18 Missing in Vietnam as Flood Worsens

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INTERNATIONAL: Heavy rains that triggered floods and landslides in central Vietnam leaving at least 18 people missing. Authorities say some feared dead, with houses destroyed and roads damaged.

The Vietnam Disaster Management Agency has reported that heavy rain, flooding and landslides have affected the provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Kon Tum.Heavy rain began one week ago. The government has said that rains have subsided, however, and efforts were underway to locate those missing.

One person died after being swept away by flood waters in Kon Plong district, Kon Tum Province, while another victim died in floods in AnLao district, Binh Dinh the following day. VDMA reported 2,617 houses were damaged by floods, including 17 in Phu Yen, 1,500 in Binh Dinh and 950 in Quang Ngai.

A total of 182 households have been evacuated across the provinces of Quang Nam, mostly affected by landslides. Landslides and flooding have blocked national highways, inter-provincial and local roads, while communities have been left isolated in three provinces.Schools and educational establishments have been closed and thousands of students are missing classes in Binh Dinh Province due to massive flooding.

Beach towns Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Vietnam's main coffee growing province, Dak Lak were hardest hit. The floods have inundated 780 hectares, about 7.8 square kilometres of rice fields, although no damage has been reported so far to coffee farms.Vietnam is prone to storms and flooding due to its long coastline. Natural disasters - predominantly floods and landslides from storms - killed 378 people last year.

Ukraine Holds Artillery Drills for Military Actions

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Ukraine holds artillery drills next to the borders of Russian-annexed Crimea, as reported by the defence ministry on Wednesday. Servicemen train weekly their skills in preparing and practical actions to detect and destroy airborne forces of an imaginary enemy.

The commander of joint forces of armed forces of Ukraine, Serhiy Nayev says that Ukrainian military are ready for military actions under different scenarios. The drills also aimed at detecting and destroying an enemy take place weekly.While Howitzer Artillery Crew Commander Volodymyr has declared that the soldiers must undergo such drills regularly so not to forget some details. A footage shows servicemen setting up and operating howitzer systems.

Russia has been building up forces near its border with Ukraine, and Kyiv, the United States and NATO have voiced concerns about a possible Russian attack - a suggestion the Kremlin has dismissed as false. Ukrainian troops have fought Russian-backed separatists in a conflict in eastern Ukraine that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014.

Russia Starts Regular Winter Military Drill in Region Bordering Ukraine

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Meanwhile, Russia is also having its regular winter military drills in its southern military district, parts of which border Ukraine, and that 10,000 troops had relocated to training grounds across the huge area.The defence ministry has made a statement that the drills would also take place in Crimea, the Black Sea peninsula which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, and in a Russian region bordering Donbass, a swath of eastern Ukraine seized by Russian-backed separatists the same year.

U.S. officials, NATO and Ukraine have for weeks been raising the alarm about a possible new Russian attack on Ukraine, pointing to unusual Russian troop movements near its borders. Russia has dismissed those suggestions as fear-mongering and has said it has the right to move its troops on its own territory as it sees fit.The Russian military drills, which involve motorised infantry units, would take place on more than 30 training grounds in at least six different regions.

Heavy Rains and Floods Hit Northwest Colombia

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And…torrential rains battered the northwest town of Medellín for two days, from Tuesday to Thursday causing massive flooding across the city streets, sweeping away vehicles, buses, rocks, destroying everything on its path and rivers overflowing and blocking many roads.

Authorities have reported that the torrential rains left 80 houses flooded and seven injured. No fatalities have been reported. Authorities will hold an extraordinary risk management meeting to discuss measures to be taken for the immediate relief of affected residents.