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The Star
9 hours ago
- Climate
- The Star
Cape Verde floods kill at least eight people
PRAIA (Reuters) -At least eight people were killed after flooding on Cape Verde's Sao Vicente island overwhelmed emergency services and cut key roads, a regional civil protection councillor said on Tuesday. On Monday morning torrential rains lashed the northern island in the Atlantic archipelago located off West Africa, swamping roads and sweeping away vehicles and people. Municipal councillor Jose Carlos da Luz told a state broadcaster seven people had died in floods and one person was electrocuted, adding that three others were still missing. In a report on Monday, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies put the death toll at nine and said 1,500 people had been displaced on Sao Vicente. Sao Vicente usually records 116 millimetres (mm) of rain in a year, according to Cape Verde's meteorology institute. But early on Monday 193 mm fell in just five hours, according to Ester Brito, an executive at the institute. "It is a rare situation because what was recorded is above our 30-year climatological average," she told Reuters, adding that in just two hours more rain fell than the island typically receives annually. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Monday that Tropical Storm Erin was located about 280 miles (455 km) west-northwest of Cape Verde and packing maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 km/h). Interior Minister Palo Rocha said on Monday that floodwaters disrupted transport across Sao Vicente and severed the main road to Cesaria Evora International Airport, though the facility remained operational. Rockfalls also blocked traffic. "It was a difficult night marked by panic and despair," Rocha told public radio, adding that first responders were inundated with distress calls. Rescue and cleanup operations were ongoing, but Rocha said authorities were mobilising resources that would allow the island to quickly return to normal life. (Reporting by Julio Rodrigues; writing by Ayen Deng Bior; editing by Anait Miridzhanian and Mark Heinrich)
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First Post
a day ago
- Politics
- First Post
Has Erdogan delivered on promises he made after Turkey's last earthquake?
As fresh tremors strike Balıkesir, Turkey faces renewed scrutiny over unmet reconstruction pledges made after the 2023 earthquake that left over 55,000 dead and hundreds of thousands still homeless read more When a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey's northwestern Balıkesir province on Sunday, it served as a stark reminder of the country's persistent vulnerability to seismic disasters. The tremor, which left one person dead and dozens injured, comes as Turkey continues to grapple with the aftermath of the February 2023 earthquake, the deadliest natural disaster in Turkey's modern history. That quake — measuring 7.8 in magnitude — leveled vast parts of southeastern Turkey, killing more than 55,000 people, injuring over 107,000, and flattening entire towns across 11 provinces including Hatay, Kahramanmaraş, and Adıyaman. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to a Reuters report, after the tragedy , Erdoğan pledged to build 650,000 housing units, promising that 319,000 would be delivered within a year. As of early 2025, only 201,431 homes have been handed over, Reuters reported, citing government data. This amounts to less than one-third of the total promise. Opposition parties claim that the government has fulfilled just 30% of its reconstruction commitments, with some of the hardest-hit provinces like Hatay reporting completion rates as low as 18%. The delays have drawn criticism from both domestic and international observers, especially as Turkey remains vulnerable to new seismic threats. Despite the progress, hundreds of thousands of survivors remain displaced, many living in container homes or temporary shelters with limited access to clean water, healthcare, and education. Aid groups including UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have raised alarms over worsening humanitarian conditions, calling the pace of reconstruction 'far too slow.' A recent report by the Hatay Earthquake Victims' Association said more than 400,000 people are still living in container cities, many facing poor sanitation and exposure to health hazards like asbestos from unregulated demolitions. However, there are signs of recovery in certain areas. In Adıyaman, officials reported the construction of nearly 30,000 urban housing units, alongside widespread use of self-built housing and temporary shelters. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Monthly financial aid of TL 4,500 has been provided to thousands of affected families. Heritage restoration projects are also underway to revive the region's cultural identity. President Erdoğan has defended the government's record, stating at an event, 'We have shown the presence of the state with construction and reparation efforts that went on day and night for two years.' Yet critics argue the recovery remains incomplete and unevenly distributed. A magnitude 6.1 earthquake in Turkey's northwestern Balıkesir province on Sunday, resulting in one fatality and 29 minor injuries. The tremor caused the collapse of 16 mostly derelict buildings and shook major cities including Istanbul and Izmir. With Turkey sitting atop three major tectonic plates, the earthquake in Balıkesir serves as a stark reminder of the country's ongoing vulnerability, and the urgency of delivering on post-disaster promises. With inputs from agencies
The Sun
26-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
MAIPs drought recovery project in Kenya wins IFRC recognition
