Tropical Storm

While many were sleeping, the water was rising unknowing to them. The area had been hit hard by Tropical Storm Washi. The storm dropped over the usual month of rain in only a 12 hour period on Mindanao. The trail the storm traveled is a rarely traveled one. A storm only travels that direction about once every 12 years.

As the water flowed down the mountains Friday night, many people awoke to water in their homes. They quickly grabbed up children trying to get to the roof of their homes or to neighboring homes to avoid the rising water. Many are missing. Whole villages were washed away. Victims have been left unclaimed possibly meaning that the whole family was swept away.

Victim of the storm

Children of families that survived are still looking for Christmas to happen. Parents are wondering how but plan on still doing their best to provide them with a Christmas celebration.

Most that died were in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. Many bodies have been found floating on the shorelines on the north western coast line of Mindanao Island. They are thought to have been sleeping when the waters hit and drowned.

Tropical Storm Washi has left behind flooded streets full of debris, people in many areas have no electric or fresh water. Many people are now living in shelters where there is not enough room. There are approximately 100,000 people who have had to go to shelters, not able to return to their homes.

Washi has moved on, but other storms are lurking and may be bringing in even more rain to the already saturated area.

Indonesia Boat Heading For Australia Full of Migrants Sinks

It is possible that there were close to 400 people on board the boat bound for Australia’s Christmas Island. It is where many go go seek asylum.

The boat, made out of fiberglass, broke apart is the rough waves approximately 55 miles outside of Java. There were more than 250 people and possibly as many as 400 on board. They are thought to be from Afghanistan, Turkey, and Iran. At this time only 33 had been rescued according to reports. Fishermen found them hanging onto parts of the boat. Two children were found. Their ages are 8 and 10 years old. People rescued reported they had been in the water for over 5 hours.

Rescue operations are continuing for possible survivors, but the weather has made it hard to see if there are any out there still.

It is possible that only 20 or 30 people were able to get lifejackets on once the boat was known to be going down. The boat only had 25 lifejackets on board and it was reported that 9 of the jackets were given to crew members.

At this time, the number who have perished in the accident is unknown.

168 People Die from Drinking Toxic Moonshine in Eastern India

The people possibly responsible for the deaths of 168 people in West Bengal which is located in the eastern part of India, have been arrested. There are 10 people being held for selling the moonshine, which was illegally produced and was also toxic.

Many more people got very sick from drinking the moonshine which was sold for about 10 cents a pouch. A pouch contains  200 milliliter or less than 7 ounces. When the liquor is made in a legal way, the least it sells for is close to 70 cents for a 600 milliliter container.

More than 100 people had to be admitted into the hospital after drinking the moonshine. They found methanol in the bodies of the people who died after drinking it. The drink was appealing to the poor people of the area and they are the main ones who drank it.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Deadly Explosion at Military Base in Iran

There were 17 soldiers that perished in an explosion that happened at a military base close to the capital of Iran, Tehran. 12 others people had to be transported to near by hospitals. The blast was earsplitting, breaking windows of close by buildings and was heard by people as far as 25 miles away.

The fire from the explosion, which happened when there was a group of weapons being put inside a Revolutionary Guard depot, was still burning 2 hours after the blast. Traffic was tied up on near by roadways. It was a large portion of the depot that held weapons that exploded. At this time they are unaware of what caused the explosion. People are still in a shocked state.

A few people are stating that there was another explosion that followed the first on Saturday. Others are stating that they thought the explosion was a minor earthquake. They were letting no news reporters on the scene at the time. At first they were saying 27 had died, but the number has been lowered to 17.  It is being treated as an accident.

11 Die During Shelling of Yemen

In Taiz, there were 11 people who died during the shelling of Yemen while the government forces battled with resistance members. There were many more injured, some were civilians. It happened while a United Nations emissary was visiting Yemen. Jamal Benomar is pushing for the transition of power to put an end to many months of conflicts.

