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Tag: casualties

  • Deadly 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Nepal-Tibet Border

    Deadly 7.1-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Nepal-Tibet Border

    A powerful earthquake rocked the Nepal-Tibet border region early Tuesday morning, claiming at least 53 lives and injuring 62 others. The tremors were felt across northern India, sending residents into panic, reports Asian Lite News

    At least 53 people were killed and 62 injured after a powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the Nepal-Tibet border region on Tuesday morning, according to media reports.

    The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) confirmed that the earthquake occurred at 6:35 AM (IST), with its epicentre at latitude 28.86°N and longitude 87.51°E, at a depth of 10 kilometres. The location was identified as Xizang (Tibet Autonomous Region), near Nepal’s border.

    Xinhua news agency reported that the fatalities were concentrated in the city of Xizang, with many injuries and structural damage also recorded.

    “The earthquake’s epicentre was near the Nepal-Tibet border, shaking northern India and leaving devastation in its wake.”

    In Tonglai Village, Changsuo Township of Dingri in Xigaze (Shigatse), numerous houses reportedly collapsed, further escalating the devastation.

    The earthquake also sent tremors across northern India, affecting areas such as Bihar, West Bengal, Sikkim, and Delhi-NCR, causing panic as residents rushed out of their homes. Fortunately, no casualties or property damage have been reported in India so far.

    Two aftershocks followed the initial quake — a 4.7-magnitude tremor was recorded at 7:02 AM (IST), with its epicentre at latitude 28.60°N and longitude 87.68°E, at a depth of 10 kilometres, and another 4.9-magnitude quake struck at 7:07 AM (IST), with its epicentre at latitude 28.68°N and longitude 87.54°E, at a depth of 30 kilometres.

    The United States Geological Survey (USGS) pinpointed the earthquake’s location 93 kilometres northeast of Lobuche, near the Nepal-Tibet border. Lobuche lies near the Khumbu Glacier, approximately 150 kilometres east of Kathmandu and 8.5 kilometres southwest of Everest Base Camp.

    Nepal, situated in a highly seismically active zone where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates converge, is no stranger to earthquakes. This tectonic activity, which forms the Himalayan region, often results in seismic events of varying magnitudes.

    Authorities in Nepal and affected Indian regions remain vigilant, closely monitoring the situation. The earthquake has renewed concerns in an area historically vulnerable to devastating seismic activity.

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  • Afghan civilian casualties up by 80% amid Taliban surge

    Afghan civilian casualties up by 80% amid Taliban surge

    According to the local press reports, last week was the deadliest so far this year as far as 101 civilians were killed and 516 others injured in 29 attacks in 12 provinces…reports Asian Lite News

    Amid the Taliban offensive in Afghanistan post US drawdown, there has been 80 per cent spike in civilian casualties as compared to last year.

    According to the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission report in the first six months of 2021, 1,677 civilians were killed and 3,644 others injured. This casualty figure is 80 per cent higher compared to civilian casualties that happened in the corresponding period last year, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.

    Last week, 101 civilians were killed and 516 others injured in 29 attacks in 12 provinces — Helmand, Kandahar, Herat, Kabul, Maidan Wardak, Balkh, Kapisa, Zabul, Nangarhar, Takhar, Badakhshan and Uruzgan.

    According to Pajhwok Afghan News, weekly casualties’ reports, last week was the deadliest so far this year as far as civilian casualties are concerned.

    The UN Security Council (UNSC) has demanded a halt to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and the resumption of peace talks amid escalating violence and increasing civilian casualties.

    The Secretary-General’s Special Representative Deborah Lyons said: “Ahead lies either a genuine peace negotiation or a tragically intertwined set of crises: an increasingly brutal conflict combined with an acute humanitarian situation and multiplying human rights abuses.”

    ALSO READ: Pakistan continues to aid Taliban war machine: Afghanistan

    Lyons, who also heads UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), urged the UN Security Council to work to prevent Afghanistan from descending into a catastrophic situation.

