Destruction as massive cyclones hit Australia
Source: AFP
Yeppoon (Australia) (AFP) - Two powerful cyclones pounded Australia Friday, leaving a trail of destruction with houses ripped apart, trees uprooted and electricity cut to thousands of people, but authorities expressed relief there were no fatalities.
Tropical Cyclone Marcia, a top-rating category five storm, slammed into the Queensland coast just after 2200 GMT Thursday with its landfall coming just hours after Cyclone Lam hit further north.
The category four Lam caused extensive damage to remote Aboriginal communities near Elcho Island, some 500 kilometres (310 miles) east of the Northern Territory capital Darwin, including Milingimbi, Ramingining, and Gapuwiyak.
Meanwhile, howling winds and torrential rain had residents hunkering down to wait out the terrifying conditions whipped up by Marcia which landed near Shoalwater Bay, a town of 16,000 people some 670 kilometres north of Brisbane.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/massive-approaching-cyclone-calamity-australian-officials-210203829.html
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)bemildred
(90,061 posts)Jerusalem (AFP) - Snow blanketed much of Israel, Jordan and Lebanon early on Friday, with many residents urged to stay in their homes because of blocked or icy roads.
People in Jerusalem woke up to around 25 centimetres of snow after the second major blizzard of winter swept across the hilltop Holy City.
In January, 10-15 centimetres fell, media reported.
Schools closed for the day on Friday and urban bus services were limited.
http://news.yahoo.com/warnings-blizzards-sweep-across-middle-east-110300793.html
davidpdx
(22,000 posts)Yikes, that is scary shit.
Meanwhile, I've got everything blooming in the middle of Winter. I live in Los Angeles. We used to have a decent cold Winter, it would freeze a few times and the annuals would die. Spring is in March or so. Now they get so confused about the time of year they bloom in January. I have an orange tree going nuts right now that ought to be waiting for March or April. And half the time there are no pollinators, so I get a lot of fruits with no seeds. This is kind of new, I think this year is going to get even stranger before it's done ...
But my lizards are happy, lots of bugs to eat.