For weeks, the air reeked of sulphur, and strange eddies were observed in the surrounding waters. Then, without warning, came a deafening series of explosions. Marian Kupu, a journalist living in Tonga’s capital, Nuku'alofa, said it was so loud she couldn't talk to her family, having to use gestures to plan their escape. 

In August 2024, Hungary has been affected by a prolonged heatwave, with temperatures in some regions of the country reaching up to 40 degrees Celsius. High temperatures and a lack of rainfall have led to a severe drought, which has heavily impacted the country’s agriculture. The consequences of the drought on the soils in the south of the...

In late August 2024, heavy rains hit eleven districts in eastern Bangladesh, causing severe flooding. The floods, which affected around 5 million people, led to widespread electricity outages and the partial or total submersion of homes and infrastructure, as well as rural roads and agricultural fields. Flooded areas along the Meghna River, one...

Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, has been severely affected by a prolonged heat wave during the summer of 2024. Data from the Norwegian Centre for Data Service show that four observation stations in Svalbard recorded record-high average summer temperatures, with anomalies up to 3.0°C above normal. Svalbard Airport, located...

The Thousand Islands, or Kepulauan Seribu, visible in this image acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 6 August 2024, is an archipelago off the coast of Jakarta, Indonesia. Renowned for their rich biodiversity, the coral reefs adorning their waters are home to many marine species. The islands also support unique flora and...