World

Hurricane Harvey Wrecks Havoc In Texas, One Dead And Scores Injured

Published

7 years ago

August 26, 2017 10:54 pm

The first fatality from Hurricane Harvey was reported in the hard-hit Texas city of Rockport, Arkansas County Judge Burt Mills said Saturday afternoon. The victim died in a house fire during the storm. “We didn’t know about it until today,” he said.

At least 12 people were injured.

Texans who rode out the most powerful hurricane to hit the United States in a decade ventured out Saturday to find “widespread devastation” as Hurricane Harvey lumbered north in what was “now turning into a deadly inland event.”

With dire warnings of tornadoes, torrential downpours and days of flooding to come, broad swaths of southeast Texas were littered with uprooted trees, toppled signs, flagpoles that snapped like toothpicks and clusters of bricks peeled like scabs from walls and rooftops.

Fatalities were feared in coastal Rockport, Texas, where an estimated 5,000 residents had stayed put for the storm that blasted ashore as a Category 4 around 11 p.m. ET Friday between Port Arkansas and Port O’Connor, Arkansas County Sheriff Bill Mills said.

Callers to the local emergency dispatch line told of walls and roofs collapsing on people across the city, where an official had warned those who opted to stick out the storm to write their Social Security numbers on their arms for body identification.

Shortly after Harvey was downgraded to a tropical storm, with sustained winds of 70 mph, Saturday afternoon, Gov. Greg Abbott told reporters that he couldn’t confirm any fatalities. The state had more than 1,000 workers involved in search and rescue operations.

“There’s been widespread devastation,” Rockport Mayor Charles Wax told CNN late Saturday morning. No deaths had been confirmed, he said, noting that emergency workers were just beginning to go house to house to check on residents and assess damage.

While the worst of the storm surge had ended by midday Saturday, the coastal flooding threat was due to increase as already-swollen rivers and bayous get pounded with heavy rain, CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. Sea water pushed onto the shore also won’t recede quickly, he said, meaning “this is going to be a long, ongoing flood event.”

Abbott said the 210-mile-long corridor between Corpus Christi and Houston was expected to receive as much as 30 more inches of rain on top of the 20 inches that had already fallen.

World

Dubai international airport cancels flights as flood ravages runway, UAE

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024 12:30 pm

BodexNG

A year’s worth of rainfall in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, left the city flooded and disrupted airport operations.

A video posted online showed the tarmac of Dubai International Airport — recently crowned the second busiest in the world — underwater as massive aircraft attempted to navigate floodwaters.

CNN reports that nearly four inches (100 mm) of rain fell over the course of just 12 hours on Tuesday, according to the weather observations at the airport.

According to United Nations data, the rainfall was around what Dubai usually records in an entire year.

The flooding disrupted airport operations in the city, with multiple airlines announcing flight delays and cancelled flights on Wednesday.

Jets were said to have looked more like boats moving through the flooded airport, while other parts of the UAE also recorded heavy rainfall.

“Operations continue to be significantly disrupted. There is major flooding on access roads around Dubai leading to the airport,” the airport was quoted as saying.

The rain reportedly fell so heavily and quickly that motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles as the floodwater rose and roads turned into rivers.

Dubai, like the rest of the UAE, has a hot and dry climate. As such, rainfall is infrequent and the infrastructure to handle extreme events is not in place.

Many roads and other areas have insufficient drainage due to the lack of regular rainfall, causing flooding.

The rain that ravaged the city is associated with a larger storm system traversing the Arabian Peninsula, moving across Oman and Iran.

Experts said torrential rainfall will become frequent in the region due to human-driven climate change.

World

SEE FULL LIST: Fireboy, Osimhen, Amusan make Forbes Africa’s ‘30 Under 30’ list

Published

3 days ago

April 16, 2024 11:30 am

BodexNG

Fireboy DML, the singer, Victor Osimhen, Super Eagles footballer, and Veekee James, a fashion designer, are among the six Nigerians listed in the 2024 edition of Forbes Africa’s ‘30 Under 30’.

Forbes ’30 Under 30′ is an annual listicle by Forbes magazine spotlighting prominent business and industry figures.

In the tenth edition of the list recently released, the business magazine featured Africans under 30 who are shaping the continent in entertainment, education, sports, technology, healthcare, art, and other industries.

Other Nigerians on the list include Josiah Akinloye, founder and CEO of Mainlogix Technology; Tobi Amusan, track and field athlete; and Abioye Oyetunji; founder and CEO FXKudi.

Africans on the list include Tyla Laura Seethal, South African singer; Peace Wutawunashe, founder of Trigershot Engineering; Kenneth Njeru, director and founder of Africa Afya Healthcare; and Calvin Usiri, co-founder and CTO of Ramani, among others.

To curate the 2024 list, the finalists were drawn after a “rigorous vetting process” by the editorial team led by Under 30 curator Chanel Retief, alongside a panel of independent external judges such as Mo Abudu.

Other judges are Kate Kallot, Chris Maurice, Tlaleng Mofokeng, Helena Ndume, and Desiree Ellis.

Forbes said the evaluation process commenced in late 2023, with the support of its audit partner, SNG Grant Thornton.

Burna Boy, Davido, Wizkid, and Rema are among Nigerians who have made the list in the past.

The magazine earlier announced that Omah Lay, the singer, will be performing at the Under 30 summit in Botswana in May.

