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<ul><li>India is facing two extreme weather conditions together— drought and floods. </li><li>One corner of the country — Assam and parts of Bihar is fighting heavy floods. Others like <keyword id="12864" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Chennai">Chennai</keyword> and Hyderabad are running dry, due to light or no showers at all.</li><li>The seasonal monsoon rains which are supposed to start in June were late in almost every part of the country.</li></ul>India is facing two extreme weather conditions together — heavy floods and drought. That is affecting millions of people, particularly the poor. These extreme weather conditions will weaken the economic productivity, in addition to wreaking destruction, and displacing a large number of people. The seasonal monsoon rains which are supposed to start in June were late in almost every part of the country. One corner of the country — Assam and parts of Bihar is fighting heavy floods. Others like Chennai and Hyderabad are running dry, due to light or no showers at all. Too Little, too late India’s monsoon is crucial as it accounts for 70% of its annual rainfall. If the monsoons are lower or slower, it leads to water crisis, due to its almost exclusive dependence on it. The government think tank NITI Aayog expects as many as 21 cities to be devoid of ground water by 2020. Cities are running dry one after the other.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms"> First Chennai went dry and with less or no drinking water for its citizens</a>. Now, the twin cities of Hyderabad and <keyword id="6354398" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="secunderabad">Secunderabad</keyword> — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/water-crisis-hyderabad-may-not-have-drinking-water-in-next-48-days/articleshow/70223928.cms">have less than two months to go for monsoon to fix its water problems</a>. And, they are already late and lower than expected. Water crisis has become common almost every year. In 2018, 600 million Indians were exposed to acute water crisis, according to Niti Aayog. In 2017, five south Indian states faced water shortages like Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Too Much Uncertain weather patterns brought too much rain leading floods and landslides in Assam. At least 28 districts in Assam are affected. So far, 30 people have been reported dead and 5.8 million displaced due to monsoon floods in Assam. The water level of Brahmaputra continues to rise above the danger mark in at least 10 places, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southasia-floods/millions-stranded-in-india-as-early-monsoon-downpours-bring-flood-havoc-idUSKCN1UC1E2">reported Reuters</a>, citing Assam Disaster Management Authority. People are forced to drink dirty water and eat anything they get. Parts of Bihar too are flooded, forcing evacuation of affected residents. Separately, a second spell of monsoon is likely to bring extremely heavy rains in the coming days in Kerala. Six districts in the state including Idukki, <keyword id="69399" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Malappuram">Malappuram</keyword>, and Wayanad are <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/high-alert-in-six-districts-of-kerala-idukki-malappuram-wayanad-thrissur-kannur-for-heavy-rainfall/articleshow/70256251.cms">on high alert from 18 July to 20 July. </a> Last year in August 2018, Kerala was swept away by deadly monsoon rains taking as many as 504 lives. The state, was caught off guard and 3.4 million people were displaced. In all, 23 million people were affected at the price of $2.7 billion, reported India spend. Unexpected weather conditions have been dogging the country for a few years now. Two years back, heavy rains and widespread flooding across India, Bangladesh and Nepal led to death of 1,200 people. As many as 805,183 homes and 18 million people were affected in Northern India. The total damages and destructions by the floods in 2017 were $2.5 billion, according to Central Water Commission. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/water-crisis-hyderabad-may-not-have-drinking-water-in-next-48-days/articleshow/70223928.cms">India’s water crisis deepens as Hyderabad might run out of water, like Chennai</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/five-years-on-india-may-not-even-get-a-chance-to-solve-its-on-going-water-crisis-risking-hundreds-of-millions-of-lives/articleshow/69988627.cms">Five years on, India may not even get a chance to solve its on-going water crisis risking hundreds of millions of lives</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/high-alert-in-six-districts-of-kerala-idukki-malappuram-wayanad-thrissur-kannur-for-heavy-rainfall/articleshow/70256251.cms">The weatherman has warned of heavy rains in Kerala, which just got $250 million World Bank aid to recover from last year's floods</a>

Bone dry or deluge — the freakish monsoon is killing Indians either way

<ul><li>Families that were affected by the <keyword id="6369083" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="flood">flood</keyword> have been shifted to 17 makeshift rescue camps. </li><li>The levels of water in three of the major rivers is more than 0.3 meters above the safe limit. </li><li>The meteorological department predicted more rainfall in the upcoming 24 hours.</li></ul>Many regions in the north-eastern state of Tripura in India were hit by floods after heavy rains lashed the state. Non-stop rains for more than 24 hours in the state has left more than 3000 families marooned. Mudslides due to relentless rains claimed four lives in the last four days. The state, that has many rivers, reported severe waterlogging in various parts of the capital city of Agartala and three of the state's rivers are flowing with water levels more than 0.3 meters <a href="https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/tripura-floods-render-around-600-families-homeless201805210531160001/">above</a> the safe limit. Officials said that low lying areas were the worse affected and people were evacuated. The flood situation remains bleak due to teeming rains in the hilly regions of north Tripura that is the source of all the major rivers in the region. The heavy downpour in the hills resulted in a flood in the downstream areas including Agartala, the capital and nearby areas. Schools in many places were closed following the flood. Many portions of the Assam-Agartala National Highway are flooded and disrupted the normal traffic flow. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), fire services, civil defence and volunteers are jointly working to help the affected regions, officials said. More than 3000 families in the state have been relocated to 17 makeshift rescue camps. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb has declared financial assistance for the families of those who died due to the mudslides in several parts of the state, a report on <a href="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/six-killed-around-3000-families-displaced-in-tripura-floods/article23948144.ece">The Hindu</a>. Water levels in the Gomati, Deo, Manu and Haora rivers is increasing every hour, which poses a flood threat throughout the state of Tripura. The Meteorological department has also issued predictions for more rainfall in the next 24 hours and the administration of the state have been alerted to keep a close eye on the situation and conduct rescue work. Image source: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BJP4Tripura/photos/pcb.1637984572986232/1637984129652943/?type=3&amp;theater" data-type="tilCustomLink">BJP Tripura's Facebook page</a>.

Over 3000 families have been displaced by flash floods in India

Bridges snapped, houses flooded, lives lost and army working round-the-clock to rescue people who had taken shelter on rooftops, terraces, any place that saved them from the gushing floodwaters. The crown of India, the picturesque valley of <keyword id="17605" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jammu-and-kashmir">Jammu and Kashmir</keyword> that held best of nature’s bounty had turned into a courtyard of death in a matter of few days. Even now, the flood waters endanger a lot of lives around, but the worst seems to be over, or so do the people hope. 
 
Monsoon in the snowy valley, which grows some of the priciest of the spices, flowers and thrives on tourism, has hardworking people too who have kept the lifelines going through their dedication. Even when the incessant rain in the last few days turned a big threat to their lives, they took out their small boats, shikaras and life-saving spirit to help stranded tourists and saved thousands, risking their own lives in the ordeal. 
 <keyword id="6354416" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army">Indian Army</keyword> and allied forces have kept their rescue efforts on and rose phenomenally to the occasion. Over 1, 10, 000 people have been taken to safer places after flood waters inundated the valley. Now that the water level has been receding in Indian administered Kashmir, the part that has been occupied by <keyword id="3001" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pakistan">Pakistan</keyword> is in for some worst times. Waters have now reached that part as well. The dyke has breached, and thousands are fleeing the area for safety. More than one million people are said to have been affected by floods in Pakistan. 
 
Death toll, as of now, has been put at 450 from both countries. Rescue choppers have found no time to rest yet and have continued with their efforts of finding survivors trapped in various parts of the flooded areas. 
 
Chaotic scenes have been witnessed at Srinagar, from where the flights have been taking locals and tourists to other parts of the country. Anger and resentment is raising its ugly head at the most challenging time when Natural Disaster Response Force has been relentlessly working and carrying people to relief camps set up in safe areas. 
 
Major boost has come from the fact that cellphone connectivity has been restored in majority of the areas, enabling people to connect with their families. However, having been stranded in isolated areas with five feet deep water, with barely any food and least of all, no battery to keep their cellphones working, people still continue to seek help through ways that are beyond the reach of technology. 
 
A sense of abandoned feeling has been gripping the valley with people pitching in to do their bit on rescuing front. Locals have begun to feel they neither belong to India nor to Pakistan while both countries stake claim on their land. Relief camps run by residents of various areas have been set up to help their co-inhabitants with food and water. 
 Though the government feels the response was as swift as it could get, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir – <keyword id="19464" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Omar-Abdullah">Omar Abdullah</keyword> claimed helplessness with the nature unleashing its fury. 
 
“We had no government for the entire 36 hours since the entire establishment was wiped out,” he told media persons when asked about the state government’s unpreparedness to combat the worst times since terrorist attacks that marred the valley since long. 
 
In a way, Kashmir is most blessed and most cursed too. The terrorist attacks and instigating activities by separatist groups have stolen the peace of the valley since long. Now, with floods disrupting the life of Kashmiris, people feel the government wasn’t really up to face the situation. 
 
Now, with flood waters receding, people are hoping there is no sunshine since that would mean the glaciers melting. If that happens, they would be in for some worse times as waters would start flowing with great force again, wiping out life that has got a second chance to set its course right. 
 
The floods that have shaken the very spirit of an otherwise peace-loving valley are said to be the worst in last half a century. People are only hoping the worst is behind them by now.

Flood Ravaged India, Pak Struggle To Catch Breath

Electric vehicles (EVs) are all the rage these days. With their promise of lower emissions and smooth, quiet rides, it’s no wonder that the global demand for EVs has been soaring. However, if you live near the coast — or anywhere prone to flooding — there’s a less-talked-about risk that could make you rethink that shiny new electric car parked in your driveway: saltwater-induced fires from flooded EV batteries. <h2>Saltwater and EV batteries</h2>When it comes to EVs, the heart of the vehicle’s power lies in its battery, usually a lithium-ion (Li-ion) pack. These batteries are highly efficient, but they’re also sensitive to water, especially the salty kind. In September and October 2024, the Southeast U.S. was hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused catastrophic flooding. Thousands of homes were damaged, and in a particularly frightening twist, 11 electric cars and 48 lithium-ion batteries caught fire after being exposed to salty floodwaters. Saltwater is a conductor of electricity, which means it can get into the EV battery packs, triggering a dangerous reaction. When water seeps into the battery, it can cause a short-circuit between the battery's terminals, which may lead to overheating, violent fires, and even explosions. In many cases, the fire doesn’t start right away — it can take hours or even days after the exposure before a thermal runaway event occurs, causing a dangerous blaze. Once the fire starts, it’s nearly impossible to put out with regular fire-fighting methods. Firefighters often have no choice but to let the battery burn itself out. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113906136" title="Planning to purchase an EV? Here&amp;#39;s how to ensure it never catches on fire" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In 2022, during Hurricane Ian in Florida, 36 EVs that had been flooded reportedly caught fire, even some that were being towed on flatbed trucks. The problem lies in how lithium-ion batteries react to saltwater. The metal terminals in these batteries, when exposed to salty water, can corrode and build short-circuiting paths that lead to fires days later. The fire hazard remains even in fully discharged batteries, meaning even seemingly "safe" vehicles after flooding could still pose a serious threat. <h2>The risk to coastal cities</h2>This issue is especially concerning for coastal cities where rising sea levels and hurricanes are becoming more frequent. According to a 2023 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), <keyword id="381751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicle" source="Orion">electric vehicle</keyword> adoption is growing rapidly in many parts of the world, including India, where EV sales increased by around 50% in the first quarter of 2024 alone. Cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi are embracing EVs due to their environmental benefits and growing infrastructure support. However, these coastal cities are also at higher risk for flooding, making the combination of increased EV adoption and rising sea levels a perfect storm for potential disaster. In fact, areas prone to heavy rains and floods, like India’s coastal cities, are facing unique challenges. The combination of frequent monsoon floods and rising sea levels presents a scenario where more and more EVs could end up submerged in salty floodwaters, increasing the risk of battery fires in the region. <h2>What does this mean for you?</h2>While electric cars are generally safe under normal conditions, the growing risk of battery fires due to flooding is an important factor to consider if you live in flood-prone areas, especially near the sea. The key takeaway here is that EV owners should take extra precautions when natural disasters loom, particularly hurricanes and floods. Here's what you can do to protect your EV: <ul><li>Move your EV to higher ground: If you're in a flood zone, take your EV to higher ground or evacuate it if possible. This will help prevent it from being submerged in salty water.</li><li>Evacuate early: Be proactive and evacuate before the floodwaters hit. Don't wait for the last minute to move your vehicle to safety.</li><li>After the flood, treat submerged EVs with caution: If your EV has been submerged in water, especially saltwater, it’s essential to avoid using it, charging it, or even moving it until it’s been inspected by professionals. Contact the manufacturer for a thorough inspection of the battery.</li><li>Do not attempt DIY fixes: If your vehicle has been exposed to saltwater, do not try to start it, charge it, or fix the battery yourself. The risks of fire are too high, and professionals are trained to handle such situations safely.</li></ul>

