Natural Calamities

Cyclone Ditwah batters Sri Lanka as it claims 334 lives, leaves 370 missing

India launched 'Operation Sagar Bandhu' to aid Sri Lanka following the devastation triggered by Cyclone Ditwah

42 glacial lakes in Nepal at high risk of catastrophic bursts: Experts

Forty-two glacial lakes in Nepal have been identified as being at critical risk of bursting, according to experts. A potential glacial lake outburst flood could result in massive loss of life and severe damage to infrastructure, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) expert Sharad Prasad Joshi warned on Friday during a discussion held in Khandbari, the headquarters of Sankhuwasabha district. A glacial lake is a body of water that originates from a glacier. It typically forms at the foot of a glacier, but may form on, in, or under it. Joshi said an ICIMOD report titled 'Risks Arising From Rapid Changes in Nepal's Glaciers and Glacial Lakes' had classified 42 of the 2,069 glacial lakes across the country as "highly at risk", all located in the Koshi province. In Sankhuwasabha, four glacial lakes, including those in the Bhotkhola and Makalu areas, have been listed as high risk, he said. The Tallopokhari glacial lake in the lower Barun area has been identifi

Cyclone Montha: Andhra govt prepares plan for relief, essential supplies

The Andhra Pradesh government has prepared an action plan for relief and essential supplies in pre-cyclone preparedness for Cyclone Montha. State Civil Supplies Minister N Manohar said the action plan covers stock positioning of Public Distribution System (PDS) commodities, fuel inventory management, paddy procurement steps, food supply to relief shelters and post-cyclone relief distribution. "The Andhra Pradesh government has prepared an action taken report detailing the pre-cyclone preparedness measures for Cyclone Montha, ensuring readiness before landfall," Manohar said in an official release late on Saturday. The supply of food grains to all fair price shops in coastal areas shall be completed by October 26 and sufficient stock is already placed at Mandal Level Stock Points, he said. According to officials, 40 per cent stock movement has been completed in coastal districts, and Global Positioning System (GPS) exemption has been granted for second-stage food grain movement base

Storm Tapah hits Southern China, forcing evacuations, school shutdowns

Schools closed, flights were disrupted and tens of thousands of people were evacuated in southern China as Tropical Storm Tapah made landfall on Monday. The economic hub of Guangdong province near Hong Kong halted some train and ferry services ahead of the storm, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Dozens of scenic areas were closed and some 60,000 people were evacuated across the region by Sunday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV reported. CCTV said the storm made landfall around the coastal area of Taishan city in Guangdong at around 8:50 am local time, with maximum sustained winds near its centre reaching 30 metres (98 feet) per second. Hong Kong's observatory raised its No. 8 storm signal on Sunday night, the third-highest in the city's weather system. It said Tapah was packing maximum sustained winds near the centre of about 68 miles (110 km) per hour at 9 am. The financial hub saw about 100 flights cancelled, with some travellers sleeping on chairs as they waited fo

US heatwave smothers Pacific Northwest, poses risk in California, Arizona

Residents of the western US are sweltering in a heat wave that's already hospitalized some as temperatures will continue to hit dangerous levels throughout the weekend in Washington, Oregon, Southern California, Nevada and Arizona. Around 1.2 million people were under extreme heat risk Saturday, meaning temperatures are expected to stay dangerously high with no relief overnight. The largest area under the warning is around Tucson, Arizona, where the National Weather Service forecast dangerous highs between 102 and 107 degrees Fahrenheit (39 and 42 degrees Celsius). Areas of inland Southern California also faced extreme risk. Another 18.6 million are under major heat risk, affecting workers and anyone without regular cooling and hydration, including in Miami. Portland, Oregon, reported a record high for August 22, according to preliminary data. Struggling through the smothering heat were long-distance runners who were passing a baton in a relay race from inland Mt. Hood to the Pacifi

Pakistan floods kill 220, forecasters warn heavier monsoon rains ahead

Flooding in a northwest Pakistani district has killed at least 220 people, officials said Saturday, as rescuers pulled 63 more bodies overnight from homes flattened by flash floods and landslides, with forecasts of more rain in the coming days. One eyewitness, who escaped the deluges in Buner, described seeing floodwaters carrying hundreds of boulders and tons of rocks crashing down. Hundreds of rescue workers are still searching for survivors in Buner, one of several places in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where torrential rains and cloudbursts caused massive flooding on Friday, said Mohammad Suhail, a spokesman for the emergency services. Dozens of homes were swept away. First responders have been trying to recover bodies from the worst-hit villages of Pir Baba and Malik Pura, where most of the fatalities were, said Kashif Qayyum, a deputy commissioner in Buner. Local police officer Imtiaz Khan, who narrowly escaped the deluges, said floodwaters carrying hundreds of boulders struck

3.7 magnitude earthquake felt in Delhi; epicentre in Haryana's Jhajjar

Tremors were also felt a day earlier, when an earthquake of magnitude 4.4 struck the same location on Thursday

Mizoram issues advisory against visits till June 13 amid heavy rain

The Mizoram government has urged officials to defer visits until 13 June as heavy rainfall continues; five deaths, hundreds of landslides and widespread damage have been reported

Lightning claim 28 more lives in 2024 compared to 2023 in Marathwada

The death toll due to lightning strikes in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra has gone up by 28 to 76 in 2024 compared to the previous year, officials said. As per an official report, 48 people had died in 2023 in all eight districts of Marathwada due to lightning strikes. The total number of fatalities due to flood and other monsoon-related calamities also climbed by 47 to 126 in 2024, it said. The highest number of 15 deaths in 2024 due to lightning strikes was recorded in Latur district, followed by Jalna (12), Beed (11), Parbhani and Nanded (10 each), Dharashiv (4) and Hingoli (3).

