
Philippines issues tsunami warning after Russia quake
Phivolcs issued the advisory following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake that struck off Russia's Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday. -REUTERS

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The Star
6 hours ago
- The Star
At least 50 people missing after flash floods in Indian Himalayan town, TV says
(Reuters) -More than 50 people were missing after a village was washed away in flash floods in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, the NDTV news channel said on Tuesday. Visuals on local TV channels showed flood waters surging down a mountain and crashing into a hamlet at the foothills, sweeping away houses and a road in Uttarkashi town in the Himalayas. There was likely to be damage because of an increase in water levels in the Harshil area of Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand police said in a post on X, asking residents to stay away from rivers. Uttarakhand, which is located in the Himalayas, is increasingly prone to flash floods and landslides, which some experts blame on climate change. (Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by YP Rajesh)


The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Japan hits record 41.8°C as heat threatens rice crops
TOKYO: Japan registered its highest temperature on record at 41.8 degrees Celsius (107.2°F) on Tuesday, with authorities urging residents to stay indoors and warning of potential harm to rice crops. The eastern city of Isesaki in Gunma prefecture surpassed the previous record of 41.2°C set last week in Tamba, Hyogo prefecture, according to the meteorological agency. More than 53,000 people have been hospitalized for heatstroke this summer, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency reported. 'Today is murderously hot,' said Takeshi Ishikawa, a 63-year-old auto worker in Tokyo. 'If it gets to 42 degrees, it would be hotter than my bath that I prepare at 40 degrees.' Japan's average temperatures have risen steadily, with July marking the third consecutive year of record highs. Meanwhile, the northeastern region near the Sea of Japan faces critically low rainfall, worsening fears over rice yields. Rising heat has also led to increased stink bug infestations in rice-growing areas. Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi stressed the urgency of addressing heat-related damage. 'We need to act with speed and a sense of crisis to prevent damage,' he said, announcing government support for pest control and drought measures. Last year's extreme heat severely impacted rice quality, causing shortages and soaring prices. - Reuters


The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
Japan sets record temperatures, worries mount over rice crops
Visitors holding parasols walk along Nakamise street at the Asakusa district, a popular sightseeing spot, as the Japanese government issued a heatstroke alert in Tokyo and other prefectures due to a heatwave, in Tokyo, Japan August 5, 2025. REUTERS/Issei Kato TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan recorded its highest-ever temperature of 41.8 degrees Celsius (107.2 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday, prompting the government to advise residents to stay indoors and promise steps to ease weather-related damage to rice crops. The eastern city of Isesaki, in Gunma prefecture, set the record to surpass the previous high of 41.2 degrees Celsius marked last week in the western city of Tamba in Hyogo prefecture, the country's meteorological agency said. So far this summer, more than 53,000 people have been taken to hospital for heat stroke, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Average temperatures across Japan have continued to climb after marking a record high in July for the third year in a row, while the northeastern region along the Sea of Japan saw critically low levels of rainfall, raising concerns over the rice harvest. High temperatures have caused a proliferation of stink bugs in some rice-growing areas, even as the government is set to officially adopt a new policy on Tuesday of increased rice production to prevent future shortages. "We need to act with speed and a sense of crisis to prevent damage" from high temperatures, Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said at a press conference. The government will offer support for pest control and measures to tackle drought, he said. Extreme heat in 2023 had damaged the quality of rice, causing an acute shortage last year that was exacerbated by the government's misreading of supply and demand. That led to historically high prices of the all-important staple food, causing a national crisis. (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim and Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Muralikumar Anantharaman)