Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Giant hail, 'apocalyptic' dust-storms batter bushfire-weary Australia


ABS-CBN News
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 09:09 UTC

Comment: But don't worry because the authorities have offered you two choices: you can either a.) believe humanity in some general way caused it by producing too much CO2, or b.) believe arsonists caused it. Either way, rest assured that Man is in control and there is still no God...


Child running towards a dust storm in Mullengudgery in New South Wales.
© Marcia Macmillan / AFP handoutThis handout photo taken on January 17, 2020 and received on January 20 courtesy of Marcia Macmillan shows a child running towards a dust storm in Mullengudgery in New South Wales.
"Apocalyptic" dust storms swept across drought-stricken areas of Australia over the weekend, with thunder and giant hail battering the east coast, as extreme weather patterns collided in the bushfire-fatigued country.

The southern city of Melbourne was lashed by huge hailstones late Sunday and fire-ravaged parts of Victoria state overnight received heavy rainfall, prompting new extreme weather alerts.

Australia has since October been overwhelmed by an unprecedented bushfire season made worse by climate change.

Swathes of the country have burned, hundreds of millions of animals have died, more than 2,000 homes have been destroyed and at least 29 lives have been lost.

Dramatic images captured over the weekend from western New South Wales show a massive wall of dust rolling through outback towns. Locals reported being cast into darkness in the middle of the day.



Comment: Struth: Flash flooding hits Gold Coast, Brisbane as storms sweep Queensland, Australia

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Arrow Down

Seven hikers missing in avalanche after heavy snowfall in Nepal

Binja Gurubacharya
The Australian
Tue, 21 Jan 2020 13:59 UTC
Nepal rescuers call off search for trekkers
Nepal rescuers call off search for trekkers
Special Nepalese army and government rescue personnel are searching for four South Korean trekkers and their three Nepali guides missing since since an avalanche swept across popular mountain trekking route .

The avalanche hit part of the Mount Annapurna trekking route on Friday after heavy snowfall earlier in the week. All other trekkers who were in the area have been safely rescued and flown to safer areas, Department of Tourism official Mira Acharya said.

South Korea's foreign ministry said the missing trekkers are two women in their 30s and 50s and two men in their 50s and are teachers who were staying in Nepal for volunteer work.

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Arrow Down

Avalanche at Lake Tahoe ski resort kills one

David K. Li
nbcnews.com
Fri, 17 Jan 2020 13:14 UTC
At least one skier is dead and another is injured
At least one skier is dead and another injured
An avalanche in Northern California killed one skier and seriously injured another Friday, following heavy snow fall in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, authorities said.

The disaster unfolded at 10:16 a.m. at the Alpine Meadows Ski Resort's Subway ski run near Lake Tahoe, officials said.

"We have one confirmed fatality, and we have another victim with serious injuries," Placer County Sheriff's Sgt. Mike Powers said.

Following an hours-long search by deputies, skiers with the Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue and dogs specially trained for avalanche searches, first responders ended their operation about 1 p.m.

"After a thorough search, SAR volunteers and avalanche dogs confirmed no further victims," the sheriff's department said.

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Arrow Down

Snowmobiler dies after buried 6 feet by avalanche in Farmington Canyon, Utah

Alyssa Roberts
kutv.com
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 12:59 UTC
avalanche
An 18-year-old died after being caught and buried in an avalanche in Farmington Canyon on Saturday afternoon.

The male was with his father riding snowmobiles in the Farmington Lakes area when the avalanche was unintentionally triggered, according to sheriff's officials and the Utah Avalanche Center.

His father called 911, sheriff's officials said. Statement from his father can be found HERE.

The Davis County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue team found him buried in at least six feet of snow with an avalanche transceiver and probe and with his airbag deployed.

Because there is "no transition from the steep slope above to the flat area of the lake," snow and debris piled up "very deeply," according to the avalanche center's website.

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Seismograph

Magnitude 6.2 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands

Armand Vervaeck
Earthquake Report
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 12:31 UTC
south sandwich
Most important Earthquake Data:

Magnitude : 6.2

Local Time (conversion only below land) : Unknown

GMT/UTC Time : 2020-01-20 06:51:29

Depth (Hypocenter) : 94 km
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Arrow Down

Nine killed, one missing after flash flood destroys bridge in Bengkulu, Indonesia

Dedek Hendry and Kharishar Kahfi
The Jakarta Post
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 12:08 UTC
Flash floods caused a bridge to collapse in Kaur regency, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on 19 January 2020.
© BNPBFlash floods caused a bridge to collapse in Kaur regency, Bengkulu Province, Indonesia, on 19 January 2020.
Nine people have been confirmed dead in seven villages across Kaur regency in Bengkulu after a suspension bridge in Bungin Tambun III village in the regency collapsed on Sunday afternoon on account of a flash flood hitting the area.