The protest started back in January of 2011 over President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s long term rule of 33 years. Protest against Saleh have increased in Taiz the last few weeks. Taiz is Yemen’s second largest city. It is located about 120 miles on the south side of the capital of Yemen, Sanaa. The most recent protest started on Thursday. On Thursday, there was one person that perished in the protest and many others wounded. Two of the residential areas had been blasted by the security forces overnight. The two areas were the front of the battle grounds of forces against the government. They are Zaid al-Moshki and al-Rawda. Also the Freedom Square was a part of the area being shelled.

On Friday, it was reported that 3 women and 2 children were amongst the dead.

In The Uk, 150 Home Flooded

There were as many as 150 dwelling flooded in the West Midlands as a water main busted in the early morning hours. It caused the flooding of many homes in the Blackwood Estate area in Streetly. The South Staffs Water company became aware of the burst at around 05:30GMT and put their engineers to work on it immediately. Some of the water was a deep as 3 feet in areas.

One woman,  who found 5 feet of water in her basement heard a loud roar of water. Sheila Howard stated, “It frightened me to death because I’m here all alone.”

Many others spoke of a loud noise from the incoming water. One man was shocked electrically as he was standing in water, and a lady was injured when she fell.

There are firefighters trying to help out the residents. There is work going on clearing drains out and keeping gullies clear to allow the water to flow out of the estate area.

Popularity: 4% [?]

It was 108 hours after the earth quake hit Turkey that Ferhat Tokay, a 13 year old boy, was pulled out of the rubble that had held him captive since the building in Ercis, Van Turkey fell on him. It was in the early hours on Friday that workers using flood lights to enable them to see rescued him. He had been helped to stay alive by drinking rain water that had oozed in through openings in the rubble surrounding him. On Saturday, the official death toll from the earthquake rose to 582. Ferhat is one of the lucky ones to be found in time.

The earthquake that hit eastern Turkey last Sunday was a 7.2. The number of people injured is 4,152. 582 have died and 455 of the deaths happened in Ercis where 13 year old Ferhat was rescued. The good news is that there have been 231 people found alive and have been rescued..

There have been 1,309 after shocks since the main quake on Sunday. The US and China are sending people in to help out people who survived the quake.

Georgia Swamp Fires Continue to Burn

In Savannah Georgia, a fire that has burned since last spring continues to spread slowly through the Okefenokee Swamp. It is burning beneath the ground being fueled by dead plants. The fire has at this time cost $52.7 million and as it continues to burn, the costs will rise.

The fire was started during a storm by lightning on April 28th. It hit the Honey Prairie area in the Okefenokee Swamp near the Florida-Georgia border. The fire at this time spurts up unannounced from areas on the surface of the swamp. There is concern that the fire could return to its fury it showed back in the spring. 14,000 acres of private land has burned, 309,199 total acres or 14 square miles. The cost to taxpayers per day is between $30,000 and $40,000 per day.

17 Killed by Suicide Bomber in Afghanistan

As a bus transporting the International Security Assistance Force was traveling in the Afghan capital, a car loaded with explosives crashed into the bus. 17 people on board died. There were 8 civilians and 5 soldiers killed. They were all Americans. One Canadian solder, three Afghan civilians and a police officer were also killed. It is being labeled as one of the worst ground attacks against foreign troops since 2001.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Residents of Bangkok Leaving Flooded Homes

In Thailand, the worst flooding in a half century has sent residents leaving their homes taking with them all their possessions they could. Floods have now taken the lives of 320 people and there are close to 9 million affected by it. The water continues to flow and with it comes the destruction of homes, stores, other buildings and possessions. People were out walking in the water that was as high as their waiste with plastic bags containing belongings perched on their heads. Many also holding on their pets for lack of a boat.

The opening of the floodgates took away any possible relief the area was hoping to have. They are hoping that opening the gates will take some of the pressure off the dams and levees possibly sending it out to sea. They are hoping the water will remain in the canals and not spill out into the streets of the capital city area. The army has brought in 100 boats to assist people trapped in homes.

As Many as 60 Die in Heavy Rainfall in Central America

The rain continues to pelt down on Central America, already taken at least 60 lives, it is showing no sign of letting up any time soon. El Salvador has been the hardest hit so far by the rainfall. There have been as many as 32 people that died there which included many children. As residents tried to cross the flooded rivers, many would get swept down river. Others died when their homes fell in around them.

