At least 34 dead in India's north-east after heavy floods
India's north-east and Bangladesh are prone to torrential rains that set off deadly landslides and flash floods, affecting millions of people every year. PHOTO: REUTERS
People carrying a patient on a stretcher as they wait for a rescue boat to evacuate him from a flood-affected hospital, following heavy rains in Imphal East, Manipur, India on June 1. PHOTO: REUTERS
At least 34 dead in India's north-east after heavy floods
– At least 34 people have died in India's north-eastern region after heavy floods caused landslides over the last four days, the authorities and media said on June 2, with the weather department predicting more heavy rain.
More than a thousand tourists trapped in the Himalayan state of Sikkim were being evacuated on June 2, a government statement said. Army rescue teams were deployed in Meghalaya state to rescue more than 500 people stranded in flooded areas.
In neighbouring Bangladesh, at least four members of a family were killed in a landslide in the north-eastern district of Sylhet, while hundreds of shelters were opened across the hilly districts of Rangamati, Bandarban, and Khagrachhari on June 1.
The authorities have warned of further landslides and flash floods, urging residents in vulnerable areas to remain alert.
India's north-east and Bangladesh are prone to torrential rains that set off deadly landslides and flash floods, affecting millions of people every year.
Roads and houses in Assam's Silchar city were flooded, visuals from news agency ANI showed, and fallen trees littered the roads.
Silchar resident Sonu Devi told ANI: 'We are facing a lot of challenges. I have a child, their bed is submerged in water. What will we do in such a situation? We keep ourselves awake throughout the night.' REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Nearly 100 missing a week after floods tore through Nigerian town
Rubble from a collapsed house is seen in Anguwar Hausawa Gangari community, due to the flooding that killed 151 people and forced several thousand from their homes in Mokwa, Niger State Nigeria, May 31, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo FILE PHOTO: People are seen near their collapsed houses following a flooding that killed 151 people and forced several thousand from their homes in Mokwa, Niger State, Nigeria, May 31, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo FILE PHOTO: Rubble from collapsed houses is seen in Anguwar Hausawa Gangari community, due to the flooding that killed 151 people and forced several thousand from their homes in Mokwa, Niger State Nigeria, May 31, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo MAIDUGURI, Nigeria - At least 98 people are still missing in addition to 160 confirmed dead a week after floods ripped through a town in central Nigeria, the national emergency agency said on Wednesday, as hopes of finding survivors fade. Heavy rainfall unleashed waters that destroyed homes and overwhelmed local drainage systems in Mokwa, about 270 km (168 miles) west of Abuja, in one of the deadliest floods to hit Africa's most populous country. Although search and rescue operations continue, damage to roads and bridges was hampering access, said the National Emergency Management Authority (NEMA), which has enlisted the help of Nigeria Red Cross, police and army. "Teams are working to locate missing persons. There is heightened risk of disease outbreaks due to overcrowding and contaminated water sources," NEMA said in a statement. Habiba Abdulahi, a 27-year-old resident, said four of her five children had been washed away by the floods, and that like other victims' relatives she was still hoping that the bodies would be found. "Just like that, my children were gone. Even now, we haven't found them, but we are still hoping to recover their bodies," she told Reuters by phone. The United Nations Children's Fund in Nigeria said it had deployed a team to provide essential healthcare services, including to pregnant women. Nigeria frequently experiences floods during the rainy season, which typically begins in April and ends in October. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
US Coast Guard responding to cargo ship fire near Alaska; no injuries reported
US Coast Guard responding to cargo ship fire near Alaska; no injuries reported The U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday it was responding to a fire on board a 600 foot (183 m) cargo ship near Alaska, but added that no injuries had been reported. The ship, Morning Midas, had 22 people on board and was located 300 miles (482.8 km) southwest of Adak in Alaska. The ship's crew was actively fighting the fire, the coast guard said. The Liberia-flagged cargo ship's destination was set for Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico, according to LSEG data. The coast guard said that aircrews and a cutter ship were en route to assist with the situation, and three vessels were already on scene. The U.S. Coast Guard and the ship's owner Hawthorn Navigation Limited did not immediately reply to requests for comment. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
10 hours ago
- Straits Times
Vietnam orders action to avert power crunch as heat lifts demand
Recent bouts of sweltering heat in northern and central areas of Vietnam increased peak power demand to almost 52 gigawatts on June 2. PHOTO: EPA-EFE HANOI – Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered government agencies to ensure uninterrupted power supplies for households and businesses as heat waves boost electricity demand to a record. Recent bouts of sweltering heat in northern and central areas of the nation increased peak power demand to almost 52 gigawatts on June 2, an all-time high, according to a statement posted on the government website. The mean temperature in Vietnam topped 30 deg C on June 2, about 8 per cent above the 30-year average for this time of year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Mr Chinh asked the trade ministry and other agencies to prevent power shortages under 'any circumstances,' according to the statement. Among the measures, he instructed to accelerate start up of new power plants and grid connections, and ensure safe operation of the electricity system during the peak dry season. Rising temperatures in the country are part of a global trend, with other pockets of the planet also heating up. Signs are pointing to a red-hot summer across the North America, Europe, and Asia, threatening to tax power grids, wilt crops, and send energy prices spiking. Above-average temperatures are forecast across Japan through August, while weather models are predicting a warmer-than-average summer throughout mainland and maritime South-east Asia. Asia's developing nations have been hitting new power demand records every year, as rapid economic growth, coupled with expansion of air conditioning, boosts electricity requirements. BLOOMBERG Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
