DEVIL TORNADO - Once in 10 lifetimes' event!!

Literally setting the world on fire!!...

An awe-struck filmmaker has told of the moment he witnessed one of nature's rarest phenomena - a fire tornado.
A fire tornado, also know as a fire devil, is caused when a column of warm, rising air comes into contact - or causes - a fire on the ground.

These fire whirls are known to last for around two minutes on the very rare occasions they take place.

Chris Tangey had been out in Alice Springs, Australia, scouting locations for a new movie.

Just 300 metres away was a 30-metre high fire swirl which "sounded like a fighter jet", despite there being no wind in the area.

The 52-year-old said: "The weather was perfectly still and it was about 25 degrees celsius - it was an entirely uneventful day.

"Then the next thing a man is yelling 'what the hell is that?' and I turned around and saw a 30-metre fire tornado.

"I was about 300 metres away and there was no wind but the tornado sounded just like a fighter jet. My jaw just dropped."

Chris, who runs Alice Springs Film and Television, in Australia, described it as a "once in ten lifetimes experience".





 
 

Latest photo- Stormy weather!

Heat wave!!

We're still feeling the chill here, but there have been some areas of Australia experiencing heat waves. And... this natural hazard is getting more and more common.

Find out one reason why in Emma and Hollie's powerpoint for more information.

Christchurch Earthquake, New Zealand

In February 2011 a devastating earthquake hit the second largest city of New Zealand, Christchurch. The earthquake was measured 6.3 on the Richter Scale and killed 185 people. 1500 – 2000 people were injured with 164 serious injuries.

See Rachel's powerpoint giving more information about what happened.

Wild Winds Hit Sydney!!

Boats were blown on shore at Little Manly Beach, roofs were ripped off and planes at Sydney airport were delayed as Sydney was hit by strong winds on Friday.
The winds reached as high as 106km/h on Sydney Harbour, the strongest gusts in at least six years. And they reached 111km/h at the highly exposed station of Wattamolla in the Royal National Park.



Sydney and Wollongong, in the Illawarra region of NSW, were the worst hit. The electricity network Ausgrid electricity said winds had left Sydney homes and businesses without power.
Check out the synoptic chart below to explain what's been going on!
The SOUTHERLY WIND (blue arrow from the south) explains the cold temperatures from Antarctica.
The LOW PRESSURE (off the east coast) explains the rainfall.

Philippines swamped by flood waters

Storms, including Typhoon Haikui have pummelled Western Asia-Pacific, triggering floods.
This video from BBC Weather describes the reasons behind these events:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features/19178740

At least 19 people have died in severe floods in the Philippine capital, Manila, and nearby areas as a result of intense, heavy rainfall over recent days. The capital city of Manila got 504 millimeters (about 20 inches) of rain on Tuesday.

BBC News Video Report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-19160563

More than 80,000 people are being looked after in emergency shelters, with torrential rain leaving low-lying areas underwater.

BBC News Video Report: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19178288

Rescuers are using rubber boats to reach stranded people, but some have refused to leave amid fears of looting.

Fuelled by seasonal monsoon rains and a nearby tropical storm, widespread flooding in the Philippines worsened on Tuesday, killing at least 11 people, the national disaster agency reported.

A landslide in the Manila suburb of Quezon City buried two houses, leaving nine people dead and four others injured, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Centre. Three of the dead were children, the state-run Philippines News Agency reported.

Click on the links for a selection of images from recent days showing the impact on people and the environment from Reuters and The Daily Mail

CNN Video report:

The worst hit parts of Manila were mostly the poorest districts, where millions of slum dwellers have built homes along riverbanks and other areas susceptible to flooding. Residents of low-lying slums fled the huge shantytowns, lining Manila's rivers and sewers for the safety of schools, gymnasiums and government buildings as the downpour generated by seasonal monsoons struck overnight.

About 80 per cent of Manila, a sprawling metropolis of about 12 million people, remained inundated on Wednesday, Benito Ramos, head of the national disaster agency, told Reuters news agency.

Tectonic Activity and Hazards - Revision and Quizzes and other Fun stuff!

Check out where the most recent earthquakes and volcanoes are, and test your knowledge with the links below.US Geological Survey - Check out where is shaking and erupting right now! http://www.usgs.gov/

Forces of Nature – set off your own earthquake or volcano!! http://www.nationalgeographic.com/forcesofnature/

Tectonics HoopShoot and other games!
http://www.games4geog.com/earthquakesvolcanoes.html

Earthquakes, volcanoes and tectonics quiz!
http://www.geography4kids.com/activities.html