Worldcrunch
The Himalayas, once celebrated as a sacred and resilient landscape, are now collapsing under the weight of reckless development, corporate exploitation, and political neglect. What we call “natural disasters” in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are, in truth, human-made tragedies — preventable catastrophes born of greed, denial, and the systematic erasure of ecological wisdom.
👋 Servus!* Welcome to Wednesday, where a major earthquake off Russia’s coast triggers tsunami evacuations across the Pacific, the UK says it will recognize the state of Palestine in September if no ceasefire is reached, and today’s quiz question sees one very odd world record broken. Meanwhile, Ethic sits down with Colombian writer Héctor Abad […]
The end of the first mission to Jupiter, the beginning of a Chinese dynasty and a shock retirement in the world of sports.
In 1998, urban historian Mike Davis published Ecology of Fear, exploring the consequences of Los Angeles urban development on the increase of natural disasters. Almost three decades later, his book is still relevant.
The one of Japan’s deadliest earthquakes, the debut of a one-eyed cartoon character and an infamous sex scandal.
The city of Valencia has not been affected by the natural disaster that caused more than 200 deaths in eastern Spain, but the region’s capital city is not the same. And the population is struggling to find a new balance.
The natural disaster in Valencia is the reflection of a great societal failure, the result of the lack of public policies in organizing a sustainable and balanced model of life.
Updated Oct. 25, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. On this day in 2010, Mount Merapi in Indonesia began a month-long series of violent eruptions that killed 353 people and caused the evacuation of another 350,000 people What caused the violent eruptions of Mount Merupi in 2010? The eruptions of Mount Merapi in 2010 were primarily driven […]
Updated Oct. 8, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The Kashmir earthquake struck on this day in 2005, with a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale. Where did the Kashmir earthquake occur? The earthquake primarily affected the Kashmir region, which includes parts of India, Pakistan, and even Afghanistan. The epicenter was located near the town of […]
Updated July 23, 2024 at 11:50 a.m. Hurricane Katrina made landfall on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. on this day in 2005. What was Hurricane Katrina? Hurricane Katrina was a Category 3 hurricane at the time of its landfall, with sustained winds of around 125 miles per hour (200 kilometers per hour). It was […]
Updated Aug. 24, 2024 at 2:45 pm An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude hit Italy on this day in 2016. Where did the earthquake strike in Italy? The earthquake struck central Italy — in particular the regions of Lazio, Marche, Umbria, and Abruzzo. The epicenter was near the town of Accumoli in the province of Rieti. […]
The Central U.S. is at risk for major disaster. But scientists don’t know why — or when — the next big one will strike.
Stromboli, located in Sicily’s Aeolian Islands, is one of the most famous volcanoes in the world, attracting tourists for its pristine black sand beaches. Yet due to its characteristics, including its uniquely consistent and predictable eruptions, it has also become an international reference point in the study of explosive dynamics.
The deadly floods in southern Brazil are unprecedented but not unexpected. Ahead of the October local elections, Brazilians must remember that politicians have ignored scientists’ predictions and weakened legislation that could have helped deal with climate change.
Updated Jan. 17, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. On this day in 1995, the Great Hanshin, or Kobe, earthquake rocked Japan. What happened during the Kobe earthquake? The Kobe earthquake struck at 5:46 a.m. in the Japanese coastal city of Kobe. It lasted about 20 seconds and registered as a magnitude 6.9 (7.3 on the Richter […]
A closer look at the science shows there are many factors that contribute to weather-related emergencies. It is important to raise climate change awareness, but there’s a risk in overstating its role in every natural disaster.
Time is the most precious resource when it comes to disaster relief, and yet French teams have been left waiting for Morocco’s approval for their aid. Looking at recent tensions might explain why the country is hesitating on accepting help in a time of such dire need.
The number of climate refugees is predicted to hit 1.2 billion by 2050, yet states are still not taking enough action. The Global South will be the most affected, but the West will not be spared.
The deadliest tsunami in Japan’s history occurred on this day in 1896. The Sanriku earthquake had an estimated magnitude of 7.6 to 7.9 on the Richter scale. What caused the Sanriku earthquake of 1896? The earthquake was caused by the movement of the Pacific Plate subducting beneath the Okhotsk Plate along the Japan Trench. It was […]
The lack of government services in Port-de-Paix, Haiti, has spawned an ongoing crisis in the coastal city, where residents struggle to maintain their homes amid constant floods.
