Latest news with #disasterrisk
Arab News
08-07-2025
- Climate
- Arab News
Residents wear masks as volcanic ash blankets villages near erupting Indonesian volcano
MAUMERE, Indonesia: Residents wore masks to protect themselves from thick volcanic ash that blanketed roads and green rice fields in villages in south-central Indonesia as rumbling Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted Tuesday for a second straight day. The eruption at dawn sent lava and clouds of ash up to 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) high. That followed an eruption around midday Monday that sent a column of volcanic materials up to 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the sky and an evening burst that spewed lava and send volcanic ash as high as 13 kilometers (8 miles) into the air. Photos and videos circulating on social media showed terrified residents ran for their lives under the rain of ash and gravel and motorists struggled to drive motorbikes and cars in the reduced visibility as the ash clouds from Monday's eruption expanded into a mushroom shape. No casualties have been reported from the latest eruptions of the volcano that has been at the highest alert level since June 18 when its no-go zone was expanded to a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius, said Abdul Muhari, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson. 'People around the volcano have increasingly understood how to minimize the impact of disaster risks as eruptions became more frequent since the end of 2023,' Muhari said in a statement. The eruptions of the volcano on Flores Island affected more than 10,000 people in 10 villages in East Flores and Sikka districts, according to initial assessments by the local disaster management agency. Thick volcanic ash and rocks were reported to have fallen in villages of Nawakote, Klantanio, Hokeng Jaya, Boru, Pululera and Wulanggitang, where roads and green rice fields were transformed into grey thick mud and rocks, said Very Awales, a public information official at Sikka district administration, adding that schools were closed in those affected areas since Monday to protect students and staff from various hazards due to volcanic activities. 'The smell of sulfur and ash hung so thickly in the air that breathing was painful,' Awales said. Authorities distributed 50,000 masks and urged residents to limit outdoor activities to protect themselves from volcanic materials. Residents were also urged to be vigilant about heavy rainfall that could trigger lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano. The eruption of Lewotobi Laki Laki followed its eruption in November 2024 that killed nine people and injured dozens. The Geology Agency recorded an avalanche of searing gas clouds mixed with rocks and lava traveling up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) down the slopes of the 1,584-meter (5,197-foot) mountain Monday. Observations from drones showed lava filling the crater, indicating deep movement of magma that set off volcanic earthquakes. Volcanic materials, including hot thumb-size gravel, were thrown up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the crater. Muhari said two airports in the cities of Maumere and Larantuka in East Nusa Tenggara province remained closed Tuesday. Dozens of flights to and from the Ngurah Rai international airport on the resort island of Bali were delayed or canceled, but airport spokesperson Ahmad Syaugi Shahab said the airport was running normally despite the cancelations, as monitoring showed the volcanic ash had not affected Bali's airspace. Monday's initial eruption of Lewotobi Laki Laki was one of Indonesia's largest since 2010 when Mount Merapi, the country's most volatile volcano, erupted on the densely populated island of Java. That killed 353 people and forced over 350,000 people to evacuate. Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 280 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanoes and sits along the 'Ring of Fire,' a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ministers in talks with City over climate finance for disaster-hit nations
Senior Cabinet ministers including Rachel Reeves and David Lammy are to meet City chiefs for talks on how to unlock UK private sector climate finance and disaster risk insurance for countries facing extreme weather events. The Foreign Secretary has pledged £12 million from the Government's tightened aid budget in a bid to enable faster payouts for nations experiencing climate shocks like hurricanes and tornadoes. Mr Lammy will join the Chancellor, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Environment Secretary Steve Reed for the first meeting between multiple Cabinet ministers and finance leaders on Tuesday. The group is expected to discuss how the sector can play a part in channelling investment into climate initiatives in emerging markets. The Government hopes the £12 million for pre-arranged finance for disaster relief and risk insurance will cut the cost of responding to extreme weather events, and the time it takes for countries to recover from such shocks. This funding is triggered by certain warning signs — such as a forecast or weather event itself — to enable faster payouts, the Foreign Office said. It comes after the Government slashed the UK's overseas aid budget from 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% in order to pay for increased defence spending. The UK's climate finance commitments come from its aid budget. The Foreign Secretary said: 'The climate and nature crisis is the greatest global challenge we face. Failure to act will cause unprecedented environmental damage, fuelling displacement, conflict and famine. 'Tackling this crisis is also a huge opportunity for people and businesses here in the UK, delivering on our Plan for Change. The green sector is worth trillions of pounds, and I'm determined that we seize on the economic growth, jobs and security it offers. 'The City of London, the world's leading sustainable development financing hub, has a crucial role to play in this.'
