‘I’ve been telling you, watch the weather. Every day the weather is getting worse and worse. The White meteorologists cannot tell you what the weather’s going to be; but my teacher told me. Who’s your teacher, Farrakhan? My teacher is the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad. Without him and the Great Mahdi, I wouldn’t be here, but he told me there are two of us backing you up: Allah and myself.’ —The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan,
“The Man Jesus and How Not To Fall Into Idolatry,” July 21, 2019
Typhoon Ragasa, the strongest storm of the year
TAIPEI, Taiwan—Known as the strongest storm of the year in the world, Typhoon Ragasa churned through parts of the Western Pacific and slammed into southern China, whipping massive waves, triggering floods and leaving at least 27 dead in its wake in Taiwan and the Philippines.
The typhoon was moving West across southern China toward Vietnam after touching down on Hailing Island in southern Guangdong province on Sept. 24 afternoon. It earlier registered maximum gusts of 150 mph in the city of Jiangmen.
As it formed over Micronesia in the Western Pacific earlier this month, Ragasa rolled over unusually warm ocean waters, gathering strength. By Sept. 22, it had been labeled a super typhoon, packing maximum sustained winds of 165 mph.
Damaging storms hit Oklahoma
SALLISAW, Okla.—Storms carrying heavy rain and damaging winds ripped part of the roof off a hospital in eastern Oklahoma on Sept. 23, forcing some patients to be evacuated, according to county officials.
The Northeastern Health System hospital in Sallisaw had to evacuate around nine patients after a small section of its roof was peeled off, leaving part of the facility soaked, said Brad Taylor, Sequoyah County’s Emergency Management director. No injuries had been reported, he said.
Severe storms hit parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas on Sept. 22, with rainfall rates as high as two inches per hour in west-central Arkansas and LeFlore County, Oklahoma, according to the National Weather Service.
Residents of San Francisco Bay Area jolted awake by 4.3 magnitude earthquake
BERKELEY, Calif.—Residents across the San Francisco Bay Area were jolted awake early Sept. 22 by a moderate earthquake that was felt widely across the region.
The 4.3 magnitude quake hit shortly before 3 a.m. just east-southeast of Berkeley, across the bay from San Francisco, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, or USGS.
No injuries or major damage was reported, but some businesses said windows were broken and merchandise tumbled from shelves.
“Things were shaking in our newsroom,” posted Dave Clark, a news anchor for KTVU-TV. “It caught everyone off guard.”
Bay Area Rapid Transit trains ran with delays for several hours as crews made safety inspections of the tracks systemwide. BART said trains returned to regular service around midday.
People reported feeling shaking as far away as Salinas, about 100 miles to the South, according to media reports.
Sudden heavy rain in Southern California unleashes mudslides
YUCAIPA, Calif.—Sudden heavy rain East of Los Angeles unleashed mudslides that plowed into homes and trapped drivers for hours on roadways while floodwaters swept away a vehicle carrying a father who was later rescued and his two-year-old son who drowned, authorities said Sept. 19.
Authorities rescued 10 people traveling in at least six vehicles who were stranded on state Route 38 in the area of Jenks Lake, near the San Bernardino National Forest, the fire district said.
The route is narrow and winds through towering trees, curving back and forth up the mountainside and linking cities East of Los Angeles with the resort town of Big Bear Lake.
The mudslides affected the tiny mountain communities of Forest Falls, Oak Glen and Potato Canyon, the county’s fire protection district said in a statement. One home in Forest Falls had giant tree trunks flung in its yard and piled so high they reached the roof.
Heavy rains cause power outages and force widespread closures in the U.S. Virgin Islands
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico—Heavy rains forced the closure of schools, businesses and government agencies in the U.S. Virgin Islands on Sept. 18.
A widespread power outage also was reported in St. John and St. Thomas.
Forecasters warned of flooding, landslides and dangerous river surges across the U.S. Virgin Islands and in parts of neighboring Puerto Rico.
The National Weather Service said a tropical wave combined with a nearby trough, which is an area of relatively low pressure, was to blame for the heavy rains.
The rough weather was not associated with Tropical Storm Gabrielle, which was approaching the Caribbean but is expected to remain over open water.
Sudden deluge of rain floods some streets and halts air and rail traffic in Tokyo
TOKYO—Heavy rain flooded some streets and halted rail and air traffic in Tokyo on Sept. 18.
Twelve centimeters (4.7 inches) of rain fell in just one hour in the capital, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Air traffic control and other ground services at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport were halted because of lightning, preventing aircraft from taking off. Railway operations were also temporarily suspended, including the bullet train and other lines in the region.
Across Tokyo, the rainstorm flooded streets and some social media users reported seeing hail. According to the Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, more than 7,000 homes in Tokyo were without power at one point. By late Sept. 18 power had been restored to most of them.
Authorities warned of more thunderstorms overnight and urged residents to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and monitor weather updates.
(Compiled from Associated Press reports.)