• Strong M6.2 earthquake hits near the coast of Crete, Greece

    A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.2 hit near the north coast of Crete, Greece, at 03:19 UTC (06:19 local time) on May 22, 2025. The agency is reporting a depth of 64 km (40 miles). EMSC measured it as M6.1 at a depth of 75 km (47 miles).

  • Jaw Fire and Democrat Fire burn over 1 650 ha (4 000 acres) in Kern County, California

    The Jaw Fire and Democrat Fire in California’s Kern County have scorched approximately 1 657 ha (4 095 acres) of land as of May 21, 2025. Jaw Fire, the larger of the two, rapidly expanded on May 20, burning over 1 295 ha (3 200 acres) since its ignition on May 19. Meanwhile, the Democrat Fire has consumed about 362 ha (895 acres) since it started on May 18.

  • Extreme rainfall causes major flooding across eastern New South Wales, isolating 48 000 people

    Widespread flooding is affecting parts of eastern New South Wales after days of extremely heavy rainfall pushed rivers beyond capacity starting Sunday, May 18, 2025. The Manning River reached a record 6.4 m (21 feet) at Taree, breaking a record set in 1929. Approximately 48 000 people have been isolated, and emergency crews have responded to nearly 4 000 calls for assistance.

  • Cold snap breaks May temperature records across Victoria

    A strong cold outbreak gripped southeastern Australia on May 20, 2025, causing widespread frost and record-breaking low temperatures across Victoria and parts of South Australia. Coldstream dropped to -5.5°C (22.1°F), Morwell reached -3.9°C (25.0°F), Kanagulk -4.1°C (24.6°F), and Ballarat -3.0°C (26.6°F) during the state’s coldest morning so far this year.Coldstream dropped to –5.5°C (22.1°F), Morwell reached –3.9°C (25.0°F), Kanagulk –4.1°C (24.6°F), and Ballarat –3.0°C (26.6°F) during the state’s coldest morning so far this year.

  • Tornado destroys Blanco Fire Department and homes in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma

    A tornado destroyed the Blanco Fire Department and at least 10 homes in Pittsburg County, Oklahoma, on Monday, May 19, 2025. The event was part of a broader outbreak that produced over a dozen tornado reports across Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Nebraska, leading to widespread structural damage and power outages affecting more than 30 000 customers.