Earth ChangesS


Tsunami

Russia declares emergency in Dagestan's capital as floods cut power to more than 327,000 people - 6 killed (UPDATE)

Emergency specialists evacuate residents from a flooded district in the city of Makhachkala in the Caucasus region of Dagestan, Russia, in this picture released March 28, 2026. Emergency Ministry of Russia/Handout via REUTERS
© Emergency Ministry of RussiaEmergency specialists evacuate residents from a flooded district in the city of Makhachkala in the Caucasus region of Dagestan, Russia, in this picture released March 28, 2026.
Authorities in the capital of the southern Russian region of Dagestan declared a ​state of emergency on Saturday after heavy ‌rainfall led to widespread flooding and power cuts in the region.

"Emergency services have been placed on high alert, ​efforts are under way to deal with ​the aftermath, and assistance will be provided ⁠to affected residents," the Makhachkala city administration ​said on Telegram.

More than 327,000 people remain without ​power in Dagestan due to bad weather, the regional ministry of emergency situations said.

"As of 12:00 (Moscow time, 0900 GMT), ​283 settlements with a population of 327,183 ​people, including 89,705 children, remain without electricity," the ministry said ‌on ⁠its website.


Comment: Update April 8

News.az reports:
The death toll from the flooding in Russia's Caucasian Dagestan region has risen to six, following the discovery of an elderly woman's body, according to the regional office of the Russian Emergency Ministry on Tuesday.

"In Mikhaylovka, volunteers and rescuers found the body of a missing resident born in 1947 under the rubble. The number of victims of the flooding in Dagestan has reached six people," it said in a statement, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.



The Russian Hydrometeorological Center declared an orange-level weather warning in the region, the second-highest on the color scale of weather warnings, indicating dangerous weather conditions with the likelihood of natural disasters and damage.

Residents and visitors of the region are urged to take precautions.

Work continues in Dagestan to address the aftermath of heavy rains that led to widespread flooding in several districts in late March and early April.

The situation remains difficult in the regional administrative center, the city of Makhachkala, as well as the Khasavyurt and Derbent districts, where dozens of homes, cars and garden plots have been flooded.

Several bridges were washed away by the adverse weather. A local-level state of emergency and a heightened alert regime have been declared in the region.



Volcano

Mount Semeru volcano erupts again in Indonesia

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© Ersa/XinhuaVolcanic materials spew from Mount Semeru in Lumajang, East Java province, Indonesia, on April 7, 2026.
Mount Semeru, located in Indonesia's East Java province, erupted again on Tuesday (April 7), spewing a massive hot cloud into the sky, according to the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, reported Xinhua.

The volcano remains under a Level III alert, the second-highest in the country's four-tier warning system.

The eruption at 5.30 pm local time produced an ash column reaching approximately 2,000 metres above the crater, with a thick gray plume drifting north-east and east. Seismographs recorded the event as lasting more than seven minutes.

No casualties or immediate damage were reported, but authorities warned that the accumulation of volcanic material on the slopes could trigger debris flows, or lahars, if heavy rainfall occurs.

This follows a restless Monday during which the volcano recorded several separate eruptions.

Bernama-Xinhua


Tsunami

Extreme weather, severe flooding and landslides in Afghanistan leaves 148 dead (UPDATES)

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Severe flooding, a landslide and thunderstorms in parts of Afghanistan have left 17 people dead and 26 injured over the last 24 hours, authorities said Sunday, the latest casualties from extreme weather in the country this season.

The number of casualties could increase as crews from the country's National Disaster Management Authority survey the affected areas, the authority's spokesman Yousuf Hammad said in a statement. Thirteen of Afghanistan's 34 provinces, mostly in the western, central and northwestern parts of the country, were affected.

The severe weather also left 147 homes either completely or partially destroyed, wiped out 80 kilometers of roads and destroyed agricultural land and irrigation canals, Hammad said.

Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.


