Thousands Displaced in Floods in North-Eastern India, Rain Abates 

A one-horned rhinoceros wades through flood water at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district of India's Assam state on June 20, 2024. (AFP) 
A one-horned rhinoceros wades through flood water at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district of India's Assam state on June 20, 2024. (AFP) 
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Thousands Displaced in Floods in North-Eastern India, Rain Abates 

A one-horned rhinoceros wades through flood water at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district of India's Assam state on June 20, 2024. (AFP) 
A one-horned rhinoceros wades through flood water at the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district of India's Assam state on June 20, 2024. (AFP) 

Thousands of people have been displaced in India's north-eastern state of Assam and at least 37 people have died in heavy rain, floods and landslides in the last two months, officials said on Monday.

Although rains have abated in the last two days and improved the flood situation marginally, at least 200,000 people were affected in 11 districts of the state due rain-related incidents, a release from the state's disaster management authority said.

More than 12,000 people have been displaced from their homes in the state and authorities said they expected another wave of floods in July, with the Kushiyara river, a transboundary river between India and Bangladesh flowing above the danger mark in several places.

India's north-east and neighboring Bangladesh have been ravaged by floods in the last two months, leaving millions stranded, with weather authorities predicting that the situation could worsen.

The situation in Bangladesh had also improved as water levels of various rivers had receded and upstream water from India had reduced, officials said.



Japan Launches Advanced Earth Observation Satellite on New Flagship H3 Rocket

Japan's H3 rocket No. 3 lifts off carrying an Earth observation satellite from the Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, July 1, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
Japan's H3 rocket No. 3 lifts off carrying an Earth observation satellite from the Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, July 1, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
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Japan Launches Advanced Earth Observation Satellite on New Flagship H3 Rocket

Japan's H3 rocket No. 3 lifts off carrying an Earth observation satellite from the Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, July 1, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
Japan's H3 rocket No. 3 lifts off carrying an Earth observation satellite from the Tanegashima Space Center in Minamitane in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, July 1, 2024, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS

Japan deployed an upgraded Earth observation satellite for disaster response and security after it was launched on a new flagship H3 rocket Monday.
The H3 No. 3 rocket lifted off from the Tanegashima Space Center on a southwestern Japanese island and released its payload about 16 minutes later as planned, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, said during a livestream.
The Advanced Land Observation Satellite, or ALOS-4, is tasked primarily with Earth observation and data collection for disaster response and mapmaking. It's also capable of monitoring military activity, such as missile launches, with an infrared sensor developed by the Defense Ministry, The Associated Press reported.
The rocket appeared to fly as planned, and JAXA is expected to give further details at a news conference later Monday. The launch was initially planned for Sunday but was delayed due to bad weather at the launch site.
The ALOS-4 is a successor to the current ALOS-2 and can observe a much wider area. Japan will operate both for the time being.
The launch was the third of the H3 system, after the successful one on Feb 17. and the shocking failed debut flight a year earlier when the rocket had to be destroyed with its payload — a satellite that was supposed to be the ALOS-3.
Japan sees a stable, commercially competitive space transport capability as key to its space program and national security.
JAXA and its main contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have been developing the H3 launch system as a successor to its current mainstay, H-2A, which is set to retire after two more flights. MHI will eventually take over H3 production and launches from JAXA and hopes to make it commercially viable by cutting the launch cost to about half of the H-2A.