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Kullu: Heavy rainfall, flash floods, and landslides wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh on Friday as hundreds of roads, including Chandigarh-Manali, Manali-Leh, Aut-Jalori Jot, and Chamba-Pathankot highways, were closed, and power and water supply remained disrupted in many areas of the state. The Chandigarh-Manali national highway was blocked near Pandoh Dam in Mandi district following a massive landslide that swept away a stretch of the road early on Friday morning. A cab driver narrowly escaped after getting caught in the landslide.The highway closure triggered a huge traffic jam on both sides of the road. Hundreds of commuters, including tourists, remained stuck in the jam even as the local district administration diverted traffic for light vehicles through the alternate Mandi-Kamand-Bajaura-Kullu link road. However, even this link road also got blocked near Kandi village following a landslide as rains kept pouring. When the Public Works Department officials didn't send the machinery for more than an hour after the landslide occurred, the commuters, who were stuck in a jam, themselves cleared the debris and reopened the road.Mandi SP Shalini Agnihotri, who visited the landslide spot near Pandoh Dam, said all efforts were being made to reopen the highway as soon as possible. The highway was reopened temporarily after more than 10 hours in the evening, and only one-way traffic was allowed. On Thursday, a portion of the highway caved in at Kainchi Mod where the landslide occurred on Friday. The highway was also blocked for a few hours due to a landslide near Jagatkhana in Bilaspur district. After the debris was removed, the administration allowed one-way traffic on the landslide-prone patch of the highway.Aut-Banjar national highway 305 also got blocked near Balichowki due to a landslide, and the nearby Larji-Sainj road also remained closed on Friday. A flash flood in Marshen rivulet in Jispa in Lahaul Spiti blocked the Manali-Leh highway as huge debris, including muck and boulders, spread on the road. The debris also entered the nearby camp of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). The storeroom of the camp was damaged in the flash flood. However, no loss of life was reported. The camp was evacuated following the damage, and all staff were shifted to the nearby camp in Stingri village. The debris was cleared in the evening hours, and the highway was reopened temporarily.The Manali-Leh highway was also blocked at Dhundi near Atal Tunnel following a landslide caused by heavy rainfall. A flash flood was also reported in Puhre Nullah near Tindi in Lahaul Spiti, which blocked the road connecting the tribal district with Killar in the Pangi sub-division of Chamba district. Another flash flood struck the Tisa-Sach Pass road in Chamba, as many vehicles got stranded in the water. The Chamba administration on Friday morning announced the closure of all schools in the district due to heavy rainfall.283 roads blockedOverall, 283 roads remained blocked in Himachal Pradesh on Friday, with the highest number, 174, in the disaster-hit Mandi district, 67 in Kullu, 21 in Chamba, 15 in Kangra, and 3 in Una. Power outages were reported from many areas as 314 transformers remained non-functional, with the highest number, 171, in Chamba, followed by 101 in Kullu and 32 in Mandi district. The water supply was also impacted as 221 water supply schemes remained disrupted, with the highest number, 93, in Chamba district, 60 in Kangra, and 58 in Mandi district of the state.Box: Malana bridge washed away The only bridge that connected Malana village with the rest of the Parvati Valley in Kullu district was washed away on Friday, cutting off the village from the rest of the district. The bridge was built by the Malana residents last year in August after the old one was washed away by a flooded Malana rivulet. The Malana residents decided to build the wooden bridge on their own after the Kullu administration failed to do so.Box: Death toll touches 176The death toll in Himachal Pradesh has reached 176 so far this monsoon. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the highest number of deaths, 35, have been reported in Mandi district, 28 in Kangra, 18 in Kullu, 17 in Chamba, 15 in Shimla, 12 in Solan, 11 each in Una, Hamirpur, and Kinnaur, 8 in Bilaspur, 6 in Lahaul Spiti, and 4 in Sirmaur. MSID:: 123045775 413 |
Mumbai: The birth of three penguin chicks at Mumbai's Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo has sparked an unexpected row not over their care, but their names. BJP functionary Nitin Bankar from the Byculla Assembly constituency has objected to the chicks being given English names, insisting they be named in Marathi instead. The BMC is expected to respond by June 10, after which Bankar will decide his next move. Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Bankar said, "When penguins were brought from abroad, we accepted that their names would be in English. But these chicks were born on the soil of M ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said. The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities. According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locat ...Read More >
