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The number of deaths from a powerful storm that hit the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-reaches-28-as-philippines-recovers-from-christmas-typhoon-270497">Philippines on Christmas</a> has climbed to 41, authorities said Sunday, with tens of thousands still in evacuation centres.

Typhoon Phanfone left the Philippines on Saturday after devastating several islands in the central Visayas, including popular tourist destinations, but the extent of the damage continued to grow as assessments came in.

The death toll of 41 - up from 28 on Friday - included three boat crew who died after their vessel capsized due to strong winds, a policeman electrocuted by a toppled post, and a man struck by a felled tree.

"We're hoping that there will be no more fatalities," national disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal told AFP, with authorities still searching for 12 people missing.

The latest agency report showed over 1.6 million people were affected by the typhoon, which damaged over 260,000 houses and forced almost a hundred thousand people to flee to emergency shelters.

Many of the affected residents in the predominantly Catholic nation celebrated Christmas in evacuation centres, where they may have to stay until the New Year given the scale of destruction.

The government estimated that the storm has caused damage to agriculture and infrastructure worth $21 million.

Power lines and internet connections remain down in some areas after Phanfone's powerful wind gusts of up to 200 kilometres (124 miles) per hour toppled electric posts and trees.&nbsp;

Typhoon Phanfone, locally called Ursula, is the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/typhoon-phanfone-ruining-christmas-for-thousands-of-filipinos-270027">21st cyclone to hit</a> the storm-prone Philippines, which is the first major landmass facing the Pacific typhoon belt.

Many of the storms are deadly, and they typically wipe out harvests, homes and infrastructure, keeping millions of people perennially poor.

The number of deaths from a powerful storm that hit the Philippines on Christmas has climbed to 41, authorities said Sunday, with tens of thousands still in evacuation centres.

The number of deaths from a powerful storm that hit the Philippines on Christmas has climbed to 41, authorities said Sunday, with tens of thousands still in evacuation centres. Typhoon Phanfone left the Philippines on Saturday after devastating several islands in the central Visayas, including popular tourist destinations, but the extent of the damage continued to grow as assessments came in. The death toll of 41 - up from 28 on Friday - included three boat crew who died after their vessel capsized due to strong winds, a policeman electrocuted by a toppled post, and a man struck by a felled tree. "We're hoping that there will be no more fatalities," national disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal told AFP, with authorities still searching for 12 people missing. The latest agency report showed over 1.6 million people were affected by the typhoon, which damaged over 260,000 houses and forced almost a hundred thousand people to flee to emergency shelters. Many of the affected residents in the predominantly Catholic nation celebrated Christmas in evacuation centres, where they may have to stay until the New Year given the scale of destruction. The government estimated that the storm has caused damage to agriculture and infrastructure worth $21 million. Power lines and internet connections remain down in some areas after Phanfone's powerful wind gusts of up to 200 kilometres (124 miles) per hour toppled electric posts and trees. Typhoon Phanfone, locally called Ursula, is the 21st cyclone to hit the storm-prone Philippines, which is the first major landmass facing the Pacific typhoon belt. Many of the storms are deadly, and they typically wipe out harvests, homes and infrastructure, keeping millions of people perennially poor.

Philippines Christmas typhoon death toll climbs to 41

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nearly-2000-evacuated-one-missing-as-scary-cyclone-hammers-fiji-270741">Tropical Cyclone Sarai</a> was moving slowly away from Fiji on Sunday, leaving two people dead and more than 2,500 needing emergency shelter.

The cyclone damaged houses, crops and trees, cut power and forced the cancellation of several international flights, stranding holidaymakers visiting the island nation, which is a major tourist draw.

National Disaster Management Office director Vasiti Soko said an 18-year-old student drowned off the island of Kadavu.

"The man is believed to have been swept away by strong currents when he was swimming with his friends," she said.

The body of a man in his 40s was found on Sunday off the coast of the main island Viti Levu a day after he was swept away by strong currents when crossing a river.

Another person was in intensive care in hospital after being hit by a falling tree.

Soko said that at the height of the storm, there were 2,538 people packed into 70 evacuation centres although by Sunday evening 500 had been cleared to return home.

Electricity was restored to 80 percent of the capital Suva but power company Energy Fiji Limited said it could take a week to restore supplies to all areas of Viti Levu.

Sarai, maintaining winds of up to 150 kilometres per hour (93 miles per hour),&nbsp;was tracking east and was expected to pass over Tonga on New Year's Eve.

Tropical Cyclone Sarai was moving slowly away from Fiji on Sunday, leaving two people dead and more than 2,500 needing emergency shelter. The cyclone damaged houses, crops and trees, cut power and forced the cancellation of several international flights, stranding holidaymakers visiting the island nation, which is a major tourist draw.

Tropical Cyclone Sarai was moving slowly away from Fiji on Sunday, leaving two people dead and more than 2,500 needing emergency shelter. The cyclone damaged houses, crops and trees, cut power and forced the cancellation of several international flights, stranding holidaymakers visiting the island nation, which is a major tourist draw. National Disaster Management Office director Vasiti Soko said an 18-year-old student drowned off the island of Kadavu. "The man is believed to have been swept away by strong currents when he was swimming with his friends," she said. The body of a man in his 40s was found on Sunday off the coast of the main island Viti Levu a day after he was swept away by strong currents when crossing a river. Another person was in intensive care in hospital after being hit by a falling tree. Soko said that at the height of the storm, there were 2,538 people packed into 70 evacuation centres although by Sunday evening 500 had been cleared to return home. Electricity was restored to 80 percent of the capital Suva but power company Energy Fiji Limited said it could take a week to restore supplies to all areas of Viti Levu. Sarai, maintaining winds of up to 150 kilometres per hour (93 miles per hour), was tracking east and was expected to pass over Tonga on New Year's Eve.

Two dead, 2,500 seek emergency shelter in cyclone-battered Fiji

The death toll from a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/typhoon-misery-for-philippines-on-christmas-day-270103">Christmas typhoon</a> that tore through the central Philippines rose to 28 on Friday, with 12 people missing, the disaster agency said, as authorities moved to restore power and residents tried to repair damaged homes.

Typhoon Phanfone hit late on Tuesday with winds of up to 120 kph&nbsp;and gusts of 150 kph, dumping sheets of uninterrupted rain on a string of islands, damaging hundreds of homes and causing flooding in eight areas.

It was the seventh typhoon to strike the Philippines this year and came as millions of people in the predominantly Catholic country were heading home to celebrate Christmas with families.

Some 43,000 people were in temporary shelters on Friday, among the 185,000 impacted by the typhoon, which destroyed 49 homes and partially damaged 2,000.

Also Watch:&nbsp;Typhoon Phanfone brings misery to Philippines on Christmas

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There was widespread travel disruption with 115 flights cancelled and thousands of people stranded by the suspension of ferries due to storm surges.

It was unclear how the deaths occurred, but officials said some were hit by trees, electrocuted or drowned.

"People did not expect that the storm would be that devastating," said disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal.

Though less powerful than other typhoons this year, Phanphone made landfall in some of the country's poorest and least-developed islands.

Among them was the island of Samar, which bore the brunt of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, the Philippines' most powerful and deadliest storm on record. It killed more than 6,300 people.

Residents, there were clearing debris, with wooden pillars and sheets of a corrugated iron roof that were once homes, scattered across the ground. Men pulled tried to recover fishing boats with tangled or damaged outriggers.

Samar resident Virgilo Catayas, whose sibling was among those killed by Haiyan, said he lost another to hypertension when <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-16-killed-as-typhoon-phanfone-devastates-philippines-270250">Phanphone</a> hit.

"We can't really do much if that's what happened, we'll have to accept it," he told broadcaster ABS-CBN. "The important thing is to stay strong," he said, sitting next to a casket.

Television showed minor damage to the airport at Kalibo, an alternative gateway to the holiday island of Boracay, while the disaster agency said 55 schools had suffered some damage.

The agriculture department estimated initial damages of $11.17 million&nbsp;mostly to fish farms.

Images on social media showed government workers clearing trees from roads, with a clear blue sky after the storm moved out over the South China Sea late on Wednesday.

The death toll from a Christmas typhoon that tore through the central Philippines rose to 28 on Friday, with 12 people missing, the disaster agency said, as authorities moved to restore power and residents tried to repair damaged homes.

The death toll from a Christmas typhoon that tore through the central Philippines rose to 28 on Friday, with 12 people missing, the disaster agency said, as authorities moved to restore power and residents tried to repair damaged homes. Typhoon Phanfone hit late on Tuesday with winds of up to 120 kph and gusts of 150 kph, dumping sheets of uninterrupted rain on a string of islands, damaging hundreds of homes and causing flooding in eight areas. It was the seventh typhoon to strike the Philippines this year and came as millions of people in the predominantly Catholic country were heading home to celebrate Christmas with families. Some 43,000 people were in temporary shelters on Friday, among the 185,000 impacted by the typhoon, which destroyed 49 homes and partially damaged 2,000. Also Watch: Typhoon Phanfone brings misery to Philippines on Christmas × There was widespread travel disruption with 115 flights cancelled and thousands of people stranded by the suspension of ferries due to storm surges. It was unclear how the deaths occurred, but officials said some were hit by trees, electrocuted or drowned. "People did not expect that the storm would be that devastating," said disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal. Though less powerful than other typhoons this year, Phanphone made landfall in some of the country's poorest and least-developed islands. Among them was the island of Samar, which bore the brunt of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, the Philippines' most powerful and deadliest storm on record. It killed more than 6,300 people. Residents, there were clearing debris, with wooden pillars and sheets of a corrugated iron roof that were once homes, scattered across the ground. Men pulled tried to recover fishing boats with tangled or damaged outriggers. Samar resident Virgilo Catayas, whose sibling was among those killed by Haiyan, said he lost another to hypertension when Phanphone hit. "We can't really do much if that's what happened, we'll have to accept it," he told broadcaster ABS-CBN. "The important thing is to stay strong," he said, sitting next to a casket. Television showed minor damage to the airport at Kalibo, an alternative gateway to the holiday island of Boracay, while the disaster agency said 55 schools had suffered some damage. The agriculture department estimated initial damages of $11.17 million mostly to fish farms. Images on social media showed government workers clearing trees from roads, with a clear blue sky after the storm moved out over the South China Sea late on Wednesday.

Death toll reaches 28 as Philippines recovers from Christmas typhoon

Typhoon Phanfone smashed into the central <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bombings-rock-southern-philippines-over-a-dozen-injured-269594">Philippines</a> on Tuesday, leaving thousands of people unable to get home for the Christmas holidays and forcing many others to evacuate in the face of the onslaught.

The tropical storm was upgraded to a typhoon shortly before it made landfall on Christmas Eve in the mainly Catholic nation, but early reports indicate there had been no casualties so far.

It struck the southern tip of the impoverished island of Samar in the afternoon with gusts of up to 150 kilometres an hour that snapped branches off trees and knocked down power pylons and mobile phone relay towers.

"(There are) no signs of heavy damage except for houses made of light materials," Ben Evardone, the governor of Eastern Samar province, adding there were no casualties there.

Just under 1,700 people were evacuated from coastal areas as well as those prone to flooding and landslides, according to sources.

"Some families are reluctant to evacuate because they want to celebrate Christmas at home, but local officials will force them out if they refuse to heed our warnings," said regional civil defence official Reyden Cabrigas.

The state weather service said homes made of wood, straw or bamboo risked "heavy damage", though there were so far no reports of giant waves crashing onto coastal communities as the state weather service earlier warned.

Phanfone, Laotian for "animal", was forecast to cut across the central islands through Christmas Day Wednesday before roaring out to the South China Sea.

All boats on the storm's projected path through the central islands were ordered to stay in port and many commercial flights were cancelled, stranding thousands of people who were trooping to their hometowns.

Though much weaker, Phanfone was tracking a similar path as <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-thousands-flee-as-typhoon-kammuri-expected-to-make-landfall-265636">Super Typhoon Haiyan</a>, the country's deadliest cyclone on record which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013.

More than 23,000 ferry passengers trying to get home for the Christmas holidays have been stranded at ports as shipping shut down, the coast guard said Tuesday.

The state weather service said Phanfone would bring moderate to strong winds over the capital Manila on Christmas Day.

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eleven-dead-after-coconut-wine-poisoning-in-philippines-269754">Philippines</a> is the first major landmass facing the Pacific cyclone belt.

As such, the archipelago gets hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year.

Strong winds and associated dangers such as floods, landslides, and -- more rarely -- giant walls of seawater kill scores of people each year, wipe out harvests and destroy roads, bridges, power lines and other infrastructure.

A July 2019 study by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank said the most frequent storms lop one percent off the Philippine economic output, with the stronger ones cutting output by nearly three percent.

Typhoon Phanfone smashed into the central Philippines on Tuesday, leaving thousands of people unable to get home for the Christmas holidays and forcing many others to evacuate in the face of the onslaught.

Typhoon Phanfone smashed into the central Philippines on Tuesday, leaving thousands of people unable to get home for the Christmas holidays and forcing many others to evacuate in the face of the onslaught. The tropical storm was upgraded to a typhoon shortly before it made landfall on Christmas Eve in the mainly Catholic nation, but early reports indicate there had been no casualties so far. It struck the southern tip of the impoverished island of Samar in the afternoon with gusts of up to 150 kilometres an hour that snapped branches off trees and knocked down power pylons and mobile phone relay towers. "(There are) no signs of heavy damage except for houses made of light materials," Ben Evardone, the governor of Eastern Samar province, adding there were no casualties there. Just under 1,700 people were evacuated from coastal areas as well as those prone to flooding and landslides, according to sources. "Some families are reluctant to evacuate because they want to celebrate Christmas at home, but local officials will force them out if they refuse to heed our warnings," said regional civil defence official Reyden Cabrigas. The state weather service said homes made of wood, straw or bamboo risked "heavy damage", though there were so far no reports of giant waves crashing onto coastal communities as the state weather service earlier warned. Phanfone, Laotian for "animal", was forecast to cut across the central islands through Christmas Day Wednesday before roaring out to the South China Sea. All boats on the storm's projected path through the central islands were ordered to stay in port and many commercial flights were cancelled, stranding thousands of people who were trooping to their hometowns. Though much weaker, Phanfone was tracking a similar path as Super Typhoon Haiyan, the country's deadliest cyclone on record which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013. More than 23,000 ferry passengers trying to get home for the Christmas holidays have been stranded at ports as shipping shut down, the coast guard said Tuesday. The state weather service said Phanfone would bring moderate to strong winds over the capital Manila on Christmas Day. The Philippines is the first major landmass facing the Pacific cyclone belt. As such, the archipelago gets hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year. Strong winds and associated dangers such as floods, landslides, and -- more rarely -- giant walls of seawater kill scores of people each year, wipe out harvests and destroy roads, bridges, power lines and other infrastructure. A July 2019 study by the Manila-based Asian Development Bank said the most frequent storms lop one percent off the Philippine economic output, with the stronger ones cutting output by nearly three percent.

Typhoon Phanfone slams Philippines during Christmas rush

Bushfires to floods: The year of natural disasters

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-die-as-storm-front-batters-greece-264668">A storm</a> across Spain, Portugal, and France has killed seven people. More violent winds are expected.

On Saturday, a 32-year-old South Korean woman was killed a day after being struck on the head by debris from a building in Madrid.&nbsp;

The building in question had cleared inspection back in 2015 "but weather like this, with heavy rain and wind, causes these fateful cases," Enrique Lopez told reporters.

Additionally, emergency services in the southwestern region of Andalusia said a 68-year-old Dutchman who went missing while windsurfing in rough weather in Huelva province Friday had drowned.

With these&nbsp;two recent deaths, the toll has increased to seven. The storm is currently causing chaos across Spain, Portugal, and southern France.

Flooded rivers, disrupted power lines, and interrupted modes of public transport were a common sight during Storm Elsa.

Out of the seven dead, five were killed in Spain and two in Portugal. In the latter country, extreme weather has interrupted train services between Lisbon, the capital and Porto.

Watch:&nbsp;Without urgent action, yearly extreme heat waves await Europeans, EU agency says

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With Storm Elsa now hovering <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ready-for-brexit-trade-deal-but-not-at-any-price-european-union-268162">over Britain</a>, the three affected countries recently received a fresh threat.&nbsp;

In Spain, Storm Fabien has already brought winds of 170 kilometres per hour in Galicia.

The National Weather Office in Spain has put out a red alert, especially in the coast of Galicia, due to potential strong winds and high waves.&nbsp;

France's weather office placed 14 regions in the southwest of the country on orange alert Saturday expecting winds of up to 140 kilometres an hour on the coast.

Officials on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica said all the island's airports would be closed Sunday because of the approaching storm. Ferry services to the mainline have already been suspended.

(With inputs from agencies)

A storm across Spain, Portugal, and France has killed seven people. More violent winds are expected. On Saturday, a 32-year-old South Korean woman was killed a day after being struck on the head by debris from a building in Madrid.

A storm across Spain, Portugal, and France has killed seven people. More violent winds are expected. On Saturday, a 32-year-old South Korean woman was killed a day after being struck on the head by debris from a building in Madrid. The building in question had cleared inspection back in 2015 "but weather like this, with heavy rain and wind, causes these fateful cases," Enrique Lopez told reporters. Additionally, emergency services in the southwestern region of Andalusia said a 68-year-old Dutchman who went missing while windsurfing in rough weather in Huelva province Friday had drowned. With these two recent deaths, the toll has increased to seven. The storm is currently causing chaos across Spain, Portugal, and southern France. Flooded rivers, disrupted power lines, and interrupted modes of public transport were a common sight during Storm Elsa. Out of the seven dead, five were killed in Spain and two in Portugal. In the latter country, extreme weather has interrupted train services between Lisbon, the capital and Porto. Watch: Without urgent action, yearly extreme heat waves await Europeans, EU agency says With Storm Elsa now hovering over Britain, the three affected countries recently received a fresh threat. In Spain, Storm Fabien has already brought winds of 170 kilometres per hour in Galicia. The National Weather Office in Spain has put out a red alert, especially in the coast of Galicia, due to potential strong winds and high waves. France's weather office placed 14 regions in the southwest of the country on orange alert Saturday expecting winds of up to 140 kilometres an hour on the coast. Officials on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica said all the island's airports would be closed Sunday because of the approaching storm. Ferry services to the mainline have already been suspended. (With inputs from agencies)

Storm across Europe kills seven, connectivity disrupted

Thirteen people have been killed and eight people are missing and presumed dead after volcanic eruption covered a small New Zealand island popular with tourists in hot ash and steam.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/white-island-volcano-unexpectedly-erupts-in-new-zealand-267230">In pictures: When White Island volcano unexpectedly erupted in New Zealand</a>

Rescuers have been unable to access the island, which is covered in grey ash.

Watch:&nbsp;

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The volcano vent continues to emit steam and New Zealand's geoscience agency has warned on another eruption in the coming 24 hours, with 50-50 chances.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed "unfathomable grief" after the volcanic eruption have claimed 13 lives.

Ardern confirmed five fatalities and said another eight people were still missing after Monday's tragedy at White Island.

There was little hope of finding the missing alive, after overnight aerial reconnaissance flights found no signs of life.

"The focus this morning is on recovery and ensuring police can do that safely," she told a press conference.

Among those on the island during the cataclysm were tourists from Australia, the United States, Britain, China and Malaysia, as well as their New Zealand guides.

"To those who have lost or are missing family and friends, we share in your unfathomable grief and your sorrow," Ardern said.

"Your loved ones stood alongside Kiwis who were hosting you here and we grieve with you."

Ardern singled out "our Australian family" for sympathy, while her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison warned his compatriots to brace for "a very hard day".

Morrison said there were fears that three of the five dead were Australian, and another eight citizens were unaccounted for. 
He described the tragedy as a "time of great innocence and joy interrupted by the horror of that eruption".

"This is a very, very hard day for a lot of Australian families whose loved ones have been caught up in this terrible, tragedy," he told reporters in Sydney.

A total of 31 people — including 13 Australians — were in hospital with various injuries, some listed as critical with serious burns.

White Island Tours, a trip operator, confirmed that two of its guides were unaccounted for, while Britain's high commissioner in Wellington said two female citizens were hospitalised.

Concerns about further eruptions, poisonous gases and choking ash stalled efforts to recover bodies.

"We will only go to the island when it is safe to do so for our people," police spokesman Bruce Bird said.

He said a helicopter scoured the area for 45 minutes, checking if anyone was still alive -- without success.

(With inputs from AFP)

Thirteen people have been killed and eight people are missing and presumed dead after volcanic eruption covered a small New Zealand island popular with tourists in hot ash and steam.

Thirteen people have been killed and eight people are missing and presumed dead after volcanic eruption covered a small New Zealand island popular with tourists in hot ash and steam. In pictures: When White Island volcano unexpectedly erupted in New Zealand Rescuers have been unable to access the island, which is covered in grey ash. Watch: The volcano vent continues to emit steam and New Zealand's geoscience agency has warned on another eruption in the coming 24 hours, with 50-50 chances. New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed "unfathomable grief" after the volcanic eruption have claimed 13 lives. Ardern confirmed five fatalities and said another eight people were still missing after Monday's tragedy at White Island. There was little hope of finding the missing alive, after overnight aerial reconnaissance flights found no signs of life. "The focus this morning is on recovery and ensuring police can do that safely," she told a press conference. Among those on the island during the cataclysm were tourists from Australia, the United States, Britain, China and Malaysia, as well as their New Zealand guides. "To those who have lost or are missing family and friends, we share in your unfathomable grief and your sorrow," Ardern said. "Your loved ones stood alongside Kiwis who were hosting you here and we grieve with you." Ardern singled out "our Australian family" for sympathy, while her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison warned his compatriots to brace for "a very hard day". Morrison said there were fears that three of the five dead were Australian, and another eight citizens were unaccounted for. He described the tragedy as a "time of great innocence and joy interrupted by the horror of that eruption". "This is a very, very hard day for a lot of Australian families whose loved ones have been caught up in this terrible, tragedy," he told reporters in Sydney. A total of 31 people — including 13 Australians — were in hospital with various injuries, some listed as critical with serious burns. White Island Tours, a trip operator, confirmed that two of its guides were unaccounted for, while Britain's high commissioner in Wellington said two female citizens were hospitalised. Concerns about further eruptions, poisonous gases and choking ash stalled efforts to recover bodies. "We will only go to the island when it is safe to do so for our people," police spokesman Bruce Bird said. He said a helicopter scoured the area for 45 minutes, checking if anyone was still alive -- without success. (With inputs from AFP)

New Zealand volcano eruption: Thirteen dead and eight missing

Most destructive volcanic flare-ups in the last 25 years

At least five people were killed, up to 20 injured and several were reported missing after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealand-volcano-eruption-one-dead-more-fatalities-feared-267098">a volcano suddenly erupted</a> off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island on Monday, spewing a plume of ash thousands of feet into the air.

More casualties were feared on White Island, where the volcano erupted at about 2:11 pm, police said.

Twenty-three people, some of them believed to be tourists from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship, were rescued, police said, adding that others were still on the island.

About 50 people were feared to have been nearby and several were seen near the rim of the crater minutes before the eruption.

St&nbsp;John Ambulance said up to 20 people were believed to have been injured in the eruption, adding that a mobile triage unit was on its way. The organisation said it had sent seven helicopters to the island with medics on board.

Michael Schade, an engineering manager from San Francisco, was one of the tourists who made it off the island just before the eruption.

In a video Schade posted on Twitter as he sped away from the island by boat, a huge plume of white ash soars into the sky as a group of frightened tourists huddles close to the shore.

"This is so hard to believe," Schade said. "Our whole tour group were literally standing at the edge of the main crater not 30 minutes before."

A crater rim camera owned and operated by New Zealand science agency GeoNet shows groups of people walking toward and away from the rim inside the crater, from which white vapour constantly billows, in the hour leading up to the eruption.

At 2:00 pm&nbsp;the crater rim camera catches a group of people - tiny specks in relation to the vast volcano - right at the edge of the rim. At 2:10 pm,&nbsp;just a minute before the eruption - the group is headed away from the rim, following a well-worn track across the crater.

White Island is about 50 km&nbsp;from the east coast of North Island and huge plumes were visible from the mainland. Volcanologists said the ash plume shot 12,000 feet&nbsp;into the air.

"We know that there were a number of tourists on or around the island at the time, both New Zealanders and visitors from overseas," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference.

"I know there will be a huge amount of concern and anxiety for those who had loved ones on or around the island at the time. I can assure them that police are doing everything they can."

On Twitter, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians had been affected by the eruption and the government was trying to learn more. Twenty-four Australians were on White Island when the volcano erupted, Australian media said.

Kevin O'Sullivan, chief executive of the New Zealand Cruise Association, said: "We believe there is a tour party from Ovation of the Seas involved in the White Island eruption. We have no further details at the moment."

Ovation of the Seas is a 16-deck cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises. It can take nearly 5,000 passengers and has a crew of about 1,500. It is docked at Tauranga, on the North Island, on a cruise that began in Sydney on Dec 3.

"We can confirm that a number of our guests were touring the island today," a company representative said in an emailed statement. "We do not have any additional details to share at this time."

No-fly zone

There seemed to be no danger for people in coastal areas farther away, authorities said.

The eruption was unexpected, but not unusual, an expert said.

"Sudden, unheralded eruptions from volcanoes such as White Island can be expected at any time," Shane Cronin, a volcanologist at University of Auckland, said in comments published by the Australia Science Media Centre.

"We know hydrothermal and so-called <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/100-people-near-new-zealand-volcano-when-it-erupted-pm-jacinda-ardern-267054">'phreatic' eruptions can occur suddenly</a> and with little or no warning because they are driven by the expansion of super-heated water into steam," he added.

Geological hazard tracker GeoNet raised the alert level for the White Island volcano in November due to an increase in volcanic activity.

Just last week, GeoNet volcanologist Brad Scott said in a report that moderate volcanic unrest continued at White Island, with substantial gas, steam and mud bursts observed at the vent located at the back of the crater lake.

The island's immediate surroundings were hazardous because of the eruption, the National Emergency Management Agency said in an statement, adding that falling ash might affect some areas.

The "short-lived eruption" showed no signs of escalating, New Zealand's geoscience agency GNS Science said in a statement.

The White Island volcano is one of New Zealand's most active.

The White Island volcano's last fatal eruption was in 1914, when it killed 12 sulphur miners. There was a short-lived eruption in April 2016.

White Island became a private scenic reserve in 1953, and daily tours allow more than 10,000 people to visit the volcano every year.

'Whakaari', as it is known in Maori, is New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years, according to geological hazard tracking agency GeoNet.

About 70 percent is under the sea, making the massive volcanic structure the largest in New Zealand.

At least five people were killed, up to 20 injured and several were reported missing after a volcano suddenly erupted off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island on Monday, spewing a plume of ash thousands of feet into the air.

At least five people were killed, up to 20 injured and several were reported missing after a volcano suddenly erupted off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island on Monday, spewing a plume of ash thousands of feet into the air. More casualties were feared on White Island, where the volcano erupted at about 2:11 pm, police said. Twenty-three people, some of them believed to be tourists from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship, were rescued, police said, adding that others were still on the island. About 50 people were feared to have been nearby and several were seen near the rim of the crater minutes before the eruption. St John Ambulance said up to 20 people were believed to have been injured in the eruption, adding that a mobile triage unit was on its way. The organisation said it had sent seven helicopters to the island with medics on board. Michael Schade, an engineering manager from San Francisco, was one of the tourists who made it off the island just before the eruption. In a video Schade posted on Twitter as he sped away from the island by boat, a huge plume of white ash soars into the sky as a group of frightened tourists huddles close to the shore. "This is so hard to believe," Schade said. "Our whole tour group were literally standing at the edge of the main crater not 30 minutes before." A crater rim camera owned and operated by New Zealand science agency GeoNet shows groups of people walking toward and away from the rim inside the crater, from which white vapour constantly billows, in the hour leading up to the eruption. At 2:00 pm the crater rim camera catches a group of people - tiny specks in relation to the vast volcano - right at the edge of the rim. At 2:10 pm, just a minute before the eruption - the group is headed away from the rim, following a well-worn track across the crater. White Island is about 50 km from the east coast of North Island and huge plumes were visible from the mainland. Volcanologists said the ash plume shot 12,000 feet into the air. "We know that there were a number of tourists on or around the island at the time, both New Zealanders and visitors from overseas," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a news conference. "I know there will be a huge amount of concern and anxiety for those who had loved ones on or around the island at the time. I can assure them that police are doing everything they can." On Twitter, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians had been affected by the eruption and the government was trying to learn more. Twenty-four Australians were on White Island when the volcano erupted, Australian media said. Kevin O'Sullivan, chief executive of the New Zealand Cruise Association, said: "We believe there is a tour party from Ovation of the Seas involved in the White Island eruption. We have no further details at the moment." Ovation of the Seas is a 16-deck cruise ship owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises. It can take nearly 5,000 passengers and has a crew of about 1,500. It is docked at Tauranga, on the North Island, on a cruise that began in Sydney on Dec 3. "We can confirm that a number of our guests were touring the island today," a company representative said in an emailed statement. "We do not have any additional details to share at this time." No-fly zone There seemed to be no danger for people in coastal areas farther away, authorities said. The eruption was unexpected, but not unusual, an expert said. "Sudden, unheralded eruptions from volcanoes such as White Island can be expected at any time," Shane Cronin, a volcanologist at University of Auckland, said in comments published by the Australia Science Media Centre. "We know hydrothermal and so-called 'phreatic' eruptions can occur suddenly and with little or no warning because they are driven by the expansion of super-heated water into steam," he added. Geological hazard tracker GeoNet raised the alert level for the White Island volcano in November due to an increase in volcanic activity. Just last week, GeoNet volcanologist Brad Scott said in a report that moderate volcanic unrest continued at White Island, with substantial gas, steam and mud bursts observed at the vent located at the back of the crater lake. The island's immediate surroundings were hazardous because of the eruption, the National Emergency Management Agency said in an statement, adding that falling ash might affect some areas. The "short-lived eruption" showed no signs of escalating, New Zealand's geoscience agency GNS Science said in a statement. The White Island volcano is one of New Zealand's most active. The White Island volcano's last fatal eruption was in 1914, when it killed 12 sulphur miners. There was a short-lived eruption in April 2016. White Island became a private scenic reserve in 1953, and daily tours allow more than 10,000 people to visit the volcano every year. 'Whakaari', as it is known in Maori, is New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, built up by continuous volcanic activity over the past 150,000 years, according to geological hazard tracking agency GeoNet. About 70 percent is under the sea, making the massive volcanic structure the largest in New Zealand.

New Zealand: Volcano eruption kills five, several missing

The number of people killed by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-typhoon-kammuris-death-toll-touches-10-266059">Typhoon Kammuri's pounding</a> of the Philippines this week has hit 13, officials said Thursday, as authorities confirmed reports of storm-related deaths.

Kammuri's fierce winds toppled trees and flattened flimsy homes across a swathe of the nation's north on Tuesday, and forced a rare 12-hour shutdown of Manila's international airport.

Authorities said on Wednesday one person had drowned while three died after being hit by trees and flying objects.&nbsp;

Disaster officials did not offer details on how the other victims died, but local police reports indicated some may have drowned or been crushed by trees.

Mark Timbal, the spokesman for the national disaster agency, said no new bodies have been found but the death toll could rise as reports on the ground are verified.&nbsp;

"There is the possibility of an increase in the number, but we are hoping against it," Timbal told AFP.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-killed-over-two-lakh-evacuated-as-typhoon-kammuri-pounds-philippines-closes-manila-airport-265891">Hundreds of thousands of people</a> living in exposed or low-lying areas were evacuated from their homes before Kammuri made landfall late Monday, which authorities said had saved lives.

Still the storm-damaged 135 schools and destroyed nearly 1,200 homes, with crop damage in the hardest-hit areas estimated to reach nearly $16 million.

The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, killing hundreds and putting people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty.&nbsp;

President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to visit on Thursday the Bicol region, a peninsula south of Manila which was hit hard by the typhoon. &nbsp;

Ninoy Aquino International Airport was closed half of Tuesday as a precaution, affecting over 500 flights, while roughly half the day's programme at the Southeast Asian Games, hosted by Manila and nearby cities, had to be postponed.

The number of people killed by Typhoon Kammuri's pounding of the Philippines this week has hit 13, officials said Thursday, as authorities confirmed reports of storm-related deaths.

The number of people killed by Typhoon Kammuri's pounding of the Philippines this week has hit 13, officials said Thursday, as authorities confirmed reports of storm-related deaths. Kammuri's fierce winds toppled trees and flattened flimsy homes across a swathe of the nation's north on Tuesday, and forced a rare 12-hour shutdown of Manila's international airport. Authorities said on Wednesday one person had drowned while three died after being hit by trees and flying objects. Disaster officials did not offer details on how the other victims died, but local police reports indicated some may have drowned or been crushed by trees. Mark Timbal, the spokesman for the national disaster agency, said no new bodies have been found but the death toll could rise as reports on the ground are verified. "There is the possibility of an increase in the number, but we are hoping against it," Timbal told AFP. Hundreds of thousands of people living in exposed or low-lying areas were evacuated from their homes before Kammuri made landfall late Monday, which authorities said had saved lives. Still the storm-damaged 135 schools and destroyed nearly 1,200 homes, with crop damage in the hardest-hit areas estimated to reach nearly $16 million. The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, killing hundreds and putting people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty. President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to visit on Thursday the Bicol region, a peninsula south of Manila which was hit hard by the typhoon. Ninoy Aquino International Airport was closed half of Tuesday as a precaution, affecting over 500 flights, while roughly half the day's programme at the Southeast Asian Games, hosted by Manila and nearby cities, had to be postponed.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri death toll hits 13

The death toll from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/typhoon-kills-3-in-philippines-hundreds-of-flights-halted-265967">a typhoon</a> that hit provinces south of the Philippine capital rose to 10, disaster agencies said on Wednesday, pointing to precautions and compulsory evacuations as key in preventing more casualties.

Typhoon Kammuri, the 20th to enter the Philippines this year, hit land on Monday night, prompting forced evacuation of thousands of residents and cancellation of hundreds of flights. It also disrupted the schedule for some events in the Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines is hosting until Dec. 11.

Five people died in the central Bicol region, including three who drowned, a local disaster agency said in a report. Five more were killed in a region south of the capital.

Around 345,000 people are still in evacuation centres, awaiting authorities' clearance for them to return home, disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal told broadcaster ANC.

"The storm left the usual damage of major storms such as fallen trees, ruined roofs of houses and some government facilities," Timbal said. Officials said forced evacuations and preparations prevented greater loss of life.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-killed-over-two-lakh-evacuated-as-typhoon-kammuri-pounds-philippines-closes-manila-airport-265891">Sustained winds of Kammuri weakened to 100 kilometres per hour</a>, with gusts of up to 125 kph&nbsp;as it heads towards the South China Sea. It is set to leave the Philippines on Wednesday night, the state weather bureau said.

An average of 20 typhoons annually hit the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands.

The death toll from a typhoon that hit provinces south of the Philippine capital rose to 10, disaster agencies said on Wednesday, pointing to precautions and compulsory evacuations as key in preventing more casualties.

The death toll from a typhoon that hit provinces south of the Philippine capital rose to 10, disaster agencies said on Wednesday, pointing to precautions and compulsory evacuations as key in preventing more casualties. Typhoon Kammuri, the 20th to enter the Philippines this year, hit land on Monday night, prompting forced evacuation of thousands of residents and cancellation of hundreds of flights. It also disrupted the schedule for some events in the Southeast Asian Games, which the Philippines is hosting until Dec. 11. Five people died in the central Bicol region, including three who drowned, a local disaster agency said in a report. Five more were killed in a region south of the capital. Around 345,000 people are still in evacuation centres, awaiting authorities' clearance for them to return home, disaster agency spokesman Mark Timbal told broadcaster ANC. "The storm left the usual damage of major storms such as fallen trees, ruined roofs of houses and some government facilities," Timbal said. Officials said forced evacuations and preparations prevented greater loss of life. Sustained winds of Kammuri weakened to 100 kilometres per hour, with gusts of up to 125 kph as it heads towards the South China Sea. It is set to leave the Philippines on Wednesday night, the state weather bureau said. An average of 20 typhoons annually hit the Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands.

Philippines: Typhoon Kammuri kills ten

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/arrests-ordered-in-philippines-vaping-ban-263361">The Philippines</a> was braced for powerful Typhoon Kammuri as the storm churned closer, forcing evacuations and threatening plans for the Southeast Asian Games events near the capital Manila.

Kammuri is expected to make landfall late Monday or early Tuesday in the nation's east with heavy rains and wind gusts of up to 185 kilometres&nbsp;per hour, forecasters said.

The storm is on track to then pass close to Manila, which is home to some 13 million people and the site for many of the SEA Games competitions.

Nearly 70,000 people have already fled their homes in the Bicol region, which is where the typhoon is expected to make landfall.

"We hope there won't be any damage, but given its (Kammuri's) strength, we can't avoid it," Mark Timbal, spokesman for the national disaster agency, told AFP.

"We have preemptively evacuated people in areas that are in the storm's direct path."

The weather bureau also warned of rain-induced landslides and possible storm surges of up to three meters which could hit coastal areas in the nation's east.

The Philippines is hit by an average of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-in-philippines-flee-typhoon-kalmaegi-263171">20 storms and typhoons each year</a>, killing hundreds and putting people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty.&nbsp;

The country's deadliest cyclone on record was Super&nbsp;Typhoon&nbsp;Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013.

Games plagued by build-up woes

Kammuri is already snarling plans for the SEA Games, which opened Saturday for thousands of athletes from the region and is set to run through December 11 in and around Manila.

Windsurfing was cancelled and triathlon events were held earlier than scheduled. Organisers are due to deliver an update on the impact later on Monday.

Organisers have insisted they have contingency plans in place, including allowing indoor events to proceed but with attendance limited to competitors.

The storm is the latest trouble for the SEA Games, which saw a series of transport snafus and a rush of last-minute construction ahead of the opening.

This year's Games in Clark, Manila and Subic are already particularly complex, with a record 56 sports across dozens of venues that are in some cases hours apart by car.

Around 8,750 athletes and team officials are expected at this year's 30th edition,&nbsp;the biggest ever, along with another 12,000 volunteers. Organisers hope more than 500 million viewers will tune in on TV by the end of competition on December 11.

In an eclectic programme, Olympic sports like swimming and athletics sit side-by-side with regional favourites such as martial arts, and this year athletes will even battle an obstacle racecourse in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/want-to-ban-toxic-vaping-philippines-president-duterte-263244">Manila</a>.

The Philippines was braced for powerful Typhoon Kammuri as the storm churned closer, forcing evacuations and threatening plans for the Southeast Asian Games events near the capital Manila.

The Philippines was braced for powerful Typhoon Kammuri as the storm churned closer, forcing evacuations and threatening plans for the Southeast Asian Games events near the capital Manila. Kammuri is expected to make landfall late Monday or early Tuesday in the nation's east with heavy rains and wind gusts of up to 185 kilometres per hour, forecasters said. The storm is on track to then pass close to Manila, which is home to some 13 million people and the site for many of the SEA Games competitions. Nearly 70,000 people have already fled their homes in the Bicol region, which is where the typhoon is expected to make landfall. "We hope there won't be any damage, but given its (Kammuri's) strength, we can't avoid it," Mark Timbal, spokesman for the national disaster agency, told AFP. "We have preemptively evacuated people in areas that are in the storm's direct path." The weather bureau also warned of rain-induced landslides and possible storm surges of up to three meters which could hit coastal areas in the nation's east. The Philippines is hit by an average of 20 storms and typhoons each year, killing hundreds and putting people in disaster-prone areas in a state of constant poverty. The country's deadliest cyclone on record was Super Typhoon Haiyan, which left more than 7,300 people dead or missing in 2013. Games plagued by build-up woes Kammuri is already snarling plans for the SEA Games, which opened Saturday for thousands of athletes from the region and is set to run through December 11 in and around Manila. Windsurfing was cancelled and triathlon events were held earlier than scheduled. Organisers are due to deliver an update on the impact later on Monday. Organisers have insisted they have contingency plans in place, including allowing indoor events to proceed but with attendance limited to competitors. The storm is the latest trouble for the SEA Games, which saw a series of transport snafus and a rush of last-minute construction ahead of the opening. This year's Games in Clark, Manila and Subic are already particularly complex, with a record 56 sports across dozens of venues that are in some cases hours apart by car. Around 8,750 athletes and team officials are expected at this year's 30th edition, the biggest ever, along with another 12,000 volunteers. Organisers hope more than 500 million viewers will tune in on TV by the end of competition on December 11. In an eclectic programme, Olympic sports like swimming and athletics sit side-by-side with regional favourites such as martial arts, and this year athletes will even battle an obstacle racecourse in Manila.

Philippines: Thousands flee as Typhoon Kammuri expected to make landfall

Three emergency workers were killed in a helicopter crash near Marseille while on a rescue mission in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/floods-and-rain-kill-two-in-southern-france-265624">flood-hit southern France</a>, the interior ministry said Monday.

Their EC145 helicopter lost radio and radar contact while on a rescue and reconnaissance flight in the Var region Sunday night. The three were found dead at 1:30 am near the town of Rove, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner and his secretary of state Laurent Nunez said in a statement.

An investigation was underway to determine the circumstances of the crash.

"While France is preparing today to pay tribute to 13 of its soldiers who died serving it (in Mali), our country is losing three everyday heroes who gave their lives to protect the French," Castaner and Nunez said.

Two people were killed on Sunday by floods in the French Riviera, which has been hit by fresh torrential rains a week after extreme weather left six dead.

Three emergency workers were killed in a helicopter crash near Marseille while on a rescue mission in flood-hit southern France, the interior ministry said Monday.

Three emergency workers were killed in a helicopter crash near Marseille while on a rescue mission in flood-hit southern France, the interior ministry said Monday. Their EC145 helicopter lost radio and radar contact while on a rescue and reconnaissance flight in the Var region Sunday night. The three were found dead at 1:30 am near the town of Rove, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner and his secretary of state Laurent Nunez said in a statement. An investigation was underway to determine the circumstances of the crash. "While France is preparing today to pay tribute to 13 of its soldiers who died serving it (in Mali), our country is losing three everyday heroes who gave their lives to protect the French," Castaner and Nunez said. Two people were killed on Sunday by floods in the French Riviera, which has been hit by fresh torrential rains a week after extreme weather left six dead.

France: Three flood rescuers killed in helicopter crash

Two&nbsp;people were&nbsp;killed&nbsp;on Sunday by&nbsp;floods&nbsp;in the French Riviera, which has been hit by fresh torrential rains a week after extreme weather left six dead, authorities said.

In the Var region, a shepherd was swept away as he was trying to cross a ford in his 4x4 while tending to his flock. His body was found in his vehicle late Sunday night 300 metres&nbsp;downstream from where he was last seen, the prefecture said early Monday.

Elsewhere in the region, the owner of a stable was found dead&nbsp;two&nbsp;hours after he was also washed away while out watching over his animals, it said.

The Var and the neighbouring Alpes-Maritimes region were on red alert for&nbsp;floods&nbsp;which disrupted train services and cut the A8 motorway for four hours Sunday evening.

Many cultural and sporting events were also called off due to the bad weather, including Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 match at Monaco.

During the previous weekend, heavy rains caused the deaths of six people in the Var.

Two people were killed on Sunday by floods in the French Riviera, which has been hit by fresh torrential rains a week after extreme weather left six dead, authorities said.

Two people were killed on Sunday by floods in the French Riviera, which has been hit by fresh torrential rains a week after extreme weather left six dead, authorities said. In the Var region, a shepherd was swept away as he was trying to cross a ford in his 4x4 while tending to his flock. His body was found in his vehicle late Sunday night 300 metres downstream from where he was last seen, the prefecture said early Monday. Elsewhere in the region, the owner of a stable was found dead two hours after he was also washed away while out watching over his animals, it said. The Var and the neighbouring Alpes-Maritimes region were on red alert for floods which disrupted train services and cut the A8 motorway for four hours Sunday evening. Many cultural and sporting events were also called off due to the bad weather, including Paris Saint-Germain's Ligue 1 match at Monaco. During the previous weekend, heavy rains caused the deaths of six people in the Var.

Floods and rain kill two in southern France

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/one-dead-buildings-down-after-strongest-tremor-in-decades-hits-albania-264576">Albanian rescuers</a> searched rubble through the night looking for&nbsp;survivors&nbsp;trapped in buildings that toppled Tuesday in the strongest&nbsp;earthquake&nbsp;to hit the country in decades, with&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;20&nbsp;dead&nbsp;and hundreds injured.

Teams of soldiers, police and emergency workers sifted through the debris of shredded apartment blocks and hotels in towns near&nbsp;Albania's northwest Adriatic coast, close to the epicentre of the 6.4 magnitude&nbsp;earthquake&nbsp;that rattled the country before dawn.&nbsp;

By evening the toll was 22&nbsp;dead, according to the defence ministry.

Most were pulled from the wreckage in the coastal city of Durres and Thumane, a town north of the capital Tirana.

In neighbouring Kurbin a man in his fifties died in the morning after jumping from his building in panic. Another perished in a car accident after the&nbsp;earthquake&nbsp;tore open parts of the road, the ministry said.

More&nbsp;than&nbsp;40 people have also been retrieved alive in marathon rescue efforts that continued with headlamps and spotlights after the sun went down.

"The rescue teams will continue all night," defence ministry spokeswoman Albana Qehajaj told AFP.

"We must be careful because the night makes any operation&nbsp;more&nbsp;difficult," she added.

Earlier in Thumane, locals watching emergency workers comb over a collapsed building shouted the names of their loved ones still inside: "Mira!", "Ariela!", "Selvije!".

Dulejman Kolaveri, a man in his 50s in Thumane, told AFP he feared his 70-year-old mother and six-year-old niece were trapped inside the five-storey apartment because they lived on the top floor.&nbsp;

"I don't know if they are&nbsp;dead&nbsp;or alive. I'm afraid of their fate... only God knows," he said with trembling hands.

There were also brief bursts of joy during the day as rescuers delicately extracted&nbsp;survivors.

One thin, middle-aged man covered in a film of grey dust was seen being carried out of the rubble&nbsp;on a stretcher in Thumane.

In Durres, onlookers cheered "Bravo!" as a team used ropes to rescue a young man from the wreckage of a toppled seaside hotel in a two-hour operation.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/second-powerful-tremor-to-hit-the-albania-in-two-months-264671">In pictures:&nbsp;How Albania's most powerful earthquake wrecked the capital city 
​​​​​​​</a> 
Night in the stadium

Afraid to return home after a series of powerful aftershocks, hundreds of people in Durres took shelter for the night in tents set up in the city's football stadium.

The health ministry said that&nbsp;more&nbsp;than&nbsp;600 people have received first aid for injuries, mostly minor.&nbsp;

During a visit to victims in a hospital in Tirana, Prime Minister Edi Rama told local media that Wednesday would be a national "day of mourning".&nbsp;

"We have lost human lives, we have also saved a lot of lives," he said.

Some 300 local soldiers and 1,900 police were sent to Durres and Thumane to assist with the rescue efforts, according to authorities.&nbsp;

Aid also poured in from around Europe, with teams from Italy, Greece and Romania among those deployed to help.

Albania's cities and coastline have undergone rapid development in recent decades, and illegal construction ignoring building codes is rife.&nbsp;

Felt across the Balkans

Tuesday's quake was the strongest to hit the Durres region since 1926, seismologist Rrapo Ormeni told local television.

Albanian authorities described it as the most powerful in the last&nbsp;20-30 years.

It struck at 3:54 am local time, with an epicentre 34 kilometres northwest of Tirana, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.

In Tirana, panicked residents ran out onto the streets and huddled together after the quake struck.

Several powerful aftershocks followed, including one of 5.3 magnitude.&nbsp;

The tremors were felt across the Balkans, from Sarajevo to Belgrade and the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad almost 700 kilometres away, according to reports in local media and on social networks.

The Balkan peninsula lies near the fault line of two large tectonic plates, the African and Eurasian, and earthquakes are frequent.&nbsp;

The movements of the small Adriatic micro-plate also produces earthquakes, according to Kresimir Kuk from the Croatian seismological institute.

The most devastating quake in recent times hit North Macedonia's capital Skopje in July 1963, killing around a thousand people and destroying some 80 per cent of the city.

Albanian rescuers searched rubble through the night looking for survivors trapped in buildings that toppled Tuesday in the strongest earthquake to hit the country in decades, with more than 20 dead and hundreds injured.

Albanian rescuers searched rubble through the night looking for survivors trapped in buildings that toppled Tuesday in the strongest earthquake to hit the country in decades, with more than 20 dead and hundreds injured. Teams of soldiers, police and emergency workers sifted through the debris of shredded apartment blocks and hotels in towns near Albania's northwest Adriatic coast, close to the epicentre of the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that rattled the country before dawn. By evening the toll was 22 dead, according to the defence ministry. Most were pulled from the wreckage in the coastal city of Durres and Thumane, a town north of the capital Tirana. In neighbouring Kurbin a man in his fifties died in the morning after jumping from his building in panic. Another perished in a car accident after the earthquake tore open parts of the road, the ministry said. More than 40 people have also been retrieved alive in marathon rescue efforts that continued with headlamps and spotlights after the sun went down. "The rescue teams will continue all night," defence ministry spokeswoman Albana Qehajaj told AFP. "We must be careful because the night makes any operation more difficult," she added. Earlier in Thumane, locals watching emergency workers comb over a collapsed building shouted the names of their loved ones still inside: "Mira!", "Ariela!", "Selvije!". Dulejman Kolaveri, a man in his 50s in Thumane, told AFP he feared his 70-year-old mother and six-year-old niece were trapped inside the five-storey apartment because they lived on the top floor. "I don't know if they are dead or alive. I'm afraid of their fate... only God knows," he said with trembling hands. There were also brief bursts of joy during the day as rescuers delicately extracted survivors. One thin, middle-aged man covered in a film of grey dust was seen being carried out of the rubble on a stretcher in Thumane. In Durres, onlookers cheered "Bravo!" as a team used ropes to rescue a young man from the wreckage of a toppled seaside hotel in a two-hour operation. In pictures: How Albania's most powerful earthquake wrecked the capital city Night in the stadium Afraid to return home after a series of powerful aftershocks, hundreds of people in Durres took shelter for the night in tents set up in the city's football stadium. The health ministry said that more than 600 people have received first aid for injuries, mostly minor. During a visit to victims in a hospital in Tirana, Prime Minister Edi Rama told local media that Wednesday would be a national "day of mourning". "We have lost human lives, we have also saved a lot of lives," he said. Some 300 local soldiers and 1,900 police were sent to Durres and Thumane to assist with the rescue efforts, according to authorities. Aid also poured in from around Europe, with teams from Italy, Greece and Romania among those deployed to help. Albania's cities and coastline have undergone rapid development in recent decades, and illegal construction ignoring building codes is rife. Felt across the Balkans Tuesday's quake was the strongest to hit the Durres region since 1926, seismologist Rrapo Ormeni told local television. Albanian authorities described it as the most powerful in the last 20-30 years. It struck at 3:54 am local time, with an epicentre 34 kilometres northwest of Tirana, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre. In Tirana, panicked residents ran out onto the streets and huddled together after the quake struck. Several powerful aftershocks followed, including one of 5.3 magnitude. The tremors were felt across the Balkans, from Sarajevo to Belgrade and the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad almost 700 kilometres away, according to reports in local media and on social networks. The Balkan peninsula lies near the fault line of two large tectonic plates, the African and Eurasian, and earthquakes are frequent. The movements of the small Adriatic micro-plate also produces earthquakes, according to Kresimir Kuk from the Croatian seismological institute. The most devastating quake in recent times hit North Macedonia's capital Skopje in July 1963, killing around a thousand people and destroying some 80 per cent of the city.

Albania: Earthquake kills 20, hunt for survivors still ongoing

A shallow 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Laos near the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-arrives-in-thailand-at-start-of-asia-trip-263302">Thai border early Thursday</a>, the United States Geological Survey reported, alarming locals who felt buildings shake as far away as Bangkok.

There were no immediate reports of damage after the quake hit at 6:50 am.

But tremors could be felt more than 700 kilometres&nbsp;away in the Thai capital, where Pope Francis is currently on a four-day visit.&nbsp;

"The shaking... was the main shock from a quake in Laos at 6:50 am and was felt in northern and northeastern Thailand and Bangkok and suburbs," said Sophon Chaila, an official at the Thai Meteorological Department.

"As of now there is no report of damage," Sophon said.

The department said the quake-affected nine provinces in Thailand and there were four lesser aftershocks. It also became a top trending topic on Twitter in Thailand.

Residents in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi also felt buildings sway.&nbsp;

"The ceiling lights were shaking quite strongly. I felt dizzy and scared," said Hanoi resident Tran Hoa Phuong, who felt the earthquake in her 27-storey apartment building.&nbsp;

It hit about three hours after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck the same region of Laos, near the site of the large Xayaburi dam project, which reported no damage so far.&nbsp;

Information is slow to trickle out of the closed communist state, and there were similarly no official reports of damage or injuries after the twin quakes hit early Thursday.

Impoverished Laos has ploughed ahead with ambitious dam-building projects that critics say lack transparency and stringent safety measures.

The cost was laid bare last year when a massive hydropower project collapsed in southern Laos, killing dozens and leaving thousands homeless.

Pope Francis arrived in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seven-suspects-arrested-for-rebel-attacks-in-thailands-south-260958">Bangkok</a> on Wednesday and has a busy agenda Thursday meeting officials and the Thai king before he leads a mass in the evening.&nbsp;

There was no word from his team on whether he felt the quake.&nbsp;

Powerful earthquakes occasionally strike hard in Southeast Asia.

In 2016 a 6.8-magnitude quake struck Myanmar, killing at least three people and damaging temples in the ancient temple town of Bagan.&nbsp;

A shallow 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Laos near the Thai border early Thursday, the United States Geological Survey reported, alarming locals who felt buildings shake as far away as Bangkok.

A shallow 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit northwestern Laos near the Thai border early Thursday, the United States Geological Survey reported, alarming locals who felt buildings shake as far away as Bangkok. There were no immediate reports of damage after the quake hit at 6:50 am. But tremors could be felt more than 700 kilometres away in the Thai capital, where Pope Francis is currently on a four-day visit. "The shaking... was the main shock from a quake in Laos at 6:50 am and was felt in northern and northeastern Thailand and Bangkok and suburbs," said Sophon Chaila, an official at the Thai Meteorological Department. "As of now there is no report of damage," Sophon said. The department said the quake-affected nine provinces in Thailand and there were four lesser aftershocks. It also became a top trending topic on Twitter in Thailand. Residents in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi also felt buildings sway. "The ceiling lights were shaking quite strongly. I felt dizzy and scared," said Hanoi resident Tran Hoa Phuong, who felt the earthquake in her 27-storey apartment building. It hit about three hours after a 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck the same region of Laos, near the site of the large Xayaburi dam project, which reported no damage so far. Information is slow to trickle out of the closed communist state, and there were similarly no official reports of damage or injuries after the twin quakes hit early Thursday. Impoverished Laos has ploughed ahead with ambitious dam-building projects that critics say lack transparency and stringent safety measures. The cost was laid bare last year when a massive hydropower project collapsed in southern Laos, killing dozens and leaving thousands homeless. Pope Francis arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday and has a busy agenda Thursday meeting officials and the Thai king before he leads a mass in the evening. There was no word from his team on whether he felt the quake. Powerful earthquakes occasionally strike hard in Southeast Asia. In 2016 a 6.8-magnitude quake struck Myanmar, killing at least three people and damaging temples in the ancient temple town of Bagan.

6.1-magnitude quake hits Thailand-Laos border

A powerful earthquake struck near <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/one-dead-six-injured-in-suicide-bombing-at-indonesian-police-station-261872">Indonesia's Moluccas islands</a> on Thursday, prompting panicked residents to flee to higher ground, though a tsunami alert was later lifted and there were no immediate reports of casualties.

The quake had a magnitude of 7.1 and its epicentre in the sea was 139 km northwest of the city of Ternate at a depth of 45 km, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. More than 20 aftershocks occurred.

Indonesia's geophysics agency lifted the tsunami warning after two hours because it detected only small waves in Ternate, Jailolo and Bitung.

Miftahudin, an official in Jailolo in the Halmahera area of the Moluccas, said residents had fled to the hills.

"After the earthquakes, there was an electricity blackout," he told news portal Tribunnews. There had been no reports of fatalities or damage in the area, he said.

The quake was also felt strongly on the island of Sulawesi, to the west of the epicentre, where authorities urged people to move to higher ground and stay away from the beaches.

Indah Lengkong, a resident of the port city of Bitung in North Sulawesi, said by text message: "The house was visibly shaking."

People in her neighbourhood had initially panicked, she said, adding: "The quake was very strong and lasted for a while. We can still feel tremors but weaker."

Tremors shook buildings in cities across North Sulawesi.

Indonesia is situated on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, which frequently has earthquakes and sometimes accompanying tsunamis.

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake had struck the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/suspected-suicide-attack-in-indonesia-1-dead-261709">Moluccas islands</a> in July, killing at least four people. The most devastating in recent Indonesian history was on December&nbsp;26 2004 when a magnitude 9.5 quake triggered a massive tsunami that killed around 226,000 people along the shorelines of the Indian Ocean, including more than 126,000 in Indonesia.

Last year, a tsunami hit the city of Palu in Sulawesi, killing thousands.

A powerful earthquake struck near Indonesia's Moluccas islands on Thursday, prompting panicked residents to flee to higher ground, though a tsunami alert was later lifted and there were no immediate reports of casualties.

A powerful earthquake struck near Indonesia's Moluccas islands on Thursday, prompting panicked residents to flee to higher ground, though a tsunami alert was later lifted and there were no immediate reports of casualties. The quake had a magnitude of 7.1 and its epicentre in the sea was 139 km northwest of the city of Ternate at a depth of 45 km, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. More than 20 aftershocks occurred. Indonesia's geophysics agency lifted the tsunami warning after two hours because it detected only small waves in Ternate, Jailolo and Bitung. Miftahudin, an official in Jailolo in the Halmahera area of the Moluccas, said residents had fled to the hills. "After the earthquakes, there was an electricity blackout," he told news portal Tribunnews. There had been no reports of fatalities or damage in the area, he said. The quake was also felt strongly on the island of Sulawesi, to the west of the epicentre, where authorities urged people to move to higher ground and stay away from the beaches. Indah Lengkong, a resident of the port city of Bitung in North Sulawesi, said by text message: "The house was visibly shaking." People in her neighbourhood had initially panicked, she said, adding: "The quake was very strong and lasted for a while. We can still feel tremors but weaker." Tremors shook buildings in cities across North Sulawesi. Indonesia is situated on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, which frequently has earthquakes and sometimes accompanying tsunamis. A magnitude 7.3 earthquake had struck the Moluccas islands in July, killing at least four people. The most devastating in recent Indonesian history was on December 26 2004 when a magnitude 9.5 quake triggered a massive tsunami that killed around 226,000 people along the shorelines of the Indian Ocean, including more than 126,000 in Indonesia. Last year, a tsunami hit the city of Palu in Sulawesi, killing thousands.

