Page 562 - Disaster Accident
SC judges will contribute to Kerala flood relief fund, says CJI
The judges of the Supreme Court will contribute to the Kerala flood relief fund, Chief Justice Dipak Misra said today. A bench comprising CJI and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud made the observation during the hearing of a PIL that had sought barring of lawmakers from practising in courts across the country. "We are also making some contribution. Judges of this court are also making contribution for the flood relief fund," the bench said. The observation came after Attorney General K K Venugopal referred to the "grave tragedy" that has struck Kerala rendering 10 million people homeless. The AG had earlier donated Rs one crore to the flood relief fund. Many other senior lawyers have also contributed significant amounts towards the relief fund. The south Indian state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the state known for its scenic natural beauty, with its infrastructure, standing crops and ...
Relief material start arriving at Cochin port
Relief material from different parts of the country has started arriving at the port here to provide some succour to the people of Kerala devastated by unprecedented floods in about a century, officials said today. A Cochin Port Trust official said Naval Ship INS Deepak, carrying relief material from Mumbai, arrived with about 800 tonnes of fresh water and nearly 18 tonnes of provisions. Fresh water is being ferried on two barges to the affected areas. Trucks carrying provisions are being rushed for distribution, he said. The official said another consignment of relief material sent by the shipping fraternity under an initiative of the Ministry of Shipping arrived at Vallarpadam. A vessel with 50000 MT of crude from Mumbai has been diverted by BPCL to the Cochin port to meet the fuel demand of Kerala. Incessant rains over the last few days have blurred the distinction between Kerala's backwaters and roads with sheets of water covering the landscape, but the state is ...
Doctors from Maharashtra to help flood victims in Kerala
A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff from Maharashtra left for Kerala today to help the flood-affected people. The doctors flew to Thiruvananthapuram in two aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Maharashtra medical education minister Girish Mahajan was on board one of the aircraft to personally monitor relief efforts in the southern state. "A team of around 100 doctors and paramedical staff has gone to Kerala. Mahajan will discuss with the Kerala government about their requirement and our doctors and paramedics will be deployed accordingly," an official said. The medical team comprises 55 doctors, including Mumbai-based J J Hospital's Dean Dr Mukund Tayde, 26 doctors from the Sassoon hospital in Pune, 14 paramedics and some members of the minister's staff, the official said. The Maharashtra government had earlier pledged to give Rs 20 crore to Kerala, which is reeling under severe floods, the worst in 100 years. The western state had sent 30 tonne aid consisting of ...
Was counting seconds: Pilot who made rooftop landing in Kerala
Three seconds. That is how long it would have taken for the Seaking helicopter, which made a dramatic rooftop landing in Kerala to rescue 26 people, to disintegrate into pieces had anything gone wrong. The daredevil pilot, while recounting the thrilling rescue operation, told PTI that the "roof top low hover in a light on wheels" (technical name for rooftop landing) lasted around eight minutes before the chopper took off again. "I had to take a decision to go in for the 'light on wheels' procedure where the entire weight of the helicopter is not on the roof as it may have caved in," Lt Commander Abhijeet Garud said. The video of the daring rescue operation by the Navy's Seaking 42B helicopter at the flood-ravaged Chalakudy town in Kerala on Friday has gone viral on social media and garnered thousands of 'hits'. Having winched four people, lifting another 22 was a major task and the crew took a call of going for a low hover to embark all those stranded there, he ...
4 killed, 1 injured in Odisha road accidents
Four persons were killed and a man was injured in separate road accidents in Balasore and Dhenkanal districts of Odisha, a police officer said today. Two people died and another sustained injuries when the motor-cycle carrying them was hit by a vehicle near Naharpatna on NH 60 under Balasore Sadar police station yesterday, he said. The victims were from nearby Kalama village, they said. In another mishap in Dhenkanal district, two youths were killed near Aluajharana under Kamakhyanagar block when their motor-cycle hit a roadside structure after losing balance yesterday, police said. They were taken by locals to Kamakhyanagar hospital where doctors declared them dead.
Kerala floods: First passenger flight lands at Kochi Navy Base
A day after air traffic to and from Kerala's Cochin International Airport was completely halted due to flash floods, the first commercial flight landed at Kochi Naval Air Station on Monday.The Alliance Air flight, a subsidary of Air India, took off from Bengaluru and landed at INS Garuda Kochi Naval Air Station.Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu took to social media and congratulated Air India for the development."Congratulations to team @airindiain. 1st scheduled flight lands at Cochin INS Garuda (the alternate site for Cochin Airport) from Bangalore with 70+ passengers".Pleased over the resumption of the commercial flight operation in the state, Commanding Officer INS Garuda, Commodore R. R. Iyer told ANI, "It is a historic day as the airport is back into civil operations. Substantial work is being done to ensure all facilities are available and support is given for aircrafts to operate.""We have segregated parking bays so that unhindered operations take place," he added.Further .
