LP Presidential Candidate Peter Obi visits flood victims (PHOTOS)

 Peter Obi visits flood victims in Benue state and donated #5M to assist them

Flood correctly ravaging many states in the country.

Ikoyi Building Collapse: Anambra Election more important than any Nigerian life

Who still remembers in 2016 when around 33 Miners were trapped in a collapsed remote village mine of Chile?

The Country mobilised all forces and the President went all out in search of the most possible technology around the world to rescue them.

Even the Queen of England sent her special capsules engineers to assist.

 Help came from every advanced world. I was glued to my television - and hoped the efforts worked. They were rescued - after several days. 

Nearly a hundred persons are currently trapped in a collapsed 21 storey building in Lagos City of Nigeria. Not in any remote village. 

Day by day, the figure of dead bodies excavated from the rubble keep increasing. As I type, the 36th dead Nigerian has been picked out.

The supposed President of Nigeria is nowhere near the boarders. The Governor is on the telly ranting.

The Federal Army and Forces are all in Anambra State prosecuting a Jihad, instead.

In UK, US and every other country you could think off, when calamities of this nature occurs, you will realise that being in the Army is not just for carrying guns.

If Rivers overflow in England, the Army is called in to assist. As Covid-19 ravaged, the Army built and equipped the largest Nightangle Hospital in Stafford. As the Country ran short of lorry drivers, the Army took to the wheels.

The only time you never saw the army is during a democratic exercise like Elections. No, not even in the most controversial Brexit elections.

Unfortunately, in the 21st century Nigeria, the Army conduct elections. And the Anambra Election, in particular, is far more important than any Nigerian life. You must know why, by now .

©️ Iyiachukwu G C Achukwu

Note: The Lagos State government on disclosed that 42 deaths and 15 survivors have been recorded so far from the building collapse on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Festival Turns to Horrific Tragedy, 45 Trampled to Death in Northern Israel

Chaos as Rescue Workers Struggle to Save Lives; Netanyahu Proclaims National Day of Mourning

Over 100 others injured in stampede in annual pilgrimage to revered rabbi’s grave

Authorities are investigating the cause, but it appears it was the result of a slippery staircase.

By Paul Shindman, World Israel News

At least 45 people died and over one hundred were injured, many of the critically, when people stampeded at the annual Lag B’Omer pilgrimage in northern Israel.

The largest mass event in Israel since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic suddenly turned into one of the country’s greatest disasters. An estimated 100,000-200,000 people were crowded at Mt. Meron in the northern Galilee area when some may have slipped backwards, starting a domino effect and causing people to flee in panic.

“Magen David Adom EMTs and paramedics are treating 103 injured of which 38 in critical condition in the field, 6 in critical condition who were evacuated to the hospitals, 18 in serious condition, 2 in moderate condition and 39 in mild condition,” said Nadav Matzner, a spokesman for the national emergency ambulance service.

 

The IDF said it brought in Israel Air Force helicopters and its air rescue unit to evacuate the wounded to hospitals around the country, with soldiers from the Homefront Command and medical teams from the north of the country responding to the scene.

“I was on duty when I saw dozens of people fall on top of one another during the collapse,” said Yehuda Gottleib, a volunteer EMT with the United Hatzalah rescue organization, who was one of the first responders at the scene. “A large number of them were crushed and lost consciousness.

“I immediately requested backup from the on-site dispatchers and told them to send as many additional volunteers and medical personnel as they could to the scene and that we had dozens of injuries,” Gottleib said.

“This is one of the worst tragedies that I have ever experienced. I have not seen anything like this since I entered into the field of emergency medicine back in 2000,” said United Hatzalah vice president Lazar Hyman.

A United Hatzalah official said dozens of medical teams performed CPR on the victims who were crushed, while others treated more than 100 people who were injured with varying degrees of severity.

 

Due to the nature of the incident, members of the Pychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit were dispatched as well in order to deal with those who are suffering from shock and emotional stress reactions, the rescue organization said

“A heavy disaster on Mount Meron. We all pray for the recovery of the injured,” tweeted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Many mark Lag B’Omer by visiting Bar Yochai’s gravesite as well as by kindling bonfires that symbolize the spiritual light brought into the world by the sage through his prominent Kabbalistic work known as the Zohar, eventually compiled in Spain some 1000 years later.

In Washington, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan sent the first American response.