Indonesia lifts tsunami alert after powerful earthquake causes panic

As many as 26 people, including women and children, were killed in Pakistan's Sindh province due to lightning following heavy rains. 
 
The lightning incidents took place in the areas of Mithi, Chhachhi and Ram Singh Sodho village in Tharparkar district after widespread rains began battering the desert region late Wednesday night and continued into Thursday, reports Dawn news. 
 
Moreover, dozens of animals have been killed in the region during the last 24 hours. 
 
The incidents of thunder strike took place at Islamkot, Nagarparkar, Mithi, Chhachhro and other areas of Tharparkar. 
 
An incident of a thunderbolt in Kotdiji in Khairpur district set a tree on fire. 
 
According to rescue officials, several injured have been shifted to different hospitals, including the district Civil Hospital Mithi. 
 
Adding that over 16 injured were shifted to health facilities since Wednesday late evening, officials confirmed that at least ten&nbsp;bodies were brought to different hospitals in the region. 
 
On Thursday, the district administration issued a notification of emergency across the district, cancelling leaves of employees of all departments. 
As per the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a westerly wave is affecting lower parts of the country.

As many as 26 people, including women and children, were killed in Pakistan's Sindh province due to lightning following heavy rains. The lightning incidents took place in the areas of Mithi, Chhachhi and Ram Singh Sodho village in Tharparkar district after widespread rains began battering the desert region late Wednesday night and continued into Thursday, reports Dawn news.

As many as 26 people, including women and children, were killed in Pakistan's Sindh province due to lightning following heavy rains. The lightning incidents took place in the areas of Mithi, Chhachhi and Ram Singh Sodho village in Tharparkar district after widespread rains began battering the desert region late Wednesday night and continued into Thursday, reports Dawn news. Moreover, dozens of animals have been killed in the region during the last 24 hours. The incidents of thunder strike took place at Islamkot, Nagarparkar, Mithi, Chhachhro and other areas of Tharparkar. An incident of a thunderbolt in Kotdiji in Khairpur district set a tree on fire. According to rescue officials, several injured have been shifted to different hospitals, including the district Civil Hospital Mithi. Adding that over 16 injured were shifted to health facilities since Wednesday late evening, officials confirmed that at least ten bodies were brought to different hospitals in the region. On Thursday, the district administration issued a notification of emergency across the district, cancelling leaves of employees of all departments. As per the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), a westerly wave is affecting lower parts of the country.

Lightning kills 26 in Pakistan's Sindh province

Deadly Australian bushfires haze Sydney

The death toll from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/13-dead-fishermen-missing-after-cyclone-bulbul-lashes-bangladesh-and-india-261260">a cyclone that barrelled into the coasts of Bangladesh and India</a> has risen to 24, authorities said Monday, as the two nations assess the scale of devastation wreaked by the powerful storm.

Bangladesh carried out one of its biggest-ever evacuation drives, moving some 2.1 million people to cyclone shelters specially built to minimise casualties from such storms, which can claim thousands of victims.

Cyclone&nbsp;Bulbul, packing winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour&nbsp;when it hit late Saturday, killed 12 people in Bangladesh,&nbsp;11 from falling trees, and 12 in India's West Bengal and Odisha states.

Five others remain missing after a fishing trawler sank in squally weather near Bangladesh's southern island of Bhola, district administrator Masud Alam Siddiqui told AFP.

Watch: Cyclone lashes Bay of Bengal

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Bangladesh's junior minister for disaster management Enamur Rahman told AFP&nbsp;Bulbul&nbsp;left a trail of destruction, damaging some 10,000 mud, tin and bamboo homes and 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) of crops.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/a-dozen-dead-fishermen-missing-after-cyclone-bulbul-lashes-bangladesh-and-india-261227">The cyclone weakened</a> as it tracked inland.

The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest which straddles the two nations and is home to several endangered species, shielded the coast from the storm's full impact, officials added.

In India, nearly 120,000 evacuated people were returning home as the cyclone weakened, authorities said. Coastal crops in Odisha were also extensively damaged, officials told the Press Trust of India.

Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, and India's east are regularly battered by cyclones that have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in recent decades.

While the storms' frequency and intensity have increased, partly due to climate change,&nbsp;the death tolls have come down because of faster evacuations and the building of thousands of coastal shelters.

The death toll from a cyclone that barrelled into the coasts of Bangladesh and India has risen to 24, authorities said Monday, as the two nations assess the scale of devastation wreaked by the powerful storm.

The death toll from a cyclone that barrelled into the coasts of Bangladesh and India has risen to 24, authorities said Monday, as the two nations assess the scale of devastation wreaked by the powerful storm. Bangladesh carried out one of its biggest-ever evacuation drives, moving some 2.1 million people to cyclone shelters specially built to minimise casualties from such storms, which can claim thousands of victims. Cyclone Bulbul, packing winds of up to 120 kilometres per hour when it hit late Saturday, killed 12 people in Bangladesh, 11 from falling trees, and 12 in India's West Bengal and Odisha states. Five others remain missing after a fishing trawler sank in squally weather near Bangladesh's southern island of Bhola, district administrator Masud Alam Siddiqui told AFP. Watch: Cyclone lashes Bay of Bengal Bangladesh's junior minister for disaster management Enamur Rahman told AFP Bulbul left a trail of destruction, damaging some 10,000 mud, tin and bamboo homes and 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) of crops. The cyclone weakened as it tracked inland. The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest which straddles the two nations and is home to several endangered species, shielded the coast from the storm's full impact, officials added. In India, nearly 120,000 evacuated people were returning home as the cyclone weakened, authorities said. Coastal crops in Odisha were also extensively damaged, officials told the Press Trust of India. Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, and India's east are regularly battered by cyclones that have claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in recent decades. While the storms' frequency and intensity have increased, partly due to climate change, the death tolls have come down because of faster evacuations and the building of thousands of coastal shelters.

Cyclone Bulbul kills 24 in Bay of Bengal

Cyclone Bulbul lashed Bangladesh overnight, killing six people and leaving relatives in a desperate search for 36 missing fishermen, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday.

Some 30 people were injured and around 6,000 homes were partially or fully damaged, authorities said.

Five of the six victims were killed by falling trees, including a 52-year old woman who had spent the night in a shelter. She returned home on Sunday and was killed when a tree crashed on her house. Another victim, a 60-year old fisherman, had refused to evacuate.

Two fishing boats have not yet returned and relatives have been unable to contact the men on board, said Anwar Uddin, a local public representative in the southern Bhola district.

No major damage was immediately reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living.

Some 2 million people from all of Bangladesh's 13 coastal districts huddled in about 5,558 shelters on Saturday night. Outside, wind speeds rose to between 100 and 120 km per hour&nbsp;and some low-lying coastal areas were flooded.

Wind speeds have now come down to between 70 and 80 kph, authorities said.

"It may take couple of days to get a normal situation," Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters.

About 1,200 predominantly domestic tourists were stuck at the Saint Martin island in the Cox's Bazar district, Rahman said.

"All of them will be rescued," he said.

The cyclone season in the Bay of Bengal can last from April to December. In 1999, a super-cyclone battered the coast of India's Odisha state for 30 hours, killing 10,000 people.

India's eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha have received heavy rainfall since early Saturday and there were reports of hundreds of trees being uprooted.

Cyclone Bulbul lashed Bangladesh overnight, killing six people and leaving relatives in a desperate search for 36 missing fishermen, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday.

Cyclone Bulbul lashed Bangladesh overnight, killing six people and leaving relatives in a desperate search for 36 missing fishermen, though prompt evacuations saved many lives and the worst was over, officials said on Sunday. Some 30 people were injured and around 6,000 homes were partially or fully damaged, authorities said. Five of the six victims were killed by falling trees, including a 52-year old woman who had spent the night in a shelter. She returned home on Sunday and was killed when a tree crashed on her house. Another victim, a 60-year old fisherman, had refused to evacuate. Two fishing boats have not yet returned and relatives have been unable to contact the men on board, said Anwar Uddin, a local public representative in the southern Bhola district. No major damage was immediately reported in camps in southeast Bangladesh where hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring Myanmar are living. Some 2 million people from all of Bangladesh's 13 coastal districts huddled in about 5,558 shelters on Saturday night. Outside, wind speeds rose to between 100 and 120 km per hour and some low-lying coastal areas were flooded. Wind speeds have now come down to between 70 and 80 kph, authorities said. "It may take couple of days to get a normal situation," Enamur Rahman, the junior minister for disaster management and relief, told Reuters. About 1,200 predominantly domestic tourists were stuck at the Saint Martin island in the Cox's Bazar district, Rahman said. "All of them will be rescued," he said. The cyclone season in the Bay of Bengal can last from April to December. In 1999, a super-cyclone battered the coast of India's Odisha state for 30 hours, killing 10,000 people. India's eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha have received heavy rainfall since early Saturday and there were reports of hundreds of trees being uprooted.

Six dead, 36 fishermen missing after cyclone Bulbul lashes Bangladesh

A very severe category cyclone Bulbul is set to arrive at the Bangladesh coasts on Saturday midnight. 
 
To deal with the severe storm, Army teams have been deployed in the coastal region of Satkhira, Dhaka Tribune reported. 
 
According to the Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPRD) of Bangladesh, the Army was deployed on Saturday to combat the tropical storm. 
"All coastal infantries of the Bangla army are prepared to take immediate action to provide all kinds of assistance during and post cyclonic destruction," ISPRD statement read. 
 
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said the cyclone 'Bulbul' is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupra. 
 
"Cyclone Bulbul's present intensity is 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph. It is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island (WB) and Khepupra (Bangladesh)," the IMD said.

A very severe category cyclone Bulbul is set to arrive at the Bangladesh coasts on Saturday midnight. To deal with the severe storm, Army teams have been deployed in the coastal region of Satkhira, Dhaka Tribune reported.

A very severe category cyclone Bulbul is set to arrive at the Bangladesh coasts on Saturday midnight. To deal with the severe storm, Army teams have been deployed in the coastal region of Satkhira, Dhaka Tribune reported. According to the Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPRD) of Bangladesh, the Army was deployed on Saturday to combat the tropical storm. "All coastal infantries of the Bangla army are prepared to take immediate action to provide all kinds of assistance during and post cyclonic destruction," ISPRD statement read. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said the cyclone 'Bulbul' is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal and Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island and Khepupra. "Cyclone Bulbul's present intensity is 125-135 kmph, gusting to 150 kmph. It is likely to weaken gradually and move northeastwards and cross West Bengal-Bangladesh coasts between Sagar Island (WB) and Khepupra (Bangladesh)," the IMD said.

Cyclone Bulbul approaching Bangladesh's coastal area Satkhira

Bangladesh authorities have evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said.

The Meteorological Department has asked local authorities and two ports to raise their highest alert, as the cyclone is expected to unleash a storm surge as high as seven feet&nbsp;in coastal districts.

Bulbul, packing a maximum wind speed of 120 kilometres per hour, is on course to make landfall near the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and part of eastern India and is home to the endangered Bengal tigers.

The cyclone is expected to hit the Bangladesh coast at around 8 pm (1400 GMT), disaster management secretary Shah Kamal told AFP, adding there are plans to evacuate some 1.5 million people before that.

Authorities have suspended a nationwide school test, cancelled the holidays of officials posted in coastal districts and called off a traditional fair that draws tens of thousands of people in the Sundarbans.

Operations at the country's two major ports,&nbsp;Mongla and Chittagong,&nbsp;have been suspended, Kamal said.

Some 55,000 volunteers have been mobilised to go door to door and alert people about the storm.

Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, is regularly battered by powerful cyclones that leave a trail of devastation in their wake.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed over the last few decades in cyclones, whose frequency and intensity have increased.

Bangladesh has, however, improved its preparedness in recent years, cutting the number casualties since Cyclone Sidr killed more than 3,000 people in 2007.

In May this year, Fani became the most powerful storm to hit the country in five years, but just over a dozen people were killed.

Bangladesh authorities have evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said.

Bangladesh authorities have evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said. The Meteorological Department has asked local authorities and two ports to raise their highest alert, as the cyclone is expected to unleash a storm surge as high as seven feet in coastal districts. Bulbul, packing a maximum wind speed of 120 kilometres per hour, is on course to make landfall near the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and part of eastern India and is home to the endangered Bengal tigers. The cyclone is expected to hit the Bangladesh coast at around 8 pm (1400 GMT), disaster management secretary Shah Kamal told AFP, adding there are plans to evacuate some 1.5 million people before that. Authorities have suspended a nationwide school test, cancelled the holidays of officials posted in coastal districts and called off a traditional fair that draws tens of thousands of people in the Sundarbans. Operations at the country's two major ports, Mongla and Chittagong, have been suspended, Kamal said. Some 55,000 volunteers have been mobilised to go door to door and alert people about the storm. Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, is regularly battered by powerful cyclones that leave a trail of devastation in their wake. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed over the last few decades in cyclones, whose frequency and intensity have increased. Bangladesh has, however, improved its preparedness in recent years, cutting the number casualties since Cyclone Sidr killed more than 3,000 people in 2007. In May this year, Fani became the most powerful storm to hit the country in five years, but just over a dozen people were killed.

Bangladesh evacuates 100,000 as Cyclone Bulbul approaches

A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.8 struck northwestern Iran on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring more than 300, according to Iranian state media.

The US&nbsp;Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.8 quake struck at 2:17 am&nbsp;83 kms&nbsp;southwest of Ardabil in East Azerbaijan province.

State news agency IRNA said the quake was followed by more than 60 aftershocks, causing panic among residents who rushed out of their houses in the middle of the night.

"Rescue teams and helicopters have been dispatched to the quake-hit areas and hospitals are on full alert to help injured people. Unfortunately, six people were killed and 345 were injured," Iran's emergency medical services chief Pir Hossein Kolivand told state TV.

The quake was felt in several towns and cities in Iran. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said the quake was felt by some 20 million people. The quake had a shallow depth of 10 km, which would have amplified the shaking.

"The quake hit the Tark county in the province at 02:17 am ...many of people were injured while trying to flee their houses in panic," a local official told TV, adding that some 400 houses were damaged.

Criss-crossed by several major fault lines, Iran is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 quake in Kerman province killed 31,000 people and flattened the ancient city of Bam.

In 2017, a magnitude 7 earthquake struck that struck western Iran and killed more than 600 people and injured more than 9,000.

A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.8 struck northwestern Iran on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring more than 300, according to Iranian state media.

A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.8 struck northwestern Iran on Friday, killing at least six people and injuring more than 300, according to Iranian state media. The US Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.8 quake struck at 2:17 am 83 kms southwest of Ardabil in East Azerbaijan province. State news agency IRNA said the quake was followed by more than 60 aftershocks, causing panic among residents who rushed out of their houses in the middle of the night. "Rescue teams and helicopters have been dispatched to the quake-hit areas and hospitals are on full alert to help injured people. Unfortunately, six people were killed and 345 were injured," Iran's emergency medical services chief Pir Hossein Kolivand told state TV. The quake was felt in several towns and cities in Iran. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said the quake was felt by some 20 million people. The quake had a shallow depth of 10 km, which would have amplified the shaking. "The quake hit the Tark county in the province at 02:17 am ...many of people were injured while trying to flee their houses in panic," a local official told TV, adding that some 400 houses were damaged. Criss-crossed by several major fault lines, Iran is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 quake in Kerman province killed 31,000 people and flattened the ancient city of Bam. In 2017, a magnitude 7 earthquake struck that struck western Iran and killed more than 600 people and injured more than 9,000.

Iran quake kills at least six, injures 300: Report

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Monday chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to take stock of the cyclone 'Maha' situation over Gujarat, Maharashtra and Daman and Diu and the preparedness for rescue and relief operations. 
 
Gauba directed that immediate assistance, as required, should be provided. 
 
"IMD informed that the Cyclone, currently over east-central Arabian Sea is moving west and north-westwards and is likely to intensify further till 5th November morning. It will thereafter weaken and cross the Gujarat and Maharashtra coast by midnight of 6th November and early morning of 7th November 2019," a government statement read. 
 
It further stated that heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching upto 90 to 100 kmph and tidal waves up to 1.5 metres, are expected in several areas. 
 
The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministries of Home, Defence, IMD, NDMA and NDRF. Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra along with officers from the UT Administration participated in the meeting. 
 
According to the government, the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra have informed that necessary preparations have been made by them. NDRF and SDRF teams along with Coast Guard and Naval ships have already been positioned to withstand the onset of the cyclone. 
 
"The district authorities have been put on alert and all fishing activities have been suspended in the area. Daman and Diu Administration also apprised of their preparedness and evacuation plans," the statement read. 
 
Earlier, Maharashtra government issued heavy rain and thundershower warning for north Konkan and north-central part of the state from November 6-8 due to cyclone

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Monday chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to take stock of the cyclone 'Maha' situation over Gujarat, Maharashtra and Daman and Diu and the preparedness for rescue and relief operations.

Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Monday chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC) to take stock of the cyclone 'Maha' situation over Gujarat, Maharashtra and Daman and Diu and the preparedness for rescue and relief operations. Gauba directed that immediate assistance, as required, should be provided. "IMD informed that the Cyclone, currently over east-central Arabian Sea is moving west and north-westwards and is likely to intensify further till 5th November morning. It will thereafter weaken and cross the Gujarat and Maharashtra coast by midnight of 6th November and early morning of 7th November 2019," a government statement read. It further stated that heavy rainfall, accompanied by winds reaching upto 90 to 100 kmph and tidal waves up to 1.5 metres, are expected in several areas. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the Ministries of Home, Defence, IMD, NDMA and NDRF. Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra along with officers from the UT Administration participated in the meeting. According to the government, the Chief Secretaries of Gujarat and Maharashtra have informed that necessary preparations have been made by them. NDRF and SDRF teams along with Coast Guard and Naval ships have already been positioned to withstand the onset of the cyclone. "The district authorities have been put on alert and all fishing activities have been suspended in the area. Daman and Diu Administration also apprised of their preparedness and evacuation plans," the statement read. Earlier, Maharashtra government issued heavy rain and thundershower warning for north Konkan and north-central part of the state from November 6-8 due to cyclone

Cabinet Secretary chairs NCMC meeting to review preparedness for Cyclone Maha

The India Meteorological Department in Gujarat has predicted on Friday that the severe cyclonic storm Maha is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm within the next 12 hours. 
 
Speaking to ANI, Jayant Sarkar, Director of IMD, Gujarat, said: "The movement of the cyclone MAHA over the east-central Arabian Sea is northwestwards, and it is later likely to recurve northeastwards towards Gujarat and intensify into a very severe cyclone." 
 
Sarkar also stated that southern parts of Gujarat are likely to receive heavy rainfall on November 6 and 7, with the possibility of a thunderstorm on November 2. 
 
Earlier today, IMD predicted that thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, gusty winds, and moderate to heavy rainfall will occur in the districts of Pune, Raigad and Nashik during the next 4 hours. 
 
The sea condition is high to very high over the east-central Arabian Sea and will likely become Phenomenal from the evening and rough to very rough over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea. 
 
Fishermen are advised not to venture along in the areas near Karnataka-Goa-Maharashtra Coasts and the east-central Arabian Sea.

The India Meteorological Department in Gujarat has predicted on Friday that the severe cyclonic storm Maha is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm within the next 12 hours.

The India Meteorological Department in Gujarat has predicted on Friday that the severe cyclonic storm Maha is likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm within the next 12 hours. Speaking to ANI, Jayant Sarkar, Director of IMD, Gujarat, said: "The movement of the cyclone MAHA over the east-central Arabian Sea is northwestwards, and it is later likely to recurve northeastwards towards Gujarat and intensify into a very severe cyclone." Sarkar also stated that southern parts of Gujarat are likely to receive heavy rainfall on November 6 and 7, with the possibility of a thunderstorm on November 2. Earlier today, IMD predicted that thunderstorm accompanied with lightning, gusty winds, and moderate to heavy rainfall will occur in the districts of Pune, Raigad and Nashik during the next 4 hours. The sea condition is high to very high over the east-central Arabian Sea and will likely become Phenomenal from the evening and rough to very rough over Lakshadweep area and adjoining southeast Arabian Sea. Fishermen are advised not to venture along in the areas near Karnataka-Goa-Maharashtra Coasts and the east-central Arabian Sea.

Cyclona Maha to intensify: Indian Meteorological Department

Two new typhoons are moving toward the shores of Japan, where the elimination of the previous <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/clean-up-rescue-efforts-in-japan-as-typhoon-death-toll-nears-70-255968">Typhoon Hagibis'</a> aftermath of floods and landslides caused by heavy rains has not yet been completed, Japan Meteorological Agency said. 
 
This year’s 20th Typhoon Neoguri is expected to reach the coast southwest and south of Tokyo on the morning of October 22, according to the agency. 
 
The wind gusts will reach up to 162 km/h, with the pressure of 985 hectopascals (739 millimetres of mercury) in its centre. 
 
Another Typhoon Bualoi, the 21st in the Japanese classification, is also moving from the south and will reach the east coast of Japan on the night of October 26. The wind gusts in the typhoon area can reach 180 km/h, with the pressure of 970 hectopascals (727 millimetres of mercury). 
 
Last week, Typhoon Hagibis has brought heavy rains and winds to Japan, leading to over 140 landslides in 19 country's prefectures. About 79,000 homes remain submerged in water and with no electricity. 
 
Japanese media reported earlier that the number of deaths in Typhoon Hagibis had risen to 78. The largest number of deaths, 30 people, had been reported in the prefecture of Fukushima, followed by Miyagi and Kanagawa with 16 and 14 victims respectively. The number of injured people reportedly stands at 395.

Two new typhoons are moving toward the shores of Japan, where the elimination of the previous Typhoon Hagibis' aftermath of floods and landslides caused by heavy rains has not yet been completed, Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Two new typhoons are moving toward the shores of Japan, where the elimination of the previous Typhoon Hagibis' aftermath of floods and landslides caused by heavy rains has not yet been completed, Japan Meteorological Agency said. This year’s 20th Typhoon Neoguri is expected to reach the coast southwest and south of Tokyo on the morning of October 22, according to the agency. The wind gusts will reach up to 162 km/h, with the pressure of 985 hectopascals (739 millimetres of mercury) in its centre. Another Typhoon Bualoi, the 21st in the Japanese classification, is also moving from the south and will reach the east coast of Japan on the night of October 26. The wind gusts in the typhoon area can reach 180 km/h, with the pressure of 970 hectopascals (727 millimetres of mercury). Last week, Typhoon Hagibis has brought heavy rains and winds to Japan, leading to over 140 landslides in 19 country's prefectures. About 79,000 homes remain submerged in water and with no electricity. Japanese media reported earlier that the number of deaths in Typhoon Hagibis had risen to 78. The largest number of deaths, 30 people, had been reported in the prefecture of Fukushima, followed by Miyagi and Kanagawa with 16 and 14 victims respectively. The number of injured people reportedly stands at 395.

Two new typhoons to hit Japan in the aftermath of Hagibis: Meteorological agency

Tens of thousands of rescuers were working through Sunday night to reach people feared trapped in Japan by landslides and floods caused by a powerful typhoon that killed at least 26, officials and local media said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-14-dead-nine-missing-after-typhoon-hagibis-hits-japan-rescue-operation-underway-255603">Typhoon Hagibis moved away from land on Sunday morning</a>, but while it largely spared the capital it left a trail of destruction in surrounding regions.

More than 100,000 rescuers - including 31,000 troops - were working through the night to reach people feared trapped after torrential rain caused landslides and filled rivers until they burst their banks.

The destruction forced the Rugby World Cup being hosted by Japan to cancel several games, but the "Brave Blossoms", as the national team is known, lifted spirits with a stunning 28-21 victory over Scotland Sunday that puts them into the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time.

The government put the death toll at 14, with 11 people missing, but local media said at least 26 people had been killed, and at least 15 were still unaccounted for.

