Page 900 - Disaster Accident
Russian passenger plane crashes outside Moscow: media
A Russian passenger plane carrying 71 people crashed in the outskirts of Moscow today after taking off from the capital's Domodedovo airport, Russian media reported. The Antonov An-148 plane operated by the domestic Saratov Airlines was flying to Orsk, a city in the Urals, and crashed in the Ramensky district outside Moscow. Russian news agencies reported 65 passengers and 6 crew were on board. News agencies said witnesses in the village of Argunovo saw a burning plane falling from the sky. A source from Russia's emergency services told Interfax that the 71 people on board "had no chance" of survival. The same news agency reported that the wreckage of the plane was spread over a wide area around the crash site.
Man killed as stray cow hits his bike
A man was killed after a stray cow ran into his bike near here, police said today. The deceased was identified as Vikramjit Singh (25), a resident of New Gurnam Nagar in Amritsar. Singh was going on his bike towards Jalandhar last evening when a stray cow abruptly came in front of him near village Mehtan, four kms from here, on national highway, they said. He was seriously injured in the accident and was rushed to the local civil hospital, but doctors declared him brought dead, they said.
Three killed in US copter crash
Three persons died when a tour helicopter crashed in the Grand Canyon, one of the most famous national parks of the US.
Hong Kong police probe deadly bus accident
A deadly Hong Kong bus crash that killed 19 and left scores more injured was under investigation Sunday, with the city's leader calling for a wide-ranging inquiry as questions surfaced over the industry's long hours and low pay. Most victims of the accident on Saturday evening, which saw a double decker flip over and smash into a lamppost, were men aged in their 50s and 60s, according to local media. One man was 37. There were heart-wrenching scenes at the site of the crash today, as loved ones of the dead wailed with grief amid burning incense sticks at a makeshift commemoration. "Come home," one mourner cried, while others were so overcome with emotion they had to be supported by companions. Police said 19 were killed and 65 injured, some critically, after the vehicle overturned in the north of the semi-autonomous region. The driver has been arrested. "The 30-year old male bus driver was arrested for dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing ...
Fire in Kashi Vishwanath Express's seating-cum-luggage coach
A seating-cum-luggage coach of the Varanasi-bound Kashi Vishwanath Express caught fire today at the Hapur railway station, around 65 km from the national capital. No passenger was injured in the incident. "After loading parcels in front SLR (seating cum luggage rake), such rakes are sealed and the fire was noticed at that time by the guard who attended to it immediately," said Nitin Chowdhury, spokesperson, Northern Railways. "The rake has been detached. No injuries have been reported," he said. While the cause of the fire was still being investigated, prima facie, officials suspected that flammable materials used to seal the rake could have resulted in the blaze. The fire was noticed at around 02:14 PM and the fire brigade arrived at 02:20 PM, officials said. The fire in the coach was soon doused, they said. The Divisional Railway Manager and senior officials have also been rushed to the spot, Chowdhury said. The SLR coaches are divided into 2:1 in sitting and luggage ...
Russia scrubs cargo ship launch to space station
Russia has scrubbed the planned launch of an unmanned cargo spacecraft that was to have delivered tons of supplies to the International Space Station. Preparations for the launch of the Progress ship from the Baikonur complex in Kazakhstan appeared to be proceeding smoothly Sunday until less than a minute before the liftoff. There was no immediate information on the reason for the decision not to launch. It was unclear when a new launch attempt could occur. The Russian spacecraft carry fuel, food and other supplies to the ISS. This one was to have attempted a new fast route to the station, docking 3.5 hours after launch after just two Earth orbits. There are currently five astronauts aboard the ISS two Russians, two Americans and one from Japan.
Search for Taiwan quake victims ends as toll rises to 17
Rescuers today ended their search of a Taiwan building partially toppled by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake as the last trapped pair were presumed dead, bringing the final death toll to 17. Thousands of emergency workers had combed through rubble at the foot of the 12-storey Yun Tsui apartment block since the quake struck the eastern city of Hualien late on Tuesday. It was left leaning at around a 50-degree angle by the quake, complicating rescue efforts due to fears of an imminent collapse. Hualien mayor Fu Kun-chi said the last two victims were pinned under heavy pillars that could not be removed without risking a total collapse of the building, and the rescue was called off with the consent of their relatives. Excavators began digging through the building from the top later today to try to recover the bodies, he added "Seventeen people were unfortunately killed in the earthquake ... I believe their relatives will receive proper assistance," Premier William Lai said while ...
