2025-11-30 13:46

KELANIYA, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's death toll from Cyclone Ditwah climbed to 212 with 218 missing, officials said on Sunday, as flood waters breached a dam and rescue operations continued into a fourth day. Nearly a million people are impacted by heavy rains and floods that swept through large parts of the south Asian island nation forcing nearly 200,000 people into 1,275 shelters, the Disaster Management Centre said in a statement. Sign up here. Record rains lashed the country from last Thursday causing multiple landslides in the hilly central region while overflowing rivers submerged entire towns nationwide. Over 24,000 police, army and air force personnel are still trying to reach families stranded by floods, authorities said. More than 120 people were airlifted to safety in helicopters by the air force after water breached the dam of the Mavil Aru Reservoir in the eastern part of the island. About another 2,000 people were moved to higher ground for safety, the military said in a statement. Dozens of families are trapped in their homes by flood waters in the commercial capital of Colombo, which is one of the worst affected places. In the Colombo suburb of Kelaniya, as in many other parts of the country, cooked food is supplied by state agencies and donations but many told Reuters they are yet to receive adequate help. More than 17,000 people are living in shelters waiting for the flood waters retreat from their homes. "My sister and I were trapped on the upper floor of our home with our four children for two days. We slowly ran out of food. We only had biscuits and water to give them last night," Sunethra Priyadarshani, 37, told Reuters. The family was rescued by a boat that delivered lunch to them. "We only have the clothes were are wearing. We will go stay at an aunt's house for now. But we really need help." Flood waters are expected to gradually recede over the next three days, the irrigation department said, as the cyclone moves towards southern India. Power, water and communications will be gradually restored over the next three days, authorities said after transmission lines and transformers were swept away by floods. In Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand the death toll mounted to over 600 from floods and landslides caused by torrential rains , opens new tab across the three countries, officials said on Sunday, as relief efforts for tens of thousands of displaced people continued over the weekend. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/death-toll-hits-212-sri-lanka-struggles-with-cyclone-ditwah-impact-2025-11-30/

2025-11-30 11:58

MADRID, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Eight more wild boar with suspected cases of African swine fever were discovered near Barcelona, La Vanguardia newspaper reported on Sunday, as Spain struggles to limit the damage to a pork export industry worth billions of euros a year. The newspaper cited sources close to the Catalan agriculture ministry. Two cases have been confirmed, and 12 others have shown signs they may also have the disease but are undergoing tests to confirm this. If confirmed, it would bring the number of infected animals to 14. Sign up here. The Catalan government, which declined to confirm the number of cases, on Sunday requested the help of specialists from the army to contain the outbreak. About a third of Spanish pork export certificates have been blocked after the first outbreak of swine fever in Spain - the European Union's top pork producer - since 1994, Spain's agriculture minister said on Saturday. "Of the 400 export certificates to 104 countries, a third are blocked. We are working to open them as quickly as possible," Agriculture Minister Luis Planas told a press conference. Planas said the value of the country's pork exports is 8.8 billion euros ($10.2 billion) a year. "Our task is to keep international markets open," he added. African swine fever is not harmful to humans but spreads rapidly among pigs and wild boar. A number of countries have already reacted to its spread in Spain. Taiwan's agriculture ministry said on Saturday it had banned all pork products and live pig imports, while China has banned pork imports from Barcelona province, a Chinese Customs document seen by Reuters showed. Britain on Friday said it would temporarily stop imports of pork meat from Catalonia, and Mexico has suspended imports of pork products from Spain. ($1 = 0.8624 euros) https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eight-more-suspected-swine-fever-cases-spain-struggles-limit-export-damage-2025-11-30/

2025-11-30 11:42

Death toll surges to 435 dead in Indonesia after flooding, landslides 170 dead in southern Thailand In Indonesia, helicopters deliver aid where roads are blocked Malaysia lifts storm warnings, forecasts clear skies JAKARTA/BANGKOK, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The death toll mounted to over 600 from floods and landslides caused by torrential rains across three countries in Southeast Asia, officials said on Sunday, as relief efforts for tens of thousands of displaced people continued over the weekend. Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand faced large-scale devastation after a rare tropical storm formed in the Malacca Strait fuelling heavy rains and wind gusts for a week. There were 435 dead in Indonesia, 170 in Thailand, and three deaths reported in Malaysia. Sign up here. Rescue and relief officials in the Southeast Asian countries were still trying to get access to many flood-hit areas on Sunday even as flood waters receded and tens of thousands of people were evacuated across the three countries. Over 4 million people have been affected - nearly 3 million in southern Thailand and 1.1 million in western Indonesia, according to official statistics. Separately, across the Bay of Bengal, another 153 people were killed by a cyclone in the island nation of Sri Lanka, authorities said, with 191 others missing and more than half a million affected nationwide. INDONESIA The death toll surged in Indonesia to 435 on Sunday, up from 303 on Saturday, official data uploaded on a government website showed, as officials compiled reports of casualties and damage pouring in from the western island of Sumatra, where three provinces had been devastated by landslides and floods after the rains. Many areas were cut off due to blocked roads, while damage to telecommunications infrastructure has hampered communication. Relief and rescue teams used helicopters to deliver aid to people in areas that could not be reached by road. From a navy chopper flying over the isolated town of Palembayan in West Sumatra, a Reuters photographer saw large tracts of land and homes swept away by floodwaters. As the helicopter landed in a soccer field, dozens of people were already standing close by waiting for food. There have been reports of people looting supply lines as they grow desperate for relief in other areas, officials said on Saturday. "The water just rose up into the house and we were afraid, so we fled. Then we came back on Friday, and the house was gone, destroyed," Afrianti, 41, who only goes by one name, told Reuters in West Sumatra's Padang city. She and her family of nine have made their own tent shelter beside the single wall that remains of their home. "My home and business are gone, the shop is gone. Nothing remains. I can only live near this one remaining wall," she said. According to official figures, 406 people were still reported missing and 213,000 displaced. THAILAND AND MALAYSIA Thailand's Ministry of Public Health reported the death toll from flooding in southern Thailand at 170, an increase of eight from Saturday, and 102 injuries. Songkhla Province had the highest number of fatalities at 131. Hat Yai, the largest city in Songkhla, received 335 mm (13 inches) of rain last Friday, its highest single-day tally in 300 years, amid days of heavy downpours. In neighbouring Malaysia, there are still about 18,700 people in evacuation centres, according to the country's national disaster management agency. Meteorological authorities lifted tropical storm and continuous rain warnings on Saturday, forecasting clear skies for most of the country. Parts of the country were battered last week by heavy rain and wind. Malaysia's foreign ministry said it had evacuated over 6,200 Malaysian nationals stranded in Thailand. On Sunday the ministry put out an advisory to its citizens living in Indonesia's West Sumatra to register with the local consulate for assistance. It said a 30-year-old Malaysian had been reported missing following a landslide in the area. https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/tropical-storm-deaths-cross-500-southeast-asia-over-4-million-affected-2025-11-30/

2025-11-30 08:04

DUBAI, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Iran seized on Sunday an Eswatini-flagged vessel carrying 350,000 litres of smuggled fuel, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. "We seized a vessel carrying smuggled fuel in the form of gasoil and flying Swaziland's (Eswatini) flag. It was brought to Bushehr's coast following a judicial order and its content will be unloaded," a Revolutionary Guards navy commander said, adding the vessel's 13 crew were from India and one neighbouring country. Sign up here. Iran, which has some of the world's lowest fuel prices due to heavy subsidies and the plunge in the value of its national currency, has been fighting rampant fuel smuggling by land to neighbouring countries and by sea to Gulf Arab states. https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/iran-seizes-eswatini-flagged-vessel-smuggling-fuel-2025-11-30/

2025-11-30 06:59

BAGHDAD, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Operations restarted at Iraq's Khor Mor gas field, with the transmission of gas to power stations starting at 2:00 a.m. Sunday (2300 GMT Saturday), the Kurdish regional government's electricity ministry announced, days after a drone attack halted production and led to extensive power cuts. The Khor Mor gas field, one of the largest in the Kurdistan region, provides supplies for regional power generation. Sign up here. On Thursday, joint field operator Dana Gas said a rocket hit a storage tank at the gas field, leading to a shutdown in production and extensive power cuts. There was no immediate claim of responsibility and authorities have not said who was behind the attack. The attack was the most significant since a series of drone attacks in July hit oilfields and cut production from the region by around 150,000 barrels per day. The Kurdistan Regional Government exercises autonomy in northern Iraq, where U.S. companies have significant investments in energy. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/operations-restart-iraqs-khor-mor-field-transporting-gas-power-stations-ministry-2025-11-30/

2025-11-30 06:22

Nov 29 (Reuters) - Four people died after 14 people were shot at a family gathering in Stockton in northern California on Saturday night, police said. The shooting took place at a child's birthday party, Stockton's Vice Mayor Jason Lee said in a Facebook post. Sign up here. "I am in contact with staff and public safety officials to understand exactly what happened, and I will be pushing for answers," he said. Police said they received reports shortly before 6:00 p.m. local time (0200 GMT) of a shooting that occurred near the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue in Stockton. "We can confirm at this time that approximately 14 individuals were struck by gunfire, and four victims have been confirmed deceased," San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office said in a post on X. "This is a very active and ongoing investigation, and information remains limited. Early indications suggest this may be a targeted incident, and investigators are exploring all possibilities." Authorities have not provided any details about a shooter. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/four-dead-after-14-people-shot-family-gathering-stockton-california-2025-11-30/