Pastoralists are an asset to the world — and we have a lot to learn from them
Pastoral areas face constant shocks and stresses ranging from drought, floods, heavy snowfalls, diseases, conflicts and more
Here is why forest fires now pose a threat to the very survival of Uttarakhand’s unique biodiversity
Forest fire season in Uttarakhand coincides with flowering & breeding months of several vulnerable species, many of them native to Himalayas
Governments knew COVID-19 was a threat. Here’s why they weren’t better prepared
From not believing the magnitude of the problem to displaying scepticism over past epidemics — governments remained in the dark …
Kerala floods: How to hit self goals on disaster preparedness
Performance audits carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India during 2012 and 2017 had raised several red alerts regarding floods.…
2022 too short, too far: A year of disasters
Down To Earth recaps the primary environment, health and developmental news from 2022
Joshimath’s sinking brings Uttarakhand’s rehabilitation policy into sharp focus
Of Uttarakhand’s 484 villages threatened by natural disasters, more than 450 await relocation despite the state’s ambitious …
Flood-protection measures: Pakistan is in for a long haul
Punjab needs to employ 871 years of flood-protection, while other flood-prone provinces like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh would require around …
Integrated risk assessment of dams required to prevent human-made disasters: Experts
Ministry of Jal Shakti said in a press release recently that data on flooding caused due to faulty operations of reservoirs is not maintained …
Why Bihar needs climate-smart agricultural practices
Bihar is highly vulnerable to hydro-meteorological natural disasters as it has both flood-prone and drought-prone areas
Cyclone Jawad can make landfall in Odisha’s Puri district December 5: IMD
Farmers and fishermen in coastal Odisha districts prepare for the worst, with Cyclone Jawad predicted to make landfall in the area; many worried …
The Fani havoc across Odisha
With the speed of 175 kilometres per hour (kmph), cylone Fani made landfall in Odisha’s Puri district at 8.30 am on May 3, 2019
54% of Africa’s surface weather stations can't capture data properly
With extreme weather events becoming the new normal, forecasting has become more important than ever. It's time African nations invest in …
Turkey and Syria earthquake: Long-term funding is needed to support search-and-rescue after major disasters
Until having an effective earthquake early warning, we need to rely on building codes and urban and physical planning
Nigeria floods: Expert insights into why they’re so devastating and what to do about them
Over 1.4 million people have been displaced, 500 died, thousands injured in floods in Nigeria
Climate change in India: Odisha all set to redraw its map
People in the state struggle to find their feet as the Bay of Bengal washes away one after the other village in Satabhaya
Heatwave kills 36 people, most in Andhra Pradesh
Churu, which saw the temperatures soar beyond 50 degrees Celsius, has not registered even a single death
This is why Kerala floods were the worst in a century
Kerala's worst flood since 1924 reinforces how local environmental degradation and lack of disaster preparedness can make extreme weather events …
Scientists improvise models to better predict storm surges
IIT-Delhi researchers have developed models which are being used by many Indian Ocean rim countries, besides Indian Meteorological Department, …
Lack of clean water, sanitation facilities put quake survivors in Turkey at risk
Current situation might lead to waterborne infections, which would be particularly devastating to children
Nobody can predict earthquakes, but we can forecast them; Here’s how
Earthquake forecasts are built on observations of past earthquake activity, which may stretch back decades, centuries or even thousands of years
How to assess disasters: 8 Indian states adopt global standards
Separate window by 15th finance commission for carrying out Post-Disaster Needs Assessment
Why women need to be at the heart of disaster response: Lessons from Odisha Super Cyclone
Women are not only the most affected during and after disasters but also often act as first responders
Assam floods: Why is Lakhimpur district always badly hit?
Dikorni river from Papuma Pare, Subansiri river from Lower Siang contribute majorly to flooding in the district
Why rain on snow in the California mountains worries scientists
Rain-on-snow events have resulted in some of the nation’s most destructive and costly floods
Medieval descriptions of an 1114 CE quake in present-day Turkey and Syria feel eerily familiar
Even at a distance of 900 years, accounts of the 1114 earthquake reveal historical societies went about recording natural disasters in terms that …
