Page 120 - Disaster Accident
Medium-intensity earthquake in Arunachal Pradesh
A medium-intensity earthquake shook Arunachal Pradesh early Wednesday. There were no reports of any damage to property or casualties in the quake that occurred at 1:45 am. While the IMD said the quake measured about 5.9, the United States Geological Survey pegged it at 6.1. The epicentre of the quake was about 40 kilometres southeast of Along, and 180 kilometres southwest of the state capital Itanagar. State Director General of Police S V K Singh, who himself was awakened by the temblor, said he contacted the superintendents of police of all districts but no damage was reported from anywhere. The districts extend from areas bordering Bhutan, Tibet and Myanmar, he said. "Though people panicked there are no reports of any damage," he said. Prof Trilochan Singh, who served as a geologist of Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology for decades, described it as "shallow earthquake", considered dangerous for its impact within a radius of 40-50 km. Mild earthquakes often occur in this Himalayan .
Rescuers battle to find bodies in Myanmar mudslide
Recovery teams in Myanmar fought against a huge lake of sludge on Wednesday in their search for bodies after a landslide engulfed more than 50 jade miners -- the latest fatal accident in a notoriously dangerous but highly-lucrative industry. Dozens die each year in landslides caused by jade mining, a poorly regulated industry rife with corruption. The disaster struck the mine in Hpakant township in northern Kachin state late on Monday night. Police initially described how a "mud lake" buried 54 miners -- all feared dead -- while there were sleeping, although Wednesday said the men had been working a night shift at the time. By nightfall on Tuesday, only three bodies had been recovered, a police officer from Hpakant Township, who asked not to be named, told AFP. "Searching in the mud is difficult -- it's not like soil," he added. The site is mined by Myanmar Thura Gems and Shwe Nagar Koe Kaung companies. Myanmar Thura Gems director Hla Soe Oo told AFP by phone that the company was ...
Nepal: 5 dead, 20 injured in bus accident in Dadeldhura
At least 5 have died and 20 sustained injuries after a bus carrying the passengers met with an accident in Sahukharka of Dadeldhura district on Wednesday.Dadeldhura is a far -western district of Nepal. It lies in the Mahakali Zone of far-western Nepal."The accident took place when a passenger bus (NA6KHA 1831) was heading towards Bajhang from Dhangadi," said Mohanraj Joshi, Chief District Officer, Dadeldhura.Further details in this regard are awaited.
Moderate intensity quakes hit Nepal, Tibet
A 5.2-magnitude quake struck Nepal on Wednesday, a day ahead of the fourth anniversary of the deadly 2015 earthquake. No casualties have been reported so far.
Earthquake with magnitude of 4.8 on Richter Scale hits Nepal
An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 on the Richter Scale jolted Kathmandu in Nepal at early morning hours on Wednesday.According to European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale, struck Kathmandu at 6:14 am today.The National Emergency Operation Centre, Nepal has also reported that earthquakes with magnitudes of 5.2 and 4.3 hit Naubise in Dhading district at 6:29 am and 6:40 am respectively, today. (ANI)More details are awaited.
Strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake rocks NE India: USGS
A strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck India's northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh early Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said. The epicenter of the shallow quake was about 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Along, and 180 kilometres southwest of the state capital Itanagar. It struck at 1.45 am (2015 GMT Tuesday). Arunachal Pradesh is India's least densely populated state, but is still home to more than 1.2 million people, according to the state government's website. China's official state news agency Xinhua said the quake was felt in Tibet, which neighbors the Indian state. New Delhi and Beijing for decades have disputed control of Arunachal Pradesh -- a dispute that remains unresolved. India considers Arunachal Pradesh one of its northeastern states, while China claims about 90,000 square kilometres (34,750 square miles) of the territory. Arunachal Pradesh also borders Myanmar and Bhutan. USGS estimated there was a "low likelihood" of casualties and damage from the
6.3-magnitude quake hits Tibet
A 6.3-magnitude earthquake jolted Medog County in Nyingchi City on Wednesday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.
South Africa floods, mudslides kill 33, children missing
The death toll from floods and mudslides that crushed homes in the South African port of Durban on Tuesday has risen to 33, with reports of children missing and scores of people displaced, authorities said. "Heavy rains have since claimed 33 lives so far," Nomusa Dube-Ncube, a KwaZulu-Natal provincial minister said in a statement. Among those killed were a six-month-old baby and a child aged around 10. She added that 10 children are missing in Durban and 42 people have been injured. An AFP photographer saw two of the nine bodies -- including that of a small child -- being pulled out of a house belonging to a school caretaker in Westcliff, a working class suburb on the outskirts of Durban. The victims were buried under a wall that had collapsed on them while they were sleeping. At least 145 people have been displaced, the government said. A Hindu temple in the city was entirely flooded with water levels of up to 10 metres, the photographer reported. Heavy rains have lashed South Africa
Is he 'chowkidar' or 'shehenshah' from Delhi: Priyanka's swipe at PM
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday attacked Narendra Modi over drinking water being poured on the streets of Banda to welcome the Prime Minister despite severe drought in the Bundelkhand region, and asked whether he is a "chowkidar" or a "shehenshah" from Delhi. Prime Minister Modi will visit Banda, Uttar Pradesh, later this week to address an election rally. "When the whole of Bundelkhand, the men, women, children, and all living beings, are grappling with severe drought, drinking water from tankers is being poured on the streets of Banda to welcome our Prime Minister. Is he the chowkidar or a shehenshah arriving from Delhi," Priyanka Gandhi tweeted with a video of water being poured on the street from a tanker. Banda will go to the polls in the fifth phase on May 6.
Police constable killed, four cops injured in road accident in J-K's Anantnag district
A vehicle carrying polling staff after the voting concluded in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag seat met with an accident Tuesday, killing a police constable and injuring four others, officials said. The accident occurred in Kokernag area of South Kashmir's Anantnag district this evening, a police official said. Police constable Hilal Ahmad Khan was killed in the accident while four other policemen were injured, the official said. The injured have been taken to a hospital, he said.
Policeman killed, 15 injured in two Anantnag accidents
A policeman was killed and 15 others - 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and five members of the poll staff - were injured in two accidents on Tuesday in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.
Driver killed as vehicle carrying ITBP jawans from poll duty overturns after stones hurled
The driver of a vehicle carrying ITBP troops back from their poll duty in Kokarnag area of south Kashmir was killed as it overturned after a mob hurled stones at it, officials said here. They said three to four Indo-Tibetan Border Police personnel have also suffered injuries in the incident. The deceased driver's name is Hilal Ahmed Bhat, a selection grade constable, the officials said. They said reinforcements were rushed to the place of incident and they saved the jawans from hundreds of stone-pelters. Kokernag is around 90 kms from Srinagar.
Yellow weather warning issued for thunderstorm in HP
The Meteorological Department has issued a fresh yellow weather warning for thunderstorm in Himachal Pradesh on April 24, an official said Tuesday. The Shimla MeT centre forecast thunderstorm accompanied with hailstorm at isolated places in high and low hills of the state on Wednesday. The MeT office issues colour-coded warnings to alert people ahead of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause "damage, widespread disruption or danger to life". Yellow is the least dangerous out of the weather warnings - it indicates the possibility of severe weather over the next few days that could affect the people. Meanwhile, the weather remained dry over the state. The maximum temperatures increased by 1 to 2 degrees Celsius in the state Tuesday, it said, adding that the highest temperature in the state was recorded in Una at 39.2 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature in the state was in tribal district Lahaul-Spiti's administrative centre Keylong at 4.2 degrees Celsius.
JeM 'threatens' to blow up railway stations in western UP
Security has been beefed up at railway stations in western Uttar Pradesh after a letter, purportedly by terror organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), threatening to blow up the structures was received, officials said Tuesday. The letter was addressed to the station master of Shamli railway station and received yesterday. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (GRP) Ramesh Tripathi, security has been tightened and frisking of passengers increased at Shamli railway station.
10 voters drop dead in Kerala during LS polls
At least 10 deaths were reported from various places in Kerala on Tuesday while polling was underway for 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. However, the Election Commission said it had nothing to do with voting.
