Venezuela quake rescuers search rubble two months on
Volunteer rescuers are still searching rubble in Venezuela's coastal state of La Guaira two months after twin earthquakes killed 6,509 people. Venezuela's int…
Disasters & Incidents — August 2026
France tornado injures 41 in village of Pomas
A tornado injured 41 people and damaged hundreds of homes in the village of Pomas in southwestern France on Monday, local authorities said. Officials said the…
Death Valley tourist dies in 116F heat after car stuck
A 68-year-old French tourist died in Death Valley after his vehicle became stuck in mud and he and another French traveller tried to walk for help in 116F (47C…
Costa Rica earthquakes cause minor damage, no injuries
Two shallow earthquakes struck central Costa Rica early Monday, including the capital San Jose, causing minor damage but no reported injuries, authorities said…
Reno wildfire keeps 24,000 under evacuation orders
About 24,000 people remained under evacuation orders on Monday as the Hawk Fire burned near Reno, Nevada, after forcing more than 40,000 people from their home…
Guinea landfill collapse kills 31 in Conakry
A landfill collapse in Guinea's capital Conakry killed 31 people and injured more than 20 after heavy rain sent a garbage dump sliding onto homes in the Dar es…
22 missing after bulk carrier sinks off India, navy says
India's navy said rescuers were searching on Sunday for 22 people missing after a Panama-flagged bulk carrier sank off the country's eastern coast. The MV Ocean Winner had 24 crew members on board, and two were rescued from liferafts, the navy said. The vesse…
Japan earthquake injures at least 37 near Tokyo
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck near Tokyo early Sunday, injuring at least 37 people and disrupting regional train services, Japanese authorities said. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake hit the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture at 2:00 am, at…
Croatia plane crash kills two near Zadar
Two people were found dead after a small plane flying from the Czech Republic crashed near the Croatian coastal city of Zadar, Croatian authorities said. Croa…
Canada plane hits car in emergency landing; one dead
One person was killed in Prince George, British Columbia, after a small passenger plane struck a vehicle while making an emergency landing on a road, the Royal…
Legionnaires' outbreak kills three in Austria
Three people have died and 26 have fallen ill in a Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Austria's Linz region since July 20, Austria's national health agency said Friday. The agency said 24 patients have been treated in hospital, some in intensive care. Two othe…
Swiss apartment fire death toll rises to four
Four people have been found dead after a fire destroyed an apartment block in Thusis, eastern Switzerland, Graubünden canton police said Sunday. The building housed a restaurant and residential flats. Police had said Friday that five people were missing after…
Alaska plane crash kills eight at US Air Force site
A civilian-contracted plane crashed Thursday at a remote US Air Force site in Cape Newenham, Alaska, killing eight people, the military said. The aircraft cra…
China floods death toll rises to 159, CCTV says
The death toll from Typhoon Maysak floods in southern China last month has risen to 159, with 10 people still missing, state broadcaster CCTV reported Friday.…
Peru earthquake injures three, officials say
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake in southern Peru caused minor injuries to three people and affected at least 22 homes, six schools and 12 medical centres, according…
CAR gold mine shut after official 49 deaths
The Central African Republic has temporarily shut the Zamboye artisanal gold mine near the Cameroonian border after a landslide killed 49 people, according to the country's mines ministry. Mines Minister Rufin Benam-Beltoungou visited the site on Wednesday. T…
Serbia wildfire forces evacuations near Belgrade
A wildfire burning in Serbia's Deliblatska Pescara forest reserve forced evacuations on Thursday as a Russian water-bombing aircraft helped crews fight the flames. The fire has been burning since early August in the reserve about 60 kilometres east of Belgrad…
Nigeria boat sinking kills at least 51, resident says
At least 51 people have died after a boat sank in northwest Nigeria's Sokoto state on Thursday, Ibrahim Musa, a former councillor in the area, said, while authorities said rescue operations were continuing. Musa, a former councillor of Gorau village in Gorony…
Colombia mine collapse kills 13, official says
At least 13 people were killed and seven injured when a slope collapsed at an illegal gold mine in Colombia's southwestern Narino department, a local official…
Spain heat-related deaths hit 4,458, institute says
Spain registered an estimated 4,458 heat-related deaths from June 1 to August 19, the highest figure for that period since 2022, according to figures from the public Carlos III Health Institute consulted by AFP. The same period recorded 3,073 heat-related dea…
Germany heat deaths reach record 14,000 this summer
Germany recorded around 14,000 heat-related deaths this summer, a record in data kept by the Robert Koch Institute, the public health authority said Thursday. The institute said about 9,600 of those deaths were recorded in one week in late June, when temperat…
Japan train kills four workers at Shin-Kanuma Station
A train hit and killed four workers at Shin-Kanuma Station in Kanuma city, north of Tokyo, on Thursday, Japanese authorities said. A fire department official…
Shoreham drowning kills three family members
Three members of the same family drowned off Shoreham-by-Sea on England's south coast, and a fourth family member remained in hospital in critical condition, p…
Madrid wildfire orders lifted after blaze contained
Authorities lifted confinement orders in Aldea del Fresno, west of Madrid, on Wednesday after firefighters stabilised a nearby wildfire that had forced residen…
Brazil bus and truck crash kills at least 23, police say
A head-on collision between a bus carrying medical patients and a truck killed at least 23 people early Wednesday in southern Brazil, highway police said. Pol…
Kenya helicopter crash kills Ecuador intel chief, 5 Americans
A tourist helicopter crashed in Kenya's Samburu County on Wednesday, killing all seven people on board, including Ecuador's intelligence chief Michele Sensi-Co…
