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2012-05-14 14:34:22 – Extreme Weather – Bosnia and Herzegovina

Sunbathing one day, snowstorm the next: Bosnians are getting whiplash from the latest crazy weather to hit the Balkans.Weeks after Bosnians had stashed away their winter clothes and their memories of last winter’s unbearably heavy snow, residents had to drag out the shovels Monday after waking up to a blanket of snow in the middle of an otherwise unusually hot May.Some 50 remote villages in a mountainous area near the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo lost power due to the snow.The unseasonal weather followed a week of summer-like temperatures with 27 C (80.6 Fahrenheit) registered in Sarajevo on Saturday.Temperatures hit 5 Celsius (41 Fahrenheit) on Monday, causing traffic jams as people struggled to get to work.The cold spell is forecast to last until at least the middle of the week, when the snow is expected to be replaced by heavy rain.rn

Posted:2012-05-14 14:34:22 [UTC]

2012-05-14 06:11:41 – Extreme Weather – China

Heavy rainstorms have battered several areas in Southern China, destroying houses and cropland. The rain comes after China’s national observatory upgraded the warning level from blue to yellow for a new round of rainstorms over the next few days.Torrential rains have affected South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Several cities, including the capital city Nanning, have issued their first red alert for torrential rain this year. The rain inundated roads and damaged old buildings in several cities.In Hunan province, local authorities say torrential rains have affected the lives of more than 1.9 million people and forced the relocation of almost 80,000 people.Elsewhere, Jiangxi Province was also hit by heavy rains, as the water in some rivers rose above warning levels. In Shicheng city, 84 houses were destroyed and over 1,500 hectares of crop land were inundated. Local authorities have evacuated more than 3,000 people, and continued to monitor the possible geological disasters.Finally, the continued rain raised the water level of a hydro power station in Nanping city, in Fujian Province. It forced the station to empty some of the water, in order to guard against possible heavy rain in the coming days.

Posted:2012-05-14 06:11:41 [UTC]

2012-05-13 09:46:51 – Extreme Weather – Nigeria

Four persons were reported dead while over 20 others sustained various degrees of injuries in recent windstorm that ravaged 13 out of the 18 local government areas of Cross River state. Of the four, three of them died as the result of tree trunks and walls of residential buildings that felt on them and one died of lightening strike.The injured are being treated in both orthodox and traditional hospitals while one with the fractured skull was referred to a specialist hospital in Enugu for surgery. Samuel Edom, a brother to one of the deceased, Mr. Ekam Ekpishoko (60) in Egoja – Ndim in Ogoja Local Government Area narrated that when the ominous cloud of rain enveloped the community at about 5:00pm on the fateful day everybody hurried to their homes for safety.The rain came down few minutes later in an unprecedented manner amidst windstorm that seemed determined to bringing down the entire community. Edom narrated further; “my brother was in his room with his family while I was in mine in the same building engaging in discussion in loud voices against the sound of the storm and suddenly I heard a loud sound of a tree falling and our home came crumbling down”.A 22 feet tall historic tree which stood about 20 metres from the house was uprooted by the storm and in the process of its falling crushed other nearby smaller trees including palm, mangoes, and oranges bringing down alongside surrounding houses.He said that after the crash, he called out to his brother but only heard wailing from the family members and that when he managed to limp due to injuries he sustained to his brother’s apartment, he found him lying dead, having been crushed by a tree branch. Over 15,000 residential homes, churches, recreational centres, schools, hospitals and market were affected by the storms that swept across the state.Many of the houses were completely uncapped while some were reduced to rumbles. About 20,000 persons were displaced majority of whom were women and children. While some of the victims were accommodated by neighbours, majority were sheltering helplessly in makeshift huts and in very miserable conditions.In his remark, the Yala Local Government Council chairman, Hon. Gabe Ugor said the Council was overwhelmed by the destruction caused by the storm. He appealed for urgent attention from the State and Federal Governments to provide succour to the affected persons.

Posted:2012-05-13 09:46:51 [UTC]

2012-05-13 09:41:02 – Extreme Weather – China

A bridge in China’s Hunan province has collapsed after days of torrential rain across the country.It is not known how many people were on the bridge when it buckled and fell into the river at around 8:30am (local time).Fire department official Su Tao told Xinhua that witnesses say they saw people falling into the water when the bridge collapsed.He says firefighters have not rescued anyone yet but some people have managed to climb ashore.It is estimated that up to 40 people have been killed in heavy rain and hailstorms in north-west China in the past few days.Nearly 3,500 homes have been destroyed, and about 29,000 people are sheltering in evacuation centres.rn

Posted:2012-05-13 09:41:02 [UTC]

2012-05-12 05:14:36 – Extreme Weather – India

Ten persons were killed after being struck by lightning in North Dinajpur on Friday. In Malda, lightning claimed two lives whereas a boat capsize left three dead.10 persons were killed in North Dinajpur while 5 in Malda in lightening and boat capsize. 7 died in Karandighi alone and one each at Chakulia, Kaliagunj and Goalpokhor of North Dinajpur. The dead includes a family of husband, wife and son at village South Kochra under Karandighi while two brothers both of whom were minors were killed at village Srinandighi. The storm and lightening killed one at Gazole block and one at Chanchal of Malda.At around 11.30am on Friday, thunderstorm lashed various parts of North Dinajpur. In South Kochra village, some labourers were working in the field when the thunder struck. They took shelter under a thatched roof where lightning struck, killing four people. Three of a family – Akalu Das, 40, his wife Budho Das, 35, and their son Kajal Das, 8, died on the spot. Thirty-five-year-old Atul Chandra Das also died.It is learnt that around 11.30 am when the sky suddenly became dark and huge thunderstorm and lightening started at a vast area in North Dinajpur and Malda. Labourers working in the paddy field took shelter under a thatched roof beside the filed. But the lightening struck there which killed Akalu Das (40) his wife Budho Das (35) and their son Kajal Das (8) on spot. Besides, Atul Chandra Das (35) also found dead in lightening.Two brothers – Md Ibrahim, 10, and Md Israil, 12 – met the same fate in Srinandighi village when they were working in the field. While 40-year-old Nur Islam died after being struck by lightning, Azhar Ali, 30, was found dead beside his house. Lightning claimed the lives of two women – Milan Das, 40, in Kaliagunj, and Parvina Khatun, 35, in Goalpokhor.Similar fate was awaiting two brothers Md Ibrahim (10) and Md Israil (12) of village Srinandighi who were working in the field and could not escape the lightening. One Nur Islam (40) too died struck by lightening. Besides, Azhar Ali (30) was found dead in a jungle beside his house. Some women were working in the jute filed at Kaliagunj who were injured by lightening. When they were taken to hospital, one Milan Das (40) succumbed to her injury. Three more were hospitalized. Another woman of Goalpokhor named Parvina Khatun (35) died of lightening.In Malda, five persons died in a boat capsize while two died after being struck by lightning. Five persons were killed in Malda in boat capsized and lightening. Meanwhile at list 300 houses were fully damaged in storm at Gazole block. Electricity and road communication has been disrupted at Gazole and part of North Malda.Thirty-five-year-old Dulali Das of Sadarpur went to the field to save her cattle but was struck in lightening. Later, one more death was reported from village Bajesahil of Gazole police station but the man was not identified. DM Pasang Norbu Bhutia said, “The victims will be compensated as per government norms. Block administrations were directed in this reagard.

Posted:2012-05-12 05:14:36 [UTC]

2012-05-07 10:32:50 – Hailstorm – USA

Saturday’s storms grazed Sioux Falls, but other parts of eastern South Dakota felt the brunt of high winds, hail and heavy rain.Rain through the evening and early morning in Madison, Mitchell and Flandreau caused flooding and standing water in fields and roadways, said Joe Sheehan, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls.More than 4.8 inches of rain fell in Madison. Flandreau had 4.78 inches and Winfred with more than 5 inches, Sheehan said.Hail was reported, too, he said.“The stuff in the evening between Mitchell, Brookings and Flandreau brought quite a bit of reports of dime- to quarter-sized hail,” Sheehan said.More than two inches of hail fell near Mitchell, and more than an inch of hail fell near Montrose, according to National Weather Service weather spotter information.Hail damaged about 300 cars at a Mitchell car dealership early Saturday, causing an estimated $1 million in damage.KELO-TV reported strong winds, rain and golf-ball-sized hail blew out windows and caused dents in hundreds of cars at the Iverson Chrysler Center in Mitchell early Saturday. General Manager Tim Hurll said employees were able to save 15 cars.Hurll says the dealership will offer discounts on the damaged cars starting today.Weather spotters and law enforcement in Flandreau and Madison reported winds surpassing 70 mph. Reports included damage to trees but no injuries. High winds damaged businesses, offices and residents in southwest Flandreau, in some cases ripping roofs off buildings.“There were a couple of duplexes that had the roof blown off of them or half blown off,” said Terry Albers, Moody County Emergency Manager. “We had a trailer house in Flandreau that slid off the foundation.”Heavy rain temporarily flooded out some rural roads in Moody County, and the city park in Flandreau has been closed until further notice, Albers said.Trees damaged by the storm also took down some power lines Saturday, leaving some areas near Flandreau without power. Albers said utility crews worked throughout the night to restore power.Those living in buildings with extensive damage have been relocated to friends and family or to a hotel, Albers said, but he had not heard of any reports of injuries.“Thank God,” he said.Sioux Falls saw three-quarters of an inch of rain early Sunday.The rest week looks quieter, with slight chances for scattered showers and temperatures in the mid-60s.

Posted:2012-05-07 10:32:50 [UTC]

2012-05-06 12:32:17 – Tornado – Japan

A teenage boy died, around 40 people were injured and up to 250 houses were damaged Sunday after an apparent tornado hit Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures, north of Tokyo, local police and firefighters said.An aerial shot from a Kyodo helicopter shows the path of an apparent tornado that struck Tsukuba, Ibaraki Pref. Sunday afternoon. Thunderstorms also caused lightning damage and temporarily disrupted bullet train services on the Tohoku, Yamagata and Akita shinkansen lines, according to East Japan Railway Co.The twister, which occurred at around 1 p.m., shattered windows and blew away the roofs of 150 to 200 homes in Tsukuba, Ibaraki Prefecture, leaving two people seriously wounded, one of whom, a 14-year-old boy, died after being taken to hospital. The city is located around 50 km northeast of Tokyo.In the city of Moka and the towns of Mashiko and Motegi in Tochigi, around 50 houses were damaged and 10 people were injured, they said.The Japan Meteorological Agency said local observatories had warned the Tokai, Kanto and Tohoku regions of central, eastern and northeastern Japan to brace for possible tornadoes intermittently from Sunday morning as atmospheric conditions were unstable.According to the Mito observatory in Ibaraki, a thunderstorm advisory was issued early Sunday for the whole prefecture. Hailstones fell in Mito, the prefectural capital, at around 1:20 p.m.Following the gusts, which the Mito observatory attributed to either a tornado or downburst, and the thunderstorms, around 20,000 households in Tochigi, Ibaraki and Saitama prefectures suffered power outages, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said.In Okegawa, Saitama Prefecture, a 40-year-old mother and her 11-year-old daughter fell unconscious after being struck by lightning around 2:20 p.m., police said.In Uozu, Toyama Prefecture, Yoshihito Yaguramaki, a 64-year-old farmer, was found collapsed in a field and pronounced dead an hour later. Police suspect he was hit by lightning.

Posted:2012-05-06 12:32:17 [UTC]

2012-05-04 05:19:06 – Hailstorm – USA

Tennis-ball-size hail that pelted central Stearns County on Tuesday evening damaged vehicles and hundreds of homes in the area, authorities said Wednesday.At least 100 homes received hail damage in the city of Albany, said the city’s fire chief, Dean Mitchell. Mitchell said the city sustained four rounds of hail starting after 5 p.m. Tuesday.Freeport Fire Chief Noah Van Beck on Wednesday reported similarly widespread damage in that city. Van Beck estimated that almost every home in Freeport had storm damage, mostly to roofs, siding and windows.Mitchell said Stearns County Road 157 between Albany and Freeport was flooded and closed for a period of time during the storms.Insurance agencies in the area also were deluged. The Dina Pierskalla State Farm Insurance Agency in Albany received “hundreds” of home and automobile claims Wednesday morning, agent Lynn Pennie said.”It’s definitely a different town today,” Pennie said. “There are contractors everywhere. The town is hopping.”Mitchell said contractors soliciting repair business door-to-door in Albany are required to obtain solicitors’ permits from City Hall.Church of Seven Dolors was one of many spots in Albany that looked disheveled after the storms.The church’s maintenance employee, Kevin Shay, said 17 windows at the parish rectory were damaged in the storm, as well as several windows on the parish school and streetlights surrounding the church. Shay couldn’t estimate the cost of damage done to church facilities, but predicted it would be sizable.”It’s going to be pretty costly,” Shay said.

Posted:2012-05-04 05:19:06 [UTC]

2012-05-04 05:37:35 – Extreme Weather – United Kingdom

Torrential rain and strong winds caused chaos last weekend leaving about 200 homes in Midsomer Norton without power.People living in Oliver Brooks Road, Midsomer Norton, contacted the Somerset Guardian after finding water gushing through their garages and from manhole covers in gardens, pictured.Resident Graham Chedgy said many householders were frustrated that their concerns about flooding had not been addressed and that they were now facing problems as the water failed to soak away.The view was reiterated by neighbours who called on Bath and North East Somerset Council to check that planning conditions for drainage at the estate have been fulfilled.In East Harptree emergency services were called to stop flood water entering a property on Whitecross Road on Tuesday.More than three times the expected rainfall during April has boosted reservoir levels at Chew Valley and Blagdon.During the last month rainfall totalled 160mm compared to the April average of 55mm.Bristol Water said that while the almost unprecedented level of rainfall has been welcome and there are no plans to impose restrictions on water use during the summer, customers should still be sensible when using the resource.A spokesman for the company said: “We will maintain our appeals to customers to use water wisely over the summer and support them by providing water saving devices to help them to use less water.”rn

Posted:2012-05-04 05:37:35 [UTC]