disaster
Khagaria-Bhagalpur bridge collapse will affect water biodiversity in region

Collapse of Khagaria-Bhagalpur bridge over the Ganga river will have a long-lasting effect on the water biodiversity of the region, as per environmental experts.
Ashok Ghosh, the professor of Mahavir Cancer Institute and former chairman of Bihar state pollution control board told: “Such a big chunk of concrete structure falling into the Ganga will have a big environmental effect for a long time. It will deeply hurt the water biodiversity of the river in this region. The water-borne animals will be adversely affected by it.”
“Unlike silt, the concrete structures used in the making bridges are non biodegradable materials. Hence, there is no question of the concrete structures dissolving in water. The iron rods may turn into rust after coming in contact with water but it is a slow process which takes years. Also, the ongoing projects of cleaning the river will also suffer a big jolt due to the bridge collapse,” Ghosh said.
The concrete structures of such a massive amount change the flow of the river as well. It makes the river more shallow in the region which leads to flooding. Khagaria in particular is affected by floods in the monsoon sessions. The fresh structural disaster would create more trouble for people living in the region,” Ghosh said.
Bihar is located in the low lying area of Himalayan range. As a result, a large number of rivers like Kosi, Kamla Balan, Gandak, Parman, originate from Himalaya and its water cross various North Bihar districts to finally fall in Ganga river.
The biggest challenge of the state government is the silt carried by these rivers and its accumulation in the low-lying areas of North Bihar and in the Ganga river. It makes the rivers more shallow by disturbing the natural drains. It turned worse after the drainage system of various districts were developed in an unplanned manner. The water comes from the Himalayan range but does not return or exit to other sides due the ill drainage system.
disaster
US: Three killed in severe storms in Oklahoma

Houston, April 21: Three people were killed as heavy storms hit the central US state of Oklahoma over the weekend, authorities said.
A 12-year-old boy and his mother died in Moore, about 10 miles (about 16 km) south of Oklahoma City, on Sunday after floodwaters washed away their vehicle, said local police.
“This was a historical weather event that impacted roads and resulted in dozens of high-water incidents across the city,” Moore police said in a statement.
Another person was killed on Saturday night after a tornado hit Spaulding, a town in Hughes County, the county wrote on Facebook, Xinhua news agency reported.
Several homes and structures were destroyed, and there were “numerous washouts” of county roads, it said.
On April 20, the National Weather Service issued multiple tornado warnings across several states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Illinois, Missouri, and Louisiana. According to AccuWeather, regions of Missouri, Arkansas, and Illinois faced a high risk of severe thunderstorms.
The Storm Prediction Centre warned that strong, damaging winds, hail, and thunderstorms were likely to persist throughout the night. Severe weather was expected to continue across parts of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, extending into the Ozark Mountains and the mid-Mississippi Valley.
By late evening, local news outlets in Arkansas and Montana confirmed at least two tornado touchdowns. In Illinois, the National Weather Service issued alerts for severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.
Around 9 p.m. local time, a tornado was detected east of East Moline, a city in northwestern Illinois that’s part of the Quad Cities. At the time, no injuries or damages were reported.
Looking ahead, forecasters predicted ongoing showers and thunderstorms along and ahead of a front stretching from the Great Lakes down through the Tennessee and Lower Mississippi Valleys to the Gulf Coast on Monday. While heavy rainfall could lead to flooding, the severe weather threat was expected to diminish throughout the day.
disaster
Strong 5.8 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan; tremors felt in Delhi-NCR, J&K

New Delhi, April 19: A powerful earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale struck Afghanistan on Saturday afternoon at 12:17 pm IST, as reported by the National Center for Seismology (NCS).
The quake’s epicentre was located at 36.10 degrees North latitude and 71.20 degrees East longitude, with a depth of 130 kilometres. Tremors from the earthquake were felt across several northern regions of India, including Jammu & Kashmir and the Delhi-NCR area.
While there have been no immediate reports of damage or injuries, authorities are keeping a close watch on the situation.
The NCS confirmed the seismic activity via a post on social media platform X.
“EQ of M: 5.8, On: 19/04/2025 12:17:53 IST, Lat: 36.10 N, Long: 71.20 E, Depth: 130 Km, Location: Afghanistan,” NCS said in a post on X.
This event follows a similar tremor that occurred earlier in the week. On Wednesday, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Afghanistan, with its epicentre approximately 164 km east of Baghlan.
The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) initially reported the quake as 6.4 in magnitude but later revised it to 5.6.
In a related development, the Kishtwar region of Jammu & Kashmir also experienced a mild earthquake measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale on Wednesday morning around 5:14 AM IST.
The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of 5 kilometres.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) highlights that Afghanistan is extremely susceptible to natural hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and seasonal floods.
UNOCHA also pointed out that the frequent seismic activity in the region severely impacts already fragile communities, which have endured years of conflict and underdevelopment.
These conditions have significantly weakened their capacity to handle multiple crises at once. According to the Red Cross, Afghanistan has a long history of experiencing powerful earthquakes, especially in the Hindu Kush region, which is known for its intense geological activity and frequent tremors.
The country lies along several major fault lines where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet. One of these fault lines passes directly through Herat, increasing the area’s risk of seismic events.
disaster
4 dead, 12 feared trapped in Delhi’s Mustafabad building collapse: NDRF (LD)

New Delhi, April 19: At least four people have died and around 12 are feared trapped after a four-storey building collapsed in the Mustafabad area of Delhi in the early hours of Saturday, officials said.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m., following intense overnight rainfall and thunderstorms that hit several parts of the city.
Sandeep Lamba, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East District), said, “Four among the 14 rescued succumbed to their injuries… The building was four floor high. Rescue operations are ongoing, and eight to ten people are still feared trapped.”
Providing an update from the ground, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) official Mohan Shaheedi said, “Around 12 people are feared trapped under the debris, including 9 adults and 3 children. According to information from local sources, 6 people have been rescued so far and shifted to the hospital. Two NDRF teams are present at the site, supported by Delhi Fire Services, Delhi Police, and volunteers.”
He added, “Authorities are identifying cavities and possible locations under the debris where survivors may be trapped. Technical searches are underway using rescue dogs to detect any signs of life. If any indication is found, special focus is given to that area. The operation is highly challenging and is being carried out with the utmost care.”
Teams from the NDRF, Delhi Police, Fire Services, and local volunteers continue to work tirelessly at the site.
The area has been sealed off as the rescue operation enters a critical phase. The exact cause of the collapse will be investigated once the rescue efforts conclude. Rescue operations are underway.
The house collapse incident occurred just hours after a sudden shift in Delhi’s weather on Friday night when heavy rainfall and thunderstorms lashed several parts of the city.
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