Earth ChangesS


Seismograph

6.0 magnitude earthquake off Gorontalo, Indonesia

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6.0 magnitude earthquake 73 km from Gorontalo, Gorontalo, Indonesia

UTC time: Monday, September 23, 2024 19:51 PM
Your time: Monday, September 23, 2024 at 8:51 PM GMT+1
Magnitude Type: mww
USGS page: M 6.0 - 73 km SSW of Gorontalo, Indonesia
USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist
Reports from the public: 2 people

Cloud Precipitation

Londoners rescued from cars as Tube stations, streets flood after heavy downpours - month's worth of rain hits UK in 24 hours

FLOODING IN WALLINGTON
© LONDON FIRE BRIGADEFLOODING IN WALLINGTON
Stranded Londoners had to be rescued from their cars after heavy downpours sparked chaos across the capital's transport network and flooded streets.

Cars were left almost completely submerged as torrential rain quickly filled roads while water spilled out of the River Thames in west London on Monday.

Firefighters rescued people trapped in vehicles and visited homes and Underground stations which were flooded in areas such as Ruislip, Uxbridge, Wimbledon and Carshalton.

The London Fire Brigade said it took around 350 calls to flooding after a night of torrential rain, adding that it is continuing to respond to incidents.

Ruislip Manor station was forced to close on Monday while Ruislip station was forced to shut due to an electrical fault caused by flooding.


Comment: Elsewhere in the UK:





Cloud Precipitation

Cannes in France hit by flash flooding pushing cars through the streets

Cannes flooding: Cars swept away
Cannes flooding: Cars swept away
Raging flood waters swept through Cannes on Monday, pushing cars through the streets and leaving the French Riviera city known for its film festival on high alert.

There were no injuries as a result of the deluge in the French southeast region, where in 2015 at least 19 people died in flash floods and tens of thousands had power blackouts.

The situation was expected to return to normal by the end of the morning as the storm continued to move east, its town hall spokesperson said.


Snowflake

Best of the Web: Multiple roads closed as motorists are trapped by late heavy snowfall in South Africa - 2 dead from hypothermia, snowdrifts of 2 meters (UPDATED)

Motorists have been stranded on snow-blocked roads in parts of KZN and the Free State.
Motorists have been stranded on snow-blocked roads in parts of KZN and the Free State.
The N3 Toll Route has been closed from Estcourt in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands to Harrismith in the Free State due to heavy snowfall.

This after the snowfall left motorists stranded in their vehicles and unable to move due to the thick snow on Friday evening.

Arrive Alive issued a warning to motorists to avoid Harrismith in the Free State and Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

"In the interest of safety, all traffic is being stopped at Tugela Plaza in KwaZulu-Natal and the Harrismith South Interchange in the Free State. Where possible, vehicles are being turned around at strategic locations on the route."


Comment: AFP reports:
Unusually heavy snowfall caused major disruption on South Africa's roads Saturday with people still stranded at midday after spending the night stuck in their vehicles.

The key N3 highway linking Johannesburg and the east coast city of Durban was one of the worst affected and several portions were closed, with even detours impassible, officials said.

Emergency services were working to reach people in their vehicles but it was still not clear how many were affected and in what condition they were, N3 Toll Concession operations manager Thania Dhoogra told the ENCA broadcaster.

"Emergency services have been working flat out through the night. They have been attempting to reach as many roads users as they can," Dhoogra said.

Blankets and meals had been delivered to some stranded motorists, the government of the KwaZulu-Natal province said in a statement at midday.

Trucks had been parked on the side of the road since Friday, Road Traffic Management Corporation communications officer Simon Zwane told AFP. "Buses travelling between provinces have been stuck at petrol stations for around seven hours," he said.

Motorist Muhammad Goolam told the Newzroom Afrika channel that he had spent the night in his car with his children outside the town of Harrismith, around 270 kilometres (170 miles) southeast of Johannesburg.

"Over 13 hours, food supplies out, I don't see us managing to drive out of here without any assistant from emergency personnel," he said.

Some areas had seen up to two metres (six feet) of snowfall, the Arrive Alive road safety campaign said in a post on X.



Update September 22

IOL reports:
At least two people died from hypothermia after they were trapped in the heavy snow on the N3 in KwaZulu-Natal over the weekend.

During a briefing on Sunday afternoon, KZN acting Premier Thembeni Madlopha-Mthethwa said while some motorists still remain trapped, many have been rescued.

This comes after road users spent two nights in their cars as they were unable to move due to the heavy snow.




Cloud Precipitation

Best of the Web: 7 dead as heavy rains trigger floods in central Japan - 4.7 inches of rain per hour, the heaviest rate since records began (UPDATE)

Vehicles partially submerged in flood waters amid heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, on Sept 21.
© ReutersVehicles partially submerged in flood waters amid heavy rain in Wajima, Ishikawa prefecture, on Sept 21.
One person was killed and at least seven were missing on Sept 21, officials said, as "unprecedented" rains triggered floods and landslides in Japan's quake-hit region of Ishikawa, where authorities told tens of thousands to evacuate.

