Witness to Pakistan blast: 'Women and children were burning'

Peshawar, Pakistan -- At least 40 people were killed and about 100 were wounded after a bomb exploded at a bazaar in Peshawar on Sunday, officials at a Pakistani hospital said.

A car carrying 220 kilograms (485 pounds) of explosives detonated in the city's historic Qissa Khawani bazaar, destroying at least 10 shops and several vehicles and leaving a huge crater, said Shafqat Malik, chief of the bomb disposal unit.

The Pakistani Taliban, Tehrik-i-Taliban, condemned the attack and denied any involvement.

Alamzeb Khan was working at a nearby tea stall Sunday when he felt the earth shake. The impact of the blast knocked him to the ground.

"When I got up, everything was on fire. Women and children were burning in (a) Suzuki pickup, and a number of vehicles were destroyed, besides the shops (that) were also on fire," Khan said.

The death toll is expected to rise, as most of the wounded are critically injured, said Dr. Arshad Javed, chief executive of Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar.

Already, people are sharing stories of incredible loss. One family traveled to Peshawar to attend a wedding. Now they're planning a mass funeral. In all, the family lost 18 members in the attack, including children.

Bus blast in Pakistan kills at least 17

Gunmen open fire on sleeping college students in Nigeria

Under the cover of darkness, gunmen approached a college dormitory in a rural Nigerian town and opened fire on students who were sleeping.

At least 21 died, according to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.

The gunmen fired indiscriminately on the male dorm, said Lazarus Eli, a military spokesman. The attack took place at about 1 a.m. Sunday at the College of Agriculture Gujba.

"So far all evidence points to the Boko Haram," Eli told CNN by phone.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility.

Part of a pattern?

Since 2009, Boko Haram has sown murder and mayhem in Nigeria's northeastern region. The Islamic militant group's name translates from the local Hausa language as "Western education is a sin."

Boko Haram militants often target schools and churches. In 2011 and 2012, Christmas attacks were blamed on them.

Jonathan created a new wing of the military to specifically deal with the insurgency.

In May, Jonathan declared a state of emergency in three northeastern states. He cited "terrorists" who have caused a "a near breakdown of law and order."

One of the three states is Yobe, where Sunday's attack took place.

It was the third attack on a school in four months in Yobe.

The ongoing violence in this predominantly Muslim region has claimed thousands of lives.

Meanwhile, human rights groups have accused the military of committing atrocities against civilians.

Flooding in Shanxi coal mine traps 12

At least twelve miners have been trapped in a coal mine in Shanxi province of China, Xinhua reported.

The Zhengsheng Coal Mine, near to Fenyang City got flooded early Saturday. At least 30 other miners have been lifted out of the mine shaft.

The coal mine belongs to Shanxi Coking Coal Group Company Ltd.

On March 29, a landslide in Gyama Mine, Tibet claimed lives of 66 people and  left 17 missing.

China mine disasters are the deadliest in the world. Earthquake caused the landslides in Tibet in 1950 which destroyed 70 villages. Natural disaster claimed 30,000 lives.

Cambodia flooding kills 23

Flooding in Cambodia has claimed lives of at least 23 people in the last two weeks, National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM) said.

Cambodia flooding has affected around 56,900 families in seven different provinces.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has advised concerned ministries and authorities to be on high alert and prepare to evacuate people.

Low pressure system and Wutip typhoon have been causing heavy rains in the Mekong River basin and in Cambodia, weather officials said.

Last year, Cambodia flooding killed 14 people, Xinhua reported.

The 2011 Cambodia flooding had claimed lives of at least 250 people. Cambodia flooding damage was US$ 100-161 Million.

Flooding is one of the main natural disaster in Cambodia as 80 percent of the Cambodia’s territory lies within the Mekong River. Cambodia floods claim lives of about 100 people annually and cause agricultural losses of 100 to 170 million USD each year.

Dust storm in Arizona causes multiple car crashes

A dust storm has closed a 14-mile stretch of a state highway in the Casa Grande, Arizona for nearly three hours, local medias reported.

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation, low visibility and the multiple car crashes forced the closure of road.

Gusty winds dropped visibility to 1 mile, My Fox Phoenix reported.

However no serious injuries have been reported in car crash accidents.

Pakistan quake death toll rises to 356

Islamabad, Pakistan -- The death toll from the strong earthquake that struck southwestern Pakistan this week has risen to 356 as rescue workers struggle to reach victims, authorities said Thursday.

Further complicating relief efforts, two rockets were fired at -- and missed -- a military helicopter on its way to the quake zone.

The number of people injured has climbed to 619, said Jan Muhammad Buledi, a spokesman for the government of Balochistan, the province where the quake hit. Authorities estimate that 21,000 houses have been destroyed.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake took place Tuesday in a remote, sparsely populated area of Balochistan. Rescue efforts are under way in the heavily hit districts of Awaran and Kech.

Images from the scene have shown buildings reduced to rubble. More people are feared to be trapped under the wreckage, authorities say, suggesting the death toll could rise.

The remoteness of the affected area and damaged communications networks are hindering the rescue operation.

Officials say some areas remain inaccessible, preventing them from getting a full picture of the scale of the damage.

Meanwhile, thousands of survivors in need of assistance after the quake are having to cope with high temperatures, a lack of drinking water and little in the way of shelter.

October is the hottest month in Balochistan and the region is in a perpetual state of drought, said Muhammad Hanif, the director of the National Weather Forecasting Center. Temperatures in Awaran and Kech have reached 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit).

Helicopter attacked

The Pakistani military has deployed more than 1,000 troops to help with rescue and relief efforts
The troops are entering a difficult region. Militants fighting for a separate state in Balochistan operate out of part of Awaran district, which has been the site of bombings.

The potential threat was underlined Thursday when two rockets were fired at an army helicopter ferrying the chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority to the earthquake zone, a military official said.

Attacks kill 30 in Iraqi cities of Baghdad, Mosul

Bombs and mortars shook the major Iraqi cities of Baghdad and Mosul on Thursday, killing at least 30 people and hurting nearly 100 others, police said.

Two explosions rocked Baghdad, the capital, killing at least 27 people and injuring 85, police said.
In the first attack, a roadside bomb exploded at an outdoor market, killing seven people and wounding 15 in southern Baghdad's Dora district.

The second blast took place in northern Baghdad's Saba al-Boor-area, when a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest blew himself up in an outdoor market, according to authorities. At least 20 people were killed and 70 others were wounded in that attack.

The motives and perpetrators weren't immediately clear, but the attacks come amid ongoing friction between Iraq's Shiite Muslim and Sunni Muslim populations.

In Mosul, about 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Baghdad, two soldiers were killed and 13 others were wounded when mortar rounds landed on a military headquarters, police officials in Mosul said.

Separately Thursday, gunmen fatally shot the principal of the Nablis school for girls outside her home in eastern Mosul, police said.

Also, a police officer who was investigating a recent attack in Mosul was critically wounded when a roadside bomb exploded at his vehicle in the central part of the city, police said.

Iraq has seen a sharp increase in tension between its Shiite and Sunni populations since April, when security forces raided a site used by Sunni protesters to demonstrate against the Shiite-led government.

Sunnis, who represent a minority of Iraqis, have felt politically marginalized since the overthrow of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Shiites, who make up a majority of Iraqis, now dominate the government.

Shiite President Nuri al-Maliki's government fears it is being targeted by Sunni Islamists involved in fighting in neighboring Syria.

Thursday's violence came a day after 25 people were killed in attacks across the country, Baghdad police said.
 

Telica volcano in western Nicaragua spews ash 50 meters into the air

Telica volcano in western Nicaragua has spewed ash 50 meters into the air, the National System for Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (SINAPRED) said.

Villagers near the Telica volcano were put alert and told to protect their water and food sources. No injuries have been reported.

Telica's largest eruption occurred in 1529, rated with a VEI of 4.

Poachers in Zimbabwe poison 87 elephants for ivory, official says

Harare, Zimbabwe -- More than 80 elephants in Zimbabwe have been poisoned with cyanide -- the latest victims of poachers keen to feed soaring global demand for illegally trafficked ivory.

