Disasters – Headline Smart

Lightning Strike Near Elementary School Sends Four to Hospital

Fire officials said lightning struck nearby rather than directly hitting the four adults, who were conscious when taken for treatment. EL MIRAGE, Ariz. — Four adults were hospitalized Friday morning after a lightning strike near the bus drop-off at El Mirage Elementary School as fast-moving thunderstorms brought heavy rain, hail and lightning across parts of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Police and firefighters responded shortly after 8:30 a.m. Oct. 30 to the school near Thunderbird and …

At Least 68 Dead After High-Speed Rail Catastrophe

The Renfe train struck a stopped Iryo service near Urda after a rail safety system failed, Spain’s transport minister said. URDA, Spain — At least 68 people were killed Wednesday when one high-speed passenger train slammed into the rear of another that had stopped on the tracks in central Spain, leaving dozens hospitalized and triggering a major rescue operation in Toledo province. The collision involved a train operated by state-owned Renfe and another operated by …

Four Soldiers Killed in Fast-Moving Military Base Fire

Thirty-nine other service members were injured, including 19 critically, after high winds drove flames through a live-fire training area. WAINWRIGHT, Alberta — Four Canadian soldiers were killed and 39 other service members were injured when a rapidly spreading grass fire overtook troops during live-fire combat training at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright, military officials said. The fire broke out at about 4 p.m. MDT on Oct. 17 while members of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian …

44 Injured After Train Derails in Possible Sabotage Case

A piece of rail found on the track is central to the investigation, though prosecutors say its presence remains unexplained. CLÉON, France — French authorities are investigating whether sabotage played a role in the derailment of a regional passenger train in Normandy that injured 44 people, including an 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to a hospital after initially suffering critical injuries. The TER regional train was carrying 186 passengers from Rouen to Caen when it …

25 Dead After Student-Filled Bus Falls 100 Feet Into Ravine

The bus was returning from a privately organized student outing when it left a mountain road and fell about 100 feet. SÃO FILIPE, Cape Verde — At least 25 people, many of them children and teenagers, died after a bus carrying students left a mountain road and plunged about 30 meters, or 100 feet, into a ravine on Cape Verde’s Fogo Island, authorities and local news reports said Sunday. The crash happened Saturday on the …

At Least 22 Dead in Wedding Hall Disaster

The overnight blaze swept through a crowded reception hall in Lingwala, where officials said difficult evacuation conditions contributed to panic. KINSHASA, Congo — At least 22 people were reported dead after a fire erupted during a wedding celebration in Congo’s capital, according to an initial casualty count from the mayor of Lingwala, though later official statements gave a lower figure as authorities worked Saturday to reconcile the toll. The fire broke out during the night …

Two Dead, About 15 Missing After Flash Flood

Search crews faced rain and rugged terrain Monday after flooding devastated Bright Angel Canyon, damaged infrastructure and forced dozens of evacuations. GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — At least two people have died and about 15 remained missing or unaccounted for Monday after a powerful flash flood tore through the Grand Canyon, forcing helicopter evacuations and causing extensive damage around Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch. The National Park Service said the flooding began at about 2:30 …

At Least 472 Dead After Floods, 1,500 Missing

A glacier collapse sent rock, ice and mud through Himalayan valleys, while new barrier lakes raised fears of another destructive surge. KATHMANDU, Nepal — The death toll from catastrophic flooding along the Nepal-China border has climbed to at least 472, while more than 1,500 people remain missing as rescue crews search Himalayan valleys devastated by a massive glacier collapse. Nepal’s disaster management authority said Friday morning that 469 people had been confirmed dead and 977 …

4-Year-Old Boy Killed in Storm Tragedy

Three other people escaped unharmed after the tree crashed through a bedroom during powerful storms in southern Indiana. GENEVA TOWNSHIP, Ind. — A 4-year-old boy was killed after strong winds toppled a tree onto his family’s home in southern Indiana, trapping him inside a back bedroom as severe storms swept across the state. The Jennings County Sheriff’s Office responded at about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 11 to the home in Geneva Township, a heavily wooded area …

Massive Earthquake Kills 51 as Thousands Flee Homes

Rescuers searched damaged communities across Flores as landslides, power failures and hundreds of aftershocks complicated relief efforts. LABUAN BAJO, Indonesia — A powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck Indonesia’s Flores region has killed at least 51 people, injured more than 100 and forced thousands from their homes as rescue crews search damaged communities and work to reopen roads blocked by landslides. The earthquake struck early Saturday, Aug. 15, off the northern side of Flores in East …