“It’s Getting Hot in Here”
By Alexandra Sharp
Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at climate crisesin South Korea, India, and Southern Europe; Syria’s battle for U.N. aid with no strings attached; and a communications blackout in Sudan.
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It’s Getting Hot in Here
People wade through a flooded street after Yamuna River overflowed due to monsoon rains in New Delhi on July 14.Arun Sankar/AFP
The deadly impact of climate change continues to rear its ugly head as countries around the world faced devastating environmental crises this week.
On Friday, more than 4,000 homes in South Korea lost power due to torrential rain, causing landslides that damaged residential areas, flooded parking lots, destroyed key infrastructure, and felled trees. More than 130 flights were canceled, and at least 136 people were forced to evacuate. Government officials issued a high-alert warning for more flooding to come this weekend as the Korean Peninsula battles the height of its monsoon season. For Saturday alone, weather experts predict as much as 100 millimeters of rain could fall.
In India, at least 100 people have died over the last two weeks due to severe monsoon weather. Himachal Pradesh state has been hit the hardest, with landslides forcing local officials to close schools. More than 1,000 streets across northern India remain closed due to power infrastructure damage blocking roadways. As many as 30,000 people have been evacuated to relief camps, and more than 60,000 tourists were rescued this week after being stranded in Himachal Pradesh, tweeted Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the state’s chief minister.
“We are not going to escape from the imminent effects of climate change, regardless of our mitigation and adaptation efforts,” said Abhiyant Tiwari, head of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s health and climate resilience programs in India.
Meanwhile, Southern Europe is set to record its hottest temperatures in history next week as a heat wave scorches the Mediterranean. Nicknamed Cerberus after the underworld’s three-headed dog in Greek mythology, Europe is breaking the three-digit mark in Fahrenheit, forcing ambulances to remain on standby at popular tourist destinations. Italian officials issued red-alert warnings for 10 major cities, Greek authorities suspended working hours from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. in high-risk areas to prevent medical crises, and firefighters in the Balkans are struggling to contain brush fires erupting near villages.
Environment experts worry this year’s heat wave death toll could surpass last year’s, when more than 61,600 people died in Europe due to extreme temperatures, according to a report published in Nature Medicine on Monday.
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