Hundreds of homes were evacuated early Wednesday, July 17, 2019, as several wildfires broke out across Israel. The fires are reportedly a result of a heatwave affecting most of the country, with temperatures in some cities reaching 50 °C (122 °F).
The first massive fire broke out in the Haifa's Nesher neighborhood, near the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, forcing police to temporarily close Route 2, according to The Jerusalem Post. The school’s security forces sent an evacuation notice to students on campus. Two men suffered light injuries due to inhaling smoke and were treated by MDA personnel on the scene.
A large forest fire forced authorities to evacuate the Aderet and Roglit settlements close to Jerusalem, and the Shavei Shomron settlement in the West Bank. 5 houses caught on fire at the Ramat Pinkas neighborhood in Or Yehuda close to Tel Aviv, the paper added. Police attempted to evacuate residents while firefighters gained control of the flames. Several residents were rescued and treated for wounds at the scene.
Another fire started in a parking lot in Jerusalem, setting 10 cars aflame.
More than 120 residents across the country were treated for heatstroke, dehydration, fainting and exhaustion.
Electricity consumption reached an all-time high during the day, with a record-breaking 13 521 megawatts used throughout the country.
Featured image credit: NASA Aqua/MODIS. Acquired July 17, 2019
6th impressive paroxysm at Etna volcano, Italy
February 25, 2021
This is the 6th paroxysmal eruptive episode at Etna volcano, Italy since February 16, 2021. After 5 impressive paroxysms, the activity at the volcano intensified again at 19:00 UTC on February 24 and evolved into another spectacular event. Video courtesy Gio Giusa...
Highly radioactive cesium detected in northeastern Fukushima, Japan
February 24, 2021
Radioactive cesium fivefold higher the permitted levels have been detected in a black rockfish found in northeastern Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, a local fishing association announced on Monday, February 22, 2021. Roughly 500 becquerels per kilogram of cesium was...
State of emergency declared in Madre de Dios as severe flooding leaves 15 000 people affected, Peru
February 23, 2021
Heavy rainfall since mid-February has triggered widespread, severe flooding in Madre de Dios, Peru, leaving at least 15 000 people affected and thousands of property damage. This has prompted the government to declare a state of emergency for the region for 60 days....
Persistent flooding damages thousands of homes and wide swaths of land in southern Mozambique
February 17, 2021
Persistent flooding in southern Mozambique has caused damage to around 4 200 homes and more than 54 000 ha (133 400 acres) of agricultural land. Heavy rains have been affecting the southern areas of the country, falling on grounds already saturated by downpours...
Historic cold temps and snow in Wichita, Kansas
February 16, 2021
The incredibly historic winter storm continued its assault in southern Kansas on the morning of February 15, 2021, adding another 25 mm (1 inch) or more of snow during the Monday morning commute. Traffic was lighter than normal thanks to the holiday, but icy...
