Storms
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Tornado2

Latest sandstorm brings Iraq to standstill

Tony Gamal-Gabriel
PhysOrg
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 20:51 UTC
sandstorm iraq
© Karar Essa/Anadolu AgencyThe sandstorm affects daily life negatively in Najaf, Iraq on April 14, 2025
A thick cloud of dust blankets the Iraqi capital Baghdad as the eighth sandstorm since mid-April, 2022 paralysed activity across the country.

Another sandstorm that descended Monday on Iraq sent at least 2,000 people to hospital with breathing problems and led to the closure of airports, schools and public offices across the country.

It is the eighth duststorm since mid-April to hit Iraq, which has been battered by soil degradation, intense droughts and low rainfall linked to climate change.

The last one earlier this month led to the death of one person while 5,000 others had to be hospitalised for respiratory problems.
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Tsunami

Flash floods hit Penang, Malaysia following 4 hour overnight downpour


thevibes.com
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 17:48 UTC
Among the worst-affected areas were Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Thean Teik, Kampung Masjid, Green Garden, and Taman Siakap, where water levels rose quickly – April 16, 2025
Among the worst-affected areas were Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Thean Teik, Kampung Masjid, Green Garden, and Taman Siakap, where water levels rose quickly – April 16, 2025
Several parts of Penang were struck by flash floods last night after a prolonged period of heavy rain, with floodwaters entering homes and disrupting traffic across both the island and mainland.

Among the worst-affected areas were Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Thean Teik, Kampung Masjid, Green Garden, and Taman Siakap, where water levels rose quickly during a downpour that began around 11pm and lasted approximately four hours.

According to the Malaysian Civil Defence Force (APM) for the Northeast District, the volume of rainfall over a short period led to severe water overflow, resulting in the flooding of key roads and residential properties.

"Initial assessments indicate that water overflowed due to the exceptionally high rainfall within a brief timeframe. At around 1.40am, the floodwaters began entering homes in Jalan P. Ramlee and Kampung Masjid," the APM said in a statement issued Tuesday morning.

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Tsunami

Phuket in Thailand hit by flash floods after overnight downpour


The Nation Thailand
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 17:38 UTC
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Flash floods hit Phuket after heavy overnight rain, flooding key areas like Koh Sirey and Karon. Authorities warn of landslides and more rain ahead.

Several areas of the popular island province were hit by flash floods on Wednesday morning following heavy overnight rainfall, causing widespread disruption and prompting weather warnings across southern Thailand.

According to local officials, the worst-affected areas were Koh Sirey, a small island connected to Phuket's mainland by a bridge, and Tambon Karon. Both locations fall within the Mueang District, which has experienced severe flooding in recent months.

Numerous roads across these areas became inundated, raising concerns about potential mudslides on nearby hillsides. Authorities are actively monitoring risk zones and urging residents to stay alert.

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Snowflake

Heavy spring snow whitens Mahneshan, Iran


Mehr News Agency
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:13 UTC
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The Spring snowfall has whitened Mahneshan County in Iran's Zanjan province.


Comment: Also of note, significant damage to the region's orchards has been reported.

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Cloud Precipitation

Unstable weather triggers flooding in parts of Azerbaijan - 3 killed (UPDATE)


en.apa.az
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:52 UTC
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Since yesterday, the ongoing unstable and rainy weather conditions across Azerbaijan have led to a number of complications, including flooding in several areas, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement, APA reports.

In response to the heavy rainfall, the Ministry has deployed its forces to carry out water drainage operations in flooded areas of Baku and Ganja, as well as in Khirdalan, Absheron district, evacuating citizens in need of assistance, and implementing other necessary safety measures

At present, operations are continuing at several locations with the involvement of the Ministry's State Fire Protection Service, Special Risky Rescue Service, and the Baku Regional Center.


Comment: Update April 17

en.apa.az reports:
Bodies of three oil workers who drowned in flood in Azerbaijan's Shabran found

Another body was found in the river in Shabran, APA's Northern Bureau reports.

The person whose body was found has been identified as Fuzuli Mavlud Pashayev, a 63-year-old employee of the "Siyazanneft" Oil and Gas Production Department and a resident of the Siyazan district.

The body was discovered near the village of Daghbiliji in the Shabran district, by the riverbank. It is reported that he drowned in the flood.

The incident is currently under investigation.

According to information obtained, the two other individuals who drowned alongside him in the flood — Mammadov Gahraman Nurmammad and Nagiyev Hafiz Etibar — were also employees of the "Siyazanneft" Oil and Gas Production Department.


