Major Events 2022

Tornadoes (Louisiana, USA, December 2022)

• At least three dead as tornadoes leave trail of destruction in Louisiana (CNN, December 15, 2022)
• At least 3 dead and multiple injured as tornadoes wreak havoc across Louisiana and the Southeast (CNN, December 15, 2022)

Winter Storms 2022/2023 (USA)

• More than 60 killed in blizzard wreaking havoc across U.S. (NBC News, December 27, 2022)_
• At least 28 dead in Buffalo’s worst blizzard in 50 years (Washington Post, December 26, 2022)
• Hochul: Storm will ‘go down in history as the most devastating’ in Buffalo (The Hill, December 25, 2022)
• Prolonged winter storm causes at least 37 deaths and leaves thousands without power (CNN, December 25, 2022)
• A powerful winter storm claims at least 22 lives across the US as temperatures plunge, winds howl and power lines fall (CNN, December 24, 2022)
• Extreme winter storm sabotages power, imperils travelers across U.S. (Washington Post, December 23, 2022)

Landslide (Colombia, December 2022)

• Landslide buries bus in Colombia, killing at least 34 (Reuters, December 5, 2022)

Sandstorm (China, December 2022)

• Beijing and northern China hit by winter sandstorm (CNN, December 12, 2022): “Concentrations of PM10 particles exceeded 561 micrograms per cubic meter by 8 a.m., according to Beijing’s environmental monitoring center. That figure is more than 10 times the daily average guideline of 45 micrograms per cubic meter set by the World Health Organization.”

Oil Spill (Kansas, USA, December 2022)

• Kansas residents hold their noses as crews mop up massive U.S. oil spill (Reuters, December 11, 2022)

Earthquake (Indonesia, December 2022)

• Bali is rocked by powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake – major tremors felt across to Java (Daily Mail Australia, December 6, 2022)
• 6.1-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesian island of Java (CNN, December 3, 2022)

Hawaii Mauna Loa Eruption (USA, November 2022)

• Hawaii activates National Guard as Mauna Loa’s unpredictable lava flow creeps within 2 miles of critical highway (CNN, December 6, 2022)
• When will the Mauna Loa volcano stop erupting? (Fox, December 2, 2022)
• Hawaii’s Mauna Loa erupts for the first time in 38 years. What happens next? (National Geographic, November 28, 2022)

Ischia Landslide (Italy, November 2022)

• Emergency declared after deadly landslide on Italian island of Ischia (CNN, November 27, 2022)

Factory Fire (China, November 2022)

• Factory fire kills 38 people in central China, state media reports (CNN, November 22, 2022): “China has seen a spate of industrial accidents in recent years that have left scores dead, raising concerns about public safety.”

Earthquake (Indonesia, November 2022)

• Indonesia earthquake toll reaches 310 as more bodies found (PBS, December 4, 2022)
• What Made Indonesia’s Recent Earthquake So Deadly? (Smithsonian, November 28, 2022)
• Indonesians pray outdoors after deadly quake destroys town (Reuters, November 25, 2022)
• Rescuers in Indonesia Pull 6-Year-Old Boy from Debris Days After Earthquake That Killed at Least 270 (People, November 24, 2022)
• Indonesian earthquake kills at least 260 people (NBC News, November 22, 2022): Video footage of the earthquake response.
• Search underway as magnitude-5.6 earthquake leaves over 200 dead in Indonesia (CNN, November 22, 2022): “A further 151 people remain missing and more than 1,000 were injured, the country’s National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) said.”
• Indonesia quake kills at least 268 people, many of them children at school (Reuters, November 22, 2022)
• More than 160 killed in Indonesian earthquake in West Java, officials say (Washington Post, November 21, 2022)

Earthquake (Nepal, November 2022)

• Western Nepal hit by magnitude 5.6 earthquake killing at least six people, officials say (CNN, November 9, 2022)

Tornado Outbreak (USA, November 2022)

• At least 2 dead after tornadoes strike Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas, officials say (CNN, November 5, 2022)

Halloween Crush (Korea, October 2022)

• Two former Seoul police officers arrested over deadly Halloween crush ((CNN, December 6, 2022)
• ‘Somebody is going to die’: How Seoul’s deadly Halloween crush unfolded (CNN, November 4, 2022)
• Seoul crush: Victims had no chance to escape Halloween disaster (Times of London, October 31, 2022)
• South Korea mourns and probes deadly Halloween crowd crush (ABC, October 30, 2022)

Bridge Collapse (India, October 2022)

• Collapsed India bridge that killed 134 was recently repaired, official says (CNN, October 31, 2022)
• More than 80 killed in India as bridge packed with holiday sightseers collapses (Reuters, October 30, 2022)
• Police arrest nine over Indian bridge collapse, toll reaches 134 (Reuters, October 31, 2022)
• Collapsed India bridge that killed 134 was recently repaired, official says (CNN, October 31, 2022)

2022-2023 Influenza Season

• When Covid-19, Flu and RSV Meet. The Potential for a Tripledemic (Wall Street Journal, November 4, 2022)
• RSV Is Surging: What We Know about This Common and Surprisingly Dangerous Virus (Scientific American, November 4, 2022)

Cyclone (Bangladesh, October 2022)

• Nine dead, million seek shelter as cyclone hits Bangladesh (France 24, October 25, 2022)

Flooding (Nigeria, October 2022)

• Flooding in Nigeria claims 500 lives, displaces 1.4 million people (Washington Post, October 15, 2022)

Soccer Match Crush (Indonesia, October 2022)

• At least 125 killed in Indonesia soccer stadium crush (CNN, October 3, 2022)
• Indonesian soccer fans demand answers over policing of deadly game (CNN, October 3, 2022)

Central US Drought (October, 2022)

• Mississippi River Water Levels Continue to Drop, Setting New Records (Maritime Executive, October 20, 2022)
• Mississippi’s Falling Water Level Continues to Impact Inland Commerce (Maritime Executive, October 14, 2022)

Sinkholes (Guatemala, September 2022)

• Two missing after massive sinkholes open up in Guatemala (CNN, September 26, 2022)

Sichuan Earthquake (China, September 2022)

• Death toll in China’s Sichuan earthquake rises to 86 (Reuters, August 8, 2022)
• China scrambles to step up relief, 50,000 people relocated after Sichuan earthquake (The Hindu, September 6, 2022)
• Dashcam video captures moment deadly earthquake strikes China’s Sichuan province (Yahoo News, September 6, 2022)
• Earthquake in China’s Sichuan leads to outcry over covid lockdown (Washington Post, September 6, 2022)
• Everything we know about the deadly earthquake in China’s Sichuan province (Yahoo News, September 6, 2022)

Jackson, Mississippi Water Crisis (USA, September 2022/January 2023)

• ‘This is no way to live’: Mississippians struggle with another water crisis (The Guardian, January 7, 2023): “Jackson is suffering from its third water outage in two years, but neighbors and family lend one another a helping hand”
• With long-term Jackson water fix in mind, leaders ask the mayor: Where’s your plan? (Mississippi Today, September 8, 2022)
• Jackson Water Crisis Is Harbinger for Other Cities (The Journal, September 7, 2022)
• EPA visits Mississippi due to Jackson water crisis (Clarion Ledger, September 7, 2022)
• Supervisors agree on helping Jackson with its water crisis. They’re at odds over how they’ll do it. (WLBT, September 6. 2022)
• Temporary pump provides guarded good news for fragile Jackson, MS water system (MSNBC, September 6, 2022)
• Students in Jackson are trying to contend with the Mississippi water crisis — and dreading virtual classes (NBC News, September 4, 2022)
• Situation remains dire for residents of Jackson, Mississippi, as effort to restore water supply suffers setbacks (CNN, September 3, 2022)
• Living in a city with no water: ‘This is unbearable’ (Washington Post, September 3, 2022)
• Jackson water system is failing, city will be with no or little drinking water indefinitely (Mississippi Today, August 29, 2022)
• Jackson’s water system is failing and can’t produce enough water to fight fires or to flush toilets, Mississippi governor says (CNN, August 29, 2022)

Stabbings in Saskatchewan (Canada, September 2022)

• Manhunt underway for 2 suspects in connection with a mass stabbing that left at least 10 dead in Saskatchewan, Canada (CNN, September 6, 2022)

Typhoon Noru (Philippines, September 2022)

• Typhoon Noru smashes into the Philippines, killing 5 and leaving villages in tatters (CNN, September 26, 2022)

Typhoon Hinnamnor (Korea, September 2022)

• In pictures: Typhoon Hinnamnor wreaks devastation along South Korea coast (BBC, September 6, 2022)

Earthquake (Mexico, September 2022)

• Strong quake shakes Mexico, leaving two dead (The Jordan Times, September 22, 2022)
• Mexico earthquake triggers ‘desert tsunami’ in Death Valley (LA Times, September 22, 2022)
• Magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes off La Placita de Morelos, Mexico (Reuters, September 19, 2022)
• Major earthquake strikes Mexico on Sept. 19 for third time since 1985, this time a magnitude 7.6; 1 dead (USA Today, September 19, 2022)

EV-68 Outbreak (Various, September 2022)

• A Virus That Can Cause Polio-Like Paralysis in Children Has Returned (Gizmodo, September 14, 2022)

CPE Outbreak (China, August 2022)

• Superbug on the rise: Hong Kong University researchers call for centralised reporting of cases, more screening (South China Morning Post, August 28, 2022)

Northeast USA Drought (August 2022)

• The Northeast is in the middle of an intense drought (Washington Post, August 16, 2022): “Rivers have been reduced to a trickle in the most severe areas and farmers are facing the consequences of a summer without rain.”

South Asia Floods (Summer 2022)

• Donors pledge more than $9 billion for Pakistan’s flood recovery (CNN, January 10, 2023)
• Banks and countries pledge $10bn to rebuild Pakistan after catastrophic floods (The Guardian, January 10, 2023)
• ‘We have no dry land left’: impact of Pakistan floods to be felt for years (The Guardian, October 12, 2022)
• First came the floods. Now, Pakistan’s children face a new disaster (CNN, September 25, 2022)U.N. chief calls for ‘massive’ help as Pakistan puts flood losses at $30 billion (Reuters, September 9, 2022)
• UN chief visits flood-hit Pakistan, appeals for ‘massive’ help (Al Jazeera, September 9, 2022)
• The west is ignoring Pakistan’s super-floods. Heed this warning: tomorrow it will be you (The Guardian, September 7, 2022)
• Pakistan UNESCO site Moenjodaro badly damaged by flooding (CNN, September 8, 2022)
• Pakistan looks ‘like a sea’ after floods as 18 more die (NBC News, September 7, 2022)
• Pakistan floods: Officials struggle to stop biggest lake overflowing (BBC, September 7, 2022)
• ‘We are going to drown’: villagers trapped as Pakistan’s largest lake overflows (CNN, September 7, 2022)
• A third of Pakistan is underwater as deadly floods leave desperate residents facing ‘doomsday‘ (NBC News, August 30, 2022)
• Pakistan floods are ‘a monsoon on steroids’, warns UN chief (BBC, August 30, 2022)
• Enormity of Pakistan floods viewed from space (Axios, August 29, 2022)
• Hundreds of children among 1,000 people killed by Pakistan monsoon rains and floods (CNN, August 28, 2022)
• Pakistan declares floods a ‘climate catastrophe’ as death toll tops 1,000 (The Guardian, August 28, 2022)
• Pakistan floods: Desperation and displacement in Sindh province (BBC, August 27, 2022)
• Nearly 100 dead in Afghanistan floods, officials say (CNN, August 23, 2022): “The extreme weather also comes as neighboring Pakistan experiences relentless flooding. The Disaster Management Authority there said floods have killed 820 people since mid-June, with nearly 320,000 houses damaged or destroyed and 129 bridges affected.”
• At least 40 dead across Indian states as intense rain triggers flash floods and landslides (Independent, August 22, 2022): “Hundreds more have been displaced from their homes and are taking shelter in relief camps across Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh”
• Millions affected after deadly floods hit India and Bangladesh (CNN, June 22, 2022): “The South Asian nations, home to more than 1.3 billion people, have been particularly badly hit by the rains, prompting some of the worst flooding in the region in years, as extreme weather events become increasingly frequent due to the climate crisis.”
• India and Bangladesh floods displace millions and kill dozens (BBC, June 20, 2022)

Multi-Story Building Collapse (Nigeria, August 2022)

• Rescue operations end in Nigeria building collapse; 1 dead (Washington Post, August 31, 2022)
• At least 1 dead, many feared trapped, after multi-story building collapses in Nigeria’s Kano State (CNN, August 30, 2022)

Southwest, USA Floods (August 2022)

• Flash floods wreak havoc in US south-west – but are no salve for drought (The Guardian, August 23, 2022)
• At least one dead after Dallas area hit by 1-in-1,000-year flood (Washington Post, August 22, 2022)

Heatwave and Drought, Middle East (August 2022)

Boiling heat and no water: taps run dry in southern Iraq (AFP News, August 23, 2022): “Governor Zouheir al-Shaalan said “around a third” of his province has problems accessing water, with more than 75 villages affected.”

Drought and Heat in Asia (August 2022)

• China logs hottest August since records began (AFP News, September 6, 2022)
• What China’s worst drought on record looks like (BBC News, August 24, 2022): “Low river levels have reduced the ability of hydro-electric power stations in the area to generate energy.”
• China warns of “severe” threat to harvest from worst heatwave on record (Barrons, August 24, 2022): “China produces more than 95 percent of the rice, wheat and maize it consumes, but a reduced harvest could mean increased demand for imports in the world’s most populous country — putting further pressure on global supplies already strained by the conflict in Ukraine.”
• Wildfires rage as China’s Chongqing suffers unrelenting record heat wave (CNN, August 23, 2022): “Thousands of emergency responders are battling to contain fast-spreading wildfires in China’s southwestern city of Chongqing amid a weeks-long, record heat wave in the region.”
• China issues first nationwide drought alert in 9 years (CNN, August 19, 2022)
• China dims lights in Chengdu subway to save power as heat soars (CNN, August 18, 2022)

Poland River HazMat Disaster (August 2022)

• Poland pulls 100 tonnes of dead fish from Oder river after mystery mass die-off (The Guardian, August 16, 2022)
• Poland deploys troops as dead fish pile up on river bank in toxic disaster (Washington Post, August 13, 2022): “Poland says the Oder River disaster could have been caused by an intentional dumping of chemicals, although scientists say climate change may have had a role.”

Polio Outbreak (United States, August 2022)

• Why the U.S. is now part of polio’s ‘world outbreak’ (Deseret News, September 14, 2022)
• Polio Is Back. Trust the Vaccines. (The Bulwark, August 18, 2022)
• Polio Is Back. Here’s How to Keep Yourself Safe (Time, August 16, 2022): “On July 21, the New York State Department of Health announced a case of polio in an unvaccinated man in Rockland County. Poliovirus has since been found in wastewater in both Rockland and neighboring Orange County, as well as in New York City.

Langya Virus Cluster (China, August 2022)

• Opinion: New virus found in China is another hard-to-predict threat (CNN, August 17, 2022)
• New Langya virus found in China could be ‘tip of the iceberg’ for undiscovered pathogens, researchers say (CNN, August 12, 2022)
• New animal-derived Langya virus infects 35 in Eastern China (CBS News, August 10, 2022)

Oil Facility Explosion (Cuba, August 2022)

• Fire at Cuban Oil Terminal is Out, But Disruption is Just Beginning (Maritime Executive, August 12, 2022)
• U.S. faces mounting pressure to do more to help Cuba fight a deadly blaze at an oil facility (NBC News, August 9, 2022)
• Photos: Deadly fire at Cuba’s main oil terminal in Matanzas (Al Jazeera, August 9, 2022): “Cubans awoke to massive blackouts Tuesday morning with 40 percent of the country’s main fuel storage facility destroyed by what officials said was the worst fire in its history.”
• Explosions rock Cuba as fire at oil facility kills 1, injures 125 (Washington Post, August 8, 2022)

Floods (South Korea, August 2022)

• Record rainfall kills at least 8 in Seoul as water floods buildings, submerges cars (CNN, August 9, 2022): “Experts believe those who have the Langya virus (also called LayV) most likely contracted it directly from an animal. According to the the report in the New England Journal of Medicine, LayV is predominantly found in shrews.”

Nightclub Fire (Thailand August 2022)

At least 14 killed, dozens injured as fire engulfs Thai nightclub (CNN, August 5, 2022)

Floods (Kentucky, USA July 2022)

• Biden tours flood-ravaged Kentucky as White House highlights climate crisis (The Guardian, August 8, 2022)
• Can Appalachia Be Saved? Or Will ‘Worse and Worse’ Flooding Wash it Away? (Inside Climate News, August 7, 2022)
• Gov. Beshear Announces Cooling Centers as Flooded Counties Now Face Dangerous Heat (Kentucky.Gov, August 2, 2022)
• National Guard Rescues Hundreds Amid Flooding in Kentucky; 37 Dead (Military.Com, August 2, 2022): “The Kentucky National Guard — along with partners from bordering states — has rescued an estimated 580 people, according to Kentucky Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Carla Raisler. The unit will soon be transitioning to food and water distribution for those affected by the disaster, she told Military.com.”
• Recovery efforts continue in Kentucky in wake of ‘devastating and deadly’ floods (Accuweather, August 1, 2022)
• At least 35 dead in devastating Kentucky flooding (ABC News, August 1, 2022)
• Death toll rises to at least 25 in Kentucky flooding as people in stricken areas remain hard to reach, governor says (CNN, July 31, 2022)
• ‘This Is Still an Emergency Situation.’ Death Toll Rises to At Least 25 in Kentucky Floods (Time, July 30, 2022)
• ‘Damage like I’ve never seen before.’ Water recedes, death toll rises in E. Ky. floods (Lexington Herald Ledger, July 30, 2022)
• Four young siblings were swept from parents’ grip, among victims of Ky. flooding, relative says (Lexington Herald Ledger, July 30, 2022)
• ‘Houses are floating away’: Families trapped as floodwaters tear through eastern Kentucky (Fox Weather, July 30, 2022)
• Governor: Search for victims in Kentucky floods could take weeks in storm that claimed at least 19 lives (CBS, July 30, 2022)
• At least 16 people are dead after Kentucky’s catastrophic flooding, and the death toll is expected to rise (CNN, July 29, 2022)

Flash Flood (Missouri, USA, July 2022)

• 7.0-magnitude earthquake kills five, injures 130 in northern Philippines (CNN, July 28, 2022): “Its epicenter was about 13 kilometers (8 miles) southeast of the small town of Dolores, Abra province, with a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), according to USGS. Its impact was felt in the capital, Manila, more than 400 kilometers (about 250 miles) away.”

Mass Poisonings (India and South Africa, July 2022)

• Dozens dead after drinking bootleg alcohol in western India (CNN, July 27, 2022): “At least 36 people have died and about 50 others have been hospitalized in western India after drinking contaminated alcohol, according to police.”
• A toxic chemical was found in the bodies of 21 teens who died in a South Africa tavern (NPR, July 19, 2022): “The toxic chemical methanol has been identified as a possible cause of the deaths of 21 teenagers at a bar in the South African city of East London last month.”

Western USA Mega-Drought (Ongoing – 2022/2023 Articles)

• Federal government considers major water cuts to protect Colorado River (LA Times, April 11, 2023)
• Colorado River cities and farms face dire trade-offs with new federal review (Washington Post, April 11, 2023)
• Map: Winter Storms Wipe Out Drought in California’s Central Valley (NBC, March 16, 2023)
• Not only is Lake Powell’s water level plummeting because of drought, its total capacity is shrinking, too (CNN, February 21, 2023)
• Shrinking Colorado River hands Biden his first climate brawl (Politico, February 4, 2023)
• California and the Rockies are inundated with rain and snow. It’s still not enough to ward off the West’s catastrophic drought. (Grid, January 11, 2023): “A single good year — if the rain and snow continues for months — may stave off water catastrophe, but it’s only temporary.”
• Developers are trying to build hundreds of thousands of homes in Arizona. New report warns there isn’t enough water. (USA Today, January 12, 2023): “The West’s megadrought which worsened in 2021 made it the driest in at least 1,200 years”
• California’s dilemma: How do you harness an epic amount of rain in a water-scarce state? Let it flood, scientists say (CNN, January 10, 2023)
• ‘Last nail in the coffin’: Utah’s Great Salt Lake on verge of collapse (The Guardian, January 10, 2023)
• Great Salt Lake will disappear in 5 years without massive ‘emergency rescue,’ scientists say (CNN, January 6, 2023)
• California is being inundated with rain. Will it ease the drought? (Washington Post, January 5, 2023)
• A Water War Is Brewing Over the Dwindling Colorado River (Pro Publica, December 22, 2022)
• Federal officials say urgent action needed to protect shrinking Colorado River reservoirs (LA Times, December 17, 2022)
• California’s drought disaster is turning into an economic disaster: ‘It’s unprecedented’ (Fox Business, December 6, 2022)
• U.S. warns western states it may impose Colorado River water cuts (Reuters, October 28, 2022)
• California is supposed to enter a wet season. More drought is forecast (Washington Post, October 25, 2022)
• California suffering through driest three years ever recorded, with no relief in sight (LA Times, October 3, 2022)
• California is so hot and dry that not even soaking rain can ease fall fire peril (LA Times, September 20, 2022)
• The Colorado River drought is coming for your winter veggies (Vox, August 20, 2022): “The river waters a lot of our food. What happens as it dries up?”
• Laredo Confronts Drought and Water Shortage Without a Wealth of Options (Inside Climate News, August 18, 2022)
• Arizona and Nevada face another round of water cuts as drought hammers Colorado River levels (NBC News, August 16, 2022)
• Megadrought emergency in Grand Canyon (NBC News, August 15, 2022): Video gives a sense of the scale of the regional drought.
• Farmers forced to sell their cows as drought conditions worsen across US (CNN, July 25, 2022)
• Utah’s Great Salt Lake is drying out, threatening ecological, economic disaster (Reuters, July 14, 2022)
• Deadpool: US Mega Drought Spells Trouble At Hoover Dam (Barrons, July 4, 2022)
• ‘It’s such a strange thing to see’: Photos show Lake Mead on the verge of becoming a ‘dead pool’ (LA Times, July 1, 2022)
• As water crisis worsens on Colorado River, an urgent call for Western states to “act now” (LA Times, June 20, 2022)
• California threatens ‘mandatory water restrictions’ if people don’t cut back (The Guardian, May 23, 2022)
• Lake Powell officials face an impossible choice in the West’s megadrought: Water or electricity (CNN, April 30, 2022)
• Punishing Bay Area Drought Prompts Calls for Major Water Rethink (KQED, April 6, 2022): “The state’s traditional rainy season is over, and California’s summer forecast looks to be hotter than average. Meteorologists expect a heat wave this week, which poses a critical threat to what’s left of the snowpack.”
• The Texas Drought is the Worst in Years. Are We on the Brink of Disaster? (Star Telegram, April 8, 2022)
• Lake Powell water levels fall to historic low: Reservoir dips below 1,075meters and is now threatening to no longer have the capacity to generate hydropower (Daily Mail, March 29, 2022): “Lake Powell’s fall to below 1,075 meters (3,525 feet) puts it at its lowest level since it was filled after the federal government dammed the Colorado River at Glen Canyon in 1963 and threatens to hit ‘deadpool’ – the point at which water likely would fail to flow through the stream – if it drops even more.”
• California snowpack is critically low, signaling another year of devastating drought (CNN, April 3, 2022): “Snowpack in the California Sierra this winter is just 38% of normal, California water officials said Friday, in the latest sign the state’s drought is growing more devastating by the month.”
• As drought pushes east, more intense wildfires are sparking in new areas (CNN, March 29, 2022)
• The West’s megadrought will persist and may get worse in coming months. Water availability is a high concern (CNN, March 17, 2022)

Mass Shooting (USA, July 2022)

Suspect in connection with a mass shooting at July 4th parade in Highland Park, Illinois, has been taken into custody (CNN, July 5, 2022): “Robert E. Crimo III, the suspect in a mass shooting at a parade that left six dead and sent more than two dozen people to hospitals, has been taken into custody near Lake Forest, Illinois, authorities said during a brief news conference Monday night.”

Australia Floods (July 2022)

• Thousands evacuate from ‘dangerous’ Sydney floods (The Australian, July 4, 2022): “On the third day of torrential east coast rains, emergency workers said they had rescued more than 140 people since the stormy weather began.”
• Explainer: Why Australia is battling floods again (Reuters, July 4, 2022): “Some areas in New South Wales state have received a month’s rain in the past two days, swelling rivers and forcing Sydney’s main dam, the Warragamba Dam, to spill on the weekend.”

Drought (Chile, June 2022)

‘We beg God for water’: Chilean lake turns to desert, sounding climate change alarm (Reuters, June 14, 2022): “The Penuelas reservoir in central Chile was until twenty years ago the main source of water for the city of Valparaiso, holding enough water for 38,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Water for only two pools now remains.”

Sri Lanka Fuel Crisis (June 2022)

Sri Lanka stops fuel supply to non-essential services as crisis worsens (CNN, June 28, 2022): “The country is suffering its worst economic crisis, with foreign exchange reserves at a record low and the island of 22 million struggling to pay for essential imports of food, medicine and, most critically, fuel. Industries like garments, a big dollar earner in the Indian Ocean nation, are left with fuel for only about a week to 10 days. Current stocks of the country will exhaust in just under a week based on regular demand, Reuters calculations show.”

Drought (Europe, 2022)

• Where water is called ‘blue gold’: A town grapples with one of its worst droughts on record (CNN, August 18, 2022)
• Europe’s rivers run dry as scientists warn drought could be worst in 500 years (The Guardian, August 11, 2022)
• Extreme drought is gripping Europe, intensifying heat and fueling fires (Washington Post, August 11, 2022)
• Drought threatens 60% of EU and U.K. as Europe faces “critical situation” (Axios, August 10, 2022)
• 60% of European Union and UK land is now facing drought conditions (CNN, August 8, 2022)
• Drought emergency declared in northern Italy (BBC, July 5, 2022): “Italy has declared a state of emergency in five northern regions surrounding the Po River amid the worst drought in 70 years. The drought threatens more than 30% of Italy’s agricultural produce, according to agricultural union Coldiretti.”
• Drought hits Italy’s hydroelectric plants (PHYS, June 25, 2022): “”From January to May 2022, hydro production fell by about 40 percent compared to the corresponding period in 2021,” a spokesman for Utilitalia, a federation of water companies, told AFP.”

Chlorine Accident (Jordan, June 2022)

• Toxic gas leak in Jordan kills at least 12 people, injures hundreds (CNN, June 27, 2022): ““At 4:15 p.m. on Monday afternoon, a chlorine gas leak occurred in the port of Aqaba due to the fall and explosion of a tank containing this substance,” said a statement from the National Center for Security and Crisis Management (NCSCM).”
• Hundreds Injured, 12 Killed When Chlorine Tank is Dropped in Aqaba (Maritime Executive, June 27, 2022)

Japan Heatwave (June, 2022)

Japan tells millions to save electricity as record heat wave strains power supply (CNN, June 28, 2022): “The request comes despite experts warning that record-setting temperatures could continue for weeks.”

Train Derailment (United States, June 2022)

• 3 killed and at least 50 injured when Amtrak train derails in Missouri after hitting dump truck (CNN, June 27, 2022)

Stadium Collapse (Colombia, June 2022)

• At least 4 dead, hundreds injured after collapse at stadium in Colombia (CNN, June 27, 2022): “Local hospitals received 322 patients who were injured in the stadium collapse, Tolima Health Secretary Martha Palacios said Sunday night.”

South China Flooding (June 2022)

• Hundreds of thousands evacuated as floods ravage southern China (BBC, June 22, 2022): “The city of Shaoguan in Guangdong province has been one of the worst affected, prompting officials to raise its flood alert to the highest level as the city charted record rainfall since late May. A similar alert was put in place for Guangdong’s Qingyuan city.”

Eastern Afghanistan Earthquake (June, 2022)

• More aid arrives in Afghanistan in boost to quake relief efforts (Al Jazeera, June 25, 2022): “Thousands have been left homeless or injured by the magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Paktika and Khost provinces, which state media said killed 1,150 people. An aftershock on Friday took five more lives.”
• More than 1,000 people killed after magnitude 5.9 earthquake hits eastern Afghanistan (CNN, June 22, 2022)
• Afghan earthquake: 1,000 people killed and 1,500 wounded, official says (BBC, June 22, 2022): “The earthquake struck about 44km (27 miles) from the south-eastern city of Khost shortly after 01:30 local time (21:00 Tuesday GMT), when many people were asleep at home. The Taliban has asked for international help, Sam Mort from Unicef’s Kabul unit told the BBC.”

South Africa Water Crisis (Summer 2022)

• ‘Day Zero’: This city is counting down the days until its water taps run dry (CNN, June 21, 2022): “Much of the city is counting down to “Day Zero,” the day all taps run dry, when no meaningful amount of water can be extracted. That’s in around two weeks, unless authorities seriously speed up their response.”
• South African city tries to save water as risk of ‘Day Zero’ drought comes near (India Today, June 21, 2022)
• ‘Day Zero’ water crisis looms on South Africa’s eastern cape (Washington Post, June 19, 2022): “For many in South Africa, water shortages have long been a way of life. Recurring droughts in the region — which experts say are almost certainly exacerbated by climate change — combined with decaying infrastructure and poor maintenance, have led to repeated water outages in Nelson Mandela Bay, where Gqeberha is located, as well as in other cities.”
• Learning to live with water scarcity (DW, June 1, 2022): “Back in 2018, taps in Cape Town, South Africa, almost ran dry, making it the world’s first major city to face the risk of running out of water. That problem hasn’t gone away — this year, communities in Nelson Mandela Bay, about 750 kilometers (460 miles) to the east, could see their reservoirs used up by July.”

Europe Heatwave (July 2022)

• Heat and Drought in Europe Strain Energy Supply (New York Times, August 18, 2022)
• Apples are baking on branches and hosepipe bans hit millions as England falls into drought (CNN, August 14, 2022)
• ‘This is a warning’: Spain reels from devastating blazes and heatwaves (The Guardian, July 22, 2022)
• ‘We simply can’t cope’: Fires erupt around London as U.K. records hottest day ever (ABC, July 19, 2022)
• These maps show how excessively hot it is in Europe and the U.S. (Washington Post, July 18, 2022)
• Europeans shocked by ‘heat apocalypse’ as temperature records fall (Washington Post, July 18, 2022)
• High temperatures caused section of UK airport’s runway ‘to lift’ (CNN, July 18, 2022)
• Europe heatwave: Deadly wildfires spread in Mediterranean (BBC, July 17, 2022)
• Unprecedented warmth prompts 1st-ever red extreme heat warning in UK (Accuweather, July 15, 2022)
• Fires ravage Portugal as another blistering heat wave scorches Europe (Axios, July 12, 2022)
• UK heatwave: COBRA meeting called as national heatwave emergency could be declared (Sky news, July 12, 2022): “Senior government officials have met to discuss plans for the first-ever heatwave emergency in a bid to deal with the rising temperatures.”

USA Heatwave (June 2022)

• September swelter: Dangerous heat wave continues to roast West (September 5, 2022)
• Explainer: What’s causing the recent U.S. heat waves? (Reuters, August 17, 2022)
• Heat suspected as cause of 10 fatalities following Pacific Northwest heat wave (ABC News, August 1, 2022)
• ‘Extremely oppressive’ heat in Northeast turns deadly; Boston breaks record as other cities may follow (USA Today, July 24, 2022)
• Extreme heat prompts alerts in 28 states as Texas, Oklahoma hit 115 (Washington Post, July 20, 2022)
• The rising cost of energy and limited access to housing with A/C is creating a dangerous summer for low-income Texans (CNN, July 23, 2022)
• ‘Dangerous’ heat spreads west; about 50 million people under heat alert in southern USA (USA Today, July 8, 2022)
• Heatwave: Americans face blistering temperatures (BBC, June 21, 2022): Includes a series of photographs of people experiencing the heatwave.
• ‘Stifling’: Extreme Heat Hammers the U.S. (Gizmodo, June 21, 2022): “Between yesterday and this coming Sunday, around 70% of the U.S. population will likely have experienced temps in the 90s. And nearly 20% of the country could face temperatures at or above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) this week”
• Heat waves and high energy costs are hitting some communities hard (NBC, June 19, 2022)
• Second heat wave expected to bring temps above 100 for 20% of people in US (CNN, June 20, 2022): “In the coming week, about 70% of the US population will see temperatures in the 90s, and almost 20% of people in the country will experience temperatures greater than 100 degrees. Many major metro areas, including Minneapolis, Chicago, Nashville, Memphis, Dallas, New Orleans and Atlanta, may experience temps near or above 100.”
• Nashville Electric Service asks customers to conserve energy during heatwave (Nashville 5, June 13, 2022): “NES officials said this week’s temperatures are bringing about heavy demand on the Tennessee Valley Authority. As a result, TVA is asking both residential and commercial customers to voluntarily reduce their usage as a precautionary measure beginning immediately until further notice.”
• Wildfires ignite in Southwest as record heat wave threatens U.S. (Axios, June 13, 2022): “Nearly 100 million people are facing heat warnings and advisories across the U.S. this week due to an early season heat wave that saw high-temperature records set from California to Texas over the weekend.”

South Asia Heatwave (May 2022)

• Living Through India’s Next-Level Heat Wave (The New Yorker, July 25, 2022): “In hospitals, in schools, and on the streets, high temperatures have transformed routines and made daylight dangerous.“
• ‘Torturous’ heat is breaking records and livelihoods in India. It’s only going to get worse. (NBC News, May 21, 2022): “The city of Jacobabad in Sindh province hit almost 124 degrees Fahrenheit last weekend, with average daily highs of 113 degrees throughout May.”
• Record-Breaking Heatwave Is Killing Scores of Animals. Residents Blame the Government. (Vice, May 19, 2022): “The heatwave, which started in mid-March, has only intensified and wreaked devastation onto the most vulnerable segments of Pakistan’s population of 220 million.”
• ‘Some Faint, Some Die’: These People Are Living Through the World’s Worst Heat Wave (Vice, May 6, 2022): “Amid unannounced bouts of power cuts, the temperature soars to 49 degrees Celsius or 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The city is the world’s hottest right now, and experts say the heat is testing human survival.”
• An Unprecedented Heat Wave in India and Pakistan Is Putting the Lives of More Than a Billion People at Risk (Inside Climate News, May 5, 2022): “The temperature exceeded 120 degrees in Jacobabad, Pakistan, and a leading climate scientist says even more severe heat waves projected for the subcontinent “will really begin to test limits to adaptation.”
• India and Pakistan heatwave is ‘testing the limits of human survivability,’ expert says (CNN, May 2, 2022)
• City Set To Hit Temperatures Hotter Than Human Body Can Handle In Record-Breaking Heatwave (Unilad, April 29, 2022)
• Extreme heatwave in India and Pakistan causes power and water shortages (The Guardian, April 28, 2022): “Power stations face coal shortages while burning landfill chokes residents in New Delhi”
• India experiences its hottest March in 122 years (Quartz India, April 19, 2022)

2022 US Hurricane Season

• After Hurricane Ian, Fort Myers Beach struggles to become ‘a functional paradise’ (NPR, March 28, 2023)
• Hurricane Ian’s devastating legacy: Shocking pictures show how shell-shocked Florida towns have failed to recover from tsunami-style flooding two months on (Daily Mail, December 5, 2022)
• Hurricane Ian was the costliest disaster of 2022 for insured losses (Axios, December 1, 2022)
• ‘We didn’t think it would be this bad’: Beachfront homes in small Florida community washed away by Hurricane Nicole (CNN, November 12, 2022)
• Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Fiona recovery efforts may be repeating same failures from Hurricane Maria, advocates say (USA Today, November 4, 2022)
• Hurricane Ian Destroys Swaths of Florida as Residents Face Uncertain Aftermath (Wall Street Journal, October 3, 2022)
• Many across Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic still have no power or running water as Hurricane Fiona churns toward Bermuda (CNN, September 22, 2022)
• Ruinous Hurricane Fiona reaches Category 4 as it moves north, leaving disaster-stricken areas on slow road to recovery (CNN, September 21, 2022)
• The power is out. Homes and roads are flooded. In Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona leaves a ‘nightmare.’ (USA Today, September 20, 2022)
• NOAA predicts as many as 6 major Atlantic hurricanes for 2022 (Axios, May 24, 2022): “The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is likely to be unusually active, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s hurricane season outlook released Tuesday.

