In the most significant downpour recorded in over 50 years, Nova Scotia, an Atlantic Canadian province, witnessed severe flash floods near Halifax on Friday, July 21, 2023. Up to 300 mm (4 – 12 inches) of rainfall fell on the region within just several hours, resulting in collapsed roads, compromised bridges, and inundated buildings. At least 4 people, including 2 children, are missing.
Tropical Cyclone “Doksuri” — known as Egay in the Philippines — formed on July 21, 2023, as the 5th named storm of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season. The storm is currently located east of the Philippines, heading WNW toward Taiwan while intensifying. Landfall in Taiwan is expected on July 27 and in China on July 28 (UTC).
A major eruption is ongoing at Shishaldin volcano in Alaska, with satellite imagery suggesting the top of the ash cloud was approaching 12 km (40 000 feet) above sea level just before 08:00 UTC on July 23, 2023. As a result, the Aviation Color Code was again raised to Red.
Over the last 24 hours, 62 forest fires have erupted across Greece, resulting in further evacuations in several regions. The Greek Civil Protection has reported that the main fire outbreaks are located in West Attica, Laconia in the southern Peloponnese, and on the island of Rhodes.
Severe storms, characterized by high winds and large hail, swept across the United States from the southern Plains to the Northeast on Thursday, July 20, 2023, resulting in one fatality and leaving more than 500 000 customers without power. The storms, which reached their height in the evening, caused widespread damage to crops, trees, and buildings.
On the morning of July 21, 2023, northern Italy was hit by violent thunderstorms, causing severe damage in the province of Milan. Heavy rainfall, large hail, and at least one destructive tornado were reported in the region.
In the late hours of July 19, 2023, a catastrophic landslide struck Irshalwadi, a tribal village in the Khalapur tehsil of Maharashtra’s Raigad district, claiming the lives of 16 individuals and leaving around 80 to 100 persons feared trapped. The landslide, triggered by three days of intense rainfall, buried approximately 40 homes and significantly hampered subsequent rescue operations.
A devastating mudflow struck Quetame, Colombia, late on July 17, 2023, resulting in at least 20 fatalities and leaving 9 individuals missing. The disaster, precipitated by intense rainfall, also led to significant property damage, including the destruction of several homes and a key trade route.
On July 19, 2023, slow-moving thunderstorms dumped over 254 mm (10 inches) of rain in western Kentucky, prompting a state of emergency declaration due to severe flooding that instigated multiple evacuations and led to extensive road damage.
After weeks of phreatic activity, Vulcanian type of explosions started at the Anak Krakatau volcano in Indonesia on July 20, 2023.
