https://www.scmp.com/rss/325309/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele The death of a runner from heatstroke after a Penang hill run event has put a spotlight on the rising risks of soaring temperatures in Malaysia, as authorities report a spike in heat-related illnesses and are seeding clouds to trigger rains in the country’s drought-hit northern region. The death of the 41-year-old, the island’s first-ever confirmed heatstroke fatality linked to a sporting event, comes as temperatures in Malaysia soar to the mid-30s degrees Celsius. The man from Tampin, Negeri... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352468/malaysia-warns-health-risks-heatwave-2-related-deaths-recorded-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352468/malaysia-warns-health-risks-heatwave-2-related-deaths-recorded-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 07:06:03 +0000 dpa dpa Two marine rescue volunteers died after their boat capsized while attempting to help a yacht in distress off the east coast of Australia, according to New South Wales police. On Monday evening, a member of the public reported that a yacht appeared to be struggling at a breakwall in Ballina in northern New South Wales, police said. A vessel of volunteer service Marine Rescue NSW with six crew on board was responding to the call when “their vessel capsized while crossing the Ballina Bar in heavy... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352433/2-marine-rescue-volunteers-die-after-boat-capsizes-australias-new-south-wales-coast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3352433/2-marine-rescue-volunteers-die-after-boat-capsizes-australias-new-south-wales-coast?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 02:29:02 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat A strong El Nino expected later this year, together with the fallout from the US-Israeli war on Iran, may threaten China’s agricultural security as the country’s traditional small-scale farming system lacks sufficient capacity to cope with extreme weather shocks, analysts have warned. The climate phenomenon also risked disrupting China’s supply of critical commodities, such as copper – essential for renewable energy systems – potentially forcing the energy-intensive economy to lean more heavily... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352028/fallow-farms-more-coal-burning-and-copper-shortages-how-el-nino-could-affect-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3352028/fallow-farms-more-coal-burning-and-copper-shortages-how-el-nino-could-affect-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 12:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The pace of tropical forest destruction slowed in 2025 after record losses the year before but remained at worrying levels equivalent to 11 football fields per minute, researchers said Wednesday. The world lost 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of tropical primary rainforest last year, down 36 per cent from 2024, said researchers from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the University of Maryland. “A drop of this scale in a single year is encouraging – it shows what decisive... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3351895/tropical-rainforest-loss-eases-after-record-year-still-11-football-fields-minute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3351895/tropical-rainforest-loss-eases-after-record-year-still-11-football-fields-minute?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:35:31 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu The Hong Kong Observatory should step up efforts to explain decisions for issuing typhoon warnings to address public concerns amid a rise in extreme weather events, the Audit Commission has urged. Citing the forecaster, a report issued by the public sector watchdog on Wednesday noted “increasing public demand” for signal change notification well in advance over the years for timely preparation as extreme weather events became more frequent in light of climate change. “Audit acknowledges that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351869/watchdog-urges-hong-kong-observatory-better-explain-typhoon-warning-decisions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351869/watchdog-urges-hong-kong-observatory-better-explain-typhoon-warning-decisions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:38:13 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Hong Kong’s weather forecaster issued an amber rainstorm warning on Wednesday, while calling on the public to seek safe shelter as thunderstorms and heavy rain hit the city. The Hong Kong Observatory issued the signal at 11.35am and said areas of intense thundery showers associated with upper-air disturbances had been persistently affecting the area. The... https://www.scmp.com/weather/hong-kong/article/3351787/amber-rainstorm-warning-issued-thunderstorms-strong-gusts-hit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/weather/hong-kong/article/3351787/amber-rainstorm-warning-issued-thunderstorms-strong-gusts-hit-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 04:22:02 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg A heatwave sweeping across Southeast Asia is making offices even warmer, as workers continue to adjust to energy-saving measures put in place by governments due to the war in Iran. Many countries have imposed temperature controls at government workplaces since the war began, among other measures to conserve energy. As the prolonged shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz drains energy reserves, relief does not look to be coming any time soon, with parts of the region set to bake in abnormally hot... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351634/southeast-asias-office-workers-reel-energy-saving-drive-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3351634/southeast-asias-office-workers-reel-energy-saving-drive-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 02:57:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters At least ⁠14 people ⁠were killed after lightning ⁠strikes hit several parts of Bangladesh, officials said on Monday, as seasonal thunderstorms swept across the country. The deaths were ‌reported from several districts after sudden storms brought heavy rain and intense lightning on Sunday. Most of the victims were farmers working in open fields and labourers caught in ⁠exposed areas, local authorities said. Several other people were ‌injured and taken to nearby hospitals, with some in critical... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351543/lightning-strikes-kill-14-day-seasonal-storms-hit-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351543/lightning-strikes-kill-14-day-seasonal-storms-hit-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:26:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japan has deployed 1,400 firefighters and dozens of Self-Defence Force personnel to battle mountain blazes that have been raging in the north for five days and threaten to reach homes in the ‌picturesque coastal town of Otsuchi, officials said on Sunday. Fanned by dry, windy weather, two more wildfires broke out elsewhere in the north on Sunday – one in Kitakata city and the other in Nagaoka, potentially stretching firefighting resources thin as local authorities send personnel to neighbouring... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351496/wildfires-japans-north-worsen-1400-firefighters-deployed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351496/wildfires-japans-north-worsen-1400-firefighters-deployed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:04:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hundreds of firefighters were battling wildfires in the forests of northern Japan on Saturday, as authorities urged more than 3,200 people to evacuate their homes, government officials said. As of Saturday morning, blazes in the mountainous areas of Iwate region had burned about 700 hectares (1,730 acres) since breaking out three days ago, local government officials said in a statement. A large column of smoke, which could be smelled 30km (20 miles) away, was seen rising up the valley near the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351432/japan-evacuates-thousands-hundreds-firefighters-battle-wildfires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351432/japan-evacuates-thousands-hundreds-firefighters-battle-wildfires?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:16:36 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Authorities have found the body of one of the six missing crew members from a cargo ship that overturned near the Northern Mariana Islands during a typhoon. US Air Force divers “used an underwater remotely operated drone to search the interior of the vessel” and recovered the body on Tuesday, the US Coast Guard said in a news release. Additional divers from the Japan Coast Guard further examined the ship. They did not find any additional crew members, the US Coast Guard said. “Coastguard... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351024/searchers-find-body-1-6-missing-crew-members-after-super-typhoon-overturns-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351024/searchers-find-body-1-6-missing-crew-members-after-super-typhoon-overturns-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:48:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Schools in India’s capital must ring regular bells to remind schoolchildren to drink water as the megacity gears up to face heatwave conditions, a new city order has said. Summer heat in the world’s most populous nation can be brutal – putting millions of people at risk, with nearly 11,000 people dying due to heatstroke between 2012 and 2021, according to government data. A heatwave in May 2024 in New Delhi saw temperatures match the capital’s previous record high: 49.2 degrees Celsius (120... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350972/delhi-schools-sound-alarm-and-water-bell-india-sizzles-brutal-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350972/delhi-schools-sound-alarm-and-water-bell-india-sizzles-brutal-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:14:07 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A Malaysian NGO is demanding more accountability in project approvals in Cameron Highlands after a two-hour downpour on Monday resulted in a “river of mud” gushing through the main road of a town in the popular hill resort. A 15-second clip shows waist-high muddy waters, which social media users likened to teh tarik, surging through Ringlet, swallowing the main road and pushing against cars. Cameron Highlands police chief Azri Ramli said the flood was caused by a heavy downpour that began at 2pm... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350880/river-mud-malaysias-cameron-highlands-prompts-accountability-calls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350880/river-mud-malaysias-cameron-highlands-prompts-accountability-calls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:24:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters Residents in low-lying areas of New Zealand’s ⁠capital city Wellington ⁠were urged to evacuate on ⁠Monday, as heavy rain continued to drench the city, which experienced flash flooding overnight. A state of emergency was declared for the region on Monday afternoon, while weather forecaster MetService upgraded its heavy rain warning to red, the highest level, which indicates a threat to life from dangerous river conditions, significant flooding and slips. Mayor Andrew Little told state-owned Radio... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350675/new-zealand-declares-emergency-wellington-record-rainfall-triggers-flash-floods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350675/new-zealand-declares-emergency-wellington-record-rainfall-triggers-flash-floods?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:26:50 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong This year’s El Nino could increase the global demand for fossil fuels and worsen the price rises caused by the Iran crisis, Chinese government scientists have said. The climate phenomenon happens every two to seven years and causes an increase in average global temperatures. A strong El Nino can bring either droughts or torrential rains and flooding, both of which may force hydropower stations to reduce their output or shut down entirely – increasing the need for other power sources, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350622/china-warns-strong-el-nino-year-may-worsen-global-fossil-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350622/china-warns-strong-el-nino-year-may-worsen-global-fossil-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thousands ⁠of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 1,000 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island ‌on Sunday, the fire department said. Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at around 1.32am, the district’s fire and rescue chief Jimmy Lagung said in a statement. “Strong winds and ⁠the close proximity of the houses caused the fire to ‌spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open ‌water... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:59:56 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A dangerous super typhoon in the Pacific Ocean is barrelling towards a group of remote US islands. Super Typhoon Sinlakua is expected to make landfall on Tuesday in the Northern Mariana Islands and bring destructive winds, widespread heavy rain and flooding, the National Weather Service said on Monday. Power cuts on the islands could be lengthy, forecasters warned. Guam, a US territory with American military installations and about 170,000 residents, could also see damaging winds and is under a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349957/pacific-ocean-super-typhoon-sinlakua-bears-down-group-remote-us-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349957/pacific-ocean-super-typhoon-sinlakua-bears-down-group-remote-us-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 17:42:11 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Hong Kong’s labour authorities have expanded heat stress monitoring to include data from 10 sites, enabling faster alerts to better safeguard outdoor workers. Deputy Commissioner for Labour Vincent Fung Hao-yin said on Monday that the department would incorporate data from the Observatory’s newly added monitoring stations at eight sites across the city. The move is intended to provide a more accurate picture of heat stress levels for issuing warnings when outdoor workers should take breaks of at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349913/hong-kong-expands-heat-stress-monitoring-better-protect-outdoor-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349913/hong-kong-expands-heat-stress-monitoring-better-protect-outdoor-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:40:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia has pledged A$2.5 million (US$1.7 million) in aid to Pacific neighbours Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, after tropical cyclone Maila caused devastating floods and landslides that killed 11. Australia stood “shoulder to shoulder” with its neighbours, Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Sunday, pledging A$1 million for Papua New Guinea and A$1.5 million for the Solomon Islands, where severe impacts have been felt in remote communities across Western and Choiseul... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349855/australia-pledges-us17-million-aid-after-cyclone-maila-kills-11-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349855/australia-pledges-us17-million-aid-after-cyclone-maila-kills-11-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:26:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Flooding sparked by heavy rains killed at least five people in southern Russia on Monday, while thousands of others were evacuated from their homes, authorities said. Social media videos showed flooded villages and highways engulfed by water in Russia’s Dagestan republic in the Caucasus Mountains, with overturned cars lying on the roadside. A multi-storey residential building partly collapsed in the regional capital Makhachkala. “Water levels rose after heavy rain, leading to further flooding of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349173/floods-kill-3-russia-thousands-evacuated-after-dam-wall-breaks-dagestan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349173/floods-kill-3-russia-thousands-evacuated-after-dam-wall-breaks-dagestan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:46:31 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Three people, including a 10-month-old girl, were killed on Sunday when high winds toppled a tree in northern Germany during an Easter egg hunt, police said. Around 50 people from a nearby residential facility for new mothers, pregnant women and children were attending the event in woods near the town of Satrupholm at around 11am when a 30-metre tree fell on the group, police said in a statement. Four people were pinned under the tree. A 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl were treated by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349101/3-killed-including-baby-high-winds-topple-tree-during-easter-egg-hunt-germany?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349101/3-killed-including-baby-high-winds-topple-tree-during-easter-egg-hunt-germany?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 16:33:52 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse At least one of the world’s largest LNG plants remained closed on Sunday after a cyclone knocked out power to thousands of people in Western Australia. The outages were restricting already stretched fuel supplies caused by the war in the Middle East. Woodside Energy, which processes fuel from one of the world’s biggest offshore gas operations, said on Sunday that its Karratha plant remained offline. “We have commenced remobilising our workforce to some of our offshore facilities and inspections... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348292/australias-karratha-lng-plant-closed-after-cyclone-amid-fuel-shortages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348292/australias-karratha-lng-plant-closed-after-cyclone-amid-fuel-shortages?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:44:04 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The long-range weather forecast for Hong Kong may seem like good news at first. The city’s weather experts have predicted four to seven typhoons between the months of June and October, or fewer than half the record-breaking 14 recorded last year. However, complacency could be dangerous. The Hong Kong Observatory also projects above normal temperatures under the influence of the warming El Nino weather phenomenon amid intensifying global climate challenges. Hong Kong Observatory director Chan... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347836/community-preparation-key-hong-kong-braces-extreme-weather?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347836/community-preparation-key-hong-kong-braces-extreme-weather?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Across peninsular Malaysia, the heat is getting unbearable and posing health risks for many, and nowhere is this felt more sharply than in Kedah and Perlis, two northern states at the centre of Malaysia’s food-growing belt. Over the start of the Eid period last weekend, the scorching sun dampened the holiday mood during the festival marking the end of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Families are timing visits to avoid the fierce afternoon sun, farmers are watching paddy fields – known... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347822/malaysias-weather-so-hot-it-can-warp-payment-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347822/malaysias-weather-so-hot-it-can-warp-payment-card?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:34:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The amount of heat trapped by the Earth reached record levels in 2025, with the consequences of such warming feared to last for thousands of years, the UN warned on Monday. The 11 hottest years ever recorded were all between 2015 and 2025, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) weather and climate agency confirmed, in its flagship State of the Global Climate annual report. Last year was the second or third hottest year on record, at about 1.43 degrees Celsius above the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347542/flashing-red-un-alarmed-heat-trapped-earth-hits-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347542/flashing-red-un-alarmed-heat-trapped-earth-hits-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:03:51 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Hawaii suffered its worst flooding in more than 20 years as heavy rains fell on soil already saturated by downpours from a winter storm a week ago, officials said on Friday, while warning that more rain was expected during the weekend. Muddy floodwaters smothered vast stretches of Oahu’s North Shore, a community world renowned for its big-wave surfing. Raging waters lifted homes and cars and prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu. Authorities cautioned that a 120-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347445/hawaii-suffers-worst-flooding-20-years-more-rain-expected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347445/hawaii-suffers-worst-flooding-20-years-more-rain-expected?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:41:18 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Accelerating glacial retreat in the Himalayas over the past decades is threatening over 2 billion people in the region who depend on meltwater from the “water tower of Asia” for their daily needs, according to climate scientists. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region have been losing ice at twice the rate since 2000, with smaller glaciers under 0.5 sq km shrinking more rapidly than larger ones, according to two landmark reports published on Saturday to coincide with the World Day for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A punishing heatwave has been gripping the western United States, with parts of the region logging record temperatures - even though it was still winter. A desert community in southwestern Arizona reached 43.3 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, breaking a record for the highest March temperature recorded in the United States. The temperature was recorded just outside Martinez Lake, Arizona, in the Yuma Desert. The previous record of 42.2 degrees had been set in Rio Grande City, Texas,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347241/record-breaking-heatwave-grips-western-us-tail-end-winter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347241/record-breaking-heatwave-grips-western-us-tail-end-winter?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 03:28:23 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li A Hong Kong court has given a couple eight weeks to consider their plea over charges of allegedly neglecting their five-year-old son, who was swept into the sea at a waterfront area during Super Typhoon Ragasa last year. Police revealed on Monday that the boy’s 40-year-old father, surnamed Yen, and 38-year-old mother, surnamed Li, were arrested in Chai Wan on January 6 and charged last Wednesday with ill-treatment or neglect by those in charge of a child or young person. A charge sheet filed at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346714/couple-face-child-neglect-charges-after-son-swept-sea-during-typhoon-ragasa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346714/couple-face-child-neglect-charges-after-son-swept-sea-during-typhoon-ragasa?