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SOTT Focus: SOTT Earth Changes Summary - August 2024: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs
© NHAC NGUYENWater is whipped up by high winds onto the shore of Phuong Luu lake as Super Typhoon Yagi hits Hai Phong
The typhoon hit Hai Phong and Quang Ninh provinces, packing winds exceeding 149 kilometres (92 miles) per hour, Vietnam's National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting said.
In the Hai Duong province, a man was killed when heavy winds brought down a tree as the storm approached landfall, according to state media.
In Hai Phong, AFP reporters encountered streets filled with fallen trees, metal roofing and broken signboards that had been ripped off properties.
© Asia Pacific Press
The unnamed woman was attacked by a group of eight otters Wednesday morning at Sabah, Malaysia's Tanjung Aru Recreation Park, according to Viral Press, TMZ reported.
Videos and photos circulating on social media appear to show a bloodied middle-aged woman sitting on the curb. She reportedly sustained injuries to her legs, arms and head, The Star reported, showing images of apparent injuries. A video later appears to show a group of otters running around a parking lot.
Comment: This once unusual aggressive behavior against humans by otters seems to have become increasingly common in recent years, see the reports below:
- 'That's not normal': Woman airlifted to hospital after rare otter attack in Montana river
- Man attacked by 20 otters in Singapore, bitten 26 times: 'I thought I was going to die'
- Mother wrestles river otter after daughter, dog attacked inside home in South Lakeland, Florida
- Kayaker attacked by otter in Bradenton, Florida
- Swimmer attacked by otter in lake at Bear Creek Village, Pennsylvania
- River otter boards boats and bites 2 people in Monongalia County, West Virginia
- 'Nature can bite back': Doctors warn of otter attacks after one viciously attacks Quebec woman
- 9 year old boy recovering from otter attack near Kalispell, Montana
- Minneapolis girl attacked and chased by otter in Wisconsin lake
- Boy and grandmother attacked and injured by river otter on Pilchuck River, Washington
- River otter attacks woman swimmer in British Columbia lake
- Girl, 13, attacked by otter in Kalama River, Washington
- Woman recovering after 'vicious' OTTER attack in West Yellowstone, Montana
- Bevy of 5 otters attack boys swimming in Shasta Lake, California
The snow covered Velký Javor, the highest peak in the Šumava National Park, which stands at 1,300 meters above sea level.
Overnight, temperatures at Velký Javor dropped to around +2°C, allowing light snowfall to occur in areas above 1,300 meters. The snowfall, however, was light, with no more than one centimeter settling on the ground.
Meteorologists predict that today's snow will melt quickly, but additional snowfall is expected on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
This snowfall comes earlier than in 2023, when the first snow was delayed until October 8 due to an unusually warm autumn. The year before, the first snow arrived on September 18.
A video of today's snowfall:
© APHeavy rains from Hurricane Francine triggered widespread flooding across the New Orleans area early Thursday.
KEY FACTS
- The National Hurricane Center downgraded Francine to a Tropical Storm as it moved inland over Louisiana, bringing heavy rain to the state and its neighbors Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
- A heavy downpour after the storm prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning for New Orleans and nearby Metairie and Kenner, which will remain in effect until Thursday morning.
- The Times-Picayune reported there was "widespread street flooding" in many neighborhoods across the city and nearby Jefferson Parish, while the police chief in Kenner said the city was facing its worst level of flooding since Hurricane Katrina.
- Authorities have urged residents of New Orleans to avoid driving on flooded roads until they are deemed safe in the morning.
The shallow quake located far from land produced no tsunami warning or immediate reports of damage.
It was centred about 224 kilometres (139 miles) northeast of the city of Madang, located along the country's northern coast.
Earthquakes are common in Papua New Guinea, which sits on top of the seismic "Ring of Fire" -- an arc of intense tectonic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
© AFPThis handout photo taken and released on September 11, 2024 by Lao National Radio shows an aerial view of flood waters surrounding houses in Luang Namtha province, following heavy rains in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.
Tropical storm Yagi has brought prolonged heavy rainfall, particularly impacting northern provinces, with Luang Namtha among the worst-affected areas, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Laos National Radio.
In Luang Namtha, homes were damaged, while personal belongings were lost. Many people shared videos and images through social media platforms, showing residents stranded in their homes and taking refuge on roofs to escape the rising waters. The province is experiencing significant river overflows from major water bodies. The rapid rise in water levels has resulted in widespread flooding, particularly in low-lying areas.
Local officials reported that villages, infrastructure, and essential services such as roads, telecommunications, electricity, and water supply have been severely disrupted.
© Akitjaro BhikkhuWat Phasukkaram or Wat Mai Lung Khon in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai is under floodwater. Thirty-eight people — including 4 monks, 8 novices and Buddhist devotees — have been unable to leave the compound. People living around the temple are also affected.
In the northernmost province of Chiang Rai, disaster mitigation officials said there was heavy flooding in tambons Mae Sai, Wiang Pang Kham and Koh Chang in Mae Sai district. The floodwater was about one metre deep and flowing strongly.
People in flood-affected areas near the overflowing Sai River in Mae Sai district were advised to prepare for possible evacuation.
In Tham Luang-Khun Nam Nang Nong National Park, also in Mae Sai district, floodwater was pouring out of Tham Luang Cave, widely known as the site of the flooded cave rescue mission in 2018.
Among those trapped on the roof of his home by rising floodwaters in Mae Sai was Ekkapol Chantawong, the coach of the Wild Boars football team of Tham Luang fame. He told AFP he was drawing on his experience of six years ago to get through his latest ordeal.
© Musa Ajit Borno/AP PhotosHouses are partially submerged following a dam collapse in Maiduguri, Nigeria, Tuesday, September 10, 2024
The flooding in Borno State has affected a million people, the state governor said on Wednesday, straining resources as authorities scramble to rescue residents and place them in temporary shelters.
Heavy rains had caused a dam to overflow on Tuesday, decimating a state-owned zoo and washing crocodiles and snakes into flooded communities.
Al Jazeera's Ahmed Idris, reporting from Maiduguri in Nigeria, said a "stream of people" are currently making their way out of areas covered by the floodwaters.
He said civilians have been searching in the water with limited diving equipment to save as many people as possible.
"We've seen dead bodies arriving," he said, adding that a successful rescue operation saw baby twins saved from the floodwaters and moved to safety.
Hail and other severe weather perils have been causing increasing amounts of insurance and reinsurance market loss over the last few years.
There have been repeated years of damaging hail impacts across countries such as France, Germany and Italy, some of which have driven losses through to the reinsurance layer of the industry.
It's the increasing frequency that has made these challenging in the space and like in the United States reinsurance capital has retrenched higher, to avoid more of these types of losses, while also providing less sideways or aggregate protection as well.
Having analysed the European Severe Weather Database, Chaucer said that the number of hailstorms has jumped 104% to 11,808 storms last year (year-ending June 30th 2024), up from 5,785 in 2022/23.
Comment: Update September 9
Al Jazeera reports: Update September 12
Sky news reports: