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Nova Scotia Built a ‘Living Shoreline' to Protect Its Coast

Nova Scotia Built a ‘Living Shoreline' to Protect Its Coast

Bloomberg2 days ago
When Hurricane Fiona reached Mahone Bay on the southern coast of Nova Scotia in 2022 — packing powerful waves and 100-mph winds — the community's historic, flood-prone waterfront churches were spared. Far from a miracle, residents credited a newly built 60-meter 'living shoreline' made up of tidal wetlands, vegetated banks and other natural barriers for absorbing and diffusing potentially destructive storm surges. Officials there are now planning to extend the living shoreline.
Whereas coastal cities have traditionally turned to hardened 'gray' infrastructure like concrete seawalls to fend off such storms, planners on the Atlantic Canada coast see Mahone Bay as a proving ground for whether greener, more nature-based solutions can be more effective at protecting coastal heritage. Read more from contributor Leilani Marie Labong t oday on CityLab:
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Flash floods triggered by torrential rains kill 120 in India and Pakistan
Flash floods triggered by torrential rains kill 120 in India and Pakistan

Yahoo

time43 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Flash floods triggered by torrential rains kill 120 in India and Pakistan

Flash floods triggered by torrential rains have killed at least 120 people and left scores of others missing in India and Pakistan over the past 24 hours, officials said, as rescuers brought to safety some 1,600 people from two mountainous districts in the neighbouring countries. Sudden, intense downpours over small areas known as cloudbursts are increasingly common in India's Himalayan regions and Pakistan's northern areas, which are prone to flash floods and landslides. Cloudbursts have the potential to wreak havoc by causing intense flooding and landslides, impacting thousands of people in the mountainous regions. Experts say cloudbursts have increased in recent years partly because of climate change, while damage from the storms has also increased because of unplanned development in mountain regions. In India-controlled Kashmir, rescuers searched for missing people in the remote Himalayan village of Chositi on Friday after flash floods a day earlier left at least 60 people dead and at least 80 missing, officials said. Officials halted rescue operations overnight but rescued at least 300 people on Thursday after a powerful cloudburst triggered floods and landslides. They said many missing people were believed to have been washed away. At least 50 seriously injured people were treated in local hospitals, many of them rescued from a stream filled with mud and debris. Disaster management official Mohammed Irshad said the number of missing people could increase. Weather officials forecast more heavy rains and floods in the area. Chositi, in Kashmir's Kishtwar district, is the last village accessible to motor vehicles on the route of an ongoing annual Hindu pilgrimage to a mountainous shrine at an altitude of 3,000 metres (9,500ft). Officials said the pilgrimage, which began on July 25 and was scheduled to end on September 5, was suspended. The devastating floods swept away the main community kitchen set up for the pilgrims, as well as dozens of vehicles and motorbikes. More than 200 pilgrims were in the kitchen at the time of the flood, which also damaged or washed away many of the homes clustered together in the foothills, officials said. Photos and videos on social media show extensive damage with household goods strewn next to damaged vehicles and homes in the village. Authorities made makeshift bridges on Friday to help stranded pilgrims cross a muddy water channel. Kishtwar district is home to multiple hydroelectric power projects, which experts have long warned pose a threat to the region's fragile ecosystem. In northern and north-western Pakistan, flash floods killed at least 60 people while rescuers evacuated 1,300 stranded tourists from a mountainous district hit by landslides. At least 35 people were reported missing in these areas, according to local officials. More than 360 people, mostly women and children, have died in rain-related incidents across Pakistan since June 26. Bilal Faizi, a provincial emergency service spokesman in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said rescuers worked for hours to save 1,300 tourists after they were trapped by flash flooding and landslides in the Siran Valley in Mansehra district on Thursday. The Gilgit-Baltistan region in Pakistan has been hit by multiple floods since July, triggering landslides along the Karakoram Highway, a key trade and travel route linking Pakistan and China that is used by tourists to travel to the scenic north. The region is home to scenic glaciers that provide 75% of Pakistan's stored water supply. Pakistan's disaster management agency has issued fresh alerts for glacial lake outburst flooding in the north, warning travellers to avoid affected areas. A study released this week by World Weather Attribution, a network of international scientists, found rainfall in Pakistan from June 24 to July 23 was 10% to 15% heavier because of global warming. In 2022, the country's worst monsoon season on record killed more than 1,700 people and caused an estimated 40 billion dollars in damage.

