Earth ChangesS


Tornado2

Another tornado hits Gauteng province, South Africa - second within last 24 hours

Gauteng tornado damage
© ER24 Three people have been injured after a roof collapsed at the Phumulani Mall in Tembisa, Gauteng.
A tornado wreaked havoc in the east of Johannesburg near OR Tambo International airport on Tuesday afternoon - the second to hit Gauteng within the last 24-hours.

At least 20 people were injured when the tornado passed through Thembisa at 4pm, damaging Phumulani Mall in Winnie Mandela section, Tembisa Hospital and a Total garage, both in Hospital View.

People in Johannesburg took to social media to share pictures and videos of the tornado touching down in the area and the damage it caused.

@LAssenheim posted this as he was driving near Boksburg:


Comment: Extreme weather in South Africa: Snow, flooding and tornadoes cause havoc


Fire

State of emergency declared for Southern California wildfires

California wildfire
© Nick Ut / APA hillside erupts in flame as a raging wildfire fire burns in Placerita Canyon in Santa Clarita, Calif., Monday, July 25, 2016.
The state of California declared a state of emergency Tuesday night, as firefighters feverishly tried to control a fast-moving wildfire that has scorched 37,473 acres near Los Angeles since Friday, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Fires in Monterey County, albeit more than half the size of the L.A.-area wildfire, also prompted the declaration.

"Acting Governor Tom Torlakson today issued emergency proclamations for Los Angeles and Monterey counties due to the effects of the Sand and Soberanes fires, which have burned tens of thousands of acres of land, threatened thousands of homes and other structures and caused the evacuation of residents," read a statement from the office of California governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr.

More than 3,000 firefighters have been deployed to halt the blaze in the Santa Clarita Valley, according to the department. About 25 percent of the fire has been contained.


Comment: Could 2016 be California's worst wildfire season?


Fire

Wildfire near Valencia, Spain spreading to nature reserve after laying waste to 1,400 hectares of land

wildfire castellon spain
A plane fights a wildfire burning in Artana, near Castellon, eastern Spain on July 26, 2016
Spanish troops intervened Tuesday as a wildfire near the eastern city of Valencia spread to a nature reserve after laying waste to some 1,400 hectares (3,500 acres) of land, regional authorities said.

The fire, whose cause was unclear, broke out on Monday at Artana, some 60 kilometres (40 miles) north of Valencia, an emergency services spokeswoman said, adding it had not spread to residential areas.

Overnight, the fire reached Sierra d'Espadan, an ecoregion known for its cork oak forests and home to foxes as well as endangered species of bats.

Cloud Grey

Photos capture largest polar stratospheric clouds seen in Antarctic this year

Polar stratospheric cloud
© MarceloPolar Stratospheric Cloud photographed on July 25, 2016 at San Martín Base in Antarctica.
This was the biggest stratospheric clouds so far this year. A colorful spectacle to begin the day.

Polar stratospheric cloud
© Marcelo

Cloud Lightning

Man dies following lightning strike in Bedford County, Virginia; 14th death within 6 weeks in U.S. due to lightning

Robert Miller
Robert Miller
A man hit by lightning along a Bedford County road earlier this month has died.

Robert Miller died Friday at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in North Carolina.

He was taken to the hospital's burn unit after a state trooper found him lying along Route 122 near Bedford July 14.

Doctors determined he had burns consistent with a lightning strike.

A family member said Miller was taken off of life support late last week. He was 23.

Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt obliterates telephone pole in Chicago (VIDEO)

Telephone pole lightning strike
Telephone pole lightning strike
This is quite possibly the scariest thing about thunderstorms. They don't have to spawn tornadoes, drop softball-size hail or even be particularly strong to be deadly serious.

Case in point, this video.


Anja Englert was driving down Irving Park Road in Chicago on Sunday evening during a torrential downpour. A line of thunderstorms was rolling across northern Illinois. Seemingly out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning comes crashing from the sky and shatters a wooden telephone pole in an explosion of flames and splinters right in front of the camera.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in effect at the time, but the truth is if you're outside during any thunderstorm, you won't get a warning before lightning strikes.

Nineteen people have died from lightning so far this year, and every one of them was preventable. We don't tell people to take shelter in a storm just because of tornadoes or strong winds; you risk being struck by lightning whenever you hear thunder.

Rose

World's largest flower that survives for just 48 hours blooms in India

Amorphophallus titanum or the corpse flower
Amorphophallus titanum or the corpse flower
The world's largest and short lived flower which has life span of only 48 hours has bloomed in the south Indian state of Kerala after nine years.

The southern coastal state of Kerala is the centre of attraction due to a rare flower which has bloomed after nine long years.

People are flocking at the Gurukula Botanical Sancturay at Alattil, near Periya in the north Wayanad in Kerala to get a glimpse of the Amorphophallus titanum or the corpse flower.

Amorphophallus titanum is native to Indonesia's Sumatra region. The flower smells like rotten flesh and survives only for 48 hours.


Cloud Lightning

Zap: Dramatic moment Empire State Building struck by lightning bolt captured on camera

Empire State building struck by lightning
© Henrik Moltke / YouTube
New York's iconic Empire State Building was struck by a lightning bolt during an epic electric storm Monday - and cameras caught it all.

Much of the east coast was rocked by thunderstorms bringing all four seasons to the Big Apple in one July afternoon.

On average the Empire State Building takes a lightning hit about 23 times a year. Its part-metal exterior helps to conduct electricity.

Alarm Clock

Explosion levels Nebraska house, damages adjacent homes; 'it shook the entire neighborhood'

Omaha home explosion
© KETV
A woman was killed Monday afternoon when an explosion leveled a north-central Omaha home and damaged several others near 65th and Sprague streets, a release from the Omaha Fire Department said.

She has been identified as Clara Bender, 30. Two others were injured. Investigators are referring to the area as a crime scene, but haven't explained why. The initial call for help came shortly after noon. "It was just like, boom," Dave Minor, who lives in the area, said. "It just rattled everything."
Omaha home explosion
© KETV
Fire Battalion Chief Tim McCaw says paramedics took two women who were in the house to an Omaha hospital. One was in critical condition, and the other was in serious condition. A 14-year-old boy was seriously hurt and taken to the hospital privately. A neighbor who was in a house next to the home that exploded suffered a concussion, cuts and bruises.


Comment: There seems to be an increase in reports of home and buildings exploding. From this year alone: See also: SOTT Exclusive: More mysterious high-rise building explosions - is there a 'cosmic' source of ignition?


Attention

Extreme weather in South Africa: Snow, flooding and tornadoes cause havoc

South Africa flooding
© TrafficSA via Twitter Amamzimtoti, south of Durban was flooded after torrential rains.
From snow to flooding and tornadoes, extreme weather conditions have been playing havoc across the country this week.

KwaZulu-Natal emergency services on Tuesday reported no fatalities following the widespread flooding throughout the province.

Several rescues were performed when cars were washed away due to the flood waters and the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) was called to assist police and emergency medical services.

The SA Weather Service has warned of an "extreme, late winter weather system" characterised by snow, bitter cold and strong winds. These conditions are likely to be fatal to people and animals without "adequate shelter".