Connect with us

Trending

Deadly Tropical Storm Helene triggers floods, power outages

Published

on

Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm after making landfall in Florida, but officials warned the storm remained “dangerous” as it moved inland. Around 20 people have died in four states.

Tropical Storm Helene barreled across the southeastern United States on Friday, killing around 20 people and causing widespread destruction and flooding.

Helene crossed Florida’s northwest coast as a Category 4 hurricane on Thursday with windspeeds of 140 miles per hour (225 kilometers per hour), generating a massive storm surge and cutting off power to millions of homes in multiple states.

Helene later weakened to a tropical storm, but officials warned the storm continued to be “extremely dangerous” as it moved to the Carolinas and Georgia.

At least 11 people died in Georgia alone. Governor Brian Kemp said dozens of people were still trapped in damaged buildings.

Authorities were “having a hard time getting to places” so teams with chainsaws were “working to free up roads,” Kemp told a news conference.

Helene caused widespread damage and left 4 million homes and businesses without power
© Ken Ruinard/The Anderson Independent Mail/USA TODAY NETWORK/REUTERS

 

At least six people died in South Carolina, two in Florida and two in North Carolina. Cities as far inland as Atlanta, Georgia, were hit with flooding from the heavy downpour. In North Carolina, residents near Lake Lure Dam were urged to evacuate to escape an “imminent” dam failure.

The US National Hurricane Center warned residents to shelter from “catastrophic winds,” storm surge and rainfall. “This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation,” the center said.

Helene one of largest storms ever to hit Gulf Coast

Helene was unusually large for a Gulf of Mexico hurricane.

Airports in the Florida cities of Tampa, Tallahassee and St. Petersburg remained closed early Friday, while hundreds of flights in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Atlanta, Georgia, were delayed or canceled, according to the tracking website FlightAware.com.

More than 4 million homes and businesses were without power in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina on Friday morning.

The governors of those states as well as Alabama and Virginia all declared emergencies.

The storm brought heavy rains that left neighborhoods underwater
© Paola Chiomante/REUTERS

 

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis mobilized the National Guard and ordered thousands of personnel to ready for search-and-rescue operations.

In Georgia, Governor Kemp also mobilized an additional 1,000 National Guard troops, on top of the 500 he mobilized earlier.

More than 55 million Americans were under some form of weather alert or warning from Hurricane Helene
© Joe Raedle/Getty Images

 

US President Joe Biden urged people to heed official evacuation warnings.

“I urge everyone in and near the path of Helene to listen to local officials and follow evacuation warnings,” he said. “Take this seriously, and be safe.”

Where is Helene headed next?

On Friday morning, Helene was moving north with windspeeds of 45 miles per hour (75 kilometers per hour), the National Hurricane Center in Miami reported.

Forecasters said the storm would continue to weaken as it moves into Tennessee and Kentucky.

Helene is expected to bring heavy rain to the Appalachian Mountains, potentially triggering mudslides and flash flooding.

Helene was the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began in June.

mfi,kb/msh (AFP, AP)

Trending

Gunmen k!ll President General of Ogidi community and one other in Anambra.

Published

on

 

Unidentified gunmen, suspected to be cultists, have k!lled a community leader and one other person in Anambra State.

The President-General of Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ikwuka Okoye, popularly known as Anumili (pictured above), was k!lled on Friday, Feb. 6.

The attack was alleged to have been carried out by members of a rival cult group in revenge for the de@th of their leader, who was arrested and k!lled by local security operatives.

During the attack, which took place at the School Field, Ogidi, another man whose identity has yet to be ascertained was also gunned down.

The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a press statement on Saturday.

Ikenga said the incident is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

He said, “The Anambra State Police Command regrets the murd£r of the President-General of the Ogidi community and one other person. The incident, which occurred on the evening of February 6, 2026, at the School Field, Ogidi, is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

“Following the report, police operatives swiftly took over the scene of the incident and commenced investigations. The command is currently working with eyewitness accounts and other available intelligence to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

“The Anambra State Police Command assures members of the public that all efforts are being intensified to bring those responsible to justice.

“Residents are urged to remain calm and cooperate with the police as investigations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course.”

Continue Reading

Trending

Police bust syndicate behind nude photo blackmail in Lagos

Published

on

 

Men of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Lagos, have apprehended three suspects who allegedly run a cyber blackmail and extortion scheme in the state.

According to the spokesperson of the unit, DSP Ovie Ewhubare, the suspects get a hold of their victims explicit photos and then threaten to release them if a ransom is not paid.

He said that the suspects, two males and a female, were apprehended after a petition was filed by a complainant who reported being repeatedly threatened by unknown individuals demanding money.

“The complainant received several phone calls in which the callers threatened to release her nude photographs to the public if she failed to pay them. Acting out of fear and emotional distress, she transferred money to the suspects.

The situation escalated when the suspects demanded an additional N10 million, prompting her to formally petition the police,” he said

The police imagemaker state dthat upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Mr Kayode Ojapinwa, ordered the immediate deployment of operatives to investigate the matter.

“The investigation led to the arrest of the three suspects. Investigations revealed that one of the suspects gained unlawful access to the complainant’s mobile device and fraudulently transferred her nude photographs to his own device. Further findings indicated that he conspired with the other suspects and other accomplices currently at large to demand and receive money from the complainant in several tranches,” he said

According to him, the suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The image maker said that investigations were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and to recover all proceeds of the alleged crime.

Continue Reading

Trending

Catholic Priest Collapses And D!es In Front Of Congregation While Walking To Tabernacle To Return Holy Communion

Published

on

A Catholic priest has tragically passed away after suddenly collapsing in front of the congregation during Sunday mass.

The tragic incident took place last Sunday, February 1 in Wiesmath in the district of Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

Shortly after administering Holy Communion, 59-year-old priest Raimund Beisteiner was about to return the host to the tabernacle when he “suddenly” collapsed, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Vienna.

“Despite immediate professional assistance, he di£d in the church,” the statement said.

The mayor of Wiesmath, Erich Rasner, had also attended the Mass with many other believers and witnessed the dramatic scenes.

The shock in Wiesmath at the loss of the popular priest is great. Beisteiner had shaped the spiritual life of the parish for almost two decades and was highly regarded far beyond the community.

Rasner praised him as an “extremely conscientious, sensitive priest” and also emphasized the personal loss of a friendship that had grown over many years.

A prayer service was organized at short notice for the late priest. It was attended by numerous priests from the deanery as well as Archbishop Josef Grünwidl.

Continue Reading

Trending