Tropical Storm Barbara becomes a hurricane
MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Barbara has strengthened into a hurricane, the first of the eastern Pacific hurricane season. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Monday swells generated by the storm system will affect portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
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CTV News
12 hours ago
- CTV News
Taiwan struck by 5.9 magnitude earthquake Tuesday evening, USGS says
An official points to Richter scale graphs in this file photo. (AP Photo) Taipei, Taiwan -- Taiwan was struck by a 5.9 magnitude earthquake Tuesday evening, the United States Geological Survey reported. The earthquake was detected about 71 kilometres (44.1 miles) south of Hualien City at a depth of 31.1 kilometres (19.3 miles), the agency said. Hualien is relatively thinly populated compared to the highly congested western side of the island of 23 million people, which is frequently struck by quakes. The quake hit seconds after cell phone alarms went off at 7:01 p.m. Buildings in the capital of Taipei shook for about a minute. There were no immediate reports of major damage. Taiwan's Central Weather Administration gave the magnitude as 6.4. Such variations are common given differences in sensitivity and detector locations. Taiwan lies along the Pacific 'Ring of Fire,' a line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean from Chile to New Zealand where most of the world's earthquakes occur. Taiwan's worst modern quake, a 1999 magnitude 7.7 temblor that killed 2,415 people, damaged buildings and led to tightened building codes, better response times and coordination and widespread public education campaigns on earthquake safety. Schools and workplaces hold earthquake drills, while cellphones buzz whenever a strong earthquake is detected. Earthquake damage since then has been significantly reduced. The Associated Press
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Northern India on the boil with heat waves disrupting normal lives and raising health concerns
NEW DELHI (AP) — A blistering heat wave is sweeping across northern India with temperatures soaring above the normal, disrupting daily life and raising health concerns. The mercury shot up to 47.3 C (117 F) in Sri Ganganagar, a desert city in the northwestern state of Rajasthan on Monday , according to the Indian Meteorological Department. The record for the country is 51 C (124 F), set in May 2016 in Rajasthan's city of Phalodi. The searing heat is not just a seasonal discomfort but underscores a growing challenge for the country's overwhelmed health infrastructure. A prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures often causes heat strokes, mainly impacting the poor, outdoor workers, children, and the elderly. Last year, a monthslong heatwave across swathes of India killed more than 100 people and led to over 40,000 suspected cases of heat stroke, according to data from the health ministry. The Indian capital, New Delhi, saw its first heatwave of the season with temperatures soaring past 45 C (113 F) in one of its neighborhoods on Monday. The swelter wasn't just numerical as the real-feel temperature, the heat index factoring in relative humidity, was a couple of notches higher. Ryan Rodriguez, a 22-year-old tourist from the U.S. was seen sipping a lemonade to keep himself cool in Delhi. 'It's pretty hot here. I just came from a trip of the Middle East, so I am sort of adjusting to it. But (this is) much hotter than Virginia. I haven't seen any worse heat than this in India so far,' said Rodriguez. For autorickshaw driver Pradeep Kumar, the scorching heat was taking a toll on his health and impacting household income as people avoided daytime commuting. 'This heat makes us very tired. We drink water to keep up. But many times our health gets affected,' Kumar said. 'I feel troubled.' The weather department has issued heatwave warnings for the next couple of days in northern India that include the states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and the New Delhi national capital region. Some parts of those ares may witness light showers from Thursday, bringing relief. India declares a heat wave whenever temperatures are above 40 C (104 F) in the plains and 30 C (86 F) or more in its hilly regions. Heatwaves are usually reported from March to June and in some cases in July. The peak month is May, but it was relatively cooler this season due to weather aberrations amid multiple westerly disturbances, said G.P. Sharma, president at private weather forecaster Skymet. In Uttar Pradesh, the country's most populous state, a punishing heatwave made people's lives difficult as power grids struggled to keep pace with the soaring electricity demand. 'There is no light for hours in the afternoon, just when the heat is unbearable,' said Shabnam Khan, a homemaker in Lucknow, the state's capital city. 'The fan stops, the cooler doesn't work, and we are left sitting on the floor, drenched in sweat.' The state recorded its highest-ever electricity demand of 30,161 megawatts late Sunday as millions of homes and businesses ran cooling systems to beat the heat. Officials expect demand to surpass 32,000 megawatts in the coming weeks. Atul Kumar Singh, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Lucknow, said the battle against this brutal summer heat was far from over as seasonal monsoon rains were still weeks away. 'We are seeing the worst of both heat and humidity. This is no longer just a matter of discomfort. It is becoming a public health emergency,' said Singh. ___ Banerjee reported from Lucknow, India. Associated Press video journalist Piyush Nagpal in New Delhi contributed to the report.
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Toronto Star
Barbara weakens to a tropical storm as it heads to cooler waters off the coast of Mexico
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Barbara gradually weakened as it continued heading northwest away from land Monday evening after strengthening to a hurricane earlier in the day. The storm marked the first of the eastern Pacific hurricane season. The National Hurricane Center in Miami said Monday swells generated by the storm system will affect portions of the coast of southwestern Mexico during the next few days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
