French firefighters battle largest wildfire since 1949
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Uttarakhand: CM inspects disaster-affected areas in Pauri Garhwal district
Pauri Garhwal (Uttarakhand) [India], August 7 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday inspected the heavy-rain led disaster-affected areas in Naitha Bazar, Sainji village and Bankura area of Pauri Garhwal district and took stock of the situation. During his visit, he met the rescued citizens in disaster relief camps and inquired about their Chief Minister said that as a son and brother, he stands with every affected family in this difficult time. He said that all possible assistance is being ensured to the affected by the state government. The Chief Minister said that the district administration has been instructed to provide immediate relief to the affected and restore essential services like drinking water, electricity, road and communication the District Magistrate has been instructed to quickly assess the damage to houses, crops and animals and send the report to the government, so that there is no delay in the assistance process. Earlier today, the Indian Air Force (IAF) deployed Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to carry out relief and rescue operations in disaster-hit areas of Uttarkashi district, following a severe cloudburst and mudslide that left several people stranded near Dharali state has been witnessing heavy monsoon-triggered disruptions, especially in its higher-altitude regions, prompting large-scale evacuation and relief operations led by multiple Tuesday, two cloudbursts, one in Dharali and another in the Sukhi Top area near Dharali, caused widespread destruction, with Dharali bearing the far, 274 people have been rescued from Dharali, with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), along with ITBP, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, and local volunteers engaged in a joint rescue and relief operation to search for the civilian deaths have been confirmed so far, while over 50 people are still reported missing, as per the administration. (ANI)
News18
10 hours ago
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French firefighters battle largest wildfire since 1949
Paris [France], August 7 (ANI): Firefighters in France are battling the country's biggest wildfire in nearly eight decades for a third consecutive day, as more than 16,000 hectares have already been burned in the southern region of Aude, France 24 person has died, three are reported missing, and two others–including a firefighter–are in critical to France 24, the wildfire, which began on Tuesday around 100 km from the Spanish border near the Mediterranean Sea, has spread rapidly and remains uncontrolled. 'As of now, the fire has not been brought under control," Christophe Magny, one of the officials leading the firefighting operation, told BFM TV. He added, 'I hope the blaze could be contained later in the day."Drone visuals shared by Reuters TV and cited by France 24 show vast stretches of charred forest and heavy smoke rising across the region. The affected area is now one-and-a-half times the size of Paris, making it the largest wildfire in France since 1949, officials confirmed to France speaking to France Info radio, Environment Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher noted that the blaze is now progressing more slowly. 'The fire is now advancing more slowly," she 24 also reported that the country's weather office has issued a fresh warning for a new heatwave expected to begin Friday in other parts of southern France, potentially lasting several month, a wildfire that reached the southern port city of Marseille left around 300 people injured, further underlining the growing wildfire risk across southern Europe this scientists continue to warn that rising global temperatures are contributing to the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires across Europe. According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe is warming at twice the global average since the 1980s. (ANI)
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
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Intense Himachal rains topple Shimla tree, expose climate crisis risk
As intense monsoon rains hit Himachal Pradesh for the third consecutive year, scientists and environmentalists have raised serious concerns over the increasing frequency of high-intensity rainfall, triggered by a dangerous combination of global warming, delayed western disturbances, and monsoonal systems. The Shimla tree fall is another sign of the Himalayan region's rising climate risk. (Representative image)(ITBP/ ANI) The alarm was sounded following an incident early Thursday morning, when a massive deodar tree collapsed onto the Environment Directorate building in the US Club area of Shimla. The tree, which had been leaning precariously for days due to continuous rain, uprooted around 5:30 AM, causing partial damage to the building's roof and entrance gate. Fortunately, no casualties were reported. Senior scientist on climate Change at the State Science and Technology and Environment Directorate, Dr. Suresh Kumar Atri, speaking to ANI, said the disaster was a clear consequence of prolonged and intense rainfall and a stark sign of changing climate patterns. "This tree had been leaning dangerously for the last few days, especially after continuous rains," Atri said. "We had already written to the Municipal Corporation, alerting them. Today, at around 5:30 AM, the tree broke and fell. It caused significant damage to the building's metal roofing and gate, though luckily, there was no loss of life. Had this occurred during the day, it could have been disastrous." He said. Atri, a climate scientist, emphasised that such incidents are becoming more frequent due to global warming and disrupted weather systems. "The root cause of all this is global warming. It's leading to high-density rainfall events across not just Himachal, but the entire region," he explained. "If these global conditions persist, we will face even greater threats in the future." He said. He also clarified the commonly misunderstood term "cloudburst," that everywhere rainfall is not a cloudburst and it doesn't burst like a balloon. "There's no such thing as a cloud exploding, as people imagine. What actually happens is high-intensity rainfall in a very short span of time in a small geographical area. If 100 mm of rain falls within an hour over, say, 10-20 square kilometres, that qualifies as a cloudburst. For instance, in an area like Shimla, if 100 mm rain falls within an hour, it leads to flash floods a cloudburst-like situation. That's around 300 crore litres of water in a compact space, which overwhelms drainage systems and natural outlets." He said. Atri warned that this phenomenon is not isolated or region-specific. "These events don't only happen in remote areas. High-intensity rainfall can strike anywhere, anytime," he said. "In 2023, similar patterns led to devastating flash floods in Mandi district and even in parts of Uttarakhand, wiping out entire villages. The damage in Himachal alone crossed ₹10,000 crores last year." Said the scientist. He noted that this year, the state has already suffered over ₹3,000 crore in damages, and the monsoon season is still far from over. Dr. Atri further stressed the role of Arabian Sea warming and disturbed western disturbance patterns, which, when combined with the monsoon, result in extreme weather. "The Arabian Sea has warmed significantly, and this affects the western disturbances, which bring rain. When these disturbances interact with the monsoon, especially in a delayed fashion, the result is catastrophic, intense rainfall, landslides, and floods. This exact combination led to widespread destruction last year and is repeating again," he warned. Calling for urgent action, Attri advocated better watershed management and strict protection of natural drainage systems. "We must keep our water channels and watersheds clear. Water must flow out without obstruction. People should avoid going near rivers and streams during such weather conditions," he advised. The recent incident at the Environment Directorate building, while not fatal, serves as another reminder of the growing environmental vulnerabilities of Himalayan states. As monsoon patterns continue to evolve under the pressure of climate change, scientists are urging both the public and authorities to remain alert and to adapt proactively to this new climate reality.