Apart from the casualties, the local search and rescue team also recorded that a local identified as Ipan was still unaccounted for.

"We launch a search and rescue mission today and tomorrow to look for the missing person. We'll look for him at the mouth of the river," Bengkulu Search and Rescue Agency head Abdul Malik told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

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Clock

UK approaches highest atmospheric pressure reading since 1957

Marko Korosec
Severe Weather
Mon, 20 Jan 2020 11:07 UTC

Numerous stations have recorded around 1050 mbar across southern England and Wales overnight, almost up to 1049 mbar in southeast Ireland. Atmospheric pressure continues rising across central Europe and the Balkans where 1047-1049 mbar has been reported this morning. Very high near record-breaking values also across Benelux!

Here are the night peak pressure readings:

Ireland:

Apparently, the highest surface pressure in Ireland peaked at 1048.7 mbar in Johnstown Castle in the extreme southeast part of the country. The highest atmospheric pressure ever recorded in Ireland is 1051.9 mbar in Valentia, Co. Kerry.

United Kingdom:

Comment: See also:

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Cloud Precipitation

Flash floods, landslides kill 6 in Brazil after a month's worth of rainfall in 24 hours


France24
Sun, 19 Jan 2020 14:34 UTC
floods
Flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rains have claimed six lives in southeast Brazil, firefighters said Saturday.

Footage on social media showed streets in Espirito Santo state turned into rivers and cars being swept away by raging, muddy water.

In one clip, the water almost reaches the roof of a gas station.

The fatalities happened in the towns of Iconha and Alfredo Chaves, with three deaths in each town. In the latter, two of the victims were elderly people who died after a landslide engulfed their home in mud.

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Cloud Precipitation

Struth: Flash flooding hits Gold Coast, Brisbane as storms sweep Queensland, Australia


abc.net.au
Sat, 18 Jan 2020 13:38 UTC
Movie World Carpark flooded, with cars submerged up to the roof PHOTO: Torrential rain left the Movie World car park at Oxenford underwater early on Saturday morning.
© nstagram: mickeylou15Movie World Carpark flooded, with cars submerged up to the roof PHOTO: Torrential rain left the Movie World car park at Oxenford underwater early on Saturday morning.
Dangerous storms described as a one-in-100-year event have swept through South-East Queensland overnight and into the morning, dumping heavy rain and causing flash flooding in parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

The SES has responded to more than 100 callouts on the Gold Coast alone, and another 60 between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Police have reported localised flash flooding in Chelmer, Kenmore Hills, Birkdale and Helensvale.

Emergency services carried out two swift water rescues of people trapped in their cars in floodwaters at Nerang and Oxenford.

A mother and child were also safely rescued after a tree fell on their car at Currumbin Waters, also bringing down power lines.

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Bug

Worst locust swarms in East Africa for 25 years posing an unprecedented threat to food security

Ian Collier
Sky News
Fri, 17 Jan 2020 16:26 UTC
Locust swarm, Kenya
The insects are devouring crops with Kenya one of the worst affected
The most serious outbreak of locusts in 25 years is spreading across East Africa with a single swarm covering an area one-and-a-half times the size of Greater London.

Unusual climate conditions are partially to blame for the plague, which is posing an unprecedented threat to food security in some of the world's most vulnerable countries.

The insects are devouring crops, with Kenya one of the worst countries to be affected.

One swarm measured 60km (37 miles) by 40km (25 miles) in the country's northeast.

A spokesman for the country's Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) said: "A typical desert locust swarm can contain up to 150 million locusts per square kilometre.

"Swarms migrate with the wind and can cover 100 to 150 kilometres in a day.

"An average swarm can destroy as much food crops in a day as is sufficient to feed 2,500 people."


Comment: At least 360 000 ha (890 000 acres) of crops have been affected in Rajasthan, northern India which is currently in the midst of the state's worst locust infestation in 60 years.

Locust outbreaks from last year include:

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