In the 04/28/2026 edition:
Climate Disaster Risk News April 2026 highlights the latest global developments in extreme heat, floods, El Niño risks and climate resilience.
News: Advancing climate services for health: new milestones from the WHO–WMO Accelerator
By World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Apr 27, 2026 05:14 pm
Transforming climate science into meaningful health protection requires sustained collaboration and capacity building across sectors, and services that are robust and long-lasting.
News: Building resilience or building risk? Lessons from Sapatana Ashrayan in Bangladesh
By Climate and Development Knowledge Network on Apr 27, 2026 05:14 pm
As part of the CDKN Knowledge Accelerator, a team from alliance partners, ICLEI South Asia, visited Ward 9 of Lalmonirhat Municipality in Bangladesh. The visit focused on assessing the Sapatana Ashrayan national housing project.
News: Toxins plus climate harms likely cause of reduced fertility, study finds
By Guardian, the (UK) on Apr 27, 2026 05:12 pm
Researchers find ‘alarming’ effect on fertility across global species from simultaneous exposures
News: The next El Niño could lock Earth into a hotter climate
By Inside Climate News on Apr 27, 2026 05:10 pm
The Pacific Ocean is a giant climate cauldron, with a powerful heat engine that affects storms, fisheries and rainfall patterns half a world away, and scientists are watching closely to see if it’s about to boil over.
News: Human-altered estuaries now drive stronger tides farther inland
By PhysOrg, Omicron Technology Ltd on Apr 27, 2026 05:07 pm
A study led by Wageningen University & Research shows that human interventions have significantly changed tides in river estuaries over the past centuries.
News: Why delaying climate action now means higher seas by 2100
By Conversation Media Group, the on Apr 27, 2026 05:06 pm
Rising global temperatures are accelerating ice melt and ocean expansion, making significant sea-level rise increasingly unavoidable and threatening coastlines worldwide.
News: Thousands at risk after multi-million dollar Everest flood warning system left to rust
By British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Apr 27, 2026 05:01 pm
An early flood warning system designed to save the lives of thousands of people in the Everest region may no longer be working, Nepalese officials have admitted to the BBC, after it was allowed to fall into a state of disrepair.
News: The unusual ways Fijians predict when a cyclone is approaching
By British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) on Apr 27, 2026 04:58 pm
In 2024, the Fijian Meteorological Service announced it would integrate traditional environmental knowledge into its scientific forecasting – describing the pair as “a total package”.
News: From news headlines to exposing shared risks: Strengthening Transboundary Climate and Disaster Reporting in Nepal and India
By United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on Apr 27, 2026 02:44 pm
Rivers flowing from the Himalaya carried floodwaters downstream into India’s Bihar state affecting between 1.757 million and 4.5 million peoplee. These cascading effects illustrate how communities along shared river systems face interconnected risks
DRR Community Voices: Financial inclusion as a driver of earthquake recovery and resilience in Myanmar
By Mai Mya Mya Win on Apr 27, 2026 12:28 pm
Financial inclusion is not only a pathway out of poverty, but also a critical tool for disaster risk reduction, as shown by a project of financial resilience for women in Myanmar.
News: Cool cities lab
By World Resources Institute on Apr 27, 2026 11:29 am
It is an open-source data platform to help cities better understand and respond to urban heat risks. The platform provides city officials with access to globally available, high-resolution data to assess heat exposure at a hyperlocal level
News: Time to be systemic: integrating and mainstreaming climate mitigation and adaptation across all scales
By Stockholm Environment Institute on Apr 27, 2026 11:19 am
This perspective argues for a systemic approach by integrating mitigation and adaptation by default into every policy, budget, and planning decision, from local neighbourhoods to national governments.
News: Beyond the harvest: Uncovering the hidden risks driving poverty and hunger in developing economies
By International Food Policy Research Institute on Apr 27, 2026 10:36 am
When evaluating national vulnerability, analysts often look at aggregate GDP. The study confirmed that in most of the analyzed developing countries, overall GDP volatility is predominantly driven by domestic agricultural shocks.
News: Democracy meets extreme heat: India’s elections in a warming climate
By Dialogue Earth on Apr 27, 2026 10:25 am
Campaigning for votes when temperatures soar is dangerous, but many say India is in denial about the problem
News: Seismic ‘whiplash’ – research shows what happens when earthquakes stop suddenly
By Conversation Media Group, the on Apr 24, 2026 05:20 pm
The magnitude of an earthquake depends on how far a rupture travels along a fault line before it stops. For the first time, scientists have now directly observed how a large earthquake comes to a halt.
