Displaying items by tag: deaths

Following Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in recent memory, a visit by King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia to Valencia became the target of public outrage, with protesters hurling mud at them. The recent devastating floods claimed at least 217 lives, with the toll expected to rise. When the royal couple appeared, alongside Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and other leaders, many locals expressed their fury at what they saw as inadequate warnings and slow government response. Protesters shouted ‘Murderers!’ and ‘Get out!’ at officials, blaming them for the disaster’s aftermath, and there were several clashes with police. Queen Letizia burst into tears after speaking to several grieving people. One commentator noted that the crowd's anger was directed at the politicians, not the royal family. Public resentment over the government's handling of the floods has intensified. One week after the floods struck, many people still did not have drinking water.

On 3 November Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, located on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, erupted, triggering a deadly disaster. The eruption unleashed explosive lava, volcanic ash, and fiery rocks, and at least ten have died. In response, authorities raised the volcano's alert level to the highest, evacuating residents from the area within a seven-kilometre radius. Some settlements, about four kilometres from the crater, were struck by burning lava and rocks. The government declared a state of emergency for 58 days, enabling emergency aid for around 10,000 affected residents. In addition to the immediate danger of lava, authorities warned of potential flash floods and cold lava mudflows. There have been two other violent volcanic eruptions this year in Indonesia, highlighting the nation's vulnerability.

At least 95 people have lost their lives in south-eastern Spain after relentless rains triggered flash floods. In one town an unprecedented year’s worth of rainfall (491 mm) occurred within just eight hours. Floodwaters wrought havoc across the region, toppling bridges, sweeping cars through streets, and leaving many people clinging to trees to survive. Over a thousand troops have been dispatched for rescue operations as numerous individuals remain trapped or unaccounted for. King Felipe VI expressed deep condolences, while emergency services, overwhelmed by the crisis, have struggled to respond to hundreds of distress calls. Questions have arisen over poor forecasting and delayed flood warnings, which some believed left them vulnerable on roads and low-lying homes: see https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyx75ppr79 Flights, trains, and schools have been suspended. Of many contributory factors, a warming atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely. Temperatures will keep rising unless governments around the world make steep cuts to emissions: see also the World article on the UN and climate change.

A new report by Oxfam reveals that hunger caused by global conflicts has reached unprecedented levels, with an estimated 7,000 to 21,000 people dying every day. The report, Food Wars, shows that nearly all of the 281.6 million people facing acute hunger live in countries experiencing conflict. Oxfam accuses warring parties of weaponising food, targeting vital infrastructure, and blocking aid deliveries. Conflict also drives record-high displacement, with 117 million people forcibly displaced. In areas like Sudan and Gaza, food aid is critically limited, exacerbating starvation. Oxfam points to the economic liberalisation model (focused on foreign investment and exports) as a key factor worsening inequality and instability in these regions. In particular, extractive industries, like mining in Sudan, have displaced people and degraded environments, creating unlivable conditions. The report calls on global leaders to address the root causes of this problem, and to hold perpetrators of ‘starvation crimes’ accountable under international law.

Following extensive air strikes targeting Hezbollah, Lt Gen Herzi Halevi, Israel's military chief, has indicated that a ground invasion into Hezbollah-controlled territory in Lebanon might be imminent. The air strikes, which hit Hezbollah’s intelligence directorate and weapons stores, killed over fifty people, according to Lebanon's health minister. Hezbollah escalated the conflict by firing a missile toward Tel Aviv, the first such strike by the group on the city, which Israel intercepted. Cross-border fighting has continued, with Hezbollah launching more rockets and Israel responding with over 280 airstrikes on Hezbollah targets. Since Monday, more than six hundred people have been killed in Lebanon, and 90,000 have been displaced. There is no end in sight to the fighting, which is linked to Hezbollah’s support for Hamas in Gaza. Breaking news: Benjamin Netanyahu has flown to New York to address the UN General Assembly on 27 September.  He has resolutely turned down the call by a number of countries for an immediate 21-day ceasefire. See

Central Europe has been severely affected by Storm Boris, bringing heavy rain and snow and causing flooding across Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Austria, with at least 24 reported deaths. In Poland, the town of Nysa has seen the evacuation of 40,000 residents, and other towns face severe damage after rivers overflowed. A state of natural disaster has been declared, with Wroclaw expecting more flooding. Meanwhile, rivers like the Oder and Danube are rising, with Slovakia, Hungary, and Croatia also preparing for potential floods. Emergency services, aided by the military, are working tirelessly across the region to protect communities. On 19 September, Storm Boris reached northern Italy, with similar reports  of devastation: see Extreme rainfall is becoming more frequent and intense across central Europe, as across much of the world.

To date, seven Portuguese firefighters have died while battling over fifty wildfires ravaging the country’s central and northern regions. Portugal has mobilised around 5,300 firefighters and has also called for EU help. The fires have forced the closure of major motorways and disrupted train services in the north. Though authorities describe the situation as ‘calmer but still worrying’, many villages remain under threat. The hardest-hit area, Aveiro district, has lost dozens of homes, with four deaths reported. The fires, which have already burned through more than 10,000 hectares (24,710 acres) of forest and shrubland, could engulf a further 20,000 hectares. Portugal and Spain have so far recorded fewer fires than usual this year, but both remain vulnerable to the increasingly hot and dry conditions caused by global warming.

The sinking of the Bayesian superyacht in a violent storm off the Sicilian coast has left authorities investigating the causes. The yacht, which went down rapidly, claimed the lives of seven people, including UK tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch and the chairman of Morgan Stanley, Jonathan Bloomer. Eyewitnesses and experts suggest that the storm, potentially involving a tornadic waterspout, was highly localised and unexpected. Divers have reportedly found the yacht's hatch open, which could have allowed water to flood the vessel. The mobile keel was also partially raised, possibly affecting stability. Italian prosecutors are focusing on the captain's actions during the event, with experts noting that even the most prepared crews can be overwhelmed by sudden catastrophic events.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have recovered the bodies of six hostages from tunnels in Khan Younis, bringing heartbreaking confirmation to their families. Meanwhile, on 20 August at least twelve Palestinians were killed in an airstrike on a school: see Over 40,000 Palestinians have now died since the conflict began. As the situation escalates, US secretary of state Antony Blinken has been involved in ceasefire negotiations, warning that this may be the last opportunity to secure a hostage and prisoner swap. While a potential agreement appears close, with Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly accepting a US ‘bridging proposal’, there still appear to be large gaps between the two sides. On the central issue of the hostages, Hamas is demanding assurances that Israel will not begin military operations again after thirty of the most vulnerable are released. Israel is concerned that Hamas will drag out a second phase in which the remaining hostages, including male soldiers, are freed.

Hopes of finding over 180 missing people alive in India's Kerala state are dwindling as rescue workers search through mud and debris after landslides, triggered by torrential rains, killed at least 194 people. This disaster is the worst since 2018. More than 5,500 people have been rescued from hillside villages, but rescue operations are hampered by ongoing rains. Nearly forty bodies were found 30 km downstream from the landslide site in Wayanad district. Most victims were tea estate workers. About 1,100 rescue personnel, helicopters, and heavy equipment are involved in the efforts. Current reports indicate up to 276 deaths from the heavy rains and flooding. Over 8,300 people are in 82 relief camps. Kerala, prone to heavy rains and landslides, received 572 mm of rain over 48 hours, far exceeding forecasts. India has witnessed extreme weather in recent years, from torrential rain and floods to droughts and cyclones, blamed by some experts on climate change.