Daily Current Affairs Quiz: February 19, 2026

Notes:
India plans to stop surplus water of the Ravi River from flowing into Pakistan by completing the Shahpur Kandi Dam. The Shahpur Kandi Dam project is located on the Ravi River in Pathankot district of Punjab, near the Jammu and Kashmir–Punjab border. It is built downstream of the Ranjit Sagar Dam, which already stores river water. Water released from Ranjit Sagar Dam will be used in Shahpur Kandi Dam to generate electricity. The project was declared a National Project in 2008. Punjab government funds 80 percent of the cost, while the Central Government provides 20 percent.

Notes:
Kerala Government declared tidal flooding as a State-specific disaster for the first time in India. Tidal flooding, also called sunny day flooding, king tide flooding, or nuisance flooding, is temporary flooding of low-lying coastal areas. It happens due to high tides influenced by strong winds, offshore storms, and full moon or new moon cycles. Unlike cyclone storm surges, it occurs twice daily and becomes severe during full or new moons. Along Kerala coast, the Arabian Sea level rises above a fixed limit and floods nearby areas briefly. Victims will receive financial aid under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

Notes:
The lost city of Charax Spasinou has been discovered in the deserts of Iraq. It was an ancient port city located at the meeting point of the Tigris and Choaspes rivers near the Iraq–Iran border. It was founded in 324 Before Common Era during the Hellenistic period, initially by Alexander the Great. Later, Hyspaosines rebuilt it and founded the Kingdom of Characene with Charax as its capital. Its strategic location made it a major trade hub between Mesopotamia and India through the Persian Gulf. Its importance declined around 224–228 After Death with the rise of the Sassanian Empire.

Notes:
Lake Victoria’s water has turned green due to severe ecological damage, mainly from algal blooms. Lake Victoria is the largest lake in Africa. It lies mainly in Tanzania and Uganda and also borders Kenya. It is known as Victoria Nyanza in Kenya, Nalubaale in Uganda, and Ukerewe in Tanzania. It is crossed by the Equator. It is the second-largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior in North America.

Notes:
Researchers discovered a new pistol shrimp species named Alpheus madhusoodanai in the Kochi backwaters of Kerala. Pistol shrimp are also called snapping shrimp because they produce a loud snapping sound with their claws. It belongs to the family Alpheidae. It is the first alpheid shrimp species recorded from an estuary in this region. The species shows burrowing behaviour in muddy soil. Its burrowing helps mangrove ecosystems by releasing trapped toxic gases from swampy soil. This improves soil quality and supports overall coastal ecosystem health.