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday unveiled an ambitious vision to transform Visakhapatnam into a new Mumbai over the next seven years. He directed officials to develop the 'Visakha Economic Region' as AP's primary growth engine, aiming for a staggering $120 billion economy from this region by 2032. The proposed economic region encompasses eight districts, including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari, Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR), and Manyam. The Chief Minister has instructed the officials to launch projects that will significantl ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Patna: With water levels already fluctuating in key rivers and forecasts warning of heavy rain upstream in Nepal, Bihar is on alert for potential flood-like conditions in the Kosi and Gandak basins starting Friday. Officials have warned that the situation could worsen quickly, especially as the region heads into a wetter-than-average monsoon season.On Thursday afternoon, water discharge through the Birpur barrage on the Kosi stood at 78,660 cusecs, a drop from 87,140 cusecs on Wednesday and 1.04 lakh cusecs on Tuesday, indicating unstable flow patterns. The Gandak, too, has seen considerable v ...Read More >
Kangra (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 26 (ANI): Following heavy rainfall and a cloudburst in Dharamshala, flash floods swept through the Manuni river area, impacting a local hydropower project and leaving several workers missing, officials said on Thursday. According to an Additional District Magistrate (ADM), Shilpi Beakta, Rescue teams have so far recovered multiple bodies and managed to save one person alive. Also Read | 8th Pay Commission To Triple Medical Allowance and Raise Minimum Salary to INR 27,000? Check Details. "Yesterday at around 4.30, a video circulated and we received a m ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram: Monsoon rains intensified across Kerala on Thursday, flooding low-lying areas in districts such as Ernakulam, Idukki, and Thrissur, and disrupting normal life with uprooted trees and toppled hoardings, including in the state capital. In its latest forecast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert for Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur, and Kasaragod, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert has been sounded for nine other districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, a ...Read More >
Uttarakhand (Dehradun) [India], May 19 (ANI): The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand, effective today and tomorrow. In light of this warning, the Uttarakhand Police have issued a safety advisory for pilgrims undertaking the Chardham Yatra. Pilgrims are advised to exercise caution while travelling, consider the weather conditions, and call 112 in case of any emergency." Authorities are working to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions," said the police authorities. In light of the forecast, the Uttarakh ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram, May 27: Monsoon rains accompanied by gusty winds continue to lash Kerala, causing widespread damage across the state. Several incidents of trees being uprooted, house wall collapses, and electrical short circuits have been reported from different parts of the state. Since the onset of the monsoon last week on May 24, three casualties have been reported, prompting the state government to open a dozen relief camps in affected districts of the state. The most major disruption on Tuesday has been the delay in train services across Kerala after fallen trees blocked railway trac ...Read More >
VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials to develop 'Visakha Economic Region' as the growth engine of Andhra Pradesh, with an aim to transforming it into a USD 120 billion economic region by 2032. He emphasised the need to develop Visakhapatnam on the lines of Mumbai in the next seven years. The Economic Region consists of eight districts including Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Srikakulam, Anakapalli, Kakinada, East Godavari, ASR, and Manyam. The Chief Minister instructed officials to develop projects that would boost economic activity across this eight-distri ...Read More >
