China's monsoon season has been catastrophic so far, unprecedented heavy floods have taken a heavy toll. The southwest and central regions in the Yangtze river basin witnessed the heaviest rainfall in 1,000 years, and the water continues to pour down with no rest.

Across Henan, rains deluged 1,700 large-scale farms, killing more than a million animals, and whose many small farmers still play a major role in meat production. The floods also caused a major explosion in an aluminum alloy unit in central Henan.

At least 14 people lost their lives in Zhengzhou city when their subway train flooded. More than 500 people were trapped in the subway in one of the worst-affected areas of the city.

China's biggest river, the Yangtze, and several of its tributaries have risen to dangerous levels after days of heavy rain, forcing evacuations of thousands of people and triggering an unprecedented emergency response alert.

A very serious double earthen dam failure sent 46 million cubic meters of water to the Hulunbuir area of Inner Mongolia, causing massive flooding.

The Three Gorges Dam has successfully contained the heavy floods, sighing relief to Chinese authorities, as a collapse could have had an even more catastrophic impact on the area.

Severe flooding caused by historic rainfall wreaked havoc across western Europe taking the lives of 189 people. Tens of thousands were unable to return to their homes and were left without access to power and drinking water. Towns in river valleys and low-lying plains in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Austria were heavily damaged. Most of the affected areas had not experienced that much rainfall in 100 years.

Drought and extreme heat triggered the two largest wildfires in the Western US. The fires have burned land nearly the size of New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago combined.

The Dixie Fire in California scorched 241,000 acres has destroyed more than 60 houses. The widespread fires have forced the evacuation of more than 7,800 residents.

The Bootleg Fire is still raging in southern Oregon, burning 413,000 acres since igniting this month. The fire has torn through more than 400 houses.

Greek firefighters faced dangerous and unprecedented conditions as they battled 154 wildfires through Athens, with one of them threatening Mount Parnitha national park — one of the last remaining substantial forests near the city. Meanwhile, in Turkey, eight people died in the country's worst blaze in decades that raged through swaths of the southern coast.

Hot weather and strong winds fueled multiple wildlife fires in Akkar, Lebanon, consuming the iconic Lebanese pine forests. The flames forced thousands to evacuate.

And on the southern hemisphere, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay reported rare snowstorms and surprisingly cold temperatures this winter.

A magnitude-8.2 earthquake rattled Chignik, Alaska this month, it has been recorded as the most powerful U.S. earthquake in half a century. Several Alaskan coastal communities were evacuated following the quake, but no major damage was reported due to the remote location and depth of the epicenter.

Have you noticed that more and more people, cattle, buildings, and trees are getting struck by lightning? Things are charging up in higher layers of the atmosphere. Keep your eyes open, and prepare accordingly!

All this and more in our SOTT Earth Changes Summary for July 2021:

Vehicles were flipped on their sides and homes severely damaged as powerful flash floods surged through areas along the border between Coahuila and Durango states in Mexico.

Torrential rain struck in the city of Torreón in Coahuila State overnight 04 to 05 August 2021. Local authorities said western parts of the city saw more than 41 mm of rain in a very short period of time. A stream that passes through several parts of the city broke its banks. Authorities said the situation was worsened by the accumulation of garbage and debris in the stream, as well as illegal construction of houses near the stream.

Flood waters raced through streets, dragging vehicles and buildings. Authorities said at least 42 homes were damaged and 200 people directly affected. Emergency accommodation was made available for affected families.

The major Atlantic ocean current, to which also the Gulf stream belongs, may have been losing stability in the course of the last century. This is shown in a new study published in Nature Climate Change. The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, transports warm water masses from the tropics northward at the ocean surface and cold water southward at the ocean bottom, which is most relevant for the relatively mild temperatures in Europe. Further, it influences weather systems worldwide. A potential collapse of this ocean current system could therefore have severe consequences.
"The Atlantic Meridional Overturning really is one of our planet's key circulation systems," says the author of the study, Niklas Boers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Freie Universität Berlin and Exeter University. "We already know from some computer simulations and from data from Earth's past, so-called paleoclimate proxy records, that the AMOC can exhibit - in addition to the currently attained strong mode - an alternative, substantially weaker mode of operation. This bi-stability implies that abrupt transitions between the two circulation modes are in principle possible."

Heavy rain has once again caused flooding and landslides in areas around Lake Como in northern Italy.

Streams and small rivers overflowed in Como Province, Lombardy Region. Italian Fire Service Vigili del Fuoco said they carried out 115 interventions in Appiano Gentile, Bulgarograsso and Villa Guardia for landslides, flooded underpasses and damaged homes between 04 to 05 August. Landslides in the area closed several roads.

In Lecco Province, around 120 people were evacuated from a campsite in Dervio Commune after flooding from the Varrone River. A landslide blocked a roads in Taceno Commune. Lecco Commune recorded 94.2 mm of rain on 04 August.

Fears of crop damage and impact on food supplies rise as forecaster reports more than 500mm of rain has fallen in three days

More than 1,100 homes in North Korea were damaged, thousands of people evacuated and farms and roads washed away after days of heavy rains brought flooding, state media reported.

The reports come as concern grows about damage to crops and the possible impact on food supplies in North Korea, which is cut off from most foreign imports and aid by self-imposed border restrictions aimed at preventing a coronavirus outbreak, as well as by international sanctions.

Heavy rain struck several areas on the east coast, including North and South Hamgyong provinces, state broadcaster KRT reported on Thursday.

Television footage showed homes flooded to their roofs, and bridges and dikes washed away.

This July, marked by the deadly floods which affected many areas in Belgium, is the wettest in more than 40 years, according to the Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI).

No less than 151 millimetres of rain has already fallen in Uccle, where the headquarters of the RMI is located, making this month the wettest July since 1980, according to David Dehenauw, head of its forecasting department.

"This is the sixth wettest July since 1833, whilst the most rainfall in July in Uccle was recorded in 1942: 196 mm (or l/m2)," Dehenauw said on Twitter.

The wettest month ever recorded at the headquarters was August 1996, when 231 millimetres of rain fell, whilst the most rain recorded in any 30-day period in Uccle was between 21 June and 20 July 1980, when RMI measures 241 millimetres.

Air Force, Army and Disaster Response Forces have rescued thousands of people stranded by flooding in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh described the flood situation as grim. He said in a statement of 04 August that flooding has affected 1,225 villages in Shivpuri, Sheopur, Datia, Gwalior, Guna, Bhind and Morena districts.

Bridges and roads have been wiped out and teams from Air Force, Army and National and State Disaster Response Forces have been deployed across affected areas to help rescue victims marooned or trapped in flooded areas. The Chief Minister said about 5,950 people have been moved safely, with a further 1,400 still requiring rescue.

Monsoons wreak havoc in states like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.

Landslides are reported in several areas of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand leading to road blockage.

Meanwhile, flash floods due to heavy rainfall hit Rajasthan, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh.

Authorities are investigating the death of a Kentucky woman who was caught in a flash flood in a canyon near the Arizona-Utah border.

Coconino County Sheriff's officials said they received a call Saturday evening about a possible drowning at Labyrinth Canyon on Lake Powell.

They said 43-year-old Heather Rutledge, of Louisville, was hiking the canyon Saturday afternoon with her husband and three sons when they were all caught in a flash flood.

Heavy rain has triggered more flash floods, mudslides and debris flows in areas of Utah, USA. One person died after being swept away by floods in Emery County. Areas of Cedar City and Iron County were also affected, just days after severe flooding on 26 July 2021.

Meanwhile in Colorado, massive mudslides have blocked major roads and left 100 people in vehicles stranded overnight.

Deadly Floods in Utah

Emery County Sheriff's Office reported 3 vehicles carrying miners working in the area were swept away flash floods in a canyon near the Gentry Mountain coal mine. "At approximately 10:15 p.m. on Sunday, August 1, 2021, as mine crews were heading up the hill to enter the Gentry Mountain coal mine, crews witnessed a wall of water and debris coming down Bear Canyon, the Sheriff's Office said."

Nine people survived but was one of the miners died when he was swept away and carried downstream. His body was later found after Emery County Sheriff's Office and Emery County Search and Rescue searched throughout the night.