    She believed the Security Council and the broader international community could help prevent the direst scenarios. But quick and unified action would be required, she explained.

    She demanded sanctions on Taliban leadership should be linked with genuine progress in peace talks.

    The UNSC said the council will not support political structure in the name of the Islamic Emirate (Taliban rule) in Afghanistan again. The UN body also expressed its concern over reports of growing human rights violations in Afghanistan, reported Pajhwok Afghan News.

    International efforts for peace and ceasefire are underway at a time when the conflict has intensified in Afghanistan.

    Besides scattered fighting nationwide, the Taliban and Afghan forces fought heavily in the capitals of Helmand, Kandahar, Nimroz, Jawzjan and Herat provinces.

    According to the latest reports, Zaranj, the capital city of Nimroz province, and Shiberghan, the provincial capital of Jawzjan, had fallen to the Taliban while fighting is underway currently in Helmand’s capital Lashkargah, Kandahar City and Sar-e-Pul City. (ANI)

    ALSO READ: US urges citizens to immediately leave Afghanistan
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  • 87% Covid casualties from 10 states

    87% Covid casualties from 10 states

    The information came when daily deaths continue to show an upward trend with 794 fatalities due to the viral disease in the last 24 hours across the country…reports Asian Lite News

    Amid a resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic, ten states in the country account for 86.78 per cent of the new deaths with Maharashtra recording maximum 301 casualties followed by 91 daily deaths in Chhattisgarh.

    The information came when daily deaths continue to show an upward trend with 794 fatalities due to the viral disease in the last 24 hours across the country. A total of 1,68,436 people have so far died due to the pandemic.

    Data for the last 24 hours shared by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHF) shows Punjab at the third rank with 56 deaths followed by Karnataka (46), Gujarat (42), Delhi (39), Uttar Pradesh (36), Rajasthan (32) and both Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh reported 23 each.

    Health worker collect swab sample testing for Covid-19 at CP in new Delhi on Monday March 22, 2021.(Photo:Wasim Sarvar/IANS)

    However, 12 states and Union Territories (UTs) have not reported any Covid-19 deaths in the last 24 hours. These are Puducherry, Ladakh, D&D & D&N, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Mizoram, Manipur, Lakshadweep, Andoman and Nicobar Islands and Arunachal Pradesh.

    Ten states including Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan have shown a rise in the Covid daily new cases and account for 82.82 per cent of to the total new cases reported in the country.

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    With a record 1,45,384 fresh cases, India’s Covid-19 tally has climbed to 1,32,05,926,

    Maharashtra has reported the highest daily new cases at 58,993. It is followed by Chhattisgarh with 11,447 while Uttar Pradesh reported 9,587 new cases, Karnataka (7,955), Tamil Nadu (5,441), Kerala (5,063), Madhya Pradeesh (4,882), Gujarat (4,541) and Rajasthan (3,970).

    With an alarming rise in cases, India’s total active caseload has reached 10,46,631 that comprises 7.93 per cent of the country’s total positive cases — noted after around six-and-a-half months. A net incline of 67,023 cases recorded from the total active caseload in the last 24 hours.

    Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala cumulatively account for 72.23 per cent of India’s total active cases. Maharashtra alone accounts for 51.23 per cent of the total active caseload of the country.

    Ten districts account for 45.65 per cent of the total active cases in the country with Pune reporting 9.56 per cent, Mumbai (8.41 per cent), Thane (6.45 per cent), Nagpur (6.02 per cent), Bengaluru Urban (4.06 per cent), Nasik (3.44 per cent), Delhi (2.54 per cent), Raipur (1.78 per cent), Durg (1.76 per cent) and Aurangabad (1.62 per cent).

    Meanwhile, India’s cumulative recoveries stand at 1,19,90,859 on Saturday. The national recovery rate is 90.80 per cent. A total of 77,567 recoveries were registered in the last 24 hours.

    Also read:COVID-19: India sees highest-ever single day surge