News

4.9-Magnitude Earthquake Hits East Timor Dili, 24 Nov (ONA) --- An earthquake measuring 4.9 magnitude on the Richter scale hit the city Lospalos in East Timor today.According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the earthquake was 138 km northeast of Lospalos, at a depth of 170.6 km.There have been no reports of material damage or human losses as a result of the earthquake so far.East Timor is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where many tectonic plates meet and cause frequent volcanic and seismic activity. --- Ends/AH ...

Study Finds Massive Glaciers Once Covered Earth to the Equator Washington, 17 Nov (ONA)--- A new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder reveals compelling evidence that massive glaciers once stretched to the equator, supporting the Snowball Earth theory. This theory suggests that between 720 and 635 million years ago, Earth underwent a dramatic climate shift, causing ice sheets miles thick to cover the planet. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, examined rocks in Colorado’s Front Range, where sandstones known as ...

Typhoon Man-yi Strikes Philippines, Causing Widespread Destruction and Displacing ThousandsManila, 17 Nov (ONA) --- A powerful typhoon wrecked houses, caused towering tidal surges and forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee to emergency shelters as it cut across the northern Philippines today in the sixth major storm to hit the country in less than a month. Typhoon Man-yi slammed into the eastern island province of Catanduanes last night with sustained winds of up to 195 kilometers (125 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph). The Philippines' ...

Researchers Discover World’s Largest Coral in the Solomon IslandsHoniara, 14 Nov (ONA) --- The largest coral in the world, measuring 32 metres long, has been found in the Solomon Islands. The coral, which is visible from space, is three times larger than the previous record-breaker, and is believed to be about 300 years old. It is mostly brown, but features splashes of bright yellows, blues and reds, and is covered with ripples of waves, mirroring the ocean’s surface. At 34 metres wide, the organism is made up of a network of coral polyps, tiny individual ...

Indonesia Volcanic Eruptions Disrupt International FlightsJakarta, 13 Nov (ONA) --- The ongoing eruptions of the Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano on Indonesia's Flores island are disrupting international air travel across South-East Asia. Since yesterday, many airlines companies have cancelled dozens of flights from Bali to destinations like Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia due to safety concerns over ash clouds. The Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano, located on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, just 500 kilometres from Bali, has been active again since late ...

35 Died, 43 Injured in Car Ramming Accident in Southern ChinaBeijing, 12 Nov (ONA) --- Thirty-five people died and 43 others injured in a car ramming accident at a sports center in Zhuhai City, southern China's Guangdong Province. The Zhuhai Public Security Bureau reported that the accident occurred last night when a number of people were exercising at the center. The bureau said that shortly after the accident, the 62-year-old driver was taken under control.--- ...

UN Warns of More Climate Refugees If Investments Not Made: COP29Baku, 12 Nov (ONA) --- The UN refugee agency today warned of increasing numbers of refugees from regions that are particularly affected by climate change if investments are not made to improve the environment. The UNHCR report was presented at the UN's Climate Change Conference, or COP29, in Baku. "As climate shocks hit harder, more often and in more places, displaced people are increasingly finding themselves forced to move again and again in search of somewhere safe and habitable," said UN High ...

Philippines Evacuates Thousands as New Typhoon Hits Manila, 11 Nov (ONA) --- The Philippines ordered thousands to evacuate and shut ports as Typhoon Toraji hit its northeast coast near Dilasag, officials reported today. Typhoon Toraji hit northeastern Aurora province in the Philippines today, around 220 kilometers from Manila, bringing strong winds and heavy rains. The storm made landfall with winds of up to 130 km/h (81 mph) and gusts reaching 180 km/h (112 mph). It is expected to move northwest across Luzon, weakening as it crosses mountainous ...

UN Weather Body Raises Climate Alarm Again on Presenting 2024 ReportGeneva, 11 Nov (ONA) —- The UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has again signalled the highest alarm level in the face of the speed of climate change within a single generation, in presenting its report on global temperatures for 2024. The average global temperature came in at a record 1.54 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level between 1850 and 1900, the WMO reported at the UN Climate Conference in Baku. WMO researchers are not confident that much will change by the end of the ...

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon at its Lowest Level in Nine YearsBrasilia, 7 Nov (ONA) —- Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen to its lowest level in nine years, according to government reports. The deforested area in the region amounted to 6,288 square kilometres between August 2023 and July 2024, the Ministry of Environment reported, citing data from the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe). This represents a decline of 30.6% compared to the previous year, when 9,064 square kilometres were deforested. In the Cerrado, the wet savannas in the ...