Since May, the carcasses of 87 elephants have been discovered in Hwange National Park, said Caroline Washaya-Moyo, public relations manager for Zimbabwe's Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

The poachers poisoned natural salt licks to bring down the mighty beasts, she said Wednesday.
The parks authority has so far recovered 51 tusks, she said -- leaving 123 in the hands of the poachers.

Zimbabwe's newly appointed Environment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere told CNN that he would push for stiffer jail penalties to root out poaching in the wildlife-rich African nation.

"That will be one of my missions in the new parliament, given the recent case of elephants which were poisoned by poachers," said Kasukuwere, who visited the park 10 days ago to see the impact of the poisoning.

Last month authorities arrested five suspected poachers after 41 elephants were found dead in the park, which is about 800 kilometers (500 miles) southwest of Harare, not far from Zimbabwe's border with Zambia. The other carcasses have been discovered since then, Washaya-Moyo said.

Three of those arrested have been convicted and are due to be sentenced this week, she said. Two investigations are ongoing.

Poaching stinks... and now dogs are sniffing it out

Attack in Iraq leaves 10 dead

Attackers shot dead at least 10 people in a strike on government targets in the northern Iraqi city of Hawija on Wednesday, police said.

Gunmen attacked City Council offices and a nearby police station with two car bombs and several mortar rounds.

They gunned down ten employees when they stormed the City Council building. Security forces later clashed with the attackers, and at least three police officers were wounded.

Iraq has been beset with Sunni-Shiite frictions over the years. The tensions began escalating after an April incident in Hawija. That's when Iraqi security forces raided a site used by Sunni protesters to demonstrate against the Shiite-led government.

40,000 evacuated amid Gujarat flooding

Around 40,000 people have been evacuated and moved to safe place following heavy flooding in Gujarat, India in last two days.

According to India Today, the Ahmedabad Fire Department has send three rescue teams to Vadodara and Bharuch to assist in rescue operations.

Schools and colleges in Ahmedabad, Surat and Bharuch have been closed and scheduled exams have been postponed.

Several train services between Ahmedabad and Mumbai have also been cancelled.

Very Strong earthquake near Acari, Peru kills 3

M 7.0 very strong earthquake in Southern Peru today has claimed lives of three people, local medias reported.

At least six people have been injured in a house collapse in Paucar del  Sara Sara in Ayacucho.
Several schools in Acari, Palca, Lucanas province have been damaged.

Landslides have blocked several roads including Panamericana road and Pausa-Oyolo in Ayacucho.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was located 50 km S of Acari and 502 km SSE of Lima. It was 24.9 miles deep.

The Peru earthquake of September 25, 2013, occurred near the thrust-interface at the boundary between the South America plate and the subducting Nazca plate, USGS said. The region within 250 km of the epicenter of the today's earthquake have experienced seventeen previous earthquakes of magnitude 6 and larger since 1973.

Yesterday magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Pakistan killed hundreds of people.

Epicenter Location
50 km S of Acari, Peru
95 km SE of Minas de Marcona, Peru
123 km SSE of Nazca, Peru
137 km SSW of Puquio, Peru
502 km SSE of Lima, Peru

Pakistan quake kills more than 200 people; island appears

Islamabad, Pakistan -- A powerful earthquake in Pakistan has not only cost more than 200 lives -- it also prompted the appearance of a small island off the coast, Pakistani officials said.

The 7.7-magnitude quake struck in a remote area of southwestern Pakistan on Tuesday, but it had severe consequences.

At least 208 people were killed in the district of Awaran and the city of Turbut in Balochistan province, Asad Gilani, the provincial home secretary, said Wednesday.

In addition to the fatalities, around 350 people have been injured, he said, and more people are still trapped in rubble.

The quake was strong enough to cause a mass 20 to 30 feet high to emerge from the Arabian Sea like a small mountain island off the coast of Gwadar, local police official Mozzam Jah said. A large number of people gathered to view the newly formed island, he said.

Large quakes can cause significant deformation to the earth's crust, particularly visible along coastlines.

The island is about 100 feet in diameter and about one mile off the coast, GEO TV reported.

Zahid Rafi, principal seismologist for the National Seismic Monitoring Center, confirmed the island had formed. He said it was "not surprising," considering the magnitude of the earthquake.

But John Bellini, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said that generally it would be unlikely for such a large island to emerge from a quake like Tuesday's.

Many things, such as the tide, could come into play regarding the rise of the island, he said.

More than 1,000 troops will be sent to the area to provide aid, including rescue teams and medical teams, Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa said.

With a depth of about nine miles (about 15 kilometers), the quake struck 43 miles (69 kilometers) northeast of Awaran and 71 miles (114 kilometers) northwest of Bela, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Some mud-walled homes fell in Awaran, said Latif Kakar, director of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority in Balochistan.

The tremors lasted two minutes. People flocked out onto the streets of Quetta, the provincial capital.
Aftershocks could be felt in Karachi, hundreds of miles to the southeast.

Landslides, floods kill at least 19 in northern Philippines

Heavy monsoon rains have left at least 19 people dead, most of them children, in the northern Philippines, state media reported.

Four other people are still reported to be missing, and many towns are flooded.

Most of the people were killed by landslides set off by the rain in the province of Zambales on Luzon, the largest island in the archipelagic nation, the government-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) said, citing the regional disaster management council.

The landslides killed 16 people in the town of Subic, the council said. At least 10 of the victims were aged 12 or younger.

An 84-year-old man died of hypothermia in nearby Castillejos, PNA reported, and two people drowned in the neighboring province of Bataan.

A landslide engulfed a house in San Marcelino, Zambales, on Sunday night and four of its inhabitants, including three young children, remain missing, authorities said.

Monsoon rains cause flooding and deaths in the Philippines each year.

The disaster management council said that as of Tuesday morning, parts of Zambales, Bataan and two other provinces, Pampanga and Bulacan, are still under as much of four feet (1.2 meters) of water.

More than 11,000 people have been displaced by the effects of the monsoon rains, the national disaster management council said.

In August: Philippine floods cause more chaos in waterlogged Manila

Bolivia landslide kills 16, injures 18

A landslide in Bolivia triggered by torrential rain has claimed lives of at least 16 people and injured 18 others.

Landslide swept away a bus, a minibus and a cart in Caranavi area, about 180 kilometers from La Paz.

Others 10 people have been rescued. An unknown number of people are still reported to be missing.

Landslide in Bolivia in February 2011 had destroyed more than 300 houses.

24 killed in flash floods in Vietnam

Recent flash floods in Vietnam have claimed lives of at least 24 people and injured six others.

Fatalities are from Dak Lak, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Quang Nam, and Quang Tri Provinces of Vietnam.

Following Center for Flood and Storm Control in central Vietnam, storm has destroyed thousands of
houses and 2,491 hectares of rice.

Eighth confirmed death in Colorado flooding

The body of a 79-year-old woman was found this past weekend in the aftermath of the Colorado flooding, Larimer County authorities said Monday.

The body of Evelyn Starner, of Cedar Cove, was discovered on a bank of the Big Thompson River, the sheriff's office said.

It is the first confirmed fatality in the county due to the floods, and it brings the storm-related death toll in the state to eight. One other person in the county is currently listed as missing and presumed dead. A man previously listed as presumed dead checked in with authorities and is alive and well, the sheriff's office said.

One other Cedar Cover resident, a 60-year-old woman, is still missing and presumed dead.

Vice President Joe Biden visited Colorado on Monday and took a one-hour aerial tour to view the damage. He also checked on recovery efforts.

"Once all these cameras are gone, once these press conferences are done, FEMA and the Red Cross are still going to be here until we make you whole. Until we make it right for you," Biden told Colorado residents.

Biden said the federal government had approved $35 million thus far for road rebuilding and other projects. He said those funds wouldn't be affected by a possible government shutdown.

