Latest news with #Koll
Nahar Net
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Nahar Net
Climate change makes South Asia's monsoon more prone to floods and landslides
Each year from June to September, a series of heavy rains known as monsoons sweep through the Indian subcontinent, providing relief from heat, irrigating the country's farms and replenishing its rivers. However, as global heat increases, the rain is becoming more erratic and intense, creating the conditions for deadly floods. Nearly 1,300 people died in India throughout 2024 due to heavy rain and floods. Hundreds of rain-related deaths have already occurred this year in the South Asian region, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives and Nepal. Climate experts say the high temperatures and heavy rain are also contributing to the melting of glaciers in the mountainous Himalayan region, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides. Monsoon season becomes more dangerous The South Asian region has traditionally had two monsoon seasons. One typically lasts from June to September, with rains moving southwest to northeast. The other, from roughly October to December, moves in the opposite direction. But with more planet-warming gases in the air, the rain now only loosely follows this pattern. This is because the warmer air can hold more moisture from the Indian Ocean, and that rain then tends to get dumped all at once. It means the monsoon is punctuated with intense flooding and dry spells, rather than sustained rain throughout. "We are witnessing a clear climatic shift in monsoon patterns across South Asia," said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and author of several United Nations climate reports. Traditionally, people in India and neighboring countries excitedly awaited the monsoon rains, which would finally mean the end of summer heat. But attitudes are changing as disasters increase during the rainy seasons. "The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events are increasing, often overwhelming drainage infrastructure in urban areas and triggering flash floods," Koll said. Higher temperatures and longer periods of drought are also making farming harder in South Asia, climate experts said. "More than 60% of the people in South Asia are dependent on agriculture, and almost all of them are dependent on monsoon rainfall," said Finu Shreshta, a climate scientist at Kathmandu, Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Mountain regions are seeing more glacial lakes overflowing A 2023 report by Shreshta's organization found that glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates across the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountain ranges. The study found that at least 200 of the more than 2,000 glacial lakes in the region are at risk of overflowing, which can cause catastrophic damage downstream. Heavy monsoon rains can exacerbate the problem. "A lot of the mountain areas tend to have more warming than the global average, resulting in more glaciers melting," said Miriam Jackson, glaciologist at the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative. An October 2023 glacial lake overflow in the Indian state of Sikkim triggered flooding that killed 55 people and damaged bridges, buildings and a hydropower dam that was under construction. Heavy rainfall and increasing heat are leading to snow and ice avalanches, rockfalls and other events that can trigger the lakes to breach or overflow, Shreshta said. "Even small glacial lakes are now breaching and causing damage," she said. Early warning systems and long-term planning can help Installing early warning systems and building in less risky areas can help reduce damage from heavy rains, climate experts say. "If you know a flood is coming, then people can get to higher ground and there could be a sort of standard early warning system along a river that sends out a siren," Jackson said, adding that social media and messaging applications can help people spread warnings to those downstream. Koll, the Pune-based scientist, said that rapid urbanization, shrinking floodplains and loss of natural drainage also exacerbate damage from heavy rains. Koll said that most government response currently comes after disasters, and there is a lack of long-term planning. "In the future monsoon, extreme rains are projected to intensify further, in addition to sporadic water shortages. Hence, we need proactive, long-term strategies that combine science, policy, and community engagement," he said. Jackson said the biggest issue, however, is to try to reduce emissions of planet-heating gases because there are limits to adapting to extreme weather. "If we continue with, you know, business as usual, and we have the same kind of emissions, then the world is going to keep on getting warmer and there will be more intense rain and floods. At some point, we could go beyond the limits of adaptation," she said.
