Droughts Archives - Disasters News

May82025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Wealthiest 10% Cause Two-Thirds of Global Warming Since 1990: Study Links Climate Crisis to Income Inequality

Global warming refers to the long-term rise in Earth's average surface temperature due to increased concentrations of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) in the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, mainly released from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas, along with emissions from deforestation, industrial processes, and high-consumption lifestyles. A new study published in Nature Climate Change sheds light on who is most responsible for this climate disruption and the answer points directly to the world’s wealthiest individuals. According to researchers the richest 10% of people globally are responsible for nearly two-thirds of global warming since 1990, with the top 1% alone causing 26 times more heatwave-related climate extr...

Apr212025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rising Risk of Solar Droughts Threatens Renewable Energy Reliability

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check

As solar energy use surges across the globe especially in developing regions aiming for carbon neutrality a new study warns of a growing threat to its reliability: solar power “droughts.” Researchers from a recent study led by Lei et al. have identified periods of at least three consecutive days where solar power demand exceeds supply events they call solar power droughts. These shortages could leave millions without access to essential services like cooling or cooking, particularly in regions most vulnerable to climate extremes. Analyzing solar energy patterns from 1984 to 2014, the study found that areas such as the western United States, eastern Brazil, Southeast Asia, and large parts of Africa experienced at least five solar power droughts annually. Over those 30 years, the frequ...

Apr182025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Solar Power ‘Droughts’ Rising with Climate Change Threatening Energy Access in Developing Regions

Breaking News, Climate Actions

As more communities turn to solar energy to reduce emissions and power daily life, a growing challenge is emerging solar power droughts multi-day periods when demand for solar electricity outpaces supply are becoming more frequent and severe, particularly in tropical and developing regions. A new global study by Lei et al. analyzed solar power supply and demand patterns between 1984 and 2014, identifying troubling trends. During this 30-year span areas such as the western U.S., eastern Brazil, Southeast Asia, and large parts of Africa faced at least five solar power droughts per year with the frequency of these shortages increasing by nearly 0.76 events per decade. Climate driven changes in weather and energy needs were responsible for nearly one-third of all observed droughts during th...

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...

Feb82025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Megadroughts Expanding Globally as Climate Warms, New Study Finds

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

A groundbreaking study published in Science has revealed that megadroughts severe, long-lasting dry spells have been increasing in size, duration, and intensity over the past four decades. Researchers found that the total land area affected by multiyear droughts has expanded by 50,000 square kilometers (12 million acres) annually, signaling an alarming trend driven by climate change. A Comprehensive Global Drought Catalog For the first time, scientists have compiled a global catalog of long-term drought events since 1980, assessing their effects on vegetation and ranking their severity. The research, led by Liangzhi Chen of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research WSL, identified 13,176 individual droughts lasting longer than two years between 1980 and 201...

Jan272025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Study Finds Climate Change Fuels Rise in Multi-Year Droughts

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Learning & Developments

A groundbreaking 40-year study has revealed a troubling surge in long-lasting, multi-year droughts (MYDs), which have become more frequent, drier, and expansive with the warming climate. The findings, published in Science on January 16, emphasize the global challenge posed by these persistent dry spells, warning of their devastating impact on ecosystems, agriculture, and water resources. Between 1980 and 2018, global terrestrial land affected by MYDs expanded at an alarming rate of 50,000 square kilometers annually. Researchers documented 13,176 MYD events during this period, each lasting at least two consecutive years. These droughts not only grew in size but also experienced significant temperature anomalies in affected regions. Notably, the study identified 10 of the most severe M...

Jan112025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Saint Kitts Farmers Battle Drought with Climate Tech Amid Mounting Water Crisis

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Environment

On the Caribbean island of Saint Kitts, farmers like Meshach Alford face the daily struggle of nurturing crops in bone-dry soil. "I have planted crops, and there has been no water for weeks, for months," says Alford, who farms 11 hectares in Saint Paul’s. "Even 18 inches deep, the soil is still dry." This harsh reality is becoming increasingly common in Saint Kitts and Nevis, a twin-island nation grappling with the growing impacts of climate change. Drought, once a rare occurrence, is now disrupting livelihoods and threatening food security. Rainfall, the islands' sole source of potable water, has diminished significantly, leaving 80% of Saint Kitts residents facing regular water outages. Unpredictable Seasons, Uncertain Futures "What was considered a wet season is no longer a wet...

Jun92024 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Cascadia Subduction Zone One of Earth’s Top Hazards, Comes into Sharper Focus

Breaking News, Disasters, Idea & Innovations

Off the coasts of southern British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and northern California lies a 600-mile-long strip where the Pacific Ocean floor is slowly diving eastward under North America. This area, called the Cascadia Subduction Zone, hosts a megathrust fault, a place where tectonic plates move against each other in a highly dangerous way. The plates can periodically lock up and build stress over wide areas eventually to be released when they finally lurch against each other. The result: the world's greatest earthquakes, shaking both seabed and land, and generating tsunamis 100 feet high or more. Such a fault off Japan caused the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster. Similar zones exist off Alaska, Chile, and New Zealand, among other places. At Cascadia, big quakes are believed to c...

Jan72024 by Editor Desk1 Comment

New York City’s Record Snow Drought Persists Despite Winter Storm: 692-Day Streak Continues

Breaking News, Disasters, Environment

New York City's historic two-year snow drought may not end with the current winter storm system. Despite the arrival of the storm passing through the East Coast, as of 7 p.m. Saturday, only 0.2 inches had been recorded in Central Park. The National Weather Service forecasted only 0.8 inches of accumulation before the storm moves out to sea late on Sunday night. The city's 8.5 million residents have not seen more than 1 inch of snowfall in Manhattan's Central Park since February 13, 2022, marking a record-long streak of 692 days. The lack of snow in New York City is considered another sign of how climate change is affecting global weather patterns.