MONUMENTAL DELUGE: The Latest Reports Of High Tides, Heavy Rainfall, Flash Floods, Sea Level Rise, Widespread Flooding, And Catastrophic Storms - One Dead After Floods In Saudi Arabia, Qatar Sees 1 Year Of Rain ONE DAY; Floods In Malawi Leave At Least 12 DEAD And Force Thousands To Evacuate; Four Rescued From Floods After RECORD RAINFALL In Las Vegas; High Tides And Huge Waves Bring Flooding To Southwest UK! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

Saudi Arabia Civil Defence teams carrying out flood rescues in Buraidah, Al-Qassim Region. Photo: Saudi Arabia Civil Defence

April 11, 2016 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.

1 dead after floods in Saudi Arabia, Qatar sees 1 year of rain in 1 day

Seasonal storms brought heavy rain to Qatar and central and eastern parts of Saudi Arabia on 25 November 2015.

Doha, Qatar, recorded more than a year’s worth of rain in one day. One person has been reported as killed in the floods in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia in what is the third deadly flood event to hit the country in the last 4 weeks.

Saudi Arabia

The state-run Saudi Press Agency reported earlier today that seasonal storms brought heavy rainfall in central and eastern areas of the country, causing severe flooding in Riyadh and Al-Qassim Regions.
Saudi Arabia civil defence report that 1 person has died in the floods in the province of Rimah, Riyadh Region, which is located about 120 kilometres north-east of the capital Riyadh.

Schools have been closed, roads blocked and in some cases flooding has forced drivers to abandon their vehicles. Saudi Arabia civil defence say they have responded to dozens of emergency calls. The city of Buraidah, Al-Qassim Region, is reported as one of the worst hit.

Rainfall totals for Qatar between 24 and 25 November 2015. Image: Qatar Meteorology Department

This is the third deadly flood to strike in Saudi Arabia in the last few weeks. Floods struck in Jeddah, Makkah and other western parts of the country on 17 November 2015, leaving as many as 12 dead. Six people died in floods that struck in late October.

Qatar

Parts of Qatar, including Doha, also saw heavy rainfall and floods. Qatar Meteorology Department say at least 80.8 mm of rain fell at Hamad International Airport in Doha, the highest ever recorded at that location and more than Doha would typically see in a whole year.

According to WMO figures, 3.3 mm is the typical monthly average for November and the total yearly average is around 75 mm.

Rainclouds over Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Image: Qatar Meteorology Department

The floods caused major problems for drivers. Qatar’s Interior Ministry warned drivers of the dangers of driving in floods and severe weather. No deaths or injuries have been reported in Qatar.

Some flooding was reported at Doha’s new $17 billion Hamad international airport. Social media photos and videos showed water pouring in from a leaking roof. However, flights were operating normally despite the weather conditions.

Social Media

#قطر_تغرق #قطر #الدوحة_تغرق #مطار_الدوحة #الدوحه_الان
. pic.twitter.com/DCX1yEj5Kt

— عبدالله فراج بالحارث (@moegov1) November 25, 2015

#قطر | مشاهد من العاصمة #الدوحة التي شهدت امطار أدت الى اغلاق عدد من الشوارع فيها. pic.twitter.com/wu0b7PLbnp

— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) November 25, 2015

#قطر | غرق مطار #الدوحة نتيجة الأمطار التي شهدتها العاصمة القطرية. pic.twitter.com/MWl8QkRGTK

— Zaid Benjamin (@zaidbenjamin) November 25, 2015

Floods in Malawi leave at least 12 dead and force thousands to evacuate

© Malawi 24

Heavy rains which have persisted in the Northern and Central regions of Malawi for several days have led to fatal floods in some low-lying areas.

At least ten people are feared dead and hundreds of families displaced. A number of buildings and homes were also reported to have collapsed due to the floods. Many road networks were flooded and rendered impassable.

Mzuzu

According to Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), two people suffered serious injuries when a wall of their house collapsed after heavy rain. Both victims were taken to Mzuzu Central Hospital but both later died. Hospital administrator confirmed the deaths of a ten year old and an eleven month old child.

There are also unconfirmed reports that as many as 10 people have died as a result of floods in districts of Mzuzu.

Karonga

Local radio station, Capital FM Malawi reported earlier today that "over 958 households in Karonga have been relocated to safer areas following continued heavy rains and flooding in the district".

Local media have reported more than seventy families have been left homeless after floods in Karonga.

© Malawi 24

Relief Efforts

Relief efforts and help for flood victims appear to have been limited so far. Talking to Malawi 24, District Commissioner for Karonga Rosemary Moyo has expressed worry over the lack of interest from organisations to help the displaced people.

"We are worried that no organisation has come in to assist us as people who have been affected lack a lot of things," said Moyo.

143 mm of rain in 24 hours - more rain forecast for Lakeshore and Northern Areas

According to Malawi Meteorological Services, heavy rain was reported in several areas of Karonga district, Northern Region, on 06 April. Ngosi reported 143mm of rainfall in 24 hours. Mwenilondo recorded 125mm, Mwenetete 120.5mm, Mwaulambo 103.6mm, Chinsewe 85mm, Baka 80.5mm, Karonga Airport 76mm, Lupembe 51mm and Nyungwi 44.5mm during the same period.

On the same day Mzuzu reported 25.9mm, Chitipa 25.6mm, Chintheche 19.9mm and Nkhotakota 14.1mm.

On the 07 April, 2016, reports of heavy rainfall were as follows: Kabale Lyamayolo 86.5mm, Mwenilondo 61mm, Chisewe 42mm, Nkhatabay 40mm, Meru 38mm and Njalayankhunda 31mm.

According to the 5-day weather forecast by the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, heavy rains are forecast to continue in the northern areas and areas around Lake Malawi.

