Storms
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Cloud Lightning

Eastern US: Severe thunderstorms sweep through region


TimesNewsNet.com
Sat, 09 Apr 2011 18:07 UTC
Wise - A broad line of severe thunderstorms rich with heavy rains, hail, lightning and official tornado warnings thrashed the region from Northeast Tennessee through Southwest Virginia, Eastern Kentucky deep into West Virginia on Saturday, leaving fallen trees and damaged buildings in their wake.

Sweeping southeast out of the Ohio Valley through Kentucky, the line of strong storm cells fed by warm, humid air rocked across Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee from around 3 p.m. on, with tornado watches and severe thunderstorm warnings in effect through 9 p.m.

The town of Wise got belted by zero visibility rains along with an awesome display of thunder and lightning shortly before 4 p.m., but it was the city of Norton just to the southwest of Wise that bore the brunt of the storm's wrath.
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Bizarro Earth

Landslide kills 2 children in Turkey


World Bulletin
Sun, 10 Apr 2011 18:04 UTC
Image
A landslide caused by heavy rains killed two children trapped under the wreckage of their collapsed home, while the other four family members suffered injuries, in Erzurum on Sunday morning, Turkish Cihan news agency said.

Due to heavy rainfall in the eastern province, a landslide knocked over one wall of the family's mud-brick house, causing it to collapse. Two children died. The remaining four family members were rescued by provincial civil protection and search-and-rescue teams and taken to the local hospital for treatment.
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Cloud Lightning

US: Over Half of Iowa Town Damaged by Tornado

Grant Schulte
Associated Press
Sun, 10 Apr 2011 12:20 UTC
tornado
© n/a
A large tornado flattened a grain elevator and destroyed homes and buildings on its weekend rampage through the small western Iowa town of Mapleton. Authorities reported no serious injuries.

"It was huge, just huge," said Thomas Mohrhauser, an attorney in the town of about 1,200 people. "It just kept getting bigger and bigger."

Mohrhauser said the tornado appeared to be about a quarter-mile wide when it cut a northwest path through town Saturday evening.

Mayor Fred Standa said one side of town got hit worse than another, but overall he thought about 60 percent had been damaged. He estimated about 20 percent was "almost flat."

Reports indicated the roof was blown off a high school, power lines were downed and several homes and buildings were destroyed. Authorities said three people were treated for minor injuries at Burgess Health Center in Onawa, about 20 miles from Mapleton.
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Cloud Lightning

Virginia, US: Strong Winds, Hail, Rain Cause Power Outages

Timmy Carrico
The State Journal
Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:08 UTC
Over 14,500 American Electric Power customers are in the dark after a severe storm on Friday evening.

Cyclone, W.Va.
© Lonnie AtwellCyclone, W.Va.
After 60 mph winds, golf ball sized hail, and heavy rains; electricity is out in many homes across the 59News viewing area.

According to Appalachian Power, at 8 p.m. more than 14,500 customers were in the dark in Virginia and West Virginia.

Mercer County had more than 1,760 customers without power, Monroe County had a total of 1,100 homes in the dark, Raleigh County had a little over 150 still without power, Summers County had 158 customers without electricity, and Wyoming County had over 550 customers still in the dark.
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Cloud Lightning

West Virginia, US: Charleston area storms produce 'lots of water and tons of debris'

Kathryn Gregory
The Charleston Gazette
Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:39 UTC
Trees knocked down, roads flooded 2nd time in a week

Heavy rains caused power outages, flooding and damage across the Charleston area for the second time in one week on Friday.

Kimberly Earl and her husband, Cody, were in their home on Bakers Fork Road with two of their four kids when a massive tree uprooted on the hill across from their house, slamming onto their roof.

"Every time it rains," she said, "a little more of that hillside washes away."
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Bizarro Earth

Southern Thailand's flood death toll hits 59


Monsters and Critics
Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:40 UTC
The death toll reached 59 Saturday from floods and mudslides in southern Thailand over two weeks that caused damage estimated at more than 300 million dollars, officials said.

The Interior Ministry's disaster prevention and mitigation department said 26 people had died in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, 610 kilometres south of Bangkok.

Twelve deaths were confirmed in neighbouring Surat Thani province, with additional casualties in Krabi, Phatthalung, Chumphon, Trang and Phangnga provinces throughout the southern region.

Large areas of Nakhon Si Thammarat were reported still underwater on Saturday.
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Bizarro Earth

Germany: Sandstorm Causes Deadly Autobahn Crash


Spiegel Online
Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:54 UTC
Autobahn Pileup
© DPASeveral people have been killed in a mass pileup on a German autobahn apparently caused by a sandstorm. More than 40 vehicles were involved in the accident on the A19 highway near Rostock, with dozens of people injured. In total, 40 vehicles were involved in the pileup, with many catching fire.
Several people were killed and dozens more injured after a mass pileup on a German autobahn involving up to 80 vehicles Friday. The accident, which took place on the A19 highway near Rostock in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, was apparently caused by a sandstorm.

Police reported Friday night that at least eight people died. Around 97 were believed to have been injured, with scores requiring hospital treatment. According to medical facilities in Rostock, Güstrow and Bad Doberan, victims had mostly suffered broken bones, bruises, sprains and head injuries.

Comment: Update: German news report on the bizarre sandstorm:



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Umbrella

US: Storm Expected to Bring Snow and Rain To San Diego


SanDiego6 News
Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:36 UTC
A cold storm was expected to hit San Diego County late Thursday, bringing a chance of snow to the mountains and showers everywhere else, forecasters said.

According to the National Weather Service, a cold low pressure system moving southward along the west coast will bring much cooler weather today through Saturday.

"Snow levels could lower to near 4,000 feet for late Friday through early Saturday," the agency advised.

The Weather Service also advised that there was a slight chance of showers today but a greater chance of rain late Friday through early Saturday, along with a slight chance of thunderstorms as the coldest mid-level air moves across Southern California.

Rainfall totals from the storm were expected to be from up to a half-inch at the coast to about an inch on coastal mountains slopes.
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Cloud Lightning

Montana, US: Winter storm warning issued for Billings region

Clair Johnson
The Billings Gazette
Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:30 UTC
The National Weather Service in Billings has issued a winter storm warning for heavy snow from noon Thursday to 3 p.m. on Friday.

Rain and snow showers Thursday morning are expected to become more widespread and change to snow by this afternoon. Snow, which will be heavy at times, will continue overnight and early Friday, then decrease Friday afternoon.

Driving conditions could become difficult along Interstate 90 and Highway 89, the weather service said. Heavy wet snow also may cause falling power lines and endanger young livestock.

A winter storm warning means a significant amount of snow is expected or occurring. Strong winds also are possible.

The high temperature for Billings will be about 44 degrees Thursday with a low of 29 degrees. Friday's high is forecast to be 37 degrees while the low will be about 27 degrees.
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Cloud Lightning

Strong Wind Gusts and Heavy Rains Shower Western Cuba

ACN
Cuba Headlines
Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:04 UTC
Storms associated to a weak cold front caused strong winds and heavy rains in the western region of Cuba particularly in the north coast.

Gusts higher than 100 Km/H were reported in different sites, according to Jose Ramon Palacios, Shift Supervisor at the Weather Forecast Center of the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (INSMET).

Palacios told Juventud Rebelde the phenomenon was produced by a line of thunder storms associated to a weak cold front.

The storms lashed the north coast along the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Mayabeque, Artemisa and Havana, said the specialist.
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