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Monday, February 23, 2026
TopicNatural disasters

Topic: Natural disasters

Uttarakhand’s ticking bomb: landslide lakes

A decade of landslides have birthed as many as six lakes in Uttarakhand in the last decade. For the first time, a team of scientists from institutes are surveying them.

Sikkim govt, central panel split over what caused 2023 floods. At stake is Rs 2,500-cr insurance claim

Report by central committee blames glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) for the incident. Sikkim govt cites a cloudburst. Insiders say destroyed Chungthang dam's insurance at root of debate.

Wayanad landslides—those who heeded warnings and relocated are among the few who survived

Landslides in Wayanad have claimed over 300 lives. It's a wake-up call to address rapid tourism development, unchecked urbanisation, and illegal quarrying and mining in Kerala.

In Devbhumi Himachal Pradesh, Kullu residents oppose ropeway to temple. ‘Mahadev is against this’

Opposition to project has been reported since last year. Such deep rooted is traditions in Kullu that people seek blessings from deities before starting any major work.

Rajnath Singh red-flags ‘natural disasters’ in border states, wonders if any ‘adversary’ involved

In Uttarakhand to inaugurate BRO infrastructure projects, the defence minister says climate change in the country is not just a weather-related phenomenon, but also a matter of national security.

Odisha police still retain carrier pigeons as backstop when disasters sever communication

Dating from days of British colonial rule when police stations used birds to communicate with each other, Odisha’s carrier pigeon service employs over 100 Belgian Homer pigeons.

War, climate change push number of internally displaced people to record high of 71.1 million

IDMC said the figure represented a 20% increase since 2021. The war in Ukraine triggered nearly 17 million displacements last year, while 32.6 million were displaced due to disasters.

Climate change is leading to more lightning strikes. Policymakers need to take note to save lives

Lightning strikes account for 35% of all natural hazard deaths in India but aren't seen as a priority at district-level where awareness & more government funding can save lives.

‘Catastrophe insurance’ becomes more urgent after Joshimath. Fiscal transfers can’t rebuild lives

No specific natural disaster policy is sold in India. It is part of regular fire insurance that covers damage to the property from flooding, cyclone, etc.

Why the world’s cascade of disasters is not a coincidence

Anyone who’s tried to put in a claim knows insurance isn’t charity. If it becomes too expensive to cover losses for natural disasters, insurers will pull back toward areas that are profitable.

On Camera

Nick Jonas wearing a mangalsutra is validation for many Indians. He’s our favourite jiju

Nick Jonas is not trying to modernise the mangalsutra, but his gesture shows that choices can be equal. If commitment must be flaunted, it need not be gendered.

In the West, there’s anxiety. In India, optimism—Rishi Sunak says India poised to be leader in AI

On Wednesday, the former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was speaking in New Delhi at a Carnegie & Observer Research Foundation event on AI.

Suspected brake failure leads to Tejas accident after landing, airframe likely to be written off

The IAF, so far, remains mum on this accident which has led to grounding of the fleet for safety checks.

No country is ever fully sovereign. Cold War era taught India its real meaning

India’s fraught neighbourhood places multiple constraints on its strategic choices. It leaves no time to take a deep breath, lean back and reset.