The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report: May 8 – 14, 2024
New activity/unrest was reported for 8 volcanoes from May 8 to 14, 2024. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 11 volcanoes.
Rapidly spreading Canadian wildfires force thousands to evacuate, degrade air quality in U.S.
Multiple wildfires burning in British Columbia and Manitoba have forced thousands of people to evacuate and spread hazardous smoke into the northern United States, prompting air quality alerts.
Rare snowfall blankets Santiago, causing power outages for over 200 000, Chile
A rare snowfall blanketed several parts of the Santiago Metropolitan Region, Chile on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, causing widespread power outages and prompting local authorities to issue safety guidelines. The last time it snowed in Santiago was in 2020, although much later in the season.
Giant hailstones destroy over 15 000 homes in Manipur, India
A severe hailstorm struck Manipur, northeast India, on May 5, 2024, resulting in the death of one person and the destruction of over 15 000 homes and other structures. The storm, characterized by heavy rains, giant hail, and strong winds, wreaked havoc across several districts, leaving extensive structural and agricultural damage in its wake.
Historic floods hit Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
A powerful atmospheric river began affecting Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil on April 29, 2024, resulting in massive flooding across the region. By early May 6, 2024, the storm affected 334 of the state’s 496 cities, including the capital Porto Alegre, claimed at least 75 lives, left over 100 people missing, and impacted more than 1 million residents. This severe weather event is described as the most disastrous in the state since 1941, surpassing previous records in terms of both scope and damage.
Aerial footage captures aftermath of major eruptions at Ruang volcano, Indonesia
On May 5, 2024, Indonesia’s volcanology agency, PVMGB, released aerial footage of the Ruang volcano following a series of powerful eruptions that have dramatically reshaped the landscape and forced nearly 10 000 people to evacuate permanently.
Permanent relocation of 9 800 people after series of powerful eruptions at Ruang volcano, Indonesia
The Indonesian government has decided to permanently relocate 9 800 people living within 7 km (4.3 miles) of Ruang volcano, North Sulawesi, following a series of significant volcanic eruptions that began on April 16, 2024.
Extreme rainfall triggers deadly highway collapse in Guangdong, China, killing 48
A large landslide destroyed a significant portion of the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou City, Guangdong Province, China, at around 02:10 local time on May 1, 2024. The collapse caused 23 vehicles to plummet down a steep slope, igniting some in flames and resulting in 48 fatalities and 30 injuries as of May 2, 2024.
Marietta tornado rated EF-4, Oklahoma’s first violent tornado in 8 years
The tornado that hit Marietta, Oklahoma at 23:08 CDT on April 27, 2024, was rated EF-4 by the National Weather Service (NWS), making it Oklahoma’s first violent tornado in nearly 8 years. This event resulted in one fatality and extensive structural damage across multiple counties.
Significant ground deformation triggers Yellow alert at Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic complex, Chile
The Puyehue-Cordón Caulle Volcanic Complex in Chile was placed under a Yellow alert at 20:00 UTC on April 26, 2024. This decision followed observations of increased ground deformation linked to an active inflation zone, located 6 km (3.7 miles) west-northeast of the 2011 eruption site. Monitoring data have shown the highest deformation rates since measurements began, reaching up to 2.4 cm (0.95 inches) per month.
