Disaster risk reduction

Yadav assessed the compliance status of various Central ministries, municipal authorities, and government bodies in relation to decisions taken earlier – particularly those from a September 16 review.

Despite billions invested in reconstruction and ongoing government promises, thousands still reside in temporary shelters, and numerous public buildings, particularly schools and hospitals, remain unrebuilt.

A high-level committee (HLC), under the chairmanship of union home minister and minister of cooperation, Amit Shah, has approved Rs. 707.97 crore of additional central assistance to the states of Assam and Gujarat that were affected by flood and landslides in 2024.

Widespread floods and landslides triggered by relentless monsoon rains have killed at least 52 people in Nepal and 18 in India’s Darjeeling district.

As weather cleared briefly Sunday, rescue teams reached cut-off areas, airlifting aid to Sankhuwasabha and Dhankuta. Volunteers retrieved bodies as aid agencies coordinated emergency relief and logistical support.

Bhutan releases Tala dam water after heavy Himalayan rains, worsening floods. West Bengal warns of sudden rises in Torsha, Sankosh, Jaldhaka rivers, impacting Alipurduar and Cooch Behar.

This was the first major disaster to strike since the Trump administration suspended US foreign aid to Afghanistan in January. While Washington released statements of sympathy, it has made no formal pledge of direct financial assistance to quake relief.

The joint study, led by Jahangirnagar University’s departments of Zoology and Environmental Science, documents the presence of microplastics not only in river water and sediments but also inside insect bodies.