& lsquo;Highest alert& rsquo; spreads to 41 areas& mdash;DOH
Forty-one areas---including nine cities and a municipality in Metro Manila---have been put under the highest COVID-19 alert classification as new infections hit a four-month high at 12,021 Wednesday......»»
DSWD on high alert status amid ‘Goring’
The Department of Social Welfare and Development on Sunday said its Field Office-2 (Cagayan Valley) continued to be on high alert status as Typhoon "Goring" intensified into a super typhoon, bringing heavy rains over the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela. DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the latest report from Cagayan Valley Regional Director Lucia Alan indicated that 367 families or 1,219 individuals from 24 barangays in the two provinces were affected by ST Goring. “Of this number, 138 families or 468 individuals were displaced. There are also 26 open evacuation centers sheltering affected families in the whole Cagayan Valley Region,” Alan told the DSWD chief. Alan said the evacuees were mostly individuals residing in coastal areas. “We continue to be vigilant and on high alert status to extend assistance to the LGUs, “ Alan reported to Secretary Gatchalian. As of Saturday (26 August), more than 70,000 family food packs (FFPs) have been made available by the Cagayan Valley Field Office with over 40,000 already prepositioned to the LGUs, especially in coastal towns. As the typhoon continues to batter the region, Alan said the field office (FO) has not received reports of casualties, damaged houses, or stranded individuals, as of press time. The DSWD FO-2 has earlier prepositioned a total of 9,778 FFPs in the island province of Batanes broken down as follows: Basco (1,306 FFPs); Itbayat (1,322); Ivana (1,100); Mahatao (1,094); Sabtang (1,203); and Uyugan (1,167) for a total of 7,700 FFPs. An additional 2,078 food packs were also sent to the Batanes provincial capitol. Alan on Friday (25 August) reported to the Disaster Response and Management Group (DRMG) that FO-2 has also prepositioned FFPs to Isabela province coastal municipalities of Divilacan with 1,000 boxes of FFPs; Maconacon with 154; and Palanan with 500. “For Calayan Island, we have prepositioned 2,900 FFPs while 150 FFPs were sent to Barangay Fuga of Aparri, Cagayan. An additional 1,246 food packs were also sent (by) boat to Isabela province,” Alan reported. Gatchalian on Thursday (24 August) ordered concerned DSWD regional directors to beef up their stockpile of food packs in anticipation of TS Goring. The post DSWD on high alert status amid ‘Goring’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Gov’t ready to respond to typhoon-hit communities — PBBM
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over the weekend assured the public of the government's preparedness to respond to communities that Typhoon "Goring" would hit. In a statement posted on his official Twitter account, Marcos said the government is monitoring the typhoon-stricken areas, particularly those situated in Northern Luzon. "Our government is focused on the situation in Northern Luzon which is once again experiencing heavy rain and wind brought by Typhoon #GoringPH," Marcos said. "More than 10,000 DSWD food packs have been prepositioned in the affected areas in the north and our disaster and response units are also on standby if evacuation and rescue operations are required," he added. Marcos said the government would ensure a sufficient supply of food and other non-food items until the typhoon exits the country. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Sunday issued a yellow warning for Cagayan and Isabela province on its 5:00 a.m. bulletin due to Super Typhoon Goring. This alert indicates the potential for flooding and landslides in regions susceptible to such events. The state weather bureau monitored the core of Super Typhoon Goring's eye near the coastal waters of Palanan, Isabela as of 4 a.m. Sunday. The typhoon possesses maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) around its core, accompanied by gusts reaching 230 kph. PAGASA noted the super typhoon to be gradually drifting in a south-southwest direction and could unleash potent typhoon-strength winds extending up to 260 kph from its core. The post Gov’t ready to respond to typhoon-hit communities — PBBM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Super Typhoon Goring maintains strength, enhances southwest monsoon
PAGASA reminds areas affected by Super Typhoon Goring (Saola) and the enhanced southwest monsoon to be on alert for floods and landslides.....»»
Cagayan braces for ‘Goring’
BAGUIO CITY — The Cagayan Valley Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Friday disclosed that the province is on red alert status amid the possible threat of typhoon “Goring.” The CVRDRRMC — through the Memorandum Order 86 series of 2023 — is solidifying preparations in anticipation of the effects of the new weather disturbance. Local DRRM offices were also directed to conduct heightened monitoring in their respective Areas of Responsibility and strictly implement the “no sailing, fishing and swimming” policy in their AORs. All Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils were directed to submit reposts of their preparedness measures and incident monitoring while those who are in the areas not directly affected or are not affected at all are also advised to organize Humanitarian Assistance at Disaster Response Teams ready to extend assistance to the people. Local chief executives in the region were also told to perform their mandate in times of calamities. LDRRMOs are also to conduct Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment or PDRA. State weather bureau PAGASA, meantime, said that Goring continues to intensify as it moves southwestward of the country while another cyclone has been monitored near the Philippine area of responsibility. In its latest weather bulletin, PAGASA said that “Goring” will affect Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and mainland Cagayan, Isabela and the northern portion of Aurora, and Ilocos provinces until Monday noon with forecast rainfall are generally higher in elevated or mountainous areas. It also warned that flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities that experienced considerable amounts of rainfall for the past several days. Meanwhile, the weather bureau said the Southwest Monsoon or habagat will be enhanced by “Goring” and bring occasional rains over the western portions of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon beginning tomorrow and over the western portion of Visayas beginning on Sunday. The post Cagayan braces for ‘Goring’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Stricter BSKE measures eyed
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Joint Task Force-Central on Thursday has assured Central Mindanao residents that security measures are now in place for the forthcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections scheduled on 30 October. Major General Alex S. Rillera, commander of the 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army in Central Mindanao, issued the assurance during the Regional Joint Security Control Center XII Meeting held at the Multi-Purpose Hall, of Police Region Office 12 in Tambler, General Santos City on Wednesday. The JTF-Central commander also said that his soldiers are already on high alert, especially in the implementation of checkpoints, adding that they are continuously monitoring probable politically motivated violence, particularly in areas of concern within Region 12 under the jurisdiction of the 6th ID, in close coordination with other security forces. The RJSCC XII meeting was made possible through the concerted efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology as a crucial step in preparing for the 2023 Barangay and SK polls. It aims to ensure a credible and peaceful voting in Central Mindanao on 30 October. Present during the meeting were Rillera; Major General Jose Eriel Niembra, Commander of the 10th Infantry Division; PRO-12 director Police Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg; and Area Police Command-Western Mindanao director Police Maj. Gen. Jonnel Estomo. Also present was Atty. Michael Abas, the regional executive director of the Commission on Elections. The comprehensive gathering stands as a testament to the power of unity across diverse sectors, each contributing their expertise and dedication to the shared objective of a credible and secure electoral process. The post Stricter BSKE measures eyed appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Children trapped in cable car dangling over Pakistan ravine
Six children are among the eight people who have been trapped all day Tuesday in a cable car dangling over a deep valley in Pakistan, with military helicopters hovering nearby ahead of a possible rescue attempt. The children were using the chairlift to get to school when a cable broke at a height of around 1,200 feet (about 365 meters) midway through its journey in a remote, mountainous part of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. "The evening is coming nearer. Tell us why the helicopters are going back?" Gul Faraz, one of the adults stuck in the cable car, said to AFP by phone. "For God's sake help us," he earlier told local media. Several military helicopters flew reconnaissance sorties and an airman was lowered by harness to deliver food, water and medicine, Tanveer Ur Rehman, a local government official, told AFP. "This is a delicate operation that demands meticulous accuracy. The helicopter can not approach the chairlift closely, as its downwash (air pressure) might snap the sole chain supporting it," he said. Anxious crowds gathered on both sides of the ravine, which is several hours from any sizeable town. "Every time the helicopter lowered the rescuer closer to the chairlift, the wind from the helicopter would shake and disbalance the chairlift making the children scream in fear," Ghulamullah, chairman of the Allai valley area, told Geo News. 'What can they do?' The gondola broke down at around 7:00 am local time, with residents using mosque loudspeakers to alert neighborhood officials across the Allai valley. Headmaster Ali Asghar Khan told AFP by phone that the children were teenage boys and students at his government high school Battangi Pashto. "The school is located in a mountainous area and there are no safe crossings, so it's common to use the chairlift," Khan said. "The parents are gathered at the site of the chairlift. What can they do? They are waiting for the rescue officials to get their children out. We are all worried." Abid Ur Rehman, a teacher from another school in the area, said around 500 people had gathered to watch the rescue mission. "Parents and women are crying for the safety of their children," he told AFP. Syed Hammad Haider, a senior Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial official, said the gondola was hanging about 1,000 to 1,200 feet above the ground. Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar issued a directive for all chairlifts in mountainous areas to be inspected and for those that are not "safety compliant" to be immediately closed. Cable cars that carry passengers and sometimes cars are common across the northern areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Gilgit-Baltistan, and are vital in connecting villages and towns in areas where roads cannot be built. In 2017, 10 people were killed when a chairlift cable broke, sending passengers plunging into a ravine in a mountain hamlet near capital Islamabad. The post Children trapped in cable car dangling over Pakistan ravine appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Western Canada wildfires force tens of thousands to flee
