News

Crowds in Tokyo gather for cherry blossom season

2025/04/01 10:00

Finally, in Japan, Tokyo's cherry blossom season has arrived earlier than usual this year, with full bloom observed over the weekend. The early arrival drew large crowds to popular "hanami" or "flower viewing" spots across the city on Monday. Parks and gardens throughout Tokyo are experiencing peak bloom, attracting locals and tourists to the seasonal festivities. While cherry blossoms usually reach their peak in late March to early April, the early blooming this year is attributed to warmer temperatures. The country's favorite flower reaching the peak usually signals the start of the new school and business year.

Death toll expected to increase in Myanmar following 7.7 magnitude earthquake

2025/03/31 20:00

Myanmar is reeling from the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that took hundreds of lives as rescue and relief workers from international entities fly in to offer much-needed assistance. Ahn Sung-jin reports. Buildings have turned into rubble, houses buried in the ground. A rescue team pulls out a young child from a collapsed building in the city of Mandalay in Myanmar after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the country on Friday. As aftershocks continue, the military regime estimates that at least 2-thousand people are dead. "A very strong shaking started. Ground was slipping under foot The shaking lasted about a minute. When it ended, the walls of the palace and some other buildings were collapsing, and the cladding began to burst." Experts say that the true death toll could rise far higher as search efforts continue, while there has been difficulty tracking the exact casualties in areas that are controlled by rebel groups. The U.S. Geological Survey says there's a 70 percent chance that the number of deaths will be above 10-thousand. Damage has been reported not only in Myanmar, but neighboring countries including Thailand and nearby Chinese provinces. The international community, including ASEAN and the United Nations has been ramping up relief efforts and foreign medical teams have been deployed. The WHO has declared its highest level of emergency, while deploying emergency medical teams into Myanmar with trauma kits, medical supplies and other essentials. "We need urgent assistance, especially for children who often suffer the most in this kind of situation." Myanmar's military government has also declared a state of emergency. Despite the destruction from the earthquake, the country's military junta continued its air strikes, which the UN has described as "completely outrageous and unacceptable." Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

[Weather] Temperatures will get warmer, dry air continues

2025/03/31 20:00

On the very last day of March, the cold snap is gradually fading away. It was chilly this morning just like the weekend. However, the weather warmed up quickly and the temperature in Seoul rose to 14 degrees Celsius during the day. It will start off a bit warmer at 5 degrees tomorrow morning and will rise to 16 degrees in Seoul tomorrow. Dry weather advisories have been issued for inland areas, the atmosphere will become drier as the warm westerly winds blow in. Please be careful not to cause any fires in these dry conditions. Tomorrow morning, Gyeongju will start off at 2 degrees, Busan and Jeju at 6 degrees. Daily highs will move up to around 15 to 17 degrees across the country, feeling much warmer than last weekend. On Wednesday, there is more rain forecast for central parts of the country, Jeollabuk-do Province, and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Death toll expected to increase in Myanmar following 7.7 magnitude earthquake

2025/03/31 17:00

Myanmar is reeling in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake that is believed to have taken hundreds of lives thus far as rescue and relief workers from international entities fly in to offer much-needed assistance. Ahn Sung-jin reports. Buildings have turned into rubble, houses buried in the ground. A rescue team pulls out a young child from a collapsed building in the city of Mandalay in Myanmar after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit the country on Friday. As aftershocks continue, the military regime estimates that at least 2-thousand people are dead. "A very strong shaking started. Ground was slipping under foot The shaking lasted about a minute. When it ended, the walls of the palace and some other buildings were collapsing, and the cladding began to burst." Experts say that the true death toll could rise far higher as search efforts continue, while there has been difficulty tracking the exact casualties in areas that are controlled by rebel groups. The U.S. Geological Survey says there's a 70 percent chance that the number of deaths will be above 10-thousand. Damage has been reported not only in Myanmar, but neighboring countries including Thailand and nearby Chinese provinces. The international community, including ASEAN and the United Nations has been ramping up relief efforts and foreign medical teams have been deployed. The WHO has declared its highest level of emergency, while deploying emergency medical teams into Myanmar with trauma kits, medical supplies and other essentials. "We need urgent assistance, especially for children who often suffer the most in this kind of situation." Myanmar's military government has also declared a state of emergency. Despite the destruction from the earthquake, the country's military junta continued its air strikes, which the UN has described as "completely outrageous and unacceptable." Ahn Sung-jin, Arirang News.

[Weather] Temperatures will get warmer, dry conditions continue

2025/03/31 17:00

Today, on the last day of March, the cold snap will gradually fade away. Following the weekend, it was chilly this morning. However, the weather warmed up quickly and the temperature in Seoul rose to 14 degrees Celsius during the day. It will rise to 16 degrees in Seoul tomorrow. Currently, dry weather advisories are in place in inland areas, the atmosphere will become drier due to the warm westerly winds. Please be careful not to cause any fires in these dry conditions. Tomorrow morning, Daejeon will start off at 3 degrees, Gwangju and Daegu at 4 degrees. Daily highs will move up to around 15 to 17 degrees across the country, feeling much warmer than the weekend. There is more rain forecast for central parts of the country, Jeollabuk-do Province, and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province on Wednesday. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Earthquake kills more than 1,700 people in Myanmar; search and rescue operations continue

2025/03/31 10:00

In Myanmar now. Rescue workers are continuing their search for survivors after a major earthquake with a death toll above 10-thousand expected. WHO is responding with its highest level of emergency response. Shin Ha-young reports. The 7-point-7-magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, causing widespread damage. According to Myanmar's military, the quake struck the country's central region on Friday, killing over 1-thousand-700 people and injuring more than 3-thousand-400 as of Sunday. With a lack of equipment and personnel, rescuers have been working with their bare hands in an effort to find survivors. "We were able to rescue a man aged around 24 from the rubble. It took us 24 hours for this operation to save this man. He had been stuck under the rubble for about 40 hours." Damage has also been reported in neighboring Thailand, where authorities said at least 18 people had been killed and at least 78 missing, as search and rescue operations continue. And with the death toll in the region rising quickly, the United States Geological Survey estimates a 71 percent probability that the number of fatalities will exceed 10-thousand. In response to the earthquake, international organizations are emphasizing the need for urgent aid. According to AFP, the World Health Organization on Sunday declared the earthquake a top-level emergency and urgently requested 8 million U.S. dollars to save lives and prevent disease outbreaks over the next 30 days. Meanwhile, Myanmar's military junta is continuing airstrikes in the war-torn country with attacks on "insurgents" despite the earthquake. According to the BBC, at least seven people were killed in a strike just hours after the earthquake on Friday, with further attacks taking place over the weekend. The UN has called the attacks "completely outrageous and unacceptable." Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

Main blaze in massive wildfire in Sancheong contained after nearly 10 days

2025/03/31 10:00

It took almost 10 days, but the main blaze in Sancheong County has been finally contained. South Korea's worst wildfires in history resulted in at least 30 deaths. Lee Seung-jae leads us this morning. The massive wildfire that began in Sancheong County in Gyeongsangnam-do Province and spread through nearby regions, causing the worst wildfires in South Korea's history has been fully contained. According to forestry officials, the main fires were contained as of 1 PM Sunday, nearly 10 days after the initial blaze broke out on March 21. "There were dangerous situations due to falling rocks and rocky terrain, but it seems they overcame it well and prevented further spread of fires." The wildfires in regions of the Gyeongsangnam-do Province, saw an estimated 1-thousand-858 hectares of woodland burnt, equivalent to around 26-hundred football fields. The fires in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province saw about 48-thousand hectares of woodland affected, equivalent to 80 percent of the size of Seoul. At least 30 people died, including 26 in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. More than three thousand houses were completely burned down, and significant damage was also reported to 30 national heritage sites and 2-thousand agricultural facilities. In order to extinguish the remaining fires, the military deployed 600 soldiers and 49 helicopters on Sunday, and is also providing medical and other assistance. The government will now focus on helping those that have been affected by the massive wildfires. This includes providing temporary housing and other assistance for those who have been displaced. Also, the government will provide livelihood support, including lowering fees for health insurance premiums, and costs for cell phone and internet and medical aid. Since the outbreak of the wildfires, approximately 10-thousand volunteers have participated in recovery and support for the displaced. The government also announced on Sunday that it will push for a supplementary budget worth ten trillion won, or 6-point-8 billion U.S. dollars, which would also include budget for wildfire recovery. Some 37 million dollars were also donated to disaster relief organizations in the hope that victims and the areas affected by the wildfires can recover quickly. Lee Seung-jae, Arirang News.

[Weather] Cold snap eases this afternoon, high risk of fire

2025/03/31 10:00

We're starting off on a chilly note to wrap up March. Inland areas are feeling even chillier. However, temperatures will rise quickly this afternoon, bringing us back to seasonal norms in most places. The biggest concern today is the ongoing fire risk. The wildfire crisis alert level remains in the highest range nationwide. The air remains extremely dry, and strong westerly winds could make any small flame spread rapidly. We've already seen devastating wildfires in several regions, and with conditions like these, the risk remains dangerously high. Afternoon highs will be 2 to 8 degrees higher than yesterday, topping out at 14 degrees Celsius in Seoul, Gwangju and 15 degrees in Daegu under mostly sunny skies with decent air quality during the day. Welcome rain is in the forecast on Wednesday in the central region, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Jeollabuk-do provinces, which could help to ease dry conditions. For now, please stay alert, stay fire-safe, and take extra care outdoors.

Main fires of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province wildfires contained: Korea Forest Service

2025/03/28 20:00

The massive wildfires in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province have finally been put out. Authorities say the main fire, which started in Uiseong-gun county, is now extinguished. It's been a tough battle during the past seven days. Shin Ha-young has our top story. A week after wildfires broke out in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, authorities declared that the main blazes in the region were contained as improved visibility and cooler temperatures from overnight rain helped firefighters put out the main fires. The Korea Forest Service announced on Friday that the all main blazes in Andong City, Uiseong, Cheongsong, Yeongdeok, and Yeongyang-gun counties had been fully brought under control. "As of 5:00 PM on March 28, all the main fires in Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, and Yeongyang have been extinguished, starting with Yeongdeok at 2:30 PM." This comes after more than 5-thousand-500 personnel and 89 firefighting helicopters were deployed on Friday to fully contain the wildfire in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. By midday on Friday, the overall containment rate across the region had reached 94 percent, a 32-percentage-point increase from the previous afternoon. No additional casualties have been reported as of Friday evening. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as of 6AM, the wildfires had killed at least 28 and injured 37 others nationwide. The disaster has displaced around 33-thousand residents, with more than 8-thousand still unable to return home. Nearly 3-thousand-5-hundred structures were damaged. "I saw the flames approaching my house—everything was glowing red. I grabbed what I could and ran When I came back, it was all gone. The fire was still burning." The wildfire is the largest in South Korea’s history, burning approximately 4-hundred 80 square kilometers—nearly 80 percent the size of Seoul. With the main fires contained, the Korea Forest Service said efforts will now focus on extinguishing any remaining embers. It has also set the period until mid-May as the spring wildfire prevention and response period. It emphasized that, while the risk of more wildfires remains, it will stay vigilant and continue its full efforts to prevent and respond to them. Shin Ha-young, Arirang News.

[Weather] Chilly conditions this weekend, dry weather continues

2025/03/28 20:00

It felt much chillier this morning with Seoul plunging to just 3-point-7 degrees Celsius, which was about 10 degrees lower than yesterday morning. Temperatures will plummet further than usual this weekend with Seoul only rising to 8 degrees during the day. The dry weather warning, which was issued for the east coast of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, has been relieved to an advisory, but the dry weather warnings and advisories are still in place in many regions. With strong wind advisories issued as well, please take extra precautions not to cause any fires. Tomorrow, Seoul, Gwangju and Gyeongju will start off at 1 degree and Daegu 3 degrees. Highs will move up to around 10 degrees across the country. There is rain or snow forecast with around 5 millimeters in Seoul, eastern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, and western parts of Gangwon-do Province tomorrow afternoon. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

7.7 magnitude quake hits Myanmar and Thailand

2025/03/28 20:00

A seven-point-seven magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday, also causing damage in neighboring Thailand's capital city of Bangkok. At least 20 people were confirmed killed in Myanmar, and three in Thailand but the death toll is feared to rise into the hundreds. States of emergency have been declared in both countries. The United States Geological Survey said the quake had a shallow depth of about 6 miles. Tremors were also felt in China's Yunnan province.

[Weather] Chilly conditions this weekend, dry weather continues

2025/03/28 17:00

With cold air coming down from the northwest since last night, the temperature in Seoul this morning was just 3-point-7 degrees Celsius, which was about 10 degrees lower than yesterday morning. Temperatures will be lower than usual this weekend with Seoul only rising to 8 degrees during the day. The dry weather warning, which was issued for the east coast of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, has been eased to an advisory, but the dry weather warnings and advisories are still in place in many areas. Also, there are strong wind advisories in place as well, so please take extra precautions to avoid starting any fires. Tomorrow, Seoul, Gwangju and Gyeongju will start off at 1 degree and Busan at 4 degrees. Highs will move up to around 10 degrees across the country. There is rain or snow forecast for Seoul, eastern parts of Gyeonggi-do Province, and western parts of Gangwon-do Province tomorrow afternoon. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

S. Korea’s largest ever wildfire: Massive effort underway to extinguish main blaze

2025/03/28 17:00

Rain has offered some relief to regions ravaged by the latest wildfires by advancing efforts to tame the rampant flames which have been the worst on record for South Korea. Our Park Hyo-been has the latest. Last night's rainfall significantly helped firefighters contain the wildfires in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, bringing a crucial breakthrough in the week-long wildfire battle. "Last night's rain has improved visibility, and the lower temperatures are working in our favor. This gives us the best possible conditions for firefighting." Around 3PM, the Korea Forest Service reported that the main fire in Yeongdeok-gun County, located in the eastern part of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, has been fully contained. By midday on Friday, the overall containment rate across the region had reached 94 percent, a 32-percentage-point increase from the previous afternoon. Also, the wildfire in Sancheong-gun County, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, which started last Friday, was 93 percent contained as of midday. No additional casualties have been reported so far on Friday afternoon. As of this morning, the wildfire has killed at least 28 and injured 37 others. The disaster has displaced around 33-thousand residents, with more than 8-thousand still unable to return home. "I saw the flames approaching my house—everything was glowing red. I grabbed what I could and ran When I came back, it was all gone. The fire was still burning." The wildfire marked as the largest in South Korea’s history, affecting approximately 4-hundred 80 square kilometers—nearly 80 percent the size of Seoul's total land area. Nearly 3-thousand-5-hundred structures were damaged. The governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do Province said the goal is to extinguish the main fire on Friday, and once the main fire is controlled, measures to address the wildfire damage will be considered. Due to the severity of the damage, the government has designated affected areas as Special Disaster Zones. This designation ensures that significant resources will be allocated for relief and recovery efforts. Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.

[Weather] Fire risk continues with spring cold

2025/03/28 10:00

We did get some rain, but it wasn't nearly enough to ease the dry conditions, especially across the Gyeongsang-do region, where dry weather alerts remain in place. And today, strong winds will be another big concern places like Chungcheongnam-do's west coast, the Jeolla-do region and Jeju are already under strong wind advisories. Meanwhile, we do have some rain falling along the east coast and Jeju this morning, with up to 5 millimeters of rain in store and snow in the mountains of Gangwon-do. It's feeling much colder today; afternoon highs will be 2 to 15 degrees lower this afternoon. Spring cold is here to stay through the weekend. And this afternoon, Seoul gets up to 12 degrees, Daegu and Busan make it to 15 degrees under sunny skies with improved air quality in most parts. After some spotty rain in the capital and Gangwon-do tomorrow, it's back to dry and sunny conditions for the time being. With these dry and windy conditions, the fire risk remains very high, so please be extra cautious with any open flames.

[Weather] Temperatures will drop tomorrow, colder conditions during weekend

2025/03/27 20:00

Rain fell all over the country today, which is something we have been waiting for. But in Gyeongsang-do provinces, where severe wildfires have been burning, less than 5 millimeters of rain fell. It was not enough to put out the fires. With only a small amount of rain, dry weather warnings and advisories remain in many areas. Cold air will rush from the northwest from tonight cooling down the temperatures across the country. The temperatures will drop tomorrow with Seoul plummeting to 3 degrees Celsius in the morning, which will be about 10 degrees lower than today. Daytime temperatures will drop sharply to single digits this weekend. Tomorrow morning, Seoul, Chuncheon, and Gyeongju will start off at 3 degrees. Daegu and Jeju at 8 degrees. Daytime temperatures will move up to 11 degrees in Gwangju, 14 degrees in Daegu. Chilly conditions are expected with Seoul plunging to zero to 1 degree in the morning. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Live from Yeongyang-gun County: At least 27 dead, 32 injured in wildfires burning across S. Korea

2025/03/27 20:00

We begin with the latest on the worst wildfires in the southern regions of the country. For more on the situation on the ground, our reporter Song Yoo-jin joins us now. Yoo-jin, where are you, and what's the latest from there? Jung-min, I'm in Yeongyang-gun County in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, in the southern part of the country and one of the hardest-hit areas, where wildfires have been raging for several days now. The fire originally broke out in this particular region on Saturday in neighboring Uiseong-gun County. Since then, it has rapidly spread to Yeongyang and other areas nearby, as shown on the map. This province, Gyeongsangbuk-do, has the highest death toll with 23 lives lost, making it the deadliest of the multiple wildfires currently burning across the country. According to the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the nationwide total stands at 27 dead and 32 injured as of Thursday 4 PM, up one death and two injuries from the morning, which all came from Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. South Korea is now seeing the highest number of wildfire-related deaths in a single year since records began. The previous high was 26 deaths, back in 1989. In terms of scale, the devastation is also historic. So far, wildfires nationwide have scorched over 3-hundred-60 square kilometers, which is more than half the size of Seoul. I spoke to some local residents about the fire. Take a listen. "I could see the fire up on the mountains three days ago. The flames came here suddenly because the winds have been strong. Today, it's less windy, but when it is windy, it feels like the apocalypse." "It felt like helicopters were dropping fireballs because I could see fires here and then there. So I escaped in my car. I'm 72 and I've been living here since I was eight. I've never seen a fire like this in my lifetime." Yoo-jin, what are you learning about efforts to contain the flames? We hear conditions haven't made that easy. It's been non-stop for thousands of firefighters and rescue personnel working around the clock to control the fires. But it's been an uphill battle, largely due to extremely dry conditions and strong winds. Here in Gyeongsangbuk-do, the average containment rate of the five regions shown earlier on the map stood at 63-percent as of 5 PM, up almost 20-percent from our previous newscast. A few hours ago, Acting President and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo newly designated Gyeongsangbuk-do Province's Andong City, Cheongsong, Yeongdeok, and Yeongyang-gun counties as special disaster zones, allowing for a coordinated, pan-ministerial response focused on supporting victims and speeding up recovery efforts. There had been hope that rain today might help, but so far, the rainfall has been light and sporadic, and with little rain and strong winds in the forecast tomorrow. At this point, officials and residents are hoping the weather will shift in their favor soon. For tonight, the government will deploy around 3-thousand-7-hundred firefighting personnel to help increase the containment rate. That's all I have for this hour. Back to you, Jung-min. Thank you Yoo-jin. Hope you and your team there stay safe.

[Weather] With only a small amount of rain, dry weather continues

2025/03/27 17:00

Today, all over the country, there was the rain that we have been waiting for. But in Gyeongsang-do provinces, which have seen large wildfires, there was less than 5 millimeters of rain, not enough to put out the fires. With only a small amount of rain, dry weather warnings and advisories remain in many areas. Temperatures have been staying higher than usual until today, but cold air will rush from the northwest from tonight. The temperatures will drop tomorrow with Seoul plummeting to 3 degrees Celsius in the morning, which will be about 10 degrees lower than today. Daytime temperatures will drop to single digits this weekend. Tomorrow morning, Seoul, Chuncheon, and Gyeongju will start off at 3 degrees. Daejeon and Gwangju at 5 degrees. Daytime temperatures will move up to 11 degrees in Gwangju, 15 degrees in Busan. Chilly conditions will be seen during this weekend with Seoul plunging to zero to 1 degree in the morning. That's all for Korea. Here are the weather conditions around the world.

