7 die in rains, landslide in Latin America

At least seven people died in a Caracas slum due to heavy rains from Tropical Storm Matthew, which brought fresh misery to a region were hundreds have been killed in flooding and landslides this year.
An unrelated freak storm in Haiti killed at least five survivors from its devastating January quake and wounded dozens as it blasted through the capital Port-au-Prince, tearing down shabby tent homes, trees and power lines. Tropical Storm Matthew killed its seven victims on Friday in the Santa Ana de Antimano neighborhood after their home was flooded.Caracas fire chief William Martinez said authorities also conducted preventive evictions in other high-risk areas.Thousands of people had been evacuated elsewhere in Central America ahead of Matthew, which made landfall in a lightly populated area of northeastern Nicaragua, then headed west, dumping rain across much of northern Honduras. The storm was moving west-northwest at 24km per hour.

Landslide in China leaves over 80 dead, 2,000 missing

BEIJING: More than 80 people are dead and over 2,000 are missing after landslides triggered by heavy rain in northwestern China, state media said Sunday.

More than 70 were injured in the landslides in a mainly Tibetan region of Gansu province late Saturday night, state television said.

A total of 20,000 people living in Zhouqu county have been evacuated, the report said.

China flood toll rises to 175

BEIJING: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao called for extra efforts to battle flooding in central and south China, where torrential rains have left 175 people dead and 107 missing, according to the latest toll Monday.

Over one million people have been evacuated from flooded areas in 10 provinces and regions since June 13, while washed out roads, bridges and railways have paralysed traffic and hampered rescue work, the government said.

The torrential rains and flooding have affected over 15 million people and caused 19.7 billion yuan (2.9 billion dollars) in estimated economic losses, the Civil Affairs Ministry said.

The latest death toll, reported by the state news agency, was up from the 147 dead and 93 missing reported by the ministry on Sunday.

Landslides were wreaking havoc in mountainous areas throughout the region. A total of 178,000 homes have been damaged in the deluge, 68,000 houses have collapsed and nearly 800,000 hectares (two million acres) of crops have been affected, the government said.

Karachi being lashed out by heavy showers

KARACHI: Many parts in metropolis city Karachi have started receiving heavy amount of downpours caused by formidable Cyclone Phet late on Saturday night, Geo news reported.

According to met officials, most parts of city will continue be lashed out by rain in torrents for some days encountering strong winds inflicted by thunderstorm.

People living along coastal belt have already been evacuated to safer places ahead of Cyclone Phet, which is 300-meters away Karachi coast and is anticipated to hit by Sunday afternoon with its category 2 might.

Lake overwhelms low-lying areas

HUNZA: The Gilgit-Hunza section of Karakoram Highway will remain open till 4pm with the landslide-created Lake in Ata Abad is persistently bulging owing to the melting glacier thanks to clear weather, Geo News reported Tuesday.

The management opened a portion of Karakoram Highway between Huna and Gilgit till 4pm today with the traffic resumed there and the held up relief caravans are reaching the affected areas with the relief goods.

The clear and sunny weather conditions coupled with the melting glacier conspired to rise the water level, causing the Lake to expedite the overflow.

The overflow and stretch of water is deteriorating the orchards and the crops in the low-lying areas, which have been evacuated in view of imminent lake-propelled flood.

According to management, the situation is wholly under control and being monitored each second.

The entrance into all low-lying areas between Hunza Nagar and Gilgit is still banned.

The rescue work via helicopter is in progress thanks to clear skies and the affectees are being airlifted to the safer places.

Attabad Lake:Water outflow rising continuously

Around 2,800 cusecs water has been discharged from the Attabad Lake, while 50 cusecs water per second is seeping from the spillway, which would likely to increase as the sun goes up on Sunday.
As many as 20 villages have been evacuated for fear of inundation, whereas 200 villages have been submerged so far. The melting of glacier pushed the water level up in the lake continuously; the inhabitants of the Tehsil Gujral are the most affected as 40,000 people have been besieged. Intermediate examinations have also been postponed in view of the imminent flood threat.

Helicopter Crash Afghanistan

KABUL, Afghanistan:- Four American troops were killed and two injured when two helicopters collided in southern Afghanistan on Monday.

Hostile fire has been ruled out in the crash, a military statement said. US military spokesman Col. Wayne Shanks said he did not have other details yet about the cause of the collision. Shanks said the injured had been evacuated to hospitals inside Afghanistan. In another incident, another helicopter went down on Monday during an operation by international forces against insurgents in western Afghanistan in which a dozen militants were killed. So far 424 foreign troops have been killed in Afghanistan this year.

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Helicopter Crash Afghanistan was first posted on October 26, 2009 at 9:07 pm.