Officials in western Canada's British Columbia implored tens of thousands of residents to heed warnings and evacuate Saturday as "severe and fast-changing" wildfires threatened large parts of the scenic Okanagan Valley, including the city of Kelowna. The situation in the popular boating and hiking destination was "highly dynamic," said Bowinn Ma, the province's minister of emergency management. Around 30,000 people were under evacuation orders while another 36,000 were under alert to be ready to flee, she said. "We cannot stress strongly enough how critical it is to follow evacuation orders when they are issued," Ma said at an afternoon news conference. "They are a matter of life and death not only for the people in those properties but also for the first responders who will often go back to try to implore people to leave." Kelowna, a city of 150,000, was choked with thick smoke as it became the latest population center hit in a summer of dramatic wildfires across Canada that has left millions of acres scorched. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had spoken with British Columbia Premier David Eby about the "rapidly evolving and incredibly devastating wildfire situation" and pledged federal resources in responding to the disaster. Blazes far away in the neighboring Northwest Territories have meanwhile prompted the evacuation of regional capital Yellowknife, leaving the remote city of some 20,000 largely a ghost town. Winds have been fanning the wildfires toward Yellowknife, but Saturday saw some relief after overnight rain brought a sharp dip in temperatures. Since the evacuation was ordered Wednesday, most people have fled by road with several thousand taking emergency flights, Northwest Territories environment minister Shane Thompson said Saturday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Approximately 1,000 essential staff remaining in the city and surrounding area," he added. Those crews were remaining to erect defenses from the flames, while water bombers have been seen flying low over the city, with the Canadian military also helping out. - 'Incredible' exodus - Tony Whitford, a former commissioner for the Northwest Territories and a longtime resident of Yellowknife, arrived in the city of Calgary on one of the first flights out and gave the evacuation high marks. "My compliments to them all," Whitford, who is 82 and wheelchair-bound, said of the organizers. "It's so complex -- 20,000 people -- it's incredible. It went smoothly." Several towns and Indigenous communities were evacuated earlier. The exodus from Yellowknife means half the population of the near-Arctic territory has been displaced. The ongoing fires have caused "terrible loss," Trudeau told reporters after meeting Yellowknife evacuees Friday as they arrived in Edmonton, Alberta, with no idea when they may return home. Martha Kanatsiak, who has lived in Yellowknife for 28 years, arrived late Friday in Calgary. "I'm okay, but I feel sad and depressed and worried. I never saw something like this," the 59-year-old Inuit retiree told AFP. Some 40 flights carrying around 3,500 passengers from Yellowknife have arrived in Calgary, said officials in the city, which has made nearly 500 hotel rooms available. - Northwest US threat - In British Columbia, blazes have already destroyed several properties in West Kelowna, separated by Okanagan Lake from its larger, eponymous neighbor. Among them is the Lake Okanagan Resort, according to local media, which is known for having hosted high-profile politicians such as British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Eby on Saturday announced an emergency order halting non-essential visits to the area. The order, which bans visitors from checking in at hotels and other temporary accommodations, covers Kelowna and the nearby towns of Kamloops, Oliver, Penticton and Vernon as well as Osoyoos near the US border. "If you are currently in accommodations in these areas, we are asking you to voluntarily check out early and free up those spaces for evacuees and responders," Ma added. Meanwhile across the border in the United States, several thousand people were forced to flee wildfires in Washington state, with at least one death reported, local media said. An evacuation was ordered for Medical Lake, a town outside Spokane and next to a US Air Force base, while a section of the vital I-90 highway was closed, authorities said. Canada is experiencing a record-setting wildfire season, with official estimates of over 14 million hectares (34.6 million acres) already burned -- roughly the size of Greece and almost twice the area of the last record of 7.3 million hectares. Four people have died so far. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more frequent and more deadly. bfm/bbk/des/acb The post Western Canada wildfires force tens of thousands to flee appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Canada’s far north speeds up evacuations as fire approaches main city
Residents of Yellowknife in Canada's far north on Friday raced to evacuate ahead of a midday deadline as wildfires bear down on the remote city and other parts of the vast country. Since authorities in the Northwest Territories issued the city-wide evacuation order late Wednesday, long lines of cars have snaked along the lone highway connecting the area to Alberta province to the south ahead of the 12:00 pm (1800 GMT) cutoff. About 1,500 people have so far left Yellowknife, the regional capital, by plane, with an increased number of flights scheduled Friday to evacuate more of the city's 20,000 residents. The nearest evacuation center is 1,150 kilometers (700 miles) away, in Alberta, where several sites have been set up. Crews have scrambled to erect fire barriers as the flames approached Yellowknife, while water bombers have been seen flying low over the city and swooping in to fill up at a nearby lake. Northwest winds over the next two days will send the fire, already close to the city's perimeter, "in directions we don't want," Northwest Territories' fire information officer Mike Westwick said Thursday. Several military aircraft have already been dispatched, along with more than 120 soldiers to help beat back the flames. In what had already been declared the Northwest Territories' largest-ever evacuation, the emptying of Yellowknife now means half the population of the near-Arctic territory will soon be displaced. Several towns and Indigenous communities were also already under evacuation orders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau interrupted his summer vacation Thursday to convene an incident response group. In British Columbia in western Canada, evacuation orders were also put in place for areas near Kelowna, as a different fire threatened the city of around 150,000. Scientists say human-caused global warming is exacerbating natural hazards, making them both more frequent and more deadly. The evacuation of Yellowknife is the second time a sizeable Canadian city has been cleared due to wildfires since 100,000 residents of Fort McMurray in Alberta's oil and gas-producing heartland were forced out in 2016. Earlier this year, suburbs of Halifax on the Atlantic coast were also evacuated. Canada is experiencing a record-setting wildfire season, with official estimates of over 13.7 million hectares (33.9 million acres) already scorched. Four people have died so far. Waves of smoke have also intermittently descended on the United States, prompting several air alert warnings in large swaths of the country's center and east. The Yellowknife evacuation comes amid heightened awareness about the deadly speed of wildfires after a town on the Hawaiian island of Maui was razed by a fast-moving inferno, killing more than 100 people. The post Canada’s far north speeds up evacuations as fire approaches main city appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Beijing issues rainfall alert as Typhoon Doksuri brings heavy rain to North China
Beijing [China], July 30 (ANI): After battering the Philippines and Taiwan, where it caused scores of deaths and compelled thousands to flee, Typhoon Doksuri has brought severe rainfall to numerous districts in northern China, including the capital Beijing, CNN reported. Since Friday night, downpours have also affected numerous areas of Shandong Province in east China. Shandong has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain and.....»»
