Earth ChangesS


Cloud Precipitation

Deadly flash floods hit the Afghan city of Herat, killing at least 5

Afghan residents gather near the Pul-i-Malan bridge near the Hari Rud River following the flash floods on the outskirts of Herat on March 12.
Afghan residents gather near the Pul-i-Malan bridge near the Hari Rud River following the flash floods on the outskirts of Herat on March 12.
Flash flooding has swamped the streets of the city of Herat in Afghanistan, killing at least five people and causing widespread damage, according to a local imam.

"The house's upper floor was already cracked because of an earthquake in October, so the second floor was already damaged, but last night's rain made the house collapse," a man whose neighbours' house was destroyed tells AFP.


Attention

3 sperm whales found dead in Yorkshire, UK

They are attracting the attention of sightseers, who are being urged not to try to get too close
© Bethan Clyne/BDMLRThey are attracting the attention of sightseers, who are being urged not to try to get too close.
Three Sperm Whales left stranded on a beach close to Spurn Point in Yorkshire have died. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust has said they are "very sad" to hear of the deaths of the Sperm Whales, which took place near to Skeffling, East Yorkshire.

They described them as "beautiful" creatures which can easily get into trouble in shallower waters in the North Sea. According to the Trust, they have now offered their support to the British Divers Marine Rescue group and they have also paid tribute to their quick response.

It is currently unclear why the whales became stranded although it is not the first such case in recent times. Last year a Fin Whale died on the shores of Bridlington after getting stranded. A spokesperson for Yorkshire Wildlife Trust said: "We're very sad to hear about the stranding and subsequent death of these sperm whales on the Humber shore, away from Spurn National Nature Reserve near the neighbouring village of Skeffling.

Doberman

Baby dead after being attacked by dog in East Hartford, Connecticut

dog attack
A 1-year-old has died after being attacked by a dog in East Hartford on Wednesday, according to police.

The child was bitten several times at a home on Fuller Avenue, police said. The baby was taken to the hospital where they ultimately died.

Two dogs have since been removed from the home and they are being quarantined, police said. One of the dogs was the primary aggressor, police said Thursday morning.

Authorities are not releasing the small child's name out of respect for the family.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and loved ones as they mourn their loss. May they find solace and strength during this challenging time," the police department said.

The investigation remains ongoing.


Seismograph

6.0 magnitude earthquake hits Papua New Guinea

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A magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit Papua New Guinea early Thursday, about 65 kilometres southeast of the town of Kimbe, the United States Geological Survey said.

The quake had a depth of approximately 50 kilometres (31 miles), and struck outside Kimbe, in the West New Britain region, at about 1:13 am (1513 GMT Wednesday), the USGS said.

Cloud Precipitation

Large hailstones slam Buenos Aires, Argentina

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This Tuesday, strong thunderstorms were recorded in much of Buenos Aires throughout the day. The abundant fall of water caused flooding in different neighborhoods and municipalities. In some locations there was hail and more alerts are expected for the early morning and morning of this Wednesday.

Different users shared photos and videos on their social networks about the storm. One of the most affected areas was Campana, where the hail was larger than a lemon. The publications quickly went viral.

The National Meteorological Service announced an orange alert for heavy rain this Wednesday morning. In addition, the formation of more severe storms continues in the area. Different meteorological phenomena are expected to hit a large part of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area.


Comment: Related: Argentina floods: Buenos Aires streets turn into rivers after torrential rain


Cloud Precipitation

7 die as floods hit southern France - a foot of rain in 48 hours (UPDATE)

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Three people have died and four others are missing as a result of flooding in the southern French department of Gard, French media reported.

Two children are among the missing, Franceinfo radio reported on Sunday.

On Saturday night, heavy rainfall hit the region, prompting police to begin active search and rescue operations. By Sunday evening, the bodies of two dead people were found in the car.

In addition, a 62-year-old Belgian man died after his car was washed away by the course when he tried to cross a bridge, traffic on which was blocked due to rising water levels.


Comment: Floodlist reports:
Storm Monica swept across the country from 08 March 2024 bringing extremely heavy rain. Some areas in the south recorded more than 300 mm of rain in 48 hours. Since 09 March, the rain has triggered severe flooding in the departments of Gard, Ardèche and Var.
Update March 13

The Connexion reports:
The body of a man was found yesterday evening (March 12) in the Ardèche department, three days after a hydroelectric plant worker went missing in the area.

