Storms
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Cloud Precipitation

More than 30 dead, 90k evacuated after Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-Tak) hits Philippines

Jonathan Belles
The Weather Channel
Sun, 17 Dec 2017 09:30 UTC
Tropical Depression Urduja hits Philippines
© AFP PHOTO / ALREN BERONIOA mother sits with her children on fallen banana trees in Barangay San Mateo Borongan in eastern Samar on December 17, 2017, after Tropical Depression Urduja (International name Kai-Tak) blew through the area.
More than 30 people in the Philippines and have been killed and others are missing after Tropical Storm Kai-Tak drenched the country with heavy rainfall that caused flooding and landslides.

Kai-Tak, known as Urduja in the Philippines, has been crawling slowly westward over the Philippines since late last week. Eastern portions of Visayas, including Samar, have received more than 35 inches of rainfall since Dec. 13.

Sofronio Dacillo Jr., a disaster-response officer, said 26 villagers died and 23 others were missing mostly due to landslides in different areas in the island province of Biliran.

At least seven other people were killed in landslides and floods in four central areas due to Kai-tak.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said it was trying to confirm the reported deaths caused by the storm, which forced more than 89,000 people to flee to emergency shelters. Thousands of Christmas holiday travelers were stranded due to canceled inter-island ferries and flights.


Comment: Deadly Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-Tak) dumps over 1000 mm of rain on Philippines

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Cloud Precipitation

Mudslide fuelled by heavy rains buries village in southern Chile; 5 people killed with 15 more missing

Sophie Inge
Daily Mail
Sun, 17 Dec 2017 13:16 UTC
Rain caused a river to overflow and the side of a hill to collapse, burying 20 of the 200 houses in Villa Santa Lucia in the Los Lagos region
Rain caused a river to overflow and the side of a hill to collapse, burying 20 of the 200 houses in Villa Santa Lucia in the Los Lagos region
A mudslide fuelled by heavy rains has swept over a village in southern Chile, leaving at least five people dead and 15 missing, officials said.

Rain caused a river to overflow and the side of a hill to collapse, burying 20 of the 200 houses in Villa Santa Lucia in the Los Lagos region, located 790 miles south of Chile's capital, Santiago.

President Michelle Bachelet declared the region a catastrophe zone and confirmed the number of dead and missing.

She met with her team of ministers to coordinate rescue and assistance efforts.

Earlier on Saturday, deputy secretary of the interior Madmud Aleuy said there were three people dead, including an unidentified tourist, and 15 others missing.

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Cloud Precipitation

Deadly Tropical Storm Urduja (Kai-Tak) dumps over 1000 mm of rain on Philippines

Kristina Pydynowski and Eric Leister
AccuWeather.com
Sat, 16 Dec 2017 11:52 UTC
Philippines flooding
© AFPVillagers wade through a flooded street in Brgy Calingatngan, in Borongan, easterm Samar, central Philippines, Dec. 16, 2017.
Tropical Storm Urduja will continue to unleash life-threatening flooding rain and mudslides as it crosses the Philippines into Monday.

Urduja, known globally as Kai-tak, will fail to strengthen into a typhoon. However, lives and property remain in peril as the tropical storm is unleashing a catastrophic amount of rainfall.

More than 1067 mm (42 inches) of rain has inundated Guiuan on the island of Samar in the Eastern Visayas since midweek. In 24 hours alone, 780 mm (nearly 31 inches) poured down.

To the north, Borongan City Airport has recorded 813 mm (32 inches) since Urduja began lashing the Philippines.

There are unconfirmed reports of 3 deaths due to Urduja, including a child, according to GMA News Online.

As of Dec. 16, The Philippine National Disaster Risk Reducation and Management Council (NDRRMC) reports that a total of 4,327 families have been evacuated from portions of Samar Island. In total, 8,832 families are being served at evacuation centers.

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Cloud Precipitation

Thunderstorm hits areas of United Arab Emirates, hail blankets ground (VIDEOS)

Ahmed Shaaban
Khaleej Times
Sat, 16 Dec 2017 14:54 UTC
Hail cover
Weather is playing spoilsport this weekend as many residents are putting off their outing plans as storm and rain alert looms.

The National Center of Meteorology (NCM) has predicted unstable weather across the UAE, with chances of rain and thunderstorms, between December 15 and 18.

Many families said they are heeding to the forecast, and called off picnics and off road adventures.

