Earth ChangesS


Snowflake

Oswego County in New York state pounded with 4 feet of snow in 24 hours: 'It's absolutely nuclear'


Syracuse.com
Fri, 02 Jan 2026 20:29 UTC
A car is buried in snow in Sandy Pond, Oswego County, where 3 to 4 feet of snow have fallen in the past 24 hours.
© Jennifer HarveyA car is buried in snow in Sandy Pond, Oswego County, where 3 to 4 feet of snow have fallen in the past 24 hours.
The lake effect snow machine that dropped record snow on Syracuse three days ago has turned its attention to Oswego County.

As much as 4 feet of snow has fallen on several towns in Oswego County since New Year's Day, and it's still coming. Businesses have closed and residents have been trapped inside, according to posts on social media.

Pulaski, Sandy Creek and Orwell appeared to be the hardest hit. Some local fire departments have been unable to respond to emergencies.

Most firefighters at the Ringgold Fire Department can't get out of their driveways, and the two firefighters who did make it couldn't get the engine out because 3 to 5 feet of snow blocked the bay doors, said Justin Crowl, first assistant chief.

"It's a tough time for volunteer fire departments right now," Crowl said. "This snow really hitting us, just adds on top of the stress."
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Tsunami

Storm Francis red alerts: floods, closures and evacuations across Andalucia, Spain - 10 inches of rain in 7 hours

Lorraine Williamson
InSpain.news
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:59 UTC
mmmmm
© MeteoGuadalh
Storm Francis issued red alerts across southern Spain on Sunday, prompting emergency messages to be sent to phones and leaving a trail of flooded streets, closed roads, and rapidly rising rivers in Málaga and Cádiz.

Civil Protection sent an ES-Alert to residents in dozens of municipalities as AEMET raised the rain warning to red in parts of Málaga province. Then, a second message followed at 10.23 pm, repeating the same blunt advice: avoid unnecessary journeys, do not cross flood zones, and keep away from riverbeds and channels.

A region on standby, and a plan still active

As conditions worsened, the Junta kept Andalucía's PERI flood-risk plan active at emergency phase (operational situation 1). In a late update, Antonio Sanz — the Andalucian minister for health, the presidency and emergencies — stated that 112 Andalucía had handled 261 incidents, most of which occurred in Cádiz and Málaga, and confirmed preventive evacuations in both provinces.

In Estación de Cártama, around 30 people were moved out as water levels surged. And in Jimena de la Frontera, 17 people were also evacuated as the storm's centre of gravity shifted towards the Campo de Gibraltar.

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Tsunami

Heavy rain causes severe flooding in the city of Poções, Brazil


marcoscangussu.com.br
Sat, 03 Jan 2026 12:18 UTC
mmmmm
Heavy rain that hit the city of Poções, in southwestern Bahia, on the afternoon of Saturday, January 3rd, caused various problems for the population. In just about 30 minutes, the large volume of water was enough to cause flooding in several neighborhoods and, especially, in the lower areas of the city center.

The Market Square was one of the most affected areas. With the rapid accumulation of water, cars were partially submerged, paving stones were ripped up by the force of the flood, and merchants suffered losses. Images recorded by residents show streets completely flooded, transforming the center of the so-called "Land of the Divine" into a veritable river.

Besides the city center, other neighborhoods also experienced flooding, hindering vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Residents reported tense moments due to the speed of the downpour and the lack of adequate drainage for the rainwater.

So far, there is no official information about injuries, but the material damage is visible. The population is demanding action from the public authorities, especially improvements to the drainage system, to prevent situations like this from happening again.


(Translated by Google)
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Lightning

Lightning strike kills 9, injures 6 in eastern Rwanda


ilkha.com
Mon, 05 Jan 2026 11:25 UTC
mmmmm
At least nine people were killed and six others injured after a lightning strike hit a group of civilians in eastern Rwanda, local authorities confirmed.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening in the Jarama area of Ngoma District, located in Rwanda's Eastern Province. According to local reports, the victims were among a group of farmers who had gathered after working in nearby fields and sought shelter as heavy rain began.

Eastern Province Governor Pudence Rubingisa told Rwanda Broadcasting Agency that the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment, adding that emergency teams responded swiftly to the scene.

Experts note that lightning-related fatalities are relatively common in both eastern and western parts of Rwanda due to the country's geographical features and terrain, which increase vulnerability during seasonal storms.

Rwandan authorities have repeatedly urged residents to follow safety guidelines during thunderstorms, including seeking enclosed shelter immediately, avoiding trees and open areas, refraining from mobile phone use, unplugging electrical devices, and installing lightning protection systems where possible.

