Showing posts with label casualty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label casualty. Show all posts

PostHeaderIcon Russian nightclub death toll climbs to 112



The Lame Horse night club blaze thought to have been sparked by a wayward fireworks display on December 5, 2009 in Perm, Russia had now killed at least 112 people. rushed to hospitals for treatment of various injuries and burns. The last counted casualty died of severe burns in a Moscow hospital.

During the investigation the club owner Antoly Zak and the artistic director responsible for the pyrotechnics, including two men were arrested on orders of the Leninsky District Court. Officials said they have cited club-managers for safety violations in the past to no avail.

Eyewitnesses suspected criminal negligence as the cause of the blaze. Pres. Dmitry Medvedev called for a tighter laws and regulations in the handling of criminal liability in cases of a conflagration. Since Russian fire safety rules were not well-enforced, as many as 18,000 deaths annually were attributed to fires in the country. (Photo Credit: gypsygirl) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Eight soldiers killed in a bloody skirmish with NPA in Surigao





The encounter between the military and New People’s Army (NPA) which caused the death of 12 people including 8 military soldiers, among them a police officer, occurred without much public notice. Another 12 soldiers were injured in a remote mountainous community in Lanuza, Surigao del Sur. The fighting with the communist militants was eclipsed by the visit of US Sec. of State Hillary Clinton in Manila who pledged support for the country's anti-insurgency campaign.

“Eight soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion, a police officer from the 1405th Provincial Police Mobile Group, a member of the Special Cafgu Active Auxiliary (SCAA), and two security personnel from logging firm, Surigao Development Corp (SUDECOR), died when they clashed with alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Pakwan village on Wednesday.” ---GMAnews.TV (11/13/09)

The senseless deaths and injuries of the brave men didn't have news coverage as much as Clinton’s visit and the release of Columban missionary Michael Sinnott---- kidnapped last month in Pagadian City in Southern Philippines. The soldiers died from gunshot wounds and from injuries inflicted by landmines and bombs exploded by the communist rebels.

On a military mission, the army soldiers were ambushed by about 100 NPA rebels. The deaths and injuries which followed were barely noticed by the public. Obviously, the bloody encounter indicates the fragility of peace in Mindanao. More has to be done for peace. The casualties suffered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) indicate the cost of keeping freedom and tranquility in the islands.(Photo Credit: abs-cbnnews.com x 2) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon El Salvador flooding kills 40 people



El Salvador’s interior minister Humberto Centeno announced that after three days of continuous rains, at least 14 provinces in a mountainous region of the country were waterlogged and inundated by flood. About 40 people died and at least two dozen casualties were reported in San Vicente province.

The massive rainfall in Central Latin America was traced to the low pressure areas in the coast of the Pacific. In the northwest Caribbean, Hurricane Ida, passing the Yucatan in the Mexican peninsula played some role in bringing Ecuador's disastrous flooding. (Photo Credit: Tina Manthorpe) =0=

UPDATE: 11/09/09 More landslides, flooding, and destruction property upped the number of deaths in El Salvador to 124. The number of casualties is expected to rise and hundreds of homes were destroyed, leaving some 13,000 people homeless.

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PostHeaderIcon More casualties in RP's Typhoon Ondoy





The heavy rains and subsequent flood which swept Manila and neighboring provinces in the weekend brought a trail of destruction, disrupting lives and causing about 340,000 people to evacuate in 92 centers all over the country. The government reported deaths of at least 100 people, mostly due to drowning--- the aftermath of tropical typhoon Ondoy.

“Twenty-one died in Region III: nine in Bulacan and 12 in Arayat, Pampanga. In the Cordillera Administrative Region, one was killed in Kabugao, Apayao…

At the badly-hit Provident Village in Marikina, GMA News reported Sunday night that no less than 15 people had been found dead in the village. Among them were two children and six adults left by the roadside awaiting identification by family members who had been prevented by the flood from reaching them in time. Other residents were rescued Sunday after getting stranded for many hours.”----
GMAnew. TV (09/27/09, Dedace, S)

Drenched with rain, many people stranded for hours were rescued from the flooded streets and others were plucked from rooftops of houses. Villages were impassible to regular traffic in a flooding considered the worst in 42 years.

