Manila: A powerful tropical storm in the Philippines has left 27 people dead, authorities said Saturday.
Son-Tinh has wrecked havoc in three northern provinces. Nine people were missing, the national disaster risk reduction and management council (NDRRMC) said.
Of the 27 victims, 15 were killed by drowning, while others were killed after they were hit by fallen trees, electrocution and landslide, Xinhua reported.
About 66,800 people were affected, and the economic loss was estimated at around $1.3 million. (AP)
Fire engulfs Pak chemical factory
Karachi: A major fire broke out at a private chemical factory in the Pakistani port city of Karachi early Sunday, though no loss of life was reported.
The fire, which engulfed Metatex Chemical factory in Site Industrial area, broke out around 12:30 am local time. It also spread to adjacent buildings, Geo News reported.
Fire tenders from across the city were called in to douse the blaze.
Many blasts were reported intermittently in the building due to storage of chemical while several parts of it were collapsed, the report said.
It said the teams of Pakistan Air Force and Karachi Port also took part in the rescue operation.
Fire-fighting officials declared the blaze a third degree inferno.
Electricity to the surrounding localities was suspended after the factory caught fire, the report said, adding no loss of life was reported in the blaze. (PTI)