Heavy rains accompanied by a destructive hailstorm have caused significant damage across Mizoram, impacting over 450 houses and affecting close to 14 000 people, with Kolasib and Aizawl districts experiencing the worst damage.
On April 23, 2024, a massive landslide struck Arunachal Pradesh, India, on April 24, 2024, washing away part of the Roing Anini Highway, the sole route connecting the Dibang Valley district to the rest of India and the China border. The landslide, triggered by recent heavy rainfall, caused significant disruptions along National Highway 313 between Hunli and Anini, posing severe challenges for local residents and security forces.
On April 16, 2024, the United Arab Emirates experienced a historic weather event, receiving a year’s worth of rainfall in just 12 hours, leading to severe flooding across the nation, including disruptions at Dubai’s major international airport. Following the floods, health concerns have risen due to water contamination that has reportedly sickened residents with symptoms linked to contaminated water.
New activity/unrest was reported for 5 volcanoes from April 17 – 23, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 18 volcanoes.
Scientists from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and the University of Maryland have provided evidence of a significant slowdown in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a key climate regulator. Published in Frontiers in Marine Science, the research utilized over six decades of oceanic data to track the health of this vital oceanic component. This slowdown, observed primarily in the last two decades, could have profound implications on global climate patterns.
Kenya is facing a severe flood crisis with 38 confirmed deaths and more than 40 000 displaced due to continuous heavy rains since mid-March 2024. The floods have particularly devastated Nairobi and surrounding regions, prompting urgent national emergency responses.
Over the past three weeks, Kilauea volcano in Hawaii has exhibited increased seismic activity, with fluctuations in shallow and deep earthquakes at the summit. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory reports sustained low sulfur dioxide emissions and continuous monitoring due to this heightened state of unrest.
As of April 23, heavy rainfall in Sistan-Baluchistan, Iran, has resulted in at least 10 fatalities, displacement of approximately 3 000 people to evacuation centers, and widespread infrastructural damage. Over 46 000 residents have been affected, with critical supplies dwindling and forecasts predicting more rain.
Since April 20, 2024, severe weather conditions have triggered numerous landslides and floods across Osh, Jalal-Abad, and Talas regions in Kyrgyzstan, resulting in at least one fatality and the evacuation of hundreds. The government has declared emergency situations in several affected areas.
The ongoing eruption on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, starting March 16, 2024, continues to pose a threat as lava from the Sundhnúkur crater row thickens near Grindavík. Extrusion rates have remained consistent at 3 – 4 m3/s (106 – 141 ft3/s), with new data anticipated to further assess the situation.
