Page 604 - Disaster Accident
Bankura receives heavy rainfall, one person drowns
One person drowned in a rivulet in West Bengal's Bankura district which has received more than 200 mm rainfall since last 24-hours, officials said today. The district has received 224 mm rainfall since last 24 hours, a statement issued by the additional district magistrate (general) said. One person drowned while crossing the swollen rivulet in Mejhia block of the district, it said. The statement said 52 houses in the district have been damaged in the rain and more than 2,500 people affected and waterlogging has been reported from many low-lying areas of the district. It said 610 affected people are housed in relief camps in the district.
Consumer advocacy group urges Parliament to pass amendments to MV Act
Consumer advocacy group CUTS International has urged the Centre and opposition parties to resolve differences for giving passage to the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, 2017. Expressing concern over the delay in the passage of the Bill, pending before the Rajya Sabha for consideration, CUTS International director George Cheriyan said 23 out of the 68 proposed amendments are related to road safety. He said the passage of the Bill is crucial in the Monsoon Session of the House as the present legislative and institutional framework has failed to address the issue of road safety and prevent accidents. The Bill, which aims to amend the 30-year-old Motor Vehicle Act, was introduced in the Lok Sabha in August 2016 and was passed by it on April 10 last year. It was immediately sent to Rajya Sabha for consideration.
Fire dept asks Priya Cinema to stop film screening for now
Fire Brigade officials today asked the authorities of Priya Cinema here to stop screening films till an investigation into the fire that broke out at the theatre last night was completed. Director General (DG) of Fire Services Jagmohan, who inspected the site, along with forensic officials, told reporters, "There will be no screening today. We will give the go-ahead after getting and examining the forensic department report as well as the reports of the Fire Services department, Kolkata Police and Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC), who have already inspected the hall and other parts of the building and collected samples." "We are conducting the investigation. The cinema hall has been asked not to screen films until the investigation is over. We will give the go-ahead after reviewing the situation," he added. Replying to a question on whether the fire started from a food outlet on the ground floor of the building, Jagmohan said the first floor was not affected by the blaze, ..
Rawat asks slum dwellers to defer thanksgiving rally
As heavy rain pounds the state, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has urged the capital's slum dwellers to postpone their rally to thank the government for sparing them from the court ordered demolition drive. Asking concerned MLAs to stay put in their constituencies, Rawat said ensuring fast and efficient relief work in the affected areas must take precedence over the felicitation rally. People are facing a lot of problems due to continuous heavy rain in Dehradun for the last few days, Rawat said. Right now, our priority should be to provide relief to people rather than organising a felicitation programme, he added. The BJP government had brought in an ordinance exempting the residents of Malin Bastis (slum dwellers) from the demolition drive being carried out in the city in compliance with a high court order. The slum dwellers were scheduled to hold an 'Abhaar' (thanksgiving) rally at the Parade Ground here tomorrow to thank the state government.
Cholera kills 11 in Nigeria
At least 11 people have been killed by an outbreak of cholera in Nigeria's northwestern state of Kano in the last seven days, according to media reports on Monday.
At least 98 dead after quake slams Indonesian island
A powerful earthquake flattened houses and toppled bridges on the Indonesian tourist island of Lombok, killing at least 98 people and shaking neighbouring Bali, as authorities said today that rescuers still hadn't reached some devastated areas and the death toll would climb. It was the second deadly quake in a week to hit Lombok. A July 29 quake killed 16 people and damaged hundreds of houses, some of which collapsed in yesterday evening's magnitude 7.0 temblor, killing those inside. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told a news conference that damage was "massive" in northern Lombok. In several districts, more than half the homes were destroyed or severely damaged. The ruins of a mosque that collapsed in Lading-Lading village while people prayed inside was being pulled apart by a backhoe in search of victims. Some areas still hadn't been reached as of mid-afternoon, with rescuers battling collapsed bridges, electricity and communication blackouts and .
Jet Airways investigating Riyadh runway excursion
Few hours after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended license of two pilots involved in runway excursion incident at Saudi Arabia, a Jet Airways spokesperson on Monday assured that the airline would continue to adhere to all requirements needed.The spokesperson further said that the matter is now under investigation.The pilots of the Jet Airways mistook a taxiway for a runway, leading to the skidding of the aircraft onto an unpaved area at Riyadh airport following an aborted take-off on August 3.A Jet Airways spokesperson, in his statement, said, "Jet Airways is in contact with DGCA and has extended all co-operation with regard to the said incident. The airline will continue to adhere to all requirements as laid down by the regulator. The matter is currently under investigation and we cannot comment on this issue."The airlines further stated that at "Jet Airways, safety is of paramount importance of its crew and guests."Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's Aviation ...
Indonesian imam leading prayer as quake hits goes viral
A video of an Indonesian imam stoically reciting evening prayers in Bali as a deadly earthquake struck neighbouring Lombok has gone viral on social media, with internet users praising him for his unwavering faith. The white-robed Islamic leader was preaching yesterday night at a mosque in Denpasar on the holiday island of Bali when the shallow 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck. Footage of the imam, recorded on a cellphone, showed him supporting himself against the wall as the room shook violently around him and as some congregants fled the building. Other worshippers can be seen stoically remaining in prayer as the mosque rocked from side to side. The powerful quake killed at least 91 people and damaged thousands of buildings in Lombok. A number of mosques on that island have collapsed with worshippers inside them. It was also felt strongly in the neighbouring Bali, a predominantly Hindu island in the world's largest Muslim majority nation. The clip quickly went viral after the mosque ..
Bangladesh Cabinet approves road safety law to quell protests
Giving in to the demands of student protesters, Bangladesh's Cabinet today approved a new road safety law and promised to consider death penalty for deliberately causing accidents as violent clashes between the demonstrators and police continued to cripple normal life here. The protests sparked last week after two teenage students --a boy and a girl - were killed when two buses racing to pick passengers, a common occurrence in the city, hit them and wounded several others. One of the bus drivers fled the scene, although both were later arrested. Police today lobbed tear shells, used water cannons and charged batons to disperse a procession brought out by the Dhaka University students demanding safe roads and protesting the ongoing attacks on students, The Daily Star reported. The government rushed the new draft of the Road Transport Act 2018 to the Cabinet amidst pressure from student protests for safe roads and an unannounced strike by bus operators in response to the ...
Thousands evacuated in Japan due to torrential rains
Thousands of people were evacuated from Japan's Yamagata prefecture on Monday following torrential rains.
Manufacturing, selling non-ISI helmets now a criminal offence
As per the recent notification issued by the Road Transport and Highway Ministry on August 2nd, manufacture, storage and sale of non-Indian standard (NON-ISI) helmets for two-wheelers will lead to arrest without warrant.While for first offence the penalty would amount to two years jail or fine of at least Rs. 2 lakh, subsequent offences would attract a higher fine. This will be applicable from next 60 days.Rajeev Kapur, President, Two Wheeler Helmet Manufacturers Association and MD of Asia's largest Helmet manufacturer, Steelbird said, "This move is highly appreciated by the government and this decision would act as a masterstroke and help in doing away with sale, manufacture, storage and use of NON-ISI marked helmets.""Selling NON-ISI marked helmets is equivalent to selling fake medicine. And just as fake medicines are harmful and poisonous so are fake helmets. This decision by the policymakers has a larger and deeper implication. Even the leading international brands who were ...
Maha bus accident: Cops to question lone survivor
Police will question the lone survivor of the July 28 bus accident in Maharashtra's Raigad district, in which 30 people were killed, but "not as an accused", a senior official said today. Thirty out of 31 passengers in a bus, all staff of the Dr Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapith in Dapoli, were killed on July 28 after the vehicle plunged into a 500-foot deep gorge near Ambenali Ghat on the Poladpur-Mahabaleshwar road, about 180 kilometres from here. Prakash Sawant-Desai was the only passenger who survived the accident after he managed to hold on to the branches of trees when the bus plunged into the gorge. "Since he is the only witness, we are going to question him in connection with the incident, but not as an accused," Superintendent of Police, Raigad, Anil Paraskar, said today. The SP added that Sawant-Desai would be questioned to ascertain the cause of the accident and the chain of events that may have led to it. While there are reports that a relative of one
Indian Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrims remain stranded in Nepal for 2nd day
Around 175 Indians on their way back home after the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage in Tibet remained stranded in Nepal's Humla district for the second day today as commercial flights could not operate due to bad weather, the Indian Embassy here said. The situation, however, is under control and all the pilgrims will be evacuated as soon as the weather clears up, said Indian Embassy spokesperson Roshan Lepcha. The embassy yesterday had estimated that there were around 200 pilgrims stuck in Humla's Simikot due to bad weather. Heavy rains in central and western Nepal for the past three days have forced domestic airlines to suspend their regular flights. There is basic lodging and fooding facilities for round 500 tourists in Simikot area. In case of emergency, the Indian Embassy could safely evacuate the stranded pilgrims, sources said. Last month, more than 1,500 Indians were stranded at various places in Nepal on their way to Kailash Mansarovar and back. Following the incident, the ...
6 die, 4000 families evacuated in rain-hit Nagaland since July
At least six people have died and 4000 families have been evacuated to safer places following torrential rain and flashflood across Nagaland since last month, a top government official said here today. The road connectivity has been badly affected in Kiphire district bordering Myanmar which has been totally cut off from all sides, while the IAF has been airdropping food in the affected areas including Kiphire. At least six lives have been lost in Kohima and Zunheboto districts since July and food and relief materials were being dropped at various places in the state, Chief Secretary Temjen Toy told reporters here. "We have made successful droppings of rations at Tening. But we were unsuccessful at Kiphire, Tobu and some others places because of bad weather," Toy said replying to a question that several affected families did not have enough food. Tening is located in the southern most district of Peren while Tobu is in the northern district of Mon. Around 400 villages ...
