Page 628 - Disaster Accident
Villager washed away in flash floods, another rescued
A villager was washed away and another rescued in flash floods Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district today. The duo were crossing a river in Ramnagar area when sudden flash floods washed them away. While one was rescued by locals, another was washed away, officials said. In Kathua district, a house was damaged in flash floods in Hatli belt, the officials said, adding that there was no human loss of life.
CSE says GM-contaminated food products being sold illegally
A significant share of food products, including that for newborns, available in markets is contaminated with Genetically Modified (GM) ingredients and is being sold illegally, reveals a report published by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on Thursday.
3 minors die in wall-collapse incidents
Three children died in separate incidents of wall collapse due to rain in Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri district today, police said. Two children -- Nisha (9) and Navneet (8) -- were killed and a nine-year-old girl was injured when a wall collapsed as they were passing through the area in Dostpur village of Karhal area, 230 km from Lucknow, a police official said. Another eight-year-old girl was killed when the wall of a house came down in Kusmara town, the official added. District Magistrate Prabhat Kumar said the incidents occurred due to rains.
Alappuzha, Kottayam dists to be declared flood-hit
Alappuzha and Kottayam, the worst hit in the recent south west monsoon rains in Kerala, will soon be declared flood-hit districts, officials said today. A decision in this regard was taken by the state disaster management authority, an official release said. Once a notification is issued, farmers in the two districts will be able to claim insurance for crop loss, according to the release. In Alappuzha district, Rs 2.44 crore has been sanctioned by the authority, of which Rs 1.69 crore has to be used for reconstruction of bunds and to prevent floods, it said. The authority has allocated Rs 35 lakh for undertaking repairs on the Alappuzha Changanassery (AC) road passing through Kottayam-Alappuzha districts. The Chief Minister's office dismissed as 'baseless' reports that discrimination had been shown in the allotment of funds to some districts, which suffered loss in the rains. In Alappuzha district, 12 people have lost their lives since the onset of the monsoon on May ...
Rains disrupt life, rivers in spate in N India (Roundup)
Most of north India on Thursday witnessed heavy rains which brought some relief from humidity, but sent water levels to dangerous levels in many rivers. The downpour also led to water-logging, causing trouble for commuters.
Life disrupted in rain battered UP
A state of high alert has been sounded in Uttar Pradesh following heavy downpours in many parts of the state since Thursday morning, an official said. The rain led to inundation in many areas with the water rising in major rivers.
Vedanta Africa base metals halts work at Zambia mine after miner killed
LUSAKA (Reuters) - Vedanta Resources Plc's Zambian unit said on Thursday work at its Konkola Copper Mine underground copper shaft 4 was halted after one miner was killed in an accident to allow for investigations into the incident, the company said.
Death toll from IS attacks in Syria rises to 302
The total number of people killed in yesterday's attacks by the Islamic State terror organization in the Syrian city of Sweida rose to 302 on Thursday, a UK-based war monitor reported.
NASA to name crew of first Boeing, SpaceX flights on August 3
NASA is set to announce the names of the astronauts assigned to the new commercial crew capsules from Boeing and SpaceX, early next month.
Three dead, two injured as car falls into gorge in Shimla
Three people were killed and two severely injured when a car they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Chopal town of Shimla district today, police said. The victims were on their way to Nerwa from Shimla when their car fell into a 500-feet deep gorge near the Dhabas area, they added. The deceased were identified as Ramesh (55), of Ghunsa village in Chopal tehsil, driver Surendra (32) and Anant Ram (52), of Dhartua village in Nerwa tehsil, officials said. Chet Ram (56) and Ramesh Chand (28), of Thachli village in Nerwa tehsil, sustained severe injuries in the accident. They were rushed to the Civil Hospital in Chopal from where they were referred to the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC) in Shimla, they added.
4 dead, dozens injured in fire at Tokyo construction site
A fire broke out at an office building under construction in Tokyo's western suburbs today, killing at least four people and injuring about 40 others, many seriously, authorities said. Another person was feared trapped inside the building. More than 70 ambulances and fire engines were sent to the site. Fire officials said more than 20 people were seriously injured, including some with burns to their respiratory tracts. Tokyo metropolitan police said four people were confirmed dead. The three-story building in Tama city, which also has three underground floors, was near completion. About 300 workers were at the site at the time of the fire. Television video showed dozens of people in khaki work clothes and helmets taking refuge in a nearby parking lot. Rescue workers were searching for one person who might be trapped in the building. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage were being investigated, the fire department said. Kyodo News service said the fire was believed to ...
Army rescues 150 passengers stranded on Mughal road in Poonch
The Army has rescued 150 passengers travelling in over 40 vehicles, which got stranded due to multiple landslides on Mughal Road in Poonch district, a Defence spokesman said here today. The traffic on Mughal Road was disrupted for five hours due to multiple landslides because of continuous heavy rains, causing severe blockades at several locations last night, the spokesman said. "No injuries or damage of any kind was reported. Army also provided tea and refreshments to the stranded people. After dedicated efforts, the traffic resumed on the Mughal road by midnight", he said. The Army unit deployed for the protection of the Mughal Road, connecting Jammu region with the Kashmir Valley, immediately sprung into action and with the determined operation could clear the road for the traffic, the spokesman said. The passengers came shoulder to shoulder with the soldiers to remove boulders from the road amidst the heavy rains, he said. The efforts of the Army were very much appreciated by the .
Two jailed for rigging Hong Kong-China bridge tests
Two technicians charged with rigging tests on concrete used to build a multi-billion-dollar bridge connecting Hong Kong with China and Macau have been jailed for 22 and 32 months respectively, reports said today. Billed as the world's longest sea bridge, the project has been touted as an engineering wonder by its supporters but slammed as a "white elephant" by its critics. Officials say it will boost business and cut travel time, but opponents in Hong Kong see it as another attempt by Beijing to tighten its grip on the semi-autonomous city. There have also been safety concerns - multiple workers have been killed in construction-related accidents and 19 lab workers were charged last year over faking concrete test reports, with one man jailed for eight months last December. Senior lab technician and supervisor Mak Pui-shing was sentenced to 32 months in prison today, while former assistant Kwong Fu-yin was jailed for 22 months, local media reports said. The court was told earlier that ..
21 incidents of aircraft engine damage in 2017: Govt
There were 21 incidents of damage to aircraft engines during flights in 2017 and the figure is also the highest in the last four years, according to official data. A total of 59 such incidents were reported in the last four years starting from 2014, according to the data provided by the Civil Aviation Ministry to the Lok Sabha. The number of incidents of damage to aircraft engines was 14 in 2014 and 12 each in 2015 and 2016. Last year, the count rose to 21. "During these incidents there was no consequential damage to aircraft structure," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha said in a written reply. He was responding to a query about the total number of passenger jets to have suffered mid-flight engine damage or technical difficulties while flying during the last four years. "The occurrences of engine damage during flight are investigated by the DGCA. Based on the findings of the investigation, corrective actions are taken to avoid the recurrences," the minister said. He ..
2 dead, dozens injured in fire at Tokyo construction site
A fire broke out at an office building under construction in Tokyo's western suburbs today, killing at least two people and injuring about 40 others, many seriously, authorities said. Others were feared trapped inside the building. More than 70 ambulances and fire engines were sent to the site. Fire officials said more than 20 people were seriously injured, including some with burns to their respiratory tracts. Tokyo metropolitan police said two people were officially confirmed dead and two others showed no vital signs. The three-story building in Tama city, which also has three underground floors, was near completion. About 300 workers were at the site at the time of the fire. Television video showed dozens of people in khaki work clothes and helmets taking refuge in a nearby parking lot. Rescue workers were searching for others who might be trapped in the building. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage were being investigated, the fire department said. Kyodo News ...
At least 18 injured in fire at Tokyo construction site
Officials say a fire has broken out at an office building under construction in Tokyo's western suburbs, injuring at least 18 people, many seriously, and that others may still be trapped. The Tokyo Fire Department said several of the injured were without vital signs. The fire broke out Thursday afternoon at the three-story building being constructed in Tama city. Rescue workers are searching for the others who may be trapped in the building. More than 70 ambulances and fire engines were sent to the site. The cause of the fire and the extent of damage are being investigated.
Two pilots killed in Vietnam military plane crash
Two pilots were killed in Vietnam today when their training jet crashed into thick jungle in heavy rains, police told AFP from the central mountainous region where the accident occurred. The pilots were on a training drill when their aircraft crashed around midday in Nghe An province, a local police officer told AFP. "The two pilots were killed," the officer said, refusing to be named. He added that bad weather was hampering efforts to recover the victims' remains. Images on state media showed a large plume of smoke rising from dense mountain jungles where the plane -- a Russian-made Sukhoi SU-22 that belonged to Vietnam's Air Defence Force -- went down. Though Vietnam has a strong civil aviation record, military aircraft accidents are relatively common. It has seen a series of deadly accidents in recent years, with 14 people killed in four separate military crashes in 2016. Nineteen were killed in similar accidents in 2014. The communist country buys most of its military equipment ..
Elderly man drowns in Lohawati river
A 65-year-old man drowned and another went missing while crossing the Lohawati river in Lohaghat area of Uttarakhand's Champawat district, officials said today. The incident took place last evening when the two men were crossing the river, the state emergency operation centre said. The body of Nar Ram, a resident of Madachmar village near Lohaghat, was found, it said, adding that Nathuram, a resident of Ramaila village near Champawat, was still missing.
Every district in Haryana to get 100 traffic home guards: DGP
Haryana Director General of Police B S Sandhu today said that every district would soon get 100 traffic home guards exclusively for management of traffic in the state. It will further help in improving road and traffic safety in the state, he said. Sandhu was speaking after releasing a book on road safety titled 'Yatayaat Prahari' compiled by Haryana Traffic Police at Police Headquarters here. He said that the state government had permitted to engage about 2100 home guards for ensuring efficient traffic management in the state. All these would join their duties before the Independence Day, the DGP said, adding the move will boost the traffic cops strength across the state. Describing road safety as the "backbone of an efficient and safe traffic management system", Sandhu said that Haryana Police is continuously trying to improve the traffic situation by reducing the incidents of road accidents in the state. The government had recently sanctioned Rs 9 crore under the Road Safety Fund ..
Act agnst owners of plane which crashed in Mumbai: BJP MP
A BJP member in the Lok Sabha today demanded action against the owners of a private jet that crashed in Mumbai last month, killing five people including two pilots. Four crew members including two pilots and a pedestrian had lost their lives in the June 27 mishap when the 12-seater plane crashed into an under-construction building in the Ghatkopar area of Mumbai. Raising the matter during the Zero Hour, Kirit Somaiya alleged that the aircraft was 10 years old. He also alleged that Prabhat Kathuria, husband of co- pilot Marya Zuberi who died in the crash, is running from pillar to post for justice. He said the owner of the company is a powerful person and that is why no FIR has been registered so far. "No action has been taken against the guilty so far. I demand justice for her (Marya's) husband," he added. Yesterday, Kathuria met Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu today, who assured him of a fair investigation into the incident. In a statement issued last month, ...