Earth ChangesS


Lightning

Lightning strikes kill 10 across Bangladesh in a single day

Representative photo
Representative photo
A wave of thunderstorms turned deadly across Bangladesh on Saturday, claiming ten lives in lightning strikes across four districts, leaving communities in Brahmanbaria, Kishoreganj, Chapainawabganj, and Habiganj reeling.

From farmers in fields to a child at play, the victims' stories, reported by Jago News district correspondents, paint a grim picture of nature's sudden fury and the urgent need for awareness in a country increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather.

In Brahmanbaria's Nasirnagar, the afternoon sky unleashed a barrage that killed five and injured one. Shamsul Huda, 65, Abdur Razzak, 40, young Zakia Begum, 8, Md Selim Mia, 64, and Md Zamir Khan, 22, were struck in separate incidents, their lives cut short as storms swept through. Hamida Begum, 45, survived but remains critically injured, now fighting for recovery in a local hospital. "It was so sudden," said a neighbour, still shaken, describing how families scrambled for safety.

Comment: Some of the more notable reports in recent years:



Tsunami

Over 100 dead as torrential floods devastate village in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo

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A devastating flood has killed more than 100 people in Kasaba, a remote village in South Kivu province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, after torrential rains caused the Kasaba River to overflow its banks overnight.

The disaster, which struck between Thursday and Friday, demolished dozens of homes and left widespread destruction.

Local authorities report at least 104 confirmed deaths, with 28 injuries and approximately 150 homes destroyed. Rescue teams and villagers have recovered as many as 119 bodies, with many victims being children and elderly residents caught asleep during the surge. The floodwaters, carrying boulders, trees, and mud, tore through the lakeside community with immense force.

Volcano

In Kamchatka, Russia: Krymsky volcano spews ash to 3.5 km - air traffic suspended

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The Karymsky volcano in Kamchatka spewed a column of ash to a height of 3.5 km, which led to the temporary closure of local airports and the suspension of air traffic in the region.

In Russia, on Kamchatka, an ash emission occurred from the Karymsky volcano to a height of up to 3.5 km above sea level. This was reported by Russian Telegram channels and "Media", reports UNN.

Details

The ash plume spread in the southeast direction from the volcano — to the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Karymsky was given an "orange" aviation hazard code.

Due to the eruption of the volcano, local airports were temporarily closed and air traffic in the region was suspended.


Seismograph

Atlanta, Knoxville rattled as 4.1 earthquake shakes US southeast

earthquake tennessee
© USGSThe 4.1 magnitude quake struck a little after 9 am EST
The magnitude 4.1 quake struck about 15 miles south of Maryville just after 9 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It had a depth of about 15 miles.

A minor earthquake rattled southeastern Tennessee on Saturday morning, sending a startling jolt felt across much of the Southeast, including Atlanta and Knoxville.

The magnitude 4.1 quake struck about 15 miles south of Maryville just after 9 a.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It had a depth of about 15 miles.

"Yes, that was an earthquake that many felt in Knoxville," Knoxville Police posted on X. "We have not received any reports of injuries or damage."

Reports of shaking spread over to Chattanooga.

Comment:




Volcano

Axial Seamount, underwater volcano off Oregon coast 'ballooning' with lava — and set to erupt for first time since 2015

axial seamont volcano
© Getty ImagesThe Axial Seamount underwater volcano is located 300 miles off the coast of Oregon
A submarine volcano 300 miles off the coast of Oregon could erupt for the first time since 2015, spewing "very fluid lava" into the sea where scientists were recently recording more than 1,000 daily earthquakes.

Axial Seamount has exhibited increasing volcanic activity, with scientists able to measure the swelling of the underwater structure in the Pacific Ocean — indicating that the top could blow off with lava any time between now and the end of the year, NBC reported.

"This volcano is similar to ones in Hawaii that erupt very fluid lavas," Bill Chadwick, volcanologist and research professor at Oregon State University, told the outlet.

Comment: Further reading:


Tsunami

Two dead as heavy rains for 4 hours trigger mudslides and flooding in Kasese, Uganda

Residents of Kibandama I Village in Kilembe Sub-County, Busongora County South, Kasese District retrieve the body of Harriet Muzawimana from the river on Wednesday.
© Moureen BiiraResidents of Kibandama I Village in Kilembe Sub-County, Busongora County South, Kasese District retrieve the body of Harriet Muzawimana from the river on Wednesday.
Two people tragically lost their lives due to heavy rainfall that persisted for over four hours in Kasese District on Tuesday night. The incidents occurred in separate locations as a result of the severe weather conditions.

According to police reports, the victims have been identified as Mary Kabugho, 13, from Kibandama I Village in Kilembe Sub-County, Busongora County South, and Harriet Muzawimana, an adult woman from Kabuga Village in Karusandara Sub-County, also in Busongora County South.

