Page 344 - Disaster Accident
Taj city to face water crisis for 60 days
Half of Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, will either go dry or get limited water supply for the next 60 days.
Clean chit to Sidhu couple in Amritsar train tragedy
Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur, on Thursday, were given a clean chit in a magisterial inquiry into the Amritsar train tragedy, which left 60 people dead after a speeding train ran over revellers who were standing on tracks to watch the burning of Ravana effigy on Dussehra in October.The probe was conducted by the Punjab government and the report was submitted to Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh who gave the clean chit to the couple, stating that they were not present in the Dussehra event when the mishap happened.In an exclusive interview with ANI, after being cleared in the inquiry, Navjot Kaur Sidhu said that the accusations were politically motivated."If I am called to attend an event and an incident takes place there, then how am I responsible for it? These are attempts to malign the name of the Sidhu family. There is a dire need to make a law in India that before attending any event the chief guest must send its team to the spot and must see if .
Residents head back into California town levelled by wildfire
Nearly four weeks after the devastating blaze levelled her town, Jennifer Christensen was allowed back to return to her home in Paradise, where the first thing she saw was her son's charred tricycle in the front yard. Christensen was among hundreds of residents who were allowed back into neighbourhoods on the east side of town for the first time since the November 8 blaze, which killed at least 85 people and destroyed about 14,000 homes. "It's unbelievable. You know, I never thought it would happen to me," said Christensen, 34, surveying how little was left. She had moved to Paradise about a year ago and lived with a couple that were like grandparents to her son. "Everything I worked so hard for is gone." The first thing she saw as she pulled in was her 2-year-old son's tricycle, its tires melted and its steel frame charred. She found a safe with melted jewelery inside. She found remnants of porcelain dolls that her grandmother had given her every year for Christmas. "I lost my kid's .
EU extends aid to those affected by cyclone Gaja
The European Union (EU) on Thursday announced emergency assistance of 105,000 euros to the communities most affected by cyclone Gaja that hit Tamil Nadu in November.
Five missing after two US military planes crash off Japan
Rescue operations were underway Thursday for five US marines missing after two American military aircraft crashed during a refuelling operation off the coast of Japan, the Japanese defence minister said. One crew member has already been rescued and is thought to be in a stable condition, Takeshi Iwaya told reporters. A spokesman for the Japan Self-Defense Forces (SDF) said another crew member had been found but there were no immediate details of the marine's condition. "The Marine is being transported to a local hospital for evaluation," the US military said in a statement. "US military and the Japanese Self-Defense planes and vessels are searching for those still missing... I hope all the members will be rescued safely as soon as possible," Iwaya added. The marines were conducting "regularly scheduled training" when the crash occurred around 2:00 am local time, the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force said in a statement. The F/A-18 fighter jet with two crew onboard and a KC-130 refuelling
Upcoming auction to extend assistance to victims of terror
The Whos Who of Mumbai will gather at a Black Tie Charity Ball on December 15 for a live auction to extend assistance to victims of terror, natural disasters, members of the armed forces and other services who demonstrate bravery in their line of work.
US military planes crash off Japan, 6 missing
Six members of the US Navy are missing after two military aircraft collided off the west coast of Japan, the US Armed Forces deployed in the Asian country reported on Thursday.
Deaths due to potholes 'unacceptable', probably more than those killed on border: SC
The Supreme Court Thursday expressed concern over 14,926 people being killed in road accidents due to potholes in last five years and termed it "unacceptable". A bench headed by Justice Madan B Lokur said the large number of deaths caused due to potholes across the country was "probably more than those killed on border or by the terrorists". The bench, also comprising justices Deepak Gupta and Hemant Gupta, said the number of deaths from 2013 to 2017 in accidents due to potholes indicated that the authorities concerned were not maintaining the roads. The bench sought a response from the Centre on a report filed by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety, headed by former apex court judge K S Radhakrishnan, on the number of deaths due to potholes in India. The top court had on July 20 expressed its concern over the deaths and observed that the number fatalities due to such accidents was more than those in terror attacks. Terming the situation as frightening, the top court had asked
Nine vehicles burnt in fire incident in Thane
At least nine vehicles were razed in a fire incident here in Maharashtra in the wee hours of Thursday, an official said. No casualty was reported in the incident, Thane Municipal Corporation's regional disaster management cell chief Santosh Kadam said. The vehicles, all two-wheelers, were charred around 3 am near the Kaushalya hospital in Naupada area, he said. Firemen rushed to the spot and doused the flames, Kadam added. A police official said they were probing if it was an accidental fire or somebody's mischief.
