Natural catastrophes

2.10, volcanic eruption, fatalities

Yemen: the western part of the tiny Jabal al-Tair island, used as a military base, collapsed following the eruption of a volcano which killed at six Yemeni soldiers and spewed lava hundreds of metres into the air. Another 15 soldiers were injured. The island is home to a garrison of 50 soldiers. Coast Guards and a Canadian frigate searched for nine Yemeni soldiers based on the island. The Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Toronto was sailing towards the Suez Canal when it received a request for help in the search and rescue operation. The Yemeni Earthquake Centre said that three quakes ranging between 4.3 and 4.4 on the Richter scale had struck the island. The volcano erupted for the first time since the 19th century.