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Mumbai Among Mega Cities Under Threat As ‘City Killer’ Asteroid Set To Have Close Flyby In December 2032; All You Need To Know

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Mumbai: Astronomers worldwide are closely monitoring Asteroid 2024 YR4, dubbed the “city killer,” since its discovery in December last year. The asteroid, estimated to be between 130 to 300 feet wide, about the size of a large office building, currently has a 1.5% (or 1 in 67) chance of striking Earth during a close flyby on December 22, 2032. Given that the impact probability exceeds the critical threshold of 1%, global space agencies, including NASA, are keeping a vigilant eye on its trajectory.

A simulation of the potential impact corridor of Asteroid 2024 YR4, based on NASA’s assessment and reported by Scientific American, suggests a path stretching from the eastern Pacific Ocean to South Asia. The corridor includes densely populated cities such as Bogotá (Colombia), Lagos (Nigeria), and Mumbai (India). There is also a very slim chance that the asteroid might hit the Moon.

If the asteroid collides with Earth, the consequences could be devastating. Whether it disintegrates in the atmosphere or impacts the surface, the immediate effects could resemble a hydrogen bomb explosion, potentially annihilating any city in its path.

However, scientists remain optimistic as the odds of a collision are decreasing daily. Bruce Betts, Chief Scientist at the Planetary Society, told the New York Post that the probability of impact might drop to zero within the next few months or years, similar to the trajectory of the asteroid Apophis. “At some point in the next months to few years, the probability will go to zero,” Betts said.

Efforts Made To Ascertain Exact Path Of Asteroid

Despite this optimism, astronomers are not taking any chances. NASA is collaborating with international counterparts, including the China National Space Administration (CNSA), Roscosmos (Russia) and the European Space Agency (ESA), to refine the asteroid’s predicted path.

A dedicated team of astronomers plans to use NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to obtain more precise estimates of the asteroid’s size and trajectory. Observations are scheduled for early March and again in early May, just before the asteroid moves out of sight until its orbit brings it back near Earth in 2028.

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Town planning official suspended after under-construction building collapses in Hyderabad

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Hyderabad, Aug 23: A town planning officer has been suspended after a 7-storey under-construction building collapsed in Hyderabad Madhapur, killing two people and injuring some others.

The building collapsed on Saturday. Cyberabad Municipal Commissioner G. Srijana issued orders on Sunday suspending Madhapur Town Planning Officer Santosh Kumar.

The Commissioner cracked the whip as the official failed to stop illegal construction, resulting in the loss of lives. Further action will be taken against the town planning officer following a detailed inquiry.

She directed the town planning department to immediately take steps to identify unauthorised constructions and take action.

Officials have been directed to demolish structures constructed without permission or violating the rules, endangering public safety.

An under-construction building collapsed in Anjaiah Nagar on Saturday afternoon, killing two people and injuring some others.

The victims were identified by police as Mahabat and Umesh, both from Madhya Pradesh. They had come to the site for tile-related work and were inside the building when it collapsed.

Rescue teams from police, fire services, Disaster Response Force and Cyberabad Municipal Corporation continued clearing debris for the second day on Sunday.

Officials are continuing to assess the structural damage to neighbouring buildings.

Meanwhile, Cyberabad police have registered a criminal case against building owners Farheen Siddiqi and Sajid.

On a complaint by the Cyberabad Municipal Corporation (CMC), a case has been registered at Raidurgam Police Station of Cyberabad Police Commissionerate.

The accused allegedly took up construction of the 7-storey building on 48 square yards without permission from CMC. They owned only 38 square yards and allegedly encroached 10 square yards of an adjoining drain to construct the building.

In another development, Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has reportedly identified 10 unauthorised constructions in the same area and initiated steps to demolish them.

HYDRAA Commissioner A.V. Ranganath said on Saturday that many buildings in Anjaiah Nagar have been constructed without permission.

Locals said that all the buildings constructed by builder Sajid were like this. The HYDRAA Commissioner said that in a few days, all these buildings will be inspected and appropriate action taken.

