Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 Earthquake hits the Carlsberg ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the coast of northern California.

5.0 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone 11p (Dylan), is located approximately 290 nm south-southeast of Cairns, Australia, and is tracking south-southwestward at 09 knots. Land interaction will lead to the complete dissipation of the system.

Torrential rain and wind gusts up to 140km/h are battering north Queensland as cyclone Dylan makes landfall. The Bureau of Meteorology says the category two cyclone made landfall near Proserpine, north of Mackay, just after 4am on Friday. Forecaster Chris Joseph said the storm is moving about 16km/h in a southerly direction and is expected to head inland in the next three to six hours. "It is still a dangerous storm," he said. Wind gusts up to 135km/h were felt at Flinders reef, about 250 kilometres off Bowen. Heavy rain is battering much of the north Queensland coast. Numerous reports of damage were received by local authorities.

In the Pacific Ocean:

Tropical depression 02w (Kajiki), is located approximately 458 nm southeast of Manila, Philippines, and is tracking westward at 14 knots

Wildlife

Killing Sharks Prompts Australian Outrage

Environmental and wildlife advocates slammed Western Australia’s move to begin killing sharks along the Indian Ocean coast at the southwest tip of the country in the wake of seven fatal shark attacks within the past three years.

The cull comes as marine biologists around the world warn that some shark species are becoming endangered due to overfishing and mutilation for their fins.

The Western Australia government allowed contract fishermen to place baited hooks on drum lines off popular beaches in the state capital of Perth and to the south to kill white, bull and tiger sharks over 10 feet long.

The first shark killed was shot and its carcass dumped at sea.

A new poll by the leading UMR research company finds that 82 percent of Australians don’t think the sharks should be killed and say people enter the water at their own risk.

But Western Australia’s leading politician doesn’t agree.

“When you have sharks that are three, four, five metres long of known aggressive varieties, swimming in the water very close to beachgoers, that is an imminent danger,” said Premier Colin Barnett.

Activists have pledged to interfere with the killings with tactics like removing bait from the drum lines.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 114.1 degrees Fahrenheit (45.6 degrees Celsius) at Oodnadatta, South Australia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 69.5 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 56.4 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Siberian community of Selagoncy.

Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Etna (Sicily, Italy): The recent eruptive episode, which could be called a mainly effusive paroxysm, seem to have more or less ended. Activity if still present (weak explosions at the NSEC and lava effusion from the fissure vent at its base) has decreased a lot. Visibility and weather are bad at the moment to have a more detailed picture.

Aso (Kyushu): (29 Jan) Weak ash emissions occurred this morning.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Lava effusion continues at the volcano and pyroclastic flows occurred this morning. During the past 7-10 days, the growing lava dome has effused an impressive thick extrusion lobe that managed to form a massive, approx. 800 m long coherent lava flow reaching the base of the mountain. The sticky lava flow followed and almost completely filled the deep ravine on the SE side of the volcano which before channeled the rockfalls and pyroclastic flows.

Dukono (Halmahera): (29 Jan) New explosions produced an ash plume this morning rising to 12,000 ft (3.6 km) and drifting 40 nautical miles to the southeast (VAAC Darwin).

Reventador (Ecuador): Activity at the volcano continues at moderate levels according to IG, but for the first time since a while, new ash emissions and incandescent material were reported. Since the afternoon of 28 Jan, the volcano's seismic signal showed episodes of continuous emission tremor and glowing material was seen descending on the eastern flank. A thermal hot spot is also visible on MODIS satellite data, suggesting that lava effusion from the dome has increased.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): A new eruptive phase has begun at the volcano. Since the early morning today, the seismic network detected an increase in earthquakes including signals of small explosions and long-period events and tremor typical for internal fluid movements (gasses and magma). The Tungurahua volcano Observatory while unable to make direct visual observations received reports from observers that fine black ash fell in Pungal and Penipe, and minor amounts in Palictahua. The black color of the ash suggests that it originates from fresh (so called juvenile) magma.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 29 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China, and the Centre for Health Protection (CHP), Hong Kong SAR, China notified WHO of twenty-one (21) additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus including one death.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits Myanmar.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Eleven is located approximately 160 nm east-southeast ward of Cairns, Australia. Residents in northeast Queensland have been warned that a tropical low is forming off the coast this week and could quickly develop into a cyclone, to be named Dylan. The storm would be the first to hit this part of the country in more than two years, and it brings the potential for damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding from higher than normal tides.

Extreme Weather Causes Snow Rollers Throughout The Midwest

The naturally occurring snow balls form where ice or ice-encrusted snow exists in a uniform layer over the ground. The surface layer serves as a platform where the balls are formed and can easily travel. The second layer, which rests on top of the ice, must be wet snow that is fluffy and loosely packed. This condition can be difficult to meet as wet snow is often quite dense.

 

NewsBytes:

New floods cause chaos across Greater Jakarta as the floods returned on Wednesday after incessant rain hit the capital overnight, forcing hundreds of residents to wade back to evacuation shelters.

Global Warming

Watch 63 years of climate change

The 15-second animation, which was posted by NASA last week shows a view of the entire globe with an overlay that details climate change. NASA scientists analyzed data collected over the past 63 years by 1,000 meteorological stations from around the world, and the animation they compiled shows just how rapidly the Earth’s climate is changing.

 

If your browser does not support animation, download the first image to your computer and view it as an animated .gif.

Drought

California Drought - Update

As California's drought deepens, 17 communities across the state are in danger of running out of water within 60 to 120 days, state officials said.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 27 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of six additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus including one death.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.4 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.

5.3 Earthquake hits Reykjanes Ridge.

5.1 Earthquake hits western Iran.

5.0 Earthquake hits Reykjanes Ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honahu, Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits Reykjanes Ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Eleven is located approximately 69 nm east-northeast of Willis Island, Australia. A cyclone warning has been issued for parts of north Queensland as a tropical low gathers strength and heads towards the coast from Port Douglas, north of Cairns, south to Mackay.

NewsBytes:

U.S. - A rare and dangerous ice storm has begun in the Deep South, where Winter Storm Leon is tracking along the northern Gulf Coast, spreading a nasty mix of freezing rain, sleet, cold rain, and snow along a swath from Central Texas to Eastern Virginia.

Freezing rain was falling at a temperature of 28°F in Austin, Texas, where a 20-car pileup on an overpass was reported, as well as at least ten other car crashes in a 30-minute time span. A portion of Interstate 35 was closed due to the crashes and icing. Freezing rain was falling on the north side of Houston, Texas, and in Mobile Alabama.

Snow was falling in Jackson Mississippi, and sleet in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The National Weather Service posted Freezing Rain Advisories along a swath from Eastern Texas across Southern Louisiana, Southern Mississippi, Southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, almost all of Georgia and South Carolina, and into Eastern North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. Ice accumulations of 1/4" - 1/2" are expected in much of this area, with isolated higher amounts.

Snows of 1 - 4" were possible just to the north of the freezing rain swath, with heavier amounts of 6 - 12" across southeast Virginia and northeast North Carolina. The ice storm has the potential to cause significant damage to trees and power lines, resulting in widespread power outages. Travel will be very dangerous in a region unaccustomed to extreme winter weather.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images:

The northern lights dance across the sky, creating an ethereal glow that illuminates the darkness, in this jaw-dropping photo taken from Norway.

Disease

Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreak in Russia

Russian authorities on Tuesday reported a suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in eastern Siberian region of Zabaikalsk, which borders China and Mongolia.

The Veterinary and Phyto-Sanitary Surveillance Service (VPSS) said clinical signs of the disease were identified in samples of cattle at a private farm, adding measures to contain it were being taken. Samples have been sent for diagnosis.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Aso (Kyushu): Weak ash emissions occurred this morning.

Dukono (Halmahera): New explosions produced an ash plume this morning rising to 12,000 ft (3.6 km) and drifting 40 nautical miles to the southeast (VAAC Darwin).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits Chuquisaca, Bolivia.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

Indonesia - A landslide triggered by days of rain buried a village on Indonesia's main island of Java on Tuesday, leaving at last five people dead and another 14 missing, an official said.

