• Piece of largest object ever jettisoned from ISS crashes into Florida home, U.S.

    ByTeo Blašković

    In March 2021, NASA ground controllers deployed the International Space Station’s (ISS) robotic arm to discard a cargo pallet (EP-9) containing obsolete nickel hydride batteries, following upgrades to lithium-ion units. This operation set a record for the heaviest item jettisoned from the ISS. While the entire pallet was expected to disintegrate before reaching Earth’s surface, a fragment of this hardware survived atmospheric re-entry and struck a residence in Naples, Florida, in March 2024.

  • Massive eruption at Ruang volcano forces mass evacuation, ash to 16.7 km (55 000 feet) a.s.l., Indonesia

    ByTeo Blašković

    A series of powerful eruptions took place at Ruang volcano in Indonesia’s North Sulawesi province starting at 17:08 UTC on April 16, 2024 (01:08 LT, April 17). As a result, the Aviation Color Code was raised to Red, the Alert Level to 3 of 4, and local authorities started evacuating more than 800 people living on the island as a preventive measure. The last eruptive episode at this volcano was in September 2002 (VEI 4).

  • Nearly 16 000 homes flooded in Russia, 111 200 evacuated in Kazakhstan

    ByTeo Blašković

    Catastrophic floods have submerged large areas of south-western Russia and north-western Kazakhstan since April 3, 2024. To date, floods have affected 15 641 homes and 27 993 garden plots in Russia, prompting widespread evacuations and the declaration of state emergencies in affected areas. Nearly 111 200 people were evacuated in Kazakhstan and approximately 5 500 homes were flooded.

  • Severe storms unleash tornadoes and extreme floods across Texas and Louisiana, U.S.

    ByTeo Blašković

    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.

  • Widespread record floods hit parts of Russia, flooding over 10 500 homes

    ByTeo Blašković

    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.

  • Powerful M7.4 earthquake hits Taiwan, the strongest in 25 years

    ByTeo Blašković

    A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.4 hit eastern Taiwan at 23:58 UTC on April 2, 2024 (07:58 LT, April 3). The agency is reporting a depth of 34.8 km (21.6 miles). EMSC is reporting M7.4 at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles). This is the strongest quake to hit Taiwan since 1999 Jiji earthquake.