US storms: 43 dead, states of emergencies called as tornadoes, floods thrash southern US

At least 43 people have been killed after storms across the US’s southern states unleashed floods and tornadoes, flattening buildings and snarling transportation for millions during a busy travel time. The bad weather, or the threat of it, prompted the governors of Missouri and New Mexico to declare states of emergency. Flash floods killed at least 13 people in Missouri and Illinois, while at least 11 people were killed by tornadoes in the Dallas area of Texas. The Texas tornadoes packed strong winds, including one recording gusts of up to 322 kilometres per hour…

More than 100 homes destroyed in Australian bushfires

Massive bushfires in southern Australia burned down more than a hundred homes on Christmas Day, and continued to rage out of control on Saturday (December 26). The flames, sparked by lightning and fanned by hot summer winds, have already devoured more than 2,000 hectares, and ripped through a stretch of coastline popular with tourists. Great Ocean Road, southwest of Melbourne, is known for its beautiful beaches and striking rock formations offshore. It was closed to traffic on Saturday, when this would typically be one of its busiest times of the year. Hundreds of firefighters spent Christmas Day battling the blaze, and one local resident described its aftermath as “apocalyptic”. However, no deaths or injuries were reported…

Bushfire in Australia: understanding ‘hell on Earth’

A bushfire is one of the most terrifying natural phenomena that anyone is likely to experience in Australia. To be caught in a bushfire is to witness a true hell on earth — conditions hot enough to melt metal, heat fluxes that literally vaporise vegetation, and smoke plumes so dense they turn day into night…