• Shallow M5.3 earthquake hits near Mentone, western Texas

    A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.3 hit near Mentone, western Texas at 10:27 UTC (04:27 LT) on November 8, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 7 km (4.3 miles). This is the fifth strongest earthquake in Texas on record.

  • Rapid crustal uplift at Mt. Þorbjörn, Iceland

    The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) has reported a considerable upsurge in seismic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula, with over 18 500 earthquakes recorded since the swarm began on October 25, just north of Grindavík.

  • Rising death toll as floods wreak havoc in Ethiopia and Kenya

    Over 20 individuals have died and upwards of 12 000 families have been evacuated due to severe flooding in the Somali region of Ethiopia, the regional government reported on November 4, 2023, adding that flooding also caused significant destruction to infrastructure, hindering aid to those affected.

  • Large tornado rips through Lavovo, Bulgaria, damaging over 150 homes

    A large tornado struck the village of Lavovo, near Isperih in Bulgaria’s Razgrad Province on November 4, 2023, unroofing more than 100 homes and causing widespread infrastructure damage, including downed trees and electric poles. Accompanying storms inflicted further havoc across Central and South Bulgaria, with multiple regions experiencing power outages and flooding, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.

  • New island emerges near Iwo Jima in Ogasawara chain, Japan

    On November 1, 2023, military personnel located on Iwoto Island witnessed the birth of a new island following intense volcanic activity. The eruption, which occurred 1 km (0.62 miles) off the island’s southern coast, was preceded by frequent volcanic tremors since October 21.

  • Storm Ciarán hits Western Europe with record-breaking winds, causing deaths and widespread damage

    Storm Ciarán — the 5th named and the most powerful storm of the 2023/24 European windstorm season — wreaked havoc across Western Europe on November 2, 2023, with record winds reaching 200 km/h (124 mph), leading to floods, blackouts, and major disruptions. Ciarán underwent explosive cyclogenesis, affecting Western Europe and culminating in numerous fatalities, record-breaking wind speeds, and extensive power outages.