10-07-2025
- Climate
Climate change makes South Asia's monsoon season more prone to floods, landslides and heavy rains
BENGALURU, India -- Each year from June to September, a series of heavy rains known as monsoons sweep through the Indian subcontinent, providing relief from heat, irrigating the country's farms and replenishing its rivers. However, as global heat increases, the rain is becoming more erratic and intense, creating the conditions for deadly floods. Nearly 1,300 people died in India throughout 2024 due to heavy rain and floods. Hundreds of rain-related deaths have already occurred this year in the South Asian region, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives and Nepal. Climate experts say the high temperatures and heavy rain are also contributing to the melting of glaciers in the mountainous Himalayan region, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides. The South Asian region has traditionally had two monsoon seasons. One typically lasts from June to September, with rains moving southwest to northeast. The other, from roughly October to December, moves in the opposite direction. But with more planet-warming gases in the air, the rain now only loosely follows this pattern. This is because the warmer air can hold more moisture from the Indian Ocean, and that rain then tends to get dumped all at once. It means the monsoon is punctuated with intense flooding and dry spells, rather than sustained rain throughout. 'We are witnessing a clear climatic shift in monsoon patterns across South Asia,' said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and author of several United Nations climate reports. Traditionally, people in India and neighboring countries excitedly awaited the monsoon rains, which would finally mean the end of summer heat. But attitudes are changing as disasters increase during the rainy seasons. 'The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events are increasing, often overwhelming drainage infrastructure in urban areas and triggering flash floods,' Koll said. Higher temperatures and longer periods of drought are also making farming harder in South Asia, climate experts said. 'More than 60% of the people in South Asia are dependent on agriculture, and almost all of them are dependent on monsoon rainfall,' said Finu Shreshta, a climate scientist at Kathmandu, Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. A 2023 report by Shreshta's organization found that glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates across the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountain ranges. The study found that at least 200 of the more than 2,000 glacial lakes in the region are at risk of overflowing, which can cause catastrophic damage downstream. Heavy monsoon rains can exacerbate the problem. 'A lot of the mountain areas tend to have more warming than the global average, resulting in more glaciers melting,' said Miriam Jackson, glaciologist at the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative. An October 2023 glacial lake overflow in the Indian state of Sikkim triggered flooding that killed 55 people and damaged bridges, buildings and a hydropower dam that was under construction. Heavy rainfall and increasing heat are leading to snow and ice avalanches, rockfalls and other events that can trigger the lakes to breach or overflow, Shreshta said. 'Even small glacial lakes are now breaching and causing damage,' she said. Installing early warning systems and building in less risky areas can help reduce damage from heavy rains, climate experts say. 'If you know a flood is coming, then people can get to higher ground and there could be a sort of standard early warning system along a river that sends out a siren,' Jackson said, adding that social media and messaging applications can help people spread warnings to those downstream. Koll, the Pune-based scientist, said that rapid urbanization, shrinking floodplains and loss of natural drainage also exacerbate damage from heavy rains. Koll said that most government response currently comes after disasters, and there is a lack of long-term planning. 'In the future monsoon, extreme rains are projected to intensify further, in addition to sporadic water shortages. Hence, we need proactive, long-term strategies that combine science, policy, and community engagement,' he said. Jackson said the biggest issue, however, is to try to reduce emissions of planet-heating gases because there are limits to adapting to extreme weather. 'If we continue with, you know, business as usual, and we have the same kind of emissions, then the world is going to keep on getting warmer and there will be more intense rain and floods. At some point, we could go beyond the limits of adaptation,' she said.
San Francisco Chronicle
10-07-2025
- Climate
- San Francisco Chronicle
Climate change makes South Asia's monsoon season more prone to floods, landslides and heavy rains
BENGALURU, India (AP) — Each year from June to September, a series of heavy rains known as monsoons sweep through the Indian subcontinent, providing relief from heat, irrigating the country's farms and replenishing its rivers. However, as global heat increases, the rain is becoming more erratic and intense, creating the conditions for deadly floods. Nearly 1,300 people died in India throughout 2024 due to heavy rain and floods. Hundreds of rain-related deaths have already occurred this year in the South Asian region, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives and Nepal. Climate experts say the high temperatures and heavy rain are also contributing to the melting of glaciers in the mountainous Himalayan region, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides. Monsoon season becomes more dangerous The South Asian region has traditionally had two monsoon seasons. One typically lasts from June to September, with rains moving southwest to northeast. The other, from roughly October to December, moves in the opposite direction. But with more planet-warming gases in the air, the rain now only loosely follows this pattern. This is because the warmer air can hold more moisture from the Indian Ocean, and that rain then tends to get dumped all at once. It means the monsoon is punctuated with intense flooding and dry spells, rather than sustained rain throughout. 