Toll in US storm increases to 13
Washington, Sep 16 : The death toll from tropical storm Florence that made landfall in the US east coast, has increased to 13, with authorities warning of continued rains and flooding.
Of the 13 victims, nine died on Friday night, while the rest were killed on Saturday, according to the officials.
Florence crashed ashore Friday morning in North Carolina as a Category 1 hurricane, and it has wiped out power to about 796,000 customers in that state and South Carolina, reports CNN.
Officials warned that the flooding was only just starting.
"The flood danger from this storm is more immediate today than when it. made landfall 24 hours ago," North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said on Saturday.
"We face walls of water at our coasts, along our rivers, across our farmland, in our cities and in our towns."
Across the Carolinas, officials are sounding the alarm: More communities will flood as rivers collect water from upstream and spill over.
Officials have declared states of emergency in several states, including in the Carolinas, Georgia, Virginia and Maryland, where coastal areas are still recovering from summer storms.
According to the National Hurricane Centre, the storm will travel through upstate South Carolina, be downgraded to a tropical depression, then turn north toward the Ohio Valley.
As it moves near Ohio and West Virginia, it will become a remnant low.
Then it will swing to the northeast in the middle of next week on a path to the Atlantic Ocean near Nova Scotia, where it will be an extra-tropical low with gale-force winds.
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Sound effect: Farmers play music on solar-powered speakers to keep tigers at bay in Pilibhit
Pilibhit (UP) (PTI): Farmers living in villages adjoining the Mala range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve have devised an unusual method to keep tigers away from their fields during sugarcane harvesting – playing loud music on solar-powered sound systems.
According to the farmers, the continuous noise helps deter wild animals from entering their fields.
As sugarcane fields are dense and the visibility is low, the risk of sudden encounters with tigers remains high during the harvesting season.
Forest officials described the initiative as a “desi jugaad” that not only enhances safety but also adds an element of entertainment, with loud music echoing across the fields during work hours.
The method has emerged as a unique way to check human-animal conflict.
Ramnagaria, Ajitpur, Jamunia, Mahua, Mala Ghera, Richhola and Basantapur are among the villages located close to the Mala range that frequently witness tiger movement, keeping the residents on edge. Recently, fresh tiger pugmarks were found in a field in Mahua.
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According to forest officials, Krishna Kumar and his associates in Jamunia village pioneered the “musical” method to deal with the threat.
“Working in the dense sugarcane fields is risky business. We believe wild animals move away due to noise, so playing songs loudly helps keep them at a distance,” Kumar said.
The method is proving effective, enabling farmers to carry out agricultural activities in groups without fear, the villagers said.
Several farmers, including Gaurishankar, Tinku, Ram Bahadur, Rakesh Kumar, Prabhu Dayal and Lalaram, have joined Kumar in implementing this innovative approach.
Deputy Ranger Sher Singh said the forest department is also making continuous efforts to spread awareness among the villagers.
“The department is organising meetings to educate farmers about safe and scientific methods to protect themselves from wildlife,” he told reporters.
