Earth ChangesS


Tsunami

Floods kill 3, leave 1 missing in Guangxi, China

mmmmmmm
Three people died and one remains missing after floods hit Lengdu village in Baise, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Friday and Saturday.

Four eucalyptus planting workers, who lived temporarily in work sheds on a mountain went missing, with three later found dead and one still missing, according to the emergency management bureau of Longlin county, Baise.

Rainstorms swept parts of Longlin on Friday and Saturday and led to floods in mountains. The bureau advises residents to monitor weather alerts and avoid high-risk areas during the rainy season.


Tsunami

At least 4 dead in flash flood in northern Vietnam - 8.4 inches of rain in 13 hours

Flash flood aftermath in northern Bac Kan Province's Ba Be district.
© Bac KanFlash flood aftermath in northern Bac Kan Province's Ba Be district.
Heavy rain caused flash floods in northern Bac Kan Province's Ba Be district, resulting in four deaths, one missing, and damage to large areas of crops.

Floodwaters carrying soil and rocks from a mountain stream rushed down into the district's Tan Luot Village, Dong Phuc Commune at around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, after more than two hours of heavy rain. Villagers hurriedly fled upon hearing the roaring noise.

"The stream where the flash flood occurred is usually low in water but last night [Saturday night], heavy rain caused the water to rise and flood the residential area," said Lan Vy, who resides in the commune. "My family and I managed to escape, but our sundry shop was swept away."

On Sunday morning, the road running through the village was covered with soil and rocks.


Tsunami

Severe floods hit Argentina farm region, thousands evacuate - 10 inches of rain in 24 hours

Boats move through flooded streets after heavy rain in Campana, Argentina,
© Rodrigo Abd/APBoats move through flooded streets after heavy rain in Campana, Argentina
Thousands of residents evacuated on Saturday as rains lashed the north of Argentina's Buenos Aires province, a vital agricultural hub, and caused severe flooding.

The National Meteorological Service, which issued a red alert for the region on Friday evening, reported rainfall between 150 and 250mm (6-10 inches) between the cities of Zarate and Arrecifes. It warned that storms were "constantly regenerating," with more rain expected.

Television images showed residents in Zarate, 100 km (62 miles) from the capital, navigating submerged streets in boats loaded with belongings.

A long-distance bus with 44 passengers was trapped by floodwaters on Route 9 near Zarate.

"Water started coming in and covered everything," the driver told the local C5N television channel.


Arrow Down

Lucky escape for family of 4 as taxi falls into sinkhole in Chennai, India

nnnnn
A taxi driver and a family of four had a narrow escape after the car they were travelling in fell into an eight-foot-deep sinkhole formed by a road cave-in on Rajiv Gandhi Salai near Tidel Park in Chennai on Saturday, May 17.

The incident occurred around 6.30 pm during rush hour when the taxi driver, identified as Shollinganallur resident Maridas (47), was taking Vignesh (42), his wife Dhanya (32), and their children Aswanth (12) and Advaith (7) to the Chennai Central Railway Station.

Passing motorists and on-duty traffic police who were at the site rushed to their aid. Tamil Nadu Fire and Rescue Services personnel arrived and rescued the trapped passengers with the help of Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) contractors. All five were shifted to a nearby hospital for first-aid. No major injuries were reported. In the aftermath, traffic police blocked off the road and diverted the traffic.

A sewer line leakage from a 2.2 m diameter underground pipe of the Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) was cited as the reason for the road cave-in. Teams from the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC), which maintains the OMR stretch, inspected the site and began restoration of the road in coordination with CMWSSB.

Meanwhile, CMRL clarified that the incident had occurred 300 m away from a CMRL site hoarding and was not linked to metro construction happening in the area.


Arrow Down

2 dead and another person missing after heavy rainfall triggered landslide in South China

nnnnn
Two people were killed and one remains missing after a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall hit a village in south China's Guangdong Province early Sunday, according to local authorities.

The landslide occurred around 7 am in Pingtougang Village, located in the city of Gaozhou, trapping seven people, according to Gaozhou's emergency management bureau.

Six people were rescued, but two of them died later despite emergency treatment. The other four have been sent to the hospital for treatment.

Search and rescue efforts are ongoing for the missing person.


