Page 803 - Disaster Accident

No-go warning as Japan volcano erupts for first time in 250 years

A volcano in southern Japan erupted for the first time in 250 years today, spewing steam and ash hundreds of metres into the air, as authorities warned locals not to approach the mountain. "There is a possibility that (Mount Io) will become more active," said Makoto Saito, an official from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), confirming the eruption. In a televised press conference, he warned residents in the area to stay away from the mountain, part of the Mount Kirishima group of volcanoes, as major ash deposits spread from the crater. It was the first eruption of the mountain since 1768, the JMA said. The agency warned that large flying rocks could fall over a three-kilometre (two-mile) radius. The eruption threw smoke and ash 400 metres (1,300 feet) into the air. Footage captured by the JMA and local media showed thick white and grey smoke rising from several areas of the mountain. There were no immediate reports of injuries, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, adding ..

5.9-magnitude earthquake hits Southern Iran, rattles nuclear power plant

The epicentre of the earthquake was in the sparsely populated Kaki region, 80 kilometres away from Bushehr plant

Over 500,000 still affected by Sri Lanka drought

Over 500,000 people still remain affected by the drought in 10 districts of Sri Lanka, according to a report released by the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre (DMC) on Thursday.

Global warming killing the Great Barrier Reef: study

Corals on Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef experienced a catastrophic die-off following the extended marine heatwave of 2016, a study has found. Scientists from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE) in Australia mapped the geographical pattern of heat exposure from satellites. They measured coral survival along the 2,300 kilometre length of the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest reef system, following the extreme marine heatwave of 2016. The study published in the journal Nature found that 29 per cent of the 3,863 reefs comprising the world's largest reef system lost two-thirds or more of their corals, transforming the ability of these reefs to sustain full ecological functioning. "When corals bleach from a heatwave, they can either survive and regain their colour slowly as the temperature drops, or they can die," said Terry Hughes from ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies (Coral CoE). "Averaged across the whole Great Barrier Reef, we ...

Mishap averted after guard detects crack on Odisha rail track

A possible train mishap was averted today after an alert guard detected a crack on the railway track near Bahanaga station in Odisha's Balasore district. The crack between Soro and Bahanaga stations under South Eastern Railway was detected by the guard of 58005 Kharagpur-Khurda Road fast passenger train, said Station Master of Bahanaga Railway Station, Rabi Narayan Behera. The matter was reported to the authorities at the railway station and repair works were immediately undertaken, he said. All trains on the affected track was halted and the crack was repaired within a very short time, Behera said, adding, normal train services have already resumed. The development comes five days after six coal-laden wagons of a goods train travelled for 2 km without an engine between Khantapada and Bahanaga stations in Balasore district on the night of April 14. Earlier this month, 22 coaches of Ahmedabad-Puri Express with hundreds of passengers on board ran 13 km without the engine .

Volcano erupts in Japan, no-go warning issued

A volcano erupted in southern Japan today, spewing steam and ash hundreds of metres into the air, as authorities warned locals not to approach the mountain. "It was confirmed that rocks fell because of the eruption" near Mount Io, part of the Mount Kirishima group of volcanoes, said Makoto Saito, an official of the meteorological agency. "There is a possibility that (the volcano) will become more active," he told reporters, warning people to stay away from the volcano as major ash deposits spread from the crater. Footage captured by the Japan Meteorological Agency and local media showed thick white and grey smoke rising from several areas of the mountain. There were no immediate reports of injuries, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said, adding that the government was "taking all possible measures" to prevent damage and casualties. The eruption occurred a few kilometres (miles) away from Shinmoedake, which featured in the 1967 James Bond film "You Only Live Twice" and erupted ..

Fire breaks out in plywood godown

A major fire today broke out at a plywood godown in a residential area inside the walled city here, damaging the warehouse and several vehicles. However, no loss of life has been reported in the fire which broke out at around 2 am, probably due to short circuit, in Khutento Ka Rasta in Kishanpol bazaar, SHO of Kotwali police station Ashok Khatri said. People from the nearby houses were evacuated following the incident, he said. Four cars, one taxi and six scooters were damaged in the incident, Khatri said. Assistant fire officer Devang said 15 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames. They had to ferry water for nearly 50 times to control the fire, the officer added.

Saudi cylinder blast leaves 6 Bangladeshis dead

Six Bangladeshis workers were killed in a gas cylinder explosion in Saudi city of Ha'il on Wednesday.The dead included two siblings as well, reported the Dhaka Tribune.The victims said the Bangladeshi workers went to sleep in their room on Tuesday night as usual, and the gas cylinder went off in the early hours of Wednesday, killing them on the spot, the report said, quoting the families of the victims as saying.

Blast in van kills 4

At least four people were killed when a cylinder exploded in a van in Pakistan's Sindh province.

