Floods continue to ravage Kerala where the death toll has crossed 100. At the time of writing, 111 fatalities have been reported with the Malappuram district being the worst-affected. The floods have led to mass displacement. More than 2.27 lakh people are being sheltered in 1,551 relief camps. Excess rainfall during the monsoon season triggered […]
environment
Air pollution and the risk of emphysema
Long-term exposure to air pollution ups the risk of developing emphysema in a similar way to smoking, according to a recent study. The research – carried out by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), both part of the US National Institutes of Health – […]
Medicines for water-borne disease in flood-ravaged Thane
Maharashtra’s Thane district has been battling heavy rainfall in recent weeks, causing floods and leaving it vulnerable to the spread of water-borne disease. To guard against such infections, officials have been distributing medicines – an effort which has reached more than 60,000 people. The state has been beleaguered by intense flooding amidst heavy monsoon rainfall. […]
Flooding in Assam and Bihar continues
The flooding plaguing the north of India, particularly in Assam and Bihar, is continuing at a vicious pace, with the death toll crossing 200. At the time of writing, 209 people have died in Assam and Bihar. Individual state reports give a higher cumulative figure, with more than 8.21 million in Bihar and more than […]
Heavy flooding continues to ravage India
Amidst the heavy flooding plaguing eastern and northern India, a tiger displaced from Assam’s flood-ravaged Kaziranga National Park sought refuge in a nearby house – much to the shock of residents. The tiger fled the park where 92 animals have drowned. Many are still trapped by the floodwaters. In a viral photo shared by an […]
Is Day Zero coming to Hyderabad?
Day Zero – the point when the wells run dry and a city runs out of water – is looming over Hyderabad. In fact, it may be only 48 days away. The Telangana state capital is set to be hard hit by a monsoon season which was both delayed and deficient. The Indian Meteorological Department […]
Assam flooding spreads as the region is lashed with rains
Assam has faced heavy flooding for several days, with the situation only deteriorating at the week’s end. As of Thursday, 4.2 lakh people across seventeen districts have been affected by the floodwaters. Many have been displaced, with 1,843 people taking refuge in relief camps as the waters submerge 749 villages. The flooding has gotten worse […]
Energy infrastructure: Why we need to rethink it
![A thermal powerplant situated @ 20 kms away of raichur [own work, CC license]. Energy infrastructure example.](https://i0.wp.com/www.healthissuesindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/800px-Raichur_Thermal_Power_Station.jpg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1 "Energy infrastructure: Why we need to rethink it")
Energy infrastructure needs to be seriously rethought if global warming targets are to be met, research published in the journal Nature reveals in a stark warning. Last year, a groundbreaking report issued by the UN body on climate change announced that “rapid, [far-reaching] and unprecedented changes” are necessary if the pace of global warming is […]
Climate crisis concerns echo in the Indian Parliament
As India battles the implications of its climate crisis, a war of words broke out in Parliament’s upper house, Rajya Sabha, on Thursday with the Opposition accusing the government of giving priority to business over environmental concerns. Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar denied the charges, asserting that he would both ensure economic development and protect […]
Amid accelerated Himalayan ice loss, a wedding celebration
Ice loss is occurring at a rapid pace as the Himalayas have been melting at double the rate since the turn of the century, a new study has revealed in another warning signal for India’s climate change crisis. The American Association of Advancement of Science study, titled “Acceleration of ice loss across the Himalayas over […]