Lightning has killed 14 people in Malawi during the past two weeks, while 8,000 homes have been destroyed as the Southeast African nation continues to receive torrential rains, disaster management officials said on Friday.
Wilson Moleni, commissioner for the state-run Department for Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), told reporters in the capital, Lilongwe, that the deaths and destruction have been reported in various parts of the country.
"But since the country is still receiving heavy rains, there is a likelihood that the number of those dead will increase with time," Moleni said.
He said his organization is working "tirelessly" to provide humanitarian support to those rendered homeless by the rains across the country.
Heavy rainfall triggered by an extratropical cyclone battering Southern Brazil caused widespread flooding on Tuesday, turning streets into rivers and hillsides into waterfalls across Florianópolis, São José, Palhoça, and Biguaçu.
The Epagri/Ciram meteorological agency reported that Palhoça recorded the highest volume of rain over six hours, with 97.2 millimeters, followed closely by Biguaçu (86.2 mm).
The extreme weather caused major transportation and infrastructure issues. Widespread flooding was reported, blocking major roads, including sections of the BR-101 in Palhoça and Biguaçu. In São José, the Itaguaçu shopping tunnel was completely blocked due to high water volume.
In central Florianópolis, a partial collapse of two uninhabited houses occurred. The access road to Morro da Cruz became a literal "waterfall," with overflowing storm drains.
A powerful atmospheric river has delivered bouts of serious rain, soaking the Pacific Northwest, triggering major river flooding.
Drone footage captured major river flooding near Fall City, Washington stemming from the Snoqualmie River, located just east of Seattle, showcasing residences and farms inundated by major river flooding.
Fueled by the atmospheric river, the Snoqualmie River crested the highest it's been at Snoqualmie Falls in 10 years, with a flow rate of 45,000 cubic feet per second, at 17.8 feet.
The powerful atmospheric river will continue to slam the region through the middle of the week, as rounds of Pacific moisture will continue to soak the region, resulting in an elevated risk of flooding.
Through Thursday, localized amounts of 3-5 inches are possible as downpours continue to soak the region. Continuous heavy rain has already led to a sharp rise in water levels, with several rivers, including the Cowlitz River near Randle, Washington, and the aforementioned Snoqualmie River at Carnation, Washington, at major flood stage as of late Tuesday.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has been hit by severe flooding following torrential rains, with authorities issuing a red alert through the National Center for Meteorology (NCM). Roads and low-lying areas across the city remain submerged, causing widespread traffic congestion and halting public transport.
Emergency teams, including police and civil defense, have been deployed to rescue stranded motorists and residents. Authorities have urged people to stay indoors and avoid flood-prone areas until the waters recede.
Recent reports indicate heavy rainfall exceeded 179 mm in just six hours, far above the city's November average of 23 mm and annual average of 55.6 mm. At least two fatalities have been reported, and many homes experienced power outages. Schools and universities in affected areas have been temporarily closed.
The floods have also affected neighbouring Medina Province, where civil defense teams rescued five people after a vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. Residents are advised to follow safety instructions and exercise caution during ongoing heavy rains.
Ramzi Mahmud and Betul Yilmaz Anadolu Agency Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:06 UTC
Heavy rains flooded thousands of tents sheltering displaced civilians in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, witnesses said.
Heavy rainfall began before dawn, submerging thousands of tents in several areas across the enclave.
According to an Anadolu reporter, the water level exceeded 40 centimeters inside some tents.
Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Basal warned in a video statement of an "imminent humanitarian disaster" resulting from the current bad weather conditions.
According to forecasts, rains are expected to continue in Gaza until Friday.
Basal said that aid entering Gaza still falls far short of the needs of the territory's 2.4 million residents facing a severe humanitarian crisis, calling for immediate international action.
Hussien Elkabany and Rania Abu Shamala Anadolu Agency Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:07 UTC
Two people were killed and five others injured on Tuesday after heavy floods and flash torrents swept through Sulaymaniyah province in northern Iraq's Kurdish region, according to the regional civil defense agency.
The state news agency INA, citing the Civil Defense Directorate, said the victims were caught in flooding in the district of Chamchamal in Sulaymaniyah.
A school wall collapsed in the Shorash sub-district due to strong torrents, causing the death of a 70-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, the directorate said.
Civil defense teams have continued rescue and evacuation efforts amid warnings of further rainfall and unstable weather conditions across the region.
Sri Lanka stopped passenger trains and closed roads in some parts of the country where landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains have caused more than 20 deaths, officials said on Thursday (November 27, 2025).
The government's disaster management center said 18 of the reported deaths occurred in the tea-growing, mountainous regions of Badulla and Nuwara Eliya in the country's central province about 300 kilometres (186 miles) east of the capital Colombo.
Another 14 people were missing on Thursday due to landslides in the same areas, the center said.
The death toll has risen to 31 since last week, when Sri Lanka began grappling with severe weather. Heavy downpours over the weekend wreaked havoc by flooding homes, fields and roads.
Authorities stopped trains in some areas in the mountainous region after rocks, muds and trees fell onto tracks and local television showed workers busy removing the debris. Roads also were closed due to heavy flooding.
The severe weather has impacted about 4,000 families, the center said.
Sri Lanka has closed government offices and schools as the death toll from floods and landslides across the country has risen to 56, with more than 600 houses damaged, according to officials.
Sri Lanka began grappling with severe weather last week, and the conditions worsened on Thursday with heavy downpours that flooded homes, fields and roads, and triggered landslides across the country.
At least 193 people have been confirmed dead across Sri Lanka as authorities continue to battle rising floodwaters in parts of the capital after a powerful cyclone left a trail of destruction.
More heavy rains brought on by Cyclone Ditwah are expected across the island nation in the coming days, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Sunday, adding that more than 220 people remain missing.
The death toll from extreme weather conditions in Sri Lanka has risen to 410, while 336 people remain missing, the country's Disaster Management Center said on Tuesday.
The cyclone's has affected than 1.4 million people across 25 districts, turning homes into rubble and forcing thousands into shelters.
Comment: Update November 28
Al Jazeera reports: Update November 30
Al Jazeera reports: Update December 2
CGTN reports: Update December 5
Deutsche Welle reports: