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Category: Environment

  • Rain, flash floods ravage North India

    Rain, flash floods ravage North India

    Due to incessant rainfall in the region, many tourists have been stranded in Manali….reports Asian Lite News

    Incessant rain, which has led to flash floods and landslides, has caused significant damage in Himachal Pradesh’s Manali.

    Himachal Pradesh Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that the flash floods have damaged the national highway and disrupted water and electricity supply.

    “The Manali Vidhansabha constituency has suffered significant damage due to flash floods. Houses, land, and gardens have been destroyed, and the national highway is damaged due to flash floods. The link road adjacent to the bridge is also badly damaged. There is no net connectivity, electricity and water. We have made arrangements to provide food to the stranded tourists,” Negi said.

    Due to incessant rainfall in the region, many tourists have been stranded in Manali.

    Internet services and electricity supply have been disrupted due to the flood in the area.

    Neha, a tourist from, Ludhiana, Punjab said, “We want to go home. We were scheduled to return on Sunday but we are stuck due to flood.”

    Another tourist, Sanjeev Arora, said they have been trying to go back for the past two days.

    “We are here in Manali since 5th July. The main track is damaged. We have been trying to go back for the past two days. The internet services and electricity supply is disrupted,” he added.

    Meanwhile, Himachal Chief Minister’s Office informed that 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area have been evacuated so far.

    “So far 2000 people stranded in the Kasol area of Kullu district have been evacuated. On the way at one point named Dunkhara, there is a heavy landslide and one poclain and two machines have been deployed round the clock to clear the Kasol-Bhuntar road. A team of the district administration has reached Kasol. More than 2200 vehicles have passed through Kullu from Manali so far and food is being distributed to them at Ramshilla Chowk. CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is closely monitoring the situation”, the CMO statement said.

    Speaking on the relief and rescue operations being conducted in the state amidst heavy rainfall, acting DGP of Himachal Pradesh Satwant Atwal Trivedi said that evacuation procedure is underway with 1000 vehicles already having left from Kullu – Manali and are enroute to Chandigarh.

    The Nurpur police on Wednesday informed that water will be released from Pandoh Dam (Mandi) from 6 pm today to 3 pm tomorrow due to incessant rains in the district.

    “People are urged not to go near low-lying areas like rivers, drains and dam areas for the next few days”, the Nurpur Police said.

    Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Manali Bhuvneshwar Gaur hit out at the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) over the poor construction of the highways which were washed away during the flash floods.

    Red alert for Uttarakhand

    Amid the heavy rains in Uttarakhand, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for July 11 and 12.

    Earlier today, four persons died and 10 people were injured due to falling debris on Gangotri National Highway near Gangnani in Uttarakhand.

    Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that the state administration is on full alert mode in view of the India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) heavy rainfall alert in the region.

    Rain fury in Punjab

    Swinging into action to take stock of the relief and rescue measures going on at the grassroots, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday conducted a tour of rain-affected areas and interacted with people evacuated from low-lying areas in the aftermath of downpour.

    The Chief Minister said the situation was alarming but the government was making efforts to minimise the loss of lives. Mann said teams of the NDRF have been roped in for rescue work but the Indian Army has not been yet pressed in officially for this work.

    The Chief Minister said he had a word with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday during which he apprised him about the entire situation. “As of now Central assistance is not required for relief and rescue work as the situation is under control.”

    However, Mann said “if need arises, then help will be sought from the Union government to tackle the situation”.

    The Chief Minister also said that a special ‘girdwari’ will be conducted to ascertain the loss of crops, houses and others. Detailed instructions will be issued to the Deputy Commissioners to immediately carry out ‘girdwari’ in the areas lashed by rains to ascertain the damage.

    Mann assured the people that the government was committed to safeguarding their interests against nature’s fury.

    The Chief Minister said an elaborate flood protection mechanism has been put in place to safeguard the life and property of people.

    He said that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSPs) are expediting the relief work in their respective districts so as to provide succor to the masses. Mann said an alert has already been issued in low-lying areas and help is being provided to the needy people.

    Meanwhile, flood control rooms have been set up in all districts of the state and numbers have been made public.

    Mann said the officials have been directed to ensure immediate action on any sort of distress call by people in case of emergency.

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  • Rain fury rocks North India

    Rain fury rocks North India

    The weather office has predicted more rain for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi and its adjoining areas…reports Asian Lite News

    Heavy rains in several parts of north India has disrupted lives of lakhs of people who live in the region. Several towns and cities remain inundated in waist-deep water as incessant rains lash Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.

