OMM Newsroom
People across several continents faced destructive weather and natural disasters during the week, AnewZ reported. Typhoon Champi struck Taiwan, an earthquake hit Tibet, and storms and floods affected Europe and Latin America.
Typhoon in Taiwan, earthquake in Tibet
Typhoon Champi prompted widespread restrictions in Taiwan on Friday, October 23. Strong winds and torrential rain left one person dead and 171 injured. More than 2,600 residents were evacuated from mountainous areas.
More than 77,000 homes lost electricity. Authorities cancelled all 262 domestic and 717 international flights. Wind speeds reached about 191 kph. The storm was forecast to pass close to northeastern Taiwan before moving towards southern Japan.
A magnitude-7 earthquake struck Tibet in southwestern China on Thursday, October 22, killing 16 people and injuring 65. More than 12,000 residents were relocated, while more than 300 police officers were deployed for rescue and relief work in Nagqu.
Authorities recorded 413 aftershocks following the earthquake. It was the strongest earthquake in China since January 2024. President Xi Jinping called for a large-scale rescue operation, treatment for the injured and urgent assistance to affected communities.
Flooding in Europe and Latin America
At least four people died after severe storms and flooding in southern France. Dozens of residents in towns between Montpellier and Marseille were moved to emergency shelters. Floodwaters disrupted highways and rail services. Forecasters expected conditions to improve in the south, although Storm Austen was forecast to bring strong winds to northwestern France between Thursday and Friday.
Heavy rain and severe flooding caused by Storm Adam killed at least three people in eastern Spain and forced more than 2,000 residents to leave their homes. Helicopters evacuated people stranded on rooftops. Emergency teams carried out about 100 rescue operations in Valencia and Alicante.
Some parts of Alicante province received more than 600 millimeters of rain in just 36 hours. Several towns were cut off and transport services were disrupted. The storm was expected to move towards Catalonia, bringing the risk of further torrential rain.
Strengthening storms linked to El Niño have caused destructive flooding and extreme weather in parts of Latin America. Rising water levels along the Paraná River in Paraguay affected about 4,200 families. One woman died when her home collapsed.
Flooding killed two farm workers in Argentina. Coastal communities in Mexico experienced large waves, while severe weather was reported in Peru. UN officials warned that El Niño could raise Pacific Ocean temperatures to unusually high levels and increase the risk of further floods and droughts in the coming months.