Below is the Forbes Africa ’30 Under 30′ list for 2024:

Alex Mativo, 29, Kenya, CEO and Co-founder, E-LAB, Nanasi and Duck, Industry: Multiple ventures
Ann-Kathrin Joos, 28, South Africa, CEO and Founder, Standard Beauty, Industry: Beauty
Vimbai Masiyiwa, 29, Zimbabwe, CEO, Batoka Hospitality, Industry: Tourism
Andrew Ddembe, 28, Uganda, Co-founder and CEO, MobiKlinic, Industry: Healthtech
Chad Jones, 28, South Africa, Social Media Content Creator and Brand Influencer, Industry: Social media
Adedamola Oyinlola Adefolahan (Fireboy DML), 28, Nigeria, Singer-songwriter, Industry: Entertainment
Tyla Laura Seethal, 22, South Africa, Singer-Songwriter, Industry: Entertainment
Ayushi Chandaria, 26, Kenya, Founder, Design Thinking Program (Kenya), Industry: Education
Ama Qamata, 25, South Africa, Actress, Producer, Industry: Entertainment
Daniel Novitzkas, 28, South Africa, Co-founder and Chairman of the Board, Specno, Industry: Software development and technology solutions
Prisca Wegesa Magori, 29, Tanzania, CEO and Co-founder, TenTen Explore and Smart EFD, Industry: Software development
Luke Mostert,27, South Africa, Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer, CatalyzU, Industry: Venture Capital
Kenneth M. Njeru, 25, Kenya, Director and Founder, Africa Afya Healthcare, Industry: Health investment services Services
Arooj Sheikh, 28, Kenya, Founder and CEO, Beyond Kenyan Bars, Sector: Social development
Cayley Jorgensen, 29, South Africa, CEO and Founder, Ingage Support; Registered Counselor, Sector: Mental health
Hildah Magaia, 29, South Africa, Forward for Mazatlán F.C Femenil and Banyana Banyana, Industry: Sport-football
Victor Osimhen, 25, Nigeria, Footballer and Striker for Super Eagles, Industry: Sport-football
Tobi Amusan, 26, Nigeria, Track and Field Athlete, Industry: Sport – athletics
Damian Willemse, 25, South Africa, Stormers and Springboks Rugby Player, Industry: Sport – rugby
Ricardo Lognath, 29, South Africa, Co-Founder and CEO, Omninela Medical, Industry: Healthcare/E-commerce
Nicolas Lognath, 27, South Africa, Co-Founder and Director, Omninela Medical, Industry: Healthcare/E-commerce
Ruth Erikan James, 29, Nigeria, Founder, Veekee James, Industry: Fashion
Shaun Maswanganyi, 23, South Africa, Track and Field Athlete, Industry: Sport – athletics
Jeremiah Thoronka, 24, Sierra Leone, Founder and CEO, Optim Energy, Sector: Climate change and sustainability (Social Impact)
Calvin Usiri, 28, Tanzania, Co-founder and CTO, Ramani, Industry: Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Peace Wutawunashe, 27, Zimbabwe, Founder, Trigershot Engineering, Industry: Solar/Renewable Energy
Esethu Cenga, 29, South Africa, Co-founder and CEO, Rewoven, Industry: Fashion
Josiah Akinloye, 29, Nigeria, Founder and CEO, Mainlogix Technology, Industry: Automation and technology
Abioye Oyetunji, 29, Ghana, Founder and CEO, FXKudi, Industry: Fintech
Nadine Roos, 27, South Africa, South African Rugby Union (Springboks) and Sevens player, Industry: Sport – rugby

World

‘The world cannot afford another war’ — Guterres condemns Iran-Israel conflict

Published

4 days ago

April 15, 2024 9:30 am

BodexNG

Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, has condemned the missile attack on Israel by Iran.

On Saturday, Iran launched a drone and missile attack on Israel in a reprisal move. The attack from Iran was the first time it has targeted Israel directly from Iranian soil.

Israel had said alongside allies, it intercepted more than 300 Iranian drones and missiles.

Nigeria, France, Germany, UK, and the US have condemned the attack.

In a statement, Guterres appealed for maximum restraint by all parties and said he was deeply alarmed by the very real danger of a devastating region-wide escalation.

“I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid any action that could lead to major military confrontations on multiple fronts in the Middle East,” he said.

“I have repeatedly stressed that neither the region nor the world can afford another war. I call for an immediate cessation of these hostilities.”

In a separate statement, Dennis Francis, president of the UN general assembly, also expressed concerns over the unfolding conflict in the Middle East.

Francis said Iran had explained its action “in the context of article 51 of the UN Charter, following the recent Israeli attack on the Iranian Embassy in Damascus”.

“The Iranian response compounds the already tense and delicate peace and security situation in the Middle East,” the statement reads.

He asked all parties to exercise the utmost restraint to avoid further escalation of tension in the region, adding that dialogue and diplomacy are the only way to resolve differences.

“This is a moment that calls for wise and prudent judgement, in which the risks and extended risks are very carefully considered,” Francis said in the statement.

“I expect that the Iranian authorities will honour their word that by their action today, the matter can be deemed concluded.

“A vicious cycle of attack and counterattack will lead to nowhere, but inevitably, to more death, suffering and misery.”

Bodex F. Hungbo, SPMIIM is a multiple award-winning Nigerian Digital Media Practitioner, Digital Strategist, PR consultant, Brand and Event Expert, Tv Presenter, Tier-A Blogger/Influencer, and a top cobbler in Nigeria.

She has widespread experiences across different professions and skills, which includes experiences in; Marketing, Media, Broadcasting, Brand and Event Management, Administration and Management with prior stints at MTN, NAPIMS-NNPC, GLOBAL FLEET OIL AND GAS, LTV, Silverbird and a host of others