    On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took stock of the situation as landslides and flash floods, and held talks with the chief ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. He has assured help to both the states on behalf of the central government.

    “Spoke to senior Ministers and officials, and took stock of the situation in the wake of excessive rainfall in parts of India. Local administrations, NDRF and SDRF teams are working to ensure the well-being of those affected,” PMO said in a tweet.

    The weather office has predicted more rain for Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Delhi and its adjoining areas.

    In worst-hit Himachal Pradesh, a red alert has been sounded and all schools and colleges will remain closed for two days. All major rivers are in spate, bringing normal life to a standstill. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged people to stay home for the next 24 hours and cooperate with authorities.

    Frightening images of the chaos unleashed by the rain — cars floating like paper boats on flooded roads, muddy waters gushing into residential areas, temples and other structures submerged on the banks by the swollen rivers — were shared online by people from Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi.

    In cities and towns across the region, many roads and residential areas were submerged in knee-deep water.

    Red alert in Himachal

    Himachal Pradesh, the worst hit among all, has recorded a monetary loss of Rs 785.51 crore. In a statement issued by Himachal Pradesh state authorities on Monday, the death toll in the state has been reported at 72, with 8 people missing and 92 injured. 39 landslide incidents have been reported, along with 1 cloud burst and 29 flash floods, the report stated.

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for 10 of 12 Himachal districts including Mandi, Una, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Chamba, Kangra and Kullu. All major rivers, including Ravi, Beas, Satluj, Swan and Chenab are in spate.

    Solan received 135 mm of rain on Sunday, breaking a 50-year-old record of 105 mm of rain in a day in 1971, while Una received the highest rainfall since 1993.

    Officials said rail operations on the Shimla-Kalka route, a UNESCO world heritage site, have been suspended till tomorrow as landslides blocked the track at several places.

    “We have rescued 80 people today. The situation is bad as the water level of the river is rising. Our team is on alert and we are reviewing the areas alongside the river Beas,” SSP Mandi, Soumya Sambasivan said.

    ‘Flood unlikely in Delhi’

    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today chaired a high-level meeting to discuss waterlogging caused by rain in the city and Yamuna’s rising water levels. He said flooding was unlikely in the national capital. Kejriwal said, if needed, the administration will shift the people from low-lying areas to safe spots as the water level of the Yamuna River is set to cross the danger mark by tomorrow. A total of 16 control rooms are active in Delhi.

    “As per CWC, River Yamuna river flowing at 203.58 metres in Delhi. It is expected to reach 205.5 metres tomorrow morning. Also, according to weather predictions, the water level in Yamuna is not expected to rise too high. If Yamuna crosses the 206 metre mark, then we will start evacuation along the banks of the river,” he detailed.

    Meanwhile, in neighbouring Uttarakhand, an orange alert was sounded in all districts as water levels rose in all major rivers, including the Ganga. More showers are likely in the next two days.

    At least nine people have been killed in rain-related incidents across the state. On Sunday, three pilgrims drowned in the Ganga after their jeep fell into the river amid a landslide near Gular on the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway.

    Red alert in Ladakh

    Two people were killed in Jammu and Kashmir after a landslide hit a passenger bus in Doda district, while in Ladakh’s Kargil district, a man was killed after his vehicle got crushed under a boulder that rolled down a hillock along the Leh-Srinagar national highway.

    There were also reports of snowfall from high-altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir as well as Ladakh, where a red alert has been issued for heavy rain.

    ALSO READ-Heavy rains claims lives in Pakistan

  • Pakistan on flood alert

    Pakistan on flood alert

    Authorities have stared setting up relief camps in low-lying areas of all districts in Punjab province…reports Asian Lite News

    After India released about 185,000 cusecs of water, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a flood alert and warned of heavy rain in the next 24 to 48 hours.

    The NDMA has notified that the release of water from India’s Ujh Barrage would cause the flow in the Ravi river to rise, which will be coupled with expected heavy rain showers in the next 48 hours.

    The Austhority has directed relevant government quarters to initiate evacuation drive of locals settled along the river and move locals to safer locations.  

    “Last year, India had released 173,000 cusecs of water causing low-level floods at Jassar point in Ravi. Considering the previous record, around 65,000 cusecs of water was expected to reach within the next 20 to 24 hours, and low level floods were expected in the plain areas near Jassar,” the NDMA said. 