'No Helmet - No Puja' in Odisha temple
Priests of a 1000-year-old temple in Odisha's Jagatsinghpur district have stopped performing puja of two wheelers if the riders are not equipped with helmets. The management of the temple of Goddess Maa Sarala abiding by police instructions started implementing the no helmet-no puja policy a month ago by refusing puja of two wheelers if riders turn up without the safety gear, priests said. As part of its strategy to reduce road fatalities involving two-wheeler riders, police had held talk with the temple managements across the district. They have consented to abide by police instruction, said Jagatsinghpur Superintendent of Police, Jai Narayan Pankaj. Maa Sarala temple at Jhankad near Paradeip is a favoured destination for two wheeler riders to offer puja to stave off road mishap. People buying new motorcycle also throng the temple daily for puja of the two wheeler. In a bid to cultivate helmet wearing right from the day of purchase, police and temple priests sat ...
UP Home Guards likely to be posted along Indo-Nepal border
The UP Home Guards has sent a proposal to the Centre to engage personnel of the 95,000- strong auxiliary force to work in tandem with the frontier guarding force Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) along the India-Nepal border and also assist in flood relief operations. "In a recent meeting with officials from the Centre, a proposal was mooted to engage 1,200 jawans of UP Home Guards in border security duties on the India-Nepal border during non-flood period of the year, and during floods, the jawans will be participating in flood relief operations," Surya Kumar Shukla, DG, Home Guards, told PTI today. Shukla was in Kanpur yesterday to hold a review meeting. "It will be a challenge for the home guards to guard Indo-Nepal border, as it is an open border, and there is no restriction of movement of people. The Home Guards are being imparted training in handling INSAS rifles. This will ensure effective action against anti-national elements at the India- Nepal border," he said. The DG .
Farmer killed, crops damaged in unseasonal hailstorm in Maha
Unseasonal hailstorm and heavy showers in parts of Maharashtra today claimed a life and damaged various crops, state government officials said. Two women were also injured in rain-related incidents, they said. Dhule, Nandurbar, Beed and Jalna districts witnessed the untimely spell of rain and hailstorm. "The hailstorm started around 7.30 am across this widespread region and continued for the next half-an-hour," a senior state revenue department official said. "The disaster management department of the districts will soon conduct an assessment of the damage caused by the hailstorm," he said. A 70-year-old farmer died in Jalna district after he was injured in the hailstorm. "The farmer was going to his farm early this morning when he was caught in the heavy spell of hailstorm. He sustained severe injuries and died," Jalna district collector Shivajirao Jondhale said. Besides, two women were injured in the hailstorm in Washim and Aurangabad districts, the official said. Crops
Mankhurd fire under control
The fire that broke out in a shop near Maya Hotel in Mumbai's Mankhurd has been taken under control.The Mumbai Fire Department said that the cooling process is underway.Nine jets are in operation.Assistant Commissioner Ward officer has instructed to demolish unauthorised structure and lodge FIR against unauthorised structure and cut of electric supply to DMCR.Nobody reported injured till now.
Five elephants run over and killed by train in Assam
Five elephants were killed after being hit by a train while crossing rail tracks in Assam's Hojai district, a forest official said today. A herd of elephants was crossing the rail tracks at Habaipur near Lumding reserve forest when the Guwahati-Silchar Express hit them last night, killing five on the spot, he said. Train services were affected in the area as the carcasses of the elephants had not yet been removed. The area where the accident occurred falls under the elephant corridor and was included in the list of 19 places where elephants cross the railway tracks at Lumding, Hojai and Lanka forest ranges. A North East Frontier Railway spokesman said the trains maintain a speed limit of 20 km per hour in the elephant corridors. The engine of the train was damaged and efforts were underway to restore train services at the earliest, he said. Seventy elephants had lost their lives last year due to electrocution, speeding trains, poisoning, human attacks, and other ...
Personal safety tool 'rakshak' for railway trackmen
Concerned over cases of maintenance workers being run over by trains while patrolling the tracks, the Railway Board has now decided to add a personal safety device to their gear, along with their usual boots, gloves, rain coats, winter jackets and tool kit. The board, last week gave its nod to 'Rakshak' - a handheld walkie-talkie device to be used in high density areas as a pilot project for all trackmen. The device provides alerts through LED indication along with a buzzer and vibration of approaching trains which would help trackmen move away from tracks. "Keeping in view the large number of run-over cases of trackmen that occur during discharge of their duty on track, putting in pace a 'Rakshak'-type protection system is essential and needs to be expeditiously implemented. "However, since the system is still in infancy stage, deployment on entire rail network may not be feasible right now. However, keeping in view large number of run-over cases, it has been decided ..
