Floods and landslides in Indonesia have now killed at least 59 people, the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.wionews.com/world/ready-to-meet-trump-anytime-over-government-shutdown-nancy-pelosi-192580&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjr0-uciYjgAhUCSo8KHUKgCi8QFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0CMrXNSXiAS2NT8P9wV_N6">government </a>said, Friday after heavy rain pounded Sulawesi island and forced thousands to flee their homes.

"I've never seen something this bad — this is the worst," Syamsibar, head of South Sulawesi disaster mitigation agency, told AFP, adding that 25 people were still missing.

Lashed by the heavy rain, rivers swelled and burst their banks, inundating dozens of communities in 11 districts of southern Sulawesi.&nbsp;

Parts of the provincial capital Makassar have also been affected.

Gowa district suffered the heaviest casualties, with 44 people found dead, said Syamsibar, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.

Some 3,400 people have been evacuated from their homes and given refuge in schools, mosques, and tents.

Rescuers and residents waded through streets filled with waist-deep water, some carrying their possessions above their heads.

"I couldn't save all my belongings, my house was swept away," Makassar resident Ayu Fiskarina told AFP.

Authorities say floodwaters are receding but the impact of the disaster has ranged far and wide, damaging houses, government buildings, schools, and bridges.

The death toll stood at 30 on Thursday evening.

Landslides and floods are common in Indonesia, especially during the monsoon season between October and April, when rains lash the vast Southeast Asian archipelago.

In October, flash floods and landslides killed at least 22 people in several districts across Sumatra island.

Floods and landslides in Indonesia have now killed at least 59 people, the government said, Friday after heavy rain pounded Sulawesi island and forced thousands to flee their homes.

Floods and landslides in Indonesia have now killed at least 59 people, the government said, Friday after heavy rain pounded Sulawesi island and forced thousands to flee their homes. "I've never seen something this bad — this is the worst," Syamsibar, head of South Sulawesi disaster mitigation agency, told AFP, adding that 25 people were still missing. Lashed by the heavy rain, rivers swelled and burst their banks, inundating dozens of communities in 11 districts of southern Sulawesi. Parts of the provincial capital Makassar have also been affected. Gowa district suffered the heaviest casualties, with 44 people found dead, said Syamsibar, who like many Indonesians goes by one name. Some 3,400 people have been evacuated from their homes and given refuge in schools, mosques, and tents. Rescuers and residents waded through streets filled with waist-deep water, some carrying their possessions above their heads. "I couldn't save all my belongings, my house was swept away," Makassar resident Ayu Fiskarina told AFP. Authorities say floodwaters are receding but the impact of the disaster has ranged far and wide, damaging houses, government buildings, schools, and bridges. The death toll stood at 30 on Thursday evening. Landslides and floods are common in Indonesia, especially during the monsoon season between October and April, when rains lash the vast Southeast Asian archipelago. In October, flash floods and landslides killed at least 22 people in several districts across Sumatra island.

Indonesia floods, landslides death toll climbs to 59

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/act-now-or-risk-disaster-world-told-at-un-climate-summit-181034">Act now or risk disaster, world told at UN climate summit</a>

After the starkest warnings yet of the catastrophic threat posed by climate change, nations gathered in Poland on Sunday to chart a way for mankind to avert runaway global warming.&nbsp;

The COP24 climate summit comes at a crucial juncture in the battle to rein in the effects of our heating planet.&nbsp;

UN General Assembly president Maria Espinosa said mankind was "in danger of disappearing" if climate change was allowed to progress at its current rate.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-speaking-against-pm-modi-or-bjp-require-me-to-leave-is-it-not-my-country-owaisi-181036">History </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-speaking-against-pm-modi-or-bjp-require-me-to-leave-is-it-not-my-country-owaisi-181036">mein</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-speaking-against-pm-modi-or-bjp-require-me-to-leave-is-it-not-my-country-owaisi-181036"> zero </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-speaking-against-pm-modi-or-bjp-require-me-to-leave-is-it-not-my-country-owaisi-181036">hain</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-speaking-against-pm-modi-or-bjp-require-me-to-leave-is-it-not-my-country-owaisi-181036"> </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-speaking-against-pm-modi-or-bjp-require-me-to-leave-is-it-not-my-country-owaisi-181036">aap</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-speaking-against-pm-modi-or-bjp-require-me-to-leave-is-it-not-my-country-owaisi-181036">: Asaduddin Owaisi responds to Yogi Adityanath</a>

AIMIM chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, on Sunday launched an attack on BJP asking if those who speak against the saffron party or its leadership will be asked to leave the country.&nbsp;

Owaisi's comments came as a reaction to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's remark wherein he stated that Owaisi will have to flee the state if BJP comes to power in Telangana.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-will-grant-kim-jong-uns-wishes-after-denuclearisation-south-korea-president-181032">Trump will grant Kim Jong Un's wishes after denuclearisation: South Korea president</a>

US President Donald Trump will grant North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un his wishes if he delivers on denuclearisation, the South Korean president said Sunday, following talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit.

As officials work to arrange a second meeting between Trump and Kim, South Korea's Moon Jae-in relayed a message to reporters given to him by the US president to pass on to the North's leader.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-link-to-rajiv-gandhis-assassination-claims-ltte-181030">'No link' to Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, claims LTTE</a>

In an alleged statement, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has claimed that they had 'no link' in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.

The alleged letter from LTTE has been signed by their Political Wing representative Kurburan Guruswami and Legal Wing representative Lathan Chandralingam.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/un-doctors-hammer-australia-over-refugee-camps-181042">UN, doctors hammer Australia over refugee camps</a>

Australia's under-pressure government received a double blow Monday from the United Nations and a leading doctors' group over harsh treatment of refugees on off-shore island camps.

In an unusual broadside, a top official for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees accused "bureaucrats and politicians" of overruling doctors and putting lives at risk at camps on Nauru and Manus.

Act now or risk disaster, world told at UN climate summit After the starkest warnings yet of the catastrophic threat posed by climate change, nations gathered in Poland on Sunday to chart a way for mankind to avert runaway global warming.

Act now or risk disaster, world told at UN climate summit After the starkest warnings yet of the catastrophic threat posed by climate change, nations gathered in Poland on Sunday to chart a way for mankind to avert runaway global warming. The COP24 climate summit comes at a crucial juncture in the battle to rein in the effects of our heating planet. UN General Assembly president Maria Espinosa said mankind was "in danger of disappearing" if climate change was allowed to progress at its current rate. History mein zero hain aap: Asaduddin Owaisi responds to Yogi Adityanath AIMIM chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, on Sunday launched an attack on BJP asking if those who speak against the saffron party or its leadership will be asked to leave the country. Owaisi's comments came as a reaction to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's remark wherein he stated that Owaisi will have to flee the state if BJP comes to power in Telangana. Trump will grant Kim Jong Un's wishes after denuclearisation: South Korea president US President Donald Trump will grant North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un his wishes if he delivers on denuclearisation, the South Korean president said Sunday, following talks on the sidelines of the G20 summit. As officials work to arrange a second meeting between Trump and Kim, South Korea's Moon Jae-in relayed a message to reporters given to him by the US president to pass on to the North's leader. 'No link' to Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, claims LTTE In an alleged statement, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has claimed that they had 'no link' in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991. The alleged letter from LTTE has been signed by their Political Wing representative Kurburan Guruswami and Legal Wing representative Lathan Chandralingam. UN, doctors hammer Australia over refugee camps Australia's under-pressure government received a double blow Monday from the United Nations and a leading doctors' group over harsh treatment of refugees on off-shore island camps. In an unusual broadside, a top official for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees accused "bureaucrats and politicians" of overruling doctors and putting lives at risk at camps on Nauru and Manus.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The Supreme Court on Monday castigated Delhi&#39;s civic authorities for &quot;keeping their eyes closed&quot; and waiting for disaster to happen, questioning the DDA on its proposals to change the city&#39;s Master Plan 2021.

Hearing a matter related to sealing in Delhi, the apex court said it appeared that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was &quot;succumbing to some pressure&quot;.

&quot;Everybody in Delhi is just keeping their eyes closed and waiting for disaster to happen. You (civic bodies) have learnt nothing from Uphaar fire tragedy and incidents in Bawana and Kamala Mills,&quot; a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said.

The DDA recently proposed bringing uniform floor area ratio (FAR) for shop-cum-residence plots and complexes at par with residential plots, a move that would come as a big relief to traders facing the threat of sealing.

FAR is the ratio of a building&#39;s total floor area (gross floor area) to the size of the piece of land upon which it is built.

During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was appearing for some of the petitioners, said the DDA had recently proposed changes in the Master Plan.

&quot;What about the people who are staying in Delhi?&quot; the bench asked DDA.

&quot;You have to hear the people also. You cannot hear only some people,&quot; it said.

The bench referred to the ongoing illegal constructions in Delhi and asked, &quot;Are you (DDA) looking after the interest of the people of Delhi or not?&quot;

Stressing that there has to be rule of law, the court said Delhi was grappling with several problems like waste management, pollution and parking.

&quot;Twenty out of 13 most polluted cities of the world are in India. Delhi is perhaps the most polluted. I do not know what civic authorities are doing in Delhi,&quot; Justice Lokur observed.

The bench directed the DDA to file an affidavit within two weeks, indicating the changes it proposes in Master Plan 2021.

The DDA&#39;s proposals are expected to come as a big relief to traders, who have been seeking uniform FAR, as several properties have been sealed by the civic bodies recently.

Civic bodies in north, south and central Delhi have been carrying out sealing drives. It started in December last year with action against more than 50 shops in Defence Colony Market at the instance of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee.

The apex court had observed on January 31 that the mandate given to its monitoring committee to oversee implementation of laws relating to the sealing of illegal premises in Delhi does not mean that other authorities would not do their work.

The court made the observation while hearing the pleas by traders of a marble market in south Delhi where South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) had carried out sealing drive as per the direction of the monitoring committee.

The apex court had earlier observed that the rule of law over sanction to construct buildings had &quot;completely broken down&quot; in Delhi and expressed concern over illegal construction.

It had also ordered restoration of its 2006 monitoring committee to identify and seal such offending structures.

The monitoring committee, comprising K J Rao, former advisor to the Election Commissioner, Bhure Lal, Chairman, EPCA and Major General (Retd) Som Jhingan, was set up on March 24, 2006, by the apex court.&nbsp;

Everybody in Delhi is just keeping their eyes closed and waiting for disaster to happen. You (civic bodies) have learnt nothing from Uphaar fire tragedy and incidents in Bawana and Kamala Mills,'a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said

The Supreme Court on Monday castigated Delhi's civic authorities for "keeping their eyes closed" and waiting for disaster to happen, questioning the DDA on its proposals to change the city's Master Plan 2021. Hearing a matter related to sealing in Delhi, the apex court said it appeared that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was "succumbing to some pressure". "Everybody in Delhi is just keeping their eyes closed and waiting for disaster to happen. You (civic bodies) have learnt nothing from Uphaar fire tragedy and incidents in Bawana and Kamala Mills," a bench comprising Justices Madan B Lokur and Deepak Gupta said. The DDA recently proposed bringing uniform floor area ratio (FAR) for shop-cum-residence plots and complexes at par with residential plots, a move that would come as a big relief to traders facing the threat of sealing. FAR is the ratio of a building's total floor area (gross floor area) to the size of the piece of land upon which it is built. During the hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who was appearing for some of the petitioners, said the DDA had recently proposed changes in the Master Plan. "What about the people who are staying in Delhi?" the bench asked DDA. "You have to hear the people also. You cannot hear only some people," it said. The bench referred to the ongoing illegal constructions in Delhi and asked, "Are you (DDA) looking after the interest of the people of Delhi or not?" Stressing that there has to be rule of law, the court said Delhi was grappling with several problems like waste management, pollution and parking. "Twenty out of 13 most polluted cities of the world are in India. Delhi is perhaps the most polluted. I do not know what civic authorities are doing in Delhi," Justice Lokur observed. The bench directed the DDA to file an affidavit within two weeks, indicating the changes it proposes in Master Plan 2021. The DDA's proposals are expected to come as a big relief to traders, who have been seeking uniform FAR, as several properties have been sealed by the civic bodies recently. Civic bodies in north, south and central Delhi have been carrying out sealing drives. It started in December last year with action against more than 50 shops in Defence Colony Market at the instance of a Supreme Court-appointed monitoring committee. The apex court had observed on January 31 that the mandate given to its monitoring committee to oversee implementation of laws relating to the sealing of illegal premises in Delhi does not mean that other authorities would not do their work. The court made the observation while hearing the pleas by traders of a marble market in south Delhi where South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) had carried out sealing drive as per the direction of the monitoring committee. The apex court had earlier observed that the rule of law over sanction to construct buildings had "completely broken down" in Delhi and expressed concern over illegal construction. It had also ordered restoration of its 2006 monitoring committee to identify and seal such offending structures. The monitoring committee, comprising K J Rao, former advisor to the Election Commissioner, Bhure Lal, Chairman, EPCA and Major General (Retd) Som Jhingan, was set up on March 24, 2006, by the apex court.

Delhi's civic authorities waiting for disaster to happen: Supreme Court

A tornado ripped through a densely populated area in Indonesia&rsquo;s East Java province on Thursday, injuring 35 people and damaging more than 600 homes, the head of the local disaster mitigation official said.

The tornado, with wind speeds of 70 km per hour (45 miles per hour), carved a path of destruction in the Sidoarjo area, lasting about five minutes, Dwidjo Prawito of Indonesia&rsquo;s disaster mitigation agency said by telephone.

A video posted on social media showed part of a roof being torn off a building as debris was hurled high into the air. Sidoarjo is south of Indonesia&rsquo;s second-biggest city of Surabaya.

Around 100 people were evacuated to an elementary school, while others had left to stay with family members, said Prawito.

In February, 166 houses were reported damaged when another tornado struck several villages in the same area.

