Recent Natural Disasters | Calamities | Hazards

Earthquake damaged buildings in Arquata del Tronto, Italy (Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images) October 30, 2016: At least 20 people injured after a strongest earthquake in 36 years rattled Italy at 7:41 a.m. with its epicenter near Norcia.  According to Italy’s national geophysical and volcanology institute, magnitude 6.5 tremor was recorded, the strongest to hit Italy since 1980. It was felt as far north as near the border with Austria and in Rome.

October 28, 2016: Torrential rainfall and flooding in Egypt have claimed lives of at least 30 people, Middle East News Agency (MENA), a news agency by Egyptian government confirmed.  Nine people died in South Sinai, eight in Sohag and five in Beni Suef. Similarly, nine others died in the Red Sea.

The First World Tsunami Awareness Day will be observed on November 5, 2016 during the upcoming Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR). The Asian Ministerial Conference for Disaster Risk Reduction (AMCDRR) is going to be held by the government of India in collaboration with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) between November 2-5, 2016. In December 2015, the UN General Assembly designated 5 November as World Tsunami Awareness Day. The Assembly called on all countries, international bodies and civil society to observe the day, in order to raise tsunami awareness and share innovative approaches to risk reduction.

October 26, 2016: A landslide claimed lives of at least seven people and buried more than 10 others along a mountainous stretch of Colombia's main highway between Bogota and Medellin on Wednesday. "Others four people have been injured and taken to a local hospital," Reuters reported disaster management chief for the northwestern department of Antioquia, Gilberto Mazo as saying. According to the authorities, the landslide disaster occurred due to heavy rain in the mountainous area.

October 25, 2016: A lightning strike in Pogo-ceri village, Amuru district of Uganda claimed life of a teenager at around 6:00 pm. Richard Okeny, 17, was the student of Okuture primary school.

October 25, 2016: Flash floods in the city of Bandung, West Java, Indonesia have claimed life of a person and damaged thousands of homes.  According to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB), flash floods caused worst damage in Pasteur, Pagarsih, Solokan Jeruk and Sukajadi areas. The Citepus River overflowed due to continuous heavy rainfall. Flood damage assessment is going on.