What we’re watching: Weekly disaster update, October 20

Severe thunderstorm – Arizona: A powerful supercell thunderstorm hit Tempe, Arizona, on Oct. 14, causing damage similar to that of a tornado. In 15 minutes, Tempe recorded about ¾ of an inch of rain, which caused widespread flooding.

The thunderstorm also produced a microburst (a sudden down draft of straight-line winds of up to 100 mph) uprooting trees, downing power lines, and damaging homes, buildings and vehicles. More than 130 people are displaced, and Mayor Corey Woods declared a state of emergency following the storm.

Tropical Storm – The Philippines: Tropical Storm Fengshen struck the northern and central Philippines over the weekend, killing seven people and forcing the evacuation of 22,000 from flood and landslide-prone villages. As of Oct. 19, at least 14,000 of the 22,000 people evacuated are still displaced from their homes.

This is the 18^th tropical cyclone to hit the country this year, devastating an area still recovering from several recent earthquakes. 

Flooding – Alaska: The remnants of Typhoon Halong on Oct. 12 lashed the remote coastal villages of Kwigillingok, Kipnuk and Nipakiak, Alaska with high winds, severe flooding and significant storm surges, destroying hundreds of homes.

Since 2014, civil war has devastated Yemen’s infrastructure and exacerbated civilian suffering. The humanitarian crisis there is marked by severe food insecurity, economic collapse, displacement and worsening health services. Over half the population needs humanitarian aid, with women and girls highly vulnerable to violence. 

Key facts:

• An estimated 6.2 million women and girls in Yemen are at risk of gender based violence (GBV) in 2025. 
• GBV services are extremely limited: more than 90% of rural areas lack adequate prevention and response services. 
• In 2024, more than 30% of girls in Yemen were married before age 18 and the repercussions are severe. Girls in child marriages face early pregnancies, health complications, abuse and lack of access to education.  
• Yemen has one of the worst rates of maternal mortality in the region due to a lack of health services and reproductive rights.
• Economic exclusion prevents many women from receiving health care even when the service is free, due to transportation costs and gender norms. 
• Technology-facilitated GBV in Yemen is a growing problem with severe online and offline repercussions, exposing women and girls to mental health risks, social isolation and restricted access to digital spaces that further limit their freedoms. Survivors also face threats of so-called honor killings, divorce, forced marriage or forced relocation.

Since January 2025, the United Nations Population Fund has reached more than 820,000 people with reproductive health and GBV services. However, gaps in funding and the unequal distribution of humanitarian services in Yemen mean many women and girls are still in need.

• Misinformation, Disinformation and Climate Disasters — Climate Psychology Alliance North America
• Typhoon leaves flooded Alaska villages facing a storm recovery far tougher than most Americans will ever experience – The Conversation
• The planet has entered a ‘new reality’ as it hits its first climate tipping point, landmark report finds – CNN

A moment of hope… AI is helping protect rainforests by processing satellite, drone and radar data to detect illegal logging and anticipate deforestation, allowing for quick intervention, notably in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest.