A strong earthquake registered by the IGP as an M6.1 struck near Ica, southern Peru, at 12:57 LT (17:57 UTC) on May 19, 2026, injuring 28 people and damaging homes, schools, health facilities, roads, and other public facilities.
Three tornadoes touched down across south-central Nebraska on May 17, 2026, including a high-end EF-3 tornado near St. Libory in Howard County that destroyed multiple homes and damaged power infrastructure, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Hastings.
A shallow M5.6 earthquake struck Battalgazi district in Malatya province, eastern Türkiye, at 09:00 local time (06:00 UTC) on May 20, 2026, according to Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD). USGS registered the quake as M5.4 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles) and EMSC as M5.4 at a depth of 7 km (4.3 miles). While there was no immediate damage reported, provincial authorities evacuated schools and closed them for the day.
The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in southwestern Ray County, Missouri, at 21:47 CDT on May 18, 2026, causing tree and property damage before lifting at 22:06 CDT.
A late-season winter storm brought heavy snow and hazardous travel conditions to southern Wyoming on May 18, 2026, shutting down sections of Interstate 80 and other roads. The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Cheyenne issued winter storm and blizzard warnings for parts of Carbon and Albany counties, while the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) reported road closures, reduced visibility, and winter travel hazards across affected corridors.
Heavy rainfall triggered flood rescues and transport disruption across southeast Queensland after intense rainfall affected the Gold Coast, Brisbane, and the Scenic Rim, where emergency responders handled more than 300 requests for assistance.
Torrential rain triggered widespread flooding across southern and central China from May 16 to 19, 2026, killing at least 21 people and disrupting schools, businesses, transport, and power supplies. China’s National Meteorological Center keeps a yellow rainstorm warning in force, with heavy rain forecast to continue across parts of southern and eastern China through May 20.
A Particularly Dangerous Situtation (PDS) Tornado Watch issued for northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska on May 18, 2026, was followed by multiple tornado reports, hail up to about 7 cm (2.75 inches), and damaging wind reports across the central U.S. Preliminary SPC storm reports included 19 tornadoes, damage to farm structures, grain bins, trees, and power lines.
The Sandy Fire, discovered at around 10:50 local time (LT) on May 18, 2026, has burned more than 526 ha (1 300 acres) across Simi Valley in Ventura County, California, forcing mandatory evacuations for more than 10 000 homes and triggering warnings for thousands more as firefighters battle rapid fire spread driven by dry and windy conditions.
A record-breaking wildfire burning on California’s Santa Rosa Island has scorched more than 5 900 ha (14 600 acres) and continues to threaten rare Torrey pine trees, endangered plant species, and historic structures.
