On the evening of May 27, 2023, a tornado hit three sub-districts in Central Lampung, Indonesia, causing extensive damage to hundreds of houses. The affected sub-districts include Kota Gajah, Punggur, and Trimorejo. The sudden strong winds began around 19:00 WIB, initially accompanied by regular rain and thunder.
The southern eyewall of Category 4 Typhoon “Mawar” grazed the northern tip of Guam at around 08:00 UTC on May 24, 2023, with maximum sustained winds of 220 km/h (140 mph). Mawar became the 15th typhoon of at least Category 4 intensity to pass within 110 km (70 miles) of Guam in records since WWII.
A very bright fireball exploded over northern Queensland, Australia at around 11:24 UTC (21:24 LT) on May 20, 2023, producing a loud sonic boom.
Activity at Italy’s Etna volcano increased on May 6, 2023, after nearly 2 months of quiescence. The activity further increased on May 21, producing a new paroxysm and resulting in a temporary suspension of flight operations at Catania Airport.
Tropical Cyclone “Mawar” formed on May 19, 2023, SSW of Chuuk Islands as the second named storm of the 2023 Pacific typhoon season. On May 21, Mawar became the season’s first typhoon. The latest forecast track shows a westward bend in the vicinity of the Marianas with passage near or over Guam and Rota where a Typhoon Warning is now in effect.
A very strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.7 hit southeast of Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia at 02:57 UTC on May 19, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 37.7 km (23.4 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.7 at a depth of 30 km (18.6 miles).
At least 455 lives were lost after the landfall of Tropical Cyclone “Mocha” just north of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, on Sunday, May 14, 2023.
Torrential rain and flooding in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region led to the deaths of five individuals and the evacuation of at least 5 000 people on Wednesday, May 17, 2023. The situation has been described as ‘dramatic,’ with the reality exceeding the worst predictions.
Alaska’s Governor Mike Dunleavy declared a state of disaster on May 14, 2023, in the wake of extensive flooding caused by ice jams and rapid snowmelt along the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers.
Extremely heavy rains hit parts of Croatia over the past 6 days, dropping as much as 300 mm (11.8 inches) in just 2 days and causing widespread floods, most notably in the towns of Gračac and Obrovac. Forecasters predict further downpours in the coming days, exacerbating the already severe conditions.
