Latest news with #MollyWood
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials announce successful rescue of 800 tourists after weather emergency — here's what happened
Authorities rescued 800 tourists after April's sudden snowstorm in Sikkim, a region in the northeast of India. The collaboration between the Indian army and local police ensured a safe rescue with no casualties. According to The Pinnacle Gazette, the tourists were stuck between Tsomgo Lake and Thegu in East Sikkim as a snowstorm and hail made the roads treacherous. The Gazette noted that "visitor safety" was prioritized, leading to the closure of Nathula Pass and no travel permits being issued. Temporary shelters were provided for those stranded in the area as well as additional assistance. The severe snowfall hit on the tail end of heavy rainfall and landslides, which also led to the evacuation of over 1,000 tourists days earlier. As the planet's average temperatures increase and glaciers melt, the Sikkim region faces increased flooding risks, according to a study published in the journal Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment. Natural disasters have been a part of life on Earth throughout human existence. However, most scientists agree that these weather patterns have been strengthened by a warming climate. As journalist and climate tech investor Molly Wood explained: "Whatever was already going to happen, like droughts, floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves, snowstorms, rain — all that is still going to happen. But when it happens, it's going to be worse. Also, extreme versions of what used to be normal weather are going to happen more often." Do you think your city has good air quality? Definitely Somewhat Depends on the time of year Not at all Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Monsoon season in Sikkim is typically from June to September, but shifting climate patterns and warming temperatures can extend the season and make rainfall unpredictable. Extreme weather events like this are happening all over the globe. Last September, the remnants of Hurricane Helene tore through Western North Carolina, displacing over 375,000 people. Tropical Cyclone Alfred hit farmland in southeastern Australia, causing about $17 million in crop damage. Insurance companies are dropping coverage on homes throughout the United States because of natural disasters. Transitioning away from dirty energy sources and working toward green, renewable technology is the best way to try to reduce the heat-trapping pollution that is warming the planet. Learning about climate issues and severe weather safety is the best way to be prepared. For instance, as we approach the summer months, it is important to think about heat safety in the United States. A coalition of researchers has called for policy interventions to help protect Americans from heat waves, as vulnerable populations are often the most at risk. Preparedness is key. Sometimes, just having a conversation about rising global temperatures can make all the difference. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florida mansion becomes state's most expensive home ever sold despite imminent threat of destruction: 'A 99.9% risk'
A sprawling waterfront property in Naples, Florida, was recently christened the most expensive home ever sold in the state — and while it's situated in an exclusive area the Naples Daily News called "a playground for the rich," the compound came with a huge caveat in the form of an extreme flood risk. The Wall Street Journal first reported the real estate sale — of a parcel of land with three separate homes — noting that the property also fetched the "second-highest home-sale price in U.S. history." Though the newsworthy deal attracted high-profile news coverage focused largely on its price tag, addressed the shockingly high risk of catastrophic flooding. The news and sales hub referenced its own internal climate risk rating in its coverage of the sale, noting that the compound "has a 99.9% risk of flooding over 30 years." Moreover, it indicated that the parcel's "risk of flood is increasing as weather patterns change," citing sea level rise and hurricane storm surge as contributing factors. Coastal communities have historically absorbed an inherent level of flood risk — but the human-driven changing climate has drastically accelerated the rate and severity of both rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Climate tech investor and journalist Molly Wood has likened the relationship between human-influenced sea level rise and supercharged weather — both amplified by an overreliance on dirty energy — to the effects of steroids on professional sports. Wood explained that "whatever was already going to happen, like droughts, floods, fires, tornadoes, hurricanes, heat waves, snowstorms, rain" will still occur. However, she cautioned that "when it happens, it's going to be worse" and that "extreme versions of what used to be normal weather are going to happen more often." The impact of extreme weather events isn't limited to the aftermath of floods and hurricanes, either. As access to affordable housing continues to wane, several Southern states — Florida among them — have had home insurance providers abruptly pull back or withdraw from areas deemed high risks for supercharged weather crises. It's not just homebuyers contending with elevated flood risks — census data from 2019 indicated that 29% of Americans live near coastlines, and many are contending with supercharged weather events. In other words, coastal communities and their residents are experiencing a novel and changing problem that affects their lives and livelihoods, and it's not feasible for everyone to move inland. Residents of Stonington, an island community in Maine, are approaching the issue collectively, raising wharves and docks to combat rising waters. Stonington also invested in a resiliency fund to aid working-class residents, a group disproportionately affected by sudden and extreme weather events. Do you think your house could withstand a hurricane? No way Maybe a weak one I'm not sure It definitely could Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. On the West Coast, officials in Northern California's Marin County have undertaken similar efforts to obtain and earmark funds for residents in areas identified as exceptionally vulnerable. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
New data reveals a startling change in how hurricanes are killing people: 'It's a different type of problem'
Hurricane Helene killed more than 230 people in 2024. But unlike past hurricanes, its most deadly force wasn't the storm surge but its relentless rainfall and the flooding that followed. The flooding swept away entire homes and destroyed families, even in areas once considered to be low-risk for hurricane fatalities. Helene's devastation highlights how the threat of hurricanes is changing. The New York Times reported that new data from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) showed that 78% of Helene's deaths were in areas considered to have a low risk for hurricane deaths. Since 2013, freshwater flooding has become the primary cause of death from tropical cyclones, per FEMA. Before then, storm surge was the main cause of death. The percentage of tropical cyclone-related fatalities due to freshwater flooding increased from 27% between 1963-2012 to 57% between 2013-2022. And the proportion of wind-related fatalities has risen by 4% between the same periods. Michael Brennan, the director of the National Hurricane Center, told the New York Times, "It's a different type of problem that we need to think about." Hurricanes and other extreme weather events have always existed. But scientists say Earth's rising temperatures make them stronger and deadlier. Journalist and climate tech investor Molly Wood even dubbed rising temperatures "steroids for weather." Research from World Weather Attribution and Climate Central found that rising temperatures contributed to record-breaking floods and storm destruction in 2024. Bernadette Woods Placky, the chief meteorologist at Climate Central and one of the study's authors, explained that, "If humans keep heating the climate, we will keep seeing storms rapidly morph into monster hurricanes, leading to more destruction." Warmer climates can make hurricanes wetter by increasing sea surface temperatures. When this happens, there's more water vapor in the atmosphere, producing heavier rainfall. Do you think your house could withstand a hurricane? No way Maybe a weak one I'm not sure It definitely could Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Several hurricanes, including Helene, have caused devastating rainfall and damage in recent years. Hurricane Harvey produced 50 inches of rain in some areas in 2017. And CNN reported that warmer global temperatures caused 2022's Hurricane Ian to be 10% wetter. Scientists are hard at work developing new technologies to predict, plan, and prevent devastation from extreme weather events. For example, MIT scientists created an AI-powered tool that could predict flooding from hurricanes and other weather events. Another technology from DeepMind aims to make weather forecasting more accurate up to 15 days in the future. On an individual level, you can stay informed on critical climate issues to lessen your impact on the planet. A few great steps: use clean energy at home, cut back on single-use plastics, and use more sustainable methods of transportation, like biking. Also, supporting environmentally friendly policies that aim to protect the planet will always be helpful. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
