Displaying items by tag: damage

In recent weeks, heavy rains have devastated Mayo Danay in the far north of Cameroon, with Yagoua particularly affected. The unprecedented flooding has caused at least ten deaths, submerged entire neighbourhoods, and damaged 185 primary schools and 13 high schools. Over a thousand livestock have been lost, and more than 200,000 people have been impacted, with 8,000 homes destroyed. Many are struggling to meet basic needs, having lost everything. There are temporary camps for the displaced, and the destruction of a crucial bridge has worsened the isolation of the region.The government has promised a temporary bridge solution and 350 million CFA francs (£450,000) in aid. However, many consider this amount insufficient, given the scale of the crisis, and for now canoes are the only means of transport.

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

Wildfires have been ravaging Chile's Valparaíso region, leaving hundreds missing and over 120 dead. President Gabriel Boric has described them as the worst disaster since the 2010 earthquake. The fires erupted during a heatwave, engulfing seaside towns normally cooled by sea breezes. Strong winds fuelled the blaze, quickly engulfing hillside communities. Drone footage reveals widespread destruction, with many unable to escape. Authorities are prioritising rescue efforts, with volunteers assisting those displaced. Nearly 15,000 homes have been damaged, and entire neighbourhoods razed. Boric has declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew. Investigations are under way to determine if the fires were intentional.

An intense storm in Argentina left at least 13 people dead and others injured in the southwestern port city of Bahía Blanca. Winds reached up to 140 kilometres (87 miles) per hour in the city on 16 December, and by the next day at least 300 people had been evacuated. The city council said that the situation caused by the storm was a catastrophe, reporting multiple injuries, some extremely serious. The mayor declared three days of mourning, saying: ‘I want to reaffirm our solidarity with the families and loved ones of the 13 deceased people.’ He reminded citizens of the importance of keeping safe by staying home, adding: ‘We are still in an emergency situation, with electrical risk and risk of falling trees and structures.’ The city’s emergency teams received over 100,000 calls about downed trees, power lines and signs, among other damage. President Javier Milei said that his cabinet is working with provincial and municipal authorities to help the victims and respond to the damage.

The Philippines has an average of twenty storms and typhoons annually, wiping out harvests, homes and infrastructure. The strongest this year, Typhoon Rai, killed 375 people and more deaths are expected as rescue operations continue. Pray for God to comfort all who mourn. Pray for adequate relief housing for the 300,000 who fled their homes and beachfront resorts. Pray for clear organisation and speedy delivery of water, food and medicines by the Red Cross and other relief groups. Pray for families living with no electricity or means of communication to be found and helped. Pray for God to give wisdom and endurance to the thousands of military, police, coast guards and fire personnel assisting in search and rescue efforts. They are describing scenes of ‘complete carnage’. Establishing the scale of the loss of life is difficult in areas where landslides and flooding may have claimed more lives. See also

At least 33 people have died in the ‘heaviest rainfall in a millennium’ in central China. The torrential floods paralysed several cities, causing millions of pounds in damage. Vast swathes of Zhengzhou city are under several feet of water. Cars float down streets and 200,000 people fled flooding in Henan province, home to China’s agricultural industry. The subway flooded, trapping passengers inside carriages as water levels rose. Platforms were submerged and commuters clung to railings to keep their heads above the fast-flowing deluge as air was running out. Train services across the province have been suspended, highways remain closed, and flights cancelled. At least two dams in Inner Mongolia have collapsed. Other dams that enclose China’s reservoirs are threatening to fail. Rescue workers are evacuating residents from Hefei, and a hospital with 7,000+ beds lost power, with staff racing to relocate hundreds of critically ill patients. More rain is expected in the coming days.

An earthquake in the Aegean Sea on 30 October has so far killed 107 people in Turkey and Samos. It is not yet clear on how many people are still under the rubble of 20 Turkish buildings; 144 survivors are still in hospital and over 1,000 people were injured in Turkey. A ‘mini tsunami’ flooded streets in Turkey and Samos. Four days after being buried alive a young girl called Ayda was pulled from the rubble. As she was being taken to an ambulance, wrapped in a thermal blanket, everyone clapped and chanted ‘God is great’. Her rescue came a day after a three-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl were also pulled out alive from collapsed buildings. Pray for those still waiting for news of lost relatives - and for any more still alive to be found.

Heavy rain in northern England has left people stranded and blocked roads and railway lines. Firefighters rescued 22 people from flooded properties in Cheshire and Greater Manchester after days of heavy rain - 19mm of rain fell in eight hours. Rivers have burst their banks and ambulances have been taking injured to hospital. One firefighter, rescuing a child, had to be rescued himself from fast-flowing water. That rescue was described as ‘difficult, involving acts of bravery’. Pray for residents and shop-owners when flood waters subside, leaving buildings full of mud and silt, with possessions ruined. Pray for those who have been evacuated twice in three years, having newly replaced items ruined for a second time. Pray for those who were homeless for almost a year last time, now facing the same trauma.

Monsoon flood waters have receded in Kerala after the worst monsoon rains in a century, allowing authorities to retrieve the bodies of victims and enabling residents to start assessing the damage to their homes. But it is feared that thousands of people are still trapped in the worst-hit areas. Pray for regular supplies of clean drinking water and electricity to be distributed quickly and fairly to the state’s 33 million residents. Pray for the thousands of army, navy and air force personnel still searching for survivors and delivering food, medicine and water to those stranded in remote, hilly areas cut off by damaged roads and bridges. Pray for the 1,028,000 people sheltering in 3,274 relief camps. Disinfectants in adequate quantities are needed to prevent water-borne diseases. Pray for more paramedics to be available to advise and give medical aid. The government said it needs hundreds of thousands of electricians, plumbers and carpenters to bring Kerala back to normality. See