• Severe drought devastating southern European crops

    One of the worst droughts in recent decades is devastating southern European crops. Just this year, the damage is estimated to more than 1 billion euros. In Italy, around 30% less rain has fallen this year, compared with last year. Grains have been particularly…

  • 7 days of rain pull Florida out of extreme drought

    In an interesting turn of events, just 7 days of heavy rainfall, in places record-breaking, pulled the entire state of Florida out of extreme drought conditions. The state is still not completely out of drought, as 23% of it still remains in severe condition, but…

  • Severe water crisis in Cape Town caused by worst drought in over a century

    Cape Town, South Africa's seat of Parliament and the legislative capital, is enduring its worst drought in over a century and severe water crisis. This forced officials to impose strict Level 4 water restrictions, effective as of Thursday, June 1, 2017. While…

  • From drought to deluge, preparing for weeks of Katrina-style flooding

    California has spectacularly emerged from one of its driest periods on record and ended its five-year drought by enduring one of its wettest periods on record. Its reservoirs, lakes, and mountainsides are now brimming with water and snow, though scientists caution…

  • Hundreds dying from hunger as severe drought grips Somalia

    110 people have died from hunger in the past 48 hours in just one region of Somalia as severe drought gripped the country, causing hunger crisis. The death toll was announced by prime minister Hassan Ali Khaire today and it comes from the Bay region in the southwest…

  • Large wildfire engulfs Valparaiso, Chile

    A massive wildfire engulfed the Chilean port city of Valparaiso on January 2, 2017. At least 100 homes have been destroyed, more than 400 people were evacuated and 19 injured. City authorities have issued a maximum red alert. The blaze broke out in the Laguna Verde…

  • Switzerland experienced driest December since 1864

    With an average of just 2 mm (0.079 inches) of precipitation, the Swiss lowlands (from Lake Geneva to Lake Constance) experienced their driest December since records began in 1864. In the region's west, there was no precipitation at all. "In the long-term…