Environment

Deaths rise as Nepal issues more permits for Mount Everest

NAMCHE, Nepal (AP) — Nepal’s reluctance to limit the number of permits it issues to scale Mount Everest has contributed to dangerous overcrowding, with inexperienced climbers impeding others and causing deadly delays, seasoned mountaineers said.

During the short period this season when the weather was clear enough to attempt the summit, climbers were crammed crampon-to-crampon above South Col’s sharp-edged ridge, all clipped onto a single line of rope, trudging toward the top of the world and risking death as each minute ticked by.

Colorado climber dies after reaching top of Mount Everest

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado climber died shortly after getting to the top of Mount Everest and achieving his dream of scaling the highest peaks on each of the seven continents, his brother said Monday.

Christopher Kulish, a 62-year-old Boulder attorney, died Monday at a camp below the summit during his descent. The cause isn’t yet known, said his brother, Mark Kulish of Denver.

Christopher Kulish had just reached the top of Everest with a small group after crowds of hundreds of climbers congested the 29,035-foot (8,850-meter) peak last week, his brother said.

Cost of buying out flood-prone homes: $5B and rising

MOSBY, Mo. (AP) — The residents of this small riverside town have become accustomed to watching floods swamp their streets, transform their homes into islands and ruin their floors and furniture.

Elmer Sullivan has replaced his couch, bed and television. He’s torn up water-buckled floorboards. And he put a picket fence against the front of his house to cover up a gap left when waters washed out part of the stone foundation.

“I just don’t want to mess with it anymore. I’m 83 years old and I’m tired of it, and I just want to get out of it,” Sullivan said.

USA: Historic flooding predicted along Arkansas River

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — Residents in parts of Arkansas were preparing for what meteorologists on Sunday predicted will be the worst flooding in recorded history along parts of the Arkansas River over the coming week.

The National Weather Service said in the statement that levee “over topping” is likely with “significant impacts to life and property across a very large area.”

The Arkansas River reached 38.2 feet (11.6 meters) on Sunday near Fort Smith, Arkansas, surpassing the historic crest of 38.1 (11.6) feet in April 1945.

Magnitude 8 earthquake strikes Amazon jungle in Peru

LIMA, Peru (AP) — A powerful magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck the Amazon jungle in north-central Peru early Sunday, the U.S. Geological survey reported, collapsing buildings and knocking out power to some areas.

The quake struck at 2:41 a.m. and was centered 47 miles (75 kilometers) south-southeast of the village of Lagunas and 57 miles (92 kilometers) east of the larger town of Yurimaguas. The epicenter was 68 miles (110 kilometers) below the surface.

In a tweet, President Martín Vizcarra called for calm and said that authorities were checking the affected areas.

Mayor says 2 dead after tornado roars through Oklahoma town

EL RENO, Okla. (AP) — A likely tornado killed at least two people as it destroyed a motel, roared through a nearby mobile home park and caused significant damage in the Oklahoma City area, officials said Sunday.

El Reno Mayor Matt White said during a news conference that “there have been two fatalities at this point in time,” adding that officials are currently working to notify relatives.

White said search and rescue efforts are continuing.

India: Drought situation in Maharashtra is very serious: Pawar

Mumbai, May 25 (PTI) NCP president Sharad Pawar said Saturday that the drought situation in Maharashtra was very serious.

Addressing a gathering in Satara district, Pawar said he would try his best to ensure that the government provided maximum assistance to drought-hit areas.

Last October, the Maharashtra government announced drought in over 150 of 358 tehsils in the state following a bad monsoon.

US state of Arkansas declares emergency over flooding

25 May 2019; DW: Arkansas' governor proclaimed a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to deploy rescue teams as the US state braces for record-breaking floods. Several people have lost their lives as storms continue.

At least seven people have died in the storms which continue to pound the central US, with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson declaring a state of emergency on Friday "in anticipation of severe flooding."

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