Thursday, October 30News That Matters

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Breaking News
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale rattled central Colombia on Sunday morning, sending thousands of residents in the capital Bogota rushing into the streets in fear. The quake struck at 8:08 am local time, with its epicenter located near Paratebueno, about 170 kilometers east of Bogota, at a shallow depth of nine kilometers, according to the United States Geological Survey. In the town of Paratebueno, close to the quake's origin, buildings suffered partial collapses, including a whitewashed church with a severely damaged wall. Local residents sifted through debris from several zinc-roofed structures that had caved in. While no serious injuries were reported, minor structural damage is being assessed in several neighboring villages. The tremor was strongly fe...

Bengaluru Heat Crisis: A City That Ignored Climate, Now Burning From Within

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Once known for its mild breeze tree-lined avenues, and cool evenings Bengaluru has now turned into a furnace. On World Environment Day 2025, the city that was once Indiaโ€™s โ€œGarden Cityโ€ now serves as a cautionary tale a metropolis brought to its knees by decades of unchecked growth, ecological neglect, and climate denial. For sanitation workers like Nagalakshmi, the crisis isnโ€™t theoretical. Itโ€™s seared into the skin. Each morning, she walks 6โ€“7 kilometers sweeping streets under the relentless sun, without shade or a place to rest. โ€œIt is scorching hot,โ€ she says. โ€œIf I feel unwell, thereโ€™s nowhere to sit. Even drinking water feels risky there are no toilets around.โ€ Nagalakshmi, like thousands of other workers, is paying the price for a transformation she never asked for a transform...

Global Droughts Intensify as Earth’s Atmosphere Becomes Thirstier

Breaking News
A major international study has confirmed that human-caused climate change is rapidly making droughts around the world worse. The findings, published in the journal Nature under the title โ€œWarming accelerates global drought severity,โ€ show that rising temperatures are drying out the land faster than ever before not just by reducing rainfall, but by increasing the atmosphereโ€™s demand for moisture. Whatโ€™s Driving the Worsening Drought? The key factor behind this trend is something called atmospheric evaporative demand (AED) essentially, how much water the atmosphere โ€œwantsโ€ to take from the land, plants, and water bodies. As the air gets warmer, it demands more moisture, causing faster evaporation and drying out soils even when rainfall hasnโ€™t changed much. Between 1981 and 2022, th...

Cyclone Man of India Dr. Mohapatra Wins 2025 UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction

Breaking News
  Dr. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, often called the โ€œCyclone Man of India,โ€ has been awarded the prestigious 2025 UN Sasakawa Award for Disaster Risk Reduction. The award recognises his exceptional work in advancing Indiaโ€™s cyclone forecasting systems and improving early warning mechanisms, which have saved thousands of lives. The honour was presented at the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, a global forum that celebrates people and institutions working to make communities safer and more resilient. Dr. Mohapatra shared the individual award category with Professor Harkunti Rahayu from Indonesia. A Lifelong Mission Rooted in Experience Dr. Mohapatraโ€™s journey is personal. After surviving a devastating cyclone as a young boy, he dedicated his life to ensuring others would...

WMO and COPE Strengthen Alliance to Empower Children in Climate and Disaster Preparedness

Breaking News
In a major step to protect future generations from climate disasters, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and COPE Academy Ltd have renewed their partnership to help children understand and respond to natural hazards. The collaboration is part of WMOโ€™s growing Youth Action Plan and places children at the heart of global efforts to build climate resilience. The new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed at WMO Headquarters in Geneva, focusing on early education, equitable access to climate information, and child-friendly disaster resources. โ€œThis partnership is about more than education itโ€™s about protection,โ€ said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. โ€œBy helping children understand risks, we build stronger and safer communities.โ€ Childrenโ€™s Guide to Climate Hazards ...
Heat Rising, Warnings Failing: Why Early Action Is Crucial to Combat Global Heatwaves

Heat Rising, Warnings Failing: Why Early Action Is Crucial to Combat Global Heatwaves

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
As scorching temperatures shatter records with alarming frequency, a new era of climate danger is unfolding across the globe. From the U.S. to South Asia, heatwaves are no longer rare occurrences they're becoming the new normal. Today, on Heat Action Day, as communities around the world raise awareness of the dangers of extreme heat, it is clear that awareness alone is not enough. Action must follow swiftly, inclusively, and equitably. Across every continent, extreme heat is quietly claiming lives and overwhelming systems. It spares no part of daily life: hospitals overflow, energy grids collapse, outdoor labor becomes perilous, and students struggle to learn inside sweltering classrooms. In Nepalโ€™s rural Madesh region, a recent study by Mercy Corps lays bare the educational conseque...
Fiery Skies Over Sicily: Mount Etna Spews Ash and Lava in Spectacular Eruption

Fiery Skies Over Sicily: Mount Etna Spews Ash and Lava in Spectacular Eruption

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
Sicily skyline turned into a dramatic display of fire and smoke early Monday morning as Mount Etna, Europeโ€™s most active volcano, erupted with force, sending a towering cloud of ash and molten fragments into the atmosphere. The eruption which began with a sudden burst of pressure within the mountainโ€™s crater, created a plume that stretched several kilometres into the sky and could be seen for miles. Despite the eruptionโ€™s intensity and visual spectacle, authorities reported no injuries or damage. Air travel to and from the island experienced minimal disruption, and local monitoring agencies confirmed that the volcanic activity had subsided by evening. While residents and tourists marveled at the scene, scientists observed the event with a mix of familiarity and caution. Understanding...
Mizoram delays official visits as floods and landslides disrupt lives, Tripura turns schools into shelters

Mizoram delays official visits as floods and landslides disrupt lives, Tripura turns schools into shelters

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Fact Check
June 5, 2025 โ€” As relentless rains continue to batter Indiaโ€™s Northeast, the states of Mizoram and Tripura are grappling with severe weather disruptions that have triggered landslides, flash floods, and large-scale displacement. The Mizoram government has postponed all official visits, including those by dignitaries and state officials, to prioritize disaster management and public safety. In a circular issued on June 2 by Mizoramโ€™s General Administration Department, authorities confirmed that prolonged and intense rainfall has led to widespread destruction. Key districts have been affected by landslides and mudslides, with critical infrastructure damaged and normal life severely hampered. District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs), led by Deputy Commissioners, are on high aler...
Wildfire smoke blankets one-third of U.S., raising health alarms

Wildfire smoke blankets one-third of U.S., raising health alarms

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment
June 5, 2025 A dense blanket of wildfire smoke from more than 200 fires burning across Canada has shrouded nearly one-third of the United States, triggering widespread air quality alerts and renewed concerns about public health. The smoke, drifting from blazes in the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, has turned skies hazy and pushed toxic pollution levels to hazardous highs in parts of New England, New York, and the Midwest. According to the National Weather Service's Weather Prediction Center, the smoke has spread from the Dakotas through the Ohio Valley and into the Northeastern states, reaching as far south as Georgia. While much of the smoke remains suspended in the upper atmosphere, areas like New York and Connecticut are experiencing a heavier concentratio...
Anti-Smog Guns & AI Cameras in Delhiโ€™s 2025 Air Pollution Mitigation Plan

Anti-Smog Guns & AI Cameras in Delhiโ€™s 2025 Air Pollution Mitigation Plan

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations, Tech
With Delhi air quality once again under global scrutiny, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday rolled out the Air Pollution Mitigation Plan 2025 a bold, tech-powered initiative to combat the capitalโ€™s perennial pollution crisis. Under the sweeping measures: โ–ธ Anti-smog guns are now mandatory for all high-rise commercial structures in Delhi malls, hotels, and office complexes exceeding 3,000 sq metres. โ–ธ Mist sprayers will be deployed at 13 identified air pollution hotspots across the city. โ–ธ From 1 November, only BS-VI compliant, electric, and CNG vehicles will be allowed to enter Delhiโ€™s borders. Guptaโ€™s announcement marks one of the most stringent efforts to date in tackling the city's toxic air, especially as Delhi braces for yet another hazardous winter season. AI Cam...