• Massive M7.8 earthquake hit Ecuador, more than 640 people killed

    A very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.8 (upgraded from M7.4) hit Ecuador at 23:58 (18:58 local time) on April 16, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 19.2 km (11.9 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.8 at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles)….

  • Very strong and shallow M7.3 earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan

    ​A very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the JMA as M7.3 (increased from M7.1) hit Kyushu, Japan at 16:25 UTC on April 15, 2016 (01:25 JST on April 16). The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). USGS is reporting M7.0 at a depth of 10 km…

  • Over 40 killed in Saudi Arabia, Yemen floods

    Over 40 people have been killed after heavy rains caused severe flooding in Saudi Arabia and Yemen this week. According to the General Directorate of Saudi Civil Defence, rains and flooding claimed lives of 18 people throughout Saudi Arabia and more than 900 had to…

  • Strong and shallow M6.4 earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan

    A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.4 hit Kyushu, Japan at 12:26 UTC on April 14, 2016 (21:26 local time). The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). USGS is reporting M6.2 at the same depth. EMSC is reporting M6.1 at a depth of 15…

  • Unusually early melting of Greenland’s ice sheet

    According to Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI), an early melt event over the Greenland ice sheet occurred this week, smashing by a month the previous records of more than 10% of the ice sheet melting. The melt was driven by warm air advected from the SW bringing…

  • Drought followed by severe food shortage in Malawi

    Peter Mutharika, the President of Malawi, South Africa, declared a state of national disaster over a severe food shortage triggered by drought, on April 13, 2016. The recent drought episode in South Africa is thought to be the worst one in the last 100 years. Severe…

  • Very strong M6.9 earthquake hits Myanmar

    A very strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.9 hit Myanmar at 13:55 UTC on April 13, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 134.8 km (83.7 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.9 at a depth of 137 km (85.1 miles). According to the USGS, the epicenter was located…