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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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.
ALSO READ: SpiceJet to operate 8 flights from UAE on Wed
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.
