Summary of climate disasters on the planet, August 6 to 12, 2025

The largest wildfire in France in the last 50 years.

The highest danger level at Klyuchevskoy volcano.

Record rainfall in Japan since the beginning of observations.

Dozens dead and missing due to a giant landslide in India.

A fire tornado in Portugal.

Read more about these and other disasters of the past week, from August 6 to 12, 2025, in the summary.

And at the end of the article you will find key information that, behind the alarming news about cataclysms, will help reveal their true causes and possible solutions.

Volcanic activity

Over the past week, volcanoes around the world demonstrated increased activity. 

On August 6, Kilauea in Hawaii continued its series of eruptions. For 12 hours, the volcano ejected lava fountains up to 90 m (295 ft) high. A new crater was formed.

In Hawaii, Kilauea volcano ejected lava fountains

On August 8, Telica volcano in Nicaragua produced 4 explosions in one day, including the ejection of volcanic bombs up to 600 m (1,969 ft) and ash.

The Japanese volcano Shinmoedake on August 10 emitted a smoke plume up to 3 km (1.9 mi) high, triggering a Level 3 alert due to the threat of ashfall: “Do not approach the volcano” — increased activity, dangerous near the volcano, access to the area around it is prohibited.

On the same day, Etna in Italy poured out lava. On the southern slope of the volcano, at an altitude of 3,000 m (9,843 ft), a fissure opened, from which a powerful lava flow gushed.

Klyuchevskoy volcano on Kamchatka on the morning of August 11 emitted an ash column almost 12 km (7.5 mi) high — a red, highest, level of aviation danger was introduced. Because of the ashfall, residents were advised to wear respirators.

Eruption of Klyuchevskoy volcano on Kamchatka accompanied by ash emission, Russia

On the same day, the Mexican volcano Popocatépetl sharply intensified — within one day, 46 eruptions and nearly 11 hours of continuous seismic tremors were registered. The emissions were limited to steam, gases, and a small amount of ash.

Japan

Since August 8, powerful downpours have struck the Japanese island of Kyushu, triggering large-scale floods and landslides — the hardest hit were Kumamoto, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, and Kagoshima prefectures.

Many rivers overflowed their banks, flooding roads and residential neighborhoods. The disaster destroyed bridges and damaged hundreds of homes. In several settlements, residents were completely cut off from the outside world, and more than 1,000 people were evacuated. On several sections of railway, the tracks were damaged, and their restoration, according to preliminary estimates, will take more than a week. Dozens of flights were also canceled.

In the city of Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture, 495 mm (19.5 in) of rain fell in just 12 hours, exceeding the August monthly average of 183 mm (7.2 in) by more than 2.5 times and setting a record for the entire history of observations.

Record rainfall caused a devastating flood in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan

At a car camping site near the cities of Aira and Kirishima, 40 people, including children, were trapped due to rockfalls and fallen trees — all of them were rescued. On a national highway, the roadside collapsed, and two trucks fell into the river beside the road. Two injured drivers were taken to the hospital.

In the city of Aira, a landslide destroyed a residential house: the people inside were trapped. Two people were rescued, one is missing.

An absolute record since the beginning of meteorological observations was recorded on August 11 in Kumamoto Prefecture, where in just 12 hours more than two monthly averages of rainfall fell in some areas: in the city of Tamana — 404.5 mm (15.9 in), with an August monthly average of 163 mm (6.4 in); in the city of Yatsushiro — 365.5 mm (14.4 in), with an August monthly average of 179 mm (7.0 in).

Three people were swept away by raging water flows — they are reported missing.

In the city of Yatsushiro, a woman was found unconscious in a flooded car, and in the town of Kōsa, a car was caught in a landslide: three people were rescued, one is in critical condition.

France

From August 5 to 7, in the Aude department, the historic region of Languedoc in southern France, the largest forest fire in the country in the past half-century occurred. The Prime Minister of France called the event “a catastrophe of unprecedented scale.”

An uncontrolled forest fire approached residential neighborhoods in the Aude department, France

Strong wind, heat, and drought turned the fire in the Corbières mountain range into an unstoppable disaster. In two days, the flames engulfed 16,000 hectares (39,537 acres), destroying or damaging 36 houses and dozens of vehicles in 15 communes. Many people whose homes survived found themselves surrounded by scorched earth and ashes, unable to imagine how to go on living. Thousands of consumers were left without electricity.

For the fight against the fire, forces from all over the country were mobilized: more than 2,100 firefighters, 600 units of equipment, helicopters, and airplanes.

Two local residents were injured by the disaster and were hospitalized, 16 firefighters were poisoned by smoke. 

A woman was trapped by flames in her home and, unfortunately, died.

Portugal

Since August 9, numerous fires have once again engulfed Portugal, one particularly powerful blaze broke out in the municipality of Moimenta da Beira, Viseu District. The fire came dangerously close to several settlements.

In the Alvite area, the flames generated a rare and dangerous phenomenon — a “fire tornado.”

A fire tornado occurred during a wildfire in the Alvite area, municipality of Moimenta da Beira, Viseu District, Portugal

About 500 people were involved in extinguishing the fire, supported by 124 units of equipment and 10 airplanes.

In August of this year, the area burned in Portugal has already exceeded the 2024 figure for the same period by 6 times: as of August 13, 2025, 63,000 ha (155,676 acres) had burned — compared to 10,294 ha (25,435 acres) as of August 31, 2024.

Georgia

On August 9 and 10, torrential rains hit western Georgia, causing large-scale flooding and landslides.

In Batumi, 124 mm (4.9 in) of rainfall fell in two days — almost half of the August monthly average (253 mm / 10.0 in).

The heavy downpour turned the streets of the resort city into rivers: water flooded yards, basements, and the first floors of houses, and both central and internal roads were affected.

In the Khelvachauri District, the rains triggered landslides. Dangerous washouts formed near residential houses, forcing the evacuation of 15 families. In some villages, roads were blocked.

Flooded streets of Batumi after torrential rains, Georgia

India

On August 6, in India, relentless torrential rains struck the mountainous state of Uttarakhand, triggering a series of floods and landslides.

In the village of Kotla, the entire drinking water supply system failed. The situation was aggravated by mass power outages and disruptions in mobile communication. Rescue services were forced to work under conditions of constant downpours and new landslides threatening areas already affected.

The Western Nayar River overflowed its banks and destroyed a vital bridge that connected villages with the district center in Pauri Garhwal district.

And the collapse of the Kalgarhi bridge on National Highway 121 left many villages deep inland completely isolated.

The Indian state of Uttarakhand suffered from a severe flood

In Pauri Garhwal district, in the village of Bankura, two fatalities were recorded, and five workers were swept away by a powerful water flow — they are reported missing.

A day earlier, on August 5, in Uttarkashi district, due to extremely heavy rainfall, the Khir Ganga River suddenly overflowed its banks. A wall of water, mud, and stones rushed down the mountainside, sweeping away everything in its path.

In the tourist village of Dharali, which is a stopover point for Hindu pilgrims, the powerful torrent destroyed dozens of residential houses, demolished shops, hotels, and roads.

Mud and debris carried by the massive wave blocked part of the Bhagirathi River, creating an artificial lake that flooded vast areas, including a government helipad.

Flood in the Indian state of Uttarakhand: the Khir Ganga River overflowed its banks, destroying the village of Dharali

According to official data, 6 people died, more than 60 are reported missing. According to unofficial information, the number of missing may exceed one hundred.

Over the past 10 years, natural disasters in the state of Uttarakhand have claimed almost 3,500 lives. According to studies, since 2010 the region has recorded an increase in the frequency and intensity of downpours, flash floods, and surface runoff, which has already made this state an epicenter of extreme hydrometeorological events.

Türkiye

On August 10, near the city of Sındırgı in Balıkesir Province in western Türkiye, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 occurred. The hypocenter was located at a depth of 11 km (6.8 mi). The seismic event was felt in several provinces, including the country’s largest city, Istanbul.

As of July 12, after the main shock, 879 aftershocks were recorded, 17 of which had a magnitude of 4.0 or higher.

As a result of the earthquake, 16 buildings collapsed, of which 12 were non-residential, and 61 buildings sustained minor damage.

After the collapse of a three-story house, 6 people were trapped under the rubble — unfortunately, one of them died.

Two more people were injured when they entered a mosque building damaged by the earthquake. The upper decorative part of the mihrab collapsed on them. One person later died in the hospital.

After the seismic event, 52 people sought medical assistance. People afraid to return to their homes spent the night in the open air.

Search and rescue operation after the M6.1 earthquake in Balıkesir Province, Türkiye

Mariana Islands

On the same day, August 10, two powerful tremors occurred in the area of the Mariana Islands. Why earthquakes in this zone cause particular concern is shown in the video “On the Edge of Catastrophe.”

The first seismic event, with a magnitude of 6.1, occurred at 14:56 LT, 113 km (70 mi) southeast of the island of Guam at a depth of 16 km (10 mi).

Literally an hour later, at 15:57 LT, it was followed by an aftershock with a magnitude of 5.4, 84 km (52 mi) from the village of Yigo, Guam Island, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi).

Russia

On August 10, a powerful disaster struck the Republic of Dagestan — in some areas, about 80% of the monthly norm of precipitation fell within just a few hours: in Makhachkala from August 10 to 11, 22 mm (0.87 in) of rainfall was recorded, with the August monthly average being 28 mm (1.1 in).

Heavy rains caused chaos on the roads in the Republic of Dagestan, Russia

This led to serious aftermath: roads and courtyards were flooded. Cars were swept away by water flows, and the strong current washed away soil and asphalt in some sections.

In the capital, the city of Makhachkala, electricity was partially cut off, causing elevators and pumps supplying water to homes to stop working.

As a result of heavy rainfall in the Untsukulsky District, powerful rockfalls and mudflows descended from the slopes. Four sections of the republican highway Makhachkala — Buynaksk — Verkhny Gunib were damaged and temporarily closed, including the Gimry tunnel — a key transport artery of the region connecting the mountain areas with the central part of the republic.

Strong wind, a downpour, and hail the size of a quail egg also hit the Gunibsky District, damaging cars, house roofs, and power lines.

The streets of the city of Derbent were submerged. In Kaspiysk, a lightning strike on one of the substations caused an explosion. As a result, the neighboring city of Izberbash was left completely without water supply.

In total, due to the severe weather, 676 electrical substations in the republic were shut down. More than 130,000 residents were left without electricity.

Problems with electricity occurred in the cities of Izberbash, Kaspiysk, Dagestanskiye Ogni, as well as in the Akushinsky, Buynaksky, Gumbetovsky, Karabudakhkentsky, Untsukulsky, and Khasavyurtovsky districts.

China

Extreme rains hit almost half of China — from the Sichuan Basin to the Huanghuai region.

According to the Chief Meteorologist of the Central Meteorological Observatory, this year precipitation in the country has a clear feature: it is unevenly distributed and falls extremely intensively and locally.

Transport collapse on city streets in China after record rainfall

On the night of August 8 in Yuzhong County, Lanzhou Prefecture, Gansu Province, and surrounding areas, downpours caused sudden and extremely destructive floods.

In the Xinglongshan area, a record rainfall for the region was recorded — 220.2 mm (8.7 in). Old residents said that in all their years of life they had never seen such heavy rain.

Raging torrents carried huge masses of mud, sand, and debris onto roads. More than 4,000 people and over 1,300 households were cut off from the outside world.

Catastrophic flood in Yuzhong County, Lanzhou Prefecture, China

In the locality of Maliantan, a landslide occurred, leaving three people missing.

As of August 10, in total, 15 people became victims of the disaster, and the fate of another 28 remains unknown.

On August 6 in Guangdong Province, torrential rains continued.

One of the affected sites was the recently opened Beijiang Water Sports Center in Qingyuan County, which had received an investment of more than $4 million. It opened on August 2, but just three days later it was hit by the disaster — torrential floods washed away part of the facilities.

According to the staff of the center, before the opening the facility had passed a safety inspection, but it was not designed for such a powerful flood.

Record rainfall caused severe flooding in China

On August 7 in the city of Zhengzhou, Henan Province, a red rainstorm warning was declared, even though just a few days earlier the area had been suffering from drought. In some parts of the city, more than 100 mm (3.9 in) of rainfall fell, which not only halted the work of factories, offices, schools, and canceled mass events, but also created a real threat to human life. Pedestrians were swept away by rushing streams of water, and cars were literally floating. One driver recounted that he got stuck in a tunnel, and within just 10 minutes the water had almost reached his car windows. Many people abandoned their vehicles and used ladders to escape the flooded tunnel.

In China, streets flooded after heavy rains 

We see that cataclysms are not just repeating, but escalating, becoming ever more destructive and abnormal.

Nevertheless, there are still many people who do not notice this, continuing to live in illusions, relying on superficial explanations, or becoming absorbed in conspiracy theories. Some simply do not want to believe, some have no access to reliable information, and some receive it in a shortened, fragmented, and often deliberately distorted form.

The world feels that something vast and dangerous is happening, but does not know exactly what it is or why. And without understanding the full picture, it is impossible to grasp the scale of what is unfolding and, most importantly, the causes that are driving this avalanche-like process.

The main problem is that our society does not have a unified, consolidated scientific approach to studying and reporting on the climate crisis. That is why it is crucial for everyone to understand the situation for themselves and share that understanding with those around them.

We would very much like to explain all the causes of what is happening in detail in this article, but as you can understand, it is impossible to do so in just a few minutes. Therefore, we invite you to watch the address by Dr. Egon Cholakian, a representative of the international scientific group ALLATRA.

In this video, the underlying cause-and-effect relationships of what is happening with the planet’s climate are explained in the clearest and most accessible way, so that every person — regardless of education or profession — can understand them.

The world must finally see the full picture: what truly lies at the root of the growing destabilization and climate anomalies, and how all of this is connected to atmospheric processes, environment, and global geodynamic changes.

And most importantly, Dr. Cholakian offers a concrete solution that could be humanity’s last chance to avoid catastrophe.

You can watch the video version of this article here: