More than 2,100 confirmed dead in Afghan landslide

Afghan officials gave up hope on Saturday of finding any survivors from a landslide in the remote northeast, with the number killed or missing put at between a few hundred and as many as 2,700. The United Nations said the focus now was on helping more than 4,000 displaced people. International organisations and Afghan officials said at least 300 mud brick homes were buried on Friday, but precise information on the number killed was hard to come by in the impoverished province bordering Tajikistan. The U.N. mission in Afghanistan said more than 350 people were killed, but a spokesman for the local governor put the number in excess of 2,100. The Geneva-based International Organization for Migration (IOM) said 2,700 were dead or missing. "The scale of this landslide is absolutely devastating, with an entire village practically wiped away," IOM Afghanistan Chief of Mission Richard Danziger said. "Hundreds of families have lost everything and are in immense need of assistance."

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/05/02/more-than-2000-trapped-under-afghan-landslide

At least 16 dead after tornadoes cause devastation across central states as forecasters warn another HUNDRED twisters could hit the area this week

At least 16 people have died after a powerful storm system spawning several tornadoes tore through the central and southern states last night with experts warning that another hundred are set to hit the central states this week at the start of tornado season. Winds ripped houses off their foundations and flipped cars on top of the rubble in the small town of Vilonia in central Arkansas' Faulkner county, one of the worst-hit communities. Early this morning Arkansas Department of Emergency Management announced the death toll stating the deadly weather had killed seven people in Faulkner County, five people in Pulaski County and one person in White County. Tornado watches - which means twisters could develop but are not an immediate threat - are in effect for states as far west as New Mexico and as far east as Tennessee and the system produced storms that were moving through the region in waves. Watches were also issued for Kansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, Iowa, Texas and Louisiana. Quapaw was heavily damaged. 'Looks like about half of town got extensive damage as well as the fire department,' Ottawa County Emergency Management director Joe Morgan said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2614564/Arkansas-Missouri-Kansas-risk-getting-hit-severe-storms-11-month-old-girl-fatality-2014-tornado-season.html

Six dead and nine missing after high-altitude avalanche on Mt. Everest

An avalanche swept the slopes of Mount Everest on Friday along a route used to ascend the world's highest peak, killing at least six Nepalese guides and leaving nine more missing, officials said. The Sherpa guides had gone early in the morning to fix the ropes for hundreds of climbers when the avalanche hit them just below Camp 2 around 6:30 a.m., said Nepal Tourism Ministry official Krishna Lamsal, speaking from the base camp and monitoring the rescue efforts. Four bodies have been recovered and rescuers were digging two more out of the snow, he said. Nine more Sherpas are unaccounted for and believed to be buried, he said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2607553/Six-dead-feared-missing-high-altitude-avalanche-Mt-Everest.html

Chile fire kills at least 12, destroys 2,000 houses

VALPARAISO, Chile – At least 12 people were killed and 2,000 houses destroyed over the weekend by a fire that devastated parts of the Chilean port city of Valparaiso, as authorities evacuated thousands and sent in aircraft to battle the blaze. Pushed by strong Pacific coast winds, the fire started on Saturday and rampaged over 700 hectares (1,700 acres) of forest and hilly residential neighborhoods including La Cruz and Las Canas, authorities said.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/04/12/fire-destroys-over-100-homes-in-chile

Tragic end for heavily pregnant zebra as it is eaten alive by a pack of hyenas

This is the devastating moment a heavily pregnant zebra was killed by hyenas in Africa. It was a scene that photographer Marc Mol found incredibly difficult to watch – other onlookers couldn’t bear it and left, he said The harrowing scene unfolded in Kenya’s Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok County, with the mare set upon by 20 hyenas.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2595889/Nature-brutal-Tragic-end-heavily-pregnant-zebra-eaten-alive-pack-hyenas-Kenyas-Maasai-Mara-National-Reserve.html

