Environment

Patna, Jul 18 (PTI) Flash floods caused by torrential rains in catchment areas of Nepal have ravaged a dozen districts of Bihar so far, claiming 78 lives and affecting 55 lakh people, the state's disaster management department said Thursday.

Sitamarhi reported the highest number of 18 casualties, followed by Madhubani (14), Araria (12), Sheohar and Darbhanga (nine each), Purnea (seven), Kishanganj (four), Supaul (three) and East Champaran (two), it said in a release.

The death toll increased by 11 since Wednesday, when it stood at 67.

Agra, Jul 19 (PTI) A massive greening drive is to be launched soon to curb environmental pollution in the eco-sensitive Taj Trapezium Zone of Agra spread over 10,400 sq km, said officials Friday.

Alarmed at the sharp pace of denudation due to the large-scale construction and expansion of infrastructural facilities, the Uttar Pradesh government has announced a target of planting 22 crore saplings by the end of August, said Forest Department officials.

Gandhinagar, Jul 16 (PTI) As many as 222 lions died, most of them due to natural causes, in the Gir forest region in Gujarat in the last two years, the Legislative Assembly was told Tuesday.

Among them, only 23 lions died because of "unnatural" causes such as getting hit by trains or falling into wells between June 2017 and May 2019.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 15 (PTI) Marking its first 'state partnership' in India, the World Bank will extend a USD 250 million loan for the Resilent Programme in Kerala, which had been devastated by worst floods in a century last Augst.

The Centre, state government and the World Bank had last month signed the loan agreement of US

250 million for the programme, which aims at enhancing the state's resilence against the impacts of natural calamities and climate change.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tropical Depression Barry spared New Orleans and Baton Rouge from catastrophic flooding, but even as it weakened and moved north through Arkansas, its trailing rain bands swamped parts of Louisiana with up to 17 inches (43 centimeters) of rain and transformed part of the Mississippi Delta into “an ocean.”

As of Monday evening, with the center of the storm about 105 miles (170 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, the National Weather Service said flash flood watches remained in effect in southeast Texas through the lower Mississippi Valley.

Tura, Jul 15 (PTI) Incessant rain across Meghalaya for the last seven days and rising waters of two rivers flooded the plains of West Garo Hills district, affecting at least 1.14 lakh people, officials said on Monday.

A total of 57,700 people, residents of 50 villages in Demdema block and over 66,400, residents of 104 villages in Selsella block have been affected due to the floods, they said.

Rising waters of the Brahmaputra and the Jinjiram rivers, both flowing from Assam, submerged the low-lying areas of the district, an official said.

Agartala, Jul 14 (PTI) At least 10,000 people of two districts of Tripura were rendered homeless and forced to take shelter in relief camps following floods caused by incessant rain for the last two days, officials of the state revenue department said Sunday.

State Project Officer of Disaster Management, Sarat Das, said personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and secureity forces of the state rescued a number of stranded people from Khowai and West Tripura districts.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Tropical Depression Barry dumped rain as it slowly swept inland through Gulf Coast states Sunday, sparing New Orleans from a direct hit but stoking fears elsewhere of flooding, tornadoes, and prolonged power outages.

MOSCOW, July 14. /TASS/: An increase in water levels has been registered in the Oka, Iya and Uda rivers in the flood-stricken Irkutsk Region, the regional department of the Russian Emergencies Ministry reported on its website on Sunday.

"According to the Irkutsk Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring Department, on July 14, rising water levels ranging from 15 to 45 centimeters were registered in the Oka, Iya and Uda rivers," the ministry said. "Fluctuations ranging from 10 to 40 centimeters are expected within the next 24 hours, which is below a critical level."

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The Latest on Barry (all times local):

5:45 a.m.

A severe thunderstorm embedded in one of Barry’s outer bands began rotating over Mississippi before dawn Sunday, prompting a tornado warning.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage.

The National Weather Service in Jackson says the storm early Sunday morning was capable of producing a tornado near the small town of Ellisville, Mississippi.

Ellisville is about 85 miles (137 kilometers) southeast of Jackson.

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4:45 a.m.