Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes in the U.S. reach 8-year-high in 2025

Raymond Sanchez
Fox Weather
Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:39 UTC
Multiple lightning strikes in Seattle during a thunderstorm on March 26, 2025.
© Aaron Johnson / FOX WeatherMultiple lightning strikes in Seattle during a thunderstorm on March 26, 2025.
In a recent report, Vaisala Xweather said that approximately 250 million lightning strikes occurred in 2025, a 20% increase from 2024.

Lightning strikes are always a serious threat, no matter what season it is. For the last year, lightning strikes in the U.S. have reached an 8-year-high, according to Vaisala Xweather.

Xweather operates the world's definitive lightning-detection infrastructure, capable of recording 99% of thunderstorms worldwide and detecting over two billion lightning events.

In a recent report, Vaisala Xweather said that approximately 250 million lightning strikes occurred in 2025, a 20% increase from 2024.
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Seismograph

6.4-magnitude earthquake strikes Baculin, Philippines, no tsunami warning issued

Islamuddin Sajid
Anadolu Agency
Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:48 UTC
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A strong earthquake shook parts of the Philippines' southern islands on Wednesday, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The quake was first reported as magnitude 6.7 before being revised to 6.4.

USGS said the tremor occurred at 3.02 am GMT, with the epicenter located 27 kilometers (16.8 miles) east of Santiago in the Cagayan Valley of northeastern Philippines.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that there was no tsunami risk to the Philippines, local media outlet Inquirer reported.

So far, there has been no immediate reports of casulaties or damage.

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Seismograph

Japan rattled by 6.2-magnitude earthquake


news.com.au
Tue, 06 Jan 2026 18:55 UTC
A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake has shaken western Japan
© globalquake.netA strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded western Japan, January 6, 2026
A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake has shaken western Japan, the country's meteorological office said, weeks after being hit with warnings of a "megaquake".

A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake has shaken western Japan, the country's meteorological office said, with no tsunami warning issued.

There were no reports of any major damage after the tremor was recorded at 10:18am local time in Shimane prefecture at a shallow depth.

The US Geological Survey recorded a slightly lower 5.8 magnitude reading. The quake measured upper five on Japan's Shindoscale of shakiness in the western city of Yasugi.

Comment:


Aftershocks:




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Tsunami

Flash floods kill at least 16 in North Sulawesi, Indonesia (UPDATE)


azertag.az
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 12:39 UTC
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Six people were killed after flash floods struck residential areas in the eastern Indonesian province of North Sulawesi early Monday, according to ANTARA .

The floods occurred in East Siau of Sitaro Islands Regency at around 2:30 a.m. local time following heavy rainfall, according to reports.

The Sitaro Islands Regency administration said four residents remain missing, including an infant, while four others were injured. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.

Residents from affected neighborhoods have been temporarily evacuated to safer locations. Preliminary data showed that 35 families, totaling 108 people, have been displaced.

The disaster also washed away five houses and cut road access between East Siau and South East Siau sub-districts.

Indonesia frequently experiences flash floods and landslides during the rainy season.


Comment: Update January 6

MacauBusiness.com reports:
Torrential rains battered Indonesia's Siau island, causing a flash flood that killed at least 16 people, with another three missing, authorities said Tuesday.

An overflowing river flooded four towns on the small island north of Sulawesi on Monday, the national disaster mitigation agency said in a statement.

"Sixteen people have been reported dead due to the flash flood," agency spokesman Abdul Muhari said, adding that teams were searching for the three missing.

He said 22 people were injured and nearly 700 villagers displaced.

"The flash flood was triggered by heavy-intensity rain that had drenched the area since the early hours, causing the river's water flow to surge suddenly," Abdul said.

Images shared by the search and rescue agency showed big rocks and uprooted trees that were swept away.


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Tsunami

Heavy rains cause flooding in Puerto Plata and Sosúa, Dominican Republic


DominicanToday.com
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:54 UTC
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Heavy rains since early morning have caused flooding in several areas of Puerto Plata province, affecting both the main municipality of San Felipe de Puerto Plata and the municipality of Sosúa.

In Sosúa, flooded streets have disrupted traffic, forcing drivers to turn back or seek alternate routes. Affected areas include Palm Village, Playa Laguna, Maranata, Villa María, Villa Enmanuel, Los Castillo and Sosúa Abajo.