Five dead after 8.2 earthquake shakes Chile coast; tsunami warnings lifted

The 8.2 magnitude quake struck Tuesday evening off coast of northern Chile, sparking fears of a tsunami. About four hours after the tremor, tsunami warnings remained in place for parts of Chile and Peru. Only five deaths have been officially reported.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/large-earthquake-strikes-coast-chile-tsunami-warning-issued-article-1.1742464

Rescuers combing through debris of mile-long mudslide that has so far killed three people and injured a six-month-old

After hearing voices pleading for help, rescuers were ‘combing through the debris’ in an overnight search for survivors from a massive mudslide in Washington state that has killed at least three people and forced evacuations because of fears of severe flooding. The slide of mud, trees and rocks happened about 11 a.m. on Saturday morning. Several people - including an infant - were critically injured and at least six houses were destroyed. Snohomish County Fire District 21 Chief Travis Hots said at a news briefing late on Saturday that searchers weren't giving up on finding more people alive.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2587020/Mile-long-mudslide-carries-house-road-Washington-people-trapped-inside.html

Amazing photos of snake attacking crocodile, winning... and then swallowing it whole!

t was one of the most astonishing battles in the animal world - when a snake decided it was going to swallow a whole crocodile for lunch. If it seems an impossible notion, these photos show the astonishing result as the snake slithered slowly away with the crocodile filling its body. Local woman Tiffany Corlis saw the snake, a python, heading towards the freshwater crocodile on the edge of Lake Moondarra, some 12 miles north east of Mount Isa, in outback Queensland, reported the ABC.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2571929/Amazing-photos-snake-attacking-crocodile-winning-swallowing-croc-whole.html

Nepal plane crash in bad weather killed all 18 on board

KATHMANDU - All 18 people aboard a small plane that crashed in bad weather in Nepal were killed, an army spokesman said on Monday, after searchers battled heavy rain and harsh winds to reach the rugged site the day after the event.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/17/nepal-plane-crash-in-bad-weather-killed-all-18-on-board

Heavily pregnant woman, 20, dies in car in pelting rain, masonry collapses on mother-of-three and freak wave claims life of cruise ship diner

The great Valentine’s Night storm left three people dead and caused continuing mayhem across Britain yesterday. In the most shocking incident, a freak wave in the English Channel smashed through the window of a cruise ship, killing a pensioner as he dined with his wife. Fallen trees and masonry paralysed road and rail networks in the worst devastation since the winter storms began.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2560330/Victims-Valentine-Tempest-Tragic-death-toll-cruellest-night-storms-yet.html

At least 20 dead after storm wallops U.S. northeast

NEW YORK - The U.S. East Coast dug out on Friday from the final wallop of a deadly four-day storm that dumped more than two feet of snow in some places, causing chaos from the South to New England. Five more people were killed on icy roads or while shoveling snow in North Carolina, bringing the storm's death toll to at least 20. In New York, doctors were working to save the baby of a pregnant 36-year-old woman killed by a private snow plow in a parking lot in Brooklyn. The Pennsylvania Turnpike was littered with twisted metal from up to 50 vehicles in multiple accidents that injured at least 30 people. The road had to be closed during the morning commute, causing a 7-mile (11-km) backup, said Renee Vid Colborn, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

http://www.torontosun.com/2014/02/14/winter-storm-buries-parts-of-us-northeast

Two dead, nine injured after massive boulder smashes into tourist train in French Alps

PARIS -- An enormous boulder hurtled off a mountain and smashed into a tourist train in the French Alps on Saturday, derailing it on the mountainside and killing two passengers, officials said. Nine people were injured. The force of the boulder caved in the side of the train, which takes a leisurely three hours to travel about 93 miles from Nice to Dignes-les-Bains.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/dead-hurt-french-alps-train-derailment-article-1.1606786

At least 14 dead as volcano in western Indonesia erupts again authorities say

Several eruptions of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province sent lava and pyroclastic flows down the southern slopes up to 2.8 miles away, an official said. The number of dead could rise as the rescue efforts are hampered by darkness.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/11-dead-volcano-indonesia-erupts-article-1.1598698

Tragic moment tourist was killed by lightning as she ran into the sea on Brazilian beach to warn her son to get out of the water

