In 2024, the Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT) recorded 393 natural hazard-related disasters. These events caused 16,753 fatalities and affected 167.2 million people. Economic losses totaled US$241.95 billion. The year 2024 was marked by extreme temperature events in Asia that caused thousands of deaths, severe droughts in Africa affecting over 25 …
IN the recently published 2011 Global Assessment Report by the UNDP, Bangladesh was found to be one of the countries 'most vulnerable' to disasters. Bangladesh is the sixth among countries that are 'most vulnerable' to natural disasters including cyclones, earthquake and tsunamis. Bangladesh ranked second among the Asian countries after …
Molten nuclear fuel at Japan’s Fukushima plant might have eaten two thirds of the way through a concrete containment base, its operator said, citing a new simulation of the extent of the March disaster. Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) said their latest calculations showed the fuel inside the No. 1 reactor …
Seven years after the 2004 tsunami, with the coastal communities in Tamil Nadu yet to reconcile with its after-effects, another disaster is gradually unfolding. A massive relief and rehabilitation campaign, largely driven by private aid with the state playing a mere regulatory role, has opened up the coast for investment, …
No reliable historical seismic record in the region before 1800 A.D. While the government is determined to build a nuclear power plant at Jaitapur in Ratnagiri district, a new paper in journal Current Science has said that the apparent seismic silence of Jaitapur does not mean that an earthquake cannot …
JAMMU: Underlining the far reaching consequences of climatic change, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Thursday asked for a unified and committed strategy to address this concern and help restrict human interference detrimental to environment and eco-balance. "We all are equally stakeholders in maintaining, preserving and conserving our eco-system as our …
Two strong earthquakes rattled northern Japan on Thursday, but neither caused any apparent damage or a tsunami. A magnitude-6.1 quake struck Thursday evening south of the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan's Meteorological Agency said. It hit about 465 miles (750 kilometers) northeast of Tokyo and 19 miles (30 kilometers) below …
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V. Narayanasamy on Wednesday briefed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the situation in Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu, where an agitation is on against the commissioning of the nuclear power plant. Later speaking to journalists, Mr. Narayanasamy expressed hope that the stalemate would …
A moderate 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan on Thursday, US geologists said, close to the area hit by twin disasters in March, but there was no immediate tsunami warning or reports of damage. The undersea quake hit at 04:24am (1924 GMT) at a depth of 37 kilometres (23 miles), 64 …
ITANAGAR: The National Disaster Management Authority of India (NDMA) has selected two districts of Arunachal Pradesh for implementation of National School Safety Programme (NSSP) among 43 districts of the country. Lohit and East Siang districts have been selected for the implementation of the demonstration project to promote culture of safety …
Japan's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fuel rose 4.4 percent in the year that ended in March from the previous year to 1.122 billion tonnes, the trade ministry said Friday, as a recovery in the economy and an unusually hot summer boosted the use of energy. It was …
A slight tremor had occurred in the South-Western sea off Sri Lanka on Saturday, Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) chairman Dr N P Wijayananda told the Daily News yesterday. He said that the tremor which occurred around 4.10 pm had been felt by the people in Balapitiya coastal area …
A 5.2-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Japan on Sunday, but a nuclear plant that was crippled by a huge quake and tsunami in March remained stable, officials said. The quake hit at Ibaraki, 136 kilometres (84 miles) east of Tokyo and just south of Fukushima, at 10:23 am (0123 GMT) with …
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's eastern North Maluku province on Monday, meteorologists said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and no tsunami alert. The quake occurred at 11.05 am (0405 GMT) with an epicentre 69 kilometres (42 miles) southwest of Labuha city, the Indonesian Meteorological …
A strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck in waters off Okinawa island today, but there were no concerns about a tsunami, the US and Japanese agencies said. The quake occurred in the East China Sea, 218 kilometres (136 miles) west of Naha, Okinawa prefecture, the US Geological Survey said. The quake's …
Highlighting the safety features of the Koodankulam nuclear plant, former President A.P.J Abdul Kalam today said even a Fukushima-like accident can be avoided in the coastal project in Tamil Nadu. "Koodankulam plant has installed 154 Hydrogen recombiners across the plant which can absorb any leaked hydrogen and prevent any structural …
A fairly strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 has hit off the shores of Japan's southern Okinawa Island. Officials said the quake Tuesday about 135 miles (220 kilometers) away from the island was not expected to cause a tsunami. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. …
The Centre’s expert committee, set up to allay the fears of locals over the controversial Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) will meet today. This will be the first time that the Centre’s 15-member expert panel is meeting after anti-KNPP activists announced setting up of a 21-member committee, comprising scientists and …
In a bid to provide protection to vital installations along the Gujarat coastline, the State Government has undertaken a project to study how coastal vegetation could help in mitigating the impact of natural disasters like tsunami and cyclone. The bio-shield project, being implemented by the Gujarat Coastal Zone Management Authority …
Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, R. Chidambaram, on Friday sought to allay fears over the safety of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, saying it was absolutely risk-free and designed to be safe from calamities including tsunami. Speaking on sustainable development and energy security during the 18th Foundation …
Earthquakes claimed more than 780,000 lives in the past decade, accounting for nearly 60 per cent of all disaster-related deaths, according to a study published in The Lancet on Friday. ‘In addition to these deaths, earthquakes have directly affected another two billion people in this period,’ it added. The deadliest …