A dozen rivers in the region, on the west coast of central Japan that was hit by a large quake on New Year's Day, had burst their banks as at 11am (10am Singapore time), Land Ministry official Masaru Kojima said.

One person was killed, three people were missing and two people were seriously injured in Ishikawa, the region's government said in a statement, with two of the missing reportedly carried away by strong river currents.

Another four people, who were working for the land ministry to restore a road in Wajima, were also missing, ministry official Koji Yamamoto told AFP.

"About 60 people have been working to restore a road hit by the quake but a landslide occurred" on Sept 21 morning, he said.

"I asked (contractors) to check the safety of workers... but we are still unable to contact four people."


Comment: Update September 23

SKY News reports:
Seven people have died after heavy rain triggered landslides and floods in Japan, according to reports.

The conditions in the Ishikawa prefecture also left seven people missing as waters engulfed many homes, said public broadcaster NHK.

Some buildings were swept away by the overflowing rivers.

A house hangs over the banks of a river in Suzu
© APA house hangs over the banks of a river in Suzu.
Rescue workers are continuing to search for missing people in a number of towns and cities.

Several cities in the prefecture were issued with the highest alert level for heavy rain at the weekend.

In Suzu, the authorities said one person died and another was missing after being swept away in floodwaters.



Tornado2

Massive waterspout on a lake in southern Turkey

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MASSIVE Waterspout on a Lake in Southern Turkey! Incredible Footage from Sunday!


Hardhat

Giant hail hits the Sunshine Coast, Australia

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Recently, the Sunshine Coast in Queensland experienced a severe weather event. Giant hailstones over 6 cm in diameter were reported, leading to significant concerns for residents. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a warning for a very dangerous thunderstorm in the area. This situation has raised alarms and prompted many to take precautions.

What Happened on the Sunshine Coast?

On the afternoon of the storm, residents in the Sunshine Coast faced unexpected weather. Hailstones, some as large as tennis balls, fell from the sky. These large hailstones can cause severe damage to homes, cars, and vegetation. The intense storm brought heavy rain and strong winds, adding to the chaos.

Local authorities and meteorologists quickly alerted the community. Warnings were sent out through various channels to ensure everyone was aware of the dangers. It is crucial for residents to stay informed during such weather events.


Lightning

Eight persons, including school children killed in lightning strike in Chhattisgarh, India

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Eight persons, including some school children, were killed and one person was injured after being struck by lightning at a village in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district on Monday, police said.

The incident took place at around 1. 30 pm in Joratarai village under Somni police station area, they said.

After being alerted, senior administration and police officials rushed to the spot.

"As per preliminary information, eight persons, including some school children, died in the lightning strike.

Besides, one person was reported to be injured and was hospitalised," Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Mohit Garg told PTI over phone.

Further details are awaited, he added. Garg and the district collector were on way to the village.

Earlier this month, seven men were killed and three were injured after they were struck by lightning in Balodabazar-Bhatapara district.

PTI

Tsunami

One dead, farms flooded after heavy rains in southern regions of South Korea - 16.8 inches of rain in 2 days

Water volume in a local stream in Daejeon gets bigger due to heavy overnight rains, Saturday.
© YonhapWater volume in a local stream in Daejeon gets bigger due to heavy overnight rains, Saturday.
Heavy rains in southern regions left one dead and resulted in the flooding of farms, roads and houses and damage to cultural heritages, disaster authorities said on Sunday.

An 89-year-old man was found dead in a reservoir in Jangheung, South Jeolla Province, after falling into a drainage ditch near his home on Saturday, according to disaster safety officials as reported by Yonhap news agency.

The southwestern region was hit with torrential downpours, with Yeosu receiving up to 400 mm and Jangheung, Gangjin and Suncheon experiencing more than 300 mm of rainfall since Thursday.

More than 1,030 hectares of farmland in South Jeolla Province were damaged, while 300 tons of grain stored in Jangheung were flooded.


Cloud Lightning

Chad floods since July have killed 503, with 1.7 million affected

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Severe flooding in Chad since July has claimed 503 lives and affected around 1.7 million since July, the United Nations said Saturday in its latest assessment of the disaster.

The floods have also destroyed 212,111 houses, flooded 357,832 hectares (885,000 acres) of fields and drowned 69,659 heads of cattle, said the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Chad.

All of the country's provinces had been hit, Chad's water and energy minister Marcelin Kanabe Passale told journalists Saturday morning, warning of more trouble to come.

"The waters of the Logone and Chari rivers have reached a critical height likely to cause obvious serious flooding in the coming days," Passale said.


Comment: Related to the flooding in the region: Thunderstorms are bringing unprecedented greening to the southern Sahara desert