State of disaster in Iowa, helicopters rush to evacuate flooded Rock Valley
In the pre-dawn hours of June 22, 2024, Rock Valley, Iowa, awoke to sirens and rising waters as the Rock River burst its banks, leaving the town scrambling to evacuate.
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
Widespread floods in Bangladesh leave over 2 million people stranded
Heavy monsoon rains affecting Bangladesh since Wednesday, June 19, 2024, have left over 2 million people stranded and at least 10 dead. Bangladesh Meteorological Department predicts continued heavy rains which could potentially worsen the situation.
Hundreds of thousands affected by floods in central China
Heavy rains impacted several provinces in central China on June 23, 2024, causing floods and landslides that affected hundreds of thousands of people. At least 8 fatalities were reported after a landslide in Hunan Province. Local authorities have issued several alerts and are currently carrying out disaster control and rescue operations in high-risk regions.
Power grids fail across Balkan as temperatures hit 40 °C (104 °F)
A massive power outage struck parts of the Balkan Peninsula on June 21, 2024, as temperatures soared to 40 °C (104°F). The blackout caused widespread disruption across Montenegro, Bosnia, Croatia, and Albania. Officials and media blame increased power consumption due to the sweltering heat for power grid failures.
Massive dust storm triggers multi-vehicle crash on I-25 in New Mexico
A massive dust storm swept across New Mexico, U.S. on June 19, 2024, severely limiting visibility and causing a multicar pileup near Algodones, New Mexico.
Over 1 000 pilgrims reported dead as mercury soars to 51.8 °C (125 °F) during Hajj
At least 1 081 pilgrims were reported dead in ten countries, as of June 20, 2024, as temperatures rose to 51.8 °C (125 °F) causing more than 2 700 cases of extreme heat exhaustion in Saudi Arabia in just one day.
Tropical Storm “Alberto” makes landfall in Tampico, Mexico, causing flooding and fatalities
Tropical Storm “Alberto” made landfall near the Mexican city of Tampico, Tamaulipas, shortly after 09:00 UTC on June 20, 2024, with maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h (50 mph). The storm brought heavy rains, causing widespread coastal flooding in Mexico, where at least 3 people lost their lives. In the United States, Alberto caused a significant storm surge in Texas and Louisiana even before making landfall in Mexico.
Strong eruptions at Ibu volcano prompt lahar warning, Indonesia
A strong eruption took place at the Indonesian Ibu volcano at 20:21 UTC on June 17, 2024 (03:21 LT, June 18), showering the upper edifice with bright lava bombs. The volcanic ash column reached a height of about 4.3 km (14 400 feet) above sea level.
South Fork Fire destroys over 1 400 structures, forces over 8 000 to evacuate immediately, New Mexico
A rapidly spreading wildfire near Ruidoso village, New Mexico spread over 8 429 ha (20 828 acres) of land since it started on June 17, 2024, destroying around 1 400 structures and forcing over 8 000 residents to evacuate without even being able to gather their belongings.
Tornado sweeps through Carlepont, Oise, damaging 44 buildings, France
A damaging tornado swept through the village of Carlepont in the Oise department, France, on June 18, 2024, damaging 44 buildings and 2 powerlines. Forty firefighters and 15 engines were deployed to the scene to assess the damage.