2024 on Track to be World's Warmest Year on RecordLondon, 7 Nov (ONA) —- It is now "virtually certain" that 2024 - a year punctuated by intense heatwaves and deadly storms - will be the world's warmest on record, according to projections by the European climate service.Global average temperatures across the year are on track to end up more than 1.5C above pre-industrial levels, which would make 2024 the first calendar year to breach this symbolic mark, BBC news reported.These high temperatures are mainly down to human-caused climate change, with smaller contributions from natural factors ...

At Least 36 Die after Bus Falls into a Gorge in IndiaNew Delhi, 4 Nov (ONA) --- At least 36 people have died and several have been injured after a bus fell into a gorge in India’s northern state of Uttarakhand.Local officials said 44 people were on board when the driver lost control and the bus fell into a 50m-deep ditch in Marchula, located in the state’s Almora district.The state government has ordered an inquiry into the accident.Buses are the main mode of transport in the Himalayan state and accidents are not uncommon.Several passengers died on the spot, while those injured were ...

Japan Nuclear Reactor in 2011 Disaster Area Stops Days after RestartTokyo, 4 Nov (ONA) --- A Japanese nuclear reactor at the Onagawa Power Plant was shut down today, after it was recently restarted for the first time in more than 13 years, following the devastating 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami that severely damaged the Fukushima nuclear plant. Japan's Kyodo quoted Tohoku Electric Power Co., the reactor's operator, as saying: it had to be shut down again due to a glitch in a device related to neutron data inside the reactor. The No. 2 reactor at the ...

Colonists Storm Al-Aqsa MosqueOccupied Al Quds, 3 Nov (ONA) --- Israeli colonists stormed the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque today, under the protection of the Israeli occupation police. According to Palestinian news agency (WAFA), dozens of colonists stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in groups, carried out provocative tours in its courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals.--- ...

Death Toll After Storms in Spain Reaches 213, Many Still MissingMadrid, 3 Nov (ONA) --- The death toll from severe storms in the east and south of Spain today reached 213 and many people are still missing. The emergency services in the hardest-hit Mediterranean region of Valencia said that 213 people are known to have died, the state broadcaster RTVE reported. Severe weather continues to affect Spain's Mediterranean coast. An orange alert - the second-highest level - is in effect in parts of the Valencia region, including the province of Castellón, where heavy ...

Three Died in Helicopter Crash in US LouisianaWashington, 3 Nov (ONA) —- Three people died in a helicopter crash in southwest US state of Louisiana. A Robinson R44 crashed on a rural street in Iowa, Louisiana, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. The FAA has been called to investigate the incident, according to police. The United States has seen several such incidents in recent years.—- Ends/Khalid ...

Climate Change Worsened Deadliest Weather Events in Past 20 YearsLondon, 31 Oct (ONA) —- Climate change made the 10 deadliest extreme weather events over the past two decades worse, contributing to the deaths of more than 570,000 people, scientists have said. Climate scientists said the finding "underscores how dangerous extreme weather events have already become" with just 1.3 degrees Celsius of global warming above pre-industrial levels. It also highlights the urgency of cutting the greenhouse gas emissions driving rising temperatures and more extreme weather, ...

4.9-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Indonesia's Masohi IslandJakarta, 29 Oct (ONA) --- An earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale struck the Indonesian island of Masohi.The US Geological Survey (USGS) said that the epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 10 km.There have been no reports of material damage or human losses as a result of the earthquake so far. --- ...

Over 150 Injured in Fireworks Explosion in Southwest IndiaNew Delhi, 29 Oct (ONA) --- A huge explosion of fireworks has injured more than 150 people, including 8 seriously, in southwest India.The accident occurred last night when a fireworks storage facility located in Kasargod in the Kerala State caught fire, the Press Trust of India reported.--- Ends/AH ...

Death Toll from Tropical Storm in Philippines Roses to 110Manila, 28 Oct (ONA) --- The death toll from widespread flooding and landslides triggered by a tropical storm in the Philippines has risen to 110, with at least 42 people still reported missing. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that Tropical Storm "Trami" has affected over 5.9 million people across 16 regions nationwide. Trami, the 11th storm to hit the Philippines this year (2024), caused devastating flooding and catastrophic landslides on Luzon island, particularly in ...

Thousands Evacuated as Tropical Storm Heads Towards IndiaNew Delhi, 24 Oct (ONA) —- Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated, schools closed, and trains and flights cancelled as a severe tropical storm approached eastern India today. Tropical storm Dana is inching across the Bay of Bengal towards the eastern coast of India and is expected to make landfall late today or early tomorrow (Friday), according to the Indian Meteorological Department. It said the cyclonic storm is expected to bring winds of 100-110 kilometres per hour. The two major airports in ...

Tropical Storm Battering Philippines Leaves at Least 23 People Dead Manila, 24 Oct (ONA) —- Widespread flooding and landslides set off by a tropical storm in the northeastern Philippines today left at least 23 people dead, swept away cars and prompted authorities to scramble for motorboats to rescue trapped villagers, some on roofs. The government shut down schools and offices except those urgently needed for disaster response for the second day on the entire main island of Luzon to protect millions of people after Tropical Storm Trami slammed into the countrys ...

Six Trapped in Coal Mine Cave-In in North ChinaBeijing, 23 Oct (ONA) --- Six mine workers were trapped after a coal mine collapsed in north China's Hebei Province early today. The cave-in happened in the morning in the Qianjiaying mining subsidiary of Kailuan (Group) Limited Liability Corporation, a major state-owned coal mining company in Hebei, the mining company said, according to Xinhua News Agency. Rescuers are racing against the time to reach the trapped miners.--- ...

5.6-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Indonesia's Maluku ProvinceJakarta, 21 Oct (ONA) --- An earthquake measuring 5.6 magnitude on the Richter scale struck on Monday Maluku Province in Indonesia.The epicenter of the earthquake occurred 52 km from Labuha town, at a depth of 10 km, the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) said.There have been no reports of casualties or material damage due to the earthquake so far.--- Ends/AH ...

5.7-Magnitude Quake Hits San Juan Province in ArgentinaBuenos Aires, 21 Oct (ONA) --- An earthquake measuring 5.7 magnitude on the Richter scale hit San Juan Province in Argentina.The European-Mediterranean Seismological Center said that the earthquake was at a depth of 110 km.So far, there have been no reports of causalities or material damage. --- ...

Earthquake of 5 Magnitude Hits US State of AlaskaWashington, 21 Oct (ONA) --- An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale struck on today the coast of Attu Island, in the US State of Alaska.The epicenter of the earthquake occurred 50 km from Attu Station on the island, at a depth of 43.2 km, the US Geological Survey reported.Alaska is located above the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where tectonic plates meet, and the friction of which leads to strong seismic and volcanic activity. --- Ends/AH ...

Earthquake Hits Atacama Region in Chile Santiago, 20 Oct (ONA) --- An earthquake measuring 4.7 magnitude on the Richter scale struck the Atacama region of Chile today. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said in a statement that the epicenter of the earthquake was 69 km from the city of Vallenar in the region, and at a depth of 68.6 km. Chile lies on an area called the "Ring of Fire," an arc of fault lines that surround the Pacific Ocean basin and is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. ----Ends/AG ...

Three Killed, Eight Injured in Mass Shooting in US MississippiWashington, 20 Oct 20 (ONA) --- Three people were killed and eight others injured by gunfire in the US State of Mississippi at an event held to celebrate a school's football win.Two 19-year-olds and a 25-year-old were killed in the incident, which involved at least two shooters, local police said.Those injured had been airlifted to a hospital.Holmes County Sheriff Willie March confirmed to CNN the shooting took place on a trail outside Lexington. --- ...

At least 7 Die in Boat Dock Collapse in US State of Georgia Washington, 20 Oct (ONA) --- At least seven died after part of a boat dock collapsed, sending at least 20 into the Atlantic waters off the coast of the US State of Georgia. The accident also caused multiple injuries. A gangway that was crowded with people waiting for a ferryboat collapsed late Saturday afternoon on the Sapelo Island in Georgia, about 60 miles south of Savannah, said Tyler Jones, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, which runs the ferry. --- Ends/AG ...

Earthquake Strikes Indonesia's Sulawesi Island Jakarta, October 20 (QNA) --- A 5.3-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia's Sulawesi Island today. The epicenter of the earthquake occurred 103 km from Donggala Regency on the Island, at a depth of 34 km, the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) reported. Indonesia is regularly exposed to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire where many tectonic plates meet and cause frequent volcanic and seismic activity. --- Ends/AG ...