Page 20 - Natural Disasters

Houses develop cracks in J&K's Doda, 19 families to shift temporarily

Nineteen families were evacuated after their homes developed cracks at a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, officials said on Friday. The authorities also declared unsafe a mosque and a religious school for girls at Nai Basti village in Thathri, 35 kilometres from Doda town along the Kishtwar-Batote National Highway. A few structures in the village started developing cracks a couple of days ago but the situation was exacerbated by a landslide on Thursday with the number of buildings damaged reaching 21. "We have shifted 19 affected families to a safer location after their houses were rendered unsafe. We are observing the situation and taking steps as per need to ensure their safety," Sub-Divisional Magistrate (Thathri) Athar Amin Zargar told PTI. The deputy commissioner and the senior superintendent of police visited the spot and assured all help to the affected families, he said. Zargar, however, refused to compare the situation to that in Uttarakhand's Joshimath -- th

296 families from subsidence-hit Joshimath shifted to safer places: Govt

The Uttarakhand government has shifted 995 members of 296 families from subsidence-hit Joshimath to safer places, Earth Sciences Minister Jitendra Singh told Rajya Sabha on Thursday. In written replies to three different questions in the Upper House, Singh said cracks have been observed in 863 buildings in Joshimath due to recent land subsidence and many structures have been reported to have moderate and major damages. He said after the incidents of land subsidence, all construction activities have been stayed by the Uttarakhand government in the entire Joshimath area, including Tapovan-Vishnugad power project and Helong Marwari By-Pass Road. As of January 30, a total of 235 affected families have been distributed Rs 3.50 crores as relief assistance, he said. Singh said the Uttarakhand government has issued orders for payment of Rs 1,00,000 as an advance for rehabilitation, and Rs 50,000 as displacement allowance to each affected family and for this purpose, Rs 45 crores have been

Major slide hampers movement of vehicles on Jammu-Srinagar national highway

The local people on Monday also claimed that the air traffic has also been impacted due to heavy snowfall in Srinagar

J-K highway closed for 2nd consecutive day due to landslide in Ramban

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed for traffic for the second consecutive on Tuesday due to a landslide in Ramban district, leaving more than 600 vehicles stranded on the road. The 270-kilometre-long highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was blocked by mudslides and shooting stones between Chanderkote and Banihal in the district in Monday. Traffic officials issued an advisory asking people not to travel on the highway. According to them, more than 600 vehicles are stranded at different points of the highway. Men and machines have been deployed to clear the highway, they said. The mughal road, which connects Shopian district of Kashmir with Poonch district of Jammu, was also blocked for traffic due to heavy snowfall, they said. Efforts are on to clear the road of the snow and restore traffic on it, they said.

Himachal Pradesh to have advance warning system to mitigate disasters

In view of the land subsidence in Uttarakhand's Joshimath, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday directed for developing an advance warning system to mitigate disasters and improve the disaster management response capacity system. The decision of the chief minister will go a long way in identifying the areas more prone to earthquakes and also help prepare a detailed report of landslides and sinking zones, a government spokesperson said here. The chief minister also felt the need to strengthen the response and awareness system besides preparedness at the institutional and individual level. He also directed to enhance the support being provided to the state electricity board through the State Disaster Response Fund and for the necessary amendment in the State Disaster Relief Manual, the spokesperson added. Sukhu also directed for proper mapping of glaciers through new and advanced technology and conducting a study of the areas more prone to ...

4.2 magnitude earthquake jolts Kutch in Gujarat, no casualty reported

An earthquake of 4.2 magnitude hit Gujarat's Kutch district on Monday morning, the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) said. There was no report of any loss of life or damage to property, district authorities said. The earthquake was recorded at 6.38 am with its epicentre 11 km north-north east of Dudhai village in the district, the Gandhinagar-based ISR said in an update on its website. It was preceded by a tremor of 3.2 magnitude reported at 5.18 am with its epicentre 23 km east-southeast of Khavda village in the district, the ISR said. Kutch, which is about 400 km away from Ahmedabad, is located in a very high risk seismic zone and earthquakes of low intensity occur there regularly. The district, located in Saurashtra region, experienced a devastating earthquake in January 2001 in which 13,800 people were killed and another 1.67 lakh were injured. The earthquake had caused severe damage to properties in various towns and villages of the district.

Construction of pre-fab shelters begins for displaced families in Joshimath

The Central Building Research Institute on Monday began the construction of model pre-fabricated shelters for displaced families in subsidence-hit Joshimath in Uttarakhand, an official said on Monday. One, two and three BHK models of pre-fabricated shelters will soon be built near HDRI, Joshimath, Disaster Management Secretary Ranjit Kumar Sinha said. The structures will be built on land belonging to the horticulture department, he said. Sinha said land levelling work has also been started in Dhak village in Chamoli district prior to the construction of model pre-fab shelters there, he said. If required, the option of arranging accommodation for displaced persons in hostels of Bhararisain Vidhansabha has also been kept open, Sinha said. An amount of Rs 3.45 crore has been distributed among 261 affected families as interim relief, according to officials said. As many as 278 families have been evacuated to temporary relief centres and the number of houses in Joshimath that have ...

Joshimath land subsidence: Demolition work halted due to heavy snowfall

The district administration has made arrangements for bonfires at various places in the city in view of the harsh weather

Death toll after avalanche on Tibet highway rises to 13, rescue efforts on

The death toll in an avalanche that buried vehicles outside a highway tunnel in Tibet has risen to 13 with rescue efforts continuing, authorities said Friday

Joshimath subsidence: Irdai asks insurers to expeditiously settle claims

Insurers have also been asked to engage adequate number of surveyors immediately as required and, if need be, consider engaging surveyors from neighboring areas as well

No further widening of cracks in Joshimath in last three days: Official

The displaced will be given better facilities by the state government, Dhami said and asked officials to prepare a rehabilitation plan in consultation with the affected residents

Profiles of water samples of Joshimath, NTPC project site different: NIH

Evacuation of families to safety and demolition of unsafe buildings in the town continues, he said adding 258 families have so far been shifted to temporary relief centres

65-70% people in Joshimath living normal life: Uttarakhand CM Dhami

He said he has briefed the home minister about the steps taken for the relief and rehabilitation of the affected people in Joshimath

Uttarakhand govt to shift 130 families from Joshimath to Pipalkoti village

The Uttarakhand government has decided to shift 130 of the 850 families in Joshimath affected by land subsidence to Pipalkoti village for their permanent rehabilitation.

Joshimath land subsidence not linked to tunneling, claim NTPC officers

NTPC's Additional GM Geology Bhuvnesh Kumar said that no blasting was being done in the tunnel currently and water has not filled in it either

Joshimath-Rishikesh highway stretch may face more landslides: Study

Scientists have found that vulnerability of the highway stretch in Uttarakhand between Joshimath and Rishikesh to landslides is likely to increase

SC refuses to consider plea to declare Joshimath crisis a national disaster

The petitioner has contended the subsidence has occurred due to large-scale industrialisation and sought immediate financial assistance and compensation to the affected people

Cracks in 849 buildings in Joshimath, dismantling of unsafe hotels underway

The district administration has so far distributed Rs 301.77 lakh worth interim assistance to 396 affected families

Joshimath crisis: Cracks in 44 more buildings, including PWD's rest house

The labourers in the premises were shifted to a safer place when more cracks appeared on the night of January 14

Vaishno Devi, Amarnath at risk of environmental disaster: Mehbooba Mufti

Joshimath is just the tip of the iceberg. In similar ecologically fragile states like J&K, Shri Amarnath & Vaishno Devi are environmental disasters in waiting