Storms
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Windsock

Cyclone Winston wreaks destruction in Fiji, five people killed


BBC News
Sat, 20 Feb 2016 22:58 UTC
Cyclone Winston batters Fiji
© EPAPeople in Ba in the north of Viti Levu island awoke to scenes of devastation
Authorities in Fiji are assessing the damage after the most powerful storm left at least five people dead.

Cyclone Winston brought winds of over 320km/h (200mph), torrential rain and waves of up to 12m (40ft).

It destroyed hundreds of homes and cut electricity lines. There are reports of entire villages flattened.

The government has imposed a nationwide curfew and 30-day state of national disaster giving extra powers to police to arrest people without a warrant.

The Category-five storm - the highest level - moved westward since making landfall at 18:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Saturday in the north of Fiji's main island, Viti Levu.

It changed direction at the last minute, sparing the capital Suva the full force of its winds.

The government had opened about 750 evacuation centres.

More than 1,000 people were sheltering in one on the second largest island of Vanua Levu, north-east of Viti Levu, the Fiji Broadcasting Company said.

Among the victims was an elderly man who died on the smaller Koro Island when a roof fell on him.

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning kills another 3 people in South Africa; total of 10 in a week


iol.co.za
Sat, 20 Feb 2016 19:06 UTC
Lightning
© Warren Dick
Three more people have died in lightning strikes in KwaZulu-Natal, bringing to 10 the number of people killed in one week, the provincial co-operative governance and traditional affairs department said on Saturday.

"With the province of KwaZulu-Natal still licking its wounds after seven people lost their lives in the area of KwaMachi near Harding in the Umuziwabantu local municipality, another tragedy has struck as more lightning, hail, and storms have hit the neighbouring uMzimkhulu municipality killing three more people and injuring dozens of others as well as damaging homes," MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube said.

In wards 14 and 18 in uMzimkhulu municipality more than 80 household were affected by storms. A team of disaster management personnel led by the local mayor Mphuthumi Mpabanga had been undertaking door-to-door visits to all the affected families and providing first-line support, she said.

Comment: See also these other recent reports from South Africa: Lightning kills four in Harding, South Africa

Lightning strike kills three in South Africa

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Windsock

Cyclone Winston: Category 5 storm strikes Fiji with record gusts of up to 325km/h (200 mph)


9news.com.au
Sat, 20 Feb 2016 11:59 UTC
The Bureau of Meteorology released satellite imagery of the eye of the storm making landfall.
© BOMThe Bureau of Meteorology released satellite imagery of the eye of the storm making landfall.
Tropical Cyclone Winston has made landfall on Fiji's main island with estimated wind gusts up to 325km/h, after the government declared a state of emergency and imposed a nationwide curfew this afternoon.

The Category Five storm is thought to be the strongest ever recorded in the Southern Hemisphere, and is the strongest the island nation of Fiji has ever experienced.

It began to make landfall on the main island of Vitu Levu after the curfew took effect at 6pm local time, after earlier sinking boats and causing flash flooding on the nation's outer islands, including Vanua Levu.

Cyclone Winston has estimated average winds of up to 220km/h and gusts up to 325km/h, according to the Fiji meteorological office.


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Cloud Lightning

7 killed, 9 injured due to lightning strike in Pakistan

Sarfraz Ali
Daily Pakistan
Sat, 20 Feb 2016 10:35 UTC
Pakistan lightning deaths
Four women among seven people from the same family were killed in devastating lightning strike a double-storey house at Khushab's Purana Chowk here on Saturday, Radio Pakistan reported.

As per media reports, the ill-fated house's roof collapsed when lightning hit it badly and upon this all the family members trapped under the rubble. As result, seven people including four women and two children died in the mishap whereas nine others sustained severe wounds and were shifted to hospital, rescue official said.

The deceased have been identified as Umar Daraz, his wife Razia, eight-year-old Kinza, 15-year-old Farooq, 10-year-old Abdul Rauf, 13-year-old Sobia, seven-year-old Nauman and 17-year-old Sonia.

Comment: Some other lightning fatalities in recent weeks include:

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Windsock

Cyclone Winston lashes Fiji with 300kph winds


The Guardian
Sat, 20 Feb 2016 06:08 UTC
Cyclone Winston
© NASA Goddard Rapid Response/NOAA A 19 February Nasa satellite image of Cyclone Winston in the Pacific.

Residents told to take precautions and flights cancelled as island faces arrival of intense tropical storm

Flights to and from Fiji were cancelled on Saturday as the country braced itself for the arrival of Cyclone Winston.

Winston was forecast to pass between the two main populated islands on Saturday night. Many domestic and international flights were cancelled as authorities urged people to secure their homes and not venture outside.

Fiji's prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, said on Saturday that the island's evacuation centres were operational and the government was prepared to deal with a potential crisis.

"As a nation we are facing an ordeal of the most grievous kind," he wrote. "We must stick together as a people and look after each other."

The US government's typhoon warning centre said gusts from the cyclone were reaching 360km/h (224mph).

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning kills four in Harding, South Africa


SABC News
Fri, 19 Feb 2016 19:46 UTC
lightning
Four people have died and 20 others sustained injuries when storms and lightning caused havoc at Harding in southern KwaZulu-Natal Thursday.

Provincial Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Robert McKenzie says the four died in hospital after they had been struck by lightning.

He says all the injured were treated at the scene before being transported to hospital for medical care.

The storm left houses destroyed and roofs being blown.
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Cloud Precipitation

Flooding hits Cordoba, Argentina

Alessandro Masoero
Floodlist
Wed, 17 Feb 2016 09:12 UTC
Flooding in Cordoba
© Cadena 3 ArgentinaFlooding in Cordoba, Argentina
The night of 15 February 2016 saw an intense rainstorm over the city of Córdoba, Argentina, causing 4 causalities. At least two of the deaths were a result of flooding.

Storm - 70 mm of rain, 140 km/h winds

According to the Observatory of Cordoba of the Argentinian National Meteorological Service (Servicio Meteorológico Nacional - Observatorio de Córdoba, SMN), more than 70 mm of rain was recorded in Córdoba during the torrential storm which started at 20.10 and lasted a few hours. Moreover, the city was affected by hail and strong winds as high as 110 km/h, and gusts up to 140 km/h.

Cordoba Province, especially Sierras Chicas 30 km North-West of Córdoba, was affected by a similar intense event a year ago, 15 February 2015. More than 1,000 people were displaced from their houses, and 9 causalities were reported after the storm last year.

Several provinces of Argentina, including Entre Ríos, Chaco, Corrientes and Formosa, are still recovering from floods caused by overflowing rivers that began in late December 2015 and continued into January 2016.

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Snowflake

Record-breaking snowfall hits Ottawa, Canada

Andrea Bagle
The Weather Network
Tue, 16 Feb 2016 08:13 UTC
Record snow in Ottawa
© The Weather Network
For those questioning if winter had called it quits, a major snow storm Tuesday proved it is only mid-February after all. The snow pushed into southern Ontario early Tuesday, doubling commute times and prompting bus cancellations first thing.

Close to 10 cm of snow was recorded in major cities like Toronto and Markham before easing through the afternoon hours.

"Snowfall amounts in the Greater Toronto Area were in the 5 to 10 centimetre range, as this area was only grazed the western edge of the huge snow shield associated with this winter storm," said Environment Canada in a storm summary.

The storm in eastern Ontario however, was relentless.

"The highest 24 hour snowfall accumulation for Ottawa was recorded Tuesday with a whopping 51 cm of snow," says Weather Network meteorologist Erin Wenckstern. "That smashed the old record of 40.6 cm of snow set back on March 2, 1947."

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Tornado1

Very unusual this time of year! Miami, Florida wakes to tornado warning, wind damage


RT
Tue, 16 Feb 2016 16:52 UTC
Miami storm cloud
© OBi Figueroa/FacebookThe city was immersed in a giant dark cloud Tuesday morning.
A tornado warning issued in south Florida Tuesday morning woke up residents, if the giant thunderstorms hadn't already.

Officials have not yet confirmed any actual tornadoes touched down, but several reports by locals online say "tornadoes" overturning a trailer on a highway, damaging cars, and downing trees.

With thousands of sharks spotted off the coast of Florida this week, could this be the perfect recipe for a Sharknado?

Northwest Florida and Mississippi were hit by tornadoes Monday with ten homes receiving significant damage, according to Escambia County spokeswoman Joy Tsubooka.
Tornado damage in Miami Floria
© Via instagram/sugarae123

Comment: Unusual weather is happening all over the globe. Check out the January edition of SOTT's Earth Changes Summary for more extreme weather, planetary upheaval and meteor fireballs.

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Cloud Precipitation

Several dead in Papua New Guinea due to flooding and landslides


fbc.com.fj
Tue, 16 Feb 2016 14:58 UTC
Heavy rain in Papua New Guinea.
© RNZI / Johnny Blades Heavy rain in Papua New Guinea.

At least six people in Papua New Guinea are reported to have died as a result of landslides and flooding caused by heavy rains in recent weeks.

The Post Courier newspaper has reported deaths in Chimbu and the Western Highlands.

It reported 200 homes have been destroyed, and bridges have been swept away in Oro and West New Britain provinces.

World Vision PNG response manager Bonie Belonio said disaster authorities and humanitarian organisations were scrambling to assess the extent of the damage so distribution of relief supplies could begin.

He said he believed the rains may have taken many people by surprise after the long drought.
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