Page 688 - Disaster Accident
Heavy rains forecast in Uttarakhand till Saturday
A heavy rain alert was issued on Wednesday in Uttarakhand for the next 72-hours till Saturday by the Regional Met Office that warned of very heavy showers specifically in the Kumaon region.
Rs 340.4 crore flood relief released for Assam
Dr Jitendra Singh said, heavy rainfall and flood has virtually become a regular annual feature in Assam, but, this year, we are faced with early rains and early flood. Nevertheless, he complimented the State Government for their prompt response in timely undertaking all the required measures which helped in containing further loss to life and property.
Five killed as vehicle falls in gorge near in HP
Five people were killed when their vehicle fell in a gorge near Batnaal, 10 kilometres from Narkanda in Shimla district tonight, the police said. Shimla Superintendent of Police Omapati Jamwal confirmed the five deaths in the accident and said that a police team has reached the spot of the incident. Fire service officials from Kumarsain was also called to the spot to assist in the rescue operation, the officer said. Further details are awaited.
Seven killed in lightning strikes in Jharkhand
Two girls were killed in a lightning strike in Jharkhand's Palmau district today, taking the toll in similar incidents in the state since yesterday to seven, the police said. The two girls, aged around 16 years, had taken shelter under a mango tree in Baghola village after rains started. They died instantly after a lightning strike, they said. Official sources said compensation according to government provisions would be provided to victims' family after formalities are completed. Five people, including four boys, were killed while a girl sustained severe burn injuries due to lightning strikes in Bokaro and Lohardaga districts yesterday, the police said. The boys had taken shelter in a house at Alkusha village of Bokaro district, which was struck by lightning during rain and thunderstorm. They were rushed to a hospital in Bokaro where doctors declared them dead. A girl sustained severe burn injuries when she was struck by lightning at Jara village in the district. She suffered 65 per .
Poor sanitation: Angry passengers hold up train for an hour; get toilets, coaches cleaned
Around 100 passengers held up the Mumbai-Katra Swaraj Superfast Express at the Ambala Cantt railway station for nearly an hour as they were angry over unclean coaches and dirty toilets in the train. Most of the protesting passengers were travelling in AC coaches. They forced the train to halt at the platform for one hour, according to officials. Someone pulled the emergency chain of the train when it began leaving the station. The passengers then gathered at the platform and raised slogans against Railway authorities and threatened they would not allow the train to move till the coaches were cleaned. They claimed the toilets of some compartments were dirty and not working properly, while some of coaches had not been cleaned properly. Passengers alleged they had complained to the ticket checker who did not help. Station Director B S Gill and railway police rushed to the spot and tried to persuade the irate passengers who remained steadfast on their demand. The officials then summoned a
Flood situation in Assam improves further; death toll rises to 28
The overall flood situation in Assam improved further today with all the major rivers in the state flowing below the danger level, even as two more persons lost their lives, taking the death toll in flood-related incidents to 28. Heavy and incessant rainfall in Kokrajhar district led to the death of two persons in Dotma, according to a report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA). The flood waters inundated vast tracts of land in Charaideo district in upper Assam, the report said, adding that six districts were hit by the current wave of floods. A total of 71,058 people were still reeling under the impact of the flood, as against the 96,993 people yesterday, the report said. The worst-hit district was Karimganj, where 43,995 people were still affected, while the other districts affected by the deluge were Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Charaideo, Cachar and Hailakandi, it said. There were 7,103 people who had taken shelter in 53 relief camps, as compared to the 22,200 people ..
Nylon blankets to replace woolen ones in AC coaches, to be washed twice a month
Superior quality nylon blankets will replace woolen blankets in air-conditioned coaches of trains, an order from the Railway Board has said, instructing zones to wash them twice a month instead of once every two months. According to the revised specifications issued by the Railway Board, the blankets which are provided to passengers in AC coaches should be clean and free of grease, soap, filling or any other admixture which would give them fictitious mass or firmness. The new blankets, each weighing 450 gm, will have 60 per cent wool and 15 per cent nylon. The Railway Board has specified soft blanket of superior quality" for AC coaches. At present, the blankets come in a smaller size, weigh 2.2 kgs and are used for four years. These blankets with revised specifications should be washed preferably twice a month subject to available capacity... In case of capacity constraints, washing should be done at least once a month. Life of the blankets with revised specifications and increased ...
WB guv criticises Cong fro Emergency
West Bengal governor K.N.Tripathi today criticised the Congress for the Emergency and said it was a calamity brought on the people of the country by those who claimed to be the "champions of democracy". The Emergency period was the "darkest" in post-independent India. "How one can stoop so low to fulfil the lust for power was shamelessly demonstrated in those days in the activities of the then ruling party at the Centre," Tripathi said in a press statement. "It was just not an Emergency. It was a calamity brought down on the people of India by none other than those who claimed to be champions of democracy. Patriots suffered during Emergency ... The entire country was practically turned into a jail. The Emergency saw thousands of innocent persons detained in jails for 19 months," he said without naming the Congress. "There is always a limit even to atrocities but this limit was crossed everyday during the Emergency. Many Congressmen were seen active in vindicating ...
Inculcate safety, professionalism: Air marshal to personnel
An air command annual aerospace council meeting held at the air force station at Sulur, near here, today held in-depth discussions and lectures on flight safety in the region. Speaking on the occasion, air officer commanding-in- chief, southern air command, air marshal Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria reiterated the need for all personnel to inculcate safety consciousness and professionalism. He urged them "to work towards reduction of incidents, identify areas that can lead to accidents and take preventive measures in time," an official press release said. Addressing the meeting, director-general (inspection and safety) Air Marshal S Harpal Singh exhorted the personnel to be vigilant in all flying operations and work towards reducing accidents. Among the other issues that were discussed were the human factor analysis and classification system and flight tracking system for enhancing safety in maritime operations, the release said. The meeting was a forum for exchange of ...
WCD examining women safety measures in taxi aggregators
The Ministry of Women and Child Development is examining different measures to curb crimes against women in taxis, an official said here on Tuesday.
2 pilots of Pakistan Air force killed in crash
Two pilots of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday were killed after their training aircraft crashed in the country's northwest city of Peshawar."Pakistan Air Force reports with regret that a PAF FT-7PG trainer aircraft while recovering from a routine operational training mission crashed during landing at Peshawar Air Base. Rescue operation is in progress," Geo TV reported, citing, the Pakistan air force, as saying.It is said to be believed that the plane crashed due to a technical glitch.A huge smoke rising from the airport premises could be seen.An emergency was declared at the airport after the incident. The fires were soon extinguished on the runway.
Five of a family die in Bengal road accident
Five persons, including a woman, of a family were killed in a road accident in West Bengal's Malda district on Tuesday, police said.
2 pilots killed as Pak Air Force jet crashes during training
Two Pakistan Air Force pilots were killed today when their training jet crashed at a Peshawar airbase during a routine mission, the second crash in recent weeks. The China-made FT-7PG training aircraft was on a routine operational training mission when it suffered the mishap, Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said in statement. Initially it was said there was no loss of life, but later PAF officials said the pilot and the co-pilot were killed in the accident. The cause of the crash was not immediately known and the air force has announced a probe to ascertain it. However, according to media reports, the plane crashed due to a technical fault. Smoke was seen rising from the vicinity of the Bacha Khan International Airport and an emergency was declared at the airport after the incident. PAF has suffered several crashes of its aircraft during training in the past. Earlier this month, a paramilitary soldier was killed when an army helicopter crash landed in suburbs of Quetta, capital of ...
15 dead in Vietnam flash floods, landslides
Flash floods and landslides killed 15 people in Vietnam's mountainous north, officials said today, after storms ravaged homes and wiped out crops and infrastructure. At least 12 people are still missing after the weekend floods, and hundreds of police and soldiers have been deployed to help clean-up efforts. Vietnam is frequently lashed by harsh weather in the rainy season between June and November. The latest storm hit several northern provinces, littering the area with piles of rubble and trees as residents scrambled to clean up their destroyed homes. "Three died when their houses collapsed in Ha Giang province, while 12 others were swept away by flash floods, landslides and collapsed houses in Lai Chau province," the national committee on disaster control said Tuesday. It said the storm caused $6.1 million in damage in the region. One fish farmer said she lost everything when floods swept through her property and destroyed her pond worth $300,000. "We are now deep in debt. All our
Pakistan military copter crashes, kills 2
Two Pakistan Air Force (PAF) pilots died on Tuesday when a trainer aircraft crashed during landing at the Peshawar Air Base, an official spokesperson said.
Heavy rains disrupt normal life in coastal Karnataka again
Heavy rains measuring upto 13 cm disrupted normal life again in coastal Karnataka districts of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada, after the incessant rains which lashed the region till last week took a break, the weather office said on Tuesday.
Train kills elephant in Uttarakhand
A female elephant was found dead in the Rajaji Tiger Reserve in Uttarakhand on Tuesday after being run over by a train, a forest official said.
TN Assembly resolution urges Centre to 'keep in abeyance' Dam Safety bill
The Tamil Nadu Assembly today adopted a "unanimous" resolution urging the Centre to "keep in abeyance" all efforts towards enacting the Dam Safety Bill 2018 and called for evolving a consensus on the matter with all states. A special government resolution moved by Chief Minister K Palaniswami in the state Assembly received the full support of the DMK-led opposition, even as the resolution highlighted possible "problems" that could crop up over the operation and maintenance of dams by Tamil Nadu located in other states. In his remarks before moving the resolution, Palaniswami recalled late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's opposition to earlier draft bills on the issue, and said the latest bill could affect operation and maintenance of dams including the Mullaperiyar located in neighbouring Kerala. The resolution moved by Palaniswami said the Dam Safety Bill 2018 had provisions that could "affect Tamil Nadu's rights" as well as impact the operation and maintenance of dams located in ...
Landslide kills 3 family members in Nepal
A huge landslide triggered by torrential rains in Nepal has killed three persons of a family, including a girl, police said today. The landslide hit Dhullu Banskot last night and swept away the home of the family while they were asleep. The bodies of the victims identified as 40-year-old Bishnu Bahadur Chhetri, his 30-year-old wife Bishnu Maya and their six-month-old daughter Sonia have been pulled out of the debris, police said. A cowshed near the house was swept away, they added. The landslide also caused damage to the Bahrakot Primary School at Bareng rural municipality. At least 36 people were killed in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall in several districts across Nepal in August last year.
Van slams into Amsterdam offices of Dutch daily paper
Dutch police are investigating after a van deliberately slammed into the headquarters of one of the Netherlands' top newspapers and media groups today, catching fire but not causing any injuries. "This morning about 4:00 am a delivery van was driven into the facade of a publishing house in Basisweg" in Amsterdam, police said in a tweet. The building houses the head office of De Telegraaf, a popular Dutch daily tabloid, which focuses on sports, crime and gossip around celebrities. The police said the act was believed to be intentional, but no-one was hurt and the driver had fled the scene. They have launched a manhunt and are appealing for information. The van burst into flames on impact, and fire services were swiftly called to the scene. Television images showed fire officers dousing huge flames leaping around the white van lodged in the building's glass-fronted facade. Dawn revealed the area had been completely charred and reduced to twisted metal, and the Telegraaf said it believed