Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Lightning strike kills 2, injures 40 in Bergville, South Africa

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Numerous emergency services responded to the scene

Lightning killed two people near the Ezulwini resort in Bergville today (January 3).

Aside from the two fatalities, 40 others sustained injuries that ranged from serious to slight.

ER24, KZN EMS, Free State EMS, EMER G MED, Bergville SAPS, Bergville Fire Department, Harrismith Fire Department and community medics were all at the scene.

SOTT Logo Media

SOTT Focus: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - December 2023: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs

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As Solar Cycle 25 is about to reach an unexpected peak, we observe an increase in electrical phenomena such as air-spirals, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

A massive solar storm that nearly reached "X-class" status hit Earth on the first day of the month, causing some minor radio and internet disruptions worldwide. This was followed by one of the largest solar flares since 2017 on December 15, which temporarily knocked out radio communications on Earth, affecting even the higher frequencies.
"These impacts were felt from one end of the Nation to the other," said the NOAA.
The strong and persistent magnetic storms have also affected the ozone hole in the southern hemisphere, which remains unusually large for this time of year when it normally shrinks. It has remained at a size of about 15 km2 to become the third largest after November 30.

At the same time, record cold weather in the stratosphere produced polar clouds earlier and farther south than usual, with people from all over the Northern Hemisphere reporting or recording sightings. These are extraordinary excursions from the normal polar cloud habitat.

Snowflake

Heavy snowfall shuts down much of Southern Norway

Kristiansand was hit with literally tons of snow
© Svein TellefsenKristiansand was hit with literally tons of snow right down to its waterfront, with more on the way.
Thousands of Norwegians started the New Year by being stuck in snowdrifts or trying to shovel their way out of them.

The enormous amounts of snow that have buried much of the southern part of the country were branded as "unusual," and more snow is expected throughout the week.

State meteorologists had issued warnings of heavy snow accompanied by strong winds, and the storms set in as expected on New Year's Eve. By New Year's Day transport of all types was disrupted and thousands of residents in the southwestern county of Agder lost their electricity.

Officials in the southern cities of Kristiansand and Arendal set up crisis management teams to handle the deluge, as did the smaller coastal community of Risør after nearly 70 centimeters had fallen by Monday afternoon. Local authorities also opened up city garages for free, so that motorists who managed to dig out their cars parked on city streets could get them out of the way and make it easier for snowplows to clear streets and sidewalks.


Windsock

Trains disrupted, hundreds of flood warnings after Storm Henk lashes UK

West Midlands Police praised a bystander who waded into flood water and rescued a three-year-old child and the driver, before securing the vehicle to a bridge
© WEST MIDLANDS POLICEWest Midlands Police praised a bystander who waded into flood water and rescued a three-year-old child and the driver, before securing the vehicle to a bridge
Transport delays will continue on Wednesday as train services get back on track after rain and strong winds from Storm Henk lashed large parts of the UK.

More than 300 flood warnings were also in place across England and Wales on Wednesday morning, while 10,000 homes remained without power.

The UK's rail network was hit by flooding and power cuts on Tuesday afternoon, with many operators reporting ongoing issues for the morning commute.

Greater Anglia said it was still experiencing "severe disruption", with "do not travel" warnings in place on routes in Norwich, Colchester, Peterborough and Cambridge, while South Western Railway said disruption linked to the storm was likely continue throughout the day.

Great Northern Rail said services would be delayed from Cambridge to Ely and Kings Lynn until 10am on Wednesday as they work to repair damaged overhead wires and remove a damaged train.


Arrow Down

Gaping sinkhole causes disruptions in Brooklyn, New York

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A sinkhole opened in the middle of the street in Brooklyn on Tuesday, causing disruptions for neighbors.

The sinkhole, measuring 25 feet by 15 feet wide and 20 feet deep, is on 68th Street in the Bay Ridge section.

It started out as a 10-foot sinkhole and grew throughout the day.

A spokesperson from the Department of Environmental Protection says a break in the sewer line caused the depression to form.


Doberman

Man killed by his own rottweilers in Nicaragua - 2nd fatal dog attack in a week for country

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On a fateful Monday, a 21-year-old Nicaraguan man, Augusto José García, was brutally attacked by his five Rottweiler dogs at his home in Managua, Nicaragua, leading to his untimely demise. The tragic incident occurred when García attempted to enter his house via the patio after forgetting his key. The dogs, unchained and agitated, failed to recognize him, leading to the horrific onslaught.

Unfortunate Chain of Events

García, who had returned from his mother's house early in the morning, was living with his brother and sister-in-law, both of whom were not at home during the shocking incident. The attack is the second fatal dog-related incident in Nicaragua within a week, marking a concerning trend.

Cloud Precipitation

Flash floods ravage eastern Australia following heavy summer rainfall - 20 inches in 48 hours

The flooded Coomera river on the Gold Coast,
© Dave Hunt/AAPThe flooded Coomera river on the Gold Coast, Queensland. The region’s popular theme parks were closed on Tuesday due to rain.
Eastern Australia is grappling with the repercussions of heavy rainfall that has sparked flash flooding in parts of Southeastern Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Over the past 72 hours, these regions have endured an intense deluge, with some areas witnessing more than two months' worth of rainfall. In a startling report, the town of Springbrook in Queensland recorded a staggering 514 mm (20 inches) of rain in a span of 48 hours, significantly overshooting the average for January.


Attention

Man, 60, killed by bear in Uttarakhand, India

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A 60-year-old factory worker died after he was attacked by a bear on Monday morning on his way back home from the Sitarganj industrial area in Udham Singh Nagar district.

Ravin Sardar, a resident of Surendra Nagar village of Shaktifarm town, was walking home with his friend, Prashant Sarkar, around 8.30am when a bear attacked them. While Sarkar narrowly escaped, the bear dragged Sardar into the nearby forest, causing severe injuries.

Alerted by Sardar's distress call, family members and villagers rushed to the scene.

Attention

Man killed in shark attack off Hawaii

Great white shark
A man in his thirties has died after a shark encounter at Paia Bay on the Hawaiian island of Maui, officials have said.

The Maui Police Department said that it responded to the scene at about 11.19am local time on Saturday.

"Upon arrival, Ocean Safety Officers were transporting a male who sustained injuries from a shark encounter via jet ski to shore," they said in a statement.

"Once onshore, life-saving measures were performed by first responder personnel until medic personnel arrived to transport the male to the Maui Memorial Medical Center for further treatment" before he "later succumbed to his injuries and died," the local agency added.

The man's identity has not yet been announced to give time to notify extended family and friends. An investigation into the incident continues.


Fire

Large strombolian explosion at Semeru Volcano in Indonesia

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The camera is situated about 8km southeast of the volcano. The view is looking northwest. The sound is live from the camera source.

Semeru, the highest volcano on Java (3,676m 12,060ft), and one of its most active, lies at the southern end of a volcanic massif extending north to the Tengger caldera. The steep-sided volcano, also referred to as Mahameru (Great Mountain), rises above coastal plains to the south. Gunung Semeru was constructed south of the overlapping Ajek-ajek and Jambangan calderas. A line of lake-filled maars was constructed along a N-S trend cutting through the summit, and cinder cones and lava domes occupy the eastern and NE flanks. Summit topography is complicated by the shifting of craters from NW to SE. Frequent 19th and 20th century eruptions were dominated by small-to-moderate explosions from the summit crater, with occasional lava flows and larger explosive eruptions accompanied by pyroclastic flows that have reached the lower flanks of the volcano.

This volcano is located within the Bromo Tengger Semeru-Arjuno, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve property.