Monsoon wreaks havoc across India; Delhi receives rainfall, finally

After a shaky start, the monsoon season has invaded the entire country with full force, with several regions reporting incessant rain and massive flooding. In the north, Delhi finally received some rain and got a respite from the heat. East Rajasthan also reported heavy rain. 

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms in Himachal Pradesh, as well as on the east coast in Odisha, which is already reeling from heavy rain and floods. In the west, Gujarat had already received 900mm in the past week. It usually receives an average of 1,450mm of seasonal rainfall every year. There were reports of rivers and dams overflowing in Valsad and Navsari districts. Three people have died because of rain-related incidents in Telangana and the state has reported a loss of around Rs 1,400 crore due to floods in its northern and eastern districts last week.

In the south, Kerala was put on high alert as rain lashed the region continuously for five days and counting. Authorities said certain dams were nearing capacity. The IMD issued a yellow alert in eight districts. In Andhra Pradesh, an overflowing river Godavari inundated villages and fields. Authorities said the Godavari flood breached the 25 lakh cusecs mark after 16 years.

Rajasthan has received above-average rainfall this monsoon season, while heavy rains also lashed parts of Chhattisgarh, including Raipur. 

Wildfires rage across Europe, temperatures reach 45°C in some regions

An unusual heat wave triggered wildfires across Europe. The UK, southern France, Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Croatia have reported severe blazes. Temperatures tipped at 45°C in parts of the continent. In the UK, temperatures rose to above 40°C for the first time ever. Near Bordeaux in the South of France, more than 800 firefighters were battling two wildfires, and around 6,500 people were evacuated. 

Around 1,800 hectares of land has so far been destroyed in the fires so far. In Portugal, the mayor announced more than 3,000 hectare of land has been destroyed in just the district of Leiria. In western Spain, a wildfire destroyed 3,500 hectares of land, and more than 400 people were evacuated. 

In Croatia, wildfires fuelled by strong winds blazed across the Adriatic Sea coast. Firefighters struggled to keep things under control as water-dropping planes were also seen trying to contain the flames. 

5 most-polluting countries caused $6 tn in global economic losses between 1990-2014: Study

A new study found five national emitters of greenhouse gases caused $6 trillion in global economic losses due to warming between 1990 and 2014. The US and China alone accounted for $1.8 trillion each of the total amount in the 25-year period, according to the study conducted by the University of Dartmouth. Russia, India, and Brazil accounted for more than $500 billion each in economic losses, the study found. According to the researchers, the study proves that there is a scientific basis for climate liability claims.  

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