Airports temporarily cancelled flights as runways became water-logged. Electrical power disruptions were reported in various parts of the city. Businesses and stores in many villages in Manila were closed because of water damage.

Overall, the flood had been another warning that Filipinos need to step up their disaster preparedness. If not, more destruction and deaths couldn't be averted. (Photo Credit: Inquirer.net; YahoowNews/ AFP) =0=

RELATED BLOG: Record flooding in Manila by Typhoon Ondoy Posted by mesiamd at 9/26/2009

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PostHeaderIcon 90 perish in NATO airstrike in Afghanistan


An airstrike targeting two fuel vehicles had caused the deaths of at least 90 Afghanis, many civilians. Taken by Taliban militants the trucks were brought to Aliabad town in Kurduz province. About 50 Taliban insurgents died. The casualties were trying to pilfer gas from the hijacked vehicles on Friday, September 4, 2009.

An investigation is on-going. There is resentment of the village people regarding the deaths and Pres. Hamid Karzai expressed that “targeting civilians is unacceptable.” The deaths of undetermined number of civilian in the crossfire have drawn the human rights groups complaining. They say killing of civilians results to more recruits to terrorism---in support of the call of Taliban extremists.

In July there was an order from U.S. Army General Stanley McChrystal to avoid the use of airstrikes precisely to avoid casualties. (Photo Credit: media =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Taliban suicide bomber kills 23 in Afghanistan attack



The Taliban claiming responsibility, a suicide bomber detonated himself killing 23 people in a a crowded Mosque in Mehtarlam, Laghman Province, about 100 miles from the capital city of Kabul.

The deaths coincided with rising dispute on who won the recent presidential election which had served as the Afghanistan’s deputy intelligence officer. The government and the United Nations (UN) condemned the attack. Pres. Hamid Karzai (47.3%) leading against his rival Abdullah Abdullah (32.6%) on recent vote count.

The bombing which occurred in Ramadan apparently targeted Abdullah Laghmani who served as Afghanistan’s deputy intelligence officer. (Photo Credit: Travelblog.com) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Strong quake kills at least 32 people in Indonesia



A quake of 7 in the Richter scale rocked the Indonesian island of Java causing deaths to at least 32 people and injuring undetermined number of people. Most deaths and injuries were caused by collapsed houses and fallen buildings destroyed by the strong tremblor which occurred at daytime 3 P.M (4 AM E.T.) on September 2, 2009.

In the mountainous city of Tasikmalaya,in West Java, panicked people ran into the streets as many damaged houses and buildings fell. Shaking buildings and interrupting power lines, the earthquake was felt in the capital city of Jakarta where people scampered into the streets and mass evacuation in the business district was undertaken.

According to the US Geological Survey, the epicenter of the quake was about 190 kilometers offshore southeast of Jakarta, about 50 km deep. No tsunami was reported. Reuters/ Pikiran Rakyat Daily) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Iraq bloodbath kills 95



Iraqis who have been used to killings that average about 200-300 per month are alarmed by the recent carnage that brought 95 dead and more than 500 injured. The deaths come from coordinated detonation of cars, trucks, and mortars on key targets in Baghdad---among the deadliest this year. One such bomb has exploded near the finance ministry wounding at least 200 people, mostly innocent civilians. Two Al Qaeda militants were arrested in connection with the senseless blasts.

“I am saddened that the violence continues, including an appalling string of attacks today in Baghdad which took the lives of scores of innocent people," UN Sec. Gen. Ban Ki-moon ABCNews (08/19/09, Barker, A.)

A Sunni politician Falah Hassan Zeidan condemned the terrorist attacks in the city where the parliament, national government, and international community are located. Admitted by government officials, he complained of the laxity of the security men tasked to keep peace in the area.

The cowardly attacks have increased since the partial withdrawal of US forces last June. However, the decision to keep for about 2 years American military forces in the capital city remains. (Photo Credit: minnimarg) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Russian hydroelectric plant workers missing in an explosion





Rescuers were racing against time to find about 70 workers trapped in a big hydroelectric plant where an explosion occurred. Russia’s largest hydroelectric facility located in Sayano-Shushenskaya, in a Siberia town of Cheryomushki suffered damage which caused electrical outages in several villages and factories.

Twelve people were confirmed dead and more than 70 were reported missing in the blast on August 18, 2009. There are others who were trapped in flooded rooms close to faulty turbines which could be the cause of the blast.

Though the dam of the electric plant was not destroyed, an oil slick developed after the explosion stretching about 50 miles in Yenisei River The plant serves about 10% of the total energy needs of Siberia. (Photo Credits: AFP; Reuters/ Naymushin llya) =0-=
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PostHeaderIcon Taliban steps up violence as election draws near in Afghanistan



Trying to thwart the election scheduled on Thursday, August 20, 2009, Taliban forces increased their campaign of violence in the capital city of Kabul in Afghanistan killing at least 8 people and leaving about 50 wounded. Two Afghan staff of the United Nations and one foreign soldier were among the latest casualties.

A suicide bomber directed an explosive-bearing vehicle in a busy highway. Missiles were fired close to the presidential palace and defense ministry. In Uruzgan province, an insurgent attacked a polling station, leaving four Afghan soldiers and two civilians dead.

For the election, some 300,000 Afghan and international troops and police officers, are tasked with protecting 29,000 polling stations, with what the government describes as a four-tier ring of security.”---Voice of America (08/18/09, Herman, S.)

Dubbed as "a day of peace, the election is expected to allow about 80% of electorates to cast their votes. A huge electoral participation will help in bringing unity, curtail corruption and reconciliation among warring ethnic groups. The Afghan government and international security forces have prepared for more attacks on election day.(Photo Credit tanweer1) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Kuwaiti wedding fire kills 41



On Saturday, August 15, 2009, at least 41 women and children attending a wedding party died when a rapidly spreading fire engulfed the reception. There was a stampede following a break-out of fire which may have been sparked by faulty electrical wiring. Among the casualties are least 70 people who were injured.

Authorities had difficulty evacuating the death scene as relatives and curious on-lookers trooped to the scene in al-Jahra district west of Kuwait City.

Since many were seriously injured, the death toll was expected to rise. Police initiated an investigation as to the cause of the fiery incident. (Photo Credit: gypsygirl) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon GMA orders to "annihilate" the Abu Sayyaf rebels; Erap vowed to "pulverize" them



It’s like the grand order of then Pres. Erap Estrada who vowed to “pulverize” the Islamic militants of Mindanao during his tenure. The ambitious "pulverization" till now is still a pipe dream. The dangerous Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Abu Sayyaf are strong as ever. They still freely operate with such impunity in Mindanao.

After the bloodbath in Basilan this week, Arroyo did her own saber-rattling----ostensibly vowing to annihilate the Moslem bandits responsible for the recent blatant killings. Faced with a humiliating casualties, she had to deal with the skirmish which left 50 people dead, 23 of whom are miltary men, including two army officers.

Abu Sayyaf, in cahoots with some MILF elements are reesponsible. These militants have been done hostage-taking and murders in the past under the noses of government forces. Arroyo and her military men therefore have strong reasons to raise their battle warnngs and execute them.

"The war against terror must be pursued. The annihilation of the Abu Sayyaf must be done,” Mrs. Arroyo told a command conference of security officials led by Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Victor Ibrado at the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) headquarters here."---Philstar (08/16/09)

Pres. Arroyo assuages the public’s grief for the 23 military men who died. Attempting to shore-up the morale of the soldiers and their bereaved relatives, her order of “rapid annihilation” seems hard to realize.

Poverty fuels the discontent of the people in Southern Philippines. The bandits have support from the community where they operate, posing a big obstacle in defeating the terrorists. The Islamic rebels reflect the futility of force which makes violence a losing instrument of peace. (Photo Credit: Alvin Chan) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon 400 missing in Taiwan mudslide



Typhoon Morakot lashed Taiwan in the weekend killing at least 14 people, destroying homes and rendering them inaccessible. Believed to be buried by a landslide, about 400 people were reported missing in the aftermath of the storm. A mountainside caved after 2 meters of rain caused flooding in the area. According to AP, 100 villagers were rescued last August 9, 2009.

A 6-storey hotel in Chihpen, Taitung, Taiwan tumbled down into a river when torrents of water destroyed the building’s foundation. Rescue teams were dispatched by the government, but bad weather partly hampered their operations in the affected villages. (Photo Credit: Kevulike) =0=

UPDATE August 11, 2009---At least 300 were so far rescued and brougt in a mountainous area in Kaohsiung from a place called Shiao Lin, but hundreds are still unaccounted for after the landslide, buried in thick mud. A Taiwanese rescue helicopter crashed with at least 3 people on board. =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Flashfloods and landslides of Typhoon Kiko kill two Frenchmen and strand thousands



As a consequence of Typhoon Kiko, heavy rains and flashfloods occurred in various parts of the Philippines killing at least two Frenchmen and a Filipino guide who were swept by raging waters on their way to Mount Pinatubo on Thursday, August 6, 2009. Another Frenchman was reported missing.

In Baguio, three children died while two adults were hurt in landslides precipitated by rains and strong winds. A landslide between Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya stalled traffic in Putlan in Carrangla, Nueva Ecija. In Zambales, 365 families had to be evacuated when a dike broke. The flooding disrupted the lives of about 15,000 people in 8 villages. Assistance from the disaster response groups including that of the Philippine Air Force are underway. (Photo Credit: Junjun Tan) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon 8 die and 5 missing in tropical storm Jolina’s aftermath



The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) announced that tropical Jolina brought casualties in Rizal, Iloilo, Antique, Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, bringing a total of 8 dead and 5 missing.

"Jolina" affected 38,589 families or 160,038 people in 119 villages in 25 towns and five cities in Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Mindoro Occidental, Palawan, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Lanao del Sur, and Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.”---GMA.newsTV (08/04/09)

Some property damage was reported. The Jaro River in Iloilo swelled, causing flooding in the area. As of this time, rains still fall in MetroManila since Saturday, August 1, 2009 as a result of the inclement weather. (Photo Credit: Mandysue797) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon 10 Filipino OFWs perish in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan



Breaking the prohibition by the Philippine government, 10 Filipino OFWs illegally worked in war-torn Afghanistan. They were killed when a Russian-owned civilian helicopter they were riding crashed in the Kandahar Airbase tarmac. Investigation to know the cause of the crash was on-going.

Among the recognized fatalities are Marvin Najera of San Fernando, Pampanga; Ely Cariño of Cabusao, Camarines Sur; Manolito Hornilla of Taysan, Batangas; Mark Joseph Mariano of Floridablanca, Pampanga; Celso Caralde of Butuan City; Rene D. Taboclaon (Cagayan de Oro City), Recardo E. Vallejos (Bislig, Surigao del Sur) and Noli M. Visda, of Lubao, Pampanga.

The OFW’s who previously worked in the Middle East in 2004 came to Afghanistan to work illegally. After returning to the Philippines, they left the country in July this year to find employment abroad. Approximately 1,500 Filipinos have presently taken jobs in Afghanistan.

Even if the country forbids Filipinos from taking jobs in dangerous and far places like Afghanistan. the workers came, acting as tourists from Dubai. This illustrates the desperation of Filipinos to find employment---anywhere, anytime and anyplace? (Photo Credit: Aryty) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Swept by flood, electrocution & manhole drowning in Typhoon Isang



Tropical strom Isang (international code name Molave,) passed the northern part of the country on Saturday, July 18, 2009, leaving 3 dead and 2 missing persons. According to The National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC,) Lomer Fernando, 32 of Batac, Ilocos, died of electrocution, a 9 month old Katrina Justilero fell and was swept by raging flood, and 13 year old Joemar Ligara, of Caloocan City drowned in a river.

Those who were reported missing included 9-year-old Arnold Julian of San Mateo town in Rizal province and and Jonathan Hormeneta, 22 who respectively fell in a manhole and carried by strong river torrent during heavy rains.

“The agency said the rains brought by the storm flooded 176 villages in Ilocos Norte, La Union, Rizal, Cavite provinces and Metro Manila. It added that 30 villages in nine cities in Metro Manila were flooded at the height of the storm.”---abs-cbnNews.com (07/18/09)

Almost all the casualties seemed avoidable. In a mix of filth and garbage, thousands of Manila residents waded the murky flood waters that pose danger to their health. To gain mobility, children and adults walked and play in flooded streets, unmindful of the dangers.

The yearly typhoons have caused deaths, injury, and property damage to the nation. Disaster preparedness had been a challenge during the typhoon season. (Photo Credit: Kevulike) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Bombs rip two Jakarta hotels



Two luxury hotels had been the target of terrorist violence when bombs exploded about 8 AM on July 17, 2009 in J.W. Marriot Hotel and Ritz Carlton Hotel in the capital city of Jakarta. At least 9 people were killed, injuring about 50 people. Among the dead are 18 foreigners, among them Americans. So far, no one claimed any responsibility, but Islamic terrorists were under suspicion.

“Friday's explosions are the first significant attacks in the capital in nearly five years. In September 2004, a powerful car bomb exploded outside the Australian embassy.

The Marriot was hit by a suicide bomber in 2003, a blast that left 12 dead. The Southeast Asian terror network Jemaah Islamiyah was blamed.”----VOA (07/17/09, Hamann, K.)

Police scoured the debris of broken glass and concrete to find clues on who was responsible. The explosives were detonated minures apart during the early morning rush hour. Rescue workers had difficulty reaching the crime scene.

The Philippine government expressed condolence to those who perished and issued a statement condemning the senseless attack. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said no Filipino was involved in the violence.(Photo Credit: Judhi) =0=

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PostHeaderIcon Tropical storm Feria brings flooding and deaths in RP



In the aftermath of the tropical storm “Feria,” comes the death of at least 8 persons, disappearance of 11 individuals and flooding in various parts of the country as reported by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). Majority of those who disappeared are fishermen who braved the turbulent seas in Eastern and Central Visayas.

The weather disturbance affected 44,401 persons in Batangas, Cavite and Quezon, Romblon, Albay, Masbate, Antique, Cebu, Leyte, Biliran, Western and Eastern Samar."---Philstar (06/26/09, Managhaya, J.)

As a result of the inclement weather some schools were temporarily closed.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 8,978 stranded passengers were recorded at 11 p.m. of June 24, 2009. However, only 1,389 remained hampered to travel as Feria left and headed northwards to Taiwan.

The PCG disclosed most of the stranded travelers were from 13 ports, mainly in the Bicol and Southern Luzon provinces. Of the 1,389 passengers, 370 were at the Batangas port, 200 in Pilar, Sorsogon and 165 people in Tabaco, Albay.
The damage to farmlands was estimated to reach P300,000 and P2.8 million to infrastructure. Photo Credit: Philstar/ Jonjon Vicensio) =0=

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