- Title: INDIA: Eighteen students killed as roof collapses
- Date: 19th August 2010
- Summary: BAGESHWAR, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (AUGUST 18, 2010) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) POLICE PERSONNEL AND LOCALS AT SITE HEAVY FLOW OF WATER DEHRA DUN, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (AUGUST 18, 2010) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) ANAND SHARMA, DIRECTOR, METEOROLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, SAYING: "To connect it directly with rains...see I don't know what was the condition of the building earlier. But, this is true that we had given a warning of 48 hours prior to the incident, that there is a possibility of heavy rains in the next 48 hours, especially the southeastern parts of Uttarakhand, which include Champawat, Bageshwar, Nainital, Almora and Udham Singh Nagar districts. We announced warning especially for these areas. We further added that there is a possibility of heavy rains in areas like Chamoli." (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) RAMESH POKHRIYAL, CHIEF OF UTTARAKHAND STATE, SAYING: "The state government has decided to give (Rupees) 100,000 each to the families of the students who were killed in the building collapse. Rescue work is on but the difficulty is that the roads are blocked from all the sides and it is raining continuously. So, this is a continuous problem we are facing. We are helpless in front of the natural disasters." BAGESHWAR, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (AUGUST 18, 2010) (ANI - NO ACCESS BBC) RESCUE WORKERS TRYING TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS PEOPLE TRYING TO REMOVE THE DEBRIS
- Embargoed: 2nd September 2010 22:41
- Keywords:
- Location: India
- Country: India
- Topics: Disasters / Accidents / Natural catastrophes
- Reuters ID: LVA4QFYW3NGOHBO81MRLBUXPXILU
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Eighteen students were killed in Bageshwar district of India's northern Uttarakhand state, as the roof of a school building collapsed following a cloudburst in the Himalayan region on Wednesday (August 18).
The hilly region has been experiencing torrential rains, triggering landslides and washing away embankments along mountain streams.
"To connect it directly with rains...see I don't know what was the condition of the building earlier. But, this is true that we had given a warning of 48 hours prior to the incident, that there is a possibility of heavy rains in the next 48 hours, especially the southeastern parts of Uttarakhand, which include Champawat, Bageshwar, Nainital, Almora and Udham Singh Nagar districts. We announced warning especially for these areas. We further added that there is a possibility of heavy rains in areas like Chamoli," said Anand Sharma, director, meteorological department, talking to reporters in provincial capital Dehra Dun.
State chief Ramesh Pokhriyal declared a compensation of Rupees 100,000 to the families of the dead and Rs. 25,000 to those injured.
"The state government has decided to give (Rupees) 100,000 each to the families of the students who were killed in the building collapse. Rescue work is on but the difficulty is that the roads are blocked from all the sides and it is raining continuously. So, this is a continuous problem we are facing. We are helpless in front of the natural disasters," he said.
Rescuers were still searching for the missing people buried under the debris.
Telephone links have also snapped and several localities have been without power supply following the heavy rains. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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