A 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit western Turkey late Monday, causing several damaged buildings to collapse in the town of Sindirgi, Balikesir province. Officials said at least 22 people were injured, mostly from falls and panic. No deaths have been reported so far. The quake struck at 10:48 p.m. local time at a depth of six kilometers and was felt across Istanbul, Bursa, and Izmir. Authorities opened mosques, schools, and sports halls to shelter residents afraid to return home. The area had also been hit by a similar quake in August. Turkey lies on major fault lines, making quakes frequent. (PC: HT)

Jamaica is preparing for Hurricane Melissa, the world’s strongest storm this year, now a Category Five hurricane. The storm has already killed three people in Jamaica and four in Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Winds are reaching 175 mph, and up to 40 inches of rain are expected. The government has ordered evacuations from low-lying areas, closed schools, and shut airports. Officials warn of life-threatening floods, landslides, and power cuts. Meteorologists say no one in Jamaica has lived through a storm of this strength. Shelters have opened across the country as residents brace for impact. (PC: BBC)

Hurricane Melissa, a catastrophic Category 5 storm with 175mph winds, threatens Jamaica as the world's strongest storm this year and potentially the island's strongest since 1851 record-keeping began. Three storm-related deaths reported in Jamaica Monday evening, adding to four fatalities in Haiti and Dominican Republic. The NHC warns of "catastrophic life-threatening" conditions with 40 inches of rain expected over four days, causing severe flooding and landslides on already saturated ground. Prime Minister Andrew Holness ordered immediate evacuations, activating 881 shelters. The storm's slow 3mph movement intensifies rainfall risk. A Hurricane Hunter aircraft aborted its mission due to extreme turbulence. Melissa is positioned 145 miles southwest of Kingston.

Delhi Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa announced the capital's first cloud seeding trial will occur today, pending improved visibility in Kanpur. The aircraft will depart once visibility reaches 5,000 metres from current 2,000 metres. This artificial rain initiative aims to combat winter air pollution as part of Delhi government's broader strategy. A test flight over Burari last week released silver iodide and sodium chloride compounds, but rainfall failed due to insufficient atmospheric moisture (under 20% versus required 50%). The IMD indicated favorable cloud formations between October 28-30. IIT Kanpur will conduct five trials in northwest Delhi under a Rs 3.21 crore project approved in May, after securing clearances from over ten central and state departments. (PC: X/Shorts91) 

Cyclone Montha intensifies over the Bay of Bengal, threatening Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with winds up to 110 kmph. The IMD forecasts landfall near Kakinada Monday evening. Prime Minister Modi assured central assistance as Andhra Pradesh faces high tides and flooding. Evacuations are underway in coastal districts including Chittoor, Tirupati, and Kakinada, where seawater has surged inland. Odisha issued red alerts in eight southern districts, evacuating 32,000 people with 1,445 cyclone shelters opened. West Bengal expects heavy rain and 80-90 kmph winds from Tuesday. Tamil Nadu's northern districts experienced heavy showers. Transportation is severely disrupted as six Visakhapatnam-Chennai flights cancelled and multiple train services terminated or rerouted as the region braces for impact.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Cyclone Montha will make landfall near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, on Tuesday morning, earlier than expected. The storm has strengthened over the Bay of Bengal and is likely to become a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ by Tuesday. A red alert is in place for parts of Andhra Pradesh, while Odisha and Tamil Nadu are on high alert. Evacuations have begun in coastal areas. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected along the eastern coast. The IMD has warned fishermen to avoid the sea as the cyclone moves northwest toward the Andhra coast. (PC: HT)

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a warning for a developing cyclone over the southwest Bay of Bengal, expected to intensify and move toward the Andhra Pradesh coast by Tuesday. Coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and south Odisha are likely to face heavy to very heavy rainfall, strong winds, and rough sea conditions. The IMD has placed 13 Andhra districts under red alert, urging fishermen to stay ashore. Schools in vulnerable areas have been shut, and disaster management teams are on standby to handle possible flooding and storm damage. (PC: IMD)  

Cyclone Montha is expected to make landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast near Kakinada on October 28, with wind speeds up to 100 kmph. The India Meteorological Department has issued heavy rain alerts for Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. Andhra Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has instructed officials to prepare for evacuation and relief work. Odisha has cancelled officials’ leaves and activated disaster response teams. Red and orange alerts have been issued in several districts. NDRF and SDRF teams are on standby as both states brace for heavy rain and strong winds. (PC: India Today)

A survey of over 44,000 households across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Faridabad and Ghaziabad found that 75% of families report at least one member suffering from ailments such as sore throat or cough (42%) and burning eyes, headache or disturbed sleep (25%) owing to worsening air pollution. Despite a 77.5% decline in stubble-burning incidents in nearby states, pollution levels remain severe, with PM2.5 hitting 488 µg/m³ — over three times the pre-festival level. About 44% of households are curtailing outdoor exposure and boosting immunity via diet & indoor air purifiers. (PC: X)

Cyclone Montha is developing over the Bay of Bengal and expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm before making landfall near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, on the evening or night of October 28. The India Meteorological Department reports the depression will strengthen progressively becoming a deep depression by October 26, a cyclonic storm by October 27 morning, and a severe cyclonic storm by October 28 morning. The system will cross the Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam with wind speeds of 90-100 kmph, gusting to 110 kmph. Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal. Simultaneously, another depression over the Eastcentral Arabian Sea may bring heavy rain to Goa, Konkan, Gujarat, and Kerala. (PC: X)