Scan through on what the nature is doing with us!! Is it just the start of the retaliations of what assaults we made on the environment we live in?
Strong quake struck off east Taiwan coast
A strong earthquake struck off the east coast of Taiwan with a magnitude of 6.1 on Monday. The quake was centered under the Pacific Ocean 80 miles east of Suao in northeastern Taiwan, according to the weather bureau. Though no damage or injuries are reported as yet, a similar quake with magnitude-7.6 killed more than 2,300 people in central Taiwan in September 1999.
Quake hits Yunnan killing 2, injuring 42
An earthquake measuring 5.1 degrees on the Richter scale killed at least two people, injuring 42 in Southwest China’s Yunnan Province on Friday. The epicenter of the quake was located at 28 degrees north and 104.2 degrees east in the township of Dousha. It is 570 kilometers from provincial capital Kunming, the China Earthquake Administration said this on its website.
Tropical storm swinging towards Florida may strengthen
Briefly the first hurricane of the year, a Tropical Storm – Ernesto – which has already churned through the Caribbean could turn into a hurricane before making landfall in the Sunshine State later this week! Though it weakened while passing over Haiti on Sunday, it may possibly regain strength as it neared the US – getting fuelled by the Gulf of Mexico’s warm water.
Flood hits drought-prone Thar Desert district
Can you believe a desert hit by flood, killing hundreds of people! Yes, nature has this in store too for us o astoundingly witness. The Barmer district of Rajasthan – in the heart of the Thar Desert – is worst-hit by flash floods, killing at least 300 people! Surrounded by 15-25 ft of water, more than 1,000 people are marooned on sand dunes.
Bangladesh: Prolonged drought leaves 1,24,000 ha in 16 northern districts fallow!
Drought has also hit Bangladesh hard, leaving over 1,24,000 hectares of land in 16 northern districts fallow. Unfortunately, the lack of rainfall this year in Rajshahi zone has led to the achievement of Aman on only 6,10,000 hectares against the targeted 6,67,970 hectares. Hampering the Aman production largely, if the rain does not fall before the first week of September, the harvest might drop by 15 percent. And depending on areas and position of land, the production may reduce further up to 50 percent!
Major-lake water in drought parches Texas fell, disrupting life
The water in major lakes around the drought-hit Texas has decreased to about three-quarters of capacity. And this is inviting trouble not just for late summer recreation, but also for lakeside businesses, municipal water supplies and wildlife.
Barney Austin, director of the board’s surface water resources division said,
If this drought continues, we’re in a whole lot of trouble.
China hit by health-damaging ‘Acid rain’
Here is a consequence of putting economics before environment! Rapid industrial growth with rise in pollution levels and deterioration in air quality has showered China with acid rain and one third of China is suffering from it. The acid rain-causing pollutants (sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx)) damage human health — increase illness and lead to premature death from heart and lung disorders — such as asthma and bronchitis.