Two very different disasters are leading the global hazard watch this weekend: a strengthening hurricane in the eastern Pacific and a deadly flood emergency in one of the world's largest cities.
Hurricane Trudy was carrying maximum sustained winds of about 105 mph off southwest Mexico on Sunday, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center's latest advisory, with forecasters tracking its path along the Pacific coast. Forecasters are also monitoring Cyclone Wati near the southern Cook Islands.
In Istanbul, flooding described as the worst since records began in 1942 has killed five people, inundating streets and infrastructure across the Turkish megacity. Deadly floods were also reported this week in Tripoli, Libya, and on the Greek island of Rhodes.
Fire remains the third front in the week's disaster picture: four people were killed fighting a wildfire in East Java, Indonesia, inside Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, while Southern California's Norte Fire and the wind-driven fire spread at CFB Wainwright in Alberta showed how fast grass and brush fires can move in high winds. The tallies are compiled from USGS, NHC, GDACS and Smithsonian/USGS hazard reporting for the week ending October 18.
