IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Nepal

Floods, landslides leave at least 45 people dead

Flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have killed at least 45 people in Nepal in the past few days, with more deaths reported across the Himalayan border in India, officials said on Sunday. At least 31 others are missing in Nepal, either swept by swollen rivers or buried by mudslides since delayed monsoon rains began pounding the region from Friday, Nepal's National Emergency Operation Center said. Twenty-eight people have been treated for injuries and more than 1,100 others rescued from flooded areas. More than 10,000 people are estimated to have been displaced.

Australia

6.6-magnitude quake hits off western state

A 6.6-magnitude earthquake has been felt across the state of Western Australia on Sunday and is believed to be the largest to ever hit the state. The earthquake struck 462 kilometers off the country's northwest coast in the Indian Ocean at 1:39 pm. However, the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no risk of a tsunami. While no major damage has been reported, according to the Geoscience Australia, the tremors were felt from Darwin in the country's north, all the way to Esperance in the southwest, a distance of over 2,500 km. The earthquake is believed to be the biggest to ever hit Western Australia, eclipsing a 6.5-magnitude earthquake in 1968 which damaged parts of state capital Perth.

Ap - Xinhua

(China Daily 07/15/2019 page11)