Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Super Typhoon (ts) 31w (Yutu), located approximately 391 nm west-northwest of Navsta, Guam, is tracking westward at 13 knots.

NewsBytes:

Jordan - At least 18 people have been killed in flash floods near the Dead Sea in Jordan, most of them in a bus that was swept away. The bus was carrying 37 pupils and seven members of staff to the Zara Maeen hot springs area when it was washed away, officials said.

Turkey - Turkey's state-run news agency says six migrants have drowned after being swept away by floodwaters as they tried to illegally cross into Turkey from Syria. Anadolu Agency said paramilitary police and rescuers recovered the bodies of six people Thursday near the border town of Yayladagi, in Hatay province, following severe flooding.

Russia - Floods have left two people dead and two others injured along with one missing in the Tuapse district of the Krasnodar Region, parts of which were hammered by severe storms.

Kenya - A nightlong downpour has flooded parts of Mombasa city, causing huge traffic snarl-ups. The heavy rains, which started on Wednesday night, have caused flooding and poor visibility. Motorists struggled to steer vehicles through flooded roads on Thursday morning. Some residents had to wade through flooded sections of the roads.

Island Vanishes

One of the most powerful Pacific hurricanes on record obliterated a remote Hawaiian island, causing an important turtle nesting site to disappear in early October.

Former Category-5 Hurricane Walaka was still packing Category-3 force just before it struck the remote French Frigate Shoals, about 400 miles northwest of the main Hawaiian Island of Kauai.

Storm surge wiped out East Island, which is a critical habitat for green sea turtles, monk seals and various types of sea birds.

University of Hawaii researchers who were studying the wildlife were forced to evacuate the island before Walaka struck.