Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.9 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.
5.5 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
5.4 Earthquake hits the Samoa Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon 04w (Maysak), located approximately 49 nm east-northeast of Fais, is tracking west-northwestward at 12 knots.
NewsBytes:
Chile Update - Officials in Chile said 18 people were killed and 20 were still missing after flash floods devastated the Atacama region in the north of the country last week. The rains, which started on Tuesday, were the worst in 80 years to fall in the region, one of the driest on Earth. Almost 11,000 people have been affected and more than 4,500 are in shelters.
India Update - Six bodies were recovered on Tuesday increasing the death toll to 16 in Jammu and Kashmir as a devastating flood in the state forced thousands to flee to safer places. Several areas of the Valley and parts of Jammu were in deluge caused by heavy rain over the weekend.
England - Flooding and gales in Greater Manchester have disrupted traffic, flights and rail traffic. Numerous homes and building sustained light damage from the high winds.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
7.5 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii said "hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 1,000 km of the earthquake epicentre along the coasts of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands". In Rabaul, the town closest to the epicentre of the earthquake, residents noticed the sea level rose slightly, prompting ocean water to flood the parking lot of a shopping centre near the beach. A tsunami of 0.5m was measured in the harbour of Rabaul.
6.7 Earthquake hits the Samoa Islands.
6.6 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.8 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.7 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.4 Earthquake hits Guizhou, China.
5.3 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.3 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Typhoon 04w (Maysak), located approximately 458 nm east of Yap, is tracking west-northwestward at 12 knots.
NewsBytes:
India - At least 10 people were buried by mudslides and hundreds of people left their homes in Kashmir after heavy rain over the weekend raised fears of floods in the valley. Late last night, water levels crossed the danger mark in the river Jhelum, causing panic in a region devastated by floods six months ago that left some 250 people dead and destroyed thousands of homes. All schools were closed on Monday and exams were postponed as the state government declared a flood. This year, in large parts of India, March has been the wettest month in more than a century, wrecking millions of hectares of winter crops.
Warmest Temperature Ever Recorded On The Continent Of Antarctica
The warmest temperature ever recorded on the continent of Antarctica may have occurred on Tuesday, March 24, when the mercury shot up to 63.5°F (17.5°C) at Argentina's Esperanza Base on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula.
The previous hottest temperature recorded in Antarctica was 63.3°F (17.4°C) set just one day previously at Argentina's Marambio Base, on a small islet just off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Prior to this week's remarkable heat wave, the hottest known temperature in Antarctica was the 62.6°F (17.0°C) recorded at Esperanza Base in October 1976.
The World Meteorological Organization has not yet certified that this week's temperatures are all-time weather records for Antarctica, though the Argentinian weather service has verified that the temperatures measured at Esperanza Base and Marambio Base were the highest ever measured at each site.
The Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest warming spots on Earth. While the Earth as a whole warmed up by 1.3°F between 1900 and 2011, the Antarctic Peninsula warmed by 5°, forcing massive ice shelves to disintegrate and penguin colonies to collapse. A 2012 paper in Nature found that the recent warming is faster than 99.7% of any other given 100-year period in the last 2000 years.
Ethiopia reports measles and diphtheria outbreaks
The country of the Horn of Africa is currently battling outbreaks in two vaccine-preventable diseases, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
To date, 2,190 suspected measles cases were reported in 61 separate outbreaks in Ethiopia, of which 929 cases were confirmed positive. The majority of the cases were from Nejo and Nole woredas of West Wellega zone (Oromia) and Kola Tembien woreda of Central Tigray zone (Tigray). Twenty eight per cent of cases were children under-5 and 33 per cent of those affected were above 15 years of age.
In addition to measles, an outbreak of diphtheria was reported in Alle and Konso woredas (SNNPR) on 25 February. As of 7 March, there were 31 suspected cases and six deaths. Investigations to determine the extent of the outbreak are on-going.
Rabies in Nepal
Officials report a 12-year old boy died of furious rabies during treatment at Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Kathmandu, Nepal.
The patient was bitten by an unknown stray dog (puppy) in the tip of the index finger. The wound was unnoticeable and hence the boy did not inform his parents about the incident. Signs of furious rabies appeared 20 days after the bite. He died one day after his admission to this hospital. It was the 2nd fatal case of rabies in this hospital within a week.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano continues to effuse a viscous lava lobe from its summit crater. Frequent rockfalls and pyroclastic flows occur due to partial collapses of the sticky lava masses on the steep upper slope. Bastien Poux who has been observing the volcano during the past weeks sent the following report: "I have been watching the Sinabung volcano for the last two weeks, there is a big lava lobe hanging at the summit, you can see it glow at night. Debris flows are getting bigger and more frequent, usually the rocks come form the side of the lobe, where it is contact with the walls made of older formations (sign the the lobe moves forward), between 10 and 25 times a day, going down the flank to distances between 500 and 2000m in general, couple of them went to 3000m yesterday when a big piece of the frontal part of the lobe collapsed.”
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.0 Earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.6 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.
5.6 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.2 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 Earthquake hits southern Iran.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the coast of northern Peru.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical depression 04w (Maysak), located approximately 768 nm east of Yap, is tracking westward at 10 knots.
NewsBytes:
Macedonia - Rains falling across Macedonia caused new flooding, with rivers overflowing in several parts of the country. In the city of Kavadarci, the Luda Mara river overflowed in the Glisic area and near the village of Marena. In Prilep, the Crna river, which was responsible for much of the earlier flooding, overflowed near the villages of Trojkrsti, Lozani and Topolcani.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits Crete.
5.3 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Rat Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits Ecuador.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Andaman Islands off India.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical depression 04w (Maysak), located approximately 161 nm east of Chuuk, is tracking westward at 09 knots.
NewsBytes:
Chile Update - Devastating floods in Chile have claimed the lives of at least six people and left 19 others missing. The heavy rainfall has affected areas in the regions of Antofagasta, Copiapo and Coquimbo. A health alert has been declared in these zones. The downpours in the usually arid region have been the heaviest in about 80 years. Flash floods in Chile's Atacama desert, one of the driest regions in the world, have left thousands of people without electricity or water. Chile's government has declared a state of emergency for the Atacama desert region.
