In brief: Panama Canal feeling effects of drought

PANAMA CITY – The Panama Canal Authority said Friday that next month it will temporarily limit the size of ships using the waterway because drought has lowered water levels in Gatun and Alhajuela lakes.

The restriction, which is the first such hold-down because of weather in nearly 20 years, takes effect Sept. 8 and had been expected by shippers. Only a minority of ships now using the canal will be kept out, the authority said.

Rainfall over the watershed feeding the lakes at the midsection of the waterway has fallen sharply as a result of the El Nino weather phenomenon, lowering the lake levels. Similar problems occurred in 1997-98.

Six injured when tornado hits Wal-Mart

TROY, Ala. – A tornado partially collapsed the roof of a southeast Alabama Wal-Mart, injuring at least six people but none seriously, forecasters said Friday.

A strong storm cell passed through Troy, about 50 miles southeast of Montgomery, late Thursday night. It caused significant damage to the Wal-Mart roof and tore out the wall of a nearby sporting goods store that was closed, according to Troy Mayor Jason Reeves.

An 18-wheel truck in the Wal-Mart lot was overturned. It’s not clear how many people were in the Wal-Mart when the storm hit. Photos on social media showed merchandise strewn in aisles and the ceiling sagging.

Kevin Laws, chief scientist at the National Weather Service in Birmingham, said tornadoes are “very rare” for southeast Alabama in August. Only 65 have occurred there since 1950.

Yemeni forces take last rebel base in south

SANAA, Yemen – Pro-government forces have retaken the last military base in the country’s south that was held by Shiite rebels known as Houthis, Saudi-backed Yemeni officials said Friday.

The capture of Labouza base is the latest victory for the pro-government forces that have been pushing north in the province of Lahj, after routing the rebels from the coastal city of Aden recently.

Labouza lies north of the strategic al-Anad base, which fell to Yemeni troops on Monday. The officials gave no casualty figures for the latest fighting.

The gains by the pro-government forces have been made possible with the help of a Saudi-led and U.S.-backed coalition that has been targeting the Iran-backed Houthis and their allies since March in an airstrikes campaign.

The fighting in Yemen pits the Houthis and troops loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh against southern separatists, local and tribal militias, Sunni Islamic militants and loyalists of exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi.