Rescue workers in Laos are searching for an alternative route into a flooded cave where two people are believed to be trapped for nearly two weeks. Five of seven initially trapped have been rescued, with international teams assisting in the operation.
Five men have been rescued from a flooded cave in Laos, with two still missing. Rescuers from Laos, Thailand, Japan, and Malaysia collaborated in the complex operation.
One of five villagers trapped in a Laos cave since last week has been rescued; four remain, with two others missing and hopes fading.
Rescuers have located 5 out of 7 men trapped in a flooded cave in Laos for a week; the group was hunting wildlife and searching for gold when heavy rain blocked the cave entrance. Two men remain unaccounted for, with extraction of the found survivors still pending due to challenging conditions.
This summer season will be the longest until 2037, lasting 106 days from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Meteorologists attribute this to calendar quirks, while climate change and El Niño are expected to bring hotter temperatures, increased wildfire risk, severe storms, and potential major hurricanes.
Seven Laotian villagers are trapped in a flooded cave in Xaysomboun province after entering to search for gold. Heavy rain caused flash flooding, blocking their exit. International rescue teams, including experts from the Thai cave rescue, have arrived to assist.
Seven villagers are trapped in a flooded cave in Laos' Xaisomboun province after entering on May 19 to search for gold. A flash flood blocked their exit, and rescuers, including Thai and Finnish experts, are attempting to reach them. The situation is described as a humanitarian emergency.
Heavy rainfall in southern and central China has caused flash floods and landslides, killing 12 people and forcing hundreds to evacuate. Meanwhile, northern India is experiencing severe heatwaves with temperatures exceeding 45C, leading to warnings and farmers working at night.
El Nino's expected return in May brings hotter, drier conditions to Southeast Asia, damaging agriculture and increasing forest fire risks, yet may also cause dangerous localized flooding despite overall dryness, exacerbating challenges for emerging economies already strained by geopolitical tensions and higher energy costs.
Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense has issued a warning for thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and flash floods expected to persist across much of the Kingdom through Tuesday. The National Center for Meteorology forecasts moderate to heavy thunderstorms affecting Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah, Qassim, Hail, Eastern Province, Northern Borders, Al-Jouf, Al-Baha, Asir, and Jazan, with Makkah and Riyadh facing heightened risk of intense rainfall events. The conditions are linked to a seasonal transition period typical of spring in the Arabian Peninsula.
Flash floods caused by heavy rain submerged roads and affected vehicles in Ringlet, Cameron Highlands. Local police reported no injuries and confirmed that floodwaters receded within two hours.
Wellington has declared a state of emergency after torrential rain caused flash flooding and landslides across New Zealand's North Island. The capital received a record 77mm of rain in less than an hour on Monday. More than a dozen people have been evacuated, a 60-year-old man is missing, and the emergency management minister warned the worst weather is yet to come. The flooding comes less than a week after Cyclone Vaianu swept through the region.
A state of emergency was declared for Wellington, New Zealand, after record-breaking rainfall of 77mm in less than one hour triggered flash flooding, landslides and road closures. MetService issued its highest red rain warning, warning of threat to life from dangerous river conditions. Emergency services responded to 150 calls overnight, with evacuations underway and a search for a missing resident in the suburb of Karori.
