Page 4 - Natural Disasters

Mega-tsunami on the horizon? US coastal states may have only 10-min to flee

A massive earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone could trigger a devastating mega-tsunami, threatening Alaska, Hawaii, and the Pacific Northwest with little warning

₹1,700 cr approved for Joshimath rehab, first instalment released: CM Dhami

CM Dhami recalled that around 20 per cent of Joshimath town was affected by land subsidence in February 2023, resulting in widespread cracks in homes

New Jersey forest fire triggers mass evacuations, shuts major highway

A fast-moving wildfire burning in New Jersey has forced thousands of people to evacuate and closed a stretch of a major highway. The Garden State Parkway, one of New Jersey's busiest highways, was closed on Tuesday between Barnegat and Lacey townships, according to the New Jersey Fire Service. More than 1,300 structures were threatened and about 3,000 residents were evacuated, the fire service said. Shelters were open at two high schools, according to the Barnegat Police Department. The Jersey Central Power and Light Company cut power to about 25,000 customers at the request of the Forest Fire Service and the wildfire's command post Tuesday evening, including thousands in Barnegat Township. The company said on X that it doesn't expect to restore the power before Wednesday. This is for the safety of crews battling the fire, the company said. The fire in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area burned more than 34.2 square kilometres of land, fire officials said. The blaze, b

Two killed in lightning strike in Jammu, winds damage 100 houses in Rajouri

Two persons, including a woman, were killed and another woman sustained injuries after they were struck by lightning in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district on Saturday, officials said. They said that over 100 houses suffered damages due to gusty winds in Rajouri district. Two women, identified as Shahnaz Begum and Rasheed Ahmad, lost their lives when lightning hit their Dharhote village in Arnas area of Reasi late Saturday evening, the officials said. Another woman -- Gulzara Begum -- was also injured in the incident, which also perished nearly 50 sheep and goats, they added. In another incident, over 100 residential houses suffered minor to partial damages after high velocity winds swept Kalakote in Rajouri district. Confirming the damage, Kalakote Additional Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Tanveer told PTI that the rooftops of majority of the residential houses were swept away by the gusty winds. However, there was no report of any casualty, he said, adding the

Earthquake of magnitude 5.9 strikes Afghanistan's Hindu Kush region

As per the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), Afghanistan remains highly vulnerable to natural disasters

Myanmar quake: Survivors being found, but hopes fade as deaths exceed 2,700

Rescue workers saved a 63-year-old woman from the rubble of a building in Myanmar's capital on Tuesday, but hope was fading of finding many more survivors of the violent earthquake that killed more than 2,700 people, compounding a humanitarian crisis caused by a civil war. The fire department in Naypyitaw said the woman was successfully pulled from the rubble 91 hours after being buried when the building collapsed in the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that hit midday Friday. Experts say the likelihood of finding survivors drops dramatically after 72 hours. Death toll numbers forecast to increase The head of Myanmar's military government, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, told a forum for relief donations in Naypyitaw that 2,719 people have now been found dead, with 4,521 others injured and 441 missing, Myanmar's state MRTV television reported. He said Friday's earthquake was the second most powerful in the country's recorded history after a magnitude 8 quake east of Mandalay in May 1912. The

India sends fresh batch of 50 tonnes relief aid to quake-hit Myanmar

India on Monday delivered a fresh tranche of 50 tonnes of relief materials to Myanmar to help victims of the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that killed over 2,000 people and injured 3,900. The relief materials were taken to the Myanmarese city of Yangon by two Indian Navy ships -- INS Satpura and INS Savitri. Three more Indian Navy ships -- INS Karmukh, INS Gharial and LCU-52 -- are enroute to Yangon with over 500 tonnes of additional aid material, officials said. India mounted its relief mission named 'Operation Brahma' as a swift response to the devastation caused by the earthquake that hit Myanmar as well as Thailand on Friday. On Saturday, New Delhi sent relief materials, rescue teams and medical equipment in five military aircraft to Myanmar to help victims of the earthquake. Another C-130 aircraft of the Indian Air Force is expected to land in Mandalay on Tuesday with over 15 tons of relief materials, according to the Indian embassy in Myanmar. "We will stay engaged with Myanmar

Landslide near Manikaran Gurudwara in Himachal kills 6, several injured

A landslide triggered by a storm in Himachal's Kullu district on Sunday left six people dead and as many injured after a huge tree fell on several vehicles near Gurudwara Manikaran Sahib, officials said. Medical teams, police and revenue officials are present at the spot and coordinating rescue and relief operations, Kullu's Sub Divisional Magistrate Vikas Shukla told reporters at the spot. A tree on a mountain opposite the gurudwara got uprooted following a storm and landslide. It fell on some vehicles and some 'rehri' (wooden carts) on the road, the officials said. Among those killed were Manikaran resident Reena, Varsini from Bangalore and Sameer, a native of Nepal who was working in Kullu, they said. The other three deceased are yet to be identified. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur have expressed deep grief over the incident. Congress MLA from Kullu Sunder Singh Thakur said six people were killed when a hollow tree on the mountain

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

Insurance for natural disasters: Points to keep in mind while buying it?

