Storms
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Tsunami

Quimperlé in northwest France faces severe flooding, evacuations underway


Euronews
Thu, 22 Jan 2026 11:44 UTC
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Flooding in Quimperlé, Brittany, has forced evacuations and trapped residents after heavy rain. Water levels surpassed 4.4 metres, and more rain is expected.

Water levels along the Laïta rose to more than 4.4 metres in the town centre on January 21, overtopping flood barriers and forcing the first evacuations with help from firefighters.

Several residents were trapped in upper floors as streets became impassable and parked cars stood partly submerged.

Local authorities warned that water levels would remain high through the day, with no rapid improvement expected.

Emergency crews were mobilised in Finistère, Morbihan and Ille-et-Vilaine after the departments were placed on orange flood alert. Rain and high tides forecast for January 22 and 23 could slow the decline in water levels.

Located at the confluence of the Isole and Ellé rivers, Quimperlé has long been vulnerable to flooding. In the winter of 2013 - 2014, 20-year floods caused around €2 million in damage, hitting quays Surcouf and Brizeux hardest.

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Orange

Flooding in South Africa affects large citrus and avocado production areas


agroberichtenbuitenland.nl
Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:26 UTC
Flood damage in Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga, following days of heavy rainfall that caused widespread flooding across the province.
Flood damage in Ohrigstad, Mpumalanga, following days of heavy rainfall that caused widespread flooding across the province.
Last week, torrential flooding hit in Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces of north-east South Africa. The country declared a national disaster after 37 people died and an estimated ZAR 4 billion (EUR 200 million) of infrastructure damage occurred. The world-famous Kruger National Park was also largely affected by these floods and closed their gates to the public for four days due to safety concerns.

Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces are major citrus and avocado production areas, along with other sub-tropical fruits such as mangoes, papayas, lychees and even macadamia nuts. According to several local news agencies, agriculture has been largely affected by these floods in the region. As citrus approaches the harvest season, flooding of orchards could potentially delay this.

Rainfall exceeded the 100-year flood level in many places and some areas such, as Tzaneen, received almost 400mm of rain in one week. Tzaneen is home to one of the largest tomato farmers in the southern hemisphere, ZZ2, who is also a major producer of avocadoes.
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Windsock

Heavy dust storm hits Libya, forces flight suspensions


NTD.com
Wed, 21 Jan 2026 19:39 UTC
Heavy dust storm swept across Libya
Heavy dust storm swept across Libya
A heavy dust storm swept across Libya on Jan. 20, reducing visibility and forcing the suspension of flights at two international airports.

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Tsunami

Floodwaters after 30 minute downpour sweep away vehicles in the streets of Kuşadası, Türkiye


en.Haberler.com
Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:27 UTC
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Due to heavy rainfall lasting about 30 minutes in Kuşadası, streams overflowed, and streets in the neighborhoods of Davutlar and Güzelçamlı were submerged. While there were no casualties, some vehicles were swept away by the flood, the Söke - Kuşadası ring road was closed to traffic, and teams are continuing their work in the area.

The heavy rainfall in Aydın's Kuşadası district quickly turned into a flood. Due to the intense rain that lasted approximately 30 minutes, streams overflowed, streets and avenues were submerged, and some vehicles were swept away by the floodwaters.

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Tornado1

Violent tornado causes destruction in Central Java, Indonesia


cronica.com.ar
Thu, 22 Jan 2026 19:10 UTC
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Social media was flooded with images showing the devastation wrought by a sudden tornado that swept through several areas of Central Java, destroying everything in its path.

One video that went viral shows gusts of wind tearing through a local market as residents scrambled for shelter.


(Translated by Google)
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Snowflake

Heavy snowfall on mount Etna, Italy

Neve Appennino
YouTube
Wed, 21 Jan 2026 15:44 UTC
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A beautiful snowfall is underway on Mount Etna thanks to the intensity of Cyclone Harry, which is causing very high rainfall across the island. Video shared by Etna Snow

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Tsunami

Two dead as heavy rains turn Athens streets into rivers


Kathimerini.com.cy
Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:18 UTC
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A fierce wave of winter storms has flooded the heart of Athens and shaken the wider region, turning busy streets into rushing waterways and leaving at least two people dead, officials said Thursday amid ongoing chaos from heavy rain, gale‑force winds, and snow in higher terrain.

Videos and images from the flooded city center show cars stranded in waist‑high water, pedestrians wading through submerged roadways, and emergency crews battling to clear drains and pump out homes as rain continued to pound the capital.

The severe weather, part of a low‑pressure system sweeping across much of Greece, intensified in the Attica region late Wednesday afternoon, sending water rushing onto main roads and snarling travel in and out of the city.

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Tsunami

Best of the Web: Cyclone Harry pummels hits Sicily, Italy, causing flash-flooding and major coastal erosion

Isabella Boneham
NationalWorld.com
Thu, 22 Jan 2026 12:07 UTC
wave then crashes through the street
A wave crashes through a street in Sicily
Sicily's fourth largest town Alcamo was hit by 35mm of rain around midnight on Wednesday, leaving chaos in its wake. Videos posted to social media captured forked lightning and raging torrents flowing through the Italian streets.

Parked cars were swept away, and flood waters invaded garages, basements and the ground floor of many homes, overwhelming the city in just a few hours. Emergency services received several requests for help throughout the night.

The tourist area of Taormina was on its knees, with beaches swept by the violence of the sea. Governor Schifani in Sicily expressed "heartfelt thanks to the regional civil protection, the volunteers, the municipalities, the fire brigade, the police force, and the thousands of people who worked tirelessly during the most difficult hours of the emergency", making it possible to "avoid the loss of human lives".

Authorities issued red alerts across Sicily and Sardinia as the storm unleashed gale-force winds, intense rain and dangerous storm surges. In total, 190 people were evacuated from exposed areas across Sicily.

It comes after storms also lashed Malta with hail piling up like snow and rivers of ice flooding streets. Malta's Civil Protection Department warned residents: "avoid working at heights, including rooftops, balconies, scaffolding, and exposed structures" and "Stay away from the shoreline, breakwaters, and coastal paths."


Comment: Also on the coast of southern Italy more massive waves were videoed:



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Tsunami

Flood alerts, school closures and high waves in Catalonia, Spain on second day of intense eastern storm


CatalanNews.com
Tue, 20 Jan 2026 18:12 UTC
Onyar River this Tuesday as it passes through Girona.
© ARAOnyar River this Tuesday as it passes through Girona.
Catalonia woke up on Tuesday to a second consecutive day of severe weather after a storm system left heavy rainfall on Monday, with more than 105 litres per square metre recorded in parts of Girona and waves exceeding six metres along the coast.

The storm was expected to intensify throughout Tuesday, prompting authorities to remain on high alert. The episode, known in Catalan as a 'llevantada,' is a typical weather phenomenon marked by strong easterly winds and very intense rainfall.

The 'llevantada' is forecast to be particularly severe in the eastern half of the territory, especially along the coastal and pre-coastal areas.

To alert the population, Civil Protection issued an emergency mobile phone alert to all residents in the counties of Alt Empordà, Baix Empordà, Selva and Gironès, warning of the risk of flooding and rising river levels.

Authorities urged people to limit travel until 5 pm and to stay away from rivers, streams and ravines, as well as underground areas, due to the risk of water ingress.

School classes were suspended in the counties of Baix Empordà, Selva and Gironès, as well as in Alt Empordà, and several roads across the region were closed to traffic.

Mobility restrictions in Alt Empordà and Baix Empordà were later extended until midnight, via another ES-Alert to mobile phones from Civil Protection.

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Tsunami

At least 4 dead as floods sweep across Tunisia - highest rainfall since 1950 in some regions


Reuters
Tue, 20 Jan 2026 13:42 UTC
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At least four people were killed on Tuesday as floods swept across Tunisia amid the worst torrential rain for over 70 years in some regions, and there were fears the death toll could rise, authorities said.

The cloudbursts inundated streets, submerged vehicles and disrupted daily life in multiple governorates (provinces) of the North African country, with emergency services struggling to respond to the scale of the flooding.

Civil protection teams said several areas were cut off by rising waters, particularly in low-lying neighbourhoods.

Schools were closed in the capital Tunis and in the towns of Nabeul, Sousse and Beja, and court sessions were suspended and public and private transport crippled in some districts.

Videos shared on social media showed fast-moving floods sweeping debris through residential streets, with seawater inundating neighbourhoods in the coastal town of Menzel Temime.

Meteorological officials said the rainfall levels in some regions were the heaviest recorded since 1950.

Reporting by Tarek Amara; editing by Mark Heinrich

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