Torrential rains fell September 12 in mountainous areas north of Denver, and such downpours persisted for several more days, adding up to 18.1 inches in parts of Boulder County and 15.6 inches in Adams County, Gov. John Hickenlooper said.

The heavy rainfall spurred flash floods that turned picturesque canyons into funnels that deluged towns downstream and left hundreds stranded. More than a week later, many remained marooned -- cut off from the rest of the world thanks to floodwaters that wiped out roads and bridges.

Dangerous storm hits Perth, 20,000 without power

About 20,000 homes have been left without power after violent 146km/h winds hit the South West and metropolitan Perth, Australia.

According to the Western Power, about 20,000 customers are without electricity, mainly in areas around Manjimup, Busselton, Augusta and Bunbury.

A helicopter has been deployed to inspect the transmission line and find the fault, Perth Now reported.

A severe weather warning remains in place for people between Perth and Israelite Bay.

Above is a photo of storm damage in Beckenham (Yahoo Australia).

Tornado in Brazil kills 2, injures 64

Tornado in Taquarituba city of Brazil has claimed lives of two people and injured sixty four others.

Tornado broke out on Sunday in Brazil city of Taquarituba, 200 miles south of the capital Sao Paulo.

Tornado in Brazil overturned  a vehicle, killing the driver and injuring others. Other death occurred in a gym.

Tornado also cut electricity and telephone services which are yet to be restored, the EFE news agency reported.

Floods, landslides in Zambales kill 30

Landslides and floods triggered by monsoon rains have claimed lives of at least 30 people in Zambales province of Philippines on Monday.

Two separate landslides in Barangay Wawandue and Barangay San Isidro in Subic town claimed at least 18 lives,  ABS-CBN has reported quoting Mayor Jefferson Khonghun.

Five people have been killed in Castillejos, Zambales. Other bodies have been retrieved from a landslide in Barangay Aglao, San Marcelino town in Zambales.

Floods have displaced around 700 people living in Sta Rita. village in Olongapo City, PAGASA said.

Similarly Olongapo has been placed under a state of calamity due to floods triggered by heavy rains since Sunday evening.

Typhoon Usagi passed the northern Philippines this weekend. 

110 dead in Mexico storms

The death toll from widespread flooding in Mexico in recent days has increased to 110 people, the country's interior minister said Sunday.

Three storms, including two tropical systems, walloped the country over the past week, sending rivers over their banks, spurring mudslides and washing out roadways.

Some 24 states in the country have been impacted by storm damage, the Interior Ministry said.

The new death toll is not thought to include an additional 68 people still missing in one Guerrero town ravaged by a mudslide.

Over the weekend, Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto spoke about the damage in La Pintada, saying there was little hope now of finding survivors.

He said the reconstruction phase has already begun."This is the work, not just for the state of Guerrero, but for the whole country," he said.

Suicide bombers kill 77 at church in Peshawar, Pakistan

Islamabad, Pakistan -- Choir members and children attending Sunday school were among 77 people killed in a suicide bombing at a Protestant church in northwest Pakistan.

It was one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan.

The attack took place at the All Saints Church of Pakistan, in the violence-plagued city of Peshawar, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the country's capital, Islamabad.

A congregation of about 500 people was attending the church. Two attackers struck right as services concluded.

"Suicide bombers entered the church compound from the main gate and blew themselves up in the midst of the people," a statement posted on the diocese website read.

The outside of the church was peppered with debris. Crowds of men and rescue officials were covered in blood.

More than 120 people were wounded, local authorities said.

Typhoon Usagi hits southern China, killing at least 25

At least 25 people have died after Typhoon Usagi slammed into southern China, state media reported Monday.

Usagi has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of people, the cancellation of hundreds of flights and the closing of a major shipping lane, according to state media.

At one point the most powerful storm so far this year, Usagi has menaced the region for days as a super typhoon, leaving at least two people dead and a dozen injured in the Philippines and Taiwan before making landfall in the Chinese province of Guangdong, northeast of Hong Kong.

Twenty-five people have so far been confirmed dead, the state-run news agency Xinhua reported, citing the provincial flood control headquarters.

In preparation for the storm's arrival, four of six reactors at the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station in Shenzhen reduced their operating capacity, Guangdong authorities told Xinhua.

Tens of thousands of people were evacuated from along the coast in Guangdong province as forecasters warned that heavy rains along with a storm surge would cause flooding, Xinhua reported, citing government officials.

In neighboring Fujian Province, more than 80,000 people were evacuated and 50,000 disaster-relief personnel were deployed, Xinhua reported.

The storm also wreaked havoc on transportation, forcing the cancellation of more than 300 flights at Hong Kong International Airport, according to airport officials.

Major Chinese airlines, including China Southern Air, canceled flights into the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian as well as Hong Kong and Macau, Xinhua reported.

A major shipping lane between Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Taiwan was closed Saturday in anticipation of the storm's arrival.

More than 22,000 fishing boats in Fujian and another 20,000 in Guangdong have been ordered into port, Zhang Dong, chief weather forecaster of Guangdong provincial meteorological center, told Xinhua.

East Asia is buffeted for several months a year by heavy storms that roll in from the Pacific. Usagi has eclipsed Super Typhoon Utor, which hit the Philippines and South China last month, as the strongest storm of the year so far.

About 50 people died as result of Utor in China, and 11 people were killed in the Philippines.

Kenya mall attack: Military says most hostages freed, death toll at 68

Nairobi, Kenya -- Authorities in Kenya appeared close to ending a deadly siege Monday at an upscale Nairobi mall, where attackers have killed at least 68 people, injured 175, and are believed to still be holding about 10 people hostage.

"All efforts are underway to bring this matter to a speedy conclusion," the Kenyan military announced on Twitter.

It said that "most of the hostages have been rescued and security forces have taken control of most parts of the building."

Earlier, police had tweeted that a "MAJOR assault" by security forces was ongoing.

The developments come some two days after Al-Shabaab militants first stormed the shopping center, spraying bullets and unleashing chaos.

There are believed to be between 10-15 gunmen involved in the attack, officials said.

Sources within Al-Shabaab told CNN that nine names listed on a Twitter site -- now suspended -- were people who were among the alleged hostage-takers.

Three of the alleged attackers are from the United States, two are from Somalia and there is one each from Canada, Finland, Kenya and the United Kingdom, according to the list.

The FBI is looking into the claim that American citizens were involved the attack, but have not confirmed that.

Similarly, a senior State Department official said that the United States is trying to determine whether any of the alleged attackers are American. But, the official said, authorities are becoming more confident American citizens were involved.

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed Sunday to hold those responsible for the violence, accountable.

The tragedy is personal for the president; one of his nephews and his fiancee were among the dead.
"They shall not get away with their despicable, beastly acts. Like the cowardly perpetrators now cornered in the building, we will punish the masterminds swiftly and indeed very painfully," Kenyatta said.

Tornado in Maungatapu, New Zealand damages houses

Tornado in Maungatapu, New Zealand has damaged houses and downed several trees.

Firefighters were seen busy at Haukare Street, Hairini. No injuries have been reported.

Typhoon Usagi menaces Hong Kong, China's southern coast

Typhoon Usagi has Hong Kong and China's Pearl River Delta in its predicted path as it edges eastward Sunday.

At 9 a.m. Sunday (9 p.m. Saturday ET), Usagi was about 242 miles east of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Observatory said. It was expected to move west-northwest at about 11 miles per hour.

The U.S. Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Center said the storm had sustained winds of 115 mph. That was a drop from the 162 mph recorded on Friday, but Chinese authorities were bracing for major effects from landfall expected Sunday or Monday to the east of densely populated Hong Kong.

Fujian Province evacuated more than 80,000 people and deployed more than 50,000 disaster-relief personnel, state news agency Xinhua reported. Evacuations also took place in Guangdong and Zhejiang provinces, state-run news agency Xinhua said.

The news agency said some shipping along the coast and between Taiwan and the mainland had been halted. More than 44,000 fishing boats had been ordered into port.

