Storm

Pajaro river's levee ruptures, flood problems grow in California

Crews rushed to repair a levee break on a storm-swollen river in California's central coast before yet another atmospheric river arrives Monday night, further walloping the state's swamped farmland and agricultural communities. The Pajaro River's first levee rupture grew to at least 400 feet (120 meters) since it failed late Friday, officials said. More than 8,500 people were forced to evacuate, and around 50 people had to be rescued as the water rose that night. A second breach opened up another 100 feet (30.48 meters) of the levee closer to the Pacific coast, providing a relief valve for the floodwaters to recede near the mouth of the river, officials said Monday during a news conference. Built in the late 1940s to provide flood protection, the levee has been a known risk for decades and had several breaches in the 1990s. Emergency repairs to a section of the berm were undertaken in January. A USD 400 million rebuild is set to begin in the next few years. Forecasters warned of mo

As atmospheric river exits, new storm threatens California with rain

Wet, miserable weather continued across huge swaths of California on Sunday as an atmospheric river that caused major flooding flowed eastward, while a new storm threatened another onslaught of rain, snow and gusting winds as soon as Monday. The National Weather Service said the next system could exacerbate severe flooding that overwhelmed the area in recent days, prompting a levee failure and widespread evacuations Saturday in farming communities near the state's central coast. The new storm is not expected to bring as much rain, but forecasters warned that considerable flooding could occur at lower elevations from additional rain and creeks and streams swollen with snowmelt. Definitely prepare for some more flooding impacts. The ground is very saturated. We're already seeing some impacts from some light amounts," National Weather Service forecaster Eleanor Dhuyvetter said. A tornado briefly touched down in Tuolumne County during severe thunderstorms Saturday that also dumped an i

Over 17mn people across California under flood watches ahead of a storm

More than 17.5 mn people across central and Northern California, including the San Francisco Bay area and state capital Sacramento, were under flood watches ahead of a storm set to lash the region

California hit hard by winter storm leading to heavy rainfall, snowfall

The powerful winter storm has continued to lash California, bringing heavy rainfall, snowfall and strong winds that led to road closure, flooding, power outage, among other damages

Large tornado damages buildings, uproots trees in Selma, Alabama in US

A large tornado damaged homes and uprooted trees in Alabama on Thursday as a powerful storm system pushed through the South

California braces for more stormy weather, rain and potential floods

California braced for more stormy weather with rain expected to sweep across the northern part the state on Saturday, raising the potential for road flooding, rising rivers and mudslides. Rain was forecast for the Bay Area Saturday with a brief dry period on Sunday and heavier storms due to arrive Monday. The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for a large swath of Northern and Central California with 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) of rain expected through Wednesday in the Sacramento-area foothills. In the Los Angeles area, light rain was forecast for the weekend with stormy conditions expected to return Monday with the potential for up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain in the foothills. The wet weather comes after days of rain in California from Pacific storms. A series of recent weather systems have knocked out power to thousands, flooded streets, battered the coastline and caused at least six deaths. The storms won't be enough to officially end California's .

'Powerful' winter storm to batter parts of US through the end of week

A "powerful" winter storm will batter the central and eastern parts of the US through the end of the week, forecasters said

Tornadoes hit US south, two fatalities reported in Alabama, several injured

Two people died after severe storms with tornadoes hit the south of the US

Hong Kong braces for Storm Nalgae's impact; businesses forced to close

Severe tropical storm Nalgae edged closer to Hong Kong on Wednesday and forced businesses to close, but a finance summit that's meant to restore the city's image as an international financial hub pressed ahead. As the city braced itself, temporary shelters were opened and theme parks were closed. The Hong Kong Jockey Club scrapped the evening's horse race. The Hong Kong Observatory raised its No. 8 typhoon signal, the third-highest warning under the city's weather system, Wednesday afternoon as Nalgae's maximum sustained winds hit 90 kilometres (56 miles) per hour. The warning, which prompted workers to return home, would remain in force until 6 pm. Whether the signal would be downgraded later would hinge on the strength of the storm and its distance from the city, the observatory said. Nalgae killed more than 130 people in the Philippines days ago before moving closer to China's southeastern and southern coastal regions. Hong Kong, a former British colony, returned to China's rule

