A powerful earthquake struck near Iran's Semnan, sending tremors through the region. According to reports from the GFZ, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred around 35 km southwest of Semnan at 5.49 local time. The earthquake's depth was recorded at 10 km, indicating a relatively shallow tremor that could possibly cause major damage.
As news of the earthquake spreads, concerns are growing about the potential impact on the region. Semnan, a city in northeastern Iran, is known for its rich history and cultural importance. The earthquake's epicentre, located near the city, raises concerns about damage to historical sites and infrastructure. While details about injuries or damage are still emerging, the region's vulnerability to seismic activity heightens the stakes.
Comment: Aaand the speculation is on that the quake was actually Iran testing a nuke. May voices of reason prevail
Chile's Nevados de Chillan has had about 2m/80" of snowfall over the past week.
The snowfall was a little late coming but the past week has brought up to two-metres (80") of snowfall to the Andes leading most of the ski areas in Chile to open now for their 2025 seasons.
Ski areas in Chile have had the lion's share of the snowfall with Nevados de Chillan reporting remarkable two meters (80") of fresh powder in the past seven days. It opened for the season on Wednesday.
All major Chilean ski resorts are now open or about to with famous resort Portillo posting 85 cm (33") of snowfall ahead of its scheduled opening day on Saturday, June 21.
First to open, a week ago, was Valle Nevado, which has since had 109cm, (43") of snowfall. The linked areas of La Parva and El Colorado in the Tres Valles are also now open having enjoyed similar snowfalls this week.
Four people died from suspected heatstroke in and around the Kanto region on June 17, the start of an expected days-long period of extreme heat across the nation.
The Japanese archipelago was enveloped in warm air from the south and a high pressure system, leading to temperatures of 35 degrees or higher at 65 of 914 observation points as of 5 p.m. on June 17.
The hottest location was Kofu, at 38.2 degrees, followed by Takasaki in Gunma Prefecture at 37.7 degrees and Shizuoka at 37.6 degrees. These were the hottest temperatures so far in 2025.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, 547 locations recorded temperatures of 30 degrees or higher, including downtown Tokyo at 34.8 degrees, Sendai at 34.7 degrees, and Osaka at 33.4 degrees.
Several parts of Himachal Pradesh were lashed by heavy rainfall on Friday, triggering landslides and disrupting normal life in many areas. Shimla, too, was hit by a landslide today following incessant rain.
Visuals showed a portion of a hill crumbling and falling on the road and blocking the route. The landslide also resulted in traffic disruptions in the area. However, no major damage or injuries were reported.
Meanwhile, the local meteorological department has issued an orange alert for intense rainfall at isolated locations in Himachal on June 22, 23, 25, and 26.
Another landslide along the Dharamshala - Chataro - Gaggal route brought traffic to a standstill, with road-clearing operations currently underway. A portion of the Tauni - Hatkoti route in the Upper Shimla region was also damaged in a landslide.
Hurricane Erick weakened after slamming into Mexico's southern Pacific coast as a Category 3 storm, leaving a trail of damaged businesses, wrecked boats and flooded streets in the state of Oaxaca as authorities warned of risks from heavy rain.
The hurricane struck near the beach town of Puerto Escondido in Oaxaca state early on Thursday morning, bringing powerful winds and rain. The storm was downgraded to Category 1 after landfall, with sustained winds dropping to 137 kilometres per hour (85 miles per hour).
In Puerto Escondido, emergency workers and residents moved quickly to restore access by removing fallen trees, downed signs and sand-covered boats. Streets were flooded, and large parts of the town lost power and mobile coverage.
Despite the destruction, officials reported no deaths or injuries in the storm's wake.
The government deployed hundreds of troops and electricity workers for the cleanup operation, the AFP news agency reported.
Luis Alberto Gil, a 44-year-old local shopkeeper, told AFP the floodwaters had reached levels unseen in recent memory. "The water had never hit with this magnitude," he said, standing outside his damaged business.
Tornado hits Saskatchewan as severe storms pelt Prairies
Storm spotters witnessed at least one tornado in southern Saskatchewan on Thursday as severe thunderstorms hit the region.
A dynamic setup across the south-central Prairies allowed isolated thunderstorms to develop on Thursday. The bulk of the active weather unfolded across Saskatchewan.
At least three rotating thunderstorms prompted tornado warnings from communities near Saskatoon to rural areas near Estevan.