At least 11 killed, 13 missing in Beijing rainstorms
At least 11 people were killed and 13 were missing after heavy rains lashed Beijing, state media said Tuesday, in downpours that have submerged roads and deluged neighborhoods with mud. Storm Doksuri, a former super typhoon, swept northwards over China after hitting southern Fujian province on Friday, following its battering of the Philippines. Heavy rains began pummeling the capital and surrounding areas on Saturday, with nearly the average rainfall for the entire month of July dumped on Beijing in just 40 hours. Swaths of suburban Beijing remain badly hit by the rains -- some of the city's heaviest in years. On the banks of the Beijing river, one of the worst affected areas, AFP reporters saw muddy debris strewn across the road. One man told AFP he had not seen flooding this bad since July 2012, when 79 people were killed and tens of thousands evacuated. "This time it's much bigger than that," he said, declining to give his name. "It's a natural disaster, there's nothing you can do," a 20-year-old man surnamed Qi waiting for a taxi with his grandmother outside a hospital told AFP. "(We) still have to work hard and rebuild." On Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV reported that the rains had killed at least 11 people, two of whom were workers "killed on duty during rescue and relief". Thirteen people were missing, but another 14 had been found safe, the broadcaster said. President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for "every effort" to rescue those "lost or trapped" by the rains. More than 100,000 people deemed at risk across the city have been evacuated, according to state-owned Global Times newspaper. Authorities have allocated 110 million yuan ($15.4 million) for disaster relief work in Beijing and surrounding provinces, CCTV said. 'Endure what we can' On Tuesday, around a dozen emergency vehicles, including trucks with water tanks and bulldozers, were spotted on the road between Shijingshan and Mentougou districts. Parts of the road were still closed off and workers in bright orange raincoats were using shovels to clear it. Florist Wang Yongkun, 62, had piled sandbags around the door of his shop, but the floor inside was still coated in mud. He said in 15 years working there he had never experienced anything like the last few days. "We started cleaning up in the afternoon yesterday... and woke up again at seven today to continue," he said. "You just have to deal with it... We will endure what we can." Around 150,000 households in Mentougou were without running water, the local Communist Party newspaper Beijing Daily said, with 45 water tankers dispatched to offer emergency supplies. Cars swept away Further south in Fangshan district, the Dashi River had overflowed, with trees along the riverbank partially submerged, and some sections of the road cordoned off. Roads were caked in mud, foliage and various debris, including an upturned armchair. AFP reporters saw collapsed bridges at two locations, with locals saying the damage had happened during the rains. Earlier social media videos tagged in Fangshan had shown multiple cars being swept along roads turned into fast-flowing streams. Live images from broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday morning showed a row of buses half submerged in floodwater. In the parking lot of a high-rise apartment complex, cars were piled on top of each other, alarms still sounding, while people lined up with buckets and other containers to collect fresh water. Chaotic scenes Local media on Monday published footage of chaotic scenes aboard high-speed rail trains stranded on tracks for as long as 30 hours, with passengers complaining that they had run out of food and water. Authorities "must properly relocate affected people, work quickly to repair damaged transportation, communication, and electricity infrastructure, and restore the order of normal production and life as soon as possible", Xi said on Tuesday. The capital activated a flood control reservoir on Monday for the first time since it was built in 1998, the Beijing Daily said. Parts of neighboring Hebei province remain under red alert for rainstorms, with authorities warning of potential flash floods and landslides. In Handan, Hebei province, rescuers lifted by crane reached a man trapped on his car in floodwaters, lifting him to safety before the car was flipped and washed away by the current. China has been experiencing extreme weather and posting record temperatures this summer, events that scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change. The country is already preparing for the arrival of another typhoon -- Khanun, the sixth such storm of the year -- as it nears China's east coast. The post At least 11 killed, 13 missing in Beijing rainstorms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
At least 11 killed, 27 missing in Beijing rainstorms
At least 11 people are dead and 27 missing after heavy rains lashed Beijing, Chinese state media said Tuesday. Military helicopters have been deployed to deliver supplies to stranded train passengers after the deadly rainstorms wreaked havoc in the capital. Storm Doksuri, a former super typhoon, has swept northwards over China since Friday when it hit southern Fujian province after scything through the Philippines. Heavy rains began pummelling the city and surrounding areas on Saturday, with nearly the average rainfall for the entire month of July dumped on Beijing in just 40 hours. On Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV updated the overall death toll for the capital, reporting that "heavy rainfalls killed at least 11 people, 27 are missing". A military unit of 26 soldiers and four helicopters launched an "airdrop rescue mission" in the early hours of Tuesday to deliver hundreds of food packages and ponchos to people stranded in and around a train station in Beijing's hard-hit Mentougou district, state broadcaster CCTV reported. "On July 31, areas in Beijing including Fangshan and Mentougou suffered serious damage from water, causing three trains to get trapped on their routes, and road traffic in some areas was completely cut off," CCTV reported. The broadcaster was running live images on Tuesday morning of a row of buses half submerged in floodwater in Beijing's southwest Fangshan neighborhood. Around 150,000 households in Mentougou had no running water, the local Communist Party newspaper Beijing Daily said Tuesday, with 45 water tankers dispatched to offer emergency supplies. Local media on Monday published footage of chaotic scenes aboard high-speed rail trains stranded on tracks for as long as 30 hours, with passengers complaining that they had run out of food and water. Red alert Beijing and neighboring Hebei province were on red alert overnight for rainstorms, with meteorological authorities warning of potential flash floods and landslides. The city activated a flood control reservoir on Monday for the first time since it was built in 1998, the Beijing Daily said. In Handan, Hebei province, rescuers lifted by crane reached a man trapped on his car in floodwaters on Sunday, lifting him to safety before the car was flipped and washed away by the current. China has been experiencing extreme weather and posting record temperatures this summer, events that scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change. Experts had warned that the downpour could prompt even worse flooding than in July 2012, when 79 people were killed and tens of thousands evacuated, according to local media. The country is already preparing for the arrival of another typhoon -- Khanun, the sixth such storm of the year -- as it nears China's east coast. The post At least 11 killed, 27 missing in Beijing rainstorms appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Typhoon ‘Doksuri’ batters China
Typhoon “Doksuri” battered southeastern China with high winds and rains on Friday. The storm’s winds clocked 175 kilometers per hour off the coast of Fujian province around 10 a.m., Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said. State news agency Xinhua reported more than 416,000 people in Fujian had been evacuated for safety. The national weather observatory categorized it as most severe in its four-tier system on Friday to warn the public of its potential danger to life and property. China’s National Meteorological Center also renewed an orange alert for rainstorms across broad swathes of the country, effective from 2 p.m. Friday until 2 p.m. Saturday. Local governments and transport authorities were advised to take precautions as drainage systems and roads are expected to be impacted by heavy rains, Xinhua reported. Pictures shared on social media showed huge gusts of wind pummelling residential tower blocks on Friday in Jinjiang, a county-level urban area south of the city of Quanzhou. Live footage broadcast by CCTV showed a reporter wading through flooded streets flanked by several downed trees, warning viewers in the area to stay home except in emergencies. Videos of colossal waves crashing over embankments and howling winds whipping through urban areas were posted to the social media platform Weibo by the state-backed People’s Daily. The powerful typhoon is expected to continue moving in a northwestern direction over central China as its intensity gradually weakens. But Xinhua reported that the storm-level gales would affect “coastal regions of Taiwan, Fujian, Zhejiang and Guangdong, among others” until 8 a.m. on Saturday. “Doksuri” left 13 dead and 21 missing in the Philippines earlier. WITH AFP The post Typhoon ‘Doksuri’ batters China appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Mercury hits new highs as heat waves scorch the globe
Temperatures reached new highs on Monday as heatwaves and wildfires scorched swathes of the Northern Hemisphere, forcing the evacuation of 1,200 children close to a Greek seaside resort. Health authorities have sounded alarms from North America to Europe and Asia, urging people to stay hydrated and shelter from the burning sun, in a stark reminder of the effects of global warming. Near Athens, a forest fire flared in strong winds by the popular beach town of Loutraki where the mayor said holiday camps for youngsters had come under threat. "We have saved 1,200 children who were in the holiday camps," said mayor Giorgos Gkionis. Emergency services were also battling wildfires in Kouvaras and the resorts of Lagonissi, Anavyssos and Saronida near Athens. Several homes were burned in the area, according to footage from public broadcaster ERT. "The extreme weather ... is having a major impact on human health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies," said World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary-General Petteri Taalas. "This underlines the increasing urgency of cutting greenhouse gas emissions as quickly and as deeply as possible." 'We thought we'd escape' In Rome, where temperatures hit a near-record 39C on Monday, American Colman Peavy could not believe the heat as he sipped a cappuccino at a cafe with his wife Ana at the start of a two-week vacation. "We're from Texas and it's really hot there, we thought we would escape the heat but it's even hotter here," said the 30-year-old. It was already the world's hottest June on record, according to the EU weather monitoring service, and July looks to be readying to challenge its own record. China reported a new high for mid-July in the northwest of the country, where temperatures reached 52.2C in the Xinjiang region's village of Sanbao, breaking the previous high of 50.6C set six years ago. Heatstroke alerts had been issued in 32 out of Japan's 47 prefectures, mainly in central and southwestern regions. At least 60 people were treated for heatstroke, media reported, including 51 taken to hospital in Tokyo. In Cyprus, where temperatures are expected to remain above 40C through Thursday, a 90-year-old man died as a result of heatstroke and three other seniors were hospitalised, health officials said. 