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Deadly storms rip through US while typhoon expected in Taiwan

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A soldier of Coast Guard Administration guards on the beach as Typhoon Krathon approaches to Taiwan in Yilan County, eastern coast of Taiwan, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Chiang Ying-ying/Copyright 2024 The AP. All rights reserved.

At least 133 people have died and hundreds more are still missing after Hurricane Helene tore through the US state of North Carolina in recent days, bogging-down roads, causing blackouts and leaving people stranded.

This is the worst flooding North Carolina has seen in a century, with rainfall estimates in some areas topping more than 61 centimetres.

Officials in the hard-hit tourism hub of Asheville said on Tuesday their water system suffered “catastrophic” damage that could take weeks to fully repair.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper called it “an unprecedented storm requiring an “unprecedented response”.

Government officials, aid groups and volunteers were working to deliver supplies by air, truck and even mule to the town and surrounding mountain communities. At least 40 people died in the county.

Joey Hopkins, North Carolina’s secretary of transportation, asked people on Monday to stay off the roads in the state’s western region due to “severe” damage.

“We do not want you here if you don’t live here and you’re not helping with the storm,” he said at a news conference.

US President Joe Biden wrote on social media platform X Hurricane Helene was not just “catastrophic” — “it was a historic storm for the entire southeast and Appalachia,” he said.

“We’re mobilizing every resource to ensure displaced families can begin to return home and devastated communities can begin to rebuild,” he said.

Due to displacement, mudslides and flooding, shelters were housing more than 1,000 people, according to Federal Emergency Management Agency officials.

Climate change has exacerbated conditions that allow such storms to thrive, rapidly intensifying in warming waters and turning into powerful cyclones, sometimes within hours.

Taiwan braces for Typhoon Krathon

Taiwan closed schools and offices, and evacuated hundreds from vulnerable areas around the island on Tuesday, ahead of a strong typhoon expected to hit its densely populated western coast after lashing northern Philippine islands.

Dozens of flights were cancelled with more than 500 people moved from mountainous regions prone to landslides. The Defence Ministry said nearly 40,000 troops were mobilised to help with rescue efforts.

Typhoon Krathon is expected to hit the major port city of Kaohsiung in the island’’ southwest on Wednesday morning. It is then expected to move across the centre of Taiwan and northeast toward the East China Sea, according to the Central Weather Administration.

It is anticipated to be felt in the capital Taipei, in the north of the island, on Wednesday and Thursday.

The mayor of Kaohsiung, a city of 2.7 million people, asked residents to stay indoors and avoid flooding and landslide-prone areas near rivers, the seaside and the mountains.

Up to 80 centimetres of rain is forecasted in surrounding mountainous areas.

Mayor Chen Chi-mai said Krathon will be “no less powerful” than 1977’s Typhoon Thelma, which devastated the city, leaving 37 dead and 298 injured.

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2Baba Cries Out For Help in Now Deleted Instagram Post

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This morning, 2Baba posted “Help Me” on his Instagram stories, but less than 20 minutes later, the message vanished.

For the past few days, his relationship with his current wife, Senator Natasha Osawaru, has been under serious scrutiny, as a series of public incidents have surfaced and fuelled widespread speculation about the state of their marriage.

His cry for help should not be taken lightly. But who will answer him?

Will it be his family, his close friends, or the entertainment industry that has benefited from his legendary career?

At this point, one thing is clear. The music icon seems to be calling for real support and those around him cannot afford to look away.

 

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BREAKING: Unknown Gunmen Attack Gov. Otti’s Advance Team In Imo, As Scores Were Kidnapped From A Bus Along Owerri-Road Road

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An advance team of Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, escaped unhurt after unidentified gunmen opened fire on their vehicle in the early hours of Tuesday, December 2, 2025, along the Umuowa–Ihite axis in Imo State.

The three-member team was en route to Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport, Owerri, when the attack occurred shortly before the airport junction.

In a statement electronically signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ukoha Njoku Ukoha, the Abia Government clarified that Governor Otti’s main convoy was not involved in the incident and was nowhere near the location at the time.

“The convoy of His Excellency, Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, was not attacked. No member of the advance team or any other person sustained injury, and no life was lost,” the statement stressed, urging the public to disregard rumours suggesting otherwise.

It was learned that Security agencies have been notified, and investigations are underway to identify and apprehend the assailants.

Meanwhile, a commercial bus plying along Owerri -Aba road towards the Ngor Okpala axis was attacked Monday and scores of passengers were feared kidnapped by yet-to-identify gunmen.

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Gunmen attack Ngige’s convoy in Anambra

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The convoy of former Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, was attacked by gunmen in Umuoji, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Ngige who confirmed the incident to newsmen, stated that he was not in the convoy when the attack occurred. He mentioned that several people were shot and injured.

“I was not in the convoy. I’m still alive and well. Those hoodlums have started again. I came to my state to relax, but what happened is unfortunate. I will go back to Abuja. But I assure those who did this, they will not go unpunished.” he said

The vehicles were reportedly returning from a mechanic workshop in Nkpor when the gunmen struck along the busy Umuoji–Nkpor Road leading to Alor, Ngige’s hometown.

According to Mr. Fred Chukwulobelu, Ngige’s former Special Adviser on Media, a policeman in the pilot car was shot, and the attackers, dressed in police and army uniforms, took away his gun and uniform.

He also confirmed that a woman filming the incident was fatally shot. He added that a shop owner who rushed out to see what was happening was also shot; he lost significant blood and is scheduled for surgery, but is expected to recover fully.

The pilot car was riddled with bullets, while the wounded escort leader has undergone surgery and is also expected to recover.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Police Command said it has launched a state-wide manhunt for the perpetrators.

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