by Joshua MELVIN MANILA, Philippines (AFP) – When Mary Ann San Jose moved to Sitio Pariahan more than two decades ago, she could walk to the local chapel. Today, reaching it requires a swim. The main culprit is catastrophic subsidence caused by groundwater being pumped out from below, often via unregulated wells for homes, factories, and farms catering to a booming population and growing economy. The steady sinking of coastal towns and islets like Pariahan […]
Tag: Disaster
Floods in Indonesia kill dozens, thousands displaced
by Debbi Ernest Agence France Presse BENGKULU, Indonesia (AFP) — Floods sparked by torrential rains have killed nearly 40 in Indonesia with a dozen more still missing, officials said Monday, marking the latest calamity for a disaster-prone nation. Landslides and floods are common during the monsoon season between October and April, when rains lash the vast Southeast Asian archipelago. On Monday, Indonesia’s disaster agency confirmed 29 deaths and said at least 13 more people […]
Torrential rain triggers flooding, evacuations in Indonesia’s capital
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — Torrential rain triggered flooding in parts of the Indonesian capital Jakarta overnight, the disaster agency said Friday, forcing the evacuation of residents. Heavy rain pounded the greater Jakarta area, causing the Ciliwung river to burst its banks, and prompting flash flooding in at least 17 communities. Dozens of residents in parts of the capital’s east, where flooding occurs frequently during rainy season, were forced to wade through streets filled with 1-metre […]
UPDATE: Colombia mudslide death toll rises to 28
ROSAS, Colombia (AFP) — The number of dead from a mudslide that buried houses in southwestern Colombia has risen to at least 28, rescue authorities said on Monday. Eleven more bodies were found during a rescue operation in Rosas, in the department of Cauca, where 17 people were pronounced dead on Sunday when the mudslide occurred, Colombia’s risk and disaster agency (UNGRD) said on its Twitter account. At least two other people are still unaccounted […]
Strong 6.8 quake hits off eastern Indonesia, tsunami warning issued
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — A strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake rocked eastern Indonesia Friday, the United States Geological Survey said, triggering a tsunami warning and sending panicked residents fleeing from their homes. The quake struck at a relatively shallow depth of 17 kilometres (10 miles) off the east coast of Sulawesi island, the USGS said, where a 7.5-magnitude quake-tsunami around the city of Palu killed more than 4,300 people last year. Indonesia’s geophysics agency issued […]
Torrential rain in Rio de Janeiro leaves 10 dead
by Allison JACKSON RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Torrential rain left at least 10 people dead in Rio de Janeiro, officials said Tuesday, as emergency workers rescued people trapped by the downpour and clean-up efforts gathered pace. The unusually heavy rain began Monday evening and continued into Tuesday, triggering widespread flash flooding that turned some streets into raging rivers, toppled trees and swept away cars as the state emergency agency declared a crisis. The […]
Toll from cyclone-hit southern Africa surges as UN launches health aid
by Adrien BARBIER and Joaquim NHAMIRRE BEIRA, Mozambique (AFP) — The death toll from a cyclone that ravaged three southern African countries last week headed Thursday towards 400, as officials estimated that more than 1.7 million people had been affected by the storm and 15,000 people were still stranded in floodwater. As the toll surged from the region’s biggest storm in years, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced plans to tackle an emerging threat to […]
Indonesia flood death toll tops 100, dozens still missing
SENTANI, Indonesia (AFP) — The death toll from flash floods and landslides that tore through Indonesia’s Papua region has topped 100 with dozens more still missing, the disaster agency said Wednesday. Nearly 10,000 people have moved to shelters while at least 104 victims are confirmed to have died and 79 are unaccounted for in the aftermath of the disaster, triggered by heavy rain on Saturday. Scores have suffered injuries, including cuts and broken bones, […]
Indonesia flood death toll rises to 89, dozens missing
SENTANI, Indonesia (AFP) — At least 89 people are known to have died after flash floods and landslides tore through Indonesia’s Papua region, with the toll expected to rise further as rescuers hunt for dozens still missing, the national disaster agency said Tuesday. Scores have also been injured in the disaster, triggered by torrential rain on Saturday, with some 6,800 people evacuated to temporary shelters. The military has taken up the grim task of […]
Seven dead, dozens buried in Indonesia mine collapse
NORTH SULAWESI, India (AFP) — At least seven people have died and dozens more are still trapped beneath the rubble of an illegal gold mine that collapsed in Indonesia, officials said Thursday, as rescuers frantically searched for survivors. Some 19 miners had been plucked to safety since Tuesday night’s accident and rescuers are communicating with some still buried, raising hopes for more survivors. But with the clock ticking, the rescue effort at the remote site […]
Dozens buried in Indonesia gold mine collapse: official
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — One person was killed and dozens more were buried in the collapse of an illegal gold mine in Indonesia, the country’s disaster agency said Wednesday. Rescuers on the island of Sulawesi scrambled to find survivors in the rubble after the collapse triggered a landslide on Tuesday evening, the agency said. At least one person had been found dead and 15 others were injured in the Bolaang Mongondow region of North Sulawesi, […]
Dozens buried in Indonesia gold mine collapse: official
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AFP) — One person was killed and dozens more were buried in the collapse of an illegal gold mine in Indonesia, the country’s disaster agency said Wednesday. Rescuers on the island of Sulawesi scrambled to find survivors in the rubble after the collapse triggered a landslide on Tuesday evening, the agency said. At least one person had been found dead and 15 others were injured in the Bolaang Mongondow region of North Sulawesi, […]