The landslide happened in mountainous Jombang district in eastern Java at 1:30 am (1830 GMT Monday) after a particularly heavy downpour

Philippines - While many across the southern and central Philippines are still recovering from rounds of heavy rainfall this month, another tropical disturbance arrive later this week. Rains from former Tropical Storm Lingling, combined with the local monsoon, resulted in torrential rainfall, totalling more than 1220 mm (48 inches) in some parts of eastern Mindanao.

This event affected more than one million people, killing at least 64 people with more still missing. Even though rainfall has been much lighter across the region over the past several days, more than 100,000 people are still displaced from their homes. As people attempt to return to their homes and rebuild as necessary, another threat looms on the horizon.

A large area of showers and thunderstorms, currently just south of Guam, will track westward this week and reach the Philippines by Friday or Saturday. The heaviest rainfall is expected to occur over the areas that are still recovering from the recent flooding. New rainfall of 100-200 mm (4-8 inches) is expected with local amounts over 300 mm (12 inches). This amount of rainfall across the southern and central Philippines can quickly lead to widespread flooding, while hindering recovery efforts across the region.

Australia - King tide and cyclone coinciding has MacKay region on high alert. A tropical low was situated in the northern Coral Sea, approximately 870 kilometres east-northeast of Cairns, and moving southwest at around 10 kilometres per hour. They have issued a severe weather warning for people in the Northern Tropical Coast and Tablelands, Herbert and Lower Burdekin and parts of the Central Coast and Whitsundays Forecast Districts.

Alaska - Road traffic to Valdez was cut off from the rest of the state after a series of avalanches over the weekend blocked the only road into the coastal community. The highway to the town of about 4,000 was blocked after an avalanche in the Keystone Canyon on Friday, followed by another on Saturday. Valdez, one of Alaska's main seaports, lies in a remote area of the Chugach Mountains.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China has notified WHO of nine additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - update

WHO has been notified of two additional laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - Saudi Arabia.

Pesticide linked to Alzheimer's

DDT, once widely used, may increase the chances of developing Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests. The US is one of the countries where DDT was most widely used and has a correspondingly high incidence of Altzheimer’s.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): (27 Jan) Some impressions of Stromboli volcano (Eolian Islands, Italy) in late Oct / early Nov 2013, taken during our recent tours

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Some impressions from the new lava flows emitted by the New SE crater

Aso (Kyushu): (27 Jan) Another small eruption occurred this morning at the Nakadake crater. An ash plume rose a few hundred meters from one of the active vents.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano's lava dome continues to grow. Following a quieter interval, a new series of pyroclastic flows occurred yesterday. According to our correspondent Aris on location, they reached about 3 km length and associated ash plumes rose to approx. 15,000 ft (4.5 km) altitude.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits Greece.

The strong quake damaged roads, buildings in Cephalonia. The quake, which struck at 3.55 p.m., was felt in several parts of Greece and as far away as Karditsa in the north.

5.3 Earthquake hits Greece.

5.2 Earthquake hits Myanmar.

5.2 Earthquake hits Mindoro in the Philippines.

5.1 Earthquake hits southeast of Easter Island.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the south coast of Papua, Indonesia.

4.9 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

UK - Heavy rain and strong winds continue to cause disruption across the UK and experts warning of an ongoing flood risk into next week. The storm which swept across Kent, Sussex and Surrey yesterday afternoon whipped up a tornado so powerful that it “shattered” buildings and tossed a group of feral cats into the air.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 25 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of 10 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Peru-Ecuador border.

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

A lightning strike in Burundi has claimed the lives of at least seven students and injured 51 others. The lightning bolt hit a classroom where the high school students were sheltering from a severe storm. Heavy rains have destroyed more than 500 houses in the area.

Mudslides in Catamarca, Argentina have claimed the lives of at least five people. Heavy rainfall caused mudslides in El Rodeo and Siján areas. Five women and three children are still reported to be missing.

Australia - The Bureau of Meteorology says a cyclone could form off the Pilbara coast as early as next week. A low is developing in the South East Timor Sea and expected to cross into Australian waters tomorrow. Forecasters predict the low to move off the West Kimberley coast on Australia Day and then track parallel to the Pilbara on Monday.

Forecasters are warning of more heavy rain across parts of the UK, bringing further risk of flooding to some areas left struggling by recent storms. The Met Office has issued an amber warning for rain in south-west England on Sunday between 06:00 GMT and 14:00. Rain and strong winds are also forecast for parts of the South East, Northern Ireland, Wales and much of Scotland. On Saturday, storms battered the Midlands region, with buildings struck by lightning and trees uprooted.

US - Another round of extreme winter weather, including subzero temps and whiteout conditions, has hit some areas of the United States, which is being dubbed by some as “Polar Vortex Part 2.”

Wildlife

See-Through 'Fish' Startles New Zealand Fishermen

A northern New Zealand fisherman and his two sons were baffled after pulling in a nearly foot-long translucent marine creature that looked a lot like a see-though fish.

“It felt scaly and was quite firm, almost jelly-like, and you couldn't see anything inside aside from this orange little blob,” Stewart Fraser told the Daily Mail.

Researchers from the country’s National Marine Aquarium examined photos of the catch and believe it was likely a Salpa maggiore.

"The salp is barrel-shaped and moves by contracting, pumping water through its gelatinous body," said Paul Cox from the aquarium.

Little is known about them or how the unusually large one caught by Fraser came to be so far from its normal habitats in the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica.

Environment

More El Niños If Global Warming Not Curbed: Study

The world’s most influential global weather phenomenon is likely to more than double in frequency if efforts to limit global warming by curbing greenhouse gas emissions fail, according to a new report. An international team of researchers, writing in the journal Nature Climate Change, says that the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions will bring twice as many extreme outbreaks of El Niño ocean-warming to the tropical Pacific over the next century as have occurred over the past 100 years.

“We currently experience an unusually strong El Niño event every 20 years. Our research shows this will double to one event every 10 years,” said study co-author Agus Santoso.

El Niño events can trigger large-scale weather disruptions that bring storms or drought to various parts of the world.

During the study, the researchers found that rising global temperatures would warm the tropical Pacific most, the region where El Niños emerge.

“This is a highly unexpected consequence of global warming,” researcher Mat Collins, of the University of Exeter, told The Guardian.

Climate scientists had so far been unable to agree on how climate change will influence El Niño-La Niña outbreaks.

The last extreme El Niño wreaked havoc on global weather patterns in 1997-1998, causing billions of dollars in damage and killing approximately 23,000 people.

Another strong Pacific ocean warming occurred in 1982-1983 with less severe impacts.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Etna (Sicily, Italy): After a more vigorous phase yesterday, the effusion of the lava flow into the Valle del Bove and explosive (strombolian) activity at the New SE crater still continued this morning but have decreased in intensity. Last night the mild strombolian activity picked up to become intense. The lava flow from the fissure vent at the eastern base of the New SE crater is still alimented and descend towards Valle del Bove.

Nishino-Shima volcano (Izu Islands, Japan): The volcano continues to enlarge the island with lava flows, but seems to have increasingly explosive activity as well. Ash plumes to altitudes of 4,000 ft (1.2 km) were reported during the past days. These could have originated from more violent water-magma interaction (phreatomagmatic activity) or simply stronger strombolian explosions. As recent imagery by the Japanese Coast guard shows, new lava flows continued to effuse at low rate and slowly increase the size of what started as a new island, now merged and surpassed in size the older Nishino-Shima island. On the new land, 2 vents remain active, one of which was observed to produce mild strombolian explosions and spattering of liquid lava.

Santa María / Santiaguito volcano (Guatemala): Activity has remained essentially unchanged. The lava dome produces intermittent weak to moderate explosions (with ash plumes up to 500-700 m height) and abundant avalanches at the active block lava flow fronts, especially on the eastern and southeastern side of the dome. Collapses at these fronts can produce small pyroclastic flows.

