Latest news with #Humanitarian


News18
4 days ago
- Climate
- News18
Uttarakhand: Portion of a road collapses at Maniri in Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi (Uttarakhand) [India], August 6 (ANI): A portion of a road collapsed at Maniri in Uttarkashi here on Wednesday. Uttarakhand is witnessing massive flash floods and landslides. Meanwhile, as many as 11 injured army personnel have been airlifted to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) Hospital located in Matli area of Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand, said police on Wednesday.A devastating cloudburst in Uttarkashi district has triggered massive flash floods and landslides, causing widespread destruction in Dharali, Sukhi Top and Harsil a social media post on X, the Uttarkashi Police wrote, 'Harshil, Dharali relief and rescue operations for disaster-affected people are ongoing continuously. 11 injured army personnel have been airlifted to I.T.B.P. Matli."The Indian Army has launched a swift and coordinated Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation in the wake of a devastating cloudburst near Dharali, close to Harsil in Uttarakhand. The region is currently cut off from both north and south due to multiple road breaches and a collapsed to a statement from the Indian Army, over 225 Army personnel, including infantry and engineering teams, are on the ground for search, rescue, and relief tasks. Combat engineers have reached Dharali to aid in clearing debris and restoring of 3 pm, 7 teams of the Indian Army are operating with Reeco Radar near Tekla, while search and rescue dogs are deployed at Harsil; more are en route from Remount and Veterinary per the Indian Army, the military helipad at Harsil is operational. Three civil helicopters launched from Sahastradhara in coordination with SDRF have successfully landed at Bhatwari and Harsil for casualty evacuation and relief material delivery. (ANI)


News18
4 days ago
- Climate
- News18
Uttarkashi Cloudburst Updates: 1 JCO, 8 Jawans Missing; Army Leads Massive Rescue Effort
Last Updated: Rescue operations are ongoing in extremely challenging conditions as the region remains cut off from both north and south A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and eight jawans from the Indian Army are still missing after a devastating cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides near Uttarkashi's Dharali, close to Harsil in Uttarakhand, officials said on Wednesday. Rescue operations are ongoing in extremely challenging conditions as the region remains cut off from both north and south. According to officials, the Indian Army has launched a swift and large-scale Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operation. Over 225 Army personnel, including infantry units and combat engineers, are on the ground, conducting search and rescue operations and providing aid to affected villagers. Engineer teams have reached the worst-hit areas to help clear debris and attempt to restore mobility. Meanwhile, seven teams equipped with Reeco Radar are operating near Tekla, and trained search and rescue dogs have been deployed in Harsil, with more on the way from Army veterinary centres. Air support has been partially activated. The military helipad at Harsil is operational, and three civil helicopters launched from Sahastradhara have landed successfully at Bhatwari and Harsil, aiding in the evacuation of casualties and delivering relief material. Chinook, Mi-17, and ALH helicopters are currently on standby at Jolly Grant, Chandigarh, and Sarsawa, awaiting final tasking orders, the officials added. So far, 70 civilians have been rescued. The civil administration has confirmed five civilian deaths and reported dozens missing. Three injured individuals have been airlifted for treatment. Several key roads near Bartwari, Linchigad, and Gangrani have been washed away, making access to the affected region difficult. The civil helipad at Dharali also remains out of use due to a mudslide. Alongside the Indian Army, teams from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are working round the clock to assist those in need and locate the missing. view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

IOL News
01-08-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Chinese embassy hosts reception for 98th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army
Chinese embassy held a reception to celebrate the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). Image: Sinenhlanhla Masilela/ Independent Newspapers To celebrate this year's 98th anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese embassy held a reception at their head offices in Pretoria. The gathering was attended by members from the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as well as other military personnel from various countries. Speaking at the event on Friday, Ambassador of China to South Africa, Wu Peng, said over the past 98 years and under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the PLA has emerged from trials and tribulations and made an outstanding contribution to the liberation of the Chinese people. He said the PLA has made tremendous contributions to China's peaceful construction in safeguarding national sovereignty as well as security and development interests. Furthermore, he added that the Chinese military consistently serves as a resolute force in maintaining world peace and stability. "China firmly pursues peaceful development and exercises a national defence policy that is defensive in nature. The Chinese military actively fulfills our national responsibilities and obligations, extensively participates in national peace keeping counter-terrorism, maritime escort mission, and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief operations," he added. As a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the world's second largest economy, he said China is committed to promoting multilateralism with the international community, as well as upholding international fairness and justice, and building a world of lasting peace and universal security. As BRICS members, ambassador Peng said China will continue working with South Africa to consolidate mutual political trust and firmly support each other by expanding exchanges at all levels. "This also includes deepening practical cooperation in various fields, and promoting greater development in bilateral and military relations, so as to make new and greater contributions to world peace, stability, and prosperity." Meanwhile, on the military side, the ambassador said the PLA and the SANDF continue to enjoy constant exchanges at all levels. "Practical cooperation between the two militaries achieved remarkable results, giving strong support to development of bilateral ties. China and South Africa enjoy time-honoured and ever-growing friendship and partnership. We also share the same aspirations and work to achieve mutual benefit. Our exchanges and cooperation in various fields continue to expand, which benefits the people of both countries," he said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Speaking for the SANDF, Defence Deputy Minister Bantu Holomisa said since it was established in August 1972, the PLA has grown into one of the world's most modern and capable armed forces, grounded in discipline, innovation, and the spirit of national service. He said the PLA's journey has been marked the beginning of a journey characterised by resilience, transformation, and an unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, unity, and development of China. Moreover, he said South Africa and China are bound by a history of shared struggle and solidarity. "We deeply value the support China provided during South Africa's liberation movement, and the principled friendship it has maintained in the years since. The legacy of this solidarity was captured in the words of our founding father, Nelson Mandela, who described China as a steadfast partner in the fight against apartheid. "He believed that the bonds of brotherhood forged in struggle must become the foundation for partnerships in peace and development. Today, we carry that vision forward in our cooperation across all sectors, including defence. "Defence cooperation between our countries has grown steadily and meaningfully. Joint military training exercises, high-level visits, capacity building, and knowledge exchange are tangible demonstrations of our strategic partnership," said Holomisa. IOL News Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel.


India Gazette
09-07-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
'Keel Laying' ceremony of third fleet support ship for Indian Navy held at Kattupalli
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The 'Keel Laying' ceremony of the third Fleet Support Ships (FSS) of the Indian Navy was held at L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli on Wednesday. According to an official press release, the Indian Navy had signed a contract with HSL for the acquisition of Five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) in Aug 2023, with deliveries commencing mid-2027. The release also mentioned that Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller Warship Production & Acquisition and senior officials from the Indian Navy were also present during this ceremony. Showcasing the strength of public-private partnership, HSL has sub-contracted the construction of two ships to M/s L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli, to effectively utilise the country's shipbuilding capacity and meet stringent timelines for delivery. On induction, the Fleet Support Ships (FSS) will bolster the 'Blue Water' capabilities of the Indian Navy through replenishment of Fleet ships at sea. These ships, with a displacement of more than 40,000 tons, will carry fuel, water, ammunition and stores that enable prolonged and sustained operations of the fleet at sea, thus enhancing its reach and mobility. The release also mentioned that the ships will be equipped for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations for the evacuation of personnel and expeditious delivery of relief material during natural calamities. The indigenously designed and built warship is equipped with equipment sourced through Indian OEMs. This prestigious project will significantly boost the Indian Shipbuilding Industry and is a true champion of GoI initiatives such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Make for the World.(ANI)


The Hindu
21-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Indian Navy holds ‘Steel Cutting' ceremony for fourth Fleet Support Ship at Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Visakhapatnam
'Steel Cutting' ceremony of fourth of the five Fleet Support Ships (FSS) was held at Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) in the presence of Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, as the chief guest, according to a release here on Saturday. Vice-admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, and commodore Hemant Khatri, CMD, HSL, and other senior officials from Navy and HSL were present. The Navy had signed a contract with HSL for acquisition of five FSS in August 2023, with delivery commencing mid-2027. On induction, the FSS will bolster the 'Blue Water' capabilities of the Indian Navy through replenishment of Fleet ships at sea. The ships, with a displacement of more than 40,000 tons, will deliver fuel, water, ammunition and stores enabling prolonged deployments of the Fleet Ships, thereby enhancing the Fleet's strategic reach and mobility. In their secondary role, these ships would be equipped for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations and Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO) for expeditious delivery of relief material and evacuation of personnel. With a completely indigenous design and sourcing of majority of the equipment from indigenous manufacturers, the FSS project will boost the Indian Shipbuilding Industry in consonance with the Union government's initiatives of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make in India and Make for the World.