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37 injured after 5.9-magnitude earthquake hits Japan’s Ibaraki

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Tokyo, Aug 23: At least 37 people were injured after a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, early on Sunday.

The earthquake also caused burst water pipes and disruptions to transportation in some areas, local media reported.

Japan’s Fuji News Network, citing the Fire and Disaster Management Agency, reported that as of 10 a.m. local time, at least 37 people were injured in Tokyo, Ibaraki Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture and other areas, reports Xinhua news agency.

The earthquake temporarily disrupted some train services in the Kanto region, although operations are gradually being restored. Multiple water pipes burst in Tokyo and other areas, causing temporary flooding on some roads.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the temblor occurred at around 2 a.m. local time on Sunday at a depth of about 70 km, measuring a lower 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale of 7 in parts of Ibaraki, Saitama and Chiba prefectures as well as Tokyo’s Adachi Ward.

A lower 5 quake is defined by the agency as shaking that causes most people to be frightened and to hold on to something stable, while objects may fall from shelves.

The quake was clearly felt in Tokyo, with some people living in the city posting on social media that it was the strongest shaking they had experienced in recent years. The tremor was also felt across a wide swath of the country, including northeastern and central Japan.

The weather agency urged the public to remain alert for an earthquake registering lower 5 over the next week, especially during the next two to three days.

No abnormalities were detected at the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in Ibaraki Prefecture or the disaster-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and the nearby Fukushima Daini plant in northeastern Japan, according to their operators.

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Mumbai: 10 injured in crane collapse in Kurla Quraish Nagar; BMC relief work underway, condition of injured stable

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Mumbai: 1 Woman Dead, 3 Injured After Portion Of Building Collapses Near Grant Road Station

Mumbai; There was chaos in Kurla Quraish Nagar when a crane fell on the site during the demolition of an old dilapidated building, causing 10 people to be seriously injured. The injured were admitted to Sine, Kurla Bhabha Hospital. According to Dr. Naveen, AMO of Sine Hospital, eight injured people have been admitted to the hospital, including Jagarullah Nabi Khan 63, Ahmed Niaz Ahmed, 3 months, Atiqur Rehman, 60, Hakim Sheikh, 36, Noman Khan, 21, Reham Khan, 19, Suraj Gaur, 10, Akbar, 40

All eight are undergoing treatment and their condition is said to be stable.

Two injured were admitted to Kurla Bhabha Hospital. According to the hospital’s AMO Dr Sheetal, they have been identified as Raju Gad, 35, and Aartigaud, 30. According to officials, both the victims are undergoing treatment and their condition is stable. The crane used during the demolition work The MMRDA, while issuing an official statement on the incident, said, “Demolition work was being carried out at Building No. 1, Bhandari Metallurgy, Kurla. A crane was brought to the site for the work, however, the crane operation had not started. While the crane was being placed on the site, it tilted and fell towards the adjacent structure. The ground at the location was soft, which appears to have affected the stability of the crane. Some people suffered minor injuries in the incident. The MMRDA is providing all necessary medical aid and assistance to the injured. He added, “The MMRDA immediately mobilized the required machinery and manpower, and the work of removing the fallen crane is being done on priority basis.” The site has been secured and all necessary precautions are being taken. The demolition work was being carried out by M/s Sunny Company. During the operation, a part of the hydraulic crane fell on the high-tension railway overhead wires.
The slum of Qureshi Nagar was hit by the falling crane. According to initial information, the falling material also hit nearby huts in Qureshi Nagar, the road of Samrat Ashok Nagar, the wall of the Mahada building and three to four four-wheelers parked inside the Mahada building premises. Earlier, the authorities had said that the incident took place during the work being done in connection with the proposed eviction and demolition operation at the site. The restoration work is in progress. Restoration and security measures are being taken at the site while the authorities are monitoring the situation. Officials are also gathering information to find out if anyone else is trapped at the site.

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