March 2025 - Page 7 of 14 - Disasters News

Mar182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tornadoes Rip Through Midwest Southeast Killing 33 Leaving Trail of Destruction

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Tornadoes tore through the U.S. Midwest and Southeast, leaving at least 33 dead and entire communities in ruins. Missouri and Mississippi were among the worst-hit states with widespread devastation reported across multiple counties. Missouri authorities confirmed 12 fatalities across five counties. Butler County’s emergency management director, Robbie Myers, described the destruction of more than 500 homes church, and a grocery store. A mobile home park was completely leveled. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves reported six deaths in the state one in Covington County two in Jeff Davis County and three in Walthall County. At least 29 people were injured, with damage recorded in 21 counties. Arkansas also faced severe impacts with three deaths and 32 injuries confirmed by the state’s ...

Mar182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Mediterranean Deepest Point Becomes Plastic Dump, Study Finds

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

The Mediterranean Sea has turned into Europe deepest garbage dump with plastic waste found at a record depth of 5,112 meters in the Calypso Deep a trench within the Ionian Sea. Researchers discovered 167 pieces of trash mostly plastic, along with metal cans and paper cartons at the bottom, according to a new study published in Marine Pollution Bulletin. Plastic made up 88% of the waste collected from the seabed. Though no interactions between the litter and rare deep-sea life were observed, scientists warn that pollution at such depths poses a serious threat to marine ecosystems. A team from the University of Barcelona used the high-tech manned submarine Limiting Factor to explore the Calypso Deep. The sub covered 650 meters in 43 minutes, revealing an alarming accumulation of waste....

Mar172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Small Quakes Big Shakes Mexico City Faces Unexpected Seismic Threat

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

recent study has revealed that a series of small, shallow earthquakes in Mexico City in 2019 and 2023 caused unexpectedly strong ground shaking, raising concerns about the impact of future moderate-sized quakes on the city's buildings. The findings, published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, suggest that even moderate tremors could cause significant damage, depending on the region’s underlying geology. Researchers Miguel Jaimes and Gerardo Suárez from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México analyzed potential damage scenarios for three key areas within the Mexico City basin, modeling earthquakes up to magnitude 5.5. Their simulations were based on past seismic events, including a 2023 quake in La Magdalena Contreras, the 2018 San Juan de Aragón earthquake, and ea...

Mar172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Delhi Sees Best Air in Three Years Heatwave Alert for Karnataka

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Delhi recorded its lowest Air Quality Index (AQI) in three years with an average of 85 on Saturday, marking a rare 'Satisfactory' air quality level for the first quarter of the year. The Commission for Air Quality Management confirmed that this was the first time since 2023 that Delhi achieved such clean air during this period. Meanwhile, temperatures are soaring in Karnataka, with the Kalaburagi district’s Ainapur Hobli village hitting 42.8°C in the past 24 hours. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts further temperature increases of 2 to 4 degrees Celsius in northern interior Karnataka from March 15 to 17, with a heatwave warning in place for March 18-19. Southern Karnataka will also see a rise of 2-3 degrees Celsius. In Delhi-NCR, light rain was reported in some area...

Mar172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Board Game Turns Tide on Sea Level Awareness Among Youth

Breaking News, Climate Actions

A new study reveals that a board game can significantly enhance young people's understanding of sea level rise and their ability to influence it. Over the past two years Utrecht University researcher Nieske Vergunst developed and tested the Sea Level Game assessing its impact on participants aged 16 to 25. The results show that players became more aware of climate change and more confident in making a difference. Vergunst created the game to address a gap in climate communication particularly for those with low science exposure. “Sea level rise affects us all and people have a right to understand it,” she explains. Players take on roles in two teams Sea Level and Solution Level facing real-world dilemmas that shape the future. Their choices influence whether sea levels rise drastically ...

Mar172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New Climate Risk Index Reveals Global Inequities in Climate Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A newly released Climate Risk Index (CRI) highlights the devastating impact of extreme weather events worldwide, underscoring the urgent need for stronger climate adaptation and risk management policies. Unlike the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), which evaluates countries' mitigation efforts, the CRI ranks 171 nations based on the human and economic toll of climate-related disasters. The 2025 report, published by Germanwatch confirms that lower-income nations bear the brunt of climate change, despite contributing the least to global emissions. Over a 30-year analysis (1993-2022), five of the ten most affected nations were lower-middle-income countries including India, Myanmar, and the Philippines while high-income nations like Italy and Spain also made the list. The year 2022 a...

Mar152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Board game boosts youth awareness on sea level rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Can a board game help young people grasp the impact of sea level rise? Researcher Nieske Vergunst from Utrecht University’s Freudenthal Institute explored this question through the Sea Level Game, a strategy-based board game designed to enhance climate awareness. Tested on 117 participants aged 16 to 25, the game divided players into two teams: the Sea Level team, which made choices affecting climate change, and the Solution Level team, responsible for societal responses. The study, published in Geoscience Communication, found that players felt more aware of sea level rise and more confident in their ability to influence it—regardless of their prior science knowledge. Vergunst sees the game as a bridge for climate communication, particularly for those with low science exposure. “Sea ...

Mar152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Threatening Millions Addis Ababa Climate Change Fuels Global Water Crisis Global Threat

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a young girl waits in a long line for water, clutching an empty container. The queue stretches down the dusty road as families gather under the scorching sun hoping to fill their buckets before supplies run out. This scene has become increasingly common in cities and rural areas around the world, where climate change is disrupting water systems and leaving millions without access to safe drinking water. From East Africa to North America, extreme weather events wildfires, floods, droughts, and heatwaves are pushing water infrastructure to its limits. Rivers are drying up, reservoirs are shrinking, and contamination is on the rise. Scientists and policymakers warn that without immediate action, the situation will only get worse, putting lives at risk and deepenin...

Mar152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Small Mexico City Earthquakes Reveal Big Risks for Buildings

Breaking News, Disasters, Fact Check

A recent swarm of small, shallow earthquakes in Mexico City has raised new concerns about how moderate earthquakes might impact the city buildings. Researchers found that even relatively weak earthquakes produced surprisingly strong ground shaking prompting them to explore potential damage in future scenarios. In a study published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America Miguel Jaimes and Gerardo Suárez from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México modeled the expected damage from moderate earthquakes in three key regions of the Mexico City basin. Their scenarios were based on past earthquakes including a 2023 event in La Magdalena Contreras the 2018 San Juan de Aragón earthquake and the 1995 Milpa Alta and 1985 Juchitepec earthquakes. Their findings highlight the criti...

Mar152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Scientists Pioneer air-moisture Tech to Break down Plastic revolutionizing recycling

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

In a breakthrough that could reshape plastic waste management, scientists have unveiled a pioneering method to break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using moisture from the air. This novel approach utilizing an inexpensive catalyst dismantles PET bonds and transforms the material into monomers the essential building blocks of plastics allowing for efficient recycling or upcycling into higher-value products. Published in Green Chemistry, a journal of the Royal Society of Chemistry, the study introduces a solvent-free, environmentally friendly solution to global plastic pollution. Unlike conventional recycling methods, which generate harmful byproducts and require significant energy input, this technique harnesses trace moisture from ambient air, making it safer and more sustainable...