“Our hearts go out to the people of Israel tonight following the terrible tragedy at Mount Meron. We offer our condolences to the families and friends who lost loved ones in this disaster, and wish a full and swift recovery to those injured,” Sullivan tweeted.

“The Ministry of Health and I have been following the terrible Meron disaster since nightfall,” tweeted Health Minister Yuli Edelstein. “Hospitals and rescue organizations are doing sacred work to care for the injured. Our hearts go out to the families of those killed in this difficult time

The crowds of mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews were making the annual pilgrimage to Israel’s Mount Meron to be near the gravesite of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yocha

According to tradition, Bar Yochai’s death occurred on Lag B’Omer, translated as “the 33rd day of the Omer,” which, according to the Hebrew calendar, is on the 18th day of Iyar. The Omer comprises a period of seven complete weeks starting from the second night of Passover and ending at the Jewish Festival of Weeks, known as Shavuot.

ARIK AIR: A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN IN NIGERIA

On the 7the of March 2021 I boarded an ArIk  fight from Abuja to Benin. The flight was 5.50pm from Benin. The take off from Benin Airport was traumatic and clearly indicative that the plane was not in order.

 We however managed to land at Abuja Airport after 1 hour 15 mins.

I was to return back to Benin on the 8the March 2021 at 4.15 pm with same aircraft.

After an hour delay, we managed to take off. 15 minutes into the flight, there was an announcement from the pilot that the flight cannot continue. The reason given was that there is an opening somewhere may be a door. The plane is to return back to Abuja before any disaster.

One hour after the announcement, the plane was still hovering around and could not land. The pilot explained that he had to burn out fuel before landing. At this time, those praying have ceased. Those wailing have become quiet too.

Suddenly the pilot announced that he was about to land. He assured us that fire brigade was fully mobilised on ground as well as NEMA. Tension increased once more inside the aircraft. Prayers started once more 

However we managed to land at the Abuja Airport .

Two passengers confirmed that they had two previous experiences with the same aircraft. Another narrated how one of the aircraft engine had failed to start in an aborted Lagos - Abuja flight.

I have not recovered from the trauma .

I am told that the particular aircraft is still flying.

It appears that AMCON the new managers of Arik Air is only interested in recouping the debt owed by Arik Air which they have purchased from the banks. And in doing that, passengers lives don't matter.

This is a warning to all air travelers. ARIK AIR IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN UNLESS URGENT STEPS ARE TAKEN TO GROUND THEIR AIRCRAFTS WHICH ARE NO LONGER SERVICEABLE.

R. O lsenalumhe Esq ( Benin based legal practitioner)

Croatia hit by 6.2 magnitude earthquake: EMSC

Slovenia nuclear plant shut as precaution after Croatia earthquake: spokeswoman

A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake rocked Croatia on Tuesday, the USGS reported, tearing down buildings in the central town of Petrinja.

It is the largest earthquake so far to hit the country this year. It is several tens of km South of #Zagreb. Such an earthquake can generate significant damage at close epicentral distances. They were hit by an earthquake with a 5.2 magnitude esterday, and just now again they were hit by an earthquake with a 6.3 magnitude.

Potres u Hrvatskoj: Muškarac spašen iz zatrpanog auta pic.twitter.com/GdhdnlEINt

— TV N1 Sarajevo (@N1infoSA) December 29, 2020

Buildings shook and collapsed into the streets below. Local media has reported significant damage to buildings following the tremor, thought to be the largest to have struck the country so far this year.

The European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said it measured 6.3 in magnitude, hitting 46 kilometers southeast of Zagreb.

Rescuers have flocked to the scene as reports emerged of at least one fatality so far, with local media claiming a mother is in shock having lost her son in the disaster.

Croatian outlet Jutarnji reported that 'half the city' has been destroyed as Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković, announced he was heading to the disaster zone.


And 300 soldiers have been dispatched to the epicentre in Petrinja, as the town's mayor confirmed there have been deaths.

Local Mayor Darinko Dumbovic said that a children’s kindergarten had collapsed in the tremor.

He said: "We are pulling people out of the car, we don't know because we have dead and wounded, I also heard that the kindergarten collapsed, but fortunately there were no children in the kindergarten, while the other children managed to save them."

Footage shared on social media shows buildings severely damaged by the disaster.

A clip posted online shows collapsed roofs and rubble strewn across a street as crowds gather to inspect the aftermath.

