Latest news with #Disaster
Bloomberg
22-07-2025
- Climate
- Bloomberg
Pakistan Braces for More Rainfall Days After Deadly Floods
Torrential rains that have lashed Pakistan since June, claiming more than 200 lives, are set to continue in the coming days, according to the country's weather agency. Swathes of Punjab province have seen above-normal precipitation in the past two weeks, with many places getting 150 millimeters (6 inches) above historical averages in that period, according to the US Climate Prediction Center. The country's disaster management authorities have estimated this year's monsoon to be 65% more intense than last year, and that future rainy seasons are likely to be more severe and start earlier.
Arab News
18-07-2025
- Climate
- Arab News
Lightning strikes kill 33 people in eastern India
PATNA, India: Lightning strikes during monsoon storms in eastern India this week killed at least 33 people and injured dozens, officials said Friday. The deaths in Bihar occurred during fierce storms between Wednesday and Thursday, a state disaster management department statement said, with the victims mostly farmers and laborers working in the open. More heavy rain and lightning are forecast for parts of the state. Bihar state's disaster management minister, Vijay Kumar Mandal, said that officials in vulnerable districts had been directed to 'create awareness to take precautionary steps following an alert on lightning.' The state government announced compensation of 4 million rupees ($4,600) to the families of those killed by lightning. At least 243 died by lightning in 2024 and 275 the year earlier, according to the state government. India's eastern region, including Bihar, is prone to annual floods that kill dozens and displace hundreds of thousands of people during peak monsoon season.
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Weather Preparedness and Resilience: Insights From the Field
With hurricane season ramping up and severe weather events becoming more frequent, businesses across sectors face increasing pressure to proactively prepare for potential disruption. In our recent webinar entitled, 'Disaster Preparedness: Practical Strategies for Business Continuity,' Lauren Corbett-Noon, Consumer and Industrial Goods Segment Leader at Antea Group, moderated a discussion on this topic featuring Noel Russ, Incident Management (AIM) Service Leader, and Marshall Stageberg, Meteorologist. In this webinar, they shared practical insights on how organizations can strengthen their weather resilience strategies. Below, here are four key takeaways to help your organization prepare, protect, and respond more effectively. To listen to the full webinar, click the link: Webinar: Disaster Preparedness: Practical Strategies for Business Continuity by Antea Group USA 1. Contingency Planning Requires Ownership A plan sitting on a shelf isn't a preparedness strategy—it's a missed opportunity. Organizations are finding it beneficial to go beyond writing emergency response and business continuity plans. At the minimum, these plans must be: Not keeping your contact information, site details, or procedures up to date can cause serious delays, lead to regulatory penalties, and make these resources useless during an emergency. 2. Don't Wait to Vet and Contract Response Partners When disaster strikes, time is critical. Pre-qualifying and contracting with emergency response vendors in advance enables rapid mobilization and can reduce costs. It is important to have agreements in place with remediation, restoration, specialized clean up, and security contractors before an event occurs. Doing so allows your organization to: 3. Use the Right Tools to Monitor and Forecast Weather Risk Understanding your site-specific risk is the first step to effective forecasting. Geography literacy and knowledge of forecast timescales are critical for interpreting weather data and acting early. Organizations can use trusted tools to monitor evolving risks. Such organizations include: National Weather ServiceNational Weather Service Point ForecastsNational Hurricane CenterNational Water Prediction CenterStorm Prediction CenterAirNow By combining long-, mid-, and short-range forecasts with real-time alerts, businesses can activate protocols based on weather triggers tied to their contingency plans. 4. Protect Your People, Equipment, and Facilities When extreme weather threatens, the top priorities should be safety, operational continuity, and minimizing asset damage. Key strategies include: Simple measures like staging assets in advance or having backup generators can yield significant cost savings and reduce downtime. Frequently Asked Questions Q: What are the impacts of some of the budget cuts to NOAA? A: While core weather forecasting services from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service remain unaffected, budget cuts have limited the availability of specialized forecasts and event planning support from local offices due to staffing shortages. Recent hiring approvals are expected to help restore some of these capabilities over time. Q: If you had to pick two plans to concentrate on, which would you choose? A: The two most essential plans to focus on are an Emergency Response Plan, which addresses all potential facility risks, and a Business Continuity Plan, which addresses operations so they can recover quickly after a disruption. Both of these plans help identify critical functions, evaluate internal and external threats, and often encompass elements of other preparedness plans. Q: What is involved with having an emergency response plan drill? A: An emergency response drill is a valuable opportunity to test communication, coordination, and plan effectiveness by involving key responders such as contractors, Emergency Medical Technician (EMTs), and local authorities. Drills help identify gaps, allow others to review and challenge the plan, and support continuous improvement through post-drill evaluations. Looking Ahead Preparedness is not a one-time activity; it's an ongoing process of planning, training, monitoring, and refining. By taking steps now, organizations can significantly reduce both the human, operational, and financial impacts of extreme weather events. If you have questions, our team is here to help! Reach out if you want help assessing your weather-related risks or building out your response strategy today! Visit 3BL Media to see more multimedia and stories from Antea Group
Khaleej Times
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Khaleej Times
111 monsoon-related deaths in Pakistan since late June: Disaster agency
Monsoon rains in Pakistan have been linked to more than 110 deaths including dozens of children since they arrived in late June, according to government figures released on Monday. Data from the national disaster agency between June 26 and July 14 showed that electrocution was the leading cause of fatalities, followed by flash floods. In late June, at least 13 tourists were swept to their deaths while sheltering from flash floods on a raised river bank. In its latest report, the disaster agency said 111 people including 53 children have been killed, with the highest number of deaths in the most populous province of Punjab. Meanwhile, the national meteorological service has issued a warning for further heavy rainfall in the northern and eastern regions of the country, with the potential for urban flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage due to strong winds. Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 per cent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September. The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But it brings with it flooding, landslides and causes buildings to collapse. South Asia is getting hotter and in recent years has seen shifting weather patterns, but scientists are unclear on how exactly a warming planet is affecting the highly complex monsoon. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency. In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods submerged a third of Pakistan and killed 1,700 people, with some areas yet to recover from the damage. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.
Arab News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Arab News
111 monsoon-related deaths in Pakistan since late June: disaster agency
ISLAMABAD: Monsoon rains in Pakistan have been linked to more than 110 deaths including dozens of children since they arrived in late June, according to government figures released Monday. Data from the national disaster agency between June 26 and July 14 showed that electrocution was the leading cause of fatalities, followed by flash floods. In late June, at least 13 tourists were swept to their deaths while sheltering from flash floods on a raised river bank. In its latest report, the disaster agency said 111 people including 53 children have been killed, with the highest number of deaths in the most populous province of Punjab. Meanwhile, the national meteorological service has issued a warning for further heavy rainfall in the northern and eastern regions of the country, with the potential for urban flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage due to strong winds. Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September. The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But it brings with it flooding, landslides and causes buildings to collapse. South Asia is getting hotter and in recent years has seen shifting weather patterns, but scientists are unclear on how exactly a warming planet is affecting the highly complex monsoon. Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency. In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods submerged a third of Pakistan and killed 1,700 people, with some areas yet to recover from the damage. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.