39 killed and more carnage feared as Kenya mall attackers face off

Nairobi, Kenya -- Armed gunmen faced off with Kenyan police and soldiers inside an upscale Nairobi shopping mall early Sunday, hours after brazenly gunning down shoppers, diners and more.

Around 2:30 a.m. Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET Saturday) -- an hour after reporting five "visibly shaken" hostages had been released -- Kenya's National Disaster Operation Centre cryptically tweeted "major operations underway." What that meant was a mystery, and it didn't quell fears about what has happened or might happen to an unknown number of civilians who were still unaccounted for inside.

There were 39 confirmed dead as of around midnight Saturday, according to Kenya's president, who added his close relatives are among those killed. Two gunmen, including one who was detained after being shot, are also dead.

Francis Kimenia, secretary to the Cabinet, tweeted another 293 people got treatment at three area hospitals, which "are appealing for more blood." The wounded range in age from 2 to 78, the disaster operations center said, urging people to "remember them in your prayers."

Q and A: Al-Shabaab grew amid Somalia's lawlessness

Al-Shabaab, an al Qaeda-linked militant group based in Somalia with ties to Nairobi's Eastleigh district and whose most recent attack of this scale came July 2010 in Uganda's capital, claimed responsibility for the carnage and vowed not to negotiate with Kenyan authorities. It claimed that "all Muslims" were escorted from the mall before the attack, suggesting its targets were people who didn't believe in their extreme form of Islam.

"The Mujahideen are still strong inside #Westgate Mall and still holding their ground," the group said late Saturday via Twitter. "All praise is due to Allah!"

Kenyan authorities, though, insist they have the upper hand, where it's now early Sunday morning. The last few hours of Saturday and the first few of Sunday, in Kenya, were largely quiet outside the mall except for movement

Police tweeted that the attackers "have been isolated and pinned down in a room by security forces." And Joseph Ole Lenku, the national government's cabinet secretary for interior and coordination, hinted that the worst should be over.

"Our security forces have taken control of the situation," Lenku said.

"Attackers of Westgate shopping mall have been isolated and pinned down in a room by security forces in the ongoing operation," the national police said on Twitter.

Kenya's president, Uhuru Kenyatta, blasted "the despicable perpetrators of this cowardly act (who) hoped to intimidate, divide and cause despondency among Kenyans and would like to (create) a closed, fearful and fractured society."

Kenya is no stranger to terrorism, including a 1998 bombing at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi that left 213 dead and other attacks before and since tied to al Qaeda and related groups.

In a televised speech late Saturday, Kenyatta said his nation has "overcome" such attacks before, refusing to budge from its values or relinquish his security. And it will do so again, he promised.

"We shall hunt down the perpetrators wherever they run to," the president said. "We shall get them, and we shall punish them for this heinous crime.

Moderate earthquake in Wyoming today

M 4.9 moderate earthquake hits Wyoming today, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was located 16km W of Fort Washakie and 57km W of Riverton, Wyoming. It was 3.1 miles deep.

Earthquake in Wyoming today was well felt by the people of Dubois, East Thermopolis, Lander and Pinedale.

13:16 UTC (local time 2013-09-21 07:16 @ epicenter)

Shaking Intensity (MMI):

IV (Light): Fort Washakie, Ethete, Lander and Arapahoe
III IWeak): Riverton, Pinedale, Marbleton, Thermopolis and Worland.

Epicenter Location:

16km (10mi) W of Fort Washakie, Wyoming
57km (35mi) W of Riverton, Wyoming
158km (98mi) N of Rock Springs, Wyoming
167km (104mi) N of Green River, Wyoming
341km (212mi) NE of Salt Lake City, Utah

Militants attack military, police installations, kill 26 in south Yemen

Militants killed 18 soldiers and eight police officers in south Yemen Friday morning, security officials said.

The attacks targeted installations in Shabwa province on Friday morning, the officials said. They said the attackers used car bombs and heavy artillery.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but officials at the Defense Ministry and in Shabwa said think al Qaeda was behind the violence.

"Though no one has claimed responsibility, the planning, timing and weapons used in the Shabwa attacks give us a strong indication that al Qaeda stands behind todays attacks," a Defense Ministry official said on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to media.

"All three attacks took place within an hour in three different locations. Only an organized network like al Qaeda could stand behind such attacks."

The attacks are likely in retaliation for recent U.S. drone strikes, one security official said.

Twelve soldiers were killed at the Rothom district military compound, and six soldiers died in an attack near Mayfah district, the officials said. The Defense Ministry said a commander, Col. Nasser Tahih, was among those killed.

A raid on a police compound in Azzan killed eight officers, the officials said. Azzan is suspected to be home for hundreds of al-Qaeda militants.

In the Azzan attack, "the militants took control of the compound and looted many of its belongings and property. Those who tried to fight the militants were killed," one local security official told. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk to news media.

The official said other officers surrendered to the militants and were taken prisoner.

At least nine explosions were heard at the compound, one of the officials said. No militants were known to have died in the attack, security sources in Azzan told.

The government deployed hundreds of troops to the area and tight security checkpoints were introduced. Earlier this week, Yemen's Interior Ministry called for tightened security and warned that al Qaeda might be planning attacks and suicide bombings.

Girl burnt to death in Odisha ‘honour’ killing

In an apparent case of ‘honour’ killing, an 18-year-old girl was burnt to death by her parents at Balakati,  on Friday.

The victim, whose half-burnt body was retrieved by the city police from a house at Balakati, was identified as Uma Bharati Mallick.

Uma, who hailed from Kantapada village of Balasore, had eloped with Nigamananda, her domestic help, three months ago.

The victim’s parents, Shantilata and Radhagovind, were against their daughter’s affair with Nigamananda, who was already married.

Uma and Nigamananda were living in a rented house at Tarini Sahi near Balakati College.

According to inspector Sanjay Patnaik of the Balianta police station, to persuade their daughter to return, the parents landed at her house. As the they failed in their efforts to convince their daughter, they set her on fire after sending Nigamananda out to fetch an auto.

“We have arrested the parents in connection with the crime. More details would be known after a thorough investigation,” said Nitinjeeet Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police.

Nigamananda was also arrested on the charge of bigamy.

Bombing rocks mosque in Iraq; 18 dead

At least 18 Sunni worshipers were killed and 29 others were injured in Iraq on Friday when two bombs ripped through a mosque, police said.

The incident occurred in Samarra, a largely Sunni city more than 60 miles north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Iraq has seen a sharp increase in friction between its Shiite and Sunni populations since April, when security forces raided a site used by Sunni protesters to demonstrate against the Shiite-led government.

Sunnis have felt politically marginalized under Shiite President Nuri al-Maliki, whose government fears it is being targeted by Sunni Islamists involved in fighting in neighboring Syria.

Mexican storm victim: 'The government ignores us'

Renacimiento, Mexico -- As raging floodwaters swept away half of his timber shack, Saturnino Medina climbed to the roof.

He pointed Thursday to the place where river waters broke through a container wall and washed away his kitchen.

Medina and his family have almost nothing left now, after the wind and rain of Manuel hit the town of Renacimiento, located about 20 km northeast of the resort city of Acapulco.

Days after the storm made landfall as a tropical depression in the Mexican state of Guerrero, thousands of tourists are still trapped in Acapulco and thousands of families are struggling to recover.

Medina and his family were left to eat eggs and tortillas donated by neighbors and drink expired cartons of juice they found in a nearby trash dumpster. So far, he said, they haven't gotten any government aid.

"The truth is, I don't even know what to tell you," he said. "The government ignores us. They help everyone else, but they've forgotten about Renacimiento."

The town is one of many across Mexico ravaged by multiple storms that have been battering the country.

Federal officials say at least 97 people were killed across Mexico by Manuel, which plowed into the country's Pacific coast, and Ingrid, which hit the Gulf coast.

Rescue efforts continued throughout the country Thursday. In one Guerrero town ravaged by a mudslide, authorities said 68 people remained unaccounted for.

An aerial survey revealed many more mudslides, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong said, and there are additional reports of disappearances that authorities have not yet confirmed.