France drownings top 300 in heatwave summer, minister says
France has recorded 301 drowning deaths since June 19, Sports and Youth Minister Marina Ferrari said on August 23, a 14% rise from summer 2025 that she linked to repeated heatwaves. Ferrari told France Inter radio that many people had gone to the water during…
Central African Republic mine kills 100, sources say
Local sources said around 100 people were killed when a landslide hit an illegal gold mine in western Central African Republic, while an official said no forma…
Belgian climbers' bodies found in Swiss Alps after 34 years
The bodies of two Belgian climbers who disappeared in the Swiss Alps 34 years ago have been found on the melting Trift Glacier, regional police in Wallis canto…
Kolkata hotel fire kills five Bangladeshis among nine
A fire at the budget Shika Inn hotel in Kolkata killed nine people, including five Bangladeshi nationals, early Wednesday, officials said. Anuj Sharma, the fi…
China earthquake: 5.9 quake hits Qinghai, USGS says
A shallow earthquake struck China's central Qinghai province early Wednesday, with the US Geological Survey measuring it at magnitude 5.9. USGS said the quake…
Nicolas Altmayer and Mathilde Favier die in crash
French film producer Nicolas Altmayer and Dior public relations head Mathilde Favier were killed in a car accident in western France, local authorities said Tu…
Indonesia earthquake toll 73 as woman found alive
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake off Indonesia’s Flores island has killed 73 people, injured more than 900 and displaced nearly 60,000, the BNPB disaster mitigation…
Granada earthquake closes Alhambra, injures three
A magnitude-4.8 earthquake near Granada lightly injured three people on Tuesday and closed the Alhambra palace complex for the rest of the day after minor dama…
Syria says power plant blast killed 3 during maintenance
Syrian officials said a hydrogen tank explosion during maintenance at the Banias thermal power plant in western Syria killed three workers on Tuesday. Alaa Sa…
Transylvania fortified churches face decay after collapse
Transylvania’s fortified churches are facing renewed concern over decay after the outer wall of a historic church in Mosna, central Romania, collapsed one night in June. The Mosna church, visited by Britain's King Charles III in 1998 and attracting about 4,00…
Indonesia wildfires: teen 'Superman' joins Borneo fight
Indonesia's wildfires have burned more than 200,000 hectares this year as smog spreads across Borneo and Malaysia, while a 17-year-old volunteer dressed as Superman has drawn attention to the difficult fight against peatland fires near Palangkaraya. Rudiyansa…
Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 6,438
Venezuela's official death toll from twin earthquakes in June rose to 6,438 on Monday, Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodriguez said, as relatives and rescuers continued searching rubble nearly two months after the disaster. The latest figure was up from 6,301 last…
Search suspended for man missing from Atlantic yacht
French maritime authorities suspended the search on August 18, 2026, for a man believed to have been aboard a 13-metre yacht found adrift off France's Atlantic…
Colombia quake losses put at $9.57bn, president says
Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella said Tuesday that the August 10 earthquake caused $9.57 billion in economic losses, issuing a preliminary estimate…
US man killed by lightning on Mount Etna
A US man died after being struck by lightning on Sicily's Mount Etna volcano, Italian firefighters said Monday. The man was struck on Sunday and flown by firefighter helicopter to a hospital in Catania, where he was declared dead on arrival, a fire service sp…
Sifnos helicopter crash may stem from rotor fault
Greece’s civil aviation authority said Tuesday that a possible tail rotor malfunction may have caused a private Bell 206 helicopter crash on Sifnos that killed…
Ireland wrong-way motorway crash kills five teenagers
Five teenage males were killed when a car travelling the wrong way on Ireland's M9 motorway collided head-on with another vehicle early Sunday, Irish police said. The crash happened west of Dublin. Police said the vehicle carrying the teenagers was travelling…
Indonesia earthquake kills 68, displaces 13,000 on Flores
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake north of Indonesia's Flores island killed 68 people, injured dozens and displaced about 13,000, rescue officials said, as residents in the hardest-hit Nagekeo district spent nights in makeshift tents and appealed for help. Officials…
Yael Trepy in intensive care after reported near-drowning
French footballer Yael Trepy, who plays for Serie A club Cagliari, is in intensive care at a hospital in Sassari, the Italian club said on Monday. Cagliari said it was in close contact with medical staff and Trepy's family, and asked for privacy. The club did…
Belgium wildfire under control after 7 days, officials say
Belgium's largest wildfire in a century was under control after a seven-day firefighting effort in the High Fens nature reserve near the German border, the loc…
France wildfire aid: PM announces €12m after jeers
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu announced about €12 million in aid on August 17 for wildfire-hit areas in southwest France, after residents jeered him over the government’s response. The money will support recovery in Gironde and Landes, the regions w…
Vulture removed from Ryanair wing in Crete, paper says
A vulture had to be removed from the wing of a Ryanair flight awaiting takeoff at Iraklio airport on the Greek island of Crete, the local newspaper Patris reported Monday. Patris said the fire service was called in late Sunday to remove the large bird to avoi…
India hotel fire kills eight Hindu devotees in Tarapith
A hotel fire in Tarapith in India's West Bengal state killed eight people on Monday while they were visiting to offer prayers during the Hindu holy month of Shravan, officials said. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The victims had travelled to…
Indonesia earthquake kills 68, displaces 12,800
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake near Indonesia's Flores island has killed 68 people, according to an updated toll, and injured more than 100, while 12,800 people remained unable to return home, officials said Monday. The shallow quake struck early Saturday just of…
Brazil bus crash kills at least eight near Rio
A bus overturned early Sunday in a steep, mountainous area near Petropolis, north of Rio de Janeiro, killing at least eight people, the Rio de Janeiro fire department said. The fire department said firefighters had to excavate to reach and remove some passeng…
Salamis fires near Athens largely out after killing two
Two fires on the Greek island of Salamis near Athens were largely extinguished Monday after killing two people and forcing nearly 600 people to evacuate by boat, Greece's fire service said. A fire department spokesman said the situation was better and there w…
Afghanistan aid: 724 trucks enter from Pakistan, UN says
The United Nations said 724 trucks carrying international humanitarian aid crossed into Afghanistan through Torkham from Pakistan, despite a near-total closure of the land border between the two countries. Olga Cherevko, spokeswoman for the UN Office for the…
Switzerland carriage accident kills one, injures 12
A horse-drawn carriage carrying tourists ran out of control in Val Roseg, Switzerland, killing one person and injuring 12 others, police said Sunday. Police said about 40 people were on two carriages in woods near the Italian border on Saturday when the drive…
Budapest coach crash kills 12; Poland sends aircraft
A coach crash in Budapest killed 12 people and left at least 10 others critically injured, as Poland prepared to send an emergency aircraft to Hungary, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on August 16. Tusk said on social media that he had decided to send a speci…
Skyros wildfire: 100 firefighters fight Greek island blaze
About 100 firefighters and nearly a dozen aircraft and helicopters were battling a forest fire on the Greek Aegean island of Skyros on Sunday, as the blaze burned for a second day after forcing the evacuation of two small communities. Skyros mayor Kyriakos An…
Polish bus crash in Hungary kills 12, driver detained
A Polish bus crashed into a ditch on Hungary's M3 highway early Sunday, killing 12 people, leaving at least 10 critically injured and leading to the driver's detention, officials said. Police said the coach was travelling from Serbia to Poland when it crashed…
Vanuatu earthquake: no tsunami warning after 6.1 quake
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Vanuatu on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said, with no early reports of damage and no immediate tsunami warning from Vanuatu's natural hazards department. USGS placed the epicentre about 56 kilometres northeast of the…
Indonesia earthquake death toll rises to 53 on Flores
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Indonesia's Flores island has killed 53 people, injured 135 and left about 5,000 evacuees needing aid, Indonesia's BNPB national disaster agency said Sunday. Officials said the quake struck early Saturday and was followed by near…
Flores earthquake kills 48, forces 5,000 to evacuate
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake just north of Indonesia's Flores island killed 48 people, injured dozens and forced about 5,000 residents to evacuate after it struck at about 5:30 am on Saturday, August 15. Authorities issued an initial tsunami warning, which was…
Indiana flooding and storms kill at least five
At least five people were killed by severe storms and flooding in Indiana this week, authorities said Saturday. The storm began hitting the midwestern US state on Tuesday, August 11, Governor Mike Braun said. He said the weather system included tornadic activ…
Spain flood and landslide kill two, injure two babies
A flood and landslide triggered by torrential rain killed two women and injured two babies in northwestern Spain on Saturday, regional authorities said. The emergency services of Castile and Leon said the deaths of two women, aged about 60 and 80, had been co…
Myanmar floods affect 390,000 people, UN says
Severe monsoon flooding in Myanmar has affected an estimated 390,000 people since July, including people already displaced by civil war, the UN said. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the flooding had hit Sagaing, Rakhine, Irrawa…
Belgium wildfire to get Norway, Germany air support
A wildfire in Belgium's High Fens park was set to receive more air support Monday, with helicopters from Norway and Germany due to reinforce crews after authorities said its spread remained limited overnight. The local governor's office said "major aerial res…
Indonesia earthquake: magnitude 6.9 quake hits Sumatra
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Indonesia's western Sumatra island late on August 15, the US Geological Survey said, the second tremor reported in the country that day. USGS placed the epicentre at Pematangsiantar, about 126 kilometres southeast of Medan. T…
Turkey minibus crash kills seven, authorities say
Seven people, including two children, were killed when a minibus taking a family to an engagement party overturned in southeastern Turkey on Saturday, authorities said. The governor's office said two people died at the scene and five others died in hospital.…
Granada earthquake damages buildings; Alhambra unaffected
A 5.0-magnitude earthquake near Granada damaged buildings early Saturday, but officials said there were no casualties, no serious structural damage and no damage to the city's Alhambra palace. Spain's National Geographical Institute said the tremor happened s…
Indonesia earthquake death toll rises to 47 on Flores
The death toll from a 7.7-magnitude earthquake off Indonesia's eastern Flores island rose to at least 47 on Saturday, Indonesia's national disaster management agency said, as rescuers searched debris for survivors. Rescue official Fathur Rahman said 50 people…
French family rescued after 16 hours off Koh Samui
A French father and his two young sons were rescued off Thailand's Koh Samui island after spending more than 16 hours at sea when their rented jet ski capsized, local officials said. Local government official Amorn Chomchoey said the 50-year-old father and hi…
Venezuela quakes leave at least 200 amputees, NGO says
At least 200 people have undergone amputations after Venezuela's June 24 twin earthquakes, almost half of them minors, according to the Dos Santos Foundation, as survivors face the cost of prosthetics after the disaster. The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes kill…