Officials said public awareness campaigns would continue in an effort to reduce casualties caused by extreme weather conditions.
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Tsunami

Homes, roadways flooded as recording-breaking king tides impact Northern California


ABC7 News Bay Area
Fri, 02 Jan 2026 15:22 UTC
Heavy rain and high tides cause flooding along a stretch of Northern California
Heavy rain and high tides cause flooding along a stretch of Northern California
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning for the San Francisco Bay shore through Saturday.

They are saying that tides could bring water two-point five feet above normal levels, breaking a 28-year record for high tide.

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Attention

Second aggressive seal euthanised in Plettenberg Bay, South Africa following New Year's day attack


Cape Times
Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:50 UTC
Two injured after seal bite during New Year’s celebrations at Plettenberg Bay beach
Two injured after seal bite during New Year’s celebrations at Plettenberg Bay beach
ANOTHER seal has been euthanised after it attacked and injured two people during New Year's Day celebrations at Central Beach in Plettenberg Bay.

Bitou municipality said lifeguards on duty reported that a seal entered the swimming area and bit a person in the water.

"Beach Control immediately ordered the evacuation of all bathers from the ocean, as the beach was hosting a mass event at the time.

"Despite these swift actions, a raft/dinghy remained in the backline. The seal returned to the ocean, attacked the raft, and a second person sustained injuries," the municipality said.

Immediate assistance was provided to both patients. One individual self-transported for medical care, while the second was taken to Mediclinic. Beach Control alerted Mediclinic Emergency in advance to ensure readiness for the arrival of two seal bite victims.
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Attention

Four dead after hippo attack in Kenya


Bluewin.ch
Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:46 UTC
A hippopotamus opens its mouth.
© Rainer JensenA hippopotamus opens its mouth.
Four young men have died in a hippo attack on Kenya's Lake Naivasha. According to Kenyan media reports, a group of 14 men wanted to fish illegally on the shores of the lake on Friday night. Several hippos attacked the men, according to reports. Some were able to swim to safety, others were attacked by the animals or drowned.

According to their relatives, the men wanted to supplement their family income by fishing.

Hippos can become extremely aggressive. The animals, which graze on the lake shore at night, attack if they feel their territory has been violated.

At the lake, which is also popular with tourists and is located around 80 kilometers from the capital Nairobi in the Rift Valley, lodge and camp operators warn against night-time walks along the lake. It is life-threatening to get between hippos and the lake.
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Attention

4-year-old killed by lioness in Gujarat, India - 2nd such incident for the state in 2 months


bhaskarenglish.in
Sun, 04 Jan 2026 14:35 UTC
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Representative image
A four-year-old boy from a family of farm labourers was mauled to death by a lioness early this morning in the farm area on the border of Gir, Nani Monpari village, Visavadar taluka. The child had gone missing from the farm in the pre-dawn hours, and his bloodied body was later found by the forest department team.

Forest department swings into action

The boy's body bore deep wounds and clear marks of a lioness attack. Forest officials immediately launched an operation and called a special rescue team from Sasan to capture the animal. The attack has sparked fear across Visavadar, particularly among farmers and labourers who work or stay near the farms.

Comment: Back in November 2025: Two-year-old girl killed in lioness attack in Gujarat, India

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Lightning

Lightning strike kills 2, injures 150 in South Africa


Arab News
Sun, 04 Jan 2026 11:28 UTC
mmmmm
© FILE/AFPThe incident occurred on Saturday night near the village of Mathibestad.
Lightning struck 150 people gathered at a festival north of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing two, local health services said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday night near the village of Mathibestad, about 70 kilometers (40 miles) of Pretoria, where a traditional celebration is held every year.

The North West health department said 150 patients came to a health clinic after being struck by lightning during the event, adding that two died and 13 were in critical condition and transferred to another health facility.

Storms are frequent in this part of South Africa during the current summer season in the southern hemisphere.

AFP
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Snowflake

A bomb cyclone brings blizzards to the Midwest before turning east

Leah Willingham and Jeff Martin
AP
Mon, 29 Dec 2025 20:37 UTC
ohio snowstorm
© AP
A strengthening bomb cyclone barreled across the northern U.S. on Monday, unleashing severe winter weather in the Midwest as it took aim at the East Coast.

The storm brought blizzard conditions, treacherous travel and power outages to parts of the Plains and Great Lakes on Monday as sharply colder air, strong winds and a mix of snow, ice and rain swept through.

Forecasters said the storm intensified quickly enough to meet the criteria of a bomb cyclone, a system that strengthens rapidly as pressure drops. The sharp cold front left parts of the central U.S. waking up Monday to temperatures as much as 50 degrees Fahrenheit (28 degrees Celsius) colder than the day before.

All that wind and snow created "a pretty significant system for even this part of the country," said Cody Snell, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center. Dangerous wind chills plunged as low as minus 30 F (minus 34 C) across parts of North Dakota and Minnesota.
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