Central News Hub

Category: Environment

  • Lahore’s air quality hits hazardous 690 on AQI scale

    Lahore’s air quality hits hazardous 690 on AQI scale

    The city’s overall AQI has been recorded at 690, placing Lahore at the top of the world’s most polluted cities list…reports Asian Lite News

    Lahore’s air quality reached alarming levels, with the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) apporaching 700 mark on Sunday, according to global monitoring sites, ARY News reported.

    The city’s overall AQI has been recorded at 690, placing Lahore at the top of the world’s most polluted cities list.

    The hazardous air quality has prompted health authorities to issue warnings, advising citizens to take immediate precautions. Residents are experiencing a surge in respiratory issues, including coughs, viral flu, and sore throats, due to the poor air quality, as per ARY News.

    To mitigate the risks, health experts recommend wearing masks and goggles, avoiding unnecessary outdoor activities, and taking protective measures.

    According to ARY News, the AQI index report, in its health recommendation, advised citizens of Lahore to avoid outdoor exercise, close windows to avoid dirty outdoor air, wear a mask outdoors, and run an air purifier for the fresh air.

    The air becomes heavier in the winter as compared to the summer, causing poisonous particles in the atmosphere to move downwards and making the atmosphere polluted. As a result, a layer of polluted particles, including large amounts of carbon and smoke, covers an area.

    The smoke produced by burning crop remnants, factories, and burning coal, garbage, oil or tyres enters the atmosphere, and the impact of this appears at the onset of winter and remains till the season’s end, experts added.

    The situation has raised concerns about the long-term impact of air pollution on the city’s inhabitants.(ANI)

    ALSO READ: India blasts Pakistan for raking Kashmir in UN

  • Storm Ashley batters Britain with strong winds and rain

    Storm Ashley batters Britain with strong winds and rain

    A yellow warning for wind came into effect at 3am on Sunday for the whole of Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as parts of north-west England and Wales..reports Asian Lite News

    Parts of the UK have been battered by strong winds and heavy rain, as Storm Ashley – the first named storm of the season – swept in. The Met Office said the storm was likely to bring a threat of injuries and danger to life, with winds of up to 80mph and heavy rain expected in some areas.

    A yellow warning for wind came into effect at 3am on Sunday for the whole of Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as parts of north-west England and Wales. It will run until midnight. The highest wind gust of 82mph was recorded in Aberdaron in the Welsh county of Gwynedd but stronger winds were expected later on Sunday.

    An amber warning for the north-west of Scotland was issued from 9am until midnight, with the Met Office warning: “Injuries and danger to life is likely from large waves and beach material being thrown on to coastal roads, sea fronts and properties.”

    The Met Office meteorologist Dan Stroud said very strong and severe gales, combined with high spring tides, could also result in very large waves. The north of Scotland will remain under a yellow warning for wind from midnight until 9am on Monday.

    Farther south, the Met Office issued a yellow warning for the south-west of England and south Wales until midday on Sunday, warning that travel might be disrupted and power supplies interrupted, with possible flooding.

    The Environment Agency’s website listed 41 active flood warnings on Sunday morning, meaning flooding was expected, and 132 flood alerts, meaning flooding was possible, with warnings in place for areas of the River Severn, the south Cornwall coast, and the Wye estuary.

    The Met Office said Sunday would be a “widely windy day” with storm-force winds in the north-west, and rain and gusty winds moving east, although sunny spells were expected later.

    “Parts of western Scotland could see gusts of 70-80mph during the afternoon,” the meteorologist Ellie Glaisyer said, adding: “It will turn drier and brighter across much of England and Wales with some sunny spells during the afternoon.”

    Tens of thousands of homes across Ireland remained without power on Sunday night. In the Republic of Ireland, ESB Networks said 29,000 customers were without power as of 8.30pm on Sunday. The number had been 53,000 earlier in the day.

    In Northern Ireland, NIE Networks said that at 9.45pm fewer than 1,500 customers were affected, with the majority of those expected to be connected later on Sunday night.

    It said power had already been restored to more than 10,000 customers who lost supply earlier in the day. The stormy conditions also saw several flights affected. As of 7.45pm, 60 flights due to depart and land at Dublin airport on Sunday were cancelled. At Belfast City airport, 28 departures were cancelled.

    Road users in Scotland were advised to avoid unnecessary travel, and Sunday’s annual Great South Run in Portsmouth, Hampshire, was cancelled because of weather-related safety concerns. Flights between Britain and Belfast City airport were also cancelled, with flights to and from Dublin, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh airports also affected.

    Police Scotland advised motorists to plan ahead and avoid unnecessary travel where possible, with a strong likelihood of disruption on roads, while Transport Scotland warned of likely delays to public transport, including the country’s ferry network.

    ScotRail said some services would be subject to precautionary speed restrictions, while the ferry operator CalMac said many of its services on the west coast of Scotland had been cancelled, with others liable to be disrupted.

    ALSO READ: EX-MI6 Boss Has A Warning

  • Govt appoints first nature envoy to tackle species decline

    Govt appoints first nature envoy to tackle species decline

    Ruth Davis, the new special representative for nature, is in Colombia for the start of two weeks of vital talks that will decide the global response to the biodiversity crisis…reports Asian Lite News

    The government has appointed the UK’s first envoy for nature, a former environment campaigner described as “the environmentalist’s environmentalist”, who will be charged with forging global agreement on halting the precipitous decline of species.

    Ruth Davis, the new special representative for nature, is in Colombia for the start of two weeks of vital talks that will decide the global response to the biodiversity crisis. The UK has played a leading role in such efforts in the past and Davis helped draw up a global pledge on deforestation that was one of the main outcomes of the UN Cop26 climate summit hosted in Glasgow in 2021.

    She will report to the foreign secretary, David Lammy, and the environment secretary, Steve Reed. The appointment of a nature envoy, first revealed by the Guardian, is an initial step in the government’s plan to put the UK at the centre of global efforts to stave off environmental collapse.

    Davis previously held senior roles at charities including Greenpeace, the RSPB and Plantlife, and the thinktank and consultancy E3G. She has worked on environmental policy for 25 years, and is renowned for her commitment – at the Copenhagen climate conference in 2009 she was said to have slept overnight in a cupboard in the conference centre as the talks dragged on.

    Reed is leading the UK’s negotiations on biodiversity in Cali, Colombia. He said: “We cannot address the nature and climate crises without coordinated global action. That is why we have appointed Ruth as our special representative for nature – a landmark first – who will champion our ambition to put climate and nature at the heart of our foreign policy.”

    He added: “We depend on nature in every aspect of our lives – it underpins our economy, health and society – and yet progress to restore our wildlife and habitats has been too slow. Ruth’s extensive knowledge and expertise will be vital to help us deliver on our commitments to put nature on the road to recovery.”

    Lammy has also promised to put the climate and nature protection at the heart of the UK’s foreign policy, as he views the environmental crises as threats to national security. Keir Starmer, the prime minister, has also set out his intention for the UK to lead in these areas, citing the climate in his speech to the UN general assembly last month.

    “We are returning the UK to responsible global leadership,” he told fellow heads of government. “Because it is right, but also because it is plainly in our self-interest.”

    Davis said: “The government has recognised that the nature crisis is of equal gravity to the climate crisis, and that we cannot tackle one without addressing the other. Ecosystems and the species they support are essential to maintain food security, reduce health risks and manage the impacts of rising global temperatures.”

    Her appointment follows that of Rachel Kyte, formerly the top climate official at the World Bank, to the role of climate envoy, a post that was scrapped under the Conservative government. That appointment was criticised as Kyte also holds a position on an advisory board to a charitable foundation funded by a financial investment firm that made a £4m donation to Labour before the election.

    Kyte was not involved in that decision, and many prominent environmental experts leaped to her defence. Nicholas Stern, the economist, told the Guardian: “Rachel was on the board of the philanthropic foundation and not the company, and she was very well equipped to advise that foundation. No conflict of interest.”

    Davis beat a strong field of candidates for the new role of nature envoy. Names spoken of in relation to the post included Tanya Steele, the chief executive of WWF UK; Matthew Gould, the chief executive of the Zoological Society of London; and Tony Juniper, the chair of Natural England.

    Leading voices in green campaigning hailed Davis’s appointment. Edward Davey, the head of the UK office of the World Resources Institute thinktank, said: “Ruth Davis is the environmentalist’s environmentalist, and the best of us: profoundly knowledgeable, deeply committed, a person of fearless integrity, and entirely selfless. She will be a wonderful nature envoy and is a brilliant appointment.”

    Zac Goldsmith, the Conservative former minister, said: “I worked with Ruth as a minister and was always impressed by her knowledge and commitment. She will be a real asset to the new government.”

    ALSO READ: EX-MI6 Boss Has A Warning

  • Spain Grapples With Severe Drought

    Spain Grapples With Severe Drought

    The regional government of Catalonia anticipates an emergency situation in spring 2025 if rainfall this autumn and winter is lower than last year.

    Most areas in southern and northeastern Spain are grappling with a historic drought now in its fourth year, despite recent storms, the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet) reported on Friday.

    While the national reservoir capacity averages 48 percent, the southern region of Andalusia and northeastern Catalonia are far worse off, with average capacities at 29 and 27 percent, respectively. Some reservoirs in these regions have reported levels as low as 15 percent.

    This week, Andalusia’s drought commission imposed a limit on water consumption of 180 liters per inhabitant per day in some areas, Xinhua news agency reported.

    The southern part of the Iberian Peninsula is experiencing “the longest-lasting drought on record,” Ruben del Campo, spokesman for the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), said in a statement. “There hasn’t been a drought that has lasted so long since the 1960s.”

    Andalusia’s regional president, Juanma Moreno, has called for increased resources from the European Union to develop infrastructure that enables drought-stricken areas to “maximize and reuse every drop of water,” he said during a visit to Brussels this week.

    The regional government of Catalonia anticipates an emergency situation in spring 2025 if rainfall this autumn and winter is lower than last year. According to del Campo, the region is experiencing the most intense drought due to insufficient rain, and rising temperatures from climate change are making droughts more frequent.

    ALSO READ: Climate a fundamental threat than terror, says UK’s Lammy

  • Biden cancels trip to Germany and Angola

    Biden cancels trip to Germany and Angola

    Biden said Milton’s strength was such that it has the potential “to both enter Florida as a hurricane and leave Florida as a hurricane on the Atlantic Coast…reports Asian Lite News

    President Joe Biden said Tuesday he is postponing a planned trip to Germany and Angola to stay at the White House to monitor Hurricane Milton, as it spins closer to Florida’s Gulf Coast.

    “I just don’t think I can be out of the country at this time,” he said at the White House after senior members of the administration updated him on the storm and the government’s preparations. Biden warned that Milton “could be one of the worst storms in 100 years to hit Florida,” and said he’s working “to increase the size and presence” of the federal government’s response.

    He said people in the storm’s path should heed local orders to evacuate and leave “now.”

    “You should have already evacuated,” Biden said, seated with some of the officials who briefed him. “It’s a matter of life and death, and that’s not hyperbole. It’s a matter of life and death.”

    Biden said Milton’s strength was such that it has the potential “to both enter Florida as a hurricane and leave Florida as a hurricane on the Atlantic Coast. This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century. God willing it won’t be, but that’s what it’s looking like right now.”

    He asked commercial airlines and other companies for help with evacuations. “I’m calling on the airlines and other companies to provide as much service as possible to accommodate evacuations and not to engage in price gouging, to just do it on the level,” Biden said.

    It was unclear when Biden’s overseas trip might be rescheduled and the White House did not announce new travel dates. The president had been scheduled to depart Thursday for Germany, where he had planned to host a summit on the war in Ukraine with allied nations at a U.S. military base before continuing on to Angola.

    Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon press secretary, said officials would look for a date and location to replace Saturday’s planned meeting on Ukraine.

    The German government issued a statement saying “we very much regret the cancellation, but of course we understand due to the situation in Florida.”

    Biden had promised to visit Africa during his term in office, which ends in January. He said Tuesday that he still intends to make the journey.

    “I’m still planning on visiting all the places I said I’d be and all the conferences I said I’d participate in,” he said.

    Hurricane Milton weakened slightly Tuesday but remained a ferocious storm that could land a once-in-a-century direct hit on the populous Tampa Bay region with towering storm surges and turn debris from Helene’s recent devastation into projectiles.

    Most of Florida’s west coast was under a hurricane or tropical storm warning as Milton and its 145 mph (230 kph) winds spun just off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, creeping toward the state. With the storm expected to remain fairly strong as it crosses Florida, parts of the state’s eastern coast were put under hurricane warnings early Tuesday. Milton’s center could come ashore Wednesday night in the Tampa Bay area, which has a population of more than 3.3 million people.

    This year’s hurricane season has caused havoc for political calendars in the closing weeks of the presidential campaign. Less than two weeks ago, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, cut short a West Coast trip to return to Washington after Helene made landfall. She later visited Georgia and North Carolina, where some of the worst damage took place.

    Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, has also traveled through the Southeast, including two trips to Georgia.

    ALSO READ: Harris holds slight edge over Trump

  • Hurricane Milton approaches Florida after Helene’s fury

    Hurricane Milton approaches Florida after Helene’s fury

    The hurricane could make landfall on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and continue to remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida…reports Asian Lite News

    Florida, which continues to reel under the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, is now readying to brace Hurricane Milton’s impact as it churns towards the coast of Florida, Al Jazeera reported.

    The National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the US, stated that Milton had intensified into a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 km per hour and is expected to “become a major hurricane on Monday,” the NHC said.

    The hurricane could make landfall on Wednesday in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and continue to remain a hurricane as it moves across central Florida, forecasters said.

    Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis said that while it remains unclear where exactly Milton will strike, it was clear that Florida would be hit hard. He urged Florida residents to ensure they have a “hurricane preparedness plan” in place.

    In a public briefing, DeSantis said that ensuring that displaced Floridians have a place to stay following Hurricane Helene is a top priority. In addition to providing travel trailers for temporary housing, more flexibility on regulations pertaining to rentals will help meet Floridians’ needs. There’s no time for bureaucracy when it comes to helping people get back on their feet following a catastrophic storm.

    He also said, “We are closely monitoring Tropical Storm Milton, which has the potential to become a major hurricane. We’ve mobilised state assets to supplement local governments in an unprecedented debris removal mission for areas that suffered damage from Hurricane Helene and are currently in the projected path of Milton.

    The Florida government has launched a page on the social media platform X, by the name @FLSERT, to share important storm preparedness information and updates.

    In a press briefing released by the White House on Sunday, President Joe Biden said, “I have been briefed on Tropical Storm Milton as it strengthens across the Gulf of Mexico and the work my administration is doing to preposition life-saving resources in advance of the storm. I urge all residents in Florida to listen to local officials and make preparations as needed.”

    Kevin Guthrie, the executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said the agency was preparing “for the largest evacuation that we have seen, most likely since [the] 2017 Hurricane Irma,” Al Jazeera noted.

    The United States of America has a disaster response plan in place called the Federal government, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which responds at the request and in support of those impacted by a disaster.

    The head of FEMA, Deanne Criswell, in a post on the social media platform X said that the FEMA is prepared to support Floridians in Hurricane Helene’s response efforts & prepared for the possible threat of Hurricane Milton.

    The St Petersburg-Tampa Bay area is still cleaning up extensive damage from Helene and its powerful storm surge.

    UN’s senior advisor for climate change, Selwin Hart noted that “climate and weather-related disasters have increased sixfold over the past five decades” for the USA, the Caribbean, and central American countries.

    According to the Climate Action Tracker, the US has been unable to meet its targets, such as bringing down emissions and achieving the goal of net zero emissions.

    This becomes a leading cause accelerating climate change’s impacts in the country. (ANI)

    Europa Clipper mission delayed

    NASA’s Europa Clipper mission that aims to search for life on Jupiter’s icy moon Europa has been stalled due to hurricane Milton, expected to pose “life-threatening hazards” for parts of Florida in the US, the space agency informed on Monday.