Buying an EV may be a somewhat dangerous move if you live near the sea

<ul><li>Private weather forecaster Skymet has predicted heavy rains in Mumbai that pose a serious risk of floods.</li><li>The south-west monsoon brought clouds that have covered the Mumbai sky over the last few days with strong showers.</li><li>The prediction is that the rains will intensify between July 3-5 and it may cause floods.</li></ul> The south-west monsoon brought clouds that have covered the Mumbai sky over the last few days and brought strong showers since Friday. The prediction is that the rains will intensify between July 3-5 and it may cause floods. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast intermittent to moderate rain for the next three days. However, private weather forecaster Skymet has predicted heavy rains in Mumbai that pose a serious risk of floods. 
	<div type="twitter" handle="SkymetWeather" handlename="SkymetWeather" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/804683634460397568/bBbj1njb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="170" retweetcount="174" status="Our Managing Director @JATINSKYMET says #Mumbai is at serious risk of flooding between July 3 and 5. Close to 200 m… https://t.co/ZSa3d0EPFF" createdat="1561882490000" id="1145244288868945920"></div>



 Mumbai, India's financial capital, witnessed over above 200 mm rainfall in 24 hours on Friday. While the rest of the country is reeling through dry spell, the average rainfall in Mumbai in June was above its long-term average, according to Skymet. Heavy rains on Sunday night caused water logging and traffic snarls, slowing down one the metropolis on Monday (July 1). "A monsoon depression movement will be approaching near Maharashtra and the Konkan coast so we could get a little heavier spells, little respite in between before we have the next one again," GP Sharma, vice president of meteorology, <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/expert-view/monsoon-gains-second-wind-after-driest-june-expect-heavy-downpour-in-july-gp-sharma/articleshow/70025756.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Skymet told a television channel</a> on Monday. And another bout of rain of over 200 mm or more could bring the congested city with creaky infrastructure and the country's two biggest stock exchanges to a standstill. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/indias-monsoon-rains-below-average-levels-for-a-fourth-week-2019-6?IR=T" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">India's monsoon rains below average levels for a fourth week</a>

Mumbai must brace for floods this week, says a private weather forecaster

<ul><li>The <keyword id="407919" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon-floods">monsoon floods</keyword> in <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> claimed a 100 lives in just one day on Thursday.</li><li>The southern state of <keyword id="28504" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kerala">Kerala</keyword> is battling floods, with rescue efforts underway that were able to save 3,000 people in some of the worst affected areas. </li><li>There are still others who are stranded in far-flung villages.</li></ul><keyword id="6358301" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon">Monsoon</keyword>s have been known to claim lives in India before. And this year, in the southern state of Kerala, the monsoon <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/over-100-killed-in-kerala-floods-in-just-one-day-death-toll-touches-173-118081700278_1.html">claimed</a> over 100 lives in just one day, according to the State Disaster Management Authority. This is despite the government initiating rescue operations in collaboration with the army, air force, navy and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel. Swollen by heavy rains, the rivers of Periyar and Chalakudy have expanded beyond their banks, cutting off regions from the rest of the state. The Thrissur district, specifically, woke up to find the national highway flooded, with no way for traffic to get through. The authorities, along with volunteers, were able to rescue nearly 3,000 people in their efforts but what was initially a <keyword id="6397442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Death-toll">death toll</keyword> of 30, ramped up to 106 on Thursday, bringing the overall tally of the monsoon this year to 173 fatalities. Far-reaching effects of the floods in Kerala The Defense Ministry is in the throes of assembling fresh teams to send out onto the field, to assist with the relief and rescue operations. Currently, there are over 150,000 people that have been displaced and are seeking shelter in relief camps. All connectivity in the regions have been halted as well, with trains either cancelled or rescheduled and the Kochi International Airport suspending its operations till August, 26. While the Periyar river seems to be receding, the Chalakudy river is still flooding much of the Mannuthy-Edapally national highway. Even downstream, where the Cheruthoni dam is located, areas have been put on high alert with the reservoir water levels rising to 2403ft.