Fuego volcano (Guatemala): Activity at the volcano was characterized by weak to moderate strombolian explosions occurring at rates of 2-3 per hour. Abundant incandescent material is ejected and forms avalanches on the upper slopes. Sometimes strong shock waves accompany the explosions and rattle windows and roofs of houses in the areas of Panimache, Morelia and others. Ash plumes rise to up to 700 m above the crater. The recent lava flow seems to have stopped.

Pacaya volcano (Guatemala): The lava flow emission from the southern fissure vent has gradually decreased or even stopped during the past days. The seismic signal suggests ongoing deep-seated strombolian explosions inside the new crater at the summit of the Mackenney cone.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.2 Earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

An avalanche in Indian-controlled Kashmir has claimed the life of a Swiss skier and injured two others. Avalanche occurred in the Gulmarg region located 52 kilometres northwest of Srinagar after an avalanche warning was issued after heavy snowfall on Wednesday.

Environment

Chinese Smog Altering North American Weather

The amount of air pollution from China’s booming manufacturing industry is so great that it is affecting weather patterns across the Pacific in North America, according to a new study published by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.

The report documents that cities like Los Angeles receive at least an extra day of smog each year from the nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide that China’s exporting factories generate.

The pollution is also a public health threat and causes other changes in weather, the report cautions.

“The models clearly show that pollution originating from Asia has an impact on the upper atmosphere and it appears to make ... storms or cyclones even stronger,” said Texas A&M atmospheric scientist Renyi Zhang.

He said that the airborne pollution affects cloud formation, precipitation and other factors that are contributing to climate change.

China’s neighbours, Japan and South Korea, have long suffered downwind from where the smog is generated.

This new report shows that the unexpected side effect of the demand for China’s cheap manufactured goods is adversely affecting weather and health half a world away.

Wildlife

5,500 Siberian Beavers to Be Culled

Several thousand beavers in western Siberia are facing a cull by the summer in a drive to avoid an outbreak of disease.

Gazeta Kemerova news website cited a statement by the Kemerovo Region’s environmental protection department as saying as many as 5,500 beavers could be killed to thin out the ranks of the animal.

Overpopulation of beavers is also reportedly responsible for numerous road-flooding incidents caused by their dams.

No up-to-date information on the beaver population of Kemerovo Region is available. In 2011, the population of beavers stood at 18,000 and was growing steadily.

The Eurasian beaver was hunted to the brink of extinction in the early 20th century, but the population has bounced back enough for it to lose its threatened status.

Wildfires

Forest Wildfires - China

Forest fires in China have claimed the lives of at least five people and injured seven others. Around 46 forest fires have been reported in Hunan, Jiangxi and Guangdong Provinces.

The State Headquarters for Forest Fire Control has issued a fourth-level emergency response plan.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits north of Ascension Island.

5.1 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

Parts of Brisbane, Australia have been hit by flash floods as a large storm system set in on Thursday afternoon.

Some 60 villages in Sungai Padas, Malaysia were affected by rising floodwaters since Wedneday. Four primary schools and a kindergarten were closed because of the floods. Among the worst affected villages are Kampung Suasa, Kampung Batu 60, Kampung Bali Bata, Kampung Bakalau and Kampung Bingkul.

Wildlife

Plant Virus May Be Behind Massive Honeybee Deaths

Chinese and U.S. researchers say a virus that typically infects plants has been found in honeybees.

The scientists inadvertently found tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV) during routine screening of bees.

“The results of our study provide the first evidence that honeybees exposed to virus-contaminated pollen can also be infected and that the infection becomes widespread in their bodies,” said lead author Ji Lian Li, at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science in Beijing.

He added that the honeybees can also spread TRSV as they move from flower to flower and between plants.

TRSV is particularly dangerous since it produces a flood of mutations that infect in different ways.

Bee colonies found with high levels of various viral strains were less successful in surviving harsh months last winter than those with lower levels of infections.

One-third of U.S. honeybee colonies died off during the winter of 2012-13, a 42 percent increase in fatalities from the previous winter.

TRSV infections could be at least one factor behind colony collapse disorder, which has stumped scientists for years.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 113.9 degrees Fahrenheit (45.5 degrees Celsius) at Windorah, Queensland, Australia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 68.6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 55.9 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Siberian community of Verkhoyansk.

Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 22 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of 10 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

A surge in cases of the deadly new strain of bird flu has been reported in China at the beginning of 2014. Only a handful of people had been infected with H7N9 since June, but health officials have reported 73 cases so far this month. Influenza researchers argue the winter season and preparations for Chinese New Year may be driving the increase. The World Health Organization called for vigilance, saying the virus was likely to remain present for some time.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Etna (Sicily, Italy): The activity continued throughout the night with a constant lava effusion from the fissure vent at the eastern base of the New SE crater and with mild strombolian activity at the summit vent. Seismic tremor continued to slowly but steadily increase. Lava continues to flow from the fissure vent at the eastern base of the New SE crater towards the Valle del Leone. Mild strombolian explosions at the summit vent accompany this activity. The tremor and the intensity of this (still weak) activity are slowly increasing.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): More ash emissions and small to moderate explosions have occurred over the past days. An ash plume was reported at 24,000 ft (7.2 km) altitude yesterday evening. The volcano, one of the world's most active, continues to effuse viscous lava that builds a new dome. At night, glow is visible from the vent on webcam images.

Suwanose-jima (Tokara Islands, Japan): The remote volcano south of Kyushu remains very active, although seems to have calmed down a bit. The following video of the past 24 hours at the volcano shows phases near-continuous steam and ash emissions as well as some smaller discrete explosions. Ash plumes were reported to reach up to 4,000 ft (1.2 km) altitude.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): A tall steam and ash plume rises from the summit crater, reaching altitudes of up to estimated 4-5 km at times. The volcano has not produced new (or at least no larger) pyroclastic flows. Whether this is due to a true decrease in effusion rate and a possible sign of an approaching end of the eruption is difficult to say.

Dukono (Halmahera): The volcano remains in a phase of elevated strombolian-vulcanian explosive activity. A new ash plume was spotted yesterday at estimated 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude extending 40 nautical miles to the east (VAAC Darwin).

Kilauea (Hawai'i): Lava levels are rising again in Kilauea's Overlook Crater - 10 m recovered from the 20 m drop in the last week, so far. Kilauea's summit stretched 1.5cm in the previous month then shrank 2cm over the past week! That's a lot of rock wiggling above the magma!

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): Since the morning of 23 Jan, the lava flow front at the SE rim of the Caliente dome has become more active and generated a series of collapses resulting in small pyroclastic flows that reached the base of the dome. The volcano observatory mentions that during the recent months, activity had been elevated with 40-45 explosions typically in one day, and associated ash plumes reaching 500-900 m height. The prevailing easterly winds cause frequent light ash fall in distances up to 10 km to the east, sometimes even in the city of Quetzaltenango.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity at the volcano remains both explosive and effusive at fluctuating levels. After an increase during 22-23 Jan, it decreased yesterday, but seems to have picked up today again. The latest INSIVUMEH report mentioned 13 weak and 4 moderate explosions during 23 Jan with ash plumes up to 800 m height, abundant lava avalanches on the upper slope following strombolian ejections of up to 100-150 m above the crater, and the continued active flow, which was 100 m long yesterday.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Flores Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

A state of emergency has been declared following a major snow storm in the New York City metropolitan area.

Philippines – The low-pressure (LPA) area ‘Agaton’ that caused massive floods in most parts of Visayas and Mindanao for more than a week dissipated Wednesday morning, the government weather bureau said. More than 800 houses were destroyed and close to 900,000 people were affected by the flooding and landslides triggered by the incessant rains brought by ‘Agaton’.

Wildlife

Record Year for Rhino Poaching

The number of rhinos illegally slaughtered in South Africa in 2013 reached an all-time high, with an average of three rhinos killed each day, according to new figures released this month by the South African Department of Environmental Affairs.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 20 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of five additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including two deaths.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Samoa Islands region.

5.0 Earthquake hits the West Chile Rise.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

The Indonesian Environment Ministry has declared an ecology disaster after flooding in Jakarta claimed the lives of at least 11 people. The combination of the increased destruction of vegetation in the upper catchment areas of rivers and the lack of adequate flood prevention causes frequent floods in Jakarta.

Landslide in Zhejiang Province in Eastern China has claimed the lives of at least four people.

USA - A massive winter storm packing up to a foot of snow, strong winds and icy temperatures slammed into the northeastern United States on Tuesday, cancelling flights, closing government offices and leaving behind it bitter cold air from the Arctic. The sprawling storm, which stretched for a 1,000 miles between Kentucky and Massachusetts, had dumped as much as 13.5 inches in Philadelphia by midnight, with New York seeing almost as much. Manalapan, N.J., had the highest snowfall reading with 16 inches.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Since last night, sporadic small strombolian explosions have resumed at the New SE crater. The current tremor signal is low, but if Etna continues its activity as during much of last year, this could be a first precursor to a new paroxysm in the following days.

Gorely (Southern Kamchatka): No changes were reported by KVERT. The volcano continues to show intense degassing and elevated seismic activity. Gorely, one of currently 5 volcanoes at unrest or in eruption in Kamchatka remains at Aviation Color Code yellow, along with Bezymianni and Tolbachik, while currently erupting Shiveluch and Karymsky volcanoes are at orange.

Karymsky (Kamchatka): The volcano continues to have sporadic small to medium-sized strombolian-vulcanian explosions from its summit crater. Small ash plumes are regularly being detected on satellite imagery.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): Another explosion was reported this morning by KVERT via VAAC Tokyo. An ash plume rose to estimated 27,000 ft (8 km) altitude.

Tolbachik (Kamchatka): Although no new eruptive activity has been recorded in the past months, the volcano continues to be at Aviation Color Code yellow. Moderate seismic activity of the volcano continues. Satellite data showed a weak thermal anomaly over the northern area of Tolbachinsky Dol. (KVERT)

Bezymianny (Central Kamchatka): KVERT reports "no detectable seismicity. Moderate gas-steam activity was observed. Satellite data showed the volcano was quiet."

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano had an explosion this morning followed by near-continuous ash venting. The eruption sent an ash plume over Tarumizu town to the SW (see video). VAAC Tokyo estimated the maximum height of the ash plume to 17,000 ft (5 km), but webcam images suggest a significantly smaller size (2-3 km altitude). Overall, the volcano has been comparably calm over the past week.

Suwanose-jima (Tokara Islands, Japan): The volcano continues to be in eruption. It regularly has (probably strombolian-type) explosions that produce small to medium-sized ash plumes up to 1-2 km in height.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Activity at the volcano continues at reduced rate. The lava dome continues to be active with intense degassing and ash venting, and has produced a series of sporadic smaller pyroclastic flows over the past days.

Colima (Western Mexico): The volcano produces small explosions (reportedly 7-12 daily) generating small ash plumes up to about 1 km high. An overflight revealed no significant changes at the summit crater where a lava dome is still growing at slow rate and produces small avalanches on the western side. Civil Protection warns of landslides from the steep slopes where a lot of fresh flows and loose material has accumulated over the past months.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): The volcano remains at low activity levels with little changes. CEAPRED reported 2 low-intensity emissions of steam and gas during yesterday, and 2 small explosions that produced minor amounts of ash with the largest yesterday morning at 10:28 (local time) producing a plume reaching 1000 m. Crater glow at night is visible.

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): Volcanic activity from the active dome remains more or less unchanged both explosive and effusive. The volcano observatory reports small explosions (on average 1-2 per hour), significant degassing, and weak to moderate block avalanches at the active viscous flows on the sides of the Caliente lava dome.

Pacaya (Guatemala): While explosive activity seems to have ceased, lava effusion from the southern fissure vent at the base of the Mackenney cone continues and feeds an active flow field that expands up to 3.6 km from the vent. Slowly advancing lava flow fronts continue to burn vegetation and have cut, as in 2010, the dirt road between the villages of El Rodeo and Pocitos. The vent on the NW flank that fed the second large flow during the recent paroxysm is no longer active. Continuous tremor and bluish degassing from the summit accompany this process. According to the latest information of CONRED, the crater floor of the Mackenney cone has collapsed into a deep pit and the active cone at the vent that had been built over the past year has vanished.

Fuego (Guatemala): It appears that activity has increased over night. A strong continuous seismic signal (probably tremor) suggests an increase in lava effusion could be occurring. The next update from INSIVUMEH later today will give a better picture. During the past days, activity had been dominated by frequent small to medium strombolian explosions that eject abundant lava up to about 150 m above the vent, ash plumes up to 1 km high, shock waves felt in up to 10-12 km distance and continuing weak lava effusion on the upper southern flank. Its length yesterday was estimated about 200 m.

Nevado del Huila (Colombia): A small increase in volcanic-tectonic earthquakes was noted by INGEOMINAS' volcano observatory in Popayán. A total of 138 seismic events were recorded over the past week, out of 112 were volcanic-tectonic quakes and the remaining 26 events related to fluid movements inside the conduits (long-period quakes and one tremor pulse). Two earthquakes above magnitude 3 occurred on 17 and 19 January,, the latter (mag. 3.4) was felt in the village of Sin Candela and areas of Paez (Cauca).

Machin (Colombia): The volcano continues to be at yellow alert (one of 6 in Colombia) as seismic activity remains elevated, but at low energy levels.

Galeras (Colombia): Pasto volcano observatory reports in its weekly update persistent low levels in number and energy of seismic events, no new explosions. Two small volcano-tectonic earthquakes occurred on 15 and 20 January with magnitudes of 2.3 and 2.4 on the Richter scale.

Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): No major changes have occurred over the past week. The volcano produces intense degassing, with steam/gas plumes rising up to 2.5 km above the crater. Seismic activity has remained similar to past weeks at fluctuating low to medium levels. Most seismic activity observed is related to internal rock fracturing (volcano-tectonic), but there are also weak pulses of tremor and earthquakes associated with internal fluid movements and the degassing.

Cumbal (Colombia): Seismic unrest at weak energy levels continues. 5 small earthquake swarms were recorded over the past week, the most prominent having 213 events up to a maximum of magnitude 1.9 during 5 hours on 19 Jan. Most quakes are associated with rock fracturing at shallow depths (3 km) beneath the La Plazuela crater. Pasto reports no unusual surface activity at the volcano.

Sotará (Colombia): Popayán volcano observatory reports no changes at the volcano, which continues to show weak seismic unrest.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.2 Earthquake hits the State of Yap, Micronesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the State of Yap, Micronesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

No Current Tropical Storms

NewsBytes:

France & Italy - Major floods in the French Riviera have left at least two people dead and thousands more are stranded with no access to roads or electricity. Up to 8 inches of rain fell over the past 3 days in parts of southeastern France, causing flash flooding and sending several rivers over their banks.

Hundreds of people have been evacuated in northern Italy after heavy rains flooded homes and swept away at least two people. The regions around Bologna, Genoa and Florence have experienced widespread flooding, with the city of Modena, in the Emilia-Romagna region, particularly affected.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of 16 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

Bird Flu in South Korea

South Korea says migratory birds were the likely cause of the country’s first outbreak of bird flu in three years, and stepped up quarantine measures at domestic poultry farms to stop the spread of the disease.

A quarantine vehicle sprayed disinfectant on Daedong Lake in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, Jan. 19 after the discovery of dead migratory birds in a reservoir in North Jeolla Province.

Tests showed the remains of 100 dead migratory wild ducks in a local reservoir contained H5N8 avian influenza virus, the same strain found at poultry farms in North Jeolla Province near the reservoir, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

“The wild migratory birds were presumably the very likely source of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that had affected the duck farms in Gochang and Buan [in North Jeolla Province,]” about 300 kilometres (187 miles) and 280 kilometres southwest of Seoul respectively, the ministry said in its statement.

Since the outbreak was reported last week, Korean authorities have culled more than 90,000 ducks at six poultry farms–two farms that had poultry that tested positive for avian influenza, and another four nearby.

Another slaughter was underway at a third duck farm in Buan, which reported a suspected case of bird flu, authorities said Monday.

Drought

Drought Continues To Kill Livestock In Parts Of South Africa

Hundreds of livestock are continuing to die in the drought-stricken South African provinces of North West and Northern Cape.

Government aid to affected farmers seems to be inadequate and farmers in Western Cape Province are rushing feed through to as many farms in the two provinces as possible. Western Cape farmers experienced good harvests in the last couple of years and are willing to assist the North West and Northern Cape provinces.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.3 Earthquake hits North Island, New Zealand.

The earthquake that struck near near Eketahuna north of Wellington today, cut power and phones, stopped trains and sent people scurrying from buildings. There were no initial reports of injuries, and damage was mostly superficial.

5.3 Earthquake hits the central East Pacific rise.

5.1 Earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.

5.1 Earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Kuril islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Seram, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the north Indian Ocean.

5.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the South Indian Ocean:

New Caledonia's north is cleaning up after the area was struck by Tropical Cyclone June on Saturday. The system caused flooding and cut a number of roads. The storm also felled trees and cut power some communities. Saturday's flight schedules were also affected, with international flights delayed and some domestic services cancelled. The fast-moving cyclone weakened into a depression as it veered southwards and moved into cooler waters.

Tropical cyclone June is expected to move onto the upper North Island later today.

In the Western Pacific Ocean:

Tropical depression Lingling is located approximately 344 nm west of Koror.

NewsBytes:

France - Two people have died and more than 150 people have been airlifted to safety after floods hit south-eastern France. One man died in his basement and another was swept away in his car while a third person was missing in a boat in the Var area. Some 4,000 homes have been left without power.

Java - With floods crippling several parts of the archipelago, the northern coast of Java Island is the latest to fall victim. Heavy rains coupled with high tides in Jakarta have brought the count of flood evacuees to over 48,000, as wider parts of the capital and buffer cities became inundated over the weekend.

Environment

Plant Pests Killed Off By Arctic Vortex Chill

The brutal Arctic vortex chill that brought shivers to people living across North America appears to have also killed off a large number of tree-eating forest pests.

The coldest air to reach Minnesota in decades was probably deadly to pests such as the emerald ash borer, which forest officials say has killed more than 10 million trees.

U.S. Forest Service biologist Robert Venette said that 80 percent of those insects could have been exterminated by temperatures plunging to between minus 22 and minus 26 degrees Fahrenheit.

Venette explained that it takes that kind of cold to reach beneath the bark of infected trees, where the pests winter in a larval state.

The cold is also believed to have killed off a large number of gypsy moths, which eat the leaves of more than 300 species of trees, shrubs and other plants.

But the extreme cold also split or cracked the limbs and stems of some trees, leaving them vulnerable to insects and other threats.

Wildfires

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

 On 16 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of seven additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Karymsky (Kamchatka): The volcano continues to produce sporadic strombolian and small vulcanian explosions. VAAC Tokyo reported a small ash plume yesterday at 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The volcano has been a bit calmer over the past days with no significant explosions / ash emissions from the (active) dome reported. Most of the time, the volcano is covered in clouds, but occasional views show intense degassing.

Aso (Kyushu): Activity at the volcano has decreased although the Nakadake crater with its 2 active vents continues to emit an abundant steam plume, mixed perhaps sometimes with dilute ash. Glow can no longer be seen at night, or at least it has become extremely weak.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Aris Yanto (NdesoAdventures) who is currently on location sent us some impressions from the activity at Sinabung volcanotaken during 16-20 Jan 2014. As of today, after a few days of relative calm with only rockfalls but no significant pyroclastic flows, activity has picked up again and the volcano produced a few small to medium-sized pyroclastic flows. Ash plumes were reported to reach a maximum of approx. 20,000 ft (6 km) altitude.

Dukono (Halmahera): A volcanic ash plume was reported by VAAC Darwin this morning. Its estimated altitude was 10,000 ft (3 km) and it extended 85 nautical miles to the east.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the South Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 09s (Deliwe), located approximately 832 nm southwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar.

The tropical cyclone formed in the Mozambique Channel, and on Friday was forecast to make its way towards the Mozambican coast over the next three days, bringing strong winds and torrential rain to the south of the country.

Cyclone Deliwe moved down the western coast of Madagascar, picking up speed. At 06.00 on Friday the cyclone was generating winds of 83 kilometres an hour, with gusts of over 100 kilometres an hour. As it moves over open water, the storm is expected to gather strength. The forecast for Saturday morning was for winds of up to 120 kilometres an hour.

It is not yet clear whether Deliwe will strike the Mozambican coast, but the National Meteorology Institute warns that it is heading towards Inhambane province.

Tropical cyclone June is located approximately 254 nm south of Noumea, New Caledonia.

June, which formed in the Coral Sea near the Solomon Islands as a category one cyclone, is expected to have intensified to category two before hitting Norfolk Island, between New Caledonia and New Zealand, on Sunday. Tropical Cyclone June is expected to produce a prolonged period of gale force winds, heavy rainfall and moderate to heavy swells over Norfolk Island on Sunday and Monday. Damaging winds averaging above 75 kilometres per hour with gusts of about 100 kilometres per hour are expected to develop on Norfolk Island by about midday on Sunday.

In the Western Pacific Ocean:

Tropical depression Lingling is located approximately 365 nm east of Zamboanga, Philippines.

Wildlife

Japanese Fishermen Terrorize Dolphins Before Slaughter

More than 200 bottlenose dolphins spent a second day penned in a cove by Japanese fishermen, U.S. conservationists said Sunday, many of them stressed and bloodied from their attempts to escape.

The dolphins will spend a third night without food or rest in Taiji Cove before the fishermen likely start to slaughter them Monday for meat, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society said.

Until now, the fishermen have focused on selecting dolphins to be sold into captivity at marine parks and aquariums in Japan and overseas, the conservation group said. Twenty-five dolphins, including a rare albino calf, were taken on Saturday "to a lifetime of imprisonment," and another 12 on Sunday, the group said. Two dolphins have died in the process.

Although the hunting of dolphins is widely condemned in the west, Japanese defend the practice as a local custom -- and say it is no different to the slaughter of other animals for meat.

Space Events

Is our Sun falling silent?

"I've been a solar physicist for 30 years, and I've never seen anything quite like this," says the head of space physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The Sun's face is strangely featureless. "If you want to go back to see when the Sun was this inactive... you've got to go back about 100 years."

This solar lull is baffling scientists, because right now the Sun should be awash with activity. It has reached its solar maximum, the point in its 11-year cycle where activity is at a peak.This giant ball of plasma should be peppered with sunspots, exploding with flares and spewing out huge clouds of charged particles into space in the form of coronal mass ejections. But apart from the odd event, like some recent solar flares, it has been very quiet. And this damp squib of a maximum follows a solar minimum - the period when the Sun's activity troughs - that was longer and lower than scientists expected.

There is a significant chance that the Sun could become increasingly quiet. An analysis of ice-cores, which hold a long-term record of solar activity, suggests the decline in activity is the FASTEST THAT HAS BEEN SEEN IN 10,000 YEARS. "It's an UNUSUALLY RAPID DECLINE."

"We estimate that within about 40 years or so there is a 10% to 20% - nearer 20% - probability that we'll be back in Maunder Minimum conditions." The era of solar inactivity in the 17th Century coincided with a period of bitterly cold winters in Europe. Londoners enjoyed frost fairs on the Thames after it froze over, snow cover across the continent increased, the Baltic Sea iced over - the conditions were so harsh, some describe it as a mini-Ice Age.

