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Natural disasters

Natural disasters
Moroccan authorities evacuate 108,000 from floods
Over 100,000 people have been evacuated from Morocco as severe flooding hits the northern regions. The evacuations took place across four provinces after flash floods hit them, which have been ongoing since 28 January, with the city of Ksar El Kebir hit particularly hard after the Loukkos River burst its banks. The Moroccan interior ministry confirmed the evacuations on Wednesday, reporting approximately 108,000 people had been pulled out of the area. Buses, boats and trucks were used to mobilise the evacuations, while camps were set up as temporary shelters for the evacuees. Despite the extreme weather, the Ministry of Water and Equipment said that dam conditions remain stable and highlighted the positives of heavy rainfall after years of drought.
Natural disasters
Japan hit by 7.5 magnitude earthquake
An earthquake with the magnitude of 7.5 has hit Japan overnight, with tsunami warnings issued initially but now lifted. Evacuation orders were given to approximately 90,000 people after the quake hit the north-east coast at 11:15 pm, local time. Over 20 people were injured, and tsunami warnings were issued for waves up to 3 metres high but later reported to be much smaller and by Tuesday morning the warnings were lifted. THe Japanese Meteorological Agency reported that the epicentre was in the Pacific Ocean, 80 kilometres off the coast of Aomori Prefecture. "As of now, I have received reports of 30 people being injured and one fire," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said to the press.
Natural disasters
Albanese warns of 'difficult' bushfire season
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has warned of a “difficult” summer bushfire season, as more than 70 bushfires tore through New South Wales. The most destructive part of the blaze destroyed 16 homes at Koolewong and killed a firefighter. There were also fires in Tasmania, which destroyed 19 homes in Dolphin Sands. “So this summer of course, like all summers that would appear in recent times, is going to be a difficult one,” Albanese said on ABC Insiders on Sunday after visiting the Emergency Management Australia headquarters. “But New South Wales in particular has a range of preconditions if you like for being quite a difficult one.” Areas that were levelled by the Black Summer bushfires in 2019-20, which cost the country farmers between A$4 billion and A$5 billion and the tourism industry around A$2.6 billion, are among the areas of NSW that are vulnerable to another hazardous season. While NSW Fire Service Deputy Commissioner Ben Millington won’t reach the level of Black Summer fires, this month has already generated the first “catastrophic” fire conditions since 2023. “We do expect to see the increased risk of bushfires and grass fires going into summer,” he told the Australian Financial Review.
Natural disasters
Nearly 1m evacuate as super typhoon hits Philippines
Almost one million people have evacuated in the Philippines as a second typhoon has hit the islands just days after the first. Typhoon Fung-wong, known as Uwan to locals, made landfall today, with over 900,000 people evacuated and two reported deaths so far. This comes just days after another storm swept through, Kalmaegi, which left nearly 200 dead. Fung-wong was classified as a super typhoon, with winds reaching 230 kilometres. Luzon, the most populous island in the Philippines, was hit by the eye of the storm, with the local meteorological service describing it conditions as “high-risk of life-threatening” and “very intense”. More than 200mm of rain is forecast for parts of the island, which is expected to lead to severe flooding and landslides. Between both storms, at least 204 people are now known to have died and more than 100 are still missing. Five people also died in neighbouring Vietnam, which was also hit by strong winds.
Natural disasters
Jamaica hit by record breaking 'storm of the century'
Jamaica has been hit by a record-breaking storm, Hurricane Melissa, with Cuba next in its path. Melissa, the strongest storm in modern history to hit the area, has eased to a category three storm with wind speeds of 205 kilometres per hour, after earlier reaching nearly 300 kilometres per hour, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Hurricane Center. Up to 30 inches of rain is expected in some parts of the country, with areas experiencing flash flooding and the International Federation of the Red Cross (IRFC) reporting that up to 1.5 million people in Jamaica are expected to be directly affected. The IFRC has already launched into “full operations mode" to help residents deal with the fallout of the storm. “All 13 branches and all staff have been activated since last Wednesday," said Horace Glance, deputy operations manager for the Jamaican Red Cross "It’s all-hands-on-deck, all systems go.” It is now heading towards Cuba, with President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez confirming that more than 735,000 people have already evacuated ahead of the hurricane's arrival. “It will be a very difficult night for all of Cuba, but we will recover, always with the faith in victory that Fidel and Raú

Natural disasters
Typhoon Ragasa makes landfall in southern China
Typhoon Ragasa has made landfall in southern China, after at least 17 people were killed by the storm in Taiwan. Ragasa is the strongest storm of 2025 to date, though it was downgraded from a super typhoon after reaching mainland China. At least 2.16 million people have been evacuated in China’s Guangdong province. Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-Tai has called for an inquiry into evacuation processes. Ragasa caused a barrier lake to burst its banks, leading to at least 17 casualties, with 17 others missing. “We must investigate why evacuation orders were not carried out in the areas we had asked for, which led to such a tragedy,” said Cho. “This is not about assigning blame, but about uncovering the truth.” The typhoon also triggered Hong Kong’s highest storm alerts, with hundreds of flights cancelled at the city’s international airport. Bridges and ferries connecting Hong Kong to mainland China were closed and will resume limited operations on Thursday. It made landfall near the Guangdong city of Yangjiang at around 5 pm local time (7 pm AEST). Yangjiang and other nearby coastal cities reported major power outages, with state media reporting that around 60% of those affected had their power restored overnight. Ragas
Natural disasters
Canadian wildfires cause air quality warnings in the US
Wildfires in Canada are beginning to impact air quality as the smoke continues to waft into parts of the U.S.. At least 741 wildfires are burning in Canada, with 304 of them labelled out of control that have burned more than 16 million acres this year, which is more than double their 10-year average to date. They have become the third most destructive Canadian wildfires since records started in 1983. Plumes of smoke have travelled to the U.S., turning skies orange over major cities including New York. The smoke has prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to declare a “Code Orange Quality Action Day” in more than 40 counties, including the city of Philadelphia. "On a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities," the Pennsylvania EPA said. A code orange is just one level below a code red alert, which would signal unhealthy air for all individuals on the EPA's Air Quality Index Guide. The index guide also has a "code purple" level signifying "very unhealthy air" and a "code maroon" for hazardous air
Natural disasters
Russian volcano erupts for first time in over 500 years
The Krasheninnikov Volcano in far eastern Russia erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, and experts believe it could be linked to last week’s massive earthquake. The eruption caused a second earthquake, which led to tsunami warnings in three areas of the peninsula. Both events are thought to be connected to an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the region and caused tsunami warnings in French Polynesia and Chile. The volcano threw up an ash plume up to 6km high overnight, but Russia’s emergency ministry said there are no threats to populated areas. "The plume is spreading eastward from the volcano toward the Pacific Ocean," Kamchatka's emergencies ministry wrote on Telegram during the eruption. "There are no populated areas along its path, and no ash fall has been recorded in inhabited localities." The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team said the volcano’s activity was decreasing but that “moderate explosive activity” could continue. The eruption of the volcano has been assigned an orange aviation code, indicating a heightened risk to aircraft, the ministry said. The last recorded eruption of the Krasheninnikov Volcano was in the 15th century, according to the head of the Kamchatka Volcan
Natural disasters
Typhoon Wipha reaches shore after battering Hong Kong
Typhoon Wipha has made landfall in southern China after battering Hong Kong, where the island cancelled hundreds of flights amid heavy winds and rain. Wipha has reached China’s Guangdong province, where it has been downgraded to a tropical storm. Hong Kong issued its highest tropical cyclone warning yesterday, reporting winds of more than 167 kilometres per hour. "As Typhoon Wipha is moving away from Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Observatory issued the Strong Wind Signal No. 3 at 7.40pm today (July 20). It replaced the No. 8 Southeast Gale or Storm Signal at 4.10pm today,” Hong Kong’s government wrote on Sunday evening. “According to the Hospital Authority, as at 7.40pm today, 33 people (18 men and 15 women) have been injured during the typhoon period and received medical treatment at the Accident and Emergency Department of public hospitals.” More than 110 millimetres of rain fell within three hours on Sunday while Wipha remained near Hong Kong’s shores. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a No. 10 hurricane signal on Sunday, at its maximum level, before lowering warnings to No. 8 and then No. 3. The island’s government said it had confirmed seven cases of flooding. It has opened 34 temporary shelters, with 277 people taki