The storm in southeastern Saskatchewan near Estevan produced at least one spotter-confirmed tornado. Multiple chasers in the region caught photos of the twister as it swept through fields, hurling debris through the air along its track.
Large hail, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall also accompanied the severe thunderstorms.
Experts will likely survey the damage in the days ahead to confirm the number of tornadoes that touched down Thursday and assign damage ratings on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.
See visuals of Thursday's severe weather across the region, below.
A serial derecho ripped across the Ohio Valley on Wednesday and produced damaging wind gusts across hundreds of communities, causing nearly 500,000 power outages at the height of the storm.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, the derecho - a cluster of thunderstorms that produces multiple wind gusts of at least 75 mph - swept across a 580-mile stretch from Illinois to western Pennsylvania.
The states of Indiana, Illinois and Ohio appeared to be the hardest hit, with even a few tornadoes spotted during the late-morning and early afternoon.
Damage consistent with an EF-1 tornado was reported in Pike County, Missouri, according to the National Weather Service. A survey of the damage is ongoing.
Mount Etna has erupted again on the Mediterranean island of Sicily. According to the Italian Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), lava flows and an ash cloud up to 6,000 meters high were observed on Europe's largest active volcano.
Etna, which is around 3,350 meters high, erupts regularly and is constantly monitored. These so-called strombolian eruptions - explosive eruptions with lava and ash - often provide spectacular images and attract numerous spectators.
Highest warning level for air traffic - civil defense warns
According to the INGV, the ash cloud is mainly spread to the north. The lava escaping from the south-east crater flows into a small lava flow in the remote Valle del Leone ("Lion Valley"). Visibility of the activity is limited due to dense clouds.
Gray whale deaths in San Francisco Bay reached 22 as of mid-June 2025, with data showing continued population decline and signs of ecosystem stress and malnutrition.
At least 22 whale carcasses have been confirmed in the San Francisco Bay Area so far in 2025, including 19 gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), two unidentified baleen whales, and one minke whale. This is the highest number reported in the region since 2021, when an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) affected gray whales along the Eastern North Pacific.
Data collected by local observers and the Marine Mammal Center indicate that more than 30 gray whales have been seen alive in San Francisco Bay over the same period. This represents an increase from just 6 whales observed by May 2024.
Approximately one-third of those whales remained in the bay for more than 20 days, with visible signs of varied health that ranged from normal to emaciated condition.
Torrential rains continued to batter southern China on Tuesday, causing severe flooding and prompting mass evacuations in parts of Guangdong Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Huaiji County in Guangdong's Zhaoqing City was particularly hard hit, with urban streets submerged in flood water and tens of thousands evacuated.
The Sui River at the county's hydrological station reached a peak of 55.22 meters at 7:05 Wednesday local time, exceeding the warning level by 5.22 meters and marking the highest flood level since records began.
Authorities in Huaiji acted swiftly, initiating a top-level flood control emergency response on Tuesday evening. Schools, businesses, and transportation services were suspended, and all emergency shelters were opened.
Across the county, 19 towns have been affected, impacting over 78,000 people, with more than 29,000 evacuated. No casualties have been reported so far.
According to meteorological and hydrological monitoring, from 8:00 on the 17th to 8:00 on the 18th, the average rainfall in the province was 39.8 mm. The number of towns and streets with rainfall exceeding 25 mm accounted for 54.1% of the total number of towns and streets in the province. 31 towns and streets recorded extremely heavy rains of more than 250 mm, 174 towns and streets recorded torrential rains of 100 to 250 mm, 307 towns and streets recorded heavy rains of 50 to 100 mm, and 382 towns and streets recorded heavy rains of 25 to 50 mm. The towns and streets with the largest rainfall in each city include: Tanshui Town, Yangchun City, Yangjiang City, 572.5 mm, Nahuo Town, Dianbai District, Maoming City, 427 mm, Xiaosanjiang Town, Lianshan Zhuang and Yao Autonomous County, Qingyuan City, 326.1 mm, and Xiashuai Zhuang and Yao Township, Huaiji County, Zhaoqing City, 315.5 mm.
I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts.
- Abraham Lincoln
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At the link is a video of an exiled(?) former leader in Iran, stating that Iran has fallen and Khomenei is in hiding. He is speaking to the...
Comment: Aaand the speculation is on that the quake was actually Iran testing a nuke. May voices of reason prevail