Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global
5.4 Earthquake hits the Samoa Islands.
5.3 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Mauritius-Reunion region.
4.7 Earthquake hits Poland causing a tunnel in a copper mine to collapse, trapping 19 miners 600 metres underground. The incident occurred in the Rudna mine in the western region of Lower Silesia located 400 km southwest of Warsaw. Update: Emergency services have recused all 19 miners.
5.4 Earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.
5.3 Earthquake hits the northern Indian Ocean.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Mauritius - Reunion region.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
Flooding in Ampara, Sri Lanka
Heavy rainfall caused flooding throughout the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.
Thousands of acres of paddy are also affected due to rains in the Ampara district.
Cyclone also damaged thirty one houses in the Polonnaruwa District. Around 15 houses in Medirigiriya, Nagahapura,Senarathpura MInippuragama. and another 15 houses in Lankapura, Kaduriwela East, Batathuna village and one house in Palugasdamana were damaged.
Residents of Peragirigama, Kataragama in Lanka experienced yellow rain!
Tropical Cyclone Dumile has moved away from La Reunion Island and Mauritius.
Tropical Storm Sonamu
As of 12:00 TS Sonamu was located 350 nm east-southeast of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam.
Tropical storm Sonamu is forecast to strike Malaysia on 8 January.
Snowstorm in Akita, Japan
Eight climbers rescued and two are still missing in snowstorm on Mount Chokai on the border of Akita and Yamagata prefectures.
Floods in Rio
Heavy rain has triggered floods in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, leaving whole neighbourhoods strewn with debris.
Floods in the Philippines
At least 130 families have been evacuated in two villages in Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte due to floods caused by incessant rain spawned by tropical depression "Auring,".
Tropical storm Sonamu is forecast to strike the Philippines at about 00:00 GMT on 4 January.
Tropical Cyclone Dumile causes Havoc on Reunion
Thousands of homes on France's Reunion island remain without power after being hit by Indian Ocean Cyclone Dumile. Both of the island's airports closed, and shipping was at a standstill. Winds of up to 180 kilometres per hour (110 miles per hour) and torrential rain caused extensive damage.
Flooding in Narathiwat, Thailand
Heavy rainfall has again flooded Sungai Golok, Waeng and Tak Bai region of Narathiwat province.
Thailand's meteorological centre has warned people to remain ashore over the next 1-2 days due to high waves offshore, of up to 2-3 metres.
Heavy storm in Free State, South Africa
One killed and 105 others injured in a heavy storm in Sasolburg, Free State region of South Africa. The storm and heavy rainfall damaged more than 1,000 houses.
Tropical Cyclone Dumile strikes Reunion with heavy rains and strong winds.
Britain in 2012 experienced its second wettest year since records began in 1910 and extreme rainfall has become more frequent. Persistent wet weather resulted in total rainfall of 1,330.7mm in 2012, just 6.6mm short of the record set in 2000. Preliminary evidence suggests Britain is getting slightly more rain in total and it may be falling in more intense bursts.
