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Euronews
2 days ago
- Climate
- Euronews
Extreme weather continues across US midwest with floods and hail
Heavy rains across the US Midwest on Sunday caused flash flooding in large areas that cut power to thousands of households in southeast Wisconsin, according to emergency officials. The flash flooding affected half a dozen Midwest states, including the city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles and necessitating multiple water rescues, authorities said. Organisers of the Wisconsin State Fair said they were scrapping the final day of the 11-day event after rains flooded the fairgrounds in West Allis, which is just outside Milwaukee. 'We are saddened we cannot deliver this final day of the Wisconsin State Fair, but know that this is the best decision with current conditions and the forecast ahead,' organizers said in a statement. The US National Weather Service issued flood watches and warnings for parts of Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin. Nearly 18,000 people in Wisconsin without power Following heavy rainfall, which started on Saturday in some regions, forecasters predicted 'repeated rounds of heavy rain,' along with hail, damaging winds and isolated tornadoes into Monday. According to the National Weather Service, among the worst hit was the Milwaukee area, where up to 14 inches (36 centimetres) of rain had fallen in some areas by Sunday, which also noted river flooding in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. Some motorists left their stranded cars on the roads. Nearly 18,000 customers of We Energies in southeast Wisconsin were without power late Sunday. In the suburban village of Wauwatosa, an overflowing and fast-moving Menomonee River submerged a popular playground. Firefighters responded to over 600 calls, including for gas leaks, flooded basements, electrical outages and water rescues, according to the Milwaukee Fire Department. And while crews worked to clear surface water, the Red Cross opened two shelters in the city for displaced residents. 'We're still in the middle of it,' Fire Chief Aaron Lipski told reporters Sunday. 'We're still catching up right now.' Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships cancelled In Milwaukee, USA Triathlon cancelled the Sprint and Paratriathlon National Championships, which were anticipated to draw thousands of competitors. Even though American Family Field's parking lot was still closed to cars, the Brewers and Mets still played there. 'We will not be able to guarantee parking for all fans, even those who purchased parking in advance,' the Brewers said in a statement before the game. City officials warned residents to avoid driving or walking in the standing waters. 'It remains dangerous,' the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works said in a statement. Tropical Storm Henriette expected but no threat Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Henriette rapidly strengthened into a hurricane Sunday in the central Pacific Ocean with further strengthening expected, but it poses no threat to land, the National Hurricane Center said. The Miami-based centre said the storm was located about 720 kilometres north-northeast of Hilo, Hawaii, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kph It was moving northwest at 28 kph on a course that's expected to take it well north of the Hawaiian Islands over the next few days. The storm was expected to strengthen through Monday, followed by weakening on Tuesday. The centre described Henriette as a small tropical cyclone. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 30 kilometres from the storm's centre.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Climate
- Boston Globe
Fires, storms, and blazing temperatures expected for western US
Large wildfires in Colorado have also caused air quality to drop there, the US National Weather Service said. Alerts are out across western portions of the state, including Vail, the agency said. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Meanwhile, smoke from forest fires in Canada has once again crossed into the US causing air quality alerts to be posted in Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, the National Weather Service said. There's also a dense smoke advisory in place across northeast parts of Montana. Across the border, air quality warnings are also in place for parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Environment and Climate Change Canada said. Advertisement A brush fire south of Ashcroft, British Columbia, on Wednesday, July 30. Uncredited/Associated Press Across Canada, 714 active fires are burning with 166 raging out of control, according to the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. So far this year, 4,277 blazes have charred 7.3 million acres. In the US, there have been 42,854 fires reported on 3.5 million acres, the US National Interagency Fire Center said. While the number of US fires exceeds last year's 32,727 by this date, the acreage burned is less than the more than 5 million acres consumed a year ago. Advertisement US heat advisories and extreme heat warnings are posted across parts of the west, including California, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, Washington and Idaho. Phoenix is forecast to reach 108F (42C) Sunday, a dip from the record temperatures that gripped the fifth most-populous US city last week. Phoenix set a new August high temperature of 118F on Thursday. In New York City and elsewhere in the Northeast, temperatures are set to rise. As many as 12 records may be tied or broken across the region in the coming week, the US Weather Prediction Center said. The Milwaukee River in Milwaukee after heavy rain in the area on Saturday, August 10. Andy Manis/Getty Flood watches have been posted across the Midwest, including Milwaukee, the weather service said. The Milwaukee River in Estabrook Park has risen more than 8 feet in the last day cresting at a new record of 11.19 feet, the weather service said. The US National Hurricane Center is watching two potential storms both in the central Atlantic far from land. The first is a disorganized patch of thunderstorms that's moving north into the Atlantic with a 20% chance of becoming a storm in the next week. The second is a broad area of low pressure that is moving off Africa with a 70% chance of becoming a tropical storm or hurricane in the coming week. The remnants of Tropical Storm Dexter, which has crossed the Atlantic Ocean toward Europe, will set the stage for warmer temperatures to filter in across the UK and Ireland, the UK Met Office said. Warmer temperatures are forecast to sweep into the UK during the coming week. The high in London is forecast to reach 33C (91F) by Tuesday, the agency said. Advertisement With assistance from Isis Almeida.
Euronews
31-07-2025
- Euronews
Flights cancelled and evacuations ordered following 8.8 earthquake
A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off the east coast of Russia on Wednesday morning triggered tsunami waves that reached Japan and Hawaii and the US coast. It is one of the strongest earthquakes recorded in modern history. Japan ordered nearly 2 million people to evacuate. Initial tsunami warnings have now all been downgraded to advisories or forecasts. Tsunami alerts of varying levels were also issued across many Pacific islands, parts of China, Indonesia, New Zealand, Peru, Mexico and the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador. Most of these have also been downgraded or cancelled. The Klyuchevskoy volcano, one of several on Russia's far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, has also started erupting, according to the state news agency RIA. Travellers urged to heed local authority evacuation orders The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for 15 countries. Travellers are being warned to follow the advice of local authorities and watch for updates if they are in a place where an alert has been issued. Tsunami waves reached Hawaii, with a 1.2 metre swell recorded off Oahu. A 1.74 metre was recorded at Kahului, Maui, while one of 1.5 metres was recorded in Hilo. Hawaii Governor Josh Green has asked people to follow evacuation orders and stay calm. The tsunami warning has since been downgraded, and evacuees have been permitted to return home. A 1.3 metre wave reached Japan's northern Iwate prefecture, according to the country's weather agency, with others showing up in the Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures. The tsunami has also hit the coast of California, according to the US National Weather Service. In Indonesia, residents and tourists in Papua, North Sulawesi, North Maluku and Gorontalo have been advised not to approach coastal areas. Tsunami alert complicates travel in Japan Ferries connecting Hokkaido and Aomori on the northern tip of Japan's Honshu island were suspended, as well as those connecting Tokyo and nearby islands. Some local train operations have been suspended or delayed as well, according to operators. Sendai airport says its runway has been temporarily closed with two domestic flights, one from Fukuoka and another from Osaka, diverted to other airports. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have cancelled all flights to Sendai airport. Hundreds of delays have been recorded at other Japanese airports including Narita International, Tokyo International (Haneda), Kansai International and Fukuoka. Flights diverted away from Hawaii Several flights were diverted away from Hawaii following tsunami warnings, according to FlightRadar24. That includes some that had already departed from Los Angeles, Vancouver, San Francisco, and San Diego. Honolulu Airport is not closed but is advising travellers to check directly with their airline for the most up-to-date flight status and travel advisories. Flights are gradually returning to normal following the downgrading of the tsunami warning. Some arrivals scheduled for this afternoon have been cancelled, though, including an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth, United Airlines from San Francisco, and Delta Air Lines from Seattle and Los Angeles. Cancelled departures this afternoon include a Delta Air Lines flight to Minneapolis, American Airlines to Dallas-Fort Worth, and United Airlines to Houston and Denver. Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines have suspended services to, from or within the Hawaiian islands. As a safety precaution, Alaska Airlines said that flights en route to Hawaii are returning to the mainland or diverting as needed. "Guests with travel to, from or within the Hawaiian Islands should check the status of their flight before heading to the airport. We are monitoring airport conditions with government agencies and could see operational impacts," the airline said in a statement. It added that a waiver is in place to allow passengers flexibility to adjust their travel plans. Cruise ships in Hawaii forced to depart ahead of schedule The US Coast Guard has ordered all commercial vessels to evacuate Hawaiian ports, with all harbours closed to incoming traffic. Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America ship has been forced to depart from Hilo harbour in Hawaii around two and a half hours ahead of schedule. Passengers received alerts reading, 'Due to a tsunami warning issued by the State of Hawaii, Pride of America will be departing Hilo immediately as directed by the Department of Transportation.' 'If you're not in the vicinity of the port, seek higher ground and follow the direction of the local authorities for your safety.' Many passengers who were out on excursions, as well as crew, were not able to get back to the ship before it left the port, leaving them stranded. Oceania Cruises' Oceania Regatta also reportedly executed an early departure Kailua-Kona port, according to the website Cruise Hive. A ship in deeper waters will barely notice a tsunami travelling below it, and so it is standard procedure for vessels to head away from the port when a tsunami is likely to hit. What are my traveller rights to compensation in the event of a natural disaster? Travellers who are affected by the earthquake and tsunami warnings should check their travel insurance policy documents to see if they are eligible for compensation. 'Travel insurance policies that include natural disaster cover will generally cover you for cancelled accommodation, travel and activities, as well as emergency medical care and evacuation should you need it,' says travel insurance expert Alicia Hempsted from MoneySuperMarket. However, under international regulations, airlines are not required to compensate you for delayed or cancelled flights in 'extraordinary circumstances', which include natural disasters, such as earthquakes or tsunamis. 'If your flight, however, is delayed because of this, your airline has an obligation to offer food, drink and accommodation depending on the length of your delay,' Hempsted says. 'If extreme conditions are forecasted before you book or leave for your trip, and you choose to travel regardless, your insurance provider may not cover you for any related problems."
RTHK
30-07-2025
- Climate
- RTHK
Relief as no major damage reported from tsunami
Relief as no major damage reported from tsunami People take shelter at a temporary tsunami evacuation site in Kushiro, Hokkaido, northern Japan. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck off Russia's sparsely populated Far East early Wednesday, sending tsunami waves into Japan, Hawaii and the US West Coast. Several people were injured, but none gravely, and no major damage has been reported so far. Authorities warned the risk from the 8.8 magnitude quake could last for hours, and millions of people potentially in the path of the waves were initially told to move away from the shore or seek high ground. Warnings were lifted or downgraded in Japan, Hawaii and the affected parts of Russia later Wednesday. But Chile upgraded its warning to the highest level for most of its lengthy Pacific coast, and said it was evacuating hundreds of people. In the immediate aftermath of the quake off Russia's Kamchatka peninsula, residents fled inland as ports flooded, and several were injured while rushing to leave buildings. Cars jammed streets and highways in Honolulu, with standstill traffic even in areas away from the sea. In Japan, dozens of people flocked to evacuation centres, hilltop parks and rooftops in towns on the Pacific coast with fresh memories of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that caused a nuclear disaster. Tsunami advisories were also in place along much of the US West Coast and for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Unusually strong currents and unpredictable surges were expected in places as far away as New Zealand. The US National Weather Service warned the San Francisco Bay Area could see 'some seriously dangerous currents along beaches and harbours.' The earthquake appeared to be the strongest recorded since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake off northeastern Japan in March 2011 that caused a massive tsunami that set off meltdowns at a nuclear power plant. No abnormalities in operations at Japan's nuclear plants were reported on Wednesday. The quake struck at 11.24am in Kamchatka with a magnitude of 8.8 and a depth of about 21 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey. It was centred offshore, about 120 kilometres from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka's regional capital. Multiple aftershocks as strong as 6.9 magnitude followed. Russia's Oceanology Institute said tsunami waves might have been as high as 10 to 15 metres in some sections of the Kamchatka coast, but the highest were less than 6 metres near the populated areas of the peninsula and the nearby Kurils islands. Authorities in Hawaii downgraded the state to a tsunami advisory as Wednesday began, and evacuation orders on the Big Island and Oahu, the most populated island, were lifted. 'As you return home, still stay off the beach and stay out of the water,' said James Barros, administrator of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. The impact of the tsunami could last for hours or perhaps more than a day, said Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator with the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska. In Northern California, tsunami activity continued to build on Wednesday morning with maximum confirmed heights along the coast of 1.1 metres in Crescent City. In Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Kamchatka's regional capital, the quake damaged a local kindergarten, which was not in operation at the time because it was being renovated. Oleg Melnikov, head of the regional health department, said several people hurt themselves while rushing to leave buildings and a hospital patient was injured while jumping out of a window. Melnikov said that all injured people were stable. A video released by Russian media outlet showed a team of doctors at a cancer clinic on Kamchatka