Malawi suffered some of the worst floods in its history during January 2015. At the peak of the 2015 floods 245 square miles of the country was under water and 120,000 households displaced.

Four rescued from floods after record rainfall in Las Vegas

Record rain caused flash floods in the Las Vegas Valley area on Saturday, 09 April. Local fire fighters were called out to rescue at least 4 people who were trapped in the flood waters.

At around 13:00 local time, National Weather Service (NWS) Las Vegas issued a flash flood warning for much of the Vegas valley until later that day. NWS said:

“Wait floods out; avoid flooded roadways!”

The recent heavy rainfall has already made April 2016 the third wettest April on record in Las Vegas.

Flood Rescues

Clark County Fire Department officials said they responded to several people trapped by storm waters. In a statement, they said that a man became trapped in the flood control channel under the Dean Martin overpass by raising water from a heavy rain. Personnel from Engine 11 lowered ladders to the victim and rigged safety lines downstream as a safety precaution in case the victim was swept away. The victim was rescued uninjured.
Rescue team later found 3 other victims who were trapped in the same flood control channel. Emergency teams were able to safely rescue all three adults, although one sustained a minor leg injury and was was transported to Spring Valley Hospital.

Clark County Fire Department said:

“At this time of year it is important to remind everyone to remain clear of flood control channels and flooded roads. Remember as little 12 inches of moving water can float a vehicle”.

Record Rainfall

NWS Las Vegas said that 0.81 inches of rain fell on 09 April, beating the previous record for that day of 0.17” of 1947.
NWS Vegas also said that as much as 1.03” of rain has fallen so far this April, making it the third wettest April on record so far, behind 1965 (2.44”) and 1941 (1.68”).

Social Media

This weekends' rain makes it the 3rd wettest April on record in #Vegas ...so far #VegasWeather pic.twitter.com/Dp1SuJhXBF

— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) April 11, 2016

More active and unusual April weather today. Expect showers & storms increasing through the day. #Vegasweather pic.twitter.com/dI5Mvo3GO3

— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) April 10, 2016

Quick look at the record breaking rainfall totals so far today in the #Vegas valley as well as Bishop! #nvwx #cawx pic.twitter.com/azWpnVjApd

— NWS Las Vegas (@NWSVegas) April 10, 2016

High tides and huge waves bring flooding to southwest UK

A combination of high spring tides and winds of 65 mph (120 km/h) caused coastal flooding in parts of Cornwall and Devon in south west England yesterday, Sunday 10 April, 2016. Also over the weekend, high tides and heavy rain conspired to flood wide areas of Cork, Ireland.

Southwest England

Huge waves crashed into towns and villages along the coast. The UK’s Met Office issued a warning about the significant impacts from coastal flooding along the south Cornwall coast and on the Isles of Scilly on Sunday morning. At one point on Sunday, 29 flood warnings – the second highest category – and 37 flood alerts had been issued by the Environment Agency, mostly for parts of Cornwall and Devon.The Environment Agency closely monitored the situation and had teams out checking and operating coastal flood defences. Timely warnings and preventative action meant that damage was kept to a minimum and no fatalities or injuries have been reported.

Some flooding was reported in the Cornish towns of Penzance, Kingsand, St Mawes, Porthleven and Mousehole. High waves overtopped sea defences in Exmouth, Devon. Flooding was also reported in Dawlish, Devon, after waves topped sea defences. Parts of the sea wall and railway lines in Dawlish were destroyed by waves and coastal flooding during a storm in February 2014.

 

All green for closed - Shaldon flood gates @EnvAgencySW pic.twitter.com/vLURBgDfmt

— Stuart Reynolds (@shaldonangler) April 9, 2016

Well done @eastdevon @DevonCC @streetsceneops and @metoffice: good intel, good preparation, good job #floodaware pic.twitter.com/QS0a9Aj20T

— Environment AgencySW (@EnvAgencySW) April 9, 2016

High waves and winds at Kingsand. Check which coasts are on the flood warning list here https://t.co/WUaOmyz2eo pic.twitter.com/BK4cRPQ69s

— Environment AgencySW (@EnvAgencySW) April 10, 2016

Cork Ireland

The severe weather also brought some flooding to parts of Ireland on Sunday, 10 April, 2016, in particular Cork, where the combination of winds, rain and high tide left several streets under water.

#CorkFloods Some images of Cork City Centre at the moment. Images: @Podge_999 pic.twitter.com/42jez3b14b

— Cork Safety Alerts (@CorkSafetyAlert) April 10, 2016

#CorkFloods Some images of Cork City Centre at the moment. Images: @Podge_999 pic.twitter.com/42jez3b14b

— Cork Safety Alerts (@CorkSafetyAlert) April 10, 2016

 

#CorkFloods The current situation on Sawmill St off South Terrace. pic.twitter.com/Idm5REMGjP

— Cork Safety Alerts (@CorkSafetyAlert) April 10, 2016

- Floodlist.

MONUMENTAL DELUGE: The Latest Reports Of High Tides, Heavy Rainfall, Flash Floods, Sea Level Rise, Widespread Flooding, And Catastrophic Storms - Flash Floods Kill 2 During Rain Storm In Oman; Flooding Displaces Thousands After 4 Days Of Heavy Rainfall In Argentina And Uruguay; Cars Swept Away As Arabian Peninsula Is Slammed With Deluges of Rain And Hail! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

A taxi washed away by floodwaters smashes into a four-wheel-drive during heavy rains in Oman on Friday. © Twitter

April 8, 2016 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.

Flash floods kill 2 during rain storm in Oman

Despite repeated warnings by Omani authorities, two Omanis were killed when their vehicle was swept away by flood waters in Wadi Kabeel of Qurayat province on Friday.

Three other Omanis were rescued in Wadi Bani Karoos in the Dhank province according to the Public Authority for Civil Defense and Ambulance (PACDA).

