I'm a dedicated researcher, journalist, and editor at The Watchers. With over 20 years of experience in the media industry, I specialize in hard science news, focusing on extreme weather, seismic and volcanic activity, space weather, and astronomy, including near-Earth objects and planetary defense strategies. You can reach me at teo /at/ watchers.news.
A meteorite approximately 6.7 cm (2.6 inches) in diameter pierced through the roof of a family home in the state of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany at 14:14 LT on April 25, 2023. The event took place 13 days before a similar incident in New Jersey, US. Fortunately, neither event caused injuries.
High solar activity was observed on May 10, 2023, primarily due to the enhanced flare potential of Region 3296. The most significant event from the region was an M4.2 flare, which resulted in a well-defined partial halo Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) signature, expected to hit Earth sometime after 18:00 UTC on May 11. The 10 MeV proton flux peaked at 38 pfu, dropped below Minor – S1 solar radiation storm levels by 12:35 UTC on May 9, but still above average, and then rose back over the 10 pfu threshold due to the May 7 CME passage.
A large landslide hit the Songambele mine near the city of Rubaya in Masisi Territory of North Kivu Province, DR Congo around 11:00 LT on May 8, 2023.
On May 8, 2023, just after 13:00 LT, a metallic object, believed to be a meteorite, pierced the roof of a home in Hopewell Township, New Jersey, U.S., without causing any injuries. Hopewell Township Police Department is currently working with other agencies to confirm the identity of the object.
A state of local emergency was declared by Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown on May 9, 2023, due to severe floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall. The MetService reported rain rates of 40 – 50 mm (1.6 – 1.9 inches) per hour in certain areas of Auckland, leading to significant disruption and causing over 200 weather-related emergency calls.
A moderately strong M6.5 solar flare erupted from Active Region 3296 at 03:54 UTC on May 9, 2023. The event started at 03:42 and ended at 04:05 UTC. This was the 12th M-class solar flare since M4.3 on May 3. It was followed by M1.2 at 06:13 UTC, also from Region 3296. The CME produced on May 7 was modeled and analyzed and the likely result is impact to Earth late on May 10 to early May 11.
A powerful tornado tore through the Anamur district in Turkey’s Mersin Province on May 6, 2023, injuring more than a dozen people and causing widespread damage.
Nearly 500 000 people in Jiangxi province were affected by heavy rains from Friday to Sunday, May 5 – 7, 2023, leading to the evacuation of around 14 000 residents and causing an estimated 520 million yuan ($75.2 million) in direct economic losses. China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters launched a level-IV emergency response for flood control on May 6. Rescue operations are underway.
The Alberta government declared a provincial state of emergency on Saturday, May 6, 2023, as fast-spreading wildfires forced nearly 30 000 residents from their homes. The fires are producing massive smoke clouds drifting into British Columbia and Northwest Territories.
Heavy rainfall affecting DR Congo’s South Kivu Province caused rivers to overflow on May 4, 2023, flooding the villages of Bushushu and Nyamukobi and leaving at least 227 people dead.