Tourist boats capsize in sudden storm in southwest China, leaving 10 dead

Four boats capsized in a sudden storm on a river in southwestern China, leaving nine dead and one missing, state media said Monday. More than 80 people fell into the Wu River when strong winds hit the scenic area in Guizhou province on Sunday afternoon, state broadcaster CCTV said. Initial reports said two tourist boats had capsized, but CCTV and the official Xinhua News Agency said Monday that four boats were involved. It wasn't clear if any of the victims were on the other two boats. The boats capsized after a sudden rain and hail storm hit the Wu, a tributary of the Yangtze, China's longest river. In one video shared by state media, a man could be seen performing CPR on another person, while one of the vessels drifted upside down. Guizhou's mountains and rivers are a major tourism draw, and many Chinese are traveling during a five-day national holiday that ends Monday. Chinese President Xi Jinping called for all-out efforts to find the missing and care for the injured, Xinhua s

Earthquake of 6.2 magnitude shakes Istanbul, no casulaties reported

There were no immediate reports of damage, but people evacuated buildings as the quake hit and shook the city, located on the European and Asian shores of the Bosphorus strait

Myanmar earthquake rescue efforts intensify with death toll set to rise

About 3,400 are injured in the war-torn country and the death toll may rise further, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said

Massive earthquake latest blow to Thai tourism hit by safety woes

International tourist arrivals are expected to drop by 10 per cent-15 per cent or even more in the next two weeks

Myanmar rebels declare ceasefire in earthquake-hit areas as aid arrives

The shadow National Unity Government said the People's Defence Force will pause offensive military operations for two weeks except for defensive actions, effective from today

Wildfires in Japan damage homes, force residents to evacuate in 2 areas

Wildfires have hit several regions in western Japan, injuring at least two people, forcing dozens of residents to evacuate and damaging a number of homes as hundreds of firefighters battled the widening blazes in the mountainous areas. The fires in the western towns of Okayama, Imabari and Aso broke out Sunday, quickly burning hundreds of hectares (acres). Six homes have been damaged in city of Okayama, where a fire started on Mount Kaigara and burned 250 hectares (600 acres) of the forest. In Imabari, in the Ehime prefecture on the main island of Shikoku, the fire left a firefighter slightly injured. Firefighters and defense helicopters sprayed water but the blazes in the two prefectures had not been extinguished as of Monday afternoon. Experts blamed dry weather and dried-up fallen leaves on the ground in the forest as likely causes of the wildfires in Okayama and Imabari. A smaller fire was detected in the mountainous village of Aso in the Kumamoto prefecture on the southern ma

South Korea declares emergency as wildfires kill 4, displace hundreds

Authorities have mobilised dozens of vehicles and hundreds of officials to extinguish the fire that has burned about 847 hectares of land

Extreme weather in 2024 led to biggest displacement of people since 2008

Tropical cyclones were responsible for many of the most severe events, such as Super Typhoon Yagi in September, said the World Meteorological Organization

At least 32 dead in massive US storm after Kansas reports 8 fatalities

Violent tornadoes ripped through parts of the US, wiping out schools and toppling semitractor-trailers in several states, part of a monster storm that has killed at least 26 people as more severe weather was expected late on Saturday. The number of fatalities increased after the Kansas Highway Patrol reported eight people died in a highway pileup caused by a dust storm in Sherman County on Friday. At least 50 vehicles were involved. Missouri recorded more fatalities than any other state as it withstood scattered twisters overnight that killed at least 12 people, authorities said. The deaths included a man who was killed after a tornado ripped apart his home. "It was unrecognisable as a home. Just a debris field," said Coroner Jim Akers of Butler County, describing the scene that confronted rescuers. "The floor was upside down. We were walking on walls." Dakota Henderson said he and others rescuing people trapped in their homes on Friday night found five dead bodies scattered in the

Significant rise in flood frequency in High Mountain Asia since 2000: Study

The frequency of floods in High Mountain Asia (HMA) has increased significantly since 2000 due to climate change, according to a new study. The study, conducted by a team of scientists including environment expert Sonam Wangchuk, analysed 1,015 floods since 1950. Since 1950, the region's average temperature has shown a steady rise, warming at a rate of 0.3 degrees Celsius per decade. Meanwhile, precipitation patterns have changed in complex ways, both in terms of location and timing, the scientists said. They said this rapid warming, combined with shifting rainfall patterns, is affecting the region's water cycle and increasing flood risks. "In terms of temporal trends, the frequency of recorded flood events since 2000 has generally increased compared to the earlier period, with pluvial floods and snowmelt floods exhibiting a more considerable rise," the authors said. "The study confirms that flood frequency has risen, but a key additional finding is a rise in the unpredictability

7.6 magnitude earthquake shakes Caribbean sea southwest of Cayman Islands

A magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook the Caribbean Sea southwest of the Cayman Islands Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey, and some islands and countries urged people near the coastline to move inland in case of a tsunami. The quake struck at 6:23 pm local time in the middle of the sea and had a depth of 10 kilometers, the USGS said. Its epicenter was located 130 miles (209 kilometers) south-southwest of George Town in the Cayman Islands. The US National Tsunami Warning Center said there is no tsunami alert for the U.S. mainland but issued a tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Hazard Management Cayman Islands urged residents located near the coast to move inland and to higher ground. It said wave heights of 0.3 to 1 meter are expected. Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer Gonzlez Coln said in a statement she is in contact with emergency agencies after the tsunami advisory, but did not recommend anyone leave the coast. The Dominican government also issued a