Heavy rain has been lashing northern parts of the country due to a deep depression which is expected to last two more days.

The rain forced the cancellation of the Red Bull F1 Showrun, where Scottish driver David Coultard was expected to make an appearance in Mutrah Corniche on Friday afternoon.

Rain in Oman. © Twitter

A wheelbarrow filled with pebble-sized ice that pelted parts of Oman during a hailstorm Friday.© Twitter

Picture shared on social media shows rainwater running off from mountains to a valley in Oman. © Twitter

The race lasted for less than two minutes instead of the planned two-hour event. Hundreds of racing fans had gathered along the sea road in Mutrah to watch the race.

Many roads that link provinces such as Nizwa, Ibri, Bahla, Rustaq, Sinanah and Nakhal in the north were flooded and caused traffic snarls.

#eustorm 611,OM 17/30 - Youssouf Ali Al Taher Major #flooding in Oman right now!!! - https://t.co/TxmmvIQsYv pic.twitter.com/nHXduyv4mp

— #eustorm (@EUStormMap) April 8, 2016

Heavy rain reported in Ibri, Bahla, Nizwa, Dima wa Tayeen, Nakhal, Awabi,Izki Rustaq, Yanqul, Dhank, Barka, Seeb Bausher, Mutrah and Samiyl provinces, resulted in flash floods.

Some parts of Samayil province were covered by snow.

Pictures of the snow went viral as people shared pictures of playing in the snow on social media.

Flooding displaces thousands after 4 days of heavy rainfall in Argentina and Uruguay

Floods in La Paz, Entre Rios, Argentina, April 2016.  © Municipalidad de La Paz

Heavy rain has affected Uruguay and northern provinces of Argentina, causing several rivers to overflow and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people. Some local media reports claim over half a metre of rain has fallen in some areas of Argentina in the last 4 days. One man is reported to have died after drowning in a swollen river in Entre Ríos.

Argentina

Thousands have been affected by heavy rain and flooding in the provinces of Entre Ríos, Corrientes and Santa Fe.

Heavy rain has also affected parts of the province of Formosa where thousands are yet to return to their homes since the Paraguay River overflowed in December 2015.


 WATCH: Floods in La Paz.

Entre Rios

Telam news agency say that 7,000 people have been displaced by floods in Entre Ríos province. Severe flooding has been reported in the municipalities of Federación, San José de Feliciano, Villaguay and Colón.

One man died in the floods when he was swept away by an overflowing river between the towns of Sosa and El Tala.

The city of La Paz, in the west of the province, has suffered the worst of the torrential rain. According to province authorities, more than 7,500 people have been affected. The Cabayú Cuatia River overflowed causing damage, closure of bridges and forcing the displacement of people living in the Estación neighbourhood. Houses were also flooded in the neighbourhoods of Milagrosa, Puerto and Ribera del Paraná.

Floods in La Paz, Entre Rios, Argentina, April 2016. © Municipalidad de La Paz

© Municipalidad de La Paz

The Ministry of Social Development have distributed blankets, food and other relief items to those affected.Several roads have been inundated, with many cars dragged by the water, causing significant issues to local transportation.

In San José de Feliciano, in the north, 400 people are homeless after two small rivers - the Coronel and Carrizo - overflowed. Talking to Telam, the city's mayor, Silvia del Carmen Moreno, said that Feliciano had seen over half a metre of rain since Saturday 02 April.

Corrientes

In Esquina, a town of 40,000 inhabitants in the south of Correnties province, more than 75% of the town was under water. As many as 300 people have been evacuated, and water reached the height of 1 metre in some neighbourhoods. More than 5,000 people have been affected by the floods across the province.

Santa Fe

Heavy rain has affected areas in the north of Sana Fe province, in particular the town of Alejandra, which according to local media, has recorded 550 mm of rain in the last 4 days. Significant parts of the town are completely flooded, and around 20 people have been evacuated.

Intense Rain

The heavy rain began to fall on 05 April 2016. According to the Argentina National Meteorological Service (Servicio Nacional de Meteorologia, SMN), 70 mm of rain in 24 hours was recorded in Gualeguaychu, in Entre Ríos Province, Argentina. The station of Monte Caseros, in Corrientes Province, recorded 81 mm of rain between 05 and 06 April 2016.

According to data reported by authorities in Entre Ríos, as much as 296.4 mm were recorded at Feliciano station, in the north of the province, on 05 April 2016.

In a statement yesterday by the Crisis Committee of Civil Defense of the Municipality of La Paz, it was reported that 345 mm of rain fell between 04 and 06 April.

Rainfall map for Argentina 04 to 05 April 2016. © SMN

Argentina media reports claim that over 500 mm of rain has fallen in some areas, including Alejandra in Santa Fe, San José de Feliciano in Entre Ríos, in the space of 4 days.

Further significant rainfall is expected to affect the north of Argentina until Saturday, 09 April 2016.

Uruguay

As an result of the heavy rain in the upper part of the watershed, water levels in the Uruguay River are rising. A point of particular concern is the area downstream of the Salto hydropower plant.

The high amount of water reaching the reservoir forced the managing authority (Comisión Técnica Mixta de Salto Grande) to release higher discharges from the spillway and the outlet. As a result, Uruguay River levels at Salto and Paysandú will exceed the warning thresholds of 12 and 5.5 metres respectively.As a precaution, local authorities of Civil Defence organised the evacuation of 27 people in Salto and 5 in Paysandú.

Cars swept away as Arabian peninsula is slammed with deluges of rain and hail

© Saudi Arabia Weather

These are the first videos erupting on social network of the biblical flooding hitting Ta'if, Saudi Arabia right now.

And when I say biblical, it's because I didn't want to use apocalyptical!

Unstable conditions started sweeping across Saudi Arabia on Monday, April 3, 2016.

And reinforced during the beginning of the week to deliver heavy downpours on Ta'if and its region.