Petrinja has already been hard hit by an earthquake this week, with one rocking the town on Monday.

Regional N1 television showed footage today of the disaster aftermath, with a building collapsed and smashed into cars below.

The earthquake is understood to have been felt throughout the country and in neighbouring Serbia and Bosnia.

It misunderstood that the Krško nuclear power station has suspended operations as preventive measure after quake.

Local media in Croatia has reported ‘some injuries’ but the severity is yet unknown.

The Croatian Red Cross has dispatched rescuers to the scene, adding that it is a "very serious" situation.

They tweeted: "Strong earthquake again. The situation in Petrinja is very serious. The Red Crisis teams are on the field."

As this is the second earthquake in two days for the Croatian town, following a 5.2 tremor felt yesterday. A clip shared by the Red Cross showed a glimpse of the damage, with bricks and debris lining a road as volunteers come to the aid of a passerby.

Elsewhere officials in high-vis jackets can be seen inspecting the aftermath as rescuers frantically work to assess the damage.

The strength of the tremor was caught on film, as a clip has been shared online showing politicians interrupted by a shaking building. Several appear to flee the room as the earthquake takes hold.

Zagreb has since been left without electricity with trams stranded in the streets.

Report says explosion at Beirut Port equivalent to 4.5 magnitude earthquake, the blast killed more than 100 says Lebanese Red Cross

State of emergency can not be rule out

"This is not just ammonium nitrate," former CIA operative says of explosion

UK says too early to speculate on cause of massive blast in Beirut

The Jordanian Seismological Observatory of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources recorded the explosion that occurred at the Beirut Port on Tuesday, and stated that its intensity was equivalent to an earthquake with the magnitude of 4.5 on the Richter Scale, RT reported. 

Lebanese President Michel Aoun called for an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday and said a two-week state of emergency should be declared following a massive explosion in Beirut that killed at least 100 people and injured 4,000 others.

Prime Minister Hassan Diab called for a day of mourning on Wednesday.

According to an AFP report, the entire port engulfed was in fire, ships ablaze at sea and crumbling buildings: the site of the massive blast in Beirut's harbour area resembled a post-nuclear landscape.

Ambulance sirens rang throughout the area as vehicles ferried the dead out for at least three hours and fire trucks rushed in and out of the blast zone.

Inside the port itself, the hangars looked like charred cans, everything destroyed beyond recognition as fire-fighting helicopters flew overhead, dumping water.

Every parked vehicle within a radius of several hundred metres sustained damage from blast, so big that it was felt in Cyprus, 240 kilometres (150 miles) away.

The cars closest to the site of the explosion were reduced to scrapyard metal, their wailing alarms and flashing lights adding to the chaos.

The head of the observatory, Mahmoud Al-Qaryouti, said in a press statement that the Jordanian earthquake monitoring stations recorded the explosion at 06:08 minutes, and that the explosion was equivalent to a 4.5-magnitude tremor.

Al-Qaryouti described the energy released from the explosion as “very strong”.

The source of the powerful explosion that rocked the city of Beirut on Tuesday has yet to be determined; however, some reports claim that the blast was a result of a massive nitrate storage catching fire at the 12th Ward.

The Earlier report confirmed that as a result of this massive explosion, over 80 people have been killed and more than 3,500 others have been hospitalized for injuries sustained during and after the blast.

Meanwhile, more than 100 people have been reportedly killed in the blast in Beirut, Sky News Arabia TV channel reported on Wednesday citing the Lebanese Red Cross.

According to the report, more than 4,000 people were injured.

"Until now over 4,000 people have been injured and over 100 have lost their lives. Our teams are still conducting search and rescue operations in the surrounding areas," Lebanese Red Cross says.

Lebanese officials said they expect the death toll to rise further as emergency workers dig through the rubble to search for survivors.

The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. Officials linked the blast to some 2,750 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate that were being stored in a warehouse at the port for six years. 

"This is not just ammonium nitrate," former CIA operative says of explosion

Robert Baer, a former CIA operative with extensive experience in the Middle East, said videos of Tuesday's blast showed that while ammonium nitrate may have been present in the warehouse, he does not believe it was responsible for the massive explosion that ensued, CNN reported.

Initial reports blamed the blast on a major fire at a warehouse for firecrackers near the port, according to Lebanese state news agency NNA.