In San Felipe de Puerto Plata, flooding has been reported in the historic center, along Presidente Caamaño Avenue, and in several southern neighborhoods. The president of the Maranata neighborhood association urged authorities to provide assistance to residents impacted by the rising waters.

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Snowflake

Rare heavy snowfall piles up on Maunakea, Hawaii - up to 10 inches fell overnight

Michelle Broder Van Dyke
SpectrumLocalNews.com
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:37 UTC
A photo taken Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:45 a.m. shows heavy snow at the summit of Maunakea.
© University of Hawaii at Hilo’s Center for Maunakea StewardshipA photo taken Jan. 5, 2026, at 8:45 a.m. shows heavy snow at the summit of Maunakea.
While most of the state of Hawaii is experiencing wet and cold weather, on Hawaii's tallest peak, Maunakea, it's below freezing, creating a thick blanket of snow.

Overnight on Monday, the summit area of Maunakea on Hawaii Island received 8 to 10 inches of snowfall, according to Nahua Guilloz, who is the director of stewardship programs at the University of Hawaii at Hilo's Center for Maunakea Stewardship.

"It is currently still snowing on the summit," wrote Guilloz, who emailed Spectrum News Hawaii on Monday at 11:25 a.m.

Because of the snow and ice, the road to the summit is closed. The Maunakea Stewardship's utilities crew is working to clear the snow with a snow blower, two snow plows and a front-end loader.

"There is still forecasted a lot of rain for today and overnight, so we expect that there will be more snow to clear tomorrow," Guilloz added.

Hawaii Island's summit reaches into the sky at 13,500 feet above sea level, and it usually snows there a few times each year.

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Arrow Down

Massive landslide crashes onto mountain road in Kashmir, India on January 2


Yahoo! News
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:21 UTC
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A torrent of boulders and earth crashed down onto a mountain road in Kashmir, India on January 2, causing panicked motorists to flee the area.

Officials advise drivers to stay away from the area as connectivity to north Kashmir is restored.

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Arrow Down

Giant sinkhole opens in sporting oval in Melbourne, Australia


Guardian
Tue, 06 Jan 2026 14:10 UTC
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© Montse GonzalezResidents in Melbourne's north-east were shocked on Tuesday to discover a sinkhole had appeared in their local park.
A large sinkhole has emerged at a sporting field in Melbourne's north-east, close to where tunnel boring machines are constructing the $26bn North East Link project.

Footage shows the large hole at A J Burkitt oval in Heidelberg. It is about five metres deep and measures about eight metres by eight metres, according to the State Emergency Service.

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Attention

Not the first time: Pitbulls attack again, this time deadly in Vryburg, South Africa


centralnews.co.za
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 13:26 UTC
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A quiet New Year's Day turned into a nightmare for a family in Vryburg when two pitbull dogs mauled a 39-year-old Pakistani national to death at a rented premises. The man, who was staying as a tenant, suffered severe wounds to his hands and legs in the attack on January 1, 2026, and passed away in hospital the next day despite medical efforts.

For his loved ones far from home, this loss feels like a cruel blow in a foreign land, leaving them to grieve without the comfort of familiar faces. Neighbours who heard the screams and rushed to help now live with the trauma of seeing a man fight for his life against animals meant to protect, not harm.

This tragedy has shaken the community, raising fresh questions about pet ownership and safety in homes where dogs roam free. Lieutenant-Colonel Sam Tselanyane, the North West police spokesperson, confirmed the details, noting how the victim was transported to hospital by Emergency Medical Rescue Services (EMRS) around 2:30am but succumbed to his injuries on Friday night.

Shockingly, this was not the first time the dogs had allegedly attacked tenants at the premises, with a pending case set for court in February 2026.
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Attention

One killed in rhino attack in Nepal


NepalNews.com
Tue, 06 Jan 2026 13:16 UTC
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One person was killed in a rhinoceros attack in Chitwan.

Babu Kaji Shrestha, 56, was attacked by the wild animal while he had been in the Rambel Community Forest of Bharatpur Metropolitan City - 12 on Monday afternoon to collect fodder.

He was a local of Bharatpur-12. District Police Office's Information Officer Rabindra Khanal confirmed that the man had died on the spot.
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