Updated on Jan 3
Devastating Floods and Landslides
(Dec 30) Two weeks after tropical storm Washi caused severe flooding on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, leaving over 1,200 dead and thousands homeless, thousands more people have been evacuated from their homes following fresh flooding, after rivers burst their banks due to heavy rains. (Source)
(Dec 29) KUCHING: A section of the Pan Borneo highway in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia is cut off when KM77suffered a land slip – about 100m stretch sank at least 3m deep. (Source)
(Dec 27) Philippine disaster management officials say the number of people who died in massive flash floods in the southern Mindanao region a week ago was smaller than earlier reported – they corrected an earlier death toll from the health department of nearly 1,500 to 1,249based on an actual count of identified and unidentified bodies recovered by soldiers, police, firemen and other rescue workers. (Source)
(Dec 23) The Philippines government says 1,079 people are still missing in the wake of the devastating Typhoon Washi. More than 1,000 others are known to have died in the storm, which struck Mindanao island on Saturday. Entire neighbourhoods in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities were swept away. (Source)
(Dec 22) At least 20 people are reportedly killed and many others are missing after the city Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania was hit by the worst floods in decades for two consecutive days. (Source)
(Dec 22) Over 38,000 people in former war-torn northern Sri Lanka have been displaced due to heavy rains and floods. The country’s Meteorological Department predicted more heavy rains and strong winds in northern and eastern parts of the country due to the north-east monsoonal conditions that have intensified. (Source)
(Dec 21) Heavy rains and ensuing landslides have killed 170 people in Colombia, as the South American nation continues to grapple with one of its worst rainy seasons in decades. Widespread flooding, caused by torrential rains which began in September, have disrupted the lives of over 800,000 Colombians, washed away swathes of food crops and damaged around 135,000 homes. (Source)
(Dec 19) Six people died during a flash flood and landslide that swept away 13 houses in Wonosobo, Central Java in Indonesia. (Source) Throughout this month, flooding continues in various parts of Indonesia causing hundreds of houses to be submerged.
(Dec 19) More than 1,000 families are facing hardship in Angola after serious flooding. (Source) More than 100 cases of cholera were registered during the first fortnight of December due to recent flooding, claiming various lives. (Source)
(Dec 14) The 10-to-13 feet high wave inundated a shore on the Gulf of Thailand, causing floods of one metre deep and damaging houses in a village in the Southern province. There were no casualties reported. (Source)
(Dec 13) Extreme weather continues to strike Vietnam after floods devastated various parts of the country in earlier months. High waves and tidal effects are now destroying fishing villages. (Source)
Wild Weather Down Under
Storms pelted Victorians with hailstones as big as billiard balls during a wild Christmas Day barrage. The damage bill could run into tens of millions of dollars after hundreds of cars were bombarded, windows in homes and businesses were smashed and roofing was torn away.
A tornado hit Fiskville, near Bacchus Marsh, west of Melbourne. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued for many parts of Victoria throughout the afternoon and evening. Parts of Eltham and Greensborough were hit more than once by lightning and planes were grounded at Melbourne Airport. Lightning hit the 3AW transmission tower, knocking out its analogue signal and putting it off air to most listeners. (Source)
The Queensland Weather Bureau has issued a severe weather warning for dangerous surf conditions (swells as high as four metres) and abnormally high tides for coastal areas. (Source)
An out-of-control bushfire is threatening lives and homes in Western Australia’s mid-west. (Source)
Tropical Cyclone Grant is bringing winds up to 110 km/h to Northern Territory and residents are being warned of dangerous storm tides when it crosses the coast. It was possible it could intensify, in which case destructive winds with gusts to 130km/h might develop. (Source)
Heavy snow / Extreme Cold / Severe Rain Storm
(Dec 25) A winter Storm, dubbed Dagmar, with class 2 warnings and the most powerful winds are expected in the southern peaks of Norrland in Sweden. There’s a risk of 25 or 30 metres per second. That’s almost hurricane strength. (Source)
(Dec 24) Fierce winds and snow hit the Southwest and Great Plains. Travelers across the New Mexico and Texas are facing miserable holiday travel conditions after a snow storm hit the region. More than a foot of snow was dumped on the region yesterday, with high winds making driving conditions treacherous. Several roads including Interstate 40 were shut as high winds created snow drifts and icy conditions. The snow came after least seven people were injured in northern Georgia as powerful storms roared across the area, damaging homes, downing trees and knocking out power to thousands.
(Dec 22) List of cities breaking yearly rain records grows – 2011 now the wettest year for most. (Source)
(Dec 22) Russian rescue workers recovered 11 bodies from icy waters north of Sakhalin Island after a drilling rig with 67 people on board sank in a severe storm, according to the local government authorities. (Source)
(Dec 20) A tornado touched down in DeQuincy, Louisiana. The tornado has been confirmed as an EF-1 tornado, which is the next to lowest on the Enhance Fujita Scale. EF-1 tornados typically have wind speeds of 86 to 110 miles per hour. (Source)
(Dec 20) An intense hail storm was reported in the Ladysmith area in Durhan, South Africa. (Source)
(Dec 20) The death toll in a cold wave sweeping through northern India has risen to 39, media reports say. The majority of deaths were in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Punjab and Haryana are among the other northern states badly hit. Most deaths take place among the homeless and the elderly. (Source)
(Dec 7) The state of emergency has been declared in three Mexican states where 71 municipalities are affected by a cold wave. (Source)
(Dec 19) Heavy storm destroyed nealy 50 families and uprooted trees from in the Kutama area in South Africa. (Source)
Unusual Weather
(Dec 22) Blistering heat with temperatures near all-time highs baked a wide area of northern and central Argentina. The life-threatening heat, having temperatures to at least 115 degrees, spread over some key growing areas in which crops have already been stressed by recent heat and low rainfall. (Source)
(Dec 19) This rare twister was spotted swirling off the coast of France at Nice near the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. The vast majority of tornadoes form in the U.S. although they do occur on other continents and a few have been spotted in the U.K lately. (Source)
(Dec 19) A snowstorm and a drop of temperature by several degrees have literally turned Moscow roads into staking rinks, especially on bridges. Ten people have been killed in the accidents, about 30 were hospitalized. Residents of several areas of Moscow and the region have witnesses ice balls with water inside falling from the sky. That was a phenomenon of the ice storm, meteorologists said. (Source)
(Dec 16) Large forest regions in Canada are apparently about to experience rapid change. Based on models, scientists can now show that there are threshold values for wildfires just like there are for epidemics. Large areas of Canada are apparently approaching this threshold value and may in future exceed it due to climate change. (Source)
Other Updated News Watch
Extreme Weather Around The World: Dec 2011
Troubling increase in global volcanic activity
Reports of Earthquakes and Skyquakes in the U.S.