The low is sweeping from North to South and has created biblical hailstorms in the central part of the country on April 6, 2016.
WATCH: Deluge in the Arabian peninsula.

🔴
السيول تجرف بعض السيارات
في أحد احياء #الطائف الان
الله يلطف بهم pic.twitter.com/kLMFISK1Wp

— أسامه الحربي (@osamhalhrby) April 7, 2016

@taif_now حي العقيق pic.twitter.com/QczwDVTazi

— عبدالله العصيمي (@i3boodi_7) April 7, 2016

Extreme gust of winds are also accompanying the stormy weather sometimes creating sand tornado and sandstorms around Al-Jouf, Hail, Tabuk and Medina.

So the cold air mass coming from the north and the warm and moist air coming from the south created a kind of belt in the middle of the country which creates intense and apocalyptical thunderstorms (see map above).

Ta'if is a city in Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia situated in the Al-Sarawat Mountains and is right in the eye of the storm.

This extreme weather is also present in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and western Yemen.


- Floodlist | Gulf News | Strange Sounds.

EXTREME WEATHER: More Signs Of Increasing Magnetic Polar Migration - Supercell Hailstorms Hit Saudi Arabia And Oman! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

Supercell storm. © VK

March 9, 2016 - MIDDLE EAST - And suddenly the sky started falling on their heads.

Watch these insane pictures and video of the Tuesday, March 8, 2016 rare supercell storms wreaking havoc in Muscat, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

WATCH: Supercell hailstorm hits Saudi Arabia and Oman.

- Strange Sounds.

ICE AGE NOW: Global Cooling Continues Relentlessly - Anomalous Hailstorms Reported In Oman And Saudi Arabia, As Magnetic Polar Migration Escalates?! [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

© via VK.com

March 2, 2016 - MIDDLE EAST - Heavy rains and hailstorms were recorded in Samai, Oman and in Saudi Arabia on March 1, 2016.

Here some pictures and videos of these anomalous weather events:

© via VK.com

© via VK.com

© via VK.com

© via VK.com

© via VK.com

© via VK.com

WATCH: Saudi Arabia has also been pounded by large hail two days ago. Look at this crazy video.

- Strange Sounds.

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR: Migratory Patterns And Disaster Precursors - Dead Baby Whale Found On Santa Monica State Beach, California; Dead Humpback Whale Found On Cape Town Beach, South Africa; More Than 45 Dead Dolphins Found On The Shores Of Oman; And Loggerhead Turtle Normally Found In The Caribbean, Turns Up On British Beach?!

A dead neonate gray whale washed ashore in Santa Monica State Beach on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2015
© LACoFD Lifeguards

December 23, 2015 - EARTH - The following constitutes the latest reports of unusual and symbolic animal behavior, mass die-offs, beaching and stranding of mammals, and the appearance of rare creatures.

Dead baby whale found on Santa Monica State Beach, California

A dead 10-foot baby whale washed ashore near a lifeguard tower in Santa Monica State Beach on Tuesday.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Lifeguards said the neonate gray whale was spotted around 2 p.m. near Lifeguard Tower 12, located at 1200 Ocean Walk Front.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles was on its way to pick up the 1,200-pound mammal.

The cause of death was not immediately available. - ABC7.

Dead humpback whale found on Cape Town beach, South Africa

Dead humpback whale

Cape Town officials have started the task of removing a dead humpback whale from Strand Beach. The whale washed ashore overnight and lodged in the reef, the city's environmental corporate governance director Gregg Oelofse said.

Oelofse said it's "nothing unusual" and that "quite a lot of this" happens this time of the year. News24 reports that Oelofse said their whale stranding team was "pretty proficient" and hoped to get the carcass off the beach on Wednesday. The removal depended on the tides and weather conditions.

"We have asked that the public give us space. We will try and put chains and straps around it and lift it onto a flatbed truck. It is big machinery and if those chains snap, it can be very dangerous."

The carcass will be moved to a landfill site for disposal. - The South African.

More than 45 dead dolphins found on the shores of Oman

Dead dolphin

More than 45 dolphins were washed ashore in Khabourah province during the past two weeks, according to residents.

Residents demanded that authorities bury the dead dolphins as a stench was starting to develop from the carcasses.

Pictures of the dead dolphins went viral on the social media, with many users demanding that the authorities intervene and deal with the issue.

Reasons behind the death are not yet clear.

Ahmad Al Beloushi, an environmental expert, told Gulf News that one of the reasons may be that many dolphins swim towards the shores and cannot go back to the sea.

He also attributed the deaths to a shortage of oxygen during red tide, adding that oil spills from ships also lead to suffocation of the fish in general.

Some fishermen throw their fishing nets near the shores and trap dolphins, said Al Beloushi.

An official at the Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs told Gulf News that a team has been formed to tackle the issue.

The team of experts will head this week to Khabourah shores to investigate the issue and take samples from the dead dolphins.

Dolphins are widespread in Omani waters, particularly off Muscat, Musandam and Wusta governorates.

Indian Ocean dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, rough-toothed dolphins, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, risso's dolphins, spinner dolphins, long-beaked dolphins and stripped dolphins are the types of dolphins found in Oman's waters. - The Gulf News.

Loggerhead turtle normally found in the Caribbean turns up on British beach

A huge loggerhead turtle normally found in the Caribbean has stunned wildlife experts after being washed up on a British beach.

The 3ft turtle, whose species are very rare visitors to Britain's cold waters, was discovered thousands of miles from home on the shore at Langton Matravers in Dorset.

This was the biggest of the few hundred of the turtles that have ever been found in the UK, and it was discovered by Steve Trewhella after he learned it had been spotted on an isolated beach.

Mr Trewhella - alongside three other experience rescuers - braved the stormy weather to find the turtle, which they found to be badly injured with holes in its shell and damaged flippers.