    The Authority said it would work with the local administration and monitor the situation till July 20 and will relocate families living along the rivers to safer locations. 

    “Monitoring is also underway at the Chenab river and Marala Headworks,” it added. 

    Authorities have stared setting up relief camps in low-lying areas of all districts in Punjab province, while rescue operation teams are also on red alert with machinery. 

    Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi has also stated that the provincial government was prepared to deal with any untoward situation.  

    “We have put the entire administration on alert in view of ongoing rains and possible floods. At 10am when the report that India was releasing water came in, the relevant agencies immediately reached Ravi river. 

    “In case of floods, saving human lives was the first priority of the government and that is why the houses close to rive banks were being evacuated,” he added. 

    All public and private organisations have also been notified to remain vigilant and ready as heavy rain accompanied by thunderstorms were expected in the country in the next 48 hours. 

    While floods have wrecked havoc in India, the release of water into Pakistan and the ongoing heavy rainfall in Punjab province, specifically in Lahore, Narowal and Sialkot cities may trigger floods, landslides and devastation. 

    Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman has said that the rain would affect at least 900,000 people in the country. 

    The continued rain in the country have already caused considerable damages of lives and infrastructure.

    So far, 76 people, including 31 children, were killed, 133 others injured and 76 houses damaged in the last two weeks in Pakistan. 

    ALSO READ: Heavy rains claims lives in Pakistan

  • Heavy rains claims lives in Pakistan

    Heavy rains claims lives in Pakistan

    Punjab has the most number of people who died where 48 people were in the heavy rains and 20 lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)…reports Asian Lite News

    The cash-strapped country, which is still recovering from the unprecedented floods is again going through the same stage as the heavy rains in the nation have claimed the lives of 76 persons and injured 133 across Pakistan since June, ARY News reported quoting National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

    In its report, NDMA stated that nine persons have lost their lives in the heavy rains across the country in the last 24 hours, taking the total count to 76. In the past 24 hours, eight persons were injured, leading the total number of injured people to 133. The total data of 76 death and 133 injured, includes 15 women and 31 children, whereas 78 houses have so far been damaged as torrential rain continued to play havoc across the country.

    Punjab has the most number of people who died where 48 people were in the heavy rains and 20 lost their lives in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), five were killed in Balochistan, the NDMA report read.

    On July 6, 18 deaths have been reported in Pakistan’s Punjab as rains continued to lash parts of the province, as per Dawn News.

    The death toll in Punjab over the past two days due to a torrential monsoon spell rose to 29.

    Rain severity was almost negligible in Lahore in comparison to Wednesday with the majority of the 16 monitoring points of the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) recording single-digit rainfall, Dawn reported. Four more deaths were reported in the provincial capital and the number reached 12 in the past two days.

    Earlier, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) finalized its emergency plan ahead of the first spell of monsoon rains predicted from July 3 to 8 across the country, ARY News reported on Monday.

    The NDMA spokesperson said that the Met Department predicted the first spell of monsoon rains with thunderstorms from July 3 to 8 in different parts of the country. It added that heavy rains can also occur in landslides in mountainous areas and flooding situations in low-lying areas.

    The authority issued instructions to the concerned departments regarding its rain emergency plan citing the expected weather conditions, reported ARY News. (ANI)

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  • Country faces ruin as incessant rainfall claims lives, property

    Country faces ruin as incessant rainfall claims lives, property

    As heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh continued to batter almost all districts, triggering landslides and flash floods in various regions, the Panchvaktra bridge in Mandi collapsed…reports Asian Lite News

    Numerous states in India experienced an intense spell of monsoon rain, resulting in significant damage, loss of life, and property across the country.

    In the northwestern Himalayan region, landslides blocked several roads, leaving people stranded. The rising water levels in the Beas River caused landslides and flash floods in various districts, leading to tragic loss of lives. In Himachal Pradesh, heavy rainfall continued to batter almost all districts, triggering landslides and flash floods.

    As heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh continued to batter almost all districts, triggering landslides and flash floods in various regions, the Panchvaktra bridge in Mandi collapsed, officials said.

    The Panchvaktra bridge in Mandi collapsed due to the increased water level in the river.

    Additional District Magistrate, Mandi, Ashwani Kumar said that the historical bridge washed away as the river’s water level increased.

