Weekly wrap-up: Life-threatening smog engulfs New Delhi; NOAA declares La Niña ahead of winter
The strongest typhoon to make landfall in southern Vietnam in 16 years killed at least 106 people this week with another 200 missing.
Typhoon Damrey made landfall in southern Vietnam, near Nha Trang, with the equivalent strength of a Category 2 hurricane in the eastern Pacific or Atlantic oceans.
More than 80,000 homes were damaged by the powerful storm. Rainfall topped 130 mm (5.10 inches) in Nha Trang, while nearly 255 mm (10 inches) of rain inundated Qui Nhon in 24 hours.
In India, heavy monsoonal rain has claimed a dozen lives since the beginning of last week. More than 18 inches (450 mm) of rain fell in Chennai, flooding streets and damaging property.
Officials were forced to keep schools closed for several days last week, according to FirstPost.
While monsoon conditions drench southern India, dense fog and haze have created a nightmare for residents in northern India.
Smog was so dense in Delhi State that it was making people vomit, according to the New York Times. At least 4,000 schools were closed last week.
Smog levels in New Delhi hit 30 times what the World Health Organization deems safe.
Motorists drive surrounded by smog in New Delhi, India, on Wednesday 8 November 2017. A thick gray haze enveloped India's capital on Wednesday as air pollution hit hazardous levels. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)
The combination of smoke and pollution from crop burning, factories and automobiles leads to dangerous levels of smog from late fall to early spring in northern India.
Intense fog kept President Trump from his scheduled visit to demilitarized zone (DMZ) dividing North and South Korea.
Marine One attempted to take off once before deciding to scrap the travel plans altogether after waiting “nearly an hour” for the fog to clear. Visibility reportedly was limited to 2 miles or less.
A late-season severe weather outbreak triggered several tornadoes and widespread damage from eastern Missouri to northwestern Pennsylvania on Sunday.
Eight people were injured in Celina, Ohio, when a tornado ripped through the town. None of the injuries are life-threatening. The tornado tore through the business district of town, inflicting damage on many properties.
Tornado damage in Pennville, Indiana, following Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, severe weather outbreak. (Photo/NWS/Matt Leach)
Damage from strong straight-line winds was also reported in Erie, Pennsylvania. Two people died in Erie when flooding triggered a house collapse on Sunday night.
More than 100,000 customers were without power across Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania in the wake of the storms on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, a La Niña pattern is in place for the upcoming winter season.
Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are calling for a greater than 50 percent chance that a La Niña will persist through April 2018.
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