Displaying items by tag: deaths

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.

At least fifty Palestinians have been killed and many wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The strikes targeted areas in south and central Gaza, including the humanitarian zone of al-Mawasi and a UN-run school in a refugee camp. The Israeli military (IDF) claimed the strikes targeted Hamas fighters, and it accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields. It also says that half of Hamas’s military leaders and approximately 14,000 ‘terrorists’ have been killed in the last nine months. Since October, over 38,000 people have died in Gaza, with 14,680 identified as children, women, and elderly. The violence has resulted in significant civilian suffering and displacement, with both sides continuing hostilities. In a recent BBC interview, a mother in Gaza has described how her adult son with Down’s Syndrome died after being attacked by an IDF dog: see

A Russian cruise missile has struck Okhmatdyt, Ukraine's largest children's hospital, in central Kyiv. The attack caused significant damage, including a collapsed roof that killed two hospital workers and injured 16 people, including seven children. Thousands of children, including those with cancer, undergo treatment at the hospital every year. The strike was one of forty launched against several Ukrainian cities, which resulted in at least 36 deaths and 125 injuries. Moscow, which habitually denies targeting civilian infrastructure, claimed the hospital was hit by a Ukrainian missile. The latest UN figures show over 30,000 civilian casualties since February 2022: see

Hurricane Beryl, the earliest recorded storm to reach Category 5, is finally weakening after devastating the southeastern Caribbean, killing at least ten people and destroying 90% of homes on Union Island in the Grenadines. The speed with which the storm intensified is attributed to climate change. Beryl has caused enormous destruction, including three deaths in Grenada, three in St Vincent and the Grenadines, and two in northern Venezuela. Grenada’s Carriacou island is nearly cut off, with extensive damage to infrastructure. A UN executive said, ‘It’s clear that the climate crisis is pushing disasters to record-breaking new levels of destruction’. The number of hurricanes in the 2024 season is predicted to be well above average, with 17 to 25 named storms. For further details, see

Around forty people were killed by unidentified armed men in a village in central Mali on 1 July. The attack, which occurred during a wedding, caused panic and forced many to flee. Survivors reported the attackers surrounded the village and opened fire. No group has claimed responsibility, but groups linked with al-Qaeda and IS have been active since 2015. They have seized territory, making parts of the country ungovernable. Despite promises to tackle insecurity, Mali’s military government, which took power in a 2020 coup, has struggled to control the violence. It has also been accused of human rights abuses. The UN peacekeeping mission in Mali ended its deployment last December, in a pullout ordered by the government.

At least twenty people have been killed in a series of shootings in Dagestan on 24 June. The attacks targeted a synagogue, an Orthodox church, and a traffic police post. Among the victims were fifteen law enforcement officers and civilians, including an Orthodox priest. The synagogue and church were set on fire before the attackers fled. The authorities say that five gunmen were later shot dead, and two sons of a local district head were arrested. The regional governor called it a ‘day of tragedy’ and declared three days of mourning in the predominantly Muslim region. Russia's national anti-terrorism committee attributed the attacks to ‘terrorists’, though no group claimed responsibility. This incident follows a major attack on a concert hall in Moscow three months ago, which killed 145 people​.