Storms
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Tornado2

Rare powerful tornado strikes eastern China; at least 98 reportedly dead

Tornado damage in China
© AFPThe winds were powerful enough to pick up vehicles

A tornado and hailstorm have killed at least 98 people and injured nearly 800 in the east Chinese province of Jiangsu, according to state media.

Accompanied by torrential rain, the tornado struck the outskirts of the city of Yancheng on Thursday afternoon.

Counties on the city's outskirts saw winds of up to 125km/h (78 mph).

The search for survivors in debris has now been completed with a clean-up under way, the head of the provincial fire corps told state media.

President Xi Jinping had ordered "all-out rescue efforts" after what the Xinhua news agency said was one of the worst disasters ever to hit Jiangsu.

It was also the worst tornado to hit China in half a century, it said.

On Friday, rescuers were carrying injured villagers into ambulances and delivering food and water to others, said Xinhua.

Heavy rain and the possibility of more hailstorms and tornadoes had further complicated rescue efforts.

More than 1,300 police officers had been mobilised to help, while tent and other emergency supplies were being sent from Beijing.


Comment: Study: Extreme tornado outbreaks are increasing


Cloud Lightning

Lightning casualties increasing in Bangladesh with 261 deaths this year; on track to beat 265 total of 2015

Lightning
Bangladesh has seen a near-record number of deaths this year from a phenomenon that appears to be worsening with climate change: lightning strikes.

So far this year, 261 people have died from lightning in the country, putting the South Asian nation on track to beat last year's 265 deaths. Most lightning deaths usually occur during the warm months of March to July.

India has seen a similar surge in lightning deaths, with 93 people killed just in the past two days.

The problem has prompted Bangladesh's government to add lightning strikes to the country's list of official types of disasters, which includes floods, cyclones and storm surges, earthquakes, drought and riverbank erosion, among others.

Cloud Lightning

Another lightning bolt kills sheep in Kyrgyzstan; 55 struck in second recent incident

Lightning
At least 55 sheep were killed by lightning in Kyrgyzstan. Press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situation reported.

According to it, on June 20 a resident of Almaluu-Bulak, Suzak district, Jalal-Abad region Mederbek Kaamytov drove sheep to Kurobos pasture at about 3.00 a.m.

A lightning stroke into a herd of sheep, killing them, the shepherd has managed to slaughter only 20 of them, so that they would be suitable for consumption.

Comment: See also: 120 sheep killed by lightning bolt in Kyrgyzstan


Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill at least 93 within 2 days across India

Lightning over the golden temple in Amritsar during storms in April.
© Hindustan Times Lightning over the golden temple in Amritsar during storms in April.
At least 93 people have been struck by lightning and killed in India over the past two days, disaster management officials said Wednesday, as annual monsoon rains swept the country.

Lightning strikes are relatively common in India during the June-October monsoon, which hit the southern coast earlier this month, but this week's toll is particularly high.

Most deaths occurred in the eastern state of Bihar, where an overnight storm killed at least 56 people and injured another 28, mainly in rural areas.

"The death toll has climbed to 56 and 28 are injured. Many of the victims are children and women," Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihar's disaster management agency, told AFP.

Comment: Neighboring Bangladesh has seen a near-record number of deaths this year from lightning strikes, with 261 fatalities already - compared with last year's total of 265 deaths. The surge has even prompted Bangladesh's government to add lightning strikes to the country's list of official types of disasters.

The explanation provided by a physics and astronomy professor in California is indicative of mainstream science.
"Some specialists think that as the world warms up, we should expect more explosive lightning events ... rather than a gradual increase,"
Rather than 'global warming' it is the electrical nature of such phenomena that ought to be addressed. See also:

Electric universe: Lightning strength and frequency increasing


Cloud Lightning

UK has already experienced more thunderstorms this year than its average for a whole year

Lightning strikes a plane coming into land at Heathrow Airport on 27 April 2016.
© REX/Shutterstock Lightning strikes a plane coming into land at Heathrow Airport on 27 April 2016.
A rumble of thunder is always a cue to unplug computers in our district. Everyone remembers when the local power lines got struck by lightning a decade ago and wiped out the innards of most computers, even some that were switched off but still plugged into the mains. New computers are supposed to be fitted with anti-surge devices but anyone ever seriously inconvenienced by a lightning strike is unlikely to take the risk again.

Last week's daily thundery showers meant being unplugged a great deal of the time, which is not a problem with modern computer batteries, but which led to discussions about how often the UK gets this number of thunderstorms. It turns out that by the weekend most of the country had already exceeded the average for a whole year.

Cloud Lightning

Duck down! Lightning bolt likely kills 6 flying mallards in Regina, Canada

After a flash of lightning, three ducks fell from the sky and landed on this roof in south Regina on Saturday night. Three more dead ducks were found in nearby yards.
© Rick Spaeth/CBCAfter a flash of lightning, three ducks fell from the sky and landed on this roof in south Regina on Saturday night. Three more dead ducks were found in nearby yards.
No visible sign of injury to 6 mallards in Regina neighbourhood

A huge crack of lightning was followed by multiple "thumps" on a Regina roof Saturday night — and when the sun came up, there were dead ducks all around.

It happened around 9:30 p.m. CST on the 3400 block of Portnall Ave. in the south end of the city.

A storm was underway and for several minutes there was intense thunder and lightning.

After one particularly brilliant flash of lightning, the ducks dropped from the sky, neighbours said.

Three landed on a roof and three more ended up in yards in the area.


Neighbours said there was no obvious sign of injury to the mallards, so it's still not clear what killed them.

Tornado2

Fully-formed waterspout filmed in Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau Bahamas waterspout
© Via YouTube/USA Today
Check out this fully-formed waterspout during a severe thunderstorm that produced strong winds and lightning strikes in the Bahamas.


Comment: 3 waterspouts filmed over the Bahamas


Cloud Lightning

120 sheep killed by lightning bolt in Kyrgyzstan

120 sheep killed by a lightning strike
120 sheep killed by a lightning strike
120 sheep have been killed by a sudden lightning strike on June 16, 2016.

The animals were killed at once, while the shepherd and his helpers managed to survive.

The terrifying event occurred between 9 and 10 pm on a pasture in the village of Suuk Tobo in the Aksy district, Kyrgyzstan.

The shepherd named Umar with two helpers were taking care of a herd of about 600 sheep and goats.

As the pasture in Suuk Tobo is difficult to reach at night and under rain, the shepherds decided to wait the morning to reach it.

Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill 7 and injure over 15 within 24 hours in Madhya Pradesh, India

Lightning
With the arrival of monsoons, lightning struck various parts of Madhya Pradesh in last 24 hours, killing seven people and injuring over 15.

Two people died in Harda district in two separate incidents after lightning struck them on Monday. Fifty-five -year-old Arvind Vishnoi, a former journalist, died at Neem village when lightning struck him, while 19-year old Kamlesh Pawar died in Chidgoan, where two other people were also injured.

In Bhind district's Jamuha village, 40- year-old Prema Devi died in an agriculture field when lightning struck her on Monday. In Gwalior's Bara Gaon , lightning claimed the life of 16-year-old Mukesh Nath while he was working in a field.

In Rajgarh district, 58-year-old Champa Bai died while lightning struck her when she was going from Untpura to Rajpura.

Cloud Precipitation

Rare massive hail storm hits Alice Springs, Australia; turns the red centre white

Friday's storm was one of the wildest hailstorms in living memory, with thousands of tonnes of hail dumped on the town
Friday's storm was one of the wildest hailstorms in living memory, with thousands of tonnes of hail dumped on the town
Outback Australia was hit by wild hailstorms on Friday. As the cleanup continues, residents have found ways to make the most of the wacky weather.

Locals posted pictures to social media of wine coolers filled with hail, a sand castle built of remaining ice and cans of beer thrown on the ice to cool down.

The photographs went to show that even freak weather can't break Australian spirit.

One picture was of tanned feet encased in thongs against the white backdrop of the icy ground, and another showed hailstones on a pub table, with plates, glasses and beers clearly abandoned at the very last second.

Pictures of the desert town also illustrated how much ice remained on the road, and around the Todd River, which usually sits as a dry, sandy riverbed - not a lake surrounded by ice.

A powerful storm hammered Alice Springs on Friday afternoon bringing hailstones the size of golf balls and gale force winds to the town.


The freak storm uprooted trees and caused flash flooding, while parts of the Red Centre were covered in a sheet of white sleet.

The roof of Coles, which is the largest supermarket in Alice Springs, caved in during the storm
The roof of Coles, which is the largest supermarket in Alice Springs, caved in during the storm