Earth Changes

2 children killed by lightning bolt in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa; 25 lightning deaths in the province this year

macprince
Time of Gist
Tue, 13 Dec 2016 14:40 UTC

The two kids who are cousins have been identified as Msawenkosi Makhathini (12) and Sthandiwe Ndlovu (10) of Mzulwini Village in Maphumulo.

According to Daily Sun SA, they were struck while sleeping on Thursday night.

This comes a month after two siblings were killed by lightning in Zibambele Village, Nongoma.

Sthandiwe's mum, Thulisiwe Makhathini (37), told Daily Sun the sudden deaths had devastated the family.

"We are still shocked. My mum, who was in the house when the lightning struck, doesn't even want to talk about it.

Lightning strikes kill 4 and severely burn 10 others in Zimbabwe

ZimNews.net
Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:50 UTC

4 individuals lost their lives after they were struck by lightning in Tsholotsho and Lupane districts on weekend.

10 others survived with severe burns.

Among the dead were 2 ZCC church members who were killed on the spot while 8 others were rushed to hospital in Lupane on Sunday after being struck by a bolt of lightning during a church service in the bush.

The previous day, a woman and her 2-year-old son were killed by lightning in Tsholotsho.

10 dead after Cyclone Vardah strikes Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, India

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:12 UTC

On Dec. 12 at 3:42 a.m. EST (0842 UTC) NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP captured this visible image of Tropical Cyclone Vardah making landfall in eastern India.

© NASA MODIS Rapid Response/NOAA
On Dec. 12 at 3:42 a.m. EST (0842 UTC) NASA-NOAA’s Suomi NPP captured this visible image of Tropical Cyclone Vardah making landfall in eastern India.

Tropical Cyclone Vardah made landfall near near Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India on 12 December, 2016. National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports that at least 10 people have died in Tamil Nadu. A further two deaths in Andhra Pradesh have been reported by local media.

Maximum sustained wind speeds of over 130 km/h were recorded, and the storm has caused severe damage to parts of the city of Chennai. Images on Social Media showed cars being lifted up by the strong winds. Over 4,000 trees have been uprooted, power lines downed and buildings damaged. Areas have seen power cuts and over 300 roads have been blocked throughout Chennai city.

Cars floating on air... The mighty fury of #cyclonevardah pic.twitter.com/x2URayyCuV
— Ajay Rajagopal (@Jaitwits) December 12, 2016

Flight operations at Chennai airport were suspended, as were train services in the city. Both have since resumed.

Signs and Portents: Two-headed calf born in Nigeria

Thandiubani
tori.ng
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 11:41 UTC

Calf with two heads found in Northern Nigeria

A mutant cow born with two heads has left a stir in the north as many people came out to catch a glimpse of the rare animal.

People were left totally baffled after a cow born with two heads was discovered in northern part of Nigeria.

The unusual cow attracted people who came to see with their own eyes. It is believed that the cow did not survive due to complicated nature of its birth.

It is believed the cause of the two heads might be as a result of genetic mutation. Hausa news site, Rariya shared the photos online.

Crumbling coastline: Dangerous sinkhole opens on cliff in Pacifica, California

Marianne Favro and Stephen Ellison
NBC News - Bay Area
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 17:31 UTC

A hazardous sinkhole emerged on a cliff in Pacifica Saturday, closing access to a popular beach and causing concerns about recurring erosion due to heavy rains and high waves.

A barricade and sign closing off beach access was erected Saturday. It's an issue residents of the area have grown accustomed to over the years.

"It's a constant battle," neighbor Gary Tiggs said. "If you look at the sidewalk over there, it's very narrow. It's just a shadow of what it was years ago."

The latest sinkhole may have been caused by some of the biggest waves of the year, known as King Tides. Such tides are expected to peak Tuesday or Wednesday, according to weather reports.

"I'm always ready to jump back because it can just fall at a moment's notice," Tiggs said about the cliff area. "And just because there's a sidewalk there, it doesn't mean it won't fall."

Britain's Met Office data confirms record drop in global temperatures

David Rose
Watts Up With That
Sun, 11 Dec 2016 19:49 UTC

New official data issued by the Met Office confirms that world average temperatures have plummeted since the middle of the year at a faster and steeper rate than at any time in the recent past.

The huge fall follows a report by this newspaper that temperatures had cooled after a record spike. Our story showed that these record high temperatures were triggered by naturally occurring but freak conditions caused by El Nino - and not, as had been previously suggested, by the cumulative effects of man-made global warming.

The Mail on Sunday's report was picked up around the world and widely attacked by green propagandists as being 'cherry-picked' and based on 'misinformation'. The report was, in fact, based on NASA satellite measurements of temperatures in the lower atmosphere over land - which tend to show worldwide changes first, because the sea retains heat for longer.

It is true that the massive 2015-16 El Nino - probably the strongest ever seen - took place against a steady warming trend, most of which scientists believe has been caused by human CO2 emissions

However, now the drop in temperature is also showing up in the authoritative Met Office 'Hadcrut4' surface record, compiled from measurements from more than 3,000 weather stations located around the world on both sea and land.

Comment: More signs the global warmists have things completely wrong:

Shallow 5.7-magnitude earthquake hits Central East Pacific Rise

NDTV
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 18:56 UTC

The epicentre was determined with a depth of 10 km. (Representational Image)

An earthquake measuring 5.7 on the Richter scale jolted Central East Pacific Rise at 14:33:12 GMT on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicentre, with a depth of 10 km, was initially determined to be at 9.1306 degrees south latitude and 109.846 degrees west longitude.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service

30-foot wide, 20-foot deep sinkhole at condo complex causes evacuation near Florida's Disney World

Melodi Smith
Click Orlando
Sat, 10 Dec 2016 19:27 UTC

A sinkhole opened Friday at a gated condo complex near Walt Disney World, prompting the evacuation of 16 units and more than 30 residents at Bahama Bay II, Osceola County sheriff's deputies said.

It formed outside one of the buildings near the lake. The hole, estimated at 30 feet wide and 20 feet deep, opened at 9121 Calypso Court in Kissimmee. Deputies said officials determined that the structure is not safe and ordered the evacuations.

"I woke up early this morning and had one of the neighbors knock on the door, telling us that we had a sinkhole in the backyard. When I looked out the sliding door it was actually about a good ten feet wide, five feet deep," said Danny, who only wanted to give his first name.

He said he was able to grab some personal belonging before he had to leave, now he's not sure where he's going to stay. "We're waiting to see what they're going to do about giving us an open unit. If not, we'll probably have to go to a hotel. I don't know if they're going to be paying or what's going to happen," he said.

Cyclone Vardah brings heavy rains, flooding to India

Kristina Pydynowski, Adam Douty and Jordan Root
AccuWeather
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 11:35 UTC

Cyclone Vardah continues to threaten India with heavy rain and flooding as it moves farther inland.

Vardah intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal over the weekend and made landfall Monday afternoon, local time.

While Vardah will weaken as it interacts with land, there will still be dangerous conditions for some. The area most susceptible to Vardah's heaviest rain will lie along the path of the cyclone as it tracks inland which includes Andhra and northern Tamil Nadu Pradesh.

Significant flooding could unfold for communities and along streams and small rivers.

Totals of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) will be common across southeastern Andhra Pradesh and northern Tamil Nadu. Flooding issues will tend to be more localized than near the point of landfall.

Rainfall totaling 25-50 mm (1-2 inches) will spread inland across cities such as Bengaluru and Anantpur.

Strong wind gusts will continue into tonight near the center of Vardah with gusts up to 100 kph (60 mph) possible. This will be capable of tree and structure damage in some areas along with downed power lines and power outages.

Heavy snowfall leaves thousands of families without power in west Georgia; nearly 40 inches of snow

Agenda.ge
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 15:16 UTC

Georgia's western part is covered with a thick layer of snow as it has been heavily snowing in that area for the past several days.

Most massive snowfall was detected in the Adjara and Imereti regions, where its depth reached 100 centimeters.

A thick snow layer meant half of families in these two regions left without electricity.

Thousands of families in Adjara's Khulo and Shuakhevi municipalities and Imereti's Chiatura and Sachkhere municipalities remained without power until now. The electricity distribution company said it was unclear when the supply would restore as snow was continuing to fall and some of rural roads were blocked.