Page 335 - Disaster Accident
Prez Kovind to lay foundation stone of rly station in Kevadiya, near Statue of Unity, on Saturday
President Ram Nath Kovind will lay the foundation stone of a rail station in Kevadiya in Gujarat's Narmada district on December 15, a statement from the Railway ministry said Friday. The President will also visit the Statue of Unity and pay his tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his death anniversary. This will be the first railway station for Kevadiya, a small town with a population of 6,788 and just 3.5 km from the Statue of Unity. The world's tallest statue dedicated to India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in October this year. To visit the site, one has to reach Kevadiya first. Currently, there is no direct air or train connectivity to Kevadiya. The nearest stations to Kevadiya are Vadodara (71.94 km), Bharuch (75.36 km) and Ankleshwar (77.95 km). A smaller station, Miyagam Karjan, is 63.02 km from the town. For air travel, one has to take a flight to Surat. Kevadiya is 83 km from Surat. From the Ahmedabad airport, .
TN demands withdrawal of Dam Safety Bill by the Centre
: The Tamil Nadu government Friday expressed concern over the dam safety bill introduced in Parliament by the Centre and demanded its withdrawal, saying it's earlier concerns had not been addressed by the Centre. Chief Minister K Palaniswami wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recalling his previous communication in June, calling for consultation and consensus on the proposed legislation. The Tamil Nadu Assembly had also adopted a resolution demanding that the Dam Safety Bill, 2018, be kept in abeyance till a consensus was arrived at with all states, he said. Tamil Nadu's "serious concerns" have not at all been addressed by the union Government, he said, adding that the Bill has now been introduced in the Lok Sabha "without considering the views/comments of the state governments." The state's 'main concern' was a proviso under the Bill, which specifies that where a particular dam in one state is owned by another, then the National Dam Safety Authority would act as the
13 miners still trapped in flooded Meghalaya mine as efforts to pump out water yet to yield result
Thirteen people remain trapped in a flooded illegal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia hills district even a day after the incident as efforts to pump out water, which has been continuing since Thursday, failed to yield any result. After the incident came to light on Thursday morning, a pump was pressed into service around 4 pm that day and is being switched off every three hours to give it a rest, officials said Friday. Two teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) consisting of over 60 personnel reached here on Friday morning, while 12 personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are already at the site, they said. "We are trying to pump the water out from the mine which is about 370 feet deep. The water level is about 70 feet according to the NDRF," Police DIG (eastern range) A R Mawthoh told PTI. However, the water level has not gone down and two more pumps would be put to service later in the day, East Jaintia Hills district SP Sylvester Nongtynger, who is ...
Efforts to save 13 miners trapped in Meghalaya coal pit halted
The operation to rescue 13 miners trapped inside a coal pit filled with water in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district was called off for the day, with officials again saying on Friday that the chances of their survival were bleak.
Palaniswami urges PM to withdraw Dam Safety Bill, calls it unconstitutional
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K.Palaniswami on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to withdraw the Dam Safety Bill, 2018 introduced in the Lok Sabha as it impinges on the state's rights and termed it as unconstitutional.
1 killed, 6 injured in accident in Odisha
One person was killed and six others were injured when an ambulance carrying them hit a stationary truck in Balasore district, police said. The accident happened on National Highway 6 near Haldipada under the jurisdiction of Baliapal police station when the ambulance was taking a patient and his relatives to a hospital in Balasore town, the police said. The accident victims are residents of Hasimpur village in the same district, a police officer said. A relative of the patient died on the spot, the police officer said, adding, the injured were admitted to Balasore District Headquarters Hospital. Since the driver of the ambulance suffered serious injuries, he was shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack from Balasore District Headquarters Hospital, the officer added.
Odisha CM seeks urgent release of central funds for areas affected by cyclone 'Titli'
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said that the state has not yet received any central assistance to carry out restoration works in the areas hit by cyclone "Titli" and demanded that the same be released immediately. In a letter to Home Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday, Patnaik said the cyclone that hit Odisha in October affected 60.31 lakh people in 17 districts of the state. "The state government has submitted a memorandum to the Government of India seeking a central assistance of Rs 2,023.13 crore against the total requirement of Rs 2,779.32 crore for relief and restoration measures," Patnaik wrote. He said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 18, seeking an interim assistance of Rs 1,000 crore. "The inter-ministerial central team has already made an on-the-spot assessment of the damages during first week of November, 2018. However, we have not received any assistance, so far, from the Government of India," he said. Patnaik said Rs 1,689.13 crore released
Five killed, 12 injured in two road accidents in U'Khand
Five persons were killed and twelve injured in two separate road accidents in Uttarakhand late on Thursday. Two people were killed in Champawat district while three died in Almora district when the vehicles they were travelling in fell into deep gorges on Thursday. The first incident occurred at around 5.30 PM on Chanol-Nagarkhan motor road in Almora district killing three persons on the spot and leaving 12 injured when a pick-upvehicle plunged into a 20 metre deep gorge, the state disaster management office here said. The injured were rushed first to primary health centre Badechina from where they were referred to hospitals in Almora and Haldwani, it said. The second mishap occurred at 9.45 pm when an Alto car fell into a gorge near Lohaghat in Champawat district. The two occupants of the car succumbed to injuries during treatment at a hospital nearby, it said.
Cyclone Titli: Patnaik urges Centre to provide instant aid for restoration work
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has urged Centre to provide immediate assistance to the state for undertaking relief and restoration work in areas affected by Cyclone Titli which hit the state in October.Patnaik in a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, said: "I seek your personal attention in the matter for an immediate release of central assistance to Odisha for undertaking the repair and restoration works, squaring up the liabilities and smooth management of other disasters."The cyclonic storm caused flood and landslides that had severely affected about 60.31 lakh people in 128 blocks under 17 districts of Odisha."The State Government has taken prompt action to provide the required assistance to the affected population and immediate restoration of the damaged infrastructure and services within the shortest possible time," the letter added.The State government in the letter further stated that it had submitted a memorandum to the Centre seeking the assistance of Rs ...
Severe tropical cyclone bears down on north Australia coast
Australians in the north east of the country are bracing for a severe tropical cyclone, with authorities warning of flash flooding and destructive winds. Cyclone Owen has been strengthening off the north coast of Queensland state, in warm waters in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and is expected to reach category four -- defined as a severe tropical cyclone with very destructive winds -- when it makes landfall early Saturday morning. "With landfall there will be significant storm tide for locations along the coast," Richard Wardle from the Queensland state Bureau of Meteorology said Friday. "There will also be heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding. There will be very destructive winds and abnormally high tides on the east coast of Queensland, once the system makes it to that side," he added. Winds up to 200 kilometres (124 miles) per hour are expected as the cyclone reaches land near the border of the Northern Territory and Queensland, before making its way down the east ...
13 miners trapped in Meghalaya coal pit, rescue on
Thirteen miners, who were trapped inside a coal pit filled with gallons of water in Meghalayas East Jaintia Hills district, were yet to be reached or rescued, district police chief said on Friday. Officials had already said their chances of survival were bleak.
7 killed in Jammu road accident
Seven people were killed and three were injured in a road accident in Sujandhar village of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.The accident took place in mountainous Reasi district, about 210 km south of Srinagar city after the vehicle lost its balance and skidded off the road.Last week 13 people were killed and 19 others injured after a passenger bus skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in region's Poonch district.Further details are awaited.
Venezuela: 2 killed, 6 injured in LPG station blast
A blast at an LPG dispensing station belonging to Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) resulted in the death of two individuals, while six others sustained injuries.Employees at the facility were evacuated while firefighters continued relief work at the state-owned site.Quoting local media, Sputnik reported that explosions of this sort have previously happened at the station, with the last one occurring in October this year.The cause of the explosion is yet to be revealed.
Providing timely relief to flood-hit top priority: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday met the Central Flood Commission officials and underlined the need for providing timely help to flood-ravaged people of the state.
Transformer explodes, 3 suffers burns
Three persons suffered burn injuries when an electric transformer exploded in Odisha's Jajpur district on Thursday, police said. A fire also broke out in the transformer. "The incident happened near a tea stall at Dala Chhak. Three people who were having tea at the stall sustained burn injuries when the transformer exploded and hot oil was thrown around," said Amitav Mohapatra, inspector-in-charge of Jajpur Road police station. On being informed, local fire brigade and electricity department officials reached the spot and put out the fire. The injured have been taken to hospital where their condition is stated to be stable, police said.
ADB to lend $60mn to check floods, riverbank erosion in Assam
India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday signed a $60 million loan agreement to reduce floods and the riverbank erosion in Assam, the Finance Ministry said.
Fadnavis meets Modi, seeks assistance to tackle drought
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday about the drought situation in the state and sought assistance from the Centre. The two also discussed a pending railway-land issue for the Dharavi redevelopment plan. "Had a very good meeting with Hon PM Narendra Modi ji in New Delhi. Briefed him on drought situation and measures taken by Maharashtra Govt for mitigation & requested for speedy assistance from GoI to Maharashtra. Also discussed on railway land issue for Dharavi redevelopment," Fadnavis tweeted. "Thank you Hon Modi ji for your continuous & strong support for the people of Maharashtra!" Fadnavis added. With an unfavourable monsoon over several parts of the state, many areas are facing a drought-like situation. The state government has sought Central assistance of Rs 7,900 crore to deal with the exigency.
13 trapped after flooding in illegal coal mine in Meghalaya
At least 13 people were trapped and feared dead due to flooding in an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia hills district, police said Thursday. The incident was reported to the district authorities Thursday morning and rescue efforts are on, Superintendent of Police (SP) Sylvester Nongtynger said. "According to information received, 13 people were trapped inside an illegal coal mine at Ksan village under the jurisdiction of Saipung police station," the SP said. The National Green Tribunal has banned unscientific and unsafe rat-hole coal mining in Meghalaya since 2014. According to the SP, the labourers were engaged in the rat-hole coal mine near Lytein river around three days ago, and due to the overflowing of water they are all feared dead. Water is being pumped out and efforts are on to identify the people behind the illegal mining. A case has been registered against unknown people for their involvement in illegal mining of coal. Disaster management Minister Kyrmen Shylla,
Ankara train crash leaves nine dead, 86 injured
Nine people were killed and nearly 90 injured after a high-speed train crashed into a locomotive in the Turkish capital on Thursday, officials said, becoming the latest rail disaster to hit the country. The accident comes less than six months after 24 people were killed in a train crash in northwestern Turkey in a series of several fatal accidents in recent years. Transport Minister Cahit Turhan told reporters that three of those killed were operators of the train. One of the victims died in hospital, he added. Among those killed was a German citizen, a source in the Ankara governor's office told AFP, confirming reports in German media. The Ankara public prosecutor said 86 people were injured. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca earlier said 34 of those injured were still in hospital for treatment. Two were in a serious condition, Koca added on Twitter. The fast train had been on its way from Ankara's main station to the central province of Konya. According to Hurriyet daily, there were ...
Odisha CM writes to Centre, seeks funds for cyclone-hit areas
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday shot off a letter to the Centre, seeking immediate release of financial assistance for repair and restoration work of areas affected by cyclonic storm 'Titli'. Cyclone Titli made a landfall in Odisha's Gopalpur coast in Berhampur district on October 11, claiming around 70 lives, destroying hutments, roads and bridges and uprooting trees and electrical poles. In a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, a copy of which is with PTI, Patnaik stated that the "very severe cyclonic storm" in October, followed by flood and landslides, severely affected around 60.31 lakh people in 128 blocks of 17 districts. He said that a memorandum was sent to the Centre, days after the oceanic storm, seeking an assistance of Rs 2023.13 crore against a requirement of Rs 2779.32 crore. Patnaik also reminded the Union minister that the state government had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting interim relief of Rs 1,000 crore, ..