SP Nelson Tumushime, the Rwenzori East Regional Police Spokesperson, said Kabugho lost her life in a mudslide that occurred around 11:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6. She had been sleeping in a separate room from her two brothers when the structure was buried by the mudslide.

He said the heavy rains, which lasted nearly four hours, softened the ground and caused the disaster.


Tsunami

7 killed as 8 hour downpour floods Mogadishu, Somalia (UPDATE)

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At least two people, a mother and her child, were killed after heavy rains battered the Somali capital, Mogadishu, overnight Friday, causing widespread flooding and severe damage to key roads, local officials said.

The victims died when their house collapsed in the Hamar Jajab district, according to the district commissioner. The rainfall, which lasted more than eight hours, submerged roads and washed away vehicles, including auto rickshaws, disrupting public transport and access to several neighborhoods.

Some of the worst-hit areas include recently constructed roads in Howlwadaag and Hodan districts, many of which were built by the Banadir regional administration. Authorities said these roads were severely damaged or rendered impassable.

The Banadir regional administration urged residents to avoid flooded areas and instructed district commissioners to assist those affected by the water, particularly families living in aging or poorly constructed homes.

Flash floods are a recurring problem in Mogadishu, where poor drainage and rapid urban growth have increased the vulnerability of residents, especially in low-lying areas.


Comment: Update May 11

Al Jazeera reports:
At least seven people have died, and main roads were cut off after heavy rains led to flooding in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.

The regional administration spokesperson, Abdinasir Hirsi Idle, said on Saturday that rescue efforts were continuing.

"The death toll could rise because the rains were heavy and lasted for several hours, causing nine houses to collapse across different neighbourhoods, and at least six major roads to suffer severe damage," he said.

Somalia has in the past suffered extreme climate shocks, including prolonged dry seasons that have caused droughts and heavy rains resulting in floods.

Friday's rains went on for about eight hours, leaving waist-high waters in neighbourhoods where some residents were trapped and others were forced to move to higher ground.



Cloud Precipitation

Hail so thick that it covered the wheels of cars in Baoding, China on May 5

On May 5, 2025, a rare hailstorm hit Baoding, Hebei Province, with thick hail covering the ground like snow.
On May 5, 2025, a rare hailstorm hit Baoding, Hebei Province, with thick hail covering the ground like snow.
Extreme weather frequently occurs in mainland China. On May 5, the beginning of summer, a rare hailstorm suddenly hit Baoding, Hebei Province . Thick hail covered the ground like snow, and crops were severely damaged. Netizens joked that it was " the wrath of heaven " and "there must be something wrong when things are abnormal! There is injustice."

Videos circulating online showed hail falling in a dense and crackling manner. On some highways, a thick layer of hail covered the roads and farmland like snow. Some vehicles parked on the roadside had their wheels buried. People in the video said, "Look at the big hail." "The hail is too big." "Oh! Forget about the wheat, it's over now."


Comment: Also in the province of Guizhou on May 4:




Tsunami

Flash floods kill two, injure three in eastern Afghanistan

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At least two people have been confirmed dead and three others injured after flash floods swept through parts of eastern Afghanistan's Khost province late Thursday, local authorities reported.

The floods were triggered by heavy rainfall in the outskirts of Yaqubi Sabri district, causing widespread destruction and prompting concern over the country's increasing vulnerability to extreme weather events.

Provincial government spokesman Mustaghfir Gurbaz confirmed the casualties in a statement on Friday, noting that dozens of residential homes, local shops, and large areas of agricultural land were either washed away or severely damaged.

"Two residents have sadly lost their lives, and three others have been injured as a result of the sudden floods," said Gurbaz. "The damage is extensive. Hundreds of acres of farmland have been destroyed, and rural infrastructure, including roads, has been seriously affected."

Snowflake Cold

May thinks it's January: Snow has fallen in several regions of Ukraine, with temperatures dropping to -7°C

Snow fell in the Carpathians on May 9, and the air temperature dropped to minus 7°C.
Snow fell in the Carpathians on May 9, and the air temperature dropped to minus 7°C.
Snow has been recorded in the mountains of Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. On Mount Pip Ivan, the air temperature dropped to -7°C, visibility is limited, and rescuers are urging people to refrain from hiking in the mountains.

Snow was recorded in the mountains of Chernivtsi and Ivano-Frankivsk regions. The atmosphere there is as wintery as possible, the air temperature has dropped below zero, and on Mount Pip Ivan - it has dropped to -7. Ukrainians have begun to actively share photos and videos of snowy places. This is reported by UNN with reference to the State Emergency Service and social networks.