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 05:35:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters A total ⁠of ⁠62 ⁠people including eight children have died since heavy rains and flooding hit Kenya’s capital ‌Nairobi and other areas late last week, police said on Saturday. The capital was the worst hit with ⁠33 deaths, the force said in ‌a statement on X that updated the official ‌tally of casualties. More than 2,000 ⁠families ⁠have been displaced across Kenya and ‌intense rain was continuing in several ‌regions, it ‌added. Aid workers started pulling ‌bodies from floodwaters across Nairobi... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3346673/kenya-floods-death-toll-rises-62-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3346673/kenya-floods-death-toll-rises-62-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:48:32 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Powerful waves have chewed away large sections of Bali’s iconic Kuta Beach, raising fresh concern about the future of the Indonesian island’s most famous stretch of sand. Officials say the latest damage, driven by recent rough seas, has intensified a long-running problem of coastal erosion that experts warn is being worsened by extreme weather and decades of coastal development on the resort island. Abrasion along Kuta’s shoreline is not new, but officials say this year’s extreme weather has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346510/balis-kuta-beach-disappearing-coastal-erosion-crisis-threatens-famed-shoreline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346510/balis-kuta-beach-disappearing-coastal-erosion-crisis-threatens-famed-shoreline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:35:38 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial An exceptionally warm February in Hong Kong does not spell the end of winters forever, yet the city’s warmest winter on record signals far more than a fleeting anomaly. Across the Pacific, meanwhile, polar vortex disruptions have unleashed Arctic blasts, burying parts of the United States under feet of snow, cutting power, closing schools and grounding flights. These extremes – from subtropical warm spells to polar chills – highlight a warming world with increasingly unpredictable weather,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345699/wild-weather-demands-preparedness-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345699/wild-weather-demands-preparedness-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press At least 23 people were killed in flash flooding overnight in the capital Nairobi, police said Saturday, amid search and rescue operations and widespread devastation. Torrential rains lashed the city late on Friday, turning major streets into rivers and flooding thousands of homes and businesses. Rescue teams were still pulling out bodies and rescuing trapped residents on Saturday, while reporters saw heavily damaged roads and infrastructure from the city’s vast slums to upmarket areas like... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3345823/8-dead-kenya-floods-motorists-stranded-flights-disrupted?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3345823/8-dead-kenya-floods-motorists-stranded-flights-disrupted?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 12:04:16 +0000 Ling Xin Ling Xin China should accelerate development of a space-based solar power station, as the technology could one day do far more than beam clean energy to Earth, it might even help tame typhoons, according to a senior Chinese engineer. Duan Baoyan, the lead scientist behind the ambitious “Zhuri” project – which aims to hold a megawatt-class demonstration in the Earth’s orbit by 2030 – said microwave beams generated by such a station to transmit electricity back to Earth could potentially be directed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345240/change-typhoon-intensity-and-path-china-team-mulls-hitting-cyclones-space-beam?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3345240/change-typhoon-intensity-and-path-china-team-mulls-hitting-cyclones-space-beam?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The warming El Nino weather phenomenon could form later this year, potentially pushing global temperatures to record heights. There is a 50-60 per cent chance of El Nino developing during the July-September period and beyond, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The World Meteorological Organization will issue an update on El Nino on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know about El Nino and its cooler sister, La Nina. Why the name? El Nino and La Nina are two... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3345180/el-nino-may-return-2026-making-planet-even-hotter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3345180/el-nino-may-return-2026-making-planet-even-hotter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:43:31 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan is likely to face another record-setting summer, climate experts have warned, as global warming continues to shrink Arctic ice, alter wind patterns and heat ocean waters. The Japan Meteorological Agency on Tuesday released its seasonal forecast for the coming months, predicting a 60 per cent probability of above-normal temperatures across Kyushu, Shikoku and the southern and eastern parts of Honshu between June and August. The southern islands of Okinawa, the northern prefecture of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344770/japan-set-endure-another-record-hot-summer-global-warming-persists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3344770/japan-set-endure-another-record-hot-summer-global-warming-persists?