Storms
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Tsunami

Heavy rain puts Algarve, Portugal on flood warning


The Portugal News
Fri, 15 Nov 2024 13:24 UTC
Picture shows flash flooding in Albufeira in the Algarve yesterday morning
Picture shows flash flooding in Albufeira in the Algarve yesterday morning
According to the meteorologist at the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), today, sometimes heavy showers, thunderstorms and possibly hail are expected, with the greatest impact in Baixo Alentejo and Algarve.

"It has the potential to cause rapid flooding again, like yesterday [Thursday], but it is not comparable to what happened in Spain. It is a more benign situation, but they are still floods and can have negative impacts, causing some damage", Maria João Frada told Lusa agency.

Therefore, the IPMA issued an orange warning for Beja and Faro until 6pm today, then changing to a yellow warning.

"However, it is likely to return to orange. The depression is practically stationary until Saturday and the wind component is from the southeast in these regions and everything comes from the sea. Extreme wind phenomena may also occur," she said.

According to Maria João Frada, heavy showers are also expected for Setúbal and Lisbon, but with less severity.

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Tsunami

Panama floods claim 11 lives as government declares State of Emergency


The Tico Times
Thu, 14 Nov 2024 13:07 UTC
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© Senafront / AFP
Eleven people have died in Panama due to storms that, over the last twelve days, have caused over 100 million dollars in losses from flooding and infrastructure collapse, the Panamanian government reported on Thursday. "Eleven Panamanians have lost their lives in this situation, more than 1,000 families have been directly affected, and the number continues to rise," said the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, during a press conference.

The situation has led the government to declare a state of emergency across the country "as a consequence of the severe damage caused" by the rains, Orillac added. The most affected areas are the western provinces of Chiriquí, bordering Costa Rica, Veraguas, and the indigenous Ngäbe Buglé comarca, where the government has declared a red alert.

Hours earlier, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino confirmed that during Tuesday's cabinet meeting, losses were estimated at "100 million dollars," but now "it should be more with the damages that occurred yesterday (Wednesday) in important roads across the country."


Comment: Related and pertinent: Red Alert on Pacific Coast as flooding worsens in Costa Rica - November rainfall already up to 10 times more than normal - 3 feet in 6 days

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Windsock

Massive dust storm causes vehicle pileup on California highway


ABC News
Wed, 13 Nov 2024 12:33 UTC
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A powerful dust storm known as a haboob caused a vehicle pile-up on a central California highway, sending several people to hospitals with minor injuries, authorities said.

An enormous rolling cloud of dust reduced visibility Monday afternoon on State Route 152 in Madera County, causing motorists to crash into one another, according to the California Highway Patrol.

About 20 cars were involved in the accident, the highway patrol said.

Video posted online by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection showed a massive wall of dust sweeping across the landscape near Chowchilla.

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Lightning

Woman struck by lightning and suddenly dies in Peru

Paige Ingram, Liam Buckler
The Star (UK)
Fri, 15 Nov 2024 11:06 UTC
Gabriela Daiana Basallo was fatally struck by lightning in front of her husband Samuel
Gabriela Daiana Basallo was fatally struck by lightning in front of her husband Samuel
A woman has tragically died in front of her devastated husband after being struck by lightning during a holiday mountain hike in Peru.

Gabriela Daiana Basallo, 32, from Argentina, was hiking in the Red Valley, known for its unique orange and red-coloured mountains, in Peru's Cusco region when she was hit by lightning and killed.

Her husband, Samuel Andres Sierra, a Chilean national, was left seriously injured. Rescuers found Gabriela's body covered in burns following the accident, which occurred on Tuesday afternoon, November 12, according to police reports.

The authorities were alerted by tour guide Efrain Zamora Galindo about the death of the young woman, who hailed from Buenos Aires and was the mother of a 10 year old boy, as per local media reports. They had been descending a mountain after a hike when the lightning bolt struck Gabriela.
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Cloud Precipitation

Best of the Web: Red Alert on Pacific Coast as flooding worsens in Costa Rica - November rainfall already up to 10 times more than normal - 3 feet in 6 days


The Tico Times
Wed, 13 Nov 2024 17:53 UTC
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The National Emergency Commission (CNE) in Costa Rica has issued a red alert for the Pacific coast as severe flooding and heavy rains continue. The rest of the country remains under an orange alert, with the Southern Caribbean under a yellow alert.

This heightened alert follows forecasts that the intense rainy conditions are expected to persist throughout the week. "Rainfall is projected to continue for the next several days, especially along the Costa Rican Pacific coast. Additionally, there is significant soil saturation across much of the country," the CNE reported.

In just six days, Guanacaste has recorded rainfall totals that typically match the entire month of November. "In some areas, rainfall levels have been 8, 9, or even 10 times the usual amount for November. If the average monthly rainfall is 130 millimeters, some areas have received up to 900 millimeters in just six days," explained meteorologist Daniel Poleo.