holding a patient and clutching medical equipment as the quake rocked an operating room, before continuing with surgery after the shaking stopped. Authorities introduced a state of emergency on the sparsely populated Kurils, which are near Kamchatka, after the tsunami. They earlier reported that several waves flooded the fishing port of Severo-Kurilsk, the main city on the islands, and cut power supplies to the area. The port's mayor said no major damage was recorded. In Japan, a tsunami of 60 centimetres was recorded in Hamanaka town in Hokkaido and Kuji port in Iwate, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. Several areas reported smaller waves, including 20 centimetres in Tokyo Bay five hours after the quake. At least one person was injured. In Toyokoro town in Hokkaido, about 20 people took refuge on top of a municipal building before moving to an inland town shelter where emergency food and water were available. In Iwaki city in Fukushima, which was thew epicentre of the 2011 tsunami and quake, dozens of residents gathered at a hilltop park after a community siren sounded and breakwater gates were closed. About 4,000 workers at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, severely damaged in the 2011 disaster, took shelter on higher ground at the complex while remotely monitoring operations, the operator said. The International Atomic Energy Agency said initial reports showed that there has been no impact to the safety of nuclear power plants along Japan's Pacific coast. By late Wednesday, Japan had downgraded its tsunami alert, but left an advisory in place along the Pacific coast. (AP)
Hindustan Times
30-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Magnitude 8.8 earthquake hits Russia coast, triggers Pacific-wide Tsunami alerts
One of the largest earthquakes in recent times, 8.8 on the Richter scale, struck Russia's remote Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, causing shockwaves worldwide. This handout picture released by the Sakhalin Region Government on July 30, 2025, shows the tsunami-hit Severo-Kurilsk on Paramushir island of Russia's northern Kuril islands(AFP) The massive undersea earthquake produced tsunami waves of up to 13 feet, destroying buildings, inundating coastal communities, and prompting emergency evacuations in Russia and tsunami alerts as far distant as Japan and the United States. Get the latest updates on Tsunami alerts here The Kamchatka Peninsula, known for its volcanic terrain and seismic unrest, hasn't seen tremors of such enormous magnitude in decades. The earthquake's epicentre was only 119 kilometres from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the regional capital city inhabited by some 180,000 people. Yet the impact of the earthquake was not limited to Russia's far-flung border. Also Read | Did a 1999 comic predict Japan's tsunami? Eerie 'New Baba Vanga' prophecy goes viral Waves of up to 4 meters hit the Kuril Islands, specifically the town of Severo-Kurilsk, while coastal areas in Japan and the US issued warnings. This highlights the cross-border danger posed by undersea earthquakes in tectonically active areas. Here are 10 key takeaways from today's earthquake that might trigger one of the strongest Tsunamis: 1- By late afternoon in Japan, the largest waves to reach the shore measured 1.3 meters. One death has been reported, but there are no signs of major damage. But nearly two million people were advised to evacuate coastal areas. 2- Waves up to 1.7 metres (5.5 feet) hit the islands of Hawaii before the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre lowered its warning for the state about 0850 GMT, reporting no large tsunami would be seen. 3- The transport ministry reported that later flights departed Honolulu airport, though the primary Maui airport was shut down, with people taking refuge in the terminal. 4- America issued a warning for Hawaii after a major earthquake off Russia's east coast, joined by a warning from Japan. 5- Tsunami advisories were issued for the Aleutian Islands along with warnings for the entire US and Canadian West Coast, the US National Weather Service's Tsunami Warning System reported. Guam is also under a tsunami advisory. 6- The US weather agency also raised threats of tsunami waves striking the Philippines, Russia, and several Pacific islands, among them Yap and the Marshall Islands. 7- The authorities announced that waves of four metres high are likely to reach French Polynesia following the Russian earthquake. 8- Hawaii and some areas in Alaska have tsunami warnings, while a tsunami watch is in effect from the California-Mexico border up to Chignik Bay, Alaska, as per the US National Weather Service's Tsunami Warning System. 9- Shanghai moved over 2,80,000 residents, suspended hundreds of flights and ferry operations and put speed restrictions on roads and railways on Wednesday as a tropical storm lashed eastern China with gales and rainfall. 10- There is no tsunami danger to the Indian coast after the 8.7 magnitude earthquake off Russia's East Coast of Kamchatka, the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) stated on Wednesday.
