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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are currently no active tropical storm systems.

Newsbytes:

Brazil – Thousands of people have evacuated their homes after flooding and landslides in several northern states of Brazil. At least 6 people have lost their lives in the state of Maranhão and 3 in in the state of Ceará. Authorities in the state of Maranhão report that multiple municipalities in the state have declared a state of emergency in response to the recent heavy rainfall. Around 800 households have been displaced. The municipalities of Marabá and Itupiranga in Pará State, Brazil, declared an emergency on 21 March 2023 due to rising levels in the Tocantins and Itacaiúnas rivers. Local authorities in Marabá said more than 400 households were displaced. The two rivers have been rising for some time in the state but reached danger levels over the last few days.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are currently no active tropical storm systems.

Newsbytes:

Brazil – At least 5 municipalities in Ceará State in northeastern Brazil have declared a state of emergency after days of heavy rain triggered flooding and landslides. Dozens of people have been displaced and at least 3 fatalities reported. Three people from the same family died after heavy rain triggered a landslide which destroyed their home in Aratuba on 16 March 2023. A further 15 homes were damaged or deemed unsafe by authorities, forcing around 50 people to evacuate. Elsewhere in the state, over 30 families were pre-emptively evacuated from homes in neighbourhoods of Itapipoca City on 17 March due to flood and landslide threats.

California, USA – Swaths of California still saturated by ruthless storms will get walloped by another atmospheric river, spawning fears of renewed flooding and forcing some residents to flee. The state has already been hammered by at least 11 atmospheric rivers this season. An atmospheric river is like a fire hose that carries saturated air from the tropics to higher latitudes, dumping relentless rain or snow. The last, which struck California last week, left soil overly saturated and vulnerable to new flooding and rapid runoffs, the National Weather Service said. The next atmospheric river is expected to slam California from late Monday night through Wednesday.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are currently no active tropical storm systems.

Newsbytes:

Malawi and Mozambique – As many as 190 people have now died in Malawi as a result of floods, mudslides and strong winds brought by Tropical Cyclone Freddy. Meanwhile the search for 37 people still missing continues. Over 4,000 people have been displaced from their homes.

Colombia – Days of heavy rain triggered severe flooding in parts of the Cesar Department in Colombia where hundreds of homes have been damaged. Heavy rainfall from 08 March caused flooding in the municipality of Curumaní on 11 March. The Animito, San Pedro, and Palmar rivers and the San Ignacio and the La Cubana streams all broke their banks. More than 600 homes have been severely damaged in affected areas. Many residents have lost material possessions. Wide areas of crops have also been damaged. Heavy rainfall has caused flooding and landslides in other parts of Colombia in recent days.

Turkey – Disaster authorities in Turkey report at least 1 person has died and 4 are still missing after torrential rain caused flash flooding in parts of the southeastern Şanlıurfa and Adıyaman provinces. Flooding struck on 15 March 2023 following heavy rain. According to figures from Turkey’s General Directorate of Meteorology, in a 24-hour period to 15 March, Karaköprü in Şanlıurfa recorded 104.5 mm of rain and Çelikhan in Adıyaman recorded 125.6 mm Areas of neighbouring Malatya Province also recorded very heavy rain, with Doğanşehir recorded 151.4 mm during the same period. Local media reported the rivers broke their banks in Adiyaman Province. Severe flooding was also reported in the city of Urfa (officially Şanlıurfa) and areas of Şanlıurfa Province. On 15 March authorities warned residents of several districts of the city to evacuate their homes.

Brazil – Heavy rains in areas of the state of Amazonas in northwestern Brazil on 12 March triggered deadly landslides in the state capital Manaus. At least 11 houses were destroyed after a landslide in the Jorge Teixeira neighbourhood. Eight bodies were located under the rubble and debris. Three people were rescued alive. Around 130 houses have been deemed at risk or unsafe in the Jorge Teixeira neighbourhood, forcing dozens of families to evacuate.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical Cyclone 11s (Freddy) is located approximately 119 nm north-northwest of Europa Island, is tracking northwestward at 07 knots.

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Newsbytes:

Brazil – Severe flooding struck in northern parts of Rio Grande do Sul State in Brazil after heavy rain that began around 05 March 2023. One person died after a vehicle was swept away by the flooding of the Três Forquilhas river in Terra de Areia. Homes, roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed. Classes have been suspended.

Ecuador – At least 3 people died after heavy rain caused flooding and landslides in the Manabí Province of Ecuador on 07 March 2023. The worst of the flooding struck in Chone city and areas of Chone canton after several small rivers and streams – tributaries of the Chone River – broke their banks. Flood water, mud and debris swept through parts of Chone city and the parishes of Santa Rita, Canuto, Ricaurte and San Antonio. Dozens of homes were severely damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, the heavy rains triggered several landslides in the area which blocked several roads. A landslide caused the collapse of a house in Santa Rita parish. Two people died in the event.

