Weather & Science

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Landslide at Illegal Colombian Gold Mine Kills 13 Workers

A landslide at an unlicensed gold mine in Policarpa, southern Colombia, killed at least 13 workers and injured seven, with officials attributing the collapse to mining activity on the slope.

3 min read

Map showing Colombia with a marker for the capital, Bogota, and the location of the mine, in the south of the country in Nariño province.

East Greenland's Melting Sea Ice Opens New Feeding Grounds for Giant Whales

Melting sea ice off East Greenland has opened new coastal feeding grounds for fin, humpback and minke whales, a decades-long study finds, while narwhals and belugas lose ground.

5 min read

The image is captured from above by a drone. In the right side of the image, four huge fin whales - their long bodies fully visible in the clear blue water - swim in a group. Two small research boats are dwarfed by the marine mammals, as they observe from a safe distance - they are in the top and bottom left corners of the image.

Thunderstorm Warnings Extended as UK Faces Flash Flooding Into Thursday

Yellow thunderstorm warnings for northern England, north Wales, Northern Ireland and eastern Scotland bring flash flood risk into Thursday, as temperatures drop and drought concerns persist.

6 min read

A man wearing a sodden jacket and trousers carries an umbrella down a street through a downpour

Could Another Heatwave Hit the UK in September?

After the UK's first rain in two months brought cooler air on 18 August 2026, forecasters say dry soil, warm seas and possible high pressure could still fuel another heat spell in early September.

7 min read

A woman in shorts and trainers walks through fallen leaves amid a UK heatwave

Cairngorms Wildfire: Final Fire Crews Leave Scene After Nearly Five Weeks

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has withdrawn its last firefighters from the Cairngorms wildfire site nearly five weeks after it began, though access restrictions and safety work continue across parts of Glenmore.

4 min read

Two firefighting vehicles in the Cairngorms National Park. One is a pick-up truck with yellow and red markings, and the other is a red van with the words "wildfire unit" on its side. The vehicles are parked on a forest track and there is dense forestry nearby.

Hawaii Flooding Kills One, Sweeps Away Homes as Storm Lala Weakens Offshore

Flash floods and mudslides from Hurricane Lala killed one person and displaced roughly 100 homes on Hawaii's Big Island, as the storm weakened and moved west, with forecasters predicting it could restrengthen by midweek.

2 min read

A suburban house surrounded by floodwaters after heavy rain, showing impact of natural disaster.

Jersey's St Aubin's Bay Sees No Sea Lettuce in 2026 Amid Heat and Farming Changes

No sea lettuce has been collected from Jersey's St Aubin's Bay in 2026, with officials citing record May heat and nitrate-reduction efforts by farmers as likely causes of the unusual absence.

5 min read

A drone shot of St Aubin's Bay. It shows the sand covered in sea lettuce. Elizabeth Castle is visible in the background and Victoria Marine Lake is also visible.

Surrey Pond Hits 17-Year Low as Record Dry Spell Grips Wisley

A Surrey pond near RHS Garden Wisley has hit its lowest level in 17 years as the region endures a record 52-day dry spell, prompting renewed calls for beaver reintroduction.

4 min read

The dried up pond at Pond Farm on Wisley Common, adjacent to RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey. There a number if cows in the image, which visibly shows a very dry pond area.

Belgium's Largest-Ever Wildfire Doubles in Size, Threatens German Border

Belgium's largest-ever wildfire has doubled in size to roughly 3,000 hectares, prompting evacuations and a cross-border firefighting effort involving Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Sweden.

5 min read

A drone view shows a farmer using his tractor to spray burnt fields and forests during a wildfire burning in the High Fens

Indonesia Earthquake: Death Toll Rises to 47 as Rescuers Search Flores Rubble

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia's Flores island on 16 August 2026, killing at least 47 people and severely damaging hundreds of buildings as rescue teams search for survivors amid a lifted tsunami warning.

5 min read

Police officers help move a patient to an open-area shelter at a hospital, following an earthquake felt in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara province

How Drought Has Pushed the Danube to Record Lows and Threatens Hungary's Harvests

Record-low Danube levels have exposed Budapest's 'Rock of Starvation', devastated Hungarian harvests and left thousands without reliable drinking water, as drought grips the wider river basin.

10 min read

Grand building with numerous turrets and a dome on the banks of the river

Government Defends Wildfire Alert as 'Entirely Appropriate' Amid Backlash Over Safety and Welsh Rollout

The government has defended its 14 August 2026 wildfire emergency alert as 'entirely appropriate', even as domestic abuse charities, politicians and the public raise concerns over timing, safety and its Welsh-first rollout.

9 min read