Friday, April 4News That Matters

Tag: disaster

India Sends 80 NDRF Personnel to Myanmar for Earthquake Relief

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...
Massive 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Myanmar, Aftershocks Rattle Region

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...
Cyclone Jude Batters Mozambique Leaves Thousands Houses Without Power

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...
Why Hurricanes Never Cross the Equator: The Science Behind the Mystery

Why Hurricanes Never Cross the Equator: The Science Behind the Mystery

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
Hurricanes known as typhoons in the Pacific and cyclones in the Indian Ocean are immensely powerful storms, drawing their energy from warm tropical waters. These violent systems unleash destructive winds, torrential rains, and deadly storm surges, yet there’s one place on Earth they never cross: the equator. The reason lies in the Coriolis effect, a force created by Earth's rotation. This effect causes storms in the Northern Hemisphere to spin counterclockwise and in the Southern Hemisphere to spin clockwise. However, at the equator, the Coriolis effect is nearly zero, preventing hurricanes from forming or gaining the necessary spin to sustain themselves. Even storms that form near the equator are steered away before they can cross it. According to Mathew Barlow, a professor at the U...
Disaster Over Ethiopia 9 Million Children Out of School Due to Violence

Disaster Over Ethiopia 9 Million Children Out of School Due to Violence

Breaking News, Climate Actions
Ethiopia is facing a severe education crisis with more than nine million children unable to attend school due to ongoing conflicts, natural disasters and economic struggles. Despite having a school-aged population of over 35 million in 2023 only 22.9 million were enrolled, leaving more than 35% of children without access to education. The crisis has worsened due to conflicts across several regions, including Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray. The war in Tigray which began in 2020 led to the destruction of schools and drained national resources forcing over a million children out of classrooms. Continued violence and clashes among different communities have further disrupted education. Natural disasters such as recent earthquakes have also displaced thousands of families making it even harde...
Cyclone Alfred Threatens Southeast Queensland 2.5 million people

Cyclone Alfred Threatens Southeast Queensland 2.5 million people

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
Tropical Cyclone Alfred is set to strike densely populated regions of southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales with Brisbane among the areas in its direct path. The Queensland capital home to over 2.5 million people faces a significant threat from storm surges and flooding as the cyclone nears. Brisbane City Council has warned that nearly 20,000 properties could be affected, urging residents to consider relocating before the cyclone makes landfall. The peak flooding and storm surges are expected to begin Thursday, with the cyclone forecast to cross the coast early Friday morning. New flood modeling, based on the latest Bureau of Meteorology forecasts, indicates that affected properties could experience anything from minor yard inundation to severe flooding inside homes. Whi...
Now AI Tool Could Predict Volcanic Eruption Early Warning Signals

Now AI Tool Could Predict Volcanic Eruption Early Warning Signals

Breaking News, Idea & Innovations, Learning & Developments, Tech
A groundbreaking AI driven tool developed by a University of Canterbury led research team significantly enhance prediction of volcanic eruptions worldwide. The tool based on machine learning models potential to save lives and protect infrastructure by improving early warning systems. Dr. Alberto Ardid and Associate Professor David Dempsey from UC’s Civil and Natural Resources Engineering department analyzed seismic data from 41 past eruptions across 24 volcanoes, including three in New Zealand. Their findings suggest that eruption warning signals follow repeatable patterns, which can be applied to under-monitored volcanoes. Dr. Ardid explained “This could be a breakthrough in eruption forecasting, allowing us to transfer knowledge from well-studied volcanoes to improve risk mitigatio...
Cyclone Alfred Set to Strike Southeast Queensland After landfall

Cyclone Alfred Set to Strike Southeast Queensland After landfall

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
Southeast Queensland is bracing for the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, expected to make landfall late Thursday as a Category 2 storm. This marks the first cyclone to hit so far south in half a century, since ex-Tropical Cyclone Zoe in 1974. Cyclone Alfred, which initially formed over the Coral Sea nine days ago, intensified to a severe Category 4 storm before weakening as it moved into cooler waters. However, it has now regained strength and changed direction, making a direct approach toward Queensland’s heavily populated coastal areas. With wind gusts reaching up to 164 km/h, the cyclone is expected to cause damage to homes, trees, power lines, and beachside infrastructure along the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. Authorities have issued a flood watch for regions from Maryborough...
Cloudburst Triggers Flash Floods in Himachal’s Kangra, Villages Cut Off as Roads Blocked and Homes Damaged

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

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 ...