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Authorities in parts of Europe issued disaster warnings and scrambled to reinforce flood defenses as rivers swelled by days of heavy rain threatened to burst their banks. Several people have died or are missing in the floods in Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Switzerland since the rains began on Thursday. The floods have killed at least one person and left several missing across the Czech Republic. Czech officials warned that the waters of the Vltava river could reach critical levels in Prague late on Sunday as soldiers erected metal barriers and piled up sandbags to protect Prague's historic center from flooding after days of heavy rains swelled rivers and forced evacuations from some low-laying areas. Prague authorities also limited public transport and closed underground stations as water from the Vltava River overflowed into parts of the Old Town.
The area is a UNESCO heritage site boasting hundreds of well-preserved buildings, churches and monuments dating back mostly to the 14th Century, including the Charles Bridge that straddles the Vltava. "Due to the current situation, I have declared a state of danger for the area of the capital city," acting mayor Tomas Hudecek told a news conference. Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas said 200 soldiers have been deployed so far to help local authorities. In Germany, where at least four people have died or are missing, Chancellor Angela Merkel promised federal support for affected areas and said the army would be deployed if necessary. Several cities, including Chemnitz in the east, and Passau and Rosenheim in the south, issued disaster warnings. Passau, which is located at the confluence of three rivers, could see waters rise above record levels of 2002, said Mayor Juergen Dupper.
MetService has issued severe weather watches for parts of the country. Westland, Buller, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Wellington, Wairarapa, Bay of Plenty and Rotorua are among the regions set to face heavy rain and wild weather over the next 24 hours. Pictures sent to ONE News show heavy snow has been causing disruptions for motorists on the last day of the long weekend. Vehicles with chains waited for hours this afternoon for roads to open in Burkes Pass, just north of Tekapo. Eight firefighters in the area were called to push at least half a dozen cars out of the snow and assist police with road control, Volunteer Fire Chief Officer Craig Willis said.
MetService says there is a high possibility of heavy snow in North Canterbury and Marlborough tomorrow as the cold southerly rain turns into snow above 400 meters. Heavy rain and gales are expected for central New Zealand tomorrow as a front is expected to move slowly across the upper South Island and lower North Island. Snow of about 500 meters is predicted for Hanmer Springs and Seddon areas. As of early evening, there had been no deaths on the road this long weekend, putting the country on track to achieving the first zero road toll over the Queen's Birthday Holiday since records began. But with snow and flooding in many southern areas, police are warning motorists to take extra care. -TVNZ
Major flooding following tornado causes a giant sinkhole in Oklahoma City. Sarah Charlton reports
Angel Babcock of New Pekin, Ind., was found after her family's mobile home was destroyed in the storms that ravaged the Midwest and South.
She had been in critical condition at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky. Chief nursing officer Cis Gruebbel made the announcement about her death.
Her grandfather, Jack Brough, had told the Courier-Journal of Louisville earlier that she had suffered head injuries and that the weekend was a critical time for her.
The girl's death brings the overall toll from the storms to 39 across five states.
She had been in critical condition at Kosair Children's Hospital in Louisville, Ky. Chief nursing officer Cis Gruebbel made the announcement about her death.
Her grandfather, Jack Brough, had told the Courier-Journal of Louisville earlier that she had suffered head injuries and that the weekend was a critical time for her.
The girl's death brings the overall toll from the storms to 39 across five states.
Tornadoes conjure up images of massive funnel clouds tearing over the expansive Great Plains of the United States during springtime, but tornadoes range in size and strength and can happen anywhere, at any time of the year.
Although freak accidents happen ― and the most violent tornadoes can level a house ― most tornadoes are much weaker than the monster EF5s (the highest tornado rating) most people imagine, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) says in their tornado FAQ, and knowing proper tornado safety tips can help you get through the storm,.
But there are a lot of tornado safety folklore and myths out there, so it can be hard to know what advice to follow. Here are five of the most pervasive tornado safety myths, as well as a few tips to follow.
Although freak accidents happen ― and the most violent tornadoes can level a house ― most tornadoes are much weaker than the monster EF5s (the highest tornado rating) most people imagine, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) says in their tornado FAQ, and knowing proper tornado safety tips can help you get through the storm,.
