Multiple schools in Delhi-NCR received bomb threats via email on Monday, prompting evacuations and police search operations. Three schools, including Delhi Public School in Dwarka, Sanskriti School in Chanakyapuri, and Mother Mary School in Mayur Vihar, were targeted by the threats. Police and bomb disposal squads have been deployed to search the premises, but no explosives have been found so far.
Mount Ruang, a volcano in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province, erupted several times on Tuesday, prompting the highest level of alert and the evacuation of thousands of people. The volcano sent a tower of ash more than five kilometers into the sky and a fiery column of lava. The national disaster agency BNPB estimated that 11,000 to 12,000 people had to be relocated from near the crater, and a seven-kilometer exclusion zone was imposed. The evacuation order was issued due to the potential for a tsunami from debris sliding into the sea. A rescue ship and a warship were dispatched to help move thousands from neighboring Tagulandang island to Siau island. The eruption also prompted the closure of Sam Ratulangi international airport in Manado.
Devastating rains, hail, and hurricane-force winds have wreaked havoc in southern China, forcing the evacuation of an entire town in Guangdong province. The township of Jiangwan, with over 1,700 residents, was evacuated as floods surged, cutting off power and communications. The province has seen record-breaking rainfall, leading to mudslides, flooded homes, and destroyed bridges. The storms, attributed to El Nino and a subtropical high, have already claimed four lives and threaten to worsen the situation.
Israeli forces are preparing for a ground operation in Rafah, Gaza, despite international warnings about the humanitarian consequences. The U.S. has urged Israel to restrain its assault on the city, which shelters over 1 million civilians. Israel claims the operation is necessary to eliminate Hamas strongholds and reinforce its victory in the ongoing war.
A rapidly growing wildfire in the region has forced the closure of Highway 97 between Chetwynd and Prince George, British Columbia. The BC Wildfire Service reports that the fire has grown to 0.4 square kilometers, prompting an evacuation order for the Pine River area of Chetwynd. Residents are urged to leave the area immediately. More updates will follow.
Several buildings in downtown Vancouver were evacuated on Wednesday morning due to a gas leak, according to Vancouver Fire Rescue Services (VFRS). Fire Capt. Matthew Trudeau stated that crews responded to a report of a gas leak on Alexander Street and detected a high concentration of gas in one building. As a precautionary measure, that building, two adjacent ones, and another across the street were evacuated. VFRS worked with BC Hydro and Fortis BC to disconnect power and gas to the affected building. Emergency responders were gradually scaled back as the situation stabilized. Occupants in nearby buildings were allowed to return shortly before 11 a.m.
Alberta is implementing a province-wide fire restriction due to a severe drought that has escalated the wildfire danger to the extreme. The restriction prohibits outdoor fires on public lands in forest protection areas. Wildfires have already forced evacuations and put hundreds of Albertans on notice. With a rapidly melting snowpack exposing dry vegetation, the risk of new fires is at its highest in the northern parts of the province, particularly in Fort McMurray, Lac La Biche, and Slave Lake. Ground crews, air tankers, and helicopters are battling to contain the fires, including a rapidly growing blaze near the Municipal District of Peace No. 135.
China is experiencing severe flooding that has claimed the lives of four individuals and prompted the evacuation of over 100,000 people. The flooding in Guangdong has submerged roads, houses, and businesses. Despite a brief respite in rainfall, the water levels remain elevated, and more precipitation is anticipated in the coming days. The flooding has forced residents to wade through knee-deep water to salvage what they can from their damaged properties. Guangzhou, the provincial capital, has recorded the highest monthly rainfall since 1959, raising concerns about water and commodity shortages. Authorities have cautioned against spreading rumors and pledged to maintain market stability. The extreme flooding in Guangdong during April is attributed to climate change, which intensifies rainfall due to the increased moisture capacity of a warmer atmosphere.
Residents near the intersection of Township Road 830 and Range Road 231 in the Municipal District of Peace No. 135 and Birch Hills County have been ordered to evacuate immediately due to a nearby wildfire. The fire covers approximately 250 hectares and is located about five kilometers southwest of Peace River.
The evacuation of displaced Palestinians from Gaza Strip’s Rafah is considered unlikely under current conditions, according to the Red Cross. Israel has hinted at a potential invasion of Rafah, which is seen as the last bastion of Hamas in southern Gaza. However, the international community has urged Israel to exercise restraint due to the presence of over a million displaced Palestinians in the town. The Red Cross has expressed concern that an invasion would lead to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis due to the lack of alternative shelter and essential services for the displaced population. Despite reports indicating Israel’s plans to create a tent city in Khan Younis to house evacuees, the Israeli government has not yet provided clear details on evacuation plans or destinations.
