On January 25, 2024, Gavarda in Spain’s Valencian Community registered a record-breaking temperature of 30.7 °C. This milestone sets a new record for the hottest January day in European history and marks Spain’s fourth consecutive month of record-breaking temperatures.
New activity/unrest was reported for 4 volcanoes from January 17 to 23, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 12 volcanoes.
Tropical Storm “Candice” formed close to Mauritius around 08:00 UTC on January 24, 2024, as the third named storm of the 2023/24 South-West Indian Ocean tropical cyclone season. Candice is currently a quasi-stationary system with it center located just north of Mauritius.
Tropical Cyclone “Kirrily” — currently a Category 1 system — is set to intensify and make landfall in Queensland, Australia on January 25, 2024, as a Category 2 cyclone, with damaging winds and heavy rainfall expected.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.3 hit Vanuatu at 14:33 UTC on January 23, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 37.2 km (23.1 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.3 at a depth of 32 km (19.8 miles).
A very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.0 hit the Kyrgyzstan – Xinjiang border region at 18:09 UTC on January 22, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 13 km (8 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.0 at a depth of 9 km (5.6 miles).
A significant eruption occurred at Indonesia’s Merapi volcano at approximately 06:55 UTC (13:55 local time) on January 21, 2024, producing a large pyroclastic flow that reached about 2 km (1.2 miles) from the summit. The eruption caused a large ash cloud and panic but no fatalities or injuries have been reported. The Alert Level remains at 3 (on a scale of 1-4).
A massive landslide in Yunnan province, China, early on January 22, 2024, resulted in at least 47 people buried and the evacuation of 500 others amid freezing temperatures. A large-scale rescue operation is in progress, with at least 1 000 rescuers and 200 vehicles.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.2 hit Southwest Indian Ridge at 22:09 UTC on January 20, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). This is the third M6+ earthquake of the day, after M6.1 in the Pagan region, Northern Mariana Islands, and M6.5 in Amazonas, Brazil.
A strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.5 hit Amazonas, Brazil at 21:31 UTC on January 20, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 629 km (390 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.7 at a depth of 615 km (382 miles).