47 dead, dozens feared missing as storm lashes parts of Philippines

Flash floods and landslides set off by torrential rains left at least 47 people dead, including in a hard-hit southern Philippine province, where as many as 60 villagers are feared missing and buried in a deluge of rainwater, mud, rocks and trees, officials said Saturday. At least 42 people were swept away by rampaging floodwaters and drowned or were hit by debris-filled mudslides in three towns in Maguindanao province from Thursday night to early Friday, said Naguib Sinarimbo, the interior minister for a five-province Muslim autonomous region run by former separatist guerrillas. Five other people died elsewhere from the onslaught of Tropical Storm Nalgae, which slammed into the eastern province of Camarines Sur early Saturday, the government's disaster-response agency said. But the worst storm impact so far was a mudslide laden with rainwater, rocks and trees that buried dozens of houses with as many as 60 people in the tribal village of Kusiong in Maguindanao's Datu Odin Sinsuat .

Cyclone Sitrang likely to intensify into severe cyclonic storm today: IMD

The deep depression over Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclone on Sunday evening and is very likely to gather further strength becoming a severe cyclonic storm before crossing the Bangladesh coast on October 25 morning, the IMD said. The cyclone, named Sitrang by Thailand, is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm on Monday with wind speed reaching 90 to 100 kmph gusting to 110 kmph, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. It is likely to cause heavy to very heavy rain in the coastal districts of West Bengal and isolated heavy rain in north coastal Odisha, it said. At 5.30 pm on Sunday, the cyclone was 580 km south of Sagar Island in West Bengal and 740 km south-southwest of Barisal in Bangladesh, it said. It will mainly affect the Sunderbans spread over West Bengal and Bangladesh as tidal waves are likely to reach a height of six metres owing to the twin effect of the weather system and new moon, deputy director-general of the Regional Met Centre in Kolka

Low-pressure area intensifies into depression, cyclone to be formed by Mon

A low-pressure area over the north Andaman sea that on Saturday intensified into a depression, around 1,460 km south-southeast of Sagar Island in West Bengal, is expected to take the shape of a cyclonic storm by October 24, the IMD said in its bulletin. The weather system moved west-northwestward and concentrated into a depression on Saturday at 8.30am, close to west of Andaman Islands, the bulletin said. "It is expected to move northwestward and intensify further into a deep depression over east-central and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal by October 23 morning. "The system is then very likely to re-curve gradually north-northeastwards and intensify into a cyclonic storm over central Bay of Bengal by October 24 morning," the IMD stated. Thereafter, it would continue to move north-northeastwards and cross Bangladesh coast, between Tinkona Island and Sandwip, around October 25 morning, the IMD forecast said. The name 'Sitrang' has been proposed by Thailand for the possible cycloni

Tropical storm Orlene expected to be hurricane off Mexico's Pacific coast

Tropical Storm Orlene is expected to grow into a hurricane by Saturday as its heads for an expected landfall on Mexico's northwestern Pacific coast. The U.S. National Hurricane Centre said Orlene had maximum sustained winds of 100 kph early Saturday. It was centred about 380 kilometres south-southwest of Cabo Corrientes and moving north at 7 kph. The centre said Orlene is a small, compact storm, with tropical storm-force winds extending out only 75 kilometres from the centre. It was forecast to grow to hurricane force by Saturday morning before falling back to tropical storm strength ahead of a forecast Monday landfall in Sinaloa state, in the region around the resort city of Mazatlan.

Hurricane Ian one of strongest storms to make landfall in Florida, US

After rapidly intensifying over warm waters in the Gulf of Mexico, Hurricane Ian slammed into southwestern Florida yesterday as a massive Category 4 storm

Hurricane Ian lashes Cuba, likely to hit Florida coast as Category 4 storm

A strengthening Hurricane Ian's rain and winds lashed Cuba's western tip, where authorities have evacuated 50,000 people, as it roared on a path that could see it hit Florida's west coast as a Category 4 hurricane. Officials in Cuba's Pinar del Rio province set up 55 shelters, rushed in emergency personnel and took steps to protect crops in Cuba's main tobacco-growing region ahead of Ian's expected landfall early on Tuesday as a major hurricane. The US National Hurricane Centre said the island's west coast could see as much as 14 feet (4.3 metres) of storm surge. Cuba is expecting extreme hurricane-force winds, also life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall, hurricane centre senior specialist Daniel Brown told The Associated Press. After passing over Cuba, Ian was forecast to strengthen further over warm Gulf of Mexico waters before reaching Florida as early as Wednesday as a Category 4 storm with top winds of 140 mph (225 km/h). As of Monday, Tampa and St. Petersburg appear

Cuba prepares evacuations as tropical storm Ian strengthens into hurricane

Authorities in Cuba suspended classes in Pinar del Rio province and said they will begin evacuations on Monday as Tropical Storm Ian was forecast to strengthen into a hurricane before reaching the western part of the island on its way to Florida. A hurricane warning was in effect for Grand Cayman and the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio and Artemisa. The US National Hurricane Centre said Ian should reach the far-western part of Cuba late Monday or early Tuesday, hitting near the country's most famed tobacco fields. It could become a major hurricane on Tuesday. Cuba state media outlet Granma said authorities would begin evacuating people from vulnerable areas early on Monday in the far-western province of Pinar del Rio. Classes there have been suspended. At 11 pm on Sunday, Ian was moving northwest at 13 mph (20 kph), about 140 miles (225 kilometres) south of Grand Cayman, according to the centre. It had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph (100 kph). Meanwhile, ...

Canadian military to help clean up storm Fiona sweeps away houses

Canadian troops are being sent to assist the recovery from the devastation of storm Fiona, which swept away houses, stripped off roofs and knocked out power across the country's Atlantic provinces. After surging north from the Caribbean as a hurricane, Fiona came ashore before dawn Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, battering Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec with hurricane-strength winds, heavy rains and huge waves. Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Saturday that troops would help remove fallen trees and other debris, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. She didn't specify how many troops would be deployed. Fiona was blamed for at least five deaths in the Caribbean, but there was no confirmation of any fatalities or serious injuries in Canada. Police said a woman who might have been swept away was listed as missing in the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland. Raging s

Emergency declared in Florida as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens

Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for all of Florida as Tropical Storm Ian gained strength over the Caribbean and was forecast to become a major hurricane soon days as it tracked toward the state. DeSantis had initially issued the emergency order for two dozen counties on Friday. But he on Saturday expanded the warning to the entire state, urging residents to prepare for a storm that could lash large swaths of Florida. This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations, DeSantis said in a statement. We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm. US President Joe Biden also declared an emergency for the state, authorising the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance to protect lives and property. The president postponed a scheduled

Storm that killed 2 damages space centre in Japan, 130K still lack power

A tropical storm that dumped heavy rain as it cut across Japan moved into the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday after killing two and injuring more than 100, paralyzing traffic and leaving thousands of homes without power. New damage was reported in southern Japan, where Typhoon Nanmadol hit over the weekend before weakening as it moved north. On Tanegashima island, south of Kyushu island, a wall was damaged at a Japan Aerospace and Exploration Agency's space center, the Economy and Industry Ministry said. The extent of damage to the building used for rocket assembly was being assessed. Two deaths were reported in Miyazaki prefecture on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu on Monday, when the storm was more powerful, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. One was a man was found in a car sunk in a flooded farm in Miyakonojo town, and another was found underneath a landslide in Mimata. One person was missing in the western prefecture of Hiroshima, and 115 others were injured across

Massive power outage in Puerto Rico following hurricane Fiona's arrival

Puerto Rico has suffered a massive power outage following the arrival of the powerful hurricane Fiona