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Wed, 08 Sep 2021
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Cloud Precipitation

Hurricane Grace hits Mexico near Tulum

storm
The storm causes widespread power outages on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Hurricane Grace has struck Mexico's Caribbean coast just south of the ancient Mayan temples of Tulum, pushing a dangerous storm surge. Heavy rain and strong winds threaten to destroy flimsier homes and keep tourists off white sand beaches until it crosses the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Category 1 storm had already soaked earthquake-damaged Haiti, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands en route to a direct hit on the Riviera Maya, the heart of Mexico's tourism industry. Grace's centre struck just south of Tulum at 4:45am (9:45 GMT) on Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 130kmph (80mph), according to the US National Hurricane Center.


Cloud Precipitation

4 dead, 2 missing after flash floods in Kedah, Malaysia

Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) carrying out searches for people missing in flash floods in Yan District, Kedah, 18 – 19 August 2021.
© SMART Malaysia
Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) carrying out searches for people missing in flash floods in Yan District, Kedah, 18 – 19 August 2021.
At least 4 people have died and 2 are still missing after powerful flash floods and landslides swept down the steep hillsides of Gunung Jerai in the Yan District of Kedah State in Malaysia.

The weather station at Gunung Jerai (Mount Jerai) in Kedah recorded 219 mm of rain in 24 hours to 18 August 2021. Disaster officials said as much as 90mm of rain fell in just 1 hour.

Teams from Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) were sent to the disaster area after reports of several people missing in the floods. As of the afternoon 19 August, officials from JBPM confirmed rescue teams had found the bodies of 4 victims but 2 people are still missing. One person was injured in the floods.

Other parts of the state have also been affected, with a total of 96 people evacuated from homes in Bandar Baharu, Kuala Muda and Yan districts of Kedah State.


Cloud Precipitation

Caribbean - Tropical Storm Grace causes floods in Haiti and Dominican Republic

Floods in Trinidad Tropical Storm Grace, August
© Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government
Floods in Trinidad Tropical Storm Grace, August 2021
Flooding rain from Tropical Storm Grace has complicated rescue and recovery efforts in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti in which 1,941 people have now died.

Meanwhile over 500 homes were damaged by floods in neighbouring Dominican Republic. As the storm moved west, incidents of flooding and landslides were reported in Jamaica. Earlier heavy rain associated with Storm Grace caused flooding and landslides in Trinidad where one person died.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic National Meteorology Office ONAMET reported 240mm of rain fell in Polo municipality of the Barahona Province in the southwest of the country in 24 hours to 16 August. As of early 17 August there were several reports of flooding in the province. Floods and landslides also affected Peravia, Hato Mayor and San José de Ocoa Provinces.

The country's Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported 1 house was completely destroyed and 558 homes homes were damaged. Flooding displaced 2,242 people and left 13 communities cut-off.


Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rain triggers deadly flash floods and mudslides in Germany, Austria and Italy

The Krimml station, track and a train of the Pinzgauer local railway in Wald im Pinzgau were completely buried.
© Wald Municipality
The Krimml station, track and a train of the Pinzgauer local railway in Wald im Pinzgau were completely buried.
Flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rainfall caused widespread damage across parts of southern Germany, Austria and northern Italy from 16 August. One person died and one reported missing in Bavaria, Germany. Flash floods in Austria buried a train in rocks and debris in Wald im Pinzgau, Austria.

Bavaria, Germany

Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall were reported in Grainau in Garmisch-Partenkirchen district, southern Bavaria in Germany.

Police reported 12 people were swept away or stranded after flash floods from the Hammersbach stream swept through the narrow Höllental gorge situated at the foot of the Zugspitze, the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains. The area is popular with tourists and hikers.

A team of around 150 rescue workers were deployed to the area. As of 16 August, 8 people had been rescued, while the body of one person had been found and 1 was still missing. Search operations were ongoing.

Severe weather also affected northern Germany, where a tornado hit the village of Grossheide near the North Sea coast late 16 August, damaging or destroying more than 50 homes.


