Hurricanes

2 dead after small plane on relief mission to Jamaica crashes near Florida

A small turboprop plane on a hurricane relief mission to Jamaica crashed into a pond in a gated residential neighborhood of the Fort Lauderdale suburb of Coral Springs, killing two people shortly after takeoff and narrowly missing homes Monday, authorities and a local resident said said. The Coral Springs Police Department confirmed the deaths in a statement Monday afternoon. But police did not provide further details about the occupants of the plane and did not immediately return messages seeking more details. Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department Deputy Chief Mike Moser said emergency crews responded within minutes of a call reporting the crash. Initially, no victims were located during rescue efforts and they shifted to a recovery operation. Moser said no homes were damaged, but crews spotted some debris near the retention pond. Local aerial televised footage showed a broken fence in the backyard of one home bordering the pond where the plane went down. There was no actual plane

Dozens dead as Hurricane Melissa wreaks havoc across Cuba and Jamaica

Hurricane Melissa left dozens dead and widespread destruction across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, where roofless homes, toppled utility poles and water-logged furniture dominated the landscape Wednesday. A landslide blocked the main roads of Santa Cruz in Jamaica's St. Elizabeth parish, where the streets were reduced to mud pits. Residents swept water from homes as they tried to salvage belongings. Wind ripped off part of the roof at a high school that serves as a public shelter. I never see anything like this before in all my years living here, resident Jennifer Small said. Melissa made landfall Tuesday in Jamaica as a catastrophic Category 5 storm with top winds of 185 mph (295 kph), one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, before weakening and moving on to Cuba, but even countries outside the direct path of the massive storm felt its devastating effects. At least 40 people have died across Haiti, Steven Aristil with Haiti's Civil Protection Agency told The Associated Pres

Hurricane Melissa charges toward eastern Cuba after devastating Jamaica

Heavy floodwaters swept across southwestern Jamaica, winds tore roofs off buildings and boulders tumbled onto roads Tuesday as Hurricane Melissa came ashore as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported as Melissa hit with 295 kph winds near New Hope, with officials cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment could be slow. There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge. Floodwaters trapped at least three families in their homes in the community of Black River in western Jamaica, and crews were unable to help them because of dangerous conditions, said Desmond McKenzie, deputy chairman of Jamaica's Disaster Risk Management Council. Roofs were flying off, he said. We are hoping and praying that the situation will ease so that some attempt can be m

Hurricane Melissa: Jamaica braces for strongest storm in nearly 2 centuries

Hurricane Melissa was set to pummel Jamaica on Tuesday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, the strongest to lash the island since recordkeeping began 174 years ago. The storm was expected to make landfall early Tuesday and slice diagonally across the island, entering near St. Elizabeth parish in the south and exiting around St. Ann parish in the north, forecasters said. Hours before the storm, the government said it had done all it could to prepare as it warned of catastrophic damage. There is no infrastructure in the region that can withstand a Category 5, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said. The question now is the speed of recovery. That's the challenge. Landslides, fallen trees and numerous power outages were reported ahead of the storm, with officials in Jamaica cautioning that the cleanup and damage assessment would be slow. A life-threatening storm surge of up to 4 metres is expected across southern Jamaica, with officials concerned about the impact on some hospitals along t

Caribbean nations brace for Hurricane Melissa as it upgrades to category 4

As per NYT, Southwest Haiti and portions of Jamaica were bracing for catastrophic flash flooding and landslides from the intense and fast-developing hurricane, which has already killed four people

Hurricane Erin forces evacuations on North Carolina's Outer Banks

Hurricane Erin forced tourists to cut their vacations short on North Carolina's Outer Banks even though the monster storm is expected to stay offshore after lashing part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday. Evacuations were ordered on some barrier islands along the Carolina coast as authorities warned the storm could churn up dangerous rip currents and swamp roads with waves of 4.6 metres. Tropical storm and surge watches were issued Monday for much of the Outer Banks. Officials at the Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina, reported to the National Weather Service rescuing at least 60 swimmers from rip currents on Monday. Tourists and residents waited for hours in a line of cars at Ocracoke Island's ferry dock the only way to leave other than by plane. We definitely thought twice, said Seth Brotherton, of Catfish, North Carolina, whose weeklong fishing trip ended after two days. But they said 'mandatory' and that pretty much means, 'get out of ...

Stronger Hurricane Erin forecast to create dangerous surf along US coast

A stronger and bigger Hurricane Erin pelted parts of the Caribbean and was forecast to create dangerous surf and rip currents along the US East Coast this week. It reintensified to a Category 4 storm with 215 kph maximum sustained winds late Sunday as its outer bands lashed the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, according to the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami. Erin was forecast to bring tropical storm conditions to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the southeast Bahamas overnight into Monday. Additional strengthening was forecast for Monday followed by gradual weakening, but Erin was expected to remain a large, major hurricane into midweek. Hurricane-force winds extended up to 95 kilometres from the centre and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 370 km. The area of strong winds is expected to grow more over the next few days. At that size, Erin will impact coastal areas even though it isn't forecast to make a direct landfall. Dare County, North Carolina, declared an

Typhoon Wipha causes major flight disruptions in Hong Kong, southern China

Airports in Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Zhuhai and Macao canceled or postponed all their daytime flights, their websites showed

Hurricane Erick strengthens to Category 3 storm as it approaches Mexico

Hurricane Erick has intensified into a Category 3 major hurricane threatening approaching southern Mexico's coast with destructive winds and heavy rain, the US Hurricane Center said Wednesday evening. The Miami-based center warned Erick has maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 kph) after hours of rapid intensification, strengthening from a Category 1 storm earlier in the day. The cyclone is in the eastern Pacific about 55 miles (90 kilometers) south-southwest of Puerto Angel in Mexico. It's also about 160 miles (260 kilometers) southeast of Punta Maldonado and moving northwest at 9 mph (15 kph), the latest hurricane center advisory said. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP's earlier story follows below. Hurricane Erick rapidly strengthened Wednesday afternoon into a potent Category 2 storm as it churned toward Mexico's southern coast amid warnings it was likely to become a dangerous major hurricane that would threaten the region with damaging winds, life-threatening flash floods

Trump plans to phase out FEMA after hurricane season, alarming experts

President Donald Trump's plan to begin "phasing out" the federal agency that responds to disasters after the 2025 hurricane season is likely to put more responsibilities on states to provide services following increasingly frequent and expensive climate disasters, experts said. "We want to wean off of FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and we want to bring it down to the state level," Trump said on Tuesday in an Oval Office appearance with administration officials about preparations for summer wildfires. Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have repeatedly signalled their desire to overhaul, if not completely eliminate, the 46-year-old Federal Emergency Management Agency. While there has been bipartisan support for reforming the agency, experts say dismantling it completely would leave gaps in crucial services and funding. "It just causes more concern on how states should be planning for the future if the federal government's not going to be there for them," sai

Tropical Storm Barbara intensifies off Mexico, likely to become hurricane

Tropical storm Barbara was strengthening on Sunday off the southwest coast of Mexico and was expected to become a hurricane overnight but without menacing land, the National Hurricane Centre in Miami said. Barbara was located about 325 kilometres south-west of the tourist port of Zihuatanejo in Guerrero state, according to the centre. It had maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometres per hour (kph) and was moving west-northwest at 19 kph. No coastal watches or warnings were issued. The storm is expected to become a hurricane overnight as it continues to move west-northwest for two more days, before turning toward west at a slower forward speed into the Pacific by Tuesday, forecasters said. Barbara formed off the southwest coast of Mexico earlier on Sunday. Heavy rainfall of 5-10 centimetres are possible across portions of the Mexican states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco through Monday. This rainfall may lead to flooding and mudslides. Swells affecting portions of the .

PM Modi lays down 5 priorities for building disaster-resilient infra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday outlined five key global priorities for him to build disaster-resilient infrastructure, including a skilled workforce, a global digital repository to document best practices and innovative financing. In a video address to the International Conference on Disaster Resilient Infrastructure 2025, Modi said strengthening early-warning systems and coordination is another crucial aspect. He noted that India has established a tsunami-warning system benefitting 29 countries and that it recognises the Small Island Developing States (SIDA) as large-ocean countries and the need for special attention to their vulnerabilities. With the event being hosted in Europe for the first time, Modi thanked French President Emmanuel Macron and extended his best wishes to him for the upcoming United Nations Oceans Conference. In his remarks, he prime minister noted that the conference's theme is "Shaping a Resilient Future for Coastal Regions" and underscored the ...

Southern California faces new wildfire warnings as winds regain strength

Weary and anxious from a week of massive blazes burning around Los Angeles, Southern California residents faced dire new wildfire warnings and power shutoffs Tuesday while they prepared to flee at a moment's notice as fire-fuelling winds blasted across the scarred landscape. The winds, predicted to reach near hurricane-force in some areas, were expected to peak Tuesday morning before easing and then regaining strength later in the day. A beefed-up firefighting force was in place to attack flareups or new blazes. A week after the first fires began, the flames have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people. Life threatening and destructive and widespread winds are already here, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told a news conference. Residents gathered up their pets and family photos in case they had to make a hasty escape. In other developments, nine people were charged with looting, including a group that stole an Emmy award from a house that had been evacuated,

Cuba hit by 6.8 magnitude earthquake after hurricanes and power blackouts

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling. The epicentre of the quake was located approximately 25 miles (40 km) south of Bartolom Mas, Cuba, according to a report by the United States Geological Survey. The rumbling was felt across the eastern stretch of Cuba, including in bigger cities like Santiago de Cuba. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Residents in Santiago, Cuba's second largest city, were left shaken on Sunday. Yolanda Tabo, 76, said people in the city flocked to the streets and were still nervously sitting in their doorways. She said she felt at least two aftershocks following the quake, but that among friends and family she hadn't heard of any damages. You had to see how everything was moving, the walls, everything," she told The Associated Press. The earthquake comes during another tough stretch for Cuba. On Wednesday, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripp

Oil prices fall marginally as Hurricane Rafael expected to start weakening

Hurricane Rafael, which has caused 391,214 barrels per day of US crude oil production to be shut, is expected to move slowly

Rafael makes landfall in Cuba as Category 3 hurricane, power out on island

Hurricane Rafael made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday as a powerful Category 3 hurricane, shortly after powerful winds knocked out the country's power grid. Forecasters warned Rafael could bring life-threatening storm surges, winds and flash floods to western swaths of the island after it knocked out power and dumped rain on the Cayman Islands and Jamaica the day before. The storm was located 65 kilometres south-southwest of Havana on Wednesday. It had maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and was moving northwest at 22 kph, according to the National Hurricane Centre. The storm is bad news for Cuba, which is struggling with devastating blackouts while recovering from another hurricane two weeks ago that killed at least six people in the eastern part of the island. On Wednesday, the Cuban government issued an alert for the incoming storm while crews in Havana worked to fortify buildings and clear scraps from seaside areas in anticipation of flooding. Classes and public transport were ..

Tropical storm Rafael crosses Jamaica as Cuba prepares for hurricane hit

Tropical Storm Rafael chugged past western Jamaica on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it headed toward Cuba. The storm was located 170 kilometres east of Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday after passing by Jamaica, where little damage was reported. It was picking up speed with maximum sustained winds of 110 kph and was moving northwest at 24 kph, according to the National Hurricane Centre in Miami. The centre said it expected steady to rapid intensification over the next 24 hours. It was expected to pass over or by the Cayman Islands on Tuesday night and make landfall in western Cuba on Wednesday. "Rafael is expected to become a hurricane as it passes near the Cayman Islands with further strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba," the centre said. The US State Department issued an advisory for Cuba on Tuesday afternoon, offering departure flights to non-essential staff and American citizens, and advising others to reconsider travel to Cuba

Tropical storm Rafael forms in Caribbean, could hit Cuba as hurricane

Tropical Storm Rafael formed Monday in the Caribbean and will bring heavy rain to Jamaica and the Cayman Islands before strengthening into a hurricane and likely hitting Cuba, forecasters said. Later in the week, it also is expected to bring heavy rainfall to Florida and portions of the US Southeast, according to the US National Hurricane Centre in Miami. A tropical storm warning was in effect for Jamaica, and a hurricane watch was in effect for the Cayman Islands and for parts of Cuba including the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Artemisa, La Habana, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and the Isle of Youth. A tropical storm watch was issued for Villa Clara, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spiritus, Ciego de Avila, Camaguey, and Las Tunas in Cuba. A tropical storm watch also was issued for the lower and middle Florida Keys from Key West to west of the Channel 5 Bridge, and for the Dry Tortugas. The storm was located about 245 kilometres south of Kingston, Jamaica. It had maximum sustained winds of 75 kph while .

Four astronauts return after being delayed by Boeing's capsule trouble

Four astronauts returned to Earth on Friday after a nearly eight-month space station stay extended by Boeing's capsule trouble and Hurricane Milton. A SpaceX capsule carrying the crew parachuted before dawn into the Gulf of Mexico just off the Florida coast after undocking from the International Space Station mid-week. The three Americans and one Russian should have been back two months ago. But their homecoming was stalled by problems with Boeing's new Starliner astronaut capsule, which came back empty in September because of safety concerns. Then Hurricane Milton interfered, followed by another two weeks of high wind and rough seas. SpaceX launched the four NASA's Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps, and Russia's Alexander Grebenkin in March. Barratt, the only space veteran going into the mission, acknowledged the support teams back home that had to replan, retool and kind of redo everything right along with us ... and helped us to roll with all those ...

Hurricane Kristy intensifies into Category 4 storm in Pacific Ocean

Hurricane Kristy strengthened into a Category 4 storm on Wednesday and was expected to remain away from land as it churns in the Pacific Ocean, forecasters said. The major hurricane was 710 miles (1,140 kilometres) south-southwest of the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, and was moving west at 20 mph (31 kph). It had maximum sustained winds of 155 mph (250 kph), just shy of Category 5 status, according to the Miami-based National Hurricane Centre. The storm was expected to continue moving over open waters. Waves generated by Kristy will affect portions of the west coast of the Baja California peninsula late this week. The waves are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Hurricane Kristy strengthened into a Category 3 storm in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday and was expected to remain away from land as it grows more powerful, forecasters said. The storm was 650 miles (1,045 kilometres) southwest of the southern tip of the Baja Califor