Page 312 - Disaster Accident
Encounter between security forces, terrorists in Pulwama
An encounter broke out between security forces and terrorists at Renzipora in Pulwama area of South Kashmir on Friday morning.No casualty or injury has been reported as yet.The area has been cordoned off and searches are underway to smoke out the terrorists. Mobile internet services have also been snapped in the area.More details are awaited.
Winter storm snarls holiday travel in parts of US
Hundreds of flights were cancelled and thousands more delayed across the United States on Thursday as a powerful winter storm swept through the centre of the country, frustrating holiday travellers. More than 6,500 flights were delayed and some 800 more were cancelled, according to the flight tracking website FlightAware. A mix of rain, snow and strong winds also made travel dangerous or impossible on roads, especially in the northern and central plains, where some areas could see more than a foot of snow before the storm subsides Friday. Authorities reported white out conditions in parts of Nebraska and closed a section of an interstate road. North Dakota issued a no-travel advisory for the entire eastern side of the state. A small airport in the city of Fargo was shut down and all flights were cancelled. The severe weather arrived as many Americans were travelling for the Christmas holiday. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas -- a major hub for American Airlines through
ECoR deploys Night Patrolling Team to ensure safety in winters
In order to ensure the safety of the passengers during the train journey in winters, East Coast Railway (ECoR) has deputed Night Patrolling Team to cope with the dense fog situation and ensure the safe train operations during dense fog.The night patrolmen have been given the proper training for monitoring the situation with a lightweight kit consisting of beaters, crowbars, coin-shaped maroon colour detonator, flash signal lights, cap, gloves, whistle etc.The prime duty of night patrolmen of ECoR is to alert the train drivers (Loco Pilots) about the fog situation and warn them that the train is approaching a stop signal and running in sensitive areas.Apart from keeping an eye on the fog, the Night Patrol Team would inspect for any track fishplate damage, screw displacement and 9 km stretch train line in each direction. Besides, the Loco-Pilots have also been instructed to regulate train speed depending on visibility conditions for the safety of passengers and train movement during ...
Four injured after LPG cylinder blast in Tollychowki
At least four people suffered severe injuries after an LPG cylinder blast in a residence at Tollychowki area, Hyderabad on Thursday night.According to fire officials, the incident occurred at around 9 pm and soon after the reports of the incident, a fire tender was immediately rushed to the spot to douse the fire.Injured have been admitted to Osmania General Hospital and two persons are said to remain critical.The reason for the cylinder blast is yet to be ascertained.Police investigation is underway and further reports are awaited.
Three labourers killed as coal mine collapses in Pak
At least three labourers were killed and two others injured when part of a coal mine collapsed in Pakistan's southwest Balochistan province on Thursday, officials said.
5 elders killed in Mumbai high-rise blaze
At least five senior citizens were killed and two more, including one fireman, injured in a major fire that engulfed the top floors of a residential building, here on Thursday, officials said.
Mumbai: 3 dead in Level 3 fire in Chembur
Three people were killed after a level three fire broke out in a society in Chembur on ThursdayThe incident took place at around 8pm on the 14th floor of Sargam Society near Ganesh Garden in Tilak Nagar here.Currently five fire tenders are present at the spot. Rescue operations are underway.More details awaited.
Nations count cost of 2018 climate disasters
Climate change-induced disasters cost nations at least USD 100 billion in 2018, a watchdog said Thursday, warning the spate of deadly wildfires, floods and superstorms was "a shadow" of things to come if greenhouse gas emissions aren't slashed. This year is set to be the fourth hottest on record and as planet-warming carbon and methane levels in the atmosphere continue to rise, extreme weather events such as the devastating blazes that destroyed swathes of California are likely to become far more common. "2018 showed the catastrophic threat that climate change presents the world. And this was just a shadow of what would come if temperatures continue to rise," said Kat Kramer, global climate lead for the Christian Aid group. Her team compiled a list of 10 climate-linked disasters and used open source data, official estimates and assessments from insurance firms to determine the cost of each. Topping the list were hurricanes Florence and Michael, which caused an estimated USD 17 billion
Three killed as major fire breaks out in Mumbai building
Three people, including two women, died and one person was injured in a major fire that broke out in a residential high-rise building here Thursday evening, a civic official said. The 16-storey building is located in suburban Tilak Nagar, where a search and rescue operation by the Mumbai Fire Brigade is underway, said the official from the Disaster Management Unit of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). "Our fire brigade control room got information about the incident at 7.51 pm after which our fire-fighting team along with an ambulance rushed to the spot," he added. "The blaze started on the 10th floor of the building, Sargam Society (G+16), located near Ganesh Garden in Tilak Nagar," he said. The fire brigade team rescued four people from the floor and admitted them to the nearby Rajawadi Hospital, where three people, including two women, were declared dead by the hospital authorities, the official said. The fourth person, who received injuries, is undergoing treatment at ..
Three elders die in Mumbai high-rise blaze
At least three senior citizens were killed and one more injured in a major fire that engulfed the top floors of a residential building, here on Thursday, officials said.
Deaths of police officers on duty on the rise in the US
More police officers have died in the line of duty this year in the United States than in 2017, according to data released Thursday. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said in a report that 144 federal, state and local officers have died so far in 2018. That figure represents roughly a 12 per cent increase from the 129 who died in 2017. The majority of the officers who died were shot or fatally injured in car crashes. Other deaths involved heart attacks, drownings and cancer and other illnesses developed by responders to the World Trade Center attack. Eight of the officers were killed during investigative activity and six were killed while responding to calls of a domestic disturbance, according to the report. Two were killed while serving warrants, two died while handling or transporting prisoners and two others were inadvertently shot by other officers. The officers who died in 2018 include a sheriff's deputy in Sacramento County, California killed in a shootout, ...