Indonesia earthquake kills at least 38, official says
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake in eastern Indonesia killed at least 38 people, National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Suharyanto said Saturday. Suharyanto told a news conference that two people were seriously injured, 11 sustained minor injuries and approximat…
Canada wildfire threatens Okanagan wine region
A fast-spreading wildfire in British Columbia has forced winemakers in the Okanagan region to leave vineyards and wineries, with some still unsure whether grapes and stored wine were damaged. John Glavina, owner of Giant Head Estate Winery in Summerland, told…
Finlay Tarling dies in Tour of Portugal crash
British cyclist Finlay Tarling, 19, died Friday in a crash during the eighth stage of the Tour of Portugal, race organisers and police said. Tarling, a rider with the NSN Development Team, died after a “serious accident” during the stage between Melgaço and F…
Colombia quake survivor faces life without sisters, parents
Colombia quake survivor Ana Maria Saavedra is recovering from a pelvic fracture after the apartment building where she lived in Cali collapsed in Monday's 7.4-magnitude earthquake, while her parents and two sisters were lost in the disaster, her cousin said.…
Lala could regain hurricane strength, NHC says
Tropical Storm Lala weakened as it moved west away from Hawaii's main islands, but the National Hurricane Center said it could become a hurricane again by Wednesday as cleanup continued after heavy rain across the state. The storm did not make landfall. It ha…
Spanish soldier dies as wildfire truck falls into ravine
A Spanish soldier died on Sunday while helping fight a major wildfire in Spain's northeastern Aragon region when his truck tumbled into a ravine, authorities said. The army's Military Emergencies Unit confirmed the soldier's death. Noelia Herrero, the central…
Stourbridge wildfire destroys 19 houses, damages 18
A wildfire in Stourbridge has destroyed 19 houses and damaged 18 others, West Midlands Fire Service said, as Prime Minister Andy Burnham visited the English town and linked the conditions to climate change. An AFP photographer saw smoke rising Friday from smo…
Bangladesh shipbreaking gas leak kills at least eight
A toxic gas leak from a vessel at a shipbreaking yard in Chittagong, Bangladesh, killed at least eight workers on Friday, police said. Five others were missing. Senior police official Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury said authorities were searching for the missing work…
Europe wildfires: France aid could top €100m
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said state aid for areas hit by wildfires could cost more than 100 million euros, as firefighters across Europe continu…
Spain wildfire kills 12 near Bedar, officials say
A wildfire near the Spanish village of Bedar killed 12 people, officials said, after flames trapped people in vehicles and as they tried to flee on foot. The…
Myanmar floods kill at least 3, Arakan Army says
Floods in western Myanmar have killed at least three people, according to a toll released by the humanitarian services of the Arakan Army, as rescuers warned o…
Venezuela quake survivors await home safety checks
Venezuela's June 24 earthquakes have killed more than 4,000 people and left residents waiting to learn whether damaged homes can be repaired, while a UN office…
Spain wildfire's 12 dead include different nationalities
The 12 people recorded as victims of one of Spain's deadliest recent wildfires include people of different nationalities, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Mar…
France wildfires burn 25,000 hectares, official says
Wildfires in France have burned more than 25,000 hectares since the start of the year, roughly double the area recorded by the same date last year, civil secur…
Jakarta landfill fire put out after more than a week
A landfill fire on the outskirts of Jakarta has been extinguished after burning for more than a week, Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency said Frid…
Philippines landslide kills 10 as Typhoon Bavi toll hits 15
A landslide in the southern Philippines killed 10 people after days of rain from Typhoon Bavi saturated soil in Sarangani province, authorities said Friday. “…
France World Cup celebrations: girl, 17, dies
A 17-year-old girl died after falling from a truck and being run over while celebrating France's World Cup quarter-final win over Morocco, emergency services s…
Spain wildfire kills 11, many believed foreign
A wildfire in southern Spain killed 11 people in the Los Gallardos area of Almeria province, and many of the victims are believed to have been foreigners, auth…
Venezuela quake death toll rises to 3,889
The death toll from Venezuela's June 24 twin earthquakes has risen to at least 3,889, according to a government report published Thursday. The report, posted…
Czech fire destroys 70,000 pairs of shoes in Zlin
A fire at a warehouse on the former Bata factory premises in Zlin, Czech Republic, destroyed 70,000 pairs of shoes on Thursday, the Vasky company said. The fire broke out before 0630 GMT on the ninth floor of an 11-storey building in the southeastern city. Th…
Zambia vice president survives helicopter crash
Zambia's Vice President Mutale Nalumango said she and seven other people survived unharmed after their helicopter crashed just after takeoff on July 9 while they were campaigning. Nalumango, 71, told Diamond TV online that the helicopter came down shortly aft…
China floods death toll rises to 39, state media says
The death toll from floods in southern China's Guangxi region has risen to 39, with nine people still missing, state media reported Thursday, as residents began cleaning mud and debris from damaged homes. State news agency Xinhua reported that 26 deaths were…
Belgium heatwave caused 1,747 excess deaths: Sciensano
Belgium recorded 1,747 excess deaths during an intense heatwave from June 18 to July 1, the Sciensano public health institute said, revising a previous estimate upward. Sciensano said the toll represented a 47 percent excess mortality rate and was the highest…
Manama explosions heard as sirens sound, AFP says
An AFP correspondent in Bahrain's capital, Manama, heard explosions as sirens were activated.
100 animals escape south China zoo after floods
At least 100 animals escaped from a zoo in southern China's Guangxi region after floods damaged their enclosures, local authorities said. Guigang Zoo asked the public Wednesday for help finding the animals, including alpacas, miniature pigs and zebras. A list…
Italy fireworks factory blast kills mother and son
An explosion at a fireworks factory in central Italy killed a mother and her son on Wednesday, firefighters and a local prosecutor said. The bodies were found in the remains of the Pirotecnica Mattei facility in Torano di Borgorose, about 70 kilometres northe…
Manhattan building stable after buckling, mayor says
A Manhattan high-rise that buckled during renovation near Grand Central Terminal is now stable, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Wednesday, after the incident forced evacuations and street closures. "There has been no additional movement of the structure si…
Pakistan finds cargo plane wreckage in Arabian Sea
Pakistan's airports authority said Wednesday that wreckage from a K2 Airways Cargo Boeing 737 had been found in the Arabian Sea, while rescuers continued searching for five crew members. The Pakistan Airports Authority said the plane was approaching Karachi f…
Venezuela earthquake: UN seeks $296 million
The United Nations launched an urgent appeal Wednesday for $296 million for Venezuela earthquake relief after the government said the death toll had risen to 3,685 and nearly 17,000 people were injured. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the plan aimed t…
UK wildfire alert sent after 19 homes destroyed
People across England and Wales began receiving a rare emergency phone alert on Friday warning them not to light anything that could spark a fire, as Britain faced 37 blazes and a wildfire in Stourbridge destroyed 19 homes. West Midlands Fire Service said 19…
Ryanair flight depressurized after engine failure, NTSB says
The US National Transportation Safety Board says a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen depressurized after an engine fan blade broke during ascent on July 16, sending fragments through the fuselage and damaging a cabin window. In a preliminary repor…
Croatia wildfire: woman's body found after Omis blaze
Croatian police found the body of a woman in burned scrub on Friday after a wildfire swept through the coastal area around Omis, forcing about 2,000 people to evacuate and sending 40 people to Split hospital. Split police said the body was located Friday. Med…
Germany wildfire forces 1,800 from homes
A wildfire in western Germany forced about 1,800 people from their homes near Huertgenwald as strong winds and heat helped the blaze spread to 300 hectares, officials said Friday. The fire came close to homes in the village of Gey, in the Huertgenwald distric…
France wildfire forces 500 people to evacuate
A wildfire in southwestern France has forced more than 500 people to evacuate and burned 1,100 hectares in the Landes department, officials said Friday. About 500 firefighters have been deployed after the fire broke out on Thursday while much of France was in…
Train derails near Lewes in southeast England
A train derailed near Lewes railway station in southeast England on Thursday, British Transport Police said. The force said officers were at the scene after reports of a derailed train shortly before 4:00 pm local time and were responding with paramedics and…
Greece wildfire forces tourists off beaches by boat
A forest fire on Greece's Halkidiki peninsula forced dozens of tourists to leave beaches by boat as flames approached the resorts of Siviri and Fourka, the fire service and ERT public television reported. The fire service said almost 150 firefighters, water-b…
One dead, several injured in Rotterdam refinery blast
At least one person was killed and several others were injured in an explosion at a refinery site in Rotterdam's port area on Thursday, police said. Rotterdam police said the explosion happened around 11:30 am at the Gunvor Energy Rotterdam site in Europoort,…
Turkey tour boat fire forces 115 to shore
All 115 passengers and crew on a children's entertainment tour boat off southwestern Turkey were evacuated to shore after a fire engulfed the vessel Thursday, officials said. Families were on board the Toys Boat for an outing near Fethiye, a coastal resort po…
Rome ammunition factory blast has no casualties: media
A powerful explosion hit an ammunition factory near Colleferro, about 40 kilometres southeast of Rome, on Thursday, police said, while Italian media reported that there were no casualties. Firefighters and police were at the site, and police told AFP that com…
Japan rain death toll rises to nine, NHK says
Heavy rain in eastern Japan has killed nine people, public broadcaster NHK reported Sunday, after an unprecedented deluge flooded more than 1,000 homes and disrupted roads and rail services in Chiba prefecture. Chiba's disaster management office listed eight…
Soviet-era bomb found in Afghan garden, police say
An unexploded Soviet-era bomb weighing 500 kilograms was found in a private garden in eastern Afghanistan and safely detonated, police said Thursday. Khalid Sarhadi, a police spokesperson in Ghazni province, said a resident found “a suspicious object” on Wedn…
Texas Apache helicopter crash kills two US soldiers
Two US soldiers were killed Wednesday when an AH-64E Apache attack helicopter based at Fort Hood crashed in Salado, Texas, the base said. Fort Hood said personnel remained at the scene with local first responders. The soldiers' identities were being withheld…
Mount Etna eruption shuts Catania flights, draws crowds
Mount Etna's eruption has drawn large evening crowds to the Italian volcano while ash emissions repeatedly disrupt flights at nearby Catania International Airport, a major gateway to Sicily. The airport operator said Wednesday that arrivals and departures wou…
Turkish F-16 crashes after pilot ejects safely
A Turkish F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight in Yalova, northwestern Turkey, on Wednesday, and the pilot survived by ejecting, Turkey's defence ministry said. The ministry said no one was hurt and pledged a thorough investigation into the accid…
Colombia quake aid row: government denies bias
Colombia's government denied Wednesday that it had rejected earthquake assistance on ideological grounds after criticism over which foreign rescue teams it allowed into the response to a magnitude 7.4 quake that has killed at least 239 people. The government…
Body found in Portuguese tourist search off Croatia
Croatian authorities recovered a body on Thursday during the search for two missing Portuguese tourists off the country's coast, while one man remained missing, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre said. The search followed the disappearance of four Portug…