It was discovered by hunters and relatives of the 73-year old who disappeared on Saturday evening during flash flooding.

The body was found close to a micropower station along the Eyrieux river, where the man was working during Saturday evening's storms.

Authorities believe it is most probably the body of the missing man, however rescue workers and police forces were unable to reach the location of the body last night but planned to make a fresh attempt this morning.

It now brings the death toll from the weekend's storms and high waves to seven - six in the south of France and one in the west.



Cloud Precipitation

Argentina floods: Buenos Aires streets turn into rivers after torrential rain

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Torrential rain in Buenos Aires caused flash floods and disrupted air traffic in Argentina's capital region on Tuesday.

Drone views showed the magnitude of the downpour as streets looked like rivers from Avellaneda to Lanus.

An orange alert was issued to warn citizens of "dangerous meteorologic phenomena for society, life, goods, and environment."


Boat

Parts of Western Australia flooded as more than half a year's rain falls in 24 hours

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Police have said they hold "serious welfare concerns" for seven people missing hundreds of kilometres north-east of Kalgoorlie amid heavy rain and flooding that has cut off road and rail links into Western Australia.

Two vehicles, a beige-coloured Toyota LandCruiser and a white Mitsubishi Triton, were believed to have left Kalgoorlie-Boulder on Sunday between 10am and 2pm, making for Tjuntjuntjara, Kalgoorlie Police said on Tuesday.

Both vehicles contained elderly drivers, with the Mitsubishi Triton also containing five other passengers, four of whom are children aged between seven and 17.

"Concerns are held for the occupants of these two vehicles due to serious weather conditions. It is unknown how much food and water the occupants have in their possession," police said in a statement.

Parts of WA experienced more than half a year's rain in 24 hours over the weekend, with more than 155mm of rain recorded at Rawlinna, 900km east of Perth, since 9am Friday.

The Eyre Highway has been closed since the weekend and is likely to remain out of operation for several days.


Volcano

Deepsea eruption expected off Vancouver Island after 200 Earthquakes in an hour

Juan de Fuca Ridge
An image of the sea floor at the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge is shown in a handout photo (The Canadian Press/HO-Ocean Network Canada/Ocean Exploration Trust)
Scientists believe hot magma will erupt under the Pacific Ocean floor in deep waters off Vancouver Island after they detected up to 200 small earthquakes per hour in the area.

They say the expected rupture about five kilometres deep and 260 kilometres off the coast of Tofino, B.C., will be too distant and small to be cause for concern, but offers a unique opportunity to learn more about how the Earth's crust is formed.

Martin Scherwath, a senior scientist with Oceans Networks Canada, says lava could break through anywhere from weeks to a few years from now, offering the first chance for the phenomenon to be captured by the network's suite of underwater instruments.

The magma is estimated to be about 800 degrees Celsius but will cool rapidly when it hits the ocean water.

He says "almost fluid, runny rock" will come out of the sea floor, solidify and quickly turn black, while the heat causes the water around it to fizz.

Mr. Scherwath says he and fellow geophysicists will be watching to see how much of the Earth's crust is formed with one eruption, while biologists will be most interested in how animals respond to any changes.

Comment: Why no one is freaking out about the looming massive earthquake threat in the Pacific Northwest


Cloud Precipitation

Severe floods in Oman as torrential rains batter governorates

Screengrab from a video shared by weather monitoring centre
Screengrab from a video shared by weather monitoring centre
Torrential rains and thunderstorms have swept through several governorates in the Sultanate of Oman, leading to severe floods and activating emergency protocols.

The North Al Batinah Governorate, particularly the areas of Liwa and Shinas, along with Buraimi Governorate's Madha, experienced intense early morning rainfall Saturday, following severe thunderstorms on Friday that triggered flowing valleys and reefs.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has forecasted partly cloudy to cloudy skies across most governorates, with potential thunderstorms bringing strong winds, hail, and flash floods affecting regions such as Al Buraimi, Al Dhahira, North Al Batinah, South Al Batinah, Al Dakhiliyah, Muscat, North Al Sharqiyah, South Al Sharqiyah, Al Wusta, and Dhofar.

The CAA warned of reduced horizontal visibility and advised caution.