Ghana – A heavy downpour lasting several hours caused flooding in parts of Accra, the capital of Ghana, on 07 March 2023. Roads were swamped severely disrupting traffic in a city regularly impacted by flooding. Two young children died after a building collapsed in the Ngleshi Amanfro neighbourhood in the west of the city.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical Cyclone 11s (Freddy) is located approximately 175 nm southeast of Europa Island, is tracking westward at 01 knot.

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Newsbytes:

Brazil – Dozens of houses were damaged and hundreds of people were displaced after severe flooding swept through the municipality of Bandeirantes in the north of the state of Paraná, Brazil. Flooding struck in the early house of 05 March 2023 following torrential rainfall. The municipal government reported over 150 mm of rain in a short period. The volume and intensity of the rain caused rivers to break their banks, flooding wide areas of Bandeirantes. Around 250 homes were damaged and over 700 people were displaced. Roads are impassable and schools have been closed.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 138 nm south-southwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar, is tracking westward at 14 knots.

Tropical cyclone 14s (Fourteen), located approximately 436 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-southwestward at 10 knots.

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Newsbytes:

Brazil – At least 44 people have now lost their lives after torrential rain caused floods and landslides in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, on 19 February 2023. 18 adults and 5 children have received hospital treatment for injuries. Of this total, six are in a serious condition while 13 were described as stable. Large-scale rescue and relief efforts are ongoing. The accumulation of rain in the cities of the North Coast of São Paulo was the highest recorded in Brazil’s history. In 24 hours to 19 February, 682 mm of rain fell in Bertioga.

Tree Defence, UK – Thousands of trees are to be planted as part of a flood defence project in northern England. England’s Environment Agency said 7 hectares of woodland and over 5km of hedgerow are to be created as part of a large ‘aquagreen’ project that will store floodwater and reduce flood risk.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 227 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking west-southwestward at 17 knots.

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Newsbytes:

Paraguay – Overflowing rivers in the department of Amambay in northeastern Paraguay have damaged roads and bridges and affected 700 indigenous families in the area. The Aquidabán river in Amambay Department broke its banks on 16 February. Several people had to be rescued by helicopter. Photos showed floodwater up to roof height. The flooding caused significant material damage and many residents have lost all their belongings, local media reported.

Brazil – The governor of São Paulo state in Brazil has declared a state of emergency after torrential rain triggered flooding and landslides in areas of the north coast of the state. Authorities said that as much as 683 mm of rain fell in Bertioga in a 24-hour period to 19 February 2023. As of 20 February, 36 deaths were confirmed, including 35 in São Sebastião – 31 in Barra do Sahy, two in Juquehy, one in Camburi, one in Boiçucanga – and one in Ubatuba. Flooding and landslides have damaged homes across the region and 566 people have been displaced or made homeless.

New Zealand – Police in New Zealand report that over 6,000 people are still reported as uncontactable following the devastation left by floods, strong winds and high waves brought by Cyclone Gabrielle. As of 19 February, there have been 6,431 reports of uncontactable people registered and 3,216 reports from people registering that they are okay. Between 12 and 14 February, parts of New Zealand recorded rainfall amounts of 300-400mm, wind gusts of 130-140km/h and waves as high as 11 metres along some coasts.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 1000 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 14 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 1187 nm south of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 18 knots.

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Newsbytes:

Brazil – Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides in the municipality of São Gonçalo in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 13 to 14 February 2023. Municipal authorities declared a state of emergency after torrential. São Gonçalo City Hall reported 192.4 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in the Gradim neighbourhood of the city. Around 143 incidents of flooding and landslides were reported across the municipality.

Malawi – Severe flooding struck the city of Blantyre and surrounding areas in southern Malawi on 12 February. Authorities report 4 people have lost their lives and 3 are still missing. Government authorities have provided relief assistance to 16,607 affected households, including food, tents, housing units, kitchen utensils and plastic sheets for temporary roofing.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 530 nm northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking westward at 08 knots.

Tropical cyclone 12p (Gabrielle), located approximately 367 nm west-southwest of Noumea, New Caledonia, is tracking southeastward at 22 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 854 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 13 knots.

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Newsbytes:

Australia – Stormy weather brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of New South Wales in Australia on 09 February 2023. Over 20 people had to be rescued. Bellambi, a suburb of Wollongong in the Illawarra region recorded 96mm in 1 hour.

Brazil – Storms and flash flooding struck the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region in Brazil on 08 February 2023. Two people died in the storm, while dozens were rescued from flood waters. Flooding has also occurred in the Greater São Paulo Region in recent days. Authorities report one fatality and one person missing. Rio de Janiero reported 30.4 mm of rain in 15 minutes and 67.4 mm in 1 hour at the Jardim Botânico weather station. Over 30 landslides were also reported in the city. Around 20 schools have been closed.

Bolivia – Over 5,500 families have been affected by flooding across La Paz, Beni and Santa Cruz Departments in Bolivia over the last few days. Two fatalities were reported, and dozens of homes and wide areas of crops have been damaged or destroyed. At least 20 homes were damaged or destroyed in Mapiri. Camps were set up to accommodate families who lost their homes.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 08s (Cheneso) reconstituted briefly after making landfall in Madagascar, bring more heavy rain to the northern parts of the island.

Tropical cyclone 10p (Ten), located approximately 204 nm west of Noumea, New Caledonia, is tracking southeastward at 12 knots.

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Newsbytes:

Brazil – Stormy weather over the last 2 days has caused fatalities and material damages in the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. The state government said 26 municipalities have reported losses due to the storms of recent days and the cities of Rio Negrinho and Ascurra have declared a state of emergency. Emergency rescue teams using sniffer dogs are searching for two people who are still missing in a landslide in Rodeio. Three bodies were recovered from the site earlier on 19 January. Around 190 people have been displaced and the municipal authorities have set up an emergency shelter. Rodeio recorded 173.1 mm of rain in 12 hours to early 18 January 2023.

Hungary – Unusually heavy rains this month have caused flooding on several waterways in northern Hungary, with the water authority raising the alert as more rains, sleet and snow is expected for the weekend.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 1148 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-northwestward at 07 knots.

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Newsbytes:

Brazil – Heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslides in the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil on 20 December 2022. State Civil Defence reported incidents of rain damage, flooding or landslides in the 6 municipalities of Jaraguá do Sul, Ilhota, Itapema, Porto Belo, Penha and Camboriú. In total, almost 190 people have been displaced from their homes. The municipality of Camboriú is among the worst affected areas. About 60% of the municipality’s territory is flooded.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the North Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 06b (Mandous), located approximately 130 nm south-southeast of Chennai, India, is tracking northwestward at 05 knots.

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Newsbytes:

DR Congo – Surface water detected by satellite shows that dozens of communities along the Congo River and tributaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been exposed to flood waters over recent weeks. As many as 245,000 were potentially exposed to flooding in the provinces of Equateur, Nord-Ubangi and Sud-Ubangi, in November 2022. UNOSAT also detected flooded areas in the province of Tshopo between 24 November 24 and 05 December 2022. In the analyzed area of ​​approximately 200 000 km², a total of about 1,600 km² of land in Tshopo appears to be flooded. Surface water extent appears to be at the same level as between the dates of 25 November to 05 December 2019. An estimated 70,000 people are affected across the province.

Brazil – Further heavy rain has fallen in Brazil, this time causing damages and 1 fatality in the state of Minas Gerais. As much as 70 mm of rain fell in just 1 hour causing a stream in the Palmital neighbourhood of the municipality to break its banks. The force of the water destroyed part of a house, killing one resident. Vehicles were seen floating along flooded streets of the city.

South Africa – Johannesburg – Heavy rains on Thursday night and Friday morning have led to severe flooding and havoc across parts of Johannesburg, particularly in the West Rand and Joburg South. The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has reported severe road infrastructural damage, including damaged roads and bridges. Large areas were left without power.

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Wildfires

Wildfires – Brazil

A wildfire is burning near Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana. Eyewitness video posted online showed heavy smoke rising from the flames burning vegetation on a hill in the Brazilian city. Local press, quoting the fire department, said the flames did not affect inhabited areas but only vegetation. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are currently no tropical storm systems.

Newsbytes:

Brazil – Very heavy rainfall has affected several states in south-eastern Brazil since late November 2022. Two people have died and 30 are thought to be missing after a massive landslide buried a highway in Paranà state. The neighbouring state of Santa Catarina has declared a state of emergency after more than 1,000 people were displaced by floods and landslides following days of heavy rain. Two people have died and 1 was reported missing.

Angola – Heavy rain, floods and landslides have caused damage and fatalities in 3 provinces of Angola over the last few days. Flooding and landslides struck areas of the province of Luanda in Angola from 25 November 2022. On 26 November Angola’s National Civil Protection and Fire Service reported 2 young people died and one person was seriously injured as a result. The flooding and rains also caused material damages. As many as 238 houses and buildings were flooded and 5 completely destroyed, displacing 245 families. A total of 1,215 people were affected. The worst affected areas were the municipalities of Cazenga, Viana and Cacuaco. Some landslides were also reported in the area.

DR Congo – More heavy rainfall in eastern parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo has triggered yet another deadly landslide. At least 57 people have now died as a result of landslides in the region since mid-November. The landslide occurred Kalehe Territory in South Kivu Province. Local media, quoting local officials, said at least 9 people had lost their lives and a further 20 were injured. Heavy rain late on 29 November 2022 caused several rivers and streams to break their banks, which in turn triggered a landslide in the village of Murambi. As many as 50 houses are thought to have been destroyed, leaving dozens homeless.

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Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

7.0 earthquake hits Fiji.

6.5 earthquake hits Fiji.

5.5 earthquake hits Guatemala.

5.4 earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

5.3 earthquake hits the southern mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.

5.0 earthquake hits Acre, Brazil.

5.0 earthquake hits the southern mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.0 earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.