Time and again we have been reminded by nature to be mindful of our activities in the form of climate events like heavy rains, storms, snow, etc. But this year has been extraordinarily different in the sense of extreme weather events across the world.
To put simply, no part of the world could escape the effects of climate change.
1. An extraordinary heatwave swept the west of the US and Canada this summer.
The temperature in the Death Valley of California hit 54.4°C (130F). All heat records were shattered when Lytton in British Columbia recorded a temperature of 49.6°C.
2. Russia suffered its worst heatwave in 142 years as Moscow recorded record high temperatures of 34.8°C.
About 8,00,000 hectares of forest have been destroyed in Russia due to heatwave.
3. Floods in Western Europe have caused severe devastation in Germany, Belgium, and a few other neighbouring countries.
4. Spain was hit by record-breaking cold weather and worst snowstorm in decades in January, this year.
5. Flash floods and landslides from torrential rains killed hundreds and displaced thousands in eastern Indonesia.
6. A cold snap gripped South Korea as it recorded its coldest day in 35 years and the overnight temperatures hit -18.6ºC.
7. In a once in a century event, Texas was hit by a powerful polar vortex leading to record cold temperatures.
There were power outages and electricitty was cut off to millions of people creating a situation of a humanitarian crisis.
8. The skies in Beijing turned orange due to a massive sandstorm. It was hit by 3 sandstorms in five weeks.
This was believed to be the worst sandstorm in decades in Beijing.