The Independent
07-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Ministers in talks with City over climate finance for disaster-hit nations
Senior Cabinet ministers including Rachel Reeves and David Lammy are to meet City chiefs for talks on how to unlock UK private sector climate finance and disaster risk insurance for countries facing extreme weather events. The Foreign Secretary has pledged £12 million from the Government's tightened aid budget in a bid to enable faster payouts for nations experiencing climate shocks like hurricanes and tornadoes. Mr Lammy will join the Chancellor, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Environment Secretary Steve Reed for the first meeting between multiple Cabinet ministers and finance leaders on Tuesday. The group is expected to discuss how the sector can play a part in channelling investment into climate initiatives in emerging markets. The Government hopes the £12 million for pre-arranged finance for disaster relief and risk insurance will cut the cost of responding to extreme weather events, and the time it takes for countries to recover from such shocks. This funding is triggered by certain warning signs — such as a forecast or weather event itself — to enable faster payouts, the Foreign Office said. It comes after the Government slashed the UK's overseas aid budget from 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% in order to pay for increased defence spending. The UK's climate finance commitments come from its aid budget. The Foreign Secretary said: 'The climate and nature crisis is the greatest global challenge we face. Failure to act will cause unprecedented environmental damage, fuelling displacement, conflict and famine. 'Tackling this crisis is also a huge opportunity for people and businesses here in the UK, delivering on our Plan for Change. The green sector is worth trillions of pounds, and I'm determined that we seize on the economic growth, jobs and security it offers. 'The City of London, the world's leading sustainable development financing hub, has a crucial role to play in this.'
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ministers in talks with City over climate finance for disaster-hit nations
Senior Cabinet ministers including Rachel Reeves and David Lammy are to meet City chiefs for talks on how to unlock UK private sector climate finance and disaster risk insurance for countries facing extreme weather events. The Foreign Secretary has pledged £12 million from the Government's tightened aid budget in a bid to enable faster payouts for nations experiencing climate shocks like hurricanes and tornadoes. Mr Lammy will join the Chancellor, Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Environment Secretary Steve Reed for the first meeting between multiple Cabinet ministers and finance leaders on Tuesday. The group is expected to discuss how the sector can play a part in channelling investment into climate initiatives in emerging markets. The Government hopes the £12 million for pre-arranged finance for disaster relief and risk insurance will cut the cost of responding to extreme weather events, and the time it takes for countries to recover from such shocks. This funding is triggered by certain warning signs — such as a forecast or weather event itself — to enable faster payouts, the Foreign Office said. It comes after the Government slashed the UK's overseas aid budget from 0.5% of gross national income to 0.3% in order to pay for increased defence spending. The UK's climate finance commitments come from its aid budget. The Foreign Secretary said: 'The climate and nature crisis is the greatest global challenge we face. Failure to act will cause unprecedented environmental damage, fuelling displacement, conflict and famine. 'Tackling this crisis is also a huge opportunity for people and businesses here in the UK, delivering on our Plan for Change. The green sector is worth trillions of pounds, and I'm determined that we seize on the economic growth, jobs and security it offers. 'The City of London, the world's leading sustainable development financing hub, has a crucial role to play in this.' Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Zawya
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Uganda-Kenya Mark Milestone on Strengthening Urban Resilience to Emerging Disaster and Climate Risk within Buisa Municipalities
