Recent Natural Disasters | Calamities | Hazards

The first major US tornado outbreak of 2014 has claimed lives of at least 21 people, Reuters reported. Dozen of tornadoes have been reported in Franklin, Davis, Monroe, Linn, York, Polk and Lee county.  At least sixteen people died in suburbs of Little Rock, the state capital and largest city in Arkansas. A state of emergency has been declared in Georgia. Original post: Natural Disasters List April 29, 2014

Flash floods in northern Afghanistan have claimed lives more than 100 people, the national disaster management authority told AFP. According to the national disaster management authority, fatalities are from Jowzjan province, Faryab, Sar-e-Pul and Badghis provinces of Afghanistan. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is however mentioning 123 fatalities with atleast 80 from Jowzjan province alone. Flash floods have destroyed nearly 2,000 houses in Faryab province. This is what Mohammad Sadeq Sediqqi, the national disaster management authority told AFP "Unfortunately, we have over 100 people killed and dozens of others missing due to flash floods in four northern provinces" Food and other emergency supplies have been send to the disaster area. Afghanistan Nationwide Ulema Council (ANUC) has requested National Disasters Management Authority (NDMA), Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) and other local and international institutions

A tsunami drill will be conducted in coastal districts of Sri Lanka today, the Disaster Management Centre said. Tsunami drill will cover 14 coastal districts of Sri Lanka at 3:00 p.m. local time, Daily Mirror has reported quoting the Disaster Management Centre. Tsunami warning systems are used in tsunamis prediction and issuing advance warnings to prevent loss of life and damage. Original post: Natural Disasters List April 24, 2014

Flooding in Romania has claimed life of  at least four people including a child and left two others missing. Natural calamity occurred in Teleorman county where more than 85 villages have been affected. A state of emergency has been declared due to recent flooding in 11 municipalities in Serbia. Around 440 people have been evacuated from the disaster zone. Original post: Natural Disasters List April 22, 2014

The single deadliest avalanche ever on the world's highest peak has claimed lives of at least 15 people, Nepal based The Kathmandu Post reported. An avalanche occurred Friday morning in an area known as "popcorn field" near Everest Base Camp at an elevation of approximately 5,800 m. Avalanche site lies within the Khumbu Ice fall. According to The Republica, a central natural disaster recovery committee has decided to provide Rs 40,000 to the families of the deceased. Reports have shown that over 200 people have died trying to climb Mount Everest till now. Mount Everest avalanche 2014 is the single deadliest avalanche in the mountain's history. An avalanche on Mount Everest in October 2013 had claimed lives of at least four people. Mount Everest is the Earth's highest mountain located in Nepal at 8,848 metres above sea level. Below is the list of fatalities of Everest avalanche as provided by Tourism Ministry in Nepal. The Tourism Ministry confirmed

M 3.5 light earthquake shakes Oakham, Rutland region of Central England today, the British Geological Survey  reported. According to the British Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was located just 1 km NW of Ashwell. It was 1.2 miles deep. Light to weak shaking have been reported by the people of Whissendine, Cottesmore, Oakham, Thistleton, Buckminster, South Witham,  Skillington, Stamford,  Essendine, Grantham, Gonerby Hill Foot, Barnack, Bourne and Birstall. 06:50 UTC (local time 2014-04-18 07:50 @ epicenter) Epicenter Location 1 km NW of Ashwell, United Kingdom 4 km S of Wymondham, United Kingdom 6 km N of Oakham, United Kingdom 11 km ESE of Melton Mowbray, United Kingdom 141 km NNW of London, United Kingdom Original post: Natural Disasters List April 18, 2014 In collaboration with earthquake-report.com

Landslide at goldmine in Guinea has claimed lives of at least seven people, Modern Ghana reported. Goldmine landslide occurred Tuesday in Kintinian area of Guinea, West Africa. Goldmine explosion in eastern Guinea claimed lives of 25 people last November. Original post: Natural Disasters List April 17, 2014

Recent forest fires in Chile have claimed lives of at least 16 people and destroyed around 2,000 homes, Valparaiso's Emergency Committee said. Chile forest fires 2014 have destroyed some 756 hectares causing evacuations of 10,000 people, Valparaiso's Emergency Committee further added. According to the Associated Press, some 1,200 firefighters are struggling to control the forest fires in Chile. A state of emergency has been declared in Valparaiso. Related Post: Recent natural calamities in Chile Below are images of Chile forest fires 2014. This photo shows a helicopter assisting forest fire damage in Valparaiso, Chile (Reuters/Eliseo Fernandez). The fire forced thousands of residents to evacuate (Reuters). An apocalyptic scene as the flames covered the Valparaiso city(AFP). Below is a raw video of Chile forest fire 2014 (Associated Press). Original post: Natural Disasters List April 14, 2014

The category 5 cyclone Ita is predicted to make landfall between Cape Melville and Cooktown region of Australia late Friday afternoon with very destructive winds to 300 km/hr. At 6:00 am EST Severe Tropical Cyclone Ita, Category 5, was estimated to be 235 kilometres north northeast of Cooktown and 380 kilometres north of Cairns. A Cyclone Warning is in effect for coastal areas from Lockhart River to Innisfail including Cooktown, Port Douglas and Cairns, and extending inland to areas including Kalinga, Palmerville, Mareeba and Chillagoe, Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology said. Tropical cyclone Ita is the most severe system it has seen approach the Queensland coast since Cyclone Yasi in 2011, ABC News has reported quoting the Weather Bureau. Cyclone Ita caused massive flooding across the Solomon Islands in early April 2014. A state of emergency was declared after Honiara's main river, the Matanikau, burst its banks and caused disastrous flooding in Solomon Islands

Lightning in Sialhawk village in eastern Mizoram region of India has claimed lives of at least two people. Lightning accompanied by rainstorm hit the Champhai district. Original post: Natural Disasters List April 9, 2014

Flooding in the Solomon Islands has claimed lives of at least 21 people, left 40 missing and made up to 49,000 homeless. A state of emergency has been declared after Honiara's main river, the Matanikau, burst its banks, Xinhua News Agency reported. New Zealand has send an air force Hercules with disaster relief supplies in the area. Original post: Natural Disasters List April 6, 2014

Magnitude 8.2 earthquake in Chile has caused Tsunami in Japan. A tsunami of up to 40 centimeters has been observed at a port of Iwate Prefecture early Thursday morning, Xinhua reported. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a tsunami alert for Pacific coastal areas of Hokkaido and the Tohoku region, some parts of the Kanto region and the Izu and Ogasawara islands. According to the public broadcaster NHK, local authorities have issued evacuation advisories to more than 22,000 people living near the coastline in Iwate prefecture, northern Japan. The 2011 Tohoku earthquake created Tsunami up to 40.5 m in Japan. At least six people have confirmed dead in Chilean earthquake 2014. Most of the victims are killed by falling debris or heart attacks. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was located 95 km NW of Iquique. It was 7.7 miles deep. The Chilean earthquake 2014 occurred as the result of thrust faulting at shallow depths near the Chilean co

Update 2 April 2014 (15:05 UTC) -Death toll from earthquake in Northern Chile has risen to six. According to the Interior Minister Rodrigo Penailillo, most of the victims killed by falling debris or heart attacks. -Chile's Navy lifted tsunami warnings for all of Chile long coastline at around 7 a.m. local time (11 a.m. GMT). -According to the Chile's navy reports, the first tsunami wave arrived on the coast within 45 minutes of the quake. -Around 23 flights canceled due to the closure of airports in northern Chile. -All classes in Aria and Parinacota regions cancelled today. -The state of emergency declared in northern provinces. Related post: Chilean Earthquake 2014 creates Tsunami in Japan Below is a Tsunami animation video prepared by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC). The animation shows simulated tsunami wave propagation for 30 hours followed by an "energy map" showing the maximum open-ocean wave heights over that period. M 8.2 massive ea

Update 2014/04/01 According to the Washington governor, Jay Inslee, the Oso mudslide has claimed lives of at least 24 people and caused financial losses of $10 million. The number of people missing has been lowered to 22.   Update 2014/03/27 Death toll from Oso mudslide has risen to 20. The number of missing people has dropped to 90. Photo below shows rescue workers looking for victims in the mudslide near Oso, Washington March 26, 2014 (via Reuters/Rick Wilking). Related Post: Latest natural calamities in Washington Massive mudslide in Oso, Washington State has claimed lives of at least 14 people and left around 176 missing, The Seattle Times reported quoting the Snohomish County Emergency Management Director John Pennington. The Oso mudslide swept down Skaglund Hill, just east of Oso, Washington on March 22, 2014. The massive landslide is reported at 15 million cubic yards of mud and debris which came down from a hillside above the North Fork of the Stillaguamish Ri