Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill 6 in Bihar, India as Patna floods after being pounded by record rain


Hindustan Times
Sat, 26 Jun 2021 10:03 UTC
In India, every third death caused due to natural calamities is because of lightning strike.
In India, every third death caused due to natural calamities is because of lightning strike.
Six people died after struck by lightning as heavy rains coupled with thunderbolts lashed parts of Bihar since Friday evening, even as Patna recorded 150 mm of rainfall, its highest single-day rainfall in June that left large parts of the state capital inundated, including the assembly building and the residence of deputy chief minister Renu Devi.

On June 20, 1997, Patna had recorded 205.4 mm of rainfall, its highest to date, according to the meteorological department.

The state's disaster management department (DMD) confirmed death of six people due to thunderbolts across the state. As per its control room, two people died each at Muzaffarpur and Sheikhpura and one each at Sitamarhi and Lakhisarai till 5 pm.

Patna Meteorological Centre has also issued a yellow colour warning for thunderstorm activities till June 30 across the state.

Weatherman Zeeshan Ansari, said, "Patna witnessed unprecedented high intensity rain and thunderstorm activities during early hours on Saturday. Rise in temperature in southern districts, presence of humidity in atmosphere and cyclonic circulation resulted into intense lightning activities."

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Cloud Lightning

Yearly lightning deaths in India more than doubled between 1968 and 2019 - from 1,000 to 2,500


The Federal
Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:51 UTC
In India, every third death caused due to natural calamities is because of lightning strike.
In India, every third death caused due to natural calamities is because of lightning strike.
Lightning strikes kill more people in India than cyclones, stated the India Meteorological Department (IMD), warning of more casualties from the natural phenomenon in the years to come.

Every year, about 2,000 people die due to lightning strikes. This has been the trend from the year 2004 and the casualties may increase by 12% with every 1 degree increase in global temperature, warn scientists.

The Earth Networks India Lightning Report of 2019 too had pointed out that lightning kills more people than cyclones in India. As per the report, Jharkhand and Meghalaya are most susceptible to lightning while Odisha has the most lightning activity. West Bengal, on the other hand, has the highest lightning density.

Speaking at an awareness workshop on lightning and thunderstorms, organised by the IMD recently, SD Pawar, project director thunderstorm dynamics, Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, said, "Lightning incidents and associated deaths went up by about 40% between 1995 and 2014 while the yearly lightning deaths more than doubled (from 1,000 to 2,500) between 1968 and 2019."

(Read more here)
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Cloud Precipitation

Devastating storm rips through southern and western Germany


The Local Germany
Tue, 29 Jun 2021 09:35 UTC
Cladding from the roof of Stuttgart State Opera lies on the ground
© picture alliance/dpa | Christoph SchmidtCladding from the roof of Stuttgart State Opera lies on the ground on Tuesday, June 29th.
The violent storm, which tore part of the cladding off the roof of Stuttgart's opera house on Monday evening, is expected to move through the northern and eastern regions of Germany on Tuesday.

Violent thunderstorms with sharp gusts and heavy rain hit people in the southern and western regions of Germany on Monday night.

In Stuttgart, the fire brigade received more than 330 calls between Monday evening and Tuesday morning, partly due to the intense downpour that caused several of the city's tunnels to flood.

Parts of the cladding flew off the roof at the city's State Opera, where 250 guests were attending a recital on Monday night. According to DPA, statues also fell from their pedestals - but nobody at the recital was injured.


Comment: More intense and frequent thunderstorms linked to global climate variability

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Ice Cube

Best of the Web: French town hit by freak June hailstorm - up to 60 centimetres of accumulated hail


The Local France
Tue, 29 Jun 2021 15:32 UTC
Sapeurs-pompiers des Vosges
Sapeurs-pompiers des Vosges
A French town has been hit by a freak hailstorm that left locals clearing drifts of ice in the streets with shovels and snow ploughs.

The hail struck the town of Plombières-les-Bains in the Vosges mountains on Tuesday morning.

Romain Munier, head of communications for the local emergency services, told French media: "There were up to 60 centimetres of accumulated hail" while in the wider area, "up to 10 millimetres of water accumulated in six minutes".

Locals were pictured clearing the street of ice with shovels and snow ploughs after the storm passed and the fire and rescue crews for the Vosges area said they had received 56 callouts in total.


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Fire

Sicily's Mt Etna erupts again, for the second time in a month


RT
Mon, 28 Jun 2021 06:16 UTC
Mount Etna eruption
© YouTube/RT (screen capture)
One of the world's most active and Europe's highest volcanoes, Etna, ejected lava into the air, creating columns of ash. Shortly before, its eruptions forced local authorities to close nearby Catania airport as a safety precaution.

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Attention

Rincón de la Vieja Volcano in Costa Rica registers strong eruption sending up column of ash 2 kilometres high

Alejandro Zúñiga
The Tico Times
Mon, 28 Jun 2021 12:31 UTC
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano
© CNERincón de la Vieja Volcano eruption
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano in northern Costa Rica erupted Monday morning, sending a column of ash and gas 2 km into the skies above its crater.

Authorities have not reported any significant damage or bodily harm associated with the eruption.

According to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory of Costa Rica (OVSICORI), the eruption began at 5:42 a.m. A video shared by the organization captured the event, which lasted three minutes:

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Fish

Sea turtles, dolphins and whales found dead on Sri Lankan beach after chemical ship sinks


South China Morning Post
Mon, 28 Jun 2021 12:21 UTC
turtles
More than 130 sea turtles as well as dolphins and whales were found dead on Sri Lanka's beaches in June 2021. Local wildlife officials are looking into whether the deaths are linked to the early June sinking off Colombo of the Singapore-registered chemical cargo ship MV X-Press Pearl.

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Snowflake Cold

Polar blast grounds flights, shuts highways in New Zealand

Praveen Menon
Reuters
Tue, 29 Jun 2021 10:19 UTC
A Fulton Hogan truck ploughs snow in Taieri Rd this morning.
© Stephen JaquieryA Fulton Hogan truck ploughs snow in Taieri Rd this morning.
Flights were cancelled, highways shut and essential services disrupted as an Antarctic polar blast swept New Zealand on Tuesday, bringing heavy snow, powerful waves and icy temperatures.

The North Island capital city of Wellington was lashed by the worst tidal storms in years, with authorities asking some coastal residents to be ready to evacuate, as large swells were forecast over the next 24 hours.

"Those people whose homes have been impacted by past swell and storm events should be prepared for these potential impacts again," regional emergency authorities said in a website statement.

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Attention

Adapt 2030 Ice Age Report: Excuses for grain losses & food price increases across the planet


Adapt 2030
Mon, 28 Jun 2021 20:51 UTC
Brazil drought
© YouTube/Adapt 2030 (screen capture)
Russia increases yet again its export tax on all grains as the EU wants to decrease production to meet green goals turning the bloc into a net cereal importer, but that leaves many countries on the planet to buy grain. Brazil in a super drought as rivers dry out and grain barges become grounded until the next rainy season.


Comment: See also:

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Windsock

Tropical Storm Enrique continues to bring flooding rain & wind to Mexico

JP
Weather Nation
Mon, 28 Jun 2021 09:42 UTC
storm

Enrique, the first hurricane of the 2021 Pacific tropical season, continues to churn just offshore of Mexico. It currently has 70 mph winds, which means it has decreased in intensity to a strong Tropical Storm. At it's peak Enrique had maximum sustained winds up to 90 mph, which was a strong Category 1 Hurricane.

Additional slow weakening should occur as Enrique moves toward the Baja California peninsula late next week. Enrique will encounter cooler waters as it moves north, leading to it's weakening trend.

Rough surf, storm surge, and deadly flooding rain is expected to impact the coastal regions of Western Mexico due to Enrique's proximity. Tropical storm warnings have been posted in Mexico from the state of Jalisco to the state of Michoacan. The heavy rain is falling in an area that was impacted by Dolores last weekend. Flash flooding and mudslides will be possible.

Enrique is the 5th named storm of the 2021 season in the Eastern Pacific. Felicia is the next name on the list.

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