Pollution Believed to Be Sickening Fish of the Deep
A groundbreaking study of the health of fish living in the depths of the continental slopes suggests that some species may have developed liver diseases, tumours and other health problems that could be linked to manmade pollution.
The research took place at depths between 2,000 feet and 1 mile in the Bay of Biscay, off the western coast of France, and revealed the first case of a deep-water intersex fish species.
Such conditions, in which the fish displays a blend of male and female reproductive organs, have also been found among fish in far more shallow and polluted waters from Europe to North America.
“In areas ranging from pristine, high mountain lakes of the United States to ocean waters off the coasts of France and Spain, we’ve now found evidence of possible human-caused pollution that’s bad enough to have pathological impacts on fish,” said fish disease expert and report co-author Michael Kent of Oregon State University.
While no clear evidence of a major pollution source was found near the deep-water diseased fish, the species there mature at a relatively old age.
Researchers believe they could have accumulated dangerous amounts of pollution during their lifetimes.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Kliuchevskoi (Kamchatka): Mild activity (small explosions and light ash emissions) continues at the summit crater of the volcano from the Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 18-24 March 2015:
Medvezhia (Kurile Islands, Russia): Satellite images showed a weak thermal anomaly over Kudryavy, a stratovolcano of the Medvezhia volcanic complex, on 18 March.
Sinarka (Shiashkotan Island ): Satellite images showed steam-and-gas emissions from Sinarka on 16 March and a weak thermal anomaly on 21 March.
Chirinkotan (Northern Kuriles): SVERT reported that during 19-21 March a thermal anomaly over Chirinkotan was detected in satellite images. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Yellow on 20 March.
Lewotobi (Flores): The alert level of the volcano was raised after a significant increase in seismic activity was detected recently. from the Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 18-24 March 2015:
Kilauea (Hawai'i): As the June 27th lava flow is no longer active in the vicinity of Pahoa town, HVO downgraded the volcano alert level for Kīlauea from WARNING to WATCH. HVO issued the following report: "The eruption of lava continues at both the Puʻu ʻŌʻō vent on Kīlauea Volcano’s East Rift Zone and in Halemaʻumaʻu Crater at the volcano’s summit.
Semisopochnoi (United States, Aleutian Islands): The Alaska volcano observatory (AVO) detected significantly increased earthquake activity under the volcano and warns of a possible eruption: "Earthquake activity that began in January continues, and has increased in intensity over the past few days. In addition, we have detected brief periods of seismic tremor, which can indicate movement of magma or magmatic gases. Thus we are increasing the aviation color code to YELLOW and the volcano alert level to ADVISORY." (AVO)
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.0 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical depression 04w (Four), located approximately 48 nm west of Pohnpei, is tracking west-northwestward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Oklahoma, USA - An extremely dangerous tornado in Tulsa, Oklahoma has claimed the life of one person and injured several others. The death occurred inside a mobile home park near suburban Sand Springs on Wednesday.
Kazakhstan - Heavy rains and melting snow have caused severe flooding in the Qaraghandy region on the steppe in central Kazakhstan. The Central Asian nation's Emergency Department said on March 26 that dozens of residents had been evacuated from three five-storied apartment blocks in the town of Qarazhal, where streets, highways and buildings have been damaged. It said dozens of apartment buildings and roads were threatened by flooding in the town of Atasu.
Saudi Arabia - The recent heavy rains that caused floods in various parts of the Kingdom have killed 11 people, left three missing and trapped 456 vehicles, the Directorate General of Civil Defence announced on Thursday. It said four people died in Makkah region, three in Asir, three in Najran and one in Riyadh.
Planet Heading Toward Acute Water Shortages
The United Nations says the world is on the brink of at least a 40 percent shortfall in water supplies due to climate change and an accelerated use of the precious commodity to feed a surging global population.
A report by the world body says that the demand for water will exceed its rate of replenishment by 40 percent in just the next 15 years.
“The fact is, there is enough water to meet the world’s needs, but not without dramatically changing the way water is used, managed and shared,” the report says.
It points to improvident use of rapidly disappearing groundwater sources, pollution and erratic weather patterns caused by manmade climate change as the major challenges for future water supplies.
Chilean Wildfires Ravage Rare Species
Huge firestorms raging across parts of drought-stricken southern Chile have “wiped out” hundreds of rare plant species and threatened wildlife as well, according to environmental advocates.
“There have been whole species lost, such as the Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree),” Accion Ecologica chief Luis Mariano Rendon told Agence France-Presse.
“They are trees that take hundreds of years to reach maturity. So this is a practically irreparable loss for current generations.”
Rendon bemoaned the lack of enough aerial firefighting equipment to protect the ecological heritage of Latin America’s most wealthy country, given how much it spends on fighter jets.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 111.2 degrees Fahrenheit (44.0 degrees Celsius) at Isisford, Queensland, Australia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 89.5 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 67.5 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.
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.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
Between 11 and 22 March 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 15 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 3 deaths.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.1 Earthquake hits Vancouver Island, Canada.
5.0 Earthquake hits San Juan, Argentina.
5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Bio-Bio, Chile..
5.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
No current tropical storms.
NewsBytes:
Chile - Flash floods in Chile's Atacama desert, one of the driest regions in the world, have left thousands of people without electricity or water. Chile's government has declared a state of emergency for the Atacama desert region after heavy rainfall triggered flooding in the region. 2 deaths have been reported and at least 24 persons are missing.
Peru - A state of emergency has been declared in Peruvian town of Chosica as a landslide claimed the lives of at least seven people and destroyed 65 houses. According to Reuters, six people are missing and 25 have been injured in the landslide.
Global Warming Is Slowing Ocean Currents
Climate scientists Michael Mann and Stefan Rahmstorf announced the findings of their new study yesterday, which shows that the rapid melting of the polar ice has slowed down currents in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly since 1970. The scientists say “the slowdown in ocean currents will result in sea level rise in cities like New York and Boston, and temperature changes on both sides of the Atlantic,”.
Mann explains the consequences of the Gulf Stream shutting down and how it would drastically alter the climate in Europe and North America. The last time this happened, about 12,000 years ago, at the end of the last ice age, North America and Europe went back into a mini-ice age, Mann says. Not only would North America and Europe experience colder temperatures, but “If those current systems shut down, then suddenly the North Atlantic [fisheries] would no longer be productive,” says Mann.
Mann says a shutdown of the Gulf Stream might happen a lot sooner than the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report predicts. “Our studies suggest we are much closer to that than the current model suggests. A full shutdown … could be decades from now.”
Early Snow Melt - Wyoming, USA
The spring snowmelt now comes more than two weeks earlier than it did in the 1970s in Wyoming's Wind River Range, a new study finds.
The trend is part of a larger snow shortfall across the Western United States documented by many researchers. Several independent studies have found the spring snowmelt starts up to 20 days earlier in the West than in the past because there's less snow falling each winter and warmer spring weather means the snow that does fall melts earlier.
The snow is melting 16 days earlier this century than it was in the period from 1972-1999, the study found. Stream flows have decreased, and are also peaking earlier. Weather records from the same time period show a warming trend, with rising spring and summer nighttime temperatures. Higher nighttime temperatures can cause more snow to melt the next day, the study researchers said.
Water resources in states, such as Wyoming, that rely on snowmelt are being adversely affected.
Typhoid in Uganda - Update
An outbreak of typhoid fever has infected hundreds of people in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, and looks likely to spread as the rainy season gets under way, a senior health official said on Wednesday.
At least 4,000 suspected cases of typhoid fever have been reported, 400 of which have been confirmed.
The disease's epicenter is a slum in downtown Kampala where many were sickened by contaminated water and fruit juices.
The World Health Organization says the majority of water sources that were tested in downtown Kampala were found "heavily contaminated" with fecal matter, and that most of those affected are men between the ages of 20 and 39.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.2 Earthquake hits the southern Pacific Ocean.
5.1 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.
5.1 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.
5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.
5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Tarapaca, Chile.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
No current tropical storms.
NewsBytes:
Colombia - A major hailstorm in Bogota, the capital city of Colombia covered a large area with a 24-inch layer of icy snow. Numerous roofs collapsed, traffic was disrupted and around 900 people were left homeless.
Thailand - A heavy downpour for more than one hour around noon Tuesday in inner Bangkok has caused floods on several roads and traffic jams.
Earth Remains Under Threat From Meteors
“The last three big meteor events in history have been over the Russian mainland...it’s just that in comparison to Earth’s oceans, Russia is the next biggest thing to hit.”
Researchers now have a plethora of new atmospheric fireball and meteor detection methods at their disposal. NASA and other U.S. Government agencies have better sensors that now help look at such high altitude events. There are also more dash cams and security cameras and cell phone cameras; including cell phone apps, capable of easily filing reports of these bolides to a central office.
Have we underestimated the threat from near-Earth asteroids? We have a pretty good understanding of where 95 percent of the near-Earth asteroids (one km in diameter and up) actually are. But, surveys of near-Earth objects of 100 meters or less are not even one percent complete. “We used to think that a 20 meter-sized meteor wasn’t that big a threat. But the Chelyabinsk meteor was only 20 meters and we saw what it could do.”
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Colima (Western Mexico): The volcano continues to produce sometimes strong vulcanian-type explosions that seem to have picked up in strength over the past days. An eruption at 03:08 am local time produced fountaining of lava several hundred meters high and appears to have caused a small pyroclastic flow.
Karymsky (Kamchatka): Intermittent strombolian to vulcanian explosions continue to occur at the volcano. Occasionally, such as this morning, the resulting typically smaller ash plumes are large enough to be reported in Tokyo VAAC's volcanic ash advisories. Karymsky is one of the world's few volcanoes having been in persistent activity for centuries.
Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka, Russia): A relatively large ash emission from the volcano was reported this morning by Tokyo VAAC. Based on MTSAT satellite imagery, an ash plume rose to estimated 27,000 ft (8 km) altitude and extended east.
Dukono (Halmahera): An ash emission this morning was observed on satellite imagery (Darwin VAAC).
Villarrica (Central Chile): Weak intermittent strombolian activity at the summit crater and occasional small ash emissions continue. In its latest report from yesterday, SERNAGEOMIN mentioned a decrease in tremor and observed emissions. An exclusion zone of 5 km radius around the crater is in place as the activity can increase abruptly at any time.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.8 Earthquake hits Taiwan.
5.1 Earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits Fiji.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 88 nm east of Darwin, Australia and is tracking west-southwestward at 07 knots.
Tropical cyclone Nathan is set to intensify off the coast of the Northern Territory before weakening on its way back inland. The cyclone has been lashing the NT with wind gusts reaching up to 140km/h in some areas.
NewsBytes:
Britain - Britain is battered by extreme high tides as at least seven flood warnings are issued across the country following solar eclipse. 'Supertide of the century' triggered by the solar eclipse has threatened many parts of the UK with flooding. Seven flood warnings were issued along with 34 alerts across the country. The Thames Barrier was closed for the 175th time in its 30-year history to protect London from the high tides linked to yesterday's solar eclipse and 'supermoon' which has caused rising water levels. Flooding of homes and businesses is expected in North Tyneside and Sunderland as well as the Somerset coast and the Wye Estuary at Brockweir. High tides have been forecast for the next two days.
Ebola Outbreak One Year Old
The Ebola outbreak, ravaging primarily Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, is a year old today. According to one official count, it's infected 24,000 people and killed 10,000.
And it's managed to do so because of an institutional failure on several levels: weak public health systems locally and a painfully slow response globally.
A significant challenge remains ahead, Doctors Without Borders says.
"To declare an end to the outbreak, every single person in contact with someone infected with Ebola must be identified. There is no room for mistakes or complacency; the number of cases weekly is still higher than in any previous outbreak, and overall cases have not significantly declined since late January."
Turkey - Swine Flu
The Turkish Health Minister announced on Monday that 19 people had died from the H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, in the last week in Turkey, but the minister said the recent cases do not constitute an outbreak of the disease, claiming the cases are nothing more than a seasonal occurrence.
In 2014, there were 170 diagnosed cases of the disease, of which 11 proved to be fatal.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.1 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Caspian Sea, offshore Turkmenistan.
5.1 Earthquake hits the north Indian Ocean.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 210 nm east-northeast of Darwin, Australia and is tracking westward at 06 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 20p (reuben), located approximately 688 nm southeast of Suva, Fiji, and is tracking southeastward at 07 knots.
