Death Toll

Four months after Dharali disaster, 147 bodies still buried: Colonel

BJP leader Colonel (retired) Ajay Kothiyal has expressed regret that even four months after the cloudburst in Dharali of Uttarkashi district, the bodies of 147 people buried under the debris could not be recovered. "If the Army rescued seven out of 10 soldiers buried under the debris in Harshil, then why can't we rescue the 147 people buried in Dharali?" he asked, while participating in a discussion at the 'World Summit on Disaster Management' organised in Dehradun by Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology two days ago. Kothiyal alleged that nearly four months after the natural calamity, Dharali is still in tatters. Instead of finding proper ways for rehabilitation of the people there, disaster management officials, geologists, scientists and environmental experts are finding excuses to avoid the challenges, he alleged. On August 5 this year, a massive cloudburst over Dharali village in Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand resulted in devastating floods and mudslides, .

1,200 dead from floods in Thailand, Sri Lanka; rescue efforts intensify

Emergency crews raced to reach survivors and recover more bodies Tuesday after the death toll from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides surged past 1,200 in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, with more than 800 people missing. Days of heavy monsoon rains inundated vast areas, leaving thousands stranded and many clinging to rooftops waiting for help. The flooding and landslides killed at least 1,230 people, with 659 people confirmed dead in Indonesia, 390 in Sri Lanka and 181 in Thailand, authorities said Tuesday. In Indonesia, the hardest-hit nation, rescuers are struggling to access villages in Sumatra island, where roads have been washed out and bridges have collapsed. At least 475 people remain missing, according to the country's National Disaster Management Agency. Helicopters and boats have been deployed, but officials warn that worsening weather and damaged infrastructure are slowing operations. Military-led rescue teams in Sri Lanka continue to scour devastated ar

Hong Kong to start independent inquiry into deadly fire as pressure mounts

Hong Kong will set up an independent commission of inquiry headed by a judge to determine the cause of a deadly apartment block fire that shocked the city and make recommendations to prevent a similar tragedy from happening again, its leader said Tuesday. John Lee, the chief executive of the Chinese region, pledged to overcome vested interests and pursue accountability for a fire that killed at least 151 people. We must uncover the truth, ensure that justice is served, let the deceased rest in peace and provide comfort to the living, he told the media at a 30-minute weekly appearance completely dominated by last week's blaze. The fire started in scaffolding that had been set up around the Wang Fuk Court complex for maintenance work and spread to seven of the eight towers. They were home to more than 4,600 people and many have been left homeless. The initial investigation has focused on why the fire expanded so rapidly, overwhelming firefighting efforts. Authorities have cited both

Hong Kong mourns as deadly fire claims 128 lives, sparks safety crackdown

A steady stream of people placed bouquets of white roses, carnations, lilies and other flowers Sunday at a makeshift memorial outside the blackened buildings of a Hong Kong apartment complex that went up in flames, killing at least 128 people in one of the city's deadliest blazes. Many bowed toward the scene of the fire and said short prayers, or left handwritten notes among the flowers. There has been an outpouring of support and sympathy, with thousands of city residents visiting the site of the fire to pay tribute to the dead and donate supplies to those who lost everything in the blaze, which started Wednesday and took until Friday to fully extinguish. The eight buildings of the Wang Fuk Court complex in the suburb of Tai Po had all been clad in bamboo scaffolding draped with nylon netting for renovations, with windows covered by polystyrene panels, and authorities are now investigating whether fire codes were violated. Hong Kong officials announced late Saturday they had order

Hong Kong officials warned of tower fire risk days before killer blaze

Multiple written warnings were issued to the contractor about the need to adopt appropriate fire safety measures at the estate then home to 4,600 people

55 killed, 279 missing in one of Hong Kong's deadliest fires: All we know

Hundreds of residents were evacuated as the fire spread across seven of the eight high-rise apartment buildings in a housing complex in Tai Po district, a suburb in the New Territories

11 killed, 2 injured after train hits railway workers in China's Yunnan

Following the crash, railways and local government authorities immediately activated their emergency response to manage rescue efforts

6.6 magnitude quake hits Indonesia's Sumatra island amid floods, landslides

This comes as floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall in Indonesia's North Sumatra province had claimed at least 28 lives by Thursday

Three tremors jolt Bangladesh after 5.7 magnitude quake claimed 10 lives

Three subsequent jolts after a relatively major earthquake claimed at least 10 lives within a span of 32 hours panicked Bangladesh amid experts warning of a major earthquake, calling the four ones as foreshocks. A 5.7-magnitude earthquake struck on Friday morning causing at least 10 deaths and significant damage to buildings mostly in central parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka, while a subsequent tremor rocked the country at around the same time on Saturday morning. The Bangladesh capital and adjoining administrative districts, including Narsingdi, the epicentre of the 5.7 magnitude quake, were jolted by two back to back jolts on Saturday evening. The Bangladesh Meteorology Department (BMD) said the epicentre of the one of the subsequent three jolts was located beneath the surface of crowded Badda area in the capital city with rest being in Narsingdi. Met office spokesman and meteorologist Tariful Newaz Kabir said two earthquakes struck on Saturday evening near ...