Emerging Mpox (‘Monkeypox’) Epidemic

• CDC Monkeypox Case Count (STATIC)
• Almost 90% of US mpox-related deaths were in Black men, and nearly all had weakened immune systems, CDC reports (CNN, April 13, 2023)
• WHO renames monkeypox as mpox, citing racist stigma (NPR, November 28, 2022)
• Texas reports death tied to monkeypox, a first in the U.S. (Stat News, August 30, 2022)
• There’s a bit of good news about monkeypox. Is it because of the vaccine? (NPR, August 18, 2022): “Finally, we have a glimmer of good news about monkeypox: The outbreaks in some countries, including the U.K., Germany and parts of Canada, are starting to slow down.”
• Why calling monkeypox an STD is about more than just a label (CNN, August 16, 2022)
• CDC updates monkeypox guidance after suspected case of human-to-dog transmission (Washington Post, August 15, 2022)
• Monkeypox may have made first jump from owners to a dog, report says (Washington Post, August 15, 2022)
• Colleges prepare for potential spread of monkeypox on campuses as outbreak grows (ABC News, August 13, 2022)
• Monkeypox in Animals (CDC, August 12, 2022)
• U.S. monkeypox cases surpass 10,000 as CDC still aims for “containment” (CBS News, August 11, 2022)
• Opinion: Here’s how the monkeypox crisis reminds me of the early days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic (San Diego Union Tribune, August 10, 2022)
• Why the WHO is renaming monkeypox (The Hill, August 10, 2022): ““In the context of the current global outbreak, continued reference to, and nomenclature of this virus being African is not only inaccurate but is also discriminatory and stigmatizing. The most obvious manifestation of this is the use of photos of African patients to depict the pox lesions in mainstream media in the global north.””
• Many people don’t know basic facts about monkeypox, making them susceptible to conspiracy theories (Medical X-press, August 9, 2022)
• US HHS Offers Updated Guidance for EMS on Monkeypox (HHS, August 8, 2022): “In addition to NETEC’s updated guidance, 2 CDC webinars from May and June offer visual aids for identifying both typical and atypical symptoms of monkeypox.”
• Health Authorities Issue New Advice for Avoiding Monkeypox (Wall Street Journal, August 5, 2022)
• Sex, ‘casual contact,’ pimples: A California monkeypox guide, separating fact and fiction (Los Angeles Times, August 5, 2022)
• U.S. declares monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency (Stat News, August 4, 2022)
• What Is Monkeypox? What to Know About Symptoms, Vaccines and How It Spreads (Wall Street Journal, August 4, 2022)
• A California Man’s ‘Painful and Terrifying’ Road to a Monkeypox Diagnosis (KHN, August 4, 2022)
• The campaign to rename monkeypox gets complicated (STAT, August 1, 2022)
• Biden Names White House Monkeypox Coordinator (New York Times, August 2, 2022): This is a notable development in that, unlike for the COVID-19 response, the coordinator for the broad-reaching emerging Monkeypox outbreak is a seasoned emergency management professional.
• He discovered the origin of the monkeypox outbreak — and tried to warn the world (NPR, July 29, 2022)
• Indiana health officials: Monkeypox cases include women and children (WFYI, July 28, 2022): “As of late last week, monkeypox cases had been identified in a handful of Hoosier women, representing 20 percent of the roughly 30 confirmed cases confirmed in Indiana at that point, which stands in contrast with global and national data showing the vast majority of cases in the latest outbreak have been among men.”
• Asia on high alert for monkeypox as cases reported from India to Japan (CNN, July 27, 2022)
• What to know about monkeypox symptoms, treatments and protection (Washington Post, July 27, 2022): “More than 19,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 76 countries this year, most of those in countries that don’t typically see the virus. In the United States, more than 3,500 cases were confirmed as of July 27 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but that is probably a significant undercount.”
• How Worrisome Are the Cases of Monkeypox in Kids? (MedPage Today, July 27, 2022): “Last Friday, the agency announced two cases in young children on U.S. soil: A toddler in California and an infant from the U.K. whose family was traveling through the Washington, D.C. area. Both infections were likely a result of household transmission, the CDC said.”
• Epidemiologists warn the U.S. reaches a critical moment to contain monkeypox (NPR, July 25, 2022): “”We’re losing daylight,” UCLA epidemiologist Anne Rimoin, who has studied monkeypox for decades, told NPR. “Every day that we aren’t continuing to push forward on all fronts, the less likely it is that we will be able to contain it.”
• Monkeypox is spreading faster than the data about it, hindering mitigation efforts (CNN, July 25, 2022)
• ‘Why the WHO finally declared monkeypox a global public health emergency (Vox, July 23, 2022): “A “public health emergency of international concern” is the organization’s loudest alarm bell. Here’s what it can accomplish.”
• Monkeypox isn’t an STI. So why are health officials focused on sex? (Popular Science, July 19, 2022)
• ‘You do not want this’ virus: California man with monkeypox urges others to get vaccinated (CNN, July 1, 2022)
• U.S. steps up fight against monkeypox, allocates more vaccines to states (Reuters, June 28, 2022): “The Biden administration will allocate 296,000 doses of Jynneos from a national stockpile to states and territories in the coming weeks, with 56,000 allocated immediately and 1.6 million doses made available over the coming months, officials said.”
• Monkeypox outbreak in U.S. is bigger than the CDC reports. Testing is ‘abysmal’ (NPR, June 25, 2022): “On the surface, the monkeypox outbreak in the U.S. doesn’t look that bad, especially compared with other countries. Since the international epidemic began in May, the U.S. has recorded 201 cases of monkeypox. In contrast, the U.K. has nearly 800 cases. Spain and Germany both have more than 500.”
• Monkeypox cases confirmed in South Korea, Singapore (CNN, June 22, 2022): ““The unexpected appearance of monkeypox in several regions in the initial absence of epidemiological links to areas that have historically reported monkeypox, suggests that there may have been undetected transmission for some time,” the WHO said in a recent update.”
• Monkeypox detected in first US military service member at Germany base (Fox News, June 11, 2022): The US service member with monkeypox is currently isolated and being treated on base in Germany.
• As More Monkeypox Cases Pop Up, the Federal Government is Bulking Up its Supply of Vaccines (Government Executive, June 10, 2022): “As of June 9, there have been 45 cases of monkeypox detected across 15 states and the District of Columbia, and more than 1,300 cases across 31 countries worldwide.”
• ‘Testing bottleneck’ for monkeypox puts hope of containment at risk, experts warn (StatNews, June 7, 2022): “Under the current system, specimens must be sent to one of 74 laboratories across the country before being sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Experts who spoke with STAT argue the United States should be testing more broadly for monkeypox, allowing more labs to become part of the process.”
• There’s Already a Monkeypox Vaccine. But Not Everyone May Need It (Time, May 23, 2022): “Unlike with the COVID-19 vaccines, immunizing people against monkeypox likely won’t involve a mass campaign, because monkeypox isn’t as contagious or as easily spread as SARS-CoV-2.”
• The Mystery of Monkeypox’s Global Spread (Wired, May 24, 2022): “Initial genomic sequencing suggests the virus hasn’t mutated to become more transmissible. So what explains its unprecedented rise across the world?”
• Rare monkeypox outbreak in U.K., Europe and U.S.: What is it and should we worry? (NPR, May 18, 2022)

Global Avian Flu Epidemic (April 2022-Ongoing)

• The World Health Organization is investigating bird flu cases in Cambodia (NBC News, February 24, 2023)
• The Bird Flu Outbreak Has Taken an Ominous Turn (Wired, February 16, 2023)
• Avian flu has spread to 27 states, sharply driving up egg prices (Washington Post, April 16, 2022)

Drought in the Horn of Africa (April 2022)

• Time running out in Horn of Africa as millions confront hunger: UN (The Hill, April 20, 2022): “With major precipitation failing to materialize nearly a month into the Horn of Africa’s rainy season, the number of people suffering from drought-induced hunger could surge from an estimated 14 million to 20 million by the end of the year, the United Nations’ food agency warns.”

US 2022 Fire Season

• Wildfire Season in U.S. West Ends With Fewer Blazes, Less Damage (Wall Street Journal, November 17, 2022)
• After starting New Mexico fire, U.S. asks victims to pay (Reuters, July 31, 2022): “After the U.S. government started the largest wildfire in New Mexico’s recorded history in April, it is asking victims to share recovery costs on private land, jeopardizing relief efforts, according to residents and state officials. The blaze was sparked by U.S. Forest Service (USFS) prescribed fires to reduce wildfire risk. The burns went out of control after a series of missteps, torching 432 residences and over 530 square miles (1373 square km) of mostly privately owned forests and meadows, much of it held by members of centuries-old Indo-Hispano ranching communities.”
• Two bodies found in burned vehicle in path of raging California wildfire (The Guardian, August 1, 2022)
• Oak fire grows to 14,281 acres; Gov. Newsom declares state of emergency for Mariposa County (LA Times, July 24, 2022)
• California’s fast-moving Oak Fire burns nearly 12,000 acres and forces thousands to evacuate outside Yosemite National Park (CNN, July 24, 2022)
• Officials go door-to-door for mandatory evacuations after fire expands in Southern California’s Angeles National Forest (CNN, June 13, 2022): “The Sheep Fire grew from 35 acres Sunday morning to 775 acres by the afternoon, according to InciWeb. The fire is only 5% contained.”
• High winds, heat boost fire threat as California faces long season (Washington Post, May 19, 2022)
• ‘No good place to stop it’: More people flee New Mexico wildfire (Reuters, May 10, 2022)
• Temperatures soar 20 degrees above normal as wildfires burn in Southwest (ABC News, May 10, 2022)
• ‘Potentially historic’ wildfire event threatens New Mexico, Southwest (Washington Post, May 7, 2022)
• Taming the 2nd-largest wildfire in New Mexico history has been a ‘nightmare,’ firefighter says (CNN, May 6, 2022)
• ‘Refusal to evacuate could be a fatal decision’: Officials urge residents in northern New Mexico to leave ahead of a rapidly growing blaze (CNN, April 30, 2022)
• Large wildfires trigger evacuations in Southwest (Axios, April 20, 2022)

