Day: February 16, 2026

Emergency services launched an operation at the scene as concerns mounted over potential casualties, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Regional police confirmed the incident in a statement posted on the social media platform X, saying: “Derailment of train, probably with injuries, operation ongoing.” The derailment occurred at approximately 7:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) in the village of Goppenstein. Officials indicated that additional details would be released as soon as they became available.
***
When contacted by AFP, police said no further immediate information could be provided about the circumstances or the extent of injuries.
Switzerland’s federal rail operator, Swiss Federal Railways (CFF), announced on its website that rail traffic between Goppenstein and Brig had been suspended due to an avalanche, with disruptions expected to last until February 17. However, it remained unclear whether the avalanche directly caused the train to leave the tracks.
According to public broadcaster RTS, the train was traveling from Goppenstein to Brig at the time of the incident and was carrying approximately 80 passengers.
The region had already experienced severe winter conditions in recent days. On February 12, an avalanche struck the area, disrupting both rail and road traffic. Valais police shared an image on social media showing a tunnel entrance obstructed by heavy snow, underscoring the impact of the weather
Switzerland is internationally recognized for its dense and highly punctual rail network, which connects cities, towns, and even remote villages with frequent services. The country’s scenic routes, many of which traverse steep alpine terrain, attract rail enthusiasts from around the globe.
Swiss residents are the most frequent rail travelers in Europe when measured by kilometers traveled per person. Despite steadily increasing passenger numbers, railway accidents have declined over the past decades, according to official statistics.
In 2023, fifteen people were injured when two trains derailed roughly 20 minutes apart during a powerful storm near the capital, Bern, highlighting the vulnerability of rail operations to extreme weather conditions.

The post Train derails in southwestern Switzerland, injuries feared appeared first on azeritimes.com.

According to the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNRGC), at least 59 people have died nationwide since the cyclone made landfall on February 10, News.Az reports, citing AFP.
More than 16,000 people have been displaced by rising floodwaters. A previous official report had listed 43 fatalities.
***
The majority of the deaths were recorded in the eastern port city of Toamasina, formerly known as Tamatave. With a population of around 400,000, it is Madagascar’s second-largest urban centre and bore the brunt of the storm’s destruction.
Nearly a week after the cyclone struck, 15 people remain unaccounted for, BNRGC said.
The scale of damage to infrastructure and housing has been extensive. Authorities reported that around 25,000 homes were destroyed, another 27,000 flooded, and more than 200 classrooms either partially or completely damaged.
Cyclone Gezani hit Madagascar with winds exceeding 250 kilometres (160 miles) per hour, prompting the government to declare a national emergency. Images from the affected areas showed widespread devastation, with central streets in Toamasina still submerged under muddy water and debris scattered among shuttered shops and damaged houses.
Residents have been lining up for food assistance at makeshift relief centres, including a primary school converted into an aid distribution hub. Health workers have been screening families for malaria as cleanup operations begin and authorities assess the full impact of the disaster.
The World Food Programme warned on Friday that “the scale of destruction is overwhelming,” noting that Toamasina was operating on roughly five percent of its electricity supply and remained without running water.
International assistance has begun to arrive, with China and France providing support for search-and-rescue operations.
While the cyclone inflicted severe damage in Madagascar, neighbouring Mozambique was largely spared after the storm tracked about 50 kilometres (30 miles) off its coast. Authorities there reported at least four deaths.
On Sunday, Pope Leo XIV expressed condolences and offered prayers for “the people of Madagascar, who have been struck by two cyclones in quick succession.”
Earlier in February, Madagascar’s northwest was hit by Tropical Cyclone Fytia, which killed at least seven people and displaced more than 20,000. The back-to-back storms have highlighted the island nation’s vulnerability to increasingly extreme weather events, which scientists link to climate change.

The post Cyclone Gezani death toll in Madagascar rises to 59 appeared first on azeritimes.com.