'Oppressive' US heat In western and southern US states, which are used to high temperatures, more than 80 million people were under advisories as a "widespread and oppressive" heatwave roasted the region. California's Death Valley, often among the hottest places on Earth, reached a near-record 52C Sunday afternoon. In Arizona, state capital Phoenix tied its record of 18 consecutive days above 43C (109F), as temperatures hit 45C (113F) early Monday afternoon. The US National Weather Service predicts similar highs at least through Sunday, while warning of overnight lows remaining dangerously elevated, above 32C (90F). "We're used to 110, 112 (degrees Fahrenheit)... But not the streaks," Nancy Leonard, a 64-year-old retiree from the nearby suburb of Peoria, told AFP. "You just have to adapt." In Southern California, several wildfires have ignited over the past few days in rural areas east of Los Angeles. The biggest, named the Rabbit Fire, had burned nearly 8,000 acres and was 35 percent contained on Monday morning, according to authorities. In neighbouring Canada, 882 wildfires were active on Monday, including 579 considered out of control, authorities said. Smoke from the fires has descended on the United States again, prompting air quality alerts across much of the northeast. Historic highs forecast In Europe, Italians were warned to prepare for "the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time", with a red alert issued for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence. Spain enjoyed little reprieve with temperatures of 47C in the southern town of Villarrobledo. Along with the heat, parts of Asia have also been battered by torrential rain. South Korea's president vowed Monday to "completely overhaul" the country's approach to extreme weather, after at least 40 people were killed in recent flooding and landslides during monsoon rains, which are forecast to continue through Wednesday. The post Mercury hits new highs as heat waves scorch the globe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Record heatwaves sweep the world from US to Japan via Europe
Record heat is forecast around the world from the United States, where tens of millions are battling dangerously high temperatures, to Europe and Japan, in the latest example of the threat from global warming. Italy faces weekend predictions of historic highs with the health ministry issuing a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna, and Florence. The meteo center warned Italians to prepare for "the most intense heatwave of the summer and also one of the most intense of all time". The thermometer is likely to hit 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in Rome by Monday and even 43C on Tuesday, smashing the record of 40.5C set in August 2007. The islands of Sicily and Sardinia could wilt under temperatures as high as 48C, the European Space Agency warned -- "potentially the hottest temperatures ever recorded in Europe". Greece is also roasting. "Parts of the country could see highs as much as 44C on Saturday," according to the national weather service EMY. The central city of Thebes sweated under 44.2C on Friday. The Acropolis, Athens's top tourist attraction, will on Sunday close during the hottest hours for the third day running. In France, high temperatures and resulting drought are posing a threat to the farming industry, earning Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau criticism from climatologists on Saturday for having brushed aside conditions as "normal enough for summer". June was the second-hottest on record in France, according to the national weather agency, and several areas of the country have been under a heatwave alert since Tuesday. There is little reprieve ahead for Spain, as its meteorological agency warned Saturday that a new heatwave Monday through Wednesday will bring temperatures above 40C to the Canary Islands and the southern Andalusia region. Killer rains Parts of eastern Japan are also expected to reach 38 to 39C on Sunday and Monday, with the meteorological agency warning temperatures could hit previous records. Meanwhile, the northern city of Akita saw more rain in half a day than is typical for the whole month of July, Japan's national broadcaster NHK reported. The downpours also triggered at least one landslide, forcing 9,000 people to evacuate their homes. Torrential rains described by the meteorological agency as the "heaviest rain ever experienced" have also hit southern Japan in recent weeks, leaving at least 11 people dead. Relentless monsoon rains have reportedly killed at least 90 people in northern India, after burning heat. The Yamuna River running through the capital New Delhi has reached a record high of 208.66 meters, more than a meter over the flood top set in 1978, threatening low-lying neighborhoods in the megacity of more than 20 million people. Major flooding and landslides are common during India's monsoons, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency and severity. Americans are watching as a powerful heatwave grip stretches from California to Texas, with its peak expected this weekend. In Arizona, one of the hardest-hit states, residents face a daily endurance marathon against the sun. State capital Phoenix recorded 15 straight days above 109F (43C), with Saturday expected to reach well above that mark. Deadly danger Authorities have been sounding the alarm, advising people to avoid outdoor activities in the daytime and to be wary of dehydration. The Las Vegas weather service warned that assuming high temperatures naturally come with the area's desert climate was "a DANGEROUS mindset! This heatwave is NOT typical desert heat". "Now the most intense period is beginning," it added, as the weekend arrived with record highs threatening on Sunday. California's Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, is also likely to register new peaks Sunday, with the mercury possibly rising to 130F (54C). Southern California is fighting numerous wildfires, including one in Riverside County that has burned more than 3,000 acres (1,214 hectares) and prompted evacuation orders. Further north, the Canadian government reported that wildfires burned a record-breaking 10 million hectares this year, with more damage expected as the summer drags on. Morocco may be used to hot weather, but it was slated for above-average temperatures this weekend with highs of 47C in some provinces -- more typical of August than July -- sparking concerns for water shortages, the meteorological service said. River Tigris shrinking Water-scarce Jordan was forced to dump 214 tonnes of water on a wildfire that broke out in the Ajloun forest in the north amid a heatwave, the army said. In Iraq, where scorching summers are common, along with power cuts, Wissam Abed told AFP he cools off from Baghdad's brutal summer by swimming in the Tigris river. But as Iraqi rivers dry up, so does the age-old pastime. With temperatures near 50C and wind whipping through the city like a hair dryer, Abed stood in the middle of the river, but the water only comes up to his waist. "I live here... like my grandfather did before me. Year after year, the water situation gets worse," said the 37-year-old. While it can be difficult to attribute a particular weather event to climate change, scientists insist global warming -- linked to dependence on fossil fuels -- is behind the multiplication and intensification of heat waves in the world. The heatwaves come after the EU's climate monitoring service said the world saw its hottest June on record last month. The post Record heatwaves sweep the world from US to Japan via Europe appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PRO-4B stations full alert for SoNA
The Police Regional Office in Mimaropa region disclosed that it has placed all its stations in the region on full alert as part of its efforts to secure President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address on 24 July. PRO-4B chief Brig. Gen. Joel Doria said that the region — comprised of the provinces of Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan — will implement maximum preparedness and intensification of anti-crime operations of all police units in preparation for the second SoNA of the President. He added that PNP personnel will be on full alert, ready to be deployed in the different areas as the need arises to undertake Civil Disturbance Management operations. “The public can assure of the readiness of all police units in the region, together with the different line agencies, in securing the community from lawless elements that may cause harm and threat to peace and order,” Doria said. The PRO-4B chief also directed the lower units to work closely with its Armed Forces of the Philippines counterparts, force multipliers, stakeholders and local government units in maintaining peace and order during the SoNA. “I already directed all field commanders and unit leaders in the region to intensify proactive security measures to ensure vigilance and readiness in their respective AORs during the President’s second SoNA,” Doria said. The PNP earlier said more than 22,000 policemen and augmentation forces will be tapped to secure the President’s SoNA, around 5,000 would be deployed near the Batasang Pambansa. While it has yet to receive any report of security threats, authorities said they will assess all information it has been receiving about the event. PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said some 5,000 to 6,000 police officers would be deployed in the vicinity of the House of Representatives where the President would deliver the annual address. She said the police force would also implement the “Manila Shield” where other places of convergence would also be secured. “Our regular beat and patrol operations will not be compromised because we are looking at some areas, particularly our crime prone areas, they would not be left unguarded as long as we have focused police personnel around and outside of the Batasang Pambansa,” Fajardo said. The post PRO-4B stations full alert for SoNA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
EU sends emergency assistance to Mayon-affected families
The European Union is allocating 50,000 pounds (approximately P3 million) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to families affected by the increased activity of Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. The aid will benefit over 7,500 people in the worst-hit areas in Albay province. The EU funding will support the Philippine Red Cross in delivering immediate assistance through the distribution of emergency shelter items, sleeping kits, primary healthcare assistance and hygiene kits. The aid will also increase access to clean water supplies and sanitation facilities to enable communities to maintain their good hygiene practices. The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Mayon, the Philippines’ most active volcano situated on Luzon island about 330 kilometers southeast of Manila, was placed under Alert Level III on 8 June and gradually began spewing lava and sulfuric gas, prompting the evacuation of nearly 13,000 residents. The activity has triggered rockfall and volcanic earthquakes, and there is a continued potential for ashfall and volcanic gas emissions that can pose health hazards to nearby communities. Red Cross staff, volunteers and equipment are on standby for any further response support. The P3-million aid will benefit over 7,500 people in the worst-hit areas in Albay province. The European Union, together with its member states, is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid. Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity toward people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises. Through its European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, the European Union helps over 120 million victims of conflicts and disasters every year. The European Commission has signed a 3-million-pound humanitarian contribution agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support the Federation's Disaster Relief Emergency Fund. Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to “small-scale” disasters, those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal. The post EU sends emergency assistance to Mayon-affected families appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Universities told: Review security plan
