Page 98 - Disaster Accident
Cyclone Fani: Chhattisgarh offers Odisha Rs 11 cr
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel Sunday announced a financial aid of Rs 11 crore to Odisha following cyclonic storm Fani to help the state carry out restoration work. 'Fani' barrelled through Odisha on Friday, unleashing heavy rain and winds of up to 175 kmph, killing at least 29 people, blowing away thatched houses and swamping towns and villages. A Chhattisgarh government statement said Baghel had spoken to Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and assured him of all support. The statement said Rs 11 crore will be given to Odisha from the CM's Relief Fund. The Odisha government has mounted massive restoration work across 10,000 villages and 52 urban areas ravaged by the storm, affecting nearly one crore people.
Restoration of power, telecom services in Odisha top priority: Centre
Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha on Sunday directed officers of central departments concerned to coordinate with the Odisha government to ensure that restoration of power and telecommunication services is accorded top priority in the state which bore the brunt of cyclone Fani.Sinha, who chaired a meeting of the National Crisis Management Committee to review the relief measures in cyclone-affected areas of Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, also asked the officers to closely work with the state governments to provide all required assistance expeditiously."Cabinet secretary directed that restoration of power and telecommunication facilities be accorded top priority and Ministry of Power and Department of Telecommunications to coordinate with the Odisha government," an official statement said.At the meeting, officers from the Odisha government conveyed that power and telecommunication facilities were gradually being restored in the affected areas."Major damages to the power transmission ..
Cyclone Fani: 29 deaths reported in Odisha so far
The Odisha government on Sunday confirmed that 29 deaths have been reported so far after cyclone 'Fani' hit the coastal state on Friday.
One feared drowned in Assam due to cyclone 'Fani'
One person was feared drowned while four others swam to safety when a country boat capsised, due to the impact of cyclone 'Fani' at Kamrup district in Assam, officials said on Sunday. A strong cyclone wind was blowing when the boat sank on Saturday night, police said. The person, who is untraceable since the capsize, has been identified as Naba Kalita of Palashbari. Teams of the NDRF and SDRF have reached the spot and started search operations, but is yet to trace the body, police added.
UP announces Rs 10 cr relief fund for cyclone-hit Odisha
The Uttar Pradesh government Sunday announced an Rs 10 crore from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for those affected due to Cyclone Fani in Odisha. A Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said, "Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has announced Rs 10 crore for emergency relief for Odisha cyclone victims and affected persons from the CM Relief Fund." The death toll in Cyclone Fani rose to 29 on Sunday, two days after the extremely severe storm barrelled through coastal Odisha, causing widespread destruction and leaving hundreds grappling with water shortage and power cuts.
Two injured in Mumbai fire
Two people were injured in a fire that broke out on the fourth floor of Sarita building at Mazil Masjid Chowk in Andheri's Yari Road area here on Sunday.The fire broke out following a gas cylinder blast. Injured were rushed to the hospitals and are undergoing treatment. No loss of lives has been reported yet, said officials.Five fire tenders were pressed into action to douse the fire.More details are awaited.
Cyclone Fani damages number of houses in Meghalaya
One person was injured and a number of houses were damaged in Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills and South West Khasi Hills districts by cyclone 'Fani' when it was passing through the area, officials said on Sunday. "One person was injured in the incident in East Khasi Hills district and damages reported to public roads and government buildings. As many as 21 villages were also affected when the cyclone passed through the state in the past 24 hours," State Disaster Management Authority, executive director, I Mawlong told PTI. She said a number of houses were also damaged in the two districts. A few landslides were also reported in East Jaintia Hills and in the state capital but there was no report of any fatal injuries, a senior Home department official said. Heavy rainfall in all part of the state has also rendered the operations to rescue the 14 miners trapped inside a 370 foot-deep coal mine to be stalled for the past 4 days. "The entire lowland area leading up to the ...
