Page 947 - Disaster Accident
'Wrong button' sparked 38 minutes of panic in Hawaii
Turns out, it took only one person to push Hawaii's buttons.Governor David Ige revealed that the emergency alert about an incoming "ballistic missile threat", which jolted Hawaiians awake, was a false alarm caused by someone pushing the "wrong button"."It was a mistake made during a standard procedure at the change over of a shift and an employee pushed the wrong button", Ige told CNN. "The warning went out to cell phones, television and radio got the emergency alert"."Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill", the alert read.While the message caused concerns on social media, the Hawaii Office of Emergency Management responded after 38 minutes on Twitter, saying, "NO missile threat to Hawaii".Ige also issued a statement via Twitter, saying he wanted to "get to the bottom of this so we can prevent an error of this type in the future"."While I am thankful this morning's alert was a false alarm, the public must have confidence in our ...
Brazil police: 13 dead, 39 hurt in multi-vehicle crash
Police in Brazil say at least 13 people were killed and 39 others injured in a multi-vehicle crash in the country's southeast. Twelve of the injured are listed in serious condition. Federal Highway Police report that the accident occurred today morning near the city of Grao Mogol in Minas Gerais state. An officer at the department's press office said by phone that at least six vehicles were involved, including a minibus, two trucks and two vans. He declined to give his name in line with department rules. He said police are investigating what caused the crash but apparently a minibus smashed into a truck laden with paper coming in the opposite direction.
Hawaii's ballistic missile threat alert, a false alarm
Hawaii's Emergency Management Agency on Saturday clarified that an alert of a ballistic missile threat sent to people across the island was a false alarm.Earlier in the day, the Hawaiian citizens received an emergency alert on their phones that read, "BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL", reported Fox News.Approximately 38 minutes following the alert, the Hawaii authority took to Twitter to inform that there was, "NO missile threat" to the state.Hawaii Emergency Management agency spokesman Richard Rapoza said that the ballistic missile threat was a false alarm and added that the agency is working to determine the entire incident.
13 dead in Brazil vehicle pile-up
At least 13 people died and 39 others were injured in a five-vehicle traffic accident on an expressway alongside the municipality of Grao Mogol in the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, officials said.
Hawaii officials mistakenly warn of inbound missile
A push alert that warned of an incoming ballistic missile to Hawaii and sent residents into a full-blown panic today was a mistake, state emergency officials said. The emergency alert, which was sent to cellphones, said in all caps, "Ballistic missile threat inbound to Hawaii. Seek immediate shelter. This is not a drill." Hawaii Emergency Management Agency spokesman Richard Repoza said it was a false alarm and the agency is trying to determine what happened. The alert caused a tizzy on the island and across social media. Jamie Malapit, owner of a Honolulu hair salon, texted his clients that he was cancelling their appointments and was closing his shop for the day. He said he was still in bed when the phone started going off "like crazy." He thought it was a tsunami warning at first. "I woke up and saw missile warning and thought no way. I thought 'No, this is not happening today,'" Malapit said. He was still "a little freaked out" and feeling paranoid even after hearing .
Jain calls for proper implementation of fire safety norms
Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain on Saturday called for proper implementation of the rules related to fire safety in the national capital, especially in the city's hospitals.
3 students drown, 32 rescued after boat capsizes; 3 held
Three girls drowned and five were missing after a private boat with 40 students, who were on a school picnic, capsized this morning off the coast of Dahanu in Palghar district of Maharashtra. Three persons, including the owner of the boat, were arrested by Palghar police late this evening. The police said 32 students had been rescued and a search for the missing ones was continuing, with Coast Guard personnel and local fishermen out at sea. The bodies of the three girls -- Sonal Bhagwan Surati, Janhavi Harish Surati and Sanskruti Mayavanshi -- all aged 17, were recovered, Superintendent of Police, Palghar, Manjunath Singe told PTI. All three were residents of Masauli in Dahanu's Ambedkar Nagar area. The private boat 'Dahanu Queen' was carrying 40 students of the Ponda School and Junior College in Parnaka in Dahanu and capsized around 11.30 am, Singe said. "The Coast Guard has deployed its ships and aircraft in the rescue operation and personnel from several departments ..
