The global cost of disasters is growing: The economic burden of disasters is intensifying. While the direct costs of disasters averaged $70–80 billion a year between 1970 and 2000, between 2001 and 2020 these annual costs grew significantly to $180–200 billion. But the real cost is far higher. Disaster costs …
Given the Met’s disastrous track record in predicting the impact of El Nino events—the first projection in 2009 was of a rainfall level of 96% of the long-period average against the actual levels of just 77%—its initial projections of a 23% probability of deficient rains are scary; more so since, …
New Delhi:Amid concerns of deficient rains this monsoon, a new study has shown that since 1980, all El Nino years have not resulted in a drought, although all droughts have happened in years of El Nino. In the last 34 years, there were six droughts in El Nino years, while …
Aurangabad (Maharashtra): Absence of proper rainfall has risked the farmlands of Aurangabad district in Maharashtra and lack of subsequent effective government intervention is leaving farmers with no option but suicide. According to climate report of researchers there are high chances of climatic conditions similar to El Nino effect to occur …
‘Water scarcity curtailed cultivation of short-term crops’. The Tamizhaga Vivasayegal Sangam has made an appeal to the Government to declare Tamil Nadu as a drought-hit State. A resolution in this connection was passed at the state executive committee meeting of the association, here on Saturday. The association’s state president, M.R. …
Brazil has the world’s biggest reserves of fresh water. That most of it sits in the sparsely populated Amazon has not historically stopped Brazilians in the drier, more populous south taking it for granted. No longer. Landlords in São Paulo, who are wont to hose down pavements with gallons of …
The weather office has forecast a 5% deficit in the June-September southwest monsoon this year but signaled the disruptive El Nino phenomenon could make things much worse for India's largely rain-fed farms, raising the risk of higher inflation and likely making the task of the new government difficult as it …
IMD says will update its forecast in June after rains set in El Nino refers to the warmer-than-average sea surface temperature in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean This condition occurs every 4-12 years and last impacted monsoon in 2009, leading to the worst drought in almost four decades …
The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) will supply water to the public to tide over the drought-like situation prevailing in Manipur. Making this announcement on Tuesday the PHED Minister Hemochandra Irengbam appealed to the people not to waste water and stop illegal connections. However, officials said that the water supply …
ONLY a severe El Nino can materially impact India’s monsoon rains and hit grain production, historical patterns suggest. Most observers, however, believe the expected El Nino won’t be a grim one. El Nino is a weather phenomenon where surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean rise above average for several months, …
India should prepare for below normal rainfall in the crucial monsoon season this year, particularly in the agriculturally significant north-western and western central regions, private forecaster Skymet has said. In a forecast for the June-September rainy season released on Tuesday, Skymet said there was a 40% chance that rainfall would …
Scientists, including an Indian-origin researcher, have identified a set of genes that could be key to the development of the next generation of tough and disease-resistant 'super rice'. "As the Earth's human population marches towards 9 billion, the need for hardy new varieties of grain crops has never been greater," …
If reports are to be believed, large part of Hamren sub–division is severely hit by a drought like situation due to scarcity of rain water in the area for the past several months. Adding to their relentless misery is the rivulets that they depend on for accumulating water, which became …
The Pakistan government has imposed a ban on manufacturing of import, sale and use of non-degradable plastic bags and other products in federal capital. Read more in this March 2014 edition of the Monthly Overview on State of Environment, Pakistan. ENVIRONMENT Pakistan and the European Union have agreed to deepen …
India’s northern states are more vulnerable than the rest to a deficiency of rain in the next monsoon season due to the El Niño threat. “South India has got the ocean on both sides, so either the Bay of Bengal part, the Arabian Sea or a combination of the two …
YOKOHAMA: International scientists gathered near Tokyo on Tuesday for a week-long meeting centred on a grim climate change report that warned of floods and drought that could stoke conflicts and wreak havoc on the global economy. A draft of their document, seen by AFP, is part of a massive overview …
Thiruvananthapuram: Though not indicated as El Nino effect, soaring temperatures and a likely drop in summer showers could lead to a drought like situation in Kerala, according to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials. A state action plan for disaster preparedness has been chalked out after the state emergency operations centre …
A strong hailstorm hit many parts of Manipur on Thursday night leaving a trail of destruction mostly in the four valley districts. The hailstorm started from 7.30 p.m. and lasted till 10.30 p.m. Vast areas of vegetables and fruit bearing trees were destroyed. The strong wind also blew away roofs …
State severely threatened by climate change, says State Action Plan on Climate Change Alappuzha, Palakkad, Wayanad and Idukki districts are climate change hotspots in Kerala, with a high degree of vulnerability to natural hazards like flood and drought and impact on biodiversity and human life. The State Action Plan on …
A monsoon failure in 2014 due to El Niño’s return could slow the pace of economic recovery, and gross domestic product could grow just 5.2% in the 2014-15 fiscal, said a Crisil Research report on Tuesday. Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said last week that El Niño conditions, which caused the …
Punjab, Rajasthan oppose state’s plea on using Hansi-Butana canal Citing Centre’s alert on possible drought in 2014 due to the El Nino effect, Haryana today pleaded in the Supreme Court for using the 109-km Hansi-Butana canal by pumping water from the Bakhra Mainline (BML). Since the SC had restrained Haryana …
