climate change Archives - Disasters News

Dec162024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

North India Freezes Coldwave Grips Delhi, Punjab, Haryana with Dense Fog Predicted

New Delhi: A severe cold wave swept across North India on Sunday, with temperatures plunging to as low as 1°C in some regions. Punjab’s Faridkot recorded the lowest at 1°C, while Haryana’s Hisar followed at 1.7°C. In the national capital, Delhi residents woke up to a frigid morning as Safdarjung reported 4.9°C, marking a sharp 3-degree drop in 24 hours. Palam recorded a slightly higher 6.2°C. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), cold wave conditions will persist in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Jammu & Kashmir from December 15 to 19. Rajasthan will experience similar weather from December 17 to 20. Dense fog is likely to blanket Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Northeast India on December 16 and 17, reducing visibility. Ground frost is also exp...

Dec162024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tepary Beans Offer Hope for Climate Resilient Crops

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations

As climate change intensifies heat and drought conditions worldwide, the cultivation of common beans a staple food for millions is becoming increasingly challenging. Scientists are turning to the tepary bean, a desert-native legume, to develop more resilient bean varieties that can thrive under extreme conditions. The tepary bean, native to the Sonoran Desert, is uniquely adapted to hot and dry environments. “They are able to grow under drought and high heat conditions,” says Carlos Urrea, a dry edible bean breeding specialist at the University of Nebraska. Urrea and his team are working to harness the drought and heat tolerance of tepary beans by identifying and transferring their resilient genes into common beans. They’re also integrating disease resistance traits, creating hybrid ...

Dec162024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Super Typhoon Man-Yi Caps Unprecedented Month of Extreme Weather in the Philippines

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

On Saturday, November 16, 2024, Super Typhoon Man-Yi struck the Philippines with sustained winds of 195 km/h, marking the sixth typhoon to impact the nation within 30 days. This relentless series of storms underscores the mounting challenges posed by extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change. November 2024 shattered records for tropical cyclone activity in the Pacific. It witnessed four simultaneous named storms, a first since records began in 1951, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Typically, November averages just three named storms in the basin, with only one attaining super typhoon status. The storm barrage began with Tropical Cyclone Trami in late October, causing over a dozen fatalities and a month’s worth of rain in northern Philippines. This was followe...

Dec142024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Greenland Experiences One of the Largest Documented Glacial Lake Outburst Floods

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A massive glacial lake outburst flood, among the largest ever recorded, has been documented in East Greenland, releasing over 3,000 billion litres of meltwater. The event, which occurred between September 23 and October 11, was caused by the sudden release of water from Catalina Lake into the Scoresby Sound fjord, as reported by researchers at the University of Copenhagen's Niels Bohr Institute. Notably, this marks the first time such a phenomenon has been observed in real-time. The flood was triggered when meltwater from Catalina Lake, held back by the Edward Bailey Glacier for over 20 years, carved a 25-kilometre-long tunnel beneath the glacier. This process caused the lake’s water level to plummet by 154 metres. Researchers equated the released volume of water to three times Denmark'...

Dec142024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

La Niña Fails to Arrive Weather Models Miss the Mark

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

BENGALURU: As 2024 edges closer to its end it is on track to become the warmest year ever recorded, surpassing 2016. Among the key factors driving this record-breaking warmth is the unexpected absence of La Niña, a climatic phenomenon that global weather models had predicted to emerge earlier this year. Despite repeated forecasts, La Niña has failed to materialize, leaving experts scrambling to understand what went wrong. La Niña, a cooling phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), typically brings colder sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, stronger trade winds, and increased rainfall in regions like India. This phase is part of a larger cycle that includes El Niño, a warming phase, and the neutral phase, characterized by average sea surface temper...

Dec132024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Delhi Experiences Coldest December Day in Three Years at 4.5°C

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Thursday marked Delhi's coldest December day in three years as the minimum temperature plummeted to 4.5°C, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Cold wave conditions gripped the city, with temperatures in the Pusa and Ayangar areas dropping even further to 3.2°C and 3.8°C, respectively. The IMD defines a cold wave as temperatures below 4.1°C or a deviation of over 4.4°C below normal. Thursday's 4.5°C minimum was 0.4°C below the average, and significantly lower than the 5°C recorded the previous day. December temperatures hadn’t dipped below 4.9°C in 2022 or 2023, with the lowest in December 2023 being 4.9°C and 5°C in December 2022. The IMD forecasts further cold wave conditions for Delhi on Friday, with the minimum temperature expected to hover around 4°C. Clear sk...

Dec122024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tamil Nadu Declares School Holiday Amid Heavy Rains

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Chennai, December 12, 2024 – Schools in several districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, and Chengalpattu, will remain closed today due to heavy rainfall. District collectors in Salem, Mayiladuthurai, Thanjavur, and Ramanathapuram have also announced holidays for schools, while in Tiruvannamalai, both schools and colleges will remain shut. Thiruvalluvar University in Vellore has postponed its November and December exams due to weather conditions. Rainfall of up to 8 cm has been recorded in several areas, including Karaikal and parts of Chennai. Authorities have urged residents to stay alert and follow updates as the situation develops. From News Desk

Dec122024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

North India Faces Severe Cold Wave Delhi Shivers at 4.8°C

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

New Delhi, December 12, 2024 – North India is reeling under intense cold wave conditions, with Delhi recording its coldest day of the season at 4.8°C on Wednesday. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the minimum temperature may dip further to 4°C on Thursday. This marks the first time in 14 years that early December temperatures have dropped below 5°C in the national capital. States including Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh are also experiencing freezing conditions, while Jammu and Kashmir witnessed fresh snowfall on Wednesday. Chilly winds from the northwest, blowing at 8-10 km/h, have exacerbated the cold, particularly in Delhi, where smog and mist are prevalent during the mornings and evenings. The IMD predicts "mainly clear skies with cold wa...

Dec122024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

2024 Declared Hottest Year on Record, Climate Crisis Deepens

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

The year 2024 has officially been declared the hottest on record, surpassing the previous high set in 2023, highlighting the escalating impacts of climate change. Experts warn that this unprecedented temperature rise is a clear indicator of the crisis facing ecosystems, economies, and public health worldwide. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that November 2024 was the second warmest in 123 years, with an average temperature of 29.37°C. The delayed onset of winter has underscored concerns about the far-reaching effects of global warming. Professor S.N. Mishra, a leading climate expert, stated, "Unchecked greenhouse gas emissions are driving us toward catastrophic outcomes. We may breach the critical 1.5°C global warming threshold as early as 2030." The consequence...

Dec32024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Thailand Flooding Death Toll Rises to 25, Heavy Rain Expected to Continue

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

The death toll from devastating floods in southern Thailand has climbed to 25, with more than 660,000 homes affected since the deluge began on November 22, according to the country’s disaster management agency. Officials warned of days of continued heavy rain as the Thai weather agency forecast downpours to persist until December 5. The flooding, which has wreaked havoc across Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla, and Yala provinces, has displaced over 22,000 residents. The Thai government’s public relations department confirmed the scale of the disaster, which has overwhelmed local communities and left many struggling to rebuild. Among those severely impacted is Suwas Bin-Uma, a chicken farmer from Songkhla, who lost his entire flock of more than 10,000 birds. “I’ve lost at least 3 million...