North Oman saw heavy rain during the period 14 to 17 October. The heavy rains caused flash floods in several areas including Nizwa, Ras Al Hadd and Bahla.

Oman Civil Defence reported that 7 people died in the floods, with a further 50 people rescued. One of the victims, believed to be a young boy, drowned in Fujairah after falling into the Wadi Siji dam. The other victims died in their vehicles whilst attempting to cross flooded wadis.

Capt Mohammed Al Hashmi, of the Royal Oman Police, told local media that drivers are putting themselves and others in danger by trying to cross wadis during periods of heavy rain. He said drivers should wait for a few hours for the waters to subside rather than risk their lives and those of their passengers. Omani police have been stationed at numerous wadis in order to prevent drivers from crossing, but Capt Al Hashmi said it was impossible to police all crossings.

As the birding community was remembering the previous time a diminutive Wilson's warbler was found on a Cornish headland in 1985, news broke that another one had made landfall.

Dazzling yellow Wilson's warblers are North American songbirds that nest in the vast forests of Canada and spend their winters in Mexico and neighbouring states.

Amazingly, one young bird, weighing little more than a 10p piece, crossed the Atlantic and made landfall near the northernmost tip of the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.

Torrential rains and flash flooding turned hillsides in Los Angeles and Kern Counties into mudflows last Thursday that cascaded over two freeways—Interstate 5's grapevine area north of Los Angeles and State Route 58 near Tehachapi.

Hundreds of terrified motorists swept up in the mud flow escaped their vehicles as the freeways became muddy rivers.

Firefighters and swift-water rescue personnel made daring rescues, pulling passengers out of windows as cars bobbed past. One pregnant woman escaped out the sunroof of her vehicle. Others remained trapped in their cars overnight, some with mud up to the windshields. Even semi-trucks became mired in the muck.

Typhoon Koppu will put lives and property across Luzon Island of the Philippines in danger through early this week.

Koppu developed into a typhoon early Friday morning local time and strengthened through the end of the week, reaching super typhoon status late Saturday evening. With wind gusts up to 295 km/h (180 mph), Koppu intensity was similar to that of a Category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.

Very early Sunday morning, Koppu made landfall near Casiguran, Aurora on the eastern coastline of Luzon as a very dangerous cyclone the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane. Koppu has weakened and is no longer a super typhoon, but still poses a significant threat to those in the Philippines.

In addition to Koppu's increased strength as it approached the Philippines, the system also has slowed down significantly. The combination of a powerful and slow-moving typhoon spells a disastrous situation for residents and communities in its path across northern Luzon.

Koppu crawled toward towards northern Luzon Island throughout the day Saturday, local time, making landfall early Sunday morning. Koppu is expected to move slowly northward along the west coast of Luzon through the first half of the week. While the threat for damaging wind will decrease during this time, life-threatening flooding will remain a major concern.


In Baguio, over 200 mm (8 inches) of rain had already fell by Sunday evening. The city could receive another 250 mm (10 inches) of rain before Koppu pulls away.

"A total of 300 to 600 mm (12 to 24 inches) of rain is expected to be widespread," AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty said. There will even be localized amounts upwards or in excess of 900 mm (36 inches). Such rain is sure to trigger severe and life-threatening flooding and mudslides.
"The most significant rain will fall in the mountainous terrain of northern Luzon," Douty added.

Typhoon Koppu will put lives and property across Luzon Island of the Philippines in danger through early next week.
Koppu developed into a typhoon early Friday morning local time and is currently approaching the northern Philippines. Disruptive wind shear had prevented Koppu from any significant strengthening through Thursday; however, Koppu will enter an area of low wind shear prior to making landfall in Luzon. This will allow for continued strengthening and result in Koppu becoming a very dangerous cyclone as it approaches and moves into Luzon this weekend.

"Rapid intensification is likely to occur right before Koppu reaches Luzon," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Douty. "Koppu will be the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane by landfall."

Koppu will not only strengthen as it approaches the Philippines but will also slow down significantly. The combination of a powerful and slow-moving typhoon could spell a disastrous situation for residents and communities in its path, which will be northern Luzon Island in Koppu's case.

From this weekend into early next week, Koppu will crawl toward and into northern Luzon Island before eventually turning to the north. Koppu is expected to make landfall, but how quickly it turns north will determine the duration of life-threatening conditions for northern Luzon.
While damaging winds are a concern, the greatest threat will be life-threatening flooding from days of torrential rainfall.

"A total of 300 to 600 mm (12 to 24 inches) of rain is expected to be widespread," stated Douty. There will even be localized amounts upwards or in excess of 900 mm (36 inches). Such rain is sure to trigger severe and life-threatening flooding and mudslides.

Hail and damaging winds have created havoc for southern Sydney residents, with a huge, fast-moving storm sweeping through the Campbelltown and Sutherland areas.

The flash storm halved the temperature in the southwest hubs in a matter of minutes, catching residents and motorists off guard.

Campbelltown's temperature peaked at 29.3degC at 1.40 before the sudden plunge cut 50 per cent off the thermometer reading.

The storm sucked the warmth out of a 30-degree day, gauges plunging to 14.4degC in a matter of minutes just after 2pm. As well as hail, 18mm of rain fell on Campbelltown in half an hour.

Stranger still, the warmth returned a little, temperatures climbing back above 20degC by 3pm.

Torrential rain flooded Larnaca on Thursday afternoon, resulting in the old Nicosia-Limassol road being closed due to the heavy rain.

Police also said that the road up to the village of Skarinou has been closed.

Roads in Larnaca were drenched in heavy rain fall which led to roads being flooded.

The fire services were busy pumping water out of flooded basements in the surrounding villages of Larnaca such as Mazotos on Thursday afternoon.

Teams are continuing to clean roads of debris and to pump the roads of rain.

Altogether 41 persons lost their lives due to lightning strike in various parts of Maharashtra during the last fortnight, an official said.

Almost half the deaths were reported in drought-affected Marathwada region where lightning claimed 19 lives, the official added.

"Altogether 19 persons died due to lightning strike in Marathwada region in the last fortnight," Aurangabad Divisional Commissioner Umakant Dangat told PTI over phone.

The district wise death figures include: Nashik -4, Aurangabad- 4, Ahmednagar- 5, Jalna - 3, Parbhani - 7, Osmanabad- 3, Latur - 2, Nanded - 4, Yavatmal - 3, Wardha - 1 and Nagpur 2.

The aunt of two sisters, who were struck by lightning while asleep in their home on Monday, said she desperately tried to save them.

Sindi Khanyile, 22, and her sister Zandile, 31, were struck by lightning in their home in uMshwathi, Wartburg.

Speaking to News24, their aunt Tholakele Khanyile said she had tried to help the two women.

"When I came into the home I tried to give them first aid. Then an ambulance arrived and they were declared dead.

"The family is having a very hard time trying to cope with this. It was all so sudden and they were so young. They helped us out all the time."

Nine people were killed in unprecedented flooding in South Carolina, Governor Nikki Haley said.

Flooding in South Carolina is so serious that President Obama declared a statewide emergency.

"We are at a 1,000-year level of rain," South Carolina Governor Haley said at a press conference. "That's how big this is."