Disaster News Page 15
Hastings Pier destroyed by fire
Hastings Pier has been destroyed by a major fire following a suspected arson attack. Two arrests have been made following the incident, with Hastings Borough Council leader Cllr Jeremy Birch promising to examine the damage with a view to rebuilding the iconic building.
Austerity strikes disrupt European travel
Thousands of people from across the European Union are expected to take to the streets of Brussels today in protest against austerity budgets imposed by national governments. Spain will also see a general strike, with air traffic controllers joining those on picket lines.
Airlines prepare ahead of Spanish strike
Airlines across Europe are preparing for severe disruption tomorrow as transport unions join a general strike in Spain. Air traffic controllers are among those expected to join picket lines as prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero seeks to implement an austerity budget.
Landslide buries homes in Oaxaca, Mexico
As many as 300 homes have been buried under rubble following a landslide in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. Up to 600 people are feared trapped following the disaster in the town of Santa Maria Tlahuitoltepec.
Tropical Storm Matthew heads toward Caribbean
With the hurricane season now in full-swing, Tropical Storm Matthew is steadily making its way toward South America bringing winds of up to 50 mph. With the United States National Hurricane Centre warning the storm could turn into a hurricane later today, Nicaragua and eastern Honduras are preparing for impact.
Mexico hit by Tropical Storm Georgette
More than a million people have been affected by flooding in Mexico following the impact of Tropical Storm Georgette. Among the worst hit areas is the Baja California region on the Pacific coast, where the heaviest monsoon rains recorded for 15 years have already left many homeless.
US Gulf Coast relief as BP seals well
National Incident Commander Thad Allen has confirmed the Macondo oil well – which had leaked 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico – is now “effectively dead”. However, the battle to repair the damage is only just beginning, with BP facing up to 400 law suits in relation to the accident.
British tourists injured in Greek accident
As many as 25 tourists – many of whom are believed to be British – have been injured following a catamaran crash on the Greek island of Kos. The Turkish-flagged Aegean Cat twice crashed into a jetty on the island, with five of those injured treated in hospital.
Haiti recovers from quake with hotel development
The ongoing process of recovery on the Caribbean island of Haiti has been given a boost following the unveiling of plans for a new hotel. Sponsored by Argentine entrepreneur Rolando Gonzalez-Bunster, the project was praised by former US president Bill Clinton who said a hotel network was “crucial” to the rebuilding process.
Passengers killed in Venezuela plane crash
As many as 15 people have been killed following a plane crash on the outskirts of the Venezuelan city of Ciudad Guayana. The Conviasa operated ATR-42 turboprop aircraft crashed on arrival at Manuel Carlos Piar airport, with 47 passengers and four crew on board.
‘No single factor’ to blame for BP spill
BP has said no single factor was responsible for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, with blame instead attributed to “a sequence of failures involving a number of different parties”. Some 4.9 million barrels of oil leaked into the Gulf following an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in April this year, which also claimed 11 lives.
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Hurricane season is well and truly underway, with five storms currently whipping some of the more coastal regions in America and East Asia, and more already developing over the oceans.