Environment

PRAGUE, April 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Czech Republic is facing its worst drought in 500 years and some communities could see their supplies run dry, Environment Minister Richard Brabec said.

A map presented by the ministry showed that just 0.1 per cent of the Czech Republic had a normal level of water in the soil in mid-April while extreme drought was found in 75.4 per cent of the country.

Drought conditions have persisted since 2015, as temperatures rise and rainfall dwindles.

PARIS, April 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — COVID-19 is expected to cause global energy emissions to fall a record eight percent this year due to an unprecedented drop in demand for coal, oil and gas, the International Energy Agency said.

The IEA’s Global Energy Review was based on an analysis of electricity demand over more than 100 days, during which much of the world has entered lockdown in a bid to control the pandemic.

HONG KONG, Apr 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) – An earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.3, jolted 132 km west of Panguna, Papua New Guinea, on Saturday (today), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake, which occurred at 0253 GMT, was initially determined to be at 6.5105 degrees south latitude, and 154.3008 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 16.9 km.

Chandigarh, Apr 18 (PTI) Rains that lashed several places in Punjab in the last 24 hours have triggered fear among farmers that the standing wheat crop would get damaged.

According to farmers, the rains have also "exposed the tall claims" of the state authorities for making a foolproof arrangement for saving crops at mandis from showers.

Hailstorm hit fields in Muktsar district on Friday, an official said, adding that the assessment of crop loss in affected areas was done.

SYDNEY, Apr 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) – An inquiry into Australia’s recent deadly bush-fire, officially began on Thursday (today), with an online ceremonial meeting.

The fires of 2019-20, which became known as “Black Summer,” left around 33 people dead, over 3,000 homes destroyed, as well as, widespread devastation of local wildlife and habitat.

Chair of the inquiry, retired defence force chief, Mark Binskin, said, the purpose of the hearings was not to point fingers or apportion blame, but to deliver practical solutions to better handle disasters in the future.

Mathura, Apr 5 (PTI) Nature activists and enthusiasts are thrilled to find that the water of River Yamuna is gradually turning transparent in the wake of the national lockdown imposed to arrest the spread of coronavirus.

Rakesh Tewari, vice president, Mathur Chaturved Parishad, said after 42 years, we could see clear Yamuna waters on Yamuna Chhath' on March 30.

New Delhi, Apr 2 (PTI) The health of Ganga River has seen significant improvement since enforcement of the nationwide lockdown that has led to reduction in dumping of industrial waste into it, experts have said.

India has been placed under a three-week lockdown since March 24 with its 1.3 billion people instructed to stay home in view of the coronavirus outbreak, which has claimed 50 lives so far and infected over 1,965 people in the country.

ABU DHABI, Mar 25 (NNN-WAM) – Rain is expected over different areas of the UAE, as the country will be affected, starting Friday, by an extension of surface trough from the Red Sea, associated with an airflow from the west, which moves clouds from the west in the form of successive waves, with a chance of lightning and thunder, according to the National Centre of Meteorology (NCM).

Following is a detailed weather forecast issued by the NCM for the coming few days starting Friday.

LOS ANGELES, March 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) — A shallow 5.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Salt Lake City on Wednesday, rattling residents and causing power outages in the western US state of Utah, the US Geological Survey reported.

The USGS said the quake hit at 1309 GMT four kilometres north of Magna, a township in Salt Lake County, at a depth of 9.6 kilometres.

The quake was felt throughout the area, a map on the monitoring agency website showed, although there were no immediate reports of serious damage.

KANPUR: Of course, nothing definite can be predicted about the weather.  Today's weather took a strange turn as there was scant showers in the afternoon. At about 2:30 p.m. the clouds have pervaded all over giving impression of rains. 

Though there has been registered increase in the daily temperature, sudden convergence of the clouds surprises the residents in Jajmau area here. 

The dark clouds are supposed to be getting ready to rain fiercely but only sometimes  mild,  sometimes strong vibrating thunder of clouds travel.