Monsoon claimed over a 100 lives in one day in India

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">AmazonAbe Diaz, technical member of Amazon's disaster relief team</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>When disaster strikes, online <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> giant Amazon mobilizes its disaster relief team to collect donations and deliver them to needy people.</li><li>One Amazon programmer, Abe Diaz, discovered this team when his home, Puerto Rico, was devastated by Hurricane Maria. </li><li>Desperate to help, Diaz found himself volunteering for the team. A few years later, he got a chance to make this team his full-time job.</li><li>This story suggests that anyone can find a more fulfilling job just by standing up and offering to help.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Amazon these days has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-you-should-and-shouldnt-feel-good-supporting-amazon-2019-7">a decidedly mixed reputation</a>. Consumers love how the site delivers any product imaginable. But advocates and activists worry about <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-tech-workers-prime-day-strike-2019-7">Amazon's impact on everything</a> from the economy to the environment.So here's a cheery story about Amazon's program that provides goods to the victims of natural disasters and how one programmer, with no emergency response background, found himself a full-time member of it.It's a tale about how anyone, at any job, can find themselves with a fulfilling new career just by standing up and saying: "I want to help."Read: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-azure-gartner-magic-quadrant-warnings-2019-7">Outages, runaway costs and frustration with tech support have hurt Microsoft's cloud in the eyes of its customers, says market research firm Gartner</a>Abe Diaz joined Amazon about three and half years ago to work as a programmer on the Prime Video team. He grew up in Puerto Rico, where he studied computer engineering in college. He moved to the mainland after obtaining master's degree to take a job at consultant firm Deloitte before moving on to a role at Microsoft in Seattle.At Amazon, where he ultimately landed, he was a program manager on Amazon Prime's payment systems, and says he generally liked his job.When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, he was far away in Seattle and frantic. His family still lived there, and the images of the devastation from the storm - plus the federal emergency response, which has been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ap-us-report-criticizes-fema-response-to-maria-in-puerto-rico-2018-9">criticized as slow</a> - were alarming. Diaz knew he needed to do something.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">Gerald Herbert/APMarta Sostre Vazquez wades into the San Lorenzo Morovis river with her family, after the bridge was swept away by Hurricane Maria.</div></div></div>Just a few months earlier, in February, early Amazon employee Bettina Stix <a href="https://blog.aboutamazon.com/working-at-amazon/delivering-relief-to-communities-impacted-by-natural-disasters">had launched a new disaster relief program</a> at the company. Stix had joined Amazon in 2001 as a website manager and worked her way up to other key roles on the Prime team. She had gained the intense understanding of logistics from her long career at Amazon, and wanted to use those skills to help people when disaster struck.The new program was so small that Diaz, like most Amazon employees at the time, didn't even know it existed.So he started asking around: Is Amazon doing anything to help the people of Puerto Rico? "Bettina's name came up. I sent her a mail that said I'm a [technical program manager], I'm Puerto Rican. I speak the language, let me know if there's something I can do," Diaz tells Business Insider.The instant response was yes, come help. "I go to manager and my manager was super caring. He said, 'Go - don't worry about it, we'll handle whatever needs to happen here.' I showed up an hour later and told her," I'm yours.'"<h2>Boxes and planes</h2>There was a lot of work to do. Amazon is an expert at delivering individual packages to individual homes. With disasters, the problem is to figure out the logistics of gathering useful items like food and blankets and setting up pop-up delivery stations where people can come and collect them.At the company during this storm, employees were doing donation drives, and customers were also chipping in. But Diaz found himself wondering how all that stuff was going to get from Seattle to Puerto Rico. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">AP/Ted S. WarrenOne of the Amazon-branded Prime Air planes.</div></div></div>Stix and her team had a solution to that. They commandeered two of Amazon's airplanes, of the <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/21/amazon-air-expands-with-10-more-cargo-aircraft-bringing-fleet-to-50-planes/">40 it had in its fleet at that time.</a>Diaz was given the task of figuring out how to fill those planes. The pallets to load into a truck, and the containers for air cargo, are not the same shape.He did the math and sent it onto the volunteers from across the company tasked with gathering and loading.The team uses volunteers "from people in our warehouse fulfillment to the engineering side. Everyone has a skill," he says.And for disaster relief missions, which involves picking and packaging countless goods, the warehouse worker's skills are particularly useful.But, as they were loading the planes, "I got a call saying, 'hey, we still have space.' For me, I was like, what did I do wrong? The calculations add up, the plane should be filled," he said.The problem? "People got really excited and they packed the plane really tight," he laughs.When the planes landed, there was a special, emotional moment for him."I had no idea, but the disaster relief team put a special care package for my family on the plane. I only knew about it when my mom called," he said. "People were personally signing boxes with messages for people to receive them."<h2>Water and sifters</h2>Since then, the disaster relief team has been involved in numerous other disasters from US hurricanes and tornadoes to flooding in India and earthquakes in Mexico. Diaz found himself routinely volunteering. All told, since the team was founded, the company's employees and customers have donated about $14.7 million in products and cash for 22 disasters around, Amazon tells us.The company itself has donated some $7.8 million worth of goods, cash, or logistics expenses. That figure is broken up over 1.6 million relief items, delivered in 45 of Amazon's 53-foot trailers and two Prime Air planes.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">AmazonAmazon disaster relief airplane, packages</div></div></div>The company has also struck up partnerships with the Red Cross and other relief agencies so that it's delivering the items these agencies request, not just random things, Diaz explains.Amazon is in a unique position to deliver unusual items needed for particular disasters, too, and in mass quantities. For instance, amid the recent California wildfires, the company donated hundreds of sifters to help people search through the wreckage for small lost items like wedding rings.A few months ago, the program got approval to add to its permanent staff, which now numbers four. Diaz put his hat in the ring and got the job, even though he has no formal emergency management training.Word of the team has spread far and wide inside that, for any given disaster, the team has hundreds of employees involved. Diaz says that he finds his new job at Amazon supremely satisfying - and for good reason."This is a team of superstars. I'm very humble to be working with it," Diaz says.<h2>Happily ever after, and anyone can do it</h2>There's a good reason Diaz feels that way. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUKhMUZnLuw">Happiness researchers say </a>that the key to happiness is helping others in a very specific way. The more people can see the impacts of their work on others, the happier they are. For those who dream of having a job that feels more like a life purpose, Diaz has some tips on how to find one. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image">AmazonAbe Diaz and Amazon employees provide disaster relief in Florida to Hurricane Florence</div></div></div>"Always start as a volunteer," he says.This allows you to explore the work that particular team is doing with no long-term commitment, he says. And if you like it and want to join full-time, you've already proven yourself to them.Volunteer for a variety of causes, in a variety of ways, but focus on the ones that are meaningful to you, he suggests."Hurricane Maria was personal because my family was there," Diaz said. But he's always sought volunteer work at previous corporations.When you volunteer, "get to know the team. Get to know what they do," he says. "And, if it's something meant to be, then things just have a way of working out."<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/40-big-tech-predictions-for-2019?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=amazon&amp;itm_campaign=40-big-tech-predictions-for-2019-2"></a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-privacy-hacking-scandal-mark-zuckerberg-cambridge-analytica-2019-5">Facebook's scandals aren't enough for people to stop using it. Here's how the company has held up through data hacks, lawsuits, and massive security threats.</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

