Page 12 - Natural Disasters

Sikkim landslide: Evacuation of stranded tourists begins from Lachun

The much-delayed evacuation of stranded tourists began by road from Toong in Sikkim's Mangan district on Monday noon, officials said. So far, a total of nine tourists have been evacuated, they said. The evacuation process is being led by the Mangan District Magistrate Hem Kumar Chettri and officials from Tourism and Civil Aviation and Forest Departments, besides the Travel Agent Association of Sikkim (TAAS). Despite incessant rains and multiple slides to cross over, the team is handling the evacuation with safety, care and caution, in batches, they said. Around 1200 tourists, including some foreigners, are stranded in Lachung town for the past one week as the road and communication networks have been crippled by torrential rains and landslides in several areas of Mangan district disrupting connectivity with the rest of the country. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is carrying out the restoration of the road network to facilitate vehicular traffic to and from Mangan district at

Heavy rain, landslides kill 6 in India's Sikkim, 2,000 tourists stranded

Heavy rains triggered landslides at several locations in Mangan district, which covers north Sikkim and lies about 100 km north of the state capital Gangtok

One killed, five missing as Sikkim hit by massive rain-triggered landslides

At least one person was killed and five others went missing as massive landslides triggered by incessant rainfall caused devastation in Sikkim's Mangan district, officials said on Thursday. Landslides blocked stretches of roads and several houses were inundated or damaged, while electricity poles were swept away, they said. The body of a person was found in Pakshep area of Mangan, while three persons went missing from Ambithang near Rangrang and two others from Pakshep. Three houses were damaged in Geythang, while several houses were damaged and roads blocked at Nampathang near Pentok, they said. The Bringbong police outpost was shifted to another nearby location due to a landslide while the foundation of a bridge at Sankalan was damaged. Mobile network services were affected in North Sikkim even as a request was made by the district administration to send an SDRF team with ration to Mangan, the officials said. Meanwhile, Mangan District Magistrate Hem Kumar Chettri convened an u

DoT plans trials for drone & balloon-based 5G restoration during disasters

The Department of Telecommunications will likely conduct trials in the coming months to assess the effectiveness of this initiative

Death toll in Mizoram landslides rises to 29; among them 21 locals

The death toll in landslides in Mizoram climbed to 29 after the body of a 34-year-old woman was found in Tlawng River in Kolasib district, officials said. The woman, identified as Vanlalruali, and her husband had been missing after being hit by a landslide in Aibawk village in Aizawl district on Tuesday. The woman's body was found in the river in Hortoki village in Kolasib district, which borders Assam, on Friday, they said. Her body was taken to Kawnpui after being fished out of the river and her family members confirmed her identity. Search for five other missing persons four of whom are from Melthum, including a six-month-old, besides Vanlalruali's husband is underway. The deaths were reported in multiple landslides in Aizawl district on Tuesday. Of the deceased, 21 were locals while eight were migrants from Jharkhand and Assam. Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased. He said the government has earmarked

Cyclone Remal: Flood in Assam claims 8 lives, PM announces ex-gratia

The flood situation in Assam is still grim as nearly 350K people, including over 78,000 children from 11 districts, have been affected by the deluge

Cyclone Remal: Assam flood situation worsens; one dead, 198,000 affected

Assam's flood situation worsened on Thursday with over 1.98 lakh people affected in nine districts, and one person drowning to death as the water level of major rivers rose following incessant rainfall in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, officials said. A person drowned to death in Hailakandi district, pushing the toll in the state to six due to floods and rain since Tuesday, while 18 others were injured. Altogether 1,98,856 were affected in the districts of Nagaon, Karimganj, Hailakandi, West Karbi Anglong, Cachar, Hojai, Golaghat, Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, according to an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report. Cachar is the worst affected district with 1,02,246 people reeling under flood waters, followed by 36,959 in Karimganj, 22,058 in Hojai and 14,308 in Hailakandi, among others, it said. A total crop area of 3,238.8 hectares has also been washed away, while 2,34,535 animals have been impacted. Rivers Brahmaputra and Barak, along with its tributaries, ar

