Natural and man-made disasters such as earthquakes, cyclones, floods, heatwaves, industrial accidents, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) frequently appear in current affairs due to their environmental, economic, and governance implications. For UPSC Prelims 2026, understanding their causes, locations, associated organisations, and disaster management frameworks is crucial from both geography and polity perspectives.
Disasters in News
| News |
Particulars |
| Typhoon Kajiki |
- 2025’s strongest storm with winds up to 166 km/h, is expected to intensify before making landfall in Vietnam.
- A typhoon is the regional term for a tropical cyclone, a powerful rotating storm that forms over warm waters in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, affecting countries like Japan, China, Vietnam, and Philippines.
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| Typhoon Ragasa |
- Super Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest tropical cyclone of the year, has made landfall in the Philippines and is heading toward Taiwan, Hong Kong, & southern China. Super Typhoon: Wind speeds above 220 km/hour.
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| Afghanistan Earthquake |
- A 6.4-magnitude quake struck eastern Afghanistan on September 1, 2025, epicentre 27 km northeast of Jalalabad (Nangarhar).
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| Avalanche in Nepal |
- Avalanche struck Mount Yalung Ri base camp in Nepal.
- Mount Yalung Ri is a 5,630-meter-high peak in Himalayan range, located in remote Rolwaling Valley of northeastern Nepal.
- Situated in Gaurishankar Conservation Area near Nepal–Tibet border.
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| Hurricane Melissa |
- Formed over Caribbean Sea as a tropical cyclone and strengthened into a Category 5 hurricane.
- The name “Melissa” was proposed by the United States and approved by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) hurricane naming panel.
- Category 5 cyclone is the highest classification on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS) with sustained winds of 157 mph (252 km/h) or more.
- SSHWS is a five-tier scale (Categories 1 to 5) used to classify hurricanes based on maximum sustained wind speed. It helps to understand potential property damage and the severity of the impact.
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| Hayli Gubbi Volcano Erupts in Ethiopia |
- Long-dormant shield volcano.
- Located in Ethiopia’s Afar Region; southernmost volcano of the Erta Ale range.
- Afar region has a ‘triple junction’ where Nubian, Somalian, and Arabian plates are diverging, forming the East African Rift Valley.
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| Volcanic Lightning |
- Electrostatic discharges that occur within a volcanic ash plume during an eruption, creating lightning-like flashes in the sky.
- Caused by collision and friction between ash particles within the eruption column, generating static electricity that leads to charge buildup and discharge.
- Location of Strikes: Near the dense ash cloud close to the vent and in the upper plume, where ice particles from vapourised water further enhance charge separation.
- Volcanic plumes contain more water vapour than typical thunderclouds, amplifying lightning frequency and intensity.
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Frequently Asked Question
Q. What is Typhoon Kajiki?
Typhoon Kajiki is the strongest storm of 2025 with wind speeds up to 166 km/h, expected to hit Vietnam.
Q. Who approves hurricane names like Melissa?
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) approves hurricane names.
Q. Where is the Hayli Gubbi volcano located?
It is located in Ethiopia’s Afar Region in the Erta Ale range.
Q. What is volcanic lightning?
Volcanic lightning is electrostatic discharge occurring within an ash plume during an eruption.