KANGAR: The International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) has officially commended the Perlis Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council (MAIPs) for its 'MAIPs Ndengu Revolution' project in Kitui, Kenya. The initiative, focused on post-drought recovery, was lauded for its long-term impact on vulnerable communities. IFRC Regional Director for Africa, Charles Mbeeta Businge, presented the recognition during a roundtable discussion with the Raja Muda of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail, in Nairobi last week. The event coincided with MAIPs' 'Safar Ilmi 2025' programme. 'Through the Ndengu Revolution project, MAIPs has developed a medium- and long-term recovery approach for communities affected by drought in Kenya,' stated MAIPs. The project supplies ndengu (green gram) seeds, agricultural resources, and livelihood training, ensuring recipients achieve self-reliance beyond immediate relief. The initiative has been featured in global reports, including IFRC publications highlighting zakat's role in international humanitarian efforts. Charles Businge noted that MAIPs demonstrated how zakat can drive disaster recovery and poverty alleviation. 'The project is an exemplary model of Islamic philanthropy integrated into the global humanitarian agenda,' he said. Launched in 2018, the project underscores Malaysia's growing influence in cross-border Islamic aid, merging faith-based giving with sustainable development. - Bernama
The Sun
30-06-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Govt urged to steer Asean beyond economic output
PETALING JAYA: Renowned humanitarian and Mercy Malaysia founder Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood has urged Malaysia to use its Asean chairmanship as a turning point not just for the region's economic ambitions but to also redefine progress through the lens of genuine well-being and planetary health. Speaking on 'The Game of Impossible' podcast on Friday, Jemilah stressed that gross domestic product (GDP) alone is a flawed and outdated metric of development. She said high income does not always equate to happiness or safety. 'GDP alone is a bad measure of development. You have seen countries with high GDPs but very unhappy people, very unsafe. We need a well-being economics model in which everyone can live a good life with dignity and enough economic development,' she said. Jemilah, who founded Mercy Malaysia in 1999 after being moved by wartime footage from Kosovo, reflected on how humanitarian work has evolved from reactive disaster response to addressing the root causes of human vulnerability. She recounted a life-changing moment from 2000, when images of a Mozambican woman giving birth atop a mango tree during severe flooding left a lasting impression. Years later, while serving as Under Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, she visited Mozambique and discovered that the boy she was playing with was that very baby. 'That was my 'aha' moment,' she said. 'Have I been putting band-aids on gaping wounds? Until and unless we tackle the underlying drivers of why people are becoming so vulnerable, we can't keep (applying) aid as a cure.' That realisation drove her deeper into planetary health, a field linking the well-being of humanity to the state of the Earth's natural systems. Upon returning to Malaysia from Switzerland during the Covid-19 pandemic, Jemilah established the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, envisioning it as a regional hub to address intertwined challenges such as climate change, social inequality and sustainable growth. 'Asia Pacific is the most vulnerable region in the world,' she warned, urging Malaysia to lead boldly during its Asean chairmanship with real commitments to decarbonisation, halting deforestation and driving behavioural change. She highlighted Costa Rica as an inspiring example, a country that abolished its military, invested in environmental conservation and built a thriving ecotourism sector while consistently ranking among the world's happiest nations. 'I would rather live well than be extremely wealthy. You may have wealth but no health. We need to find the balance between well-being and wealth,' she said. Reflecting on over two decades in humanitarian service, from conflict zones in Iraq and Afghanistan to the 2004 tsunami in Aceh, Jemilah shared searing memories, including an ambush in Iraq that claimed the lives of her colleagues and left her needing months of therapy. 'Humanitarian workers were no longer sacrosanct. International humanitarian law had been breached,' she said, describing how their clearly marked ambulance was deliberately targeted. Through it all, Jemilah emphasised the values of humility, persistence and gratitude. She said true leadership includes knowing when to step aside as she did by preparing a succession plan before stepping down from Mercy Malaysia.
India Today
10-06-2025
- Climate
- India Today
6 earthquakes rattle India-Myanmar border in last 36 hours
Six earthquakes with mild to moderate intensity were felt at the India-Myanmar border in the last nearly 36 temblors had intensities measured between 3.8 to 4.5 on the Richter last tremor was recorded at 11.21 am on Tuesday with a magnitude of 4.3 and was felt near Manipur. The India-Myanmar border is highly prone to earthquakes. This is due to the region's location within a complex tectonic zone characterised by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian active subduction zone in the Andaman-Nicobar Islands and the major Sagaing Fault in Myanmar both contribute to the region's seismic activity. On March 28, a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar, killing more than 3,700 people, flattening communities and crippling infrastructure in the impoverished nation. The tremors were also felt in neighbouring 200,000 people remain displaced and live outdoors, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), even as parts of central Myanmar are jolted almost daily by aftershocks.(with inputs from Reuters)Must Watch IN THIS STORY#Earthquake#Manipur