Lebanon's Prime Minister, Hassan Diab, later said that 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, a highly explosive material used in fertilizers and bombs, had been stored for six years at a port warehouse without safety measures, "endangering the safety of citizens," according to a statement.

Baer said he thinks that there were military munitions and propellants present. He speculated it could have been a weapons cache, but it's unclear who it belongs to.
"It was clearly a military explosive," he said. "It was not fertilizer like ammonium nitrate. I'm quite sure of that."

"You look at that orange ball (of fire), and it's clearly, like I said, a military explosive."

Baer noted that white powder seen in the videos of the incident before the major blast are likely an indicator that ammonium nitrate was present and burning. He also noticed a lot of munitions going off ahead of the larger explosion.

No evidence of an attack: Baer said while he believes the explosion does not look like solely ammonium nitrate, there's still no evidence that this was an attack. The government has blamed poor management and vowed to get to the bottom of it.

"It almost looks like an accident," he said. "It was incompetence, and maybe it was corruption, but the question is whether it was military explosives, who was it going to or why was it stored there?"

Baer isn't confident we'll ever know the truth.

"I've worked in Lebanon for years, and no one is going to want to admit they kept military explosives at the port. It's a stupid thing to do."

Investigation launched: Prime Minister Diab's account appeared to be backed by Lebanon's General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, who said a "highly explosive material" had been confiscated years earlier and stored in the warehouse, just minutes' walk from Beirut's shopping and nightlife districts.

The Prime Minister has launched an investigation into the explosion, saying he "will not rest until we find those responsible for what happened, hold them accountable, and impose maximum punishment."

As yet, there is no clear evidence to suggest the source of the blast.

An investigation committee has been tasked to determine who was responsible for the explosion within five days.

The families of victims will be paid compensation.

 Import traffic will be routed to the Tripoli port in northern Lebanon.

UK says too early to speculate on cause of massive blast in Beirut

The United Kingdom has said it was too early to speculate on the cause of a massive blast that ripped through Beirut.

When asked about speculation about the causes of the blast, British junior education minister Nick Gibb said: "The Lebanese authorities are of course investigating the cause of that tragedy and before we have the results of that inquiry it is premature to speculate."

Gibb also told Sky that Britain was discussing what technical and financial assistance could be offered to Lebanon.

Source: RT, CNN, AFP

Deadly lightning strikes plaguing India claim over 147 lives in 10 days, situation expected to worsen

More than 147 people have been reportedly killed by deadly lightning strikes in India's northeastern state of Bihar in the past 10 days, according to RT.

The severe monsoon weather intensifying and exposing farmers to fatal bolts from the blue. Authorities reportedly recorded some 26 lightning-related deaths last Thursday, followed by 15 on Friday, and 21 on Saturday. 

A further 40 people have been injured as weather conditions favourable for farming prove to be a deadly, double-edged sword for local communities. 

At least 253 more people have lost their lives to lightning strikes and 49 have been injured in the past one and half months with 90% of the deaths recorded in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, according to data from the National Disaster Management Authority.

The death toll from lightning strikes in the area since the beginning of March has climbed to over 215 people. More extreme bouts of lightning are expected in the coming days, the Indian Meteorological Department has warned.

This year's lightning strike death toll so far has already greatly surpassed previous years, as roughly 170 people were killed by lightning strikes in Bihar in 2019 during the monsoon season, which runs from June to September.

State authorities developed and released a smartphone app that helps predict periods of increased lightning strikes, thereby warning the local populace. However, as Bihar is the country's poorest state, many farmers and laborers do not own smartphones.

“Because of good rainfall this year in June, farmers are out in the field farming. Paddy field water also attracts electricity and farmers on the field act as conductors of electricity from the thunderstorm,” explained Sunitha Devi, member of the Ministry of Earth Sciences’ thunderstorm working group.

Bihar agrometeorologist Abdus Sattar said the increased strikes were caused by large-scale instability in the atmosphere prompted by increased moisture in the air courtesy of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).

The IOD is a natural phenomenon, also known as the Indian Niño, in which sea surface temperatures shift greatly in the eastern and western parts of the ocean, with dramatic impacts on weather. Events such as the Australian drought and subsequent bushfires earlier in 2020, the Jakarta floods, and even the massive infestation of locusts across east Africa and the Indian subcontinent have all been exacerbated by the IOD.