News: Countries will suffer significant economic damage over next 25 years without investments in resilience against climate change impacts
By London School of Economics and Political Science, the on Apr 24, 2026 05:13 pm
Climate change impacts are already damaging economies, particularly in lower-income countries, and finance ministries should prioritise investments in adaptation and resilience to limit further harm.
News: Why financing recovery matters before disasters strike: lessons from Sri Lanka
By Development Asia on Apr 24, 2026 05:10 pm
When disasters strike, they do more than damage homes and infrastructure—they test how quickly countries can mobilize finance, coordinate institutions, and turn “build back better” from aspiration into action.
News: These eight coastal cities sit on America’s flood front line, and AI shows why
By PhysOrg, Omicron Technology Ltd on Apr 24, 2026 04:35 pm
New York, New Orleans and Miami are among the eight cities along the US Gulf and Atlantic coasts facing the highest flood risk, according to a study published in Science Advances.
News: Why the Southeast is burning – extreme drought is only part of the reason
By Conversation Media Group, the on Apr 24, 2026 04:05 pm
As global temperatures rise, the frequency of drought conditions in the Southeast will increase. This, in combination with less soil moisture content in the summer, could be conducive for increased wildfire activity.
News: India plans contract overhaul to embed disaster resilience as report flags Rs 1.81 lakh crore infrastructure exposure
By Down To Earth on Apr 24, 2026 03:56 pm
As climate risks intensify, resilience is no longer an optional add-on but a core requirement to ensure that infrastructure systems remain functional, financially viable, and sustainable, says report
News: 2025 was EU’s most destructive wildfire season on record
By European Commission Joint Research Centre on Apr 24, 2026 03:46 pm
Fires started early in the year and intensified during summer heatwaves.
News: Lancet Europe report shows increase in heat‑attributable deaths and ballooning energy costs from fossil fuels
By Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research on Apr 24, 2026 03:35 pm
Nearly every monitored European region (99.6 percent) has seen an increase in heat‑attributable deaths over the past decade according to the report, to which researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) contributed.
News: Capturing invisible heat: redefining how we measure losses
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Apr 24, 2026 01:21 pm
Heat is one of the deadliest climate hazards, yet its true impact remains difficult to quantify. Heat rarely leaves visible destruction, and its toll is often hidden in health statistics, economic losses, and gradual declines in well-being.
News: The planet under heat stress: impacts beyond people and assets
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Apr 24, 2026 01:20 pm
Contemporary discussions on climate change and extreme heat remain largely anthropocentric, centring human health, infrastructure, and economic disruption while obscuring broader systemic impacts.
News: Beyond the thermometer: rethinking how we measure heat risk
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) on Apr 24, 2026 01:20 pm
Extreme heat cannot be managed with incomplete measurements. A single thermometer reading cannot capture humidity, night-time heat persistence, cumulative exposure, or the physiological limits of different populations.
News: Private sector-led capacity building: ARISE Philippines launches 2026 hands-only CPR campaign
By ARISE Philippines on Apr 24, 2026 12:21 pm
ARISE Philippines has commenced its 2026 Hands-Only CPR Campaign, reinforcing private sector engagement in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and contributing to national resilience-building efforts.
News: Astana Recognized as Central Asia’s First MCR2030 Resilience Hub
By United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction – Regional Office for Europe & Central Asia on Apr 24, 2026 10:24 am
Astana has been recognized as the first Making Cities Resilient 2030 (MCR2030) Resilience Hub in Central Asia.
News: ESA funds Polish radio telescope to monitor solar outbursts
By European Space Agency on Apr 23, 2026 07:56 pm
A station in Poland has begun monitoring the Sun for the early warning signs of disruptive space weather phenomena. The six-metre radio dish, known as ROSIE, will contribute to the protection of key European infrastructure in orbit and on Earth.
News: Cities and countries warming fast, updated climate stripes show
By University of Reading on Apr 23, 2026 07:51 pm
The updated graphics, which now include an additional stripe to represent temperatures from 2025, show the rapid impact that global warming is having on individual nations and regions.
