Disaster management Archives - Page 17 of 22

Jun202024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Poses Significant Risks to Wind Power, Threatening Global Energy Security

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Climate change is set to have profound effects on wind power, a crucial component of the global energy mix. With around 1 terawatt of installed wind power capacity worldwide, equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of the Netherlands, this figure is expected to double by 2030. Despite this growth, it still falls short of net-zero targets. Wind power already plays a significant role in many regions, with the UK deriving 29% of its electricity from wind in 2023 and the EU 18%. However, the future of wind power is uncertain as climate change alters wind patterns, intensifies storms, increases lightning strikes, and subjects equipment to extreme heat, potentially shortening the lifespan of turbines and increasing downtime. In the second half of 2021, Northwestern Europe experien...

Jun202024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Sixty-Eight Indian Pilgrims Among Over 900 Dead During Scorching Haj Pilgrimage

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

Sixty-eight Indian nationals were among more than 900 pilgrims from around the world who died during this year’s Haj pilgrimage, marked by searing heat and extreme temperatures, according to sources on Wednesday. The deaths of the Indians occurred over several weeks, with six fatalities reported on the final day of the pilgrimage. Causes included natural factors such as old age, along with the intense weather conditions, the sources said anonymously. There has been no official statement from the Indian government. A total of 175,000 Indian pilgrims traveled to Saudi Arabia for this year’s Haj. Reports indicate that 550 deaths were recorded during the pilgrimage, as stated by two unnamed Arab diplomats, and an AFP tally put the total at 645. This includes 323 Egyptians and 60 Jordania...

Jun192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Assam 2024 Floods Updates: Over 161,000 people Affected, Relief Work Underway for Thousands

Breaking News, Disasters

Guwahati: More than 30 people have died and more than 1.61 lakhs people have been affected in 15 districts due to severe floods in Assam. A landslide in Badarpur area of Karimganj district killed five people, including a woman and her three daughters, as well as a three-year-old boy. The landslide happened in Gaynachora village on Tuesday night. The landslide death toll in Assam has risen to over 30 since Cyclone Remal hit the state in May. Karimganj Superintendent of Police Partha Protim Das says “At 12.45 last night, information was received about a landslide in Gainachora village (Bendargool) under Badarpur police station. After receiving the information, the officer-in-charge of Badarpur police station along with his staff and SDRF personnel rushed to the spot and conducted a r...

Jun192024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Scientists Warn: Climate Change Could Bring Deadly Heat and Humidity to More Regions

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments

Recent weather patterns have brought extreme heat to many parts of the world, but in most inhabited regions, it typically doesn't become "too hot for people to live," especially in dry climates. In these areas, our bodies can usually cool off through the evaporation of sweat. However, in regions where hot deserts meet warm oceans, dangerous heat and humidity can combine, posing serious health risks. Regions like the Middle East, Pakistan, and India frequently experience deadly combinations of heat and humidity during summer heat waves. The humid air from nearby seas hampers sweat evaporation, preventing our bodies from cooling effectively. Hundreds of millions of people in these areas lack access to air conditioning, making the situation even more dire. Wet Bulb Temperatures and Thei...

Jun182024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Water Shortages Feared as Hindu Kush Himalaya Records Second-Lowest Snow Persistence on Record, Warns ICIMOD Report

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Snow persistence, the fraction of time snow remains on the ground, is significantly lower than normal in the Hindu Kush Himalaya this year, with serious implications for downstream communities’ water security. Leading experts from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), which publishes the annual Snow Update Report, warn water management officials to initiate drought management strategies and pre-emptive emergency water supply measures. The report reveals that snowmelt, a critical source of water, contributes approximately 23% of the total water flow to 12 major river basins originating in the HKH region. However, its contribution varies significantly among rivers: the Amu Darya receives 74% of its flow from snowmelt, the Helmand 77%, and the Indus 40%. ...

Jun182024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Major Earthquake 2,500 Years Ago Likely Altered Ganges River Course, Study Finds

Breaking News, Disasters, Learning & Developments

A major earthquake more than 2,500 years ago likely caused one of the world's largest rivers to change its course, according to a study published today in the journal Nature Communications. The findings by a global research team suggest that a similar event could have the potential to alter the river's course again in the future. The modern Ganges River, spanning 2,500 kilometers, flows from the Himalayas southeastward into Bangladesh, where it is known as the Padma River. It then connects with the Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. Currently, the Ganges-Padma is located around 50 kilometers south of Dhaka. However, satellite imagery has revealed evidence of its former course, approximately 100 kilometers from the city. This discovery indicates that a major event, likely seismic activity...

Jun152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Microplastics Detected in Human Semen: Scientists Sound Alarm Over Pervasive Pollution’s Potential Reproductive Impact

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

Scientists are finding microplastics in virtually every nook and cranny they inspect in the human body. The alarming discoveries are now stacking up with such speed, there's barely any time to let the news sink in before another part of our anatomy joins the list of contaminated sites. Shortly after researchers in the US confirmed that microplastics had infiltrated the tissue in human testicles, researchers in China have now detected the pollutants in sperm as well. The team found microscopic fragments of plastic in every sample of seminal fluid supplied by 36 male participants from inland China. Polystyrene (PS) particles were the most abundant type found, making up nearly a third of the plastic identified in the average sample. Researchers aren't sure, but they suspect that the ...

Jun152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Huge Success for Ozone Layer: Scientists Hail Rapid Decline in Harmful Gases, Thanks to Montreal Protocol

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Scientists said on Tuesday that international efforts to protect the ozone layer had been a "huge success" after they revealed that the harmful gas in the atmosphere is declining faster than previously thought. The Montreal Protocol, signed in 1987, aims to detect ozone-depleting substances found mainly in refrigerants, air conditioners, and aerosol sprays. New research has found that atmospheric levels of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), harmful gases that cause holes in the ozone layer, will rise in 2021—five years earlier than predicted. "This is a big achievement. We can see that things are going in the right direction," the lead author of the study, Luke Western, from the from the University of Bristol in England, told AFP. The most harmful CFCs were phased out in 2010 to...

Jun152024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Scientists Warn Cascadia Faultline Could Trigger Catastrophic Earthquake and Tsunami on West Coast

Breaking News, Disasters

Scientists have raised alarms about the Cascadia Subduction Zone, an underwater faultline off the west coast of America, that could unleash a devastating earthquake and tsunami at any moment. This faultline spans 600 miles (966 kilometers) from Southern Canada to Northern California. Recent underwater mapping has revealed that this faultline, typically divided into two parts, is now splitting into four sections, indicating heightened risk. The Cascadia Subduction Zone has been identified as a major geological threat due to its immense potential for seismic activity. If there is even slight movement in the tectonic plates here, it could trigger catastrophic destruction. Scientists warn that this faultline could generate an earthquake with a magnitude exceeding 9.0, far surpassing the cap...

Jun142024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

NASA Confirms Disturbing Climate Milestone: 12 Consecutive Months of Record High Temperatures

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Understanding the current climate crisis isn't just about grasping complex variables it's about confronting stark facts. Here's one that should grab attention: every single month over the past year has set a new global temperature record for that month. NASA's latest data for May 2024 continues a worrying trend of record-breaking temperatures observed since June 2023. April, March, February, and January all saw unprecedented highs, following a similar pattern throughout 2023, from June to December. "This streak is unprecedented in our records and signals a deepening climate crisis," states NASA administrator Bill Nelson. "Communities worldwide, from Arizona to California to Nevada, are experiencing extreme heat at levels never before seen." Clear Alarming Trend The graph depict...