Itanagar, Jun 7 (PTI) The flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh improved on Saturday with water levels of most rivers receding, even as 33,000 people in 24 districts remained affected, officials said. Twelve people lost their lives and one person went missing in rain-related incidents, including landslides, after the monsoon set in, they said. In its daily report, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said 33,200 people in 215 villages remained affected due to floods and landslides in the state. The water levels of most major rivers and their tributaries were showing a receding trend o ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to France, the European Union (EU), and Belgium from June 8 to 14, 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs announced in a press release on Sunday. The visit marks a significant step in further strengthening India's strategic partnerships with Europe. The EAM will first travel to Paris and Marseille, France, where he will hold bilateral discussions with the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Jean Noel Barrot. Also Read | Indian Citizen Dies in UAE: Civil Engineer Issac Paul ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- Three people died and at least a dozen are feared missing after being swept away in a flash flood triggered by torrential rains in the north Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, local authorities said on Thursday. A rescue operation has been launched to trace the missing, said Dinesh Sharma, a local government spokesperson in Kangra. The town is about 18 kilometres (11 miles) from Dharamshala, a popular tourist destination known for its Tibetan culture and as the home of Tibetan spiritual leader, Dalai Lama. Sudhir Sharma, a lawmaker from Dharamshala, said in a social media po ...Read More >
Imphal, June 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) The northeastern state of Manipur has crossed the 200 mark in the cumulative active cases of Covid-19 with with 13 more new cases reported on Thursday from four districts, officials said. State Health department officials said that 40 samples were tested on Thursday and 13 samples were found positive for Covid-19 in four districts - Imphal West (6), Imphal East (5) while Bishnupur and Thoubal had one case each. Of the total positive cases of 202 on Thursday, 137 were reported in Imphal West district, 48 in Imphal East district, eight in Thoubal district, five ...Read More >
Ranchi: On the occasion of World Environment Day on Thursday, chief minister Hemant Soren appealed to the people of Jharkhand to put a stop to plastic usage. He emphasised the urgent need for collective action from all quarters to promote a sustainable and environment-friendly approach.Addressing the public during environment day programme besides inaugurating the Siromtoli flyover, the CM said that rampant plastic usage was a pressing concern, and efforts were being made to put an end to it. He appealed for a shift towards alternative options to plastic."The time has come to change our habits ...Read More >
Pakyong (Sikkim) [India], June 6 (ANI): As part of the ongoing evacuation efforts in response to the recent disaster in North Sikkim, the first helicopter sortie of the day took off early this morning from Pakyong Greenfield Airport towards Chaten to rescue stranded tourists, according to an official statement. The Mi-17 helicopters are carrying essential supplies for Army personnel stationed in and around the Chaten area. Also Read | Kolkata Fatafat Result Today: Kolkata FF Result for June 06, 2025 Declared, Check Winning Numbers and Result Chart of Satta Matka-Type Lottery Game. The opera ...Read More >
Gangtok, June 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) At least 80 tourists stranded in the northern part of Sikkim due to inclement weather and landslides have been safely evacuated, an official said on Friday. A total of four helicopter sorties were conducted from Pakyong Greenfield Airport to Chaten using MI-02, MI-49, and MI-39 helicopters, resulting in the evacuation of 80 individuals. Among those evacuated, 63 persons were tourists, while 17 were locals. To ensure their further travel to Gangtok, the state government arranged state transport buses at the airport for the convenience of the evacuees. In orde ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 26 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday has directed all the Deputy Commissioners of the State to stay alert and ensure 24/7 availability for the public to deal with the unfolding situation efficiently, keeping in view the adverse weather conditions. According to an official statement from the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), while reviewing the situation in the State with district administrations virtually from Shimla today, he asked all Deputy Commissioners to conduct relief and rehabilitation operations for a ...Read More >
Heavy rains across Tamil Nadu have led to school closures in several districts, including Chennai, on Thursday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert, predicting moderate rains and light thunderstorms in parts of the state. Rainfall figures show significant precipitation in multiple areas. Meanwhile, Northern India braces for a cold wave beginning December 9, with the IMD forecasting plunging temperatures in Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.Schools acros ...Read More >
