rainfall Archives - Disasters News

May312025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Relentless rains bring landslides and tragedy to Aizawl

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

Delhi, May 31 — Torrential rainfall has wreaked havoc across Mizoram's capital, Aizawl, triggering deadly landslides, road collapses, and widespread disruptions to daily life. A tragic incident in the Thuampui area marked the beginning of the crisis when a retaining wall at a laborers’ camp collapsed around 7 am, killing a 37-year-old man and injuring another. The intense and continuous downpour has destabilized hillsides, causing landslides and rockfalls in multiple parts of the region. Key roadways, including inter-district and national highways, have been blocked by debris, effectively cutting off several routes and delaying transportation. In Mauchar village within Aizawl district, at least two houses were severely damaged due to land subsidence. Meanwhile, in the Bethel Veng locali...

May262025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

UK Records Driest Spring in Over a Century Amid Growing Drought Risk

Breaking News, Climate Actions

In yet another sign of escalating climate volatility, the United Kingdom is experiencing its driest spring in more than 100 years. The Met Office has confirmed that this spring’s average rainfall stands at just 80 mm far below the usual seasonal average of 229 mm marking the country’s lowest precipitation for the season in over a century. Rainfall Plummets to Historic Lows The dry spell gripping Britain has seen vast areas of the country go without meaningful rain for extended periods. Notably, regions including Greater London, Hampshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Yorkshire have recorded 20 consecutive dry days. While some parts of Wales and southwest England received adequate rainfall earlier in March, most of the UK has seen sharp deficits since then. For comparison, s...

May252025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Greater Horn of Africa Braces for Above Normal June–September Rainfall

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters

A new regional climate outlook warns of an above-normal rainy season across much of the Greater Horn of Africa from June to September 2025, raising hopes for improved agricultural output while spotlighting risks of flooding and disease outbreaks. Issued during the 70th Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF), the forecast anticipates wetter-than-average conditions across key parts of Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and Djibouti. The forecast was released by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), in collaboration with WMO and national meteorological agencies. Key Rainfall Highlights The seasonal forecast projects a 55% chance of above-normal rainfall in: Central Sudan Eastern South Sudan Northern and southwestern Ethio...

May232025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Early Monsoon Onset May Be Strong—But Faces Risk of Stalling Again

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

India is set for an early and seemingly strong onset of the Southwest Monsoon, but weather models and past trends are raising red flags about a possible stall. The emergence of twin cyclonic systems one in the Arabian Sea and another in the Bay of Bengal could disrupt the seasonal rains just as they begin. Monsoon Arriving Early Kerala to See Rains Before June 1 The India Meteorological Department (IMD) announced that the monsoon has already advanced over parts of the southern Arabian Sea, the Maldives, the Bay of Bengal, and Northeast India. According to their May 21 bulletin, conditions are rapidly becoming favorable for the monsoon to reach Kerala between May 24 and May 27 about a week ahead of the June 1 average. Twin Cyclonic Systems Could Disrupt Monsoon Progress Desp...

May212025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Britain Driest Spring in Over a Century Raises Alarm Over Summer Drought

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

In an era marked by unprecedented climate shifts, the United Kingdom has now added another unwelcome record to its growing list of extreme weather events. The spring of 2025 is officially the driest in more than 100 years, with only 80 mm of rainfall recorded so far far short of the seasonal average of 229 mm. 𝗔 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝘆-𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹 According to the UK’s Meteorological Office, this spring’s rainfall totals are the lowest seen in over a century. The news, confirmed by BBC Weather, comes amid growing concern over water resources as large parts of the country remain parched. Regions such as Greater London, Hampshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Yorkshire have experienced more than 20 consecutive days without a single drop of rain a stark illustration of the unusual dryness ...

May72025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Pikine Launches Parametric Flood Insurance to Boost Climate Resilience

Breaking News, Climate Actions

Pikine Senegal second-largest city with a population of 874,000 is taking a bold step toward climate resilience with the launch of a new index-based flood insurance scheme aimed at protecting its most vulnerable communities from the increasing threat of seasonal flooding. Located near the Senegal River estuary and composed of 12 densely populated communes, Pikine is highly exposed to flood risks especially during the rainy season from August to December. The city’s flood vulnerability has worsened due to a combination of deteriorating vegetation cover, failing drainage systems, and a rising groundwater table linked to decreased water extraction from the Thiaroye aquifer. To address this growing crisis, the InsuResilience Solutions Fund (ISF) has partnered with an international co...

Apr192025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Tanzania Faces Hottest Year Ever With Nights Getting Warmer and Rainfall Surging

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

Tanzania recorded its hottest year on record in 2024 as temperatures especially at night climbed significantly across the country. According to the Tanzania Meteorological Authority (TMA), the national average temperature hit 24.3°C, which is 0.7°C above normal. This broke the previous record set just a year earlier in 2023. But it wasn’t just the heat during the day that stood out. The biggest change came from rising nighttime temperatures. The average minimum temperature in 2024 reached 19.3°C, which is 1.1°C higher than the usual. This warming at night was more intense than the rise in daytime highs, which averaged 28.8°C just 0.4°C above normal. Regions around Lake Victoria, the northeastern highlands, and the islands of Unguja and Pemba saw the most extreme changes, with minimum...

Apr92025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Rapid Agricultural Driving Severe Groundwater Depletion Despite Rising Rainfall in Thar Desert

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

New study has revealed a striking transformation in the Thar Desert long known for its arid climate showing significant greening across both monsoon and non-monsoon seasons between 2001 and 2020. But behind this apparent revival lies a looming ecological concern: groundwater depletion, driven by rapid agricultural and urban expansion. Researchers compared the seasonal cycle of vegetation greenness between 2001–2010 and 2011–2020, finding a substantial rise in greenery during both summer monsoon (June–September) and the drier months (October–May). However, they traced this trend back to a dramatic surge in farming activity and irrigation. Between 1980 and 2015, the Thar region witnessed a 74% rise in crop area and a 24% increase in irrigated area. Gross and net irrigated areas expande...

Mar142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Change Alters Rainfall and Flood Patterns Differently Over Time Scales

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment

A new study has revealed that climate change influences short-term and long-term rainfall and flooding in different ways, shedding light on how rising temperatures impact local and regional water systems. Researchers from Austria have provided the first comprehensive analysis of this relationship, using over a century of high-quality weather data. Their findings, now published in Nature, have global implications for understanding how floods may intensify in different regions. The study, led by Prof. Günter Blöschl of TU Wien (Vienna), shows that short-duration rainfall events lasting just a few hours have increased by 15% in the last 30-40 years. The main driver behind this increase is rising temperatures caused by climate change. Warmer air holds more moisture, while increased groun...

Mar32025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

IMD Reports India Faces Hottest February in 125 Years

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Opinions

February 2025 has been the hottest in India since 1901, with the average mean temperature reaching 22.04°C, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The month also recorded the second-highest maximum temperature at 29.07°C, nearly 1.5°C above normal. Experts attribute this extreme heat to climate change and the absence of western disturbances. Unprecedented Heat and Rainfall Deficit The IMD report highlights that February 2025 was not only abnormally warm but also among the driest in 125 years. The country received less than half of its usual rainfall, with an overall deficit of 59% during the winter season (January-February). Central India was hit hardest, recording an 89.3% rainfall deficit, while Northwest India saw a 64.4% shortfall. The cumulative rainfa...