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USA Today
27-03-2025
- USA Today
Six killed, dozens injured as tourist submarine sinks in Red Sea off Egypt
Six killed, dozens injured as tourist submarine sinks in Red Sea off Egypt At least six Russian tourists, two of them children, died when an Egyptian commercial submarine carrying 50 people sank in the Red Sea near the resort city of Hurghada. The Red Sea Governorate said the submarine had 50 people on board, 45 tourists and five crew, Reuters reported. The tourists were of nationalities including Russia, India, Norway and Sweden, Reuters said. The five crew members were from Egypt. Of the 39 tourists rescued, 21 were in the hospital, CNN reported. The sub sank less than a mile from shore in Hurghada's harbor at about 10 a.m. local time, according to the BBC. Reports said the weather was calm. It was not known why the submarine sank. The BBC cited unconfirmed reports that said the sub struck a reef and lost pressure at a depth of about 65 feet. The sub operates at a maximum depth of 82 feet. Can't see our graphics? Click here. Rescue boats and other tourist boats raced to the scene along with more than a dozen ambulances, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm, a local media outlet. The submarine, known as Sindbad, was operated by a commercial tourist company called Sindbad Submarines. It takes adults and children on cruises to view undersea coral reefs along the coastline. Profile of the Sindbad Tours submarine The sub had been operating for several years, according to Al-Masry Al-Youm. Tourists take a boat ride from a marina to the submarine, then descend into the waters to the view the scenery while divers work to divert fish to within view. The submarine was equipped with large portholes to let passengers see underwater. Tours last about three hours, according to the company's website. The Red Sea is a major hub for Egypt's crucial tourism industry and is a pillar of the economy, in which Russian tourists play an increasing part. Egypt also attracts tourists with its great pyramids of Giza and cruises on the Nile in Luxor and Aswan. CONTRIBUTING John Bacon SOURCE USA TODAY Network reporting and research; Reuters
USA Today
19-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Measles cases are on the rise, mostly among unvaccinated people. Know the symptoms
Cases of measles, a highly contagious virus that primarily affects children, are surging in Texas and several other states. The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Tuesday that an outbreak in northwest Texas escalated from two cases among unvaccinated children in Gaines County to 58 cases across five counties. The majority of the infected children were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status. On Feb. 14, New Mexico officials declared an outbreak in Lea County, just across state lines from Gaines County. Three residents tested positive for measles during the week. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data through Feb. 6 showed five states with measles cases: Alaska, Georgia, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas. Measles outbreaks are low but not gone The last major outbreak of measles in the U.S. occurred six years ago when 22 outbreaks led to 1,249 cases from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1. According to the CDC, the 2019 outbreak was the highest in a single year since 1992 – eight years before measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. Unable to view our graphics? Click here to see them. Where states allow vaccination exemptions Nationwide, childhood immunization rates against serious diseases like measles are declining as more parents request non-medical exemptions from recommended vaccinations, according to the CDC. In the 2023–2024 school year, more than three-quarters of states had kindergartener MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination coverage rates below the CDC's Healthy People target of 95%. Of note, even states with high immunization rates may have pockets of unvaccinated people. More:Measles continues to spread as Texas outbreak rises to 48 cases: Here's what to know Given that measles is extremely contagious and can cause severe complications including pneumonia and brain swelling, the drop in vaccination rates is concerning. The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles, and the CDC advises people be vaccinated twice. What are measles symptoms? According to the CDC, measles symptoms appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus and typically include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. Measles rash appears three to five days after the first symptoms. Other signs and symptoms of measles include: Koplik's spots, tiny white spots that may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots (the spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body) When the rash appears, a person's fever may spike to more than 104 degrees CONTRIBUTING John Bacon and Jim Sergent This story was updated to add new information.
USA Today
13-02-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
How much snow fell near you? Track Thursday totals as storm sweeps Midwest, East
Hear this story A blanket of snow swept the eastern half of the continental U.S. Wednesday after more than 90 million Americans were under winter weather advisories or warnings. At least 4-8 inches of snow fell across eastern Iowa, southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois and the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, according to the National Weather Service. AccuWeather forecasters warned Chicago, Detroit and Kansas City, Missouri would be the hardest hit areas by a second major storm set to strike this week. The first storm brought just over 6 inches of snow at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and 12 inches in parts of Virginia and West Virginia. AccuWeather warned the second storm would cause snow to span nearly 2,000 miles, from Colorado to Michigan and New England through Wednesday and Thursday. Several inches of snow are also forecast in Washington, D.C. and in Maine. Sub-zero temperatures reached the northern and central Plains overnight, with the weather service reporting temperatures between -20 to -30 degrees in North Dakota. On Thursday, heavy rainfall in the Southeast will forge severe flash flooding risks across Georgia into South Carolina and northern Florida, the weather service reported. Here's how much snow has fallen near you and what to expect Thursday. How much did it snow near me? You can use the USA TODAY snowfall accumulation map to see how much snow has fallen near you. How much will it snow near me? The map below shows the probability that an area could receive more than 4 inches of snow. Use the slider at the top left to toggle by day. You can see the full version of the forecast using the USA TODAY winter weather forecast tracker. National weather map National weather radar Contributing: John Bacon, Gabe Hauari, Christopher Cann and Minnah Arshad
USA Today
11-02-2025
- Climate
- USA Today
Extreme cold warning issued for over 1 million Americans in the West, upper Midwest
Extreme cold warning issued for over 1 million Americans in the West, upper Midwest Show Caption Hide Caption Winter storm brings ice, snow more to come in Midwest, Northeast A winter storm swept through the Midwest and Northeast causing ice, snow and rain. Another storm is on the way. Winter weather continues to pummel a wide swath of the country, with more than a million people in Eastern Montana and the Dakotas under extreme cold warnings Monday and Tuesday. According to the National Weather Service, wind chills as low as 55 degrees below zero could affect more than a million people in Montana, as well as in North and South Dakota. Areas of Idaho are also under the same warnings, with the weather service forecasting that some areas could see wind chills of 24 degrees below zero. 'The dangerously cold wind chills as low as 55 below zero could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes,' the NWS said in their forecast. The extreme cold in comes as other regions of the country are expected to see dangerous winter conditions this week. Here's what to know. How many people are under cold weather watches? According to the National Weather Service, over 1 million people are under extreme cold warnings in Montana, North and South Dakota. A further 18 million are under winter storm warnings across Kansas and Missouri and across Kentucky, Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C. Winter weather wreaks havoc across country A parade of winter storms may cause chaos across the Midwest and East this week, with two major storms expected to slam the regions with paralyzing snow and ice, including a big blast to the nation's capital. The first storm will roll through the Midwest on Monday before fueling a blast of snow and ice across the Ohio Valley and the East, from Virginia to New England through Tuesday. "It's been a disruptive start to February, and this onslaught of winter storms is expected to stick around for most of the month," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said. The second storm expected to develop Tuesday night will roll out of the Front Range of the Rockies and spread to the central Plains on Wednesday before stretching to Mid-Atlantic states, AccuWeather says. AccuWeather warned that snow and even a period of ice could hit Chicago, Detroit and Buffalo. And there is a chance that the corridor of sleet and freezing rain is more expansive with the second storm, especially across the Mid-Atlantic region and New England. US weather watches and warnings National Weather Radar Contributing: John Bacon Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