Bengaluru, Jun 7 (PTI) A 26-year-old man allegedly beheaded his wife following a heated argument on the outskirts of Bengaluru after he suspected her of having an extra-marital affair, police said on Saturday. After killing Manasa, Shankar travelled with her severed head on his scooter to the nearest police station and confessed to the crime, they said. The man was later arrested, police said, adding that the incident occurred at Heelalige village, near Chandapura, Anekal taluk late on Friday. According to the police, the couple were married for over five years and have a four-year-old daug ...Read More >
JAMMU: Three persons, including two minors, drowned while four others were rescued as flash floods triggered by heavy rains occurred in different areas of Rajouri, Poonch, Doda and Kathua districts in J&K on Thursday. Meanwhile, a fresh landslide near Satya viewpoint along the Himkoti route blocked the new track to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta Hills in Reasi district.In Rajouri district, Shaqafat Ali (14) and his cousin Safeena Kousar (11) were out grazing cattle along with a 10-year-old ...Read More >
Visakhapatnam: The southwest monsoon set in over Andhra Pradesh (Rayalaseema region) on Monday, arriving nine days ahead of schedule, bringing rain to parts of the Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra Pradesh. For the second year in a row in the past one decade, the monsoon entered AP region earlier as the usual date of onset is on June 4. Last year, the monsoon arrived in AP on June 2. Director of IMD, Andhra Pradesh Stella S said southwest monsoon has further advanced into some more parts of central Arabian Sea, some more parts of Maharashtra including Mumbai, Karnataka including Bengaluru, remai ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) The flood situation in Assam marginally improved on Thursday, while the situation further improved in other northeastern states, an official said. With two more fresh deaths in Assam, the death toll in seven states, excluding Sikkim, of the region increased to 48. According to the disaster management officials of different northeastern states, out of 48 deaths during the current spell of rain and floods since May 29, at least 21 people died in Assam, followed by 12 in Arunachal Pradesh, six in Meghalaya, five in Mizoram, two in Tripura and one each in Nagalan ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Rudraprayag (Uttarakhand) [India], June 7 (ANI): A helicopter carrying five devotees en route to Kedarnath Dham made an emergency landing on a national highway near Bharasu in Uttarakhand's Rudraprayag district on Saturday, temporarily disrupting traffic in the region, officials said. According to officials, the chopper - an AW119 operated by Kestrel Aviation Private Limited - developed a sudden technical fault during takeoff, prompting the pilot to carry out a hard but controlled landing on the nearby road. Also Read | ICU Horror at ESIC Medical College in Rajasthan: 32-Year-Old Woman Alleg ...Read More >
Himachal Pradesh Flood News: Cloudburst In Himachal Triggers Flash Floods, 5 Dead, Several Missing At least five people lost their lives and several others remain missing after a cloudburst triggered flash floods and widespread devastation in Himachal Pradesh, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu confirmed on Thursday. The torrential rains and subsequent flooding over the past 24 hours have severely impacted Kullu and Kangra districts, damaging homes, roads, and power lines. Kullu: Search operation underway for missing people following flash floods triggered by cloudbursts on Wednesday, in Sa ...Read More >
Gurgaon: Two days after a law student died and his friend suffered critical injuries when a car knocked them down as they stood near railing on the service lane of Delhi-Jaipur highway in the early hours of Tuesday, a civil engineer was arrested on Thursday.Mohit (31), an employee of a private company in the city, told police that he got drowsy while driving. He is staying at a PG facility in Sector 14.The student who died, Harsh Singhal (25), was a resident of Om Nagar colony. His friend Abhishek Kumar (23), who is from Shanti Nagar in Sector 11, is undergoing treatment at a private hospital ...Read More >
Kochi: The High Court has directed the Kerala state government to convince the central government that the state deserves more assistance for the Wayanad landslide disaster. The division bench also expressed its readiness to mediate between the central and state governments in this regard. According to the latest figures, the state disaster relief fund holds around Rs 700 crore, but only Rs 61 crore is available for expenditure, as reported by the amicus curiae. Kerala: Court orders inclusion of abetment charges against police officers in Dalit youth suicide case The Kerala state government ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >