14 August 2020 – The UN and aid partners are seeking $565 million to address the overwhelming needs in Lebanon following the deadly explosions that flattened large areas of the capital, Beirut, nearly two weeks ago.
Category: Disasters
6.0 magnitude quake strikes off Tanzania: USGS
A shallow 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck southeast of the Tanzanian financial centre of Dar es Salaam late Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
Beirut Blast
By Chandra Muzaffar Four days after the Beirut Blast of 4th August 2020, the Lebanese president, Michel Aoun, has attempted to explain what caused the largest explosion since the end of the Second World War. He attributes it to either…
Flood situation improves further in Ganges basin
Rajshahi, Aug 12 : The overall flood situation continues to improve in the affected districts in Rajshahi division as onrush of hilly water from the upstream declined.
Refugees also hit by Beirut blast: Relief works continue
11 August 2020 – Dozens of refugees were among the victims of the deadly explosions at Beirut’s port a week ago that destroyed large areas of the Lebanese capital, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported on Tuesday.
Flood situation turns worse in Jessore, N’ganj; 7 die
Dhaka, Aug 11 – The overall flood situation has worsened in Jessore and Narayanganj districts with the rise of water level in the adjacent rivers, leaving thousands of people marooned.
Dangerous chemicals remain in Beirut port: Expert
Beirut, AP/UNB, Aug 11 – At least 20 potentially dangerous chemical containers remain at the Beirut port, destroyed in a massive explosion last week, a member of a French cleanup team said. Chemical experts and firefighters are working to secure…
Flood situation improving continuously in Ganges basin
Rajshahi, Aug 10: Normalcy has started returning among the affected people as continuous improvement of flood situation in the Ganges basin following recession of water levels in most of its rivers for the last couple of days.
59 relief extortion cases surface, floods hit 34 districts
Dhaka, Aug 10 – There are 59 reported cases of corruption in relief distribution across the country under various projects, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Md Enamur Rahman has said.
Nagasaki urges nuke ban on 75th anniversary of US A-bombing
Tokyo, AP/UNB, Aug 09 – The Japanese city of Nagasaki on Sunday marked its 75th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, with a call to the world leaders including their own to do more for a nuclear weapons ban.
River erosion renders many homeless in 10 Faridpur villages
Faridpur, Aug 09 – With the recession of floodwater, erosion on the banks of Madhumati River has taken a serious turn in Alfadanga Upazila of Faridpur district, causing further worry among the flood-hit people of the Upazila.
Flood situation starts improving in Ganges basin
Rajshahi, Aug 8: Flood situation in the Ganges Basin has started improving as water levels in most of its rivers showed a receding trend Saturday morning as a result of reduction of heavy downpour and onrush of water from upstream…
Floods don’t always happen, these are caused too
Sudhirendar Sharma The reality behind the statistics and headlines of man made disasters are too grim for words. Flooding has always threatened human habitation, but it is happening too often in recent times with disastrous consequences in unexpected places. Much…
Beirut On its Knees
By Eliane Eid BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug 6 2020 – Following the massive explosion in Beirut on Aug. 4, IPS correspondent Eliane Eid reports that the residents of the city are still shell shocked. Beirut looks like a battlefield, with destruction…
Beirut blast: UN urges help to aid Lebanon recovery
7 August 2020 – After a devastating blast ripped through Beirut Port in Lebanon on Tuesday, wounding thousands and rendering hundreds of thousands homeless, the UN moved rapidly to step up its relief effort.
Beirut tragedy: Grieving, search for missing continue
Beirut, AP/UNB, Aug 07 – Rescue teams were still searching the rubble of Beirut’s port for bodies on Friday, nearly three days after a massive explosion that ripped through Lebanon’s capital, killing about 150 people and wounding thousands.
Normalcy returning to flood-hit Brahmaputra basin
Rangpur, Aug 7: Normalcy started returning to flood-affected areas as many displaced people are returning homes following further improvement in the flood situation in the Brahmaputra basin during 24 hours till 9 am Friday.
Bangladesh among global hotspots of series of floods: Study
Dhaka, Aug 07 – Bangladesh is one of the hotspots of series of floods in the world, latest study says, noting that 250 million coastal dwellers will face rising floods globally.
Flood situation continues improving in B’putra basin
Rangpur, Aug 6: The flood situation improved further during the last 24 hours ending at 9am today with sharp fall in water levels of major rivers amid sporadic incidents of riverbank erosion at places in the Brahmaputra basin.
BD to send medical team, emergency supplies to Lebanon
Dhaka, Aug 6: Bangladesh will send a medical team with emergency medical and food supplies to Lebanon as a huge explosion rocked the capital of the country Beirut on Tuesday that left 137 people, including four Bangladeshi nationals, dead.
Triple Disasters of Flooding, Corona and Lost Livelihoods
By Farid Ahmed DHAKA, Aug 5 2020 (IPS) – With nearly 5.5 million people across Bangladesh affected by severe flooding — the worst in two decades — experts are concerned that millions of people, already badly impacted by COVID-19, will…
Kurigram flood shows receding trend
Kurigram, Aug 05 – People are returning to their homes as the flood level is gradually falling in Kurigram with major rivers flowing through the districts all flowing below the danger level.
Beirut blast of stored explosives: 70 dead, thousands hurt
A large blast in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has killed at least 70 people and injured more than 4,000 others, the health minister says. Videos show smoke billowing from a fire, then a mushroom cloud following the blast at the…
Flood situation in Ganges basin improves further
Rajshahi, Aug 4: Flood situation has been improving for the last couple of days in the region as water declining continues in many rivers in the Ganges basin for the sixth consecutive day Tuesday.
EU provides Tk 10 mn for flood victims in Bangladesh
Dhaka, Aug 03 – The European Union is providing EUR 100,000, almost Tk 10 million, in humanitarian aid funding to assist the most vulnerable communities in response to severe flooding that has affected nearly one-third of Bangladesh.
WFP, Oxfam, Green Delta Insurance to help protect labourers
Dhaka, Aug 03 – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), Oxfam Bangladesh and Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd have launched a new insurance scheme to protect casual agricultural labourers in Bangladesh from floods during this monsoon.
Flood situation in Ganges basin shows falling trend
Rajshahi, August 3 – Flood situation has been improving in the region for the last couple of days as water recession continues in many rivers in the Ganges basin for the fifth consecutive day Monday.
Nature by the Numbers
by Robert Watson NORWICH – When Cyclone Amphan came barreling up the Bay of Bengal this past May, South Asia’s first named storm of the year appeared to pose a massive threat to the people who live on the coastal…
Over 5.4 million affected by adverse effects of flood
Dhaka, Aug 02 – Around 11.14 lakh families have been affected and remain waterlogged, while 135 lives have so far been lost in the current wave of flooding that set in during the last week of June.
Fresh flood, erosion hit Kurigram, Madaripur hard
Fresh flood and severe erosion have intensified sufferings of people in Kurigram and Madaripur districts.