Et jordskælv på 7,2 ramte det sydvestlige Haiti den 14. august, ødelæggende den allerede skrøbelige infrastruktur i Grand'Anse; Nippes og de sydlige kommuner. Omkring 7000 hjem blev ødelagt og næsten 5000 bygninger blev beskadiget, deriblandt hospitaler og skoler.
Redningsarbejde blev hæmmet af beskadigede veje og broer og yderligere bestræbelser blev stoppet af oversvømmelser forårsaget af den tropiske storm, Grace. De seneste rapporter registrerer mere end 2200 omkomne og 12200 sårede.
Ida, den 5. mest kraftfulde orkan til at ramme USA skabte kaos ved kysten af Louisiana, efterladende vidtbredte ødelæggelser i større byer såsom New Orleans. Ekstrem vind og regn, faldne træer og oversvømmelser ødelagde den fundamentale infrastruktur. 1 million hjem og forretninger var uden strøm og mere end 600000 mennesker manglede vand. Orkanen forårsagede $50 milliarder totalt i skader.
Mere end 1100 hjem i Nordkorea blev beskadiget, tusinder evakueret, og landbrug og veje skyllet væk efter dage med kraftig regn og oversvømmelser. Autoriteterne forventede en negativ virkning på fødevareforsyninger grundet betydelige skader til afgrøderne.
91 wildfires are now burning across the US triggering states of emergency and mass evacuations. This year, 37,803 fires have burned more than 3 million acres across the United States. During the same period in 2020, 32,059 fires burned a total of 2.1 million acres. Idaho is the state with the biggest number of large fires, however, Oregon has the most acres burned: 554,587 among its 11 fires.
Extreme heat is baking North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska all contain areas of extreme drought. North Dakota and Minnesota, in particular, are experiencing near-record lows in soil moisture, affecting crops.
The Caldor Fire continued to experience unprecedented growth due to extremely dry fuels pushed by the southwest winds in Northern California. Nearly 50,000 acres have been scorched, destroying dozens of homes.
More than 1,100 people were evacuated by sea from the tourist hotspot of Bodrum to escape Turkey's forest fires burning along the Mediterranean coast. In Greece, the fires have forced the evacuation of four villages. The fire was in a mountain forest 30 kilometers (19 miles) east of Patras, Greece's third-largest city. Aided by strong winds, the fire raced down the slopes and threatened seaside villages.
Wildfires also ravaged forests and villages in the Kabyle region of Algeria, covering the mountainous area with thick clouds of smoke. At least 65 people died, including 25 soldiers who were part of the rescue efforts
Most of the wildfires around the world have been triggered by dry conditions, strong winds, and increased lighting strikes. Rather symbolic for a world that is also figuratively on fire as well.
Now to the other extreme of the thermometer, Colorado and Utah got covered in snow just after the hottest couple of months ever. This sudden drop to "winter-like" temperatures in August is far from normal.
Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Argentina, Australia, and South Africa also reported unusually cold temperatures and heavy snow this winter.
All this and more in our SOTT Earth Changes Summary for August 2021: