• Severe hailstorm blankets Abha, Saudi Arabia

    A severe hailstorm hit Asir's capital city of Abha in Saudi Arabia on May 5, 2020. Footage on social media shows roads and highways covered in hailstones. In some areas, accumulated hail created whiteout conditions in wide swaths of land. Abha is situated about…

  • Heavy downpour causes severe flooding in French Guiana

    Torrential rains affecting French Guiana from May 2, 2020, caused severe flooding and resulted in the evacuation of hundreds of residents in Saint-Laurent du Maroni. Much of the Camopi-Trois Sauts commune was almost entirely submerged. About 127 mm (5 inches) of…

  • Heavy rains trigger floods in Najran, Saudi Arabia

    Heavy rains triggered flooding in the city of Najran in southwestern Saudi Arabia on Monday, April 27, 2020. The rains were dumped by a storm system from the Mediterranean Sea which merged with a cold front, bringing wet and windy conditions from Turkey to Saudi…

  • Huge sandstorm hits central Iran

    A massive, terrifying sandstorm hit the provinces of Yazd and Rafsanjan in central Iran on Sunday, April 26, 2020. The storm occurred at dawn, with wind speed reaching up to 130 km/h (81 mph). A witness said day turned into night when the gigantic sandstorm covered…

  • Hailstorm ravages standing crops in Swabi, Pakistan

    Intense rains accompanied by hail and strong winds lashed the standing crops in Swabi in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, on April 25, 2020. The affected crops included tobacco, wheat, fruits, and vegetables. Other areas also affected by the severe weather were Nazare,…

  • Severe hailstorm strikes Guizhou, China

    A powerful hailstorm hit Pingtang County in the province of Guizhou, China on Saturday, April 18, 2020, resulting in damage to properties and power outages. The largest hail was 30 mm (1.2 inches) in diameter. No casualties were reported. Last month, a series of…

  • Deep M6.9 earthquake hits Ogasawara region, Japan

    A very strong earthquake registered by the JMA as M6.8 at a depth of 490 km (304 miles) struck the Ogasawara (Bonin Islands) region of Japan at 08:25 UTC (17:26 JST) on April 18, 2020. The USGS is reporting M6.6 at a depth of 458 km (284 miles); EMSC M6.6 at a depth…