The death toll from landslides and<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/video-2-killed-32-injured-in-bombing-in-troubled-south-philippines-187563"> devastating floods in the central Philippines </a>triggered by a tropical depression climbed to 85, officials said on Wednesday, and 20 people were missing as rescuers slowly reached cut-off communities.

The casualties, including young children, were mostly killed when their <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/4-dead-as-storm-sweeps-through-central-philippines-over-12000-evacuated-187162">homes collapsed in landslides after days of heavy rain</a> in several provinces in the central Philippines, said Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the national disaster agency.

"If we don't recover the missing or we recover them dead, that is 105 deaths, which we hope not," Jalad said.

The tropical depression, which weakened into a low-pressure system before leaving the Philippines on Sunday, brought heavy rain that triggered landslides and flooding in the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions.

Officials put three provinces under a "state of calamity" to give them access to emergency funds.

Bicol, with a population of 5.8 million, was the hardest hit, with 68 killed in intense rains and landslides. Damage to agriculture in Bicol, which produces rice and corn, was estimated at 342 million pesos ($6.5 million).

Rescuers, including the police and military, used heavy-lifting equipment to clear roads leading to landslide sites and entered flooded communities using rubber boats.

"The sun is already out, with occasional light rains. We hope floods will subside," Ronna Monzon, a member of the operations personnel at the disaster agency in Bicol, told Reuters.

About 20 tropical cyclones hit the Philippines every year, with destroyed crops and infrastructure taking a toll on human lives and weighing down one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

'If we don't recover the missing or we recover them dead, that is 105 deaths, which we hope not,' said Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the national disaster agency.

The death toll from landslides and devastating floods in the central Philippines triggered by a tropical depression climbed to 85, officials said on Wednesday, and 20 people were missing as rescuers slowly reached cut-off communities. The casualties, including young children, were mostly killed when their homes collapsed in landslides after days of heavy rain in several provinces in the central Philippines, said Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the national disaster agency. "If we don't recover the missing or we recover them dead, that is 105 deaths, which we hope not," Jalad said. The tropical depression, which weakened into a low-pressure system before leaving the Philippines on Sunday, brought heavy rain that triggered landslides and flooding in the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions. Officials put three provinces under a "state of calamity" to give them access to emergency funds. Bicol, with a population of 5.8 million, was the hardest hit, with 68 killed in intense rains and landslides. Damage to agriculture in Bicol, which produces rice and corn, was estimated at 342 million pesos ($6.5 million). Rescuers, including the police and military, used heavy-lifting equipment to clear roads leading to landslide sites and entered flooded communities using rubber boats. "The sun is already out, with occasional light rains. We hope floods will subside," Ronna Monzon, a member of the operations personnel at the disaster agency in Bicol, told Reuters. About 20 tropical cyclones hit the Philippines every year, with destroyed crops and infrastructure taking a toll on human lives and weighing down one of the fastest growing economies in Asia.

Storm death toll in Philippines rises to 85

Havana floods as large waves crash over sea wall

At least 21 people have died and tens of thousands displaced by heavy rains that have battered Iraq over two days, the health ministry and United Nations said on Sunday.

Women and children were among the dead, health ministry spokesman Seif al-Badr told AFP. Some had drowned, but others had died in car accidents, were electrocuted, or were trapped when their houses collapsed.

At least 180 more were injured, he added.

Iraq and neighbouring countries have been hit by heavier-than-average rainfall in recent weeks, resulting in deaths and widespread damage.&nbsp;

The country's north has borne the brunt of it, and the UN's Iraq office said the downpour had forced tens of thousands of people out of their homes.&nbsp;

An estimated 10,000 people in Salahaddin province and 15,000 people in Nineveh are in desperate need of help, including families living in displacement camps, the UN said.

In the Al-Sharqat district in Salahaddin, about 250 kilometres (150 miles) north of Baghdad, thousands of homes were left totally underwater by the rains.&nbsp;

And in Mosul, the Islamic State group's onetime bastion in Iraq, the heavy storms submerged two floating bridges along the Tigris river, which bisects the city.&nbsp;

They were the only way to move between Mosul's eastern and western halves, after its bridges were all bombed by the anti-IS fight. &nbsp;

Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi announced Friday he was establishing a "crisis cell" of security forces and local authorities to coordinate a response.

The ministries of electricity, oil, and trade had also indicated their willingness to help.

Iraq is one of the hottest countries on earth but when heavy rains do hit, they can result in casualties because of deteriorating public infrastructure.&nbsp;

In 2015, 58 Iraqis were killed in floods and cases of electrocution due to intense downpours.

At least 21 people have died and tens of thousands displaced by heavy rains that have battered Iraq over two days, the health ministry and United Nations said on Sunday.

At least 21 people have died and tens of thousands displaced by heavy rains that have battered Iraq over two days, the health ministry and United Nations said on Sunday. Women and children were among the dead, health ministry spokesman Seif al-Badr told AFP. Some had drowned, but others had died in car accidents, were electrocuted, or were trapped when their houses collapsed. At least 180 more were injured, he added. Iraq and neighbouring countries have been hit by heavier-than-average rainfall in recent weeks, resulting in deaths and widespread damage. The country's north has borne the brunt of it, and the UN's Iraq office said the downpour had forced tens of thousands of people out of their homes. An estimated 10,000 people in Salahaddin province and 15,000 people in Nineveh are in desperate need of help, including families living in displacement camps, the UN said. In the Al-Sharqat district in Salahaddin, about 250 kilometres (150 miles) north of Baghdad, thousands of homes were left totally underwater by the rains. And in Mosul, the Islamic State group's onetime bastion in Iraq, the heavy storms submerged two floating bridges along the Tigris river, which bisects the city. They were the only way to move between Mosul's eastern and western halves, after its bridges were all bombed by the anti-IS fight. Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi announced Friday he was establishing a "crisis cell" of security forces and local authorities to coordinate a response. The ministries of electricity, oil, and trade had also indicated their willingness to help. Iraq is one of the hottest countries on earth but when heavy rains do hit, they can result in casualties because of deteriorating public infrastructure. In 2015, 58 Iraqis were killed in floods and cases of electrocution due to intense downpours.

Iraq floods leave 21 dead in two days: Health ministry

Jordanian rescuers on Monday found the body of a five-year-old girl killed in flash floods that have left a total of 13 people dead in the kingdom, the civil defence said.

On Friday torrential rains swept the south of the country, forcing nearly 4,000 tourists to flee the famed desert city of Petra and causing damage to roads, homes and vehicles.

Authorities mobilised emergency services and the armed forces to assist people stricken by rising waters and search for those missing.

The five-year-old girl had disappeared in the Madaba region south of the capital Amman when the car she was in was swept away by flooding, the civil defence said.

The discovery of her body on Monday raised the overall death toll since Friday to 13, including a diver for the emergency services, civil defence head Mustafa al-Bazaiha told state television.

Twenty-nine people have been injured, including four members of the civil defence and four from the security forces, he said.

Search operations that had been under way since Friday were now over, he added.

Bad weather has battered the region in recent days.

In Kuwait a man was killed on Saturday as he tried to rescue his family from their flooded home.

Last month flash floods in the Dead Sea region of Jordan killed 21 people, most of them children on a school trip, prompting the ministers of tourism and education to resign over failings in the government's response.

Jordanian rescuers on Monday found the body of a five-year-old girl killed in flash floods that have left a total of 13 people dead in the kingdom, the civil defence said.

Jordanian rescuers on Monday found the body of a five-year-old girl killed in flash floods that have left a total of 13 people dead in the kingdom, the civil defence said. On Friday torrential rains swept the south of the country, forcing nearly 4,000 tourists to flee the famed desert city of Petra and causing damage to roads, homes and vehicles. Authorities mobilised emergency services and the armed forces to assist people stricken by rising waters and search for those missing. The five-year-old girl had disappeared in the Madaba region south of the capital Amman when the car she was in was swept away by flooding, the civil defence said. The discovery of her body on Monday raised the overall death toll since Friday to 13, including a diver for the emergency services, civil defence head Mustafa al-Bazaiha told state television. Twenty-nine people have been injured, including four members of the civil defence and four from the security forces, he said. Search operations that had been under way since Friday were now over, he added. Bad weather has battered the region in recent days. In Kuwait a man was killed on Saturday as he tried to rescue his family from their flooded home. Last month flash floods in the Dead Sea region of Jordan killed 21 people, most of them children on a school trip, prompting the ministers of tourism and education to resign over failings in the government's response.

Death toll from Jordan floods rises to 13 as girl's body found

Heavy rains and flooding killed at least eight people in&nbsp;Jordan&nbsp;and forced authorities to evacuate more then 3,700 tourists from the ancient city of Petra on Friday, officials said.

The visitors were taken to safe areas before flash floods inundated parts of the mountainous city famed for its carved rock ruins, government spokeswoman Jumana Ghunaimat said.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba further south as downpours started in the afternoon.

Civil defence divers searched for five people whose car was swept away by floods in the Madaba area, southwest of the capital, state news agency Petra said.

A major highway that links Amman with the south was also closed. The government announced the closure of universities and schools on Saturday and mosques were opened to shelter civilians in areas hit by the floods.

Two weeks ago, 21 people, mainly children, died after they were swept away in flash floods on a school outing in the Dead Sea region, in one of the country's worst natural disasters in decades.

Politicians and members of the public criticised the emergency services at the time, saying crews had been unprepared, and two ministers were forced to resign after a parliamentary committee found negligence.

Heavy rains and flooding killed at least eight people in Jordan and forced authorities to evacuate more then 3,700 tourists from the ancient city of Petra on Friday, officials said.

Heavy rains and flooding killed at least eight people in Jordan and forced authorities to evacuate more then 3,700 tourists from the ancient city of Petra on Friday, officials said. The visitors were taken to safe areas before flash floods inundated parts of the mountainous city famed for its carved rock ruins, government spokeswoman Jumana Ghunaimat said. Authorities declared a state of emergency in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba further south as downpours started in the afternoon. Civil defence divers searched for five people whose car was swept away by floods in the Madaba area, southwest of the capital, state news agency Petra said. A major highway that links Amman with the south was also closed. The government announced the closure of universities and schools on Saturday and mosques were opened to shelter civilians in areas hit by the floods. Two weeks ago, 21 people, mainly children, died after they were swept away in flash floods on a school outing in the Dead Sea region, in one of the country's worst natural disasters in decades. Politicians and members of the public criticised the emergency services at the time, saying crews had been unprepared, and two ministers were forced to resign after a parliamentary committee found negligence.

Rains and floods kill eight in Jordan, force tourists to flee Petra

Venice struggles to recover after floods

Floods have killed 12 people on the southern Italian island of Sicily, nine of them from the same family, rescue services said Sunday, raising the week's toll across Italy past 30.

Six Italian regions remain on high alert for storms.

The bodies of nine people were found in their house in Casteldaccia in the Palermo region, next to a small river which had burst its banks, rescue services said. Among the victims was a one-year-old baby and children aged three and 15.&nbsp;

Three other members of the same family managed to escape, one of them by climbing a tree, the Agi news agency reported.

"It is an immense tragedy," the local mayor said Sunday.

In a separate incident, a 44-year-old man was found dead in his car near Vicari, also in the Palermo region.

He had been trying to reach a &nbsp;service station he managed to help a colleague trapped there. A passenger in the car is missing.

Rescue workers are also searching for a doctor forced by the storms to abandon his car near the town of Corleone after trying to drive to work at the hospital there.

Two other people, a man and a woman, died after their car was caught in the floods in the region of Agrigente, a little further south on the island.

Troops were deployed to check the conditions of the main roads on the Mediterranean island Sunday.

Earlier this week, floods in Sicily had closed many roads and mayors ordered schools, public parks and underpasses shut.

A week of deadly storms&nbsp;

Italy has been hit by a series of deadly storms over the past week, especially in the north and around Venice. They have claimed more than 30 lives in all, including the Sicily deaths, and caused massive damage and disruption.

Forests in the northeast of the country were flattened like matchsticks.

Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini described the devastated territory and posted photos in a tweet Sunday after flying over the Alpine town of Belluno.

The picturesque fishing village of Portofino near Genoa, a famed holiday resort on the Italian riviera, was only reachable by sea after the main road collapsed. An emergency path opened to let residents out was deemed too dangerous.

Trees covering the mountains in the Dolomites range were reduced to matchsticks, flattened by winds that tore through the Veneto region on Thursday.

"It's like after an earthquake," said the governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia. "Thousands of hectares of forest were razed to the ground, as if by a giant electric saw."

The canal city of Venice, on Italy's northeast coast, has also experienced some of its worst flooding ever, as well as having to withstand winds of up to 180 kilometres an hour (110 miles an hour).

Italy's civil protection agency has described the weather lashing the country this week as "one of the most complex meteorological situations of the past 50 to 60 years".

Floods have killed 12 people on the southern Italian island of Sicily, nine of them from the same family, rescue services said Sunday, raising the week's toll across Italy past 30.

Floods have killed 12 people on the southern Italian island of Sicily, nine of them from the same family, rescue services said Sunday, raising the week's toll across Italy past 30. Six Italian regions remain on high alert for storms. The bodies of nine people were found in their house in Casteldaccia in the Palermo region, next to a small river which had burst its banks, rescue services said. Among the victims was a one-year-old baby and children aged three and 15. Three other members of the same family managed to escape, one of them by climbing a tree, the Agi news agency reported. "It is an immense tragedy," the local mayor said Sunday. In a separate incident, a 44-year-old man was found dead in his car near Vicari, also in the Palermo region. He had been trying to reach a service station he managed to help a colleague trapped there. A passenger in the car is missing. Rescue workers are also searching for a doctor forced by the storms to abandon his car near the town of Corleone after trying to drive to work at the hospital there. Two other people, a man and a woman, died after their car was caught in the floods in the region of Agrigente, a little further south on the island. Troops were deployed to check the conditions of the main roads on the Mediterranean island Sunday. Earlier this week, floods in Sicily had closed many roads and mayors ordered schools, public parks and underpasses shut. A week of deadly storms Italy has been hit by a series of deadly storms over the past week, especially in the north and around Venice. They have claimed more than 30 lives in all, including the Sicily deaths, and caused massive damage and disruption. Forests in the northeast of the country were flattened like matchsticks. Italy's Interior Minister Matteo Salvini described the devastated territory and posted photos in a tweet Sunday after flying over the Alpine town of Belluno. The picturesque fishing village of Portofino near Genoa, a famed holiday resort on the Italian riviera, was only reachable by sea after the main road collapsed. An emergency path opened to let residents out was deemed too dangerous. Trees covering the mountains in the Dolomites range were reduced to matchsticks, flattened by winds that tore through the Veneto region on Thursday. "It's like after an earthquake," said the governor of the Veneto region, Luca Zaia. "Thousands of hectares of forest were razed to the ground, as if by a giant electric saw." The canal city of Venice, on Italy's northeast coast, has also experienced some of its worst flooding ever, as well as having to withstand winds of up to 180 kilometres an hour (110 miles an hour). Italy's civil protection agency has described the weather lashing the country this week as "one of the most complex meteorological situations of the past 50 to 60 years".

