33 Philippine miners dead in typhoon-triggered landslides
Manila, Sep 17 : At least 33 miners were confirmed dead and 29 others missing in the mining town of Itogon in the northern Philippine Benguet province due to typhoon-triggered landslides, authorities said on Sunday.
Itogon Mayor Victorio Palangdan said in local radio interviews that landslides had blocked roads, making relief rescue efforts difficult, Xinhua reported.
In Ucab village of Itogon, he said, two bunkhouses with an estimated 100 people living inside were buried by mud and rubble triggered by Typhoon Mangkhut on Saturday.
"I can't begin to accept this, but it looks like the casualties here are going to go up to at least 100," Palangdan said.
Most of Itogon residents work as miners in small scale mining industry while the rest are in farming. Most mine workers built boot camps around the mining area with their families.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines have sent troops to the disaster area to help in the rescue and retrieval efforts. But rescuers said the buried bunkhouses were built at a steep angle, making it difficult to implement rescue.
Meanwhile, the regional police of Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) said at least 49 people have so far died in the region that bore the brunt of the typhoon. Fourteen others are missing, the police said. Thirty-two people were also injured, the police added.
The Cordillera Administrative Region, which consists seven provinces, is the only land-locked region of the Philippines. The regional centre is Baguio City, officially known as the Summer Capital of the Philippines.
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BLR airport sees 34 int'l flight cancellations amid Middle East crisis
Bengaluru (PTI): As many as 34 international flights were cancelled at Kempegowda International Airport on Wednesday as airline operations were disrupted due to the Middle East conflict, officials said.
An airport official said that 18 arrivals and 16 departures were cancelled due to airspace restrictions on March 4 until 23:59 hrs at the Bengaluru airport.
The cancellations impacted several key international sectors connecting Bengaluru with West Asian cities, including Abu Dhabi, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Dubai, and Doha.
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Meanwhile, Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates the Kempegowda International Airport, said that a help desk has been set up at the kerbside of terminal 2 to manage passenger queries and provide on-ground assistance amid the disruptions.
According to BIAL, the help desk is coordinating ground transport, facilitating emergency services, and handling general queries until airline representatives arrive at the terminal.
Given the presence of multiple international carriers operating from the airport, the help desk is functioning as a single-window support system, guiding passengers to the respective ground handlers responsible for airline operations, officials said.
In addition, the airport is providing several passenger amenities at the kerbside, including chairs, drinking water, snacks, medical assistance, sanitary pads, charging stations, and a makeshift feeding facility.
Wheelchairs are also being provided upon request, they added.
