The impact of floods in western Europe represents a “ monumental failure ” that “ should have been avoided, ” a scientist has said. Germany, Belgium and other western European nations have suffered severe flooding leading to widespread destruction and devastation. The death toll from the floods topped 180 on Sunday.... Some 157 people were confirmed dead in Germany and 31 died in Belgium. The floods spilled over to other parts of Europe including Austria and The Netherlands. However, Professor

The recent heatwave may have killed the equivalent of a “ jumbo jet full ” of people in a week, experts have said, as official figures showed 400 more non-Covid deaths than normal. Latest data from the Office for National Statistics( ONS) show that 800 excess deaths were recorded in the week ending July 23, half of which were not caused by Covid. Experts said the rise in non-Covid deaths coincided with the heatwave, where temperatures regularly rose above 86F( 30C) amid the fifth warmest July on

BERLIN( AFP)-As Germany mourns more than 150 people who died in floods and begins a mammoth clean-up task, questions are mounting about whether the country's weather warning system failed to keep citizens safe. Although meteorological services had forecast torrential rain and flash floods for western Germany last week, many residents said they were caught off-guard by rapidly rising waters that destroyed roads, bridges and homes." We shouldn't be mourning this many fatalities in 2021," Hannah Cl

The event sometimes provokes large hail storms and tornadoes as seen this week, meteorologists say. Eastern and Southern Spain are particularly susceptible to the phenomenon due to its position between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.... But in an area between Utiel and Chiva, in the province of Valencia, rainfall exceeded 300 litres per square meter.... Aemet says DANAs sometimes become stationary or even move backwards, from east to west....

“ The fact that we have lost 20 percent of our workforce means we are getting to fires slower than we were 10 years ago and that means that people are less safe, as are people’s properties.... “ They had to push her under the water to get her out.“ It was harrowing.... Wildfires in the past were limited to a day, possibly two, but now it’s so dry and the moorland isn’t managed how it used to be.“ These fires are more frequent and use more resources....

Many rivers in England contain a “ chemical cocktail ” of pollution which poses a risk to public health, according to a new parliamentary committee report. The Environmental Audit Committee( EAC) raised concerns over sewage, agricultural waste and single-use plastic in the country’s waterways, saying this could harm swimmers and wildlife.... It said England’s rivers were “ in a mess ” – and none had received a clean bill of health for chemical contamination.... The hydrology professor said she

She said 62 people had died in her town.“ We found a lot of elderly people inside their homes and people who went to get their cars.... “ As soon as we get a couple of raindrops, we’re already checking our phones.” About 80km of roads in the eastern region were seriously damaged or impassable, said Transport Minister Oscar Puente.... Ruined household appliances and furniture were piled up in the middle of roads and elderly people struggled to walk in the slippery, mud-coated streets. Pope Fran

He said: “ It’s only workmen and crazy people that are heading to the gym like me.... The gym closes at six so I have to go now.... He said: “ It is extraordinary, and it is too much....