Page 613 - Disaster Accident
Yamuna flowing below danger mark in Mathura
The administration of Uttar Pradesh's Mathura district has asked people not to panic as the Yamuna river was flowing below the danger mark today. District Magistrate Sarvagya Ram Mishra said there was nothing to panic as the rising water level of Yamuna, owing to the discharge of more than three lakh cusec of water from Hathnikund barrage last Saturday, was gradual. Mishra reviewed the arrangements in Mathura, Vrindavan and other low-lying areas, along with the senior superintendent of police (SSP). Twenty-three flood-relief camps, 33 flood outposts and 148 boats have been requisitioned and kept on stand-by, Mishra said. Public announcements have been made to the people living in the the low-lying areas to go to safer place. Police have been instructed to evacuate them to flood outposts or any alternate place if the situation turns worse, the DM said, adding that the people had been advised to contact the control room for any help. Meanwhile, Additional District Magistrate Ravindra ...
Amit Shah congratulates disaster response services for rescuing Bihar girl from borewell
BJP chief Amit Shah today congratulated disaster response services in Bihar for pulling out a girl from a borewell in Munger. In a tweet, he said the NDRF and state disaster response force personnel worked tirelessly for hours to pull her out. He also wished well for the 3-year-old girl who had fallen down a 165 ft deep borewell yesterday. She was rescued after a 30-hours operation tonight.
Nagaland CM seeks Central aid
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him for immediate interim Central assistance and intervention to rescue the state from a crisis-like situation in the wake of the widespread natural calamities.
Myanmar says 12 dead, 132,000 forced from homes by floods
Flooding in Myanmar has killed 12 people and forced more than 132,000 others to take shelter at nearly 300 temporary camps, a report said today. The state newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar cited the National Natural Disaster Management Committee as saying the highest death toll was in Bago region north of Yangon, where four people died and more than 94,000 others took refuge in 186 camps. It said torrential rains and strong winds destroyed some bridges and forced people to flee their homes in low-lying areas. Roads were cut by flooding in some areas, although a major highway that had been blocked for several days was reopened yesterday as the floodwaters receded, it said. In an interview with the newspaper, Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Win Myat Aye said there were not enough relief camps, resulting in overcrowding and problems with sanitation. He said people would have to stay in the camps for a week to 10 days. His ministry has spent more than 554 million .
14 more die in rain-related incidents in UP, toll rises to 148
Fourteen people were killed and seven others injured in rain-related incidents in different parts of Uttar Pradesh in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 148 in the last one month, official sources said today. According to reports, two people were killed each in Farukhabad and Bahraich while one each in Kheri, Raebareli, Lucknow, Kanpur Dehat, Barabanki, Sitpaur and Sultanpur. In the last one week, 106 people died and 100 others were injured in rain-related incidents in the state, officials said. Most of the deaths occurred due to wall and house collapse, uprooting of trees, electrocution and caving in of land, they said. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed senior officials of all the districts to alert people and asked them to undertake extensive tours of the affected areas and identify dilapidated buildings and get them vacated, a government spokesperson said here. He also directed the officials to provide immediate financial and medical assistance to people severely
DR Congo announces fresh Ebola outbreak
DR Congo today reported an outbreak of Ebola in its conflict-torn east, killing 20 people, barely a week after it declared the end to an epidemic in the northwest of the vast country. The eastern province of North Kivu notified the health ministry of "26 cases of fever with haemorrhagic indications, of which 20 were fatal," Health Minister Oly Ilunga Kalenga said in a statement. The outbreak has occurred in the Beni region of North Kivu -- the stronghold of a notorious Ugandan-linked Islamist militia called the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). "At this point, there is no indication that these two epidemics, which are more than 2,500 kilometres apart, are connected," he said. Six samples taken from hospitalised patients arrived in Kinshasa yesterday for analysis by the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB), he said. Of the six, four tested positive for Ebola virus disease. Twelve health ministry experts will arrive in Beni tomorrow, Ilunga added. On July 24, Ilunga himself ...
Advance landslide warning system for Sikkim
Sikkim will soon have an advance warning system against landslides that would enable authorities to safely evacuate people before disaster strikes, experts said here on Wednesday.
