Deadly landslide hits mining site in North Kivu, DR Congo
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.
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
Meteorite impact: Metallic object believed to be a meteorite hits home in New Jersey
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.
State of local emergency in Auckland following heavy rainfall and flooding, New Zealand
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.
M6.5 solar flare erupts from Region 3296, CME produced on May 7 heading our way
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.
Tornado strikes Anamur district, Turkey, injuring over a dozen people and destroying banana greenhouses
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.
Heavy rains affect nearly 500 000 people, devastate crop fields in Jiangxi, China
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.
Alberta declares state of emergency as massive wildfires force 30 000 residents to evacuate, Canada
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.
Catastrophic flooding in South Kivu Province, DR Congo leaves over 400 people dead
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.
Intense explosive activity, multiple pyroclastic flows trigger evacuations around Fuego volcano, Guatemala
An intense eruptive phase started at Guatemala’s Fuego volcano around 08:00 UTC on May 4, 2023, characterized by lava flows, constant incandescent activity, gas and ash emissions, and multiple high-speed pyroclastic flows of various intensities. Abundant ashfall was reported in villages and farms located up to 50 km (31 miles) W of the volcano.
Very strong M6.5 earthquake hits near the west coast of Honshu, Japan
A very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.5 hit near the west coast of Ishikawa, Honshu, Japan at 05:42 UTC (14:42 LT) on May 5, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). The USGS is reporting M6.2 at a depth of 8.7 km (5.4 miles); EMSC M6.2 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).