But there are a lot of tornado safety folklore and myths out there, so it can be hard to know what advice to follow. Here are five of the most pervasive tornado safety myths, as well as a few tips to follow.
The Weather Channel Tornado Hunt Team is safe, but shaken up after their chase vehicles took a direct hit by a violent tornado west of Oklahoma City.
Meteorologist Mike Bettes was chasing the monster rain-wrapped tornado near El Reno, Okla. when he says the storm picked up the heavy chase SUV and threw it an estimated 200 yards.
"We were ahead of the storm. We stopped to broadcast and I saw a large violent wedge tornado," Bettes said in a live phone interview after he established phone connection after the incident.
"What we were trying to do was just get away from it and get to the south side of it," Bettes said. "But what ended up happening was all three of our vehicles that we chase with were all hit by it."
He remembers being thrown into the air.
"It was like we were floating. We were tumbling. We were airborne at least one point and we were floating. Then we weren't tumbling anymore and we came down hard."
Bettes was nursing minor injuries Saturday, including stitches in his hand. All the occupants were wearing safety belts and walked away from the banged-up vehicle.
"My life flashed before my eyes."
It's the first time one of the network's personalities has been injured while covering violent weather, spokeswoman Shirley Powell said.
The death and damage wrought by new tornadoes that plowed through Oklahoma won't be completely known until the sun comes up Saturday morning.
A handful of fresh storms killed at least five people Friday, authorities said, less than two weeks after a monstrous cyclone waylaid the town of Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City. At least 71 others were injured statewide.
Two of the victims in Oklahoma died within twenty miles of Moore, said medical examiner spokeswoman Amy Elliot.
Though the tornadoes were not as strong as the EF-5 twister that killed 24 on May 20, fear drove some people into their cars to flee them, some of whom got caught in heavy rains and flash flooding.
A G2-class (Kp=6) geomagnetic storm is in progress following the arrival of an interplanetary shock wave on May 31st. The source of the shock is not known; it might have been a minor CME that left the sun without drawing attention to itself. The impact sparked auroras across many northern-tier US states. This photo, for instance, comes from Christopher Griffith in Baxter, Minnesota:
"I wasn't expecting to see any lights, but right before the midnight it broke loose and the sky lit up," says Griffith. "Sadly the clouds quickly filled in my little window, and the auroras were gone. Just thankful for what I got so see!" Elsewhere in the USA, auroras were sighted as far south as Colorado, Maryland, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Nebraska.
© Christopher Griffith
© Atlas Obscura
Since this was the height of World War II, there were fears that the skeletons might belong to Japanese soldiers who had died of exposure while sneaking through India. The British government, terrified of a Japanese land invasion, sent a team of investigators to determine whether this was true. Upon examination they realized these bones weren't Japanese soldiers at all, but of a much much older vintage. But what killed them? Many theories were put forth, including an epidemic, landslide, and ritual suicide. For six decades, no one was able to shed light on the mystery of "Skeleton Lake."
In 2004 a scientific expedition offered the first plausible explanation of the mysterious deaths. The answer was stranger than anyone had guessed.
© REUTERS/Bill WaughStorm chasers follow a large cloud lowering between Perkins, Oklahoma and Cushing May 30, 2013, as storm systems moved across the state.
Storms in Oklahoma and Arkansas left an Arkansas county sheriff dead and at least one man missing in an attempted water rescue and at least five other people injured elsewhere, officials said.
"The atmosphere will become extremely unstable this afternoon, especially in Oklahoma, while winds in the atmosphere will be favorable for organized severe storms, including a few supercell thunderstorms," the National Weather Service said in an advisory.
The body of Scott County Sheriff Cody Carpenter was recovered early Friday, said Keith Stephens, a spokesman for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Authorities continued to search for another person missing after Thursday night's rescue attempt along the Fourche La Fave River.
Another man died in Tull when a tree fell on his car during a possible tornado, said Pete Roberts, Grant County sheriff's office chief deputy.
Arkansas had numerous reports of damage from high winds, heavy rain and possible tornadoes. Entergy Arkansas reported more than 30,000 customers without power.
