Recent Natural Disasters | Calamities | Hazards

April 8, 2019: A preliminary report by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DoHM) has confirmed the first recorded tornado in Nepal which caused damages in Bara and Parsa, the Terai districts of Nepal. According to the satellite image, the tornado in Bara and Parsa district of Nepal covered at least 30 kilometres distance with width of the trail around 200 to 250 metres. The devastating natural disaster was reported between 7:45pm and 8:15pm on March 31, 2019. DoHM with the support from Small Earth Nepal investigated the storm in Nepal. Madan Lal Shrestha, former director general of DoHM and academician of Nepal Academy of Science Technology, a group of scientists found that Bara's windstorm was tornado. Tornado path as captured by Satellite (Small Earth/Nepal Khabar) Heavy storm in Bara and Parsa district of Nepal accompanied by hailstorms and rain claimed lives of at least 29 people and injured more than 600 people. According to the local authorit

Update April 7, 2019 A preliminary report by the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DoHM) has confirmed the first recorded tornado in Nepal which caused damages in Bara and Parsa districts. Main Post April 1, 2019: Storm accompanied by hailstorms and rain has claimed lives of at least 29 people and injured more than 600 people. According to the local authorities, 28 people died in Bara district and one in Parsa district of Nepal. Most of the fatalities are from Pheta and Bhulahi Bharwaliya areas in Bara district. Injured people are having treatment at Birgunj-based National Medical College and Narayani Sub-regional Hospital. Several people are also admitted at Kalaiya hospital. The rainstorm on Sunday evening damaged hundreds of houses, electric poles and uprooted trees obstructing the roads. The natural disaster also led to a power outage last night while the internet services have resumed in the affected districts, The Himalayan Times reported.

March 29, 2019: Magnitude 2.9 weak earthquake has been recorded in California with epicenter located 5km far from Vallejo, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported. The earthquake occurred at s shallow depth of 8.5 km. The tremor was well felt in Crockett, Rodeo, Vallejo, Hercules, Port Costa, Pinole and Benicia, CA. No damage is expected from this earthquake.

March 25, 2019: Flash floods triggered by heavy rain in the southern Shiraz city of Iran have claimed lives of  eleven people. "At least 11 people were killed and 35 were injured in the Fars province," US News reported quoting the head of Iran's emergency medical services.

March 25, 2019: Tropical Cyclone Joaninha is currently located approximately 314 NM E-NE of Port Louis, Mauritius,  The Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) reports. Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System has issued an Orange Alert for Tropical Cyclone Joaninha-19 in Mauritius. Tropical Cyclone Joaninha-19 can have a medium humanitarian impact based on the maximum sustained wind speed, exposed population and vulnerability.

March 25, 2019: Volcano eruption at Bikita has feared people after villager interviewed by the Civil Protection Department CPD alleged that a fire was seen at the mountain top. A huge rock estimated to weigh between 10 and 15 tonnes fell from Mapadza Mountain in Bikita on Saturday,  Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) reported. The Civil Protection Department (CPD) in Masvingo has already dispatched a team to Bikita in Masvingo province to look the situation. No injuries have been reported. Related Post:  Lightning strike in Zimbabwe kills 7 including six children

March 24, 2019: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 has been felt today in Nairobi at 07:21 pm local time. According to the United States Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was located 41km NNW of Wundanyi, Kenya . The tremor was felt as far as 300 km from the epicenter in Arusha, Nairobi and Kiambu area. The earthquake occurred at a shallow depth of 10km inside Tsavo West National Park of Kenya. No preliminary damage or injuries have been reported.

March 24, 2019: Tsunami warnings have been issued by Thailand's department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation in six provinces including Phuket and Krabi. A tsunami warning has been issued for Phuket, Ranong, Phang Nga, Krabi and Satun following two earthquakes in the Indian Ocean. The tsunami warning was issued after magnitude 5.0 and 5.2 earthquakes in Ocean Ocean around Andaman Islands . The department has asked the six provinces to keep following the situation in case tsunami hits, Xinhua reported. Phuket and Krabi are some of Thailand’s most popular beaches with huge numbers of tourist inflow.

March 22, 2019: Four tremors along with loud explosions were heard across Pali district of Rajasthan on Friday night around 11:10pm. Earthquake-like shaking was felt in Pali causing people to evacuate their buildings immediately at the midnight. The explosions and tremors were from the practice conducted by the Indian Air Force.  Sonic booms generate enormous amounts of sound energy, sounding much like an explosion. Three days ago, similar cases were reported from Rajapalayam, Tamilnadu. Hundreds of people reported of earthquake felt in Rajapalayam . However, Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority confirmed that no earthquake has been recorded in Rajapalayam. Officials said that blasts in quarries along the ghats was the reason. On Sunday, magnitude 4.0 light earthquake was felt across Alwar, Rajasthan . 

March 22, 2019: Weak earthquake of magnitude 2.3 has been felt in Bluffdale, Utah today at 07:36 am, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported. According to the USGS, the earthquake occurred 3km SSW of Bluffdale, Utah.  Weak tremor of MMI II-III have been felt in Riverton, Draper, Lehi, Herriman and Saratoga Springs, Utah.