China's multi-billion CPEC project under threat in Pakistan
The multi-billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project in Gwadar port off the coast in Pakistan could be under threat if a catastrophe strikes the region, according to experts.Gwadar, which is located close to the Makran Trench, last saw a huge earthquake of 8.1 magnitudes in 1945, which triggered a tsunami that battered Iran, Pakistan, Oman and India and killed around 4,000 people. The trench is the meeting point for two tectonic plates.To prevent such a catastrophe, a team of 40 researchers from China and Pakistan boarded the Experimental 3 vessel for the trench last month and did a 'CT scan' (geological survey) in the region. However, not much is known about the zone, the South China Morning Post reported.The Gwadar port has been leased to China for 40 years and any potential disaster in the area could undermine Beijing's ambitions to revive the ancient trade route from China through Asia to Africa and Europe.The CPEC project is also a part of China's 'Belt and Road ...
Major fire at scrap market in Mumbai, none injured
A major fire broke out at a scrap market in suburban Kurla this morning, a fire brigade official said. No casualty has been reported in the incident, he said. "The blaze started at a scrap shop in the market near Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road in Kurla around 6 am and spread to other adjacent galas (shops)," the official said. The flames engulfed the packing material, stock of oil and chemicals, scrap material kept in the area, he added. "As many as 17 fire engines have been pressed into service to bring the blaze under control," the official said. According to another official, instructions have been given to the concerned authorities to demolish unauthorised structures and snap the electric supply to the area.
Speeding train kills four elephants in Assam
At least four elephants were killed and two others injured in Assam after a train hit a herd trying to cross railway tracks, officials said.
Three tourists dead in US Grand Canyon chopper crash
At least three people were killed and four others injured when a helicopter carrying tourists in Arizona went down in the Grand Canyon, authorities said. The accident took place at around 5:20 pm in Grand Canyon West, located in northwestern Arizona, said Hualapai Nation police chief Francis Bradley. Local media reported the Eurocopter EC130 helicopter, whose operator was unknown, was traveling on a tour. "The investigation is ongoing," Bradley told AFP, noting that there was no information immediately available on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Allen Kenitzer, of the Federal Aviation Authority's Office of Communications, told AFP the aircraft sustained "substantial damage." The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the crash, he added.
Major fire breaks out in Mankhurd, no injuries
A major fire broke out at a gowdown near Maya Hotel in Mumbai's Mankhurd on Sunday.The fire, which took place around 06.30 a.m., has turned into a level 4 fire, according to the Mumbai Fire Brigade (MFB).There are about 20 fire tenders at the spot trying to douse the flames.There are no reports of any casualty or injury.More details awaited.On February 8, two people were injured after a fire broke out in MHADA building situated in Mumbai's Malad area.
Cyclone Gita intensifies as it takes aim at Tonga
Tonga was braced today for "very destructive winds" as Cyclone Gita took aim at the Pacific island nation a day after it wreaked havoc in Samoa. The kingdom's tropical cyclone centre has been activated and Red Cross, which is coordinating relief supplies, has warned islanders to be prepared. "Very destructive hurricane force winds are expected from Monday morning," Tonga's Fua'amotu Weather Forecasting Centre said in a bulletin, forecasting gusts of 80 knots (148 kmh, 92 mph) with heavy rain and thunderstorms. Tonga Red Cross secretary general Sione Taumoefolau said there was particular concern for the outer islands where houses may not be able to withstand the brutal force of the winds. Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said Gita forced the evacuation of some 200 people and caused widespread flooding when it slammed into the island overnight Friday. Gita had since intensified from a category two to category three storm as it took aim at Tonga and was ...
China's coal country shivering for cleaner air
China, in recent times, has faced scepticism over its pledges to wage a "war on pollution" and end the unrestrained burning of coal in the country.In the northern Chinese province of Shanxi, the country's largest coal-producing region, 27 coal mines were shut down last year. The province banned the sale, transport and use of most coal in October 2017.The ban was expected to cut coal use by more than two million tonnes, or 90 percent of the city's total consumption, Xinhua had reported.The central government had also set specific targets and backed up its decrees with threats of fines and other punishments.However, the demand for coal in the country rose in the last year after undergoing a decline in the previous three years.As many coal stoves were removed before new furnaces were installed, it left tens of thousands of people shivering without heat this winter.Also, with a couple of districts switching to natural gas at once, the demand for the new source of fuel overwhelmed ...