Kerala floods: 1 mn people in relief camps, says Tourism Minister
As the rescue and relief operations continue in flood-hit Kerala, Union Tourism Minister KJ Alphons on Monday said that the authorities have housed at least one million people in scores of relief camps set up by the administration across the state.The minister also lauded the local fishermen for making efforts to save the lives of people, who have been reeling under nature's fury from the past couple of weeks."Today we have nearly one million people in relief camps. The district collectors are working as coordinators and providing supplies. Central forces are providing all possible services to Kerala. Biggest heroes are fishermen, they came in 600 boats and are rescuing stranded people," he said.As Kerala has been facing the worst flooding in a century, the entire country has come forward to help the southern state in this hour of need. So far, 357 people have lost their lives due to flooding in the state. The deluge has so far caused a loss of Rs 19,512 crore to the state.Rescue and
Uber to open its first tech center focused on safety
As a part of its safety norms, ride sharing app Uber has announced that it will open its first technology development center in Latin America, which will focus on safety and smooth operations.With its base in Sao Paulo, the new centre launched by Uber will start its operations in the fourth quarter of this year.About 150 specialists will work at this new center to develop technologies that may become new features and functions globally. With an investment of USD 63 million in five years, the site will also be Uber's first technology center in Latin America.The other existing tech centers are in Louisville, New York, Palo Alto, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and Seattle, in the US; Amsterdam, Paris, Sofia, and Vilnius, in Europe; and Bangalore and Hyderabad, in India.The Development Center in Brazil will initially focus on advanced technologies to improve safety around the world, working with advanced telematics, machine learning, high scale distributed systems, real time data processing ..
Malayalis in J'khand cancel Onam fete, start donation drive
A Malayali association in Jamshedpur has decided to cancel Onam celebrations this year in view of the devastating floods in Kerala that claimed over 200 lives and rendered more than seven lakh people homeless. The annual harvest festival commenced on August 15, and is set to conclude on August 27. Kerala Samajam, comprising 3000 members, celebrates Onam in a grand manner every year, but this time no one is in a mood to rejoice, said Sunil Kumar, the general secretary of the association. The members have launched a week-long campaign in and around the Steel City in Jharkhand's East Singhbhum district to raise money and relief materials for the flood-affected people, he told PTI. "Onam is a grand affair for the community. We organize various programmes, including 'rangoli' contests, during this period. This year, however, we have decided not to celebrate the annual festival as our brothers and sisters in Kerala are fighting for survival," said Kumar. The southern state is .
Four killed as landslide hits vehicle in Kishtwar
At least four passengers were killed and nine others injured when a landslide struck a hilly road in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir today, a senior police officer said. The incident took place at Kulligad on the Kishtwar-Paddar road when huge boulders and debris came down from a hillock, trapping a passenger vehicle plying on the road, Senior Superintendent of Police, Rajinder Kumar Gupta, told PTI. Four persons were killed on the spot. Nine other passengers were rescued and rushed to a hospital where the condition of some of them was stated to be critical, the officer said. Officials said the vehicle was carrying a group of devotees from Udhampur to the shrine of Machail in Padder Valley.
Fire near California's Yosemite National Park contained
A huge, deadly wildfire that burned for more than a month and threatened the Yosemite National Park in California, was now 100 per cent contained, according to fire officials.
Indian NGO raises over USD 10,000 for Kerela Floods
Sewa International, an Indian non-profit organisation in America, has raised over USD 10,000 for the flood relief operations in the deluge-hit Kerala. Nearly 200 people have lost their lives in Kerala since August 8 due to floods caused by rains and landslides, while over 3.14 lakh people have been moved to relief camps. The southern Indian state is facing its worst flood in 100 years with 80 dams opened and all rivers in spate. A body blow has been dealt to the scenic state, with its infrastructure, standing crops and tourism facilities severely hit. Sewa International USA has raised over USD 10,000 towards the flood relief in Kerela, where nearly 200 people have died in devastating floods and thousands have lost lives and have been rendered homeless, the organisation said in a statement. Fresh from the painful memories of hurricane Harvey just a year back in Houston, Sewa International immediately rose to the occasion by setting an immediate goal of raising USD 100,000 for the ...
Commercial flight operations begin from Kochi Naval airport
Commercial flight operations from the Naval airport at Kochi commenced today with the first Air India flight from Bengaluru arriving this morning. Small aircraft are being operated from the naval airport as the Kochi International Airport has shut operations till August 26 following flooding in the heavy rains. The first AI flight from Bengaluru arrived this morning and returned by 0830 hrs. Train services between state capital and Ernakulam are also slowly becoming normalised. Skeletal services were run between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram and Alappuzha-Kottayam routes saw trains packed with flood affected people moving to the houses of their friends and relatives. The deadly monsoon rains have claimed 210 lives since August 8 and has displaced over 7.14 lakh people from their homes. In the worst affected Chengannur in Alappuzha district, efforts are on to rescue some of those stranded in certain pockets, including Pandanad. According to India Met Department, a fresh low pressure
5 killed in new Indonesia quakes
At least five people were killed and 40 others injured as two quakes measuring 6.5 and 6.9 on the Richter scale jolted Indonesia's Lombok Island where several previous tremors have already claimed over 400 lives since July, an official said on Monday.
Multiple quakes rock Indonesia's Lombok island, five dead
Multiple earthquakes -- including a powerful and shallow 6.9-magnitude tremor -- have rocked the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok, killing at least five people and setting off fresh waves of panic. A series of quakes were recorded by seismologists throughout yesterday, the first measuring 6.3 shortly before midday which triggered landslides and sent people fleeing for cover. It was followed nearly twelve hours later by a quake measuring 6.9 and at least five more significant aftershocks, according to the US Geological Survey. The picturesque island is already reeling from two devastating quakes on July 29 and August 5 that killed nearly 500 people and made hundreds of thousands homeless. Local disaster agency spokesman Agung Pramuja said five people were killed by the quake late last evening, two in eastern Lombok and three on the neighbouring island of Sumbawa. "So far five people died and scores of people are injured. We are still collecting data on the exact number," Pramuja ...
Kerala floods: Telangana Dy CM to donate one month's salary
Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammad Mahmood Ali has decided to donate his one-month salary to flood-hit Kerala state.As a gesture of support, Telangana Home Minister, Nayani Narshimha Reddy also handed over a cheque of Rs 25 crore to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday.Apart from this, the Telangana administration has also airlifted 50 R.O machines worth Rs 2.5 crore to Kerala from Begumpet to facilitate drinking water.The aid was announced by the Telangana Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday.Various states across the nation have come forward to help rain-battered Kerala in its hour of need.While Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offered an aid of Rs 15 crore from the Uttar Pradesh Relief Fund, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu have offered a contribution of Rs 10 crore each. The states of Jharkhand and ...
Five children fighting for life after French blaze
A fire in a residential building near Paris left seven people with serious injuries including five children who were in a "life-threatening" condition, firefighters said. Some 16 people including 10 police officers and a firefighter were also slightly hurt in yesterday's blaze in Aubervilliers, northeast of Paris, which was later brought under control, the fire service said. In the same town less than a month ago, a fire in a housing complex killed a mother and her three children aged 18 months to six years, and left nine others injured. Some 100 firefighters were needed to tackle Sunday's blaze, which took hold in the attic of a building with two floors. According to a police source, people used windows to escape the flames while others sought refuge on the roof. The cause of the blaze remains unknown, the fire service added. "Aubervilliers is once again touched by a serious fire," the town's mayor Meriem Derkaoui said on Twitter, adding that the site of the fire was a private ...
Multiple quakes rock Indonesia's Lombok island, two dead
Multiple earthquakes -- including a powerful and shallow 6.9-magnitude tremor -- struck Indonesia's Lombok, killing at least two people and sending fresh panic coursing through the already battered island. A series of quakes were recorded by seismologists throughout yesterday, the first measuring 6.3 shortly before midday which triggered landslides and sent people fleeing for cover. It was followed nearly twelve hours later by a late evening quake measuring 6.9 and at least five more significant aftershocks, according to the US Geological Survey. The picturesque island is already reeling from two devastating quakes on July 29 and August 5 that killed nearly 500 people and made hundreds of thousands homeless. National disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said two people were killed by the quake late Sunday evening, one in eastern Lombok and the other on the neighbouring island of Sumbawa. "Two people died... from falling debris and many houses collapsed because of the ...
Indian Navy steps up rescue, relief efforts in flood-hit Kerala
As the massive floods continue to wreak havoc in the state of Kerala, the Western Naval Command on Sunday sailed Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mysore with relief material to provide assistance to the flood-hit state.On the night of August 19, the ship carried about 70 tonnes of relief material which includes bottled water, ready to eat meals, fresh ration, milk, biscuits and other miscellaneous things like medicines, essential toiletries, phenyl, gash bags, bleaching powder, and candles. The relief material also included items received from some NGOs situated in Mumbai.The ship also carried one Chetak helicopter for augmenting air effort of the Southern Naval Command. A second ship, INS Mumbai is also being prepared with relief material and would depart for Kochi by the morning of August 20.The Western Naval Command's Karwar Naval Base has also sent approximately 15 tonnes of fresh rations on Indian Naval Ship Sharda on August 19.Earlier on August 17, INS Deepak had sailed from Mumbai for ..
Keralite sacked from Gulf firm over insensitive remarks about flood victims
A Gulf firm has fired a man from Kerala after he made insensitive comments on a social media post on the plight of the flood-hit victims in the state.The company, Lulu Group International dismissed Rahul Cheru Palayattu, who worked as a cashier at the company's branch in Oman after he mocked the sanitation requirements of the flood victims in Kerala on Facebook, Dubai-based Khaleej Times reported.His termination letter by the firm's Human Resource Manager, Nasr Mubarak Salem Al Maawali read, "This is to inform that we have terminated your service with immediate effect because of your highly insensitive and derogatory comments on social media with regard to current flood situation in Kerala, India."It further added, "You are hereby instructed to handover all your official responsibilities to your reporting Manager immediately and to contact the Accounts Department for your final settlement."After facing the heat for his remarks, Rahul apologised by posting a video on Facebook on ...