Page 434 - Disaster Accident
2 killed after coalmine collapses in Pakistan
At least two miners were killed and as many injured when a coalmine collapsed in north west Pakistan on Saturday, according to rescue officials. The incident occurred at the coalmine situated in Dara Adam Khel town of Kohat district of Khyber-Pakhtunkahwa province, they said. According to officials, labourers were working in the mine when it collapsed suddenly. The injured were rushed to a hospital. According to the Pakistan Central Mines Labour Federation, every year around 200 miners labourers die in Pakistan due to collapse of mines in Pakistan.
Himachal to set up three SDRF companies : CM
Three companies of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) will be set up in Himachal Pradesh for prompt and efficient response at the time of disasters, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said Saturday. He said the government is also contemplating to establish an Emergency Operation Centre at one place in the state for better coordination at the time of any disaster. Addressing a gathering at the CM's official residence, Oakover, here on the occasion of international day for disaster reduction, Thakur said that the state government would also create a task force of youth volunteers for disaster preparedness and response. At least 10 to 20 youth volunteers would be trained for disaster mitigation in each of the 3226 panchayats of the state, he added. "Himachal Pradesh is one of the most multi-hazard prone states of the country. The state faces various geological hazards like, earthquakes and landslides; hydrological hazards such as floods, flash floods and glacial outbursts, besides ...
Odisha CM conducts aerial survey of cyclone-hit districts
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday conducted an aerial survey of areas affected by cyclone Titli and consequent flood in the state.
At least 30 killed in Nigeria pipeline fire
At least 30 people were killed when a petrol pipeline caught fire and exploded in southeast Nigeria after a raid by suspected oil thieves, a survivor and officials said on Saturday. The incident happened in the town of Aba on Friday when vandals burst the pipeline operated by the state-run Pipeline and Product Marketing Company. "The incident occurred at about 1:30 am. Those burnt are more than 30 with many others sustaining injuries," said Nnamdi Tochukwu, a survivor on his hospital bed in nearby Asaba. A security officer, who did not want to be identified, confirmed the death toll. "Over 30 bodies were burnt at the scene before the arrival of security operatives while many others are currently receiving medical attention at various hospitals within and outside the town," the officer said. The spokesman for Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the victims were vandals attempting to scoop petrol from the pipeline. "I can't give the exact number of casualties for now, ...
Cylone Titli: Odisha govt expedites relief, rescue operations
With Cyclone Titli moving out of Odisha, the state government has expedited relief and rescue operations in the affected areas of Ganjam, Gajapati and other districts.Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi told ANI that the district administration is trying to reach the remote areas of the state to provide relief operations."Titli cyclone has now moved out of Odisha. Due to the cyclone and heavy rainfall, the flood-like situation has developed in some areas. The situation is improving very fast in Aska town, which submerged under water yesterday. Now, the movement is possible in the Notified Area Council (NAC) areas of Aska. We are expediting relief work in the town by using vehicles and are also providing medical help, and medical centres have also been reopened in Aska town. We are providing RO plant for safe and clean drinking water," he said.The officer further said that two helicopters are engaged in providing food packets in Gajpati district. "Many officers have been ...
Cyclone Titli: Andhra CM urges PM to allocate Rs 1200 cr
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to release an interim relief of Rs 1200 crore for the damages caused to the life, property and infrastructure in the state due to cyclone Titli.Naidu sought financial relief saying that the devastating cyclone, which hit North Coastal Andhra Pradesh on October 11, has badly damaged the infrastructure and derailed normal life in the region especially in Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts of the state."The severe cyclonic storm Titli has hit Srikakulam and Vizianagaram districts in the early hours of October 10 with a wind speed gusting up to 165 kilometres, coupled with high velocity winds and heavy rainfall ranging from 10 centimetres to 43 centimetres in different parts of these districts. The cyclone Titli has devastated these districts and left huge damages to properties, agriculture and horticulture crops, houses and infrastructure resulting in deep distress
Floods, landslides in Indonesia leave 22 dead, 15 missing
Torrential rains triggered flash floods and landslides on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, killing at least 22 people, mostly children at a school, and leaving 15 others missing, officials said Saturday. A flash flood with mud and debris from landslides struck Mandailing Natal district in North Sumatra province and smashed an Islamic school in Muara Saladi village, where 21 children were swept away on Friday afternoon, said local police chief Irsan Sinuhaji. He said rescuers retrieved the bodies of 11 children from mud and rubble hours later. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency's spokesman, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said rescuers were searching for 10 other children still missing. A video obtained by The Associated Press showed relatives crying besides their loved ones at a health clinic where the bodies of the children were lying, covered with blankets. Nugroho said two bodies were found early Saturday from a car washed away by floods in Mandailing Natal, where 17 houses collapsed ..
