The Watchers team and our contributors bring the latest on extreme weather, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, space weather, and all things science. We're all about making sense of the natural world and keeping you informed on what’s happening. Got a tip or a question? Hit us up using the form at newstips!
China has successfully launched the world's first quantum communication satellite – Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) – from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwestern Gobi Desert at 17:40 UTC on August 16, 2016 (01:40 local time on August 17)….
Two villages in China's Henan Province were covered in red mud containing toxic heavy metals after a waste pond dam collapsed on August 8, 2016, releasing 2 million cubic meters of aluminum production byproducts. The toxic waste pond was located in Dahegou…
A powerful vulcanian explosion occurred at Santiaguito's Caliente lava dome at 12:58 UTC on August 16, 2016. The eruption produced a massive mushroom-shaped ash plume that eventually reached an estimated altitude of 6 km (20 000 feet). The explosion showered the…
As of August 16, 2016, heavy rains and severe flooding since early June have completely destroyed 14 713 houses and claimed the lives of at least 114 people in the African country of Sudan. The affected states include Kassala, Sennar, South Kordofan, West Kordofan…
Tropical Depression 09W formed on August 13 in the northwest Pacific Ocean and strengthened into a tropical storm named Chanthu by the end of the UTC day. Chanthu is now approaching Japan with heavy rain and strong winds and is expected to skirt the northeastern…
An extremely severe rainfall event hit the states of Louisiana and southern Mississippi between August 8 and 15, 2016, when a very slow moving low pressure system continuously pulled tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. This record-setting rainfall and…
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.4 hit southern Peru at 02:58 UTC on August 15, 2016, killing at least 8 people. The quake hit near the town of Chivay, Colca Valley at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). More than 80 houses were severely damaged. …
A strong eruption occurred at Santa Maria's Santiaguito lava-dome complex in Guatemala at 12:29 UTC on August 14, 2016 (06:29 local time). The eruption generated a column of ash and smoke that rose up to 6 km (19 685 feet) above sea level, according to CONRED….
A massive landslide occurred at Dzongu, northern Sikkim, India on Saturday, August 13, 2016, dumping tons of debris on Kanka river, a tributary of the Teesta river, thus blocking the river and creating a dangerous 46 meters (150 feet) wide dam. As of early Sunday,…
A very slow-moving low pressure system dumped extreme amounts of rain to parts of central Gulf Coast states between August 4 and 13, 2016. By Friday, August 12, Louisiana was under historic flooding in which at least three people have lost their lives. Louisiana…
