Severe thunderstorms have battered parts of the US this week as the storm season reaches its climatological peak. The outbreak began last Friday, with Kentucky and Missouri worst affected.
Powerful tornadoes associated with supercell thunderstorms whipped across swaths of the midwest, resulting in 25 deaths. One tornado tore through St Louis, killing seven people.
Further rounds of severe thunderstorms struck farther west in Oklahoma and Kansas over the subsequent days, moving eastwards over the course of the week. One tornado narrowly missed the city of Greensburg, Kansas, which had previously been devastated by an EF5 tornado – the highest rating – in 2007.
Strong tornadoes and hailstones more than 10cm (4in) in diameter were reported early this week. Further severe thunderstorms are likely over the coming days across the region but are unlikely to be as severe or widespread.
Meanwhile, remote parts of south-east Australia have been inundated with torrential rain and floods caused by a slow-moving area of low pressure lingering on the coast of New South Wales. Rainfall totals of 300-500mm have been widely recorded, with a further 200mm expected in places by the end of Friday.
As a result, rivers have reached unprecedented levels, with the Manning in Taree rising to 6.3 metres – breaking a record set in 1929. The floods have killed three people, and more than 50,000 residents have been told to evacuate with heavy rains expected to continue over the coming days.
More than 100 schools have closed, and the New South Wales state emergency service has responded to more than 500 rescues since the flooding began, including dozens via helicopter from rooftops.
Flooding has also affected south-eastern France, resulting in the deaths of three people. Torrential downpours and thunderstorms struck the French Riviera early this week, and one storm dumped more than 250mm of rain in an hour in the town of Le Lavandou.
Rapid flooding caught many by surprise as water levels swelled quickly when the storms hit. The force of the water has damaged roads and bridges and disrupted water and power supplies.
