Landslide

Torrential rain closes 185 Himachal roads; IMD issues orange alert

Torrential rains have led to the closure of 185 roads in Himachal Pradesh, and the Shimla Met Office on Saturday issued an 'orange alert' for heavy to very heavy rains at isolated places in the state on Monday and Tuesday. According to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), 77 water supply schemes and 104 transformers were also disrupted as of Saturday morning. A total of 92 roads were blocked in Mandi, followed by 48 in Kullu, 14 each in Chamba and Shimla, 9 in Sirmaur, 5 in Kangra and 3 in Una district, officials said. Since the monsoon began on June 30, 65 people have died in rain-related incidents so far, including 14 in landslides and one in flash floods. The state has suffered losses totalling Rs 834 crore, they said. The weather department has predicted a wet spell in the state till August 14. Light to moderate rain lashed several parts of the state since Friday evening. Dharamshala recorded the highest rainfall at 48.1 mm, followed by Bajaura (31.5 mm), Manali (22 m

Rain-triggered landslides shut 134 roads in HP; orange alert in 4 districts

A total of 134 roads remained closed in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday due to landslides and flash floods triggered by torrential rains, while the Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall in four districts of the state from July 28 to 30. The Shimla Meteorological Centre also warned of low to moderate flash flood risk in parts of Chamba, Kangra, Kinnaur, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla and Sirmaur districts till Sunday morning, cautioning that inundation could occur in saturated soils and low-lying areas. A total of 134 roads, including 58 in Mandi, 33 in Kullu, 14 in Chamba, 12 in Sirmaur, seven in Shimla, five in Kangra, four in Lahaul and Spiti and one in Una district, were closed for vehicular traffic on Saturday evening due to landslides and flashfloods triggered by torrential rains. As many as 35 water supply schemes and 78 transformers have also been affected in the state according to the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC). Light to moderate

13 dead as falling boulders crush moving vehicle in Himachal's Lahaul-Spiti

Thirteen people, including a six-month-old infant, were killed while two others had a narrow escape after massive boulders from a nearby hill suddenly fell on a moving taxi on the Udaipur-Pangi road in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul and Spiti on Friday, police said. Fifteen people were in the SUV, which was on its way from Kullu to Killar when large boulders suddenly crashed onto the vehicle near Kadu nallah, completely crushing it. Following the impact, the rear section of the vehicle caught fire. Bystanders and Army personnel attempted to extinguish the flames at the spot, about 70 km from district headquarters Keylong. Videos of the incident have also surfaced, showing the vehicle almost flattened and engulfed in fire. A team was dispatched to the site immediately after the police received information about the accident. Relief and rescue operations are underway, and the administration is closely monitoring the situation, police said. Apart from the infant, there were seven men and f

Sikkim tunnel collapse: Death toll rises to 20, rescue operations continue

According to an NHPC statement, a sudden burst of suspected methane gas trapped/embedded inside the rocks led to the explosion, generating dense fumes and toxic gases

Sikkim tunnel collapse: 10 dead, several feared trapped as rescue continues

The number of victims could go up as search and rescue operations were underway, a Namchi district official said

Kerala govt constitutes expert panel to probe Wayanad tunnel landslide

The Kerala government on Saturday ordered constitution of a five-member expert panel to enquire into the reasons for the landslide at the Wayanad tunnel project site. The panel will enquire whether the contractor has violated the contract conditions and will also look into the environment and forest clearances given to the project by the state and the Centre. The panel comprises Dr C P Rajendran (geologist), Dr Vishnudas (ecologist), Dr P Pugazhendi (Chief Wildlife Warden, Kerala), Secretary of Public Works Department (PWD) and Secretary of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department who will also be the convenor, the order said. It said that the convenor may co-opt experts as members if deemed necessary. The terms of reference of the panel are to identify the causes of the accident, examine whether the contractor has violated the contract conditions and look into the environment and forest clearances given by the state and the Centre and to submit a report within a month, the .

Wayanad landslide: Search for missing man continues as rescue enters Day 5

NDRF and Fire and Rescue teams have intensified search ops along the Meenachipuzha river as efforts entered fifth day to trace Vikram Rana, the lone person still missing after the Wayanad landslide

100-metre stretch of Yamunotri NH in Uttarakhand damaged after landslide

A 100-metre stretch on the Yamunotri National Highway near Syanachatti here was damaged after a landslide triggered by incessant rains on Thursday, officials said. An area spanning roughly 1 km was affected by the debris of the landslide and traffic along the route is completely blocked, they said. Uttarkashi District Disaster Management Officer Shardul Gusain said a section of the road, about 100 metres long, was damaged at Syanachatti in the evening due to heavy rain and landslides. Vehicles bound for Yamunotri from Barkot have been stopped at Barkot, while those returning from Janki Chatti have been held back at Janki Chatti, he said. The official noted that between 80 and 120 pilgrims were present at Yamunotri Dham when the route was closed. About 100 of them were stopped at Janki Chatti. Gusain added that vehicles were halted at safe locations. He said if the weather clears up on Friday, the route will be restored as soon as possible. The official said teams from the ...

Wayanad landslide: Death toll climbs to 6 as another body recovered

One more body was recovered from the Wayanad landslide site bringing the total number of persons killed in the disaster to four, Kerala Minister A P Anilkumar said. The minister told reporters here that the body was recovered from zone 1 of the search area in the morning. "Searches will be carried out in zone 1 and 2 of the area. Will be focusing search operations near the river also," he said. A landslide had occurred on July 7 at the site of the Anakkompoyil-Meppadi tunnel project for connecting Wayanad and Kozhikode districts. Now four persons remain missing. Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday had said that search operations will be given priority. He had also said that of the 10 persons injured in the incident, three were discharged, four were still hospitalised but stable and three others were in the ICU of whom two were critical.

3 dead, several missing after landslide in Wayanad, rescue ops continue

The landslide occurred after a large quantity of excavated earth, removed as part of the tunnel construction project, collapsed onto the site

At least 11 killed, 331 injured in weather-related incidents across China

At least 11 people were killed and 331 others injured in weather-related incidents across China, authorities said on Tuesday. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for all-out efforts to organise flood emergency rescue, disaster relief and treatment of the injured, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Tornadoes, thunderstorms and high-velocity gales hit the eastern part of Hubei Province on Monday night, killing 11 people with one reported missing, according to provincial emergency management authorities. The severe weather also injured at least 331 people across three communities. Over 400 residents have been evacuated to safe places. The severe weather destroyed 22 buildings and damaged another 4,855, according to the report. Separately, a landslide struck a township in Tanchang County, Longnan City, in northwest China's Gansu Province early on Tuesday. A total of 33 people are believed to be buried, with 17 rescued so far. All-out search-and-rescue operations are ...

Mumbai monsoon mayhem: Floods, landslides bring city to a halt | Mumbai rainfall

Heavy monsoon rains have disrupted life across Mumbai and neighbouring districts. Schools are shut, trains and flights are affected, roads are flooded

Flash floods, landslides block Doda-Kishtwar highway after heavy rain

Flash floods triggered by incessant overnight rainfall damaged the Doda-Kishtwar highway on Monday, disrupted vehicular traffic and buried several vehicles near the under-construction 540 MW Kwar Hydroelectric Power Project in the hilly districts of Doda and Kishtwar. Huge quantities of mud, boulders and debris was deposited on the highway following the flash floods. Officials said that a portion of the highway was damaged, forcing the suspension of traffic. Several vehicles parked along the roadside at Prem Nagar were trapped in the flood debris. However, no loss of life or injuries were reported, they said. Road clearance and restoration work has been launched by authorities, while commuters have been advised to avoid the highway and follow official traffic advisories until the route is reopened. In neighbouring Kishtwar district, heavy rainfall also triggered a major landslide and mudslide near the tunnel area of the under-construction 540 MW Kwar hydroelectric power ...

Incessant rains bring Mumbai to halt; waterlogging, landslides disrupt life

Heavy rain brought Mumbai to a standstill as schools closed, transport services were disrupted, roads were flooded, and a building collapse claimed six lives

Arunachal deploys helicopter to airlift supplies as floods cut off villages

Flash floods and massive landslides triggered by heavy rains around a week ago cut off several remote villages in Arunachal Pradesh from the rest of the state, requiring the administration to deploy a commercial helicopter to supply emergency food and medical supplies to the deluge-hit areas. Collapsed bridges and road blockades due to landslides at multiple locations left Rotte, Rame, Loglu, Lipin, Mane, Tene, Sipu, Kakki, Kadu, Rina, Sido, and Korang in Lower Siang completely isolated. Responding to an urgent requisition from the Lower Siang deputy commissioner, the authorities pressed a state-owned Skyone Airways Mi-172 helicopter into service, an official report said. The helicopter is scheduled to operate multiple sorties on Saturday to transport essential food and critical medical aid from the Pasighat Advanced Landing Ground in East Siang district to the Koyu helipad in Lower Siang district. According to the Directorate of Civil Aviation's plan, the chopper will depart ...

Over 10K Kedarnath pilgrims rescued after massive landslide in Uttarakhand

Joint rescue teams safely evacuated 10,450 pilgrims stranded on the Kedarnath route in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag following a sudden landslide at Munkatiya, officials said on Thursday. According to the officials, the landslide occurred between Sonprayag and Gaurikund on Tuesday late night after heavy rainfall in the region. The debris blocked the main highway and trapped a large number of pilgrims. Continuous rockfalls, heavy rainfall, darkness, and challenging mountainous terrain created a highly difficult situation for the stranded travellers. The District Control Room (DCR) Rudraprayag alerted the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) at 9.16 pm. A rescue team from Sonprayag immediately rushed to the spot with the necessary equipment. The SDRF and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) then launched a joint relief and rescue operation. The joint teams guided the 10,450 stranded pilgrims across the affected stretch. The rescue personnel motivated the pilgrims amid continuous

North Sikkim landslides: Army rescues 135 tourists, many still stranded

A total of 135 stranded tourists have been rescued by the Army from North Sikkim, where multiple landslides have snapped road connectivity, officials said on Thursday. Around 1,000 tourists remain stranded in Lachen, with sustained efforts underway to ensure their rescue at the earliest, they said. The rescue operation is being carried out by the Trishakti Corps under the Eastern Command amid heavy snowfall, they added. Critical passes have been opened and alternate routes activated to facilitate the rescue mission, named 'Operation Him Setu', officials said. A total of 32 light vehicles and 10 motorcycles have been moved out so far, with Army vehicles deployed to tow civilian vehicles across steep, snowbound stretches, they said. Medical emergencies and those requiring immediate assistance are being prioritised, officials said. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working in close coordination with the Army, undertaking continuous road clearance, snow removal and restoration o

Traffic suspended on Jammu-Srinagar highway due to landslides in Ramban

Traffic on the JammuSrinagar national highway was suspended early Monday following landslides and shooting stones triggered by rains in Ramban district, officials said. Movement of vehicles has been stopped in both directions on the highway as landslides and shooting stones have blocked both tubes between Karol Bridge and Chanderkote, a traffic police spokesperson said. Men and machines are working to clear the highway of slides and shooting stones.

India delivers relief supplies to flood, earthquake-hit Afghanistan

The death toll from natural disasters across 25 provinces of Afghanistan has risen to 35, with 52 people injured over the past two days, authorities said

Floods and landslides kill 77 in Afghanistan over 10 days, says authorities

Widespread flooding, landslides and lightning strikes triggered by heavy rain and storms across Afghanistan have left 77 people dead and 137 injured over the past 10 days, the country's Disaster Management Authority said Saturday. More rain has been forecast for the coming days throughout Afghanistan, and the authority warned the public to stay away from river banks and areas prone to flooding. So far this year, dozens of people have died due to extreme weather in Afghanistan, an impoverished country that is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country. The recent toll includes 26 people killed over the past 48 hours, the disaster authority said. Overall, 793 homes have been completely destroyed and a further 2,673 have been damaged, while floods and landslides have destroyed 337 kilometres (about 210 miles) of roads, it said. Businesses, agricultural land, water wells and irrigation ..