Toll in Japan floods rises to 141
Tokyo, July 10 : At least 141 people are now known to have died in floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain in western Japan as rescuers are digging through mud and rubble in a race to find survivors, with dozens missing
It is the highest death toll caused by rainfall that Japan has seen in more than three decades. More than 70,000 rescue workers, including the fire service and the Army, were involved in the relief effort, the government said on Tuesday.
About two million people were evacuated from the region after rivers burst their banks. The rains started on July 5, the BBC reported.
Authorities opened up school halls and gymnasiums to those displaced by the rainfall. There remained a risk of landslides, with rain-sodden hilltops liable to collapse. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cancelled an overseas trip to deal with the flood crisis.
"We will unite and move swiftly to deliver those necessities to the disaster victims by coordinating closely with local government," said Abe in a meeting with the disaster response task force.
Flood warnings were still in effect for some of the worst-hit areas, including the Okayama prefecture in the southern part of Japan. But more settled weather was expected over the next few days which will likely help with rescue efforts.
Police, fire departments and the military were scouring affected areas for those unaccounted for, reports said.
Thousands of houses were damaged and even the ones that stood intact were impacted. Nearly 17,000 households were still without power and phone lines were down across multiple prefectures.
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Sambhal violence: Prohibitory orders issued, outsiders barred from entry till Nov 30
Sambhal (UP) (PTI): The district administration has imposed prohibitory orders and barred the entry of outsiders till November 30 after three men were killed and scores of others, including security and administration personnel, injured in a violence by protesters opposing a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque.
The order has been issued under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), said District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya late on Sunday.
"No outsiders, other social organisations or public representatives will enter the district border without the permission of the competent officer," said the order, which came into force with immediate effect.
Violation of the order will be punishable under Section 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the BNS.
Violence broke out in the district on Sunday as protesters opposing the survey of the Jama Masjid clashed with security personnel. The protesters torched vehicles and pelted the police with stones while the security personnel used tear gas and batons to disperse the mob.
Divisional Commissioner (Moradabad) Aunjaneya Kumar Singh said on Sunday, "Shots were fired by miscreants... the PRO of the superintendent of police suffered a gunshot to the leg, the circle officer was hit by pellets and 15 to 20 security personnel were injured in the violence."
A constable also suffered a serious head injury while the deputy collector fractured his leg.
"Three people, identified as Naeem, Bilal and Nauman, have been killed," Singh said.
Twenty-one people, including two women, have been detained and a probe has been launched, the official had said, adding that those accused in the violence would be booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA).
District Magistrate Rajender Pensiya said, "The casualty count stands at three. The reason for the deaths of two is clear -- bullet wounds from countrymade pistols. The reason for the death of the third person is not clear but it will be after post-mortem."
Internet services were soon suspended in Sambhal tehsil for 24 hours and the district administration declared a holiday in all schools for Monday.
Tension had been brewing in Sambhal since November 19 when the Jama Masjid was first surveyed on the court's orders following a petition claiming that a Harihar temple had stood at the site.
Trouble started early on Sunday when a large group of people gathered near the mosque and started shouting slogans as the survey team began its work.
District officials said the survey could not be completed on Tuesday and was planned for Sunday to avoid interference with afternoon prayers.
Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is a petitioner in the case, had earlier said the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered the constitution of an "advocate commission" to survey the mosque.
The court has said a report should be filed after conducting a videography and photography survey through the commission, he had said.
On Sunday, Jain urged the Archaeological Survey of India to take control of the "temple".
Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer for the Hindu side, had earlier claimed the temple that once stood at the site was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.