'We are witnessing a clear climatic shift in monsoon patterns across South Asia,' said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and author of several United Nations climate reports. Traditionally, people in India and neighboring countries excitedly awaited the monsoon rains, which would finally mean the end of summer heat. But attitudes are changing as disasters increase during the rainy seasons. 'The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events are increasing, often overwhelming drainage infrastructure in urban areas and triggering flash floods,' Koll said. Higher temperatures and longer periods of drought are also making farming harder in South Asia, climate experts said. 'More than 60% of the people in South Asia are dependent on agriculture, and almost all of them are dependent on monsoon rainfall,' said Finu Shreshta, a climate scientist at Kathmandu, Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Mountain regions are seeing more glacial lakes overflowing A 2023 report by Shreshta's organization found that glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates across the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountain ranges. The study found that at least 200 of the more than 2,000 glacial lakes in the region are at risk of overflowing, which can cause catastrophic damage downstream. Heavy monsoon rains can exacerbate the problem. 'A lot of the mountain areas tend to have more warming than the global average, resulting in more glaciers melting,' said Miriam Jackson, glaciologist at the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative. An October 2023 glacial lake overflow in the Indian state of Sikkim triggered flooding that killed 55 people and damaged bridges, buildings and a hydropower dam that was under construction. Heavy rainfall and increasing heat are leading to snow and ice avalanches, rockfalls and other events that can trigger the lakes to breach or overflow, Shreshta said. 'Even small glacial lakes are now breaching and causing damage,' she said. Early warning systems and long-term planning can help Installing early warning systems and building in less risky areas can help reduce damage from heavy rains, climate experts say. 'If you know a flood is coming, then people can get to higher ground and there could be a sort of standard early warning system along a river that sends out a siren,' Jackson said, adding that social media and messaging applications can help people spread warnings to those downstream. Koll, the Pune-based scientist, said that rapid urbanization, shrinking floodplains and loss of natural drainage also exacerbate damage from heavy rains. Koll said that most government response currently comes after disasters, and there is a lack of long-term planning. 'In the future monsoon, extreme rains are projected to intensify further, in addition to sporadic water shortages. Hence, we need proactive, long-term strategies that combine science, policy, and community engagement,' he said. Jackson said the biggest issue, however, is to try to reduce emissions of planet-heating gases because there are limits to adapting to extreme weather. 'If we continue with, you know, business as usual, and we have the same kind of emissions, then the world is going to keep on getting warmer and there will be more intense rain and floods. At some point, we could go beyond the limits of adaptation,' she said.
Winnipeg Free Press
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Winnipeg Free Press
Climate change makes South Asia's monsoon season more prone to floods, landslides and heavy rains
BENGALURU, India (AP) — Each year from June to September, a series of heavy rains known as monsoons sweep through the Indian subcontinent, providing relief from heat, irrigating the country's farms and replenishing its rivers. However, as global heat increases, the rain is becoming more erratic and intense, creating the conditions for deadly floods. Nearly 1,300 people died in India throughout 2024 due to heavy rain and floods. Hundreds of rain-related deaths have already occurred this year in the South Asian region, which includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives and Nepal. Climate experts say the high temperatures and heavy rain are also contributing to the melting of glaciers in the mountainous Himalayan region, causing catastrophic flooding and landslides. Monsoon season becomes more dangerous The South Asian region has traditionally had two monsoon seasons. One typically lasts from June to September, with rains moving southwest to northeast. The other, from roughly October to December, moves in the opposite direction. But with more planet-warming gases in the air, the rain now only loosely follows this pattern. This is because the warmer air can hold more moisture from the Indian Ocean, and that rain then tends to get dumped all at once. It means the monsoon is punctuated with intense flooding and dry spells, rather than sustained rain throughout. 'We are witnessing a clear climatic shift in monsoon patterns across South Asia,' said Roxy Mathew Koll, a climate scientist at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune and author of several United Nations climate reports. Traditionally, people in India and neighboring countries excitedly awaited the monsoon rains, which would finally mean the end of summer heat. But attitudes are changing as disasters increase during the rainy seasons. 'The frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events are increasing, often overwhelming drainage infrastructure in urban areas and triggering flash floods,' Koll said. Higher temperatures and longer periods of drought are also making farming harder in South Asia, climate experts said. 'More than 60% of the people in South Asia are dependent on agriculture, and almost all of them are dependent on monsoon rainfall,' said Finu Shreshta, a climate scientist at Kathmandu, Nepal-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development. Mountain regions are seeing more glacial lakes overflowing A 2023 report by Shreshta's organization found that glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates across the Hindu Kush and Himalayan mountain ranges. The study found that at least 200 of the more than 2,000 glacial lakes in the region are at risk of overflowing, which can cause catastrophic damage downstream. Heavy monsoon rains can exacerbate the problem. 'A lot of the mountain areas tend to have more warming than the global average, resulting in more glaciers melting,' said Miriam Jackson, glaciologist at the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative. An October 2023 glacial lake overflow in the Indian state of Sikkim triggered flooding that killed 55 people and damaged bridges, buildings and a hydropower dam that was under construction. Heavy rainfall and increasing heat are leading to snow and ice avalanches, rockfalls and other events that can trigger the lakes to breach or overflow, Shreshta said. 'Even small glacial lakes are now breaching and causing damage,' she said. Early warning systems and long-term planning can help Installing early warning systems and building in less risky areas can help reduce damage from heavy rains, climate experts say. 'If you know a flood is coming, then people can get to higher ground and there could be a sort of standard early warning system along a river that sends out a siren,' Jackson said, adding that social media and messaging applications can help people spread warnings to those downstream. Koll, the Pune-based scientist, said that rapid urbanization, shrinking floodplains and loss of natural drainage also exacerbate damage from heavy rains. Koll said that most government response currently comes after disasters, and there is a lack of long-term planning. 'In the future monsoon, extreme rains are projected to intensify further, in addition to sporadic water shortages. Hence, we need proactive, long-term strategies that combine science, policy, and community engagement,' he said. Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Jackson said the biggest issue, however, is to try to reduce emissions of planet-heating gases because there are limits to adapting to extreme weather. 'If we continue with, you know, business as usual, and we have the same kind of emissions, then the world is going to keep on getting warmer and there will be more intense rain and floods. At some point, we could go beyond the limits of adaptation,' she said. ___ Follow Sibi Arasu on X at @sibi123 ___ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Mysterious Radioactive Anomaly Discovered Deep Under The Pacific Ocean
A strange radioactive 'blip' has been detected deep beneath the Pacific Ocean. Analyzing several thin layers of seafloor crust, scientists in Germany have identified a sudden surge in the radioactive isotope Beryllium-10 sometime between 9–12 million years ago. The beryllium-10 blip was detected in the seabeds of the Central and the Northern Pacific, but the authors behind the study, led by physicist Dominik Koll of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf research institute, say the anomaly could be present throughout the Pacific, maybe even the world. It's unknown where the sudden surge came from, but researchers have a few ideas. Beryllium-10 is a radioactive isotope that is continuously produced by cosmic rays interacting with Earth's atmosphere. When it rains from the atmosphere and settles in the ocean, the isotope becomes incorporated into the extremely slow growth of some deep metal-rich crusts. Maybe, more than 9 million years ago, there was "a grand reorganization" of the ocean currents that meant beryllium-10 was deposited more in the Pacific, suggest Koll and colleagues. Or maybe this was a worldwide phenomenon. The cosmic fallout of a near-Earth supernova, or our Solar System's passage through a cold, interstellar cloud, could both result in more cosmic ray activity, the authors also hypothesize, leading to a surge in beryllium-10 deposits in the ocean. Ferromanganese crusts that incorporate beryllium-10 exist in every ocean on Earth, and they can capture a million years of ocean chemistry in just a few millimeters. Researchers can use the slow rate at which beryllium-10 radioactively decays into a form of boron as a measure of time, comparing the ratio of the two chemicals to determine the age of minerals in Earth's crust. These thin, ancient crusts are near-continuous geological timelines of our planet's last 75 million years or so, but they are also very tricky to date with certainty. Carbon dating only goes back to about 50,000 years, and measures based on the decay of uranium isotopes aren't useful indicators, either. Beryllium-10 is the key to unlocking at least 10 million years of this crusty capsule. The half-life of beryllium-10 is about 1.4 million years, which means it is typically used to date up to 20 millimeters of ferromanganese crust. Most ferromanganese crusts are between 1 and 26 centimeters thick. What Koll and his team found in the Pacific, however, was a surprise. "At around 10 million years, we found almost twice as much 10Be as we had anticipated," explains Koll. "We had stumbled upon a previously undiscovered anomaly." Like a bookmark in a tome, the team says this "anomaly has the potential to be an independent time marker for marine archives". The team checked their work across several areas of the Pacific Ocean. One 50-millimeter slice of ferromanganese crust could be dated back more than 18 million years. The growth rate of the ferromanganese crust in the Pacific was determined to be 1.52 mm per million years, which means the depth of the anomaly dates back to between 10.5 and 11.8 million years ago. Wherever the beryllium-10 anomaly occurs in these samples essentially translates to that age. "The origin of this anomaly is yet unknown," the authors write, but because our own Sun's activity probably wasn't strong enough to create such a long-lasting beryllium surge, the team suspects Earth's protection against interstellar cosmic rays may have changed roughly 10 million years ago. Either that, or a really close supernova showered our planet with more radioactivity material than usual. "Only new measurements can indicate whether the beryllium anomaly was caused by changes in ocean currents or has astrophysical reasons," says Koll. "That is why we plan to analyze more samples in the future and hope that other research groups will do the same." Only time will tell if the beryllium blip is a regional or global phenomenon. The study was published in Nature Communications. Sea Turtles Dance to Orientate With Earth's Magnetic Field, Study Reveals Yellowstone's Super-Hot Water May Hold The Secrets of Earth's First Breath Mantis Shrimp Reveals The Secret to Surviving Its Deadly Shockwaves