A mother was killed in front of her family when she was struck by lightning on a Brazilian beach. Rosangela Biavati a 36-year-old married mother of one, died instantly when she was hit by the bolt of electricity during a trip to Guaruja, a popular seaside resort on the coast of Sao Paulo. The first photograph shows the victim heading towards the water with outstretched arms as she warns her 11-year-old son to get out of the sea because of the gathering storm overhead. The next image captures the electrical discharge streaking down.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2540092/Tragic-moment-tourist-killed-lightning-runs-sea-Brazilian-beach-warn-son-water.html

Eight-foot python dislocates jaws to scoff young impala whole

While many of Africa's big predators could be expected to take down an antelope - few could then swallow it whole. But this is just what happens when the killer turns out to be an African rock python. These photographs show an 8ft snake devouring a young impala in the Moremi Game Reserve in Botswana.

More pics + video: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2540484/Open-wide-Eight-foot-python-dislocates-jaws-scoff-young-impala-whole.html

Killer tiger preying on Indian villages claims its seventh victim in 12 days since escaping from animal reserve

Police in India are hunting a man-eating tiger that is believed to have killed seven villagers in two weeks after escaping from an animal reserve. The tiger's latest victim was an unidentified woman who was found in a forest Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh, India yesterday. The female tiger is believed to be prowling over an area covering around 80 miles and is considered to be far more dangerous than others in the area due to a lack of hunting experience that forces the desperate cat to move closer to human occupation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2539812/Police-hunting-tiger-killed-seven-villagers-two-weeks-escaping-animal-reserve.html

Leopard kills female brought into his enclosure to be his mate at Pennsylvania zoo

A rare Amur leopard mauled to death a female brought into his enclosure during a breeding attempt at a Pennsylvania zoo yesterday. Edgar, five, grabbed Lina, seven, by the throat and attacked her in an off-exhibit area at Erie Zoo. Zoo staff, who don't know what provoked the attack, tried to save Lina but she died from her injuries.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2539221/Rare-Amur-leopard-mauled-death-female-brought-enclosure-mate-Pennsylvania-zoo.html

Lightning strikes Argentina beach, killing three

A lightning bolt in Argentina has killed at least three people and injured 22 in a coastal community. The Telam state news agency says the lightning bolt struck Villa Gesell, a town 320 kilometres (200 miles) east of the capital of Buenos Aires. The 16 adults and six children injured were taken to a local hospital. Officials say two women suffered serious injuries. A lifeguard, who witnessed the strike, described the scene: "some people had pain in their feet, some people were in convulsions and some were under cardiac arrest". Argentina's National Weather Service says the lightning was caused by a sudden storm with "a great movement of ascending air and water and lots of electrical activity."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/10562706/Lightning-strikes-Argentina-beach-killing-three.html

Four dead and 25 trapped in cars as storms disrupt Christmas getaway

More than 20 people were trapped in their cars overnight because of the storms which battered the UK, and claimed four lives. Train companies have suspended services this morning to clear the lines of debris and trees brought down in gales of up to 92mph, while airports and ports are warning of severe delays as millions of people try to get home for Christmas.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10536614/Four-dead-and-25-trapped-in-cars-as-storms-disrupt-Christmas-getaway.html

Nine dead, half a million homes without power and hundreds of flights delayed while East Coast enjoys heatwave: First weekend of winter brings wild mix of weather to U.S.

-The first weekend of winter brought a wild mix of weather across the U.S., from a record-shattering heat wave on the

-East Coast to deadly flooding in Kentucky and ice and wind in Michigan and New England

-Snow and ice knocked out power to 440,000 homes and businesses in Michigan, upstate New York and northern New England

-By Sunday evening, more than 700 airline flights had been canceled and more than 11,000 delayed, stranding thousands of travelers

-At least nine people were killed in storm, including five people who died in flooding in Kentucky and a woman who lost her life after a tornado with winds of 130 mph struck in Arkansas

-The weather is expected to be much more seasonal Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2527932/A-bizarre-mix-weather-country-results-tornadoes-ice-storms-record-breaking-warmth-weekend.html