    Europa Clipper was set to launch its first mission to conduct a detailed science investigation of Jupiter’s icy moon Europa aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket from NASA Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida on October 10.

    Even as hurricane Milton barrels towards the already-ravaged Gulf Coast, a state of emergency has been declared in parts of Florida, delaying the mission.

    “NASA and SpaceX are standing down from the October 10 launch attempt of the agency’s Europa Clipper mission due to anticipated hurricane conditions in the area,” NASA said in a post on social media platform X.

    “Once the storm passes, recovery teams will assess the safety of the spaceport and the launch processing facilities for damage before personnel return to work,” it added.

    While NASA has not confirmed a new launch date, the launch window is open till November 6, the US space agency said.

    “The safety of launch team personnel is our highest priority, and all precautions will be taken to protect the Europa Clipper spacecraft,” said Tim Dunn, senior launch director at NASA’s Launch Services Programme, in a blog post.

    On October 4, the Europa Clipper spacecraft was transported from the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket in the hangar as part of final launch preparations ahead of launch.

    Europa Clipper is slated to travel 2.6 billion kilometers to reach the Jupiter system, where it will arrive in 2030.

    Meanwhile, hurricane Milton is expected to move from the Gulf of Mexico this week moving east to the Space Coast. High winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida’s east coast.

    It had intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on Sunday. It comes just 10 days after Storm Helene — the deadliest mainland storm since Katrina in 2005 — which tore through the southeast, killing at least 225 people, with hundreds still missing.

    ALSO READ: Harris, Trump both no lesser evil, says Jill Stein

  • Hurricane to bring heavy rain next week 

    Hurricane to bring heavy rain next week 

    The Met Office has said it poses a threat of disruptive rain and wind for some after a mild weekend…reports Asian Lite News

    The UK is set to be blasted by strong winds and heavy rain next week as Hurricane Kirk moves across the Atlantic Ocean.

    The weather system strengthened into a category 4 storm on Friday and its remnants threaten to bring a spell of unsettled conditions, with temperatures forecast to fall.

    While the hurricane is expected to be downgraded by the time it reaches Europe, the Met Office has said it poses a threat of disruptive rain and wind for some after a mild weekend.

    Deputy chief meteorologist Chris Bulmer said the exact track and timing of low-pressure that Kirk will generate is yet to be determined, but added: “Across the UK, parts of England and Wales look to have the greatest risk of heavy rain and strong winds during Wednesday and Thursday.

    “However, a more southward track of this system, which is equally plausible at this stage, would see the most disruptive conditions impact France.”

    He added possible weather warnings “will be kept under review over the coming days”. As of Saturday afternoon, none have been issued by the weather agency.

    The Met Office said in its long-range forecast from 9 October to 18 October that Scotland and Northern Ireland “are more likely to quickly turn colder with showers, and the colder weather (perhaps some snow on Scottish mountains) will most likely gradually work its way south”.

    “A more settled interlude is then possible but further spells of wind and rain, again with a focus across southern areas, are likely to arrive from the west during the following week with temperatures returning to around average,” it said.

    This weekend, the UK is set for interchangeable weather, with sunny spells and showers. Met Office meteorologist Honor Criswick said Saturday will see showers over Northern Ireland and Scotland “generally easing across the Scottish borders by the time we reach the afternoon”.

    “Elsewhere, there’ll be plenty of that bright sunshine and it will be feeling warm and there will be lighter winds in that sunshine too,” she added. The forecast comes after much of the UK was hit by heavy downpours last month. Ten counties across England saw their wettest September on record, according to provisional Met Office data.

    For Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire, September 2024 was the wettest month the counties have experienced, in a series dating back to 1836. Overall, England had nearly twice its September average rainfall – with 95% more than would normally be seen in that month.

