dangers | Common News Update

Getty ImagesThe ongoing drought in the UK and Europe is putting electricity generation under pressure, say experts.Electricity from hydropower - which uses water to generate power - has dropped by 20% overall.And nuclear facilities, which are cooled using river water, have been restricted.There are fears that the shortfalls are a taste of what will happen in the coming winter.In the UK, high temperatures are hitting energy output from fossil, nuclear and solar sources.That is because the technology in power plants and solar panels work much less well in high temperatures.The prolonged dry spell is putting further pressure on energy supplies as Europe scrambles for alternative sources after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Millions hit by hosepipe bans as drought declaredUS Senate passes sw...

Tropical Storm Florence is dumping near-record amounts of rain in parts of the Carolinas, causing catastrophic flooding that, apart from the damage to homes and businesses, poses serious health hazards to residents. Muddy, opaque floodwaters can hide large or sharp objects dislodged during a storm that can lead to injury, "anything from a fracture to a major laceration," said ABC News' chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton. The water may also contain snakes or other wildlife, human waste from overwhelmed sewage lines or chemicals leached or spilled from flooded sites. Ashton, who was on the ground in Texas after Hurricane Harvey last year, said the floodwater dangers she witnessed included drowning, electrocutions from downed power lines, and infection. "When you talk about w...

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Climate change: Drought highlights dangers for electricity supplies

Infection, electrocution and injury: Florence's floodwaters may carry hidden dangers