All the latest news and updates on Glasgow's weather
All the latest news and updates on Glasgow's weather

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

All the latest news and updates on Glasgow's weather

Get Your Forecast for Today and the Week Ahead GLASGOW WEATHER Glasgow typically sees its warmest weather in July, with average temperatures around 15°C, while January is the coldest month, averaging 4°C. October tends to be the wettest month, with around 85.5mm of rainfall, and February is usually the windiest, with average wind speeds of 20mph. Although Glasgow has a reputation for being one of the UK's rainiest cities, it isn't officially the wettest — that title goes to Cardiff. On average, Glasgow records around 791.6mm of rainfall per year. Latest weather news As reported by the Glasgow Times, here is a selection of the latest weather stories. What the Glasgow weather has in store this weekend Residents flock to Glasgow park as temperatures soar to 29 degrees Met Office: Yellow weather warning issued for Glasgow today The Great Storm Often referred to as 'Hurricane Low Q' or 'The Great Storm', this devastating weather event struck Central Scotland in January 1968, with Glasgow hit hardest. Gusts reached 103mph at Glasgow Airport, with wind speeds topping 90 knots across much of the central belt. The storm caused widespread destruction, resulting in the deaths of nine people in Glasgow and 28 across Scotland. Thousands of homes were damaged and key infrastructure severely impacted, making it one of the most destructive natural disasters in Scotland's recorded history. Memories of Glasgow's great storm - 50 years on In the aftermath, the storm led to huge changes in weather forecasting, emergency response planning, and building regulations – shaping how the country prepares for severe weather events today. Who issues weather warnings? Weather warnings in the UK are issued by the Met Office, the nation's official weather service. Alerts are issued when severe weather is expected to cause disruption or pose a risk to life. Warnings can be given up to seven days in advance for a range of conditions – including heavy rain, thunderstorms, strong winds, snow, lightning, ice, extreme heat and fog. Each warning outlines when it's in place and explains the potential impact. You can find the Met Office UK Storm Centre here. What do the weather warning colours mean? Weather warnings are colour-coded based on two factors: the potential impact of the weather and how likely it is to happen. These impacts can range from travel delays and power cuts to damage to property, loss of water supplies and, in the most serious cases, a danger to life. Yellow Warning: Signals the potential for disruption. Most people can continue with their day as usual, but some may experience issues – particularly with travel. Always read the full warning to understand the specific risk. Amber Warning: Indicates a higher likelihood of severe weather. There may be travel disruption, power outages, and a greater risk to life and property. You should consider changing your plans and take precautions to stay safe. Red Warning: The most serious alert, red warnings mean dangerous and potentially life-threatening weather is expected. Major disruption is likely, and you should avoid travelling and follow official advice from emergency services. (Image: Newsquest) You can find the Met Office's full guide to weather advice here. How are storms named? Storms are named when they are expected to cause significant disruption or damage. In the UK, a storm will be given a name if it is likely to trigger an amber or red warning under the Met Office's National Severe Weather Warnings system – which considers both the potential impact and the likelihood of that impact occurring. Storm names are selected from a pre-agreed alphabetical list shared by the Met Office, Met Éireann (Ireland's national forecaster), and KNMI (the Dutch weather service). When a storm meets the criteria for naming, the first of the three agencies to issue a warning assigns the next name on the list. The Met Office started naming storms in 2015 to help improve public awareness. The naming calendar runs from early September to late August, in line with the period when the UK and surrounding countries are more likely to experience severe weather. Can I suggest a storm name? Yes you can! A new list of names is compiled by Met Éireann, the Met Office and KNMI (The Dutch national weather forecasting service) every year. You're welcome to suggest names via email [nameourstorms@ or through the Met Office's online form. Storm names 24/25 The full list for 2024/25 is: Ashley, Bert, Conall, Darragh, Eowyn, Floris, Gerben, Hugo, Izzy, James, Kayleigh, Lewis, Mavis, Naoise, Otje, Poppy, Rafi, Sayuri, Tilly, Vivienne and Wren. Aftermath of Storm Eowyn revealed in Glasgow - in pictures

In Lahaina, ‘Dignified' Havens for Wildfire Survivors
In Lahaina, ‘Dignified' Havens for Wildfire Survivors

New York Times

time3 hours ago

  • New York Times

In Lahaina, ‘Dignified' Havens for Wildfire Survivors

Hot dry winds from a nearby ocean hurricane swirled across Lahaina, Hawaii, on Aug. 8, 2023, downing power lines that ignited dry grass. The brush fire on the island of Maui would become a wind-lashed inferno destroying much of the history-drenched town where Hawaiian kings and queens once presided, and whalers and missionaries clashed — a place beloved by visitors and residents at the edge of the Pacific. The fire, which grew at terrifying speed, took the lives of 102 people. It destroyed 2,200 buildings and displaced 8,000 in a town of 13,000. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and local officials moved displaced people to hotel rooms in unharmed resorts, but many remain without adequate shelter. Last November, five-truck convoys began arriving in town from the port of Kahului across the island, each carrying long boxes shrouded in white fabric. Cranes dropped them into place atop concrete footings on a sloping 34-acre site uphill of devastated blocks along the ocean. The shrouds were removed, revealing modest homes painted in bright hues — the answer to many prayers. These Lahaina houses, which are modular and assembled in a factory, are the latest attempt by FEMA to address a longtime need to upgrade temporary emergency housing from travel trailers that quickly deteriorate when lived in for months or years. Disasters are becoming more frequent and more destructive with, at this writing, some 33 large fires raging across the United States, including the Dragon Bravo fire at the Grand Canyon and the Gifford fire in California. Smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts across the Great Lakes and the Northeast. With high costs slowing rebuilding, states and cities have demanded sturdier stock that can serve for years, or even become permanent housing. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

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