NewsBytes:
Canada - An avalanche in British Columbia, Canada has claimed the life of one person and left one other missing. Both were group members snowmobiling near the Dore River drainage area, near McBride, B.C.
Tanzania - THE ongoing heavy rains in Dar es Salaam region have left five people dead and rendered hundreds homeless after their houses were submerged. Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), on Sunday announced that heavy rains would continue in various parts of the country until Wednesday.
Wildebeest migration starts very early
Safari experts were astounded by the start of the wildebeest migration in the central areas of the Serengeti last week - three months ahead of schedule.
Usually the migration begins around June or July, but experts believe that unusually dry conditions in the south of the Serengeti has led to the migration starting much earlier than usual.
"It's one of the earliest sightings on record," Bradley Murray, general manager of Singita Faru Faru Lodge on the Grumeti River in Tanzania told The Telegraph.
"They started passing through the reserve unexpectedly on May 1 last year and we thought that was a big deal - but this is incredible."
Murray said that he thought the first wildebeest spotted were just some strays which had broken away from the main herd, but he was astounded when tens of thousands of wildebeest started appearing.
"All you can see is wildebeest at the moment. It is always an awe-inspiring sight but especially as it is so early this year," he said.
The wildebeest migration sees 1.5 million wildebeest and 200 000 zebras making the almost 2000-kilometre journey from the southern Serengeti to Kenya's Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
Wildfires - China
A forest fire in China has claimed the lives of at least five Dahei mountain climbers.
More than 300 fire fighters were sent to control the forest fire near the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian. The forest fire control centre received the fire report at 1:48 p.m. Sunday and sent the fire fighters to the disaster area. The fire was brought under after four hours.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Ngauruhoe (North Island): New Zealand's GNS Science reports an increase in earthquakes under the volcano, interpreted as weak signs of volcanic unrest. The Volcanic Alert Level was raised to level 1 (minor volcanic unrest), but no eruption is expected in the near future.
Villarrica (Central Chile): Weak incandescence from mild strombolian activity in the summit crater of the volcano has become visible at night.
The volcano is having phases of increasingly intense, continuous ash emissions, probably caused by deep-seated strombolian activity. No or little incandescence has been visible last night.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.8 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.4 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.3 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.3 Earthquake hits Guam.
5.3 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the coast of northern Peru.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 294 nm east of Darwin, Australia and is tracking west-northwestward at 09 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 20p (reuben), located approximately 492 nm southeast of Suva, Fiji, and is tracking southeastward at 13 knots.
NewsBytes:
Australia - Flooding caused by a severe thunderstorm in south-east Queensland, Australia has claimed the life of one person. Heavy rain brought flash flooding to Logan and parts of the Brisbane CBD causing major delays on all train lines in and out of the city.
France - The historic French community of Mont Saint-Michel was isolated from the mainland when the so-called “tide of the century” completely submerged its causeway for the first time in this millennium. The tide is estimated to have risen to a level of about 50 feet tall – that is, as high as a four-story building. The spectacular scenic views created by the phenomenon brought many tourists flocking to the large granite island off the northern coast of Normandy.
Britain - The highest supertides for 18 years triggered by Friday’s solar eclipse are expected to hit British coastlines today and the following two days. Tides will be 2.5m higher than other times in Milford Haven, South Wales, 1.5m above in Plymouth, Devon, and the Isle of Mull, western Scotland, and 0.5m above in London on the tidal Thames.
Wildfires - Chile
Massive wildfires raging in drought-stricken southern Chile have wiped out hundreds of plant species, and are now threatening animal life as well, officials warned.
"We are witnessing a massive environmental catastrophe" in southern Chile, Accion Ecologica chief Luis Mariano Rendon told AFP from Mexico.
"There have been whole species lost, such as the Araucaria araucana (monkey puzzle tree). They are trees that take hundreds of years to reach maturity. So this is a practically irreparable loss for current generations."
The trees, a distant relative of better known pine, are considered sacred by indigenous Mapuche people. And Chile itself has declared them part of its unique national natural heritage.
Fires advancing for several days in the country's south have ravaged more than 3,700 hectares (9,100 acres) of forest, and have been contained but not put out entirely, firefighters said.
There are still 25 active fires, affecting 11,428 hectares of trees and brush, according to the national emergency office ONEMI.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Shiveluch (Kamchatka): Activity at the volcano remains elevated. A series of moderate explosions occurred over the past days, producing ash plumes that rose to 23-27,000 ft (7-9 km) altitude (Tokyo VAAC).
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.8 Earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.
5.4 Earthquake hits Pueblo, Mexico.
5.1 Earthquake hits near the coast of Nicaragua.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 496 nm east of Darwin, Australia and is tracking westward at 10 knots.
Nathan continues to track along the northern periphery of a deep layer sub-tropical ridge located over central Australia. Upon re-emerging over water in the Gulf of Carpentaria, it is expected to reintensify as favourable conditions persist. The system is expected to make a second landfall.
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Forests Drop By A Quarter, U.N. Says
Yearly carbon emissions from the world's forests have dropped by more than 25 percent in the last 15 years, a U.N. agency said on Friday.
The decrease in annual emissions, which cause global warming, is largely due to slowing rates of global deforestation, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported.
Forests hold about three quarters as much carbon as the atmosphere and preserving them is crucial for combating climate change.
"Deforestation and forest degradation increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but forest and tree growth absorbs carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas emissions," FAO director-general Jose Graziano da Silva said in a statement.
Emissions from deforestation decreased to 2.9 Gigatonnes of carbon dioxide from 3.9 Gigatonnes between 2001 and 2015, the FAO said.
Brazil, Chile, China, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Turkey, Korea, Uruguay and Vietnam have all seen net decreases in deforestation, da Silva said.
Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean all continued to release more carbon than they absorb, the study said. Total emissions from Africa and Latin America, however, decreased between 1990 and 2015, the FAO said.
Brazil alone represented more than 50 percent of the overall estimated reduction in annual carbon emissions from forests between 2001 and 2015, the FAO said.
Dead Sea Drying Up
Environmentalists say mismanagement of water resources around the Dead Sea has produced more than 3,000 sinkholes.
The saline lake — bordered by Jordan, Israel and the West Bank — is evaporating at nearly four feet per year, which leaves behind the salt pockets responsible for the dangerous sinkholes.