Kicked doors, banged on window panes: Passengers recount metro horror
A daily metro ride turned into a nightmare for many passengers after a fire broke out in a train here on Thursday, causing a stampede-like situation and creating panic during the evening rush hour. Recounting the horror, the commuters blamed metro officials for not being prompt enough in rescuing them. Trapped inside the train for over an hour, they did not receive any help from authorities even after calling the helpline repeatedly. Officials of the Kolkata metro, considered the city's lifeline, denied the charge and said the incident was reported at 5 pm and the process to douse the fire began at 5.02 pm. "It was a horrific and frightening (incident). I was among the lucky ones to have escaped narrowly," said Ashok Das, a passenger. The passengers had seen smoke coming out of an electrical unit of the coach when the train reached near the Maidan station in the heart of the city. Soon, the entire coach was engulfed in smoke and the passengers tried to break the window panes to ensure
Cong MP's goof up in LS: Cites miners trapped in 'Mizoram' instead of Meghalaya
Congress' Shillong MP Vincent H Pala made a faux pas in the Lok Sabha Thursday when he cited Mizoram instead of Meghalaya while moving an adjournment notice on the miners trapped in East Jaintia Hills district. In his notice for adjournment, he said there was a need to rescue the miners trapped in Mizoram, whereas the 15 miners are trapped in Meglalaya. The miners are said to be trapped in an illegal coal mine at Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district for the past two weeks. Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying while 15 labourers are trapped in a coal mine in Meghalaya since December 13 and are struggling for air, the prime minister "struts about" on Assam's Bogibeel Bridge posing for cameras. Asking the prime minister to "please save the miners", Gandhi alleged the government was not organising high-pressure pumps needed for rescue operations. However, the ruling NPP-BJP combine in Meghalaya rejected Gandhi's claims, saying the ...
Trump administration puts stop to new flood insurance policies
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration has decided it cannot authorize new flood insurance policies, citing the partial shutdown of the federal government due to a budget impasse in Congress and potentially putting thousands of home sales in limbo.
NFR to begin major repair of Saraighat bridge
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) plans to carry out a massive repair of the road deck portion of the historical Saraighat bridge in the next few days, official sources said on Thursday.
In-flight announcements in local language may be done 'to extent feasible': DGCA
Indian aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday issued an advisory stating that airlines may consider using local language for in-flight announcements "to extent feasible". Moreover, in order to enhance awareness about the cultural heritage of India, pilots can make in-flight announcements about important monuments or sites enroute the flight, the advisory said. Announcements in local language would be in addition to the ones made in Hindi and English, according to the DGCA advisory. On December 22, Goa minister Vijai Sardesai, whose GFP (Goa Forward Party) is a part of the BJP-led coalition government in the state, said his party workers should not allow airlines to operate at the Dabolim airport if announcements are not made in the local Konkani language. The state has lone airport at Dabolim in south Goa. Konkani is the official language of the coastal state. "Blacking out Konkani at the Goa airport is unacceptable and we should project our ...
Stampede-like situation as fire breaks out in Kolkata metro; 16 injured
A fire broke out on board a metro train here during rush hour Thursday, causing a stampede-like situation and leaving at least 16 passengers injured. Following the fire in its electrical unit, dense smoke engulfed the Dum Dum-bound air-conditioned train soon after it left the Maidan station in the heart of the city around 5pm. Passengers claimed they were trapped inside the train for over an hour and did not receive any help from authorities even after calling the helpline repeatedly. Metro Railway has order a high-level inquiry to ascertain the reason and the source of the fire, its chief public relations officer Indrani Banerjee said. All passengers of the train were evacuated by 6 pm through the motor man's cabin, she added. The incident disrupted metro services during peak hours leaving many stranded across stations in its 27-km network, which is run by the Indian Railways. Banerjee said, "A lot of smoke was seen as soon as the train left the Maidan station. We understood since ...
16 injured in Kolkata metro fire
16 people were injured in the Kolkata metro fire that broke out on Thursday evening.Sharing details of the incident, Aparajita Rai, Additional Deputy Commissioner said, "There are no casualties, 16 people have been injured, all of them have been taken to SSKM Medical College. It was an accident; there was a small spark in the front portion of the metro."The incident took place between Rabindra Sadan and Maidan metro stations.The fire was doused with help of fire hydrants by the metro staff. West Bengal Fire Service and Kolkata Police Disaster Management are present at the spot.
Forty injured in Kolkata Metro fire, passenger calls it 'burning train' (2nd Lead)
At least 40 people were injured after an air-conditioned rake of a metro train in Kolkata caught fire on Thursday evening disrupting metro services partially for four hours. However, no casualties were reported, West Bengal ministers and police said.
Another IndiGo A320 neo plane suffers mid-air P&W engine shutdown
IndiGo has grounded an A320 neo aircraft after mid-air shut down of a Pratt & Whitney engine this week, a source said Thursday. The plane, which was flying from Port Blair to Kolkata, returned to Port Blair and made an emergency landing. The incident happened on December 23, the source added. The no-frills airline has been grappling with P&W engine problems for quite sometime. According to the source, the pilot of the aircraft reported failure of one of the engines and sought a turn back. This was the fourth incident of an IndiGo plane facing technical glitch mid-air since December 10. An IndiGo spokesperson said the aircraft returned to Port Blair after the pilot observed low oil pressure in one of the engines. "On December 23, an IndiGo A320 aircraft (VT-ITE) operating flight 6E-6616 from Port Blair to Kolkata returned to Port Blair. During the flight, the pilot observed low engine no 2 oil pressure. The pilot followed his procedures and landed back to Port Blair," the ...