Around 100 people were evacuated to an elementary school, while others had left to stay with family members, said Dwidjo Prawito of Indonesia?s disaster mitigation agency

A tornado ripped through a densely populated area in Indonesia’s East Java province on Thursday, injuring 35 people and damaging more than 600 homes, the head of the local disaster mitigation official said. The tornado, with wind speeds of 70 km per hour (45 miles per hour), carved a path of destruction in the Sidoarjo area, lasting about five minutes, Dwidjo Prawito of Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency said by telephone. A video posted on social media showed part of a roof being torn off a building as debris was hurled high into the air. Sidoarjo is south of Indonesia’s second-biggest city of Surabaya. Around 100 people were evacuated to an elementary school, while others had left to stay with family members, said Prawito. In February, 166 houses were reported damaged when another tornado struck several villages in the same area.

Tornado in Indonesia injures 35, damages hundreds of homes

Chennai has been experiencing heavy rain since the past one week. Chief minister K Palaniswami has stated that the city recorded a rainfall of 56.6 cm in five days. The rain in the city has disrupted the normal lives of the people. Many of them living in the low lying areas have shifted to safer places, fearing 2015 like flood situation.

The schools in the city are closed, several university exams have been postponed, people are facing regular power cuts, waterlogging and traffic jams. The continuous downpour in the city is the result of low pressure developed over Southwest Bay of Bengal between the Sri Lankan and the Tamil Nadu coast and the cyclonic circulation rising up to 3.1 km above mean sea level.

The Tamil Nadu government has been constantly assuring that they are taking up required measures to drain the water out of the city.&nbsp;The chief minister claimed that the current government has handled the situation better than Bengaluru and Mumbai.

SP Velumani, minister of municipal administration and rural development said that the state government has done more work than several developed nations to deal with the rains.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

D Jayakumar, minister of finance and fishing, went a step further and claimed to have solved 98 per cent of rain-related issues in the city. However, the undeniable fact remains that it is only because of the years of improper planning that has worsened the ecological balance of the city.

Chennai suffered from severe water shortage in 2016-17.&nbsp;The city was hard hit by the 60 per cent deficit in the northeastern monsoon.&nbsp;The city has already experienced one of the most devastating floods in 2015. Such natural disaster continues to hit Chennai almost every year.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/untitled%20design%20(46)-20171106111838.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Pallavaram Lake (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city. Chennai once had around 650 lakes and rivers which were a source of their freshwater. Besides this, they were also responsible for recharging the groundwater level thus preventing drought. During heavy rainfall, these rivers regulated the flow of water to human settlements by draining the excess water.

However, with the rapid growth of urbanisation and industrialisation, most of these water bodies have lost their existence. Ever increasing population in the city has led to the increasing demands for housing societies, institutions, and industries. Most of this construction has taken place over these water bodies. Also, the direct discharge of industrial and municipal waste has worsened the remaining waterways.

Konnur Lake once occupied over 250 acres of land. Due to the residential and industrial construction, it has now been reduced to 20 acres. Over 4000 houses have been built over it and it also supports the Sidco Industries. While the remaining 20 acres has also been allotted for institutional construction. Sidco Nagar was one of the worst affected areas during the 2015 floods. The construction over the lake restricted the free flow of water into the lake which had a devastating effect over the nearby slum dwellers.

The urban planning authorities do not take into consideration the ecological balance of the city while devising any architectural plan. This way they affect the natural penetration process which further leads to floods during heavy rainfall while drought in case of less rainfall. Besides this, the lakes and rivers which are not considered fit for drinking or irrigation are declared as wasteland permitting construction over it. This further disrupts the ecological balance of the city.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false"><img alt="" draggable="false" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/untitled%20design%20(47)-20171106112044.jpg" />
<div class="media-description">
Pallavaram Lake (Others)
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="javascript:void(0)" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

Pallavaram Lake which once spread over 200 acres is now left with just 50 acres. The lake was bifurcated after the construction of Thoraipakkam road for connecting Chennai Airport and Rajiv Gandhi Salai. One side of the lake still remains, however, the other side has choked to death due to encroachment and dumping of effluents from the nearby leather factory, industries, and sewage waste. This part of the lake has become a dump yard due to the consistent dumping of garbage for the past few decades. This dumping has contaminated the groundwater of that area.

Residents around the Pallavaram Lake had filed a petition in the HC for removing the illegal encroachment over the water body. According to them the settlements over the water have come up in connivance with the Pallavaram municipality. Besides letting the growth of encroachment in the lake the municipality itself planned to construct a methanation plant on the land.

An activist working for the restoration of water bodies in Chennai states &quot;it is only because of the municipal that the illegal settlements have survived well. had they not provided the basic amenities the temporary shanties would not have turned into permanent residents&rdquo;.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>One of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=One of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

The illegal encroachment over the water bodies is not restricted to this lake. In fact, one of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it. No government official is ready to take the responsibility of the ever-growing illegal encroachment.

The depleting water bodies because of the encroachment over them is severely affecting the ecology of the city. The consequent result of this is that Chennai faces drought during less rainfall whereas waterlogging and floods during heavy rains.

The illegal encroachment over the water bodies is one of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai that leads to flooding like situation

Chennai has been experiencing heavy rain since the past one week. Chief minister K Palaniswami has stated that the city recorded a rainfall of 56.6 cm in five days. The rain in the city has disrupted the normal lives of the people. Many of them living in the low lying areas have shifted to safer places, fearing 2015 like flood situation. The schools in the city are closed, several university exams have been postponed, people are facing regular power cuts, waterlogging and traffic jams. The continuous downpour in the city is the result of low pressure developed over Southwest Bay of Bengal between the Sri Lankan and the Tamil Nadu coast and the cyclonic circulation rising up to 3.1 km above mean sea level. The Tamil Nadu government has been constantly assuring that they are taking up required measures to drain the water out of the city. The chief minister claimed that the current government has handled the situation better than Bengaluru and Mumbai. SP Velumani, minister of municipal administration and rural development said that the state government has done more work than several developed nations to deal with the rains. The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city. × D Jayakumar, minister of finance and fishing, went a step further and claimed to have solved 98 per cent of rain-related issues in the city. However, the undeniable fact remains that it is only because of the years of improper planning that has worsened the ecological balance of the city. Chennai suffered from severe water shortage in 2016-17. The city was hard hit by the 60 per cent deficit in the northeastern monsoon. The city has already experienced one of the most devastating floods in 2015. Such natural disaster continues to hit Chennai almost every year. Pallavaram Lake (Others) × The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city. Chennai once had around 650 lakes and rivers which were a source of their freshwater. Besides this, they were also responsible for recharging the groundwater level thus preventing drought. During heavy rainfall, these rivers regulated the flow of water to human settlements by draining the excess water. However, with the rapid growth of urbanisation and industrialisation, most of these water bodies have lost their existence. Ever increasing population in the city has led to the increasing demands for housing societies, institutions, and industries. Most of this construction has taken place over these water bodies. Also, the direct discharge of industrial and municipal waste has worsened the remaining waterways. Konnur Lake once occupied over 250 acres of land. Due to the residential and industrial construction, it has now been reduced to 20 acres. Over 4000 houses have been built over it and it also supports the Sidco Industries. While the remaining 20 acres has also been allotted for institutional construction. Sidco Nagar was one of the worst affected areas during the 2015 floods. The construction over the lake restricted the free flow of water into the lake which had a devastating effect over the nearby slum dwellers. The urban planning authorities do not take into consideration the ecological balance of the city while devising any architectural plan. This way they affect the natural penetration process which further leads to floods during heavy rainfall while drought in case of less rainfall. Besides this, the lakes and rivers which are not considered fit for drinking or irrigation are declared as wasteland permitting construction over it. This further disrupts the ecological balance of the city. Pallavaram Lake (Others) × Pallavaram Lake which once spread over 200 acres is now left with just 50 acres. The lake was bifurcated after the construction of Thoraipakkam road for connecting Chennai Airport and Rajiv Gandhi Salai. One side of the lake still remains, however, the other side has choked to death due to encroachment and dumping of effluents from the nearby leather factory, industries, and sewage waste. This part of the lake has become a dump yard due to the consistent dumping of garbage for the past few decades. This dumping has contaminated the groundwater of that area. Residents around the Pallavaram Lake had filed a petition in the HC for removing the illegal encroachment over the water body. According to them the settlements over the water have come up in connivance with the Pallavaram municipality. Besides letting the growth of encroachment in the lake the municipality itself planned to construct a methanation plant on the land. An activist working for the restoration of water bodies in Chennai states "it is only because of the municipal that the illegal settlements have survived well. had they not provided the basic amenities the temporary shanties would not have turned into permanent residents”. One of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it. × The illegal encroachment over the water bodies is not restricted to this lake. In fact, one of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it. No government official is ready to take the responsibility of the ever-growing illegal encroachment. The depleting water bodies because of the encroachment over them is severely affecting the ecology of the city. The consequent result of this is that Chennai faces drought during less rainfall whereas waterlogging and floods during heavy rains.

