World briefly
Published 9:00 pm Monday, August 7, 2006
Recent storms and flooding have resulted in hundreds of deaths around the globe, according to relief officials and governments.
In Ethiopia, rescuers in Dire Dawa searched for survivors Monday, a day after flash floods killed at least 200 people, including dozens of children. Hundreds more were feared missing, and officials said there was little chance of finding more survivors.
In Pakistan, flooding and heavy rains in the northwest in recent days have left 144 people dead and 97 others injured, a relief official said Monday.
China’s death toll from Tropical Storm Prapiroon rose to 80 on Monday, with another nine people missing, state media said. Flashfloods, landslides, lightning strikes and collapsing buildings were blamed for most of the deaths. Prapiroon roared ashore on Thursday.
Floods last month in North Korea killed at least 549 people and left 295 others still missing, a pro-North Korean newspaper in Japan said Monday. The floods, also destroyed nearly 4,500 homes and damaged more than 3,000 others, the newspaper said. In South Korea, flooding killed 34 people and left 18 missing last month.
Mexico: Candidate supporters rally
Leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador led thousands of protesters outside Mexico’s top electoral court on Monday to demand a total recount in the July 2 presidential election, won by Felipe Calderon by about 240,000 votes, warning that he would start a long-term radical movement if the court did not agree. The demonstration comes two days after the Federal Electoral Tribunal ruled that it would only recount ballots at about 9 percent of the nation’s 130,000 polling places.
N. Korea: Claims U.S. vessel capture
North Korea claimed it has captured an unmanned U.S. submersible and put it on display in Pyongyang, a pro-North Korean newspaper in Japan said Monday. The U.S. dismissed the report. The small vessel was captured during a reconnaissance mission in waters off North Korea’s eastern city of Hamhung, said the Choson Sinbo newspaper, which did not give further details.
Philippines: Volcano evacuations
A volcano sent six explosions of ash about a half mile into the air Monday, prompting authorities to warn that an eruption appeared imminent and to evacuate about 35,000 people. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert for the 8,118-foot Mayon volcano to Level 4, the second-highest level.