In Renacimiento, one of the hardest-hit areas, Alma Rojano said neck-high floodwaters washed by her home.

Days after the storm hit, bulldozers and cleanup crews finally arrived in the town on Thursday.

In a press conference Thursday night, federal officials said that climate conditions had made it difficult to reach more remote parts of the country, but pledged that government aid was on the way.

"Right now we are facing a truly extraordinary condition," President Enrique Peña Nieto said, noting that the extent of the heavy rains over such a large part of the country had reached "historic" proportions.

At least 3 dead in Philippines bombing

At least three people were killed in a bombing at a bus garage in the Philippines on Friday.

The explosion occurred on the outskirts of Zamboanga City. Fighting has raged between Muslim rebels and soldiers in Zamboanga, a mainly Christian city in the country's south.

Authorities said a bus conductor and two bus washers were killed. A 62-year-old man was injured, they said.

Flash flooding hits Guam, 40 cm rain in 24 hrs

Flash flooding has hit Guam with 40 centimetres of rain reported in 24 hours in some areas.

At least one family was rescued from their flooded homes. Flash flooding in Guam also washed away several roads.

Heavy rainfall was caused due to a developing tropical disturbance centred north east of Saipan, Radio Australia reported quoting Guam National Weather Service forecaster Derek Williams.

Hurricane Manuel hits Mexico; dozens missing after mudslide

Dozens of people are missing after a mudslide that buried homes as Manuel pounded the country's Pacific Coast, Mexico's president said Wednesday.

At least 58 people are unaccounted for in the municipality of Atoyac de Alvarez, Mexican Pesident Enrique Peña Nieto told reporters Wednesday, describing damage there as "catastrophic."

The mayor of Atoyac, which is about 50 miles west of Acapulco, told CNNMexico that 15 bodies had been recovered and at least 70 people remained trapped under mud that buried 20 homes.

Peña Nieto said hundreds of people have been rescued from La Pintada, the community in Atoyac hit by the mudslide. It's unclear how many people remain buried, he said.

Manuel, which strengthened into a hurricane Wednesday evening, was one of three storms bringing devastating deluges and flooding to Mexico. At least 80 people were killed in the storms, Mexico's interior ministry said.

In the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, thousands of tourists were stranded.

"Unfortunately, this took us by surprise," Veronica Garcia told  en Español. "It rained uncontrollably. The streets flooded, and we had to stay inside our beach house."

Garcia said her family was stuck on the home's second floor because of flooding. As if that wasn't enough, they had to face an agonizing decision: Who should be rescued?

The Garcias were among some 40,000 tourists left stranded or cut off by weather that has claimed dozens of lives during a holiday weekend.

As the water rose, Garcia and her four family members waited nervously on the upper floor for help, but no rescuers appeared to whisk them to safety.

When local volunteers finally arrived with a small kayak, their relief was short-lived. Rescuers said the boat would only fit two family members.

It was decided that Garcia would be rescued, along with one of her sons.

A second round of agony followed as Garcia spent two days in a shelter before the rest of her family was rescued and everyone was reunited.

The Garcias' story was only one of countless examples of tourists whose vacations were interrupted by severe weather. Mexico was being pummeled from nearly all sides Wednesday as Manuel, the remnants of Hurricane Ingrid and a new area of low pressure threatened most of the country with flooding or rain.

Mexico's interior ministry said Wednesday that the storms are responsible for at least 80 deaths nationwide.

And a state-by-state tally indicates the toll could be higher.

In Guerrero state, where Acapulco is located, officials said at least 72 people were killed.

Heavy rains and widespread flooding from Manuel there caused mudslides that cut off highways and buried homes, Acapulco Mayor Luis Walton told CNN en Español Tuesday night.

"Acapulco is practically incommunicado," he said.

On Wednesday, the rain eased and rescue operations and evacuations of tourists quickened.

'Stop! Stop! Stop!': Six dead after bus, train collide in Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario -- Frantic cries from passengers didn't prevent an Ottawa double-decker bus from plowing into a moving train on Wednesday, a horrific morning crash that left six dead and at least 34 others injured.

Hours later, investigators offered few insights, including whether the bus driver applied brakes, if the crossing signal worked properly and, more generally, what caused the collision.

Yet some who had been on the bus, like Rebecca Guilbeault, painted a jarring picture of the moments before, during and immediately after the crash, which ended with people thrown through the air as the vehicle's front few rows sheered off.

"Everyone shouted, 'Stop! Stop! Stop!,' and then, as I looked up the bus (hit) the gate," an emotional Guilbeault told reporters as she held her young son, echoing other passengers on the bus. "(It) all impacted at once. ... Everyone flew, and there was dust everywhere."

While the VIA passenger train -- which was heading from the Canadian capital to Toronto -- partly derailed, there were no reports of injuries to those aboard.

But it was a different, gruesome story aboard the ill-fated bus, which OC Transpo chief John Manconi said can carry 90 passengers. He did not know how many were on it at the time of the crash.
Five people were pronounced dead at the scene, with another dying at a hospital, according to Ottawa paramedics Chief Anthony Di Monte.

As of Wednesday night, Ottawa police had released the identity of only one of those killed: David Woodard, a 45-year-old native of the Canadian capital, who was driving the OC Transpo bus when it crashed.

Di Monte said authorities initially assessed 11 bus passengers in critical condition, but he added that the number fell later. He did not give a firm figure, though several underwent surgery. Community members held a candlelight vigil Wednesday night to remember the victims and those struggling to recover physically and emotionally from the ordeal.

Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson said the crash's sudden nature makes it especially difficult to fathom.
"We've lost six of our neighbors, people who started off this bright, sunny day as we all did -- heading from their homes and loved ones to go about their daily lives," he said. "And then this terrible tragedy struck."

The collision occurred around 8:50 a.m. as the VIA train -- part of Canada's national railway system -- slowed while approaching its next stop in the Barrhaven neighborhood, about 10 miles from downtown Ottawa.

Heather Hogan, 26, of Kingston, Ontario, was waiting for that train on the platform when she heard "a thud, a loud metal-on-metal screech."

"Everyone said, 'What just happened?' recalled Hogan, who was about 500 feet from the crash site. "Everyone was just standing there in shock."

Mark Cogan told CTV he was driving nearby when he saw the bus "going and going and going" before it struck the train, knocking it off its rails and setting off "complete mayhem."

"There was people coming out of the windows and stuff," Cogan recalled of what was left of the bus, before he parked and ran over. "It was just a pretty devastating scene."

Within six minutes, the first of what would be 19 ambulances converged on a scene Hogan described as frantic.

First responders found "bodies and debris pretty much everywhere at the impact site," Ottawa Fire Service's Marc Messier told CTV.

They were eventually followed by members of Canada's Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation.

In addition to interviewing witnesses, investigators will look at event recorders on the train, GPS data from the bus and details that might indicate if the crossing gates and signals were working properly.

Officials said Wednesday there had been no known crashes at the crossing since it opened in 2005.

Jean Laporte, the safety board head, estimated the probe could take months to complete, though authorities will be notified promptly if it's determined any public safety changes are needed.

"Our job is to determine what happened and why," Laporte told reporters on Wednesday, "with the aim of ensuring that it does not happen again."

Tornado hits Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas

A tornado touched down near Lynden Pindling International Airport in Nassau, Bahamas Department of Meteorolgy said.

The tornado was formed briefly over Lake Killarney, Bahamas Tribune reported quoting a meteorologist at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.

The Lynden Pindling International Airport was temporary closed. No damage or injury was reported.

The Bahamas Department of Meteorolgy had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the New Providence and North Andros on Tuesday 17th September 2013 from 2:45 pm EDT until 5:00 pm.

 

NWS confirms tornado in Boca aton today

The National Weather Service has confirmed a small tornado in Boca Raton today.

Tornado has been observed in the area of Federal Highway and Yamato Road.

NWS considered the tornado in Boca Raton today a minor with winds up to 60 mph.

Storm caused minor damage to trees and outdoor furniture of some houses in Boca Raton of Florida, Palm Beach Post reported.