Italian island of Sicily storms claim 12 more lives

Qatar was hit by widespread flash flooding on Saturday as the desert state received almost a year's worth of rainfall in one day.

Roads became impassable, air traffic was disrupted and homes were flooded, while shops and universities closed.

Qatar broadcaster Al Jazeera's senior meteorologist, Steff Gaulter, tweeted that one part of the capital Doha had experienced almost a year's worth of rain on Saturday.

"Abu Hamor (a suburb) now reporting 59.8mm. (Doha average annual rainfall is 77mm.)," she wrote.

By early evening it was estimated that 61mm of rain had fallen.

Qatar Airways was forced to divert some flights, creating logistical headaches, as neighbours Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are among states that do not allow Doha to use their airspace, due to an ongoing diplomatic rift.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Some Qatar-bound flights were forced to divert to Kuwait and Iran and the airline warned its passengers to expect further problems.

"Due to weather conditions over Doha, flights are subject to delays for departure and arrivals," Qatar Airways said on Twitter.

Qatar's public works authority issued a warning to drivers to avoid tunnels because of the flooding.

Social media in Qatar showed cars almost completely submerged under water, after thunderstorms over Doha.

Other footage showed rainwater running downstairs inside buildings as workers desperately tried to mop up.

Qatar's National Library, not yet a year old, was forced to close and said it would remain shut on Sunday to ensure the "safety of our users".&nbsp;

The US embassy also said it would be closed on Sunday, "due to weather conditions".

The extent of the flooding may cause concern for the authorities who have spent billions on major infrastructure projects ahead of hosting the World Cup in 2022.

Some sought to downplay the disruption, joking online there was now no need for Saudi Arabia to dig a canal around Qatar -- an apparent threat made by Riyadh as part of the continuing political tensions -- because the flooding had done the neighbouring power's job for it.

Qatar was hit by widespread flash flooding on Saturday as the desert state received almost a year's worth of rainfall in one day. Roads became impassable, air traffic was disrupted and homes were flooded, while shops and universities closed.

Qatar was hit by widespread flash flooding on Saturday as the desert state received almost a year's worth of rainfall in one day. Roads became impassable, air traffic was disrupted and homes were flooded, while shops and universities closed. Qatar broadcaster Al Jazeera's senior meteorologist, Steff Gaulter, tweeted that one part of the capital Doha had experienced almost a year's worth of rain on Saturday. "Abu Hamor (a suburb) now reporting 59.8mm. (Doha average annual rainfall is 77mm.)," she wrote. By early evening it was estimated that 61mm of rain had fallen. Qatar Airways was forced to divert some flights, creating logistical headaches, as neighbours Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are among states that do not allow Doha to use their airspace, due to an ongoing diplomatic rift. Some Qatar-bound flights were forced to divert to Kuwait and Iran and the airline warned its passengers to expect further problems. "Due to weather conditions over Doha, flights are subject to delays for departure and arrivals," Qatar Airways said on Twitter. Qatar's public works authority issued a warning to drivers to avoid tunnels because of the flooding. Social media in Qatar showed cars almost completely submerged under water, after thunderstorms over Doha. Other footage showed rainwater running downstairs inside buildings as workers desperately tried to mop up. Qatar's National Library, not yet a year old, was forced to close and said it would remain shut on Sunday to ensure the "safety of our users". The US embassy also said it would be closed on Sunday, "due to weather conditions". The extent of the flooding may cause concern for the authorities who have spent billions on major infrastructure projects ahead of hosting the World Cup in 2022. Some sought to downplay the disruption, joking online there was now no need for Saudi Arabia to dig a canal around Qatar -- an apparent threat made by Riyadh as part of the continuing political tensions -- because the flooding had done the neighbouring power's job for it.

Floods in Qatar as almost a year's rain falls in one day

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that China and India are constantly sharing information over the threats posed to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the wake of a landslide in Tibet. "You can't say it is a conspiracy," the minister added.

"Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities and Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy," he stated.

He said that the Siang river is a very big river and "any natural calamity like earthquake or landslide possess a danger to people who live downstream."

Rijiju's comments come a day after Arunachal Pradesh government sounded an alert in the East Siang district of the state and for the regions bordering China's Tibet region owing to a landslide in Tibet.

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Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities &amp; Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju
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A landslide that occurred in China on Wednesday created an obstruction on river Yarlung Tsangpo, which is known as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and as the Brahmaputra in Assam.

The landslide blocked the flow of the Yarlung Tsangpo, creating a lake that poses a threat to the inhabitants of the downstream areas, including those living in Arunachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

Following the landslide, as many as 6,000 people were evacuated in Tibet.

Congress Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, Ninong Ering, had earlier written a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal seeking their intervention with regards to the blockage.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that China and India are constantly sharing information over the threats posed to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the wake of a landslide in Tibet.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday said that China and India are constantly sharing information over the threats posed to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in the wake of a landslide in Tibet. "You can't say it is a conspiracy," the minister added. "Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities and Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy," he stated. He said that the Siang river is a very big river and "any natural calamity like earthquake or landslide possess a danger to people who live downstream." Rijiju's comments come a day after Arunachal Pradesh government sounded an alert in the East Siang district of the state and for the regions bordering China's Tibet region owing to a landslide in Tibet. Chinese govt is sharing information with Indian authorities & Indian authorities have shared information with district administration in Siang belt. All precautionary measures are being taken. You can't say it's a conspiracy: Union Minister Kiren Rijiju — ANI (@ANI) October 20, 2018 × A landslide that occurred in China on Wednesday created an obstruction on river Yarlung Tsangpo, which is known as Siang in Arunachal Pradesh and as the Brahmaputra in Assam. The landslide blocked the flow of the Yarlung Tsangpo, creating a lake that poses a threat to the inhabitants of the downstream areas, including those living in Arunachal Pradesh. Following the landslide, as many as 6,000 people were evacuated in Tibet. Congress Member of Parliament from Arunachal Pradesh, Ninong Ering, had earlier written a letter to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Minister of State for Water Resources Arjun Ram Meghwal seeking their intervention with regards to the blockage.

China, India constantly sharing information, can't say it's conspiracy: Rijiju on Brahmaputra river blockage

Recent extreme weather events, such as floods in Kerala, wildfires in Uttarakhand and heat waves in the north and the east, have demonstrated how vulnerable India is to climate change.&nbsp;

Such events, which cause widespread destruction and impact the availability of food and water, are likely to become more frequent and intense in India because of rising average temperatures.

A new report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a global body of climate change scientists, will assess how effective the initiatives of all nations, including India, are in mitigating the rise in global temperatures.

Early leaks of the report indicate its findings are likely to be disquieting. "Climate scientists are struggling to find the right words for very bad news," said the headline of a story in the Washington Post on October 3, 2018.

In the next 10 years the world may reach its carbon pollution quota, the amount of carbon it can release into the atmosphere before the global temperature rises by 1.5 degree Celsius, the Washington Post report said. This could be disquieting news for India, the world’s third-largest carbon polluter after China and the United States.&nbsp;

The IPCC report is also likely to recommend “stricter” climate actions by governments, allowing the use of only a third of the coal being consumed today by 2030, Bloomberg reported on September 30, 2018, quoting the leaked draft of the report. The aim is to keep warming down to 1.5 degree celsius since the industrial era began in 1800.

Here is the problem for India: It is the second-largest coal consumer after China, putting at risk the lives of 600 million Indians to disasters caused by climate change.

Coal currently feeds about 27 per cent of the world’s and 60 per cent of India's energy demand. “Under a bolder outlook that assumes quicker action to protect the atmosphere, coal use would fall to 13 per cent of the energy market by 2040,” Bloomberg said on September 30, 2018, referring to the IPCCs draft recommendation.

As part of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5-2 degree celsius, India had agreed to cut carbon pollution by raising its renewable power capacity to 40 per cent by 2030 — from 20 per cent in 2018, increase its forest cover, build climate-resilient cities and improve solid-waste management.

Here is where India stands on these pledges today:

Currently, renewable power capacity in India is 20 per cent of installed capacity.

The country’s forest area rose by 1 per cent over two years until 2017, covering 24 per cent of India. But the figure is slightly exaggerated and includes degraded forests and plantations, FactChecker reported on July 4, 2018&nbsp;. Only 24 per cent of the country’s solid waste collected annually by municipalities is processed.

Are India’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse emissions ambitious enough to help limit global warming to 1.5 degree celsius? No, according to the Climate Action Tracker, an independent scientific group tracking climate actions of the nations.

India’s commitments “are not fully consistent” with the Paris Agreement, the report said. If India achieves all its targets, warming could be held below 2 degree celsius but would still be “too high” to be consistent with the 1.5-degree-celsius limit.

Four looming climate-change threats for India

Increasing heat wave episodes: If there are no changes in the current emissions and environment policies, India’s average annual temperatures are expected to rise by 1.5-3 degree celsius by 2050. Temperatures will rise by 1-2 degree celsius even if preventive measures on the lines of the Paris Agreement are implemented, said a World Bank-study published in June, 2018.

Over 4,800 Indians died due to heat waves across the country over four years up to 2017, with the highest number of deaths in 2015. These heat-wave events are likely to worsen: Under the current emission scenario, they could increase 75 times by the end of the century, gripping the entire stretch from Uttar Pradesh in the north to the southern peninsular.&nbsp;

Their frequency will also increase by 3-9 events in the next 30 years, reaching 18-30 events by the final quarter of the century.

The frequency of severe heat waves in India will rise 30 times by the end of the century, even if India adheres to the Paris Agreement and the global mean temperature rise is limited below 2 degree celsius. If not, even a humid seaside city like Kolkata could experience temperature conditions equivalent to its deadly 2015-heat-wave every year.

Water crisis: The other effects of a two degree celsius rise in the global mean temperature over India could be on the availability of water. The annual runoff in the Ganga river basin is expected to decrease by about 20 per cent and this could worsen the current water crisis. Nearly 600 million Indians are facing high-to-extreme water stress because more than 40 per cent of the annually available surface water is being used. About 2,00,000 people are dying every year due to inadequate access to safe water, a situation likely to worsen because of water shortage by 2050.

Lower living standards for 600 million Indians: By 2050, rising temperatures and changing monsoon rainfall patterns could cost India 2.8 per cent of its gross domestic product and could lower the living standards for nearly 600 million people living in "hotspots" — areas vulnerable to changes in average temperature and rainfall, according to the June 2018 World Bank-study.

Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are predicted to be India's top two climate hot spot states by 2050, followed by Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Jharkhand, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Chandigarh make up the rest of the 10 worst-affected states. In all 10 states, hotter days and erratic rainfall would increase the stress on farmers, said the study.

Nutrition crisis: The rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) in atmosphere is making our food less nutritious, according to a September 2018-study by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. It is also making crops such as rice and wheat less nutritious and could result in 175 million people — 1.9 per cent of the global population — becoming zinc-deficient and 122 million protein-deficient by 2050. 
 
(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-india-s-vulnerability-to-climate-threats-2675705">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

 
&nbsp;

Recent extreme weather events, such as floods in Kerala, wildfires in Uttarakhand and heat waves in the north and the east, have demonstrated how vulnerable India is to climate change.

Recent extreme weather events, such as floods in Kerala, wildfires in Uttarakhand and heat waves in the north and the east, have demonstrated how vulnerable India is to climate change. Such events, which cause widespread destruction and impact the availability of food and water, are likely to become more frequent and intense in India because of rising average temperatures. A new report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a global body of climate change scientists, will assess how effective the initiatives of all nations, including India, are in mitigating the rise in global temperatures. Early leaks of the report indicate its findings are likely to be disquieting. "Climate scientists are struggling to find the right words for very bad news," said the headline of a story in the Washington Post on October 3, 2018. In the next 10 years the world may reach its carbon pollution quota, the amount of carbon it can release into the atmosphere before the global temperature rises by 1.5 degree Celsius, the Washington Post report said. This could be disquieting news for India, the world’s third-largest carbon polluter after China and the United States. The IPCC report is also likely to recommend “stricter” climate actions by governments, allowing the use of only a third of the coal being consumed today by 2030, Bloomberg reported on September 30, 2018, quoting the leaked draft of the report. The aim is to keep warming down to 1.5 degree celsius since the industrial era began in 1800. Here is the problem for India: It is the second-largest coal consumer after China, putting at risk the lives of 600 million Indians to disasters caused by climate change. Coal currently feeds about 27 per cent of the world’s and 60 per cent of India's energy demand. “Under a bolder outlook that assumes quicker action to protect the atmosphere, coal use would fall to 13 per cent of the energy market by 2040,” Bloomberg said on September 30, 2018, referring to the IPCCs draft recommendation. As part of the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5-2 degree celsius, India had agreed to cut carbon pollution by raising its renewable power capacity to 40 per cent by 2030 — from 20 per cent in 2018, increase its forest cover, build climate-resilient cities and improve solid-waste management. Here is where India stands on these pledges today: Currently, renewable power capacity in India is 20 per cent of installed capacity. The country’s forest area rose by 1 per cent over two years until 2017, covering 24 per cent of India. But the figure is slightly exaggerated and includes degraded forests and plantations, FactChecker reported on July 4, 2018 . Only 24 per cent of the country’s solid waste collected annually by municipalities is processed. Are India’s nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to reduce greenhouse emissions ambitious enough to help limit global warming to 1.5 degree celsius? No, according to the Climate Action Tracker, an independent scientific group tracking climate actions of the nations. India’s commitments “are not fully consistent” with the Paris Agreement, the report said. If India achieves all its targets, warming could be held below 2 degree celsius but would still be “too high” to be consistent with the 1.5-degree-celsius limit. Four looming climate-change threats for India Increasing heat wave episodes: If there are no changes in the current emissions and environment policies, India’s average annual temperatures are expected to rise by 1.5-3 degree celsius by 2050. Temperatures will rise by 1-2 degree celsius even if preventive measures on the lines of the Paris Agreement are implemented, said a World Bank-study published in June, 2018. Over 4,800 Indians died due to heat waves across the country over four years up to 2017, with the highest number of deaths in 2015. These heat-wave events are likely to worsen: Under the current emission scenario, they could increase 75 times by the end of the century, gripping the entire stretch from Uttar Pradesh in the north to the southern peninsular. Their frequency will also increase by 3-9 events in the next 30 years, reaching 18-30 events by the final quarter of the century. The frequency of severe heat waves in India will rise 30 times by the end of the century, even if India adheres to the Paris Agreement and the global mean temperature rise is limited below 2 degree celsius. If not, even a humid seaside city like Kolkata could experience temperature conditions equivalent to its deadly 2015-heat-wave every year. Water crisis: The other effects of a two degree celsius rise in the global mean temperature over India could be on the availability of water. The annual runoff in the Ganga river basin is expected to decrease by about 20 per cent and this could worsen the current water crisis. Nearly 600 million Indians are facing high-to-extreme water stress because more than 40 per cent of the annually available surface water is being used. About 2,00,000 people are dying every year due to inadequate access to safe water, a situation likely to worsen because of water shortage by 2050. Lower living standards for 600 million Indians: By 2050, rising temperatures and changing monsoon rainfall patterns could cost India 2.8 per cent of its gross domestic product and could lower the living standards for nearly 600 million people living in "hotspots" — areas vulnerable to changes in average temperature and rainfall, according to the June 2018 World Bank-study. Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh are predicted to be India's top two climate hot spot states by 2050, followed by Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Jharkhand, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Chandigarh make up the rest of the 10 worst-affected states. In all 10 states, hotter days and erratic rainfall would increase the stress on farmers, said the study. Nutrition crisis: The rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) in atmosphere is making our food less nutritious, according to a September 2018-study by the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. It is also making crops such as rice and wheat less nutritious and could result in 175 million people — 1.9 per cent of the global population — becoming zinc-deficient and 122 million protein-deficient by 2050. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

India’s vulnerability to climate threats

The death toll in Spain's Majorca floods rose to 12 on Thursday after authorities retrieved bodies of more people.