The shoddy homes that collapse on their inhabitants in Turkey’s recent earthquake were badly, and hastily, built as part of a worldwide real-estate fever typically fueled by greedy governments indifferent to safety norms and common sense.
After Turkey’s devastating earthquakes, rescue workers continue to work in increasingly hopeless circumstances. Turkish news outlet Diken reports from the scene as survivors wait anxiously for news of loved ones. It’s rarely good news.
The earthquake in Turkey and Syria teach us about humility in the face of what we can’t control — but we also surprise ourselves in responding to crisis.
Colombia has a history of earthquakes, yet many of its buildings are not designed to withstand even moderate tremors. As Turkey and Syria reel from disaster, will other countries around the world learn any lessons?
The Feb. 6 earthquake, with a magnitude of at least Mww 7.8, has destroyed thousands of buildings in southern and central Turkey, as well as locations across the border in Syria. Many of the more than 20,000 dead were killed in those collapsing buildings. Yet even as we try to tally to the toll of […]
The government in Ankara doesn’t want to question the cause of the high death toll in the earthquake that struck along the Turkey-Syria border. But one Turkish writer says it’s time to assign responsibility right now.
Across the border from the epicenter in Turkey, the Syrian region of Idlib is home to millions of people displaced by the 12-year-long civil war. The victims there risk not getting assistance because of the interests of Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, reminding the world of one of the great unresolved conflicts of our times.
International newspapers are relaying the destruction and drama after a powerful earthquake devastated southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border Monday, killing more than 5,000.
The Indian authorities’ decision to hide factual reports on the land subsidence in Joshimath only furthers a sense of paranoia.
Bad American weather is making news again, a week after a chunk of the country was digging out from record blizzards.
? ഹലോ!* Welcome to Thursday, where Kim Jong-un offers to reopen hotline with Seoul, a 96-year-old Nazi war crime suspect flees and a Turkish man gets so drunk he joins a search party for himself. From France, we also take a look, and listen, to the surprisingly loud noises of the countryside. [*halēā – Malayalam, […]
Due to climate change and pollution, entire neighborhoods and cities on the continent are destined to vanish. A new vision of African urbanism is needed to replace the illusion of the “city without limits.”
Milenio Novedades, Sept. 20, 2017 For the second time is as many weeks, “Mexico Shakes,” as the front page of the Yucatán daily Milenio Novedades reports, following a 7.1-magnitude earthquake on Tuesday that toppled buildings and killed at least 216 people. Many more are missing. Victims include a group of children in Mexico City’s Coapa […]
Cleaning up after natural disasters has become a lucrative business, but raises questions for victims and governments alike.
After several weeks of heavy rains, Lima daily Peru21 has tallied the death and damage from flooding that stretches from north to south in the Latin American nation.
“Seven killed in Dominican Republic and Haiti as rainfall continues” writes the Dominican Republic’s daily El Caribe on its Wednesday front page as Hurricane Matthew — the most powerful Caribbean hurricane in years — devastated parts of the two countries that coexist on the same island. With winds up to 230 km/h (145 mph), torrential […]
In many ways, Barack Obama’s election eight years ago as America’s first black president broke the mold. But in other ways it has not. Both at home and abroad, there are certain codes and behaviors and best practices that the preternaturally moderate Obama has abided by for the past eight years to ensure a kind […]
Two days after an earthquake tore through central Italy, the dust is settling on the razed buildings, and the hope of finding survivors in the rubble is fading away. The first burials of victims took place this morning, only hours after Prime Minister Matteo Renzi declared a state of emergency for the worst-hit areas and […]
SPOTLIGHT: HOW LOW WILL TRUMP GO? Waking up in European Central Time to the morning headlines means two things right now: Rio Olympic results and Donald Trump’s new low. We’ve been trying to digest the latest installment of the latter after the Republican nominee in his inimitable, er, offhanded way, said yesterday in North Carolina […]
Publico, Aug. 10 Forest fires burned into Wednesday on Portugal’s Madeira Islands, killing at least three people, injuring 174 and forcing the evacuation of more than 1000 from homes and hotels. Several buildings were destroyed on the resort island, including reports of damage to a five-star hotel, as fires have now burned for two days. […]