6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Sindirgi in western Turkey on Sunday evening, the disaster agency AFAD said. The quake was felt in Istanbul, Izmir, and nearby cities. Several buildings collapsed in Balikesir province, local media reported. An aftershock of 4.6 followed minutes later. Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said rescue teams were working and no major casualties had been confirmed yet. The quake hit at 7:53 pm local time. Turkey often faces deadly quakes due to its location on fault lines. In February 2023, a massive quake killed over 53,000 people. Smaller quakes have shaken the region in recent months. (PC: NDTV)

The UK is set for its fourth heatwave of the summer, with temperatures expected to pass 30C on Monday. Most of England will be under a yellow heat alert until Wednesday, warning of risks to older and vulnerable people. Wales could see its August record of 35.2C, set in 1990, broken. Hot nights above 20C are also likely. The Met Office says smoke from Canadian wildfires may cause vivid sunrises and sunsets. Thunderstorms are possible as ex-tropical storm Dexter passes nearby. Mainland Europe is also sweltering, with Spain, Portugal, and France forecast to reach over 40C. (PC: Reuters)

On June 26, a fiery meteor streaked across the sky over Georgia and South Carolina before crashing through a McDonough homeowner’s roof, penetrating ductwork, insulation, ceiling, and floor to leave a cherry-tomato-sized crater—all with no injuries reported. University of Georgia geologist Scott Harris confirmed the meteorite formed approximately 4.56 billion years ago—making it around 20 million years older than Earth—and originated from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists are studying the fragment, proposing to name it the "McDonough Meteorite," and stress the research’s value for planetary defense and understanding solar system history. 

On August 5, a devastating cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides in Uttarkashi’s Dharali and Harsil regions. At least five lives were lost, with many more missing. In Operation Dharali and Zindagi, Indian Army, ITBP, SDRF, NDRF, and BRO have evacuated over 1,000 residents and tourists using 33+ helicopter sorties, airlifting 195 civilians to safety while delivering critical aid . Rescue operations face continued disruption due to heavy rains and washed-out roads, though a temporary aerial corridor and bridge construction are underway . The administration, now establishing relief camps and forming a rehabilitation committee, has announced ₹5 lakh aid for each bereaved and destroyed-home household, alongside essential supplies and long-term recovery planning. (PC: PTI)

Firefighters have contained France’s largest wildfire in at least 50 years, which scorched 16,000 hectares in the southern Aude department. The blaze, fueled by scorching heat and dry winds, killed a 65-year-old woman, injured several residents, and left 19 firefighters hurt. Over 1,300 firefighters remain on alert as a heatwave, with temperatures nearing 40°C, threatens to reignite the fire. The disaster has devastated farmland and livestock, with some farmers losing most of their flocks. Authorities warn full extinguishment could take weeks. Experts link such extreme fires to intensifying summer heatwaves driven by climate change. (PC: NDTV)

Eight people, including two children, died after a wall collapsed in Delhi’s Jaitpur area amid heavy overnight rain. The victims, mostly scrap sellers living in jhuggis near an old temple in Harinagar, were trapped when the wall suddenly gave way. All were rushed to Safdarjung Hospital and AIIMS but succumbed to their injuries. The deceased include Shabibul, Rabibul, Muttu Ali, Rubina, Dolly, Hashibul, Rukhsana (6), and Hasina (7). Authorities have since evacuated the jhuggis to prevent further tragedies. The collapse occurred during intense rainfall on Raksha Bandhan, which caused widespread waterlogging and traffic chaos across Delhi. IMD issued a red alert, and the Yamuna neared warning levels.

The National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) identified a glacial lake upstream of Kheer Ganga in satellite images from 2014, 2020, and twice in 2022, measuring roughly 0.82 hectares and perched around 5,200 meters altitude . The lake’s position and drainage suggest hydrological links to Dharali, feeding flash floods down Kheer Ganga . While this supports glaciologists’ hypothesis that a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) could have triggered the devastating mudslide, NIDM emphasized that confirmation requires high-resolution imaging, field surveys, and hydrological modeling. (PC: HT File)  

A fast-moving wildfire, dubbed the Canyon Fire, has forced mandatory evacuations for 2,700 residents northwest of Los Angeles, with warnings issued to 14,000 more. Igniting Thursday along the Ventura–Los Angeles county border, the blaze swelled from 30 to nearly 5,000 acres within hours. Officials say it is 25% contained, but extreme heat and dry conditions, with temperatures expected to hit 100°F, are hampering firefighting efforts. Santa Clarita is on high alert, and authorities urge residents to heed evacuation orders. The Canyon Fire is one of several blazes in California, where climate change is driving longer, more destructive wildfire seasons. No injuries reported. (PC: BBC)

ISRO has released before-and-after satellite images showing extensive damage caused by recent flash floods in Dharali village, Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand. Triggered by intense rainfall, the floods have led to massive soil erosion, destruction of agricultural land, and infrastructure damage, including washed-away roads and houses. The Indian space agency's high-resolution Cartosat-3 satellite captured clear visual evidence of the landscape transformation. These images are aiding disaster response and recovery efforts by state and national agencies. Authorities are conducting rescue operations, while environmentalists raise concerns over the increasing frequency of such disasters due to climate change and unchecked development. 

ISRO’s very high-resolution satellite imagery captured the dramatic aftermath of the devastating flash floods in Uttarkashi’s Dharali village. The images reveal vast changes in river pathways and show a 20-hectare area buried beneath sediment and debris, with many structures destroyed or submerged under mud and water . Initial assessments pointed to a cloudburst, but recent expert analyses now suggest a glacier collapse or glacial lake outburst as the more probable triggers. (PC: India Today)