EcoPeace says the construction of dams, storage reservoirs and pipelines has caused the unique salt lake to dry up at a distressing rate. Water simply is not flowing in as freely as it once did from the typical sources, the Jordan River and various tributaries.
The first sinkhole appeared in the 1980s, but new ones appear every single day. They grow in groups and collapse into one another to create massive craters.
In 2005, Smithsonian magazine said that roughly 1,000 sinkholes had been reported. The new 3,000-plus figure indicates that they have been appearing at an accelerated rate in recent years.
Great Lakes Suddenly Rise From Record Low Levels
One of the most rapid rises in water levels on the Great Lakes in recorded history marks the end of an unprecedented period of low levels that began in 1998.
Levels of the adjacent lakes Michigan and Huron have recently risen by more than 3 feet since they dropped to the lowest level on record in January 2013.
Routine measurements of the Great Lakes' water levels have been made continually since the mid-1800s, and the recent rise is nearly equal to the record-setting increase that occurred between January 1950 and December 1951.
A team of U.S. and Canadian researchers says that the latest rise shows how quickly short-term climate fluctuations like the 2014 Arctic polar vortex can affect water supplies.
A combination of the elevated water levels on Lake Michigan and a powerful storm on Halloween 2014 resulted in high waves pounding the Chicago waterfront and also caused some lakeside flooding.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Chirpoi (Kurile Islands, Russia): A thermal anomaly continues to be visible at the summit of Snow volcano on cloud-free satellite imagery. The Aviation Color Code remains at Yellow.
Manam (Papua New Guinea): Activity at the volcano remains low, with only internal (seismic) unrest detected recently. The latest Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report from 11-17 March 2015 writes: "RVO reported that activity at both Manam's Southern Crater and Main Crater was low during 1-18 March although inclement weather made crater observations difficult; no noises were reported. Seismicity had slowly and erratically increased since 28 February, peaked on 13 March and remained at that level through 15 March, and then increased again through 18 March. The seismicity was characterized by small-to-moderate, sub-continuous, and continuous volcanic tremor. Discrete low-frequency earthquakes were also recorded."
Ruang (North Sulawesi & Sangihe Islands): An increase in seismicity starting on 6 March prompted PVMBG to raise the Alert Level to 2 (on a scale of 1-4) on 12 March. No emissions were observed from the volcano. Residents and tourists were warned not to approach the craters within a 1.5-km radius.
Shishaldin (United States, Aleutian Islands): Seismicity at the volcano continues to be above background, and according to AVO, "low-level activity", i.e. weak strombolian activity for example, could be occurring at the summit crater. Webcam imagery show only minor steaming. Aviation Color Code remains at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.
Colima (Western Mexico): Intermittent explosions and ash emissions continue, but at lower frequency and intensity as during the previous weeks. On 12 March, ash plumes rose to altitudes of 6.1-6.7 km (20,000-22,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E, ESE, and SE.
Ubinas (Peru): The Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) and Observatorio Volcanológico del Sur (OVS) reported sporadic ash emissions on 17 March. During 10 February-17 March seismicity at Ubinas was generally low, although a hybrid event was detected on 11 March. Two main sources of seismicity were located 1 km W of the crater at depths of 1-3 km and 2 km NW at depths of 1-5 km. Water-vapor emissions rose as high as 1.5 km above the crater. Sporadic ash emissions were observed on 17 March. (from: Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 11-17 March 2015)
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 Earthquake hits west of the Mariana Islands.
5.4 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.1 Earthquake hits east of the Kuril Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Peru-Ecuador border region.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Loyalty Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 208 nm northwest of Cairns, Australia and is tracking westward at 09 knots.
Thousands of Snow Geese Die in Migration Over Idaho
About 2,000 snow geese fell dead from the sky in southeastern Idaho from an outbreak of what officials say was probably avian cholera.
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game told reporters that the bacterial infection can cause convulsions and erratic flight among infected birds.
The geese were en route from their winter homes in the southwestern U.S. or Mexico to their summer breeding grounds in Alaska or Canada.
It’s unclear where they picked up the bacteria, which poses only a small risk to humans but can quickly spread through bird populations.
“The important thing is to quickly collect as many of the carcasses as possible, to prevent other birds from feeding on the infected birds,” said Steve Schmidt, a regional Idaho Fish and Game supervisor.
This Winter Was Warmest on Record
This winter may have brought a deep freeze to much of the northeastern United States — including record-breaking snowfall in Boston — but it was the planet's warmest winter on record, climate scientists announced.
The average global temperature from December to February was 1.42 degrees Fahrenheit (0.79 degrees Celsius) higher than the 20th-century average of 53.8 degrees F (12.1 degrees C), according to a newly released report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Climatic Data Centre.
These stats make December 2014 to February 2015 the warmest winter since record keeping began in 1880, surpassing the previous record set in 2007 by 0.05 degrees F (0.03 degrees C).
Arctic sea ice hits record low
Arctic sea ice has reached its lowest winter point since satellite observations began in the late 1970s, raising concerns about faster ice melt and rising seas due to global warming, US officials have said.
The maximum extent of sea ice observed was 5.6 million square miles (14.5 million square kilometres) on February 25, earlier than scientists had expected, said the report by the National Snow and Ice Data Centre yesterday.
Below-average ice conditions were observed everywhere except in the Labrador Sea and Davis Strait. The sea ice was about 425,000 square miles below the average from 1981 to 2010, a loss equal to more than twice the size of Sweden. It was also 50,200 square miles below the previous lowest maximum that occurred in 2011.
Environmentalists said the report offered more evidence of worsening global warming, and urged action to curb the burning of fossil fuels that send greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 109.2 degrees Fahrenheit (42.9 degrees Celsius) at Twee Riviere, South Africa.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 83.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 63.9 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.
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.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
Between 3 and 10 March 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 15 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 5 deaths.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.2 Earthquake hits offshore Bio-Bio, Chile.
5.3 Earthquake hits offshore Bio-Bio, Chile.
5.2 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.
5.1 Earthquake hits near the coast of southern Peru.
5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Bio-Bio, Chile.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 146 nm north-northeast of Cairns, Australia and is tracking westward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Brazil - Brazilian civil defence officials say more than 20,000 people have been affected by flooding in the city of Boca do Acre in Brazil's northern state of Amazonas. The Purus River overflowed its banks a few days ago and flooded eight of the city's nine neighbourhoods. 36 tons of emergency supplies including food, potable water, medicine, mattresses and hammocks have been distributed in the city of 31,000 people.
Hidden Channels Beneath East Antarctica Could Cause Massive Melt
A glacier the size of California in East Antarctica is in danger of melting away, which could lead to an extreme thaw increases sea levels by about 11.5 feet (3.5 meters) worldwide if the glacier vanishes, a new study finds.
Researchers have found two seafloor channels underneath the floating ice shelf of Totten Glacier in East Antarctica. The channels may let the warmest waters near the glacier to enter beneath the floating ice shelf, causing the rapid thinning of the ice shelf observed to date, the scientists said.
As the ice shelf thins, the point where the glacier starts to float will retreat, raising the sea level, and exposing more ice to the ocean.
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest body of ice in the world. "t's larger than West Antarctica, it's larger than Greenland. And within the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, Totten Glacier is the most rapidly thinning glacier. Its vulnerability to deep warm water, that we identify, is the most likely explanation to for its [thinning] behaviour.
Researchers of earlier studies have found deep, warm water in the ocean surrounding the glacier, but this is the first evidence that it could compromise the ice shelf itself.
Totten Glacier's ice shelf is thinning by about 33 feet (10 m) a year, likely because warm water is melting it from underneath, the researchers said. And if the ice flowing through the glacier melts, it will be the equivalent of the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet melting, the researchers found.
Unless snowfall outpaces coastal melting, the loss of Totten Glacier to the ocean may soon be irreversible
South Africa - Hand, Foot, Mouth Disease
Pupils from two schools in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal have been sent home after symptoms of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) arose. The number of infected children was not immediately available from the local authorities.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.2 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
There are no immediate reports of injuries or damage and no tsunami warning was issued.
5.4 Earthquake hits Fiji.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 225 nm east-northeast of Cairns, Australia and is tracking westward at 02 knots.
Tropical storm 03w (Bavi), located approximately 489 nm northwest of Yap, and is tracking westward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Indonesia - A dam burst in West Java, Indonesia which triggered floods that affected over 15,000 people and caused evacuations. The dam on the Cimanuk river at Pilangsari village in the Indramayu district burst on Monday and forced at least 4,000 people to flee their homes.
St. Patrick's Day Solar Storm Bombards Earth, Sparks Auroras
A massive solar storm is bombarding Earth today (March 17), sparking stronger than normal auroras for St. Patrick's Day. The solar storm poses no threat to satellites, but may affect GPS and radio signals.
Typhoid fever – Uganda
In a belated report, on 24 February 2015, the Ministry of Health of Uganda notified WHO of a typhoid fever outbreak.
The outbreak started in Kampala City at the beginning of 2015. As of 5 March 2015, a total of 1940 suspected cases have been reported. From the first epicentre in downtown Kampala, the outbreak has now spread to all divisions in the capital city and to neighbouring districts. The most affected groups are young males aged between 20 and 39 years. The majority of cases work in the business sector or as casual labourers. Food and juice vendors and cooks are also affected, hence the potential for wide spread of the disease. At the beginning of the outbreak Salmonella Typhi was laboratory-confirmed in 4 of 16 tested specimens. Further specimens have been tested during the outbreak identifying 5 isolates of Salmonella paratyphi group A. Contaminated drinking water and juices have been identified as the main sources of infection. The majority of water sources that have been tested were heavily contaminated with Escherichia coli and fecal matter.
Wildfires - USA
About a dozen people have been evacuated from their homes because of wildfire in Oklahoma today that has burned 37 square miles. The fire is 16 miles long and has destroyed one home.
Oklahoma Forestry Services spokeswoman Michelle Finch-Walker said the fire is 20 percent contained and helicopters will be used to drop water on the flames.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Shiveluch (Kamchatka): An explosion occurred a few hours ago. Webcam images show bright blow from incandescent material ejected. VAAC Tokyo estimates an ash plume was produced that rose to 25,000 ft (7.5 km) altitude.
Turrialba (Costa Rica): The volcano has remained calm at the surface, but seismic activity continues to be elevated. According to OVSICORI-UNA, new explosions with strong ash emissions should be expected in the near future.
Kliuchevskoi (Kamchatka): Mild activity is again occurring at the summit vent of the tall stratovolcano. Aviation color code is orange. KVERT reports that the "moderate explosive eruption of the volcano continues: gas-steam plumes containing small amount of ash are observing. Satellite data showed: ash plumes rose up to 5 km a.s.l. and drifted about 90 km to the north-east and east of the volcano; a weak thermal anomaly was noted over the volcano."
Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka, Russia): Tokyo VAAC reports an eruption this morning that produced an ash plume at approx. 23,000 ft (7 km) altitude and extending NE.
Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano remains in a very active phase with 5-10 daily explosions. An eruption on 16 March produced an ash plume to 14,000 ft (4.2 km) altitude, i.e. rising approx. 3 km above the Showa crater.
Raung (East Java): Strombolian activity continues from the vents inside the summit caldera of the volcano. Raung's alert level of the volcano was raised to 2 (on a scale of 1-4) a week ago. An increasing number of volcanic-tectonic earthquakes had been detected. These quakes are indicators of rock breaking at depth, which can be caused by pressurized fluids, such as magma, intruding into the system.
Villarrica (Central Chile): Activity at the volcano is again increasing, which could again culminate in another paroxysm. Since 14 March, degassing and seismic activity have been observed to rise. Phases of mild strombolian activity appeared again on 16 March. SERNAGEOMIN described projections of incandescent material to up to 150 m. ONEMI and SERNAGEOMIN maintain alert level yellow (which might be raised in the case the activity further increases). A 3 km exclusion zone is in place around the summit.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 298 nm east-northeast of Cairns, Australia and is tracking south-southeastward at 02 knots.
The category two storm is expected to intensify to at least a category three and turn towards the north Queensland coast on Thursday or Friday. Nathan came very close to Cooktown, north of Cairns, last week before making a U-turn and heading back out to sea.
Tropical storm 03w (Bavi), located approximately 390 nm north-northwest of Yap, and is tracking westward at 10 knots.