TN, UP Chief Ministers announce assistance for cyclone-hit Odisha
Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers on Sunday announced financial assistance of Rs 10 crores each for Cyclone-hit Odisha.Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami made the contribution from their respective state relief funds to help people affected by cyclone Fani that hit the state on Friday.On May 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the Central government released Rs 1000 crores in advance to Odisha and other states to deal with the devastation caused by cyclone Fani."I am in regular touch with these states. Rs 1,000 crore for relief work has been released as advance to deal with the situation. I want to assure that the whole nation and the Centre is with all those families and governments," PM Modi had said while addressing an election rally here.The severe cyclonic storm Fani with a wind speed touching nearly 200 kmph made landfall at Puri coast on May 3 wreaking havoc in Odisha.Rescue and relief operations have been mounted on .
Cyclone Fani: TN pitches in with Rs 10 crore aid to Odisha
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Sunday ordered release of Rs 10 crore to the 'Fani'-ravaged Odisha towards relief and rehabilitation work. The severe cyclonic storm has caused unprecedented and extensive damage in Odisha, especially in the holy town of Puri, Palaniswami said adding it has led to untold suffering of the people. "On behalf of the State government and the people of Tamil Nadu, I convey my heartfelt condolences to the family members of all those who have lost their lives in the cyclone and rains," he said in an official release here. Odisha was faced with the arduous task of ensuring immediate rescue, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction measures in cyclone ravaged areas, he noted. "As a token of support and solidarity of the government and people of Tamil Nadu with the government and people of Odisha in their hour of need, ...I have ordered immediate contribution of a sum of Rs 10 crore from the Chief Minister's Public Relief Fund to the ...
Cyclone Fani: Death toll rises to 29 in Odisha, CM announces relief package
The death toll in Cyclone Fani rose to 29 on Sunday, two days after the "extremely severe" storm barrelled through coastal Odisha, causing widespread destruction and leaving hundreds grappling with water shortage and power cuts, an official said. Announcing a relief package for those affected by the calamity, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said all families in Puri and in those parts of Khurda, which had been "extremely severely affected" in the storm, will get 50 kg of rice, Rs 2,000 in cash and polythene sheets, if covered under the Food Security Act (FSA). For the rest of Khurda district -- categorised as "severely" affected -- the FSA families will get a month's quota of rice, Rs 1,000 in cash and polythene sheets, he added. Those living in the "moderately-affected" districts of Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jagatsinghpur will be eligible for a month's quota of rice and Rs 500 in cash, Patnaik said. The chief minister also announced an assistance of Rs 95,100 for "fully-damaged" houses, .
Telecom and water services in Bhubaneswar, Puri partially restored
Telecom and water services were partially restored in Bhubaneswar and Puri after Cyclone Fani caused extensive damage in Odisha, while work is on war footing to get back the power connections as early as possible, officials said Sunday. The National Crisis Management Committee (NCMC), headed by Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha, reviewed relief measures in affected areas of Odisha, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh, two days after the extremely severe cyclonic storm hit the eastern coast. Mobile services have been restored partially in Bhubaneswar and Puri and in both the cities, about 70 per cent water supply will be restored by Sunday evening, a home ministry official said. Work is on war footing to restore the power connections, the official said. The Indian Railways has re-introduced 85 of the 138 cancelled trains and the main line to Bhubaneswar has commenced operations while Puri will start operations in about four to five days, according to an official statement. Flight operations to ..
Five killed in Himachal accident
Five people were killed on Sunday when a car in which they were travelling skidded off the road and plunged into a 300-metre-deep gorge in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district, police said.
CM Patnaik announces food, monetary aid for people affected by cyclone 'Fani'
Odisha government on Sunday announced surplus food and monetary aid for people after cyclonic storm 'Fani' wreaked havoc in Odisha on Friday causing immense damage to critical infrastructures, especially power, telecom and water supply."The districts of Puri and the parts of Khurdha have been severely affected. For all families covered under food security, 50 kilograms of rice plus Rs 2,000 and polythene will be provided," said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.He also announced to give Rs 500 and an additional one-month quota of rice to people in moderately affected districts such as Cuttack, Kendrapara and Jagatsingpur.Additionally, the state government will also provide one-month pension and Rs 95,100 for fully damaged structures, Rs 5,200 for partially damaged structures and Rs 3,200 for minor damages as house building assistance."The houses that are completely damaged will be expeditiously reconstructed under housing scheme," said Patnaik.The CM also informed that the government has .
