A deadly severe weather outbreak hit the Gulf Coast and lower Mississippi Valley on April 10, 2024, with tornadoes, heavy rains, and high wind gusts. The storms caused at least one fatality in Mississippi and widespread destruction, including in New Orleans, which faced a Flash Flood Emergency. Investigations suggest the event might qualify as a serial derecho — a significant meteorological phenomenon.
A phreatic eruption occurred at Taal Volcano, Philippines, between 21:11 and 21:24 UTC on April 11, 2024 (05:11 and 05:24 LT, April 12), producing a 2.4 km (7 870 feet) tall steam-laden plume that drifted southwest.
A special USGS team has begun deploying new seismic sensors to capture aftershock data following the 4.8 magnitude earthquake that rattled New Jersey on April 5, 2024.
Zambia is in the throes of an unprecedented drought, prompted by El Niño, resulting in the driest February recorded since 1981. This natural disaster has compelled the President to declare a state of emergency, with 84 districts suffering and over 1 million ha (2.47 million acres) of crops devastated, causing widespread shortages in essential resources including food and water.
New activity/unrest was reported for 6 volcanoes from April 3 to 9, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 14 volcanoes.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the BMKG as M6.5 hit the northern Molucca Sea, Indonesia at 09:48 UTC on April 9, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). USGS is reporting M6.6 at a depth of 33 km (20.5 miles); EMSC M6.6 at a depth of 35 km (21.7 miles).
Severe flooding struck Russia’s Ural Mountains and Siberia, alongside parts of neighboring Kazakhstan since April 3, 2024, caused by rapid snow melt and heavy rainfall. The situation worsened after two dams broke near Orsk City on April 5, leading to record flood levels by April 7. The crisis has resulted in at least three deaths in Russia and more than 10 500 homes flooded. In Kazakhstan, two fatalities and nearly 75 000 displacements have been reported.
The third large wave of Saharan dust in just two weeks is moving over Europe, significantly increasing PM10 concentrations at ground level for the Iberian Peninsula, and some parts of France and Germany.
A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the BMKG as M6.1 hit near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia at 00:02 UTC (07:02 LT) on April 9, 2024. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). USGS is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 9 km (5.6 miles); EMSC M6.0 at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles).
A rare earthquake registered by the USGS as M4.8 hit New Jersey, U.S. at 14:23 UTC (10:23 LT) on April 5, 2024, at a depth of 4.7 km (2.9 miles). This earthquake — now known as the 2024 Whitehouse Station, New Jersey Earthquake — is the strongest to hit New Jersey since 1783.
