Storms
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Snowflake Cold

Winter storm Stella blankets north-east US but spares major cities (Video)

winter storm Stella
© Jason Szenes/EPAA man pulls his child through the snow in Washington Square Park in New York City, where the schools were closed.
Snow piled up rapidly in parts of the north-eastern United States on Tuesday as a blizzard began blowing in, with residents being advised to stay at home, airlines grounding flights and schools canceling classes. However, earlier predictions of up to two feet of snow in major cities like New York and Washington DC were revised down as precipitation turned to sleet early.


Cloud Lightning

Soldier killed by lightning bolt in Cambodia

LIGHTNING
Lightning struck and killed a 57-year-old soldier harvesting cassava in a heavy storm in Preah Vihear province, police said yesterday.

Seng Thy, a soldier in the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces' Intervention Division 3, was working on a farm for extra cash during his free time when the sky began to darken, said Hak Yuth, deputy police chief of Choam Ksan district.

When the storm finally hit and heavy rain started to fall, Seng Thy ran under a tree that was struck by lightning, electrocuting him at about 6 p.m. on Sunday, he said. "If the victim had stayed out of the rain in the cottage with the other workers, he might not have died," Mr. Yuth said.

Igloo

New York declares state of emergency ahead of powerful winter storm Stella

winter storm stella march 2017
© Kamil Krzaczynski / Reuters United Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue are among the companies which have canceled some 4,000 flights to and from DC, Philadelphia, New York and Boston starting Monday night just before the storm hits, ABC News reported.
School and work, along with flights and plans, will be canceled, as cities across the Northeast brace for at least one more snowstorm this winter season. And it may be the most powerful yet, with a state of emergency announced in New York.

Travelers are already stranded, with airports from Washington, DC to Boston canceling flights for Tuesday in preparation for what could be the season's strongest snowstorm. In DC, residents are told to expect up to 10 inches Tuesday night while the New York tri-state area has been warned to anticipate over a foot.

A state of emergency has been declared for New York as a powerful snowstorm moves towards the tristate area. The level of snowfall that is forecasted would prohibit the safe operation of Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North. So people should stay home unless absolutely necessary," Governor Andrew Cuomo said.

"We're going to be hit with a tremendous challenge in the coming hours," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio warned Monday afternoon.

Comment: NOAA: 'Extreme situation developing': 18-24 inches of snow for parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey


Windsock

High waves hit beach in Durban, South Africa

Durban
North Beach has been closed due to high swells that have breached the promenade.

With Cyclone Enawa off the coast, some believe the increased velocity and strength of the waves might be a result of the storm system.

Many people have flocked to the area, which was also damaged 11 years ago by high waves, to watch the spectacle as waves pummel the breaker wall between the shoreline and the paved promenade opposite the Wimpy restaurant.

Lifeguards and emergency services are on the scene and people are cautioned to stay away.


Snowflake

Snowstorm strikes southwest China's Tibet

snow
A heavy snowstorm hit the southern counties in Shigatse City, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region on Friday.

By 14:00 Saturday, the total snowfall in Nyalam, one of the heaviest hit counties, reached 89.2 millimeters. The depth of accumulated snow in the county reached 61 centimeters. Local residents and snowploughs all did their part to help clear away snow off roads and sidewalks.

Affected by the heavy snowstorm, the power supply in Nyalam and Gyirong counties were cut off.

Several sections of national highway 318 and national highway 219 in Shigatse City were put under traffic control.


Windsock

Strongest storm in a decade cripples St. John's International Airport in Canada

St. John’s International Airport
© Upperclass MediaSt. John’s International Airport
The strongest storm to hit the region in over a decade has caused significant damage to St. John's International Airport, Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The storm produced wind speeds of up to 180 km/h (112 mph) at its peak, causing significant power outages and damage to property across the province.

A powerful storm grounded flights at St. John's International Airport on Saturday, March 11, 2017, wreaking havoc on travel plans as the airport measured winds of up to 158 km/h (98 mph), the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.

"The airport incurred significant damage to its facilities as a result of the wind storm that affected the region over the last few days," airport officials said Sunday.

"An electrical component in the Airport's Terminal Electrical room was damaged, resulting in no electrical feed entering the Terminal Building. The Terminal Building is presently operating under back-up emergency power provided by two emergency generators as well as reduced normal power," they said.

Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills jogging couple in Malaysia

LIGHTNING
A couple was struck by lightning while jogging in their neighbourhood park in Bandar Puchong Jaya here yesterday.

Yee Boon Koo, 59, and wife Ooi Lee Chen, 57, were found sprawled motionless on the jogging track at the park off Jalan Kenari 10 by a passer-by at about 6pm.

Serdang deputy OCPC Supt Lee Wai Leong said police were alerted about two unidentified individuals who were believed to have been struck by lightning.

"There were visible signs of a lightning strike about half a metre from the footpath where their bodies were found," he said.

Cloud Lightning

Girl and 2 cows killed by lightning bolt in Kenya

A girl died after being struck by lightning in Kisii County on March 10, 2017.
© YASUYOSHI CHIBA girl died after being struck by lightning in Kisii County on March 10, 2017
A 12 year old girl died while her older sister sustained injuries after they were struck by lightning in Omorendi village, in Kisii County.

Also a cow and a calf were killed in the Friday incident.

The deceased was identified as Patroba Maturi and her sister Linet Nyanchama.

Nyamache sub-county police boss Japheth Mwirichia said the incident was reported by the area's community policing chairman Alfanus Nyabuto Mosiori.

Tornado1

38 killed, 53,000 displaced in Madagascar cyclone

small building damaged by a tree in a street in Sambava, Madagascar, on March 8, 2017.
© AFPSmall building damaged by a tree in a street in Sambava, Madagascar, on March 8, 2017.

Nearly 40 people have lost their lives and 180 others sustained injuries since a powerful cyclone battered the island nation of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean mid-last week.

The national disaster management office in Madagascar (BNGC) made the announcement on Friday, saying that 38 people had been killed countrywide by tropical cyclone Enawo and an estimated 53,000 people displaced by storm waters.

More than 32,000 people have been affected in the capital city of Antananarivo alone, the agency said in an emailed statement.

"The damage is enormous wherever the cyclone has gone," said Thierry Venty, the executive secretary of the BNGC agency, without providing further details on overall damage and casualties.

Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills 5 in southern Tanzania

LIGHTNING
A lightning strike on Friday killed five people, including two pupils, in Tanzanian southern region of Lindi, local official said, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

The lightning strike followed heavy rains that were accompanied by strong winds, said Shaibu Ndemanga, the Lindi District Commissioner.

Ndemanga added that three people were admitted to hospital following injuries they sustained after a roof of their house collapsed due to the strong winds.

Ndemanga said at least 53 houses were destroyed by the rains leaving at least 250 families homeless.

Comment: Other reports of recent deaths: Lightning strike kills labourer in Purulia, India

Lightning strike kills farmer in Sherpur, Bangladesh

Lightning kills woman in Tamil Nadu, India