Landslide hits jade mining area in Myanmar, over 50 missing
Over 50 people are reportedly missing after a landslide hit a jade mining area here on Tuesday.Hpakant Township official Kyaw Swa Aung said a mud-filter pond, situated in an old mining site, collapsed yesterday at around 11:30 pm (local time) near Maw Wun kalay village."As a result, a total of 54 staff from two private companies -- most of them assigned to guard the nearby mining sites -- went missing," Anadolu Agency quoted Kyaw, as saying.Three bodies have been recovered from the site and a search operation is underway, the official said.Hpakant area is the hub of Myanmar's jade mining industry and is known for producing some of the best-quality jade in the world, the news agency said.
South Africa floods, mudslides kill 23: minister
The number of dead from floods and mudslides that crushed homes in the South African port of Durban early Tuesday has risen to 23, authorities said. Among those killed were a six-month-old baby and a child aged around 10, they added. "Last night the weather conditions worsened significantly ... in various parts of the province, claiming at least 23 lives," Nomusa Dube-Ncube, a KwaZulu-Natal provincial minister said during a televised news conference. At least 32 people have been hospitalised. The victims were either crushed to death by mudslides or drowned in flood waters, Rescue Care spokesman Garrith Jamieson told AFP. It was not known how many people were missing, but search and rescue operations combed the debris for those who might be trapped underneath. In addition to collapsed buildings and flooded roads, sewer lines were blocked and electricity pylons had toppled over. Torrential downpours have flooded southern and eastern parts of the country since the start of the Easter ...
More than 50 feared killed in landslide at Myanmar jade mine
More than 50 people are feared killed after a landslide in northern Myanmar engulfed jade miners while they were sleeping, local police said Tuesday, the latest deadly accident in a notoriously dangerous industry. Dozens die each year in landslides caused by jade mining, a notoriously corrupt and poorly regulated industry concentrated near the country's border with China. Local police described a freak accident in Kachin state on Monday night so big it created a huge "mud lake" that buried the miners as well as some 40 vehicles. "Fifty-four people are missing in the mud," a duty officer from Hpakant township police station told AFP, asking not to be named, adding that only two bodies had been recovered so far. "There's no way they (the missing) could have survived." The Ministry of Information confirmed the accident and number of missing, adding that the area was mined by Myanmar Thura Gems and Shwe Nagar Koe Kaung companies. Myanmar Thura Gems director Hla Soe Oo told AFP by phone he
Passenger train engine catches fire in MP; none hurt
The engine of a Guna-bound passenger train caught fire Tuesday between Taravat and Bilonia railway stations in Madhya Pradesh, but nobody was injured in the incident, a railway official said. After spotting the fire, the loco pilot of the Gwalior-Bina-Damoh passenger train applied the brakes, following which passengers got off on the tracks. Guna station falls under the Bhopal division of the West Central Railways. "Nobody was injured in the incident which occurred around 12:40 pm," said Guna-Gwalior section engineer Chandra Prakash Gupta. A relief train from Guna reached the spot, and flames were doused by separating the bogies from the engine. According to eye witnesses, railway staff and local villagers offered water to the panicked passengers. The train remained stranded on the tracks for nearly two hours, before another locomotive was brought in which pulled the train to Guna station, around 10 kms away from the spot, the official said. The cause of the fire is under
Telangana govt allows swimming pools on building terraces
: Telangana government Monday issued orders allowing construction of swimming pools on terraces of buildings. A representation from the Builders and Developers Association to the government said some provisions in building rules are not in consonance with the National Building code-2016 issued by Bureau of Indian Standards. Also, the association sought to simplify the building rules. Following this, the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department (MAUD) issued orders. Ventilation of rooms will be allowed as per Indian Green Building Council Green Homes norms...swimming polls may be allowed on terraces subject to compliance of safety norms including structural and fire safety and conditions as imposed under the building permission, the orders issued by MAUD principal secretary Arvind Kumar said. The government has issued amendments to the building rules duly modifying the existing GOs to promote investments in the real estate sector in Telangana, the GO ...