At least 50 dead in landslide at Myanmar jade mine

By REUTERS
JULY 2, 2020

At least 50 people died on Thursday after a landslide at a jade mine in northern Myanmar trapped workers under a mound of refuse, the country's fire service department and an information ministry official said.

The miners were collecting stones in the jade-rich Hpakant area of Kachin state when a "muddy wave" caused by heavy rain buried them, the fire service said in a Facebook post.
"Now in total 50 dead bodies," the post said. "We are still working on the rescue process."

Deadly landslides and other accidents are common in the poorly regulated mines of Hpakant.

7.1-magnitude earthquake strikes southern Mexico

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake has struck in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, rattling buildings in the country’s capital more than 200 kilometers (124 miles) away, RT reported.

Earthquake in Mexico City- still occurring - not sure where epicenter is nor if there is any real damage pic.twitter.com/KDAou9YhPG

— 𝓐𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓵𝓪𝓵𝓾𝓬𝓱𝓪 (@Andalalucha) June 23, 2020

The tremor struck on Tuesday morning, with Mexico's National Seismological Service rating its strength at 7.1. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), meanwhile, recorded it as a 7.7 magnitude earthquake. Such a huge quake is classified as 'major', and can cause serious damage.

SISMO Magnitud 7.5 Loc 23 km al SUR de CRUCECITA, OAX 23/06/20 10:29:02 Lat 15.57 Lon -96.09 Pf 5 km pic.twitter.com/8uuY2um91w

— Sismologico Nacional (@SismologicoMX) June 23, 2020

The USGS placed the quake's epicenter along the southern coastline of Oaxaca, yet its effects were felt as far inland as Mexico City. Videos taken in the capital show buildings and power lines swaying, as what sounds like dull explosions ring out in the background.

SISMO EN MÉXICO!!! pic.twitter.com/llQ0E2bzYm

— Kiara (@kiara_alvarezE) June 23, 2020

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Earthquake felt here. 7.1 with epicentre in Oaxaca according to initial reports. #sismo #earthquake pic.twitter.com/VMCfvaOpTj

— 🌔Dylan (@DylanJBrennan) June 23, 2020

Photographs from the town of La Crucecita, just 20km from the epicenter, show streets strewn with rubble and damage to buildings.

Continúan el monitoreo en nuestras delegaciones del estado de #Oaxaca.
En la capital algunas afectaciones en edificaciones y crisis nerviosas.#sismo pic.twitter.com/bnvQxgeg3f

— CRM Estatal Oaxaca (@cruzrojaoaxaca) June 23, 2020

In one Mexico City suburb, the seismic waves could be seen literally pulling the ground apart.

Así me toco en bosques de las Lomas, en mi edificio, así la banqueta. #sismocdmx #sismo pic.twitter.com/dAB0DoBP0I

— Ale Castillo (@yaredi) June 23, 2020

According to the USGS, around 18 earthquakes above magnitude 7 occur globally every year. The last such quake to strike Mexico hit Oaxaca in 2018, killing 14 people. One year earlier, the deadly Puebla earthquake struck 55km from Mexico City, killing 370 people and injuring more than 6,000, and leveling more than 40 buildings.

Mexico is one of the world’s most seismically-active regions, owing to its position atop several tectonic plates. As a result, the country experiences an average of 40 earthquakes every day, the majority of them minor. Mexico City, however, is built on a dry lake bed, and its soft soil amplifies the effects of any major tremors. RT

HOW shipwreck off Tunisia kill more than 50 migrants

At least 52 people, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, died when a boat carrying migrants bound for Italy sank off Tunisia, a health official said Thursday in an updated toll.

AFP  reported that another 17 bodies were recovered as one person is still missing. At least 24 women were among the victims.

After the authorities were alerted by fishermen near the port city of Sfax on Tuesday, the navy and coast guards used divers and a helicopter to search for bodies, most of which were found in the same area, a spokesman for a court in Sfax told AFP.

Some burials were held Thursday, Sfax region's health director Ali Ayadi said, with DNA samples taken in the hope of eventually identifying the bodies before they were lain to rest in numbered graves.

The boat's captain, a 48-year-old Tunisian, was among the dead, according to the authorities.

Council trucks were waiting in front of the hospital on Thursday evening to transfer bodies to a cemetery on the outskirts of Sfax.