Zimbabwe ferry death toll rises to 94 on Lake Kariba
The death toll from a ferry capsizing on Zimbabwe's Lake Kariba has risen to 94 after two more bodies were recovered, police said Tuesday. The passenger ferry…
Bali ferry fire leaves 5 missing, 1 dead
Rescuers searched the Lombok Strait off Indonesia's Bali island on Thursday for five people missing after a ferry fire that killed one person and forced passengers overboard, officials said. The ferry was travelling from Bali to Lombok when it ran into troubl…
Lake Kariba ferry capsizes with 95 aboard, deaths feared
Multiple people were feared dead after a ferry carrying 90 passengers and five crew members capsized on Lake Kariba in Zimbabwe on Tuesday, police and eyewitnesses said. Police said the ferry capsized in the lake and that more details would be released later.…
Egypt pick-up crash kills 18, many children, source says
At least 18 people, many of them children aged 13 or 14, were killed Tuesday when two pick-up trucks carrying agricultural day labourers crashed in the Dawawis area of Ismailia governorate in northern Egypt, a local medical source told AFP. Egypt's health min…
South Africa mine rockfall kills 14, police say
A rockfall at an illegal mine northwest of Johannesburg killed 14 miners, most of them from Lesotho, and left fears that others may still be trapped underground, South African police said Tuesday. Police spokeswoman Colonel Adele Myburgh said eight other mine…
Canada wildfire forces over 20,000 out; woman dies
More than 20,000 people have been forced from their homes by the Bald Range wildfire in British Columbia, and an 80-year-old woman died while fleeing her home. The fire in the interior of the western Canadian province began on Friday and spread over the weeke…
Colombia quake families recover photos as hope fades
Families in Colombia are recovering photos and other belongings from collapsed buildings as hopes fade of finding more survivors nearly a week after the country's 7.4-magnitude earthquake killed nearly 300 people. At Torres del Limonar, a residential complex…
Colombia earthquake kills over 100; Pope offers prayers
Pope Leo XIV is deeply saddened by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia, the Vatican said Tuesday, a day after the tremor killed more than 100 people. Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin wrote in a note to the archbishop of Cartagena, Francisco Javi…
Statue of Liberty speedboat flip kills mother, baby
A speedboat flipped near the Statue of Liberty in New York, killing a 27-year-old mother and a 5-month-old baby, police said. Police said the vessel capsized late Saturday near Liberty Island. Twelve people were rescued from the water. Officers said Manuel He…
Colombia earthquake kills at least 18 in Pereira, mayor says
At least 18 people died in the western Colombian city of Pereira after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck on Monday, Mayor Mauricio Salazar said. Salazar told Caracol Radio that “the situation is critical” after the quake, which was centered in neighboring Cho…
Colombia earthquake death toll reaches at least 240
At least 240 people have died after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday morning, with Pereira among the cities hardest hit as rescuers and residents searched collapsed buildings for survivors. In Pereira, hundreds of volunteers and rescuers w…
Riyadh factory fire kills 16 Bangladeshis, Dhaka says
Bangladesh's foreign ministry said Monday that 16 Bangladeshi nationals died in a fire at a sofa manufacturing factory in Riyadh the previous day. The Bangladesh embassy in Riyadh said the fire broke out on Sunday at a manufacturing facility in the industrial…
Indonesia drag race crash kills eight, police say
A drag car veered out of control and crashed into spectators at a weekend race in Indonesia, killing eight people and injuring nine others, police said Monday. The crash happened late Sunday during an organised drag car race in Kotamobagu, on Sulawesi Island.…
Athens wildfire brought under control after evacuations
Greek firefighters said a wind-driven wildfire southeast of Athens was brought under control on Monday, August 10, after authorities evacuated several residential areas and sent nearly 200 firefighters to the area. The fire began around 8:00 am local time in…
Sukari gold mine rockfall kills worker in Egypt
A rockfall at Egypt's Sukari gold mine killed one worker and injured five others, officials said on Sunday, and operations in the affected area were suspended pending an investigation. Egypt's petroleum ministry said the accident happened inside a tunnel in a…
France wildfire burns 153 hectares in Lozere
A wildfire in southern France's Lozere region had burned about 153 hectares by late Sunday afternoon and forced the precautionary evacuation of two hamlets in La Tieule, as around 270 firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Firefighters from Lozere and neig…
Spain wildfire: 800 evacuated, crews airlifted
A wildfire in Spain's southwestern province of Huelva has forced around 800 people to evacuate, while firefighting personnel have been airlifted to safety after becoming trapped or facing serious danger, regional emergency minister Antonio Sanz said. More tha…
Air India flight plunge injures 24 as drug test examined
An Air India Airbus A320 that lost about 300 feet during a flight from Phuket to New Delhi injured 24 people, Indian investigators said Tuesday, as local media reported the pilot had tested positive for marijuana. The aircraft was carrying 137 passengers and…
Typhoon Dolphin prompts over 1m evacuations in China
Typhoon Dolphin brought heavy rain to eastern China on Monday after weakening, with authorities saying more than a million people had been evacuated over the past few days and hundreds of flights were cancelled in Shanghai. The storm lost power after making t…
Sydney Airport near collision injures crew member
Australian safety regulators are investigating a near collision between two passenger aircraft at Sydney Airport that injured a Jetstar crew member and disrupted operations on Sunday. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau said a Jetstar Airbus A320 was taxii…
Julio Mayora dedicates golds to Venezuela quake victims
Venezuelan Olympic weightlifter Julio Mayora has dedicated two gold medals at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean Games to victims of the June 24 earthquakes that devastated parts of Venezuela. Mayora, a Tokyo 2020 silver medalist, lifted 151 kilograms to…
British Columbia wildfire forces 20,000 to evacuate
A fast-moving wildfire in British Columbia has forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate and prompted officials to declare a state of emergency, as crews worked to reach people isolated behind the fire perimeter. Officials said winds pushed the Bald Range wi…
Rio helicopter crash kills four; consul says 3 were Colombian
Four people were killed on August 8, 2026, when a helicopter crashed in Tijuca National Park in Rio de Janeiro, firefighters said. Firefighters said the dead were the pilot and three women. Diana Paez, Colombia's consul general in Rio de Janeiro, said the thr…
Central African Republic crash kills at least 8: official
A road accident in Bimbo, south of the Central African Republic capital Bangui, killed at least eight people after a tanker carrying flammable liquids overturned, the government said Saturday. The communications ministry statement described the toll from the…
Niger bus crash kills at least 22, ministry says
At least 22 people, 17 of them soldiers, died when two buses crashed head-on in southern Niger, the country's transport ministry said Saturday. The ministry said the accident happened on Friday night about 50 kilometres from Madaoua. It said another 37 people…
Spain wildfire: 275 firefighters tackle Andalusia blaze
More than 275 firefighters were battling a wildfire north of Niebla in Spain's Andalusia region on Saturday, with authorities saying no residential zone was currently threatened. Antonio Sanz, an adviser to Andalusia's emergency service, said the blaze was ac…
Nepal retrieves five climbers' bodies after avalanche
Rescuers in Nepal have retrieved the bodies of five climbers who were killed in an avalanche near the Chinese border in November 2025, officials said Sunday. Phurba Tenjing Sherpa, director of the expedition company Dreamers Destination, said all five bodies…
Rotterdam recycling plant fire brought under control
A fire at a recycling plant near the port of Rotterdam was brought under control early Saturday after an all-night operation, regional authorities said. The fire began Friday night and sent thick, foul-smelling smoke across the area, prompting residents to st…
Catania airport arrivals resume after Etna eruption
Arrivals at Catania airport in Sicily resumed late Saturday afternoon after being suspended because an eruption at nearby Mount Etna sent volcanic ash into the atmosphere, the airport said. The airport said flight operations were authorised to resume immediat…
Canada wildfire kills woman as 20,000 evacuate
An 80-year-old woman died while fleeing her home from the Summerland wildfire in British Columbia, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said, as the blaze forced more than 20,000 people to evacuate. The fire broke out Friday near Okanagan Lake and had spread to…
Indonesia wildfires close schools as haze reaches Malaysia
Indonesia wildfires closed dozens of schools in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, for a second day on Tuesday, August 11, as haze from the fires also affected Malaysia. Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono ordered children to learn from home for as long as air quality…
China confirms 2 deaths in South China Sea collision
Beijing has confirmed the deaths of two Chinese sailors in a 2025 South China Sea collision, according to government statements nearly a year after the incident. Last August, video footage released by Manila showed a Chinese navy vessel colliding with a Chine…
Indonesia monkey attacks wound 18 before macaque trapped
Animal trappers in Indonesia caught an adult long-tailed macaque late Thursday after officials said it attacked 18 people in Tembilahan on Sumatra island over two weeks. Tembilahan fire and rescue service head Junaidy Ismail told AFP on Friday there had been…
Balkan wildfires: man dies as heatwave nears 40C
Firefighters battled wildfires across the Balkans on Thursday, August 6, as a heatwave was expected to peak with temperatures reaching 40C in some areas. In Serbia, a man died in a village about 80 kilometres east of Belgrade after he lost control of a fire h…
Philippines floods and landslides kill at least 16
Floods, landslides and accidents after nine days of heavy rain have killed at least 16 people in the northern Philippines, rescuers said Monday, with three people still unaccounted for in Baguio. Seven of the deaths were in the mountain resort city, where cit…
Pablo Escobar baby hippo dies after Colombia rescue
A baby hippopotamus descended from Pablo Escobar's herd died Wednesday after being rescued in northwestern Colombia, the environmental organization Cornare said. Fishermen had found the roughly 15-day-old animal alone on a riverbank without its mother. Author…
India says badminton worlds will avoid monkey repeat
Indian badminton officials said Wednesday that monkeys, bird droppings and other animal-related problems would not disrupt this month's world championships in New Delhi, after hygiene problems marred the India Open earlier this year. The badminton world champ…
Plane hits unknown object, lands safely, Germany says
A plane collided with an unidentified object near Germany's Leipzig airport after aborting a landing and later landed safely in Hanover, an Interior Ministry spokesman said Wednesday. The spokesman said the plane had been meant to land in Leipzig but had to a…
Assam floods kill 97 as villages are buried in mud
Floods in India's northeastern state of Assam have killed at least 97 people, according to an official toll update on Friday, after one of the state's worst deluges in years buried villages in mud. Nearly 170,000 people have been affected, including thousands…
South Korea baseball league cancels games over heatwave
South Korea's professional baseball league has cancelled all games scheduled for August 5 and 6 during a record-setting heatwave that has sent spectators to hospital. The Korea Baseball Organization said it would call off the games until comprehensive safety…
Philippines earthquake: no casualties reported after 6.3
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off Sarangani Island in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, the United States Geological Survey said, with no tsunami warning and no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The USGS said the quake hit 32 kilometres sout…
Eaton Fire caused by SCE tower, officials say
The Eaton Fire that killed 19 people in Los Angeles County in January 2025 was caused by an electrical incident on a decommissioned Southern California Edison transmission tower, county fire officials said in a report released Tuesday. The Los Angeles County…
Italy earthquake areas get €100m in aid
Italy has released 100 million euros ($115 million) to help repair damage from the July 31 earthquake in the Naples area, Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci said Tuesday. The 4.7-magnitude quake was the strongest to hit the area in 40 years. It injured…
Mallorca migrant survivors say 17 died; 2 bodies found
