High-impact of weather and climate events in July 2005



Thunderstorm, lightning, heavy rain, floods, landslides - Austria, Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Romania

People evacuated from a hospital and residents were forced to leave their homes in low-lying areas after the river Salzach overran its banks as a result of heavy rain.

Thousands of people were rendered homeless and about one million marooned by a week of monsoon-driven floods that washed away railway tracks and road bridges. At least 10,000 people were left without shelter as swollen rivers washed away their homes. A tidal surge triggered by a storm in the Bay of Bengal flooded islands off the coast of the country.

Heavy rain and winds forced more than one million people from their homes in south-east China on and killed at least one person. In the worst hit area, power supply was sporadic, water supplies were cut off and floodwaters reached shoulder height after torrential rains.

Landslides and floods killed at least 30 people in the western state of Maharashtra. Dozens more were reported missing.

Severe tropical storm Banyan made landfall on the coast of Japan’s main island, with winds estimated at 250 km/h and torrential rain. Road, sea and air transport systems were disrupted.

Three people were killed and six injured in a windstorm. Telephone, electricity and road systems were disrupted as dozens of trees were uprooted.

The worst floods in half a century killed 20 people and left thousands homeless. Torrential rains swelled rivers, flooded homes and churned up roads. The eastern part of the country was particularly hard hit.

Tropical cyclones - Cuba, Grenada, Haiti, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago

Hurricane Dennis left 16 people dead and US$ 1.4 billion of damage, flattening houses and downing trees and power lines.

Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago
Hurricane Emily battered houses with winds of 160 km/h and flooded roads.

At least 10 people were killed and over 100 reported missing in floods and mudslides triggered by Dennis.

Hurricane Emily destroyed thousands of buildings and drove more than 90,000 people from their homes. At least one person was swept away by floodwaters.

Lightning - USA
At least 14 people were killed and over 100 injured as a result of lightning. Hurricane Dennis destroyed several homes in Atlanta while thunderstorms in south-east Michigan dropped 2.5 cm of water and power was cut to 39000 homes.

Heatwave - Italy, USA

Over one million lives, especially the elderly, were at risk in a heatwave which, it was feared, could be worse than the summer of 2003 when 20,000 people died.

A deadly heat wave killed at least 24 people in the Phoenix, Arizona, area. Temperatures soared past 38¡C in several cities.

Locusts - France
A plague of hundreds of thousands of locusts devoured crops.

Drought - Algeria, France, Morocco, Portugal, Spain
Severe drought affected most of France, especially from the Atlantic Ocean to Paris. North Africa was hit by drought which severely affected grain production. Portugal and Spain suffered their worst drought in 60 years. 97 percent of Portugal was affected. In Spain crops were wrecked and forest fires were sparked. Water restrictions were imposed.

Tornado - United Kingdom
At least 20 people were hurt when a tornado ripped through Birmingham. Many trees were uprooted and roofs and chimneys torn from buildings.

back to top


dust storm


Contact: MeteoWorld Editor - WMO ©2014 Geneva, Switzerland