Disease

U.S. flu outbreak reaches epidemic status

Now being called a national epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control, the influenza outbreak is claiming more lives in North Texas, and forcing one hospital to make changes. As of Saturday, Dallas County reported 35 flu-related deaths; there have been five in Tarrant County, four each in Denton and Collin counties, and one each in Wise and Hunt counties.

The flu is now widespread in 40 states. In the past week alone, 10 children have died, some just days after coming down with the virus.

Starting next week, all Indianapolis-area hospitals will ban visitors with flu-like symptoms.

Flu season continues through April, so health officials continue to urge everyone to get a flu shot.

It takes two weeks for full protection, but doctors say your immunity starts to kick in almost immediately.

Wildfires

More than 90 wildfires blaze in Australian state

More than 90 wildfires are burning over Australia's New South Wales state, but the danger has ebbed in neighbouring Victoria and South Australia states.

State Country Fire Service spokesman Matt Sun said many of the 93 fires burning across New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, on Sunday were sparked by overnight lightning strikes.

Sun says at least three houses have been destroyed near the village of Minimbah, west of Sydney.

Heat wave conditions across southeast Australia last week intensified wildfires that destroyed at least 25 houses in Victoria and South Australia over several days.

Victoria Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said Australia's second most populous state had coped reasonably well with a fire emergency that scorched 320,000 acres of grass and woodlands.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Activity at the volcano has been a bit lower during the past days, especially when compared to the first half of the past week. It is certainly too early to say whether this is a sign of a possible approaching end of the of the eruption or just a temporary or perhapy only apparent decrease. VSI has published a detailed report about their seismic and other monitoring data up up 17 Jan. It doesn't include the past days, but illustrates the marked peak in activity during 10-15 Jan. Deformation and other monitoring data have been limited by several stations having become non-operational because ash covering the solar panels and other technical difficulties in maintaining them.

Marapi (Western Sumatra, Indonesia): New ash emissions occurred from the volcano's summit crater this morning at 10am local time, Antara News reported. The eruption , back into eruption. Similar small eruptions have been observed during the past years and the current status of the volcano remains at level 2 (out of 4). Climbers are advised not to approach the crater to within 3 km radius because similar (probably phreatic) explosions can occur with little warning.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.

5.2 Earthquake hits Costa Rica.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.

5.2 Earthquake hits Costa Rica.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the South Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 09s (Deliwe), located approximately 585 nm southwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar, has tracked west-southwestward at 12 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 10p (June), located approximately 184 nm northwest of Noumea, New Caledonia, has tracked southeastward at 09 knots.

In the Western Pacific Ocean:

Tropical storm 01w (Lingling) is located approximately 513 nm southeast of Zamboanga, Philippines, has tracked southeastward at 06 knots.

Wildlife

Sydney's Bald Reef Gets a Seaweed Transplant

Seaweed transplants could help revive an underwater forest off the coast of Sydney, Australia, that was wiped out by sewage dumping decades earlier, a new study suggests.

The large brown seaweed species Phyllospora comosa, commonly called crayweed, once thrived off the city's shores, providing food and shelter for other undersea creatures like fish and abalone. But in 2008, researchers discovered that this macroalgae had disappeared from a 43-mile (70 kilometres) stretch of Sydney's coastline — and that it had probably been missing for years.

A group of ecologists took fertile crayweed from surrounding coastal areas and transplanted the species onto two barren reef sites off Sydney. At one site off Long Bay, transplanted crayweed individuals survived just well as those left undisturbed, and they even reproduced.

Seaweeds are the "trees" of the ocean, Campbell added; they support life along temperate coastlines, which can help promote biodiversity and sustain fishing and tourism industries.

Wildfires

Wildfires - South Australia

Extreme heat and high winds fanned dozens of bushfires across Australia on Friday, prompting hundreds to flee their homes in some of the worst conditions seen since Black Saturday in 2009.

One person died in the Grampians bushland in the southeastern state of Victoria, about 300 km (186 miles) west of Melbourne, where bushfires are burning out of control amid temperatures which have hit above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees F), destroying or damaging houses.

Victoria was the hardest hit, with 70 bushfires burning out of control. Dozens of blazes are burning in South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales.

Authorities have issued seven emergency warnings to severely affected areas, prompting hundreds of residents to flee their homes.

Environment

Dead Sea Shrinks Further Despite Middle East Rains

The level of the shrinking Dead Sea dropped even further this winter despite drenching rains that filled up reservoirs elsewhere across Israel and the occupied West Bank.

Hydrologists say the widespread rain and snow even refilled most of the coastal aquifer while failing to replenish the Dead Sea.

Siphoning of the sea and its Jordan River source for agricultural use and industry, as well as evaporation, have caused the shoreline to retreat by as much as a mile in some spots over the past few decades.

By early January, the super-saline lake had dropped by more than an inch from what had been measured a month earlier, reaching a level 3 feet lower than just a year before.

The retreating shoreline has destabilized the ground, causing massive sinkholes that have devoured entire villages.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits the Bouvet Island region.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Bouvet Island region.

5.0 Earthquake hits eastern Xizang, China.

Tracking Fukushima Radiation:

Since the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami crippled Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011, concerns have spread among the public that water with traces of radioactive material might be traveling in a plume across the Pacific Ocean toward the west coast of North America.

Experts say the radiation levels reaching the U.S. coast and Hawaiian Islands will be too low to threaten human health or marine life, but no U.S. government or international agency is actually monitoring radiation in these places.

Now, a scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts is launching a new citizen science project to measure levels of radioactive cesium in water washing up along the West Coast.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the South Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Deliwe forms approximately 325 nm southwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar.

In the Pacific Ocean:

A fresh cyclone is brewing in the Pacific near the Solomon Islands as humanitarian groups struggle to get relief supplies to outlying islands in Tonga devastated by Cyclone Ian. Solomons forecasters said the region's second cyclone of the summer could hit this weekend, a week after Ian slammed into Tonga, killing one person, leaving about 4000 homeless and destroying crops on outer islands.

NewsBytes:

Landslides and flooding in Sulwesi, Indonesia have claimed lives of at least 16 people and displaced around 4,000 people.

Global Warming

Global Warming - Public Opinion

The number of Americans who believe global warming isn't happening has risen to 23 percent, up 7 percentage points since April 2013.

The latest survey, taken in November 2013, finds that the majority of Americans — 63 percent — do believe in climate change, and 53 percent are "somewhat" or "very" worried about the consequences.

The proportion of people who do believe in climate change has been steady since April 2013, but the proportion of those who say they "don't know" whether climate change is happening dropped 6 percentage points between April and November 2013, suggesting that many "don't knows" moved into the "not happening" category.

Environment

Mild Scandinavian Winter Stirs Bears and Buds Flowers

The bulge of warm air over Northern Europe, pushed up by the Arctic vortex on the other side of the Atlantic, has caused bears to emerge early from hibernation in Finland and plants to bud earlier than normal in Norway.

While North Americans have shivered in the coldest weather in decades, Nordic residents have experienced one of the mildest winters in a century.

The Norwegian newspaper Sunnmørsposten published reader photographs of daffodils emerging as early as mid-December, along with crocuses, daisies, dandelions and honeysuckle.

“It was very unusual to see no snow in large areas where it is normal in December,” said Ketil Isaksen, a scientist at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

“Only in the mountains and certain parts of Norway could you find snow.” Heavy rainfall, instead of snow, is believed to have flooded bear dens, forcing the animals out of hibernation.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 116.8 degrees Fahrenheit (47.1 degrees Celsius) at Mardie, Western Australia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 60.7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 51.5 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Siberian community of Verkhoyansk.

Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.

Wildfires

Wildfires - California

Colby fire above Glendora burns homes, spews smoke over L.A. Basin.

The fast-moving wildfire in the hills above Glendora burned at least 1,700 acres of withered brush and five homes Thursday, and sent a smoky pall over much of the Los Angeles Basin. Weather officials had been warning about the fire danger for months, capped by a January that had the windy, nosebleed feel of October. The native chaparral that burns so easily in normal circumstances was parched and ready to combust.