The man-made disaster in Chennai

Early in the morning on <a href="https://www.loc.gov/wiseguide/sept09/independence.html">Sept. 16, 1810</a>, priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the bell of his church in the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato, Mexico. His parishioners gathered round, and he <a href="https://books.google.com.sv/books?id=uuBVAAAAMAAJ&amp;source=gbs_navlinks_s">urged them</a> to revolt against Spain&rsquo;s two-year-old Napoleonic government.

Hidalgo&rsquo;s call to arms, which later became known later as the Grito de Dolores <a href="http://www.revistadelauniversidad.unam.mx/6709/carballo/67carballo.html">(Cry of Dolores)</a>, triggered the Mexican War of Independence. Every September 15, the president of Mexico takes to the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City to <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=4Zn_nCFYY_4C&amp;pg=PA243&amp;dq=grito+de+Dolores+Hidalgo&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;redir_esc=y#v=onepage&amp;q=grito%20de%20Dolores&amp;f=false">reenact</a> it.

This year, just a week before Independence Day, a historic <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-seismologists-didnt-see-mexicos-deadly-earthquake-coming-83865">earthquake struck Mexico&rsquo;s southern coast</a>, killing <a href="https://elpais.com/internacional/2017/09/11/mexico/1505157398_686934.html">nearly 100 people</a>. So President Enrique Pe&ntilde;a Nieto added a poignant element to his Grito by including in the incantation a reference to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/09/world/americas/mexico-earthquake-juchitan-de-zaragoza.html?mcubz=3&amp;_r=0">impoverished states that were most devastated</a> by the quake, crying &ldquo;Long live the solidarity of Mexicans with Chiapas and Oaxaca!&rdquo;

It was a nice twist on tradition, but these two states will need more than expressions of solidarity to recover. The <a href="https://twitter.com/SismologicoMX/status/906132423275986945">8.2 magnitude</a> quake is the <a href="https://twitter.com/EPN/status/906079206987194368">strongest</a> Mexico has experienced in 100 years, surpassing even the Sept. 19, 1985 earthquake that killed an estimated <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080610175800/http:/www.ssn.unam.mx/website/jsp/Carteles/sismo85.jsp">40,000 people</a> in and around Mexico City.

It was also significantly more powerful than the recent <a href="https://twitter.com/SSNMexico/status/910223086263336961">7.1 magnitude</a> earthquake that <a href="http://www.reforma.com/aplicaciones/articulo/default.aspx?id=1213679&amp;v=15">killed upwards of 200 people</a> in and around Mexico&rsquo;s capital on September 19.

Natural and man-made disasters

This latest quake shook Mexico City 32 years to the day after the 1985 &ldquo;big one.&rdquo; I was 11 years old when the quake hit, and I recall the government of President Miguel de la Madrid reacting with what can only be described as criminal apathy: In the first days after the disaster, he <a href="http://www.informador.com.mx/mexico/2012/367226/6/de-la-madrid-el-presidente-recordado-por-el-terremoto-de-1985.htm">prevented the army from rescuing victims</a> and rejected international aid.

The people of Mexico City, however, <a href="http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2005/09/11/mas-jesus.html">took to the streets</a>, distributing food, water and blankets among those who needed them and digging neighbors free from the rubble with their <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/articulo/metropoli/df/2015/09/13/terremoto-de-1985-la-solidaridad-en-su-maxima-expresion#imagen-1">bare hands</a>.

This time around, the death toll is significantly lower than it was in 1985: 78 fatalities in Oaxaca, 16 in Chiapas and four in Tabasco for the <a href="https://elpais.com/internacional/2017/09/11/mexico/1505157398_686934.html">first earthquake</a>, and more than 220 for the <a href="https://elpais.com/internacional/2017/09/19/actualidad/1505845600_736646.html">second</a>. In part, this reflects <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/1985/09/25/world/mexicans-link-damage-in-quake-to-breaches-of-city-building-code.html?mcubz=3">improvements</a> in building regulations since 1985 and the creation of both a <a href="http://www.cires.org.mx/">Mexican Seismic Alert System</a> and a <a href="https://www.gob.mx/proteccion-civil">National Civil Protection System</a>.

Still, the damages are daunting. Scores of buildings in Mexico City have suffered <a href="https://twitter.com/Enrique_Acevedo/status/910227100896022528">catastrophic damage</a>.

But it was Oaxaca and Chiapas &ndash; Mexico&rsquo;s two poorest states &ndash; that took the harshest blow. More than 2,500 <a href="http://www.jornada.com.mx/ultimas/2017/09/18/dano-el-sismo-2-646-escuelas-en-oaxaca-y-chiapas">schools</a> have been severely harmed and 85,000 <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/09/censo-danos-oaxaca-chiapas/">houses</a> have been affected &ndash; more than 17,000 of them beyond repair.

Poverty makes these disaster impacts worse in the south. On average, <a href="https://www.forbes.com.mx/los-10-estados-con-mas-pobres-en-mexico/">46 percent of Mexican households live in poverty</a>. But <a href="http://www.coneval.org.mx/coordinacion/entidades/Oaxaca/Paginas/Pobreza-2016.aspx">70 percent of Oaxaca&rsquo;s population</a> earns less than what&rsquo;s needed to satisfy basic family needs, according to the government&rsquo;s CONEVAL agency, and 77 percent of <a href="http://www.coneval.org.mx/coordinacion/entidades/Chiapas/Paginas/Pobreza-2016.aspx">Chiapas</a> households do.

