April 10, 2016

2016The Paravur temple accident in which a devastating fire caused by the explosion of firecrackers stored for Vishu, kills more than one hundred people out of the thousands gathered for seventh day of Bhadrakali worship.^[†]

On 10 April 2016 at approximately 03:30 AM IST, the Puttingal Temple in Paravur, Kollam, Kerala, India, experienced a fireworks accident after firework celebrations went awry. As a result, 111 people were killed and more than 350 were injured, including some with severe burns. The temple and at least 150 houses in the area of the temple were damaged by the blast. According to local reports and eyewitnesses, the explosion and fire were caused by sparks from a firecracker being used in a competitive fireworks display igniting fireworks in a concrete storehouse. About 15,000 pilgrims were visiting the temple to mark local Hindu celebrations during the last day of a seven-day festival of the goddess Bhadrakali.

2016An earthquake of 6.6 magnitude strikes 39 km west-southwest of Ashkasham, impacting India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Srinagar and Pakistan.^[†]

The 2016 Afghanistan earthquake was a magnitude 6.6 earthquake which struck 39 km (24 mi) west-southwest of Ashkasham on April 10, at a depth of 210.4 km (130.7 mi). The shock had a maximum intensity of V (Moderate). The earthquake killed at least 5 people in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and one in Gilgit Baltistan. A further 46 were injured in both provinces. The tremors shook up Peshawar, Chitral, Swat, Gilgit, Faisalabad and Lahore. The Himalayas region is one of earth's most seismically active regions. The tremors were felt in Delhi, National Capital Region, Kashmir and Uttarakhand. In Delhi, some 1,000 kilometers from the epicentre, the Delhi Metro was temporarily halted.