Recovery begins after storm ravages Indian, Bangladesh coast

Authorities began clearing roads and assessing damage on Friday after Cyclone Amphan barrelled through coastal communities in eastern India and neighbouring Bangladesh, killing more than 100 people and leaving millions displaced.

In India’s West Bengal state, which bore the brunt of the storm that caused extensive flooding in its capital Kolkata, police and disaster response teams removed fallen trees and other debris, repaired communication lines and began moving hundreds of thousands of people out of shelters…

 

Northwest Houston first responders prepared for approaching hurricane season

Hurricane season is just a couple weeks away, and climate scientists are predicting more storms than usual this season, but northwest Houston first responders are staying prepared and ready to help.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s climate prediction center released their outlook for the Atlantic hurricane season Thursday — which lasts from June 1 through November 30 — and have predicted a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season, and just a 10% chance of a below-normal season…

 

How will COVID-19 impact Nepal’s earthquake-reconstruction efforts?

On March 20, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded in the remote Himalayan region, close to the Nepal-Tibet border. While there were no casualties or damage reported, the tremors were felt as far as in Kathmandu, with up to 8,000 people experiencing moderate shaking.

This prompts the question: What happens when a disaster strikes in the midst of a pandemic? A more severe earthquake during the current lockdown could lead to a dramatic meltdown of a society that is still picking up the broken pieces following the 2015 earthquake.

Years after that disaster, which killed over 9,000 people, left 22,000 injured, and destroyed over 700,000 homes, an estimated 100,000 or more people were living in emergency makeshift accommodation. As we enter the sixth year following the disaster, economic and social costs are still being counted and rebuilding efforts are still ongoing. And now, COVID-19 has presented new challenges…