Uganda and Kenya have taken a significant step toward building a resilient cross-border future with the successful conclusion of the inaugural Uganda-Kenya Joint Meeting on Urban Resilience, held from June 3–5, 2025, in Busia, Uganda. The three-day meeting organized with the support of UNDP with funds from the Republic of Korea, and the Kingdoms of Luxembourg and Denmark, brought together high-level delegations from both nations to address shared challenges posed by climate change and urban disaster risks in the different municipalities of Busia. Led by Ambassador Eunice Kigenyi, Deputy Head of Mission and Chargé d'Affaires a.i. at the Uganda High Commission in Nairobi, and Mr. Joel Wamalwa, Chief Executive Officer of the Lake Victoria North Water Works Development Agency for Kenya, the meeting marked a milestone in regional cooperation and environmental diplomacy. The Uganda Delegation was multi-sectoral, including officials from the Uganda High Commission, Nairobi, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Works and Transport, Local Government, Water and Environment, Health and the Busia Municipality leadership comprising of the RDC, Member of Parliament, Mayor, Town Clerk, Speaker and staff. The Kenyan delegation included officials from the Ministries of Water, Interior, and Foreign and Diaspora Affairs—illustrating the country's cross-ministerial commitment. In his opening address, Mr. Fenard M. Katunda, Town Clerk of Busia Municipality (Uganda), emphasized the region's growing exposure to climate-induced disasters. He cited rapid urbanization, deforestation, and encroachment on wetlands as major contributors to recurrent flooding and infrastructural damage, exacerbated by weak storm-water systems, poor waste management, and limited public awareness. 'Mr. Katunda urged the need to harmonize our cross-border policies and strengthen institutional coordination to safeguard lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems,' Key Challenges at the Heart of the Agenda The bilateral session surfaced a range of pressing concerns impacting both municipalities, for instance: Frequent Flooding due to overwhelmed drainage systems. Environmental Degradation, including deforestation and wetland loss. Public Health Risks from waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid. Economic Disruptions impacting cross-border trade and infrastructure. Inadequate Early Warning Systems and limited disaster preparedness. Weak Enforcement of existing environmental regulations. A Unified Vision for Action Reaffirming the need for joint action, His Worship Mr. Amin Sadik Agele, Mayor of Busia Municipality, called for the creation of collaborative frameworks for flood management and climate adaptation stating that 'the challenges we face do not respect borders. Our response must be as unified as the threats are shared.' Echoing this, Mr. Kisuyi Abdul Nasser, Assistant Resident District Commissioner, advocated for the development of joint Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and a regional action plan grounded in community involvement. Diplomacy Driving Solutions Ambassador Kigenyi praised the bilateral engagement and Kenya's mobilization of a multi-sectoral team. Uganda's delegation, she noted, included representatives from the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Local Government, Health, Environment, and Transport, highlighting the country's comprehensive approach where she highlighted how 'the past efforts were often limited by fragmentation and funding gaps.' She further stated how this joint platform, supported by partners like the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) offers a renewed path toward resilience,' Ambassador Kigenyi also highlighted the underscoring importance of leveraging frameworks such as the Uganda-Kenya Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC). Kenya's delegation leader, Mr. Wamalwa, expressed appreciation for Uganda's hospitality and reinforced Kenya's dedication to a resilient and sustainable urban future for the Busia region. Expressing gratitude for the support of development partners Republic of Lorea, Luxembourg and Denmark, Mr. Ian King, the UNDP Deputy Resident Representative for Uganda said that the project support resulted from discussions with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs Hon. John Mulimba. Way Forward The session concluded with a strong mutual commitment to: Develop a comprehensive cross-border resilience strategy, establish harmonized urban planning and environmental policies, and Pursue technical and financial partnerships to support the implementation of resilience-building projects across the region. Both delegations also agreed to institutionalize the bilateral engagement as an annual platform for reviewing progress, sharing best practices, and reinforcing collaboration on climate adaptation and urban disaster risk reduction in the Busia municipalities. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda - Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