5.5 magnitude earthquake strikes Lombok
An earthquake measuring 5.5 on Richter scale struck the Indonesian island of Lombok on Thursday.Sputnik quoted the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) stating that the jolts were registered at 01.02 GMT with its epicentre located 17 kilometres (10.6 miles) to the north of the city of Mataram. The focus of the earthquake was located at the depth of 15 kilometres.No immediate casualties or damages were reported.Earlier in August, the island of Lombok was severely devastated by a series of large earthquakes that provoked tsunamis and significant damage to the infrastructure of the island, leaving over 560 people killed and hundreds of others wounded.
Uber plans smaller, more cautious self-driving car launch
(Reuters) - Uber Technologies Inc's is plotting the return of its self-driving cars, but the company known for its hard-charging style is taking a much more conservative approach as it tries to recover from a fatal accident that upended its autonomous vehicle program.
Six missing after two US military planes crash off Japan: Officials
Six US marines were missing after two American military aircraft crashed on Thursday during a refuelling operation off the coast of Japan, officials from both countries told AFP. The two planes -- an F-18 fighter and a C-130 tanker -- were involved in a "mishap about 200 miles off of the coast of Japan around 2:00 am" according to a statement from the US Marines in Japan. A US defence official told AFP that there had been a crash after the plane took off from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni in southern Japan. A spokesman for Japan's Self-Defence Forces said one of the airmen had been rescued but the immediate fate of the remaining crew members was unclear. The crew member was being assessed by doctors, the Marine statement said, adding that "the search and rescue operations continue for the remaining six." The C-130 was thought to be carrying five servicemen and the F-18 two, said the Japanese official, who added that Japan had scrambled four aircraft and three ships in the ...
2 US Marine aircraft crash off Japanese coast
The United States Marine Corps on Wednesday confirmed that two Marine planes crashed off the coast of Japan.Defence officials told CNN that they believe five individuals were aboard a KC-130 aircraft, while two persons were onboard an F/A 18. One Marine was confirmed to have been rescued, a Marine Corps spokesperson said."Search and rescue operations continue for US Marine Corps aircraft that were involved in a mishap off of the coast of Japan around 2:00 am local time) Dec. 6," a US Marine Corps statement confirmed.The statement added that the planes "had launched from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni and were conducting regularly scheduled training when the mishap occurred".The planes crashed around 320 kilometres off the coast of Iwakuni, a Marine Corps official told CNN.While the primary objective of a KC-130 is in-flight refueling, it is not confirmed whether the operation was underway at the time of the crash."The circumstances of the mishap are currently under investigation. ...
MHA asks ministries to circulate cyber safety handbook in schools
In order to create awareness about cyber safety among school children, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday wrote to various ministries to circulate a handbook on cyber safety to all the schools run by them.According to an official, MHA has asked the Railways, Defence and Human Resource Development Ministries to circulate the handbook to all the schools under their domain.The Ministry has made a handbook for Adolescents/Students on Cyber Safety, for children above the age of 13, who are susceptible to getting exposed to cyberspace with limited understanding of cyber threats and safeguards.The purpose of the handbook is to provide an overview of various cyber threats that can impact children and discuss safeguards that can help in preventing cyber crimes.It also warns students against fake news or hoax messages which spread like wildfire and create law and order problem which may even lead to causing loss of lives in some cases.
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake sways buildings in Chile's capital
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake swayed buildings in the Chilean capital of Santiago on Wednesday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injury. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake hit at 2:12 p.m. local time (12:12 p.m. EST; 1712 GMT) and was centred 8 kilometers south-southwest of San Antonio, a Pacific coast town about 100 kilometers southwest of the capital. Witnesses reported buildings swaying in the centre of the capital, and said it also was felt in the port of Valparaiso, some 105 kilometers northwest of the capital. Chile is one of the globe's most quake-prone nations. A magnitude 8.8 quake in 2010, which was followed by a tsunami, killed at least 525 people.
Dwarka hit-and-run case: second victim succumbs
The second man injured in the hit-and-run case involving a Mercedes car in Dwarka succumbed to his injuries at a hospital on Wednesday, police said. On Sunday night, the luxury car hit two people near Dwarka's Ganpati Chowk. Sarvesh, the 35-year-old fruit vendor, died the same night while his friend Inder, 30, was injured. Inder died Wednesday, police said. Nukul, the 28-year-old who drove the car, was arrested on Tuesday. During interrogation, he told police that on the night of the crash, after closing his shop at Sector 24, Dwarka, he and his friends left for his residence in Raj Nagar, Palam Colony. On their way, he crashed his vehicle at Ganpati Chowk in Sector 9. Then, he said, drove away the damaged vehicle and dropped his friends at Ramphal Chowk. He told police that he then hid the vehicle in Dwarka area. Next day, he fled to a village. The Mercedes car has been seized. Nukul runs two restaurants in Gurgaon. He has a grocery shop in Sector 24, Dwarka. He and his brother are ..
Two dead, 10 hurt in petrol station blast near Rome
Two people were killed and at least 10 injured in an explosion at a petrol station northeast of Rome on Wednesday, firefighters and police said. The blast occurred when a tanker truck carrying flammable liquid was refuelling at the petrol station on the Salaria highway 30 kilometres outside the capital, according to Italian media. "A firefighter died, as did a civilian," the firefighters tweeted. Antonio Mannoni, head of police in Rieti -- the closest city to the petrol station -- said 10 people were injured, two seriously. Ambulances and three helicopters were deployed to transport the casualties to hospitals in Rome. Television footage showed the fire had been brought under control. The Salaria highway, which connects Rome to Porto d'Ascoli on the Adriatic coast, was closed in both directions.
Centre, TN govt inform HC of relief measures undertaken in cyclone-hit areas
The Madras High Court Wednesday said the compensation claims of the victims of the "Gaja" cyclone should not be rejected on the ground that pictures of the damage suffered were not attached to the applications. A bench of the high court here comprising justices K K Sasidharan and P D Audikesavalu made the observation during the hearing of a PIL seeking proper relief measures to the people hit by the November 16 cyclone that claimed 63 lives and caused extensive damage to houses and crops in 12 districts of Tamil Nadu. The bench suggested that district collectors could organise special camps in the affected villages in order to prepare a list of people who had suffered damage due to the cyclone. It also asked the state government to request the Centre to extend the time limit for joining the crop insurance scheme. Earlier, the central and state governments informed the bench about various steps taken by them for providing relief and rehabilitation and restoration of power and water ...
Assembly discusses post-flood rebuilding; UDF stages walkout
: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Wednesday said that the ruling and opposition fronts should unitedly raise their voice against the 'apathetic' attitude shown by the BJP-led NDA government towards the state in terms of flood relief aid. Criticising the Centre's decision not to accept foreign aid for flood relief, he said the state had not only lost the promised UAE aid of Rs 700 crore, but much more, as other nations would have also come with similar gestures. Gujarat had also received foreign aid in a similar manner when natural calamity had struck the state years ago, Vijayan said in his reply over the discussion on the adjournment motion moved by the Congress-led UDF opposition on the alleged failure of the flood relief initiatives by the LDF government. "We have faced the deluge together. The rebuilding initiatives will also be in the same manner. So it is good to review once more the actions taken as part of the rebuilding programmes," he said, welcoming the
Aircraft incidents on the decline since 2013: DGCA data
Aircraft incidents in the country have been coming down since 2013, according to data compiled by aviation regulator DGCA. The number of such incidents per 10,000 departures stood at 4.8 this year till October-end, compared to 6.56 in 2017. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an incident is an occurrence, other than an accident or serious incident, associated with operation of aircraft that could have seriously affected safety of operations. The incidents have been falling since 2013 when it stood at 11.79 per 10,000 departures. It declined to 11.63 in 2014 and then to 7.46 in 2015, the data showed. In 2016, the same stood at 7.27. "The average of the incident from year 2013 to 2018 is 8.25," the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said. India is one of the world's fastest-growing domestic civil aviation markets and has registered double-digit growth for nearly 50 months continuously. Meanwhile, the regulator said the average of the serious ...