Wave of attacks in Iraq leave at least 35 dead; more than 100 hurt

Iraq -- At least 35 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in shootings and explosions across the country on Tuesday, officials with Iraq's interior ministry told.

Officials said 29 people were killed and 107 wounded in 11 car bomb explosions in nine different parts of Baghdad. Most of killed and wounded were civilians, officials said.

In Falluja, about 60 kilometers (37 miles) west of Baghdad, five people were killed and 12 others were wounded when gunmen attacked al-Tahadi police station in southern Falluja.

In northern Mosul, about 400 kilometers (249 miles) north of Baghdad, a bomb exploded in the convoy of army Gen. Mohammed Khamas, killing him instantly. Khamas was the deputy head of army intelligence department in Mosul.

Iraq has seen a sharp increase in friction between its Shiite and Sunni populations since April, when Iraqi security forces raided a site used by Sunni protesters to demonstrate against the Shiite-led government. Sunnis have felt politically marginalized under Shiite President Nuri al-Maliki, whose government fears it is being targeted by Sunni Islamists involved in fighting in neighboring Syria.

More than 800 Iraqis were killed and 2,030 wounded in violence and acts of terrorism in August, the United Nations said.

South Korean soldiers fired hundreds of shots at man swimming to North Korea

Seoul, South Korea -- A man who tried to swim across a river to North Korea was killed by a rain of bullets fired at him by South Korean soldiers, a military official said.

The shooting took place Monday afternoon at the heavily fortified border that separates the two Koreas.

The South Korean man managed to get past a barbed wire fence by the bank of the Imjin River, which flows through part of the Demilitarized Zone between the two countries, and then jumped into the water with a Styrofoam float, Brig. Gen. Cho Jong-sul said Tuesday.

"We kept warning him verbally to come back to land," Cho said at a news conference. "The river was only about 800 meters wide where he jumped in. It wouldn't have taken long for him to swim across with the float. It was a very tense situation."

When the man failed to heed the warnings, the entire unit of about 30 soldiers began firing at him.

"Several hundred shots were fired," Cho said.

Asked whether this was a reasonable response, he said, "It is a regulation to shoot anyone who does not respond to the command and tries to escape in the controlled area."

Lightning in Odisha, India kills 11

Lightning strikes in Odisha, India have claimed lives of at least 11 people and injured 15 others, Times of India reported.

A flash of lightning hit a stone quarry at Kaipadar near Khurda, leaving four labourers dead.  Another lightning at Kusumati village near Jatni claimed two lives. At least four people died in lightning at Choudwar and Jagatpur. Similarly a farmer died due to lightning in Sundargarh district.

Lightning has claimed nearly 200 lives in Odisha in last eight months.

Landslide engulfs bus in Mexico, 12 killed

At least 12 people died and eight others were injured when a landslide engulfed a bus in an eastern Mexican town, Xinhua reported.

Disaster occurred in Altotonga, a town in eastern Veracruz state of Mexico on Monday, the state's civil protection agency said.

Military and civilian rescuers were involved in rescue operation.

Heavy flooding and massive landslides in Mexico caused by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid have claimed several lives in recent days.

Hurricane Ingrid is the ninth tropical storm and second hurricane of the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season.

Colorado floods: Stories of grief, generosity and gratitude

Boulder, Colorado -- The numbers are stark: As many as six dead. Hundreds more unaccounted for. Up to 1,000 people still awaiting evacuation.

But it's the stories -- of loss, but also generosity and gratitude -- that truly reflect the scope of the misery, and the tenacity of spirit, in Colorado's once-in-a-lifetime flooding -- now in its fifth day.

THE VICTIMS

'I started panicking and I couldn't breathe'

So far, the state has confirmed four deaths and fear that two others missing will be added to that toll.
The four confirmed victims include a man and a woman, both 19, who were among a group of four teen-agers headed home when the deluge began in Boulder County late Wednesday night.

Emily Briggs was the driver. She told that affiliate KUSA-TV that she was terrified. Her friend Wesley Quinlan took over.

"I started panicking and I couldn't breathe, and Wesley said, 'It's OK, Emily, I'll drive.' So I let him drive, and we kept driving and we just hit a wall of water and rocks," Briggs

With the car stopped, Quinlan said everyone should get out and try to reach safety.

"Our feet were just thrown in the air," said Nathan Jennings, who survived along with Briggs.

Wiyanna Nelson, 19, was swept away first, and Quinlan tried to rescue her, the survivors said.

"I looked at Wesley and he looked at me, and he jumped after her," Briggs said. She got back in the car and was rescued later. Jennings couldn't get back to the car but grabbed a log until a firefighter rescued him.

Quinlan's body was recovered Thursday and Nelson's body the next day.

Another body was found in a collapsed home in Jamestown in Boulder County. Rescuers recovered a fourth body on a roadway in Colorado Springs in El Paso County.

Those presumed dead include a 60-year-old woman and an 80-year-old woman, both in Larimer County.

Witnesses saw the younger woman swept away by floodwater that demolished her house. The older woman suffered injuries and was unable to leave her home.

Authorities Sunday were updating the lists of "unaccounted for" in the two hardest-hit counties: 482 people in Laramie County and 318 in Boulder County.

Gov. John Hickenlooper said many of those may have found shelter with friends.

"But we're still bracing," Hickenlooper told Candy Crowley on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. "I mean, there are many, many homes that have been destroyed. A number have been collapsed, and we haven't been in them yet."

Thousands evacuated after volcano eruption in Indonesia

Jakarta, Indonesia -- A volcano in Indonesia prompted the evacuation of more than 6,000 people this weekend, blanketing buildings and cars in ashes, emergency officials said Monday.

Mount Sinabung erupted early Sunday. It is the highest mountain in North Sumatra with an altitude of about 2,600 meters (8,530 feet). North Sumatra is a province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

Five people suffered breathing difficulties after inhaling volcanic ashes, and they were transported to a hospital in the North Sumatran city of Kabanjahe, said Jhonson Tarigan, a spokesman of the Sinabung Disaster Control Agency.

August: Indonesian volcano erupts, killing 6

More than 6,200 evacuees sought shelter in eight locations, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for Indonesia's national disaster management agency.

Officials distributed rice to the displaced people, local media reported. Nugroho said some of the evacuees returned to their homes during the day to tend to their farms and livestock and then returned to evacuation centers.

There were a couple of eruptions in 2010.

Ukraine flooding 2013 kills 2, displaces 600

Recent floods in Odessa region of Ukraine have claimed lives of at least two people and displaced around 600 people, Xinhua reported.

Flood water severely damaged more than 450 houses.

Ukraine flood damage is expected 21 million U.S. dollars, Xinhua added quoting an official of the press service of Odessa regional administration.

Ukraine flood 2010 (2010 Romanian floods) had claimed lives of at least 21 people.

Typhoon Man-yi hits Japan, 200 flights cancelled, fears for Fukushima plant

At least 200 domestic flights have been cancelled as Typhoon Man-yi hit southern Japan.

With torrential rains expected on Monday, contaminated water is feared to seep into the groundwater at Fukushima nuclear plant.

Typhoon Man-yi will hit direct southern parts of the main island Honshu on Monday morning, possibly around 9 am in Shizuoka prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, according to the  Japan Meteorological Agency.

Weather officials have issued warnings for flooding, heavy rain along with mudslides and even high ocean waves along the Pacific coast.

Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid kill 20 in Mexico

Heavy flooding and massive landslides caused by Tropical Storm Manuel and Hurricane Ingrid have claimed lives of at least 20 people in Mexico.

At least 14 died in the southwestern state of Guerrero and six in the central states of Puebla and Hidalgo.

More than 2,000 people left their homes while 21,000 households are without power in Guerrero, AFP reported quoting emergency management officials.

As of 11 a.m. PDT September 15 (1800 UTC September 15), Tropical Storm Manuel was located about 15 km southeast of Manzanillo, Mexico.

An "orange alert" (high risk) in southern Michoacan, and "yellow" (moderate) alert in rest of Michoacan and Guerrero have already been issued.

