Recent Natural Disasters | Calamities | Hazards

December 19, 2019: Devon and Cornwall Police have declared a major incident after flash flooding in Hayle. According to the Cornwall Council, around 50 properties have been affected by flooding in the area. A 7-mile stretch of the A30 in Cornwall has been closed due to flooding & 50 properties have been affected. There are 18 flood warnings in place across England , mainly across the South, South West and River Severn.

December 18, 2019: A landslide in a construction site of Yunusabad metro line in Tashkent, Uzbekistan has claimed lives of at least six people. The landslide occurred due to the heavy rainfall, Xinhua News Agency reported quoting the Emergency Ministry.

December 18, 2019: Magnitude 4.3 earthquake has been recorded in California today at 10:29 am local time with epicenter located 11 km far from Cholame. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter was located at 6 km depth. Tremor was felt in San Miguel, Cholame, Shandon, Avenal, Creston, Paso Robles, Coalinga, Templeton, Atascadero, San Ardo and Bradley, California.

December 15, 2019: At least six people have been killed after a tropical storm named Pawan made landfall in northern Somalia . According to the UN humanitarian agency, tropical storm Pawan made landfall on December 6, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds and flash floods in parts of Bari and Nugaal regions of Puntland. Eyl, Bandarbayla, Caluula and Laasqoray districts are severely affected by the tropical storm Pawan.

December 15, 2019: Thousands of people have been evacuated in Mersing, Kluang and Kota Tinggi in Johor and moved to temporary relief centres after their homes were hit by floods following heavy rainfall. According to the Johor Disaster Management Committee, the most affected district was Mersing with 1,262 victims, followed by Kota Tinggi with 1,071 victims and Kluang with 1,053 victims. The Malaysian Meteorological Department has upgraded its weather warning alert for Mersing and Kota Tinggi from yellow to red.

December 15, 2019: Four miners have been killed and 14 others remained trapped underground in a flooded coal mine in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Xinhua News Agency reported. The coal mine floodin g occurred at  in Gongxian County of Yibin City in southwest China's Sichuan Province as 347 people were working underground. The rescue officers are clearing the shaft and drilling a deep hole to reach the trapped miners.  The disaster occurred at the Shanmushu coal mine owned by Sichuan Coal Industry Group.

Update 07:35 pm The Nepal Seismological Center has confirmed magnitude 4.8 moderate earthquake in Sindhupalchowk district of Nepal. The epicenter was located north of Kiwool. The earthquake occurred at 07:11 pm local time. The tremor was well felt across Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kathmandu district of Nepal. No damage or injuries has been reported. Last month, an earthquake of magnitude 5.0 was recorded in Sindhupalchowk as well. The epicenter was located in Phulpingkot area of Sindhupalchowk district. Nepal lies in high seismic hazard zone. The April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000. Update 07:25 pm We have received report of earthquake of magnitude 4.8 in Sindhupalchowk district of Nepal. It was well felt across Kathmandu Valley. However, the Nepal Seismological Center hasn't mentioned about this earthquake in its website. We will mention the official details once posted by the Nepal Government. Update 07:19 pm

December 10, 2019: At least six people are dead, eight missing and 31 others have been injured after White Island volcano erupted in New Zealand . The injured people in the New Zealand volcanic eruption have suffered extensive burns to their bodies and lungs. The injured are aged between 13 and 72. Whilte Island volcano tragedy happened at 2:11 p.m. local time when the volcano erupted releasing thick clouds of ash about 12,000 feet into the air. The volcano erupted while tourists and tour guides were touring the volcano, including many visitors from a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, the Ovation of the Seas. The citizens from New Zealand, Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia are among those injured and missing following the volcanic eruption in New Zealand. Whakaari/White Island is an active volcano, situated 48 km from the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand, in the Bay of Plenty.

December 9, 2019: Magnitude 4.8 earthquake rattled Florence area at 3.30 a.m. (02:30 GMT), the U.S Geological Survey said.  According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred in Mugello region of Tuscany, some 31 km (19 miles) northeast of Florence. The earthquake caused cracks in the walls of the church of San Silvestro in the town of Barberino del Mugello. The schools have been closed in the region and many trains through Florence have been cancelled or delayed.

December 5, 2019: An earthquake of magnitude 3.2 has been recorded in Somerset today at 22:45 pm. According to the British Geological Survey (BGS), the  earthquake's epicentre was close to the village of Huntworth, Somerset. Tremor was felt in Bridgewater, Taunton, Yeovil and Cheddar. No preliminary damage or injuries have been reported.

December 5, 2019: Landslide triggered by heavy rainfall has claimed lives of 38 people in Cibitoke province of northwestern Burundi. Out of total fatalities, 22 people died in Nyuempundu, 13 in Rukombe hill and three in Gikomero.

December 4, 2019: Landslides triggered by heavy rainfall have claimed lives of four people in eastern Ugandan district of Bududa. "Landslides occurred at Bunabutiti in Manjiya County at around 16:30 local time," Xinhua reported quoting Justine Khainza, Bududa District Woman Member of Parliament as saying. More than 30 houses have been damaged in Bududa. Landslide in Bududa in 2010 had claimed lives of at least 100 people.

December 3, 2019: Two people have been killed after Typhoon Tisoy (Kammuri) lashed Philippines forcing evacuation of around 200,000 people. Typhoon Kammuri hit the main Luzon island just before midnight local time on Tuesday (16:00 GMT on Monday).  The Philippine disaster agency has marked Category-4-equivalent typhoon and asked locals to be alert for possible landslides, storm surges and floods triggered by heavy winds and rain. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport was shut from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA, said that the Typhoon Tisoy will bring heavy rainfall in Southern Luzon, Central Luzon and Metro Manila until Wednesday morning. Also several sporting events of the South East Asian Game 2019 have either been rescheduled for a later date or have been cancelled altogether due to Typhoon Tisoy.  Philippines deadliest cyclone on record was Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 , which

December 2, 2019: A small earthquake has been recorded near Newport, Rhode Island , Sunday evening at 06:46 pm, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The earthquake was of magnitude 2.0 on richter scale with epicenter about 2.5 miles southeast of Newport, R.I. Weak tremor was felt in New Port, Rhode Island area. According to the Northeast States Emergency Consortium , a total of 34 felt earthquakes have been centered in Rhode Island since the first known shock on August 25, 1776. Of these felt earthquakes, only one caused some slight damage.  That event took place at 12:20 pm on June 10, 1951 and had a magnitude of 4.6.   The earthquakes with magnitude of 2.5 or less are not usually felt, though they can be recorded by a seismograph. 

December 2, 2019: Flash floods have occurred at Choa Chu Kang Avenue 1 and Jurong East Street 32 due to heavy downfall. Flash floods also disrupted traffic in Jurong East Street 32 and Choa Chu Kang Ave 1. Traffic was not passable at both locations for about 20 minutes due to floodwaters. According to PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency, the heaviest rainfall of about 93mm was recorded over one hour in the western part of Singapore. This is about a third of the projected average rainfall of 318.6mm for the month of December.  Further PUB added that Singapore is currently experiencing the Northeast Monsoon period, with more wet weather expected this month. In the first week of December, Singapore can expect a monsoon surge lasting from two to four days, with periods of moderate to heavy showers over the island. The National Environment Agency had warned of moderate to heavy thundery showers over many areas in Singapore. The 1978 Singapore flood claimed seven

December 01, 2019: A mudslide in Pokhara has claimed lives of four persons and left one other missing. The four deceased have been identified as the residents of Pedikhola, Bagchaur Municipality-4 of Salyan district. The mudslide occurred at the time the workers were constructing sewage channels alongside the Bhalam-Mauja rural road section.

November 30, 2019: Magnitude 4.5 earthquake has been recorded in Port Orford, Oregan today at 05:45 pm. The earthquake's epicenter was located 6 km NE of Port Orford, Oregon . The earthquake occurred at 17 km depth. The earthquake in Port Orford was followed by an aftershock at around 8:58 p.m. It was of magnitude 3.5. According to the Curry County Emergency Management, there is no tsunami threat with this earthquake. 

November 27, 2019: Tremor has been felt in capital Kathmandu following magnitude 5.0 moderate earthquake in Sindhupalchowk district, Nepal Seismological Center reported. According to the Nepal Seismological Center, the earthquake occurred at 10:08 pm with epicenter in Phulpingkot area of Sindhupalchowk district. No damage or injuries has been reported. Nepal lies in high seismic hazard zone. The April 2015 Nepal earthquake killed nearly 9,000 people and injured nearly 22,000.

November 26, 2019: Flooding and landslides caused by the heavy rainfall have claimed lives of at least 41 people in the DR Congo capital Kinshasa. Recent flooding in Kinshasa collapsed a bridge connecting the districts of Lemba and Ngaba and destroyed another in the district of Kisenso.

November 26, 2019: Magnitude 3.2 earthquake has been felt in sections of Kingston and St. Andrew today at 7:57 am, Jamaica's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) confirmed. The earthquake’s epicenter was located near Duhaney Park. The earthquake in Jamaica today occurred at 21.6 km depth. No damage or injuries have been reported. An earthquake of magnitude 7.5 rattled Port Royal, Jamaica in 1692. The earthquake triggered Tsunami and caused most of the city to sink below sea level. Around 5,000 people were died in the disaster .