Page 704 - Disaster Accident
Mizoram flood situation improves
The flood situation in Mizoram improved today with the water level of river Tlawng and Langkaih receding, officials said. Disaster Management and Rehabilitation department officials said though the water level of Tlawng and Langkaih river in Lunglei district has started receding but still 500 families were displaced and a number of houses still under the water. Meanwhile, Aizawl to Lunglei (via Thenzawl) road, was again blocked at Mualthuam village in Lunglei district a few hours after the PWD officials cleared the massive landslide near Ramlaitui last night.
Volcano music may help detect eruptions
A volcano in Ecuador with a deep cylindrical crater may be the largest musical instrument on Earth, producing unique sounds that could help scientists monitor eruptions, finds a study.The volcano's crater changed shape after a sequence of eruptions in 2015. The deep narrow crater forced air to reverberate against the crater walls when the volcano rumbled."It's the largest organ pipe you've ever come across," said Jeff Johnson, a volcanologist at Boise State University in Idaho.The new findings show the geometry of a volcano's crater that has a major impact on the sounds a volcano can ever produce.Johnson added, "Once you realize how a volcano sounds if there are changes to that sound, that leads us to think there are changes going on in the crater, and that causes us to pay attention."He further said the ongoing eruption of Kilauea in Hawaii could be a proving ground for studying how changes to a crater's shape influence the sounds it makes.The lava lake at Kilauea's summit drained as
6 killed as speeding bus falls on its side
Six persons were killed and over 20 others injured after a speeding bus fell on its side in West Midnapore district today, the police said. Nearly 50 tribal people hired a bus from Pirakata under Salbani police station area to visit a fair at Silda in the same district. The accident occurred near Jhitka when the driver lost control of the bus while negotiating a turn and it fell on its side killing six persons, police said. The injured people were being brought to the Midnapore Medical College and Hospital here.
Flood toll rises to seven in Manipur
The flood toll in Manipur climbed to seven today, with one more death reported from Imphal West district, official sources said. The intensity of rainfall decreased in the state capital this morning, but the situation was yet to improve in the valley districts of Thoubal, Imphal West and Bishnupur, they said. One fisherman drowned in a swollen river in Imphal West district yesterday, a report issued by the Relief and Disaster Management Department noted, adding that more than 1.89 people still remain "marooned" in the flood-hit areas of the state. The number of damaged houses across the state has increased to 22,624 yesterday from 12,500 on Thursday, necessitating the setting up of 48 new relief camps, it said. "The floodwaters in the heavily-inundated localities of the state capital have receded, facilitating movement of vehicles on the thoroughfares. However, water level in important rivers of Thoubal, Nambol, Imphal and Irilbung continues to flow above the danger ...
Flood situation improves in Tripura, CM calls for review meet
The overall flood situation has slightly improved in Tripura even as over 40,000 people continue to remain stranded in 189 relief camps across the state, official sources said here today. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who visited the worst-hit Kailashahar and Kumarghat subdivisions of Unakoti district yesterday, has called for a review meeting later today with heads of all line departments - PWD, Water Resources, Health and Family Welfare - Sankar Chakraborty, the deputy secretary of Revenue Department, said. The CM also asked the state officials to reach out to the marooned people with relief materials and medical aids at the earliest, Chakraborty said, adding that two IAF choppers have already been pressed into service to distribute food, water and medicines in "flood-battered" Kailashahar subdivision, where 21,000 people were rendered homeless. "The NDRF, Assam Rifles, Tripura State Rifles personnel are engaged in providing post-flood relief services and search is
Scotland's iconic art school gutted in major fire
One of Scotland's most iconic buildings Glasgow School of Art has been gutted in a major fire, nearly four years after it was partially destroyed by a smaller blaze. More than 120 firefighters and 20 fire engines sped to the scene to tackle the blaze spread to nearby buildings overnight. The building, designed by celebrated architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh in the heart of the city of Glasgow, went up in flames. No casualties have been reported, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said today. The blaze spread to nearby buildings, including the Campus nightclub and O2 ABC music venue, which suffered "extensive damage". All nearby properties in Glasgow city centre were evacuated as a precaution. Efforts to bring the fire under control are expected to be "prolonged", Deputy Chief Officer Iain Bushell said. He said in a statement: "This is an extremely challenging and complex incident, but the response and professionalism of our firefighters have been exceptional. "The fire has taken ..
Pb, Hry breathe easy as rain washes out dust; flight services resume
Rains in several parts of Punjab and Haryana including Chandigarh today cleared the blanket of dust haze which had covered the region for the past three days, even as flight operations that had been hit due to low visibility have resumed. Rains started past midnight and washed away the blanket of dust haze that had adversely affected normal life in the two states. While several places in Punjab and Haryana were lashed by rains, Chandigarh too received heavy downpour since early today bringing much-needed relief to residents from the dust haze and sultry weather. Mercury plummeted by several notches after rains, MeT Department officials said. Rain also brought cheers for paddy growers, readying their fields for transplanting paddy. Flight operations at the Chandigarh International Airport which had been adversely hit due to low visibility levels caused by dust haze, resumed today, airport officials said. Most of the flights had to be cancelled during the past two days due to low ...
6 killed in UP road accident
At least six persons were killed and eight others critically injured on Saturday when a speeding sand-laden truck rammed into a roadside slum in Uttar Pradesh, police said.
6 dead as soil-laden truck rams makeshift house in UP
A truck laden with soil rammed a makeshift house near Maharajpur on National Highway-2 this morning, killing six persons and injuring four others, the police said. The deceased have been identified as Kallu Qureshi (55), his son Waseem Qureshi (25), daughter-in-law, Yasmeen (23), daughter Shamimun (18) and grand daughters, Zarina (16) and Sohana (14). The accident took place when the truck driver lost control of the vehicle and hit the thatched house, Superintendent of Police (Rural) Pradyuman Singh said. According to eyewitness, the truck first hit the makeshift house and then crashed into a neighbouring house where the occupants were fast asleep. The injured have been admitted to the Kanshiram Trauma centre and Lala Lajpat Rai (LLR) hospital, where the condition of two persons is said to be critical, the police said. A case has been registered against the unidentified driver, they added.
Himachal gets partial relief from dust with rains
Himachal Pradesh on Saturday experienced intermittent rainfall, bringing some relief from haze and dust conditions that had reduced the visibility to less than 200 metres here, the weather bureau said, adding there is a possibility of widespread rains in the state.
Jaipur cop dies in race for promotion
A head constable of the Jaipur police died while competing in a race for promotion to the rank of assistant sub-inspector (ASI).The deceased policeman has been identified as Sushil.He collapsed on Friday during the run and was immediately rushed to SMS Hospital where doctors declared him dead.The run was organised near Jal Mahal area on Amer Road.
Major fire ravages Glasgow art school
Glasgow's world-renowned School of Art has been gutted by another huge blaze, four years after part of the building was destroyed by fire, a Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said.
Tourists raise over $11,000 for Guatemala volcano victims
Tourists from a Japanese cruise ship that docked in Guatemala this week have raised more than $11,000 for those affected by the eruption of the Fuego volcano in the Central American country.
Famed Glasgow art school ravaged by fire again
A large blaze ripped through an architecturally important building at the Glasgow School of Art, the second time in four years that fire has damaged the famed Scottish school. More than 60 firefighters were battling the blaze early today, and images posted on social media showed flames and smoke billowing from the roof of the Glasgow School of Art's Mackintosh Building. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she was heartbroken by the fire, tweeting: "This is clearly an extremely serious situation. My first thoughts tonight are for the safety of people - but my heart also breaks for Glasgow's beloved @GSofA." Fire ravaged the building in May 2014, and an expensive restoration project had been returning it to its former glory. The building was designed by artist and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and built between 1897 and 1909. "Devastated that a major fire has broken out at the Glasgow School of Art tonight," Shadow Scottish minister Paul Sweeney tweeted, calling the ...