    Earlier in the day, the bridges, connecting Aut village to Banjar, and of Pandoh village were swept away by the overflowing Beas river in Mandi district. Taking note of the incident, former state Chief Minister Jairam Thakur expressed concern as these bridges held significant historical significance for Himachal and said they were the “identity of Himachal”.

    Earlier in the day, three persons of a family were killed while two others were injured after their house collapsed due to heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh’s Shimla on Sunday, the police said.

    Officials said that the incident took place in Kotgarh village of Shimla on Sunday morning.

    The victims were taken out of the debris after a rescue operation and rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.

    All schools and colleges would remain closed in view of heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh on Monday and Tuesday, announced the state government on Sunday.

    Earlier in the day, a portion of National Highway 3 has been washed away by the overflowing Beas River in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh.

    Meanwhile, Losar village in the Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh experienced an unexpected spell of snowfall on Sunday, coinciding with heavy rainfall affecting various parts of North India. The entire village was blanketed in a thick layer of snow following this surprising snowfall in the morning.

    Tragically, during the Shrikhand Mahadev Yatra in Himachal Pradesh, one pilgrim lost life, and two others went missing after falling from a hill near Parvati Bagh, officials said. The incident occurred while the pilgrims were undertaking the Yatra from Parvati Bagh.

    As per information, the three pilgrims slipped while undertaking the Yatra from Parvati Bagh.

    A shed, set up as langar (community kitchen) for Amarnath pilgrims, was washed away by the overflowing Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

    Langar owners said that continuous heavy rainfall in various regions over the past few days raised the water level of the Chenab River, which washed away their makeshift, established for Amarnath pilgrims.

    Indian Army on Sunday said the bodies of two soldiers, who went missing after they were swept away by rain-triggered flash floods, were recovered from the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

    The deceased jawans have been identified as Naib Subedar Kuldeep Singh and Lance Naik Telu Ram.

    The Jammu-based White Knight Corps in a tweet confirmed their deaths.

    Meanwhile, the Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials on Sunday said two people got injured after a house collapsed in Delhi’s Zakhira area due to heavy rain.

    Following heavy rain in the city on Saturday, as many as 15 houses collapsed and one person died, said a Delhi Fire Service official.

    Earlier, a 58-year-old woman identified as Ranjit Kaur lost her life when a wall collapsed on her due to heavy rain in Tibbia College Society in Karol Bagh.

    Meanwhile, due to heavy rainfall, the back side wall of Deshbandhu College, located in the Kalkaji area of Delhi, collapsed, resulting in the damage of approximately 15 luxury cars and 10 to 12 motorcycles and scooters.

    The flood situation in the Dhemaji district of Assam has become grim as nearly 18,000 people have been affected by the current wave of flood. 48 villages under four revenue circles of the district have been inundated by flood waters and submerged 530.07 hectares of cropland.

    Following torrential rain in the past couple of days, the water levels of several rivers and tributaries of the Brahmaputra River are rising, inundating new areas of the district.

    As the flood waters have also entered the campus of Silapathar Model Hospital, patients, and hospital staff are bracing for a lot of difficulties.

    The flood water of the Dikari River has submerged several villages including Jamuguri, Siyari, Uluwani, and Tatiguri and affected many villagers.

    Nearly 30,000 people in six districts and one state sub-division have been affected by the current wave of flood and the flood waters submerged 1263.07 hectares of cropland.

    An under-construction road in Kerala’s Wayanad district collapsed due to heavy rain and was washed away into a river nearby.

    Heavy rains in the State have led to overflowing rivers and locals have alleged that concerned authorities did not construct a culvert or put pripes on the side of the road to drain the water causing the collapse of the Mananthavady-Walayar road that was nearing its completion.

    In Uttarakhand, Badrinath National Highway was closed due to a landslide near Chhinka and NH-9 was closed in the Kumaon division at Champawat.

    In the Tehri district, five out of 11 passengers were rescued after a vehicle rolled downhill in Gular in the district while a search operation for six other passengers was underway.

    Due to continuous heavy rains, the water level of the Bhagirathi River has increased in Uttarkashi. In Joshiada, part of the wall got damaged due to river erosion.

    “Instructions have been given to the government departments to be vigilant and people have also been asked to be careful,” the officials said.

    The rains also led to waterlogging and traffic jams, roadblocks in hilly areas and several road stretches getting damaged.

    Meanwhile, waterlogging was seen across Haridwar town, which is currently seeing a heavy rush of kanwariyas coming to fetch Ganga water.

    Four people were reported dead in Dakshina Kannada till Friday due to rain-related incidents this monsoon, officials said.

