Glacial burst wrecks havoc on its downhill path Sumesh Rajan Mumbai: 7 February 2021 A glacial burst in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand state in India on February 7 has caused massive havoc on its downhill path along the Dhauliganga and Rishiganga rivers. The disaster occured after a portion of the Nanda Devi glacier broke off in Tapovan area of Joshimath in Uttarakhand. The Tapovan power plant being constructed over the Dhauligana river and the Rishiganga power project across the Rishiganga river -- a tributary of Dhauliganga -- have been damaged completely with sludge overwhelming the projects, say local officials. Over 150 people are said to have lost their lives in this disaster and scores are missing. Ten bodies have been recovered so far from the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) power project site at Tapovan, said the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) officials. The missing persons are believed to be labourers working at the dam sites and villagers along the river. T
Trapped leopard forgets prey Sumesh Rajan February 3, 202 1 A leopard which apparently chased a dog for meal, ended up getting trapped in an outdoor toilet at Bilinele village in Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka state in India in the early hours of February 3. Stuck in the toilet, the leopard soon forgot all about its prey, and sat haplessly seeking a way to escape. The lady of the house, who came to use the toilet at around 7 in the morning, saw the leopard’s tail jutting out of the toilet bolted the toilet door and alerted the neighbours who called the wildlife authorities. In a rescue operation lasting around 7 hours, the wildlife rangers tried tranquilizers, large nets and a cage to trap the wild cat. Videos of the rescue operation show villagers gathered in large number while the wildlife officials plan and try to capture the big cat. All the while the scared dog was cowering in one corner of the toilet with his tail tucked between his legs, while the bemused leopard sna