Mizoram: 29 dead, several missing as rain, landslides wreak havoc

At least 25 people, including 14 in a stone quarry collapse, were killed in Mizoram on Tuesday due to landslides and incessant rain in the aftermath of cyclone 'Remal', state disaster management authority said. Several other people went missing in landslides, mostly in the state capital region, which was cut off from the rest of the country for several hours during the day and bore the brunt of the natural calamities. In a massive landslide, at least 14 people, including two minors, were killed and around eight others were missing as a stone quarry collapsed in Aizawl district, the Mizoram State Disaster Management Authority (MSDMA) said. Four persons were also killed and 18 others injured in separate incidents in Assam on Tuesday as heavy rain accompanied by strong wind lashed the state in the aftermath of the cyclone. In Nagaland, four deaths and damage to more than 40 houses were reported while two persons died and over 500 others were injured as downpours wreaked havoc in ...

Cyclonic storms have affected 45 million people in India since 2019

Cyclone Remal touched 74 kmph; Cyclone Tauktae in 2021 was worse, with wind speeds raging at 222 kmph

Stone quarry collapses in Mizoram amid Cyclone Remal: What is known so far

Seventeen people are dead and seven reported missing in a landslide triggered by Cyclone Remal at stone quarry in Mizoram

Cyclone Remal: 4 died, several houses damaged due to heavy rain in Nagaland

At least four deaths and damage to more than 40 houses have been reported in Nagaland in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal, a senior official said. A seven-year-old boy drowned at Laruri village under Meluri subdivision following heavy rainfall under the impact of the cyclone, while two other drowning incidents were reported from Doyang Dam in Wokha district on Monday, he said. In Phek district's Rekizu ward, an elderly man was crushed to death after a wall collapsed, the official said. The Nagaland State Disaster Management Authority (NSDMA) has received reports of extensive damage to houses and properties from across the state, including Chuchuyimlang village in Mokokchung district, Noksen subdivision under Tuensang district and Awotsakili village in Zunheboto district, he said. Personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed for the rescue and relief operation. For the first time in the history of the state, an underwater drone was pressed into service

India announces financial aid of $1 mn for landslide-hit Papua New Guinea

India on Tuesday announced an immediate financial aid of USD 1 million to provide relief and assistance to people hit by a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea. A massive landslide hit Enga province of the island nation on May 24 that buried hundreds of people and caused major destruction. Over 2,000 people were killed in the landslide, according to media reports from that country. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep condolences and conveyed India's readiness to extend all possible support and assistance to the Pacific island country in its time of difficulty. "As a close friend and partner under the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) and as a gesture of solidarity with the friendly people of Papua New Guinea, the government of India extends an immediate relief assistance of USD 1 million to support relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts," it said. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Monday

2,000 feared dead in Papua New Guinea landslide, challenges for rescuers

The Papua New Guinea government said more than 2,000 people are believed to have been buried alive in a landslide in the South Pacific island nation, after the side of a mountain came down in the early hours of Friday morning when the village of Yambali was asleep. The settlement is located in a restive and remote area in the interior of the poor, rural nation off the northern coast of Australia, making search and rescue efforts complicated and hazardous. The government death toll is roughly triple the UN estimate of 670 killed. The remains of only six people had been recovered so far. In a letter seen by The Associated Press to the United Nations resident coordinator dated Sunday, the acting director of Papua New Guinea's National Disaster Center Luseta Laso Mana said the landslide buried more than 2,000 people alive and caused major destruction at Yambali village in the Enga province. Estimates of the casualties have varied widely since the disaster occurred, and it was not ...

Cyclone Remal: CM Mamata thanks administration for taking adequate steps

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed concern regarding the impact of severe cyclone Remal in the state, emphasising that the relatively lower loss of lives amidst the calamity was largely attributable to the precautionary measures enforced by the administration. With five recorded deaths, one in the city and the remaining in districts, Banerjee underscored the necessity of immediate compensation for affected families, while assuring that the administration would adhere to legal protocols in distributing aid for crop and property damages. She pledged to address these issues more comprehensively post the withdrawal of the Model Code of Conduct following the ongoing elections. "West Bengal is a riverine state, on the coast of the Bay of Bengal. Every year, we have to face various natural disasters. This time due to the impact of Cyclone Remal, our state has suffered a lot of damage," she wrote on X. "But above all, is human life. Fortunately and certainly due

Cyclone Remal ravages West Bengal, leaves millions without electricity

With winds gusting up to 135 kilometres per hour, severe cyclonic storm 'Remal' made landfall between the coasts of Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal, bringing heavy rains that flooded homes and farmland, and leaving a trail of destruction. The landfall process began at 8:30 pm on Sunday over the adjacent coasts of West Bengal and Bangladesh between Sagar Island and Khepupara, near the southwest of Mongla in the neighbouring country. 'Remal' flattened fragile dwellings, uprooted trees and knocked down electric poles. One person was injured after being hit by debris in the Gosaba area of the Sundarbans. More than one lakh people were evacuated from vulnerable areas in West Bengal before the cyclone struck. "Severe cyclonic storm Remal made landfall between Sagar Island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh on Sunday night with wind speeds reaching up to 135 kmph," the meteorological office said. News footage showed gigantic tidal waves crashing into a seawall in coastal res

Cyclone Remal update: IMD issues red alert in Tripura; 3 injured in Kolkata

Updates on Cyclone Remal: At least seven people died in Bangladesh, and millions were left without power. Services begin to resume as reports of the cyclone weakening emerge

Over 2,000 could be buried in Papua New Guinea landslide, says official

The landslide crashed through Yambali village in the country's north at around 3 a.m. on Friday while most of the community slept

Papua New Guinea govt says landslide buried 2,000; formally asks for help

The Papua New Guinea government said a landslide on Friday buried more than 2,000 people and has formally asked for international help. The government figure is around three times more than a United Nations' estimate of 670. In a letter seen by The Associated Press to the United Nations resident coordinator dated Sunday, the acting director of the South Pacific island nation's National Disaster Center said the landslide buried more than 2000 people alive and caused major destruction. Estimates of the casualties have varied widely since the disaster occurred, and it was not immediately clear how officials arrived the number of people affected. Australia prepared on Monday to send aircraft and other equipment to help at the site of a deadly landslide in Papua New Guinea as overnight rains in the South Pacific nation's mountainous interior raised fears that the tons of rubble that buried hundreds of villagers could become dangerously unstable. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marl

Oz plans aid to Papua New Guinea as rain raises fears at landslide site

Australia prepared on Monday to send aircraft and other equipment to help at the site of a deadly landslide in Papua New Guinea as overnight rains in the South Pacific nation's mountainous interior raised fears that the tons of rubble that buried hundreds of villagers could become dangerously unstable. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said his officials have been talking with their Papua New Guinea counterparts since Friday, when a mountainside collapsed on Yambali village in Enga province, which the United Nations estimates killed 670 people. The remains of only six people had been recovered so far. The exact nature of the support that we do provide will play out over the coming days, Marles told Australian Broadcasting Corp. We've got obviously airlift capacity to get people there. There may be other equipment that we can bring to bear in terms of the search and rescue and all of that we are talking through with PNG right now, Marles added. Papua New Guinea is Australia

Cyclone Remal: Assam braces for heavy rain, several districts on high alert

Several districts of Assam are on high alert in the wake of forecast for heavy to extremely heavy rainfall from Monday under the impact of Cyclone Remal, which made landfall in neighbouring West Bengal and Bangladesh. The administration has urged people to maintain safety measures, and set up helpline numbers in case of emergency. The Northeast Frontier Railway, in a release, said 42 trains have been cancelled for two days from Monday. Several parts of Assam, including Guwahati, received rainfall since late Sunday evening, bringing down soaring mercury levels in the state. No reports of damage due to the impact of the cyclone have been received yet, official sources said. "Cyclone Remal can bring inclement weather in parts of Assam. We are taking several precautionary measures," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on X. He added that teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on standby and control rooms are operation