'Debris of 30m pile up at originating point of Ganga'
Debris of 30 metre have piled up at the mouth of the Ganga, but there has been no significant change in the course of the river, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. Minister of State for Water Resources Satya Pal Singh in a written reply said the debris have been observed based on information from the National Remote Sensing Centre and the National Technical Research Organisation. He was responding to a question on whether the government was aware of the debris collection in the Gomukh area (the river mouth) due to heavy rains and overflow of the Neel Taal. "...debris pile-up of about 30 m was observed at the mouth of the glacier. No significant changes in course of the river Ganga near Gomukh have been observed except that the river started to flow from right side of the Gangotri glacier snout," the minister said. He also informed that no permanent obstacle in the flow of the river water has been observed. Singh said that the survey of the affected area and remedial action would be ..
Greek fire death toll rises to 91: officials
A 95-year-old woman injured in Greece's deadliest fire last month died today, raising the death toll to 91, state agency ANA reported. The woman succumbed to burn injuries hours after the government, widely criticised for its response to the emergency, replaced the heads of the police and fire brigade. The minister responsible for the police and state security also quit last week. Another 36 people are still hospitalised after the July 23 disaster, six of them in critical condition. Opposition parties have accused the government of failing to provide adequate warning and evacuate the coastal resort of Mati which had been frequently hit by wildfires, in addition to subsequently trying to hide the scale of the loss of human life as the disaster unfolded. The fires burned with such ferocity that most people fled to the sea with just the clothes on their backs. In the days that followed, the firefighters and police issued conflicting announcements over what went wrong. One police union ..
Chrissy Teigen live-tweets about earthquake during Bali vacation
Supermodel Chrissy Teigen live tweeted during the powerful earthquake that also shook the island of Bali in Indonesia. A powerful quake on the island of Lombok has killed 91 and left hundreds wounded, with thousands of buildings damaged. The seven-magnitude tremor was also felt on Bali, which is roughly 80 kilometers away. Teigen, 32, is currently holidaying with her husband John Legend, 39, and their two children -- Luna, 2, and Miles, two months, -- in Bali since last week. "Oh my god," read her first tweet, which she followed up with another, saying, "Bali. Trembling. So long." "Oh man. We are on stilts. It felt like a ride. 15 solid seconds of 'holy s**t this is happening," Teigen said. She later tweeted about numerous aftershocks which left her "trembling". Hours later, the supermodel once again tweeted that she is safe. "Another aftershock just now. Probably the 8th one we have felt since the big one last night. We are safe, up high and nothing around us. Thinking about ...
Riyadh runway excursion: License of 2 pilots suspended
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended license of two pilots involved in runway excursion incident at Saudi Arabia's Riyadh pending investigation.The pilots of the Jet Airways mistook a taxiway for a runway, leading to the skidding of the aircraft onto an unpaved area at Riyadh airport following an aborted take-off on August 3.Saudi Arabia's Aviation Investigation Bureau (AIB) issued a statement saying, "The aircraft accelerated with full take-off power and exceeded the taxiway onto an unpaved area ending up close to the exit of taxiway (G4) north of taxiway (K). Visibility was high and no obstacles or foreign objects were found on the taxiway."It added that fire and rescue teams were rushed to the spot who carried out an emergency evacuation of all passengers and crew. Nobody suffered injuries.The statement further said that the AIB was conducting a safety investigation of the incident with the participation of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau of ...
Five killed as small plane crashes in mall parking in California
A small plane crashed in the parking lot of a mall in the US state of California, killing all five people on board, the authorities said. The twin-engine Cessna plane was en route to John Wayne Airport when the pilot declared an emergency and crashed around 12:30 pm local time in Santa Ana yesterday, near the South Coast Plaza shopping mall, CNN reported. The plane crashed just a block away from the mall. There were no injuries on the ground. The plane hit an unoccupied, parked vehicle on the ground, but the owner was in a store at the time of the crash, said Tony Bommarito, the public information officer with Orange County Fire Authority. Family members identified one of the victims as Nasim Ghanadan, who was a realtor from the East Bay and on the flight for work. They said she was 29 years old. The identities of other victims were not immediately available. Emma Gonzales, who works at the Buffalo Wild Wings in the mall, said she felt the building shake. "You just felt the ground ...
Student protesters clash with police in Dhaka
Student protesters who are demanding safer roads and stricter traffic regulations in Bangladesh, clashed with the police here on Monday outside the East West University.