Polymer 'sponge' can clean up oil spills

Scientists have developed a polymer sponge, using waste products from the petroleum and refining industries, that can quickly soak up crude oil from marine spills. The polymer made from waste cooking oil and sulphur (a by-product of the petroleum industry) could make polluted beaches, oily water, dead birds and marine life destruction a thing of the past. "This is an entirely new and environmentally beneficial application for polymers made from sulphur," said Justin Chalker, from Flinders University in the US. "This application can consume excess waste sulphur that is stockpiled around the globe and may help mitigate the perennial problem of oil spills in aquatic environments," said Chalker. Oil spills are a major global issue, with the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation reporting about 7000 tonnes of crude oil spilling from tankers into oceans in 2017 alone. Hundreds of smaller spills of diesel fuel and other petroleum products affect developing countries in Africa, ...

Ex-911 operator jailed in US for hanging up

A former 911 operator in Houston, who hung up on people calling for emergency services, was sentenced to 10 days in jail and 18 months of probation, authorities said.

Magnitude 5.5 quake strikes southern Iran; felt in Bahrain

The US Geological Survey says a magnitude 5.5 earthquake has struck in southern Iran near a nuclear plant, shaking Bahrain and other areas around the Persian Gulf. There was no immediate report of damage or injuries. The USGS says the quake struck at 0634 GMT some 100 kilometers, about 60 miles, east of Bushehr. Iranian state television, citing officials, described the quake as a magnitude 5.9. Varying magnitudes are common immediately after a temblor. In Bahrain, an island kingdom off Saudi Arabia, people on social media said they felt the quake and evacuated from high-rise buildings. Iran sits on major fault lines and is prone to near-daily earthquakes. In 2003, a 6.6-magnitude quake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people.

5 killed, 2 injured as car dashes into tree in Haryana

Five persons were killed and two others injured when their car dashed into a roadside tree in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri district today, police said. The accident occurred on Delhi-Haryana road when the driver lost control over the vehicle, a police official at police station, Sadar, Charkhi Dadri, said. "Among the dead include two children and two women," he said. The official said the injured have been hospitalised at PGIMS in Rohtak.

Australian scientists develops 'sponge' for cleaning oil spills

Australian scientists have developed a polymer "sponge" capable of soaking up oil spills. The highly buoyant polymer is made of waste cooking oils and sulphur, by-products of the food and petroleum industries, and has the ability to clean up crude oil and diesel spills.

US orders jet engine checks after Tuesday's blast

The US aviation authorities have ordered inspections of fan blades in jet engines after a mid-air explosion punctured a Southwest Airlines' window, killing a passenger on Tuesday.

Shallow Indonesia quake kills 3, damages hundreds of homes

A shallow earthquake in central Indonesia has killed three people and damaged more than 300 homes, disaster officials said today as they declared a two-week emergency for the affected areas. Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said the magnitude-4.4 quake that occurred yesterday at a depth of 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) was centered about 52 kilometers north of Kebumen, a densely populated district of Central Java province. Central Java's Disaster Management Agency head Sarwo Pramana said the quake which was felt in many parts of the province killed two elderly people and a 13-year-old boy who were crushed by collapsing buildings. He said 21 people were hospitalized with injuries and more than 2,100 people have been evacuated to temporary shelters. The province has declared a 14-day emergency relief period. National Disaster Mitigation Agency Sutopo Purwo said the quake damaged more than 300 houses as well as several schools and mosques. Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and ...

Southwest Airlines pilot lauded as hero for handling crisis

The Southwest Airlines pilot being lauded as a hero in a harrowing emergency landing after a passenger was partially blown out of the jet's damaged fuselage is also being hailed for her pioneering role in a career where she has been one of the few women at the controls. Tammie Jo Shults, one of the first female fighter pilots in the U.S. Navy, was the captain and piloting the Dallas-bound Flight 1380 when it made an emergency landing Tuesday in Philadelphia, according to her husband, Dean Shults. One of the engines on the Boeing 737 exploded while the plane was traveling 500 mph at 30,000 feet with 149 people on board. Shrapnel hit the plane and passengers said they had to rescue a woman who was being blown out of a damaged window. The woman later died of blunt force trauma to her head, neck and torso. Shults calmly relayed details about the crisis to air traffic controllers, and passengers commended her handling of the situation. In a statement late Wednesday, Shults and the other ...

1 killed Myanmar storm

One person has been killed and more than 800 houses, including monasteries, have been destroyed in a storm that hit Myanmar over the past three days, media reports said on Thursday.

US plane makes emergency landing over smoke issue

A US passenger plane bound for London has made an emergency landing in Atlanta city after its engine began issuing smoke, the airline said. No casualties were reported.

Researchers find 'catastrophic' coral die-off on Great Barrier Reef

Australia's Great Barrier Reef suffered a "catastrophic die-off" of coral during an extended heatwave in 2016, threatening a broader range of reef life than previously feared, a report revealed today. Scientists said some 30 percent of the reef's coral died in the heatwave from March to November 2016, the first of an unprecedented two successive years of coral bleaching along the 2,300-kilometre World Heritage-listed reef off Australia's northeastern coast. The study published Thursday in the journal Nature found that coral, which serve as habitats for other creatures, were particularly hard hit by the rising sea temperatures caused by global warming. Terry Hughes, a report co-author and head of the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at Australia's James Cook University, told AFP the most susceptible to heat exposure were branching corals -- table-shaped creatures that provide nooks and crannies for fish nurseries and fisheries. Corals that were more likely to survive the ...