Disasters Archives - Page 2 of 39

Mar302025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Sends 80 NDRF Personnel to Myanmar for Earthquake Relief

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

New Delhi, March 29, 2025 – India is deploying an 80-member National Disaster Response Force( NDRF) team to assist in rescue and search operations in earthquake hit Myanmar where nearly 700 people have died. A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck northwest of Sagaing city on Friday afternoon followed by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock, flattening buildings and causing severe damage in Mandalay and surrounding areas. The disaster has left over 1,700 people injured, with casualties also reported in Thailand. A senior NDRF officer confirmed that the team from the 8th battalion in Ghaziabad, which previously assisted in Turkey’s 2023 earthquake rescue efforts, is carrying specialized equipment for immediate deployment. Depending on the ground situation, more personnel may be sent. This marks In...

Mar292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Braces for Intense Summer as IMD Predicts Doubling of Heatwave Days

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that northwestern parts of the country will likely endure an unusually hot summer, with nearly twice the usual number of heatwave days. Typically, the region experiences five to six heatwave days per season, but this year, the IMD forecasts 10 to 12. Extreme Heat Expected Across West and Central India IMD scientist Soma Sen Roy stated that heatwave conditions will be "slightly above normal," particularly in West and Central India. However, she clarified that this seasonal outlook does not mean every day will be excessively hot. A heatwave is officially declared when temperatures reach at least 40°C in the plains, 30°C in the hills or rise five degrees above the seasonal average. Will 2025 Break Last Year’s Record Heat? Whi...

Mar282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

IMD Issues Rain Thunderstorm Alerts Across India Odisha Braces for Heatwave

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted widespread rainfall and thunderstorms across multiple states, with a heatwave warning issued for parts of Odisha. According to the latest advisory, the Western Himalayan region including Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh will experience scattered to fairly widespread rainfall and snowfall over the next few days due to an active Western Disturbance. Weather Across India Cold winds are likely to sweep through Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, while isolated heavy rain is expected in Arunachal Pradesh. Rainfall activity will also extend to central Maharashtra, North Interior Karnataka, Goa, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh until March 31. The IMD has forecast above-normal rainfall for South Peninsula...

Mar282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Myanmar, Aftershocks Rattle Region

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck central Myanmar on Friday March 28, causing widespread damage in Mandalay, the country's second-largest city. The quake, recorded at a depth of 10 km by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), was followed by a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock. Tremors were felt as far as Bangkok, Thailand, where several buildings shook, and in parts of India and Bangladesh. In Mandalay, parts of the historic former royal palace suffered damage, and multiple buildings collapsed. The Sagaing region, southwest of Mandalay, reported the collapse of a 90-year-old bridge and damage to sections of the highway linking Mandalay to Yangon. In the capital Naypyitaw, religious shrines and homes sustained damage, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. Tha...

Mar272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

South Korea Faces Worst Wildfire Crisis as Blazes Leave 18 Dead, Thousands Displaced

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

South Korea is battling its deadliest wildfire outbreak, with at least 18 fatalities and 19 injuries reported as flames continue to consume vast areas of the country's southeastern regions. The fires, which erupted on March 21 in Sancheong County, have spread rapidly to Uiseong, Andong, Cheongsong, Yeongyang, and Yeongdeok, forcing over 23,000 people to evacuate. Acting President Han Duck-soo described the situation as “unprecedented”, marking a historic wildfire disaster in a country where such fires are relatively rare. The National Fire Agency has escalated its response to the highest emergency level, deploying thousands of firefighters, 5,000 military personnel, and US military helicopters to combat the blazes. Among the devastation is Gounsa Temple1,300-year-old Buddhist site, w...

Mar252025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rethinking Flood Control Letting Rivers Roam Freely for a Sustainable Future

Breaking News, Disasters, Fact Check

Traditional flood management relies on higher stop banks, stronger levees, and concrete barriers to contain rising waters. But what if the best solution isn’t to confine rivers but to give them more space to move naturally? This alternative approach is gaining traction as a sustainable method to mitigate flood risks while providing crucial ecological benefits. Climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, making floods more frequent and severe. In places like Aotearoa New Zealand, decades of river confinement through artificial channels and land development have worsened flood risks. Restricting rivers transfers flood dangers downstream, increasing water speed and pressure while disrupting ecosystems that rely on natural water flow. Historically floodplain rivers have been d...

Mar222025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Hidden Climate Clues Help Scientists Predict Unseen Extreme Weather

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Learning & Developments

A groundbreaking study published in Nature Communications unveils new methods to forecast extreme weather events that modern records have never captured. Conducted by researchers from the Climate Adaptation Services Foundation, the University of Reading, and other global institutions, the study expands the understanding of climate extremes beyond the last century’s conventional weather records. By tapping into nature archives such as tree rings and forgotten historical documents scientists have uncovered centuries of climate data that modern instruments missed. Lead author Timo Kelder emphasized the significance of this breakthrough, stating, “We’ve been limited by thinking extreme weather is only as bad as what we’ve measured. But looking back hundreds or even thousands of years reveal...

Mar202025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Records Earliest Heatwave and Warm Nights in 2025 Break 125 Year Old Records

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

India has recorded its earliest heatwave and warm nights in 2025, marking a concerning trend in rising temperatures. On February 25, 2025, Goa and Maharashtra experienced the first heatwave of the year making it the first time a heatwave has been recorded during winter (January–February) according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). IMD also confirmed that February 2025 was the hottest February in 125 years. The impact of extreme temperatures has been felt in Odisha and Jharkhand which recorded their earliest heatwaves in four years. On March 15 Odisha’s Boudh registered the highest temperature in India, reaching 43.6°C on March 16. Jharsuguda followed with 42°C, while Bolangir recorded 41.7°C. These extreme heat conditions arrived much earlier than in previous years indicatin...

Mar202025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Cyclone Jude Batters Mozambique Leaves Thousands Houses Without Power

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Cyclone Jude has wreaked havoc along Mozambique’s Indian Ocean coast, bringing fierce winds, torrential rains, and widespread destruction. This marks the third cyclone to hit Mozambique this season, disrupting lives and infrastructure across the region. Jude first emerged as a depression on March 14 near Diego Garcia before intensifying into a moderate tropical storm, hitting northern Madagascar on March 15. The storm has already caused six fatalities and damaged 900 houses before reaching Mozambique. Fueled by sea surface temperatures near 30°C, Jude strengthened into a tropical cyclone over the Mozambique Channel. It made landfall early this morning, delivering sustained winds of 120 km/h and gusts up to 193 km/h, comparable to a Category 1 hurricane. Coastal areas, including Memba...

Mar182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Mexico City Shallow Earthquakes Reveal Unexpected Risks Study Finds

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

A new study has highlighted the surprising strength of ground shaking caused by recent shallow earthquakes in Mexico City, raising concerns about the potential impact of moderate seismic events on the city's buildings. Researchers Miguel Jaimes and Gerardo Suárez from Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) have modeled earthquake scenarios to assess possible damage emphasizing the role of local geology in amplifying shaking. Published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, the study analyzed three regions based on past seismic activity: La Magdalena Contreras (2023), San Juan de Aragón (2018), and the Milpa Alta and Juchitepec earthquakes (1995 and 1985, respectively). Their findings suggest that even moderate earthquakes, up to magnitude 5.5, could cause signi...