At least 12 killed in suicide blast outside court in Pak's Islamabad

The cause of the blast, which was heard as far as six kilometers away, was not immediately known

3 killed in balcony collapse in Odisha's Cuttack, CM announces compensation

At least three persons, including a minor boy, were killed and three others seriously injured when the balcony of an old apartment building collapsed and fell on an adjacent house here on Saturday, police said. The incident took place at Mani Sahu Chhak in the city, and all the affected persons belong to one family and were staying at an asbestos-roofed house close to the old apartment. "The balcony of the apartment fell on our house. My husband, son and grandson died in the incident," said the woman of the house. The deceased persons were identified as Abdul Jalil (60), Abdul Zaheed (30), and Abdul Mujahid (5). The injured persons were undergoing treatment at the hospital. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who is on a tour to poll-bound Nuapada, expressed grief over the death of three persons and announced Rs 4 lakh compensation for the next of kin of the deceased persons. "On learning about the loss of lives of three members of a family (Abdul Mujahid, Abdul Zahid and Abdul Jal

Russian drone strike at tower block in eastern Ukraine kills 3, injures 12

A Russian drone slammed into a tower block in eastern Ukraine early on Saturday while many were in bed sleeping, killing a woman and leaving 11 people injured, Ukrainian emergency services reported. The attack in Dnipro, Ukraine's fourth-largest city, came as further to the east, fighting for the strategic city of Pokrovsk has reached a key stage, with both Kyiv and Moscow vying to persuade US President Donald Trump that they can win on the battlefield. A fire broke out and several apartments were destroyed within the nine-story building in Dnipro, the emergency services said. Rescuers found the body of a woman on the fifth floor, they added, and two children were among the injured. Almost four years after its all-out invasion, Russia has been pummelling Ukraine with near-daily drone and missile strikes, with many civilians killed and injured. Several regions have also faced rolling power cuts as Moscow bashes Ukraine's power grid ahead of winter, according to the national energy .

Collapse at retired South Korean power plant leaves at least 3 dead

A 60-metre tower collapsed during demolition work at a decommissioned thermal power plant in the South Korean city of Ulsan, killing three people and leaving at least two others presumed dead, officials said Friday. Five people remain trapped under the rubble, including two whom officials have yet to locate. Nine people were working at the site when the boiler tower collapsed Thursday afternoon. Rescue workers pulled two to safety shortly after responding, but another worker rescued later was pronounced dead at a hospital early Friday. Hours later, they pulled out another worker who was pronounced dead, and a doctor at the site confirmed the death of another worker who was among three people in the rubble. Fire officials believe the other two are also dead, according to Kim Jeong-shik, an official with Ulsan's fire department. The search was temporarily halted Friday morning due to concerns over unstable rubble, and officials postponed planned stabilisation work before resuming the

Israeli strikes kill 60 in Gaza after Hamas allegedly violated ceasefire

The Israeli military said that the operation was in response to Hamas attacking its troops in Rafah, a claim denied by the militant group

Mass shooting at packed South Carolina bar kills 4, injures 20 others

A mass shooting at a crowded bar on an idyllic island considered to be the largest Gullah community on the South Carolina coast has left four people dead and at least 20 injured, officials said Sunday. A large crowd was at Willie's Bar and Grill on St Helena Island when sheriff's deputies arrived and found several people with gunshot wounds early Sunday. Screaming and panic and fear, bar owner Willie Turral said, describing the shooting. He was inside when he heard shots fired outside the bar. These things went off in bursts. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office said in a statement on the social platform X that many people ran to nearby businesses seeking shelter from the gunfire. This is a tragic and difficult incident for everyone," the statement said. "We ask for your patience as we continue to investigate this incident. Our thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones." Among the injured, four were in critical condition at area hospitals Sunday afternoon. The vict

TVK chief Vijay gets hoax bomb threat call weeks after Karur stampede

An investigation was launched by the Chennai police, who are also tracing the caller's location. Additionally, security at Vijay's house in Neelangarai has been tightened

Industry chemical DEG found above limit in Coldrif cough syrup: Report

Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are industrial chemicals used in making products like brake fluids, antifreeze, paints, and plastics, and are highly toxic to humans

Death toll in Indonesian school collapse hits 61 as more bodies recovered

Indonesian crews recovered a dozen bodies Monday as they searched for young people missing after a prayer hall at an Islamic boarding school collapsed last week, bringing the death toll to 61. The structure caved in on September 29 when the students, mostly boys between the ages of 12 and 19, were performing afternoon prayers. The building at the century-old Al Khoziny school in Sidoarjo on Indonesia's Java island was undergoing an unauthorised expansion. Only one student escaped unscathed, authorities said, while 99 were treated for injuries and released. Four suffered serious injuries and remained hospitalised Monday after undergoing amputations. With no more signs of life from beneath the tons of rubble three days after the collapse, authorities last week turned to heavy excavators to help them progress more rapidly. The National Disaster Management Agency said rescue workers pulled 12 bodies and at least seven body parts from the rubble Monday. They continued their search for t

MP children deaths: Contaminant found in cough syrup made by TN firm

Contaminant found in Coldrif cough syrup; risk-based investigations started at manufacturing sites of around 19 drugs sampled across 6 states

11 feared drowned in MP's Khandwa during idol immersion, CM announces aid

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has condoled the demise of people in the incident, and announced Rs 4 lakh ex gratia for the families of the deceased