In both states, the lowest-income families making as little as <a href="http://www.animalpolitico.com/2017/08/ingreso-menos-ganan-mayor-inegi/">37 pesos</a> (US$2) per day, less than half&nbsp;<a href="http://www.sat.gob.mx/informacion_fiscal/tablas_indicadores/paginas/salarios_minimos.aspx">the Mexican minimum wage</a>, which is 80.04 pesos, or around $4.50 a day.

The World Bank lists Mexico as the <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD?year_high_desc=true">15th most powerful economy</a> in the world, but its wealth has not trickled down to the southern states.

That fact has left many on the ground wondering whether the <a href="http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/nacion/seguridad/garantizan-recursos-para-damnificados">16 billion Mexican pesos</a> ($901 million) in federal disaster assistance being offered to <a href="http://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5497237&amp;fecha=14/09/2017">283 municipalities in Oaxaca</a> and <a href="http://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5497236&amp;fecha=14/09/2017">97 in Chiapas</a> will get to where it needs to go.

Unequal development in Mexico is an ongoing challenge. A <a href="http://www.banxico.org.mx/publicaciones-y-discursos/publicaciones/informes-periodicos/reportes-sobre-las-economias-regionales/%7BF88DFFC0-499D-D23B-BB92-E8D9539B76D1%7D.pdf">recent report from the Bank of Mexico</a> showed that during the second trimester of 2017, the Mexican economy grew in north (0.9 percent), center-north (1.2 percent) and central zones (0.7 percent), home to such powerhouse cities as Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City, but contracted over 1 percent in the rural south.

If there&rsquo;s a silver lining to these twin earthquakes, it&rsquo;s that the post-disaster recovery analyses have finally shed some light on the <a href="http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/chis/poblacion/default.aspx?tema=me&amp;e=07">historical neglect of Chiapas</a> and <a href="http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/oax/poblacion/">Oaxaca</a>, together home to around nine million Mexicans.

What the earthquake unearthed

It is not incidental that many of those residents are of indigenous descent. Upwards of <a href="https://www.gob.mx/cms/uploads/attachment/file/121653/Infografia_INDI_FINAL_08082016.pdf">40 percent</a> of Mexico&rsquo;s indigenous peoples live in the southern states of <a href="http://www.cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/oax/poblacion/diversidad.aspx">Oaxaca</a>, <a href="http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/chis/poblacion/diversidad.aspx?tema=me&amp;e=07">Chiapas</a> and <a href="http://www.cuentame.inegi.org.mx/monografias/informacion/yuc/poblacion/diversidad.aspx?tema=me&amp;e=31">Yucat&aacute;n</a>.

Their economic exclusion dates back to the colonial era. In 1813, a Chiapas priest, Mariano Robles Dom&iacute;nguez de Mazariegos, testified in Spain to the &ldquo;<a href="http://weblioteca.uv.es/cgi/view7.pl?sesion=201709181948475512&amp;source=uv_im_b15136097&amp;div=34">violent humiliations</a>&rdquo; suffered by the indigenous inhabitants of Chiapas, who, he said, lived a life of &ldquo;<a href="http://weblioteca.uv.es/cgi/view7.pl?sesion=201709181948475512&amp;source=uv_im_b15136097&amp;div=41">agitation and continuous terror and distress</a>&rdquo; because they were treated with such &ldquo;<a href="http://weblioteca.uv.es/cgi/view7.pl?sesion=201709181948475512&amp;source=uv_im_b15136097&amp;div=41">contempt and hatred</a>.&rdquo;

More than 200 years later, on New Year&rsquo;s Day 1994, the <a href="http://hemisphericinstitute.org/hemi/en/su10-tourism/item/879-su10-brief-historical-background-zapatista-movement">Zapatistas</a>, whose ranks consist of largely of poor Mayans from Chiapas, used similar words to justify an indigenous rebellion against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which had just been signed.

Condemning NAFTA as a death sentence for traditional agricultural methods still practiced on collectively owned indigenous lands, the <a href="http://schoolsforchiapas.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/1st-Declaration-of-the-Lacandona-Jungle.pdf">First Declaration of the Lacandona Jungle</a> asserted that Chiapas&rsquo; rural population had &ldquo;nothing&rdquo;: &ldquo;no land, no work, no health care, no food nor education&rdquo; &ndash; not even a roof over their heads.

As the recent earthquake reveals, the plight of indigenous Mexicans has not improved markedly over the past 200 years. Their homes offered tenuous shelter from the quake at&nbsp;best, and their food supplies, long delicate, are <a href="https://lasillarota.com/nacion/a-una-semana-del-sismo-padecen-hambre-e-incertidumbre/176692">now running short</a>.

The worst and the best of Mexico

Mexico is and always will be a land of earthquakes. Pre-Columbian records <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-seismologists-didnt-see-mexicos-deadly-earthquake-coming-83865">report</a> seismic activity attributed to the wrath of gods said to be unhappy about the state of human affairs.

Today, quakes still <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books?id=vAF-9pNtpg8C&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;source=gbs_ge_summary_r&amp;cad=0#v=onepage&amp;q&amp;f=false">unearth</a> the best and the worst in Mexico.

It&rsquo;s not clear that Pe&ntilde;a Nieto, whose government is dogged by <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-many-mexicans-this-government-spying-scandal-feels-eerily-familiar-79981">scandals</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/governors-gone-wild-mexico-faces-a-lost-generation-of-corrupt-leaders-76858">wildly public corruption</a>, can make use of this crisis to bring social change to Oaxaca and Chiapas.

Other politicians are falling short of this high bar, too. In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/anahimusic/videos/10155462147581368/">Facebook video</a>, the wife of <a href="http://www.24-horas.mx/reconoce-manuel-velasco-a-enrique-pena-nieto-como-aliado-de-chiapas/">Chiapas Governor Manuel Velasco</a>, a member of Pe&ntilde;a Nieto&rsquo;s inner circle, toured a ruined Chiapas home to show the administration &ldquo;is helping&rdquo; but lamented her &ldquo;tousled&rdquo; hair.

The populace, at least, is coming to its own assistance. Right after the quake in Mexico City, people formed veritable <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/09/19/552141609/at-least-42-people-killed-as-powerful-earthquake-convulses-central-mexico">factory lines of diggers</a> to excavate their buried neighbors and lent out bicycles so stranded colleagues could make their way home.

Residents of Mexico&rsquo;s southern region have also shown the country what resilience looks like, even in the face of overwhelming historical odds. In the town of Juchit&aacute;n, Oaxaca, where the historic town hall pancaked after the earthquake, a man picked up a Mexican flag that had previously decorated its facade, shook off the dust and then, in an act that touched millions, he placed it atop the debris.

&nbsp;

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" nofollow="" rel="">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/twin-earthquakes-expose-mexicos-deep-inequality-84012" nofollow="" rel="">original article</a>.

Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico?s two poorest states, have taken the harshest blow in the recent earthquakes.

Early in the morning on Sept. 16, 1810, priest, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the bell of his church in the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato, Mexico. His parishioners gathered round, and he urged them to revolt against Spain’s two-year-old Napoleonic government. Hidalgo’s call to arms, which later became known later as the Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores), triggered the Mexican War of Independence. Every September 15, the president of Mexico takes to the balcony of the National Palace in Mexico City to reenact it. This year, just a week before Independence Day, a historic earthquake struck Mexico’s southern coast, killing nearly 100 people. So President Enrique Peña Nieto added a poignant element to his Grito by including in the incantation a reference to the impoverished states that were most devastated by the quake, crying “Long live the solidarity of Mexicans with Chiapas and Oaxaca!” It was a nice twist on tradition, but these two states will need more than expressions of solidarity to recover. The 8.2 magnitude quake is the strongest Mexico has experienced in 100 years, surpassing even the Sept. 19, 1985 earthquake that killed an estimated 40,000 people in and around Mexico City. It was also significantly more powerful than the recent 7.1 magnitude earthquake that killed upwards of 200 people in and around Mexico’s capital on September 19. Natural and man-made disasters This latest quake shook Mexico City 32 years to the day after the 1985 “big one.” I was 11 years old when the quake hit, and I recall the government of President Miguel de la Madrid reacting with what can only be described as criminal apathy: In the first days after the disaster, he prevented the army from rescuing victims and rejected international aid. The people of Mexico City, however, took to the streets, distributing food, water and blankets among those who needed them and digging neighbors free from the rubble with their bare hands. This time around, the death toll is significantly lower than it was in 1985: 78 fatalities in Oaxaca, 16 in Chiapas and four in Tabasco for the first earthquake, and more than 220 for the second. In part, this reflects improvements in building regulations since 1985 and the creation of both a Mexican Seismic Alert System and a National Civil Protection System. Still, the damages are daunting. Scores of buildings in Mexico City have suffered catastrophic damage. But it was Oaxaca and Chiapas – Mexico’s two poorest states – that took the harshest blow. More than 2,500 schools have been severely harmed and 85,000 houses have been affected – more than 17,000 of them beyond repair. Poverty makes these disaster impacts worse in the south. On average, 46 percent of Mexican households live in poverty. But 70 percent of Oaxaca’s population earns less than what’s needed to satisfy basic family needs, according to the government’s CONEVAL agency, and 77 percent of Chiapas households do. In both states, the lowest-income families making as little as 37 pesos (US$2) per day, less than half the Mexican minimum wage, which is 80.04 pesos, or around $4.50 a day. The World Bank lists Mexico as the 15th most powerful economy in the world, but its wealth has not trickled down to the southern states. That fact has left many on the ground wondering whether the 16 billion Mexican pesos ($901 million) in federal disaster assistance being offered to 283 municipalities in Oaxaca and 97 in Chiapas will get to where it needs to go. Unequal development in Mexico is an ongoing challenge. A recent report from the Bank of Mexico showed that during the second trimester of 2017, the Mexican economy grew in north (0.9 percent), center-north (1.2 percent) and central zones (0.7 percent), home to such powerhouse cities as Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City, but contracted over 1 percent in the rural south. If there’s a silver lining to these twin earthquakes, it’s that the post-disaster recovery analyses have finally shed some light on the historical neglect of Chiapas and Oaxaca, together home to around nine million Mexicans. What the earthquake unearthed It is not incidental that many of those residents are of indigenous descent. Upwards of 40 percent of Mexico’s indigenous peoples live in the southern states of Oaxaca, Chiapas and Yucatán. Their economic exclusion dates back to the colonial era. In 1813, a Chiapas priest, Mariano Robles Domínguez de Mazariegos, testified in Spain to the “violent humiliations” suffered by the indigenous inhabitants of Chiapas, who, he said, lived a life of “agitation and continuous terror and distress” because they were treated with such “contempt and hatred.” More than 200 years later, on New Year’s Day 1994, the Zapatistas, whose ranks consist of largely of poor Mayans from Chiapas, used similar words to justify an indigenous rebellion against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which had just been signed. Condemning NAFTA as a death sentence for traditional agricultural methods still practiced on collectively owned indigenous lands, the First Declaration of the Lacandona Jungle asserted that Chiapas’ rural population had “nothing”: “no land, no work, no health care, no food nor education” – not even a roof over their heads. As the recent earthquake reveals, the plight of indigenous Mexicans has not improved markedly over the past 200 years. Their homes offered tenuous shelter from the quake at best, and their food supplies, long delicate, are now running short. The worst and the best of Mexico Mexico is and always will be a land of earthquakes. Pre-Columbian records report seismic activity attributed to the wrath of gods said to be unhappy about the state of human affairs. Today, quakes still unearth the best and the worst in Mexico. It’s not clear that Peña Nieto, whose government is dogged by scandals and wildly public corruption, can make use of this crisis to bring social change to Oaxaca and Chiapas. Other politicians are falling short of this high bar, too. In a Facebook video, the wife of Chiapas Governor Manuel Velasco, a member of Peña Nieto’s inner circle, toured a ruined Chiapas home to show the administration “is helping” but lamented her “tousled” hair. The populace, at least, is coming to its own assistance. Right after the quake in Mexico City, people formed veritable factory lines of diggers to excavate their buried neighbors and lent out bicycles so stranded colleagues could make their way home. Residents of Mexico’s southern region have also shown the country what resilience looks like, even in the face of overwhelming historical odds. In the town of Juchitán, Oaxaca, where the historic town hall pancaked after the earthquake, a man picked up a Mexican flag that had previously decorated its facade, shook off the dust and then, in an act that touched millions, he placed it atop the debris. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Twin earthquakes expose Mexico's deep inequality

Continuing to maintain his see-saw&nbsp;attitude towards the recent criticism over his remarks on joining politics, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Friday rhetorically said the people would see what happens when the `ultimate war` comes.

&quot;I have responsibilities and works, same with you. Let`s do it, but when the ultimate war comes, we all will see,&quot; he said.

The actor was possibly reacting to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy`s remarks dubbing him as a `disaster` in Tamil Nadu politics.

The superstar also expressed his disappointment over the `wrong system` which needs to be changed.

While mentioning the names of eminent Tamil politicians, Rajinikanth said those people are able administrators but the `wrong system` does not let them work properly.

Rajinikanth further said that the system needs to be changed, and moreover the mindset of the people has to change.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash">#WATCH</a>: Rajinikanth says &quot;I have responsibilities and works, same with you, let&#39;s do it, but when the ultimate war comes, we all will see&quot;. <a href="https://t.co/3t4tzrBkDt">pic.twitter.com/3t4tzrBkDt</a>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI_news) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI_news/status/865418459177287680">May 19, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

&quot;There are many senior people in politics. One among them is M.K. Stalin who is very able. Anbumani Ramadoss is an able administrator who has toured across the world. Thirumavalavan has been very vocal about each and every subject,&quot; he said.

Rajinikanth left his fans and political circle into a speculation spree when he hinted towards joining politics earlier on Monday.

Continuing to maintain his intriguing stand over joining politics, Rajinikanth further asserted that some people used his name for `political gains`.

Addressing his fans in Chennai, the superstar said, &quot;Some of my fans urged me to join politics and it`s not bad even to enter politics, but making money out of this is bad.&quot;

However, the star added, &quot;If in case I decide to join politics, then those making money will not be entertained.&quot;

&quot;God made me an actor and I promise Rajini will never ever disappoint his fans in acting,&quot; he added.

Rajinikanth made the remark during the first of his five-day `Janta Darbar` which he held to interact with fans after a gap of eight years.

(ANI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

'... when the ultimate war comes, we all will see,' he said

Continuing to maintain his see-saw attitude towards the recent criticism over his remarks on joining politics, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth on Friday rhetorically said the people would see what happens when the `ultimate war` comes. "I have responsibilities and works, same with you. Let`s do it, but when the ultimate war comes, we all will see," he said. The actor was possibly reacting to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy`s remarks dubbing him as a `disaster` in Tamil Nadu politics. The superstar also expressed his disappointment over the `wrong system` which needs to be changed. While mentioning the names of eminent Tamil politicians, Rajinikanth said those people are able administrators but the `wrong system` does not let them work properly. Rajinikanth further said that the system needs to be changed, and moreover the mindset of the people has to change. #WATCH: Rajinikanth says "I have responsibilities and works, same with you, let's do it, but when the ultimate war comes, we all will see". pic.twitter.com/3t4tzrBkDt — ANI (@ANI_news) May 19, 2017 × "There are many senior people in politics. One among them is M.K. Stalin who is very able. Anbumani Ramadoss is an able administrator who has toured across the world. Thirumavalavan has been very vocal about each and every subject," he said. Rajinikanth left his fans and political circle into a speculation spree when he hinted towards joining politics earlier on Monday. Continuing to maintain his intriguing stand over joining politics, Rajinikanth further asserted that some people used his name for `political gains`. Addressing his fans in Chennai, the superstar said, "Some of my fans urged me to join politics and it`s not bad even to enter politics, but making money out of this is bad." However, the star added, "If in case I decide to join politics, then those making money will not be entertained." "God made me an actor and I promise Rajini will never ever disappoint his fans in acting," he added. Rajinikanth made the remark during the first of his five-day `Janta Darbar` which he held to interact with fans after a gap of eight years. (ANI)

Rajnikanth says 'system needs to change'. Is he joining politics?

At least 13 people were killed&nbsp;on Sunday&nbsp;after a boat carrying about hundred passengers capsized after hitting a bridge near the Thai city of Ayutthaya, an emergency response official said. 
 
&quot;There are 13 confirmed dead and 33 injured so far,&quot; said Udomsak Khaonoona, disaster prevention chief for the city which is 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Bangkok. 
 
&quot;The boat tried to avoid another vessel and crashed into the concrete column of a bridge,&quot; he told AFP, adding that the passengers were local. 
 
The boat was taking passengers from Nonthaburi to an annual Islamic religious rite at a mosque in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, the Bangkok Post reported. The dead include six men, six women and a child. 
 
The boat was travelling the Chao Phraya river at&nbsp;4 pm&nbsp;(local time) when the accident occured. No foreign passengers are believed to be among the dead.&nbsp; 
 
Video footage posted by Khaosod TV showed rescue workers scrambling to reach the stricken vessel, its stern partially under water. Rescuers threw ropes to help people swim to land as others gave CPR to unconscious victims on the banks of the river.&nbsp; 
 
Road and boat accidents are common in Thailand due to poor enforcement of&nbsp;safety&nbsp;regulations, AFP said. 
 
The Chao Phraya, the main river that flows through Bangkok, is a busy waterway.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

 
&nbsp;

The boat tried to avoid another vessel and crashed into the concrete column of a bridge, Thai authorities said

At least 13 people were killed on Sunday after a boat carrying about hundred passengers capsized after hitting a bridge near the Thai city of Ayutthaya, an emergency response official said. "There are 13 confirmed dead and 33 injured so far," said Udomsak Khaonoona, disaster prevention chief for the city which is 80 kilometres (50 miles) north of Bangkok. "The boat tried to avoid another vessel and crashed into the concrete column of a bridge," he told AFP, adding that the passengers were local. The boat was taking passengers from Nonthaburi to an annual Islamic religious rite at a mosque in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district, the Bangkok Post reported. The dead include six men, six women and a child. The boat was travelling the Chao Phraya river at 4 pm (local time) when the accident occured. No foreign passengers are believed to be among the dead. Video footage posted by Khaosod TV showed rescue workers scrambling to reach the stricken vessel, its stern partially under water. Rescuers threw ropes to help people swim to land as others gave CPR to unconscious victims on the banks of the river. Road and boat accidents are common in Thailand due to poor enforcement of safety regulations, AFP said. The Chao Phraya, the main river that flows through Bangkok, is a busy waterway. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Boat capsize in Thailand leaves 13 pilgrims dead

The Aral Sea,&nbsp;once the fourth largest lake in the world,&nbsp;has shrunk to less than 10 per cent in&nbsp;size over the years,&nbsp;National Aeronautics and Space Administration&nbsp;(NASA) says.&nbsp; 
 
Nestled between the countries Uzbekistan,&nbsp;Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan,&nbsp;the lake has receded drastically turning the eastern basin of the lake into a desert, called the Aralkum Desert. 
 
In&nbsp;a timelapse video, NASA has captured the&nbsp;lake&rsquo;s disappearance spanning from the year 2000 to 2016. 
 
A 16-year old trajectory shows how the lake went from being a healthy waterbody to a victim of human interference. It&nbsp;started with the Soviet Union intervention that&nbsp;redirected the lake&#39;s&nbsp;tributaries to irrigate the nearby desert. As the desert bloomed,&nbsp;Aral Sea&nbsp;suffered&nbsp;severe damage that led to its&nbsp;waterline receding over the years. 
 
The communities living by the lake&nbsp;lost their livelihood and had to eventually move out.&nbsp;The water body saw further damage when the Kazakhstan government built a dam between northern and southern part of the lake, leaving it irreparable.&nbsp; 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="400" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gt4HbRqeve8" width="100%"></iframe>

?A 16-year old trajectory shows how the lake went from being a healthy waterbody to a victim of human interference

The Aral Sea, once the fourth largest lake in the world, has shrunk to less than 10 per cent in size over the years, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) says. Nestled between the countries Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, the lake has receded drastically turning the eastern basin of the lake into a desert, called the Aralkum Desert. In a timelapse video, NASA has captured the lake’s disappearance spanning from the year 2000 to 2016. A 16-year old trajectory shows how the lake went from being a healthy waterbody to a victim of human interference. It started with the Soviet Union intervention that redirected the lake's tributaries to irrigate the nearby desert. As the desert bloomed, Aral Sea suffered severe damage that led to its waterline receding over the years. The communities living by the lake lost their livelihood and had to eventually move out. The water body saw further damage when the Kazakhstan government built a dam between northern and southern part of the lake, leaving it irreparable.

NASA's timelapse video captures shocking disappearance of the world's fourth largest lake Aral Sea

Rescue operations were underway in India&#39;s northern&nbsp;Uttarakhand&nbsp;state today as many people were feared trapped under debris after heavy rainfall caused havoc.
According to reports, Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts were inundated after the cloudburst, causing severe problems to the people.

Large tracts of agriculture fields have been destroyed in Suva village of the Dharchula area and three bridges linking the village have been washed away.