The Commission on Higher Education on Thursday has urged all universities and colleges to review their safety and security plan after a recent sexual assault incident at the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City. CHEd chairperson Prospero de Vera said that the plan should consider the actual safety and security situation in campuses, statistics on crimes, and where these happened. “Where are the poorly lit areas? Which routes should students and the faculty take so that they could stay safe, and what is the response when something happens?,” said De Vera in a briefing. He also stressed that top universities abroad have mechanisms to respond to urgent matters concerning their students and personnel and their safety plans are printed and included in the students’ orientation. “You will read that, explain the communication plan, there are numbers you can call for remote areas. If you feel that you are not safe, you can call school authorities and they will pick you up,” said De Vera. “Our universities seem to be not taking the safety of their students seriously. It’s time that we take that seriously and review our guidelines.” He also encouraged higher education institutions to invest in technology and CCTV cameras in poorly lit areas, and create a mechanism to inform students where to go. Safety and security plans must also go beyond responding to natural calamities, De Vera said. “I hope this is a wake-up call for our school authorities to treat the safety of their students and employees more seriously,” said the CHED chief. Over the weekend, a female student was sexually assaulted inside the UP Diliman campus, prompting the university to go on heightened alert. The post Universities told: Review security plan appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Pagasa: El Niño begins in Phl
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration declared the beginning of the El Niño phenomenon in the country. Pagasa has upgraded the warning status from El Niño Alert to El Niño Advisory. During a press conference on Tuesday, Pagasa noted that El Niño is currently still weak but with “signs of strengthening in the coming months.” The onset of El Niño in the Pacific Ocean will mark the start of drought and dry spells in the Philippines toward the end of the year and may persist until the first quarter of 2024. Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said that while El Niño comes from the Pacific Ocean, the wind that it brings, which we felt in the Philippines, will be dry. Meanwhile, Pagasa climate monitoring and prediction section chief Annalisa Solis said the official declaration of El Niño here did not mean that the phenomenon is in the country. "With that, we are formally declaring the onset of the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean and the country will start experiencing its impact.” According to Pagasa, the El Niño phenomenon increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions that may bring dry spells and droughts, which may affect “water resources, agriculture, energy, health, and public safety” in some areas of the country. Models are showing a higher probability of more than 56 percent that El Niño will be moderate to strong at least during the last quarter of the year, it added. The post Pagasa: El Niño begins in Phl appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
PAGASA confirms El Niño onset
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration on Tuesday declared the beginning of the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, with its effects, including dry spells, to be felt in the country sooner or later. Pagasa upgraded the warning status from El Niño Alert to El Niño Advisory during a press conference, noting that the weather phenomenon is currently weak but with “signs of strengthening in the coming months.” The onset of El Niño in the Pacific Ocean could mark the start of drought and dry spells in the Philippines toward the end of the year and may persist until the first quarter of 2024, PAGASA said. “With that, we are formally declaring the onset of the El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean and the country will start experiencing its impact,” PAGASA climate monitoring and prediction section chief Annalisa Solis said. According to the weather agency, El Niño increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions that may bring dry spells and drought, which may affect “water resources, agriculture, energy, health, and public safety” in some areas of the country. Models show a probability of 56 percent that El Niño will be moderate to strong at least during the last quarter of the year, PAGASA said. The post PAGASA confirms El Niño onset appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
DILG remains steadfast vs insurgents
The Department of the Interior and Local Government on Monday has downplayed the alleged “disruptive actions” of the remaining guerilla fronts of the New People’s Army over the national government’s Barangay Development Program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict. DILG Office of Project Development Services director Rene Valera stressed that the NPA could not sustain their attempts to disrupt ongoing and even planned projects for the BDP because of their dwindling forces. He added that the government’s security forces are on alert and are monitoring the areas where the BDP is set to be implemented. Valera revealed that the NPA has attempted disruptive actions as far as Misamis Oriental, Catanduanes, Iloilo, Antique and Negros Occidental — engaging military troops to sow fear among the residents who are supposed to be the recipients of the BDP which is the flagship project of NTF-ELCAC. The post DILG remains steadfast vs insurgents appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»