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HYDERABAD — As Hyderabad grapples with recurrent flooding, the city's history with deluges spans more than four and a half centuries, according to historical records. Since the city's construction around 1592 AD, Hyderabad faced several major floods before the devastating event on September 28, 1908. The earliest recorded flood, occurring in 1572 AD, prompted the construction of the Purana Pul (Old Bridge). However, the city continued to see severe inundations: • 1631 AD: Hyderabad witnessed a major flood that overtopped the Old Bridge and swept away populous areas of the new city. Hyderabadis at the time regarded this as the worst flood on record. • 1831 AD: Another severe flooding led to a great loss of life and caused serious damage to the Chaderghat bridge, which was under con...

ZHUHAI, CHINA — A team of Chinese researchers has developed an 11-meter submersible unmanned vessel named the "Blue Whale" designed to collect crucial in situ data directly from typhoons and hurricanes, aiming to significantly improve storm modeling and prediction. This innovation directly addresses the high risk to human life and the instability of conventional vessels during extreme weather events. The Blue Whale is a core component of the new Intelligent Swift Ocean Observing System and its development was published in the Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Research journal. Overcoming Data Collection Challenges Typhoons and hurricanes are challenging to study in real time, with researchers citing three main barriers to obtaining direct storm data: real-time alignment with the cyclone’s pat...

GENEVA — Women and girls who survived the devastating 6.0 magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on August 31, 2025, are facing a "long-term disaster" due to exacerbated cultural barriers and the Taliban leadership's ban on Afghan women staff members working for the UN and aid contractors. Susan Ferguson, UN Women Special Representative in Afghanistan, stated on September 19, 2025, that while major aftershocks have passed, the lack of urgent assistance places women at risk. Tragically, women and girls accounted for over half of those killed or injured, and 60 per cent of those still missing. The humanitarian response has been significantly hindered since the Taliban ban became effective on September 5. While women staff are still operating in affected sites, the ban has...

DEHRADUN — The Uttarakhand government has initiated the procedure to issue death certificates for the 67 people still missing following the devastating flash flood and debris slides that struck Uttarkashi’s Dharali village last month. Health Secretary R Rajesh Kumar confirmed that a letter was sent to district magistrates and registrars of deaths and births on Thursday, directing them to commence the process of registering deaths after a thorough probe. The sudden calamity on August 5 left several trapped, with two bodies retrieved and 67 people subsequently declared missing. The government has announced a compensation of ₹5 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased. Normally, death registration requires a report from a specified person, but in this extraordinary circumstance, registr...

COIMBATORE — District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar inaugurated a two-day exhibition focused on environmental protection and solid waste management at the Race Course walking track in Coimbatore city on Saturday, September 27, 2025. The event is a collaborative effort by the Coimbatore Corporation and various voluntary organizations, aiming to raise public awareness of environmental conservation and sustainable urban practices. The inauguration was attended by several senior officials, including Member of Parliament Ganapathi P. Rajkumar, Mayor Rangnayaki Ramachandran, and Corporation Commissioner M. Sivaguru Prabhakaran. The exhibition features two main areas of focus: • Creating Green Urban Spaces: Private companies are displaying a wide array of resources, equipment, f...

EUROPE — Europe is moving forward with a plan to leverage the North Sea as a massive source of clean energy, with the potential to produce nearly 45,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. This initiative, hailed as the largest "treasure" found beneath the ocean, aims to transform the continent’s energy future and significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels. The North Sea offers ideal conditions strong, consistent winds and relatively shallow waters for building large-scale offshore wind farms. These farms have the capacity to generate up to 300 gigawatts of electricity, which would then be used in a process called electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. When powered by wind, the resulting hydrogen fuel produces no carbon emissions, offering a clean substitute for fossi...

CHANDIGARH — The Radha Soami Satsang Beas Dera in Bir Ghaggar, Panchkula, has been found to have felled and removed native forest tree species from land diverted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change in 1998, according to a joint committee report submitted to the National Green Tribunal. The committee led by retired District and Sessions Judge BM Bedi, concluded that while 40.34 hectares of forest land were handed over to the dera along with 4,322 trees (including khair, teak, and shisham), these native species are now "largely missing." During a site visit, the panel observed that the land had been pulverized, leveled, and developed into gardens featuring commercial tree species like teak and horticultural trees, which are different from the original forest compo...

GENEVA — The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has issued a global call for organizations and stakeholders to participate in the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2025 which will be held on October 13, 2025. The theme for this year's observation is "Fund Resilience, Not Disasters," urging a decisive global shift in financial strategy towards preventative investment. Focus on Shifting Financial Priorities The emphasizes that while direct disaster losses are estimated at around US$202 billion per year, the true annual cost is nearly US$2.3 trillion, a growing threat to global economic prosperity and sustainable development. Despite these staggering figures, investment in Disaster Risk Reduction remains chronically under-prioritized in both national budget...

NEW DELHI — In a major relief for lakhs of Delhi residents grappling with inflated water bills, the Delhi government on Friday announced a 100% waiver on the Late Payment Surcharge for domestic consumers and government establishments. The scheme, set to roll out next month likely around the festivals of Diwali or Karwa Chauth will be open until March 31, 2026. Water Minister Parvesh Verma announced the measure after chairing a Delhi Jal Board meeting, urging citizens to clear their principal dues, as this will be the "first and final scheme on late payment surcharges waiver." Addressing Staggering Unpaid Dues Delhi's total unpaid water dues currently stand at a staggering ₹87,589 crore. Of this amount, ₹80,463 crore, or 91%, is the accumulated surcharge (late fee). Under the domes...

LIMA, PERU — The transition of the Amazon rainforest into a drier, savanna-like ecosystem often termed the Amazon’s "tipping point"—is being driven by the disruption of crucial atmospheric moisture pathways, known as "flying rivers," according to a new report from Amazon Conservation’s Monitoring of the Andes Amazon Project. The report aims to clarify the misconception that the tipping point will be a single, sudden event, stressing instead that it is a gradual process happening at varied rates across the region. The fate of these flying rivers, which transport and recycle moisture from the Atlantic Ocean across the Amazon basin, is identified as a critical factor influencing this transition. Deforestation Disrupts Water Recycling Hundreds of Miles Away Flying rivers are the prima...