Earth Changes

Fierce cold weather leaves Brazilian authorities scrambling to support homeless population

CBC News
Sat, 31 Jul 2021 12:08 UTC

Homeless people improvise a bonfire to try to keep warm during a cold night in Sao Paulo on Thursday. A fierce cold snap on Wednesday night prompted snowfall in southern Brazil, where such weather is rare.

© Marcelo Chello/The Associated Press
Homeless people improvise a bonfire to try to keep warm during a cold night in Sao Paulo on Thursday. A fierce cold snap on Wednesday night prompted snowfall in southern Brazil, where such weather is rare.

Temperatures have dropped below freezing mark in parts of southern Brazil

A fierce cold snap is bearing down on homeless people in Brazil, and authorities, activists and religious leaders are doing what they can to limit suffering on the streets.

Temperatures in some areas of southern Brazil have dropped below freezing, and dozens of cities received snow and freezing rain.

That's especially worrisome this year, after the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated homelessness by punishing Brazil's job market, and the federal government diminished welfare spending that was a lifeline in 2020.

Brazil's most populous state, Sao Paulo, on Thursday donated 7,500 blankets and 1,000 sleeping bags to organizations that help people who are homeless.

Comment: Cold wave brings rare snow to 13 Brazilian cities in the state of Rio Grande do Sul - Also to Northern Argentina and Uruguay

Thousands affected by floods in 5 regions of Chad

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Sat, 31 Jul 2021 11:32 UTC

Flooding in Chad has affected thousands of people across the regions of Tandjilé, Mandoul, Ennedi-Ouest, N'Djamena and Batha over the last few weeks. More rain is forecast, increasing fears of a repeat of the flooding of 2020, which caused widespread damage and affected over 300,000 people.

Flooding struck in south-western Tandjilé Region in late June 2021, where 5 people died and 231 were injured. Furthermore around 4,413 houses were destroyed and over 30 educational and health buildings were severely damaged or destroyed. Livestock also suffered. The UN said the damage in Tandjilé Prefecture left 20,000 people in need of shelter, food, and health assistance.

Since then the NGO MSF-Holland deployed a medical team and the French Red Cross worked with the national Red Cross to provide emergency assistance. European Union donor European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) pledged 350,000 EUR for the response to flood-affected people in Tandjilé.

Man dies days after lightning strike on Sanibel Island, Florida

Avi Adkins
swfloridadailynews.com
Fri, 30 Jul 2021 11:15 UTC

A South Carolina man who was struck by lightning along with his wife on Sanibel last weekend died in a Lee County hospital on Wednesday.

Brent Jerome's Church posted an update Thursday saying the father of two children was pronounced brain dead and taken from intensive care to an operation to harvest five organs to be donated.

"Given the deep sadness we feel, it gives this community some hope to know that five different people who have been waiting for a miracle could receive it from our friend, husband and father, Brent Jerome," said Downtown Church.

Comment: Husband and wife hospitalized after being hit by lightning at Sanibel Beach Club, Florida

No end in sight for searing heatwave in Greece as temperatures hit over 40°C

Financial Mirror
Fri, 30 Jul 2021 18:49 UTC

Cyprus is sweltering under a sustained heatwave, which could last more than ten days, with maximum temperatures expected to soar to 44 degrees Celsius next week, several notches above the norm.

The island has wilted under an unusually hot and prolonged heatwave, with no sign of temperatures dropping before the end of next week.

The Met Office issued another yellow alert Friday due to extremely high temperatures while warning the thermometer will rise further over the weekend, to climax on 2 August.

Since 27 July, temperatures have remained well above the average 37°C for the season.

Shallow earthquake of magnitude 6.1 strikes Peru-Ecuador border region

Devdiscourse.com
Fri, 30 Jul 2021 18:39 UTC

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck the Peru-Ecuador border region on Friday, the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said.

The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), GFZ said.

'Confirmed tornado' devastates town just north of Philadelphia

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Fri, 30 Jul 2021 15:08 UTC

Scenes from the tornado-stricken town of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, July 29, 2021

Multiple tweets indicate a powerful tornado has demolished buildings in the Bensalem Township, a township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that borders the northeast section of Philadelphia.

Alertpage Inc. reports a GMC dealership has experienced a "major collapse."

Comment: Local news station FOX29 reports:

Officials in Bensalem say at least six people were hurt when a tornado ripped through Bucks County on Thursday night leaving a wake of destruction that includes a decimated car dealership and several destroyed homes.

Harran said the tornado made landfall at 7:13 p.m. in the northeastern part of the county and tore across Bensalem where flying debris caused damage to local businesses.

The tornado streaked across the Pennsylvania Turnpike near Street Road and flipped cars along the way, according to Harran. The most significant damage happened at Faulkner Buick-GMC dealership where the tornado reduced many of the buildings to rubble.

The tornado completely destroyed homes in Weiss Trailer Park and Penn Valley Trailer Park near Old Lincoln Highway. FOX 29's Steve Keeley spoke to one resident who said he huddled in a bathroom with his 5-year-old son, father and grandfather as the storm shredded their home.

Harran said the tornado lost some intensity as it continued past Neshaminy Mall and a residential neighborhood in Belmont Hills. Reports were limited to tossed trampolines and torn siding, according to emergency responders.

"I've been doing this for 34 years and it's the first time I've ever seen that kind of devastation up close and personal," Harran said.

Death toll from floods and landslides reaches 213 in Maharashtra, India

Moneycontrol.com
Thu, 29 Jul 2021 13:57 UTC

Heavy rains triggered massive floods and landslides in many parts of Maharashtra, especially in the coastal Konkan and the western districts, since July 20.

The death toll of the last week's rain-related incidents in Maharashtra rose to 213 on Wednesday with the worst-hit Raigad district alone accounting for nearly 100 fatalities, the state government said.

Eight persons are still missing, an official release said. Heavy rains triggered massive floods and landslides in many parts of Maharashtra, especially in the coastal Konkan and the western districts, since July 20.

Of 213 deaths, the maximum 95 were reported in Raigad district, followed by 46 in Satara, 35 in Ratnagiri, 15 in Thane, seven in Kolhapur, four in Mumbai, three in Pune, four in Sindhudurg and two each in the eastern Maharashtra's Wardha and Akola districts, said a statement issued by the disaster management department.

Eight people are still missing while 52 injured persons are being treated at various government and private hospitals, it said. Most of the deaths in Raigad, Satara and Ratnagiri districts were caused by landslides, while floods claimed many lives in Kolhapur and Sangli.

Massive landslide takes out road in Himachal Pradesh, India

THE QUINT
Fri, 30 Jul 2021 13:03 UTC

A stretch of road collapses due to a landslide in the Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh, India.

As details of the incident are yet to be ascertained, there is no confirmation of any loss of life.

A terrifying video has emerged on social media in which a road going up to the hills can be seen collapsing into the chasm in Himachal Pradesh's Sirmaur district.

The video was shared by Congress leader Srinivas BV.

As details of the incident, which reportedly took place near Nahan town, are yet to be ascertained, there is no confirmation of any loss of life.

The National Highway 707 is now blocked due to the landslide.