Hurricane Ingrid is the ninth tropical storm and second hurricane of the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season. As of 7 p.m. CDT September 15 (0000 UTC September 16), Hurricane Ingrid was located about 200 km east-northeast of Tampico, Mexico and about 200 km east-southeast of La Pesca, Mexico.

Tropical Storm Manuel made landfall on the Pacific side while Ingrid, a category one hurricane, is expected to reach the coast on the Gulf of Mexico on Monday.

Mount Sinabung volcano eruption forces thousands to flee

Mount Sinabung volcano eruption in Indonesia has forced thousands to flee, local medias reported.

Thousands of Sumatrans living in 11 villages in Karo regency fled to traditional meeting halls or jambur and houses of worship.

More than 3,700 people have ben evacuated from areas within a three-kilometre radius of the Mount Sinabung volcano, The Jakarta Post said.

Several flights at Kualanamu airport have been delayed.

Mount Sinabung volcano's status has been increased to alert (level 3) from caution (level 2) due to the increase in activity.

Indonesian volcano, Mount Sinabung erupted today for the first time since 2010. Mount Sinabung volcano eruption in 2010 had claimed life of one person.

Abbottabad landslide kills 4

Landslide in Abbottabad in the Hazara region of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan has claimed lives of at least four people.

Landslide also injured a woman. Injured woman has been taken to the Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad.

Hail storm in Chennai: 3rd time in 5 years

Hail storm hit Ayanavaram, Chennai between 1.30pm and 1.45pm Friday afternoon.

Nungambakkam recorded 3.5cm of rain and Meenambakkam 1.1cm, India Meteorological Department said.

Last hail storm in Chennai was in September 6, 2011. This is the third hail storm in Chennai in last 5 years.

No damage or injury have been reported from Chennai hail storm.

Boulder Colorado flood 2013 kills 4

Colorado flooding 2013 have claimed lives of at least four people and left more than 80 unaccounted.

Floods claimed lives of three people in Boulder and one in Colorado Springs, The Denver Post reported.
 

Temblor en Villa Berna, Córdoba, Argentina

M 4.7 moderate temblor shakes Villa Berna, the Córdoba region of Argentina today, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake's epicenter was located 21 km NNE of Villa Berna and 36 km SSW of Villa Carlos Paz. It was 15.8 miles deep.

Temblor en Villa Berna today was even felt by the people of Alta Gracia and Villa Carlos Paz.

No injury or damage have been reported from the earthquake in Villa Berna today.

01:43 UTC (local time 2013-09-11 22:43 @ epicenter)

Epicenter Location:

21 km NNE of Villa Berna, Argentina
24 km WSW of Alta Gracia, Argentina
36 km SSW of Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina
52 km SW of La Calera, Argentina
592 km ENE of Santiago, Chile

Romania flooding 2013 kills 8

Flooding in Romania have claimed lives of eight people and flooded around 700 houses in Galati county, local medias reported.

Forty-five people have been rescued from the floodwaters and 330 people have been evacuated from their homes in Romania.

Worst affected is the Cudalbi, where 500 houses and their gardens have been flooded, forcing 200 people to leave their homes.

Train traffic on the route Galaţi-Bârlad between Târgu Bujor and Floteşti have been also affected, Romania Resider reported.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta has sent a deputy to view the area and called an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the flood situation in Romania.

Storm damage in Montreal, Canada

Storms over Quebec have caused damage in Montreal and the surrounding area.

Strong storm also downed dozens of trees and 15 hydro poles in the town of Saint Anicet, Montreal News reported.

According to the Hydro Quebec, around 4,000 households have lost power due to the storm.

Heavy rainfall also flooded the Atwater Tunnel.

Tornado hits Maine, no injury reported

A tornado touched down in remote northeastern Maine Wednesday evening, The National Weather Service confirmed.

A tornado was spotted near Oxbow Plantation where many tress were reported downed.

More than 5,000 customers lost electricity during storms in Aroostook County, The Bangor Daily News reported.

According to the National Weather Service, no injuries were reported from Maine tornado.

More than 1,100 have cancer after 9/11

Reggie Hilaire was a rookie cop on September 11, 2001. He worked at ground zero for 11 days beside his colleagues -- many of them, including Hilaire, not wearing a mask. He was later assigned to a landfill in Staten Island, where debris from the World Trade Center was dumped.

For about 60 days between 2001 and 2002, the New York police officer was surrounded by dust.

In 2005, Hilaire was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He underwent surgery and radiation. Just months later his doctor told him he also had multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that multiplies the body's plasma cells to dangerous levels.

It's a cancer that usually strikes much later in life. Hilaire was 34.

More than 1,100 people who worked or lived near the World Trade Center on 9/11 have been diagnosed with cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A few months ago Hilaire received a letter from the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, officially offering him medical insurance under the World Trade Center Health Program.

About 1,140 people have been certified to receive cancer treatment under the WTC Health Program, a representative told.

These are the first numbers released since the program was expanded a year ago.

In September 2012, federal health authorities added 58 types of cancer to the list of covered illnesses for people who were exposed to toxins at the site of the World Trade Center in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks.

Dr. John Howard, administrator of the WTC Health Program, had said the year before that cancer treatments would not be covered by the compensation fund. At the time, he said there was inadequate "published scientific and medical findings" to link 9/11 exposures to cancer.

Suicide bomber kills 30 at Baghdad mosque, police say

A suicide bomber blew himself up amid a crowd of worshipers at a Shiite mosque in Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 30 people and wounding 55, police said.

The bomber wore an explosive vest, which he detonated Wednesday evening in the northwestern al-Kassra neighborhood, police officials said. The force of the blast damaged not only the mosque but several buildings nearby, police said.

Initial reports indicated that the bomber targeted worshipers outside the mosque, but later reports suggested that the blast took place inside. Another man wearing a suicide vest was arrested nearby, apparently planning to attack police when they arrived at the scene, police said.

Iraq has seen a sharp increase in friction between its Shiite and Sunni populations since April, when Iraqi security forces raided a site used by Sunni protesters to demonstrate against the Shiite-led government. Sunnis have felt politically marginalized under Shiite President Nuri al-Maliki, whose government fears that Sunni Islamists involved in fighting in neighboring Syria are now targeting it.

More than 800 Iraqis were killed and another 2,030 wounded in violence and acts of terrorism in August, the United Nations said.

4 killed, 20 missing in Afghanistan flood landslide

Flood and landslide in Afghanistan have claimed lives of four people and left twenty others missing.

Heavy flood triggered landslide in Askitol village in Zibak district of Afghanistan.

The natural disaster also washed away 34 houses, 140 head cattle and destroyed 100 acres farmlands and several gardens, Xinhua reported.

Indonesia's Mount Lokon Volcano erupts again, 12 eruptions in 4 hours

Mount Lokon in Tomohon, North Sulawesi, erupted Tuesday again, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.

Around 12 eruptions have been recorded from 6:12 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. local time.

The first eruption was 1,000 meters high while the second was 2,500 meters high, Lokon and Mahawu volcano monitoring post under the authority of the Bandung-based Volcanology and Geology Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) said today.

On Monday, Indonesia's Mount Lokon volcano spewed ash as high as 1,500 meters.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) has warned local residents and visitors not to go within a 2.5-kilometer radius of the Tompaluan crater.

The Lokon volcanic activity status remains at Siaga or “alert” (level 3) currently.

Indonesia has altogether 129 volcanoes. Indonesia's Mount Lokon eruption 1991 killed a Swiss hiker and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

Roadside bomb in Afghanistan kills 7, wounds 17

A roadside bomb hit a bus in Afghanistan's Ghazni province Tuesday, killing seven people and wounding 17 others, a provincial official said.

Safiullah Ibrahimi, a spokesman for the governor of eastern Ghazni province, said insurgents planted the bomb.

All of the casualties were men, he said. No women or children were hurt.

Landslides in Mexico kill 13 (updated)

Death toll from Mexico landslides have risen to 13, AFP reported quoting a state civil protection official. Five more bodies have been found in Coscomatepec.