Venezuelan Prez extends condolences to families of helicopter crash victims
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday expressed "condolences" to the families of seven security officers who were killed in Saturday's helicopter crash."Venezuelan people! On the morning of May 4, a helicopter of our armed forces crashed, seven servicemen died. I deeply regret the incident and express my condolences to their families and friends," he tweeted.Sputnik reported on Saturday that a helicopter with seven people on board crashed near Caracas. None of the people survived.This is the second helicopter crash in a month in the country. In the last accident, two Venezuelan army generals were killed and one other sustained injuries after their helicopter crashed in Maracaibo city of western Venezuela.
Post Fani, Odisha struggles to provide basic services
Even after two days of cyclone 'Fani' hitting the Odisha coast, the state government is struggling to provide basic amenities to people in the affected areas.
Tourist killed in Jammu-Srinagar highway accident
A tourist from Maharashtra was killed and three others were injured on Sunday in an accident on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, police said.
2nd person confirmed dead after explosion at Illinois plant
An explosion and fire at an Illinois silicone factory claimed a second victim Saturday when an employee taken to a hospital after the blast died, a local coroner confirmed, and the official death toll is expected to rise to four as authorities suspended the search for two other bodies believed to be in the rubble. Crews suspended their search due to concerns about the stability of the structure, and Waukegan Fire Marshal Steven Lenzi said they would not resume searching until what remains of the plant is torn down. The four believed dead were among nine employees who were inside AB Specialty Silicones in Waukegan, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Chicago, when the explosion occurred around 9:30 p.m. Friday, Lenzi said. Four were taken to hospitals and two declined treatment. The death on Saturday was one of the four taken to hospital. Authorities have not identified the employees. Lenzi said it's unlikely the missing workers survived. "The conditions are really rough in there,"
Helicopter crashes into bay in Maryland
A two-seater helicopter has crashed into the Chesapeake Bay in the US state of Maryland, police said, adding that search and rescue was underway.
'I will never hesitate' to fly in a 737 MAX, Warren Buffett declares
Billionaire Warren Buffett, one of the world's most influential businessmen, said Saturday that he would not hesitate to fly in a Boeing 737 Max airplane, despite the grounding of the planes after two fatal crashes. "I will never hesitate even for a second to fly on a 737 MAX," he said in response to a question from AFP on the sidelines of the annual shareholder meeting of his Berkshire Hathaway empire in Omaha. While Buffett, the world's third-richest man, owns stakes in several of the most prestigious American companies -- from Coca-Cola to JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs to Apple and, recently, Amazon -- he holds no shares in Boeing, though he has invested in airlines. Buffett was responding to a question about the damage to Boeing's reputation after 737 MAX planes were involved in two fatal crashes that left a total of nearly 350 people dead in a span of less than five months. Boeing's entire 737 MAX fleet has been grounded since shortly after the latest crash in March, while ...
All survive as plane carrying US military crashes into river
A military-chartered jet carrying 143 people landed hard, then bounced and swerved as the pilot struggled to control it amid thunder and lightning, ultimately skidding off the runway and coming to a crashing halt in a river at Naval Air Station Jacksonville. It meant chaos and terror for passengers in the Boeing 737, as the plane jolted back and forth and oxygen masks deployed, then overhead bins opened sending contents spilling out. But authorities said all the people onboard emerged without critical injuries Friday night, lining up on the wings as they waited to be rescued. The NTSB sent a team of investigators Saturday to the crash site in the St. John's River in north Florida, where the aircraft was still partially submerged in shallow water and its nose cone was sliced off, apparently from the impact. Several pets were still on the plane as well, and their status wasn't immediately clear. A Navy statement early Saturday offering "hearts and prayers" to their owners said safety ...