Weather

When I was about four years old, my dad and I were standing under our garage, mesmerized by a powerful thunderstorm in the neighborhood. During the storm, lightning struck a tree in our yard, and danced across our chain-linked fence! This was so frightening to me that I immediately leaped into my dad’s arms for protection! You too may recall a memorable moment with lightning, a brilliant display of God’s power and glory—but did you know, lightning is a vital aspect to life?

“Pakistan’s PM Nawaz Sharif has called for emergency measures as the death toll from a heatwave in southern Sindh province reached nearly 700.

A severe heat wave in India has killed over 2,300 in the past week as temperatures have climbed above 47 Celsius (116 Fahrenheit) (CNN, June 2, 2015). “Authorities have cancelled doctors’ leave and advised people not to head outside in the middle of the day to avoid the worst of the heat. However for many Indians, staying indoors is not an option. ‘I get headaches, fever sometimes.

“A deluge of rainfall has burst rivers and brought flood warnings to several southern US states, with Texas and Oklahoma the worst hit so far… Parts of Texas saw up to 10 inches (25cm) of rain over a 24-hour period, with more predicted across the region into next week. An official declared it the ‘largest flood in the history of this region’” (BBC, May 25, 2015).

Late last month unusual rains hit Chile’s arid region, causing widespread flooding. “The downpour began… in the Atacama region, home to the world’s most arid desert, and lashed the area for hours, turning riverbeds that had been dry for years into torrents” (AFP, March 26, 2015). “President Michelle Bachelet said the downpour—equivalent to at least 10 times the previously drought-hit region’s average annual rainfall—had caught authorities off-guard.” (ibid.).