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Climate Change

Parts of US blanketed by heaviest snowfall in a decade

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm. Similar declarations were issued in Kansas, Maryland, West Virginia and in central Illinois cities

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A massive storm packing heavy snowfalls, treacherous ice and severe weather unleashed its fury across more than a dozen states over the weekend, and may cause “highway chaos” in the central parts of the US on Monday, meteorologists warned.

The National Weather Service predicted about 20 to 30 centimeters of snow for the Annapolis, Maryland, area.

In a statement on X, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm and encouraged residents to vote before the state’s special elections on Tuesday.

Similar declarations were issued in Kansas, Maryland, West Virginia and in central Illinois cities.

Parts of upstate New York saw one meter or more of snow from a lake effect event until late Sunday afternoon.

In Kentucky, Louisville recorded 19.5 centimeters of snow on Sunday, a new record for the date that shattered the previous mark of 7.6 centimeters set in 1910.

Lexington, Kentucky, also set a snowfall record, with 12.7 centimeters.

The storm was forecast to move into the Ohio Valley and reach the Mid-Atlantic states later Sunday and Monday, with a hard freeze expected as far south as Florida.

Virginia State Police reported at least 135 car crashes as the storm entered the state Sunday. A handful of injuries were reported.

In Charleston, West Virginia, where several inches of snow had fallen by Sunday night, authorities urged motorists to stay home.

The Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were responding to crashes and 911 calls countywide. “Please be patient if you have called 911 for assistance. A deputy will call you or respond to you as soon as possible,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.

In Indiana, snow fully covered portions numerous roads and highways prompting Indiana State Police to plead with motorists to stay off the roads.

“It’s snowing so hard, the snow plows go through and then within a half hour the roadways are completely covered again,” Sgt. Todd Ringle said.

Roughly 25 centimeters of snow had fallen in parts of Kansas, with snow and sleet totals predicted to top 36 centimeter for parts of that state and northern Missouri.

Meanwhile damaging winds brought down trees across the Deep South. The weather service issued tornado warnings Sunday in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The storms caused havoc for the nation’s passenger railways. More than 20 cancellations were planned on Sunday, 40 for Monday and at least two for Tuesday.

“If local authorities are telling people not to travel, it’s counterintuitive to try to run a full slate of services when people are being told to stay home,” Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari said.

The Midwest was hit especially hard. A train between Chicago and New York and several regional trains between Chicago and St. Louis were among those canceled Sunday.

Nearly 200 flights in and out of St. Louis Lambert International Airport were canceled, according to tracking platform FlightAware.

Starting Monday, the eastern two-thirds of the country will experience dangerous, bone-chilling cold and wind chills, forecasters said.

Climate Change

UN and ICRC warn of serious water shortage in Afghanistan

The International Committee of the Red Cross in Afghanistan reported that an estimated 33 million people in the country face severe water shortage

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The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat) warned this week that 21 million people in Afghanistan are currently facing a serious water crisis and that the country needs major investments in water infrastructure.

Stephanie Loose, the head of the programme, said in a report that major Afghan cities such as Kabul, Kandahar and Herat are also facing a serious shortage of clean drinking water and that groundwater resources in these cities are decreasing significantly. 

However, last week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan reported that an estimated 33 million people in the country face severe water shortage. 

Marking World Water Day on March 22, the ICRC quoted a Kabul resident Shafiqullah Hamkar of District 5 in Kabul city as saying: “Our borewells have completely dried up because of the minimal snowfall and rainfall over the last few years. 

“The sharp decline in groundwater levels has left us no choice but to rely on commercial water tankers for our most basic needs. It is a big challenge for us in the city,” he said. 

ICRC said Hamkar represents an estimated 80% of Afghans who are dealing with the severe impact of erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and droughts. 

The situation is even worse in rural areas where people often rely on untreated surface water, which leads to the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea.

“For millions of Afghans, who are already struggling with many challenges and facing a dire humanitarian situation, vital activities such as getting water to drink or cook and providing irrigation for crops are often impossible. This has a devastating impact on people’s health and access to food, and hampers the country’s potential for economic development,” says Martin De Boer, the head of programs for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Afghanistan. 

He added that the lack of required infrastructure – including water-supply systems, dams and irrigation networks – further exacerbates the challenges. Responding to the needs of the people, the ICRC plays an important role in supporting communities and assisting authorities to improve and manage water supplies.

 

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Climate Change

Over 500,000 Afghans displaced due to climate disasters in 2024: IOM

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More than half a million people in Afghanistan were displaced due to climate disasters in 2024, the International Organization for Migration said in a country report published on Tuesday.

“Nearly 9 million individuals were impacted by climate hazards in the last 12 months, with over 500,000 displaced by floods, drought, and other disasters,” IOM said, AFP reported.

“Roughly three in five of those displaced relocated elsewhere within their province of origin”, with the western Herat and Farah provinces among the hardest hit, it said.

This week, 39 people were killed due to floods, hail and storms in southwestern Afghanistan, mainly in Farah, according to local authorities.

Afghanistan is among the poorest countries in the world after decades of war and is ranked the sixth most vulnerable to climate change, which is spurring extreme weather.

Drought, floods, land degradation and declining agricultural productivity are key threats, according to the United Nations.

Flash floods last May killed hundreds and swamped swaths of agricultural land in Afghanistan, where 80 percent of people depend on farming to survive.

“Over 11 million people in Afghanistan are at high risk of severe impacts from climate-induced disasters in the future,” the IOM said.

The UN agency estimates that “climate-sensitive livelihoods, like subsistence farming, make up 73 percent of jobs in Afghanistan”.

It added that “92 percent of villages have limited access to emergency services” and “96 percent lack resources for crucial measures like early warning systems and search and rescue.”

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Climate Change

Floods in Farah and Kandahar claim the lives of 29 people

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Officials from the disaster management departments of Farah and Kandahar report that floods in these two provinces have resulted in 29 fatalities and nine injuries.

Mohammad Israel Sayar, the head of disaster management in Farah, confirmed to Ariana News that 21 people lost their lives and six others were injured due to floods on Tuesday in the Qala-e-Kah district of the province.

According to Sayar, the victims had gone to the mountains of Qala-e-Kah for recreation purposes when floodwaters suddenly swept them away.

Officials from the disaster management department in Kandahar also stated that floods in the province have caused 11 deaths and injuries.

They reported that in the seventh district of the province, one woman and three children died when the roof of a house collapsed.

They added that in the fifth security district of the province, three women and one child lost their lives due to the floods. Two children and one man were also injured.

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