Mumbai: Dharmendra Pradhan meets kin of chopper crash
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday met the family of an Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) employee, who lost his life in the helicopter crash earlier on Saturday.Earlier in the day, Pradhan said he would discuss the crash with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman."The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard are on their job. I am also going to Mumbai to coordinate things. I will discuss it with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. She is also cooperating and has instructed the Navy and the Coast Guard to look into the issue extensively," Pradhan said.A total of seven people were on-board in the Pawan Hans Dauphin N2 that crashed and total of four bodies have been recovered so far.Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has identified two of the bodies to be of ONGC employees.In total, there were seven people, including five ONGC employees, which crashed off the Mumbai coast.The ONGC, along with the ICG and the Indian Navy, has pressed its ...
Pawan Hans chopper crashes off Mumbai coast, 5 bodies found
A Pawan Hans helicopter with seven people on-board, including five ONGC officers and two pilots, crashed off the Mumbai coast minutes after it took off for the state-owned company's oil installation in the Arabian sea. So far, five bodies have been recovered, the Coast Guard and the Navy said in their statements. Search operation is on for other missing persons. The Pawan Hans helicopter with five Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) officers, including three of the level of Deputy General Managers, went missing around 10.40 hours today. ONGC, Coast Guard and Navy pressed helicopters and speed boats as soon as the information of the chopper going missing was received at the Juhu helibase. ONGC has key oil and gas fields off the Mumbai coast and Pawan Hans helicopters routinely ferry company employees and officers to the oil installations that are situated as far as 160 kilometres from the coastline. The field in the offshore include Mumbai High, the nation's largest oil
7 killed in bus accident in Karnataka
Seven people, including two women were killed and about 30 injured on Saturday, when a speeding state roadways Volvo bus fell into a dry culvert in Karnataka's Hassan district, said police.
One killed, three hurt in road accident
One person was killed and three others were injured when the car they were travelling in met with an accident here in the early hours of today, police said. The car hit a divider, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to three others, they said. The driver of the vehicle was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol, they said. The injured are in a stable condition, police added.
3 girls killed in Rajkot fire; CM orders probe, compensation
Three teenage girls died and 15 others were injured after a fire broke out during a religious event near Rajkot. The incident took place at the "Rashtra Katha Shibir" (camp) in Pransla village of the district last night. "The blaze erupted in the camp's women section and spread rapidly, killing three persons," District Collector Vikrant Pandey said. A short-circuit may have led to the fire. An investigation was on to ascertain the cause, Pandey said. A team of National Disaster Response Force and Fire Brigade personnel rescued several people from the site, Pandey added. Rajkot (Rural) Superintendent of Police Antrip Sood said the deceased were teenage girls. About 15 people suffered burn injuries and were rushed to a nearby hospital. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani announced Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the family of each of the deceased. He expressed grief over the incident and directed the Rajkot Collector to order an inquiry into the fire, a government statement said ...
Fadnavis grieves over boat capsize, chopper crash incidents
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed grief over the loss of lives in the boat capsize incident off the Dahanu coast and Pawan Hans helicopter crash off the Mumbai coast today. "Sad to know about capsizing of boat carrying school children of K L Ponda High School, Dahanu at Dahanu Parnaka Beach. 31 children have been rescued. Search operation is still on with local police and administration," Fadnavis tweeted. Three girls drowned and five went missing after a private boat with 40 students, who were on a school picnic, capsized this morning off the coast of Dahanu in Palghar district. Fadnavis said specialised rescue teams are at the site and a Coast Guard team is helping in the search operation. "Injured are admitted at cottage hospital and Kamble hospital. Our deep condolences and thoughts are with the families who lost their loved ones," he said in a tweet. Expressing sadness over the chopper crash incident, Fadnavis tweeted: "I am also pained to hear ..
Pawan Hans chopper with seven crashes off Mumbai, 5 bodies found
At least five people were killed when a Pawan Hans helicopter with at least five top ONGC officials and two pilots on board crashed shortly after take-off from Juhu Airport here on Saturday morning, officials said.