Guatemala is also being heavily affected by the rains. At this time, there have been 28 people die in the flooding. There are another 110.000 that have been affected by the heavy rain that doesn’t seem to have an end.

In Honduras, the situation is much the same. Most of the countries departments have been put on alert and at this time 13,000 people have been affected.

Ever since Jova hit Central America’s shores last week, the country has been being blasted with heavy rainfall. It hit as a category 2 hurricane, but then settled down into more of a tropical storm and later a tropical depression as it crossed the western parts of Mexico. All the while another tropical depression, 12-E dropped heavy rainfall to El Salvador and the neighboring areas.

It continues to rain and no relief is on the way yet.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Thailand is experiencing the worst flooding in 50 years.

283 people have so far died in the flood waters in Thailand and there are two people they are still searching for. Across the county, 61 of the 76 provinces have felt the affects of the flooding. This has caused havoc to over 8 million people.

Water is being let out of the Bhumibol Dam daily which is located in the northern part of Thailand. People are moving as fast as they can to get barriers set up. The flooding waters are moving towards the south, heading towards Bangkok on Friday. People living in the area are being instructed to be ready for the worst as the spring high tide and the large amount of water draining down the Chao Phraya River join together over the next few days.

Huge Oil Spill in New Zealand

In New Zealand, a massive oil spill from Rena, a Liberian-flagged vessel that ran into the Astrolabe Reef, which is close to 12 nautical miles off the coast of Tauranga is causing many problems. The vessel was carrying 450,000 gallons of fuel spilling around 300 tonnes of it. At this time 95.45 tonnes of the solid waste and 6 tonnes of the liquid that has been cleaned up. There is s till more out there.

Beaches in many of the areas are closed to visitors due to health concerns. There is close to 60 kilometers of beachfront area along the town of Maketu to the town of Mount Maunganui that is contaminated from the oil spill.

The environment is suffering from  the spill. So far 500 birds have been found dead in the area. 51 animals are being treated for the exposure to the oil at a center in Tauranga.

Oil spills at sea are such an impact on the enviroment. This spill,  along with affecting people and business’s in the area, is also affecting, birds, the blue whales, and the dolphins are all at risk.

23 Die in Clashes in Egypt

Clashes between Coptic Christians and soldiers in Cairo end up in bloodshed, injuries and 23 deaths. Of the dead, 17 are civilians. Late on Sunday, Oct 9th, it was told that there were 180 people wounded. There were 12 military members killed and 50 were wounded.

The protest followed the burning of a Coptic Church a week earlier in the southern parts of Egypt. The protestors were asking for equality and for the protections of Coptic churches or places they worship in.

The protest started off peacefully. As they were heading in the direction of the Egyptian state TV building, they were attacked by people bearing swords and clubs according to a protestor.

Car Bombs in Iraq Take 28 Lives

There were 2 cars filled with explosives that were set off only minutes apart on Oct 12th in Baghdad. 22 people died in the bombings set off by suicide bombers in the north west Hurriya area and in the central al-Wiya area. There were 6 other people that died in other bombings.

There were over 50 others wounded in the attacks.

There has been a revival of suicide bombings in Baghdad. It is a concern as the US is finalizing it’s withdrawing of their troops that is suppose to be completed by the end of the year.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Satellite image of Typhoon Nesat.

In the Philippines, just as many were starting pull their lives back together from Typhoon Nesat, a typhoon that had taken the lives of 52 people on Tuesday, Typhoon Nalgae moved in on Saturday morning.

Wind damage in the Philippines

The initial damage started in Dinapigue. Nalgae dropped 0.6- to 1 inches of rainfall per hour as it traveled through the Philippines area. The two typhoons together have changed the lives of for nearly 3 million Filipinos. Landslides, flooding, closure of roads and bridges are also hampering getting people out or relief in. Many of the ports had to be closed temporarily but were to be reopened on Sunday.