The fire sent smoke and ash south and west toward the Pacific Ocean. People as far away as Huntington Beach and Santa Monica smelled the wood smoke and saw their shadows cast in an eerie red light. Commuters on the 10 Freeway reported seeing the flames from as far away as West Covina, with cars caked in dust and ash 30 miles from the fire.

Winds were gusting to 30 mph Thursday morning and were projected to climb to 40 mph by Thursday night.

Wildfires - South Australia

A massive 41,000-hectare bushfire in Victoria's Grampians has caused significant concern for firefighters by creating its own weather system.

The fire has caused a 12-kilometre convection column that has created thunderstorms and lightning.

ABC weather expert Graham Creed says a pyrocumulus cloud in the Grampians was triggered by heat and intense updrafts, and could result in damaging winds as well as potentially large hail.

Officials confirmed a woman died in the Grampians fire whilst at least two homes were destroyed in South Australia's Eden Valley north-east of Adelaide.

Firefighters had to battle another day of stifling conditions and while a cool change is predicted, it is bringing wind gusts of up to 120kph that have the potential to start new bushfires.

Drought

California

Record warm and dry weather has hit California this month, as one of the worst drought in state history continues to intensify. San Francisco Airport observed its warmest January day on record on Wednesday: 73°. This beat the previous all-time January record of 72° set twice before (on January 13, 2009 and January 24, 1948). Oakland hit 77° on Wednesday, and Monterey topped out at a remarkable 83° -- which would be a daily record on many summer days.

The record January heat has been accompanied by record dryness. California recorded its driest year in its history during 2013. The most widely used measure of drought in the U.S. shows that December 2013 drought conditions in California were the 2nd most intense for any December going back to 1895, with only December 1898 being worse.

Less than an inch of precipitation has fallen over more than 95% of the state so far in January 2014, and the prospects for significant rain for the next ten days look bleak. A large and persistent ridge of high pressure has set up over the West Coast and shows no signs of budging. Since rain-bearing low pressure system tend to travel along the axis of the jet stream, these storms are being carried well to the north of California into Southeast Alaska, leaving California exceptionally dry.

Thursday's U.S. Drought Monitor showed that the area of California experiencing extreme drought expanded from 28% to 63% over the past week, and January 2014 drought conditions are expected to challenge 1899 for the dubious honour of worst January drought in state history.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 14 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of 3 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

On 15 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of four additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

South Africa releasing patients with deadly TB strains into community

The spread of a virtually untreatable form of tuberculosis in South Africa is being fueled by the release of infected patients into the general community, according to a new study.

Scientists tracked 107 patients with extensively drug-resistant TB, also known as XDR-TB in three South African provinces between 2008 and 2012. Despite most patients being treated with about eight TB drugs, 78 died. More than 40 others were released from hospitals without further monitoring. TB is an infectious bacterial infection that usually affects the lungs and is often spread by coughing and sneezing.

In one case, DNA testing confirmed a discharged patient passed on the deadly strain to his brother; both eventually died without being admitted to a hospital.

Researchers said releasing patients with the lethal TB strain was happening on a widespread level in South Africa because there were few available beds in TB hospitals or palliative care facilities.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): Vulcanian-type explosions, which presented a spectacular show during much of the past year, are again becoming more frequent at the volcano, with now averaging one event per day. This is still very low compared to most of last year, but a significant increase compared to the past 3 weeks when there were almost none.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Activity remains elevated although pyroclastic flows seem to have become less frequent over the past 24 hours. This could be due to several possibilities or a combination of them:

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): The volcano's activity, essentially unchanged over the past weeks, has returned to very low levels, with usually less than 5 weak explosive emissions per day. Crater glow remains visible at night, indicating continuing slow lava extrusion.

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): The effusion of blocky lava from the deom has become weaker, evidenced by some avalanches from the southern and southeastern rims. Explosive activity seems in turn to be picking up. On average 2-3 explosions per hour are seen from the Caliente lava dome with ash plumes rising up to 800 m and often causing light ash fall in areas to the southwest.

Pacaya (Guatemala): The lava flow from the southern fissure vent at the base of Mackenney crater remains active, and weak strombolian activity occurs at the summit vent.

Fuego (Guatemala): No changes in the explosive and effusive activity at the volcano occurred. 13 explosions were observed during the past 24 hours (11 weak and 2 moderate ones) with ash plumes rising up to 800 m above the crater and forming a plume 8 kilometers to the south and southwest. Incandescent material was seen rising to 75-125 m and locomotive-like degassing sounds, as well as shock waves were noted. The lava flow on the upper SE flank remained moderately alimented and was 300 m long yesterday morning.

El Misti (Peru): The volcano experienced an earthquake swarm during 14-15 January, IGP reported in its latest bulletin. An increase of approx. 25% in seismic activity overall with respect to last year's average was calculated, but IGP stresses that this activity is still low and does not suggest new activity in a near future. According to the report, a total of 418 seismic events were recorded during the first half of January, most of them during the swarm that occurred on 14-15 Jan when almost 120 quakes were registered within 17 hours. From these events, 144 were so called long-period quakes (internal fluid movements), 269 volcano-tectonic earthquakes (internal rock fracturing) and 5 short pulses of tremor (internal vibration). El Misti, which is only 17 km from the center of Arequipa city, is one of the countries major and most active volcanoes. Due to its closeness to a large city and its history of explosive eruptions, it is also one of the most dangerous volcanoes in South America, and clearly one that deserves being closely monitored.

Puyehue-Cordón Caulle (Central Chile and Argentina): A small emission of gas and some ash was reported by Buenos Aires VAAC. In fact, a diluted plume of gas, steam, and possibly some volcanic ash is visible on satellite images from yesterday and this morning. However, the ash if present might have been picked up by winds. It is unclear whether the volcano has actually erupted and new ash. SERNAGEOMIN has not reported any unusual activity and keeps the volcano's status at green (normal).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 Earthquake hits in the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.1 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Pacific Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Colin is located approximately 1090 nm northeast of Kerguelen Island.

There a cyclone watch underway in Solomon Islands with meteorologists tracking a tropical disturbance that is showing signs of developing further in the next couple of days. The chief forecaster at the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service said if the current weather conditions remain, the Pacific region can expect its second cyclone of the summer by this weekend.

Environment

The sea froze so fast that it killed thousands of fish instantly

Norwegian public radio has reported on the instant death of thousands of fish in a bay in the island of Lovund, Norway. An air temperature of -7.8 C (17.96 F) combined with a strong east wind froze the sea water instantly, trapping and killing the fish. A witness says that he has never seen such a phenomenon.

It seems that the herrings were chased by cormorants into the bay when the deadly freezing happened. It is not uncommon for herring to get very near the shore when chased by predators, sometimes getting trapped by the low tide in areas like this bay.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.3 Earthquake hits San Juan, Argentina.

5.1 Earthquake hits Tajikistan.

5.1 Earthquake hits Turkmenistan.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Pacific Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Colin is located approximately 1300 nm south of Diego Garcia.

NewsBytes:

A state of calamity has been declared after floods and mudslides claimed the lives of at least ten people and left 10 others missing in southeast Brazil.

Wildfires

Wildfires - South Australia

The heatwave frying South East Australia gets worse as hundreds of new fires are reported.

Emergency warnings have been issued for two uncontrolled bushfires apparently started by thunderstorms in sweltering South Australia.

The Country Fire Service (CFS) says it’s receiving reports of fires at the rate of one a minute, from the state’s west to the wine region of the Barossa Valley, the Mt Lofty Ranges near Adelaide and the Murraylands.

Two fires have been given emergency warning status which means the blazes are a risk to lives and homes.

In Adelaide today, the state capital melted under 45 degree heat with more 40 degree plus temperatures forecast for the next three days.

A thunderstorm swept across the state earlier today sending lightening strikes into bushland.