Insurance plays a crucial role in mitigating the financial impact of natural disasters by providing a safety net that helps individuals and businesses recover quickly

Centre sanctions Rs 1554.99 cr to five states hit by natural calamities

A committee headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved Rs 1554.99 crore of additional central assistance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to five states affected by floods, flash floods, landslides and cyclonic storms during 2024. Out of the total amount of Rs 1554.99 crore, Rs 608.08 crore has been approved for Andhra Pradesh, Rs 170.99 crore for Nagaland, Rs 255.24 crore for Odisha, Rs 231.75 crore for Telangana and Rs 288.93 crore for Tripura, according to an official statement. In a post on X, Shah said, "The Modi government stands like a rock in support of the disaster-affected people. Today, the MHA approved an additional central assistance of Rs 1554.99 crore to Andhra Pradesh, Nagaland, Odisha, Telangana, and Tripura under the NDR fund. This is in addition to the Rs. 18,322.80 crore released by the Centre to 27 states under the SDR fund". The high level committee approved central assistance of Rs 1554.99 crore to five states from the NDRF, subject t

Centre approves Rs 3,027 cr for disaster mitigation projects across states

A High-Level Committee (HLC), chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, has approved Rs 3,027.86 crore for disaster mitigation projects across various states. The committee, which includes Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog as members, reviewed proposals for mitigation projects related to lightning safety in 50 lightning-prone districts across 10 states, as well as catalytic assistance for 49 drought-prone districts in 12 states, all to be funded from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), according to an official statement. The committee approved a project for catalytic assistance to the 12 most drought-prone states at a total cost of Rs 2,022.16 crore, with the central share being Rs 1,200 crore. The 12 states are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, the committee approved a

24 dead as fire crews try to corral LA blazes before winds return this week

Firefighters scrambled Sunday to make further progress against wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed 24 people in the Los Angeles area as forecasters again warned of dangerous weather with the return of strong winds this week. At least 16 people were missing, and authorities said that number was expected to rise. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 80 kilometres per hour and gusts in the mountains reaching 113 kilometres per hour. The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, said weather service meteorologist Rich Thompson. "You're going to have really strong gusty Santa Ana winds, a very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there," Thompson said at a community meeting Saturday night. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help crews fend off flames spread by ..

Disney donates $15 million to LA fire relief and rebuilding efforts

As per The Hollywood Reporter, the company committed to donate $15 million "for initial and immediate response and rebuilding efforts"

Damage, economic loss from California wildfire estimates top $50 bn

Raging wildfires in Los Angeles killed at least two people, destroyed hundreds of buildings and stretched firefighting resources

Tibet earthquake: Death toll rises to 126; 30,000 evacuated. Top updates

Tibet earthquake news: The earthquake struck at 9.05 am (0105 GMT) on Tuesday, with its epicentre in rural county Tingri

30,000 under evacuation orders as wildfire whips through Los Angeles

Firefighters scrambled to corral a fast-moving wildfire in the Los Angeles hillsides dotted with celebrity homes as a fierce windstorm hit Southern California on Tuesday, fanning the blaze seen for miles as scores of residents abandoned their cars and fled on foot to safety with roads blocked. Nearly 26,000 people in more than 10,000 households and more than 13,000 structures are under threat from the blaze, said Kristin Crowley, fire chief of the LA Fire Department. One resident described seeing people crying and screaming as they ran away carrying their children and pets. Officials said the worst of the winds are expected overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. Forecasters predicted the windstorm would last for days, producing isolated gusts that could top 100 mph (160 kph) in mountains and foothills including in areas that haven't seen substantial rain in months. Roughly half a million utility customers were at risk of having their power shut off to reduce the risk of equipment sparki

Looking back to look ahead to 2025: Economy, climate, and politics

The public space is now privatised. It is not that democracy is dead, but that it has been fundamentally modified

India extends relief assistance worth $500K to earthquake-hit Vanuatu

The MEA in a release stated, India extended its deep condolences to the Government and the people of Vanuatu for the damage and destruction caused by this unprecedented disaster