Hong Kong experienced its heaviest rainfall in an hour since records began 140 years ago, leading to flash flooding and turning streets into raging rivers. The Hong Kong Observatory issued a black warning, but more than double the expected amount of rain fell. Parts of Hong Kong recorded over 200 mm of rainfall between 6 p.m. and midnight. The city government will decide on Friday morning whether it is safe to resume normal activities. Southern China also experienced heavy rain, exacerbating flooding caused by recent typhoons.
China's direct economic losses from natural disasters in July reached 41.18 billion yuan ($5.74 billion), surpassing the losses from January to June combined. Severe weather, including two powerful typhoons and widespread floods, has impacted over 7 million people across the country. The losses, which exceeded the first half of the year, are expected to further hinder the quarterly growth of the world's second-largest economy. China's national forecaster has warned of increased rainfall and heatwaves in August, which could exacerbate the economic impact. The government has allocated additional funds to support post-disaster recovery efforts in affected regions.
A bride in the Philippines waded down the aisle in ankle-deep water during her wedding ceremony at a flooded church, as deadly typhoons caused heavy rainfall and havoc across the country. Despite the challenging circumstances, the bride and groom remained positive, with the bride beaming as she walked through the water clutching a bouquet of roses. The storms have displaced tens of thousands of people and caused numerous deaths and missing persons. The wedding coordinator and guests praised the couple's resilience and the ability to celebrate love in the face of adversity.
Russia claims to have downed three Ukrainian drones attempting to attack Moscow, while Ukrainian President Zelensky warns that the war is gradually returning to Russian territory. Former President Trump's employee is scheduled to be arraigned for deleting security footage, and Trump's team is creating a legal defense fund to offset mounting legal fees. The Biden administration launches a beta website for its new income-driven student loan repayment plan. China braces for a potential hurricane-level storm after being hit by Typhoon Doksuri, causing evacuations and concerns about flooding. Twitter faces a complaint for installing a flashing "X" sign without a permit, and the company reinstates Kanye West's account.
New research shows that hurricanes not only churn water at the surface but also push heat deep into the ocean, which can have far-reaching consequences. Underwater waves produced by the storm can push the heat roughly four times deeper than mixing alone, sending it to a depth where the heat is trapped far from the surface. From there, deep sea currents can transport it thousands of miles, ultimately affecting regions far from the storm.
NASA's TROPICS mission has launched its first two mini-satellites to collect data on hurricanes and typhoons. The satellites will offer hourly updates on storm growth to improve forecasting and figure out how temperature, humidity, and precipitation factor into the intensity of tropical cyclones. The $30 million mission aims to put four TROPICS satellites in space in slightly different low-Earth orbits, all circling the globe at about 30 degrees above the equator. The next two satellites could take off in about two weeks, and the mission is expected to last for a year.
