Kenya’s President William Ruto has declared Friday a public holiday to mourn the 238 people who have died due to ongoing flooding. The president on Wednesday said the day will be observed by national tree planting activities to help mitigate the effects of climate change. Kenya, along with other parts of East Africa, has been overwhelmed by floods. More than …
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Water rationing ordered as severe flooding devastates southern Brazil
A mayor in southern Brazil asked residents to ration water Tuesday in a state capital where some 80% of the population is without running water, a week after massive flooding that has left at least 90 people dead and more than 130 missing. Efforts were continuing to rescue people stranded by the floods in the southern state of Rio Grande …
Read More »Floodwaters start receding around Houston area as recovery begins following rescues and evacuations
Floodwaters in the Houston area began to recede on Monday, allowing residents to begin returning to their homes and assess damages after days of heavy rainfall that pummeled the area and led to hundreds of rescues — including people who were stranded on rooftops. Officials in Harris County, where Houston is located, reported no deaths or major injuries from the …
Read More »Kenya postpones planned reopening of schools after more than 200 people killed by severe flooding
Kenyan President William Ruto has postponed next week’s planned reopening of schools until further notice, as heavy rains and floods that have killed more than 200 people continue. The president in his state of the nation address on Friday said that “meteorological reports paint a dire picture,” citing the possibility of Cyclone Hidaya hitting coastal Kenya in coming days. Kenya …
Read More »Death toll from heavy rains, flooding rises to 13 in southern Brazil
The death toll from heavy rains in Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul rose to 13, local authorities said on Thursday, May 2, 2024, as the state government declared a state of public calamity to handle the dramatic situation. The storms, which have caused the greatest devastation in the state in recent years, also left 21 people missing …
Read More »31 confirmed dead as heavy rains continue to batter southern Brazil, authorities say
Heavy rains battering Brazil’s southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul have killed 31 people, local authorities said on Friday, and the death toll is expected to rise as dozens still have not been accounted for. More than 70 people were still missing and at least 17,000 were displaced in the state bordering Uruguay and Argentina, which had nearly half …
Read More »Heavy rains over Texas have led to water rescues, school cancellations and evacuation orders
Heavy storms slammed the Houston area again Friday, widening already dangerous flooding in Texas and leading to numerous high-water rescues, including some from the rooftops of flooded homes. Officials redoubled urgent instructions for residents in low-lying areas to evacuate, warning the worst was still to come. “This threat is ongoing and it’s going to get worse. It is not your …
Read More »Heavy rains leave at least 10 dead in southern Brazil
Heavy rains in Brazil’s southern Rio Grande do Sul state have killed at least 10 people and left 21 missing since Monday, the country’s civil defense said Wednesday. An additional 11 people were injured and more than 3,300 were forced to leave their homes due to damage caused by the storms, the civil defense added. Operators reported electricity and water …
Read More »Tourists airlifted from Kenyan reserve as freak floods continue
Tourists were evacuated by air from Kenya’s Maasai Mara national reserve Wednesday after more than a dozen hotels, lodges and camps were flooded as heavy rains battered the country. Tourist accommodation facilities were submerged after a river within the Maasai Mara broke its banks early Wednesday. The reserve, in southwestern Kenya, is a popular tourist destination because it features the …
Read More »40 confirmed dead after dam collapses in western Kenya, police say
A dam collapsed in western Kenya early Monday, killing at least 40 people after a wall of water swept through houses and cut off a major road, police said. The Old Kijabe Dam, located in the Mai Mahiu area of the Great Rift Valley region that is prone to flash floods, collapsed and water spilled downstream, police official Stephen Kirui …
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