Heavy rains on Sri Lanka’s coast and in the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu have killed at least 25 people, destroyed thousands of homes and snarled traffic, authorities said. In Sri Lanka, 20 people have died in recent days, most from drowning, while five were hurt in landslides, officials …
Read More »Chennai comes to a standstill as heavy rains flood south Indian city
India’s manufacturing capital Chennai came to a standstill on Sunday with many areas flooded after the southern Indian coast was battered by heavy rainfall overnight, prompting authorities to issue warnings and evacuate people from low-lying areas. Local media showed footage of cars submerged underwater, uprooted trees, and people being rescued …
Read More »India restricts religious festivals over COVID-19 surge fears
Indian authorities are restricting major religious festivals that start this week and attract huge crowds, warning that a new COVID-19 wave had already begun in the financial capital Mumbai. State governments across the country of 1.3 billion people, which saw a devastating coronavirus surge in April-May, are clamping down on …
Read More »India closes all tiger reserves after Covid outbreaks in zoos
The Indian government has ordered the temporary closure of all tiger reserves to tourism, after a spate of Covid-19 outbreaks in zoos around the country. The National Tiger Conservation Authority, an agency under the government’s environmental ministry, issued its order on Monday after the death of a Covid-positive lioness a …
Read More »‘Corona Devi’: Indian priests pray for mercy from COVID ‘goddess’
Two ‘Corona Devi’ idols set up in the southern city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu state as the country battles a new infection surge. Hindu priests at an Indian temple are saying daily prayers to two coronavirus goddesses in an effort to tame the pandemic as the country battles a …
Read More »India reimposes lockdown as cases near 1 million
India’s coronavirus caseload is approaching 1 million with a surge of 29,429 in the past 24 hours, prompting authorities to reimpose lockdowns in high-risk areas in nearly a dozen states. The new confirmed cases took the national total to 936,181. The Health Ministry on Wednesday also reported another 582 deaths …
Read More »Six Dead, 17 Injured in Explosion at Thermal Power Station in India’s Tamil Nadu
At least Six people are reportedly dead and 17 have sustained injuries in a boiler blast at the Neyveli Thermal Power Station in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. The blast occurred in Unit 5 of Plant 2. Contract workers and permanent staff were active at the …
Read More »Outrage in India after father, son die in police custody
The death of a father and son in police custody in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu has caused outrage after the victims’ family accused the police of torturing the duo in custody. P Jayaraj, 59, and his son J Bennix, 31, were imprisoned by police last Friday in …
Read More »