    ALSO READ: Toddler crushed to death in migrant Channel crossing

  • India receives 8% more monsoon rains, four years high

    India receives 8% more monsoon rains, four years high

    IMD had in its pre-monsoon forecast predicted rainfall across the country to be above normal, at 106 per cent of the long period average….reports Asian Lite News

    Southwest monsoon rains in India hit four years high this season, experiencing about 108 per cent of the long period average at 934.8 mm, data made available by state-run weather bureau India Meteorological Department showed. A rainfall of 868.6 mm is the long period average in India.

    IMD had in its pre-monsoon forecast predicted rainfall across the country to be above normal, at 106 per cent of the long period average.

    Above-normal monsoon rains helped farmers sow more crops this Kharif season and it bodes well for the overall agriculture sector, which is the mainstay source of livelihoods for millions of Indians. Above normal monsoon rains are likely to improve gross value added (GVA) in the agriculture sector.

    Bank of Baroda in a report said that the above normal rainfall not just benefitted Kharif, but upcoming Rabi sowing is also expected to do well.

    Traditionally, Indian agriculture, especially the Kharif season, is heavily reliant on monsoon rainfall. However, with the spread of irrigation facilities in the country, the dependency of Kharif output on monsoon rainfall is gradually declining.

    Coming back to this year’s monsoon, rainfalls over Northwest India, Central India, South Peninsula and Northeast India were at 107 per cent, 119 per cent, 114 per cent and 86 per cent of their respective long period average.

    Out of the total 36 meteorological subdivisions, two subdivisions received large excess rainfall (9 per cent of the total area of the country), 10 subdivisions constituting 26 per cent of the total area received excess, 21 subdivisions received normal rainfall (54 per cent of the total area) and 3 subdivisions (Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab, J-K and Ladakh) constituting 11 per cent of the total area) received deficient rainfall.

    The monsoon rains started in June on a weaker note, registering 89 per cent of the long period average that month. Since July, it started to pick up. In July, August, and September, the rainfall was 109 per cent, 115 per cent, and 112 per cent of the long period average, respectively, IMD data showed.

    This year, the Southwest monsoon current advanced over the south Andaman Sea and Nicobar Islands on time (May 19, 2024, nearly two days before the normal date). It set in over Kerala on May 30, 2024 against the usual normal date of June 1 and covered the entire country on July 2, 2024 against its normal date of July 8.

    The forecast for monsoon onset over Kerala for this year was correct, which is the nineteenth consecutive correct forecast for this event except year 2015 since the commencement of this forecast in 2005, IMD asserted.

    The withdrawal of monsoon commenced from west Rajasthan on September 23, with a delay of 6 days from its usual date of September 17.

    KHARIF CROPS SOWING:

    India’s Kharif crop sowing has been quite robust this season, with farmers planting crops across 1,108.57 lakh hectares so far, compared to 1,088.25 lakh hectares same period last year, marking a 1.9 per cent year-on-year increase, agricultural ministry data showed.

    This surpasses the average area under cultivation (or normal area of 1,096 lakh hectares) for the period from 2018-19 to 2022-23.

    India has three cropping seasons: Summer, Kharif, and Rabi. Kharif crops, sown during June-July and dependent on monsoon rains, are harvested in October-November. Rabi crops, sown in October-November, are harvested from January, depending on their maturity. Summer crops are produced between the Rabi and Kharif seasons.

    Commodity-wise, the sowing of paddy, pulses, oilseeds, millets, and sugarcane has increased year-on-year, while sowing for cotton and jute/mesta continue to remain lower.

    As paddy farmers brought 2.5 per cent more area under coverage, the government which had put several restrictions on exports of rice, has eased some of the barriers. The government removed minimum export price on basmati rice, allowed export of non-basmati white rice but subject to a minimum export price of USD 490 per tonne, and it halved export duty on parboiled rice to 10 per cent, among others.

    Data showed that within the pulse basket, aside from urad bean, crops such as arhar, moong, kulthi, and moth bean have seen positive growth.

    India is a major consumer and producer of pulses, supplementing its domestic consumption with imports. The primary pulses consumed in India include chana, masur, urad, kabuli chana, and tur. The government has been strongly promoting the cultivation of pulses, and increasingly procuring them at Minimum Support Price.