Rivers overspilled their banks at close to dozen locations -&nbsp;including in central Japan's Nagano, where a levee breach sent water from the Chikuma river gushing into residential neighbourhoods, flooding homes up to the second floor.

Military and fire department helicopters winched survivors from roofs and balconies in several locations, but in Fukushima, one rescue went tragically awry when a woman died after falling from a chopper cradle.

Elsewhere, rescue workers carried out an hours-long boat operation to evacuate hundreds of people from a retirement home in Kawagoe, northwest of Tokyo, which was flooded up to its top floor.

One elderly woman wearing an orange life vest was brought out from a boat on the back of a hard-hat wearing rescuer. Others were hoisted onto wheelchairs and pushed along a muddy shore on arrival by boat.

Hagibis smashed into the main Japanese island of Honshu on Saturday night as one of the most violent typhoons in recent years, with wind gusts of up to 216 kilometres per hour.

'Please do your best'

The storm claimed its first victim even before making landfall, when high winds flipped a vehicle, killing its driver.

Landslides and flooding claimed more lives overnight, and the toll climbed higher after sunrise on Sunday, as the scale of the devastation wrought by Hagibis became clear.

Bodies were retrieved from submerged homes and vehicles, from raging overflowing rivers, and from buildings buried in landslides.

The dead included a municipal worker whose car was overcome by floodwaters and two Chinese crew members aboard a boat that sank overnight in Tokyo Bay.

Four of the crew were rescued, but authorities were still searching for another six.

"The government will do its utmost," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, vowing that rescue efforts would run through the night.

"Please do your best," he told a disaster management meeting.

More than 110,000 homes were still without power by Sunday evening, with others experiencing water outages.

At the storm's peak, more than seven million people were placed under non-compulsory evacuation orders, and over 135,000 people were still in government shelters by Sunday evening.

The storm prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue its highest-level rain disaster warning, saying "unprecedented" downpours were expected.

'I don't know where to start'

"The water came up higher than my head in the house," Hajime Tokuda, a finance professional living in Kawasaki near Tokyo told AFP.

He moved to his family's home nearby, but that flooded too and they had to be rescued by boat.

In Saitama's Higashi Matsuyama city, northwest of Tokyo, rice and flower farmers were counting their losses, with water submerging warehouses full of freshly harvested produce.

"We never had a flood like this before in this neighbourhood," said one farmer, who declined to give his name.

"I don't know where to start cleaning this mess."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-military-begins-rescue-effort-as-typhoon-hagibis-weakens-4-dead-255547">The storm brought travel chaos during a long holiday weekend in Japan, grounding flights and halting local and bullet train services.</a>

On Sunday, train services began resuming and operations also slowly restarted at the two airports serving the capital, although many flights were cancelled.

But some lines remained halted, with aerial footage in Nagano showing rows of bullet trains partially submerged by flooding.

The storm also caused havoc for the sports world, delaying Japanese Grand Prix qualifiers and forcing the cancellation of several Rugby World Cup matches.

But a crucial decider saw the home team reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time ever.

"To everyone that's suffering from the typhoon, this game was for you guys," said Japan captain Michael Leitch.

Tens of thousands of rescuers were working through Sunday night to reach people feared trapped in Japan by landslides and floods caused by a powerful typhoon that killed at least 26, officials and local media said.

Tens of thousands of rescuers were working through Sunday night to reach people feared trapped in Japan by landslides and floods caused by a powerful typhoon that killed at least 26, officials and local media said. Typhoon Hagibis moved away from land on Sunday morning, but while it largely spared the capital it left a trail of destruction in surrounding regions. More than 100,000 rescuers - including 31,000 troops - were working through the night to reach people feared trapped after torrential rain caused landslides and filled rivers until they burst their banks. The destruction forced the Rugby World Cup being hosted by Japan to cancel several games, but the "Brave Blossoms", as the national team is known, lifted spirits with a stunning 28-21 victory over Scotland Sunday that puts them into the quarter-finals of the tournament for the first time. The government put the death toll at 14, with 11 people missing, but local media said at least 26 people had been killed, and at least 15 were still unaccounted for. Rivers overspilled their banks at close to dozen locations - including in central Japan's Nagano, where a levee breach sent water from the Chikuma river gushing into residential neighbourhoods, flooding homes up to the second floor. Military and fire department helicopters winched survivors from roofs and balconies in several locations, but in Fukushima, one rescue went tragically awry when a woman died after falling from a chopper cradle. Elsewhere, rescue workers carried out an hours-long boat operation to evacuate hundreds of people from a retirement home in Kawagoe, northwest of Tokyo, which was flooded up to its top floor. One elderly woman wearing an orange life vest was brought out from a boat on the back of a hard-hat wearing rescuer. Others were hoisted onto wheelchairs and pushed along a muddy shore on arrival by boat. Hagibis smashed into the main Japanese island of Honshu on Saturday night as one of the most violent typhoons in recent years, with wind gusts of up to 216 kilometres per hour. 'Please do your best' The storm claimed its first victim even before making landfall, when high winds flipped a vehicle, killing its driver. Landslides and flooding claimed more lives overnight, and the toll climbed higher after sunrise on Sunday, as the scale of the devastation wrought by Hagibis became clear. Bodies were retrieved from submerged homes and vehicles, from raging overflowing rivers, and from buildings buried in landslides. The dead included a municipal worker whose car was overcome by floodwaters and two Chinese crew members aboard a boat that sank overnight in Tokyo Bay. Four of the crew were rescued, but authorities were still searching for another six. "The government will do its utmost," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said, vowing that rescue efforts would run through the night. "Please do your best," he told a disaster management meeting. More than 110,000 homes were still without power by Sunday evening, with others experiencing water outages. At the storm's peak, more than seven million people were placed under non-compulsory evacuation orders, and over 135,000 people were still in government shelters by Sunday evening. The storm prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue its highest-level rain disaster warning, saying "unprecedented" downpours were expected. 'I don't know where to start' "The water came up higher than my head in the house," Hajime Tokuda, a finance professional living in Kawasaki near Tokyo told AFP. He moved to his family's home nearby, but that flooded too and they had to be rescued by boat. In Saitama's Higashi Matsuyama city, northwest of Tokyo, rice and flower farmers were counting their losses, with water submerging warehouses full of freshly harvested produce. "We never had a flood like this before in this neighbourhood," said one farmer, who declined to give his name. "I don't know where to start cleaning this mess." The storm brought travel chaos during a long holiday weekend in Japan, grounding flights and halting local and bullet train services. On Sunday, train services began resuming and operations also slowly restarted at the two airports serving the capital, although many flights were cancelled. But some lines remained halted, with aerial footage in Nagano showing rows of bullet trains partially submerged by flooding. The storm also caused havoc for the sports world, delaying Japanese Grand Prix qualifiers and forcing the cancellation of several Rugby World Cup matches. But a crucial decider saw the home team reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time ever. "To everyone that's suffering from the typhoon, this game was for you guys," said Japan captain Michael Leitch.

At least 26 dead as Typhoon Hagibis slams Japan

At least one person lost his life and two others suffered injuries after a house collapsed in Mirpur following an earthquake measuring 3.8 on Richter scale that struck off the city and its adjoining areas in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) on Sunday morning. 
 
Quoting Pakistan Meteorological Department, ARY News, the epicentre of the quake, with a depth of 15 kilometres, was 12 km north-west of Jehlum's course in the Valley. 
 
Mirpur and adjoining areas were shaken by tremors at 10:28 a.m. (local time) for two to three seconds. 
 
Rescue sources were quoted as saying that tremors in the area resulted in a house to collapse, burying three under the debris, with two shifted to a hospital for treatment. 
 
Last month, at least 40 people were killed and 800 were injured when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the Kashmiri city of Mirpur, roughly 20 kilometres north of Jhelum in agricultural Punjab province. 
 
Tremors were also felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Jhelum, Charsadda, Swat, Khyber, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Nowshera, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar and Kohistan.

At least one person lost his life and two others suffered injuries after a house collapsed in Mirpur following an earthquake measuring 3.8 on Richter scale that struck off the city and its adjoining areas in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) on Sunday morning.

At least one person lost his life and two others suffered injuries after a house collapsed in Mirpur following an earthquake measuring 3.8 on Richter scale that struck off the city and its adjoining areas in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) on Sunday morning. Quoting Pakistan Meteorological Department, ARY News, the epicentre of the quake, with a depth of 15 kilometres, was 12 km north-west of Jehlum's course in the Valley. Mirpur and adjoining areas were shaken by tremors at 10:28 a.m. (local time) for two to three seconds. Rescue sources were quoted as saying that tremors in the area resulted in a house to collapse, burying three under the debris, with two shifted to a hospital for treatment. Last month, at least 40 people were killed and 800 were injured when a 5.8-magnitude earthquake jolted the Kashmiri city of Mirpur, roughly 20 kilometres north of Jhelum in agricultural Punjab province. Tremors were also felt in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Murree, Jhelum, Charsadda, Swat, Khyber, Abbottabad, Bajaur, Nowshera, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar and Kohistan.

One dead as earthquake of 3.8 magnitude strikes Pakistan occupied Kashmir

Hurricane&nbsp;Lorenzo&nbsp;has reached Portugal's Azores islands and is already causing strong winds and a few minor incidents across the mid-Atlantic archipelago, authorities said early on Wednesday.

"Right now the hurricane has already arrived in the Azores because we are already being affected by it," said Carlos Neves, the president of the Azores' civil protection authority.

Speaking to reporters, Neves said the hurricane is southwest of the island of Flores and it will affect the remaining western islands at around 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

The hurricane, packing&nbsp;155-kph&nbsp;winds, is likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, with only a slow weakening forecast over the next 48 hours, US&nbsp;forecaster the National Hurricane Center said.

Neves said five minor incidents, such as fallen trees, have been reported so far.

Despite weakening from a Saturday peak,&nbsp;Lorenzo&nbsp;is still a strong Category 2 hurricane but will downgrade to a Category 1 as it continues to follow its path, Portugal's meteorological agency IPMA has said.

Schools and non-emergency public services will be closed on Wednesday, the regional government has said, with ports on some islands also shut.

Authorities closed numerous streets and roads in the Azores as a precautionary measure.

Five minor incidents, including fallen trees, had been reported, while more than 300 firefighters had been put on alert.

"The situation will worsen in the next few hours," Vasco Cordeiro, the president of the regional government, told Portuguese TV channel SIC, as winds strengthened in Flores, which IPMA expects will be the worst hit. The island has about 4,000 inhabitants.

Hurricane Lorenzo has reached Portugal's Azores islands and is already causing strong winds and a few minor incidents across the mid-Atlantic archipelago, authorities said early on Wednesday.

Hurricane Lorenzo has reached Portugal's Azores islands and is already causing strong winds and a few minor incidents across the mid-Atlantic archipelago, authorities said early on Wednesday. "Right now the hurricane has already arrived in the Azores because we are already being affected by it," said Carlos Neves, the president of the Azores' civil protection authority. Speaking to reporters, Neves said the hurricane is southwest of the island of Flores and it will affect the remaining western islands at around 6 a.m. on Wednesday. The hurricane, packing 155-kph winds, is likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions, with only a slow weakening forecast over the next 48 hours, US forecaster the National Hurricane Center said. Neves said five minor incidents, such as fallen trees, have been reported so far. Despite weakening from a Saturday peak, Lorenzo is still a strong Category 2 hurricane but will downgrade to a Category 1 as it continues to follow its path, Portugal's meteorological agency IPMA has said. Schools and non-emergency public services will be closed on Wednesday, the regional government has said, with ports on some islands also shut. Authorities closed numerous streets and roads in the Azores as a precautionary measure. Five minor incidents, including fallen trees, had been reported, while more than 300 firefighters had been put on alert. "The situation will worsen in the next few hours," Vasco Cordeiro, the president of the regional government, told Portuguese TV channel SIC, as winds strengthened in Flores, which IPMA expects will be the worst hit. The island has about 4,000 inhabitants.

Emergency services prepare for hurricane Lorenzo in Portugal

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