News: It wasn’t just water: The hidden force inside Japan’s 2011 tsunami changed everything
By PhysOrg, Omicron Technology Ltd on Apr 23, 2026 07:48 pm
Mud-rich coastlines could face a greater tsunami risk, at least that may have been the case for the 2011 Tōhoku-oki tsunami. Mud may have made the catastrophic ocean waves more destructive than they might otherwise have been.
News: Lismore unveils new flood pumps to enhance city protection and resilience
By National Emergency Management Agency (Australia) on Apr 23, 2026 07:42 pm
In Lismore, New South Wales, flood pumps are replacing old stormwater removal units previously powered by tractors.
News: Extreme rain on snow is testing aging dams across Michigan and Wisconsin – this is the future in a warming world
By Conversation Media Group, the on Apr 23, 2026 07:38 pm
Michigan’s and Wisconsin’s aging water infrastructure was never designed for the volume of water it is facing. That’s a troubling sign for the future, with flooding becoming more common as global temperatures rise.
News: We eat a lot of wheat. So how can we grow more in a changing climate?
By Conversation Media Group, the on Apr 23, 2026 07:31 pm
The global demand for wheat rises year after year, largely due to population growth. In 2026, global wheat production is set to reach 820 million tonnes. Wheat is a tough plant, able to endure drought, heat and cold. But it has limits.
News: How strong can a hurricane get in a warming world?
By Yale Climate Connections on Apr 23, 2026 07:27 pm
In the Gulf of Mexico and western Caribbean, hurricanes with 224 mph (100 m/s) winds are possible. Warming the oceans will increase this maximum potential intensity, with potentially devastating effects.
News: Climate change means more landslides in NZ – but new tech can help reduce the risk
By Conversation Media Group, the on Apr 23, 2026 07:21 pm
In a warming world, the key challenge now facing scientists is understanding just where in New Zealand landslides are most likely to strike in the future.
News: Strengthening climate understanding in a complex media landscape
By Royal Meteorological Society on Apr 23, 2026 07:09 pm
In an age of rapidly evolving digital media, helping young people to understand climate change requires more than just teaching the science. It is also about equipping them with the skills to navigate the information they encounter every day.
DRR Community Voices: Augmented, virtual or mixed reality: choosing the right tool for disaster risk management
By Sanjay Saifi on Apr 23, 2026 02:38 pm
Which Extended Reality (XR) technology is most appropriate for different hazards and phases of disaster risk management?
News: LandShift is proud to announce the launch of its Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) Library
By Landshift on Apr 23, 2026 09:28 am
The NbS Library is an interactive platform built on the systematic identification and curation of implemented NbS cases across Europe. Each case is categorised by ecosystem type, land-use challenge, and solution approach.
News: An ‘ordinary’ storm with extraordinary impacts: what made Wellington’s deluge so intense?
By Conversation Media Group, the on Apr 23, 2026 09:24 am
The most damaging rainfall often depends on processes playing out over just a few kilometres, or even less, where small variations in temperature, moisture and wind can determine whether one place is inundated while another escapes relatively lightly.
News: The impact of natural hazards on elections
By International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) on Apr 22, 2026 04:57 pm
At least 94 election events across 52 countries have been disrupted by natural hazards between 2006 and 2025.
News: Bhutan learns from New Zealand’s experience in disaster-resilient infrastructure
By United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Apr 22, 2026 03:58 pm
Ten engineers and architects from Bhutan spent six days in Christchurch, enhancing their expertise in damage assessment and retrofitting of critical urban infrastructure, drawing lessons from the city’s post-quake reconstruction lessons.
News: Simple ocean-based model forecasts El Niño skillfully, points to a strong event ahead
By University of Hawai’i at Manoa on Apr 22, 2026 03:53 pm
Researchers from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa recently published a study showing that they can skillfully predict El Niño and La Niña 15 months ahead of time.
News: Farming podcast: building resilience through soil and water management
By United Kingdom – government on Apr 22, 2026 03:49 pm
In this episode, Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) adviser Hannah Barrett speaks to two arable farmers. Charlie Ennals farms in Norfolk and Thomas Gent farms in Cambridgeshire.
News: Weather radar data reveal the dynamics of rapidly spreading wildfires
By Eos – AGU on Apr 22, 2026 03:48 pm
Research demonstrates the use of operational weather radar measurements to track long-range ember fallout and rapid spread of intense wildfires.
