October 14, 2018

In case you missed it: Hurricane Michael makes historic landfall; Deadly flooding, mudslides strike Spain, Colombia and Uganda

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather staff writer

October 14, 2018, 4:27:48 AM EDT

Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle as the third strongest hurricane to ever hit the United States this week.

Leading up to Wednesday's landfall at Mexico Beach, Florida, residents prepared their homes and businesses, and thousands evacuated the Panama City Beach area.

The Category 4 hurricane obliterated the Mexico Beach shoreline, ripping structures to shreds.

Rescue personnel perform a search in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael in Mexico Beach, Fla., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

After pummeling Florida, the system moved northward toward Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas and Virginia.

At least 17 people were killed during Michael's rampage, with the death toll expected to rise.

While Michael weakened, it dropped flooding rainfall across the area and strong winds cut power to hundreds of thousands.

Half a foot of rain in western North Carolina prompted water rescues across the area.

Meanwhile, severe thunderstorms spun up at least a dozen tornadoes from Oklahoma to Iowa, as heavy rain sparked flooding in Kansas during the first half of the week.

A tornado ripped through a shopping center in Midwest City, Oklahoma, overturning cars. No injuries were reported.

Deadly flooding swept through a popular tourist island in Spain this week.

Intense rainfall washed over Majorca, an island off the eastern coast of mainland Spain. At least 10 people were killed when flash flooding ensued, according to the BBC.

Roads were turned to rivers, and cars were swept off roadways.

Residents looks at a damaged car after floods hit Sant Llorenc, 60 kilometers (40 miles) east of Mallorca's capital, Palma, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018. (AP Photo/Francisco Ubilla)

Spanish weather authorities reported that 8 inches (20 cm) of rain fell in a matter of hours on Tuesday.

Wildfires raged in Portugal near the nation's capital in what has been an already active season.

Hundreds of firefighters tackled the blaze near Sintra, just outside of Lisbon. Nearly 20 firefighters were injured.

Officials evacuated hundreds from a nearby campsite over the weekend. Unusually hot weather and gusty winds sparked the blaze.

Deadly landslides occurred in the town of Marquetalia, located in central Colombia, and a small mountain town in the district of Bududa in Uganda this week.

According to Reuters, heavy rain resulted in the Colombian landslide, which killed 11 people.

At least 31 people were killed in the Bududa landslide after floodwaters swept mud and debris through the eastern Uganda town, Reuters reported. The town is no stranger to mudslides.

An earthquake rocked Haiti over the weekend, killing at least 15 and injuring more than 300.

The 5.9 magnitude quake struck the northern coast and destroyed multiple structures.

Part of a hospital and school collapsed, according to the Associated Press (AP). A police station in Port-de-Paix was also damaged.

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