A powerful bomb cyclone in Western Washington caused a windstorm with gusts reaching up to 74 mph, leaving over 640,000 people without power. Efforts to restore electricity are underway, but it may take several days to fully restore service.

A shark attacked a diver near the Chatham Islands, prompting emergency response from Hato Hone St John and the New Zealand Flying Doctors Service.

Authorities in New Delhi shut schools, halted construction and banned nonessential trucks from entering the city after air pollution shot up to its worst level this season.

Avian flu typically spreads between wild and domestic birds but can spread to other animals and people. There have now been more than 40 confirmed human cases in the United States, according to the Centre for Disease Control, most of which have been found in California. 

The damage from the storm Tuesday and Wednesday recalled the aftermath of a tsunami, with survivors left to pick up the pieces as they mourn loved ones lost in Spain’s deadliest natural disaster in living memory. Many streets were still blocked by piled-up vehicles and debris, in some cases trapping residents in their homes. Some places still don’t have electricity, running water, or stable telephone connections.