The impact of severe weather in 2017
loveEXPLORING staff
04 December 2017
The effect of extreme weather

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From hurricanes to heatwaves, this year has seen plenty of natural disasters, many with severe consequences.
Melting ice, Greenland

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Flickr/CC BY 2.0
Early melt was observed on the Greenland Ice Sheet due to unexpectedly warm temperatures on March 30.
Heatwave in the UK

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People enjoy the three-day public holiday weekend in Brighton on August 28 as the temperature reaches 27°C (81°F). An early summer heatwave across Britain this year saw more than 510 fatalities due to higher-than-average temperatures.
Storms in Germany

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Many trees broken and damaged in a forest near Hauzenberg in Germany after a heavy storm with high winds passed through the Bavarian region in August.
Monsoons in Bangladesh

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After a monsoon in July, heavy rain water mixed with industrial chemicals and filled the streets of Old Dhaka in Bangladesh. Due to a lack of industrial waste management, liquid waste is often discharged into bodies of water nearby, resulting in water pollution and affecting agricultural soil. At least 1,200 people died after the monsoons, which left two-thirds of Bangladesh underwater.
Extreme heat in Indonesia

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A freshly-scorched landscape in Pekanbaru, Indonesia in August, after a fire caused by hot temperatures and lack of rain.
Hurricane Harvey, USA

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A home near Orange, Southeast Texas is surrounded by floodwater after torrential rains caused by Hurricane Harvey on August 31.
Hurricane Harvey, USA

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This aerial photo taken on September 1 shows an abandoned and flooded car in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas. Over 30,000 people were left needing temporary shelter and 82 people have died in the disaster.
Hurricane Harvey, USA

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Aerial image of a flooded residential area shows the scale of floods in Beaumont, Texas after Hurricane Harvey on September 1. It caused $180 billion (£134bn)-worth of damage, more than any other natural disaster in US history.
Hurricane Irma, USA

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A sailing boat is found mangled among trees after Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys in September with winds of 130 miles per hour, killing at least 25.
Hurricane Irma in St Maarten

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The scale of the damage to the port and buildings captured on September 6, after Hurricane Irma hit the Caribbean country of St Maarten. The famous airport was flattened by winds of up to 180mph.
Hurricane Irma in St Martin

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People walk past boats that were smashed and damaged at Marigot shipyard on September 16, after Hurricane Irma hit the French Caribbean country of St Martin.
Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico
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A man rides his bicycle on a road heavily damaged by Hurricane Maria in Toa Alta, Puerto Rico on September 24. The whole of the 3.5 million population was without power and rivers burst their banks, leaving buildings flattened.
Flash floods in Mandra, Greece

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A local rescues a dog and cat after heavy rainfall and flash floods in Greece in November. At least 15 were killed as the Greek capital turned into rivers of mud.
Typhoon Damrey, Vietnam

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This boat was washed up on the shores of Vietnam after Typhoon Damrey made landfall in November. The storm destroyed homes and businesses along the coast.
Wildfires in California

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An estimated 50,000 people were evacuated from the Coffey Park neighbourhood in California when 12 wildfires spread through properties in October, leaving homes as empty shells.
Earthquake, Mexico City

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Rescuers search for survivors amoung rubble left behind after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico City on September 23. There were more than 260 aftershocks, which affected around 500 million of the 120 million population.
Storm Doris, UK

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On 22 February, Storm Doris hit the UK with huge force. With gales of up to 80mph this tree just couldn't withstand the brunt of the storm. The storm left one dead, due to falling debris, and several others injured.
Toronto Islands Flooding

Daniel Williams/Flickr
A man sits on a park bench amid rising flood waters on Toronto Islands this spring. The island cluster was actually created as a result of a storm in 1858, and severe weather still affects the area now. The area reopened to the public after being closed for three months. The floods cost the islands around CA$4.9 million (US$3.9m/£2.9m).
Storm Stella in New York, USA

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A truck drives through Storm Stella, which hammered the city of New York on March 14. With blizzard-like conditions, including poor visibility and high winds, around 100,000 homes lost power.
Drought in Cape Town, South Africa

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The Theeswaterskloof Dam (pictured) in Cape Town, South Africa is running dry after the city has suffered the worst drought in decades due to replenishing rainfalls becoming less and less frequent.
Avalanche in Pescara, Italy

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A man rides through the debris of the avalanche that struck Pescara, Italy in January. The collapsed snow buried a popular hotel, killing 35 holidaymakers.
British Columbia wildfires

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Smoke fills the sky in Alberta, Canada after over 200 wildfires broke out in July. Over 3,000 people were evacuated and a state of emergency was declared.
Mudslide in Sierra Leone

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On the morning of August 14, after three days of torrential rain, devastating mudslides occurred in Sierra Leone, wiping out entire villages. Low-cost homes have now been built to house the affected people
Arizona flash floods

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In July, nine people died after being swept away by flash floods in Arizona caused by heavy rains. The floods left behind an avalanche of mud and carried trees and debris with it.
Cyclone Dineo

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Cyclone Dineo swept through Mozambique at the beginning of the year, causing structural damage due to high winds. Dineo also flooded much of the country’s drought-stricken areas, putting paid to crops growing there. The storm left at least seven dead and destroyed thousands of home. Officials also reported fallen power lines and blocked roads.
Mocoa landslide, Colombia

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Regarded as the third deadliest weather disaster in Colombian history, the April landslide in Mocoa flattened poorly-constructed homes and left large portions of the city deep in mud.
Forest Fires in Bormes les Mimosas, France

Chris Wright/Flickr
For two days in late July, residents of Bormes les Mimosas, France, had to sleep on the beach while forest fires raged in the hills. Firefighters fought day and night, with the fires eventually put out on July 27. Over 3,000 hectares of land were destroyed and more than 10,000 residents and holidaymakers were evacuated.
Flooding in Istanbul, Turkey

Murat Sengul/Flickr
Two women are surrounded by rubble and heavy traffic as they shelter from the excessive rains in Istanbul, Turkey. Traffic and public transport was paralysed, over 150 buildings were damaged and a large number of vehicles were swept away. There were no reports of casualties
Coastal storms, Guardmer del Segura, Spain

Alex Tihonovs/Shutterstock
Beachfront houses in Spain are reduced to rubble after storms swept in and washed them away. The wind and rain caused the houses on Playas Babilonia to collapse, and a sinkhole to form in the road that provides access to the area.
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