Latest news with #rescuers
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
In the news today: Search to continue for hikers after Banff rockfall
Here is a roundup of stories from The Canadian Press designed to bring you up to speed... Search to continue for hikers after Banff rockfall Rescuers in Alberta are set to resume their search today for anyone else caught up in a massive rockfall that killed one and injured three in a remote section of Banff National Park. Video posted online reportedly shows a large shelf of stone crashing down a mountainside at Bow Glacier Falls, about 200 kilometres northwest of Calgary. The slide kicked up a towering cloud of grey dust that had other hikers rushing to safety. Officials have said one person was found dead at the scene, two people were airlifted to hospital in Calgary and a third was taken by ground ambulance. Officials say those who haven't been able to account for loved ones are to contact Parks Canada. Here's what else we're watching... More evacuations to lift in northwestern Manitoba Thousands more wildfire evacuees in Manitoba will start making the trek home in the coming days as officials in two northwestern communities lift their evacuation orders. The roughly 600 residents of the town of Lynn Lake will be allowed to return to the community 775 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg starting at 8 a.m. Friday. In a social media post, the town said buses would be arranged for those who need help with transportation. Further south, residents of the city of Flin Flon could start coming home by the middle of next week as officials prepare to lift their mandatory evacuation order. Deputy Mayor Alison Dallas-Funk, in a social media post Thursday, said the order is expected to be lifted at 9 a.m. on June 25, about one month after the city's 5,100 residents were forced out by a massive wildfire that began days earlier in nearby Creighton, Sask. She said most critical services and businesses, including power and gas, would be ready to go by Sunday. Barring further fire activity, she said council would meet Monday to officially rescind the order. MPs voting on major projects bill today Prime Minister Mark Carney's major projects and internal trade bill will be voted on today before the House of Commons rises until September. A closure motion the government passed to limit debate says the House won't adjourn today until debate wraps up on Bill C-5 and it clears the chamber. The Liberal government's controversial legislation, which would let cabinet quickly grant federal approvals for big industrial projects like mines, ports and pipelines, sailed through committee in the early hours of Thursday with support from the Conservatives. Indigenous and environmental groups and some opposition MPs and senators have criticized the government for rushing a bill through Parliament that gives cabinet such sweeping powers. The legislation was amended Thursday to withdraw the power it gave cabinet to sidestep the Indian Act after weeks of criticism from First Nations leaders. Mike Pemberton to be next Yukon premier Mike Pemberton has been named the new leader of the Yukon Liberal Party and will be the territory's 11th premier. A local businessman and longtime party insider, Pemberton won the leadership race by 13 votes over former Kwanlin Dun First Nations Chief Doris Bill. He will replace outgoing Premier Ranj Pillai who announced earlier this year that he would not be seeking re-election and would step down after his successor was chosen. The party says 873 ballots were cast at the leadership convention in Whitehorse, with Pemberton getting 442 votes, 429 people voting for Bill, and two ballots being spoiled. The next territorial election must be held on or before Nov. 3. The Liberals hold a minority government in Yukon with eight of the 19 available seats in the legislature. Anand pledges 'action', reform in foreign affairs Faced with escalating conflict in the Middle East, a collapsing global trade system and a department struggling to reform itself, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand says she relishes the job of helping Canada navigate a turbulent world. In a wide-ranging interview Thursday with The Canadian Press, Anand said her experiences in both politics and academia can help her streamline Canada's approach to global issues, allowing it to pursue its interests without losing sight of its values. "How do you ensure, when you have these large departments, that you're actually able to execute? That is the heart of government. It's the hardest thing to do," Anand said. "I enjoy difficult responsibilities." She cited her time as defence minister, when she pushed the Canadian Armed Forces to address sexual misconduct and organized donations of military supplies to Ukraine's front line. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 20, 2025. The Canadian Press
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
At least 10 killed in 'horrific' Russian attack on Kyiv
Rescuers with service dogs are looking for residents who could still be under the rubble of a destroyed apartment building that was hit by a Russian missile strike. ( Reuters: Anatolii Stepanov )
News24
4 days ago
- News24
Eastern Cape floods: Death toll rises to 90 as rescue efforts continue
The death toll in the deadly floods in Mthatha has risen to 90. Rescuers continue searching for missing residents nearly a week after the deadly deluge. The Eastern Cape government has announced a day of mourning on Thursday, 19 June, as international aid arrives. The death toll in the devastating Eastern Cape floods has risen to 90, Premier Oscar Mabuyane said on Monday. Of the 90 fatalities, 60 are adults and 30 children. 'Through the Department of Health, post-mortems have been completed on 83 bodies, which have been positively identified, with 77 released to their families,' the provincial government said on Monday afternoon. Hundreds of residents in Mthatha from the heavily affected village of Decoligny were hit by a deadly deluge that led to their homes being submerged. Almost a week later, rescuers are still searching for more bodies as some residents remain unaccounted for. Speaking at a Youth Day event in Cacadu, formerly known as Lady Frere, on Monday, Mabuyane said the provincial government had declared Mthatha a disaster area. The floods have left a trail of destruction, damaging infrastructure, including bridges, roads, 58 schools, and 20 healthcare centres. Mabuyane said: Roads and bridges have been damaged. Power has been cut in several areas. Hundreds of homes, especially in informal, low-lying settlements, have been destroyed. 'Our priority now is to ensure that the people of these communities are accounted for so that we can help families bury their loved ones. After that, the government will speedily work with the people to rebuild and restore their livelihoods.' Mthatha's King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality said the deadly deluge had overshadowed the Youth Day commemorations. 'As we commemorate National Youth Day, our hearts are heavy with grief. This youth month will be remembered as one of the most tragic in our municipality's history. Yet in the face of adversity, we are witnessing our community's remarkable resilience, compassion, and unity,' the municipality added. It said it was prioritising lifesaving interventions and working towards restoring critical infrastructure services. Mabuyane added there was an outpouring of compassion from various countries offering condolences and others providing material assistance, such as the United Arab Emirates and China. 'Our partners, such as Gift of the Givers, the Al-Imdaad Foundation, community organisations, businesses, and neighbours, have opened their doors, shared the little they have, and reminded us that we are stronger when we care for one another. 'These people understand that when disaster strikes, we do not play the blame game because disasters, by their definition, are unexpected events that no one plans,' he said. Meanwhile, the provincial government declared Thursday, 19 June, a day of mourning for the victims. It called on residents to report missing persons in areas affected by severe weather conditions around Tuesday, 10 June, to law enforcement as rescue operations continued. 'Our rescue and recovery teams continue to comb affected areas.'
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
DNA of 19 victims matched, more remains discovered
Doctors in Ahmedabad worked round the clock to match blood and DNA samples to slivers of charred remains, forensic investigators combed through mangled pieces of metal for human parts, and rescuers cut through the wreckage to pull out bodies on Saturday as authorities struggled to arrive at the final toll of India's worst single-aircraft tragedy. Officials said they pulled out three bodies from the debris on Saturday, adding to the already staggering toll from the Thursday afternoon crash of the London-bound Air India 171 flight just outside Ahmedabad airport, even as it became clear that people had died not just on the plane or in the hostel it slammed into, but also the neighbourhood. The government has confirmed that only one of the 242 people on board the plane survived, and eight bodies of people who died at the BJ Medical College hostel were handed over to their families on Friday. In addition, the 15-year-old son of a tea-seller who was sleeping under a tree, Akash Patni, was confirmed dead as well. Around 20 more people – all on the ground – were feared dead, but confusion reigned on the exact number. 'As of Friday, the death toll stood at 270. Today, we recovered three additional bodies, including one from the tail section of the aircraft. Search and recovery operations for the remaining victims continue,' a police official stated. But Dhaval Gameti, president of the Junior Doctors Association at B.J. Medical College, told reporters that at least 270 bodies were recovered from the site of the crash. 'The eight bodies handed to the families on Friday did not need DNA identification. They had died after the wall collapsed. But 11 passenger bodies were examined for DNA sampling on Saturday because of the burn injuries. It matched with the blood samples given by the victims,' said medical college dean Meenakshi Desai, adding that the hospital authorities were waiting for four families to give their samples. Later in the evening, state home minister Harsh Sanghavi said in a post on X that the matching process for 19 victims was completed. 'DNA Matching Progress: 19 DNA samples have been matched so far, confirming the identities of victims,' he said. Emergency services continued recovery efforts, extracting a badly burnt body from the wreckage on Saturday before cranes were deployed to clear debris. DNA identification is underway to confirm victim identities, with relatives, some traveling to India, providing samples to assist. The flight carried 169 Indian, 53 British, seven Portuguese, and one Canadian passenger, along with 12 crew members. The deceased include at least four medical students and two of their relatives who were inside the hostel where the plane crashed. Only one British nation, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, survived. Three forensic science laboratory teams were engaged in DNA sample analysis, and so far, blood samples from 248 relatives were collected, a Civil Hospital official said on condition of anonymity. At the Trauma Centre, the health department deployed five teams comprising around 100 specialists and assistants in orthopaedics, neurology, medicine, plastic surgery, and burns. Additionally, a team of 32 experts and 20 assistants was stationed at the post-mortem room, while 12 experts were operating at the testing facility of B.J. Medical College. The DNA matching process is being conducted with support from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and the National Forensic Science University (NFSU). Hospital authorities have established strict protocols. A close relative who provided the DNA sample should come in person to collect the body. If unavailable, other close family members may collect the body. If the person who gave the DNA sample cannot come personally, they must send an authorised representative with a proper authority letter. Some relatives expressed frustration that the process was taking too long. Authorities say it normally takes up to 72 hours to complete DNA matching and they are expediting the process. Navib Sheikh, who lost four members of his family, asked, 'The doctors are saying it will take 72 hours. The mother of the girl who died does not know that her daughter is no more. We gave the DNA samples on the day the incident took place. Why is it taking so long?' Sheikh's relatives Mariam Ali Syed, her husband Javed, and their two children, Zayn, 5, and Amani, 4, perished. State Emergency Commissioner Alok Pandey said the deceased were from 18 of Gujarat's 33 districts. 'A grief counsellor has been appointed for each family to address the mental trauma. The families of the 11 foreign nationals have also been contacted, and they will arrive here by noon tomorrow,' he added. Dean Desai said, 'The forensic science laboratory is working round-the-clock to match the samples. We hope to release the report of 10-20 samples every day. The bodies of the passengers are being handled in a dignified way.' Explaining the process, Desai said that the tissue from bones and teeth of charred bodies were taken up for DNA profiling. ' Taking samples in case of a charred body is possible but it takes time. In case of immediate relatives, the results are delivered immediately. For distant relatives, it may take time. But all bodies will be identified and handed to the families for a dignified funeral.' Throughout Saturday, families of those who died in the crash continued to wait outside the mortuary. Among them was Yash Mistry, a resident of Anand in Gujarat, whose sister, Kinal, was among the passengers on the Air India flight. 'This morning, a police inspector explained the process. We have been given a slip with a number. The hospital authorities said that each one of us will get a call, once the body is identified. We have been told to present this slip containing the number at the counter in the hospital. Once they match the number and our identity, then the bodies will be returned.' Police officials at the mortuary said that each passenger, whose identity was not known, too was assigned a number. 'The number and the blood sample given by the relatives is matched. This is how the bodies will be handed. We have told the relatives not to stand in this heat outside the mortuary and urged them to return to the accommodation provided by the government until then,' they added. Aamir, whose brother Irfan Sheikh, a flight crew member, is suspected to be among the dead, said the hospital authorities said that the body would be handed in by Saturday night or soon. 'We are hoping to receive a call from the hospital anytime. Each time the phone rings, we hope this is a call from them. We want to take our brother home at the earliest.'
Al Arabiya
6 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Iran Red Crescent says Israeli strike hits ambulance, killing two
The Iranian Red Crescent and local media reported on Saturday that an Israeli strike hit an ambulance in the country's northwest, killing two people. Tasnim news agency reported an explosion at a barracks in the city of Urmia, adding 'rescuers and ambulances heading towards the barracks came under direct attack from Israel', leaving two people dead. The Red Crescent confirmed the information in a brief statement of its own.