The Chief Minister of&nbsp;Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat, said that official teams had been dispatched to carry out search and rescue operations to find those missing.

Rawat also told reporters there were reports of further bad weather from other regions in India.

&quot;We have reports of disaster from Chamoli district too. There is heavy rainfall in Bageshwar, Uttarkashi and some other areas as well,&quot; said Rawat.

Rawat announced a compensation of 200,000 Indian rupees (about $2,968) would be given to the relatives of the deceased.

Over 54 millimetres of rain was recorded here in the last 24-hours. The Thal-Munsyari road has been cut-off and dozens of vehicles remained stranded on both sides.

The Yamunotri highway, near Kharadi, has also been damaged leading to traffic being halted.

Entry of heavy vehicles was halted on the Kedarnath highway after a landslide at Gangolgaon.

All major rivers in the hilly tracts have swollen. 
 
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain at isolated places especially in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Champawat districts of Uttarakhand.

The weather department has also issued a warning alert of heavy to very heavy rain at few places in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Almora, Pauri, Haridwar, Dehradun and Tehri districts during the next 72 hours starting from today.

Keeping in view of the alert, all District Administrations have been asked to take precautionary measures.

Director of the state Meteorological&nbsp;Department Vikram Singh has said that a low pressure line between the Bay of Bengal and Punjab is triggering the rains, and the western disturbance is also moving and it will approach Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir in the next two to three days. 
 
(With inputs from Agencies and Zee News)

Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts were inundated after the cloudburst as rains destroy bridges and agricultural fields

Rescue operations were underway in India's northern Uttarakhand state today as many people were feared trapped under debris after heavy rainfall caused havoc. According to reports, Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts were inundated after the cloudburst, causing severe problems to the people. Large tracts of agriculture fields have been destroyed in Suva village of the Dharchula area and three bridges linking the village have been washed away. The Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, Harish Rawat, said that official teams had been dispatched to carry out search and rescue operations to find those missing. Rawat also told reporters there were reports of further bad weather from other regions in India. "We have reports of disaster from Chamoli district too. There is heavy rainfall in Bageshwar, Uttarkashi and some other areas as well," said Rawat. Rawat announced a compensation of 200,000 Indian rupees (about $2,968) would be given to the relatives of the deceased. Over 54 millimetres of rain was recorded here in the last 24-hours. The Thal-Munsyari road has been cut-off and dozens of vehicles remained stranded on both sides. The Yamunotri highway, near Kharadi, has also been damaged leading to traffic being halted. Entry of heavy vehicles was halted on the Kedarnath highway after a landslide at Gangolgaon. All major rivers in the hilly tracts have swollen. Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rain at isolated places especially in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar and Champawat districts of Uttarakhand. The weather department has also issued a warning alert of heavy to very heavy rain at few places in Nainital, Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Almora, Pauri, Haridwar, Dehradun and Tehri districts during the next 72 hours starting from today. Keeping in view of the alert, all District Administrations have been asked to take precautionary measures. Director of the state Meteorological Department Vikram Singh has said that a low pressure line between the Bay of Bengal and Punjab is triggering the rains, and the western disturbance is also moving and it will approach Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir in the next two to three days. (With inputs from Agencies and Zee News)

Rescue operations underway in northern India as more than 30 believed dead in flash floods

The death toll from flooding in the US state of West Virginia rose to 24 on Saturday, as President Barack Obama declared a major disaster, releasing federal aid for some of the hardest-hit areas. 
 
The president &quot;ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides,&quot; the White House said in a statement. 
 
Days of heavy rain have caused massive flooding in the state, where high waters have washed away cars, trapped hundreds and cut power to large areas. 
 
More than 21,300 people were without power across the state on Saturday evening, according to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. 
 
Hundreds of homes had been severely damaged or destroyed and more than 60 roads remained closed, it said. 
 
Photos on the division&#39;s Facebook page showed a muddy, swollen river in the West Virginia town of Clendenin, that had spilled over its banks, and inundated a nearby neighborhood with floodwater. 
 
Obama&#39;s disaster declaration makes federal funding available to Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties. 
 
The latest fatality from the flooding was reported Saturday in Greenbrier County, bringing the overall tally to 24 people dead, state spokeswoman Jessica Tice told AFP. 
 
Among the dead was an eight-year-old boy who was swept away while walking along a creek bank with his mother and sister, local news station WSAZ reported. His body was found after three hours of searching. 
 
West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said on Saturday he expected 400 National Guard members to be deployed during the day to assist local emergency responders in their relief efforts. 
 
He said that support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that was released under the disaster declaration would &quot;provide much needed assistance to severely impacted regions.&quot; 
 
In five of the worst-hit counties volunteer centers were being set up, according to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. 
 
It said that three Red Cross shelters and a number of community-based shelters had also been established across the state. 
 
&quot;We have so many businesses, individuals and churches really rallying together and gathering supplies,&quot; Tice said. 
 
The devastating flooding also forced the PGA Tour to cancel its Greenbrier Classic scheduled for July 7-10 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. 
 
The torrential rains that hit Greenbrier County especially hard caused extensive flood damage to the course beyond what could be repaired in time to stage the event, tour and resort officials said. 
 
(AFP)

Days of heavy rain have caused massive flooding, high waters have washed away cars, trapped hundreds and cut power to large areas

The death toll from flooding in the US state of West Virginia rose to 24 on Saturday, as President Barack Obama declared a major disaster, releasing federal aid for some of the hardest-hit areas. The president "ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides," the White House said in a statement. Days of heavy rain have caused massive flooding in the state, where high waters have washed away cars, trapped hundreds and cut power to large areas. More than 21,300 people were without power across the state on Saturday evening, according to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. Hundreds of homes had been severely damaged or destroyed and more than 60 roads remained closed, it said. Photos on the division's Facebook page showed a muddy, swollen river in the West Virginia town of Clendenin, that had spilled over its banks, and inundated a nearby neighborhood with floodwater. Obama's disaster declaration makes federal funding available to Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties. The latest fatality from the flooding was reported Saturday in Greenbrier County, bringing the overall tally to 24 people dead, state spokeswoman Jessica Tice told AFP. Among the dead was an eight-year-old boy who was swept away while walking along a creek bank with his mother and sister, local news station WSAZ reported. His body was found after three hours of searching. West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin said on Saturday he expected 400 National Guard members to be deployed during the day to assist local emergency responders in their relief efforts. He said that support from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that was released under the disaster declaration would "provide much needed assistance to severely impacted regions." In five of the worst-hit counties volunteer centers were being set up, according to the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. It said that three Red Cross shelters and a number of community-based shelters had also been established across the state. "We have so many businesses, individuals and churches really rallying together and gathering supplies," Tice said. The devastating flooding also forced the PGA Tour to cancel its Greenbrier Classic scheduled for July 7-10 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. The torrential rains that hit Greenbrier County especially hard caused extensive flood damage to the course beyond what could be repaired in time to stage the event, tour and resort officials said. (AFP)

Obama declares disaster as West Virginia flood death toll climbs to 24

disaster

Disaster, News on Disaster, stories on Disaster, articles on Disaster, Disaster stories at Wion, Disaster news, Disaster latest news