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Cloud Precipitation

Intense hailstorm hits Vacaria, Brazil


evrimagaci.org
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 11:11 UTC
mmmm
Residents face disruption as hailstorm blankets streets and roofs in white after unexpected weather event.

On Tuesday, April 15, 2025, the municipality of Vacaria, located in the Serra Gaúcha region of Rio Grande do Sul, experienced an unexpected and intense hailstorm. The storm, which lasted approximately 30 minutes, began around 2:30 PM and affected several neighborhoods, including Kms 4 and 5, Franciosi, Altos da Glória, Vitória, Jardim dos Pampas, Jardim América, Glória, Cohaab, and Municipal.

According to the local Civil Defense, this unusual weather phenomenon, referred to as a "saraivada de granizo," was characterized by a significant volume of small hailstones. Although the individual stones were small, the sheer quantity that fell was astonishing, leading to streets and yards being blanketed in white. Residents captured images showing thick layers of ice covering their properties and public spaces.

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Cloud Precipitation

Freak hailstorm hits the island of Mallorca, Spain leaving 2 inch covering of ice

Humphrey Carter
Majorca Daily Bulletin
Wed, 16 Apr 2025 10:53 UTC
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An unexpected hailstorm hit the Mallorca village of Puigpunyent in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The municipality in the Serra de Tramuntana has been affected by the unstable weather in the days leading up to Easter. The village woke up to find streets covered in white, with up to two inches of ice, as reported by the Meteo de les illes met. office on its WhatsApp channel and social networks.

The Guardia Civil and emergency services are working to control traffic and remove the ice from the road. The freak storm in Puigpunyent this morning has left several roads closed. The local council has asked residents to avoid travelling until the safety of the affected sections has been improved.

According to information from the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet), heavy rain has fallen in Mallorca in the past few hours, especially in the Serra de Tramuntana, and has left notable records in the Alfàbia-Bunyola mountain range (27.5 l/m2) and the Puerto Soller (18.4 l/m2).

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Snowflake

April snow closes roads in the Serra da Estrela, Portugal


The Portugal News
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:57 UTC
mmmmmm
© @Meteo Trás os Montes - Portugal
"Sections 11 (Piornos-Torre), 12 (Torre-Torre) and 13 (Portela do Arão-Torre) have been closed since 7:10 pm on Monday due to snowfall. There is still no forecast for the reopening of the road," a source from the Sub-regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command of Beiras and Serra da Estrela told Lusa news agency.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) had predicted snowfall at the highest points of the Serra da Estrela, dropping the altitude to 1,400/1,600 metres at the end of this Monday, as well as a sharp drop in temperature.

For today, IPMA maintains the forecast of snowfall in the highlands of the northern and central interior, above 1,000/1,200 meters in altitude, lowering the level to 800/1000 meters in altitude in the extreme north until early morning.

A slight drop in temperature and the formation of ice or frost are also expected in some places in the northeast of Trás-os-Montes and Beira Alta.

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Lightning

3 family members killed in lightning strike in Bihar, India


Greater Kashmir
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:36 UTC
3 family members killed in lightning strike in Bihar---Representational Image
3 family members killed in lightning strike in Bihar---Representational Image
In a tragic incident caused by extreme weather, three members of a family lost their lives due to a lightning strike on Monday at Shadipur village in Bihar's Arwal district.

The victims — Awadhesh Yadav (48), his wife Radhika Devi (45), and daughter Rinku Kumari (18) — were struck while seeking shelter from a heavy hailstorm, lightning, and rain after returning from their agricultural field.

According to eyewitnesses, the family had ventured into the field to collect harvested wheat just as the weather turned violent. Caught in the rain, they took shelter under a stack of straw, not knowing it would become a deadly trap.

Moments later, a bolt of lightning struck, igniting the straw stack, and the family was engulfed in flames. Their painful screams echoed through the village, sparking immediate chaos and mourning.

"It happened so suddenly. They were just trying to protect the wheat and the next moment they were burning. The whole village is in shock. They lost their lives on the spot," said a local resident.
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Lightning

Horror moment lightning strike knocks out 5 students on April 10 in Uttar Pradesh, India

James Moules
The Sun (UK)
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 11:20 UTC
The split second lightning flash was captured on video
The split second lightning flash was captured on video
This is the shocking moment a lightning strike knocks five uni students to the ground, leaving two fighting for their lives.

The split second lightning flash was captured on video at a university in north India.

The footage shows the group huddled together under a tree as they desperately seek shelter from the pouring rain.

But just as they appear to have escaped the downpour, the shocking moment arrives.

A brief flash can be seen as the lightning strikes.

And the group of students is immediately flattened to the ground as the bolt hits.

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