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New cyclone barrels towards disaster-struck Indonesia

A new cyclone was barrelling toward Indonesia and threatened to spark more floods and landslides, authorities warned Friday, as the archipelago reeled from a storm that killed more than 200 people, including victims in neighboring East Timor.
Tropical cyclone Odette was set to dump torrential rains on south Sumatra and other parts of the country including central Java and holiday island Bali.
While the new storm was not expected to be as destructive as cyclone Seroja, which pounded eastern Indonesia this week, the national weather agency said it had the potential to do serious damage.
“Everybody should remain alert for the potential of strong winds and heavy rains... as well as floods and landslides,” said weather agency head Dwikorita Karnawati.
Cyclone Seroja, one of the most powerful storms to hit the region in years, turned small communities into wastelands of mud and uprooted trees, sending thousands fleeing to shelters amid widespread blackouts.
The threat of a new storm came as President Joko Widodo arrived in hard-hit Lembata island Friday.
“I would like to express deepest condolences to the victims,” the leader, better known as Jokowi, said from the disaster zone.
“I hope their souls will be accepted by God.”
His visit came as the death toll from the floods-and-landslide disaster rose again.
At least 165 people have been listed as dead in Indonesia.

Another 42 were killed in East Timor -- a nation of 1.3 million sandwiched between Indonesia and Australia that is officially known as Timor-Leste.
More than 50 people are still missing in the two Southeast Asian nations, and disaster agency officials are still searching mountains of debris for bodies.
With thousands filling evacuation centers, authorities were scrambling to avoid a spread of Covid-19, and treat children affected by the disaster.
“We are starting to provide counseling services for traumatized kids,” said Josef Nae Soi, vice governor of disaster epicenter East Nusa Tenggara province.
Indonesian cargo planes and navy ships packed with aid have arrived in the region with more than 4,000 military personnel sent to help in the relief effort.
A hospital ship was also en route to help treat survivors in the region, where local medical clinics have been overwhelmed.
More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from disaster-struck communities and many have been left homeless by the storm.
The cyclone is now headed for Australia, where authorities urged holidaymakers to evacuate a stretch of the country’s west coast before it makes landfall late Sunday or early Monday.
Fatal landslides and flash floods are common across the Indonesian archipelago during the rainy season, with deforestation often the cause, environmentalists say.
The disaster agency has estimated that 125 million Indonesians -- nearly half of the country’s population -- live in areas at risk of landslides.
source: AFP
Image source: Reuters
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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