding in South Africa rises to over 100
The death toll from severe floods that inundated parts of South Africa's rural Eastern Cape province two weeks ago has risen to 101, with a 12-month-old baby the youngest fatality, authorities said Thursday. Two children are still missing. Heavy rain on June 9 and 10 caused by a cold front resulted in floods that swept away victims and their houses, trapped others in their homes, damaged roads and other infrastructure and cut electricity supplies. Zolile Williams, an Eastern Cape provincial government official, provided the updated death toll at a press briefing Thursday and said search operations continued for the two missing children. Williams said 94 of the 101 victims had been identified and their bodies had been handed over to their families. The victims included 38 children. More than 4,000 people have been left homeless across the Eastern Cape province. South Africa last week declared a state of national disaster, allowing the government to release funding for relief services. Williams said that an estimated $288 million would be needed to replace damaged infrastructure and the province, one of the poorest in South Africa, needed help from the national government. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the worst affected sites two weeks ago and blamed the heavy rains and catastrophic floods on climate change. Another cold front hit South Africa's Western Cape province this week, bringing days of rain and causing flooding in and around the city of Cape Town. South Africa is vulnerable to strong weather fronts that blow in from the Indian and Southern Oceans. In 2022, more than 400 people died in flooding caused by prolonged heavy rains in the east coast city of Durban and surrounding areas. ___
