Countries in Asia and the Pacific face a heightened risk of flooding as disasters increase worldwide due to climate change. Yet these countries often lack the infrastructure necessary to prepare for and
The reconstruction of Naryanguri dyke is going on in full swing bringing ray of hope to the people of that area especially those affected by floods in Barpeta and Baksa district. The construction which started in February 3, 2008 would be completed in March. The Narayanguri dyke was washed away in 2004 by the strong currents of Beki river which was overflooded due to the release of excess water of Kurisshu dam by the Royal Government of Bhutan. As a result Beki river changed its original course and flowed through Kalpani and Palla causing havoc in a number of villages. That year, though the dyke was repaired costing more than Rs 3 crore, the quality of work was poor and it collapsed on July 31, 2007. Since then about Rs 1.5 lakh people in Barpeta and Baksa district has been suffering from floods. On December last year the reconstruction work was formally inaugurated by BTAD chief Hagrama Mohilary, assuring quality work this time. An official with the Water Resource Department informed that the structure of the bundh will be the stronger this time. Depending upon the depth of the water,
More than 12,000 people have fled their homes in Kazakhstan after rain-swollen rivers swept away houses and bridges, the emergencies ministry said on Tuesday. Spring flooding is a recurring problem across Central Asia but a sudden rise in temperatures on Feb. 20 following weeks of severe cold has exacerbated the problem this year. One person was killed in the floods and 12,700 others had to be evacuated from Kazakhstan's most populous region bordering Uzbekistan, the ministry said. Melt water destroyed roads and schools and killed hundreds of cattle as rivers burst their banks. The emergencies ministry said its rescue teams, equipped with boats and diving gear, were working to contain floods and assess the situation. People were being evacuated to safe areas but it was unclear when they would be able to return home. A total of 2,000 houses have been destroyed. (Writing by Maria Golovnina; Editing by Elizabeth Piper) REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
An amount of Rs 5.89 crore has been allocated to Manipur under Calamity Relief Fund (CRF) for the year 2007-08 comprising Rs 4.42 crore as Central contribution and Rs 1.47 crore as State contribution. This was stated by V Radhika Selvi, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs. The Union Minister assured that the Government of India would extend all possible assistance to the State for meeting the situation caused by heavy rains and floods in Manipur. She also informed that the execution of rescue and relief operations in the wake of natural calamities was primarily the responsibility of the concerned State Government. The Government of India supplemented the efforts of the concerned State Government by providing requisite logistic and financial support to meet the situation. For the purpose, a Calamity Relief Fund was constituted with contributions of Government of India and the State Government in the ratio 3:1.
A Vast Lake Trapped Under Ice Sheet Drained Into The Sea, Bringing Down Temperatures Paris: Canadian geologists say they can shed light on how a vast lake, trapped under the ice sheet that once smothered much of North America, drained into the sea, an event that cooled Earth's climate for hundreds of years. During the last ice age, the Laurentide Ice Sheet once covered most of Canada and parts of the northern United States with a frozen crust that in some places was three kilometres thick. As the temperature gradually rose some 10,000 years ago, the ice receded, gouging out the hollows that would be called the Great Lakes. Beneath the ice's thinning surface, an extraordinary mass of water built up
The erratic and heavy rainfall last year has turned a large part of the deep desert country into a vast submerged landscape.
The erratic and heavy rainfall last year has turned a large part of the deep desert country into a vast submerged landscape. Barmer District, Thar Desert, Rajasthan has an average rainfall of 280 mm annually, but during the monsoon of 2006 it received about 600 mm of rain within 2
The Naduar region in Sonitpur district has been one of the most neglected areas in the State, according to the people here. One of the main causes of this opinion has been the indifferent attitude of the Government towards the checking of erosion caused by the Jia Bhoroli river. The citizens of greater Naduar have vehemently criticised the State Government for it failure to check the erosion of cultivable land of the people residing near the Jia Bhoroli river, though successive Governments in the State have claimed to have spent more than Rs 15 crore from the exchequer in the name of flood-protection measures. Till date, more than 5,000 hectares of cultivable land have been washed away by the mighty river. People living in the areas near the river
The Central Government has approved 75 flood control and anti-erosion schemes proposed by the State Water Resources Department (WRD) for implementation from this financial year. The schemes are worth around Rs 434.839 crore, 29 thousand. The Centre is releasing before March next the first installment worth Rs 97.83 crore against the schemes. However, the release of funds will depend on the progress of implementation of the schemes.
Government attitude towards flood victims condemned Embankments which were breached during the last devastating floods in 2007 in Barak Valley have become a cause for concern among the people as the rainy season is not far off.
