🔥 Climate Events Digest for the Week: Fires in the USA, flooding and storms in Italy, heavy rains in Brazil, severe blizzard in California, and heavy rains and hail in Oman.
According to NV Energy, the state's largest utility provider, as of March 2nd, more than 25,000 customers remained without electricity. Climate Events Digest for the Week: Fires in the USA, flooding and storms in Italy, heavy rains in Brazil, severe blizzard in California, and heavy rains and hail in Oman.
📍Texas, USA. Catastrophic wildfires in Texas have claimed the lives of at least two people, destroyed homes, livestock, and caused significant financial damage to the state's residents.
The Smokehouse Creek fire has become the largest wildfire in the state's history, already engulfing over 1 million acres of land in Texas alone.
Strong winds and drought conditions have contributed to the rapid spread of the fire, consuming an area equivalent to two football fields per second. Firefighting efforts face a daunting challenge, with at least 5 firefighters injured. Rainfall towards the end of the week helped contain the fire to 15%, but critical weather conditions returned within a few days, fueling a new surge in flames.
📍Italy. Since February 26th, northern Italy has experienced heavy rains, snowfall, and strong winds, resulting in floods, landslides, and snow avalanches. This has led to human casualties and significant material damage. Some regions received more than three months' worth of precipitation in just two days. The Veneto region suffered the most from flooding, prompting the issuance of a red alert. A viral video featuring a "waterproof" window highlighted the high water levels in the region.
Landslides and villages affected by the events were documented in Montemurlo (Prato) and the Ligurian region. Lake Garda's water level exceeded the maximum recorded in the past 27 years. In the municipality of Rasines in the province of Bolzano, a snow avalanche occurred, resulting in one fatality and two injuries.
📍Brazil. Heavy rains in the Brazilian state of Acre have led to widespread flooding, submerging hundreds of homes and inundating roads. In the capital, Rio Branco, the water level in the Acre River rose nearly 19,6 feet in just one day, reaching 55,77 feet. Over 100,000 people have been affected by the flooding, with 24,000 forced to evacuate their homes, and four fatalities reported. A state of emergency has been declared in 19 out of 22 municipalities.
📍California. A powerful snowstorm has hit California and the West Coast, bringing heavy snowfall, strong winds with gusts up to 190 miles per hour, and even a rare tornado for these regions.
According to reports from the National Weather Service, over the course of 72 hours, some areas in the Sierra Nevada received more than 7 feet of snow. Due to the massive accumulation of snow, some vehicles were stranded on the roads on March 1st, and drivers required urgent assistance
📍Pakistan. In late February and early March, Pakistan experienced heavy rains and snowfall, leading to widespread landslides and destruction in the northern and western regions. According to official figures, 37 people died, and 50 were injured. A state of emergency was declared in Rawalpindi, Punjab province, as the city received more than a third of the monthly precipitation norm, totaling 0,98 inches.
📍Turkey. On the evening of March 5th in Antalya, Turkey, a storm occurred, during which two water spouts formed. Coming ashore, they caused damage to the areas of Demre, Kumluca, Finike, and Manavgat. Approximately 741.32 acres of greenhouses belonging to 102 farmers were damaged, along with 20 vehicles and 15 buildings. The tornado also damaged solar panels. During the storm, heavy rain flooded the streets and underground passages in Antalya. In the Kepex and Konyaalti areas, many vehicles got stuck due to flooding. In the Chaykoj village of the Kas district, a forest fire broke out after a lightning strike, which was successfully extinguished by rescue brigades. Six people were injured as a result of the storm and tornado.
📍Oman. In the first decade of March, strong rains with wind and hail occurred in several provinces of Oman. The amount of precipitation reached 5,90 inches, exceeding the average monthly March level by 10 times. This led to river flooding and extensive floods.
This is just a small part of the climate catastrophes that have occurred worldwide in less than two weeks. Stay with us to stay informed and ensure the safety of yourself and your loved ones. If you want to understand why disasters are escalating so rapidly and how to avoid a global catastrophe, check out the "Global Crisis. The Responsibility" Forum.