A series of tornadoes swept through the state of Alabama last Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction and death. The tornadoes formed from supercell thunderstorms, which later moved eastwards into Georgia. As many as eight tornadoes are believed to have formed, with one tornado reportedly staying on the ground for more an hour, covering a path of 100 miles. At least five people were killed in the town of Ohatchee, in Calhoun County, and many homes and businesses were ruined. Trees were uprooted and 35,000 people across the state were without electricity. The first lady, Jill Biden, postponed a planned trip to the state.
Meanwhile, the east coast of Australia has been affected by widespread historic flooding due to prolonged heavy rainfall. New South Wales and Queensland have been worst affected, with some parts of NSW recording almost 1 metre of rain. This follows the third wettest summer for Australia since 1900. At the height of the flooding last week at least 40,000 people were evacuated, and two people drowned after being trapped in their vehicles. The severe weather has also led to delays in Australia’s vaccination programme against Covid-19.
Finally, parts of the Middle East have been experiencing record-breaking heat. In Mitribah, Kuwait, 44.6C was recorded, the highest temperature the Arabian peninsula has observed in March.