Comment: Update April 1

ilkha.com reports:
At least 42 people have been killed following severe flooding and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall across Afghanistan, according to officials.

The National Disaster Management Authority of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stated that 14 people lost their lives within the last 24 hours, bringing the total death toll to 42.

Authorities reported that at least 17 others were injured as extreme weather conditions continued to affect several provinces.
Update April 4

The Los Angeles Times reports:
Widespread flooding, landslides and lightning strikes triggered by fierce storms across Afghanistan have left 77 people dead and 137 injured over the last 10 days, the country's Disaster Management Authority said Saturday.

More rain has been forecast for the coming days throughout Afghanistan, and the authority warned the public to stay away from river banks and other areas prone to flooding.

So far this year, dozens of people have died due to extreme weather in Afghanistan, an impoverished country that is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Earlier this year, heavy snowfall and flash floods left dozens of people dead across the country.

The recent toll includes 26 people killed over the last 48 hours, the disaster authority said.
Update April 5

The Kabul Tribune reports:
Taliban-run National Disaster Preparedness Authority officials say recent floods across Afghanistan have killed 99 people and injured 154 others.

Mohammad Yousuf Hamad, spokesperson for the authority, said in a video statement on Sunday, March 5, 2026, that 13 people died and 13 others were injured in the past 24 hours alone across several provinces.

He added that around 6,000 families have been affected by the floods, with more than 3,600 homes either partially or completely destroyed.

According to the authority, heavy rainfall triggered destructive floods in over 20 provinces, leaving thousands of families without their property.

The floods also destroyed approximately 11,700 jeribs of farmland and damaged 337 kilometers of roads.
Update April 8

CGTN reports:
Heavy rainfall and related disasters across Afghanistan have killed 148 people since March 25, the National Disaster Management Authority said on Wednesday, with 15 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours.

The authority spokesperson Hafiz Mohammad Yusuf Hammad, in a video message posted on X, said the number of injured has risen to 216, while eight more people are missing due to rain-related incidents.

The fatalities were caused by heavy rainfall, flash floods, landslides, house collapses, thunderstorms and lightning strikes, the official added.



Doberman

Infant dead, another child suffers serious injuries after separate dog attacks in Des Moines, Iowa

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The Des Moines Police Department is urging residents to practice animal safety after an infant died and another was seriously injured in recent dog attacks.

First responders were dispatched to an apartment in the 3600 block of Kennedy Drive early on Friday, April 3, after the cardiac arrest of an infant was reported.

A dog in the residence had reportedly injured the child, who was not showing signs of life, according to a news release.

Once on scene, authorities discovered the child had died. Two dogs, a shepherd-mix and a terrier/bulldog, were seized from the apartment.

As of now, no charges have been filed, but DMPD is investigating the situation.


Lightning

57 goats, 4 sheep killed in lightning strike in Jammu and Kashmir, India

Locals gather at the spot where lightning strike killed 61 goats and sheep of a nomad family in Bani in J&K's Kathua
Locals gather at the spot where lightning strike killed 61 goats and sheep of a nomad family in Bani in J&K's Kathua
In a tragic incident reported from Jammu and Kashmir, at least 61 sheep and goats of a Bakerwal family were killed after lightning struck a large herd of livestock in Bani area of Kathua district on Saturday evening.

The incident took place in Assu village of Bani where the family, originally hailing from Thaa village, was temporarily staying en route to upper reaches amid heavy rains in the region.

The lightining strike at around 6 PM on Saturday left 28 goats and 3 sheep of the affected owner Raqeeb Ahmad, son of Abdul Gani, dead as per officials. The second owner Gafoor Ahmad, son of Raqeeb Ahmad also lost 29 goats and one sheep in the natural disaster.

The affected family has appealed to the government and district administration to provide immediate financial assistance so that they can repair the damage.