News: Learning matters: Navigating the first funding cycle for responding to loss and damage
By United Nations University – Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS) on Apr 22, 2026 03:41 pm
Loss and Damage Fund launches first cycle: how countries access funding, build climate data systems, and act under Barbados Implementation Modalities.
News: New website helps landowners track wildfire recovery, view history
By University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Apr 22, 2026 03:35 pm
The resource — the first of its kind focused on working grasslands — is designed to track and monitor long-term recovery while supporting farmers, ranchers and land managers as they restore Nebraska’s native grasslands.
News: New online hub launched to support rural flood resilience
By Rural Services Network on Apr 22, 2026 03:28 pm
The platform brings together updated guidance for rural communities, farmers and landowners, covering both flood preparedness and recovery. Additional practical guidance, including advice on improving the resilience of farm buildings to be added.
News: Extreme heat pushes agrifood systems to the brink
By World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Apr 22, 2026 03:27 pm
Extreme heat events threaten the livelihoods, health and labour productivity of over a billion people. Agricultural workers and agrifood systems are on the frontlines.
News: Weather and climate-induced multi-hazard futures: Forecast, communication, and preparedness for society
By npj Natural Hazards (Nature) on Apr 22, 2026 03:20 pm
This collection focuses on the social dimensions of these evolving multi-hazard risks in a changing climate—how weather and climate information is produced, translated, communicated, and acted upon within diverse decision contexts.
News: HERA’s heat science hotline
By HERA (Climate Resilience for All) on Apr 21, 2026 09:59 pm
HERA has launched the Heat Science Hotline —a free, rapid-response service connecting policymakers, community organizations, journalists, and donors directly to a multidisciplinary board of leading global heat, climate, and health experts.
News: After the floods, the GBV: The double tragedy for women in Kenya’s informal settlements
By The New Humanitarian on Apr 21, 2026 09:55 pm
When the rains finally came to Nairobi at the beginning of March, many residents were grateful. But then the nightly showers turned torrential, and residents across the city’s informal settlements began to worry.
News: Fires and falsehoods in California
By Center for Climate and Security, The (Council on Strategic Risks) on Apr 21, 2026 09:28 pm
Security actors around the world are beginning to recognize the risks posed by information manipulation surrounding extreme weather, climate resilience, and the clean energy transition
News: Extreme climate events increase heart disease risk, study reveals
By Elsevier on Apr 21, 2026 09:20 pm
Analysis in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows how heatwaves, extreme cold, and heavy rain impact the incidence of heart disease in older populations.
News: UK advances surface water flood forecasting
By New Civil Engineer on Apr 21, 2026 09:12 pm
The UK has taken a significant step forward in improving its ability to forecast surface water flooding, says the government, as a three-year programme to enhance national capability reaches completion.
News: Increasing heat can boost malnutrition among children
By ScienceNews – Society for Science & the Public 2000 on Apr 21, 2026 09:09 pm
A study in Brazil links higher temperatures to worse nutrition measures in vulnerable children.
News: To strengthen climate resilience, focus on social protection
By Arab News on Apr 21, 2026 08:05 pm
How do we prevent the climate crisis from reversing decades of progress on poverty reduction?
News: The fire forecast: AI model accurately predicts the spread of wildfires in real time
By USC Viterbi School of Engineering on Apr 21, 2026 07:40 pm
By combining high-resolution satellite data, terrain data and realistic fire simulations, USC Viterbi researchers have developed a reconstruction and prediction tool for making informed decisions when tackling catastrophic wildfires.
News: Why climate models and ocean observations diverge, and what it means for rain and drought
By Northeastern University on Apr 21, 2026 04:50 pm
Scientific models have predicted that climate change will drive oceans in the Northern Hemisphere to warm faster than oceans in the Southern Hemisphere. However, observational data over the last 70 years show the opposite.
News: AI framework pinpoints global drivers of extreme heatwaves
By Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences on Apr 21, 2026 04:43 pm
As the climate warms, extreme events such as heatwaves, heavy rainfall and droughts are becoming more frequent, more extensive and more damaging. For scientists, the key question is no longer only whether these events will intensify in a warmer world.
News: Cold weather linked to 40,000 extra heart deaths each year in the U.S.
By American college of cardiology (ACC) on Apr 21, 2026 04:30 pm
A large U.S. study shows cold weather is linked to far more cardiovascular deaths than heat, accounting for tens of thousands of extra deaths each year.