Karmactive Staff
7:30 PM GMT – 01/07/2025
‘Bomb Cyclone’ Batters Australia’s East Coast, Forcing Evacuations
A powerful “bomb cyclone” is lashing Australia’s east coast with up to 250mm of rain, winds reaching 125kmph (78mph), and dangerous 7-meter swells, prompting authorities to tell coastal residents to “evacuate now.” The severe weather has disrupted transportation with Sydney Airport operating on a single runway, dozens of canceled flights, suspended train services, and over 20 road closures across New South Wales, while approximately 30,000 customers are without electricity. More than 1,200 State Emergency Service volunteers have responded to over 1,000 calls for help as the low-pressure system is expected to shift offshore into the Tasman Sea on Wednesday, with conditions gradually easing by Thursday.
6:35 PM GMT – 01/07/2025
Relentless rainfall across China’s southern and central provinces has triggered severe flooding, forcing more than 80,000 residents to evacuate, with Guizhou and Guangxi provinces among the worst-hit regions. In Rongjiang district of Guizhou province, over 40,000 residents were urgently evacuated by Saturday evening as the area was submerged for the second time in a week, while neighboring provinces like Chongqing and Hunan reported alarming water levels rising more than two meters above safety thresholds. The floods have transformed city streets into canals, swept away vehicles, collapsed bridges, and overwhelmed drainage systems, highlighting concerns about climate volatility and inadequate urban planning in flood-prone zones.
4:35 PM GMT – 01/07/2025
Hurricane Flossie Intensifies Off Mexico’s Pacific Coast
Hurricane Flossie has strengthened to a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 kph) off Mexico’s Pacific coast, with forecasters warning it could become a major hurricane by Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Located 150 miles (245 kilometers) southwest of Manzanillo, the hurricane is moving northwest at 10 mph (17 kph) and is expected to move away from southwestern Mexico’s coast by Tuesday night. Heavy rainfall of up to 6 inches is anticipated across several Mexican states, raising concerns about potential flooding and mudslides in the affected regions.
2:01 PM GMT – 01/07/2025
The Green Climate Fund has approved a $36.1 million grant to help Nepal reduce the growing threat of glacial lake outburst floods in the Himalayas, shifting the country’s approach from post-disaster response to prevention. The seven-year project, led by Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology in partnership with UNDP, will benefit approximately 2.3 million people through expanded early warning systems, water level reduction in four high-risk glacial lakes, and strengthened infrastructure including reforestation of over 150 hectares. With Himalayan glaciers melting at an accelerating rate and Nepal having more than 2,000 glacial lakes (21 considered potentially dangerous), this initiative represents a critical investment in protecting vulnerable mountain communities against one of the region’s most pressing climate risks.
10:30 AM GMT – 01/07/2025
At least nine people have died and tens of thousands have been displaced as heavy flooding sweeps through central and southern China, with more rainfall expected according to state media. The worst-hit provinces include Henan, Hubei, and Guizhou, where overflowing rivers have inundated city streets, residential areas, and commercial centers, with at least eight people still missing. Flash flood warnings have also been issued for Inner Mongolia in the north and Hainan province in the south, while concerns persist about how rapid urban development may have worsened flooding impacts across the affected regions.