Volcano

Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi's eruption sends ash 6,000 metres into sky, prompting highest aviation warning

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts
© AFPMount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts spewing volcanic ash, as seen from Nobo village in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara May 18, 2025.
Mount Lewotobi in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province erupted multiple times on Sunday, prompting the country's Volcanology and Geology Disaster Mitigation Centre to issue its highest aviation alert, reported Xinhua.

The strongest eruption occurred at 14:05 local time, sending a massive ash column up to 6,000 metres into the sky. Thick gray volcanic clouds spread northward, northeastward, westward, and northwestward from the crater.

Authorities raised the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) to red level, the highest warning, advising aircraft to avoid flying below 6,000 metres near the volcano due to hazardous ash. Airlines were also cautioned about potential flight disruptions caused by the ash plume.


Lightning

Lightning strike at Cambodia's Angkor Wat leaves 3 dead, dozens injured

Preliminary assessments suggest the absence or insufficiency of a lightning protection system at the Angkor Wat temple site may have contributed to the incident.
© AFPPreliminary assessments suggest the absence or insufficiency of a lightning protection system at the Angkor Wat temple site may have contributed to the incident.
A lightning strike hit the Angkor Wat temple complex in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on May 16, killing three people and injuring dozens, reported security sources in the region.

The incident occurred at about 5pm during a traditional spiritual ceremony held by local Cambodians atop the temple amid rainfall. Most of the victims were Cambodian nationals.

As at the afternoon of May 17, the Cambodian authorities have yet to release an official statement confirming the number of casualties.

Preliminary assessments suggest that the absence or insufficiency of a lightning protection system at the temple site may have contributed to the incident.

Following online reports of the tragedy, many Cambodians on social media have called for the news to be taken down to avoid alarming potential tourists and to protect the country's image.

THE NATION THAILAND/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

Seismograph

Significant 6.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Puquio, Peru

mmmm
A very strong magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit 8.3 km (5.2 mi) away from Puquio, Ayacucho, Peru, in the early morning of Saturday, May 17, 2025 at 5.22 am local time (America/Lima GMT -5).

The quake had a moderate depth of 92 km (57 mi) and was felt widely in the area.

Lightning

15 killed in lightning strikes in Odisha, India

mmmmm
In one of the most fatal lightning incidents in recent years, 15 people were killed across various districts of Odisha on Friday as Nor'wester storms triggered intense lightning strikes across the state.

According to the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA), the highest number of casualties occurred in Koraput district, where four people lost their lives. Ganjam reported three deaths, while Nabarangpur, Jajpur, and Dhenkanal recorded two fatalities each. One death each was reported from Rayagada, Cuttack, and Mayurbhanj. More than a dozen others were injured in these incidents.

In Koraput, four people died in two separate lightning strikes. In Paradiguda village (under Odiapentha panchayat, Laxmipur block), Budri Mandinga (60), her granddaughter Kasa Mandinga (16), and Ambika Kashi (35) were struck while taking shelter in a hut near their paddy field. Five others were injured in the same incident. In another case, Das Jani (32) from Khalpadi village in Semiliguda block was killed while fishing near Lenjiguda village.

In Ganjam, Rita Goud (30) of Kebiri Brahmapur (under Belaguntha police station) was fatally struck while in a mango orchard. In A. Barida village, 13-year-old Omprakash Pradhan died while playing cricket on a local field.

Arrow Down

5 missing, 4 injured after landslide triggered by heavy rainfall hits northern Vietnam hydropower plant construction site

A landslide occurred at the Ta Pao Ho 1A
A landslide occurred at the Ta Pao Ho 1A hydropower plant construction site in Phong Tho District, Lai Chau Province, northern Vietnam at around 10:30 am on May 16, 2025, leaving five workers missing and four others injured.
A landslide at the Ta Pao Ho 1A hydropower plant construction site in Phong Tho District, Lai Chau Province, northern Vietnam left five workers missing and four others injured on Friday.

Rescue operations are ongoing as authorities investigate the cause of the fatal landslide, believed to be triggered by days of heavy downpours.

According to initial reports from the Department of Dyke Management and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the incident occurred at 10:30 am on Friday while nine workers from Dung Phuc Loc Construction Investment JSC, based in north-central Nghe An Province, were redirecting a stream at the construction site.

A sudden landslide from the upper slope buried several workers, leaving five missing and injuring four.