CRJ News

Olympic security plans put to the test

News Item
February 22, 2012

UK: A major two-day exercise is currently under way to test the response of the Government and the emergency services to a terrorist incident set during the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer. Exercise 'Forward Defensive' is testing Games ti...

Deadly train crash in Buenos Aires

News Item
February 22, 2012

Argentina: Several people have been killed and some 550 injured in a commuter train crash at a station in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires. Local reporters say they saw 12 bodies removed from the wreckage, with dozens of people still trappe...

UK Government evaluates electro-magnetic pulse event threats

News Item
February 22, 2012

UK: The Government must improve on its current reactive posture to the threat of a major electro-magnetic pulse event says the Defence Committee in its report entitled: Developing Threats: Electro-Magnetic Pulses (EMP) - see CRJ 6:3, October 2011;...

Earthquake shakes northern Italy

News Item
January 28, 2012

Northern Italy has been hit by an earthquake of magnitude 5.3, the second tremor in the area this week. Residents of Turin and Milan were among those who felt the earthquake, at 1553 local time (1453 GMT), though there are no reports of any damag...

Three dead in Rio de Janeiro building collapse

News Item
January 26, 2012

The bodies of three people have been recovered in Brazil by rescue workers searching through rubble after the collapse of three high-rise office buildings in Rio de Janeiro. At least 16 people remain missing, but rescue workers say it is unlikely ...

Big Tokyo earthquake likely 'within the next few years'

News Item
January 24, 2012

The chance of a big earthquake hitting the Japanese capital in the next few years is much greater than official predictions suggest, researchers say. The team, from the University of Tokyo, said there was a 75% probability that a magnitude seven q...

Mexico earthquake in Chiapas shakes region

News Item
January 22, 2012

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake has hit the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, shattering windows and sending frightened residents into the streets. The quake struck in the Pacific Ocean about 35 miles (55km) south-west of the city of Mapastepec, near ...

Elite security rehearsal on the Thames in preparation for Olympics

News Item
January 19, 2012

British security teams have been taking part in a large scale security rehearsal in London ahead of this summer's Olympic Games. Scotland Yard and the Royal Marines are joining forces for a series of "familiarisation exercises" as part of their pr...

Indonesia quake triggers brief tsunami alert

News Item
January 11, 2012

A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Aceh province, prompting officials to issue a brief tsunami warning. Residents ran into the streets after the 7.3 magnitude quake struck 423km (262 miles) south-west of Banda Aceh. No damag...

Brazil dam burst forces thousands from homes

News Item
January 8, 2012

Brazilian authorities are trying to evacuate several thousand people after a dam burst in northern Rio de Janeiro state. Water broke through the dam protecting the town of Campos de Goytacazes, opening up a big crater in a highway. Rio and other p...

Stricken cargo ship Rena breaks up off New Zealand

News Item
January 8, 2012

A cargo ship which ran aground off the coast of New Zealand three months ago has broken in two, spilling containers and threatening a new oil spill. Heavy seas snapped off the stern section of the Greek-owned Rena, which leaked large amounts of fu...

New Zealand's Christchurch rocked by earthquakes

News Item
December 23, 2011

Two strong earthquakes have rocked the New Zealand city of Christchurch, closing the airport and sending residents rushing from buildings. The first 5.8 quake struck at 1358 local time (0058 GMT), the US Geological Survey said. A second of similar...

Philippines floods: More than 1,000 remain missing

News Item
December 23, 2011

The Philippines government says 1,079 people are still missing in the wake of the devastating Typhoon Washi. More than 1,000 others are known to have died in the storm, which struck Mindanao island on Saturday. Entire neighbourhoods in Cagayan de ...

Tanzania floods: Heavy rains inundate Dar es Salaam

News Item
December 23, 2011

At least 20 people have died in floods after unusually heavy rains hit Tanzania's main city of Dar es Salaam. The Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) has warned that the downpours are set to continue and has told those living in the city's valley...

Hong Kong orders chicken cull as bird flu alert raised

News Item
December 21, 2011

Hong Kong is culling 17,000 chickens after three birds were confirmed to have died from the deadly H5N1 bird flu strain in the past week. The government has banned imports and the sale of live chickens for three weeks after an infected chicken car...

Philippines flood toll passes 650 as search continues

News Item
December 18, 2011

The number of people killed in the Philippines by floods triggered by Tropical Storm Washi has risen to 650. Soldiers and volunteers are still searching for the 800 people reported missing on southern Mindanao island. Many were trapped in their ho...

Russian fishing vessel in Antarctic drama

News Item
December 15, 2011

A Russian fishing vessel with 32 people on board has issued a mayday call, after taking on water close to the Antarctic ice shelf. A number of ships are on their way to assist the vessel, the Sparta, but they are being hampered by ice and the near...

Improving earthquake building preparedness

News Item
December 15, 2011

Australia: University of Adelaide researchers are leading an international project to help identify buildings most vulnerable to earthquakes and the best ways to strengthen them. Chief Investigator Professor Mike Griffith, from the University ...

India toxic alcohol kills 102 in West Bengal

News Item
December 15, 2011

At least 102 people are now known to have died after consuming toxic alcohol in India's West Bengal state. Residents of 12 villages in the South 24 Parganas district fell ill after drinking the alcohol. Four people have been arrested. Some 100 oth...

Tala launches international crisis communications network and secures first client

News Item
December 15, 2011

Following its appointment by global security and risk assessment company, red24, PR consultancy Tala has announced the launch of an international crisis communications network. The new network comprises communications experts a...

Papua New Guinea hit by 7.1 magnitude earthquake

News Item
December 14, 2011

A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake has struck the Pacific state of Papua New Guinea, but no tsunami warnings have been issued. The quake struck 89km (55 miles) from the second city of Lae, at a depth of 121km, said the US Geological Survey. "It w...

New award honours Edward Blakely

News Item
December 14, 2011

USA: The Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG), a group affiliated with the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP), is pleased to establish the Edward Blakely Award. This achievement award will be given each year to a worthy candi...

Liege attack: Gunman kills three in Belgium

News Item
December 13, 2011

A gunman has opened fire in the centre of the Belgian city of Liege, killing at least three people and wounding 75. The man also threw grenades into a crowded square from a rooftop before killing himself, reports say. The attacker was named as Nor...

Mexico earthquake kills two in Guerrero state

News Item
December 11, 2011

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake has struck Mexico, shaking buildings and sending people rushing out on to the street. The quake, which struck the western state of Guerrero at 19:47 local time (01:47 GMT), was strongly felt in Mexico City. At least two ...

Ferry hijacked in western Turkey's Gulf of Izmit

News Item
November 11, 2011

A passenger ferry has been seized in waters off north-west Turkey by up to five hijackers, officials say. The ferry, named Kartepe, was travelling in the Sea of Marmara with more than 20 people on board. The captain was allowed to give a brief int...

China: Yunnan gas-leak mine 'is illegal'

News Item
November 11, 2011

A Chinese mine where 21 workers were killed on Thursday and 22 more remain trapped was being operated illegally, state media has reported. The pit, in the south-western Yunnan province, lost its licence a year ago. The government has tried to shut...

Turkey earthquake: Rescue teams search for survivors

News Item
November 10, 2011

Rescue teams are searching for dozens of people trapped in rubble after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Turkey, killing at least seven people. Twenty-five buildings have collapsed, including a six-storey hotel in the city of Van, where ...

China mine disaster: Nineteen killed in Yunnan colliery

News Item
November 10, 2011

Nineteen miners have been killed and more are trapped underground after an accident at a colliery in south China. The incident happened early on Thursday at the Sizhuang mine in Yunnan province's Qujing city. Hundreds of firemen, rescue teams and ...