A spokesman for the Guardia Civil police said the bodies were found near Arta, one of the affected towns. Emergency services tweeted they were discovered "close to the area where the car of the missing German couple had been found".

Majorca was hit by a severe flood on Tuesday when torrents of brown water swept cars along narrow streets in the eastern town of Sant Llorenc. Rivers burst their banks, and swamped homes - forcing some people to take shelter in a sports centre in the nearby town of Manacor.

Residents swept water and mud out of houses as the floods subsided on Wednesday, leaving roadsides strewn with wrecked vehicles and beaches covered in debris.

The regional government called an emergency meeting while the authorities said 630 rescue workers and military units had been sent to the area to help.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who visited the rescue coordination centre spoke to emergency workers and offered condolences for the victims.&nbsp;

"The most important thing right now is to find the missing people and respond to the concerns of their families and to everyone who lives near the affected areas," he told reporters. "We will be there to support them at this difficult time."

(With inputs from agencies)

The death toll in Spain's Majorca floods rose to 12 on Thursday after authorities retrieved bodies of more people. A spokesman for the Guardia Civil police said the bodies were found near Arta, one of the affected towns.

The death toll in Spain's Majorca floods rose to 12 on Thursday after authorities retrieved bodies of more people. A spokesman for the Guardia Civil police said the bodies were found near Arta, one of the affected towns. Emergency services tweeted they were discovered "close to the area where the car of the missing German couple had been found". Majorca was hit by a severe flood on Tuesday when torrents of brown water swept cars along narrow streets in the eastern town of Sant Llorenc. Rivers burst their banks, and swamped homes - forcing some people to take shelter in a sports centre in the nearby town of Manacor. Residents swept water and mud out of houses as the floods subsided on Wednesday, leaving roadsides strewn with wrecked vehicles and beaches covered in debris. The regional government called an emergency meeting while the authorities said 630 rescue workers and military units had been sent to the area to help. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who visited the rescue coordination centre spoke to emergency workers and offered condolences for the victims. "The most important thing right now is to find the missing people and respond to the concerns of their families and to everyone who lives near the affected areas," he told reporters. "We will be there to support them at this difficult time." (With inputs from agencies)

Death toll in Majorca floods rises to 12: Police

At least 10 people including two Britons were killed as heavy rain and flash floods hit the Spanish island of Mallorca, authorities said on Wednesday.

Torrents of brown water swept cars along narrow streets in the eastern town of Sant Llorenc late on Tuesday. Rivers burst their banks, and swamped homes - forcing some people to take shelter in a sports centre in the nearby town of Manacor.

A child is still missing, emergency services on the island - which is popular with foreign tourists - reported.

Two of the victims were British, a senior official from the San Llorenc mayor`s office, Antonia Bauza, told radio station Cadena Ser.

"It's been a huge storm... we realised that we could not control the water," she said. "The situation is a disaster and we`re trying to locate survivors and help people but everything is flooded and people cannot leave their homes."

Residents swept water and mud out of houses as the floods subsided on Wednesday, leaving roadsides strewn with wrecked vehicles and beaches covered in debris.

Two men were found dead around midday on Wednesday, one in the northeastern town of Arta and another at S`illot further south on the coast. A tenth victim was found later, emergency services said on Twitter.&nbsp;

The regional government called an emergency meeting, and authorities said 630 rescue workers and military units had been sent to the area to help.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the rescue coordination centre, spoke to emergency workers, and offered condolences for the victims.&nbsp;

"The most important thing right now is to find the missing people and respond to the concerns of their families and to everyone who lives near the affected areas," he told reporters. "We will be there to support them at this difficult time."

Lawmakers held a minute`s silence before the weekly prime minister`s question time in parliament on Wednesday morning.

At least 10 people including two Britons were killed as heavy rain and flash floods hit the Spanish island of Mallorca, authorities said on Wednesday. Torrents of brown water swept cars along narrow streets in the eastern town of Sant Llorenc late on Tuesday.

At least 10 people including two Britons were killed as heavy rain and flash floods hit the Spanish island of Mallorca, authorities said on Wednesday. Torrents of brown water swept cars along narrow streets in the eastern town of Sant Llorenc late on Tuesday. Rivers burst their banks, and swamped homes - forcing some people to take shelter in a sports centre in the nearby town of Manacor. A child is still missing, emergency services on the island - which is popular with foreign tourists - reported. Two of the victims were British, a senior official from the San Llorenc mayor`s office, Antonia Bauza, told radio station Cadena Ser. "It's been a huge storm... we realised that we could not control the water," she said. "The situation is a disaster and we`re trying to locate survivors and help people but everything is flooded and people cannot leave their homes." Residents swept water and mud out of houses as the floods subsided on Wednesday, leaving roadsides strewn with wrecked vehicles and beaches covered in debris. Two men were found dead around midday on Wednesday, one in the northeastern town of Arta and another at S`illot further south on the coast. A tenth victim was found later, emergency services said on Twitter. The regional government called an emergency meeting, and authorities said 630 rescue workers and military units had been sent to the area to help. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the rescue coordination centre, spoke to emergency workers, and offered condolences for the victims. "The most important thing right now is to find the missing people and respond to the concerns of their families and to everyone who lives near the affected areas," he told reporters. "We will be there to support them at this difficult time." Lawmakers held a minute`s silence before the weekly prime minister`s question time in parliament on Wednesday morning.

Floods kill at least ten on Spanish island of Mallorca

Hundred Member of Parliaments (MPs) from across India have contributed an amount of Rs 43.66 crore from the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund for the rehabilitation works in flood-affected areas of Kerala.

The scheme has a provision for MPs to contribute funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction works in the areas affected by severe calamity.

On August 24, an appeal to all MPs was issued by the Minister of Statistics Programme Implementation, DV Sadananda Gowda, to contribute from their MPLADS fund for the rehabilitation work, after the Ministry of Home Affairs declared the flood situation in Kerala as severe in nature.

As per guideline of the scheme, an MP can contribute upto Rs 1 crore from MPLADS fund for rehabilitation works in affected areas.

Out of the total MPs, 56 are from the Rajya Sabha, who have contributed Rs 29.82 crore while the rest Rs 13.84 crore came from 44 Lok Sabha members.

30 MPs have contributed Rs 1 crore including AK Antony, KTS Tulsi, Amar Singh, Prem Chand Gupta, Suresh Prabhu and M J Akhbar among others, 12 MPs contributed Rs 50 lakh or more and 12 MPs contributed Rs. 25 lakh.

Rest of the MPs have contributed between Rs 1 lakh to less than Rs 25 lakh.

Out of the total 100 MPs, six are from Kerala, 14 of Uttar Pradesh, 11 from Maharashtra, nine of Bihar, seven MPs of Gujarat, four each from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, three MPs each from Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, two MPs each from Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and one MP each of Chandigarh, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

A separate bank account has been already opened by the Government of Kerala to receive this amount.

A month ago, Kerala was hit by the worst floods in nearly a century, which claimed lives of more than 400 people and caused damage to the tune of nearly Rs 20,000 crore.&nbsp;

Hundred Member of Parliaments (MPs) from across India have contributed an amount of Rs 43.66 crore from the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund for the rehabilitation works in flood-affected areas of Kerala.

Hundred Member of Parliaments (MPs) from across India have contributed an amount of Rs 43.66 crore from the Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) fund for the rehabilitation works in flood-affected areas of Kerala. The scheme has a provision for MPs to contribute funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction works in the areas affected by severe calamity. On August 24, an appeal to all MPs was issued by the Minister of Statistics Programme Implementation, DV Sadananda Gowda, to contribute from their MPLADS fund for the rehabilitation work, after the Ministry of Home Affairs declared the flood situation in Kerala as severe in nature. As per guideline of the scheme, an MP can contribute upto Rs 1 crore from MPLADS fund for rehabilitation works in affected areas. Out of the total MPs, 56 are from the Rajya Sabha, who have contributed Rs 29.82 crore while the rest Rs 13.84 crore came from 44 Lok Sabha members. 30 MPs have contributed Rs 1 crore including AK Antony, KTS Tulsi, Amar Singh, Prem Chand Gupta, Suresh Prabhu and M J Akhbar among others, 12 MPs contributed Rs 50 lakh or more and 12 MPs contributed Rs. 25 lakh. Rest of the MPs have contributed between Rs 1 lakh to less than Rs 25 lakh. Out of the total 100 MPs, six are from Kerala, 14 of Uttar Pradesh, 11 from Maharashtra, nine of Bihar, seven MPs of Gujarat, four each from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Punjab and Rajasthan, three MPs each from Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, two MPs each from Chhattisgarh, Goa, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, and one MP each of Chandigarh, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura. A separate bank account has been already opened by the Government of Kerala to receive this amount. A month ago, Kerala was hit by the worst floods in nearly a century, which claimed lives of more than 400 people and caused damage to the tune of nearly Rs 20,000 crore.

Kerala: MPs give over Rs 40 crore fund for flood relief

The water level in the Yamuna river on Thursday rose above the danger mark after 18,295 cusecs of water was released into it from the neighbouring Haryana's Hathini Kund Barrage.

The river is currently flowing at 205.49 meters, which is above the danger mark of 204 meters.

The swelling Yamuna has created a panic-like situation in the nearby areas.

In the wake of the emergency, Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on Tuesday called a meeting to discuss the situation.

As a precautionary measure, boats along with divers have been stationed in low lying areas and the Sub-Divisional Magistrates have been instructed to closely monitor the situation.

Apart from this, all the officers have been asked to follow instructions on "Delhi Flood 2018".&nbsp;

The water level in the Yamuna river on Thursday rose above the danger mark after 18,295 cusecs of water was released into it from the neighbouring Haryana's Hathini Kund Barrage.

The water level in the Yamuna river on Thursday rose above the danger mark after 18,295 cusecs of water was released into it from the neighbouring Haryana's Hathini Kund Barrage. The river is currently flowing at 205.49 meters, which is above the danger mark of 204 meters. The swelling Yamuna has created a panic-like situation in the nearby areas. In the wake of the emergency, Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash on Tuesday called a meeting to discuss the situation. As a precautionary measure, boats along with divers have been stationed in low lying areas and the Sub-Divisional Magistrates have been instructed to closely monitor the situation. Apart from this, all the officers have been asked to follow instructions on "Delhi Flood 2018".

Yamuna in Delhi crosses danger mark

Five people died and many were injured in separate incidents as heavy rains lashed Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, the officials said.

Four people, including a girl, died in Kullu, while a man died in Kangra district as heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in many parts of the state Monday.

Schools have been directed to remain closed in Kangra, Kullu and Hamirpur districts on Tuesday as a precautionary measure, they said.

As the water level in rivers and streams increased following the incessant rain, a man was swept away by the swelling Nahad Khad (rivulet) in Kangra, the district administration said.

Tilak Raj, a resident of Luskwara village in Jawali tehsil, was swept away when he was crossing the rivulet Monday morning. His body was recovered in Wuhl Khad with the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, the officials said.

The four people who lost their lives in Kullu include Rupa (18), Sultana (15) of Bajaoura, Mohit of Banjar, and Sarang (16) of Manikaran, Superintendent of Police (Kullu) Shalini Agnihotri said.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HWkfo_d5tAc" width="560"></iframe>

Newly wedded couple Dalip Singh (21) and his wife Rupa (18) sustained critical injuries in a landslide between Pinni and Tikker in the district, Agnihotri said, adding that the wife was declared brought dead at a regional hospital, whereas Dalip was undergoing treatment.

Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur visited several affected areas of Kullu and met the family members of the deceased to express his grief.

Several houses were also swept away in flash floods as the Beas is flowing at a dangerous level, he said, cautioning people against going near rivers and nullahs.

Indian Air Force personnel rescued two people stranded at Hurla village near Kullu's Bajaoura by airlifting them using a helicopter, the minister said.

Thakur also honoured Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Vipul Goel and his team for rescuing 19 people stranded due to flash floods at Dobi in Kullu district on Sunday.

Deputy Commissioner Yunus has sounded a "high alert" in Kullu district where initial loss of property in recent rains has been estimated at over Rs 20 crores.

All adventurous sports activities, including paragliding, have been banned in Kullu, district Tourism Development Officer BS Negi said.

Meanwhile, Kangra and Kullu deputy commissioners Sandeep Kumar and Yunus, respectively, have ordered the closure of all government and private educational institutions for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, officials said.

Hamirpur DC Richa Verma has declared that all government and private schools and anganwaris of the district would remain closed Tuesday. However, colleges in the district would remain open.

Meanwhile, four members of a family, Mukesh, his wife Shikha, their son and daughter sustained injuries in Chamba district, Superintendent of Police Monica Bhutunguru said.

The Ravi river is flowing at a dangerous level, and people are being evacuated from low-lying areas since Sunday, she added.

People residing in low-lying areas, especially in Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts, are being evacuated, officials said.

Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar has alerted officials and people residing in low-lying areas that water would be released from the Pandoh reservoir as per a message from his counterpart in Mandi.

