Severe flooding in Russia’s Kurgan region has inundated areas surrounding the Dobrovolnoye uranium deposit, leading to potential radioactive and chemical pollution in the Tobol River. This event was reported on April 17, 2024, by the investigative news outlet Agentstvo, citing local authorities and environmentalists.
Record-breaking rainfall affecting China’s Guangdong Province since Friday, April 19, 2024, pushed water levels in the Bei River, a tributary of the Pearl River, to exceed 50-year highs, causing widespread floods in which at least 4 people died and 10 others went missing. The floods caused extensive damage, including the destruction of 36 houses and severe damage to 48 others, incurring direct economic losses of nearly 140.6 million yuan.
Two strong earthquakes registered by the USGS as M6.1 and M6.0 hit Taiwan within 6 minutes on April 22, 2024 — at 18:26 UTC and 18:32 UTC, respectively. The agency is reporting a depth of 10.7 km (6.6 miles) for the M6.1 quake and 10 km (6.2 miles) for the second quake. Preliminary data shows epicenters at a distance of about 20 km (12.4 miles).
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.8 hit eastern Taiwan’s Hualien County at 14:11 UTC (22:11 LT) on April 22, 2024, at a depth of 11.8 km (7.3 miles). This is the second strongest aftershock of the April 2 M7.4 earthquake after M6.4 on April 3.
A significant earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 hit the Bárðarbunga caldera in Iceland on April 21, 2024, marking the largest seismic event in the area since the 2015 Holuhraun eruption. This event was followed by a smaller M3.0 aftershock, but no further seismic activity has been reported.
The southern Chinese province of Guangdong faces severe flooding risks with the Bei River’s water levels predicted to peak at 37.3 m (122 feet) early on April 22, 2024. This event, deemed a ‘once-in-a-century’ occurrence, comes after the region experienced record-breaking rainfall, affecting millions of people.
Telangana endured a deadly heatwave on Thursday, recording temperatures surpassing 45 °C (113 °F) in six districts, marking the highest temperatures for April in some areas over the past decade and leading to five fatalities. The State Disaster Management Department has issued health warnings for vulnerable groups such as the elderly and children due to the severe heat.
The ongoing volcanic eruption on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, which began at 20:23 UTC on March 16, 2024, continues to impact the area with significant ground uplift and persistent hazards from volcanic gas emissions. The eruption, centered at the Sundhnúkur crater row, shows no signs of abating, with an expanding lava field now covering 6.15 km² (23.5 mi2).
Increased seismic activity and inflation detected at Awu Volcano prompted Indonesian authorities to elevate the alert level from 2 to 3 on April 16, 2024. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has advised the public to maintain a distance of at least 5 km (3.1 miles) from the crater due to potential explosive eruptions. The last eruption at this volcano took place in 2004 (VEI 2).
New activity/unrest was reported for 8 volcanoes from April 10 to 16, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 12 volcanoes.
