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/ watchersnews.bigscoots-staging.com.
A rare M5.0 earthquake struck northwestern Roberts County in the Texas Panhandle at 05:21 CDT (10:21 UTC) on July 23, 2026. This is the fourth earthquake at or above M5.0 in the Texas Panhandle since 2011. Nearly 91% of all known Panhandle earthquakes since 1907 were below that threshold.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) confirmed a very small eruption at Tokachidake’s 62-2 crater at 11:07 LT (02:07 UTC) on July 22, 2026, the volcano’s first eruption since February 2004. A black plume rose approximately 200 m (656 feet) above the crater rim, while Volcanic Alert Level 2 remained in effect. Tokachidake is located in central Hokkaido, on Japan’s northernmost main island, approximately 900 km (560 miles) north-northeast of Tokyo.
Heavy rain and flooding associated with a prolonged frontal system have killed 10 people and left four missing across Chile since July 14, with the most extensive isolation concentrated in the Atacama and Coquimbo regions. The National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response reported 104 271 people isolated, 2 281 affected, and 1 031 in shelters on July 21.
Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named storm of the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, formed over the northeastern Gulf at 19:00 CDT on July 20, 2026 (00:00 UTC on July 21) and strengthened to 85 km/h (50 mph) by 06:00 UTC. A Tropical Storm Warning and Storm Surge Watch are in effect along sections of the northern Gulf Coast, where heavy rainfall, flash flooding, coastal inundation, dangerous surf, and rip currents were forecast from western Florida into southern Louisiana.
The Storm Prediction Center issued an Enhanced Risk for severe thunderstorms across parts of the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes on Monday, July 20, 2026. A second Enhanced Risk covers parts of the Ohio Valley, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast on Tuesday, July 21, with damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes all possible.
At least 25 people were killed across India’s north and northeast after monsoon rainfall over the weekend of July 18 and 19, 2026, caused flash flooding, landslides, damaged roads, submerged villages, and led authorities in Assam to request Army and Air Force standby support for possible evacuations. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast calls for heavy to very heavy rain, with isolated extremely heavy falls, over parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam and Meghalaya through July 21.
A flash flood near Sunglow Campground outside Bicknell, Utah, killed five members of one family on Friday, July 17, 2026, after they arrived in the area to hike and canyoneer, according to local reports citing the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
Tropical Depression Two became better organized over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico on July 20, 2026, prompting the National Hurricane Center (NHC) to expand the Tropical Storm Watch from the Florida Panhandle westward to southeastern Louisiana and issue a Storm Surge Watch for parts of the northern Gulf Coast. The depression had maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h (35 mph) at 15:00 UTC and is expected to become a tropical storm later today, followed by gradual strengthening through Tuesday.
New activity/unrest was reported for 5 volcanoes from July 9-15, 2026. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 23 volcanoes.
A major earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.3 struck offshore Chiapas, Mexico at 14:48 UTC on July 17, 2026. The agency is reporting a depth of 15.2 km (9.4 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.3 at a depth of 25 km (15.5 miles). According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC), hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts.
