The Week in Pictures: National Day fireworks and world's ugliest dog
Tourists sitting on the beach as smoke from the wildfires in France's Aude department darkened the sky over the Mediterranean coast in Banyuls-sur-Mer. A blaze that began in Ribaute that same day burned 4,000ha of forest and scrubland within hours before reaching Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse, where homes were destroyed.
PHOTO: AFP
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Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Straits Times
Heavy monsoon rain kills at least 30 in Pakistan
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Pakistan's meteorological department has issued a heavy rain alert for the north-west of the country. PESHAWAR, Pakistan – Heavy monsoon rain triggered landslides and flash floods across northern Pakistan, killing at least 30 people and leaving many others trapped in the debris of their homes, disaster authorities said on Aug 1 5. At least 23 people were killed in the past 24 hours in mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, while seven were killed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, regional disaster management authorities said. A cloudburst washed away several houses in north-western Bajaur district, killing 16 people and stranding more than 20 others, the provincial disaster agency told AFP. The meteorological department has also issued a heavy rain alert for the north-west, urging people to avoid 'unnecessary exposure to vulnerable areas'. The annual monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 per cent of its rainfall, which is vital for agriculture and food security, but also brings destruction. In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and killed 1,700 people. AFP
Straits Times
19 hours ago
- Straits Times
Indian rescuers scour debris after 60 killed in flood
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A view of an area affected by the deadly floods in Chasoti town of Kishtwar district, Indian Kashmir, on Aug 15. Srinagar, India - Indian rescue teams on Aug 15 dug through mud searching for victims, a day after the latest deadly flood to crash through a Himalayan village killed at least 60 people. Dozens more are missing, including Hindu pilgrims who were visiting a shrine, after torrents of water and mud driven by intense rain tore through the village in Kishtwar district in Indian-administered Kashmir. It is the second major deadly flooding disaster in India in August. Officials said a large makeshift kitchen in Chisoti village, where more than 100 pilgrims were completely washed away by what Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reported was a sudden 'cloudburst' rain storm. Heavy earthmovers were brought to the disaster area overnight to dig through deep mud, huge boulders and rubble that the flood brought down the mountainside. The army's White Knight Corps said its troops, 'braving the harsh weather and rugged terrain, are engaged in evacuation of injured'. Emergency kit including ropes and digging tools were being brought to the disaster site, with the army supporting other rescue teams. One survivor told the Press Trust of India news agency that he had heard a 'big blast' when the wall of water hit the settlement. 'We thought it was an earthquake', the shocked eyewitness said, who did not give his name. Mr Mohammad Irshad, a top disaster management official, told AFP on Aug 15 that '60 people are recorded dead', with 80 people unaccounted for. 'The search for the missing has intensified', Irshad told AFP. Around 50 severely injured people have been taken to hospitals. Floods and landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season, but experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing their frequency, severity and impact. Floods on Aug 5 overwhelmed the Himalayan town of Dharali in India's Uttarakhand state and buried it in mud. The likely death toll from that disaster is more than 70 but has yet to be confirmed. The UN's World Meteorological Organization said in 2024 that increasingly intense floods and droughts are a 'distress signal' of what is to come as climate change makes the planet's water cycle ever more unpredictable. Roads had already been damaged by days of heavy storms. The area lies more than 200km by road from the region's main city Srinagar. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the spate of disasters in his Independence Day speech in New Delhi on Aug 15. 'In the past few days, we have been facing natural disasters, landslides, cloudbursts, and many other calamities', he said in his public address. 'Our sympathies are with the affected people. State governments and the central government are working together with full strength.' AFP
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Fleeing the heat, tourists explore Rome at night, underground
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A man fills up a bottle with water at a fountain infront of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, in central Rome on Aug 11. Rome - It was already 30 deg C at 9.30am as New Zealander Olivia Ansari waited with other tourists outside Rome's Catacombs of Saint Callixtus, seeking relief underground from the punishing summer heat. At a refreshing 15 deg C, the catacombs were a popular place to hide this week as temperatures in the Eternal City reached almost 40 deg C, while other visitors sought out evening tours and 2am walks. 'If we could have postponed our trip, we would have done it, but everything was already booked,' said Ms Ansari, 32, visiting Italy with her mother and an aunt. Instead, they adapted. 'We booked our earliest tour starting at 7.30 am, and aim to be home before midday,' she said, taking refuge on a shaded stone bench near the Appian Way next to her aunt, who appeared overwhelmed by the heat. They do not venture out again before 4pm or 5pm, and, as in many Mediterranean countries, they pushed back their dinner time by three hours to 9pm. In central Rome, Mr Rafael Falcao also headed underground, to the Crypt of the Capuchin Friars on the Via Veneto, which he found relatively cool. He too, had to change his plans as a heatwave punishing southern Europe pushed up Rome's already high August temperatures. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Power fault on Sengkang-Punggol LRT line brings trains to a halt Singapore Owners call for stronger management rules in ageing condos, but seek to avoid being overburdened Asia Johor authorities seize four Singapore-registered vehicles over illegal e-hailing Singapore More families in Singapore using childminding and elder-minding services Life How do household bomb shelters in Singapore really work? Business US Treasuries a draw as yield gap with S'pore govt bonds widens, but analysts urge caution Asia Beijing-Manila row over collision of Chinese ships chasing Filipino boat a reminder of geopolitical risk Singapore From quiet introvert to self-confident student: How this vulnerable, shy teen gets help to develop and discover her strength 'Yesterday, we rented a small car to visit the city because it was too hot to walk,' the 42-year-old Brazilian said. Ms Patricia Kolodziej, a 41-year-old Polish woman living in Britain, said she struggled to find things to do with her toddler in the heat. But she managed to get tickets for the last entry to the Colosseum, the ancient Roman amphitheatre that's a must-see for tourists – but which can be a furnace during the day. 'We have chosen more sightseeing in the evening,' she said. A few steps away, under the shadow of the Colosseum, an Asian tourist who declined to give her name, seemed close to fainting, her forehead sweating. 'We came late on purpose, but it's no use,' she said. Nobody out Online travel portal predicted last October that 'noctourism' – nighttime tourism – will be one of the trends of 2025. It blamed rising temperatures due to climate change, as well as overtourism. Several Rome sites offer evening activities, including the Circus Maximus and the Colosseum which opens late at night twice a week. Tickets quickly disappear but Ms Madison Thibert, from the US state of North Dakota, secured one, allowing her to enjoy the sight of the ancient monument bathed in moonlight. Ms Thibert said she and her boyfriend had been exploring the city after hours, when temperatures reduce, and so do the crowds. 'We just walked around, we saw the Trevi Fountain, came by the Colosseum. We took some of the scooters around on the roads,' she said. 'It was a lot cooler, nobody was out. It was perfect.' AFP