The water level in the Pong Dam is running above the danger mark which has led to the Bhakra Beas Management Board's&nbsp;decision to open the floodgate of the dam, an official said.

Issuing a flood warning, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) said excess 49,000 cusecs water from the Beas Dam would be released on Tuesday at 3 pm. The water level of the dam already has reached 1,385.56 feet, he added.

The Himachal cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, reviewed the losses and rehabilitation and rescue operations being undertaken in the state.

A number of roads in various districts have been blocked due to landslides, and water and electricity supplies have been adversely affected in several areas, the officials added.

Most parts of Himachal Pradesh witnessed moderate to heavy rains on Monday too, Shimla MeT centre director Manmohan Singh said.

The weatherman further said that light to moderate rainfall would occur at scattered places over the mid and the low hills and at isolated places over the higher reaches of the state on September 25, and thereafter, the weather would almost be dry.&nbsp;

Five people died and many were injured in separate incidents as heavy rains lashed Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, the officials said.

Five people died and many were injured in separate incidents as heavy rains lashed Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, the officials said. Four people, including a girl, died in Kullu, while a man died in Kangra district as heavy rains triggered flash floods and landslides in many parts of the state Monday. Schools have been directed to remain closed in Kangra, Kullu and Hamirpur districts on Tuesday as a precautionary measure, they said. As the water level in rivers and streams increased following the incessant rain, a man was swept away by the swelling Nahad Khad (rivulet) in Kangra, the district administration said. Tilak Raj, a resident of Luskwara village in Jawali tehsil, was swept away when he was crossing the rivulet Monday morning. His body was recovered in Wuhl Khad with the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel, the officials said. The four people who lost their lives in Kullu include Rupa (18), Sultana (15) of Bajaoura, Mohit of Banjar, and Sarang (16) of Manikaran, Superintendent of Police (Kullu) Shalini Agnihotri said. Newly wedded couple Dalip Singh (21) and his wife Rupa (18) sustained critical injuries in a landslide between Pinni and Tikker in the district, Agnihotri said, adding that the wife was declared brought dead at a regional hospital, whereas Dalip was undergoing treatment. Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur visited several affected areas of Kullu and met the family members of the deceased to express his grief. Several houses were also swept away in flash floods as the Beas is flowing at a dangerous level, he said, cautioning people against going near rivers and nullahs. Indian Air Force personnel rescued two people stranded at Hurla village near Kullu's Bajaoura by airlifting them using a helicopter, the minister said. Thakur also honoured Indian Air Force Squadron Leader Vipul Goel and his team for rescuing 19 people stranded due to flash floods at Dobi in Kullu district on Sunday. Deputy Commissioner Yunus has sounded a "high alert" in Kullu district where initial loss of property in recent rains has been estimated at over Rs 20 crores. All adventurous sports activities, including paragliding, have been banned in Kullu, district Tourism Development Officer BS Negi said. Meanwhile, Kangra and Kullu deputy commissioners Sandeep Kumar and Yunus, respectively, have ordered the closure of all government and private educational institutions for the second consecutive day on Tuesday, officials said. Hamirpur DC Richa Verma has declared that all government and private schools and anganwaris of the district would remain closed Tuesday. However, colleges in the district would remain open. Meanwhile, four members of a family, Mukesh, his wife Shikha, their son and daughter sustained injuries in Chamba district, Superintendent of Police Monica Bhutunguru said. The Ravi river is flowing at a dangerous level, and people are being evacuated from low-lying areas since Sunday, she added. People residing in low-lying areas, especially in Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts, are being evacuated, officials said. Kangra Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kumar has alerted officials and people residing in low-lying areas that water would be released from the Pandoh reservoir as per a message from his counterpart in Mandi. The water level in the Pong Dam is running above the danger mark which has led to the Bhakra Beas Management Board's decision to open the floodgate of the dam, an official said. Issuing a flood warning, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) said excess 49,000 cusecs water from the Beas Dam would be released on Tuesday at 3 pm. The water level of the dam already has reached 1,385.56 feet, he added. The Himachal cabinet, under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, reviewed the losses and rehabilitation and rescue operations being undertaken in the state. A number of roads in various districts have been blocked due to landslides, and water and electricity supplies have been adversely affected in several areas, the officials added. Most parts of Himachal Pradesh witnessed moderate to heavy rains on Monday too, Shimla MeT centre director Manmohan Singh said. The weatherman further said that light to moderate rainfall would occur at scattered places over the mid and the low hills and at isolated places over the higher reaches of the state on September 25, and thereafter, the weather would almost be dry.

Watch: Rains batter Himachal Pradesh, schools to remain closed in 3 districts

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Punjab due to incessant rains, prompting the state government to issue red alert and order closure of educational institutions on Tuesday even as the Army remains on alert.

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) issued an advisory Monday to the Punjab government that it will release "excess" water from the Pong dam in the wake of incessant rains in catchment area of the Beas river.

While reviewing flood-like situation triggered by continuous rains in the state, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh put the Army on alert to help the state deal with any eventuality,&nbsp;

Fearing damage to kharif crops because of widespread downpour, the state government also ordered a special 'girdawari' to assess crop damage.

Rains are likely to lash isolated places in Punjab and Haryana Tuesday, though it will recede thereafter, an official of the Chandigarh Meteorological Department said.

Punjab has been witnessing widespread rains for the last two days and the downpour continued on Monday as well.

Chandigarh recorded 63.8 mm of rainfall Monday. The maximum temperature settled at 23 degrees Celsius, 10 notches below normal.

Patiala was the wettest in the region with 86 mm of downpour, followed by Ludhiana at 57 mm.

In Haryana, Ambala recorded 53 mm of rainfall. The maximum temperature was 25.2 degrees Celsius.

Train services were also affected due to waterlogging in some districts.

Amritsar-New Delhi, Delhi-Amritsar, New Delhi-Jalandhar, New Delhi-Intercity express were cancelled while Bathinda-Jammutawi and Jammutwa-Bathinda were diverted in the wake of waterlogging in Punjab's Amritsar district, the officials said.

The incessant rains played a havoc in Punjab with several low-lying areas in the state inundating and fields at a few places getting flooded because of breach in canals. 
Water-level in rivers and rivulets, including the Ghaggar, rose following rains.

In Amritsar, a large section of Mall Road near municipal corporation's office caved in while a portion of flyover in Patiala collapsed, according to reports.

Roads in several cities, including Patiala, Ludhiana and Amritsar were flooded.

In Haryana's Ambala district, a 45-year-old man died when the roof of his home collapsed in village Jandli, while four people were injured in Punjab's Phagwara when roof of their house caved in due to incessant rains, officials said.

In Chandigarh, the floodgate of Sukhna lake was opened and people were asked to avoid travelling from the&nbsp;back side of the lake, they said.

The Punjab chief minister held an emergency meeting on Monday to review the arrangements in order to deal with any flood-like situation.

Chairing an emergency meeting here, he asked ministers and MLAs to tour their respective areas extensively to assess the ground situation and tie up with the departments concerned for immediate redressal of hardships faced by the people.

He also directed the Food and Civil Supplies and Animal Husbandry ministers to appoint nodal officers for distribution of food packets to the affected people and dry fodder for the animals in view of the situation.

The chief minister also asked Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) to seek assistance from the Army, the BSF and the NDRF and other paramilitary forces, if needed.

The FCR informed the chief minister that a contingency fund to the tune of Rs 7.40 crore has been placed at the disposal of deputy commissioners to get flood protection works executed besides carrying out rescue operations.

On the possible outbreak of water-borne diseases, Amarinder Singh asked the Health Department to take preventive measures by organising special medical checkup camps and arranging sufficient stock of medicines in this behalf.

Taking part in the deliberations, BBMB chief D K Sharma apprised the CM the situation at Bhakhra reservoir was in control so far and they were regularly monitoring the water levels at Pong dam. 
Earlier, the chief principal secretary to the CM said all deputy commissioners were keeping a close tab over the current situation and disaster control rooms activated. 
Farmers in Punjab and Haryana demanded adequate compensation for crop damaged by rains. 
Incessant rains in Punjab and Haryana could cause damage to kharif crops and dip in their yield, farm experts said. 
"Paddy grown in low-lying areas is vulnerable to damage due to rains as it usually gets submerged in water," Director at Punjab Agriculture Department J S Bains said. 
According to farmers, paddy, which is at maturing stage, has got flattened at several areas because of rains. 
"We have asked district agriculture officers to assess the damage caused by rains," Bains said.

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Punjab due to incessant rains, prompting the state government to issue red alert and order closure of educational institutions on Tuesday even as the Army remains on alert.

Normal life was thrown out of gear in Punjab due to incessant rains, prompting the state government to issue red alert and order closure of educational institutions on Tuesday even as the Army remains on alert. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) issued an advisory Monday to the Punjab government that it will release "excess" water from the Pong dam in the wake of incessant rains in catchment area of the Beas river. While reviewing flood-like situation triggered by continuous rains in the state, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh put the Army on alert to help the state deal with any eventuality, Fearing damage to kharif crops because of widespread downpour, the state government also ordered a special 'girdawari' to assess crop damage. Rains are likely to lash isolated places in Punjab and Haryana Tuesday, though it will recede thereafter, an official of the Chandigarh Meteorological Department said. Punjab has been witnessing widespread rains for the last two days and the downpour continued on Monday as well. Chandigarh recorded 63.8 mm of rainfall Monday. The maximum temperature settled at 23 degrees Celsius, 10 notches below normal. Patiala was the wettest in the region with 86 mm of downpour, followed by Ludhiana at 57 mm. In Haryana, Ambala recorded 53 mm of rainfall. The maximum temperature was 25.2 degrees Celsius. Train services were also affected due to waterlogging in some districts. Amritsar-New Delhi, Delhi-Amritsar, New Delhi-Jalandhar, New Delhi-Intercity express were cancelled while Bathinda-Jammutawi and Jammutwa-Bathinda were diverted in the wake of waterlogging in Punjab's Amritsar district, the officials said. The incessant rains played a havoc in Punjab with several low-lying areas in the state inundating and fields at a few places getting flooded because of breach in canals. Water-level in rivers and rivulets, including the Ghaggar, rose following rains. In Amritsar, a large section of Mall Road near municipal corporation's office caved in while a portion of flyover in Patiala collapsed, according to reports. Roads in several cities, including Patiala, Ludhiana and Amritsar were flooded. In Haryana's Ambala district, a 45-year-old man died when the roof of his home collapsed in village Jandli, while four people were injured in Punjab's Phagwara when roof of their house caved in due to incessant rains, officials said. In Chandigarh, the floodgate of Sukhna lake was opened and people were asked to avoid travelling from the back side of the lake, they said. The Punjab chief minister held an emergency meeting on Monday to review the arrangements in order to deal with any flood-like situation. Chairing an emergency meeting here, he asked ministers and MLAs to tour their respective areas extensively to assess the ground situation and tie up with the departments concerned for immediate redressal of hardships faced by the people. He also directed the Food and Civil Supplies and Animal Husbandry ministers to appoint nodal officers for distribution of food packets to the affected people and dry fodder for the animals in view of the situation. The chief minister also asked Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) to seek assistance from the Army, the BSF and the NDRF and other paramilitary forces, if needed. The FCR informed the chief minister that a contingency fund to the tune of Rs 7.40 crore has been placed at the disposal of deputy commissioners to get flood protection works executed besides carrying out rescue operations. On the possible outbreak of water-borne diseases, Amarinder Singh asked the Health Department to take preventive measures by organising special medical checkup camps and arranging sufficient stock of medicines in this behalf. Taking part in the deliberations, BBMB chief D K Sharma apprised the CM the situation at Bhakhra reservoir was in control so far and they were regularly monitoring the water levels at Pong dam. Earlier, the chief principal secretary to the CM said all deputy commissioners were keeping a close tab over the current situation and disaster control rooms activated. Farmers in Punjab and Haryana demanded adequate compensation for crop damaged by rains. Incessant rains in Punjab and Haryana could cause damage to kharif crops and dip in their yield, farm experts said. "Paddy grown in low-lying areas is vulnerable to damage due to rains as it usually gets submerged in water," Director at Punjab Agriculture Department J S Bains said. According to farmers, paddy, which is at maturing stage, has got flattened at several areas because of rains. "We have asked district agriculture officers to assess the damage caused by rains," Bains said.

Rains wreak havoc in Punjab; schools, colleges shut

Incessant rains triggered flash floods and landslides in hill states of northern India, with at least 11 people killed Monday in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, and a "red alert" being issued in Punjab.

The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) issued an advisory to the Punjab government that it will release "excess" water from the Pong dam in the wake of incessant rains in catchment areas of the Beas river.

Educational institutes have been ordered to remain closed on Tuesday in Punjab. Schools have been closed in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir and in most places of Himachal Pradesh.

Heavy rains led to landslides which blocked the roads to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Yamunotri, affecting the Chardham Yatra, while traffic snarled in the national capital due to waterlogging following heavy rains.

The Punjab government has asked district authorities to maintain vigil to avert any untoward situation due to heavy rains, an official said.

Punjab has been witnessing widespread rainfall for the last two days and the downpour continued Monday, prompting state authorities to review preparations to tackle flood-like situations.

Incessant rains in Punjab and Haryana could cause damage to kharif crops and dip in their yield, farm experts said.

In Haryana's Ambala, a 45-year-old man died when the roof of his house collapsed due to heavy rains, police said.

Five people, including a minor girl, died and as many injured in separate incidents during heavy rains in Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, the officials said. A "high alert" has been sounded for Kullu district.

Several houses were also swept away in flash floods as the Beas is flowing at a dangerous level, HP Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur said, cautioning people against going near rivers and nullahs.

An Indian Air Force team had rescued, with the help of a chopper, 21 people stranded due to flash floods at Dobi in Kullu district in the last 48 hours.

BJP MP from Hamirpur Anurag Thakur said, "So far, 126 roads have been affected by landslides triggered by rains and news of the loss of lives are too pouring in from many places."

People residing in the low-lying areas, especially in Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts, are being evacuated, officials said.

In Chamba, the Ravi river is still flowing at a dangerous level and people are being evacuated from low-lying areas by the administration since Sunday, Superintendent of Police Monica Bhutunguru said.

In Uttarakhand, most of the places, including state capital Dehradun, received showers with around 45 rural roads blocked in these districts, the state emergency operation centre said.

In Rajasthan, heavy to moderate rainfall was recorded in various parts of the state in 24 hours, an MeT official said.

Heavy rains lashed several parts of the national capital, causing waterlogging and traffic snarls on major intersections in the city.

In Jammu and Kashmir, five members of a family, including three minors, were killed Monday when their house was buried under debris after a landslide in the Doda district, while 29 people stranded in Kathua district after flash floods were rescued.

Doda and other parts of Jammu region have been lashed by incessant rain for the past two days.

