• Powerful snowstorm causes major traffic disruptions in Japan

    A powerful low pressure field brought heavy snowfall across parts of Japan on January 17 and 18, 2016. Extreme weather conditions caused widespread traffic chaos, and at least 250 people reported injuries while 10 000 were advised to evacuate Nemuro region on…

  • Europe wrapped in a snow blanket as winter finally sets in

    A large part of Europe experienced heavy snowfall in the period between January 15 and 18, 2016. Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic were almost entirely wrapped in a snow blanket while Turkey and Greece also reported intense snowstorms. New snow fell across…

  • Very shallow M6.1 earthquake hits south of Fiji

    A very shallow earthquake registered by Geoscience Australia as M6.1 hit south of Fiji at 18:24 UTC on January 18, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 0 km. USGS is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 14.8 km (9.2 miles). According to the USGS, the epicenter was…

  • A spell of rain and snow in Greece

    Heavy rainfall and a strong snowstorm hit northern Greece on the weekend of January 16, 2016. Abundant precipitation caused the Pineios river to overflow. A bridge in Diava, Kalambaka collapsed due to flooding and one person died in a weather-related incident, local…

  • Eruption of Mount Sinabung continues

    In August 2010, Indonesia's Sinabung volcano roared back to life with its first eruption in known history. The volcano emitted diffuse white plumes that rose 20 m (65 feet) above the crater and showed signs of increased activity on August 28. On August 29,…

  • Moderately strong eruption took place at Ubinas volcano, Peru

    Peru's INGEMMET reports a moderately strong eruption took place at Ubinas volcano at 17:53 UTC on January 15, 2016. An ash plume rose to about 3 km (9 842 feet) above the summit and drifted to the southeast. This is about 8 672 m (28 450 feet) above the sea…

  • Severe erosion devastates the beach in Hallands overnight, UK

    Series of damaging storms that battered the UK over the last few weeks triggered a rapid erosion of the beaches along Devonshire coast. The beach in Hallands disappeared overnight as thousands of tons of sand, and small pebbles were washed away, leaving behind only…

  • Tropical Cyclone “Victor” developed in the South Pacific Ocean

    A new tropical cyclone has formed in the South Pacific Ocean at 21:00 UTC on January 14, 2016. By 09:00 UTC on January 15, the tropical depression (7P) strengthened into a tropical storm and was named Victor. The system is expected to keep intensifying over the next…