Witnesses had told authorities the victims were believed to be passengers on a boat that set off for Italy a week ago with 53 people on board.

An investigation has been launched to identify the organisers of the journey.

UN refugee agency UNHCR said in a statement Wednesday that between January and May this year, "sea departures from Tunisia to Europe have been four times more than the ones recorded in the same period last year".

"A growing number of people engaging in sea crossing are from West African countries, followed by Tunisians, who constituted the majority until last year," it added.

According to Tunisia's interior ministry, 2,226 people have been intercepted trying to leave by sea over the first five months of this year.

Many sub-Saharan Africans arrived in Tunisia from Libya in the months after April last year, when strongman Khalifa Haftar launched a failed campaign to take the capital Tripoli.

"I am deeply saddened to hear of women and children losing their life in those perilous journeys", UNHCR's Tunisia representative Hanan Hamdan said in the statement, expressing concern about the new trend in departures.

"We need to provide people with meaningful alternatives that can prevent extreme choices in the search for a better life," Hamdan added.

VIDEO: Pakistani plane with 99 persangers, 8 crews approaching Karachi airport crashes in residential area

A Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight en route from Lahore has crashed near Karachi airport. The aircraft, with almost 100 people on board, hit a residential district.

The plane crashed in the populated Model Colony area located on the outskirts of the city, approximately two kilometers from Jinnah International Airport.

A spokesman for PIA said the A320 Airbus had 107 people on board, as quoted by Reuters. He explained there were 99 passengers and eight crew members.

The mayor of Karachi initially announced there were no survivors from the crash, but it later emerged that at least two people had made it out alive. Authorities have confirmed that at least 76 people have died in the disaster so far.

It is not yet clear how many fatalities there were among those affected on the ground, but rescue workers said around 15-20 have been helped out from under rubble, according to the local Geo news channel.

Pakistan's Dawn website reports that Sindh Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah has ordered the city's fire brigades to the crash site to begin rescue operations. The Pakistani army's quick reaction force has also reached the site to assist rescue workers.
Airbus A320-214 Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) © Basil Lutfi/Plane Spotters Pakistan

The PIA spokesman said contact with the plane was lost at 2:37am, but that it was "too early to say" what had caused the crash.

According to Geo, PIA CEO Air Marshal Arshad Malik confirmed that the pilot of the plane had been told both runways at the Karachi airport were ready for him to land, but a technical fault had caused him to perform a go-around before attempting to land.

Pakistan's independent safety investigations agency will inquire into the causes of the crash, Malik told reporters at a news conference.

Shocked & saddened by the PIA crash. Am in touch with PIA CEO Arshad Malik, who has left for Karachi & with the rescue & relief teams on ground as this is the priority right now. Immediate inquiry will be instituted. Prayers & condolences go to families of the deceased.— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 22, 2020

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan tweeted his condolences to the families of the victims and said an "immediate inquiry" into the crash will begin.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Twitter that he was “deeply aggrieved” over the “devastating” crash, while the country’s Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari called the crash a "national tragedy."

The crash comes only days after commercial flights began operating again, following the Covid-19 lockdown in the country.

11 firefighters injured in EXPLOSION responding to multi-building blaze in Los Angeles

Not less than 11 firefighters have been injured in a blast that happened while they were responding to a massive commercial building fire in downtown Los Angeles. 

Firefighters initially responded to a report of a fire at a one-story commercial building around 6:30pm, and there was “nothing unusual” until the explosion occurred after they entered the building.

The Los Angeles Fire Department immediately issued a major emergency “mayday” call, sending more than 200 others to the scene to contain the blaze that jumped to several neighboring buildings.

@seanmiura
Major fire in Little Tokyo/downtown Los Angeles at San Pedro and Third. Dangerously close to Skid Row residents, senior and low income housing. Major smoke screen, ash is raining for blocks. Video

“A significant explosion, very high, very wide, rumbling the entire area,” said Erik Scott, a spokesman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.. The explosion was so powerful that it blackened a fire engine parked across the street and melted the helmets of some firefighters, he said.

The condition of the injured was not immediately clear, as Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti tweeted: “My thoughts are with our brave @LAFD firefighters.”

Eleven firefighters were receiving treatment for burn injuries, Scott said. All were taken to County-USC Medical Center. At a news conference at the hospital late Saturday night, Mayor Eric Garcetti said three of the firefighters sustained critical but not life-threating injuries. All were expected to survive.

