Earth ChangesS


Volcano

Italy: Mount Etna erupts - ash cloud & strombolian explosions from Voragine Crater

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Mount Etna is erupting again in Sicily, Italy, with strong Strombolian activity and ash emissions from the summit crater area. The latest activity began on July 5, 2026, with ash emission reported from the Voragine crater area and the aviation color code raised to RED due to ongoing ash activity. VAAC Toulouse reported the eruption began at 05:45 UTC, with ash emission ongoing later in the day.

This video shows the dramatic eruption activity at one of the world's most active volcanoes, as ash rises above Mount Etna and activity continues around the summit craters. Etna's eruptions can change quickly, with lava flows, explosive bursts, ash clouds, and glowing nighttime activity often visible from cameras around eastern Sicily.


Black Cat

Lioness attacks cattle keeper outside home in Gujarat, India

Screengrab of the video where the lioness attacked a cattle keeper.
Screengrab of the video where the lioness attacked a cattle keeper.
A cattle keeper was seriously injured after a lioness attacked him outside his house in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district on Monday morning.

The victim, identified as Kalu Parmar, was attacked at around 8 am outside his residence on the outskirts of Garajiya village in Palitana taluka. According to local accounts, the lioness suddenly emerged, grabbed his hand in its jaws and later bit his leg, knocking him to the ground.

The attack triggered panic in the village as residents watched the struggle unfold. Videos of the incident, filmed by villagers on mobile phones, have since gone viral on social media, drawing renewed concern over the increasing movement of Asiatic lions into human settlements.

As the lioness held on to Kalu Parmar, residents rushed to help, shouting and pelting stones in an attempt to drive the animal away.

Despite suffering severe injuries and heavy bleeding, Parmar continued to struggle to free himself from the lioness's grip during the attack.


Comment: Related: Lioness kills five-year-old boy in Gujarat, India - 8th such attack in the state in 7 months


Lightning

Man dies after suspected lightning strike near Pasir Ris beach, Singapore

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A 24‑year‑old man died after he was believed to have been struck by lightning near Pasir Ris Beach on Sunday afternoon, according to police and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).

Police said they received a call for assistance at about 4.50pm from 131 Pasir Ris Road, where a group of eight people — aged between 13 and 54 — had been out at sea. All eight were taken to hospital: two to KK Women's and Children's Hospital, and six to Sengkang General Hospital. The 24‑year‑old was unconscious when found and later died. Preliminary investigations do not point to foul play.

The Straits Times reported that the group, comprising five men and three women, had been kayaking and paddleboarding when lightning hit the water. An eyewitness told the paper he saw an unconscious man lying on his paddleboard as others attempted to return to shore. The eyewitness also noted that the skies had appeared clear.

A video circulating online shows SCDF personnel wheeling a person on a stretcher towards an ambulance.

The Meteorological Service Singapore has forecast localised short thundery showers over several days in early July, particularly in the late morning and afternoon.

Police investigations are ongoing.

Source: Malay Mail

Lightning

Lightning strike kills footballer during match in Malaysia

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A footballer was killed and a referee injured after lightning struck during a friendly match in Melaka yesterday evening, police said.

The victim, identified as R. Thanesh, 28, died while receiving treatment at Alor Gajah Hospital after the incident at the Lendu Rakan Muda Complex football field at about 5.40pm.

According to Astro Awani, the friendly match between Rembau Indian Veteran FC and Tanjung Minyak FC had been under way for about 10 minutes when light rain began before a loud clap of thunder was heard.

Alor Gajah district police chief Superintendent Ahmad Abu Bakar said the victim's teammates then saw Thanesh and two other individuals collapse on the pitch immediately after the thunderclap.

"About 10 minutes after kick-off, light rain began before a loud clap of thunder was heard. The victim's teammates then saw him and two other individuals collapse on the field immediately after the incident," he said.

Thanesh was taken unconscious to Alor Gajah Hospital in a private vehicle, where he was later pronounced dead.

