Earth Changes

5 killed in lightning strikes in Jharkhand, India

NDTV
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 19:15 UTC

Representational

Five persons were killed and one injured after being struck by lightning in Jharkhand's Dumka and Giridih districts, officials said.

According to Dumka Sub-Divisional Officer Maheshwar Mahato, lightning struck 30-year-old Somlal Besra and 20-year-old Rajiv Hansda when they were having snacks at a roadside eatery at Makrampur in Masalia police station area.

Both of them died on the spot, Mr Mahato said. Shop owner Bablu Das (27) was admitted to a health centre with burn injuries, he said.

In a separate incident in Dumka, Rafique Ansari, who was in his 30s, died during lightning strikes at Asna village in Shikaripara police station area, the SDO said.

In Giridih district, 12-year-old Nitesh Pandit and 35-year-old farmer Ramesh Rai were also fatally struck by lightning during the day, police sources said.

4 dead in northeastern Turkey flash flood

Anadolu Agency
Mon, 13 Jul 2020 19:06 UTC

Flash flood damage in Yusufeli district, Artvin Province, Turkey, 12 July 2020.

At least four people died after heavy rain in northeastern Turkey's Artvin province triggered floods, an official said Monday.

Yilmaz Doruk, the provincial governor, told reporters that the flash flood occurred at 7.30 p.m. local time (1630GMT) on Sunday.

While inspecting the Yusufeli district, Doruk said the flood hit the construction site of Yusufeli Dam.

According to initial findings, he said one of the on-site workers lost his life.

Worst flooding in China for decades leaves 38 million affected, 141 dead or missing

Sott.net
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:40 UTC

More than 140 people are either dead or missing due to severe floods in several Chinese regions that have affected nearly 38 million people, authorities in Beijing said on Sunday.

"As of July 12, 37.9 million people have been affected as a result of floods in 27 regions, including the provinces of Jiangxi, Anhui, Hubei, and Hunan. 141 people are either dead or missing, and 2.25 million people have been evacuated," a statement by the country's State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters read.

Earlier in the day, the headquarters raised the country's flood response level from level III to level II, the second highest level. Many rivers, including the Yangtze, have swelled following weeks of torrential rain.

Severe hailstorm, flood hits Pachuca, Mexico

Infotainment
YouTube
Sat, 11 Jul 2020 12:19 UTC

Mexico - Heavy rain was recorded accompanied by hail south of the metropolitan area of Pachuca and conurbation area of the municipality of Zempoala, Hidaldo, the consequences of tropical storm Cristina.

Severe flood hits Fuenlabrada, Spain

Infotainment
YouTube
Fri, 10 Jul 2020 12:11 UTC

Rain storm brings flooding in Fuenlabrada, Madrid - Spain on July 9, 2020.

Hundreds flock to see the snow in Matroosberg, South Africa, many for the first time

Amy Gibbings
News24
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 07:57 UTC

An intense cold front turned parts of the Western Cape highlands into a winter wonderland

People waited in a long queue to enter the Matroosberg Nature Reserve on Saturday to get a first-hand glimpse of the snow that fell over the Western Cape highlands on the weekend.

The intense cold front that hit South Africa on Thursday created the perfect winter wonderland thanks to widespread snowfall in the Eastern Cape, Lesotho and areas across the Western Cape.

The muddy and ice-cold conditions didn't deter people from hiking the short distance into the mountains to play in the snow - many for the first time.

"This is breathtaking," said TEFL teacher Donito Adonis who got to hold snow for the first time. "I never thought I'd see snow like this in South Africa," he told News24.

Iceland earthquake swarm reaches over 10,000 quakes, largest in 40 years

Hannah Osborne
Newsweek
Tue, 07 Jul 2020 07:25 UTC

An ongoing earthquake swarm in Iceland has now reached over 10,000 quakes since it began on June 19. This is the biggest swarm to hit the Tjörnes Fracture zone in the north of the country in almost half a century, and experts are unsure what is causing it.

The earthquake swarm to the northeast of the town of Siglufjörður is ongoing. Experts with the Iceland Meteorological Office (IMO) said that of the 10,000 earthquakes, three had measured magnitude 5 or above. The largest, magnitude 5.8, hit around 18 miles from Siglufjörður. "Seismic activity if still ongoing and there are chances of more earthquakes of this magnitude occurring in the area," the IMO said in a statement.

Earthquakes have been felt in the area surrounding the swarm. Some of the larger quakes have been felt as far as Reykjavíc, 125 miles away.

Kristín Jónsdóttir, Earthquakes Hazards Officer for the IMO, previously told Newsweek the swarm was the largest recorded in the Tjörnes Fracture Zone in the past 40 years. "It is very difficult to say [when the swarm will end]," she said. "The behavior is episodic, we record hundreds of earthquakes in a few hours and then it becomes quiet and all of a sudden it starts again. The last swarm in 2012 was ongoing for a few weeks. Let's hope we only have a few weeks to go."

The IMO said that between June 22 and 28, over 3,300 earthquakes were recorded in the region. Of these, 2,800 were west of the Húsavík-Flatey Islands fault.

Nepal flood death toll mounts to 23, with 35 missing

United News of India
Sat, 11 Jul 2020 20:12 UTC

The death toll from the floods in Nepal rose to 23, while 35 others are reported to be missing as relentless monsoon rains hammered the mountain nation.

Spokesman for Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority Janardan Gautam said that two people went missing on Saturday in the districts of Sindhupalchok and Jajarkot after being swept away by the swollen rivers.

On Thursday, Nepal's Meteorological Office had warned of heavy rainfall over the weekend, it issued warnings that dozens of rivers and rivulets could inundate cities and towns across the country.

Thousands displaced as rivers overflow in Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil

Floodlist
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 19:12 UTC

Floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 09 July, 2020.

Several rivers have broken their banks in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, after days of heavy rain. Authorities report 2 people have died and over 7,000 people displaced. The flooding comes just days after areas of southern Brazil were hit by a deadly cyclone.

Parts of Rio Grande do Sul have seen heavy rain throughout July. Rainfall was particularly intense from 06 to 08 July. At least twelve locations recorded more than 100mm of rain in 24 hours to 08 July, including the state capital, Porto Alegre with 106.2mm and Santa Rosa with 150mm.

The state's Civil Defence reported that, as of 11 July, 7,146 people were forced to leave their homes after flooding or landslides in 30 cities or municipalities. Four cities have declared an emergency situation: Arroio do Meio, São Jerônimo, Montenegro and Eldorado do Sul. Fatalities were reported in Caxias do Sul and Colinas.

By 09 July, wide areas of Lajeado, Cruzeiro do Sul and Bom Retiro do Sul were flooded by the overflowing Taquari river.

Floods and landslides in Arunachal Pradesh, India leave 8 dead

Floodlist
Sun, 12 Jul 2020 18:57 UTC

At least 8 people have died after flooding and landslides in the eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

Incessant rains for the last five days have triggered landslides and floods, leaving a trail of devastation in the state, damaging roads and houses and inundating low-lying areas, local media reported. Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on 10 July that the state capital, Itanagar, witnessed heavy rainfall of 142 mm which triggered landslides in many places.

Four people died after rain triggered a landslide in the Modirijo area between Itanagar and Naharlagun, while 4 members of the same family died after a landslide in Papum Pare district. Flash flooding was also reported in areas around Itanagar.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed grief over the loss of lives and said all possible assistance is being provided to those affected.