Tsunami

Angola hit by deadly floods: at least 29 dead and thousands displaced (UPDATE)

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Severe flooding has killed at least 15 people in Angola and forced thousands to flee their homes, according to local authorities. The floods, caused by heavy rains, have affected several regions of the country, worsening an already fragile humanitarian situation.

The floods caused significant material damage, sweeping away homes and destroying essential infrastructure. In some areas, roads were cut off and villages isolated, complicating access for emergency services and slowing aid operations for the affected population. Authorities are reporting widespread destruction.

Thousands of people have been displaced, often in emergency situations, and are now homeless. Living conditions in the affected areas are particularly precarious, with limited access to clean water, food, and healthcare. Humanitarian organizations are warning of the risk of disease spreading in the flooded areas.


Comment: Update April 6

The Anadolu Agency reports:
Torrential rains in Angola's Benguela and Luanda provinces have left 29 people dead, 17 injured, and three missing, according to provincial data from the country's Civil Protection and Firefighting Services on Monday.

Benguela, a coastal city along the Atlantic Ocean, recorded the highest number of fatalities at 23, accounting for 13 of the injured and two of the missing.

In Luanda, the capital, six people were killed, while one person remains missing.

"The floods affected a total of 33,355 people in the two provinces, flooded 6,752 homes and caused 201 house collapses in Benguela," the service said.

Authorities also reported damage to boats and vehicles in Benguela, while in Luanda, telecommunications, electricity, health, and education infrastructure were affected, along with landslides and fallen trees.



Tsunami

Homes flooded, roads swamped in Miaoli, Taiwan after heavy rain

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Heavy rain on Saturday triggered mudslides and flooding in Miaoli County, inundating homes and roads, disrupting traffic and leaving residents stranded in muddy water.


Lightning

Lightning strike kills 65 sheep in Balochistan, Pakistan

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At least 65 sheep were killed after being struck by lightning in Balochistan's Mashkhel district, leaving the affected herder in deep distress.

According to details, the tragic incident occurred during heavy rainfall when a sudden lightning strike killed 65 sheep instantly, causing losses worth hundreds of thousands of rupees.

The herder said the incident had destroyed everything he owned, describing the livestock as his entire livelihood.

Media reports stated that the incident took place in a suburban area of the district. In addition to those killed, 15 sheep were seriously injured, further compounding the herder's losses.

Speaking to the media, the distressed herder broke down in tears, saying he had been left completely helpless. Local residents and the herder have appealed to the provincial government and district administration for financial assistance.

Cloud Precipitation

Desert turns snow-white: Unexpected hailstorm blankets parts of Rajasthan, India

A breathtaking view of the Arjunsar desert in Bikaner covered in a thick layer of white hail after a sudden storm. (
© X/@ParweenKaswanA breathtaking view of the Arjunsar desert in Bikaner covered in a thick layer of white hail after a sudden storm.
The golden sands of the Thar Desert underwent a startling transformation on Friday, April 3, 2026, as a massive hailstorm turned parts of Rajasthan into a landscape resembling the snow-capped valleys of Kashmir.

Residents in the Arjunsar and Rajiyasar areas of Bikaner district witnessed a rare atmospheric event that saw temperatures plummet and roads disappear under a thick layer of ice.

WHY DID THE THAR DESERT TURN WHITE?

While the visuals shared by IFS officer Parveen Kaswan looked like a winter wonderland, this was actually the result of an intense hailstorm triggered by a Western Disturbance.

A Western Disturbance is a weather system that originates over the Mediterranean region and travels eastward, bringing moisture and cooling to northwest India.

When this moisture-laden air met the intense heat of the desert, it created powerful updrafts.


Seismograph

6.0-magnitude quake hits 90 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines: USGS

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An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 jolted 90 km SE of Sarangani, Philippines at 10:34 GMT on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicenter, with a depth of 99.6 km, was initially determined to be at 4.89 degrees north latitude and 126.10 degrees east longitude.