Canada: Near-Zero Visibility as Blizzard Hits Southern Manitoba

A fast-moving winter storm brought blizzard conditions to southern Manitoba, with winds up to 90 km/h and heavy blowing snow forcing highway and school closures, stranding drivers, and disrupting flights and essential services on Thursday, December 18. RCMP strongly discouraged travel as near-zero visibility led to multiple crashes and vehicles stuck on rural roads, while snowfall totals ranged from 8 cm in Winnipeg to nearly 19 cm in some areas. Conditions were further complicated by power outages and widespread delays as the storm swept across the Prairies.

Japan: M7.5 Quake Hits Off Aomori Prefecture, Tsunami Warning Issued

A powerful Magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck offshore at 11:15 PM in Japan, leading to immediate tsunami warnings and evacuation orders for residents. Warnings for waves up to 3 meters (10 ft) were issued for the north-eastern coast, specifically the prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate. Tsunamis between 20 and 50 cm (7-18 inches) high were subsequently observed at several ports in the region. Furthermore, authorities are cautioning the public that "there is a possibility of even more powerful tremors." They also urged attention be paid to the potential for a larger subsequent earthquake.

Japan: Record Snowfall Batters Hokkaido

Heavy snowfall has been battering Hokkaido. In Iwamizawa City, the snow accumulation from December 11, when the snow began, to 8:00 p.m. on December 18 reached a record-breaking 176 cm.

Russian regions fight flood as water levels remain high

STORY: Russian regions fight flood as water levels remain high SHOOTING TIME: April 16-18, 2024 DATELINE: April 19, 2024 LENGTH: 00:03:02 LOCATION: Moscow CATEGORY: SOCIETY/ENVIRONMENT SHOTLIST: (Source: Emercom of Russia) 1. various of affected areas and rescue efforts STORYLINE: Russia's Kurgan and Tyumen regions have evacuated more than 15,000 people as of Thursday due to flooding threat as water levels are forecast to continue rising in the coming days. In the Kurgan region, the water level of the Tobol River keeps rising, the Ministry of Emergency Situations said Thursday, adding that in the regional center, the level has reached around 970 cm, surpassing the dangerous mark. Almost 14,000 people have been evacuated, with 2,090 residential buildings and 3,380 country houses flooded, data from the regional department of emergency situations showed Thursday. The water in the Tobol River near Kurgan will continue to rise in the next one to two days, the department said. In the neighboring Tyumen re

Illustration STAR CM

Illustration STAR CM

SUQIAN, CHINA - AUGUST 18, 2023 - Illustration STAR CM, August 18, 2023, Suqian city, Jiangsu Province, China.

Illustration STAR CM

Illustration STAR CM

SUQIAN, CHINA - AUGUST 18, 2023 - Illustration STAR CM, August 18, 2023, Suqian city, Jiangsu Province, China.

Illustration STAR CM

Illustration STAR CM

SUQIAN, CHINA - AUGUST 18, 2023 - Illustration STAR CM, August 18, 2023, Suqian city, Jiangsu Province, China.

Snowcapped Nagoya Castle amid heaviest snowfall in 9 years

Snowcapped Nagoya Castle amid heaviest snowfall in 9 years

NAGOYA, Japan - Visitors walk toward a snowcapped Nagoya Castle on Dec. 18, 2014, as snowfall in the central Japan city of Nagoya reached 23 centimeters, topping the 20 cm line for the first time since December 2005.

Nagoya hit by record snowfall

Nagoya hit by record snowfall

NAGOYA, Japan - Photo taken on Dec. 18, 2014, shows Nagoya Castle covered with snow in the central Japan city of Nagoya. Snow accumulation there reached 23 centimeters, topping the 20 cm line for the first time since December 2005, causing traffic disturbance.

Nagoya hit by record snowfall

Nagoya hit by record snowfall

NAGOYA, Japan - Photo taken on Dec. 18, 2014, shows Nagoya TV Tower and the surrounding area in the central Japan city of Nagoya, covered with snow. Snow accumulation there reached 23 centimeters, topping the 20 cm line for the first time since December 2005, causing traffic disturbance.

Nikon's 3-D photoframe

Nikon's 3-D photoframe

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Nikon Corp.'s NF-300i digital picture frame, which enables users to see 3-D images of their photographs with the naked eye through an online image-processing service. Nikon said Oct. 26, 2010 that it will start the members-only service in early December to convert photos into 3-D images for the device, which measures 16 centimeters high and 18 cm wide.

Nikon's 3-D photoframe

Nikon's 3-D photoframe

TOKYO, Japan - Photo shows Nikon Corp.'s NF-300i digital picture frame, which enables users to see 3-D images of their photographs with the naked eye through an online image-processing service. Nikon said Oct. 26, 2010 that it will start the members-only service in early December to convert photos into 3-D images for the device, which measures 16 centimeters high and 18 cm wide. (Kyodo)

Snowcapped Nagoya Castle amid heaviest snowfall in 9 years

Snowcapped Nagoya Castle amid heaviest snowfall in 9 years

NAGOYA, Japan - Visitors walk toward a snowcapped Nagoya Castle on Dec. 18, 2014, as snowfall in the central Japan city of Nagoya reached 23 centimeters, topping the 20 cm line for the first time since December 2005. (Kyodo)