Live from Andong City: Wildfires rage across southern S. Korea, death toll at over 20

2025/03/27 10:00

Wildfires that have pierced through South Korea's southeastern area for the past week are still burning. We head over to one of the hardest hit areas, Andong, with our Lee Eun-hee standing by. Eun-hee, how are things looking as of this morning? Yes, Dami, I'm in Andong City in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province. Firefighting efforts resumed at around 6:30 AM this morning with a total of over 4-thousand-500 personnel and nearly 80 helicopters deployed or set to be deployed to the scene. I'm currently in a village that has been severely impacted by the wildfire, with small fires still burning and destroyed houses nearby. The mountains behind me are barely visible through the smoke. Multiple casualties have been reported in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province and Gyeongsangnam-do Province as people fled the fires, with the latest provisional estimate of at least 24 people dead and at least 26 injured as of Wednesday evening. While many died while evacuating, yesterday, one elderly person was found to have been completely consumed by the fire. The pilot of a firefighting helicopter was also killed in a crash in Uiseong-gun County on the same day. The areas most heavily impacted are Uiseong-gun County and Andong City in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, where the Korea Forest Service says an estimated 370 square kilometers of the region is on fire or affected by smoke. As of Wednesday, over 23-thousand people are taking shelter in temporary facilities in the province. Also, more than 200 structures, including homes, factories, and cultural heritage sites, have been damaged by the flames. The wildfires started in Uiseong-gun County on Saturday and continue to spread to northeastern cities and counties in the province due to strong winds, including the counties of Yeongdeok, Yeongyang, Cheongsong, and here in Andong. Eun-hee, this is when we really need that rain to put out the fire And thankfully, some rain is in the forecast? Yes Dami, we're eagerly awaiting the rain forecast from this morning, but the expected amount is small, so it's uncertain whether it will help extinguish the fire. A light rain of around 5mm is expected in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, where a dry weather advisory remains in effect. Also, in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, rain of 5 to 20mm is expected, and light rain is forecast to begin around noon in the counties of Sancheong and Hadong, where wildfires have been raging for seven days. Over there, over 1-thousand 5-hundred residents were relocated to shelters as of Wednesday evening. Overall, in the provinces of Gyeongsangbuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, the overnight fire containment progress is still being calculated and is expected to be updated throughout the day. That's all I have for you, Dami. All right Eun-hee thank you for that report. That was our Lee Eun-hee reporting live from Andong in Gyeongsangbuk-do Province.

[Weather] Much-needed rain across Korea but not enough

2025/03/27 10:00

We're finally seeing the rain we've been waiting for. Light rain is falling in parts of central regions, along the southern coast and Jeju this morning. It will gradually spread to the rest of the southern provinces in the afternoon. While it's much needed, especially in the areas affected by wildfires in Gyeongsang-do and surrounding regions, unfortunately, the rain isn't as heavy as hoped, less than 5 millimeters in the area, but at least the dryness in the air will be eased with humidity boosted. For now, dry weather alerts continue across the eastern regions, and the wildfire risk alert remains at the highest level nationwide. Adding to the fire risk, intense winds will continue. Temperatures are staying on the warmer side at 20 degrees Celsius in the capital, Daegu at 24 degrees. Dust levels are forecast to rise again in the west of central regions beginning in the afternoon. Today's rain will bring chilly air to the country. Expect a big drop in temperatures through the weekend. Take care and stay safe!

Bolivia declares emergency after floods kill over 50

2025/03/27 10:00

Let's begin in Bolivia, which has seen torrential rains and severe flooding. Give us the updates. Yes. Bolivia is battling against severe flooding as rainfall continues to batter the nation. On Wednesday, Bolivian President Luis Arce announced a national emergency in response to the worst flooding the country has experienced in four decades. Continuous heavy rains have led to widespread flooding across all nine departmental regions, with Beni, Pando, and northern La Paz among the hardest-hit areas. This has resulted in at least 51 deaths, displaced tens of thousands, and affected more than 370,000 families nationwide. The Bolivian government is speeding up emergency funding and aid deliveries. While Bolivia's rainy season typically lasts from November to March, authorities forecast the intense rains to last until mid-April.