Disasters Archives - Disasters News

Dec172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Bengaluru Steps up Plastic Waste Recovery with Large-scale RDF Supply to Cement Industry

Disasters

Bengaluru has taken a significant step towards strengthening its waste-to-resource ecosystem as the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited began supplying low-value plastic waste, known as refuse-derived fuel, to Dalmia Cement Limited. On Monday, the civic agency dispatched its first large consignment of 160 metric tonnes of RDF, marking the start of a long-term collaboration aimed at reducing landfill burden and improving waste utilisation. According to Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited Chief Executive Officer Karee Gowda, the agency currently collects close to 400 metric tonnes of RDF every day from across the city. Of this, around 100 to 150 metric tonnes are already being sent to a waste-to-energy plant near Bidadi. With the new arrangement in place, the...

Nov212025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Fire Disrupts COP30 Summit In Brazil As Thousands Evacuate, 21 Injured

Disasters

A massive fire tore through a section of the COP30 climate summit venue in Belem, Brazil, on Thursday afternoon, triggering a large-scale evacuation of thousands of delegates and halting crucial negotiations. The incident sent panic across the Blue Zone, the core operational hub of the global climate conference, where negotiations, country pavilions, media centres and top-level offices are located. Authorities confirmed that at least 21 people required medical assistance, most of them for smoke inhalation. The blaze, which erupted around 2 pm, was brought under control within six minutes, but the rapid spread of flames and thick clouds of smoke caused significant alarm among participants. Fire Breaks Out Inside The Blue Zone According to initial assessments by local fire officials...

Jun182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

WMO at 75 Funding Urged to Keep Global Climate Safety Systems Strong

Disasters

As the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) marks its 75th year in 2025, its leaders are calling for urgent and sustained financial support to keep vital weather and climate services running amid growing global risks. In its latest bulletin released during the Executive Council meeting, the organization highlights that without stronger funding, its life-saving forecasts and early warning systems could falter just when the world needs them most. WMO plays a key role in global safety, helping countries prepare for storms, floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures. Its efforts underpin climate action plans, emergency responses, and disaster risk reduction in many countries. Yet, despite rising threats from climate change, the organization faces a widening funding gap that cou...

Jun172025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rescue Efforts Continue After Pune Bridge Collapse Claims Four Lives

Breaking News, Disasters

Pune: Search and rescue operations resumed on Monday along the Indrayani River in Maharashtra’s Pune district, as teams worked tirelessly to locate anyone possibly trapped after the tragic collapse of an old bridge that left four people dead and 51 injured. The disaster struck on Sunday around 3:15 pm when the bridge suddenly gave way under the weight of a large crowd. Witnesses described scenes of panic as people were flung into the swirling river below. Rescue teams, responding swiftly, managed to save 38 people from the turbulent waters and debris. According to Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, the deceased have been identified as Chandrakant Salve, Rohit Mane, and Vihaan Mane, while efforts are on to confirm the identity of a fourth male victim. The 51 injured are being ...

Jun52025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

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, Europe’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 mountain’s crater, created a plume that stretched several kilometres into the sky and could be seen for miles. Despite the eruption’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...

Jun52025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

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 — As relentless rains continue to batter India’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 Mizoram’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...

Jun52025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

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...

Jun42025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

From Ashes to Action: How 175 Years of Bushfires Shaped a World-Leading Disaster Response System

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

In the searing aftermath of bushfires, Victoria has forged not just scars on its landscape but a legacy of learning. From the ferocity of Black Thursday in 1851 to the horror of Black Summer beginning in 2019, bushfires have been central to Victoria's settler history shaping its forests, institutions, communities, and consciousness. For nearly two centuries, the state’s relationship with fire has transformed from fragmented firefighting efforts to one of the most integrated and forward-looking emergency management systems in the world. The Slow Awakening: 19th Century Firefighting In the 19th and early 20th centuries, bushfires were seen as inevitable acts of nature. Local landholders and loosely organized brigades bore the burden with limited coordination or governmental oversigh...

Jun32025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tripura Schools Turn Relief Camps As Floods Displace Thousands

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

In the wake of severe monsoon flooding, schools across Agartala, Tripura have been transformed into emergency relief shelters for displaced families. Over 10,000 residents across the state have been relocated to safer grounds, with authorities scrambling to manage the crisis under persistent heavy rains. School Shelters in Action Ambedkar School: Hosting 130 families, totaling 464 flood refugees. Vivekananda School: Currently sheltering 220 individuals. The Tripura administration, guided by Chief Minister Manik Saha, is ensuring the availability of food, clean drinking water, electricity, medical care, and nutrition for children. Medical teams are actively monitoring the elderly and distributing essential medicines. Relief efforts have so far proceeded without disruption. ...

Jun22025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

1500 Tourists Trapped as Rains Trigger Landslides, River Rescue Halted

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Rescue operations were brought to a halt and over 1,500 tourists remained stranded across North Sikkim on Saturday after continuous rains triggered multiple landslides and dangerously raised the Teesta River’s water level, officials said. Search teams had been racing to find eight missing tourists after a tragic accident on Thursday, when a vehicle plunged over 1,000 feet into the swollen Teesta River near Munsithang in Mangan district. One person died, two were injured, and eight others have been missing since. However, operations were suspended Friday due to rising river levels and relentless rain. The landslides have severed the critical road link connecting Chungthang to the tourist hubs of Lachen and Lachung. “Around 115 tourists are stranded in Lachen, and 1,350 are stuck i...