Fire at Mumbai airport's lounge, no casualty reported
A fire broke out today at a ceremonial lounge of the city's domestic airport, officials said. No casualty was reported in the blaze that was doused by 4.20 pm, they said. "The fire started at a ground floor conference hall and spread to the first floor of a lounge near the airport's gate number 9," an official said. An official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)'s Disaster Control Room said the blaze started in the afternoon and fire brigade personnel rushed to the site along with eight fire engines, six jetties and water jets. "The flames were doused by 4.20 pm. No casualty was reported," he said. Electric installations, furniture and the ceiling were gutted in the fire, he said. Sources said the blaze started at the ceremonial lounge, which is away from terminal 1B or T2. "The fire did not hamper flight operations. Nobody was harmed in the incident," they added. Fire brigade personnel suspect that a short circuit led to the fire.
China rescuers recover 2 bodies, black box from Iranian tanker
Chinese rescuers today recovered two bodies and the "black box" from a stricken Iranian oil tanker which has been ablaze for the past week off the east coast of China, the transport ministry said. The Sanchi, carrying 136,000 tonnes of light crude oil from Iran, has been in flames since colliding with the CF Crystal, a Hong Kong-registered bulk freighter, 160 nautical miles east of Shanghai last Saturday. It had a crew of 32 -- 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis. With the latest find a total of three bodies have now been recovered. The remaining sailors are still missing. "At 0837 (local time), four rescuers equipped with masks and bottles of oxygen were placed at the deck at the back of the Sanchi with the help of a crane," the Chinese transport ministry said in a statement. "They discovered the bodies of two sailors in a lifeboat." A video released by the ministry shows rescuers wearing white helmets and orange jumpsuits walking on the tanker, whose grey metallic ...
Sea levels off Dutch coast highest ever recorded in 2017
Storm surges and tidal cycles caused record sea levels along the coast of the Netherlands last year, a Dutch marine institute has found. "The level has been rising gradually since 1890 by about 0.2 cm per year due to the melting of the ice and the warming up of the ocean," expert Fedor Baart, of the research organisation Deltares, said in a statement yesterday. "That means that, as a rule, you expect the sea level to be higher every year." Sea and water levels are carefully watched in the Netherlands, as much of the country lies below sea-level and is protected from flooding by a series of defences such as dykes, sand dunes, windmills to pump away water and sophisticated barrages. In 2017, the institute measured the average sea levels along the Dutch coast to be 11 centimetres (over four inches) higher than normal water levels in Amsterdam, a gauge known as the NAP. The previous highest reading was in 2007 when the water was nine centimetres above the NAP. The institute .
Pawan Hans chopper with seven crashes off Mumbai, 4 bodies found
At least four people were killed when a Pawan Hans helicopter with at least five top ONGC officials and two pilots on board crashed shortly after take-off from Juhu Airport here on Saturday morning, officials said.
Three persons killed, two injured as car hits tree
Three persons were killed and two others injured when the car they were travelling on hit a road-side tree near Tikulia village, in Palamau district, police said today. The incident occurred when the driver of the vehicle lost control over the vehicle and it hit a road-side tree yesterday night, killing three persons on the spot and injuring two others, the police said. The injured were rushed to Sadar Hospital, Medininagar from where they were referred to Rajendra Institute of Medical Science, Ranchi, the sources added.
Traffic police to induct vehicles with tools to rescue trapped
The Delhi Traffic Police is in the process of inducting 'Road Disaster Management' vehicles equipped with tools to rescue trapped passengers from vehicles following accidents. According to a senior traffic police officer, two such vehicles are planned for induction by the police and will act as first responders in situations that affect traffic. These vehicles will be fitted with multiple tools and gadgets for crucial use in disaster situations, he said. "The vehicle will have cutting tools that can pierce through heavy metal to rescue trapped passengers in vehicles following road accidents, cut and remove uprooted trees from roads and will be equipped to deal with exigency on the road," the official said. He said that the vehicles are currently being designed and will be inducted this year. The disaster response vehicles are used and deployed in the areas where traffic flow is hampered by natural disasters, said the official. "The idea behind deploying these vehicles is .