Two North African men were rescued on Tuesday, August 4, after drifting for 15 days in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Spain's Balearic Islands, Spanish authorities said. The survivors told rescuers that 17 other people who had been on their boat had…
Ethiopia landslide kills 14 at Amhara monastery
A landslide killed 14 worshippers at an Orthodox monastery in Ethiopia's northern Amhara region, the head of the local diocese told AFP. Megabe Hadis Neka Tibeb Ababu said the landslide happened early on Monday in Sela Dingay, about 200 kilometres northeast o…
South Korea heatwave deaths reach 19 as Seoul swelters
South Korea's heat-related summer death toll reached 19 on Tuesday as record-setting temperatures left residents in Seoul's affluent Gangnam district divided by access to air conditioning. Seoul was under a severe heatwave warning on Tuesday for the first tim…
Spokane fires burn 10,280 acres; arson suspect held
Three wildfires around Spokane, Washington, had burned 10,280 acres by Tuesday, August 4, while a 37-year-old man was being held on a first-degree arson charge linked to the largest blaze. InciWeb, a federal interagency fire information system, gave the lates…
Fuego volcano evacuees told safe to return in Guatemala
Evacuated residents near Guatemala's Fuego volcano have been told it is safe to return home after experts declared the eruption over. Guatemala's Institute of Volcanology said Wednesday that the eruption had ended after about 50 hours. Fuego, Central America'…
Netherlands forest fire hits 100 hectares near Oostrum
A forest fire in a nature reserve near Oostrum in the southeast of the Netherlands had spread to 100 hectares by Tuesday afternoon and was still not under control, provincial authorities said. The fire started around noon Monday near the village in Limburg pr…
Tokyo zoo lions: three die of suspected heatstroke
Three lionesses at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo have died from suspected heatstroke, and several other lions are being treated after struggling with Japan's humid summer heat, a zoo spokeswoman said Tuesday. The zoo said 10 of its 16 lions had shown symptoms…
France wildfire exposes 400 WWII munitions in Le Porge
A forest fire near Bordeaux has exposed around 400 World War II shells and ammunition pieces in the village of Le Porge, where all residents returned home on Monday after days of demining operations, local authorities said. The munitions were found in an area…
Europe wildfires: Australia experts urge preparation
Australian fire experts say European countries facing intense wildfires can learn from Australia's Black Summer bushfires by preparing earlier, reducing fuel around communities and giving clearer warnings to the public. Australia's Black Summer bushfires from…
Egypt earthquake: one injury reported after 5.6 quake
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck about 40 kilometres north of the Egyptian city of Suez early Monday, Egypt's National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics said, and the health ministry reported one injury. The institute said the quake hit at 3:00…
Iraq ammunition depot fire blamed on heat
Iraqi authorities said high temperatures caused a fire at an ammunition depot at Camp Taji, a major military base north of Baghdad, on Sunday. Defence ministry spokesman Yehia Rasool said the fire broke out in a warehouse containing ammunition belonging to th…
France waste fire keeps 30,000 indoors
An industrial waste warehouse fire in northeastern France briefly forced authorities to urge about 30,000 people to stay indoors on Sunday as foul smoke spread from the village of Gandrange. Local civil defence spokeswoman Geraldine Chambeaudie said the fire…
Ozora Festival cut short after two deaths in Hungary
The Ozora Festival in central Hungary will end its music programmes earlier than planned after two people died, organisers said on Sunday. Police told local news site FEOL that a 45-year-old American man climbed onto a set piece around the main stage on Satur…
Indonesia ferry fire final count confirms five dead
An Indonesia passenger ferry fire killed five people, and all survivors have been accounted for, National Search and Rescue Agency head Mohammad Syafii said Tuesday. Mohammad said the total number of passengers and crew recovered, dead or alive, matched the m…
Chile storm leaves two dead, more than 2,000 stranded
A violent storm has battered central and southern Chile, causing flooding, leaving at least two people dead and stranding more than 2,000 people, authorities said. Deputy Interior Minister Maximo Pavez said two people in the southern Los Rios region were kill…
Greece fires: 2 killed in helicopter collision
Two crew members were killed when two hired Bell firefighting helicopters collided while tackling a wildfire in the Psatha area west of Athens on Sunday, August 2, the Greek fire service said. Fire department communications director Vassilis Vathrakogiannis s…
Spokane wildfires force 65,000 to evacuate
Wildfires in the Spokane area of Washington state forced up to 65,000 people to evacuate and destroyed between 700 and 1,110 structures, authorities said, as firefighters worked Monday to contain the flames. Three fires had burned 8,026 acres in the area, acc…
China flash flood death toll rises to 25, state media says
Chinese state media reported Sunday that the death toll from a flash flood in northwest China had risen to 25, with 23 people injured. The flood hit the Shuangshimen Scenic Area in mountainous southern Gansu on July 26. The tourist spot is popular with day ca…
Peru probes Nazca Lines plane crash that killed 13
Peruvian authorities are investigating why a small tourist plane crashed after taking off from Pisco airport for a flight over the Nazca Lines, killing all 13 people on board. The Cessna 208 Caravan, operated by AeroDiana, crashed on August 1 after leaving th…
France fires under control, PM Lecornu says
France's wildfires are now under control, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said Saturday, more than a week after the country's largest wildfire since 1949 broke out near Bordeaux. "Overall, the fires are now under control in our country," Lecornu told La Trib…
Ceuta migrant death toll rises to 80
The death toll from the migrant rush into Spain's North African territory of Ceuta has risen by two to 80, Spanish legal authorities said Thursday. Many people drowned while trying to swim around a barrier in the Mediterranean Sea from July 30. The scenes spa…
Naples quake: 26 injured, about 300 evacuated, officials say
A 4.7-magnitude earthquake in the Campi Flegrei area west of Naples injured 26 people and forced about 300 to evacuate, Italian authorities said Saturday. Italy's Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the quake struck late Friday, July 31, at a depth o…