Earth ChangesS


Tsunami

Severe weather causes landslides and flooding across Vietnam -10.2 inches of rain in 24 hours

The landslide at Khanh Le Pass
The landslide at Khanh Le Pass
Severe weather has plagued Vietnam over the past few days as heavy rain continues to impact various regions, leading to significant disruptions and hazards. According to the local traffic police department, the prolonged rainfall has resulted in landslides on several roads, particularly along the Khánh Lê Pass connecting Nha Trang and Đà Lạt. Thượng tá Nguyễn Văn Tiếp, head of the traffic police in Lâm Đồng, indicated on December 15, "Due to the heavy rains lasting several days, landslides occurred this morning on the Khánh Lê Pass.

The affected areas are located at km42, km54, and km59, causing severe traffic disruptions on National Route 27C." Authorities have swiftly responded to the situation by limiting access to the affected route, urging both locals and tourists to exercise caution.

Meanwhile, severe rainfall has also hit Quảng Ngãi province, where meteorological reports indicate rainfall exceeding 260 mm, particularly in mountainous areas. A spokesperson from the Quảng Ngãi Meteorological Center stated, "Over the past 24 hours, regions have experienced moderate to heavy rain, especially noticeable above 260 mm at certain locations. Due to this rainfall, river levels have risen rapidly, prompting emergency flooding advisories on rivers such as the Vệ and Trà Câu." The water levels of the Vệ River have reached 3.4 m and the Trà Câu River at 5.34 m, both of which are approaching emergency thresholds. Flooding has become particularly problematic for lower-lying areas.


Cloud Precipitation

South-east Queensland in Australia hit by heavy summer rain and flash flooding - 3.7 inches of rainfall in just 40 MINUTES

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Over the weekend the Brisbane region saw 94mm of rain in 40 minutes hitting suburbs like Mansfield, East Brisbane, Morayfield and Camp Hill the hardest.

More storms are being forecast and South-East Queensland is on on high alert.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner told Peter Fegan on 4BC Breakfast, 'It's a reminder that a large percentage of Brisbane is built on a floodplain.'

'The thing about some of these areas is that they are very low-lying, and because of their level in terms of the ground level, the water is effectively at creek level.'

'The only real solution to stop flooding in some of those areas would be for everyone to move out. There's no drain that's going to fix it, and we're not going to ask people to move out of areas that have been established for 100 or 150 years, and so that's the challenge,' the Lord Mayor continued.


Tsunami

Russian tanker splits in storm, spilling oil into Kerch Strait, Black Sea

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A Russian oil tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of oil products split apart during a heavy storm on Sunday, spilling oil into the Kerch Strait, while another tanker was also in distress after sustaining damage, Russian officials said.

The vessels were in the Kerch Strait between mainland Russia and Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014, when they issued distress signals.

Russian investigators opened two criminal cases to look into possible safety violations after at least one person was killed when the 136-metre Volgoneft 212 tanker, with 15 people on board, split in half with its bow sinking.

Footage on state media showed waves washing over its deck.


Comment: See also these recent similar reports:


Doberman

Stray dog mauls 3-yr-old to death in Himachal Pradesh, India

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A three-year-old child was mauled to death by a stray dog at Tandi in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul-Spiti district, police said on Sunday. The disaster management department has asked the district administration to provide a compensation worth Rs 4 lakh to the boy's parents.

The child was playing in the courtyard of his house, when the dog entered and attacked him. The boy's mother, rushed to rescue him but he had already suffered severe injuries. He was taken to Keylong Hospital with the help of local people and died during treatment.

The chilling incident, which took place at the house of a Nepalese couple in Sangam village under Tandi panchayat area, has triggered panic among residents and raised concerns over the rising incidents of dog attacks in Lahaul Valley.

Tornado2

Tornado touches down near Santa Cruz in Northern California, flipping cars and downing power lines

Tornado damage in Scotts Valley, California. Dec. 14, 2024.
© Scotts Valley Police DepartmentTornado damage in Scotts Valley, California. Dec. 14, 2024.
A tornado touched down in the Northern California town of Scotts Valley near Santa Cruz Saturday afternoon, flipping cars and knocking down power lines, according to authorities. Several people were hurt, fire officials said.

The National Weather Service classified it as a weak EF1 tornado that touched down at 1:39 p.m. at the corner of Mount Hermon Drive and Lockewood Lane. An NWS preliminary damage survey report posted Saturday night indicated the tornado lasted five minutes and winds were estimated to have peaked at about 90 mph.

It traveled southeast for more than a quarter mile and was 30 yards wide, according to the report. Most of the severe damage was seen along Mount Hermon Road.


Lightning

Over 1,000 lightning strikes hit the Canary Islands in just 6 hours

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The Canary Islands have experienced a dramatic burst of extreme weather, with over 1,000 lightning strikes recorded within just six hours. This data, released by the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), highlights the volatile weather conditions currently affecting the archipelago.

In response, the Canary Islands' Directorate General of Emergencies has raised its alert level from 'alert' to 'maximum alert' due to severe winds impacting La Gomera, El Hierro, and the northern and western regions of Tenerife.

At the heart of this weather pattern is Storm Dorothea, which has brought not only intense winds but also severe thunderstorms, resulting in a barrage of electrical activity across the islands.

The storm is also triggering hazardous weather, including gale-force winds with gusts ranging from 80 to 120 km/h. While the most sheltered areas, such as the southeastern coasts of El Hierro, La Palma, and La Gomera, may experience somewhat milder conditions, the rest of the islands remain exposed to potentially hurricane-level gusts.

Snowflake

Season snow total: 85 inches already at Lower Michigan's snowiest spot

Total snowfall so far through December
© NOAATotal snowfall so far through December 13, 2024
One of Michigan's snowiest cities is already just a few inches shy of last year's entire winter snowfall. Here's a look at how much snow has already fallen across Michigan.

Most of our snow so far has been lake-effect snow. This means the snowfall totals are heavy in the typical snowbelts of northwest Lower, southwest Lower and the northern half of the Upper Peninsula. Outside of the snowbelts we have had some snow, but totals are just around the normal pace to even a few inches below normal.

Gaylord has already shoveled 85.5 inches of snow. Last year Gaylord totaled 87 inches for the entire winter. Lower Michigan's top-5 snowiest city will have more snow than all of last winter by next weekend.

Traverse City has already had 44 inches of snow this winter. That amount is 30 inches above normal. Last winter only had 67 inches of total snow.


Comment: Related: Snow totals near 80 inches in a week in Findley Lake, New York


Doberman

Man killed by his own dogs in San Diego, California

One of the dogs involved in the fatal animal attack in Mira Mesa was locked in a car afterward, then removed by animal control officers from the San Diego Humane Society
One of the dogs involved in the fatal animal attack in Mira Mesa was locked in a car afterward, then removed by animal control officers from the San Diego Humane Society
San Diego police and paramedics were called out Friday afternoon after a fatal dog attack in a city Park.

Two people were attacked around noon, one man by his own three dogs in Mesa Viking Park just off Westonhill Drive, according to SDPD. A witness told NBC 7 that the man was being mauled when another person tried to help him and was also attacked.

Both victims were taken to Scripps Memorial Hospital after the attack, where the dog owner was pronounced dead, according to a San Diego Fire-Rescue spokeswoman. The status of the second victim is unknown at this time but their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

The dogs — it's not yet clear what breeds they are — were taken away by the San Diego Humane Society, police told NBC 7.


Comment: 5 days prior in the same state: Family dogs attack, kill 5-year-old girl in back yard of home in Covina, California


Seismograph

6.4 magnitude earthquake strikes Chile, tremors felt in Molina and Santiago

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Maule and Santiago were rocked by a 6.4-magnitude earthquake that occurred in central Chile on Friday. Because of its location on the Ring of Fire, Chile is vulnerable to earthquakes. In the last ten years, there have been over 10,000 earthquakes, with 2015 being a particularly active year. In 1960, the most powerful recent earthquake had a magnitude of 9.5.

A powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake, according to the USGS, struck central Chile on Friday, shaking the region of Maule and sending tremors as far as the capital, Santiago. The earthquake was estimated to have started at a considerable depth of 100 kilometers (62 miles) below the surface by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).

The region's susceptibility to earthquakes is highlighted by this most recent seismic event. The infamous "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped area of extreme geological activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean, is where Chile is located.


SOTT Logo Media

SOTT Focus: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - November 2024: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs

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An Arctic blast brought several intense winter storms and heavy snowfall to northern Europe, causing widespread disruption and travel delays. Countries such as Sweden, Finland, and parts of the Alps saw significant snow accumulations, with some areas receiving up to 27 inches (70 cm) of snow.

Meanwhile, Ukraine experienced record-breaking snowfall, with some areas seeing up to 31 inches (79 cm) of snow. This extreme weather event was driven by a powerful cold front that swept across the region, causing road closures, power outages, and challenges for transportation and emergency services.

The heavy snowfall also had a significant impact on agriculture and infrastructure, affecting rural areas already struggling with the consequences of the military conflict.