Storms
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Cloud Precipitation

UK storms: Flooding after month's rain falls in nine hours


Sky News
Thu, 13 Aug 2015 21:59 UTC
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A shopping centre is evacuated, firefighters are called to a home struck by lightning and roads across the South are flooded.

Torrential rain and thunderstorms are lashing the UK - with parts of southern England enduring more rain in nine hours than the average for the whole of August.

The Met Office has issued 13 flood alerts - eight in southern and central England and five in Scotland - as the downpours are expected to continue into Friday.

One of the worst-affected areas on Thursday was Eastbourne, where 60mm of rainfall was reported by the afternoon.

At one point, the town's shopping centre had to be evacuated after drains on the roof began to overflow, but it later reopened.

In nearby Hailsham, three fire crews were needed to extinguish a blaze after a house was struck by lightning.
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Cloud Lightning

2 more people killed by lightning strikes in India


The Times of India
Wed, 12 Aug 2015 14:13 UTC
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Two people were killed due to lighting strike in separate incidents in Rajura tehsil on Tuesday. The first incident was reported from Kapangaon village. Vinod Wadhai, the victim, had taken shelter under the tree from the rains when a lightning struck it. He was killed on the spot. In the second incident, Chabutai Dhanorkar died in her farm.

Several areas of Chandrapur city too was waterlogged. There were reports of drain water entering in the residences in low lying areas of the city.

Comment: See also: Lightning strikes kill 4 woman within 24 hours in Maharashtra, India

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Cloud Precipitation

Cars washed away by floodwater in Rossano, Italy after violent storms sweep across region


Daily Mirror, UK
Wed, 12 Aug 2015 13:18 UTC
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Torrent: Cars are swept away by the flash floods
The authorities in Calabria, southern Italy, are declaring a state of emergency after the extreme weather left transport cut off and buildings evacuated

Violent storms have swept across Calabria, southern Italy, sparking powerful flash floods.

Mario Oliviero, governor of the region, is to call a state of emergency and ask for national assistance after the disaster.

The authorities are now trying to determine the extent of the damage, with the historic town of Rossano especially hard hit.

Torrents swept through the coastal tourist town, home to 40,000 people, bringing a chilling demonstration of nature at its most destructive.

Cars were swept away and piled in a heap in on the seafront and hundreds of holidaymakers had to be evacuated as floodwaters threatened a campsite.


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Cloud Precipitation

Cars dragged down street after severe flash flood hits Colorado Springs; 2 inches of rain in 45 minutes

Ashley Collman
Daily Mail, UK
Tue, 11 Aug 2015 12:32 UTC
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Dragged downstream: The floods were so strong that they uplifted parked cars and dragged the vehicles down the street
Dramatic video shows the awe-inspiring moment four parked cars were uplifted by a raging flash flood that overtook a residential street in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Severe thunderstorms in central Colorado caused nearly two inches of rain and hail to fall in just a 45-minute time span, Monday afternoon, and the sudden influx of water caused rivers to overflow and run off course.

One of these impromptu springs popped up in a neighborhood in Colorado Springs, where residents didn't even have enough time to move their cars by the time their block was overtaken by water.

In a video shared with Fox 31 Denver, a resident tapes the scene outside their home where several cars are uplifted and dragged down the street by the strong current.

A blue car even crashes into another larger SUV, no doubt causing serious damage to both vehicles.

Similar videos were taken in nearby Manitou Springs, where the flash floods led to the emergency evacuation of the Alpine Autism Center.

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Chaos: Above, chaos on a street in Colorado Springs as cars are pulled downstream in a flash flood

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Arrow Down

Huge landslide leaves 40 people trapped under more than a million tonnes of earth following torrential rain in China

Emily Chan
Daily Mail, UK
Wed, 12 Aug 2015 19:20 UTC
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Forty people are believed to be missing following a massive landslide in Shaanxi province, central China
Forty people are believed to be missing following a landslide in central China.

Over a million tonnes of mud and rock inundated the living quarters of a mining company in Shaanxi province at 12.30am local time today, reported the People's Daily Online.

Four workers have been rescued and rushed to hospital for treatment.

Rescue workers and paramedics were rushed to the scene shortly after the landslide and local residents have been evacuated from the area.

The extensive search and rescue operation is still on-going, but efforts have been hampered by bad weather.

Earlier today, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for an all-out rescue effort to find those who are still missing.