"My family is on visit from India and we were planning to go for a desert drive on Saturday. We cancelled it thinking the weather will be too dangerous to venture out," said Abdul Rahman, an Abu Dhabi resident.
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Tornado2

Waterspout filmed off Rakino Island, New Zealand

Sam Gardner
Sun Live
Fri, 15 Dec 2017 20:48 UTC
Waterspouts are tornado-like formations which occur above water.
Waterspouts are tornado-like formations which occur above water.
A rare sight is being described as something of a miracle for one Waiheke Island resident.

Jesse Rudolph says he and his colleagues were some of the lucky few who witnessed a waterspout off Rakino.

Waterspouts are tornado-like formations which occur above water.

"I hadn't seen one before, put it that way."

He says the team were working at site when he spotted the water spout over the water.

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Snowflake

Blizzard dumps three feet of snow in Pakistan

Zubair Ayub
The Express Tribune
Wed, 13 Dec 2017 14:29 UTC
Vehicles wait for the snow-covered roads to open in Murree
Vehicles wait for the snow-covered roads to open in Murree
The Galiyat region received first heavy snowfall of the season that left roads blocked, tourists stranded and schools closed.

Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) was making its all-out efforts to clear the roads, spokesman of the GDA said while talking to media.

Clouds dumped over three feet of snow covering the resort towns with a white sheet. As persistently as the snowfall every year, the authorities were stupefied in managing the situation. Roadblocks, power breakdowns and severed supplies continue to dog the mountain communities.

Owing to precarious weather, Abbottabad DC Aurangzab Haider ordered closure of all public sector schools in nine union councils till December 16. These union councils include Beeran Gali, Seer Gharbi, Seer Sharqi, Tajwal, Nathiagali, Nambli Mara, Patan Kalan, Plakh and Nagri Bala.
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Cloud Lightning

Lightning strike kills woman at bus stop in Zimbabwe


Bulawayo 24 News
Fri, 15 Dec 2017 14:10 UTC
lightning
A 26-year-old died on the spot after a bolt of lightning struck her while she waited for transport to her home at a bus stop in Filabusi.

Sukoluhle Mkandla of Mahole area under Chief Ndube was killed by the lightning bolt which struck her just before it rained at around 3PM on Tuesday.

Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the incident.

"I can confirm we received a report of death by lightning. The woman was struck while at a bus stop and she died on the spot," she said.
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Attention

13th century USA drought, bizarre bird deaths in Sweden & massive winds hit Slovenia


Adapt 2030
Thu, 14 Dec 2017 15:12 UTC
dead birds sweden
© Mikael Lind
Native American populations were tracked as suddenly collapsing twice over a 500 year period. They used corn and pottery production to measure populations. Interestingly these correlate to collapses of Chinese dynasties during Grand Solar Minimums. Ice bridge forms from Greenland to Iceland, massive winds in Slovenia, 50+ above normal temperatures and birds freeze and fall from the sky in Sweden.


Comment: See also: Bizarre sight as hundreds of birds found dead on a road in northern Sweden

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Tornado2

Rare snownado filmed at national park in Poland

Ben Hooper
UPI
Wed, 13 Dec 2017 14:41 UTC
A rare glimpse at a snownado
A rare glimpse at a snownado
A Polish man walking in a national park captured video of a rare winter weather phenomenon -- a snownado.

Michal Bielas posted a video to Facebook showing the unusual sight that greeted him Monday during a walk in Tatra National Park.

The video depicts a whirlwind rolling through the snow, creating what is known as a snownado or snow devil.
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Tornado2

Destructive tornado rips through South Africa: 50 people injured, 550 homes damaged (VIDEOS)


Sott.net
Wed, 13 Dec 2017 06:11 UTC
Tornado damage in Midvaal, South Africa
© Itumeleng English/ANAA tornado ripped through the Vaal in Midvaal, leaving more than 1 100 shack dwellers homeless and destroying many homes.
A destructive tornado ripped through the Vaal Marina area in Midvaal, South Africa on Monday December 11, 2017. Midvaal mayor Bongani Baloyi said 50 people were injured, more than 550 homes damaged and more than 1100 people displaced following the storm.

Recalling the two to three minute tornado encounter, local resident Nkutha said:
"I have never seen anything like this. Strong winds just started blowing, followed by a hail storm.

"There was no way I could save my shack, so I took my little niece, Owethu, and put her in the food cupboard. I then lifted my skirt and told the other children in the house to hide."
According to local media reports, it blew off roof tops, uprooting trees and destroying fences and walls in its wake. This video shows the extensive damage caused.

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