“We’ve been saying for the last two months even more than usual how much we appreciate our medical personnel and first responders,” Garcetti said. “Tonight I’m doubly and deeply grateful for the both of them.”

Scott said more than 240 firefighters had responded to the blaze before it was extinguished shortly after 8 p.m. An initial investigation of the scene identified the business as Smoke Tokes, a warehouse distributor with supplies for butane hash oil, he said. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

“It’s very tough to see our brothers and sisters go through something like this,” Scott said.

He described how several firefighters were inside the building and on the roof fighting the initial blaze when the explosion occurred, causing a tremendous roar that arriving personnel described as sounding like “a freight train or a jet engine.”

A massive ball of flame erupted out of the building, Scott said. Firefighters ran “straight through that ball of flame to get to safety across the street,” he said.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined, as well as what exactly was inside the building that caused the blast. 

The fire apparently started at a warehouse belonging to “a supplier for those who make butane honey oil,” better known as cannabis oil, according to LAFD Capt. Erik Scott.

5.1 magnitude earthquake hits area near #Iran's capital Tehran

A 5.1-magnitude quake has struck the city of Damavand near the Iranian capital of Tehran at a depth of 7 kilometres. The quake jolted Ab-e Sard region, some 58 kilometres east of Tehrsn at 00:48 am, Friday.

EHA News
@eha_news
5,1 magnitude earthquake hits area near #Iran's capital Tehran.
People in the city have hit the streets following the quake as auhorities urge everyone to maintain social distance.

The emergency organization says it has sent five teams to the quake-hit regions to assess the damages. All gyms and stadiums in Tehran have been opened to the public for those seeking to spend the night out, says the sports ministry.

The earthquake has been felt at Tehran, Qom, Mazandaran and Qazvin provinces. The epicentre of the quake was a village called Vadan, an Iranian official says.

Iran’s crisis management chief says the aftershocks will most likely be less than 5.1-magnitude.
A 60-year-old man has died of head trauma when rushing out of home during the quake in Damavand. Six others have also been wounded.

The earthquake has had eight aftershocks so far, according to state TV.

Nigeria; One middle-aged woman dies as building collapses in Ibadan

A middle-aged woman died on Sunday after she was trapped in a collapsed building at Onipasan area, behind Oluyoro Hospital, Ibadan.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Gbenga Fadeyi, confirmed this to reporters in Ibadan on Sunday evening. The storey building, which is a mud house, reportedly caved in unexpectedly and trapped the victim. 

Eye witness told reporters that it was only one person that was trapped, adding that it could not be immediately confirmed if there were others trapped under the rubbles. 

As at the time of this report, an excavator belonging to North East Local Government has been moved to the site of the collapsed building. 

The Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security Matters, Mr Fatai Owoseni, assured the people that efforts were being made by the State Government and other security agents to rescue the victim trapped and to ensure that no life was lost. 

As at the time of filing this report, sympathisers have thronged the area helping the security agents to look for possible survivors.

Source

At least 46 killed in eastern DR Congo floods, local officials say

@AFP
#BREAKING 46 killed in eastern DR Congo floods, local officials say

Minor fire outbreak reported at the Jos branch of Central bank of Nigeria, promptly contained

Central Bank of Nigeria
@cenbank
Minor fire outbreak at the Jos branch of Central bank of Nigeria, promptly contained today, April 21, 2020

The causes of the fire incident and the level of damages and casualties if any are yet to be ascertained for now.

Photo speaks: Agidigbo Radio burn into ashes

Agidigbo Radio, Nigeria's Number 1 Yoruba speaking online radio got burnt into ashes on Saturday 11th of April 2020.

The incident started around 11:05am Nigerian time. It was just some minutes to the commencement of a popular current affairs program, "Oro to nlo" by Ibraheem Akinpelu.

The Radio is located @ Suit 27, mojoyinola house opp. Akinwale Eleja, Monatan, Iwo-road, Ibadan, Oyo state.

The fire affected the Radio room and the office of Alhaji Dr Abdrahmon Oriyomi Hamzat who is the founder and chairman of the online station.

Nothing was to be found including the documents and more after the inferno as the project of millions of Naira was exhausted in the fire incident in just in an hour

Attempt to safe the day for the station by the fire fighter was to late for the online radio station.

The cause of the fire incident has not been known.

Death toll in Moscow retirement home fire grows to 4 — source

Two people who were injured in the fire at a retirement home in Moscow have died in hospital, a medical source told reporters on Thursday.

"Two people have died in a hospital. Therefore, the number of fatalities climbed to four," the source said.

The fire broke out at the retirement home in Moscow around 9:30pm Moscow time on April 8. According to deputy mayor Pyotr Biryukov, the fire broke out at the ground floor and spread to the area of 300 square meters.

Ten people were injured, including one firefighters. Fifty people were evacuated from the building.

Residents scamper for safety as explosion rocks Lagos, at least 15 people died

Nigerian Navy Hospital Affected In Lagos Explosion

Buhari Condoles With Victims Of Lagos Explosion

Principal Of Boarding School Around Lagos Explosion Site Injured

The fire is spreading fast and residents are now packing out of their homes

A pipeline just exploded in Abule Ado area. Festac Extension. Many people experienced Window shattered and even roof removed

The pipeline explosion destroys properties in Festac area. It's disheartening that Bethlehem College in Abule ado which is a boarding school with kids is also involved in the pipeline explosion.

The explosion rocked the entire Festac, Abule-ado, Satellite areas.  Many houses had shattered with glasses, roofs, ceilings ripped off.

More than 50 buildings are affected including the Nigerian Navy Referral Hospital, Ojo, Lagos.

The explosion caused damage to upper part of the hospital.

"There were substantial damage done to the ceiling in the hospital," said spokesperson for Western Naval Command, Lagos, Commander Thomas Otuji.

The hospital also received over 55 victims from the incident as it was revealed that 36 school children suspected to be of Bethlehem Girls College were also admitted for treatment.

"The hospital attended to 55 persons made up of 36 school children and 19 adults.

"One of the adults had about 35 per cent mixed degree burns with inhalation injuries and pulmonary edema.

"Seven other adults and two children are on admission in the wards while two other adults have traumatic brain injury and were referred to LUTH for neurosurgical intervention.

"The remaining 43 have been treated and discharged. Unfortunately, three people were brought in dead, two females and a male," Commander Otuji said.

Nigerian President, Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd) has sent his condolences to victims of Lagos explosion.

The explosion that rocked Abule Ado area of Lagos and environs on Sunday morning led to the death of over 15 persons.

Buhari, who expressed his thoughts via Twitter, said, "I received with sadness the news of the explosion in Lagos, which caused loss of lives and property. 

"While the NNPC makes efforts to determine the cause of the incident, I send my deepest sympathies to the victims, their families, and government and people of Lagos State."

The Principal of Bethlehem Girls College, a school located around the site of an explosion in the Abule Ado area of Lagos on Sunday, has been declared injured.

The school was among over 50 buildings destroyed by the explosion and attendant fire.

Eyewitnesses told SaharaReporters that a reverend father and sister, believed to be the principal of the school, were injured when the building caved in after the explosion.

Victor Obanor, an eyewitness, who claimed to have helped some of the injured pupils get to the hospital, confirmed to our correspondent that the woman was the principal of the school.

While over 15 bodies have been found across various parts of the explosion scene already, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari, was in Lagos for an on-site assessment of the Abule Ado explosion.

@MKKyari
Arrived Lagos to make spot assessment of the explosion that also ignited NNPC product pipeline fire

Kyari, in a post on Twitter, revealed that he was currently in Lagos to visit the site. "Arrived Lagos to make spot assessment of the explosion that also ignited NNPC product pipeline fire," he tweeted.

Pipeline explosions and tanker truck accidents are common in the country, where most people live in poverty even though the country is the biggest producer of oil on the continent, with around two million barrels per day. Some incidents happen when residents try to siphon off oil or petrol from pipelines or when tanker drivers have accidents on the country's ill-maintained roads.

Source: GIDITRAFFIC , Sahara Reporters, AFP

COVID-19: WHO Chief says threat of a coronavirus pandemic ‘has become very real’

Director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday that the global number of coronavirus cases crossed past 100,000 reports over the weekend in a total of 100 countries.

WHO Chief said: “It’s certainly troubling that so many people and countries have been affected so quickly,” Tedros said Monday at a news conference. “Now that the coronavirus has a foothold in so many countries, the threat of a pandemic has become very real.”

He said that despite the threat, this “would be the first pandemic in history that could be controlled.”

Source