"A total of 29 persons, including six women and 10 children, were rescued from various flood-hit areas of Kathua district during overnight operations," a police officer said.

With improvement in weather, authorities Monday morning opened the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway for traffic.

Multiple landslides and shooting stones from a hillock along the highway between Ramban and Udhampur districts had blocked the arterial road since Sunday morning.

According to the Meterological department, heavy to very heavy rain is expected at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.

Incessant rains triggered flash floods and landslides in hill states of northern India, with at least 11 people killed Monday in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, and a "red alert" being issued in Punjab.

Incessant rains triggered flash floods and landslides in hill states of northern India, with at least 11 people killed Monday in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Haryana, and a "red alert" being issued in Punjab. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) issued an advisory to the Punjab government that it will release "excess" water from the Pong dam in the wake of incessant rains in catchment areas of the Beas river. Educational institutes have been ordered to remain closed on Tuesday in Punjab. Schools have been closed in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir and in most places of Himachal Pradesh. Heavy rains led to landslides which blocked the roads to Badrinath, Kedarnath and Yamunotri, affecting the Chardham Yatra, while traffic snarled in the national capital due to waterlogging following heavy rains. The Punjab government has asked district authorities to maintain vigil to avert any untoward situation due to heavy rains, an official said. Punjab has been witnessing widespread rainfall for the last two days and the downpour continued Monday, prompting state authorities to review preparations to tackle flood-like situations. Incessant rains in Punjab and Haryana could cause damage to kharif crops and dip in their yield, farm experts said. In Haryana's Ambala, a 45-year-old man died when the roof of his house collapsed due to heavy rains, police said. Five people, including a minor girl, died and as many injured in separate incidents during heavy rains in Kullu, Kangra and Chamba districts of Himachal Pradesh on Monday, the officials said. A "high alert" has been sounded for Kullu district. Several houses were also swept away in flash floods as the Beas is flowing at a dangerous level, HP Forest Minister Govind Singh Thakur said, cautioning people against going near rivers and nullahs. An Indian Air Force team had rescued, with the help of a chopper, 21 people stranded due to flash floods at Dobi in Kullu district in the last 48 hours. BJP MP from Hamirpur Anurag Thakur said, "So far, 126 roads have been affected by landslides triggered by rains and news of the loss of lives are too pouring in from many places." People residing in the low-lying areas, especially in Kangra, Chamba, Kullu and Mandi districts, are being evacuated, officials said. In Chamba, the Ravi river is still flowing at a dangerous level and people are being evacuated from low-lying areas by the administration since Sunday, Superintendent of Police Monica Bhutunguru said. In Uttarakhand, most of the places, including state capital Dehradun, received showers with around 45 rural roads blocked in these districts, the state emergency operation centre said. In Rajasthan, heavy to moderate rainfall was recorded in various parts of the state in 24 hours, an MeT official said. Heavy rains lashed several parts of the national capital, causing waterlogging and traffic snarls on major intersections in the city. In Jammu and Kashmir, five members of a family, including three minors, were killed Monday when their house was buried under debris after a landslide in the Doda district, while 29 people stranded in Kathua district after flash floods were rescued. Doda and other parts of Jammu region have been lashed by incessant rain for the past two days. "A total of 29 persons, including six women and 10 children, were rescued from various flood-hit areas of Kathua district during overnight operations," a police officer said. With improvement in weather, authorities Monday morning opened the 270-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway for traffic. Multiple landslides and shooting stones from a hillock along the highway between Ramban and Udhampur districts had blocked the arterial road since Sunday morning. According to the Meterological department, heavy to very heavy rain is expected at isolated places in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, western Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh.

11 killed as rains pound north India; 'red alert' sounded in Punjab

The first monsoon rains have hit camps in Bangladesh housing around a million Rohingya refugees, triggering floods and landslides but no casualties or major damage so far, officials said Sunday.

Aid agencies have been warning that the monsoon season could prompt a humanitarian catastrophe in coming months at what is the world's biggest refugee camp, sheltering people fleeing violence in Myanmar.

The sites in southeastern Bangladesh are predicted to be hit by powerful cyclones and by more than 2.5 metres (eight feet) of rainfall over the coming three months of monsoon -- roughly triple what Britain gets in a year.

Bangladesh's meteorological office said the Cox's Bazar area where many of the refugees live in makeshift shelters on bare hillsides had 138 millimetres (5.4 inches) of rain since Saturday evening.

"Some areas like the football field areas are flooded. Some houses have been inundated with water. There have been a few landslides. The conditions are bad," UN refugee agency spokesperson Caroline Gluck told AFP.

The monsoon season "is going to be big test for everybody involved in the humanitarian response in support of the government of Bangladesh", she said.&nbsp

More heavy rain is forecast for &nbspcoming days.

Rohingya leaders told AFP the rains have already devastated some parts of the camps and turned some dirt roads into quagmires, hindering the movement of refugees and relief materials.

Kamal Hossain, a Rohingya community leader, said at least five shanties were destroyed by landslides or strong winds over around 12 hours of a sustained downpour beginning on Saturday evening.

"It’s just the beginning and the entire monsoon season is ahead of us. Some people have been relocated but the majority are still living under risk," said Mohammad Mohibullah, another community leader. &nbsp &nbsp

Last year heavy rain triggered mudslips in Cox's Bazar and the nearby Chittagong Hill Tracts, killing at least 170 people. More than 100 died in landslides in the region in 2012, and two years earlier around 50 perished.

Gluck said that so far nearly 29,000 refugees have been relocated to new areas out of an estimated 200,000 people at very high risk of landslides and flood, who need to be moved to safer areas.&nbsp

There are fears that heavy flooding could also cause latrines to overflow and spread disease in the crowded camps. Around 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have poured in from Myanmar since August, fleeing an army crackdown.&nbsp

They joined hundreds of thousands of earlier refugees from mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where the Rohingya are a persecuted and stateless minority.

Many of the hillsides were cleared of trees to make way for shelters, making the land highly unstable. 
&nbsp

Officials said there have been no casualties or major damage so far. Bangladesh's refugee camps for the Rohingya house about a million people

The first monsoon rains have hit camps in Bangladesh housing around a million Rohingya refugees, triggering floods and landslides but no casualties or major damage so far, officials said Sunday. Aid agencies have been warning that the monsoon season could prompt a humanitarian catastrophe in coming months at what is the world's biggest refugee camp, sheltering people fleeing violence in Myanmar. The sites in southeastern Bangladesh are predicted to be hit by powerful cyclones and by more than 2.5 metres (eight feet) of rainfall over the coming three months of monsoon -- roughly triple what Britain gets in a year. Bangladesh's meteorological office said the Cox's Bazar area where many of the refugees live in makeshift shelters on bare hillsides had 138 millimetres (5.4 inches) of rain since Saturday evening. "Some areas like the football field areas are flooded. Some houses have been inundated with water. There have been a few landslides. The conditions are bad," UN refugee agency spokesperson Caroline Gluck told AFP. The monsoon season "is going to be big test for everybody involved in the humanitarian response in support of the government of Bangladesh", she said. More heavy rain is forecast for &nbspcoming days. Rohingya leaders told AFP the rains have already devastated some parts of the camps and turned some dirt roads into quagmires, hindering the movement of refugees and relief materials. Kamal Hossain, a Rohingya community leader, said at least five shanties were destroyed by landslides or strong winds over around 12 hours of a sustained downpour beginning on Saturday evening. "It’s just the beginning and the entire monsoon season is ahead of us. Some people have been relocated but the majority are still living under risk," said Mohammad Mohibullah, another community leader. Last year heavy rain triggered mudslips in Cox's Bazar and the nearby Chittagong Hill Tracts, killing at least 170 people. More than 100 died in landslides in the region in 2012, and two years earlier around 50 perished. Gluck said that so far nearly 29,000 refugees have been relocated to new areas out of an estimated 200,000 people at very high risk of landslides and flood, who need to be moved to safer areas. There are fears that heavy flooding could also cause latrines to overflow and spread disease in the crowded camps. Around 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have poured in from Myanmar since August, fleeing an army crackdown. They joined hundreds of thousands of earlier refugees from mainly Buddhist Myanmar, where the Rohingya are a persecuted and stateless minority. Many of the hillsides were cleared of trees to make way for shelters, making the land highly unstable.

First monsoon rains hit Rohingya camps, triggering landslides

Coastal Karnataka's Mangalore city was ravaged by torrential rains on Tuesday resulting in floods in many areas. According to reports, coastal areas of Karnataka were hit by cyclone Mekunu on Tuesday triggering heavy rains.&nbsp;

Parts of Mangaluru city and Udupi witnessed flooding while other coastal areas saw uprooted trees. Schools and colleges were shut in many flood-hit areas.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening expressed his concern for "those affected by heavy rains in various parts of Karnataka". PM Modi tweeted out directing the authorities to "ensure all assistance in the affected areas".

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I pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those affected by heavy rains in various parts of Karnataka. Have spoken to officials and asked them to ensure all possible assistance in the affected areas.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1001483026247761920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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As per reports by Skymet weather, cyclone Mekunu was likely to hit Kerala this week. The private weather forecaster has predicted, "moderate to heavy rains with one or very heavy spells likely over Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Karnataka" today.

The formation of well-marked low pressure over the south-east Arabian Sea, off the coast of Karnataka and north Kerala, is believed to have triggered heavy spells of rainfall in Kerala and Karnataka.

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Aftermath of heavy rain that had hit the low-lying areas in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. Visuals from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mangalore?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mangalore</a> <a href="https://t.co/wfMlmXadH0">pic.twitter.com/wfMlmXadH0</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1001727129527115776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has started with rescue and relief operations in affected areas. Mangaluru's District Commissioner has called for an inspection of all drains in the city.&nbsp;

Social media brims with pictures and videos of rain-hit coastal Karnataka where peoples' lives have gone out of gear.

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CM of Karnataka will only take any action after instructions of 10JP 
 
Meanwhile, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mangaluru?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mangaluru</a> drowns bcoz of heavy rains. People of Karnataka are in big trouble but no help from Govt so far... <a href="https://t.co/CA7Q8uTYtv">pic.twitter.com/CA7Q8uTYtv</a>
— Shashank Patel (@shashank1P) <a href="https://twitter.com/shashank1P/status/1001658073910468609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Visuals show water entering into houses, shops in flood-hit regions, vehicles submerged in flood water and locals trying to get to safe areas.

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State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence and other teams with sufficient rescue equipment rushed to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mangaluru?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mangaluru</a> to provide rescue services in the affected areas due to the torrential rains. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has also reached the city. <a href="https://t.co/SouRdhWtuN">pic.twitter.com/SouRdhWtuN</a>
— Mangalore City (@MangaloreCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/MangaloreCity/status/1001657574616371200?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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A video posted on Twitter shows a large snake spotted in one of the flooded alleys in coastal Karnataka. &nbsp;

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My thoughts are with all those affected by the incessant rain in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mangaluru?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mangaluru</a> region. I pray for your safety and well being. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CycloneMekunu?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CycloneMekunu</a> <a href="https://t.co/y1iW6tG5AH">pic.twitter.com/y1iW6tG5AH</a>
— Bhanu Bharatiya?? (@BhanuBhaskar5) <a href="https://twitter.com/BhanuBhaskar5/status/1001649958213349376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Karnataka may not see any respite from heavy rains even today.&nbsp;

The formation of well-marked low pressure over the south-east Arabian Sea, off the coast of Karnataka and north Kerala, is believed to have triggered heavy spells of rainfall in Kerala and Karnataka

Coastal Karnataka's Mangalore city was ravaged by torrential rains on Tuesday resulting in floods in many areas. According to reports, coastal areas of Karnataka were hit by cyclone Mekunu on Tuesday triggering heavy rains. Parts of Mangaluru city and Udupi witnessed flooding while other coastal areas saw uprooted trees. Schools and colleges were shut in many flood-hit areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday evening expressed his concern for "those affected by heavy rains in various parts of Karnataka". PM Modi tweeted out directing the authorities to "ensure all assistance in the affected areas". I pray for the safety and wellbeing of all those affected by heavy rains in various parts of Karnataka. Have spoken to officials and asked them to ensure all possible assistance in the affected areas. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 29, 2018 × As per reports by Skymet weather, cyclone Mekunu was likely to hit Kerala this week. The private weather forecaster has predicted, "moderate to heavy rains with one or very heavy spells likely over Andaman and Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Karnataka" today. The formation of well-marked low pressure over the south-east Arabian Sea, off the coast of Karnataka and north Kerala, is believed to have triggered heavy spells of rainfall in Kerala and Karnataka. Aftermath of heavy rain that had hit the low-lying areas in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi. Visuals from #Mangalore pic.twitter.com/wfMlmXadH0 — ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2018 × Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has started with rescue and relief operations in affected areas. Mangaluru's District Commissioner has called for an inspection of all drains in the city. Social media brims with pictures and videos of rain-hit coastal Karnataka where peoples' lives have gone out of gear. CM of Karnataka will only take any action after instructions of 10JP Meanwhile, #Mangaluru drowns bcoz of heavy rains. People of Karnataka are in big trouble but no help from Govt so far... pic.twitter.com/CA7Q8uTYtv — Shashank Patel (@shashank1P) May 30, 2018 × Visuals show water entering into houses, shops in flood-hit regions, vehicles submerged in flood water and locals trying to get to safe areas. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence and other teams with sufficient rescue equipment rushed to #Mangaluru to provide rescue services in the affected areas due to the torrential rains. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team has also reached the city. pic.twitter.com/SouRdhWtuN — Mangalore City (@MangaloreCity) May 30, 2018 × A video posted on Twitter shows a large snake spotted in one of the flooded alleys in coastal Karnataka. My thoughts are with all those affected by the incessant rain in #Mangaluru region. I pray for your safety and well being. #CycloneMekunu pic.twitter.com/y1iW6tG5AH — Bhanu Bharatiya?? (@BhanuBhaskar5) May 30, 2018 × Karnataka may not see any respite from heavy rains even today.

Watch: Torrential rain hits Mangaluru, cause floods; schools shut

After storm Alberto lashed in the western regions of Cuba on Sunday, it is now making its way to Florida in the United States with forecasters saying that it could bring life-threatening flooding to Southern coastal states.

Visitors and residents in Florida's Panhandle are keeping a lookout for subtropical storm Alberto which is expected to slam into the region about mid-afternoon Monday (May 28), and wallop parts of the southeastern United States with drenching rains, blasting winds and possible tornadoes.&nbsp

Thousands of Florida residents evacuated homes on Sunday (May 27) as the storm headed north through the Gulf of Mexico.&nbsp

Storm Alberto lashed the western Cuban region of Artemisa on Sunday, swelling a nearby river and dumping up to 12 cm of rain in less than eight hours.