2 killed after diesel tanker fell into gorge in UP
Two people were killed when a diesel tanker fell into a 160-feet deep gorge in Markundi valley, police said Saturday. Additional Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Dixit said the incident took place Friday night. "The diesel tanker fell into a 160-feet deep gorge in Markundi valley after the driver lost control. The vehicle caught fire and two people, including the driver, who were in the tanker, were burnt to death," he said. He added the deceased were identified as Chhedi (45), the driver, and Shivakant Chaturvedi (40). The bodies were sent for post-mortem, police said.
'Migrant-smuggling' car crash kills 11 in Greece: police
Eleven people died in northern Greece early Saturday after a car thought to be carrying migrants crashed head-on with a truck and burst into flames, police said. Firefighters recovered 11 bodies from the car, which had been travelling towards Thessaloniki. The driver of the truck, which had been heading towards the town of Kavala, escaped the fire unscathed. Greek police said the car involved in the crash had been used for migrant smuggling in the past. It had failed to stop earlier Saturday when police officers tried to pull it over for a check. Last June, a migrant smuggling van carrying 16 people, mainly from Syria and Iran, crashed near Kavala, killing six people including three children.
22 killed in Indonesia flash floods, landslides
At least 22 people including children were killed and 15 others wounded as flash floods and landslides struck West and North Sumatra provinces of Indonesia, officials said on Saturday.
3 children among 8 killed in car-truck collision in Udaipur
Eight persons, including three children, were killed and three others injured Saturday when a car they were travelling in collided with a truck in Rajasthan's Udaipur district, police said. The passengers travelling in the car were going for a picnic from Salumbar town to Udaipur city, when the accident happened near Khairad area, they said. Three students Lakshya Yadav (4), Gauri Chaudhary (7), Upendra Singh (5) and their teachers Manisha Goswami (28), Saroj Yadav (30), Monika Khateek (22), Geeta Ladauti and the owner of the school they taught, Santosh Rajput, died in the accident. Two more children and a teacher were injured in the accident, SHO of Salumbar police station Shailendra Singh said. The injured have been admitted to a hospital in Udaipur and post-mortem of the bodies was underway, police said. Udaipur is set around a series of artificial lakes and is known for its royal residences.
Malnad Ultra Marathon 2018 flags off in Chikmagalur
The two-day Coffee Day Malnad Ultra Marathon 2018 flagged off successfully from Lalbaug Estate in Chikmagalur in the early hours Saturday. 811 runners from 13 countries and 22 states from across India gathered at the start line for the flag off of the ultra marathon. There were as many as 43 international runners from UK, Poland, France, USA, Maldives, Germany, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Singapore, Colombia, Japan, and Malaysia who participated in the run with USA having the highest representation of 7 endurance runners. The endurance run also had an incredible number of 143 female runners and also saw participation from people up to 75 years of age. Coffee Day Malnad Ultra is split into three categories - 50km, 80km and 110km. The 80 km and 110 km run flagged off at 6:30 am while the 50km run begun at 7:00 am. 496 participants (111 females) registered for the 50 km run, 96participants (17 females) registered for the 80 km run and 229 participants (15 females) registered for the ...
Closure of Ganga canal to affect water supply in 19 UP districts
The closure of Ganga canal till November 6 for clearing silt and routine maintenance will affect the water supply in 19 districts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said on Saturday. However, the supply to Delhi's Sonia Vihar treatment plant will continue uninterrupted, spokesperson of UP irrigation department Hari Sharma said. The affected districts include Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Bulandshahr, Ghaziabad, Aligarh, Etah, Hathras and Firozabad, Sharma said. Farmers are advised to use private sources like tubewells and pumping sets to irrigate their fields, he added.
