Latest news with #floodRisk
Times of Oman
27-05-2025
- General
- Times of Oman
North Al Sharqiyah Municipal Council reviews developmental, service projects
Ibra: The Municipal Council of North Al Sharqiyah Governorate reviewed several developmental and service-related topics in the governorate, most notably the implementation of permanent protection measures for villages affected by wadi pathways in the Wilayat of Wadi Bani Khalid. This initiative aims to enhance community safety and mitigate flood risks, alongside assessing the progress of various developmental and service projects across the governorate's wilayats. Chaired by Muhanna Mohammed Al Fazari, Deputy Chairman of the Council, the meeting discussed the minutes of its previous session held in April, along with responses received from the walis and government entities regarding the referred topics. The council also reviewed recommendations from its standing committees and evaluated the implementation progress of its 2025 action plan and proposed initiatives. Additionally, the meeting included a presentation by the "Ihsan" charitable team, highlighting their key humanitarian and social efforts in the governorate's wilayats. The session concluded with several recommendations and proposals aimed at supporting municipal operations and promoting local development across the governorate. A number of topics were also referred to relevant authorities for further study and feedback.
BBC News
15-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Invasive plants may increase flood risk in Calderdale, council warns
Invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed and Himalayan balsam could increase the risk of flooding in West Yorkshire, a council non-native species can spread rapidly but die back in the winter, leaving bare ground that floodwater moves across quickly, a Calderdale Council spokesperson are encouraged to report any sightings of invasive plants and to clean their boots after walking in the countryside to stop species from Patient, the council's member for climate action and housing, said: "Managing invasive species is crucial for reducing flood risk and creating a more biodiverse Calderdale." Invasive plants can cause a particular problem in Calderdale, the council said, as water can flow rapidly down its steep hillsides and into the borough's knotweed and giant hogweed require professional treatment, it added, but Himalayan balsam could be easily removed. Boot cleaning stations have been installed at Jerusalem Farm in the Luddenden Valley in a bid to protect endangered white-clawed crayfish from invasive population is under threat due to the introduction of the non-native North American signal crayfish - which spread a disease which kills the native white-clawed cleaning stations have also been put in place at Baitings, Ryburn, Withens Clough and Scammonden added: "Simple steps like using boot cleaning stations or reporting sightings of the most problematic invasive species can make a big difference." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
These U.S. cities are slowly sinking: Virginia Tech study
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) – According to new research from Virginia Tech, urban areas of several major cities across the country are slowly sinking. A new study published in Nature Cities highlights 28 major urban cities in the US that are sinking by 2 to 10 millimeters every year. The lead author and former Virginia Tech graduate student, Leonard Ohenhen, said the main cause is the extraction of groundwater. 'When land shifts downward, even just a little bit, the structural integrity of buildings, roads, bridges, and dams can be profoundly impacted,' said Ohenhen. 'A lot of small changes will build up over time, magnifying weak spots within urban systems and heighten flood risks.' Yelp ranks 'Top 10 Cities for BBQ' in USA New York, Dallas, and Seattle are seeing urban areas sink by 2 to 10 millimeters per year, according to the data. Researchers created high-resolution maps showing the sinking areas using satellite-based radar measurements. These cities are home to 34 million people, which represents about 12 percent of the US population. (Photo Credit: Virginia Tech – Houston, Texas, (at left) is the nation's fastest-sinking city, with areas subsiding more than 20 millimeters a year. Much of New York City (at right) is slowly sinking, with hot spots around La Guardia Airport. Warmer colors signify greater sinkage. Graphics courtesy of Jeremy Hinsdale based on Ohenhen et al., Nature Cities 2025.) New York, Chicago, Seattle, Denver, and five other cities are sinking at about 2 millimeters per year. In every city studied, at least 20 percent of the urban area is sinking, and in 25 of 28 cities, at least 65 percent is sinking. Additionally, areas of Houston and other cities in Texas showed the highest measured rates of subsidence between 5 millimeters to 10 millimeters per year. Associate Professor Manoochehr Shirzaei at Virginia Tech's Earth Observation and Innovation Lab, who works with Ohenhen, said, 'The latent nature of this risk means that infrastructure can be silently compromised over time with damage only becoming evident when it is severe or potentially catastrophic. This risk is often exacerbated in rapidly expanding urban centers.' Inconsistent land motion can lead to cracks and the destabilization of buildings and their foundations. Shirzaei's team assessed the risks and said other cities with high subsidence variability include New York, Las Vegas, and Washington, D.C. What Pope Leo XIV's name choice may signal The growth of cities and urban areas increases the demand for fresh water, and when water is extracted from an aquifer faster than it can be replenished, the ground can crumble and become compacted. Along with shifting weather patterns, urban population, and socio-economic growth, there is the potential to accelerate these processes into previously stable areas, according to Shirazi. The study continued with how integrating land monitoring systems in urban areas can prevent the worsening infrastructure risks and recommended targeted mitigation and adaptation strategies, including: Groundwater management to reduce excessive withdrawals Enhanced infrastructure resilience planning to account for differential subsidence Long-term monitoring frameworks for early detection and intervention In the past year, Shirzai's team has provided a comprehensive look at the flood risks for 32 cities on three coasts by 2050 and revealed regions of the Atlantic coast to be sinking by as much as 5 millimeters per year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
