Environment

India: Thousands more evacuated from site of Indian oil well blast

TINSUKIA (India), June 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Around 7,000 people have been evacuated from the surrounds of a deadly oil well explosion in northeast India, authorities said, as environmentalists warned local wildlife was being hit by contamination.

Oil India engineers have been battling since May 27 to cap a blowout that this week ignited a huge ball of fire in Tinsukia district of Assam state.

5.7-Magnitude Quake Strikes Off Western Indonesia

JAKARTA, June 10 (NNN-ANTARA) – A 5.7-magnitude quake jolted Indonesia’s western province of Bengkulu on Wednesday (today), the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said.

The quake rocked at 11:35 a.m. Jakarta time (0435 GMT), with the epicentre at 28 km southwest of Mukomuko district, and the depth at 24 km under the seabed.

The quake was not potential for a tsunami.

Indonesia is frequently hit by quakes, as it sits on a quake-prone zone in the “Pacific Ring of Fire.”

Ethiopia: ‘No retreat from filling the Renaissance Dam and no war with Sudan’

09 June 2020; MEMO: The Ethiopian Prime Minister Abe Ahmed said that “the decision to fill the Renaissance Dam is irreversible.” He added that Addis Ababa will not go to war with Sudan as the two countries “agree on the settlement of border disputes.”

He added that his country is not seeking to harm others, pointing out that the Renaissance Dam is mainly aimed at the development of Ethiopia, according to statements broadcasted by Al-Arabiya TV channel.

India: Massive fire at Assam's Baghjan oil well

Guwahati, Jun 9 (PTI) A massive fire engulfed the damaged Baghjan oil well on Tuesday which has been spewing gas uncontrollably for the last 14 days in Assam's Tinsukia district, official sources said.

The blaze at the Oil India Ltd's oil well is so massive that it can be seen from a distance of more than two kilometres, eyewitnesses said.

Three experts from Singaporean firm Alert Disaster Control were at the blowout site and some equipment was being removed when the fire broke out in the afternoon.

UN Chief Asks Entire World To Change Course On Environment

UNITED NATIONS, June 6 (NNN-XINHUA) – UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, asked the world to change course on environment.

“We are harming the natural world — to our own detriment,” he said, in a message on World Environment Day, which fell on June 5 (yesterday).

“We need our entire global community to change course. Let’s rethink what we buy and use; adopt sustainable habits, farming and business models; safeguard remaining wild spaces and wildlife; commit to a green and resilient future.”

India: Pune reports third cyclone-related death

Pune, Jun 4 (PTI) A 35-year-old man, who was severely injured in an incident of wall collapse during cyclonic storm 'Nisarga' in Maharashtra's Pune district, died at a hospital here on Thursday, police said.

This is the third cyclone-related death reported in the district.

The cyclone impacted Pune as it moved towards the northern part of the state on Wednesday, battering parts of Khed, Maval Mulshi, Junnar and Ambegaon tehsils.

Pune district had already recorded two cyclone-related deaths on Wednesday.

Cyclone Nisarga shows signs of weakening

New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) After storming the Maharashtra coast with wind speeds of up to 120 kmph on Wednesday afternoon, Cyclone Nisarga has started weakening and its intensity will reduce further by evening, the India Meteorological Department said. The landfall of the cyclone began at 12.30 PM at Alibaug and the process was completed by 2.30 PM, IMD director general Mrutunjay Mohapatra said. The storm lay 75 kilometres southeast of Mumbai and 65 kilometres west of Pune.

Depression in Arabian Sea to intensify into severe cyclonic storm; will impact Mumbai

New Delhi, Jun 1 (PTI) The depression in the Arabian Sea is likely to intensify into a severe cyclone and cross the north Maharashtra and south Gujarat coasts on June 3, and will have an impact on Mumbai, the India Meteorological Department said on Monday.

The depression will intensify into a deep depression --- the third and fourth stage of any cyclone formation --- by this evening.

It will intensify into a cyclonic storm by June 2, the Cyclone Warning Division of the IMD said.

Deadly Tropical Storm Amanda hits El Salvador, Guatemala

SAN SALVADOR, June 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Tropical Storm Amanda triggered flash floods, landslides and power outages as it barrelled through El Salvador and Guatemala Sunday, killing 14 people, authorities said, warning of further heavy rain to come.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele declared a 15-day state of emergency to cope with the effects of the storm, which he estimated to have caused $200 million in damage, but which weakened later in the day as it moved into Guatemala.

India: Downpours can only bring respite from hot weather

KANPUR: The real feel of Thursday's temperature remains 43° Celsius. The weather is hot and unbearable. Disturbed with the hot weather, the people are said to be awaiting downpours for respite within two or three days. They are thankful that power disruptions were not effecting long duration. The electricity cut does take place almost daily but people are coping with the short disruptions.

In the morning the sunshine mixed with the clouds gives the feeling of hotness which continues till the end of the evening time. 

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