Bus falls into gorge in JK's Doda, conductor killed
A conductor of a bus was killed and another person was injured when the vehicle fell into a 150-feet deep gorge in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said. The deceased, Ishtiaq Ahmad was reversing the mini-bus in the absence of its driver when it skidded off the road and fell into the gorge at Malwana, Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda, Shabir Ahmed Malik said. Nazir Ahmad was sitting inside the bus when the accident took place and received injuries, he added. After getting information, a police party immediately rushed to the spot and along with the help of the locals, shifted both the injured occupants to district hospital Doda, Malik said adding, doctors declared Ishtiaq brought dead.
Major avalanche hits Nepal peak; 5 South Koreans among 9 killed
At least nine climbers including five South Korean nationals have been killed in a massive avalanche which devastated their camp on Nepal's Mount Gurja, the expedition organiser said Saturday. The unexpected violent snowstorm buried the climbers at the base camp at an altitude of 3,500 metres near the south face of Mount Dhaulagiri in western Nepal's Myagdi district on Friday evening, said Wangchu Sherpa, the Managing Director at Trekking Camp Nepal. Five South Korean climbers including team leader Kim Chang-ho from 'Koreanway Gurja Himal Expedition 2018' were killed along with their four Nepali support staff in the incident, Sherpa said. Other deceased South Koreans have been identified as Lee Jaehun, Rim Il-jin, Yoo Youngjik, and Jeong Joon-mo, The Himalayan Times reported. They had gone to scale the mountain from Gurja Village on October 7. A heavy snowstorm followed by a landslide buried the base camp at an altitude of 3,500 metres when the climbers were awaiting for a fair ...
West Bengal well prepared to handle natural disaster: Mamata
West Bengal is well prepared to tackle natural disasters and has already built flood shelters and relief godowns in the districts, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Saturday. The state government has also devised an SMS-based early warning system to alert people during any natural calamity, she said in a Twitter post. "Today is International Day for Disaster Reduction. Our govt has developed an SMS-based early warning system for alerting people of the State regarding the advent of natural calamities. Flood shelters & relief godowns have been constructed at district, subdivision and block levels," Banerjee said in the tweet. International Day for Disaster Reduction is observed worldwide on this day to raise awareness among the people about disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness.
Storm kills 9 climbers on Nepal mountain
Nine climbers, including five South Korean nationals, who were part of a trekking expedition, were killed after a snowstorm destroyed their base camp on a Himalayan peak in western Nepal, the police said on Saturday.
Hurricane Michael kills 17 in US
The death toll from hurricane Michael, one of the most powerful storms to make landfall in the US mainland, has increased to 17, with coastal Florida cities damaged beyond recognition, and homes, businesses and agriculture torn or swamped from Georgia to Virginia.
Air Canada's near miss last year was almost 'worst accident in history'
A near miss involving an Air Canada plane which almost landed on a crowded taxiway instead of a runway at San Francisco airport last year could have been the "worst aviation accident in history," according to an official report. The Air Canada Airbus A320 carrying 140 people was cleared to land on Runway 28-Right at San Francisco International Airport shortly before midnight on July 7, 2017 -- but the pilot inadvertently lined up for Taxiway C, where four planes were waiting to take off. "Only a few feet of separation prevented this from possibly becoming the worst aviation accident in history," said Bruce Landsberg, vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board while announcing the agency's report issued Friday. "The incident airplane descended to an altitude of 100 feet above ground level and overflew the first airplane on the taxiway," the report said. "The incident flight crew initiated a go-around, and the airplane reached a minimum altitude of about 60 feet and ...
Hurricane Michael death toll hits 17
The death toll from Hurricane Michael has risen to at least 17 with fears it would continue to climb Saturday as search-and-rescue teams scour the debris of the Florida town that bore the brunt of the monster storm. "Mexico Beach is devastated," Florida Governor Rick Scott said of the town where Michael made landfall as a Category 4 storm on Wednesday. "It's like a bomb went off," Scott said as he toured the town of 1,000 people on the Gulf of Mexico. "It's like a war zone." Rescue teams were using sniffer dogs in Mexico Beach on Friday to search for victims who may be buried under the rubble in the debris-strewn community. US media later reported one death in the town -- an elderly man found alone, according to Mayor Al Cathey. Officials said his body was found hundreds of yards from his home. Brock Long, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), warned that he expected the toll to rise. "I hope we don't see it climb dramatically but I have reasons to believe we still ..