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill 4 woman within 24 hours in Maharashtra, India


The Siasat Daily
Wed, 12 Aug 2015 16:51 UTC
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Lightning killed four woman in villages of Adilabad district's Bejjur and Jannaram mandals during the last 24 hours, the police said.

According to Bejjur and Jannaram police sources, Padma (45) and Durgabai (35) of Krishnapally village died while one person was injured in Bejjur mandal.

Gummula Bimakka (38) and Kalleda Sattavva (22) of Darmaram village died, while two others were injured in Jannaram mandal, the police.

Another person was injured at Kortaguda village in Bejjur mandal, the police said.
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Cloud Precipitation

Five missing after flash flood in Morocco


emirates247.com
Tue, 11 Aug 2015 15:11 UTC
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Flash flood in Morocco
Five people have gone missing after torrential rain hit Morocco's central region of Azilal, the authorities said.

"Three women and two little girls were reported missing Monday following the floods... caused by torrential rain and storm winds," official news agency MAP quoted the authorities as saying.

The victims had been inside one of three houses swept away by a flash flood in a valley known as Wadi Alfet.

Residents and authorities are still looking for missing persons.

Flash floods are common in Morocco's valleys, and storms have hit several locations around the country in recent days, in some cases causing material damage.

The country witnessed record rain levels twice in 2014. Some areas, including southern coastal city Agadir, recorded more than a year's worth of rain in just 10 days.

The heavy downpour killed some 50 people and affected thousands of others in the regions of Agadir, Guelmin and Ouarzazate.


Source: AFP
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Airplane

Typhoon Soudelor whips up enough power to lift a plane from the ground in Taiwan

John Hutchinson
Daily Mail, UK
Tue, 11 Aug 2015 18:45 UTC
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The wheels of the plane were lifted from the ground because of the typhoon
This is the shocking moment a typhoon picks up enough strength to lift a large four-engined plane from the tarmac.

Powerful Typhoon Soudelor has battered Taiwan with strong wind and torrential rain at the weekend, killing six people and cutting power to 3.62million households - with mainland China next in its sights.

And the incredible strength of the phenomena was demonstrated after it whipped up enough energy to lift the wheels of what appears to be a passenger jet.

As the rain hammers down, the person recording the footage, which was uploaded to YouTube at the weekend, zooms in just at the right time to capture the wheels rising from the tarmac.

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Cloud Precipitation

Floods destroys homes; carries away grain and livestock in Burkina Faso


The Guardian
Tue, 11 Aug 2015 15:58 UTC
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© Brahima Ouedraogo/IRIN Houses destroyed by flooding on the outskirts of the capital, Ouagadougou.
Nearly 20,000 people were affected last week by heavy rains and flooding in and around Burkina Faso's capital, Ouagadougou. More than 3,700 are now homeless, their houses reduced to piles of mud and debris.

Making matters worse, more than 64 tonnes of cereal harvests and livestock were carried away by the floods, local officials say. Many parts of Ouagadougou and Bama, a commune in the west of the country, remain under water, days after the rains have slowed.

"Everyone has lost their food reserves, their farms and are now in need of assistance," said Aboubacar Mlougou, a representative of the National Council for Emergency Aid and Rehabilitation (Conasur). "Without aid, they will be forced to sell whatever items survived the floods, such as cars, ploughs and wheelbarrows, in order to survive."
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Cloud Precipitation

At least five killed following torrential rains, floods and mudslides in Chile


Buenos Aires Herald
Mon, 10 Aug 2015 18:45 UTC
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© AFP-JIJITowering waves pound the seacoast of Vina del Mar, on Saturday as a storm marked by strong winds and fierce downpours approaches from the Pacific Ocean hitting the Chilean coast.
A state of emergency has been declared by the Chilean government in the northern cities of Antofagasta and Tocopilla due to the strong winds and heavy rains.

At least five people have been killed in the torrential rains in Chile this weekend, officials said yesterday. Three people were reported killed in extreme northern Chile, which has been battered by powerful winds, torrential rains and mudslides. Two people died on Saturday in the cities of Valparaiso and Coquimbo.

Brigadier general Claudio Hernández Muñoz is in charge of coordinating the response to the storm, Interior Minister Jorge Burgos announced during a press conference at the National Emergency Management Office (Onemi) where he declared a Constitutional State of Exception — a measure that is designed to protect the stability and security of the country, or of a particular area, through the law, when exceptional situations occur.


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