    Dakshina Kannada recorded 101.8 mm of rainfall on Friday, according to the District Disaster Management Authority.

    A 46-year-old woman was killed when her house collapsed in a landslide in Nandavara village of Bantwal in the region on Friday morning, the authority said, adding that her 20-year-old daughter was rescued by locals.

    Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held separate telephonic conversations with the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Sunday and took stock of the losses incurred in both states due to heavy rains. During the calls, the Home Minister assured them of all possible assistance from the central government.

    Heavy rains lashed several parts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Saturday as well as Sunday as the mercury dropped below normal limits in the two states.

    Incessant overnight rain turned many low-lying areas in Punjab into a horror story, with severe waterlogging and traffic snarls.

    Chandigarh, the capital of Punjab, witnessed rain throughout the day on Sunday. For the second consecutive day, rains lashed Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Rupnagar and Patiala in Punjab.

    In several places, water entered houses causing inconvenience to the people. A flood-like situation was seen in a private housing colony located in Punjab’s Dera Bassi, where boats and tractors were used to rescue locals stuck in their houses following the incessant rains.

    In the wake of the continuous spell of heavy rain in north India, schools in Chandigarh have been closed for the next two days, officials said on Sunday.

    Director of school education Harsuhinderpal Singh Brar said, “Whereas since Sunday morning Chandigarh has experienced heavy and continuous rainfall and there is a prediction for rainfall tomorrow as well. The significant rainfall and the weather forecast raise concerns regarding waterlogging and disruption in civic amenities in several areas of UT Chandigarh.” (ANI)

    Flood warning as Delhi breaks 41-year rainfall record

    The Delhi government issued a flood warning amid heavy rains in North India and the Haryana government released more than one lakh cusecs of water into the Yamuna River from the HathniKund Barrage in Yamunanagar.

    Several parts of northwest India witnessed a heavy spell of rain with Delhi shattering a 41-year record. There were reports of house collapses, uprooting of trees and waterlogging in several residential colonies. Waterlogging issues were also observed in diplomatic enclaves such as Chanakyapuri, Kaka Nagar, Bharti Nagar, and other prominent roads and colonies under the jurisdiction of the NDMC. Meanwhile, The water level in the Yamuna river in Delhi is rising and is expected to breach the danger mark of 205.33 metres on Tuesday, the Central Water Commission (CWC) has said.

    According to the CWC’s flood-monitoring portal, the water level in the Yamuna at the Old Railway Bridge stood at 203.18 metres at 1 pm on Sunday.

    The warning level is 204.5 metres.The water level is likely to rise to 205.5 metres between 11 am and 1 pm on Tuesday, the CWC said in an advisory.

    In a span of 24 hours, ending at 8:30 am on Sunday, Delhi recorded 153 mm of rainfall, marking the highest single-day rainfall in July since 1982, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).

    According to India Meteorological Department, New Delhi’s Safdarjung recorded the third highest 24-hour rainfall (for the month of July) on 8th-09th July, 2023, since 1958.

    The Safdarjung weather station, which is the city’s weather base recorded 153 mm of rain till 8.30 am, the IMD said in a tweet along with the details of the five highest rainfall records of 24-hour rainfall in the month of July for New Delhi (Safdarjung) during 1958-2023.

    In 1958, Safdarjung Observatory had recorded 266.2 mm of rain during the July 20-21 period while in 1982, it logged 169.9 during the July 25-26 period, IMD said.

    Following heavy rain in the city, Delhi Fire Service (DFS) officials said two people got injured after a house collapsed in Delhi’s Zakhira area due to heavy rain.

    “The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) received the information about a house collapse at 9:34 am in the Zakhira locality of Delhi on July 9,” added the officials.

    Amid the heavy rains in different parts of the country, India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that rainfall activity will continue over Northwest India, but the intensity of showers may differ. (ANI)

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  • Canada’s record-breaking wildfire season remains daunting

    Canada’s record-breaking wildfire season remains daunting

    The number of wildfires in the country so far this year reached 3,430, devouring about 88,000 square kilometres of land….reports Asian Lite News

    A Canadian government agency said the country’s record-breaking wildfire season will continue to be challenging.

    The 2023 wildfire season has already been the nation’s most severe on record and current projections indicate that this may continue to be a significantly challenging summer for wildfires in parts of the country, Xinhua news agency quoted the Natural Resources Canada as saying in a statement on Thursday.

    According to the government agency, most recent projections indicate a continued potential for higher-than-normal fire activity across most of the country throughout the 2023 wildland fire season.

    This is due to long-range forecasts for warm temperatures and ongoing drought, which are affecting parts of all provinces and territories and intensifying in some regions.

    For July, warm and dry conditions will increase wildfire risk from British Columbia and Yukon through to western Labrador.

    During August, the area at risk will stretch from British Columbia through western Quebec, the statement said.

    The Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre said on Thursday there were 649 active wildfires nationwide and the number of out-of-control wildfires was 353.

    The number of wildfires in the country so far this year reached 3,430, devouring about 88,000 square kilometres of land.

    The government has already taken key steps to respond to the 2023 wildfire season, such as making additional investments to train more firefighters and provide support to provinces and territories on equipment and deploying Canadian Armed Forces personnel and capabilitie.

    Natural Resources Canada also announced two new steps to strengthen Canada’s response to the wildfires including the upgrading of a National Fire Equipment Cache in Banff National Park to act as a central equipment repository for Parks Canada and augment local equipment reserves in national parks across the country.

    Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson said in the release that coupled with long-term investments in wildfire fighting as well as climate mitigation and adaptation, Canada will address the root cause of these intensified fires: climate change.

    Minister of Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair said that from personal losses and evacuation orders to poor air quality Canadians right across the country have felt the impacts of this challenging wildfire season.

    According to local media, more Canadians have been evacuated from their homes this year than in the last four decades, with more than 155,000 forced to leave due to fire and smoke.

    Blair said the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre is coordinating international deployments.

    Canada now has seven international arrangements with partner countries to ensure mutual assistance in the face of intensified wildfires, including resources, information and knowledge sharing.

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  • UAE Climate Accelerators forge strong global partnerships

    UAE Climate Accelerators forge strong global partnerships

    LCAW is the latest of several international climate conferences driving forward the net-zero agenda, ahead of COP28 UAE…reports Asian Lite News

     Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of UAE Independent Climate Change Accelerators (UICCA), has led a delegation to attend London Climate Action Week (LCAW), participating in strategic discussions, and addressing audiences at a series of high-level events.

    LCAW is the latest of several international climate conferences driving forward the net-zero agenda, ahead of COP28 UAE.

    The event focused on three key themes relevant to the UICCA’s core mission: accelerating the global clean economy; delivering fair, inclusive and just climate transitions; and expanding networks for whole-of-society action.

    Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, President and CEO of the Abu Dhabi-based think tank and accelerator, which is committed to driving the transition to Net Zero, spoke at three high-level events during the week.

    These occurred alongside several valuable bilateral conversations, where the UICCA engaged key stakeholders across international governments, finance, NGOs and private organisations. This included world-renowned think tank, Chatham House, advisory firm EY, and the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, which empowers female entrepreneurs from across the globe to start, build and grow their businesses.

    With a particular focus on identifying and scaling emerging climate technologies, the UICCA also engaged in discussions with The Earthshot Prize, a platform originating from the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales that showcases extraordinary climate solutions from around the world, the Global Innovation Fund, a non-profit multilateral investment vehicle with a focus on the Global South, and PANGAIA, the materials science company creating sustainable lifestyle products and experiences.

    Delivering an opening keynote speech at LCAW’s Reset Connect event, Sheikha Shamma highlighted the UICCA’s core mission, to protect “the future of humanity on our planet”.

    She said, “Whether it’s the emerging climate technologies we support and scale up through our accelerator programme, the alternative sustainable financing mechanisms we look to introduce, or the policy recommendations we make to create an enabling environment for climate action, our North Star remains consistent.”

    During closing remarks at the Climate Investment Summit, hosted at the London Stock Exchange, Sheikha Shamma highlighted the AED11.02 trillion-AED12.85 trillion investment gap that still persists towards the UN’s climate and sustainable development goals, but also noted the positive steps already being taken by bodies such as the Global Innovation Fund, catalysing climate-related investments.

    She said, “What inspired me about this meeting was seeing the clear impact this business model has had. For every dollar that the Global Innovation Fund have invested into these start-ups, they have gone on to raise 7.5 times more dollars – a clear demonstration of the positive domino effect that can be achieved when we work together to give a concept with potential the chance to shine.”

    Finally, at the Resilience and Adaptation Summit, Sheikha Shamma engaged with key players from the insurance sector, recognising that climate change is not simply an issue for the future, and noted the immense challenges being faced across the globe, today.

    She said, “As we race against the clock in the fight against climate change, it has become impossible to ignore the escalation in climate-related catastrophes across the world. These impacts greatly affect underprivileged populations; marginalised persons, developing nations, rural communities… Securing a climate-ready economy requires a wide lens in which all pieces of the climate action puzzle must be considered for us to get a full picture in resilience and adaptation.”

    The UICCA rounded the week off with a series of meetings conducted at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainable Leadership (CISL). In addition to touring CISL’s ultra-sustainable Entopia Building, the UICCA delegation engaged in discussion with senior members of CISL accelerator, The Canopy, as well as entrepreneurs and small businesses from the Cambridge community who are pioneering climate innovation.

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  • China reels under scorching heat wave

    China reels under scorching heat wave

    The heat wave is forecast to linger in Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, and Henan until July 10…reports Asian Lite News

    China’s National Meteorological Centre on Thursday renewed an orange alert, the second-highest alert, for high temperatures as multiple regions of the country continue to reel under a scorching heat wave.

    During daylight hours on Thursday, temperatures in parts of north China, sections of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, regions south of the Yangtze River, south China, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Shaanxi are forecast to exceed 35 degrees Celsius, Xinhua news agency quoted the Centre as saying.

    In some areas of Beijing, Hebei, and Henan, temperatures may surpass 40 degrees Celsius.

    The heat wave is forecast to linger in Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shandong, and Henan until July 10, the Centre said.

    China has a three-tier, colour-coded warning system for high temperatures, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange and yellow.

    On June 25, the country had issued this year’s first orange alert.

    The temperature at a meteorological station in southern Beijing soared to 41.1 degrees Celsius on June 22 — the second-highest reading since reliable records began, according to the Beijing Meteorological Service.

    The highest temperature ever recorded at the Nanjiao station was 41.9 degrees Celsius on July 24, 1999.

    Extreme weather and food security crisis

    While the falling economy continues to be one of the main issues for China and now its extreme weather conditions may open the gate of the food security crisis, Federico Giuliani wrote in InsideOver.

    China’s Meteorological Administration had predicted that the deadly El Nino is gripping it in the coming weeks and months will lead to the likely return of floods in the southern region and droughts in the north. In a recent study, the peer-reviewed academic journal Nature Food said that due to China’s extreme weather conditions, one-twelfth of China’s total rice yield has declined over the last two decades, as per InsideOver.

    Italian-based InsideOver, born from Gli Occhi della Guerra, is a website focusing on news insights, international analysis and reporting.

    Recently, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that El Nino’s effect could remain for eight to 10 months and is likely to gradually strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter that will stretch into next year.

    Even, in the last week of May, China’s Department of Emergency Management warned that north-eastern and northern parts which are home to some of the country’s top grain-producing provinces might experience heavy rain, floods, and hailstorms from June to August. Meanwhile, Yunnan, lying in China’s Southwestern area, continues to face drought.

    Recently, China’s National Climate Center (NCC), announced on Sunday, that the country has recorded the highest number of hot days in the past six decades, and that the occurrence of multiple heat waves engulfing the country’s northern cities is extremely rare, the Global Times reported.

    According to a notice by the NCC, China has recorded an average of 4.1 days this year where the temperature exceeded 35 C, the highest number since records began in 1961, as per The Global Times.

    In 2023, China is staring at the same deadly prospect due to El Nino as a report prepared by the National Disaster Reduction Committee Office and ministries of natural resources, water resources, agriculture and rural Affairs and the China Meteorological Administration and State Forestry and Grassland Administration has painted a gloomy picture of the country.

    As per this report, while the country’s North may face a heightened risk of water-related disasters, the South is likely to face drought. On the other hand, eastern China which is known as a key engine of economic growth, is likely to experience typhoon-triggered disasters.

    China was the world’s largest importer of wheat in 2022, bringing in an estimated 12 million tonnes of wheat, said the US Department of Agriculture. From January to August 2022, the total rice imports reached 4.56 million tons, up 42.5 per cent year-on-year, said China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC). It also imported 20.63 million tons of corn in 2022, as per China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, reported InsideOver.

    With China’s economy not in good health and several financial institutions from Nomura to UBS and Standard Chartered, Bank of America and JP Morgan cutting their forecast for the country’s 2023 GDP growth to 5.1 per cent from 5.5 per cent, the faltering food security situation may further impact the world’s second-largest economy hard, say analysts. (IANS/ANI)

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  • Climate change is out of control: UN Chief

    Climate change is out of control: UN Chief

    That metric showed that Earth’s average temperature on Wednesday remained at the record high of 17.18 degrees….reports Asian Lite News

    As world temperature records were broken on two consecutive days this week, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that “climate change is out of control”.

    “If we persist in delaying key measures that are needed, I think we are moving into a catastrophic situation, as the last two records in temperature demonstrates,” the Guardian quoted Guterres as saying in referrence to the global temperature records that were broken on Monday and Tuesday.

    The average global air temperature was 17.18 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, according to data by the US National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), surpassing the record 17.01 degress recorded the previous day.

    Data from the University of Maine’s Climate Reanalyzer showed that for the seven-day period ending Wednesday, the daily average temperature was .04 degree, higher than any week in 44 years of record-keeping.

    That metric showed that Earth’s average temperature on Wednesday remained at the record high of 17.18 degrees.

    United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at a news conference on Thursday, July 12, 2018, at the UN headquarters in New York. (Photo: UN/IANS)

    But the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Thursday that it could not validate the Reanalyzer data, reports the Guardian.

    “We recognise that we are in a warm period due to climate change, and combined with El Nino and hot summer conditions, we’re seeing record warm surface temperatures being recorded at many locations across the globe,” the NOAA said in a statement.

    On Tuesday, the UN confirmed the return of El Nino. 

    The last major El Nino was in 2016, which remains the hottest year on record.

    Various parts of the world have been experiencing heatwaves and on Thursday the EU’s climate monitoring service said the world had experienced its hottest June on record last month, the Guardian reported.

    The southern US has been sweltering under an intense heat dome in recent weeks, including on the national 4 July holiday on Tuesday. 
    In parts of China, a scorching heat wave has continued, with temperatures reaching above 35 degrees.

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  • Latin America, Caribbean caught in ‘vicious cycle’ of climate impacts: UN

    Latin America, Caribbean caught in ‘vicious cycle’ of climate impacts: UN

    The region also witnessed extreme weather conditions, such as exceptionally high temperatures, low air humidity, and severe droughts, resulting in record-breaking wildfires in countries like Argentina…reports Asian Lite News

    The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has issued a warning that extreme weather events and climate shocks were becoming increasingly acute in the Latin American countries that are grappling with severe droughts and disease outbreaks caused by flooding.

    According to a recent WMO report on the state of the climate in 2022, Latin America and the Caribbean were caught in a “vicious cycle of spiraling impacts” of accelerated warming and sea-level rise, the AFP reported.

    Although some recent events can be attributed to the La Niña climate phenomenon, WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas emphasized that they also bear the signature of “human-induced climate change.”

    Taalas further cautioned that the onset of El Niño is expected to exacerbate the situation, intensifying extreme weather patterns in the region. El Niño is characterised by higher-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific near the equator, while La Niña has the opposite effect.

    Highlights of the WMO report released in Havana:

    Between 1991 and 2022, Latin America and the Caribbean experienced a notable warming trend, with an average increase of approximately 0.2 degrees Celsius per decade, marking the highest rate on record. This warming was particularly pronounced in Mexico and the Caribbean. Additionally, sea levels in the South Atlantic and subtropical North Atlantic rose at a faster pace than the global average, heightening the risk of coastal flooding and contamination of freshwater sources.

    The region also witnessed extreme weather conditions, such as exceptionally high temperatures, low air humidity, and severe droughts, resulting in record-breaking wildfires in countries like Argentina and Paraguay. These wildfires, in turn, contributed to a surge in carbon dioxide emissions, which reached their highest levels in two decades, exacerbating the problem of rising temperatures.

    Furthermore, heavy rainfall triggered floods and landslides that led to numerous fatalities and billions of dollars in economic losses. The Parana-La Plata Basin, spanning Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina, experienced the most severe drought since 1944. Reduced river flows hampered hydropower production, necessitating the use of polluting fossil fuels as substitutes for hydroelectric energy sources.

    Chile has been grappling with an unprecedented mega-drought lasting 14 years, making it the most severe drought in the region in over a millennium. Glacier melt has intensified, with the Andean glaciers experiencing near-total loss of snowpack during the 2022 summer. Consequently, the darker glaciers absorbed more solar radiation, accelerating the pace of melting.

    Alarming concerns arise from the fact that only approximately 60 percent of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean is covered by early warning systems for severe weather events.

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