Fact Check Archives - Page 4 of 13

May22025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

When the Wind Hits Different: Why Downbursts Are More Destructive Than Hurricanes

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

In May 2024, downtown Houston saw a surprising twist in storm damage. A powerful downburst, part of a derecho storm, blew out windows and ripped away building facades damage that even Hurricane Beryl, with similar wind speeds, failed to cause just months later. Engineers now believe the reason lies not in the strength of the winds but in how they behave. What Is a Downburst and Why Is It So Dangerous? Downbursts are often mistaken for heavy rain from a distance, but their power lies in what happens at ground level. As cold, dense air from high altitudes plunges downward during a thunderstorm, it accelerates rapidly. Once it hits the ground, it has nowhere to go but outwards sending winds blasting horizontally in all directions. These horizontal gusts can reach over 150 mph on ...

May12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New disaster response panel formed to boost India’s emergency preparedness

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

In a major step to enhance India’s disaster resilience, the Central government has constituted a high-level committee under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The panel, formed under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, aims to strengthen national preparedness and ensure coordinated response during emergencies such as floods, earthquakes, pandemics, and industrial accidents. The newly formed committee includes Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Suman Bery as its members. According to a notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the panel has been constituted by exercising powers under sub-section (2) of Section 8B of the Disaster Management Act, 2005. This high-level committe...

May12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Indus Water Diversion May End North India’s Crisis, But Requires Years and Massive Investment

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Suspending the Indus Water Treaty opens doors for irrigation, hydropower, and storage expansion but with steep costs, long timelines, and political hurdles. India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty could mark a turning point in tackling the chronic water scarcity of northern states but experts warn that large-scale benefits will take years of infrastructure upgrades, hefty spending, and tricky environmental trade-offs. The Treaty signed in 1960, granted unrestricted use of eastern rivers (Satluj, Beas, Ravi) to India and restricted use of western rivers (Chenab, Jhelum, Indus) to Pakistan. India was allowed only non-consumptive or agricultural use on western rivers, with no storage or diversion permitted. That could now change. With the Treaty suspended, India can immedi...

May12025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Extreme Weather Surges Cost Trillions, Exposing Insurance Gaps and Need for Climate Resilience

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Rising losses from floods, fires and storms reveal urgent call for public-private action in climate risk management. Over the last decade, extreme weather events from tornados and hurricanes to floods and wildfires have inflicted a staggering toll on both people and economies worldwide. Between 2014 and 2023, these events caused around USD 2 trillion in economic losses globally, and the outlook is only becoming more concerning. Driven by shifting climate patterns, storms are growing more frequent and severe, with rising sea levels, erratic precipitation, and warming temperatures disrupting ecosystems, food production, and public health. The compounding impact of these changes threatens to cause long-term environmental and financial damage. Insurance supports recovery but cover...

Apr302025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Coastal models show how island nations may adapt to sea level rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Scientists simulate real-world wave impacts on coral atolls to study future flood risks and explore limits of adaptation. New hope for vulnerable island communities A groundbreaking study using coastal models has revealed how natural coral atoll islands may respond to rising sea levels and more frequent wave-driven flooding. The research, led by Roelvink et al. [2025] and published in Earth’s Future, offers fresh insights into how sediment naturally accumulates on the ocean-facing side of islands, helping raise their elevation and reduce the impact of future overwash during extreme weather events. These findings are particularly relevant for rural, low-lying islands in the Maldives and Pacific Ocean, where communities depend heavily on coral reef protection and are among the first...

Apr292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Can Climate Change Trigger Earthquakes? Scientists Explore the Link Between Water, Faults & Earthquakes

Fact Check, Thoughts & Talks

While earthquakes are primarily caused by tectonic movements scientists are now examining whether climate change and human activity might indirectly influence seismic activity. New studies suggest that changing water patterns from rain, droughts, melting glaciers, and even reservoirs can alter stress on Earth's crust, potentially affecting earthquake behavior. Water Weight and Fault Stress: A Surprising Connection Earthquakes occur when stress along faults in the Earth’s crust surpasses a breaking point. This stress typically builds due to the movement of tectonic plates. But scientists are studying whether climate-induced surface water changes such as rainfall, snowmelt, or groundwater depletion can subtly shift the balance of stress and possibly influence earthquake timing or freq...

Apr292025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Heat to Chill in a Flash: Over 60% of the World Faces Deadly Climate ‘Flips’

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Sudden Swings in Temperature Threaten Lives, Crops, and Climate Stability A new global study has revealed that more than 60% of the world has experienced sudden and extreme temperature shifts known as temperature flips over the past six decades. These rapid transitions from blistering heat to severe cold, or vice versa, leave little room for human or ecological systems to adapt, posing severe risks to health, infrastructure, agriculture, and the environment. What Are Temperature Flips? Temperature flips refer to short-term, intense shifts between extreme hot and cold conditions. Unlike isolated heatwaves or cold spells, these flips pack a double punch by swinging between both extremes within a short window. The study, published in Nature Communications found that these climate...

Apr262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Are Earthquakes Hiding Secret Nuclear Tests? New Study Raises Alarming Possibility

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Seismologists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have raised the possibility that underground nuclear tests could hide behind natural earthquake signals. Published in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, the study challenges previous assumptions that seismic signals from explosions and earthquakes are easily distinguishable. Advanced detectors, once believed to identify even small nuclear tests with high accuracy, struggle when an explosion occurs close in time and space to an earthquake. According to Joshua Carmichael, lead researcher, when an explosion's seismic signal overlaps with that of a nearby earthquake, the detection success rate can drop dramatically from 97% to just 37%. Overlapping Signals Cause Massive Detection Drop Carmichael's team found that even ...

Apr262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Sudden Swings in Temperature Hit Over 60% of Globe Since 1961, Study Warns of Escalation by 2100

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

A new global study has found that more than 60% of the planet has likely experienced abrupt “temperature flips” rapid shifts between extreme heat and cold since 1961, with their frequency and intensity projected to increase significantly by the end of the century due to climate change. Published in Nature Communications, the research reveals how these sudden and intense weather swings unlike individual heatwaves or cold spells offer little time for humans, wildlife, and ecosystems to adapt. The impacts can be devastating, from health complications to crop failures and infrastructural stress. One such flip occurred in April 2021 in Europe where temperatures fell dramatically after an unusually warm spell, damaging crops due to frost. These rapid transitions pose risks to both huma...

Apr252025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Varkala Fragile Cliffs: Caught Between Tourism Dreams & Climate Reality

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

Kerala popular coastal destination, Varkala, is under threat. While its dramatic cliffs and scenic beaches draw thousands of tourists every year, unregulated construction climate change, and weak enforcement are putting its unique geological landscape at serious risk. Environmentalists and scientists are sounding the alarm as erosion, drainage issues, and illegal infrastructure continue to weaken the fragile cliffs. Varvara’s Allure: A Cliffside Paradise Under Pressure From atop the North Cliff the beach below looks like a postcard. With golden sand and crashing waves, it’s no wonder Varkala has become one of Kerala’s top tourist destinations. The North Cliff buzzes with energy lined with nearly 250 shops eateries, and resorts. But this crowd-pleasing stretch also hides a dangero...