London 2012: Chemical attack scenario rehearsal

News Item
November 8, 2011

Firefighters have tackled a mock chemical attack in south London during an exercise testing their response skills ahead of the Olympic Games. Crews used specialist equipment to practice decontaminating more than 100 victims as part of the test at...

Colombia mudslide deaths mount

News Item
November 8, 2011

The number of people known to have died in a mudslide in western Colombia has risen to at least 38. Rescuers are continuing to search for more than 20 people believed buried beneath 300 tonnes of earth and mud. Fourteen homes were swept away when ...

India stampede 'kills 16' at Haridwar festival

News Item
November 8, 2011

At least 16 people have been killed in a stampede in the holy northern Indian town of Haridwar. The stampede happened at a religious ceremony observing the 100th anniversary of the birth of the founder of a Hindu sect. Thousands have been attendin...

Thailand floods: Bangkok evacuation widens

News Item
November 7, 2011

Residents in more districts of the Thai capital have been warned to evacuate as flood water continues to move south towards the sea. The water has now reached the outskirts of the inner city, although the authorities are still battling to keep the...

Oklahoma shaken by 5.6 magnitude earthquake

News Item
November 6, 2011

The US state of Oklahoma has been shaken by a 5.6 magnitude earthquake, thought to be the strongest in its history. Some buildings cracked and a highway buckled, but there were no immediate reports of serious injury or damage. The quake was centre...

Deadly mudslide strikes western Colombia

News Item
November 6, 2011

Rescue workers in Colombia say at least 15 people have died in landslides in the west of the country. Sniffer dogs are searching for dozens of people feared buried under mud and rubble after their houses were washed away in the city of Manizales. ...

Thailand flooding death toll 'tops 500'

News Item
November 6, 2011

The number of people killed by months of flooding in northern Thailand has risen to more than 500, officials say. Three months of heavy rain have affected about a third of Thailand's province, destroying farmland and forcing tens of thousands from...

Bangkok floods: Anger grows in deluged districts

News Item
November 1, 2011

Flood water has continued to pour into outer districts of the Thai capital, Bangkok, forcing residents to evacuate. The government says efforts to protect the centre of the city from the rising water have been largely successful. But tension has b...

London to host cyberspace security conference

News Item
November 1, 2011

London is preparing to host a major international conference on the threat from cyber security attacks. Representatives of 60 nations are gathering to discuss how to tackle the rising levels of cybercrime. It comes a day after intelligence agency ...

Early snow storm leaves major power outages in US

News Item
October 31, 2011

More than two million homes are still without power after an unseasonable snowstorm hit the US East Coast over the weekend. The storm, which brought up to 30in (76cm) of snow in parts, has been blamed for a dozen deaths. Power outages in two state...

Early snowstorm hits US East Coast

News Item
October 30, 2011

An unseasonable snowstorm has hit the US East Coast, with some areas of New Jersey and Massachusetts seeing around 15in (40cm) of snow. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter storm warning from Saturday into Sun...

Gas explosion kills 29 in Chinese coalmine

News Item
October 30, 2011

A deadly blast at a coal mine in southern China has killed 29 people. The gas explosion took place at a colliery in Hunan province, Chinese state media reported. Six miners were being treated in hospital after being rescued from the Xialiuchong Co...

US military helicopters to survey deadly Thai flooding

News Item
October 29, 2011

The Thai authorities have asked US military helicopters to survey flooding, which has hit the north and is now threatening the capital Bangkok. Two Seahawk helicopters aboard the USS Mustin warship would conduct "aerial reconnaissance", the Pentag...

Dozens feared dead after India bridge collapses

News Item
October 29, 2011

At least 30 people, many of them women and children, are feared dead after a foot bridge spanning a river in north-eastern India collapsed. At least 28 people were rescued from the Kameng River, in Arunachal Pradesh state, after the structure coll...

Early snowstorm approaches US East Coast

News Item
October 29, 2011

An unseasonable snowstorm threatens to bring up to 10in (25cm) of early snowfall to the US East Coast. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter storm warning from Saturday into Sunday and says travel conditions ma...

Thailand floods: Bangkok residents leave as river rises

News Item
October 28, 2011

Water levels in Bangkok's main river hit a new high as residents continued to leave the Thai capital ahead of possible flooding at the weekend. Roads were jammed as residents used a five-day holiday to leave the city. Flood waters are continuing t...

Hurricane Rina downgraded to tropical storm near Cancun

News Item
October 27, 2011

Hurricane Rina has been downgraded to a tropical storm as it approaches Mexico's Caribbean coast, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) says. Despite weakening, Rina is forecast to bring winds of up to 110km/h (68mph) when it makes landfall late ...

Turkey earthquake: Survivor found after 100 hours

News Item
October 27, 2011

A man has been pulled alive from the rubble of a building in south-eastern Turkey, more than 100 hours after an earthquake devastated his town. He was rescued from the flattened block of flats in Ercis. He is in hospital, and said to be in good co...

Bangkok floods: Thousands flee as waters approach

News Item
October 27, 2011

Thousands of residents are rushing to leave the Thai capital Bangkok, which is braced for potentially severe flooding over the weekend. The city's bus and train stations and many roads are jammed by crowds of people attempting to flee. People in s...

Deadly floods hit Ghana capital Accra

News Item
October 27, 2011

Heavy floods have swept through Ghana's capital, Accra, killing nine people, officials say. The floods destroyed homes, cut off electricity and forced the closure of schools and shops. President John Atta Mills visited the affected areas, as emerg...

Turkey earthquake: Aid lorries looted by survivors

News Item
October 27, 2011

The Turkish Red Crescent said that 17 lorries carrying aid for earthquake victims have been looted. Local officials in the city of Van said that survivors, furious at not receiving supplies, had raided the convoy for food and blankets. In the wors...

Hurricane Rina forms in Caribbean

News Item
October 25, 2011

Hurricane Rina has formed in the western Caribbean, threatening to bring heavy rain and powerful winds to southern Mexico and Central America. A Nicaraguan navy vessel that was evacuating coastal residents has gone missing with 27 people on board....

Dublin on emergency footing as floods cause chaos

News Item
October 25, 2011

Dublin City Council has activated its major emergency plan as a result of widespread flooding in the city. Sustained rainfall led to major roads, houses and one of the city's main shopping centres going under water. An off-duty Irish police office...

Turkey earthquake: More aid pledged to worst-hit areas

News Item
October 25, 2011

The Turkish government has pledged more aid to thousands of people affected by Sunday's deadly earthquake in the east. Officials said 12,000 more tents would be delivered to the cities of Ercis and Van and also to nearby villages. Ankara has been ...

Turkey earthquake: Desperate search for survivors

News Item
October 24, 2011

Rescue teams in Turkey are continuing to search for people trapped under rubble after a strong earthquake hit the eastern Van region on Sunday. Some 265 people died and 1,140 were injured in the 7.2 magnitude quake, according to Interior Minister ...

Thailand floods: Waters advance on north Bangkok areas

News Item
October 24, 2011

Floodwaters are creeping further into the Thai capital, Bangkok, with residents of six more districts told to move to higher ground. Roads near the Don Muang domestic airport were flooded and the huge Chatuchak market in the north of the city was...

Dozens die as strong quake rocks eastern Turkey

News Item
October 23, 2011

A strong quake has shattered buildings near the eastern Turkish city of Van, killing at least 70 people and trapping an unknown number under rubble. Casualties are reported to be particularly high in the town of Ercis, close to the Iranian border,...

India: Darjeeling bridge collapse kills 32

News Item
October 23, 2011

At least 32 people have died and 132 injured after a bridge collapsed at a political event in India's tea-producing region of Darjeeling. More than 150 villagers were standing on the bridge for talks by local separatist leaders on Saturday night w...

Japan approves $157bn quake budget for reconstruction

News Item
October 21, 2011

Japan's government has approved a 12.1tn yen ($157bn; £100bn) budget for the reconstruction of areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami. The extra budget is the latest effort by authorities to stimulate growth in the Japanese economy, w...

