Page 852 - Disaster Accident

Avalanche alert in Bhaderwah belt

Authorities here today ordered closure of all schools up to 8th standard and sounded a high alert in the entire Bhaderwah belt of Doda district due to apprehension of avalanches after heavy rains since early morning, an official said. In the wake of inclement weather predictions by the meteorological department, additional deputy Commissioner(ADC) Bhadarwah Imam Din Kitchlo ordered closure of all schools upto 8th standard and appealed to general public not to venture in slide prone areas and near streams. Giving details, Tehsildar, Bhadarwah, Masood Ahmed said, "The MeT department has predicted heavy rainfall and also issued avalanche warning, flash floods and mud slides in Bhaderwah. Considering the advisory, a holiday has been declared in schools so that children do not face any risk or inconvenience." As a precautionary move, we have declared a high alert in areas close to river Neeru and also for people living on slopes and slide prone areas, he said. "It's best to take ...

Fire at Kolkata flower market

A fire broke out in Kolkata's Armenian Ghat area on the banks of the Ganga on Thursday. It disrupted the circular train services of the Eastern Railway for a short period, an official said.

'Chennai's flood management plan awaits Centre's support'

Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on Thursday said that a comprehensive flood management plan drawn up for north and south Chennai has been submitted to the Central government for support.

Bangladesh mourns 26 killed in Nepal plane crash

Bangladesh observed a national day of mourning on Thursday in memory of the 26 people killed in a US-Bangla Airplanes plane crash in Nepal.

Russia extends pause in Syria rebel enclave outside Damascus

The Russian military says it has extended a "humanitarian pause" in fighting for two days in a part of Syria's embattled eastern Ghouta enclave, just outside of Damascus. The Russian Defense Ministry says the pause on Thursday and Friday is focused on the town of Douma. It claims the pause has allowed growing numbers of civilians to reach safety. Maj Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying 131 people left the area through the humanitarian corridor on Wednesday. Maj. Gen. Vladimir Zolotukhin says some 100 people are expected to be evacuated on Thursday. Russia ordered the daily humanitarian pauses late last month, but few civilians have left. And activists said continued government shelling and airstrikes killed at least 20 civilians on Wednesday eastern Ghouta.

Nepal authorities struggle to identify plane crash survivors

Officials in Nepal say they are struggling to identify many of the 22 survivors of a deadly plane crash, with many badly burned, in critical condition and unable to speak. Police spokesman Manoj Neupane says extensive burns, in both the living and the dead, have made identifications far more difficult. The flight from Bangladesh, carrying 67 passengers and four crew members, slammed into a field beside the Kathmandu airport runway on Monday, bursting into flames. He says at least 11 of the survivors have been identified, but did not have an exact total. The crash left 49 people dead. Neupane says 19 survivors are still being treated in Kathmandu hospitals, and another has been flown to Singapore for more medical care. Two surviving passengers, both Nepalese, have been discharged.

Trade war with U.S. could cause tangible economic damage - Germany

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. import tariffs on metals should have a limited effect on a global recovery, but any escalation into a full-blown trade war and related growing uncertainty could cause tangible damage, the German economy ministry said on Thursday.

Major fire near Howrah bridge, no casualty reported

A major fire broke out today at Strand Road close to the Howrah Bridge here and 20 fire tenders have been pressed into service, officials said. The incident took place near a flower market in the Armenian Ghat area, they said. No casualty has been reported, the officials said. The Circular Railway service has been also suspended, they said.

UN chief urges water action

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has stressed the importance of water management, echoing a global water crisis report presented to him by a high-level panel.

Earthquake of magnitude 4.6 jolts Manipur

An earthquake measuring 4.6 on the Richter scale hit Churachandpur region of Manipur.As per the meteorological department, the earthquake occurred at around 7:56 am in the morning.As of now, no casualties or damages have been reported.Earlier on March 3, an earthquake measuring 3.7 on the Richter scale stroke Churachandpur region of Manipur.

Six dead, 14 hurt in Senegal military helicopter crash

Six people were killed and 14 others injured when a Senegalese military helicopter crashed, according to a government statement giving an updated toll from the incident in the south of the country. The helicopter, which went down in a mangrove forest in the coastal area of Missirah late yesterday, was carrying 20 people, including four crew, army spokesman Colonel Abdou Ndiaye told AFP earlier. According to a statement released by the government, rescue workers said six people died at the scene. "The other 14 passengers were wounded, three seriously," it said, adding that the injured were being transferred to a regional hospital in Kaolack. Authorities have launched an enquiry into the incident to determine the cause of the crash, the statement said.

Navy jet crashes off Key West, killing 2 crew members

A US Navy fighter jet has crashed off the coast of Key West, Florida, killing its two crew members. The F/A-18 Super Hornet was on approach to land at the naval air station around 4:30 pm (local time), and crashed into the water about a mile east of the runway. The pilot and weapons system officer ejected and were recovered, but US Naval Air Forces reported late Wednesday night that both had died. Their names are being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The cause of the crash is also under investigation. The aircraft crew is based out of Naval Air Station Oceana, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Super Hornet is a twin-engine fighter jet that is larger than the single-seat F/A-18 Hornet.

US Navy jet crashes in Florida, 2 killed

A US Navy fighter jet has crashed off the coast of Key West, Florida, killing its two crew members, a media report said.

7 injured, 13 missing after Senegal helicopter crash: army

More than a dozen people were missing after a Senegalese military helicopter crashed today in the south of the country, an army spokesman said. Seven of the 20 people on board have so far been found, all injured, after the aircraft went down in a mangrove forest in the coastal area of Missirah, he said. The people on the flight included four crew members, according to army spokesman Colonel Abdou Ndiaye. "Boatmen in the area rescued seven passengers," he said, adding that 13 people were missing and a search effort was being organised.

Fire breaks out in Thane's packaging company

A major fire broke out in a packaging company in Thane's Dombivli in the early hours of Thursday.Six fire tenders immediately reached the spot and the attempts are underway to douse the flames.No causalities or injuries have been reported so far.The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.More details are awaited.

Day after Sukma attack, Naxals set MPV wreckage on fire

Maoists today torched the wreckage of the Mine Protected Vehicle that was blown up by them yesterday in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, police said. Nine CRPF personnel were killed while two others injured after Maoists blasted the mine protected vehicle using over 50 kg of explosives in Sukma. "As per the information, a group of ultras poured some inflammable liquid on the wreckage of the MPV at the spot and set it on fire in the wee hours," a senior police official told PTI. He said only the leather seats of the MPV were burnt in today's incident while the thick iron sheet-body of the MPV did not catch fire. The anti-landmine vehicle, which was completely damaged due to the impact of the blast, was supposed to be transported to the CRPF camp in Kistaram, located around 3 km away from the spot, the official said.

Govt approves Rs 64.41 bn road projects under SARDP programme for Nagaland

The statement said the land for these projects is being provided by the state government and these road stretches pass through landslide-prone region

IndiGo's Hyderabad-Raipur flight suffers technical snag

Budget carrier Indigo Airlines' Raipur-bound plane carrying 112 passengers returned to Hyderabad on Wednesday soon after take-off due to a "technical glitch", according to an announcement by the company.

Seven killed many injured in Lahore blast

At least seven people were killed and over a dozen others injured in a blast on the outskirts of Lahore in Pakistan on Wednesday.

Odisha to provide universal access to eyecare services

The Odisha Cabinet on Wednesday approved a scheme to provide universal access to comprehensive eyecare services from primary to tertiary levels in the state.