According to local media, some families were evacuated but the rain and flooding were quick to hit. Central regions of Cuba like Villa Clara were also affected.

The storm was about 115 miles (185 km) southwest of Panama City, on the Gulf of Mexico coast as of 2 a.m. EDT, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Alberto was expected to drop as much as 12 inches (30 cm) of rain, slamming an area from Mississippi to western Georgia, the Miami-based hurricane center said.

Visitors and residents in Florida's Panhandle are keeping a lookout for subtropical storm Alberto which is expected to slam into the region about mid-afternoon Monday

After storm Alberto lashed in the western regions of Cuba on Sunday, it is now making its way to Florida in the United States with forecasters saying that it could bring life-threatening flooding to Southern coastal states. Visitors and residents in Florida's Panhandle are keeping a lookout for subtropical storm Alberto which is expected to slam into the region about mid-afternoon Monday (May 28), and wallop parts of the southeastern United States with drenching rains, blasting winds and possible tornadoes. Thousands of Florida residents evacuated homes on Sunday (May 27) as the storm headed north through the Gulf of Mexico. Storm Alberto lashed the western Cuban region of Artemisa on Sunday, swelling a nearby river and dumping up to 12 cm of rain in less than eight hours. According to local media, some families were evacuated but the rain and flooding were quick to hit. Central regions of Cuba like Villa Clara were also affected. The storm was about 115 miles (185 km) southwest of Panama City, on the Gulf of Mexico coast as of 2 a.m. EDT, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. Alberto was expected to drop as much as 12 inches (30 cm) of rain, slamming an area from Mississippi to western Georgia, the Miami-based hurricane center said.

Storm Alberto making its way to Florida, may bring life-threatening flooding to Southern coastal states

After heavy floods in Cuba, US and Oman it has now been reported that Britan has now been hit by flash floods with forecasters announcing 'danger to life.'

More than 20 warnings have been given for the Midlands region as huge storms made their way. A prominent route in Birmingham was filled with water up to 5ft deep while&nbsp;homes were flooded and cars submerged in water in other areas.&nbsp;

Also, Highways England was forced to close a stretch of the M5 between Halesowen and Oldbury which had become flooded. Other places hit included&nbsp;eastbound Hagley Road in the Bearwood area, Harborne area of Birmingham.&nbsp;

There are high levels of floodwater and Highways England is working to re-open the road as soon as possible.

As per reports, warnings of rain and thunderstorms are in place this afternoon for East Anglia, London and the South East and the South West.

A total of 42 flood alerts were also issued for other areas, urging residents to be prepared for the possibility of flooding.

Meanwhile, as per reports temperatures could hit highs of 28C or 29C in the region.

Earlier, heavy rains and flooding made streets in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/united-states-ellicott-city-declared-on-state-of-emergency-due-to-massive-flooding-140225">Ellicott City, Maryland</a> look like a river. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/storm-alberto-drenches-cuba-on-the-way-to-the-usa-140208">Storm Alberto</a> lashed the western Cuban region of Artemisia on Sunday, swelling a nearby river and dumping up to 12 cm of rain in less than eight hours.

The Environment Agency has more than 20 flood warnings and more than 40 flood alerts in place covering much of Central Englan

After heavy floods in Cuba, US and Oman it has now been reported that Britan has now been hit by flash floods with forecasters announcing 'danger to life.' More than 20 warnings have been given for the Midlands region as huge storms made their way. A prominent route in Birmingham was filled with water up to 5ft deep while homes were flooded and cars submerged in water in other areas. Also, Highways England was forced to close a stretch of the M5 between Halesowen and Oldbury which had become flooded. Other places hit included eastbound Hagley Road in the Bearwood area, Harborne area of Birmingham. There are high levels of floodwater and Highways England is working to re-open the road as soon as possible. As per reports, warnings of rain and thunderstorms are in place this afternoon for East Anglia, London and the South East and the South West. A total of 42 flood alerts were also issued for other areas, urging residents to be prepared for the possibility of flooding. Meanwhile, as per reports temperatures could hit highs of 28C or 29C in the region. Earlier, heavy rains and flooding made streets in Ellicott City, Maryland look like a river. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency. Storm Alberto lashed the western Cuban region of Artemisia on Sunday, swelling a nearby river and dumping up to 12 cm of rain in less than eight hours.

Flash floods now hit UK after Cuba, US, Oman, forecasters announce 'danger to life'

Floods in Tripura have been mounting following the heavy rains leading to many villagers seeking shelter at relief camps.

More than 600 families have evacuated villages to set up camps in relief shelters on Sunday after floods affected areas around Agartala. Two villagers also lost their lives and two others were&nbsp;severly injured during landslides.&nbsp;

"The affected people along the river banks have been shifted to 16 flood relief camps in which 670 families are living. This may increase as rescue operations are underway by National Disaster Relief Force, Tripura State Rifles, and Civil Defense. The administration has arranged for ample food supply and drinking water," he added.

According to reports, more than five thousand people, along with their belongings and domestic animals have taken refuge in temporary camps in various schools and government establishments in and around the capital Agartala.

Tripura Minister Ratan Lal Nath along with the authorities of the administration visited some flood-affected areas to meet the victims. "Due to a sudden downpour in the hilly areas, the Balda Khal, Chandrapur and adjoining areas are flooded as the water level in rivers have increased, due to which, the water is unable to pass to Bangladesh," he said

"In the meantime, several families had to be evacuated and the administration had already reached before I came here. Officials have looked into people's problems and local people have also rendered help. Arrangements for boats have been made though we were not ready for this situation which is a natural hazard and the administration stood by the people," he added.

Heavy downpour was reported in the states hilly areas over the past 24 hours triggering flood in the downstream areas, including the capital town and its adjacent areas.

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Chandrapur: Many people have become homeless due to flash flood at the adjoining areas of Howrah river which is flowing 0.3 meter above danger level following incessant rain during the last 48 hours. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tripura?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tripura</a> <a href="https://t.co/SRtJ6rYH0N">pic.twitter.com/SRtJ6rYH0N</a>
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More than five thousand people, along with their belongings and domestic animals have taken refuge in temporary camps in various schools and government establishments in and around the capital Agartala

Floods in Tripura have been mounting following the heavy rains leading to many villagers seeking shelter at relief camps. More than 600 families have evacuated villages to set up camps in relief shelters on Sunday after floods affected areas around Agartala. Two villagers also lost their lives and two others were severly injured during landslides. "The affected people along the river banks have been shifted to 16 flood relief camps in which 670 families are living. This may increase as rescue operations are underway by National Disaster Relief Force, Tripura State Rifles, and Civil Defense. The administration has arranged for ample food supply and drinking water," he added. According to reports, more than five thousand people, along with their belongings and domestic animals have taken refuge in temporary camps in various schools and government establishments in and around the capital Agartala. Tripura Minister Ratan Lal Nath along with the authorities of the administration visited some flood-affected areas to meet the victims. "Due to a sudden downpour in the hilly areas, the Balda Khal, Chandrapur and adjoining areas are flooded as the water level in rivers have increased, due to which, the water is unable to pass to Bangladesh," he said "In the meantime, several families had to be evacuated and the administration had already reached before I came here. Officials have looked into people's problems and local people have also rendered help. Arrangements for boats have been made though we were not ready for this situation which is a natural hazard and the administration stood by the people," he added. Heavy downpour was reported in the states hilly areas over the past 24 hours triggering flood in the downstream areas, including the capital town and its adjacent areas. Chandrapur: Many people have become homeless due to flash flood at the adjoining areas of Howrah river which is flowing 0.3 meter above danger level following incessant rain during the last 48 hours. #Tripura pic.twitter.com/SRtJ6rYH0N — ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2018 ×

Thousands take refuge in relief camps following Tripura floods, landslides

France braced for floods Tuesday as the Rhine threatened to overflow and the rapidly rising Seine forced Paris authorities to halt trains on a busy commuter line.

Heavy rains have lashed France for days, leaving 30 departments across the country on flood alert. Some towns and villages in the east are already inundated, leaving homes and shops filled with muddy water.

The Seine, running through the centre of the French capital, had already burst its banks in some places Monday, growing into a powerful muddy torrent that has submerged riverside parks and footpaths.

It was set to reach 6.10 metres (20 feet) Friday -- a peak last reached in 2016 when floods sent riverside museums scrambling to move artworks from their basements, which was the highest level since 1982.

The height of the Seine is measured not from the riverbed but from a point located at the Austerlitz bridge -- but 6.10 metres is five or six times the normal level of one to two metres.

National train operator SNCF said the central part of the capital&#39;s busy suburban RER Line C, which runs under the river, would be closed &quot;in order to guarantee the safety of the passengers and facilities&quot;.

Seven stations -- including several that serve tourist attractions such as Notre Dame cathedral and the Musee d&#39;Orsay -- will be shut until at least Friday.

Carmaker PSA meanwhile had to halt work at its factory in eastern Sochaux, which builds Citroen, Peugeot and Opus models, as one of its nearby subcontractors was hit by flooding.

In Strasbourg, regional authorities announced they were opening an emergency containment zone to stop the Rhine overflowing after days of snow and heavy downpours.

The 600-hectare polder at Erstein near the German border was evacuated Monday and can take in up to 7.8 million cubic metres of water diverted from the massive river, authorities said.

Further along the border, the medieval Swiss town of St Ursanne has been transformed into a lake, images on RTS television showed, while several mountain train lines have been halted.

A mudslide caused a Swiss regional train in Solothurn to derail late Monday, although there were no injuries.

French flood agency Vigicrues warned people on the risk of power cuts, saying &quot;even areas that rarely flood&quot; could be inundated.

In the eastern town of Ornans, home to 4,000 people, the high street was flooded and the ground floor of the town hall underwater.

&quot;We haven&#39;t seen a flood like this since 2002,&quot; mayor Sylvain Ducret told AFP.

Rains were continuing to lash swathes of France, with schools in the Alpine region of Isere shut Tuesday after heavy snowfalls.

The popular ski resort of Chamonix closed its pistes, with around 100 chalets evacuated over fears of an avalanche.

&quot;This situation is out of the ordinary,&quot; said local mayor Eric Fournier.

&quot;A level of snow usually seen in five months has fallen in 45 days. At high altitudes, we only see snowfall of this amplitude every 15 years.&quot;

Heavy rains have lashed France for days, leaving 30 departments across the country on flood alert. Some towns and villages in the east are already inundated, leaving homes and shops filled with muddy water.

France braced for floods Tuesday as the Rhine threatened to overflow and the rapidly rising Seine forced Paris authorities to halt trains on a busy commuter line. Heavy rains have lashed France for days, leaving 30 departments across the country on flood alert. Some towns and villages in the east are already inundated, leaving homes and shops filled with muddy water. The Seine, running through the centre of the French capital, had already burst its banks in some places Monday, growing into a powerful muddy torrent that has submerged riverside parks and footpaths. It was set to reach 6.10 metres (20 feet) Friday -- a peak last reached in 2016 when floods sent riverside museums scrambling to move artworks from their basements, which was the highest level since 1982. The height of the Seine is measured not from the riverbed but from a point located at the Austerlitz bridge -- but 6.10 metres is five or six times the normal level of one to two metres. National train operator SNCF said the central part of the capital's busy suburban RER Line C, which runs under the river, would be closed "in order to guarantee the safety of the passengers and facilities". Seven stations -- including several that serve tourist attractions such as Notre Dame cathedral and the Musee d'Orsay -- will be shut until at least Friday. Carmaker PSA meanwhile had to halt work at its factory in eastern Sochaux, which builds Citroen, Peugeot and Opus models, as one of its nearby subcontractors was hit by flooding. In Strasbourg, regional authorities announced they were opening an emergency containment zone to stop the Rhine overflowing after days of snow and heavy downpours. The 600-hectare polder at Erstein near the German border was evacuated Monday and can take in up to 7.8 million cubic metres of water diverted from the massive river, authorities said. Further along the border, the medieval Swiss town of St Ursanne has been transformed into a lake, images on RTS television showed, while several mountain train lines have been halted. A mudslide caused a Swiss regional train in Solothurn to derail late Monday, although there were no injuries. French flood agency Vigicrues warned people on the risk of power cuts, saying "even areas that rarely flood" could be inundated. In the eastern town of Ornans, home to 4,000 people, the high street was flooded and the ground floor of the town hall underwater. "We haven't seen a flood like this since 2002," mayor Sylvain Ducret told AFP. Rains were continuing to lash swathes of France, with schools in the Alpine region of Isere shut Tuesday after heavy snowfalls. The popular ski resort of Chamonix closed its pistes, with around 100 chalets evacuated over fears of an avalanche. "This situation is out of the ordinary," said local mayor Eric Fournier. "A level of snow usually seen in five months has fallen in 45 days. At high altitudes, we only see snowfall of this amplitude every 15 years."

Swollen Seine halts trains as France braces for floods

At least four people were killed and two more are missing after Indonesia&#39;s capital region was hit by severe flooding and landslides, authorities said Tuesday, as thousands fled &nbsp;waterlogged neighbourhoods.

The bodies of three people were pulled from a pile of mud and rock after a landslide triggered by torrential rain inundated a village in the city of Bogor south of Jakarta, the disaster mitigation agency said.

Hundreds of rescuers, including members of the army, police and local community, are digging through the debris to find two others buried in that incident.

Near Jakarta&rsquo;s main airport, a 24-year-old woman was rescued after spending some 14 hours trapped inside a car buried under a landslide that stove in part of an underpass retaining wall.

She was pulled to safety around 7:00 am Tuesday but another woman in the same car later died in hospital from severe injuries, the transportation ministry said.

Greater Jakarta, which is home to more than 30 million people, has been pounded by heavy rain over the past 24 hours, triggering landslides and floods that have destroyed homes and toppled trees.

Residents could be seen sloshing through knee-deep brown water in some neighbourhoods.

City governor Anies Baswedan said more than 6,500 people have been evacuated in hard-hit areas of the metropolis, mainly in the eastern and southern parts of the city.

&quot;Now our priority is to ensure evacuees that have been impacted by the floods receive aid,&quot; Baswedan said in a statement.

A floodgate was opened upstream in the Ciliwung river to reduce the volume of water gushing through Jakarta, he added.

Jakarta is hit by flooding annually during a months-long rainy season, with the city&#39;s numerous riverside communities worst affected.

In 2013 severe flooding submerged a major downtown roundabout, killing 20 and forcing 30,000 people from their homes.