    Rahul Chauhan, Director of IGrain India, a leading agri commodity research firm, said that some kharif crops got damaged due to excessive rains, especially in Bundelkhand region. But he is of the view that the excessive monsoon rains will benefit Rabi sowing. (ANI)

    ALSO READ: Doval, French FM discuss Europe, West Asia wars 

  • Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida

    Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida

    The storm was upgraded to an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane earlier that day, prompting widespread preparations across the region…reports Asian Lite News

    Hurricane Helene made landfall approximately 10 miles west of Perry, Florida, at 11:10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, with maximum sustained winds reaching 140 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center on Friday.

    Power outages have already affected over 250,000 homes and businesses in Florida, with reports indicating that nearly one million customers are currently without electricity statewide. As of the latest update, over 160,000 residents have lost power, according to Poweroutage.us.

    The storm was upgraded to an “extremely dangerous” Category 4 hurricane earlier that day, prompting widespread preparations across the region.

    As of Thursday evening, Helene was located about 120 miles west of Tampa, maintaining sustained winds of 130 mph, according to the US National Hurricane Center. Category 4 hurricanes are characterised by winds exceeding 130 mph, which can inflict severe damage to homes, uproot trees, and down power lines.

    In anticipation of the storm’s impact, states of emergency have been declared in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Virginia, and Alabama.

    President Joe Biden also declared a state of emergency in Alabama ahead of Helene’s landfall on Thursday.

    Efforts are underway to deploy zero-emission equipment intended to mitigate reliance on gas and diesel-powered generators, which are both environmentally harmful and costly. This equipment is being transported from Louisiana, where it was previously utilised during outages caused by Hurricane Francine.

    Residents are urged to stay indoors and follow safety protocols as Hurricane Helene continues to impact the region.

    ALSO READ: In last UNGA address, Biden says Putin’s war has failed

  • Severe flooding wreaks havoc across England

    Severe flooding wreaks havoc across England

    It urged people to keep an eye on the weather, check their flood risk, and take care planning their journeys….reports Asian Lite News

    Over 200 properties in different parts of England have been flooded following heavy rain and thunderstorms since Monday, the Environment Agency stated on Wednesday.

    The agency detailed that several areas across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Kent and the Home Counties have been flooded with “unsettled conditions” expected during the coming few days.

    Emphasising that its staff remains out on the ground, clearing blockages and supporting local authorities in their response work, the executive non-departmental public body which is sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, mentioned that further flooding is possible but not expected on Thursday and Friday.

    It urged people to keep an eye on the weather, check their flood risk, and take care planning their journeys.

    “Following this week’s heavy rain and thunderstorms, flood warnings and alerts remain in place across many parts of the country. The risk of further significant surface water flooding is also possible but not expected in parts of the country on Thursday and Friday,” Kate Marks, Flood Duty Manager at the Environment Agency, said.

    The official mentioned that the Environment Agency teams are supporting local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.

    “We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car. People should check their flood risk, sign up for free flood warnings and keep up to date with the latest situation as well as follow the agency’s latest flood updates on social media,” Marks added.

    The flooding has also led to closure of several schools and roads in the country.

    National Highways – the wholly government-owned company responsible for modernising, maintaining and operating England’s motorways and major A roads – said on Wednesday afternoon that the A-421 highway in Bedfordshire remains closed in both directions between the A6 (Bedford) & M1 J13 (Brogborough) due to flooding.

    Following spells of torrential rain, flooding occurred at Marston Moretaine with water levels recorded going up eight feet.

    “This has severely impacted efforts to clear floodwater from the carriageway. National Highways service providers continue to work at scene and at present a number of articulated tankers and pumping equipment are in use as efforts to clear the road continue. At this time, it is expected the A421 will remain closed today and tomorrow (Thursday 26th September),” the company said in

    National Highways said that it is working to pump large amounts of water clear from the junction and following this operation, there will be abandoned vehicles to recover and an extensive clean-up operation to ensure the road is safe to open.

    ALSO READ: Assange to make first public appearance since release