🌎 ORBIS WEATHER

Global Daily Disaster Briefing

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

Global Disaster Alert Level: 🔴 ELEVATED

A busy day of weather and geologic hazards is unfolding around the world, with major wildfires continuing across Europe, destructive flooding and landslides affecting parts of Asia and South America, a deadly earthquake sequence in Indonesia, and renewed volcanic activity in Sicily and Indonesia.

🔥 WILDFIRES

🇪🇺 Europe — Major Fire Emergency Continues

Wildfires remain one of Europe’s biggest disaster concerns.

Spain, Belgium, Italy, Greece and other parts of southern and western Europe continue to deal with dangerous fire conditions. The European Union has activated its civil-protection response to assist Belgium and Spain as major fires continue to threaten communities and infrastructure. (EU Reporter)

The European Commission’s latest wildfire monitoring shows more than 606,000 hectares burned across the European Union during 2026 as of August 18. (Joint Research Centre)

Threat: 🔴 Extreme
Primary hazards: Fire spread, evacuations, smoke, poor air quality and transportation disruptions.

🇬🇷 Greece

Wildfires continue to be a serious concern in Greece following deadly fires on the island of Salamina earlier this week. Two people were killed in those fires, according to Reuters. (Reuters)

🌍 Global Fire Conditions

Satellite monitoring from Copernicus continues to track significant wildfire activity worldwide. The system monitors fire locations, emissions and smoke transport in near real time. (Atmosphere Copernicus)

🌊 FLOODS & LANDSLIDES

🇹🇭 Thailand

Heavy monsoon rainfall is producing widespread flooding and landslide concerns across Thailand.

Authorities have placed 39 provinces under flash-flood and landslide alerts through August 21. (nationthailand)

In northern Thailand, flooding has already stranded residents and forced emergency rescues.

Threat: 🟠 High
Hazards: Flash flooding, landslides, dangerous river levels and road closures.

🇵🇰 Pakistan

Heavy monsoon rainfall is flooding parts of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, with homes submerged and additional rainfall expected. (Reuters Connect)

🇨🇱 Northern Chile

An unusual period of heavy rain has triggered flooding and landslides around Iquique in Chile’s normally arid Tarapacá region. (Reuters Connect)

🇳🇵 Nepal

Heavy rainfall is also causing flooding and landslides in Nepal, with roads blocked across several areas. (Rising Nepal)

🌎 EARTHQUAKES

🇮🇩 Indonesia — Deadly Earthquake Sequence

A powerful earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 68 people and injuring more than 200, according to Reuters.

The magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck the Flores region and generated numerous aftershocks. Landslides and blocked roads have complicated rescue operations, while thousands of residents have been evacuated. (Reuters)

Threat: 🔴 Extreme
Hazards: Aftershocks, landslides, damaged buildings and difficult access for emergency crews.

🌐 Global Seismic Activity

Earthquakes continue to occur around the world every day. The USGS National Earthquake Information Center locates approximately 20,000 earthquakes globally each year, or about 55 per day. (USGS)

Orbis Weather will highlight significant earthquakes, rather than reporting every minor tremor.

🌋 VOLCANIC ACTIVITY

🇮🇹 Mount Etna — Sicily

Mount Etna is erupting again, with lava flowing from the crater and ash rising above the volcano.

The ongoing activity has disrupted aviation in the region, with hundreds of flights cancelled or rerouted during recent eruptions. (Reuters Connect)

Threat: 🟠 Elevated
Hazards: Lava, ashfall, volcanic gases and aviation disruption.

🇮🇩 Anak Krakatau

Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau has experienced a significant increase in volcanic activity since June 10, with more than two dozen eruptions reported recently and ash affecting nearby areas. (The Jakarta Post)

🇵🇭 Mayon

Scientists are also monitoring increased sulfur-dioxide emissions from Mayon Volcano in the Philippines. (Philstar)

🌡️ EXTREME HEAT

🇪🇺 Europe

Extreme heat and drought remain major contributors to Europe’s dangerous wildfire conditions.

The European Commission says prolonged rainfall deficits combined with recurrent heatwaves have worsened drought conditions and contributed to extraordinary wildfire activity. (Joint Research Centre)

🇺🇸 Southern & Western United States

NOAA continues to highlight extreme heat and rapid-onset drought as concerns across portions of the southern United States.

The latest outlook indicates elevated heat concerns extending across portions of the Southwest, Great Basin, Rockies, Plains and Southeast. (Climate Prediction Center)

🌵 DROUGHT

Drought remains an important secondary disaster risk because prolonged dryness can increase wildfire danger, threaten agriculture and worsen water shortages.

The U.S. Drought Monitor currently shows extreme to exceptional drought across portions of the interior Northwest, Great Basin and Utah. (U.S. Drought Monitor)

🌪️ SEVERE WEATHER

Severe thunderstorms, damaging winds, large hail, tornadoes and extreme rainfall will also be monitored in the daily briefing.

Orbis Weather will only highlight severe-weather outbreaks when they pose a significant threat to people, property or infrastructure.

🌀 TROPICAL CYCLONES

Tropical activity is another major component of the daily disaster briefing.

Atlantic

🟢 Low activity

No tropical cyclone development is currently expected across the Atlantic during the next seven days. (National Hurricane Center)

Pacific

🟠 Active

The Pacific remains considerably more active, with tropical systems being monitored across the Central and Western Pacific.

🌊 TSUNAMI & COASTAL HAZARDS

Orbis Weather will monitor:

• 🌊 Tsunami warnings

• 🌊 Tsunami advisories

• 🌊 Major storm surge

• 🌊 Coastal flooding

• 🌊 Dangerous surf

• 🌊 Rogue-wave events

• 🌊 Major ocean swell events

No significant global tsunami emergency is highlighted in this briefing.

🧊 WINTER WEATHER & BLIZZARDS

Because it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere, Orbis Weather will also monitor:

• ❄️ Major snowstorms

• 🌨️ Blizzards

• 🧊 Ice storms

• 🏔️ Extreme mountain snowfall

• 🌬️ Antarctic weather events

These hazards will be included when they reach significant levels.

🏔️ AVALANCHES & LANDSLIDES

Heavy rain, earthquakes, volcanic activity and rapid snowmelt can produce dangerous secondary hazards.

Today’s most significant landslide concerns are associated with heavy monsoon rainfall in Asia and the earthquake disaster in Indonesia. (Reuters)

🌫️ AIR QUALITY & SMOKE

Wildfire smoke remains a major secondary hazard.

Large fires can send smoke hundreds or even thousands of miles from the source, producing hazardous air-quality conditions far from the actual fire zone.

Copernicus continues to monitor global wildfire emissions and smoke transport. (Atmosphere Copernicus)

🌍 TODAY’S GLOBAL DISASTER SCORECARD

🚨 TOP 5 GLOBAL HAZARDS TO WATCH

1. 🇮🇩 Indonesia Earthquake
Deadly earthquake sequence with aftershocks, landslides and continuing rescue operations.

2. 🇪🇺 European Wildfires
Large fires continue across several countries amid drought and extreme heat.

3. 🇹🇭 Asian Flooding
Thailand and neighboring areas face widespread monsoon flooding and landslide threats.

4. 🇮🇹 Mount Etna
Ongoing volcanic activity is producing lava and ash and disrupting aviation.

5. 🌡️ Global Heat & Drought
Heat and drought continue to amplify wildfire and water-resource risks.

🌎 ORBIS WEATHER GLOBAL DISASTER OUTLOOK

The global disaster picture remains elevated, driven by a combination of extreme heat, drought, wildfires, monsoon flooding, earthquakes and volcanic activity.

The most important feature today is the combination of multiple hazards occurring simultaneously across different parts of the world.

Orbis Weather will continue monitoring these events around the clock, with special attention to disasters that are developing rapidly, threatening populated areas, causing evacuations, or disrupting transportation and critical infrastructure.

ORBIS WEATHER — WATCHING THE WORLD’S WEATHER, 24/7.