Landslides in Mexico have swept away two homes and killed eight people, local authorities said.

According to the emergency officials, other two people have been rescued alive from the landslide site in Veracruz state.

Landslides hit the town of Manzanatitla late Monday, located about 320 kilometers east of Mexico City.

Tropical Storm Fernand caused landslides and flooding had claimed lives of 13 people in Veracruz state last month.

6 hurt in Mississippi train accident

Six people were injured on Tuesday when an Amtrak train struck a tractor-trailer in Mississippi on Tuesday, a state emergency official said.

The train hit an 18-wheeler hauling corn and the front train engine derailed. Four passengers and two crew members sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to state emergency spokesman Brett Carr.

The accident occurred in Holmes County.

Sindupalchowk, Nepal landslides claim 5 lives

Landslides at Dhuskun and Chokati area of Sindupalchowk district of Nepal have claimed lives of five people, local medias reported.

The victims belong to two families and includes three minors, The Himalayan Times said.

Thai Airways plane skids off runway, 13 injured

A Thai Airways International flight arriving at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport late Sunday night skidded off the runway as it touched down.

Thirteen passengers were injured while evacuating the aircraft. There were no fatalities.

According to an airline statement, Thai Airways flight 679, operated with an Airbus A330-300 aircraft, departed Guangzhou, China, at 9:25 p.m. and arrived in Bangkok at 11:20 p.m.

After touching down, a landing gear malfunction caused the aircraft to skid off the runway, according to the airline.

Sparks were seen in the vicinity of the right-side landing gear, near the engine.

The airline says the pilot remained in control of the airplane until it came to a stop and its 14 cabin crew led the evacuation of all 288 passengers.

No passengers were reported injured during the actual landing.

"Thirteen passengers received minor injuries during the evacuation," the airline said.

Injured passengers were transported to a local hospital.

"THAI will conduct an investigation as to the cause of the incident," the airline's parent company said in an official statement.

"At this stage Airbus has no detailed information on the event and therefore cannot comment," an Airbus spokesperson confirms to CNN. "We are dispatching a team of experts to support both the investigation authorities and Thai Airways."

Airport officials are still working to clear the runway and expect flight delays on Monday.

The incident is the second in two weeks for Thai Airways. At least 39 passengers were injured after an Airbus A380 with 500 passengers from Bangkok hit severe turbulence during its approach into Hong Kong International Airport on August 30.

Thai Airways International has established a hotline for information about the accident in Bangkok.

The number inside Thailand is 02 545 3181. From outside the country, the number is +66 2 545 3181.

Indonesia's Mount Lokon Volcano erupts

Mount Lokon in Tomohon, North Sulawesi, erupted at 6:30 a.m. Monday, National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said.

Indonesia's Mount Lokon Volcano spewed volcanic material from the Tompaluan Lokon crater up to 1,500 meters in the air.

According to the Antara news agency, explosion was heard even in Minahasa, located 10 kilometers away from the volcano.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) has warned local residents and visitors not to go within a 2.5-kilometer radius of the Tompaluan crater.

The Lokon volcanic activity status remains at Siaga or “alert” (level 3) currently.

Indonesia has altogether 129 volcanoes. Indonesia's Mount Lokon eruption 1991 killed a Swiss hiker and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

Lightning strike in San Antonio kills 1, injures other

A lightning strike in San Antonio has killed a eight years old boy and injured one other, local medias reported.

The two boys were playing in a backyard Thursday night when the lightning hit.

The other boy, a 10-year-old, remains hospitalized, KENS-TV reported.

According to the Encyclopedia of World Climatology, lightning happens about 40–50 times per second worldwide. Around 50 people are killed by lightning across the US each year. Lightning protection prevents damage from lightning strikes.

20 dead in Somalia bomb blasts

Mogadishu, Somalia -- A pair of bomb blasts in Mogadishu Saturday killed at least 20 people, most of them civilians, police said.

An apparent car bomb exploded in the parking lot outside of a restaurant frequented by journalists and civil servants in the Somali capital.

Minutes later, a second bomb went off on the other side of the restaurant, police official Mohamed Ali said.

Amina Osman, owner of a nearby tea shop, said she heard powerful explosions and saw thick, black smoke billowing from behind a group of buildings at The Village restaurant Saturday morning.

Ambulances rushed to the scene of the blast, which shattered windows and sent up a cloud of smoke visible throughout much of the city, she said.

It was the second time since last year that The Village restaurant, which is located near the presidential compound, has been attacked.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

Romania earthquake today shakes Bulgaria

M 4.6 moderate earthquake shakes Romania today, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was located 15 km S of Hunedoara. It was 3.1 miles deep.

Romania earthquake today was followed by two earthquakes (another M 4.2) in an interval of 22 minutes.

Tremors were even felt in the Vidin province in northwestern Bulgaria.

The area has steep slopes (up to 40%) and may be susceptible to landslides, Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System (GDACS) said.

No damage or injuries have been reported from Romania earthquake today.

13:22 UTC (local time 2013-09-08 16:22 @ epicenter)

Epicenter Location:

1 km WSW of Unirea, Romania
6 km W of Hateg, Romania
15 km S of Hunedoara, Romania
16 km SSW of Calan, Romania
208 km ENE of Belgrade, Serbia

Netherlands liable for deaths of 3 Muslim men in Bosnia, court says

The Dutch state is liable for the deaths of three Muslim men from the Bosnian city of Srebrenica in the 1990s, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands ruled Friday.

The men had sought refuge in the compound of the Dutch mission, which was under the command of the United Nations Protection Force and was participating in peacekeeping operations in Bosnia after the collapse of Yugoslavia.

The Dutch mission sent the Muslim men away from the compound on July 13, 1995, said the court, which is based in The Hague.

After leaving the compound, the men were killed by the Bosnian Serb army and allied paramilitary groups, according to the court.

Landslide in Dhankuta, Nepal buries 13 houses

Landslides near Mulghat of Dhankuta, Nepal have buried some thirteen houses, local medias reported.

According to The Republice, landslides in Mahabharat, Budhimorang and Bhedetar VDCs have displaced more than 100 people.

Landslides have also obstructed Koshi highway at several parts.

Detail reports yet to come.

Flood, fire and mudslide in Idaho

Strong storms have caused mudslides, house fire and floods in Idaho.

Mudslide in Idaho has closed roads from Garden Valley to Smith’s Ferry Drive.

Heavy rainfall caused mudslide at about 7 p.m. Flash flooding has been reported in Oakley.

Lightning also caused fire in a house in Eagle.

No injuries have been reported.

Guatemala earthquake 2013 shakes Mexico and El Salvador, 1 killed, 20 Injured

One woman from Coatepeque area has been reported dead. She suffered heart attack due to the earthquake.

M 6.5 very strong earthquake shakes Guatemala, Mexico and El Salvador today, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Guatemala earthquake 2013 epicenter was located  just outside Pajapita in Guatemala, about 9 miles from the border with Mexico. It was 42 miles deep.
 At least 20 people have been injured in San Marcos.

Dozens of houses have been collapsed in San Miguel Sigüila, San Sebastián Lemoa and Patzicia including roof of Rafael Landívar University.

Guatemala earthquake 2013 occurred at or near the interface between the Cocos and North America plates, USGS said.

Today's temblor is one of the strongest since a 7.4-magnitude earthquake in Guatemala last November killed 42 people.

00:13 UTC (local time 2013-09-06 18:13 @ epicenter)

Shaking Intensity (MMI)

VII (very strong): Ciudad Tecun Uman
VI (strong): La Libertad, Ocos, Suchiate, Mazatan and Pajapita
V (moderate): Quetzaltenango
IV (light): Guatemala City and Tuxtla Gutierrez
II-III (weak): Santa Tecla and San Salvador

Epicenter Location

6 km SW of Pajapita, Guatemala
8 km E of Ciudad Tecun Uman, Guatemala
20 km NE of Suchiate, Mexico
22 km W of Coatepeque, Guatemala
168 km W of Guatemala City, Guatemala