Burma flash floods 'leave dozens dead or missing'

News Item
October 21, 2011

Reports from central Burma say flash floods have left dozens of people dead or missing. The flooding happened on Thursday in the town of Pakokku when torrential rain caused a river to overflow. Residents told the BBC they had recovered more than 5...

Thailand floods: Bangkok 'impossible to protect'

News Item
October 20, 2011

The Thai government says it will be impossible to protect all of the capital from flooding because of a build-up of water to the north. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said sluice gates would be opened to allow a controlled release of water thr...

Thailand flooding: Bangkok districts put on alert

News Item
October 19, 2011

Residents of seven districts of Bangkok have been told to move valuables to higher ground and be ready to evacuate, as flooding which has swamped northern Thailand approaches the capital. More than 300 people have been killed in the worst flooding...

Thai flooding: Floodwalls reinforced to protect Bangkok

News Item
October 18, 2011

Thai soldiers and civilians worked frantically to shore up sandbag defences on the northern edge of the Bangkok on Tuesday. The action came after the city's governor warned that the threat posed by the worst flooding in Thailand in half a century ...

Climate change 'grave threat' to security and health

News Item
October 18, 2011

Climate change poses "an immediate, growing and grave threat" to health and security around the world, according to an expert conference in London. Officers in the UK military warned that the price of goods such as fuel is likely to rise as confli...

Central America floods and landslides 'leave 80 dead'

News Item
October 17, 2011

The number of people killed by a week of torrential rains, triggering floods and landslides across Central America, has reached at least 80, officials say. El Salvador is the worst-affected, with 32 people killed, mostly buried in their houses by ...

Nepal bus plunges off mountain road 'killing 41'

News Item
October 13, 2011

At least 41 people were killed when a bus veered off a mountain road into a river in eastern Nepal, police say. Other passengers are missing after the accident in remote Sindhuli district, about 100km (62 miles) from Kathmandu. The bus swerved on ...

Floods and landslides leave 18 dead in Central America

News Item
October 13, 2011

A tropical depression storm pounding Central America has triggered floods and landslides that have left at least 18 people dead, officials say. In Guatemala, at least 13 people were reported killed with four victims in Nicaragua and one in El Salv...

Bali earthquake: 'Fifty hurt' as powerful tremor strikes

News Item
October 13, 2011

A strong earthquake has shaken the Indonesian island of Bali, injuring dozens of people and sending debris crashing into the streets. The 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck before midday, with its epicentre about 100km (62 miles) to the south-west of...

New Zealand oil spill ship captain charged

News Item
October 11, 2011

The captain of a cargo ship that has grounded off New Zealand and is leaking oil into the sea has been arrested and charged, officials say. The captain was charged with "operating a vessel in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk". The 775ft...

Thailand races to defend Bangkok from floods

News Item
October 11, 2011

Workers in Thailand are racing to complete floodwalls of sandbags on the outskirts of Bangkok to stop the country's worst floods in years from inundating parts of the capital. Further north, Thailand's plains are also severely flooded. In the prov...

IPSA announces Pears as board member

News Item
October 10, 2011

IPSA - International Professional Security Association - has recently announced the official appointment of Simon Pears, head of security at the Centre of Excellence, Sodexo, to its international council and management board, after being successfu...

Thailand floods: More than 200 die, temples threatened

News Item
October 5, 2011

More than 200 people have died in monsoon flooding in Thailand since mid-July, officials say. More heavy rain is forecast, reservoirs are at full capacity and rivers are overflowing. Water has inundated 58 of Thailand's 77 provinces, with 25 still...

Heavy rain triggers deadly Algeria floods

News Item
October 3, 2011

Flooding in Algeria has killed at least 10 people and destroyed hundreds of homes, officials have said. Eight people were killed in the town of el-Bayadh, 700km (435 miles) south of the capital Algiers, reports say. The dead include three children...

Typhoon Nalgae batters flood-hit Philippines

News Item
October 1, 2011

The second typhoon to hit the Philippines in less than a week has been battering northern areas, with ferocious winds and heavy rain. At least one person died as Typhoon Nalgae hit regions still waterlogged by the earlier storm Nesat, and official...

Pakistan mine collapse: Six killed and about 34 rescued

News Item
September 27, 2011

At least six miners have been killed in a marble mine collapse in the Pakistani province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, police have told the BBC. About 34 miners were rescued following the collapse, they said. Some reports said that the collapse in the Bu...

Pakistan bus crash kills children in Punjab province

News Item
September 27, 2011

At least 26 people, mostly children, have been killed after a bus went off the road and plunged into a ravine in Pakistan, police say. The bus was carrying students returning from an excursion when the incident happened on a motorway south-east of...

Shanghai train crash injures 200

News Item
September 27, 2011

A Shanghai subway train has hit the rear end of another train, injuring at least 200 passengers, the train company says. Most of the injuries were slight, Shanghai Shentong Metro Group Company said after the incident on Line 10. It happened after...

Powerful Typhoon Nesat hits Philippines

News Item
September 27, 2011

A powerful typhoon has struck the Philippines, triggering floods and cutting power in the capital, Manila and throughout the main island, Luzon. At least 16 people have been killed, including several children, most of them in Manila. Typhoon Nesat...

Strategic Leaders' Guide receives national recognition

News Item
September 27, 2011

The Strategic Leaders’ Guide, a user-friendly aide memoire for multi agency incident command, has been awarded national ‘good practice’ status by the UK Government’s Civil Contingencies Secretariat. The Guide was design...

India floods situation worsens in UP, Bihar and Orissa

News Item
September 26, 2011

More than two million people have been affected by floods in India as torrential rains lash Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar states. Heavy monsoon rains have been battering parts of India for the past fortnight. More than 80 people have died in flo...

Deadly Typhoon Roke moves across Japan

News Item
September 22, 2011

The powerful typhoon that hit Japan on Wednesday has been making its way across the country, bringing floods, damage and deaths. At least 10 people have been killed by Typhoon Roke, with many others missing or injured, local media reported. The st...

Workers at Sikkim power unit killed by quake landslides

News Item
September 21, 2011

Indian soldiers are trying to reach a hydroelectric plant in the state of Sikkim where at least 17 people were killed in a series of landslides. The landslides were triggered by a powerful earthquake on Sunday. A spokesman at the plant told the BB...

Guatemala landslide kills three children

News Item
September 21, 2011

Three children have been killed in a landslide in Guatemala, with at least 12 other people missing. Police said two brothers and a sister, aged between four and seven, died when mud buried their home in Santa Cruz Barillas, in the north-western st...

Powerful Typhoon Roke hits Japan

News Item
September 21, 2011

A powerful typhoon has struck disaster-ravaged Japan, bringing heavy rains and floods that have killed four people. Typhoon Roke is on course to hit Fukushima, where engineers are still struggling to bring a nuclear plant under control after the M...

Himalayan quake: India rescuers struggle in Sikkim

News Item
September 20, 2011

Rescue workers in the Indian state of Sikkim are struggling to reach victims of Sunday's powerful earthquake. More than 70 people were killed, at least 40 of them in Sikkim. The quake was felt elsewhere in India, as well as in Nepal, Tibet and Bhu...

China floods: Dozens killed after days of rain

News Item
September 19, 2011

Floods and landslides in China caused by a week of heavy rain have killed at least 57 people and forced more than a million from their homes. Officials said 12.3 million people were affected in Sichuan, Henan and Shaanxi provinces - in the south-w...

Race to rescue quake victims in India, Nepal and Tibet

News Item
September 19, 2011

Rescue efforts are under way across isolated Himalayan regions in India, Nepal and Tibet after a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the area on Sunday. The epicentre was the northern Indian state of Sikkim, where the Indian government says that at le...