NewsBytes:
Vanuatu - Death toll rises after Cyclone Pam - A UN team in Vanuatu says 24 people are confirmed dead and 3,300 have been displaced by Cyclone Pam, with communication to outlying islands still down.
Boston, USA - Boston has broken the record for the snowiest winter in the city's recorded history. The National Weather Service said the city received 108.6in (275.8cm) of snow this winter, beating the 1995-1996 record of 107.6 inches.
Tornadoes, USA - Not a single tornado has been reported to the National Weather Service so far in March, which typically marks the first month of severe weather season in the Plains and Southeast. The only other year since 1950 that there have been zero tornado reports in the first half of March was 1969.
Ebola - US Ebola Workers Being Moved Home
Ten health care workers with a Boston-based nonprofit organization responding to Sierra Leone's Ebola outbreak are to be evacuated to the United States after one of their colleagues was infected with the deadly disease.
Partners in Health said in a statement Saturday that the 10, the largest group to be evacuated to the United States over possible Ebola exposure, would travel on noncommercial aircraft and be isolated in Ebola treatment facilities.
Biggest U.S. Bird Flu Outbreak Prompts Precautions by Producers
The biggest U.S. outbreak of avian influenza has poultry producers tightening security procedures to avoid trade disruptions.
China halted U.S. poultry imports in January, while Mexico, the European Union and other trade partners have stopped buying the meat from Minnesota, Missouri and Arkansas, where outbreaks of the disease have been reported. Tyson Foods Inc. and Sanderson Farms Inc. are reinforcing precautions.
Feared plant disease found on Australian banana farm
An outbreak of a feared disease affecting banana plants has been confirmed on an Australian farm, raising worries over the outlook for the country's A$550 million ($420 million) industry.
The so-called Tropical Race 4 strain of Panama disease was confirmed at a farm in Tully in the country's northeast after tests last week.
Panama disease hits banana plant roots, with Race 4 considered particularly destructive.
Panama disease can have a significant impact on production. Banana plantations in Central and South America were destroyed by an outbreak in the 1950s.
Australia also has a history with Panama Disease TR4, which was detected in the Northern Territory in 1997, nearly destroying the commercial banana industry there.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka, Russia): Intermittent phases of continuous mild to moderate ash emissions remain a frequent occurrence. This morning, an ash plume can be seen drifting approx. 40 km SW at an estimated altitude of 13,000 ft (4.2 km). Similar plumes were detected over the weekend as well.
Aso (Kyushu): Weak strombolian activity from two vents continue at the Nakadake crater, accompanied by abundant steam and minor ash emissions.
Reventador (Ecuador): The recent lava flow on the southwestern flank, that had started early on 11 March and had reached a length of approx. 1500 m, seems no longer to be active, or has decreased a lot. Occasional small explosions continue to occur at the summit vent.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.9 Earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.9 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.6 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.4 Earthquake hits the southern Mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.3 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.
5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Chiapas, Mexico.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 298 nm east-northeast of Cairns, Australia and is tracking southeastward at 05 knots.
Tropical storm 03w (Bavi), located approximately 292 nm west of Navsta Guam, and is tracking westward at 11 knots.
NewsBytes:
Iceland - The powerful storm that lashed over Reykjavík and wider Iceland last night and this morning has caused all kinds of damage. In the harbour fences and metal containers were flying around in the winds, which reportedly got up to 50mps.
Ohio, USA - The Ohio River remains in flood, measured at 57.7 feet at 5 a.m. Sunday – 5 feet above flood stage. The National Weather Service predicted the river would crest at 57.8 feet Sunday morning and then begin to fall in the afternoon. The river will likely remain at a moderate flood state until Monday evening and a minor flood state until Thursday evening.
Dire Warning For Food Production As Climate Becomes Warmer
A report which examines the effect of climate change on some of Australia's most common agricultural products - including fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy, seafood and meat - paints a dire prediction of future production in a warming world.
The Appetite for Change study suggests farming will need to relocate to new regions and find new drought-tolerant varieties or face much reduced, or poorer quality yields for many of the country's key agricultural products.
Wine grapes
- Up to 70 per cent of Australia's winegrowing regions with a Mediterranean climate will be less suitable for grape growing by 2050.
- Iconic grape-growing regions, such as Margaret River in WA, the Barossa and Riverland in SA, Sunraysia in Victoria, and the Riverina in NSW, will be the most affected by higher temperatures and lower rainfall, especially for red varieties such as shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
- Conditions for wine growing will improve in places like Tasmania.
Scallops
- Southern scallops are fished in Victoria and Tasmania, seas off southeast Australia are warming faster than anywhere else in the southern hemisphere.
- Warmer water, together with changes in oxygen and food, may mean southern scallops effectively disappear from our plates.
- Both northern (Saucer scallops) and southern scallops will have to cope with more acidic seawater, which is likely to thin their shells, reduce their growth, survival and reproductive success and make them less able to elude predators.
Dairy
- Milk volume and quality for cheese production is likely to be affected by warmer temperatures and increased frequency of heatwaves.
- Heat stress on dairy cows typically reduces milk yield by 10 to 25 per cent, and as much as 40 per cent in extreme heatwaves.
- Heatwaves also reduce pasture quality, leading to a decline in the quality of milk for cheese production
Peaches
- Without enough winter chill, flowering is disrupted, leading to lower yields of fruit.
- Climate change effects on peach growing will differ greatly among regions.
- Minimal impacts anticipated for Tasmania.
- South-west of Western Australia expected to experience notable declines in cold weather.
Wildfires - USA
Mandatory evacuation orders are in place for part of St. Joseph because of a 5-mile long wildfire that broke out Sunday afternoon. People in the area said the fire started in Elwood, Kansas, and jumped the Missouri River into St. Joseph, Missouri,
People have been ordered out of homes along Elwood Street in St. Joseph, and firefighters want people to stay away from an area between Wyeth Hill south to River Front Park downtown.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Dukono (Halmahera): A relatively large ash plume reaching 13,000 ft (4.2) km altitude was observed yesterday extending 50 km ENE (Tokyo VAAC).
Turrialba (Costa Rica): The volcano has remained calm for the past 36 hours, but OVSICORI-UNA warns that new explosions are likely in the near future. The volcano continues to show elevated seismic activity. Only weak degassing has been occurring today from the western crater (which produced incandescent ejections and ash emissions on 13-14 Mar), but this could be likely due to a blocking of the conduit to be released by the next explosion.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.8 Earthquake hits the Pagan region in the North Mariana Islands.
