Tangshan(China): Well before this city was destroyed by an earthquake 32 years ago, the coming disaster was loudly preceded by strange animal behaviour and other bizarre signals that survivors wish they heeded.

IN a statement reminiscent of US President George Bush's remark that India's middle class was responsible for the global food crisis, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has said that Mumbai's burgeoning population is responsible for the flooding woes of the city. The growing influx of outsiders is not only putting severe stress on the infrastructure of the city, but also proving to be one of the major reasons of increasing floods in Mumbai. This fact has been substantiated by the BMC, which has provided a chart of flood days since 1945.

Defence Ministry denies permission for low-flying photos, necessary for contour mapping of city The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's grand plans to arm itself with a mathematical model that will help predict a deluge like the 944-mm deluge of July 26, 2005, just received a huge setback. Looking to prepare a flood modelling system, the BMC had sought permissions to shoot a series of low-flying photographs of the city's surfaces for a contour mapping exercise, but were rebuffed. Last week, the Ministry of Defence rejected the plans for

The May 12 earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, in China's south-western Sichuan province has taken a confirmed toll of over 19,500 lives. It is feared that the number of dead could be above 50,000. The toll would have been higher but for the quick and efficient response by the government and the diligence shown by the rescue machinery. Amidst the gloom of many people buried under debris, beyond all help, there are moving accounts of children, women, and t he elderly being rescued. Even rare giant pandas have survived in reserves.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has procured machinery worth Rs 950 lakhs to cope up with situations arising out of natural or man-made disasters. The purchase was made after the committee, headed by MCD commissioner, suggested that the procurement of the machinery is necessary to deal with disaster management. The committee also comprised of other senior member of the MCD, including engineering-in-chief, all chief engineers and director vigilance.

The Mumbai Fire Brigade is preparing itself to handle rescue operations all over the city in case of an emergency arising this monsoon. For the first time ever, 10 firemen went to the scenic town of Kolad, about 150 km away from Mumbai on the Goa Highway last week, to attend a course in flash flood management organised by a Canada-based NGO International Rescue Instructor's Authority (IRIA). Experts James Lavelly from Canada and Jeremy Hunter from UK trained the firemen in disaster management, in-commandant support and actual water rescue in the rough river waters of Kolad .

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh greeting the winners of the Award for Excellence in Public Administration on Civil Services Day 2008 at the Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi on Monday. NEW DELHI: A team of seven IAS and other officials who showed "extraordinary performance' in carrying out relief and rehabilitation work during the devastating 2005 earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir was among those honoured with the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Public Administration here on Monday.

Students of Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, have designed a brand new rehabilitation shelter that can be constructed quickly in the event of an earthquake or any such disaster. Five third-year students of the Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering Departments have built the structure primarily for earthquake-hit people. It can withstand wind, seismic and thermal blows for over four weeks. The shelter was one of the many innovative projects that were on display at IIT Delhi's annual Open House on Saturday.