Global Disasters / Significant Events – March 26, 2015

Deadly tornadoes strike Arkansas and Oklahoma

A powerful storm system generated eight tornadoes (SPC confirmed 7 twisters) striking Arkansas and Oklahoma on Wednesday, killing at least one person, injuring several others and causing EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN MOBILE HOME PARK NEAR HIGHWAY 51 AND 145 WEST AVENUE, according to reports received by Storm Prediction Center (SPC).

Another tornado swept through Sand Springs, Tulsa, damaging up to 100 buildings, while another twister in Moore, Oklahoma, damaged scores of buildings, tossing and overturning many cars and trucks, according to local reports.

Other tornadoes were reported in Cleveland and Cherokee counties, OK, while Arkansas reported at least 3 twisters in Benton, Madison and Carroll counties.

• GOLF BALL TO TENNIS BALL SIZE HAIL STRUCK ROCKY BRANCH, ROGERS, BENTON, AR.
• TENNIS BALL SIZED HAIL  AT INTERSTATE 40 AND MORGAN ROAD, CANADIAN COUNTY, OK.
• SOFTBALL HAIL AT CAHNDLER PARK, TULSA, TULSA, OK.

Flash floods plague Chile’s Atacama desert region

Flash floods Chile’s Atacama desert have cut off dozens of communities, leaving tens of  thousands of people without electricity or drinking water and forcing authorities to begin mass evacuations.

Torrential rains  in the Andes have unleashed destructive walls of water and mud down in the valleys below inundating communities.

The mining city of Copiapo (po. 160,000) is inundated, after the river running through it burst its banks, while the state of desert commune of Chañaral (pop. 14,000) has been described as “grave.”

Several people have reportedly lost their lives and dozens of others are missing throughout the region.

Authorities have declared a state of disaster and deployed the military to co-ordinate rescue operations, and reinstate civil order.

The deluge in the north occurs as drought stricken southern Chile struggles with massive forest fires.

Saudi Arabia launches major military operation in Yemen

Saudi Arabia has launched a major military operation, backed by air strikes,  in Yemen against Houthi rebels, according to the Saudi ambassador in the US.

The envoy said Saudi Arabia had acted to “defend the legitimate government” of President Hadi, who fled his palace in Aden on Wednesday.

Explosions were reported in the capital Sanaa and its airport, while officials quoted by AFP news agency said at least 13 had been killed in one neighborhood.

Meantime, a senior Houthi rebel has warned that the Saudi aggression against Yemen  could set off a regional war, media reported.

Other parties that directly benefit from the Saudi aggression in Yemen are a Yemeni affiliate of Islamic State (formerly ISIL), and Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), analysts say.

Continued…