disaster News

Weakened Cyclone Freddy Batters Madagascar, Killing 4

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — A weakened Cyclone Freddy which pummeled Madagascar Tuesday night with heavy rains and strong destructive winds, killing four people, is continuing to wreak havoc in the southwest of the Indian Ocean nation. Freddy battered the western …

New Quake Brings Fresh Losses to Residents of Turkey, Syria

ISTANBUL (AP) — Survivors of the earthquake that jolted Turkey and Syria 15 days ago, killing tens of thousands of people and leaving hundreds of thousands of others homeless, dealt with more trauma and loss Tuesday after another deadly quake …

UN Official Warns of Rising Earthquake Death Toll in Syria

AMMAN (AP) — The United Nations regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syrian crisis said Thursday that the country’s death toll from last week’s deadly earthquake is likely to rise further as teams scramble to remove rubble in hard-hit areas. In …

Turkey Detains Building Contractors as Quake Deaths Pass 33K

ANTAKYA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish justice officials targeted more than 130 people allegedly involved in shoddy and illegal construction methods as rescuers extricated more survivors, including a pregnant woman and two small children, six days after a pair of earthquakes …

Strong Quake Shakes Main Indonesia Island, No Major Damage

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — A strong earthquake shook parts of Indonesia’s main island of Java on Saturday, causing panic but only minor damage just two weeks after an equally powerful quake killed hundreds. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude …

Strong Quake Topples Houses in Indonesia’s Java; 162 Dead

CIANJUR, Indonesia (AP) — A strong, shallow earthquake toppled buildings and walls on Indonesia’s densely populated main island on Monday, killing at least 162 people and injuring hundreds of others as residents fled into the street, some covered in blood …

Japan Says Repayment of TEPCO Fukushima Cleanup Delayed

TOKYO (AP) — Repayment of the more than 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) government funding for cleanup and compensation for the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster has been delayed, the Japanese government says. The Board of Audit said in a …

Over 100 Dead, Dozens Missing in Storm-Ravaged Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — More than 100 people have died in one of the most destructive storms to lash the Philippines this year with dozens more feared missing after villagers fled in the wrong direction and got buried in a …

Philippine Storm Victims Feared Tsunami, Ran Toward Mudslide

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Victims of a huge mudslide set off by a storm in a coastal Philippine village that had once been devastated by a killer tsunami mistakenly thought a tidal wave was coming and ran to higher ground …

Hurricane Julia Hits Nicaragua with Torrential Rainfall

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Julia hit Nicaragua’s central Caribbean coast on Sunday after lashing Colombia’s San Andres island, and a weakened storm was expected to emerge over the Pacific. Julia hit as a Category 1 hurricane early Sunday with …