South Africa Flood

• South Africa’s flood death toll rises to 443 as residents dread more rain (ABC News, April 18, 2022)
• Satellite photos show flood damage in Durban, where more than 40,000 South Africans affected (ABC News, April 15, 2022)
• South Africa braces for more heavy rain after floods kill hundreds (The Guardian, April 14, 2022): “More than 300 people have died in flooding in and around the eastern coastal city of Durban in recent days. On Wednesday the president, Cyril Ramaphosa, described the flooding as a “catastrophe of enormous proportions”, directly linking it to the climate emergency.”
• South Africa floods: deadliest storm on record kills over 300 people (The Guardian, April 13, 2022)

Puerto Rico Power Failure (April 2022)

• Fire at Puerto Rico Power Plant Plunges Island into Darkness (Bloomberg, April 6, 2022): “Puerto Rico’s electricity grid operator said some parts of the island wouldn’t see power restored until Friday, after a fire near the Costa Sur power plant plunged much of the U.S. territory into darkness late Wednesday. “

Somaliland Market Fire (April 2022)

• Somaliland Capital Counts Cost Of Devastating Blaze (Barron’s, April 3, 2022): “Stunned residents of the northern Somali city of Hargeisa were struggling to pick up the pieces Sunday after a massive inferno destroyed the central market, and with it the livelihoods of thousands.”

Tornado Season (USA, March/April 2022)

• 2 dead in Florida as severe weather, tornadoes wreak havoc across South. Where are storms headed next?
• (USA Today, April 1, 2022)
• Crews comb through devastated neighborhoods in the New Orleans area after a tornado kills 1 and leaves thousands without power (CNN, March 23, 2022)
• Tornadoes slice through New Orleans area, leaving path of destruction and 1 dead (NBC, March 23, 2022)

Drought (Horn of Africa, March 2022)

• Historic drought looms for 20 million living in Horn of Africa (National Geographic, March 14, 2022)

Tornado (Iowa, USA, March 2022)

• ‘Scariest thing I’ve ever experienced’: Iowa tornado kills at least 7, including 2 children (USA Today, March 6, 2022)

Queensland Floods (Australia, February 2022)

• A breakdown of how south-east Queensland’s flood crisis played out (ABC News, March 19, 2022)
• Queensland floods raise questions about the ‘ethical obligation of planners’, industry figures say (The Guardian, March 19, 2022)

Passenger Ferry Fire (Italy, February 2022)

• 11 Passengers Missing After Fire Engulfs Grimaldi Ferry (Maritime Executive, February 21, 2022): “Fire engulfed an Italian-register Ro/Pax ferry sailing in the Ionian Sea in the early hours of Friday, February 18. Reports indicated that more than 270 passengers and crew have been evacuated to the neighboring island of Corfu.”

Brazil Mudslides (February 2022)

• ‘Like a war zone’: Deaths in Brazil floods, mudslides top 100 (Al Jazeera, February 17, 2022). “With dozens still reported missing, fears that the death toll could climb further sent firefighters and volunteers scrambling through the remains of houses washed away in torrents of mud, many of them in impoverished hillside slums.”
• Historic rain and mudslides in Brazilian city kill at least 117; more residents evacuated (The Washington Post, February 16, 2022): “A relentless downpour in a mountainous region of Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state triggered flooding and massive mudslides that have killed at least 117 people, authorities said Friday, as they continued to search the wreckage for missing residents and braced for the toll to rise.”

Landslide (Ecuador, January 2022)

• At least 23 dead in Ecuador landslide (CNN, February 1, 2022)

Stampede (Liberia, January 2022)

• Stampede at Liberia church gathering kills 29 (Reuters, January 20, 2022)

Volcanic Eruption and Tsunami (Tonga, January 2022)

• NASA Analysis of Tonga Volcano Area
• The day an underwater volcano almost wiped out a nation (Washington Post, September 2023)
• Lightning in the ‘cataclysmic’ Tonga volcano eruption shattered ‘all records’ (CNN, January 8, 2023): “Now researchers in a new report have unveiled something else: the eruption set off more than 25,500 lightning events in just five minutes. Over the course of just six hours, the volcano triggered nearly 400,000 lightning events. Half of all the lightning in the world was concentrated around this volcano at the eruption’s peak.”
• Toxic Volcanic ‘Cocktail’ Could Impact Food, Water Sources in Tonga, Scientists Say (Weather Channel, January 20, 2022)
• The volcanic explosion in Tonga destroyed an island—and created many mysteries (National Geographic, January 20, 2022): “”Everything so far about this eruption is off-the-scale weird,” from its deafening blast to its Pacific-wide tsunami.”
• Tonga volcano erupted with force of more than 600 Hiroshima bombs (Fox, January 20, 2022): “The blast was so large because the magma inside the volcano was under enormous pressure and had gasses trapped within it, with a fracture in the rock likely causing a sudden drop in pressure, according to Shane Cronin, a volcanology professor at the University of Auckland.”
• New photos show Tonga tsunami devastation as first aid plane arrives from New Zealand (The Guardian, January 20, 2022): “First aid supplies have arrived in Tonga amid fears over contaminated water sources after volcano eruption.”
• First aid shipments leave for Tonga, amid fears aid workers could bring ‘tsunami of Covid’ (The Guardian, January 19, 2022): “Australia and New Zealand dispatch naval vessels carrying material to help provide temporary shelter and clean drinking water after volcanic eruption.”
• Tonga races to prevent a ‘tsunami of covid’ as rescue efforts begin after underwater volcano disaster (Washington Post, January 18, 2022)
• Tonga’s volcano blast cut it off from the world. Here’s what it will take to get it reconnected (MIT Technology Review, January 18, 2022): “The world is anxiously awaiting news from the island—but on top of the physical destruction, the eruption has disconnected it from the internet.”
• Water crisis looms as residents tackle debris in tsunami-hit Tonga (Reuters, January 18, 2022)
• Tsunami advisories lifted in US after waves hit Tonga following volcanic eruption (CNN, January 17, 2022)

Apartment Building Fire (New York, January 2022)

• Bronx apartment building fire leaves 19 people dead, including 9 children (CNN, January 10, 2022)

Truck Explosion (Ghana, January 2022)

• Almost entire town leveled after explosives delivery truck crash in Ghana (CNN, January 21, 2022)

New Years Day Stampede (India, January 2022)

• 12 killed in stampede at Indian shrine (CNN, January 1, 2022): “Thousands of devotees were at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu, northern India when the stampede happened around 2:30 a.m. local time Saturday.”