A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 21:10 UTC on March 14, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
New activity/unrest was reported for 3 volcanoes from March 6 to 12, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 19 volcanoes.
A significant winter storm has brought heavy snowfall to Colorado, particularly affecting areas from Denver to the state’s ski resorts, resulting in widespread flight cancellations and major highway closures. The National Weather Service in Boulder reports more than 60 cm (2 feet) of snow in the Front Range foothills and predicts totals could exceed 120 cm (4 feet) in some mountainous areas by Friday morning, March 15, 2024.
An early-morning landslide on March 13, 2023, caused significant damage to a house under construction and posed a threat to several other homes in the 3700 block of North Ventura Canyon Avenue, Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Fire Department reported no injuries, and several residents were evacuated as a precaution. The landslide led to the red-tagging of at least one building and prompted the deployment of LAFD Drone Operators to assess the situation further.
Spain’s Catalonia region is experiencing its worst drought on record, with the Sau Reservoir, a crucial water source, severely depleted as seen in March 2024 satellite images. The past three years have marked the driest period since 1914, prompting the Catalan government to declare a drought emergency on February 1, 2024, and impose water consumption restrictions on its residents and businesses.
Heavy rains and snow affecting Afghanistan over the last 3 weeks destroyed or damaged more than 1 650 homes and claimed the lives of 60 people. The severe weather has also led to the loss of nearly 178 000 livestock.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit New Britain, Papua New Guinea at 15:13 UTC on March 13, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 50 km (31 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 56 km (35 miles).
Sentinel-2 satellite image acquired on March 11, 2024, shows Tinakula Volcano in the Solomon Islands undergoing a new effusive eruption, with lava flowing about 1 km down its western slope into the ocean. This eruption continues the activity that began in December 2018.
Severe Tropical Storm “Filipo” made landfall on the northeastern coast of Inhambane Province, Mozambique, close to Inhassoro City around 03:00 UTC on March 12, 2024. The storm brought over 150 mm (5.9 inches) of rainfall in 12 – 18 hours, destroying homes, schools, and electrical infrastructure, and leaving many in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
Extremely heavy rains have struck Western Australia over the past couple of days, causing significant flooding that has severed the main route connecting Western Australia with the rest of the country. The flooding has also left seven people missing since Sunday, March 10, 2024.