He said: 'I received notification from Dorset Wildlife trust that a member of the public had found a stranded and live turtle on a beach near Chapmans Pool in the Purbecks. 'Myself and other experienced rescuers decided to go down at first light to rescue or recover the animal. The beach is very difficult to reach, and would have been too dangerous in the dark.

'Four of us met and made the long walk to the beach. When we found the animal we assumed it had perished, but then movement was observed and it quickly became a rescue.'

He added that the team wrapped the injured turtle in an army field stretcher before they made their way through water and waves and back up a winding cliff path.

Sighting: The turtles are rare visitors to Britain's cold waters and only a few hundred have been found here

What a find: Rescuers Derek Davey (left) and Steve Trewhella (right) pose with the 3ft-long loggerhead turtle

They then phoned the stranding network and a decision was made to take the turtle to Weymouth Sealife Park around 25 miles away.

Mr Trewhella added: 'It likely washed up because of the stormy weather, and that comes hand in hand with the warm weather we're experiencing these days.

'We are getting a lot of windy, predominately Atlantic storms which are washing up lots of unusual things. It probably only managed to survive round here because the water is so warm still.

'Things are washing up from Florida and all sorts - there's a phenomenal amount of transatlantic debris washing up, so there's a good chance of this turtle has come from that part of the world.'

The turtle is found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea. It spends most of its life in saltwater and females only briefly come ashore to lay eggs.

The turtles were once intensively hunted for their meat and eggs - and, despite legislation to protect them, they are still consumed in countries where regulations are not strictly enforced. - Daily Mail.

WEATHER PHENOMENON & ANOMALIES: More Signs Of Magnetic Polar Migration - Massive Waterspout Filmed Off Saudi Coast; Waterspout Spotted Off Oman's Sur Coast; Strange "Funnel Cloud" Filmed In St. Mary's Bay, Canada!

November 27, 2015 - EARTH - Here are the latest reports of waterspouts and funnel clouds appearing across the Earth, as the magnetic field of the plant continues to weaken and the north magnetic pole accelerates toward Siberia.

Massive waterspout filmed off Saudi coast

A video went viral on Saudi social media showing the moments when a giant water tornado hits the coast of Ras Tannoura, east Saudi.

A waterspout looks like a tornado, funnel-shaped cloud suspended beneath a low-lying cloud, dropping to a body of water.

Usually weaker than land tornados and caused by unstable weather conditions.


WATCH: Waterspout near Ras Tannoura.

- Al Arabiya News.

Waterspout spotted off Oman's Sur coast

© Times of Oman

A waterspout was spotted off Sur coast today, a weather enthusiast said.

A waterspout is an intense columnar vortex (usually appearing as a funnel-shaped cloud) that occurs over a body of water. They are connected to a towering cumuliform cloud or a cumulonimbus cloud. In the common form, it is a non-supercell tornado over water.

"A waterspout appeared in Sur sea. It's a rare phenomenon, which occurs during cyclone season. Skies are cloudy too," Bader Ali Al Baddaei, an administrator of www.rthmc.net, a local Web-based forum that discusses weather in Oman, told Times of Oman.

In its latest tweet, Oman meteorology department has predicted rain in coastal areas of Oman. On Sunday itself, meteorology department has predicted heavy rain in northern parts of Oman from today till the end of the week.

In the Sunday's advisory, the meteorology department added that Oman will likely witness deep depression as moderate to heavy rain is expected on Musandam and North Al Batinah while other governorates will witness varied rain shower except for Dhofar and Al Wusta. - Times of Oman.

Strange 'funnel cloud' filmed in St. Mary's Bay, Canada

There are reports of a possible funnel cloud or water spout in the Harricott area of St. Mary's Bay this morning.

A local resident caught the phenomenon on video this morning.

Provincial Airlines and Aerospace meteorologist, Brian Walsh says he's not aware of any such phenomenon happening today.

He says because the pinkish object remains stationary while the clouds are moving around it, he can't say what it may be.


WATCH: Funnel cloud over St. Mary's Bay.

- VOCM.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Oman Reports First MERS Death In Nearly A Year - Over 8,000 People Infected Globally; Nine Percent Of Whom Died!

The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) coronavirus is seen in an undated transmission electron micrograph from the National Institute for
Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) in this file handout photo. (Reuters)

January 10, 2015 - OMAN - Oman reported Thursday its first death of a person from Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in nearly a year.

No further details were given in the health ministry statement carried by the official ONA news agency. It is the third MERS fatality in the country.

Oman borders Saudi Arabia, the country hardest hit by MERS.

MERS is considered a deadlier but less transmissible cousin of the SARS virus that appeared in Asia in 2003 and infected more than 8,000 people, nine percent of whom died.

Like SARS, it appears to cause a lung infection, with patients suffering coughing, breathing difficulties and a temperature. But MERS differs in that it can cause rapid kidney failure.

Research by Saudi scientists indicates that camels play a role in the transmission of the virus to humans.

In November 2013, an Omani man diagnosed with MERS died in Abu Dhabi.

The victim, 75, had been visiting Abu Dhabi in October when he was diagnosed with the virus.

Following his death, the patient’s body was repatriated to Oman.

As reported by Gulf News, another Omani patient, who represents the first known case of the virus diagnosed in Oman, also died in the country’s northwest region in November. He was 68 years old, and had been running a persistent fever before being diagnosed.

The vast majority of human cases have been in Saudi Arabia, but isolated Mers cases have been reported across Europe and in Asia and the United States in people linked who have recently travelled in the Middle East.

Scientists are not sure of the origin of the virus, but several studies have linked it to camels and some experts think it is being passed to humans through close physical contact or through the consumption of camel meat or camel milk.

However, a study last year, published in the online journal of the American Society for Microbiology mBio, scientists said the detection of the virus in air samples was concerning and needed to be followed up.

“The clear message here is that detection of airborne Mers-CoV molecules, which were 100 percent identical with the viral genomic sequence detected from a camel actively shedding the virus in the same barn on the same day, warrants further investigations and measures to prevent possible airborne transmission of this deadly virus,” said Esam Azhar, an associate professor of medical virology at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah who led the study.

Viruses that spread through air - such as flu viruses for example - are far more likely to spread swiftly and widely in human populations than those that can only move from an animal to a person, or from person to person, via direct contact.

For their research, Azhar’s team collected three air samples on three consecutive days from a camel barn near Jeddah owned by a 43-year-old male Mers patient who later died from the disease.

Four of the man’s nine camels had shown signs of nasal discharge the week before the patient became ill, and he had applied a topical medicine in the nose of one of the sick camels a week before experiencing symptoms.

Using a laboratory technique called reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to detect levels of particular genes, the scientists found that the first air sample, collected on November 7, 2013, contained genetic fragments of the Mers virus.

The World Health Organisation and the Saudi Health Ministry have advised camel farm and slaughterhouse workers to take precautions against Mers by ensuring good hygiene, including frequent hand washing after touching animals, facial protection where feasible, and wearing of protective clothing. - Gulf News.

MAJOR TERROR ALERT: United States Embassies To Shut Down Sunday Due To Terror Threat - 14 Diplomatic Posts Across The Middle East And Asia, Including Israel Because Of Al-Qaeda-Related Warnings!

August 02, 2013 - MIDDLE EAST - US embassies and consulates across the Middle East and Asia — including in Israel — will be closed on Sunday due to an al-Qaeda-related terror threat, officials said Thursday.

The US Embassy in Tel Aviv (photo credit: CC BY-Krokodyl/Wikimedia Commons/File)

The US has been “apprised of information that out of an abundance of caution and care for our employees and others who may be visiting our installations, that indicates we should institute these precautionary steps,” said State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf.

Harf cited information indicating a threat to US facilities overseas and said some diplomatic facilities may stay closed for more than a day. Other US officials said the threat was in the Muslim world, where Sunday is a workday.

Diplomatic posts in Egypt, Iraq and Afghanistan are among those that will be shut for at least one day, according to an NBC News report.

Harf added that the closures may be extended, “depending on our analysis.”

Messages alerting US citizens of the closures went out in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates, according to the report.

US officials said the threat appeared to have originated somewhere in the Middle East, and that it was aimed at overseas diplomatic posts, not at facilities inside the US.

The State Department issued a major warning last year informing American diplomatic facilities across the Muslim world about potential violence connected to the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Dozens of American installations were besieged by protest over an anti-Islam video made by an American resident.

In Benghazi, Libya, the US ambassador and three other Americans were killed when militants assaulted a diplomatic post. The administration no longer says that attack was related to the demonstrations. - Times of Israel.

DELUGE: Wild Weather Lashes Gulf - Over Two Dozen Death In Saudi Arabia And Oman!

May 05, 2013 - SAUDI ARABIA - The death toll increased to 25 on Sunday in Saudi Arabia's floods when rescuers found one of the 3 missing persons trapped in a dam near Riyadh, according to Saudi Press Agency.

He was found inside a dam in an area near Riyadh, while the search will continue for the remaining missing people, Civil Defense Spokesperson, Lt- Col Juman Al Ghamdi, said in a statement of the agency.

He called upon people to be cautious and try to avoid valleys and locations near high waters. Saudi Arabia has been witnessing medium and heavy rains in different districts since last week of April. Similar weather conditions occurred in 1981, 1982 and 1983 when the largest valleys in the country flooded with water. - Xinhuanet.


Over two dozen people have died in flooding in Saudi Arabia and Oman this week, as heavy rains soaked roads and cities.

Saudi authorities warned of the extreme weather on April 24 but the heaviest precipitation started on Monday, while the flooding in Oman began at around the same time.

Saudi Arabia's civil defence said at least 13 had died there and four were missing across the cities of Riyadh, Baha, Hail, and Quwaiyiah. Hundreds more had been displaced, trapped or injured. Civil defence personnel rescued 937 civilians and moved 695 families to emergency shelters, the agency said in a statement late on Wednesday. More than 4,200 road accidents were reported between Monday evening and mid-day on Wednesday.

Also late on Wednesday, Saudi King Abdullah issued a directive through the Interior Minister, Mohammed bin Nayef, for the Civil defence forces to use "all their potential" to help those affected, including by offering "financial and in-kind aid".

In Oman, local media reported that six citizens had died, including two pairs of brothers. A 17-year-old and his older brother, 19, died while trapped in a wadi in the Dhahirah region, while two brothers aged 3 drowned in a pool at a farm in the coastal region of Batinah. The Royal Omani Police said they had received roughly 200 calls for help and had evacuated at least 70 people from affected areas.

Residents and authorities said the flooding had been some of the most severe in recent years.

"It's unusual weather, but it's something that can happen," said Dr Andy Yaw Kwarteng, head of the Remote Sensing and GIS Centre at Oman's Sultan Qaboos University. "There is still a little more coming for Yemen, the UAE and Qatar," he said of the rains.

As waters have risen, harrowing stories have flooded social media. In Oman, a school bus filled with 30 students was reportedly trapped on a flooded road. After pulling the children to safety, the vehicle was removed from the waters with a crane

Local media in Saudi Arabia captured images of cars being washed away by flood waters and passengers clinging to trees. In one city, Al Kharj, 400 Civil defence personnel were deployed with air support to search for missing persons. The authorities did not say approximately how many were unaccounted for.

Security forces in both countries urged residents to avoid valleys and other dangerous areas at risk of runoff from rains. In a statement on Wednesday, Juma'an Daes Ghamadi, a media spokesman for Saudi Arabia's Civil defence told residents in floodplains to "get out of their homes".

For many Saudi residents, the floods were unwelcome reminders of 2009, when some of the worst flooding in the kingdom's history left more than 120 dead and displaced about 22,000. After the disaster, several officials who approved environmentally flawed construction projects were taken to court, but huge infrastructure challenges remain across the kingdom.

"The main issue is land use," said Dr Mohamed AbdelAziz AbdelHamid, a former professor of urban planning at King Saud University, arguing that building is often undertaken without considering environmental risks.

Building codes are also inconsistent, both on the books and in practice, he said. Federal, district, and city authorities all have their own specifications and they often conflict.

"The problem also comes from the education system," he argued. They don't teach environmental planning in university curriculum."

But Dr Kwarteng in Oman argued that preparation is often impossible for extreme weather patterns such as the Gulf is witnessing.

"Sometimes you have to take what you get," he said from Muscat. "It won't always be easy to find a solution." - The National.

FIRE IN THE SKY: The Latest Sightings Of Fireballs - Dozens Of People In 7 American States Report Seeing Fireball In Sky Saturday, Some From Northern Ohio; Meteor Streaks Across American Midwest Sky; Fragmenting Fireball Over Texas and Louisiana; Second Fireball Blazes Over Poland In Four Days; Fireball Breaks Up Over Northeastern United States; Meteor Event Seen From Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois And Indiana; Fireball With 'Electric Blue Tail' Streaks Over Oman!

March 12, 2013 - SKY - More than two dozen people from seven states - including Ohio -- reported seeing a fireball in the sky over the weekend.  The American Meteor Society posted Monday on its website that 25 people submitted reports about the sighting Saturday, which apparently happened at about 7 p.m. Nearly half of the reports were from Ohio. Here are a few of the narratives submitted by the observers:

"I was driving on SR 39 heading NW when I saw this very bright white ball with a tail in my left peripheral vision. I turned to look, saw it had a tail, then disappeared for a split second, then a bright flash and it was gone. Amazing and beautiful." - Shelia H. / Millersburg, Ohio.

Dozens Of People In 7 States Report Seeing Fireball In Sky Saturday, Some From Northern Ohio.

"Smoky trail like a com trail. the head looked like it was glowing." - Andrea S. / Cleveland, Ohio. "This is the second time I have witnessed a meteor during the day. I regularly view meteor showers during nights they are expected. It was very exciting. Just happened to be looking in the right direction at the right time!" - Linda F. / Green, Ohio.

NewsChannel5 reporter Paul Kiska saw the fireball, too. He also submitted a report:  "I've seen a few meteor showers and but never a fireball this huge, this bright, this beautiful!"  Kiska also posted this description on his Facebook page:

"Around 6:50PM Saturday, about 20 minutes ago, I just saw the most stunning, amazing meteor of my life blazing, burning & glowing from east to west mostly across the south to southwest sky. Remarkable. It really was breath taking. Angela, Olivia & I were at the park kicking the soccer ball, still twilight, and I tried to yell to them but the words didn't even come out at first then I yelled meteor meteor meteor, but they kept looking straight up, I was pointing but it was low southwest and lasted quite long time it seemed. Just beautiful."

An Orionid fireball streaks towards the Big Dipper, seen in a dark sky over the desert in central Arizona. © Getty Images.

People in Ohio, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia all posted reports. 

Chief Meteorologist Mark Johnson said this was not the Comet Pan-STARRS , which was expected to be seen this past weekend as it passed by the sun.

The AMS describes itself as a "non-profit scientific organization established to inform, encourage and support the research activities of both amateur and professional astronomers who are interested in the fascinating field of meteor astronomy."

Did you see the fireball? Tell us about it in the comment section below. If you have a photo of it, email it to 5pix@newsnet5.com  Read all of the reports from the AMS here. - NewsNet5.

Meteor Streaks Across Midwest Sky.

A meteor was seen across parts of nine states Friday night. Many reports were made to the American Meteor Society from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and southern Ontario, Canada.

The meteor was reported around 9 p.m. as people reported seeing a streak of light headed across the night sky. The American Meteor Society website showed the meteor apparently falling over southern lower Michigan. More reports of meteors were received Saturday night around 6:45 p.m. although none of these reports have been confirmed at this time. - WKYC.

WATCH: The following is video from Friday night's sighting:

Fireball With 'Electric Blue Tail' Streaks Over Oman.

07 March 2013 - Keith Harvey, Fins (near Sur), Oman

10-20 seconds duration. It went from overhead to the horizon. Direction of travel: Southeast. Orange colour. As bright as Venus. Location: Approx. 23N 59E

07 March 2013 - Susie Barka, Muscat, Oman @ 19.15

5 seconds duration. North-South. It was a large elongated fireball, burning white hot, with an electric blue tail followed by a green band and then an orange band. It was as bright as the sun and very large.

- Lunar Meteorite Hunters.

Fragmenting Fireball Over Texas and Louisiana.

Reentry Track for CZ-4B Rocket Body.

The chart above, provided by Rob Matson, displays the reentry track for the Chinese rocket body CZ-4B. This rocket was launched on May 10, 2012, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in China. There is no doubt that the display seen in the sky over Texas and Louisiana this morning was caused by the reentry and subsequent disintegration of this spent rocket. Many thanks to Rob Matson for taking the time to calculate this orbit and making it available for us to share. It looks like the fireball seen from Texas and Louisiana may be the re-entry of a Chinese rocket body launched in 2012. http://www.aerospace.org/cords/reentry-predictions/upcoming-reentries/2012-021c/ The American Meteor Society has received 30 reports of a bright meteor that occurred near 3:15am CST on Wednesday morning February 27, 2013 over the states of Texas and Louisiana . What is unusual about this sighting is that this fireball fragmented in mid-flight creating a “cluster” of fireballs that continued across the sky. Brightness estimates of this fireball vary considerably, but the average lies near magnitude -15, which slightly exceeds the light produced by the full moon. Every color of the rainbow has been reported with orange and yellow being most mentioned. Individual reports may be viewed in the 2013 AMS Fireball Table Refer to event #501 for 2013.