More than 4 million eggs recalled in Poland
Poland's veterinary service recalled some 4.3 million eggs contaminated with an antibiotic, just days after Dutch eggs were pulled from supermarket shelves in Germany. Officials yesterday ordered the eggs, on sale in the domestic market, to be removed following an inspection. "The recall is caused by the presence of residues of the antibiotic lasalocid at a rate exceeding its maximum allowed value," a statement said. The head of the Polish veterinary service Pawel Niemczuk said the drug was added "erroneously" to the feed given to laying hens on a farm near Poznan. "The feed for fattening chickens (which legally uses the antibiotic) was mistakenly given to laying hens," he told the Polish news agency PAP. On Tuesday, German authorities pulled around 73,000 Dutch eggs from supermarket shelves after they were found to be contaminated with fipronil, the same insecticide that sparked a huge food scare last year. The agriculture ministry of Lower Saxony said the batch of tainted eggs had ..
Naval specialist team to drop anchor of container ship on fire
A Naval specialist team will be dispatched tomorrow to drop the anchor of a drifting container ship on fire to prevent it from moving close to the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) with Bangladesh, a Defence official said today. The captain and 21 sailors on MV SSL Kolkata were rescued yesterday. A Seaking 42C helicopter carrying four members of the ship and a Naval specialist team from Visakhapatnam will take to the air from the Kalaikunda airbase at first light tomorrow morning. The continuing fire on board the ship and its movement towards the IMBL with Bangladesh remains a cause of concern, the Defence official said, adding senior officials of the Ministry of Shipping, the Kolkata Port Trust, the Coast Guard and the West Bengal government held a meeting in this regard. "Based on the decision taken at the meeting, a Seaking 42C helicopter and a Dornier of the Navy from Vizag have been mobilised," the official said. INS Kadmatt, an anti-submarine warfare corvette with ...
Naval specialist team to be sent on board burning container
A Naval specialist team will be dispatched tomorrow along with four members of the crew of container ship MV SSL Kolkata, which is adrift, to drop the anchor of the vessel and prevent it from moving close to the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) with Bangladesh, a Defence official said today. A Seaking 42C helicopter with four members of the ill-fated ship and a Naval specialist team from Vizag will take to the air from the Kalaikunda airbase at first light tomorrow morning, and winch down on board SSL Kolkata to drop the anchor. Stating that continued fire on board the merchant ship and its movement in north-easterly direction towards the IMBL with Bangladesh remains a cause of concern, the Defence official said a meeting of senior officials of the Ministry of Shipping, Kolkata Port Trust, Coast Guard and West Bengal government has taken place. "Based on the decision of the meeting, Seaking 42C helicopter and Dornier of the Navy from Vizag have been mobilised," the official ..
Crew members rescued from container ship reaches Bengal's Haldia port
The 22 crew members of merchant container vessel MV SSL Kolkata, who were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard after the ship caught fire in the Bay of Bengal, have safely reached the Coast Guard's Haldia port base in West Bengal, an officer said on Friday.
12 dead in NE flood; situation worsens in Assam, Manipur
The flood situation in the Northeast deteriorated today, with four more people in Manipur and one in Tripura losing their lives, taking the death toll in the region to 12. The situation worsened in Assam, Tripura and Manipur as train services remained suspended on some routes and roads were washed away. Nearly four lakh people have been affected across seven districts of Assam. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), 3.87 lakh people have been affected in Hojai, Karbi Anglong East, Karbi Anglong West, Golaghat, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar districts in the first wave of floods to have hit the state this year. So far, three persons have lost their lives in landslides and flood-related incidents in different parts of the state. According to the report issued today, Hailakandi has been the worst-hit with nearly 2.06 lakh people affected, followed by Karimganj with almost 1.33 lakh people. Due to fresh landslips between the Bandarkhal and Damchara stations,
Girl dies as tree falls on herin U'khand
A 12-year-old girl died today when a tree fell on her after being uprooted by a storm in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district. The incident occurred around 6:00pm when the tree fell on the girl after which she died on the spot, District Disaster Management officer Nand Kishore Joshi said. Joshi said the district administration and police teams were rushed to the spot.