Typhoon FITOW Forces Hundreds of Thousands of Evacuations

FITOW Slamming China

China’s meteorological agency issued a red alert for storm surges earlier on Sunday as Typhoon FITOW neared the country’s southeast coastal areas.

On Saturday the agency issued a “Red Alert,” the country’s highest in its weather warning system, for the typhoon.

Typhoon FITOW. SW/IR Satellite Image recorded at 15:32UTC on October 6, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

FITOW FURY

Original caption: Frontier defense soldiers encounter high waves caused by Typhoon Fitow in Wenling City, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Oct. 6, 2013. China’s meteorological authority issued a red alert on Sunday as Typhoon Fitow approaches the country’s southeast coastal areas. (Xinhua/Jia Ce). More images…

FITOW FURY. Waves intensified by TY FITOW slam the nortehrn coastline of of Keelung, Taiwan, Sunday October 6, 2013. (Photo: Xinhua/Wu Ching-teng)

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Deadly Violence Intensifies in Iraq

At least 129 people killed and 350 others wounded in Iraq since Saturday

100 People were killed and about 200 others were wounded across Iraq on Saturday in bomb attacks, by gunfire and IEDs, according to reports.

On Sunday, as of posting, at least 29 others have been killed, including 12 children, and about 150 more wounded.

Two of the victims were journalists. They were gunned down in northern Iraqi city of Mosul, the capital of the Nineveh Province.

The incidents involving deadly clashes, bombings and IED explosions occurred in Baghdad, Mosul, Balad, Baquba, Yusufiya, Hawija, Muqdadiya, Tikrit and Falluja, said Iraq Body Count.

The October casualties so far stands at 212 civilians killed, and about 500 others wounded.

The 2013 casualties has so far reached at least 6,285 civilians killed an more than 12,500 other wounded.

Related Links

• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013

Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures

North China shrouded in choking smog; dozens of expressways closed

Most parts of north China Sunday were shrouded in smog forcing authorities to shut down dozens of expressways in many provinces, and hindering the return of holidaymakers near the end of Chinese “golden week.”

Choking smog has enveloped the region for 5 days so far, with no sign of abating.

“In Beijing, heavy smog lasted into the second day Sunday and visibility was under 1,000 meters,” said a report.

“In the foggiest industrial city of Anshan, visibility was under 50 meters in some areas and many travelers were forced to postpone their trips.”

Authorities have so far closed down “six inter-provincial expressways, including roads linking the capital with Harbin in the northeast, Shanghai in the east, as well as Tianjin and Hebei,” and scores of expressways in several other provinces, said the report.

Original caption: Vehicles move slowly on the Sutong Bridge of the Shenyang-Haikou Highway (from south to north), east China’s Jiangsu Province, Oct. 1, 2013. Influenced by heavy fog, sections of highways in east China’s Shandong and Jiangsu Provinces won’t open to traffic until 10 a.m on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zhu Jipeng). More images…

Related Links

• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’ October 4, 2013