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press New York police are investigating after officers were pelted with snowballs while responding to a massive snowball fight at Washington Square Park in Manhattan, as a winter storm blanketed the Northeast in snow. A video of the fracas shows two uniformed officers pacing a walkway in the park on Monday as snowballs fly at them from all directions, hitting the officers and covering them in snow. The officers, growing visibly frustrated, shoved at least two people to the ground as snowballs... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344519/new-york-police-investigating-after-officers-hit-snowballs-criminal-behaviour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344519/new-york-police-investigating-after-officers-hit-snowballs-criminal-behaviour?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 21:14:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Sunday ordered the shutdown of the city’s entire traffic network for all but emergency travel as a massive snowstorm began to hit the northeast United States. Tens of millions of Americans from the US capital Washington to the northern state of Maine prepared for up to two feet (60cm) of snow forecast in some areas. The National Weather Service (NWS) said blizzard conditions would “quickly materialise” from Maryland up to southeastern New England, making travel... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344280/new-york-mayor-mamdani-orders-citywide-travel-ban-ahead-major-us-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3344280/new-york-mayor-mamdani-orders-citywide-travel-ban-ahead-major-us-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:51:35 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Eight backcountry skiers have been found dead and one remains missing after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe in California, officials said on Wednesday, making it the deadliest avalanche in the US in more than four decades. Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon said during a news conference that authorities have told the families the mission has moved from rescue to recovery. It is the deadliest avalanche in the US since 1981, when 11 climbers were killed on Mount Rainier, Washington. Crews have faced... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343914/9-missing-california-avalanche-whiteout-conditions-hamper-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343914/9-missing-california-avalanche-whiteout-conditions-hamper-rescue?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 09:55:51 +0000 Reuters Reuters Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand’s North Island on Monday, while snapping power links to tens of thousands. Domestic media reported a few flights had resumed operating by afternoon from the airport in Wellington, the capital, although cancellations were still widespread after authorities said most morning flights were disrupted. Air New Zealand said it hoped to resume services when conditions ease... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343699/absolutely-terrifying-new-zealand-storm-leaves-30000-homes-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343699/absolutely-terrifying-new-zealand-storm-leaves-30000-homes-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:26:05 +0000 Luca Mattei Luca Mattei Energy security is once again at the very heart of the global geopolitical arena. In an era defined by conflict, sanctions and increasingly precarious maritime routes, Beijing has internalised a fundamental truth: in an unstable world, resilience trumps ideology. Recent disruptions to global shipping corridors and tightening sanction regimes have reinforced this shift, pushing major economies to reassess their exposure to external supply shocks. While much of the West remains locked in a debate... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342723/chinas-pragmatic-energy-security-vision-fossil-fuels-remain-vital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3342723/chinas-pragmatic-energy-security-vision-fossil-fuels-remain-vital?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Moderate Socialist Antonio Jose Seguro secured a landslide victory and a five-year ‍term as Portugal’s president in a run-off vote on Sunday, beating his far-right, anti-establishment rival Andre Ventura. Seguro, who received backing from prominent conservatives after the first round amid concerns over what many see as Ventura’s populist, authoritarian tendencies, becomes the first Socialist head of state in 20 years, succeeding Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, ⁠a conservative, after two terms in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342856/portugal-elects-socialist-president-landslide-exit-polls-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342856/portugal-elects-socialist-president-landslide-exit-polls-show?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 20:54:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Spain and Portugal on Saturday braced for another storm heading for the Iberian Peninsula, just days after the floods caused by Storm Leonardo proved fatal in both countries. The latest depression, christened Storm Marta, has prompted the deployment of more than 26,500 rescuers in Portugal, where the foul weather has led three municipalities to postpone Sunday’s presidential vote till next week. Both countries have issued warnings over the potential fresh floods, after inundations blocked... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342787/fatal-floods-strike-spain-and-portugal-thousands-evacuating?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342787/fatal-floods-strike-spain-and-portugal-thousands-evacuating?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 14:36:12 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall With the number of deaths during the current severe winter season in Japan expected to rise, environmental and tourism experts have warned of greater risks to lives and property arising from unpredictable weather patterns due to climate change. Parts of Japan have experienced “disaster-level” snowfall in recent days, with authorities reporting at least 29 dead and 290 injured in accidents since January 20. Just as Japanese summers are becoming hotter, longer and more humid, global warming is... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3342265/japans-deadly-winter-rages-fears-disaster-level-weather-patterns-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3342265/japans-deadly-winter-rages-fears-disaster-level-weather-patterns-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Feb 2026 03:00:39 +0000 Genevieve Donnellon-May Genevieve Donnellon-May Central Asia’s water insecurity may seem a distant concern. But its rivers underpin Eurasian trade corridors, sustain global food markets and power regional energy systems. As water stress worsens, this is no longer just an environmental issue but a strategic threat across Eurasia – demanding urgent attention in Beijing, Brussels and beyond. Central Asia is warming twice as fast as the global average, accelerating glacier retreat in mountain ranges that act as natural reservoirs. As a result,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3341896/why-china-and-europe-should-care-about-central-asias-water-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iguanas stunned by cold temperatures dropped from trees in usually balmy Florida on Sunday as icy conditions blasted southern US states, dumping nearly a half metre of snow in some areas and whipping up high winds that caused traffic chaos. The heaviest snows were reported in North Carolina - a state that rarely sees snow other than in its highest elevations. The city of Lexington saw 40cm (16 inches), and Faust in the state’s Walnut Mountains got 56cm (22 inches). State Governor Josh Stein... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342026/us-winter-weather-leads-heavy-snow-cancelled-flights-and-florida-falling-iguanas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342026/us-winter-weather-leads-heavy-snow-cancelled-flights-and-florida-falling-iguanas?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 20:48:22 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong and mainland Chinese scholars have developed a pioneering AI model that uses satellite data to forecast heavy rainstorms up to four hours before they strike, much earlier than current predictions allow. The model represented a “major advancement in atmospheric monitoring and severe weather early warnings, enabling faster and more accurate forecasts and strengthening regional disaster preparedness and response”, Dr Dai Kuai, a postdoctoral fellow in the University of Science and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3341590/how-ai-model-predicts-heavy-rainstorms-4-hours-advance-satellite-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3341590/how-ai-model-predicts-heavy-rainstorms-4-hours-advance-satellite-data?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:13:55 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A court on Wednesday ordered the Dutch government to draw up a plan to protect residents on the tiny Caribbean island of Bonaire from the devastating effects of climate change – a sweeping victory for the islanders. The Hague District Court, in a stunning rebuke of Dutch authorities, also ruled that the government discriminated against the island’s 20,000 inhabitants by not taking “timely and appropriate measures” to protect them from climate change before it is too late. “The island already... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341587/caribbean-island-wins-climate-case-against-netherlands-forcing-dutch-action-rising-seas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341587/caribbean-island-wins-climate-case-against-netherlands-forcing-dutch-action-rising-seas?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:50:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Parts of Australia sweltered in record temperatures of close to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday as the country sweated through a prolonged heatwave. The rural towns of Hopetoun and Walpeup in Victoria state registered preliminary highs of 48.9 degrees, which if confirmed overnight would top records set on the day in 2009 when 173 people were killed in the state’s devastating Black Saturday bushfires. No casualties were reported from Tuesday’s heatwave, but Victoria... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341450/australia-swelters-temperatures-near-50-degrees-record-breaking-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341450/australia-swelters-temperatures-near-50-degrees-record-breaking-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:06:10 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse A monster storm barrelling across the United States had killed at least 11 people on Monday, prompting warnings to stay off the roads, mass flight cancellations and power outages after a weekend of misery. The storm dumped snow, sleet and freezing rain across swathes of the country from Texas to New England, with temperatures set to fall dangerously low this week. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said five people were found dead outside over the weekend, telling reporters “there is no more... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341187/close-million-us-households-without-power-severe-winter-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341187/close-million-us-households-without-power-severe-winter-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 20:15:30 +0000