Storms

Number of Indian districts affected by cyclones tripled after 2005

Ahmedabad Mirror
Fri, 28 May 2021 17:49 UTC

Cyclone Yaas

More than 75 per cent of Indian districts are hotspots for extreme climate events. On the east coast, more than 90 per cent of districts are hotspots for cyclones, floods, droughts and their associated events; these districts are home to over 250 million people.

On the back of recent cyclone Yaas hitting the eastern coast, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) has done an independent analysis in West Bengal and Odisha.

According to a CEEW study, after 2005, the yearly average of the number of districts in India affected by cyclones tripled and the cyclone frequency doubled. In the last decade alone, 258 districts were affected.

The cyclone hotspot districts are primarily concentrated along the eastern coast. These include Baleswar, East Godavari, Howrah, Kendrapara, Nellore, North 24 Parganas, Paschim Medinipur, Puri, Sivaganga, Tuticorin, and West Godavari.

In east coast districts, the frequency of cyclones and storm surges has increased seven-fold in the last 50 years. Since 2005, the number of districts affected has increased five-fold on a decadal basis.

Heavy rainfall, hailstorm and flash flood in Taif, Saudi Arabia

News Call
YouTube
Mon, 24 May 2021 11:08 UTC

Heavy rainfall, hailstorm and flash flood in Taif, Saudi Arabia

Major flooding hits Guyana and Suriname

Village Voice
Thu, 27 May 2021 11:00 UTC

Residents of Bartica we are currently experiencing the worse floods in recent years, the town's Mayor, Gifford Marshall has said.

In a Facebook post. Marshall said hours-long heavy rainfall has resulted in extensive flooding in low- lying and others areas. "We regret to report that we are expecting the highest tide in a few hours.

In light of the above we ask that you prepare and take all necessary measures to secure your property.

The Council will continue to update you as we remain on the ground to monitor situation," Marshall told residents.

Cyclone 'Yaas' causes flooding in Odisha and West Bengal, India - 1.5 million evacuate

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Thu, 27 May 2021 18:45 UTC

Almost 1.5 million people evacuated their homes in India ahead of Cyclone Yaas making landfall in the state of Odisha on 26 May 2021.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Very Severe Cyclonic Storm Yaas crossed the North Odisha coast about 20km south of Balasore during the morning of 26 May 2021, with an estimated wind speed of 130 to 140 km/h and gusts of 155 km/h. Moving north-westwards Yaas later weakened to a Severe Cyclonic Storm.

IMD warned of storm surge of 2-3 meters in coastal areas of Balasore, Bhadrak and Medinipur districts in Odisha. Rainfall warnings were issued in Odisha and West Bengal. IMD said heavy rain was likely from 28 May in parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Comment: See also earlier report with videos: Deadly Cyclone Yaas hits India's eastern coast - at least 3 killed

Drama in Nepal: Escape from Everest and Baruntse because of heavy snowfall

Angela Benavides
Explorersweb.com
Thu, 27 May 2021 14:59 UTC

Nepal's Home Ministry has called for expedition agencies and tourism officials to make climbers return immediately from the mountains. For those high on Everest and Baruntse, returning is easier said than done.

While climbing permits are valid until the end of the month, the impact of Cyclone Yaas has prompted authorities to summon climbers down, the Everest News blog told ExplorersWeb. In fact, there may be little need for the official press release. On Everest, most teams at higher camps have switched their focus to getting down safely, in very tough conditions.

We still await news from Baruntse, where Marek Holecek and Radoslav Groh have been trapped after completing a new route. The exhausted pair, possibly without food or even fuel for melting water, are into their eighth day on the wall. Yesterday, they only managed to descend 100m. In Holecek's latest message, he said that they would attempt to descend during the night.

In the storm

Heavy snowfall will continue until Saturday. This is bad news for Holecek and Groh, as well as for those on Everest. Many climbers are weathering the storm in Camp 2 or trying to get down the mountain.

Jammu and Kashmir suffer heavy losses to orchards due to hailstorms

Fresh Plaza
Mon, 24 May 2021 18:57 UTC

Northern Jammu and Kashmir were lashed by a devastating hailstorm, causing heavy damage to standing crops and fruit trees. Fruit growers in the valley have expressed concern over the damage caused to apple blossoms, walnuts, pears and other standing crops due to heavy hail storm yesterday. It struck several areas of northern Kashmir, especially the upper belt of Rafiabad block Rohama.

A Representative of the affected farmers called for comprehensive compensation to the orchardists and farmers who suffered heavy losses due to heavy rains followed by a heavy hailstorm on Friday evening. According to urdupoint.com, he alleged that whenever natural calamities cause damage to the fruit and other crops, the worse affected people had always been assured compensation and even surveys were being conducted.

Deadly Cyclone Yaas hits India's eastern coast - at least 3 killed

Al Jazeera
Wed, 26 May 2021 10:25 UTC

A man wades through a waterlogged road after rains ahead of Cyclone Yaas at Digha in Purba Medinipur district in the eastern state of West Bengal

© Rupak De Chowdhuri/Reuters
A man wades through a waterlogged road after rains ahead of Cyclone Yaas at Digha in Purba Medinipur district in the eastern state of West Bengal

Heavy rains and howling winds are lashing eastern India as the COVID-stricken country's second cyclone in as many weeks makes landfall, killing at least three people in Odisha state and forcing more than 1.2 million people to seek shelter.

Cyclone Yaas, packing gusts of up to 140kmph (87mph), made landfall at about 9am local time (03:30 GMT) on Wednesday, destroying tens of thousands of houses, forcing the closure of the busiest regional airport in the city of Kolkata, and bringing storm surges to coastal areas.

In Odisha, one person died in Keonjhar district's Panchapalli village and another in Balasore district after trees fell on them, local officials told Al Jazeera. In the state's Mayurbhanj district, the dead body of a 15-year-old boy was found in a pond at Jagannath Khunta village by a National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team.

Comment: Victims of cyclone Yaas have been posting updates:

42 cows killed by lightning bolt that also hit farmer in China

John Feng
Newsweek
Tue, 25 May 2021 10:02 UTC

A farmer in southern China lost 42 cows when he and his cattle herd were struck by lightning during a thunderstorm on Monday.

Officials in the town of Sanjia, which is in Dongfang in the Chinese province of Hainan, said the victim was knocked unconscious by the bolt of electricity, but he was not in any life-threatening condition.

Footage circulating on Chinese social media sites showed villagers and local government officials surveying the farm following the freak weather incident. The lifeless brown cattle can be seen scattered across the field while survivors remain cooped up nearby.

Lightning strikes kill 4 in Bangladesh

The Independent (Bangladesh)
Tue, 25 May 2021 12:05 UTC

Separate lightning strikes killed four persons, including three children, here this afternoon.

The deceased were identified as Rabiul Islam, 26, son of Enamul Hoque of Namoharma village under Debinagar union of sadar upazila, Al Amin, 12, son of Shariful Islam of Sabania village under Sundarpur union of the same upazila, Lily Khatun Khushi, 10, daughter of Biplob Ali of Hujrapur village under Rohonpur municipality of Gomostapur upazila and Shahida Khatun, 11, daughter of Nazmul Hasan of Nasimodinagar village under the same upazila.

Locals said Rabiul Islam was hit by a thunderbolt when he went to bring back cattle home and Al Amin was hit while plucking mangoes at around 3:30 pm, leaving both of them dead on the spot.

Besides, Khushi and Shahida were hit while picking up mangoes at an orchard. They died on the spot.