Several killed as earthquake hits India, Nepal

News Item
September 18, 2011

At least seven people have been killed in Nepal and northern parts of India after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck the region. Five people died in Nepal, including three crushed when a wall of the British embassy compound collapsed in the capital...

Pakistan floods: UN appeals for $365m to help victims

News Item
September 18, 2011

The United Nations has launched an appeal for $365m (£231m) to help some six million Pakistanis who have been affected by devastating flooding. The UN said the money would be used to help the affected people in the southern provinces of Sindh...

Pakistan floods: Two million hit by disease in Sindh

News Item
September 15, 2011

More than two million people in Pakistan are suffering from flood-related diseases following torrential rain in Sindh province, officials say. More than 7,000 people are being treated for snake bites. Aid agencies estimate that six million people ...

Cassidian Press Release: ECTOCRYP

News Item
September 14, 2011

CASSIDIAN’s Groundbreaking ECTOCRYP Cryptographic Devices to be Used in Middle East Cassidian signs contract to provide Ectocryp IP crypto devices to the Middle East ECTOCRYP reprogrammable family of crypto devices are ...

India trains in deadly collision near Madras

News Item
September 13, 2011

A passenger train has hit a stationary train in southern India, killing at least seven people, police say. They say the collision happened at Arrakkonam station, near Madras (Chennai). Some 50 people were injured in the incident, India's TV channe...

Cassidian Press Release:Mobile IP Node

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September 13, 2011

Cassidian demonstrates the first truly secure Mobile IP Node Mobile IP Node guarantees secure delivery of critical data for the first time ever in the history of mobile wireless comms Programme will improve the ability of mil...

Cassidian Press Release: OLISE

News Item
September 13, 2011

CASSIDIAN Launches Answer to “No Fault Found” Servicing Issue for Electro-optical Equipment Millions of pounds could be saved over lifetime of equipment by removing need for unnecessary return and repair Deployed ...

Cassidian Press Release: CORMORANT

News Item
September 13, 2011

September 2011 – The CORMORANT service contract between Cassidian and MoD has been extended to December 2012 and discussions are currently taking place between both parties with an aim to ensure prolonged operational capabilities u...

Floods chaos worsens in Pakistan

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September 12, 2011

More than 200 people have died and millions remain affected after two weeks of flooding in Pakistan's southern Sindh province, officials say. The situation is worsening each day as water levels are rising because of poor drainage, the head of Paki...

9/11 anniversary: US marks 10 years since attacks

News Item
September 11, 2011

The US has started to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Security is tight following warnings of a possible al-Qaeda attack. The US embassy in Afghanistan has begun the ceremonies, with events...

Zanzibar ferry disaster: Scores die, many more rescued

News Item
September 10, 2011

At least 187 people have died after an overloaded ferry sank off the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar with at least 800 people on board. A government spokesman said 620 survivors had been rescued. Three days of mourning have been declared. The MV Spic...

Floods worsen in eastern US after Tropical Storm Lee

News Item
September 10, 2011

The Susquehanna River has reached record levels in Pennsylvania and New York, swollen by torrential rainfall from Tropical Storm Lee. The president declared a state of emergency in both states, bringing federal aid to affected areas. The river ros...

Magnitude-6.4 quake hits off Vancouver Island

News Item
September 9, 2011

A magnitude-6.4 earthquake has hit near Vancouver Island, Canada, the US Geological Survey (USGS) says. The epicentre of the quake, which hit at 12:41 local time (19:41 GMT), was 289km (179 miles) west of Vancouver, the USGS reported. The quake oc...

Power partly restored to California, Arizona and Mexico

News Item
September 9, 2011

Power is steadily returning to two southwestern US states and Mexico, following a massive blackout which affected more than five million people. Services to Arizona were restored early on Friday, while parts of California and the Mexican state Baj...

Swollen Susquehanna River prompts evacuation orders

News Item
September 8, 2011

Nearly 100,000 people in the north-eastern US have been given orders to evacuate areas around the Susquehanna River after torrential downpours. Squalls from Tropical Storm Lee drenched New York and Pennsylvania and pushed river levels dangerously ...

Texas wildfire crews gaining ground

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September 7, 2011

Texas firefighters say they have contained 30% of the state's most destructive wildfire in years. Efforts to contain the Bastrop County blaze, which has razed about 45 sq miles (116 sq km) of land, have been aided by a second day of milder winds....

New face at Parsons Brinckerhoff

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September 6, 2011

London, United Kingdom (06 September 2011) – Parsons Brinckerhoff, the international engineering consultancy, has appointed leading industry specialist Dr Nicole Hoffmann, as UK Principal Fire Engineer for its transport business covering ra...

Indian bus accident kills 15 people

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September 5, 2011

At least 15 people have been killed after a bus plunged into a river in India's Uttarakhand state, police say. The bus was travelling from Katiyal to the state capital, Dehradun, when it fell into the Tons river on Sunday. Rescue workers are looki...

Typhoon Talas: Japan searches for missing dozens

News Item
September 5, 2011

Japanese rescue teams have resumed the search for dozens of people missing after powerful Typhoon Talas ripped through the west of the country. At least 26 people have been killed by the storm, which made landfall on Shikoku island on Saturday, tr...

Typhoon Talas kills at least 19 people in Japan

News Item
September 4, 2011

At least 19 people have been killed and more than 50 are missing after powerful Typhoon Talas ripped through western Japan, local media reports. The storm brought heavy rain and winds of up to 108km/h (68mph) after making landfall on Shikoku islan...

Louisiana declares emergency as storm brews

News Item
September 2, 2011

Louisiana has declared a state of emergency as it prepares for a tropical depression expected to bring up to 15in (38cm) of rain over the weekend. Tropical Depression 13 - to be named Lee if upgraded, as expected, to a tropical storm - is creeping...

Space junk at tipping point, says report

News Item
September 2, 2011

Scientists in the US have warned Nasa that the amount of so-called space junk orbiting Earth is at tipping point. A report by the National Research Council says the debris could cause fatal leaks in spaceships or destroy valuable satellites. ...

Russia chemical leak affects 'thousands' in Chelyabinsk

News Item
September 1, 2011

At least 30 people have been taken to hospital after a toxic chemical leak in the city of Chelyabinsk in Russia's Ural mountains, say officials. Thousands more suffered breathing difficulties after containers of the toxic element bromine were brok...

Tokyo roads blocked in earthquake drill

News Item
September 1, 2011

Japanese police have blocked main roads in Tokyo during rush hour in an elaborate earthquake drill. It is the first time the authorities have attempted to simulate the gridlock that would occur after a major disaster. People across Japan hold dril...

Nigeria floods: Death toll in Ibadan rises

News Item
September 1, 2011

At least 102 people are now thought to have been killed by floods in and around the south-western Nigerian city of Ibadan, the Nigerian Red Cross says. Floodwater, resulting from heavy rains that began on Friday, damaged three bridges and caused a...

Irene floods: Supplies airlifted to Vermont towns

News Item
August 31, 2011

Soldiers have been airlifting storm-relief supplies to Vermont towns which remain cut off after the trail of destruction left by Irene. More than 200 roads are blocked or washed away in Vermont, hampering rescue efforts to 13 towns. Irene killed 4...

Bird flu fear as mutant strain hits China and Vietnam

News Item
August 30, 2011

Avian flu shows signs of a resurgence, while a mutant strain - able to sidestep vaccines - could be spreading in Asia, the United Nations has warned. The variant appeared in Vietnam and China and its risk to humans cannot be predicted, veterinary ...

Miners rescued from flooded illegal Chinese pit

News Item
August 30, 2011

Twenty-two coal miners have been rescued after being trapped underground for a week in north-eastern China, officials have said. The miners became trapped in the small, illegal mine in Heilongjiang province after accidentally drilling through into...

