Floods and Landslides Disrupt Travel as Key Highways Reopen

Kathmandu, July 9 -- Continuous rain caused extensive flooding and landslides throughout Nepal on Wednesday morning, closing multiple major roads and leaving hundreds of vehicles stuck.

Key routes have seen traffic return, but officials caution that road safety issues remain because of unstable ground and ongoing rain.

In the Kavre district, the BP Highway was obstructed at several locations—Pingthali, Charsebesi, and Mangalatar—along the Bhakunde-Nepalthok route starting approximately at 1am on Wednesday.

As reported by Police Inspector Sunil Kumar Dhanzu from the District Traffic Police Office, vehicles traveling towards Sindhuli were halted at Kavrevanjyang, whereas those heading to Kathmandu from the other side were stopped at Mangalatar. The road is now clear, and two-way traffic has resumed, reducing the burden on both travelers and transporters.

In Palpa, a landslide close to Siddhababa Temple in ward 3 of Tinau Rural Municipality obstructed the Siddhartha Highway since early Wednesday. The mudslide, which took place approximately at 2am near the Dobhan head box area, included big rocks that complicated the clearing process.

By midday on Wednesday, the road was reopened for one-way traffic, although officials have warned that dangers still exist. As per the Palpa District Police Office, machinery from the Siddhababa Tunnel Project and the Road Division Office was deployed for the clearing process.

Although the area has reopened, the stretch between Charchare and Gaudepul is still very susceptible to issues caused by past landslides, raising worries among residents and those who use the road.

In Makawanpur, the Kanti Highway, which links Hetauda and Kathmandu, was blocked by a landslide near Gangate in the Thingan-Baguwa area around 5am on Wednesday.

Local residents and law enforcement utilized excavators to clear the wreckage, with traffic resuming by 10 a.m. Police Inspector Bidya Sagar Mehta from the Area Police Office in Thingan mentioned that vehicles that had been detained in Thingan and Baguwa were permitted to proceed once the road was cleared.

In Nawalparasi East, a part of the East-West Highway near Khursanikhola collapsed around 5:30am, stopping all vehicle movement. A truck became trapped in the affected area. By the afternoon, the road was filled to enable one-way traffic, as reported by Deputy Superintendent of Police Bir Dutta Pant from the District Police Office in Parasi.

Vehicles are being permitted to proceed one after another, with traffic officers present at the location and passenger buses given preference. Officials stated that hundreds of vehicles that had been stuck since morning started moving again around 12pm.

In the meantime, in Baglung, landslides caused by the rain on Tuesday evening have obstructed the Kaligandaki Corridor within Baglung Municipality-10. Basanta Pandey, an information officer at the District Police Office in Baglung, mentioned that ongoing rainfall has postponed the clearing operations.

In addition, in Myagdi, the road connecting Beni to Darbang and Muna was blocked because of several landslides in Malika Rural Municipality-6 and Beni Municipality-4. As per the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, rain gauge stations measured 110 mm of rainfall in Darbang and 77 mm in Muna between 6 am and 8 am on Wednesday.

Officials are still removing debris in the impacted regions, but they caution that more rain could cause further landslides. Travelers are encouraged to keep informed before starting extended trips.

Contributions from local reporters.

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Iraq Mall Fire Claims at Least 60 Lives

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A fire swept through a recently opened shopping mall in the eastern Iraqi city of Kut during the night, resulting in the death of at least 61 individuals, according to officials on Thursday, as heartbroken families continued their search for loved ones who went missing.

Authorities mentioned that numerous individuals suffocated in restroom areas, while a witness reported to AFP that his five family members perished in an elevator.

The fire — the latest in a nation where safety rules are often ignored — erupted late Wednesday, reportedly beginning on the ground floor before quickly spreading to the five-story Corniche Hypermarket Mall.

The reason remained unclear at first, but one survivor reported to AFP that an air conditioner had exploded.

Multiple individuals told AFP that they had lost relatives — and in certain instances, entire families — who had visited the mall to shop and eat just days after it opened in Kut, approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) southeast of Baghdad.

Videos posted on social media depicted individuals, including kids, perched on rooftops, pleading for assistance.

An AFP reporter described witnessing burned remains at the provincial forensic facility.

Ali Kadhim, 51, mentioned that he had been traveling back and forth between the mall and the primary hospital, where the injured were taken, in search of his cousin, who is missing together with his wife and three children.

Back at the shopping center, he nervously awaited as emergency workers scoured the debris for those trapped, with an ambulance ready nearby.

"We are unaware of what occurred to them," he stated.

An AFP reporter on the scene mentioned that the fire had been controlled and the front part of the structure was heavily burned.

The interior ministry stated in a release that "the devastating fire resulted in the deaths of 61 innocent individuals, with many suffocating in the bathrooms, and 14 bodies that were burned and remain unidentified."

'We couldn't escape' The official INA news agency later cited a medical source who reported 63 fatalities and 40 people injured.

The provincial governor of Wasit, Mohammed al-Miyahi, informed INA that the victims comprised men, women, and children.

A healthcare official in Kut informed AFP that there were "numerous unidentified corpses."

More than 45 individuals were rescued by civil defense teams from within the building, which houses a restaurant and a supermarket, according to the interior ministry.

The main hospital's ward was overcrowded, while in other areas, an AFP reporter observed heartbroken family members waiting at the forensic unit for updates, with some falling to the ground in sorrow.

A man broke down, beating his chest and shouting.

Dr. Nasir al-Quraishi, a man in his 50s, mentioned that he lost five relatives in the blaze.

A catastrophe has occurred," he said to AFP. "We went to the mall to have some food, have dinner, and avoid power outages at home.

An air conditioner burst on the second floor, and then the fire broke out — and we were unable to flee.

Lax safety regulations Moataz Karim, aged 45, hurried to the shopping center at midnight, only to learn the heartbreaking information that three of his family members had gone missing.

Several hours later, he recognized the burnt remains of two family members, one of whom had started employment at the mall three days prior.

"No fire suppression system is in place," he said with anger, waiting for more updates outside the forensic department.

Iraq's construction industry frequently ignores safety regulations, and the nation, which has suffered from deteriorating infrastructure due to years of warfare, regularly faces deadly fires and incidents.

Blazes become more frequent during the scorching summer when temperatures reach up to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit).

In September 2023, a fire resulted in the death of at least 100 individuals as it spread through a packed Iraqi wedding venue, causing a frantic rush towards the exits.

In July 2021, a fire broke out in the Covid-19 ward of a hospital in southern Iraq, resulting in over 60 fatalities.

Governor Miyahi stated that local officials would initiate legal action against the mall's proprietor and the construction company.

"The tragedy came as a significant shock... and demands a thorough examination of all safety protocols," he stated.

The authorities announced a three-day period of remembrance.

Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has called for a "comprehensive investigation" into the fire to uncover "flaws" and avoid similar occurrences.

Numerous nations, such as Egypt, Iran, and France, extended their sympathies to Iraq and the families of the victims.

The U.S. embassy in Baghdad also expressed "its most sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims."

In September 2023, a fire resulted in the deaths of at least 100 individuals as it spread through a packed Iraqi wedding venue, causing a frantic rush toward the exits.

In July 2021, a fire broke out in the Covid ward of a hospital in southern Iraq, resulting in the deaths of over 60 individuals.

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Dramatic Rescue: Two Women Save Collapsed Teen on Tokyo Train

TOKYO -- Two women acted quickly and saved a teenager who collapsed on a Tokyo train on May 8.

On June 29, they were thanked by the Tokyo Fire Department for their actions, and awarded certificates.

Around 10:30 a.m., a teenage girl suddenly fell down inside a train after it left Musashi-Kosugi Station. The girl's heart had stopped, and she needed help quickly.

Airu Shiozaki, a 22-year-old university student, was on the train. She heard someone quietly ask for help. In high school and university, she learned how to help people in emergencies. Shiozaki quickly ran to the girl and began giving her air (artificial respiration).

Another passenger on the train, Megumi Saiki, 51, also stood up quickly to help. Saiki works at a hospital and learned how to help people whose hearts have stopped. Saiki began pushing on the girl's chest (chest compressions) right away.

Other people also helped. Some passengers covered the girl with clothes to give her privacy. Another passenger pushed the emergency button inside the train.

The train soon arrived at Jiyugaoka Station in Tokyo. Emergency workers took the girl to a hospital, and she survived.

On June 29, the Tokyo Fire Department gave awards to Shiozaki and Saiki for saving the teenager's life. Nine other people on the train who also helped received special awards.

Shiozaki remembered that her class taught her, "If someone acts quickly, the chance of saving the person goes up a lot. Everyone should try to help." She said these words gave her courage to help.

Saiki said, "One person can't do everything alone. But when many people work together, we can save someone's life."

The chief of the Tokyo Fire Department's Meguro Fire Station said, "It's important to know how to help in an emergency. Also, it's important to quickly call 119 for help."

(Japanese original by Yuka Asahina, Tokyo City News Department)

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