A badly burned woman was fighting for her life in hospital last night after being airlifted from one of the 300 bushfires burning across the state.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 13 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of 6 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, and the death of a previously reported case.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of 5 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 1 death.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano's eruption continues at elevated levels similar to the past days. The growing lava dome produces frequent small to medium-sized pyroclastic flows, sometimes surpassing 5 km length. Thus, the flows approach the current limits of the exclusion zone (5 km, 7 km on SE side) and it would be wise to extend it to at least 10 km, although the logistic and social problems and side-effects involved would be immense. Already more than 26,000 people are now listed as evacuees and authorities make efforts to establish emergency escape routes in the 10 km radius zone everyone should know. It is impossible to predict how the volcano's eruption will evolve. In addition to the pyroclastic flows caused by collapses of the highly unstable growing lava dome, the vents show a tendency towards increasing ash venting and explosions. One scenario could be the re-appearance of larger explosions, which would destroy the lava dome and possibly produce pyroclastic flows that well surpass the ones currently seen, as happened in the deadly Merapi 2010 eruption.

Dukono (Halmahera): More explosions occurred today at the volcano. Ash plumes were reported at 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude extending up to 60 nautical miles to the NE.

Pacaya (Guatemala): The volcano continues to effuse a weakly alimented lava flow from the southern fissure and has mild strombolian activity at the summit crater, with explosions occurring about every 2 minutes and ejections reaching 25-70 m above the crater.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity continues at moderate levels as during the past days. INSIVUMEH counted 13 moderate explosions with shock waves and ash plumes rising 300-800 m. The lava flow on the upper southern slope towards the Trinidad drainage was 300 m long this morning.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Taiwan Strait.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Pacific Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Colin is located approximately 1171 nm south of Diego Garcia.

Southern Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Ian is located approximately 978 nm south of Pago Pago.

NewsBytes:

According to updated reports, at least 14 people have died while 13 are missing due to floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in the Philippines.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update

On 10 January 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China notified WHO of 6 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 1 death.

Foot and Mouth Disease in Tibet

Chinese authorities have confirmed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) among cattle in Tibet.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Aso (Kyushu): The volcano is active from 2 vents in the Nakadake crater. During the night, sometime strong incandescence, suggesting possible weak (strombolian-type) ejections of lava, steaming and minor ash venting are visible.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): After a few days of deceiving calm, the eruption of the volcano intensified again today and produced the so-far largest pyroclastic flows, reaching probably more than 5-6 km in length, and associated ash plumes that rose to approx. 25,000 ft (8 km) altitude.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.5 Earthquake hits Puerto Rico.

5.0 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Pacific Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Colin is located approximately 819 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia.

Southern Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone Ian is located approximately 739 nm south of Pago Pago.

TC Ian is the most powerful cyclone ever to hit Tonga and has destroyed villages, flattened trees and left at least one person dead. Up to 70 per cent of houses and buildings in the central Ha'apai islands group - which is home to about 8000 people and bore the brunt of Cyclone Ian - were damaged or destroyed. The Tongan government on Sunday declared a state of emergency in the Ha'apai region after it was pounded by winds in excess of 200 kilometres an hour, which whipped up mountainous seas around coastal villages.

US extreme weather caused by shifting Arctic Cyclone?

As residents of the United States and Canada were surprised by the frigid cold dipping below minus 30 degrees Celsius, Russians and other Europeans were also surprised by the January weather, with temperatures in Moscow rising some 11 degrees above average. In Germany tourists sat outside in the warm sun enjoying Italian Ice Cream. Now weather experts say the two anomalies are in fact connected.

As Americans kept struggling with extreme cold and snow brought on by a ‘polar vortex,’ people in central Russia were puzzled by warm rainy weather that melted all the snow away. Central Europe also experienced sudden warm-up, and trees in Moldovan capital Chisinau got confused to the point their buds started swelling, apparently in anticipation of the blooming season.

One of the reasons for the snowless January in Russia and the coldest winter in the last 17 years for the US is the shifting of the Arctic Cyclone towards North America, says a warning meteorologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The arctic cyclone may come to Russia in a week or two, he said, predicting that the temperatures in the country could soon leap back to below zero and even below average. Russian meteorologists have said that the gradual return of winter is to be expected even sooner.

According to the Hydrometeorological Centre of Russia, frost and snow is coming back, starting from this weekend and reaching minus 17 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, people in practically every US state (except Alaska and Hawaii) have been suffering the fate of the US East Coast and Midwest, which were hit by heavy storms ahead of Thanksgiving, and then have suffered Winter Storm Hercules, with its severe snowfall and chilling wind, just after New Year’s. The natural disaster grounded thousands of flights, halted some trains and traffic midway, cut power lines, leaving whole parts of cities in the dark, and was responsible for countless road accidents, some of them fatal. New York's Governor on Tuesday even declared a state of emergency due to a “polar vortex” raging in the state, describing the weather conditions as “life threatening.”

Weather experts, however, have stopped short of saying the anomalies are direct signs of global warming. "What is happening now in the US and Russia is due to “natural climactic variations,” said a spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization. The so-called Rossby planetary waves, which, among other factors, are responsible for the emergence of jet streams – the strong high-altitude winds blowing from west to east – are behind the extreme weather fluctuations.

NewsBytes:

A modest severe weather outbreak over the Southeast U.S. on Saturday, January 11, brought the first tornadoes of 2014: three to Virginia, and one to Georgia.

Lightning strikes in Mozambique have claimed lives of four people and injured eight others during storms.

Disease

Isolated case of Congo fever in Western Cape, South Africa

The woman is being treated for Congo fever in Somerset West, Western Cape, is an isolated case, hospital officials said on Sunday.

The 39-year-old contracted the fever from a multi-coloured tick. She was in a serious but stable condition after she was admitted to the hospital over a week ago.

People with Congo fever suffer from flu-like symptoms and haemorrhaging. According to the World Health Organisation Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever is primarily transmitted to people from ticks and livestock animals.

Human-to-human transmission can occur from close contact with the blood, secretions, organs, or other bodily fluids of infected persons. There is no vaccine available for either people or animals.

Drought

Australia

Food prices are expected to soar within months without a downpour over drought-ravaged New South Wales.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Perth Australia

Wildfires in the hills around Perth, Australia have claimed the life of at least one person and destroyed around 40 homes.

Around 275 firefighters are battling the wildfires.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits Guatemala.

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Pacific Ocean:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 07p (Ian), located approximately 618 nm south of Pago Pago, is tracking south-southeastward at 12 knots. Tc Ian is expected to gradually weaken as it encounters increasing vertical wind shear and cooler sea surface temperatures.

Southern Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 08s (Colin), has formed in the southern Indian Ocean and is located approximately 745 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, tracking southwestward at 07 knots.

The cyclone is expected to maintain its current intensity over the next 12 hours as low vertical wind shear (vws) and good outflow persist. Afterwards, cooling sea surface temperatures and increasing vws are expected to gradually weaken the system.

NewsBytes:

Four states in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia have been affected by annual monsoon floods. More than 1 000 families were evacuated in Kelantan.

Five villages in three tambons of Narathiwat's Waeng district in Thailand have been hit by flash floods following two days of continuous rain.

Disease

Nipah Virus is Bangladesh

Health specialists have expressed concerns about a potential fresh outbreak of the deadly Nipah virus (NiV), following the confirmation of two recent deaths from NiV infection and four more suspected fatalities.

Laboratory tests at the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) has confirmed that two boys – aged 13 and 14 – died from NiV infection at Shibaloy and Ghior of Manikganj district on the last week of December last year.

Both of them died after being infected with the virus by drinking raw date-palm sap.

The NiV – an enveloped RNA virus belonging to genus Henipavirus – is a highly pathogenic paramyxovirus, which is transmitted by the drinking of virus-contaminated raw date palm sap or through close physical contact with Nipah infected patients.

The NiV infection has a fatality rate of 78%, with 148 people out of the 189 reported cases between 2001 and May 2013 – succumbing to the disease in the country.