Uganda landslides: Villagers killed in Bulambuli

News Item
August 29, 2011

At least 24 people have died after torrential rains triggered landslides in eastern Uganda, Red Cross workers say. Residents fear 35 people may have been killed in Bulambuli district, but only 24 bodies have been recovered so far. The village of N...

Irene: Vermont in flood as US counts storm cost

News Item
August 29, 2011

The US has begun clearing up after the impact of Tropical Storm Irene, which has killed as many as 28 people. The storm is now soaking Canada's north-east, while the north-eastern US is battling historic floods; five million US homes have lost pow...

Typhoon Nanmadol kills eight in the Philippines

News Item
August 28, 2011

Typhoon Nanmadol has killed at least eight people in the Philippines and is heading to Taiwan, officials have said. Fierce winds and rain caused floods and landslides, with 20 major roads blocked and several bridges collapsing, said civil defence ...

Nigeria floods: At least 20 killed in Ibadan

News Item
August 28, 2011

At least 20 people have been killed and thousands displaced by flooding in and around the city of Ibadan in south-western Nigeria. The floods, resulting from heavy rains that began on Friday, caused a dam to overflow and washed away numerous build...

Hurricane Irene: Emergency declared in six US states

News Item
August 26, 2011

Six states along the east coast of the US, from North Carolina to New York, have declared emergencies ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Irene. The first hurricane of the Atlantic season weakened slightly early on Friday to a category two storm, wi...

US warning over strengthening Hurricane Irene

News Item
August 23, 2011

US officials have warned the entire US east coast should be ready for the possible arrival of Hurricane Irene. Now a category 2 storm heading over the Turks and Caicos Islands and south-eastern Bahamas, it may intensify to a category 4 as it nears...

Earthquake strikes US east coast

News Item
August 23, 2011

A magnitude-5.9 earthquake has rattled the east coast of the United States. The quake was felt in Washington, where the Pentagon and US Capitol building were evacuated, as well as in New York. The Washington National Cathedral and the Ecuadorean e...

Dominican Republic braced for Hurricane Irene

News Item
August 22, 2011

Tropical Storm Irene has turned into a hurricane - the first of the Atlantic hurricane season - over Puerto Rico. It has now passed the US territory and is next set to hit the Dominican Republic. It may also affect the northern coast of Haiti. In ...

Apple's iPhone gets Japanese earthquake alert

News Item
August 22, 2011

Japanese iPhone users will get the option to receive earthquake alerts under the next version of Apple's iOS operating system. 9to5Mac reports that the feature will be added to the device's notification centre in iOS 5, which is expected to b...

Powerful earthquake jolts South Pacific near Vanuatu

News Item
August 21, 2011

A powerful earthquake has been reported off the South Pacific island of Vanuatu at a depth of 41 km (25 miles) with no immediate reports of damage. The magnitude 7.1 quake occurred at 03:55 local time, 63km (39 miles) south of the capital, Port-Vi...

Researchers to demonstrate and deploy disaster communication system

News Item
August 19, 2011

Newswise — In the aftermath of most disasters – from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, to this year’s earthquake in Japan – communication systems have been overwhelmed, leaving people without phones and Inter...

Exclusive images of the clean-up after riots in Croydon, UK

News Item
August 13, 2011

Matthew Cheesman, who is working on the emergency clean-up and restoration in Croydon after the riots, has sent CRJ these images from behind the cordons. The first few images show the Reeves furniture store, which was set alight during the rioting...

Argentina oil refinery blast 'kills one, injures five'

News Item
August 10, 2011

An explosion at an oil refinery in Argentina has killed one person and injured five others, local media say. The blast happened at a refinery owned by Brazil's Petrobras oil company near Bahia Blanca, some 450km (280 miles) south-west of Buenos Ai...

Comoros boat sinks leaving many dead

News Item
August 9, 2011

At least 30 people have died after their boat sank off the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros, officials say. The accident happened south of the main island of Grande Comore after the boat had set off to Anjouan island. A rescue official put the ...

Calls to ban sky lanterns

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August 3, 2011

UK: Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service have joined up with Michael Eavis, the farmer behind the Glastonbury festival, to remind people of the risks from setting off sky (Chinese) lanterns and in particular the risks they carry to farme...

Three killed in train crash in India's West Bengal

News Item
August 1, 2011

At least three people have been killed and 200 injured in a train collision in the Indian state of West Bengal. Officials said the accident happened when the engine and some coaches of the Guwahati to Bangalore express derailed and were then hit b...

Russia: Nine drown as Moscow pleasure boat sinks

News Item
July 31, 2011

A pleasure boat has sunk on the Moscow River in Russia's capital, drowning nine people, officials say. Seven of the 16 on board were rescued, they said. The boat is reported to have been hosting a birthday party and is suspected to have been overc...

DR Congo: Bodies recovered after ferry collision

News Item
July 30, 2011

At least 80 bodies have been recovered from a river in the north-west of the Democratic Republic of Congo after a ferry collided with a cargo boat. The accident happened at night, but it is not clear if it occurred on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursda...

Working together to treat children

News Item
July 29, 2011

South Africa: On July 29, a meeting at the University of Johannesburg set out to explore the interactive and reciprocal possibilities suggested by an article published in issue 7:2, Paediatric emergency (p18), published on August 19. At the meetin...

Bus crash kills 17 in Bangladesh

News Item
July 28, 2011

At least 17 people have been killed and more than 20 others injured in a bus crash in northern Bangladesh, police say. The passenger bus collided head on with a lorry at Shajahanpur in Bogra district, 100 miles (160km) north of the capital, Dhaka....

South Korea hit by fatal landslides

News Item
July 28, 2011

At least 32 people have been killed in landslides in South Korea, as heavy rain deluged homes and caused chaos across northern areas of the country. A landslide crushed a hotel at a mountain resort in Chuncheon, east of the capital, Seoul, killing...

China train crash: Signal design flaw blamed

News Item
July 28, 2011

Serious flaws in a signalling system caused a fatal collision on China's high-speed rail network, officials say. Thirty-nine people died when a train ran into the back of another which had stalled on a viaduct near Wenzhou after lightning cut its ...

Huge Arctic fire hints at new climate cue

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July 28, 2011

An exceptional wildfire in northern Alaska in 2007 put as much carbon into the air as the entire Arctic tundra absorbs in a year, scientists say. The Anaktuvuk River fire burned across more than 1,000 sq km (400 sq miles), doubling the extent of A...

Pakistan still not prepared for floods, says Oxfam

News Item
July 26, 2011

Pakistan is still not sufficiently prepared to cope with flooding and other natural disasters, a year after the worst floods in its history, aid agency Oxfam has said. More than 1,750 people are thought to have been killed and 20 million people af...

Heat wave spreads across central and eastern US

News Item
July 21, 2011

A punishing heat wave has settled over central and eastern parts of the US, pushing temperatures as high as 43C (110F) and causing up to 22 deaths. The National Weather Service warned of "dangerous" levels of heat and humidity creeping east, with ...

Nepal landslides kill Dutch trekker and 11 others

News Item
July 21, 2011

A Dutch trekker has been killed by a landslide in Nepal. Another trekker and their guide were injured in the landslide in Langtang region north-west of Kathmandu. The Dutchman is the 12th person to die this week in a series of landslides in the mo...

Earthquake strikes Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan

News Item
July 20, 2011

At least 13 people in Uzbekistan have been killed in a 6.1-magnitude earthquake centred in Kyrgyzstan near the two countries' border. The Uzbek emergency ministry said the quake, in the Ferghana valley, also injured 86 people. Kyrgyzstan has so fa...

Indonesians flee volcano eruption on Sulawesi

News Item
July 16, 2011

Thousands of people on an Indonesian island have been forced to flee a fierce volcanic eruption. Mount Lokon, on Sulawesi, started erupting at around 2230 local time (1530 GMT) on Thursday, according to reports. There were no immediate reports of ...

Earthquake hits English Channel

News Item
July 14, 2011

An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.9 has struck in the English Channel, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said. The quake had a depth of 10km and its epicentre was south of Portsmouth, according to the BGS. Residents in parts of West Sussex rep...

Earthquake off Japan triggers tsunami alert

News Item
July 10, 2011

A strong earthquake has jolted north-east Japan, the same area that was devastated four months ago. It triggered a small tsunami in Iwate prefecture, measuring 10cm (4in). Workers at the Fukushima nuclear power plant were evacuated as a precaution...

Floods at China mines trap '40'

News Item
July 4, 2011

Rescuers in southern China are trying to reach more than 40 workers in two coal mines after one pit was flooded and the other caved in. They are venting explosive gas and pumping water from a mine in Guangxi region, where three miners died. Flood...

ExxonMobil pipe leaks oil into Yellowstone River in US

News Item
July 3, 2011

An ExxonMobil pipeline in the US state of Montana has ruptured, leaking hundreds of barrels of crude oil into the Yellowstone River, officials say. The company said the pipe had been shut down and the segment where the leak happened had been isola...

Los Alamos nuclear lab: New Mexico fire reaches border

News Item
June 28, 2011

A New Mexico wildfire has breached the boundary of Los Alamos National Laboratory, one of the top nuclear weapons research facilities in the US. On Monday, officials said that they had detected "no off-site releases of contamination" and said the ...

Emergency response to Russian plane crash

News Item
June 22, 2011

Russia: Forty-five people were killed when a Tupolev-134 aircraft operated by RusAir crashed near Petrozavodsk, the largest city in Karelia, at 23:45hrs on June 20. The plane, which was en route from Domodedovo Airport in Moscow to Petrozavodsk, i...

Hurricane Beatriz lashes Pacific resorts in Mexico

News Item
June 21, 2011

Hurricane Beatriz is threatening some of Mexico's most popular resorts, leaving tourists sheltering in their hotels. The Pacific ports of Acapulco, Manzanillo and Zihuatanejo are closed. The US National Hurricane Center said winds rose to 150km/h ...

Wildfire kills two forest rangers in Florida

News Item
June 21, 2011

A wildfire in Florida has claimed the lives of two forest rangers, as emergency services continue to battle more than 400 blazes across the state. The rangers had been trying contain a 12-acre (4.8-ha) blaze near the Georgia border, but the fire f...

Volcanic ash affects Chile after round-the-world trip

News Item
June 19, 2011

Ash from a volcanic eruption in southern Chile has disrupted domestic flights at home for the first time, having travelled right round the world. The Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano started spewing ash into the atmosphere two weeks ago. This caused ...

China floods: Millions affected by deadly downpours

News Item
June 19, 2011

More than two million people are now reported to have been affected by deadly floods in eastern China. Torrential rain was continuing, leaving large parts of Zhejiang and Hubei provinces under water, state-run news agency Xinhua said. It said near...

New Zealand quake dents Christchurch rebuilding hopes

News Item
June 14, 2011

A series of earthquakes that hit the New Zealand city of Christchurch has confirmed fears that many homes will have to be abandoned, officials say. Prime Minister John Key said Monday's tremors had hit the same parts of the city that were devastat...

New Zealand quake: Christchurch hit by aftershocks

News Item
June 13, 2011

A series of earthquakes has hit the New Zealand city of Christchurch, almost four months after a tremor devastated the area and killed 181 people. The latest quakes struck just miles from the city, and left about 50,000 people without power. The m...

Haiti: Port-au-Prince flooding kills at least 11 people

News Item
June 7, 2011

At least 11 people have been killed in the Haitian capital, Port-au-Prince, after torrential rain caused floods and landslides. Two children were buried alive when their home collapsed and two people died in a tent city erected after last year's d...

E. Coli breakout in Germany - EU convenes extraordinary meeting

News Item
June 7, 2011

The Hungarian Presidency of the European Union convened an extraordinary Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on June 7 to assess the implications of the outbreak of a particularly virulent strain of Escherichia coli bacteria that has been responsibl...

Indonesia: Search for missing in fatal ferry sinking

News Item
June 7, 2011

Rescue workers are looking for more than a dozen people still missing after an overcrowded ferry sank off the Borneo coast. Indonesian officials said at least 18 people had drowned in the incident off South Kalimantan. Officials told reporters tha...

Fatal floods hit southern China after prolonged drought

News Item
June 7, 2011

At least 14 people have been killed in raging flood waters that have swept through south-western Guizhou province. Scores of people are missing, and tens of thousands have left their homes ahead of more flooding. Roads, bridges and hundreds of hom...

Chile volcano eruption: Alert remains for ash cloud

News Item
June 6, 2011

Authorities in southern Chile and Argentina are continuing to monitor the direction of ash clouds belched out by a chain of volcanoes over the weekend. Some 3,500 people left the region after the eruption of the Puyehue-Cordon-Caulle volcano range...

NZ quake: Christchurch hit by magnitude 5.0 aftershock

News Item
June 6, 2011

New Zealand's city of Christchurch has been hit by two shocks that closed some stores but caused no major damage. The continuing shocks are expected to further delay recovery from the devastating 22 February quake. The shocks - one of magnitude 5....

Massachusetts emergency after tornadoes kill four

News Item
June 2, 2011

A cluster of tornadoes has hit the US state of Massachusetts, killing at least four people. They roared through some 20 towns, ripping off roofs, uprooting trees and scattering debris. Worst hit was Springfield, the third largest city in the state...

Future cities need to be resilient

News Item
June 1, 2011

BONN/GERMANY - Over the next 40 years we will have to build the same urban capacity again that was built over the last 4,000 years. On top of this, 80 per cent of the expected US$80-100 billion per year in climate change adaptation costs are to be...

British Red Cross teams up with West Yorkshire Police

News Item
May 27, 2011

The British Red Cross and West Yorkshire police celebrated their new partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on Tuesday 24 May at the Red Cross office in Leeds.The agreement means that Red Cross staff and volunteers will be on c...

Missouri releases list of missing after tornado

News Item
May 26, 2011

The US state of Missouri has released a list of more than 230 people missing since a devastating tornado struck the city of Joplin on Sunday. But the list is shrinking as people are located, and officials hope others have simply failed to contact ...

Young and middle-aged hit hardest by influenza in UK this winter

News Item
May 26, 2011

Wednesday, May 25: Young and middle-aged adults bore the brunt of influenza in the UK this winter with more than 70 per cent of fatal cases hitting this age group, according to figures published by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in their annua...

Iceland volcanic ash cloud set to reach UK

News Item
May 23, 2011

A volcanic ash cloud from Iceland is expected to reach parts of the UK by the early hours of Tuesday morning, the Met Office has said. It does not mean there will definitely be airspace closures but makes flight disruption more likely, it said. T...

Missouri: Tornado batters Joplin, at least 30 dead

News Item
May 23, 2011

As many as 30 people are reported killed after a tornado tore through the city of Joplin in the US state of Missouri, officials say. The town suffered a "direct hit" from the tornado and parts of the city have been devastated, local media says. Mi...

Malaysian landslide buries orphanage children

News Item
May 22, 2011

Landslides have hit an orphanage near the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, killing 16 people, all but one of them children, officials say. Rescuers saved nine people from the Hidayah Madrasah al-Taqwa orphanage in the district of Hulu Langat. The ...

Iceland volcano: Grimsvotn eruption hits local flight

News Item
May 22, 2011

The Icelandic authorities have imposed a local flight ban after the country's most active volcano, Grimsvotn, began erupting. A plume of smoke has risen 20km (12 miles) into the sky from the volcano. But Iceland's Meteorological Office says the e...

Turkey: Earthquake in Kutahya province leaves two dead

News Item
May 20, 2011

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 has struck north-west Turkey, killing at least two people and injuring 79. The tremor struck just before midnight local time and centred on the town of Simav, in Kutahya province, some 310km (190 miles) west o...

Soweto, South Africa, train crash injured hundreds

News Item
May 20, 2011

More than 850 people have been injured in a train crash during Thursday's evening rush hour in the South African township of Soweto in Johannesburg, the train operator Metrorail has said. A commuter train hit a stationary one from behind, the forc...

Christchurch earthquake: Diary from Sumner

News Item
May 20, 2011

Three months after a quake that scored a direct hit under Christchurch, many residents are struggling with mountains of paperwork required to get their homes repaired and rebuilt. Reference numbers, codes and Pin numbers permeate our daily living ...

NZ quake: Special inquest into last nine victims

News Item
May 16, 2011

A special inquest has opened in New Zealand into the deaths in the Christchurch earthquake of nine people who remain formally unidentified. Chief coroner Neil MacLean has so far pronounced dead three Chinese women. Their phones, bank accounts and ...

Mississippi flood: Southern states brace for crest

News Item
May 11, 2011

Communities along the southern stretch of the Mississippi River are bracing for major floods as the crest of the swollen river moves downstream. In poverty stricken areas of the Mississippi delta, the river and its tributaries have washed away cro...

Spain: Earthquake rocks Lorca, Murcia, killing 10

News Item
May 11, 2011

At least 10 people were killed after a magnitude 5.3 earthquake toppled several buildings in southern Spain, near the town of Lorca, officials say. The quake struck at a depth of just 1km (0.6 miles), some 120km south-west of Alicante, at 1850 (16...

Mexico mine blast: 'No hope' for Coahuila missing

News Item
May 9, 2011

Rescuers in Mexico have pulled a ninth body from the remains of a coal mine destroyed in an explosion in the north of the country. A total of 14 miners were trapped underground when a gas blast shook the vertical-shaft mine on Tuesday. Miners had ...

US tornadoes: Death toll rises as more bodies found

News Item
April 30, 2011

The death toll from the tornadoes that hit the southern US this week has risen to 340, in one of the worst twister outbreaks in the country's history. Soldiers and emergency teams are still searching for bodies and survivors. More than 200 tornado...

Over 250 killed as tornadoes ravage US south

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April 28, 2011

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (AFP) – Tornadoes and storms carved a trail of "catastrophic" destruction across the southern United States, killing over 250 people in the worst US weather disaster in years, officials said Thursday. Shocked residents o...

Barack Obama says southern US storms 'catastrophic'

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April 28, 2011

President Barack Obama says the damage from deadly tornados in south-eastern US states is "catastrophic", as he prepares to visit storm-hit Alabama. Mr Obama hailed rescue workers as heroes and said he stood with every affected American. Storms an...

Ecuador raises alert as Tungurahua volcano spews ash

News Item
April 27, 2011

Ecuador has declared an amber alert after the Tungurahua volcano started spewing ash again. A plume more than 7km (4.3 miles) high could be seen emerging from the volcano in central Ecuador. The authorities evacuated residents living near the volc...

Six die in Taiwan tourist train accident

News Item
April 27, 2011

At least six people were killed when a tree collapsed into the path of a tourist train at a popular mountain spot in central Taiwan, officials say. Some 50 other people were injured in the accident near Mount Ali. Many of the passengers on the nar...

DR Congo ferry capsizes on Lake Kivu, killing dozens

News Item
April 25, 2011

A ferry has capsized on Lake Kivu in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing at least 38 people, aid group the Red Cross says. It was caught in strong winds and waves soon after leaving Minova bound for the city of Bukavu on Sunday e...

Brazil hit by deadly floods and landslides

News Item
April 24, 2011

Landslides and floods triggered by torrential rain have killed at least 10 people in southern Brazil. Among the dead were three children whose home was among several buried in the town of Novo Hamburgo in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. A man was ...

Dozens missing after Philippine landslide

News Item
April 22, 2011

At least three people have been killed and 21 more are missing after a landslide struck homes and destroyed mining tunnels in the Philippines. Mud and rocks buried miners' houses in the remote village in Compostela Valley province on the southern ...

Bangladesh: Scores die as ferry sinks

News Item
April 21, 2011

At least 23 people have died and dozens are missing after a ferry carrying more than 100 passengers capsized in a river in eastern Bangladesh. The ferry went down after hitting the wreckage of another ferry in the Meghna river in Brahmanbaria, 80k...

Colombia: Mudslides cause major damage in Utica

News Item
April 21, 2011

Floodwaters and thick mud have made life miserable for many in Colombia More than 200 families have been left homeless in the central Colombian town of Utica after a mudslide swept away their houses. Heavy rains caused the local river to break its...

Royal wedding: The security challenge

News Item
April 19, 2011

As final preparations for the royal wedding get under way, the police are working around the clock to ensure that no security breach or incident should disrupt proceedings on Prince William and Kate Middleton's big day. It is 1.33 miles from Westm...

US storms and tornado death toll rises

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April 17, 2011

The death toll from three days of severe weather across several southern US states has risen to at least 43. The latest state to be hit was North Carolina, where 62 tornadoes left a trail of destruction in the worst storm to hit the state in two d...

US storms: Alabama deaths raise death toll

News Item
April 16, 2011

Severe spring storms including tornados have left 16 people dead and destroyed school buildings and homes in southern states of the US. The storm did most damage in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Alabama. Among those killed were two elderly sisters in the...

Germany: Freak sandstorm causes deadly motorway pile-up

News Item
April 10, 2011

A freak sandstorm that swept across a motorway in northern Germany caused a multiple pile-up, leaving eight people dead and dozens injured. Sand and dirt were blown on to the four-lane A19 near Rostock, close to the Baltic Sea in Mecklenburg-Weste...

New York set to be big loser as sea levels rise

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April 8, 2011

New York is a major loser and Reykjavik a winner from new forecasts of sea level rise in different regions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said in 2007 that sea levels would rise at least 28cm (1ft) by the year 2100. But this...

Japan: Powerful aftershock leaves three dead

News Item
April 8, 2011

Three people have been killed and scores injured after a powerful aftershock struck north-east Japan. Several buildings were destroyed and power was cut to 3.6 million homes. It was the most powerful tremor since the 9.0-magnitude quake that trigg...

Australia raises cost of twin natural disasters to $9bn

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April 4, 2011

The twin natural disasters that hit Australia early this year will cost its economy A$9bn ($9.4bn; £5.8bn), according to the Treasury department. The latest figure is a substantial increase on the earlier estimate of A$5.6bn. Treasurer Wayne ...

Indonesia lifts tsunami alert after earthquake off Java

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April 4, 2011

Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency (BMKG) has lifted the tsunami alert issued after a 7.1-magnitude earthquake south of the island of Java. The tremor struck shortly after 0300 on Monday (2000 GMT on Sunday), about 300km (186 miles) sou...

Namibia's President Pohamba declares floods emergency

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April 2, 2011

Namibia's President Hifikepunye Pohamba has declared a state of emergency following serious flooding in the north of the southern African country. More than 20 people are reported to have drowned and some 10,000 displaced, many from the town of Os...

British Red Cross: working across borders - Event

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April 1, 2011

This year’s lecture at the Royal Geographic Society will be hosted by Sir Nicholas Young, chief executive at the British Red Cross. He will be joined by Paul Jenkins, head of partnerships development with the International Red Cross and Red...

Thailand tourist islands flood in deadly rains

News Item
March 30, 2011

Severe flooding across the south of Thailand has killed at least 15 people and stranded thousands of tourists. Victims were either swept away by the rising waters or buried in mudslides caused by the unseasonable downpours. Trains to the region ha...

Could electricity change the face of firefighting?

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March 28, 2011

March 27, 2011: Scientists have described a discovery that could underpin a new genre of firefighting devices, including sprinkler systems that suppress fires not with water, but with zaps of electric current, without soaking and damaging th...

Japan earthquake: The work of the UK rescuers

News Item
March 16, 2011

The British search and rescue team working on the north-east coast of Japan is spending a second day looking for survivors. Every single member of the team, including accompanying journalists, has now been issued with a dosimeter, which reads radi...

Radiation fears after Japan blast

News Item
March 15, 2011

Explosions at a Japanese quake-stricken nuclear plant have led to radiation levels that can affect human health, a senior Japanese official has said. Prime Minister Naoto Kan has urged those living within 30km (18 miles) of the plant to stay indo...

Tsunami hits Japan after massive quake

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March 11, 2011

Another day, another earthquake. Except the Magnitude 8.9 tremor off the coast of Honshu, Japan, will be a standout event for 2011 - if not in terms of the eventual death toll it brings, then certainly in scale. There are usually only one o...

Chile Congress blames San Jose mine owners for collapse

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March 3, 2011

A congressional commission in Chile has blamed the mine owners for the rockfall which left 33 men trapped underground for 69 days last year. The commission said Alejandro Bohn and Marcelo Kemeny were guilty of negligence, a charge they deny. The ...

Floods and landslides hit Bolivia

News Item
February 27, 2011

A landslide caused by intense rains has destroyed more than 150 homes in the Bolivian city of La Paz. The authorities managed to evacuate the poor Kupini II area before it was smashed by a collapsing hillside. Elsewhere in La Paz, at least five pe...

South Africa: Toxic water 'threatens Johannesburg'

News Item
February 25, 2011

Rapidly rising acidic water in the abandoned gold mines under Johannesburg in South Africa could leak out early next year, the water ministry warns. Its report recommends building pumps and monitoring stations immediately. The toxic liquid has ...

Indonesian mud volcano flow 'to last 26 years'

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February 25, 2011

The world's largest mud volcano, which left 13,000 families homeless, is likely to continue erupting for another 26 years, researchers have estimated. It first erupted back in May 2006, and - at its peak - was spewing 180,000 cubic metres of m...

Microsoft Kinect-powered robot to aid earthquake rescue

News Item
February 25, 2011

As New Zealand tries to come to terms with Christchurch's devastating earthquake, rescuers continue to bravely work their way through the rubble in search of more than 200 missing people. From the ground, experts attempt to judge where people are ...

The European Commission facilitates support to evacuate Europeans from Libya

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February 24, 2011

The European Commission facilitates support to evacuate Europeans from Libya The Presidency of the European Council and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to support the e...

Hopes fade for NZ quake missing

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February 24, 2011

Hopes are fading of finding survivors beneath collapsed buildings in the aftermath of Tuesday's earthquake in the New Zealand city of Christchurch. Ninety-eight bodies have now been recovered and taken to a temporary morgue. Prime Minister John K...

New Zealand earthquake: Death toll rises to 75

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February 23, 2011

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has declared a national state of emergency as the death toll from Tuesday's earthquake in Christchurch rose to 75. Police have said there is "incredible carnage right throughout the city", with "bodies littering...

India court convicts 31 over deadly Godhra train fire

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February 22, 2011

A special court in the western Indian state of Gujarat has found 31 people guilty of setting fire to a passenger train in the town of Godhra in 2002. A total of 59 people, mainly Hindu pilgrims, died after the Sabarmati Express was allegedly atta...

Mali stampede in Bamako 'kills dozens'

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February 22, 2011

At least 30 people have been killed in a stampede at a stadium in the Malian capital of Bamako, officials say. Seventy others were injured in the incident, which occurred at the end of a sermon given by imam Osman Madani Haidara. The stampede happ...

New Zealand earthquake leaves 65 dead

News Item
February 22, 2011

New Zealand's prime minister says at least 65 people have died after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch. John Key said the toll was expected to rise further, adding: "We may be witnessing New Zealand's darkest day." The tremor struck at 1...

Estonia children's home fire kills 10

News Item
February 20, 2011

A fire has swept through a home for disabled children in the western Estonian town of Haapsalu, killing 10 children, officials say. Nine adults and 37 children were inside the wooden building when the fire started at 1230 GMT, rescue official Vikt...

Vietnam boat sinking: Human error blamed, two arrested

News Item
February 20, 2011

Human error was to blame for the sinking of a tourist boat in Vietnam which killed 12 people, including one Briton, Vietnamese police have said. Quang Ninh police spokesman Le Thanh Binh said a valve that allowed water to come into the boat to co...

Halong Bay tourists dead as Vietnam boat sinks

News Item
February 17, 2011

At least 11 tourists and a guide have drowned after a tour boat sank in Halong Bay in northeastern Vietnam. The boat was touring in the picturesque Unesco World Heritage Site in Quang Ninh province when it went down. At least 21 foreign tourists w...

Sun unleashes huge solar flare towards Earth

News Item
February 16, 2011

The Sun has unleashed its strongest flare in four years, observers say. The eruption is a so-called X-flare, the strongest type; such flares can affect communications on Earth. Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) spacecraft recorded an in...

Sellafield cautioned over radioactive leak

News Item
February 15, 2011

Sellafield managers have been issued with a formal caution over a leak of radioactive liquid which went unnoticed for 14 months. The Environment Agency said the leak, which was reported in January 2009, caused no impact to the environment. But it ...

Company guilty of Cheltenham geologist's manslaughter

News Item
February 15, 2011

A Gloucestershire firm has become the first company to be convicted under new corporate manslaughter legislation. Geologist Alexander Wright, 27, from Cheltenham, died at a development site in Brimscombe Lane, near Stroud, when a trench collapsed ...

Haiti cholera challenge 'failed' by agencies

News Item
February 14, 2011

By Mark DoyleBBC International Development Correspondent The cholera outbreak that has killed 3,600 people in Haiti since October 2010 has not been suppressed - despite billions of dollars in promised aid, according to a report by Haitian and US ...

Honduras vice-minister Robelo among 14 plane crash dead

News Item
February 14, 2011

A deputy minister, Rodolfo Robelo, is among 14 people reported dead in a plane crash in Honduras. The small commercial plane was on a routine scheduled flight from the coastal city of San Pedro Sula to the capital, Tegucigalpa. Also among those ki...

Nato seizes 'pirate mother ship' off Somalia

News Item
February 13, 2011

A Nato warship has captured a suspected pirate mother ship off Somalia, Nato's counter-piracy mission has said. It said Denmark's warship fired warning shots on Saturday, forcing the vessel to stop and its crew to surrender. Sixteen suspected pir...

Eleven die in stampede at Nigeria election rally

News Item
February 12, 2011

Eleven people have died in a stampede at an election rally in Nigeria. The rally in the southern city of Port Harcourt was part of President Goodluck Jonathan's election campaign ahead of a poll due in April. At least 29 others are said to have be...

Flu pandemic measures can start late, researchers say

News Item
February 12, 2011

By James GallagherHealth reporter, BBC News Measures to reduce the impact of a flu pandemic, such as closing schools, should not necessarily take place at the beginning of an outbreak, according to computer models. A report in PLoS Computatio...

Chile hit by powerful earthquake

News Item
February 12, 2011

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake has struck central Chile, in the region that was hit by a huge quake and tsunami in February last year. Thousands of people fled to higher ground but there have been no reports of deaths or serious damage. In the follow...

Hackers hit 'at least five oil and gas firms'

News Item
February 10, 2011

Hackers have run rampant through the networks of at least five oil and gas firms for years, reveals a report. Compiled by security firm McAfee, it details the methods and techniques the hackers used to gain access to the unamed multinational firms...

President's relative among six killed in Cork crash

News Item
February 10, 2011

Six people, including a relative of the Irish president, have been killed and six others injured after a plane from Belfast crashed in fog at Cork Airport. The Manx2 commuter flight with 10 passengers and two crew on board crashed on the runway o...

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