People were being evacuated from Santa Barbara, Calasiao, and Dagupan which is located on Luzon island. On Sunday flood gates had to be opened to release pressure of water being they had reached their top levels. While there were people receiving help with recovery from Nesat, the first typhoon, it had to be stalled while the second typhoon made it’s way across the area. Many people are unable to cook food or have fresh water to drink. There is a great need for ready to eat food and drinking water. There are no supplies in the area for survivors to purchase, even though they have the funds needed.

Flooding in Thailand

As the Philippines are cleaning up from the typhoons, in Thailand, four long months of ravaging floods have taken the lives of 237 people. They are gearing up for the typhoon Nalgae which has lost some of it’s power after hitting the Philippines and is now a tropical depression. The country is already water soaked and more rainfall will only result in more flooding. The flooding has been felt in 28 different provinces and over 2 million people have affected by it.

Many of Thailand’s  historic buildings and tourist sites have been affected by the flood waters.

Typhoon Nesat entering China

Typhoon Nesat in China affected over 2 million people. Of this number, 132,2000 people had to be evacuated out of Nanning which is the capital of the area. Nesat hit China on Friday following it’s ravaging of the Philippines. Flooding of the Qinjiang River, which is amongst 5 rivers that have surged to dangerous levels, has overflowed it’s banks. Flood waters have entered Qinzhou causing roads to close due to being under water. There have been thousands of homes destroyed along with thousands of acres of farmland. As Nalgae entered China last Tuesday, it was now a tropical storm and not nearly as devastating as it had been in the Philippines.

China is still in the stages of cleaning up from Nesat, but will now be faced with days of rainfall from Nalgae.

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There have been at least 13 people reported to have died and another 72 that developed sickness from the contaminated cantaloupes. The fruit was grown in the state of Colorado.

It is possible that 3 more people died from  eating the cantaloupe. There have been 18 states that have reported finds of one of the 4 types of listeria found in the cantaloupes.  13 people that have been reported to have died, of those 13, there were 4 in New Mexico, 2 in Colorado, 2 in Texas and one in each of the following states, Kansas,Nebraska, Maryland, Missouri and Oklahoma.

There have been reports of listeria infections in many locations and from California to Virginia.

It is possible that more infections will show up as it can take four or more weeks for symptoms to show up. There can be a long incubation time which is a problem. If someone ate the contaminated melons 1 to 2 weeks ago, they could still not show symptoms for a while yet.

Pregnant women and the elderly are most vulnerable to suffering more from the infection if they get it. They have a weaker immune system which will not fight off the infections as good as others.

If you suspect you have any of the contaminated melons, it is advised that you dispose of them quickly. Any place they may have touched needs to be cleaned and sanitized completely.

Popularity: 3% [?]

Health officials are scrambling to find what is the cause behind an outbreak of E.coli that has appeared now in 10 countries. It is a uncommon type of E coli and has now been the cause of 16 people deaths. There are many more sick with the disease.

In Germany, 9 people perished from a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome or HUS. 6 perished due to a form of E.coli that causes bleeding in the intestines. The result is stomach cramping and diarrhea with blood in it.

There has been 499 people discovered with HUS in Europe and 1115 people have been found with the enterohemorrhagic E. coli, EHEC.

The cases are showing up in other countries besides Germany and Sweden. Now they are being detected in Austria, Denmark, France, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Most of these people had been in contact or had lately been to Germany. Only 2 had not done either.

The type of E coli in Germany is a new super toxic strain. It has been seen before but is very uncommon. The CDC has noted that it has very little experience with this type. At this time, there is no knowledge of this uncommon type having ever been discovered in the US. There have been cases of it reported in other countries. Britians Health Protection Agcy has said that they feel the form in the outbreak is an uncommon type that has seldom been seen in the UK.

To help prevent the spread of the disease into Russia, they have stopped all imports of fresh vegetables from the Europe Union. They have done this to stop the disease from entering Russia and people becoming ill. Gennady Onishchenko, the head of the Russian Fed’l Agcy for Health and Consumer Rights released a statement saying that the ban will remain in effect “until we become convinced that this situation is resolved.”

Popularity: 4% [?]