Some auctioned coal mines facing development delays: Goyal
The government today said issues like delays in land acquisition, court cases and financial distress of the companies who were allotted coal blocks have impacted development plans of some of the 84 mines that were auctioned. So far, a total of 84 coal mines have auctioned and allotted and the allottees are required to develop the mines as per the milestones prescribed in the agreement. "However, issues like financial distress of the allottee companies, delay in land acquisition, court cases etc have impact on the schedule of operationalisation/development of some of the mines," Coal minister Piyush Goyal said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha. The minister said that in order to remove these bottlenecks and facilitate the development of coal mines, regular follow up with the concerned stakeholders is being done. Out of the 33 mines scheduled for operationalisation as per the agreement up to 2017-18, 19 blocks have mine opening permission, the minister said. The minister further said .
Two more die in Assam flood; toll rises to 38 this year
The flood condition in Assam worsened today with two more persons losing their lives, while nearly 60,000 people are affected by the deluge across five districts. According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one person each died in Dhemaji and Golaghat districts in the flood related incidents. With this, the total number of persons losing their lives in the flood this year across different parts of the state rose to 38, including three in landslides. ASDMA said over 58,600 people are affected at present in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Golaghat, Sivasagar and Charaideo districts. Till yesterday, over 47,800 people were affected at in three districts across the state. As per the report today, Golaghat is the worst affected with over 24,000 sufferers, followed by Sivasagar with almost 17,500 people affected in the deluge. Currently, 168 villages are under water and 3,139 hectares of crop areas have been damaged, ASDMA said. ASDMA said authorities are running 47 ...
16 injured in bus-car collision
Sixteen persons were injured ina collision involving a private bus and a car near here today, police said. Of the injured, the condition of the car driver was stated to be critical, while others were out of danger, they said. The accident occurred when the bus, which was proceeding to the city from B C Road, overturned after its tyre got punctured. The bus hit the divider first and collided withthe car, police said. All the injured have been hospitalised.
Students blockade Dhaka roads after bus deaths
Thousands of school students brought parts of the Bangladesh capital to a near-standstill today, blockading roads to demand action after two teenagers were killed by a speeding bus. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan appealed to the students to end their protests to avoid a repeat of police baton charges against the blockades late yesterday. Dhaka suffers from daily gridlock but this has been heightened by more than 10 blockades set up across the city since Sunday. Students mostly aged 13 to 15 have taken to the streets demanding the resignation of a government minister for his comments as well as action to make roads safer. Authorities say more than 300 vehicles have been vandalised since the protests started. Anger erupted after one of two buses racing for passengers killed a boy and a girl waiting at the roadside on Sunday. Asaduzzaman Khan on Wednesday promised that the government would launch a public transport safety campaign. "We request you to withdraw the blockades and return to .
Aeromexico crash: Stronger planes can mean fewer fatalities
Passengers in plane crashes like Tuesday's Aeromexico accident in which no one died have better chances of survival due to better aircraft construction and safety standards, experts say. Air safety investigator Adrian Young, from the Netherlands-based consultancy To70, says that crash survival rates "are higher than they have ever been" in part because "airplanes are stronger than ever." People are now less likely to be trapped by collapsed seats and floors, especially if the plane comes to rest more or less level and the accident occurs on flat ground, as in the crash in northern Mexico. He told The Associated Press it was too early to speculate about the cause. Other improvements in recent decades include interior materials that burn more slowly and don't give off poisonous gases, and better airport construction that eliminates obstacles near runways. Young cautioned as well that "good fortune is crucial in any accident." Authorities said there were no fatalities among the 97 ...
U'khand CM reviews situation in disaster-sensitive districts
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat today reviewed the situation in the disaster-sensitive districts of the state and asked officials to disburse compensation among the affected people without delay. Rawat, who took stock of disbursement of compensation among the affected people in Uttarkashi, Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar, Champawat, Pithoragarh, Tehri and Pauri districts, asked officials through video conferencing to remain alert and act in case of a disaster in minimum response time. The chief minister also instructed the officials to ensure smooth flow of traffic and regular supply of drinking water and power besides keeping an eye on health facilities in the affected districts. Rawat asked the principal secretary (food) to increase the quota of kerosene per person in view of rain. He also said supply of food items should be in abundance in food warehouses. He expressed satisfaction that the remote Jauljivi-Madkot-Munsiyari motorway, which was blocked by rubble from
Does Maha govt intend to act against MII event organisers for fire, asks HC
The Bombay High Court today asked the Maharashtra government if it plans to take action against the organisers and contractors of the 2016 'Make in India' investment meet at the Girgaum beach here, where a massive fire had caused considerable damage. The blaze had engulfed the stage at the cultural event at Girgaum Chowpatty seafront where a string of film celebrities and political leaders were present as part of the high-profile investment meet. In an order in June this year, the high court had held that the function caused considerable destruction and damage to the Girgaum Chowpatty beach. A division bench of justices A S Oka and Riyaz Chagla today noted that according to the report of the Chief Fire Officer, the Fire Brigade department, combustible material was placed near the stage which resulted in the blaze. "In view of this report, we want to know from the state government if it proposes to initiate action against the organisers and contractors of the function. The government ..
20 families rendered homeless in Arunachal fire
At least 20 families were rendered homeless and 35 shops were reduced to ashes in a fire which broke out Roing township in Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh, officials in the district said today. However, no casualty has been reported. The fire was spotted at around 8.15 pm yesterday at Middle Market Line and at least five fire tenders fought for several hours to douse the flame, the sources said. Altogether 51 members of 11 such families were given shelter at the government Circuit House and the Anchal Samiti hall at Roing and food and relief materials provided to them. Immediate monetary relief as relief has been provided to all the families by the administration as per norms, the officials said. Chief Minister Pema Khandu expressed grief and concern over the fire incident.
Fire breaks out at Delhi cold storage
A major fire broke out in a cold storage near a crowded North Delhi industrial area on Wednesday, a Fire Services official said.
Sikkim gets IoT based real-time landslide warning system
Internet of Things (IoT) based realtime landslide warning system has been installed in Sikkim, the first of its kind in the Himalayan region by Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (AVV) University, a AVV director said here today. The system has been installed under the aegis of the Ministry of Earth Sciences at a cost of Rs 5 crore, director of the Centre of Wireless Networks and Application of the institute, Maneesha Sudheer said. "The data has started flowing in from the project site to the control room. There are 200 sensors that goes as deep as 13 metres underground and reading of the various data for analysis getting transmitted. It is almost three years since we started the journey," she said. To improve the systems reliability and enhance the early warning duration a three-level Landslide Early Warning Model has been developed, she said. The project was given to AVV University after it sucessfully deployed and managed similar IoT based landslide warning system in the ...
Bus overturns in Thane district; 40 hurt
Around 30-40 passengers were injured today when a state transport bus they were travelling in overturned in Saphala in Thane district, police said. The bus was headed towards Saphala village from Tembikhoda village, they said. The incident occurred when the driver of the bus lost control over the vehicle while trying to avoid collision with a vehicle coming from opposite direction, police said. In the process, the bus skidded off the road and overturned, police said. Around 60 passengers were travelling in the bus at the time of the accident. The injured persons were treated at a local public health centre (PHC), police said. A case has been registered against the bus driver under various sections of the IPC and the Motor Vehicles Act.
14 more deaths in UP rains, toll rises to 106
Fourteen people were killed and seven others injured in rain-related incidents in different parts of Uttar Pradesh in 24 hours, raising the death toll to 106 since the last week, official sources said today. According to reports, two people were killed each in Farukhabad and Bahraich while one each in Kheri, Raebareli, Lucknow, Kanpur Dehat, Barabanki, Sitpaur and Sultanpur. "The toll since the last week in such incidents has reached 106 while the total number of those injured is over 100," they said. Over 80 cattle lost their lives and more than 600 houses were damaged in rain-related incidents. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed senior officials of all the districts to alert people and asked them to undertake extensive tours of the affected areas and identify dilapidated buildings and get them vacated, a government spokesperson said here. He also directed officials to provide immediate financial and medical assistance to people severely affected by rains. Meanwhile, an ...
Fire breaks out at cold storage in Delhi
A fire broke out today at a red chilies cold storage unit in northwest Delhi's Keshav Puram, a senior officer of the Delhi Fire Service said. A call about the blaze was received at 11:50 am and 30 fire tenders were rushed to the cold storage located in Lawrence Road. The officer said it is a medium category fire and the operation to douse the blaze is still underway. The chili fumes are hampering the fire fighting operation, he added. Some passersby have also complained of eye irritation due to the fumes.