• Arequipa flooding emergency deepens with 17 fatalities confirmed after rescue helicopter crash, Peru

    ByReet Kaur

    Intense rainfall that began on February 19, 2026, continued to affect Peru’s Arequipa Province through February 23, causing severe floods and landslides. Authorities reported at least 17 fatalities, including one caused by flooding, one by lightning, and 15 when a Peruvian Air Force (FAP) helicopter transporting evacuees crashed during relief operations in Caravelí Province. Hundreds of homes, roads, and bridges were damaged, and essential services remained disrupted as emergency and debris-removal efforts continued.

  • Series of multi-vehicle collisions shut down parts of Highway 401 in Ontario

    ByReet Kaur

    A series of multi-vehicle collisions involving about 50 vehicles shut down sections of Highway 401 in eastern Ontario, Canada, on the morning of January 27, 2026, according to the Ontario Provincial Police. The crashes occurred near Trenton in Quinte West, forcing a full closure of the highway in both directions as emergency crews responded.

  • Tourist helicopter wreckage found near Mount Aso crater after disappearance, Japan

    ByReet Kaur

    A sightseeing helicopter carrying two Taiwanese tourists and a Japanese pilot was found wrecked near the crater of Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, on January 20, 2026, after disappearing during a short flight earlier the same day. Rescue operations have been severely hampered by dense volcanic gas emissions and poor visibility around the active crater.

  • Multiple injured after 100-vehicle pileup near Hudsonville, Michigan

    ByRishav Kothari

    Multiple injuries were reported after lake effect snow and whiteout conditions triggered a 100-vehicle pileup on the I-196 southeast of Grand Rapids on Monday, January 19, 2026. The crashes prompted the closure of all lanes of the highway throughout the day as crews cleared the road.

  • Hazmat response underway after suspected nitric acid release in Montague Gardens, Cape Town

    ByTeo Blašković

    A hazardous chemical incident occurred in the Montague Gardens industrial area of Cape Town, South Africa, on January 12, 2026, following a fire at a commercial facility that led to the suspected release of a corrosive chemical. Emergency services declared a hazardous materials response, closed surrounding roads, and urged the public to avoid the area while containment and assessment operations continued.