Disasters Archives - Page 4 of 39

Mar32025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Cloudburst Triggers Flash Floods in Himachal’s Kangra, Villages Cut Off as Roads Blocked and Homes Damaged

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

A cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh’s Kangra district has caused flash floods, leaving villages cut off and damaging homes, roads, and vehicles. The worst-affected area is Luwai village in the remote Chhota Bhanghal valley. Heavy rainfall over the past 48 hours has led to landslides and rising water levels. Four vehicles were buried under debris, while 14 houses and a middle school building suffered severe damage. Power supply poles have been uprooted, leaving many villages without electricity. Landslides and fallen trees have blocked roads, stopping traffic in areas like Multhan, Luhardi, Barot, and Kothi Kohar. Hundreds of vehicles are stranded as roads remain covered with snow and large rocks. To prevent further damage, authorities have opened the floodgates of two hydroelectric p...

Mar32025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

28 Buried Chamoli Avalanche Climate Change Behind Deadly Disaster, Say Experts

Breaking News, Disasters

A devastating avalanche in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on February 28 buried 55 workers of the Border Roads Organization (BRO), killing four and leaving five missing. Experts blame climate change for shifting snowfall patterns, which may have triggered the disaster. The workers were clearing snow on the road between Badrinath and Mana when the avalanche struck. Some reports suggest it happened around noon, while others claim it hit at 5 am when the workers were sleeping in their tin shed. Rescue teams, facing heavy snowfall and poor communication, have managed to save 50 people. Efforts continue to locate the missing. Changing Weather Patterns Raise Avalanche Risk Uttarakhand’s winter was drier than usual, with only 6.9 mm of rainfall recorded between January 1 and February 15 ...

Mar12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Shockingly Avalanche Strikes Near Badrinath chamoli 55 Workers Still Trapped

Breaking News, Disasters

A massive avalanche hit Badrinath in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday morning, trapping 57 workers engaged in snow-clearing operations to facilitate army movement. So far, 32 workers have been rescued, while 25 remain stranded near a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp in Mana village. Rescue Operations Underway The avalanche struck between Mana and Mana Pass, burying a BRO camp where the workers, employed by a private contractor, were stationed for road construction. Despite continuous snowfall and rain, rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Indian Army, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and BRO are working tirelessly to locate and extract the stranded workers. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami assured that...

Mar12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rescue Operations Underway After Avalanche Traps 57 Near Badrinath

Breaking News, Disasters

A massive avalanche struck near Mana village in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday, trapping 57 workers at a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) project site. So far, 33 people have been rescued and shifted to an ITBP camp in Mana for treatment, while rescue teams continue efforts to save the remaining workers. Mana, located 55 km from the India-China border, is a well-known tourist destination once referred to as "the last village of India" but now recognized as "the first Indian village" before the border. Every year, residents migrate to lower altitudes between November and April to escape extreme winter temperatures, which often plunge below -17°C. At the time of the avalanche, the village was deserted, with its residents staying in Gopeshwar, the district headquarters, about 1...

Feb282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rare Triple Cyclone Event Seen on South Pacific Raising Climate Concerns

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Tech

Satellite imagery has captured an extraordinary meteorological phenomenon in the South Pacific, where three tropical cyclones Rae, Seru, and Alfred are simultaneously active. Stretching over 8,000 kilometers from the eastern coast of Australia into the Pacific Ocean, this rare occurrence underscores the unpredictability of extreme weather patterns. Unprecedented Cyclone Activity Amid La Niña This triple cyclone event coincides with the peak of the region’s cyclone season. Meteorologists note that while such occurrences are rare, they are not without precedent the last recorded instance was in January 2021, with cyclones Lucas, Ana, and Bina. However, what makes this event particularly striking is that it is happening during a La Niña phase, a climate pattern that typically cools ocea...

Feb282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Devastating Earthquake Strikes Nepal High Casualties Feared as Tremors Shake Himalayan Region

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

Kathmandu: A powerful earthquake struck Nepal early Tuesday morning, sending shockwaves across the Himalayan region and triggering widespread destruction. The tremors, felt in neighboring India, China, and Bhutan, caused buildings to collapse, landslides to block key highways, and panic among millions. The full scale of the disaster is yet to be determined, but officials fear high casualties as rescue efforts intensify. According to seismologists, the quake was a result of the Indian tectonic plate pushing into the Eurasian plate at a rate of approximately 5 cm per year, a process that continuously builds stress beneath the Earth's surface. When this stress reaches a breaking point, it is released as a powerful seismic event. The Himalayas, being one of the most geologically active regi...

Feb282025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Heavy Snowfall Hits Himachal Higher Reaches IMD Predicts heavy Rain Snowfall

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

The higher-altitude regions of Himachal Pradesh have been blanketed in fresh snowfall, while widespread rainfall has drenched the state over the past 24 hours. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast continued snowfall in upper reaches and rain across most regions for the next 48 hours. According to IMD’s Senior Scientist Sandeep Kumar Sharma, Kullu received 22 mm of rain, while Manali witnessed 20 cm of snowfall. Other higher-altitude areas, including Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur, recorded nearly one to one and a half feet of snow overnight. The snowfall is expected to persist in districts like Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Sirmaur, Shimla, Lahaul-Spiti, and Kinnaur, with heavy rainfall likely in parts of Kangra. Daytime temperatures across Himachal Pradesh are currently ...

Feb272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Threatens Thames with Increased Algal Blooms Despite Phosphorus Reduction 80%

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A new study has warned that climate change could fuel a rise in algal blooms in the River Thames, even though phosphorus levels an essential nutrient for algae have significantly decreased over the past four decades. Led by Helen Jarvie, a professor at the University of Waterloo, the research found that phosphorus loads in the Thames have dropped by 80% due to improved wastewater treatment and agricultural practices. Despite this progress, rising river temperatures driven by climate change are increasing the risk of both spring diatom blooms and summer cyanobacterial blooms. These algal blooms can harm aquatic ecosystems by suffocating marine life, depleting oxygen levels, and releasing potentially toxic cyanobacteria. Water Quality Management at Risk Jarvie emphasized that while ...

Feb272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Intensifies Extreme Rainfall Behind Brazil’s 2022 Deadly Floods

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

A rapid attribution study has confirmed that human-induced climate change played a significant role in the catastrophic floods and landslides that struck Eastern Northeast Brazil in May 2022, leading to severe human and material losses. The study analyzed daily rainfall patterns over the region, focusing on 7-day and 15-day mean rainfall events. Findings revealed that the 2022 extreme rainfall events were exceptionally rare, with a 1-in-500 chance of occurring in any given year for the 7-day period and a 1-in-1000 chance for the 15-day period under current climate conditions. Using a multi-model ensemble of climate simulations, researchers found that global warming had significantly increased the likelihood and intensity of such extreme rainfall. By integrating observational data wit...

Feb272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Heavy Snowfall Rain Kill 39 in Afghanistan Dozens of Homes Damaged

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

At least 39 people have died due to heavy rainfall, hailstorms, and flash floods across three Afghan provinces, disaster management officials confirmed on Wednesday. Flash floods in western Farah province swept away 21 people on Tuesday, while three more lost their lives when a hailstorm caused their house to collapse. In Helmand province, six people were killed, including a child struck by lightning. In southern Kandahar, nine people, including women and children, died in several locations due to heavy rains. In a tragic incident, four women washing clothes were carried away by floodwaters, with only one managing to survive, according to local officials. Afghanistan has faced prolonged drought conditions, including in flood-hit Farah, which has struggled with water shortages sinc...