Comment: Cascading natural disasters: Following devastating flooding, F2 tornado touches down in Grossheide, Germany


Tornado2

'It's coming right at us': Waterspout swirls across South Carolina lake

A tornadic waterspout was spotted churning and moving across Lake Murray, South Carolina on August 17

Waterspout moving across Lake Murray, South Carolina on August 17
A tornadic waterspout was spotted churning and moving across Lake Murray, South Carolina on August 17. Eddie Martin filmed this footage from his backyard as he watched the waterspout develop and swirl across the lake toward Dreher Island. "Keep going that way, please," Martin is overheard saying in the video, as he watched it travel across the other end of the lake from his property. Credit: Eddie Martin via Storyful


Cloud Lightning

Two people struck by lightning at Nashville elementary school

lightning
Two people were struck by lightning at a Nashville elementary school on Wednesday, the Nashville Fire Department confirmed.

According to Metro Nashville dispatch officials, at 11:37 a.m. two adults reported they were hit at Hickman Elementary School at 112 Stewarts Ferry Pike.

Fire spokesman Joseph Pleasant said crews did not take anyone to the hospital from the scene but the adults told officials they planned to go on their own.

As of 12:20 p.m. the scene had cleared, a dispatcher said.

So far, no one else in the area reported being struck.

This is a developing story.

Cloud Precipitation

98 rescued, 35 missing in North Carolina floods after rain from Tropical Storm 'Fred'

Officials said 10 to 15 bridges in Haywood County have been damaged or destroyed. This is a bridge in Cruso on the East Fork of Pigeon River, North Carolina,
© NCDOT West
Officials said 10 to 15 bridges in Haywood County have been damaged or destroyed. This is a bridge in Cruso on the East Fork of Pigeon River, North Carolina,
As many as 35 people are reported missing or unaccounted for after flash floods in North Carolina brought by torrential rainfall from Tropical Storm 'Fred'. Governor Roy Cooper issued a State of Emergency on 18 August to activate the state's emergency operations plan.

In a statement, the governor said nearly a foot of rain (300 mm) has fallen over the past three days in some areas of Western North Carolina from the remnants of Tropical Storm Fred and the rains that preceded it, and record flooding is occurring. More than 98 people have been rescued from floodwaters in western counties.

"This state of emergency will allow our first responders to get into our affected communities quickly to save lives, restore power, remove debris and bring supplies," said Governor Cooper. "North Carolina is strong and resilient, and we're committed to helping people and businesses recover as quickly as possible."


Cloud Precipitation

Deadly flash floods in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - at least 7 killed

Flash Floods in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 17 August 2021.
© Mayor of Addis Ababa / Twitter
Flash Floods in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 17 August 2021.
At least 7 people have died in flash floods that struck the city of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia on 17 August 2021.

Several neighbourhoods of the city were inundated after heavy rain on 17 August 2021. Roads were submerged, cars stranded and buildings damaged. Rescue services said many had to flee their homes and images showed people taking refuge on the roofs of houses. Local media reports said dozens of people were injured and taken to various hospitals in the city. Visiting affected areas, Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abiebie said the efforts of disaster prevention workers have saved thousands of lives.


Cloud Precipitation

Record rainfall causes flash floods in burn areas of Flagstaff, Arizona - 3 inches of rain in an hour

Flood debris in Flagstaff Arizona, July 2021.
© Flagstaff City Government
Flood debris in Flagstaff Arizona, July 2021.
Officials in Coconino County, Arizona, reported record rainfall fell on burn scar areas on 17 August 2021, causing more severe flooding in areas around the city of Flagstaff.

In a statement of 17 August, Coconino County said rain began around midday, falling over the burn scar of the large 2019 Museum Fire near Flagstaff.

"By the time the large storm system moved out of the area, the entire burn area was saturated, resulting in the largest rainfall event to date," the statement said. An hourly rate of 3.07 inches (77.98 mm) was recorded in the south of the burn scar area.

"In addition, the rainfall was intense with over 1.14 inches recorded in at the south and west gauges in 15 minutes and 1.06 inches recorded at the east gauge. Not only was significant rainfall experienced on the burn scar itself, but also in the Sunnyside neighborhood. In an hour, 1.22 inches fell at Linda Vista and 1.5 inches was recorded downstream in neighborhoods. The rainfall recorded at the south gauge equates to a 200- to 500-year rainfall event," Coconino County said.



Tornado2

Waterspout comes ashore rips through buildings in southern Russia

water
A waterspout swirled ashore and ripped through a small building in Novorossiysk, southern Russia.

Footage from August 8 shows the column of swirling wind whip up parts of a beach kiosk as it makes it way onto the beach.