Large tornado hits Taif, Saudi Arabia
A large tornado swept through the countryside near the city of Taif, Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia on Sunday, March 12, 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.
Strong M6.3 earthquake hits eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.3 hit the eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea at 00:49 UTC on March 14, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 213 km (132 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.3 at a depth of 211 km (131 miles).
Record floods hit parts of northern Queensland, Australia
Northern Queensland is currently grappling with major flooding, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warning of dangerously high levels in multiple rivers.
S1 – Minor solar radiation storm after full-halo CME associated with solar activity on the far side
A full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME) first visible in LASCO C2 imagery at 03:36 UTC on March 13, 2023, produced S1 – Minor Solar Radiation Storm at 07:50 UTC.
Coastal low pressure to develop into major nor’easter with heavy snowfall and strong winds, U.S.
Residents along the northeastern United States are being urged to brace themselves for a major Nor’easter that is set to impact the region beginning late Monday, March 13, 2023, through Wednesday. The coastal low-pressure system is predicted to strengthen rapidly overnight on Monday and will have significant impacts on the Northeastern region.
Another atmospheric river set to move across California, bringing heavy rain and snow
Just three days after a powerful atmospheric river (AR) event brought heavy rain to parts of California, leaving at least 2 people dead and nearly 10 000 under evacuation orders, another AR will reach the region late Monday, March 13, 2023, bringing more risk of flash flooding and heavy mountain snow through Wednesday.
Major eruption at Merapi volcano produces very large pyroclastic flow, Indonesia
A powerful eruption took place at Indonesia’s Merapi volcano at 05:12 UTC on March 11, 2023, producing massive pyroclastic flow near populated areas and blanketing nearby villages in ash. There were no immediate reports of casualties. The Alert Level remains at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public is warned to stay 3 – 7 km (1.8 – 4.3 miles) away from the summit based on location.
Cyclone Yaku hits Peru, leaving 6 people dead, 5 missing, and over 2 000 homes severely damaged
Peru has been hit hard by Cyclone Yaku over the past few days, with the country’s northern regions experiencing severe flooding and significant damage. The cyclone, which has caused at least six deaths, has been described by the director of civil defense, César Sierra, as an unusual phenomenon causing intensifying rains in the north.
Small earthquake swarm at Katla volcano, Iceland
A small earthquake swarm started at Katla volcano, beneath the Myrdalsjökull icecap in Iceland, on March 9, 2023. The last confirmed eruption at this volcano took place in 1918 (VEI 4).
Tornado rips through village in central France, causing significant damage
A tornado tore through the village of Pontarion in Creuse, central France, around 17:00 LT on Thursday, March 9, 2023, leaving behind a trail of destruction to infrastructure and buildings. The violent weather caused significant damage to a number of houses, leaving roofs and windows shattered, while telephone lines were also damaged.