A landslide triggered by torrential rain inundated a village in the city of Bogor south of Jakarta

At least four people were killed and two more are missing after Indonesia's capital region was hit by severe flooding and landslides, authorities said Tuesday, as thousands fled waterlogged neighbourhoods. The bodies of three people were pulled from a pile of mud and rock after a landslide triggered by torrential rain inundated a village in the city of Bogor south of Jakarta, the disaster mitigation agency said. Hundreds of rescuers, including members of the army, police and local community, are digging through the debris to find two others buried in that incident. Near Jakarta’s main airport, a 24-year-old woman was rescued after spending some 14 hours trapped inside a car buried under a landslide that stove in part of an underpass retaining wall. She was pulled to safety around 7:00 am Tuesday but another woman in the same car later died in hospital from severe injuries, the transportation ministry said. Greater Jakarta, which is home to more than 30 million people, has been pounded by heavy rain over the past 24 hours, triggering landslides and floods that have destroyed homes and toppled trees. Residents could be seen sloshing through knee-deep brown water in some neighbourhoods. City governor Anies Baswedan said more than 6,500 people have been evacuated in hard-hit areas of the metropolis, mainly in the eastern and southern parts of the city. "Now our priority is to ensure evacuees that have been impacted by the floods receive aid," Baswedan said in a statement. A floodgate was opened upstream in the Ciliwung river to reduce the volume of water gushing through Jakarta, he added. Jakarta is hit by flooding annually during a months-long rainy season, with the city's numerous riverside communities worst affected. In 2013 severe flooding submerged a major downtown roundabout, killing 20 and forcing 30,000 people from their homes.

Jakarta: 4 dead in deadly landslides and floods

Chennai has been experiencing heavy rain since the past one week. Chief minister K Palaniswami has stated that the city recorded a rainfall of 56.6 cm in five days. The rain in the city has disrupted the normal lives of the people. Many of them living in the low lying areas have shifted to safer places, fearing 2015 like flood situation.

The schools in the city are closed, several university exams have been postponed, people are facing regular power cuts, waterlogging and traffic jams. The continuous downpour in the city is the result of low pressure developed over Southwest Bay of Bengal between the Sri Lankan and the Tamil Nadu coast and the cyclonic circulation rising up to 3.1 km above mean sea level.

The Tamil Nadu government has been constantly assuring that they are taking up required measures to drain the water out of the city.&nbsp;The chief minister claimed that the current government has handled the situation better than Bengaluru and Mumbai.

SP Velumani, minister of municipal administration and rural development said that the state government has done more work than several developed nations to deal with the rains.

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<h5>The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city.</h5>
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D Jayakumar, minister of finance and fishing, went a step further and claimed to have solved 98 per cent of rain-related issues in the city. However, the undeniable fact remains that it is only because of the years of improper planning that has worsened the ecological balance of the city.

Chennai suffered from severe water shortage in 2016-17.&nbsp;The city was hard hit by the 60 per cent deficit in the northeastern monsoon.&nbsp;The city has already experienced one of the most devastating floods in 2015. Such natural disaster continues to hit Chennai almost every year.

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Pallavaram Lake (Others)
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The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city. Chennai once had around 650 lakes and rivers which were a source of their freshwater. Besides this, they were also responsible for recharging the groundwater level thus preventing drought. During heavy rainfall, these rivers regulated the flow of water to human settlements by draining the excess water.

However, with the rapid growth of urbanisation and industrialisation, most of these water bodies have lost their existence. Ever increasing population in the city has led to the increasing demands for housing societies, institutions, and industries. Most of this construction has taken place over these water bodies. Also, the direct discharge of industrial and municipal waste has worsened the remaining waterways.

Konnur Lake once occupied over 250 acres of land. Due to the residential and industrial construction, it has now been reduced to 20 acres. Over 4000 houses have been built over it and it also supports the Sidco Industries. While the remaining 20 acres has also been allotted for institutional construction. Sidco Nagar was one of the worst affected areas during the 2015 floods. The construction over the lake restricted the free flow of water into the lake which had a devastating effect over the nearby slum dwellers.

The urban planning authorities do not take into consideration the ecological balance of the city while devising any architectural plan. This way they affect the natural penetration process which further leads to floods during heavy rainfall while drought in case of less rainfall. Besides this, the lakes and rivers which are not considered fit for drinking or irrigation are declared as wasteland permitting construction over it. This further disrupts the ecological balance of the city.

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Pallavaram Lake (Others)
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Pallavaram Lake which once spread over 200 acres is now left with just 50 acres. The lake was bifurcated after the construction of Thoraipakkam road for connecting Chennai Airport and Rajiv Gandhi Salai. One side of the lake still remains, however, the other side has choked to death due to encroachment and dumping of effluents from the nearby leather factory, industries, and sewage waste. This part of the lake has become a dump yard due to the consistent dumping of garbage for the past few decades. This dumping has contaminated the groundwater of that area.

Residents around the Pallavaram Lake had filed a petition in the HC for removing the illegal encroachment over the water body. According to them the settlements over the water have come up in connivance with the Pallavaram municipality. Besides letting the growth of encroachment in the lake the municipality itself planned to construct a methanation plant on the land.

An activist working for the restoration of water bodies in Chennai states &quot;it is only because of the municipal that the illegal settlements have survived well. had they not provided the basic amenities the temporary shanties would not have turned into permanent residents&rdquo;.

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<h5>One of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it.</h5>
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The illegal encroachment over the water bodies is not restricted to this lake. In fact, one of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it. No government official is ready to take the responsibility of the ever-growing illegal encroachment.

The depleting water bodies because of the encroachment over them is severely affecting the ecology of the city. The consequent result of this is that Chennai faces drought during less rainfall whereas waterlogging and floods during heavy rains.

The illegal encroachment over the water bodies is one of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai that leads to flooding like situation

Chennai has been experiencing heavy rain since the past one week. Chief minister K Palaniswami has stated that the city recorded a rainfall of 56.6 cm in five days. The rain in the city has disrupted the normal lives of the people. Many of them living in the low lying areas have shifted to safer places, fearing 2015 like flood situation. The schools in the city are closed, several university exams have been postponed, people are facing regular power cuts, waterlogging and traffic jams. The continuous downpour in the city is the result of low pressure developed over Southwest Bay of Bengal between the Sri Lankan and the Tamil Nadu coast and the cyclonic circulation rising up to 3.1 km above mean sea level. The Tamil Nadu government has been constantly assuring that they are taking up required measures to drain the water out of the city. The chief minister claimed that the current government has handled the situation better than Bengaluru and Mumbai. SP Velumani, minister of municipal administration and rural development said that the state government has done more work than several developed nations to deal with the rains. The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city. × D Jayakumar, minister of finance and fishing, went a step further and claimed to have solved 98 per cent of rain-related issues in the city. However, the undeniable fact remains that it is only because of the years of improper planning that has worsened the ecological balance of the city. Chennai suffered from severe water shortage in 2016-17. The city was hard hit by the 60 per cent deficit in the northeastern monsoon. The city has already experienced one of the most devastating floods in 2015. Such natural disaster continues to hit Chennai almost every year. Pallavaram Lake (Others) × The man-made disaster is the result of the diminishing water bodies in the city. Chennai once had around 650 lakes and rivers which were a source of their freshwater. Besides this, they were also responsible for recharging the groundwater level thus preventing drought. During heavy rainfall, these rivers regulated the flow of water to human settlements by draining the excess water. However, with the rapid growth of urbanisation and industrialisation, most of these water bodies have lost their existence. Ever increasing population in the city has led to the increasing demands for housing societies, institutions, and industries. Most of this construction has taken place over these water bodies. Also, the direct discharge of industrial and municipal waste has worsened the remaining waterways. Konnur Lake once occupied over 250 acres of land. Due to the residential and industrial construction, it has now been reduced to 20 acres. Over 4000 houses have been built over it and it also supports the Sidco Industries. While the remaining 20 acres has also been allotted for institutional construction. Sidco Nagar was one of the worst affected areas during the 2015 floods. The construction over the lake restricted the free flow of water into the lake which had a devastating effect over the nearby slum dwellers. The urban planning authorities do not take into consideration the ecological balance of the city while devising any architectural plan. This way they affect the natural penetration process which further leads to floods during heavy rainfall while drought in case of less rainfall. Besides this, the lakes and rivers which are not considered fit for drinking or irrigation are declared as wasteland permitting construction over it. This further disrupts the ecological balance of the city. Pallavaram Lake (Others) × Pallavaram Lake which once spread over 200 acres is now left with just 50 acres. The lake was bifurcated after the construction of Thoraipakkam road for connecting Chennai Airport and Rajiv Gandhi Salai. One side of the lake still remains, however, the other side has choked to death due to encroachment and dumping of effluents from the nearby leather factory, industries, and sewage waste. This part of the lake has become a dump yard due to the consistent dumping of garbage for the past few decades. This dumping has contaminated the groundwater of that area. Residents around the Pallavaram Lake had filed a petition in the HC for removing the illegal encroachment over the water body. According to them the settlements over the water have come up in connivance with the Pallavaram municipality. Besides letting the growth of encroachment in the lake the municipality itself planned to construct a methanation plant on the land. An activist working for the restoration of water bodies in Chennai states "it is only because of the municipal that the illegal settlements have survived well. had they not provided the basic amenities the temporary shanties would not have turned into permanent residents”. One of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it. × The illegal encroachment over the water bodies is not restricted to this lake. In fact, one of the major causes for diminishing waterways in Chennai is that a lot of construction is being done on it. No government official is ready to take the responsibility of the ever-growing illegal encroachment. The depleting water bodies because of the encroachment over them is severely affecting the ecology of the city. The consequent result of this is that Chennai faces drought during less rainfall whereas waterlogging and floods during heavy rains.

The man-made disaster in Chennai

In 2004, the tsunami, which was caused due to the earthquake in the Indian Ocean left a dark chapter in Indian history. Memories from that unfortunate event still haunt India. According to reports, in India, 10,749 people lost their lives and 5,640 are still missing.&nbsp;

Not to forget the recent Uttarakhand floods of 2013, which gave goosebumps to all those who were watching the rescue operations, videos and images live on their TV screens and on social media.

Also, the Gujarat earthquake that occurred in 2001 which claimed 25,000 lives and the super cyclone in&nbsp;Odisha that caused severe damage to human lives and property.

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<h5>India became the first country to set up its own National Disaster Management Division.</h5>
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Disasters natural or man-made are common throughout the world. It continues to occur without warning and the magnitude and frequency&nbsp;is intensifying with every new occurrence.

Even developed countries like the USA cannot save themselves from such&nbsp;disasters. In 2017, hurricane Maria had hit the northeastern coast of the USA, causing damage worth $51.2 billion.

Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, hailstorms, droughts etc. are the most frequently occurring disasters in India. Recently, huge parts of the Indian region was submerged in water due to torrential rains causing immeasurable loss to&nbsp;the country.

The damage&nbsp;is not limited to only humans, animals are also affected by disasters. In 2017, Assam was affected badly by floods, there was a huge impact on endangered species especially on the one-horned rhino. Around 225 animals died in Kaziranga Nationa Park, 15 rhinos were found dead.

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<h5>If a natural or man-made disaster hits Indian region, then are we ready?</h5>
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Displacement of the population, scarcity of food, loss of property and houses, emotional aftershocks are few human impact of natural disasters. The poorly constructed buildings, rapid increase in population, lack of economic nets, poor forecast and late warnings are few of the reasons that are responsible for the large-scale destruction.

India is one of&nbsp;the world&#39;s most disaster-prone country due to its geo-climatic condition and large population. With&nbsp;every nation concentrating on disaster reduction, India recently set up its own National Disaster Management Division. For this attempt, India was praised by the UN.

But the question is:&nbsp;if a natural or man-made disaster hits the Indian region in the near future, then will we be ready? With every new shocking event, the percentage and degree of destruction is increasing manifolds. It&#39;s getting magnified due to the excessive loss of lives and property and poor assessment of the situation.&nbsp;

If a stampede that broke out because of false rumour at the Prabhadevi railway station in Mumbai, which killed at least 23 people then, what an earthquake or a&nbsp;cyclone can&nbsp;do is unimaginable!

To decrease the impact of the disaster on human lives, it is very necessary to have proper knowledge about government policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management, also creating a network for disaster management is important.

It is impossible to curb the frequency of disasters but with proper initiative, pre-planning, accuracy in decision making through which the impact of a major disaster can be reduced.

Developing a network for disaster management is important to reduce impact of disaster

In 2004, the tsunami, which was caused due to the earthquake in the Indian Ocean left a dark chapter in Indian history. Memories from that unfortunate event still haunt India. According to reports, in India, 10,749 people lost their lives and 5,640 are still missing. Not to forget the recent Uttarakhand floods of 2013, which gave goosebumps to all those who were watching the rescue operations, videos and images live on their TV screens and on social media. Also, the Gujarat earthquake that occurred in 2001 which claimed 25,000 lives and the super cyclone in Odisha that caused severe damage to human lives and property. India became the first country to set up its own National Disaster Management Division. × Disasters natural or man-made are common throughout the world. It continues to occur without warning and the magnitude and frequency is intensifying with every new occurrence. Even developed countries like the USA cannot save themselves from such disasters. In 2017, hurricane Maria had hit the northeastern coast of the USA, causing damage worth $51.2 billion. Floods, cyclones, earthquakes, landslides, hailstorms, droughts etc. are the most frequently occurring disasters in India. Recently, huge parts of the Indian region was submerged in water due to torrential rains causing immeasurable loss to the country. The damage is not limited to only humans, animals are also affected by disasters. In 2017, Assam was affected badly by floods, there was a huge impact on endangered species especially on the one-horned rhino. Around 225 animals died in Kaziranga Nationa Park, 15 rhinos were found dead. If a natural or man-made disaster hits Indian region, then are we ready? × Displacement of the population, scarcity of food, loss of property and houses, emotional aftershocks are few human impact of natural disasters. The poorly constructed buildings, rapid increase in population, lack of economic nets, poor forecast and late warnings are few of the reasons that are responsible for the large-scale destruction. India is one of the world's most disaster-prone country due to its geo-climatic condition and large population. With every nation concentrating on disaster reduction, India recently set up its own National Disaster Management Division. For this attempt, India was praised by the UN. But the question is: if a natural or man-made disaster hits the Indian region in the near future, then will we be ready? With every new shocking event, the percentage and degree of destruction is increasing manifolds. It's getting magnified due to the excessive loss of lives and property and poor assessment of the situation. If a stampede that broke out because of false rumour at the Prabhadevi railway station in Mumbai, which killed at least 23 people then, what an earthquake or a cyclone can do is unimaginable! To decrease the impact of the disaster on human lives, it is very necessary to have proper knowledge about government policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management, also creating a network for disaster management is important. It is impossible to curb the frequency of disasters but with proper initiative, pre-planning, accuracy in decision making through which the impact of a major disaster can be reduced.

