Breaking News Archives - Page 235 of 255

Jun222024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Extreme Heatwave Claims Over 100 Lives in Mexico as Climate Change Intensifies

An unprecedented and relentless heatwave, exacerbated by climate change, has gripped southwestern parts of the United States, Mexico, and northern Central America, leading to over 100 fatalities in Mexico alone. This extreme heat event, driven by a persistent high-pressure system known as a heat dome, has shattered daytime and nighttime temperature records across the region, including Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and the southwestern United States. The heat dome phenomenon, which traps hot air near the ground and intensifies under clear skies and sunshine, has resulted in severe and widespread impacts. Mexico has reported 125 heat-related deaths since March, with the ongoing drought conditions further aggravating the situation. The drought has not only reduced water availability but als...

Jun212024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

WMO Report Highlights Urgent Need for Enhanced Hydrometeorological Services in Vulnerable Nations

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a founding member of the Alliance for Hydromet Development, has released the 2024 Hydromet Gap Report, revealing critical deficiencies in hydrometeorological services (hydromet) across Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The report, launched during the 8th SOFF Steering Committee meeting, underscores the severe impact of these gaps on climate adaptation and resilience efforts, with significant implications for sustainable development and disaster preparedness. Key Findings The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the state of hydromet services in 20 countries, highlighting the following critical gaps: Weak Observational Infrastructure: Many National Meteorological and Hydrological Service...

Jun212024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Scientists claims record storm surges to help predict future flooding

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations

Southampton, UK: Researchers at the University of Southampton have conducted the most comprehensive spatial analysis to date of storm surges along the UK and Ireland's coastlines. The findings, published in the June edition of the journal Weather and Climate Extremes, reveal significant regional variations in the intensity and duration of storm surges, with the north of the Irish Sea experiencing the longest and largest surges, while the southwest coast of England sees the shortest and smallest surges. Over a period spanning four decades, the winter seasons of 1989/90 and 2013/14 emerged as the periods with the highest number and most severe storm surge events. These findings were derived from data collected between 1980 and 2017, highlighting 270 extreme storm surge events based on the...

Jun202024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Poses Significant Risks to Wind Power, Threatening Global Energy Security

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Climate change is set to have profound effects on wind power, a crucial component of the global energy mix. With around 1 terawatt of installed wind power capacity worldwide, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of the Netherlands, this figure is expected to double by 2030. Despite this growth, it still falls short of net-zero targets. Wind power already plays a significant role in many regions, with the UK deriving 29% of its electricity from wind in 2023 and the EU 18%. However, the future of wind power is uncertain as climate change alters wind patterns, intensifies storms, increases lightning strikes, and subjects equipment to extreme heat, potentially shortening the lifespan of turbines and increasing downtime. In the second half of 2021, Northwestern Europe experien...

Jun202024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Poses Growing Threat to Maternal and Infant Health, New Research Finds

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments

Climate change, one of the most pressing health threats facing humanity, is now being linked to long-term adverse health and socioeconomic effects on children born during periods of extreme heat. A systematic review of existing research has revealed alarming connections between rising temperatures and poor health outcomes for both mothers and their babies, prompting urgent calls for action. Rising Temperatures and Health Risks The new study highlights that global warming, an integral aspect of climate change, is exacerbating health issues, particularly among vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children. Previous research has already established that heat exposure during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, congenital abnormalities, gestational hypert...

Jun202024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Sixty-Eight Indian Pilgrims Among Over 900 Dead During Scorching Haj Pilgrimage

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

Sixty-eight Indian nationals were among more than 900 pilgrims from around the world who died during this year’s Haj pilgrimage, marked by searing heat and extreme temperatures, according to sources on Wednesday. The deaths of the Indians occurred over several weeks, with six fatalities reported on the final day of the pilgrimage. Causes included natural factors such as old age, along with the intense weather conditions, the sources said anonymously. There has been no official statement from the Indian government. A total of 175,000 Indian pilgrims traveled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Haj. Reports indicate that 550 deaths were recorded during the pilgrimage, as stated by two unnamed Arab diplomats, and an AFP tally put the total at 645. This includes 323 Egyptians and 60 Jordania...

Jun192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Assam 2024 Floods Updates: Over 161,000 people Affected, Relief Work Underway for Thousands

Breaking News, Disasters

Guwahati: More than 30 people have died and more than 1.61 lakhs people have been affected in 15 districts due to severe floods in Assam. A landslide in Badarpur area of Karimganj district killed five people, including a woman and her three daughters, as well as a three-year-old boy. The landslide happened in Gaynachora village on Tuesday night. The landslide death toll in Assam has risen to over 30 since Cyclone Remal hit the state in May. Karimganj Superintendent of Police Partha Protim Das says “At 12.45 last night, information was received about a landslide in Gainachora village (Bendargool) under Badarpur police station. After receiving the information, the officer-in-charge of Badarpur police station along with his staff and SDRF personnel rushed to the spot and conducted a r...

Jun192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Scientists Warn: Climate Change Could Bring Deadly Heat and Humidity to More Regions

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments

Recent weather patterns have brought extreme heat to many parts of the world, but in most inhabited regions, it typically doesn't become "too hot for people to live," especially in dry climates. In these areas, our bodies can usually cool off through the evaporation of sweat. However, in regions where hot deserts meet warm oceans, dangerous heat and humidity can combine, posing serious health risks. Regions like the Middle East, Pakistan, and India frequently experience deadly combinations of heat and humidity during summer heat waves. The humid air from nearby seas hampers sweat evaporation, preventing our bodies from cooling effectively. Hundreds of millions of people in these areas lack access to air conditioning, making the situation even more dire. Wet Bulb Temperatures and Thei...

Jun192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Earth’s Atmosphere Shields Life from Deadly Supernova Explosions, New Study Reveals

Breaking News, Disasters, Space

Earth's protective atmosphere has protected life for billions of years, creating an environment for evolution to produce complex life forms like us. The ozone layer plays an important role in protecting the biosphere from deadly UV rays. Block 99% of the sun's powerful UV rays. Earth's magnetosphere also protects us. But the Sun is relatively interesting. How effectively does the ozone and magnetosphere protect us from powerful supernova explosions? Every million years - a tiny fraction of Earth's 4.5 billion years - a giant star explodes within 100 parsecs (326 light years) of Earth. We know this because our solar system exists in a space called the local bubble. A cavernous space where the density of hydrogen is lower than outside the bubble. During the previous 10-20 million ye...

Jun192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Study Warns Internet Satellites Like Starlink Could Destroy Earth’s Ozone Layer

Breaking News, Environment, Space

There are currently more than 8,000 internet satellites in low Earth orbit. Internet satellite systems like Elon Musk's Starlink could destroy Earth's ozone layer, according to University of Southern California researchers. A study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Letters stated that SpaceX's Starlink released large amounts of aluminum oxide gas into the atmosphere that could destroy the ozone layer. The ozone layer is vital to our survival. It absorbs the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays, which can cause skin cancer and even damage crops and food production. "Only in recent years have people started to think this could be a problem. One of the first groups to see what this fact means," said Joseph Wan, an Astronaut researcher at the University of Southern California, i...