For those not familiar with meteors and fireballs, a fireball is a meteor that is larger than normal. Most meteors are only the size of small pebbles. A meteor the size of a softball can produce light equivalent to the full moon for a short instant. The reason for this is the extreme velocity at which these objects strike the atmosphere. Even the slowest meteors are still traveling at 10 miles per SECOND, which is much faster than a speeding bullet. Fireballs occur every day over all parts of the Earth. It is rare though for an individual to see more than one or two per lifetime as they also occur during the day, on a cloudy night, or over a remote area where no one sees it. Observing during one of the major annual meteor showers can increase your chance of seeing another one of these bright meteors. Meteors often appear much closer than they really are. There is often a common misconception that the object appeared nearby when in fact the actual flight path was several hundred miles away and was witnessed over several states. It is your perspective that makes meteors appear to strike the horizon when in fact they are still high in the atmosphere. This is much like a jetliner seen low in your sky. It appears low to you but for someone located many miles away in that direction, the jetliner is passing high overhead. Meteors become visible at approximately 50 miles above the Earth’s surface. If the meteor survives down an altitude of 5 miles, friction will have slowed the velocity below that necessary to produce light. Therefore they are invisible below this altitude and cannot be seen as they basically free falling to the ground at 200mph. Very few meteors actually reach the ground as 99.99% completely disintegrate while still 10-20 miles up in the atmosphere. - AMS.

Fireball Breaks Up Over Northeastern United States.

11 March 2013 - Lisa, Cape May, New Jersey, USA, around 4:45 am EST

I saw it for 2 seconds through a window facing southwest. It went straight down. It was white/blue color and as bright as the moon. It looked like a huge shooting star.

11 March 2013 - Bwas, Herndon, Virginia, USA 04:30 EST

2-3 seconds duration. North-south, from my left to right. I was facing south. It was low on the southern horizon and green in color. As bright as the moon. Awesome!

11 March 2013 - Elizabeth Sanford, Germantown, Maryland, USA approx 04:35 EST (DST)

Not longer than 3 seconds duration. I was facing roughly southbound in my (moving) vehicle. The start/stop location seemed very low in the sky, and moved from North to South-Southeast. Its color was a bright whitish blue. No sound that I was able to hear, as I was in a car with the windows rolled up. It was very bright, brighter than Venus; as bright as the moon on some nights. I saw a little bit of fragmentation, just as it was trailing off. Most notable to me, a novice, was how low in the sky it seemed, and how much larger it was compared to others I've seen over the years.

- Lunar Meteorite Hunters.

Second Fireball Blazes Over Poland In Four Days.

23:59:46 UT PFN 42 Błonie, Paweł Zaręba POWIĘKSZ.

On March 6th, 2013, 13 seconds before midnight UT time, a beautiful fireball crossed the sky over southern Poland. It was first reported by Pawel Zareba at PFN station 42 in Blonie. A few hours, it emerged that quite a few PFN cameras captured the event. The fireball was also visible from the Czech Republic. According to preliminary calculations, the fireball arrived to us from the vicinity of Jupiter and faded away at an altitude of 68 km above the planet's surface. - SOTT.

WATCH: Stunning fireball over Poland.

Meteor Event Seen From Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois And Indiana.

Ontario MI OH IL IN Fireball Meteor 21'15 EST 08MAR2013 - MBIQ has just triggered on a meteor event seen from Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana.

Initial Meteor Sighting Reports -

08 March 2013 - Jeff Massecar Toronto, Ontario, Canada 21:15:00 2 seconds S - N - facing west Bright streak little bit of orange Bright as a street lamp Tail Very cool!

08 March 2013 - Gayann Reynolds OXFORD, MI, USA 21:15 EST 5 sec E-W Left to Right White and orange flames moon no I saw flames

08 March 2013 - KP Rosemont, Ontario, Canada 21:15 PM EST 3 seconds south to north, left to right, facing west green/white like fireworks nope streaked

08 March 2013 - Cheryl Stafford Bradford Ohio USA approx 9:20 ET 1-2 sec N, R to L Facing NE Vivid green with orange sparking tail brighter than any star orange sparks in the tail relatively low on the NE horizon.

08 March 2013 - Jeff Massecar Toronto, Ontario, Canada 21:15:00 2 seconds S - N  - facing west Bright streak little bit of orange Bright as a street lamp Tail Very cool!

08 March 2013 - Gayann Reynolds OXFORD, MI, USA 21:15 EST 5 sec E-W Left to Right White and orange flames moon no I saw flames

08 March 2013 - KP Rosemont, Ontario, Canada 21:15 PM EST 3 seconds south to north, left to right, facing west green/white like fireworks nope streaked

08 March 2013 - Cheryl Stafford Bradford Ohio USA approx 9:20 ET 1-2 sec N, R to L Facing NE Vivid green with orange sparking tail brighter than any star orange sparks in the tail relatively low on the NE horizon.

08 March 2013 - Maia & Leah Cleveland, Ohio 21:15:00 3 S-NW white and yellow flickering brighter than venus no very exciting!

08 March 2013 - Jennifer Romeo, MI, USA 2115 3 seconds S/SW-N, from left to right facing W White with yellow, no sound as bright as moon no fragmentation but tail visible little bit scary but cool

08 March 2013 - Jamie Richardson Kokomo, IN USA 2120 EST 5-10 seconds Facing northeast traveled from right to left reds, oranges Venus or a bit bigger yes fragmentation I thought I was looking at a falling star at first. It shot across at a steep angle and the grew brighter and then fragmented and then disappeared. There was no sound.

- Lunar Meteorite Hunters.