India needs to focus on disaster reduction management

Hurricane Irma&#39;s eyewall slammed into the lower Florida Keys Sunday, lashing the island chain with fearsome wind gusts, the US National Hurricane Center said.

The eye of the Category 4 storm was 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Key West as of 7:00 am local time (1100 GMT), bringing maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour and threatening dangerous storm surges.

&quot;This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation!&quot; the National Weather Service in Key West had warned, urging those who had not heeded dire warnings to evacuate to take shelter &quot;now to protect your life!&quot;

The hurricane was moving eight miles per hour northwest, with Florida&#39;s west coast cities of Naples, Fort Myers and the densely populated peninsulas of Tampa Bay in its crosshairs.

Irma was upgraded to a Category 4 storm hours earlier as more than six million Floridians had been ordered to evacuate their homes ahead of the monster storm.

For those people still at home, it was too late to escape the wrath of what could be the worst hurricane in storm-prone Florida.

In Key West, police had opened a &quot;shelter of last resort&quot; for those who had ignored mandatory evacuation orders.

&quot;It&#39;s going to be horrible,&quot; Florida Governor Rick Scott said of Irma on NBC television Sunday morning. &quot;Now we have to hunker down and watch out for each other.&quot;&nbsp;

More than 430,000 homes and businesses were without power across the state, mainly in southern Florida, according to utility company Florida Power and Light.

Irma smacked the Keys 57 years to the day that Hurricane Donna hit the same area in 1960, destroying nearly 75 percent of the island chain&#39;s buildings.

 
&nbsp;

The hurricane has regained its strength and is set to be the 'most catastrophic storm' that Florida has seen ever

Hurricane Irma's eyewall slammed into the lower Florida Keys Sunday, lashing the island chain with fearsome wind gusts, the US National Hurricane Center said. The eye of the Category 4 storm was 15 miles (24 kilometers) southeast of Key West as of 7:00 am local time (1100 GMT), bringing maximum sustained winds of 130 miles per hour and threatening dangerous storm surges. "This is an extremely dangerous and life-threatening situation!" the National Weather Service in Key West had warned, urging those who had not heeded dire warnings to evacuate to take shelter "now to protect your life!" The hurricane was moving eight miles per hour northwest, with Florida's west coast cities of Naples, Fort Myers and the densely populated peninsulas of Tampa Bay in its crosshairs. Irma was upgraded to a Category 4 storm hours earlier as more than six million Floridians had been ordered to evacuate their homes ahead of the monster storm. For those people still at home, it was too late to escape the wrath of what could be the worst hurricane in storm-prone Florida. In Key West, police had opened a "shelter of last resort" for those who had ignored mandatory evacuation orders. "It's going to be horrible," Florida Governor Rick Scott said of Irma on NBC television Sunday morning. "Now we have to hunker down and watch out for each other." More than 430,000 homes and businesses were without power across the state, mainly in southern Florida, according to utility company Florida Power and Light. Irma smacked the Keys 57 years to the day that Hurricane Donna hit the same area in 1960, destroying nearly 75 percent of the island chain's buildings.

Hurricane Irma hits Florida Keys as Category 4 storm

The<a href="http://http://www.wionews.com/india-news/uttar-pradesh-flood-death-toll-rises-to-103-19695"> flooding over the past month</a> has affected 3.7 crore people across India and killed over 1,150, according to data compiled from news reports. (Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/indias-swollen-brahmaputra-river-recedes-after-deadly-floods-19588">India&#39;s swollen Brahmaputra river recedes after deadly floods</a>)

&nbsp;

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A look at how many people have been affected around India by flooding this monsoon (WION)
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A few more details on the states affected:

<ul>
	<li>West Bengal is estimated to have lost <a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/west-bengal-flood-situation-improves-rs-7000-crore-loss-to-agricultural-sector/822036/">Rs 14,000 crore</a> because of flooding, with more than six lakh hectares of crop area affected and three lakh homes damaged. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>The government of Bihar, at one point, had to set up <a href="http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/flood-situation-improves-in-bihar-number-of-dead-at-514-1743155">2,000 relief camps</a> to shelter two lakh people displaced by the floods. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>In eastern Uttar Pradesh, <a href="http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2017/aug/24/flood-situation-in-uttar-pradesh-remains-grim-toll-mounts-to-91-1647732.html">57,000 people</a> had to move into relief camps with around 3,000 villages inundated by water. 
	&nbsp;</li>
	<li>Most of the 218 people to have died so far in <a href="http://www.deccanherald.com/content/630486/rain-lashes-gujarat-situation-grim.html">Gujarat</a><a href="http://http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/gujarat-floods-pm-modi-announces-ex-gratia-of-rs-2-lakh-for-kin-of-those-killed-18279"> are from the state</a>&#39;s northern districts of Banaskantha and Patan.</li>
</ul>

If you want to have an idea of how flooding has affected India this monsoon, have a look at this infographic

The flooding over the past month has affected 3.7 crore people across India and killed over 1,150, according to data compiled from news reports. (Also Read: India's swollen Brahmaputra river recedes after deadly floods) A look at how many people have been affected around India by flooding this monsoon (WION) × A few more details on the states affected: West Bengal is estimated to have lost Rs 14,000 crore because of flooding, with more than six lakh hectares of crop area affected and three lakh homes damaged. The government of Bihar, at one point, had to set up 2,000 relief camps to shelter two lakh people displaced by the floods. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, 57,000 people had to move into relief camps with around 3,000 villages inundated by water. Most of the 218 people to have died so far in Gujarat are from the state's northern districts of Banaskantha and Patan.

Infographic: The human cost of flooding

At least 221 people have died and more than 1.5 million been displaced by monsoon flooding across India, Nepal and Bangladesh, officials said&nbsp;Tuesday, as rescuers scoured submerged villages for the missing.

In Nepal, severe flooding has left tens of thousands of homes totally underwater in the populous southern lowlands, with nearly 20 per cent of the population affected.

&quot;As per the data we have received so far, 111 have been killed, 35 are still missing and a search operation is underway,&quot; Home Minister Janardan Sharma told parliament&nbsp;Tuesday.

A third of neighbouring Bangladesh is flooded, with at least 29 dead as relentless monsoon rains pound the densely-populated riverine country.

&quot;Another 1.5 million people have been marooned,&quot; Reaz Ahmed, head of Bangladesh&#39;s disaster management department told AFP.

Almost 1,200 shelters have been erected across Bangladesh, while the army has been deployed to reinforce weakened river embankments and to assist with search and rescue operations.

In the border district of Lalmonirhat, roughly 600 Indian nationals took shelter in Bangladeshi villages along with their stricken livestock, the district&#39;s government administrator Shafiul Atif told AFP.

India has also suffered from torrential downpours and flash flooding, worsening a monsoon that has already claimed lives.

At least 81 people have died in the eastern states of Bihar and West Bengal, and northeastern Assam state, over the last few days, a government official told AFP&nbsp;on Tuesday.

Train services have been cut entirely to the northeast, and at least 200,000 people are living in emergency camps in Assam, a remote state that suffers frequent flooding during the annual rains.

In Nepal, residents in hard-hit Saptari district blamed the government for failing to solve the seasonal floods and quickly send aid to those in need.

&quot;Many have lost their homes. Families don&#39;t have food or shelter. We are just helping each other,&quot; said local resident Pankaj Mishra.

&quot;What we need is for the government to solve this problem. We have been suffering for decades every year. The river troubles us every year.&quot;

Kathmandu has been criticised for enacting a &quot;one-door&quot; policy requiring all aid for flood victims to flow through a government-run central disaster agency.

The diktat threatens to delay the delivery of relief supplies say volunteers and aid agencies, which have warned Nepal faces a humanitarian crisis if food and water do not reach the worst-affected areas.

&quot;Unless there is an effective model of rescue and relief operation, a one-door policy will only kill or aggravate the situation,&quot; said local volunteer Arpan Shrestha.

India suffers from torrential downpours and flash flooding, worsening a monsoon that has already claimed lives

At least 221 people have died and more than 1.5 million been displaced by monsoon flooding across India, Nepal and Bangladesh, officials said Tuesday, as rescuers scoured submerged villages for the missing. In Nepal, severe flooding has left tens of thousands of homes totally underwater in the populous southern lowlands, with nearly 20 per cent of the population affected. "As per the data we have received so far, 111 have been killed, 35 are still missing and a search operation is underway," Home Minister Janardan Sharma told parliament Tuesday. A third of neighbouring Bangladesh is flooded, with at least 29 dead as relentless monsoon rains pound the densely-populated riverine country. "Another 1.5 million people have been marooned," Reaz Ahmed, head of Bangladesh's disaster management department told AFP. Almost 1,200 shelters have been erected across Bangladesh, while the army has been deployed to reinforce weakened river embankments and to assist with search and rescue operations. In the border district of Lalmonirhat, roughly 600 Indian nationals took shelter in Bangladeshi villages along with their stricken livestock, the district's government administrator Shafiul Atif told AFP. India has also suffered from torrential downpours and flash flooding, worsening a monsoon that has already claimed lives. At least 81 people have died in the eastern states of Bihar and West Bengal, and northeastern Assam state, over the last few days, a government official told AFP on Tuesday. Train services have been cut entirely to the northeast, and at least 200,000 people are living in emergency camps in Assam, a remote state that suffers frequent flooding during the annual rains. In Nepal, residents in hard-hit Saptari district blamed the government for failing to solve the seasonal floods and quickly send aid to those in need. "Many have lost their homes. Families don't have food or shelter. We are just helping each other," said local resident Pankaj Mishra. "What we need is for the government to solve this problem. We have been suffering for decades every year. The river troubles us every year." Kathmandu has been criticised for enacting a "one-door" policy requiring all aid for flood victims to flow through a government-run central disaster agency. The diktat threatens to delay the delivery of relief supplies say volunteers and aid agencies, which have warned Nepal faces a humanitarian crisis if food and water do not reach the worst-affected areas. "Unless there is an effective model of rescue and relief operation, a one-door policy will only kill or aggravate the situation," said local volunteer Arpan Shrestha.

At least 221 dead in India, Bangladesh, Nepal floods

Thailand faces more hardship from unseasonable floods that have killed 40 people in its south, with more rain expected in the major rubber-producing and tourist region in coming days, a top disaster agency official said on Sunday.

Persistent heavy rain well into what should be the dry season has triggered floods across the south, cutting road and rail links, threatening crops and affecting about 1.6 million people, said Chatchai Promlert, head of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

&quot;The worst isn&#39;t over. We&#39;re expecting more rain this week while clean-up efforts are underway in places where the waters have subsided,&quot; Chatchai told Reuters.

The Meteorological Department said on its website more rain was expected on Monday.

The rainy season in Thailand normally takes place from June to November.&nbsp;

The floods, which began on January 1, have followed unseasonably heavy rain.

Thailand is one of the world&#39;s most important producers of natural rubber and the national rubber authority said on Thursday output in 2016-2017 would be about 10 percent lower because of the floods.

Global rubber prices have spiked on concern about the impact.

Flooding occurs in Thailand regularly during the rainy season but January is traditionally sunny and clear, and a high season for the tourist industry, including in southern seaside resorts.

The country saw its worst flooding in half a century in 2011, when heavy rain beginning in July that year over northern regions led to six months of inundations, including in the central plains, where industrial estates have replaced rice fields in many places.

The floods submerged a third of the country, killed more than 900 people and crippled industry.

The army played a major role in relief efforts in 2011 while the then civilian government was criticised for what many saw as lacklustre disaster efforts.

The army, which seized power in a 2014 coup, has again been playing a major role in helping with relief efforts.

The Federation of Thai Industries said last week the southern floods would have little impact on economic growth.

(Reuters)

Persistent heavy rain well into what should be the dry season has triggered floods across the south, affecting about 1.6 million people

Thailand faces more hardship from unseasonable floods that have killed 40 people in its south, with more rain expected in the major rubber-producing and tourist region in coming days, a top disaster agency official said on Sunday. Persistent heavy rain well into what should be the dry season has triggered floods across the south, cutting road and rail links, threatening crops and affecting about 1.6 million people, said Chatchai Promlert, head of the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department. "The worst isn't over. We're expecting more rain this week while clean-up efforts are underway in places where the waters have subsided," Chatchai told Reuters. The Meteorological Department said on its website more rain was expected on Monday. The rainy season in Thailand normally takes place from June to November. The floods, which began on January 1, have followed unseasonably heavy rain. Thailand is one of the world's most important producers of natural rubber and the national rubber authority said on Thursday output in 2016-2017 would be about 10 percent lower because of the floods. Global rubber prices have spiked on concern about the impact. Flooding occurs in Thailand regularly during the rainy season but January is traditionally sunny and clear, and a high season for the tourist industry, including in southern seaside resorts. The country saw its worst flooding in half a century in 2011, when heavy rain beginning in July that year over northern regions led to six months of inundations, including in the central plains, where industrial estates have replaced rice fields in many places. The floods submerged a third of the country, killed more than 900 people and crippled industry. The army played a major role in relief efforts in 2011 while the then civilian government was criticised for what many saw as lacklustre disaster efforts. The army, which seized power in a 2014 coup, has again been playing a major role in helping with relief efforts. The Federation of Thai Industries said last week the southern floods would have little impact on economic growth. (Reuters)

Thailand floods: More rains expected as death toll touches 40

India&#39;s Meteorological Department on Thursday said that the Cyclone Nada is expected to weaken in the next 12 hours in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.

The state was again put on alert almost a year after floods caused severe disruption of normal life and damaged property. As per the latest information, the cyclone is presently about 210 kilometres southeast of Puducherry.

It is likely to cross between Vedharanyam and Cuddalore by December 2 morning.

The cyclone will be accompanied by light to moderate rainfall at many places and heavy and very heavy rainfall in coastal areas as speculated by the Tamil Nadu government.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed six teams in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.However, keeping in view the weakening of the cyclone, chances of flooding are receding.

(ANI)

Tamil Nadu was put on alert almost a year after floods caused severe disruption of normal life and damaged property.

India's Meteorological Department on Thursday said that the Cyclone Nada is expected to weaken in the next 12 hours in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. The state was again put on alert almost a year after floods caused severe disruption of normal life and damaged property. As per the latest information, the cyclone is presently about 210 kilometres southeast of Puducherry. It is likely to cross between Vedharanyam and Cuddalore by December 2 morning. The cyclone will be accompanied by light to moderate rainfall at many places and heavy and very heavy rainfall in coastal areas as speculated by the Tamil Nadu government. Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed six teams in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.However, keeping in view the weakening of the cyclone, chances of flooding are receding. (ANI)

India: Cyclone NADA expected to weaken in next 12 hours

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