How this programmer landed a job on Amazon's disaster relief squad, which has delivered $15 million of goods to displaced people worldwide

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Collectively, the past six months have been the hottest since humans started keeping track of global temperatures.
Last month was the warmest September humans have recorded, according to both NASA's <a href="http://data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/tabledata_v3/GLB.Ts+dSST.txt">Global Land-Ocean Temperature Index</a> and the <a href="http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/9">National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center</a>.
September came at the end of a record-breaking six months: April, May, June, and August of this year were all also the warmest on record, and July came in at fourth hottest.
According to <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2014/10/13/nasa_earth_just_experienced_the_warmest_six_month_stretch_ever.html">Eric Holthaus at Slate</a>:
Recent research shows the current warm stretch is probably the planet's warmest in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/08/science/earth/global-temperatures-highest-in-4000-years-study-says.html?_r=1&amp;" target="_blank">at least 4,000 years</a>. That means global temperatures <a href="http://qz.com/154196/the-only-way-to-stop-climate-change-now-may-be-revolution/" target="_blank">may have already passed</a> a level that human civilization has never experienced. The sheer size and depth of the world's oceans means that <a href="http://news.discovery.com/earth/global-warming/ocean-warming-may-be-drastically-underestimated-141007.htm" target="_blank">most of global warming's extra heat has been stored there</a>. For the last decade or so, atmospheric warming <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2013/12/16/global_warming_new_study_shows_pause_doesn_t_exist.html">has been playing catch up</a>.
That means things will just keep getting warmer - and humans are doing a poor job of slowing things down. At the <a href="http://unfccc.int/resource/docs/2009/cop15/eng/l07.pdf">2009 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change</a>, world leaders agreed to take measures to keep global temperatures from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above their historical levels.
Beyond that point, many experts agree that the world could see a disastrous series of climate change effects, including widespread floods, fires, storms, famines, and extinctions. Unfortunately, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/when-will-climate-change-be-out-of-control-2014-9">recent reports</a> suggest that we're on track to miss our target by a good 2 C before the end of the century.
<a href="http://data.giss.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gistemp/nmaps.cgi?sat=4&amp;sst=3&amp;type=anoms&amp;mean_gen=09&amp;year1=2014&amp;year2=2014&amp;base1=1951&amp;base2=1980&amp;radius=1200&amp;pol=rob">NASA's map</a> below shows the difference in temperature between September 2014 and the average temperature from 1951 and 1980.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>You can see that the heat is affecting some parts of the world more strongly than others. Some areas are even "abnormally cold." Temperatures can fluctuate around the world, depending on weather patterns - for instance, in August, parts of the US saw temperatures below the baseline average, and in September the entire country was at or above the baseline. But the important takeaway is that there is a general pattern of warming temperatures across the globe.
The differences becoming greater as the colors move from yellow to orange to red. Some of the greatest temperature differences were seen in the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
The NOAA chart below shows temperature anomalies between the April-to-September months and the 20th century average every year since 1880. You can see below that 2014 deviates most from the average, and is a part of a much bigger trend of increasing temperature anomalies.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table full"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>September was also noteworthy for the flurry of climate change activism it saw around the world, including the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/images-of-peoples-climate-march-nyc-2014-9">People's Climate March</a> in New York City, which spawned similar demonstrations around the world and at the UN 2014 Climate Summit, during which world leaders gathered to discuss their strategies for reducing carbon emissions and slowing down climate change.
September was also marked by a spree of climate-related events, including widespread drought in the western US and intense flooding in India.

These Last 6 Months Were The Warmest Humans Have Ever Recorded On Earth

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div></div>Geneva (AFP) - Natural disasters claimed over 22,000 lives last year, with Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines the deadliest of all, the Red Cross said Thursday.
In its annual report on disasters, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned that the outlook was bleak.
"Climate change is leading to damaged livelihoods and increased vulnerabilities. Natural hazards are also becoming more frequent and extreme," said IFRC head Elhadj As Sy.
"The resulting stresses on social, physical and economic systems are shifting the world into a new era of risk," he added.
Haiyan, which struck in November 2013, slammed a massive storm surge into the city of Tacloban and surrounding communities in the eastern province of Leyte.
At least 7,986 perished, the IFRC said.
The next-deadliest disaster was the June 2013 monsoon flooding in India, which killed 6,054 people.
Last year's overall natural disaster death toll was 22,452, the IFRC said.
That was well under the 2004-2013 average of 97,954 per year.
It was also far below the decade's peak year, 2004, when 242,829 people perished, mostly in the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.
The number of people affected by disasters in 2013 -- almost 100 million, overwhelmingly in Asia -- was also the lowest in a decade.
But the report's lead editor Terry Cannon said tolls were only part of the story.
"Major hazards and disasters are distributed randomly. So comparing year-on-year in a data set like this is not very useful," he said.
What tolls can reveal, however, is a country's ability to head off catastrophe.
For example, 36 people died when Cyclone Phailin hit India in October 2013.
Thousands of lives were saved thanks to a widely-praised risk reduction programme which included pre-planned evacuation, repeated this week when Cyclone Hudhud struck.
More people in harm's way
Rapid economic shifts, population growth and urbanization in developing nations are putting more people in harm's way, while experts warn that climate change driven by emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases is causing more frequent extreme weather events.
Besides thinking up risk reduction plans, governments and aid agencies need to make more effort to understand the lives of people in danger zones, said Cannon.
"The vast majority of people do not die or suffer in disasters. They suffer because of the problems of everyday life, whether it's bad water, poor nutrition, or bad health," he said.
"People don't give priority to severe hazards. They will highlight their day-to-day problems, health, malaria, water supply, not enough food, not enough jobs," he added.
The report said that estimated economic damage in 2013, at $119 billion, was the fourth-lowest in a decade.
However, financial totals do not show the full picture either.
Developed countries traditionally see the most expensive single disasters in terms of losses and insurance claims, given their wealthier economies and extensive insurance penetration.
In 2011, for example, when Japan was battered by a massive earthquake and tsunami, estimated global disaster losses rocketed to $391 billion.
The situation in poorer countries is less clear, notably if a disaster does not strike industrial areas, and because insurance coverage is far less widespread.
"The damage to things that are valued in dollars can be very small. What you have to measure is the loss of livelihoods, of millions of people's livelihoods, fishing boats, their nets, their villages, their houses," said Cannon.
"They are not measured in dollar terms, they're not insured, they're not even counted in the international statistics," he said.

There Were 22,000 People Killed By Natural Disasters In 2013, The Lowest In A Decade

<keyword id="988973" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="extreme-weather">Extreme Weather</keyword> wreaks havoc and <keyword id="1209735" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Disaster-preparedness">disaster preparedness</keyword> of the extreme kind can only lessen the losses but cannot entirely leash them. A new research report compiled by the UK-based <keyword id="459969" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Overseas-Development-Institute">Overseas Development Institute</keyword> suggests that by 2030, up to a third of a billion people could be living in the 49 countries most exposed to the full range of <keyword id="1187439" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="natural-hazards">natural hazards</keyword> and <keyword id="1713913" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Climate-Extremes">climate extremes</keyword>. So adequate measures must be taken now to control the impact of Extreme Weather occurrences (<keyword id="43950" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="storm">storm</keyword>, <keyword id="46472" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="drought">drought</keyword>, <keyword id="6369083" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Flood">flood</keyword>, <keyword id="6362774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="earthquake">earthquake</keyword>, etc.) or it is bound to hurt the economies and will push people back into poverty. Although an emerging market nation, <keyword id="3658" type="COUNTRY" weightage="100" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> has long struggled to cope with <keyword id="55531" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Disaster-management">disaster management</keyword>. As the country encounters the second <keyword id="6386783" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyclone">cyclone</keyword> attack in six weeks, here is a quick look at the natural hazards that struck India throughout the year, leading to massive destruction and huge losses. 
Main image: Wikipedia 
 
<keyword id="1945034" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyclone-Helen">Cyclone Helen</keyword> The severe cyclonic storm hit the coastal parts of <keyword id="37102" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Andhra-Pradesh">Andhra Pradesh</keyword> only a couple of days ago, killing at least 6 people. Around 21,000 people were evacuated from low-lying areas as <keyword id="45172" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="heavy-rain">heavy rain</keyword> lashed the <keyword id="482064" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="coastal-districts">coastal districts</keyword> and strong gales reached the speed of 100-120 kmph. Storm and <keyword id="13195" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rain">rain</keyword> caused massive damage to <keyword id="18620" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="crops">crops</keyword> and coconut plantations spread over 1.69 lakh hectares. 
Image: ddinews.gov.in 
 
 
 
Super-Cyclone Phailin One of the most powerful tropical <keyword id="42569" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="cyclones">cyclones</keyword>, Phailin hit India’s east coast in October and was expected to cause massive death and destruction. Strong winds went up to a speed of 220 kmph as it struck the shores of <keyword id="6357961" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Odisha">Odisha</keyword> and Andhra Pradesh. However, early warnings and the mass evacuation of nearly 900,000 people limited the <keyword id="6397442" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="death-toll">death toll</keyword> to 30-50. A quarter million houses were razed though, and over 860,000 hectares of cropland was destroyed. The overall damage amounted to about $150 million. 
Image: Indiatimes 
 
 
 
The <keyword id="1713585" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Himalayan-tsunami">Himalayan tsunami</keyword> <keyword id="173656" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kedarnath">Kedarnath</keyword> town in the state of <keyword id="44522" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Uttarakhand">Uttarakhand</keyword> was literally washed out when massive flash floods and landslides hit the valley in June this year. About 33 cm of rain fell during a cloudburst and a lake above the 8th century <keyword id="1674376" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kedarnath-temple">Kedarnath Temple</keyword> burst, sending a deluge of water down the valley. Over 110,000 stranded pilgrims were rescued and the actual death toll could be close to 10,000 while 20,000 hectares of <keyword id="6491949" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="agricultural-land">agricultural land</keyword> was severely damaged in the deluge. According to a <keyword id="29740" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bloomberg">Bloomberg</keyword> report based on a document from AON Benfield, economic losses due to the floods in India (mostly Uttarakhand) could be $1.1 billion and insured costs around half a million. 
Image: Indiatimes 
 
 
 
<keyword id="1672039" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Cyclone-Mahasen">Cyclone Mahasen</keyword> The first among the three cyclones to have crossed the <keyword id="960263" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indian-coast">Indian coast</keyword> this year. The south-westerly monsoon started with this <keyword id="385066" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="tropical-storm">tropical storm</keyword> in May and affected six countries in South and <keyword id="366595" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="South-East-Asia">South-east Asia</keyword>. Cyclone Mahasen moved up from the southern <keyword id="55869" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Bay-of-Bengal">Bay of Bengal</keyword> and finally hit Bangladesh, but its effects could be felt in southern, eastern and north-eastern parts of India. Heavy rain lashed Meghalaya as it crossed into neighbouring Bangladesh while severe storms in Andhra Pradesh caused eight deaths and also flooded 739 hectares of farmland. In the coastal districts of Odisha, there were scattered but powerful storms, producing winds up to 72 kmph. Malkangiri saw the heaviest rainfall at 48 mm. 
Image: earthobservatory.nasa.gov

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