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NEW DELHI, Aug 11 – The Yamuna River in Delhi rose to 204.40 metres at the Old Railway Bridge on Saturday morning, coming dangerously close to the warning level of 204.50 metres, according to flood control officials. Authorities say the surge is mainly due to heavy releases of water from the Hathnikund and Wazirabad barrages. At present, around 30,800 cusecs are being discharged from Hathnikund, while Wazirabad is releasing about 25,000 cusecs every hour. Rainfall in the upper catchment areas of Haryana and Uttarakhand has further contributed to the rise. Officials from the central flood room confirmed that the situation is being closely monitored. All concerned agencies have been instructed to remain on alert and take precautionary steps to prevent a flood-like situation. The Old...

Despite a strong start to the monsoon, nearly one-fifth of India is battling drought or drought-like conditions, according to the Drought Early Warning System (DEWS). Data shows that 19% of the country’s land area is facing varying levels of dryness, with some states seeing extreme drought. Severe water stress is reported in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam. Many of these areas have recorded rainfall shortages of 40–70% this season, leaving soil moisture too low for healthy crop growth. In Arunachal Pradesh, districts like Kurung Kumey, Upper Subansiri, and Kra Daadi are among the worst hit. Assam’s Karbi Anglong, Mizoram’s Champhai, and parts of Manipur are also struggling with exceptional dryness. In Bihar, distr...

NEW DELHI: Nearly one-fifth of India is facing drought or drought-like conditions despite the monsoon beginning on a strong note, according to the Drought Early Warning System (DEWS). Experts warn the crisis is hitting not just farms and water supplies, but also public health, with microplastics emerging as a growing concern in drinking water sources. Severe dryness has been reported in states including Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh, and several in the Northeast. In many of these regions, rainfall has been 40–70% below normal, leaving fields cracked and reservoirs running low. The India Meteorological Department says 29% of districts are now under arid conditions. Farmers in districts like Muzaffarpur in Bihar and Kapurthala in Punjab say paddy fields are tur...

Tamil Nadu — A thick layer of foam has once again appeared on the Palar river after recent rains, sparking fresh anger among residents who allege that untreated industrial waste is being released into the water. Locals say tanneries in the Vaniyambadi area are the main culprits, accusing them of dumping effluents without proper treatment. The foam formed after heavy rainfall on Wednesday night led to a sudden flow of water in parts of the river. While the rains temporarily increased water levels, the frothy white waves quickly became a sign of contamination, residents said. Many complained that the situation is not new similar scenes have been witnessed in the past, with little action taken. Environmental activists warn that untreated tannery waste not only pollutes the river but als...

The arrival of the monsoon may offer relief from summer heat, but health experts caution that the season can bring increased risks for heart patients. According to Dr. Nagendra Singh Chouhan, Senior Consultant in Cardiology at Medanta Hospital, Gurugram, the combination of high humidity, sudden temperature changes, and reduced sunlight can put additional strain on the cardiovascular system, particularly for those already living with heart disease. He explained that damp and humid conditions during the rains make it easier for infections to spread, which in turn can stress the heart. Fluctuating temperatures can cause sudden changes in blood pressure, while the lack of sunlight may contribute to mood changes such as anxiety and depression, indirectly impacting heart health. The season al...

Gurugram has been ranked the second most polluted city in India in 2024-25, with 156 days of bad air quality, according to data shared in the Lok Sabha. This includes 132 days of ‘poor’ air quality and 24 days of ‘very poor’ air quality. Only Byrnihat in Assam had more polluted days, recording 164 days in total. Patna matched Gurugram for the highest number of ‘poor’ days (132), but had fewer ‘very poor’ days. The data comes from the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. What the Numbers Mean •Poor AQI (201–300): Can cause breathing discomfort, especially with long exposure. •Very Poor AQI (301–400): Can lead to respiratory illness after extended exposure. In Haryana, Charkhi Dadri was the next worst-hit wit...

On the eve of Raksha Bandhan, several parts of Delhi-NCR witnessed heavy traffic congestion Friday evening as people rushed to their hometowns for the festival weekend. Long queues of vehicles were reported on major routes, including NH-9 near Chhajarsi, Noida-Akshardham Road towards Gandhi Nagar, Geeta Colony, and Shastri Park. Congestion was also seen on Delhi–Gurugram roads, South Delhi stretches, Jahangirpuri, and Indirapuram. Earlier in the day the Delhi Traffic Police issued an advisory warning of possible traffic jams on roads leading out of the city, especially on National Highway-44 and the Singhu border, as travellers head towards Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat, and Chandigarh. “Due to Raksha Bandhan coinciding with the weekend, a significant surge in vehicles is expected. Com...

  Varanasi, Aug 8, 2025 — For the past 20 days, boat services on the Ganga River in Varanasi have been shut down due to dangerously high water levels, leaving hundreds of boatmen without work and struggling to survive. Many, like Suresh Sahni, fear the closure could last another two months. “Our condition is very bad right now. We are somehow managing, but the government has not provided any support. No one has come to see our situation,” he said. With no income, boatmen are relying on loans and selling household items to make ends meet. “Between Assi Ghat and Namo Ghat, lakhs of people have lost their livelihoods,” said Ballu Sahni, adding that their calls for help have gone unanswered. The problem began after days of heavy rainfall caused the Ganga to overflow, flooding ...

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa’s second most populous province, is facing relentless climate-related disasters from deadly floods and severe droughts to heatwaves and wildfires leaving vulnerable communities struggling to survive. In Pietermaritzburg, four low-income urban and peri-urban settlements France, Swapo, Willowfontein, and Mpophomeni have endured years of extreme weather. A recent study of 378 households found residents unable to cope with the mounting impacts. Backyard farms that once grew maize, spinach, cabbage, and beans have withered under erratic rainfall and scorching heat, forcing families to buy increasingly expensive food. Women-headed households are hit hardest, earning less while carrying the burden of unpaid care work. Health has also suffered. Residents report mo...

A new study has found that for a wide range of earthquake scenarios in Alaska, an earthquake early warning (EEW) system could provide at least 10 seconds of advance notice before hazardous shaking begins enough time for people to take cover, halt surgeries, or slow trains. Researchers Alexander Fozkos and Michael West from the University of Alaska Fairbanks say that increasing the number and improving the spacing of seismic stations could extend warning times by an additional 5 to 15 seconds. Alaska, which experiences tens of thousands of earthquakes each year and has seen some of the world’s largest quakes, currently has no public EEW system in place. Their findings, published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, could help expand the U.S. ShakeAlert network, now...