Fire

Fire tornado rages in Chernobyl nuclear exclusion zone

fire tornado chernobyl
© CopyrightA fire tornado whirls amid a wild fire near the Chernobyl power plant, July 3, 2026
The area around the Nuclear Power Plant was contaminated by radiation during the 1986 disaster

The Ukrainian Emergencies Ministry has published footage of its rescuers fleeing from a large fire whirl in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

The agency has been tackling blazes near the defunct Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant since last week, but have so far been unable to contain the fire.

Tsunami

Heavy storms flood streets, snarl traffic across Istanbul, Türkiye - 2.2 inches of rain in just 45 minutes

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Severe thunderstorms swept across Istanbul on Saturday, triggering widespread flash flooding that submerged roads, stranded motorists and disrupted transportation across both the European and Asian sides of Türkiye's largest city.

The downpour arrived after the Turkish State Meteorological Service issued yellow-level warnings for locally intense thunderstorms.

Although the heaviest rain lasted less than an hour in many areas, it was enough to overwhelm drainage systems, flood homes and businesses, and paralyze traffic in several districts.

The European side bore the brunt of the storm, with Beşiktaş, Şişli, Kağıthane, Sultangazi, Fatih and Bakırköy among the hardest-hit districts. On the Asian side, heavy rain also affected Ümraniye, Çekmeköy, Kadıköy, Beykoz and Üsküdar.


Tsunami

Heavy rain swamps China's Fushun as rainfall tops 329 millimetres (almost 13 inches) in 17 hours

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Floodwater filled streets in Fushun, in China's north-eastern Liaoning province, after hours of heavy rain battered the city.

Provincial meteorologists said Fushun was the worst-hit area in Liaoning during the latest storms, with rainfall in Dongzhou district reaching more than 300 millimetres by Saturday afternoon.

Footage shows cars stranded in waterlogged streets as emergency crews pump floodwater from the road. Muddy water covers parts of the carriageway, leaving vehicles surrounded and unable to move.

According to reports, the rain began at around 15:00 local time on July 3 and continued until 08:00 on July 4. The highest recorded rainfall was 329.2 millimetres.

Chinese state media, citing Liaoning's meteorological authorities, said parts of the province were facing heavy rain, thunderstorms, hail, strong winds and short bursts of intense rainfall.

Fushun, Shenyang and Benxi were among the areas placed under a Level-IV flood emergency response.

Authorities also warned of a high risk of weather-related geological disasters in parts of Fushun, with more rain and severe convective weather forecast for parts of Liaoning.


Cassiopaea

Northern lights appear just in time for Independence Day festivities

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© Nick Sulzer // Buckrail
Mother Nature put on a fireworks show of her own last night.

The northern lights appeared in Wyoming skies overnight, a sight captured by Buckrail photographer Nick Sulzer as well as a few lucky readers.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, the Kp index reached a peak of 7.33 on a scale of 0 to 9. Derived from the German "Planetarische Kennziffer," or planetary index, the Kp scale measures geomagnetic activity in Earth's atmosphere.

To see the aurora at this latitude, the Kp typically needs to be 6 or above.


Tsunami

India: Mumbai on Red Alert - Flights diverted, trains delayed as heavy rains trigger flooding

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Mumbai is battling another spell of intense monsoon weather as heavy rains trigger flooding, waterlogging, and widespread travel disruptions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for Mumbai and surrounding districts, warning of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, strong winds of up to 60 kmph, and the possibility of further flooding.

Flights have been diverted, local train services have been affected, and several roads remain submerged under knee-deep water. Authorities have urged residents to avoid unnecessary travel and stay updated with official advisories.

Meanwhile, Delhi is expected to see monsoon activity intensify in the coming days, with light to moderate rainfall, thunderstorms, and gusty winds forecast from Sunday onward.


Doberman

Woman killed in brutal dog attack in Durban, South Africa

PIT BULL ATTACK
An inquest docket has been opened after a 28-year-old woman died after she was viciously attacked by a group of dogs while walking in Durban South.

It's understood she was mauled by three canines in Woodlands on Thursday night.

Police say the woman was found lying on the side of the road at the corner of Atherstone Place and Norwich Crescent.

The victim later succumbed to her injuries.

Comment: Another report of the same incident: Fatal dog attack in Durban suburb raises alarms about pit bull ownership