Many areas are experiencing unprecedented rainfall levels, with the North Pacific region especially impacted. "It's been an extraordinarily rainy month, which explains the numerous incidents in Guanacaste and the South Pacific," Poleo added.

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Tsunami

Woman killed as flood waters wash away vehicles in Grenada - one month's rainfall in 6 hours (2.7 inches)


Loop News
Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:40 UTC
Screengrab of a vehicle being washed away along River Road, Grenada on November 12, 2024.
Screengrab of a vehicle being washed away along River Road, Grenada on November 12, 2024.
Authorities in Grenada have confirmed the discovery of a woman's body inside a vehicle that was swept away by floodwaters caused by excessive rainfall on Tuesday.

Head of the Community Relations Department, Inspector Maureen John, said that officers are now investigating the matter to determine whether the woman had been a victim of the floods. He said police are unable to confirm that her death was directly related to the flooding.

The Met Office at the Maurice Bishop International Airport said that 69 millimetres of rain had been recorded during the six-hour period on Tuesday and that it is equivalent to one month's rainfall.

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Tsunami

Flood waters drag cars into sea near Catania, Italy


ansa.it
Thu, 14 Nov 2024 12:32 UTC
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Flood waters drag cars into sea near Catania
Flood waters tossed cars around in Torre Archirafi on Wednesday, dragging some into the sea, after the torrential rain that has hit Sicily turned streets into rivers in the town near Catania.

Local people made over 30 requests for help to the emergency services.

There were no reports of anyone being unaccounted for because of the extreme weather at the time of writing.

Firefighters rescued a number of motorists trapped in their cars by the floods in the town of Aci Sant'Antonio.

Another person was saved by the emergency services after their home was flooded in Acireale.

The fire brigade use an amphibious vehicle in Altarello to rescue four people, included two disabled, after the ground floor of a house was invaded by water.


Comment: Just 5 days prior in the same region: Bad weather and red alert in Catania, Italy critical situation in Acireale: flooded streets and people stuck in cars

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Tsunami

Thousands evacuated as Malaga, Spain hit with nearly a month's rainfall in a day (incl. 3 inches in an hour)

Allison Chinchar, Caitlin Danaher, Mia Alberti, Pau Mosquera
CNN
Thu, 14 Nov 2024 11:21 UTC
mmmmmmm
Severe thunderstorms and torrential rain have again battered coastal Spain, causing thousands of people to be evacuated just two weeks after the country experienced deadly flooding in Valencia and other nearby communities.

Over 4,000 people and a thousand homes have been evacuated in the Malaga area, according to a Thursday update from Antonio Sanz, the director of the Emergency Plan for the Risk of Flooding in Andalucia.

Five areas near the Guadalhorce riverbank were preemptively evacuated due to the risk of overflowing.

In just one hour, nearly a month's worth of rainfall inundated the city of Malaga, in Spain's Andalusia region, according to the country's meteorological agency AEMet. The southern Spanish province picked up roughly 100 millimeters (4 inches) of rain so far on Wednesday, 78 millimeters (3 inches) of which fell within an hour. Malaga normally averages 100.5 millimeters in the month of November.

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Tsunami

South Trinidad floods in a flash - Heavy showers after weeks of intense heat

Laurel V. Williams
Trinidad and Tobago Newsday
Tue, 12 Nov 2024 17:44 UTC
DEAD UNDER WATER:
© Lincoln HolderDEAD UNDER WATER: Sharp, heavy showers led to widespread flash flooding leaving many areas in south Trinidad, including the Batchyia cemetery in Penal, under water on November 12.
Weeks of relentless, intense heat gave way to heavy, sustained rainfall on November 12 which quickly led to flash flooding in several low-lying areas in south Trinidad.

So severe was the weather that the Met Office placed TT on a yellow-level flood alert between 10.15 am-3.30 pm on November 12.

The flooding was widespread in the south land as to affect classes at several schools, led to residents being marooned in their homes. Even the dead was affected as flood waters inundated the Batchyia public cemetery in Penal, with this final resting spot for many being transformed into a lake.

For several hours, only the tops of headstones and metal crosses were visible in the cemetery while dozens of graves which had neither headstone nor crosses, were completely hidden under the water.

The downpours began before the break of dawn, and by mid-morning, water levels in some areas in Debe, Siparia and outlying areas had risen to as much as three feet.

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Cloud Lightning

Floods in South Sudan affect 1.4M people - The worst in decades

Mohamed Dhaysane
AA.com
Wed, 13 Nov 2024 15:29 UTC
sudan floods

Over 379,000 people displaced by flooding, says UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in East African country

Devastating flooding in South Sudan affected around 1.4 million people, and displaced 379,000 others, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the East African country said on Saturday.

"About 1.4 million people are affected by flooding in 43 counties and the Abyei Administrative Area, with Jonglei and Northern Bahr el Ghazal states comprising more than 51 per cent of the affected population," OCHA said in a statement.

It added that over 379,000 people were displaced in 22 counties and Abyei.
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