5.4 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.2 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.1 Earthquake hits Atacama, Chile.
5.1 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 Earthquake hits the southern Pacific Ocean.
A 4.7 magnitude earthquake in the eastern Chinese city of Fuyang has damaged more than 10,000 homes and killed at least two people, according to authorities. The quake struck in the Anhui province city on Saturday afternoon, and 13 people also were injured. Damage to more than 4,000 of the homes was serious and 155 collapsed.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Pam is located approximately 2646 nm southeast of Noumea, New Caledonia and is tracking southeastward at 31 knots.
At least eight people are dead in the wake of powerful Tropical Cyclone Pam, which is now tracking toward northern New Zealand. Pam reached its peak intensity on Friday, local time, with maximum sustained winds of nearly 270 kph (167 mph), the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane or a super typhoon.
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 276 nm northeast of Cairns, Australia and is tracking eastward at 05 knots.
Tropical storm 03w (Bavi), located approximately 78 nm south-southeast of Saipan, and is tracking westward at 20 knots.
NewsBytes:
USA - Warmer temperatures are raising the fear of flooding in parts of Ohio, with the Ohio River expected to crest nearly six feet over flood stage Sunday as melting snow and ice swells the waterway.
Wildfires in Chile
An emergency has been declared following a forest fire in Chile forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. Some 4,500 people have been evacuated from Valparaiso and neighbouring Vina del Mar.
One woman died of cardio-respiratory causes and at least three firefighters have been taken to hospital with injuries.
About 220 hectares have so far burned in the hills above Valparaiso.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Pam is located approximately 203 nm east-northeast of Noumea, New Caledonia and is tracking southward at 16 knots.
Tropical Cyclone Pam slams Vanuatu – Red alert issued. Residents in cyclone-ravaged Vanuatu hunkered in emergency shelters for a second straight night Saturday after venturing out to find their homes damaged or blown away by the storm, aid workers said. "Tropical Cyclone Pam is likely to become the most devastating cyclone since Cyclone Uma in 1987," the Vanuatu National Disaster Management Office acting director Peter Korisa said.
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 229 nm north of Cairns, Australia and is tracking eastward at 05 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 19s (Olwyn), located approximately 264 nm south of Learmonth, Australia, and is tracking south-southwestward at 17 knots.
Tropical storm 03w (Bavi), located approximately 321 nm north-northeast of Chuuk, and is tracking west-northwestward at 18 knots.
Migrating Songbirds Slaughtered for Snacks on Cyprus
An international bird conservation group reports that more than 2 million migratory birds were illegally trapped and killed in Cyprus during the past year to be served up as local delicacies.
Birdlife Cyprus says the birds were indiscriminately killed in nets or on sticks dipped in sticky lime.
Songbirds are a popular dish on the Mediterranean island, which lies on a key migratory route.
Diners often pay up to $7 per fried or grilled bird at restaurants that ignore Cyprus’ ban on the killing and selling of wild birds.
Birdlife accuses authorities of doing little to halt the island’s illicit bird trade.
A European robin caught on a limestick trap in Cyprus.
Meningococcal disease - Nigeria
Between 26 January and 5 March 2015, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) of the Federal Ministry of Health of Nigeria notified WHO of 652 suspected cases of meningococcal disease, including 50 deaths. Cases have been reported in 10 local government areas of 2 states, Kebbi and Sokoto. Laboratory tests have confirmed the predominance of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C in the affected areas, with no other serogroups being identified.
In Zamfara state, there has been a recent emergence of suspected cases of meningococcal disease; however, an outbreak has not yet been confirmed.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.1 Earthquake hits south of Alaska.
5.0 Earthquake hits the central Mid-Atlantic ridge.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Pam is located approximately 350 nm north-northeast of Noumea, New Caledonia and is tracking south-southwestward at 11 knots.
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 229 nm north of Cairns, Australia and is tracking east-northeastward at 02 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 19s (Olwyn), located approximately 83 nm south-southwest of Learmonth, Australia, and is tracking southward at 13 knots.
Tropical storm 03w (Bavi), located approximately 173 nm northeast of Pohnpei, and is tracking westward at 12 knots.
NewsBytes:
Iran - Flash floods in the Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas has claimed the life of one person. The eight-hour downpour caused substantial flood damage to buildings and roads.
Lebanon - A mudslide triggered by heavy rainfall has injured two people and blocked the main Hasroun-Bsharri road in north Lebanon.
Hawaii - A fresh round of wintry weather struck high elevations of the tropical Hawaiian Islands, with blizzard conditions on the summit of Mauna Kea halting construction of the Big Island’s new Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT).
Angola - Floods caused by torrential rains have killed 62 people - 35 of them children - in the Angolan city of Lobito. The flood water has reached 3m (9.8ft) in some areas of the city since Wednesday. Scores of homes have been destroyed and rescue teams are still searching for missing people.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 107.8 degrees Fahrenheit (42.1 degrees Celsius) at Kolda, Senegal.
The week's coldest temperature was minus -78.9 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 61.6 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.
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.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): Access to the summit area (accompanied by certified guides) has been re-opened, which means excursions to the Pizzo can again run as normal. Activity at the summit vents is currently very low.
Colima (Western Mexico): The volcano continues to be highly active, producing intermittent explosions of various size. An impressive vulcanian eruption that covered the upper part of the cone with incandescent material and produced an ash plume of several km occurred yesterday morning.
Sangay (Ecuador): Mild eruptive activity, probably strombolian explosions, has been taking place at the summit crater of the volcano.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits off the coast of Costa Rica.
5.3 Earthquake hits off the coast of Costa Rica.
5.2 Earthquake hits Guam.
5.1 Earthquake hits Guam.
5.0 Earthquake hits Guam.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Pam is located approximately 556 nm north-northeast of west-northwest of Suva, Fiji and is tracking southward at 08 knots.
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 217 nm north of Cairns, Australia and is tracking northwestward at 03 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 19s (Olwyn), located approximately 155 nm north-northeast of Learmonth, Australia, and is tracking south-southwestward at 12 knots.
Tropical storm 03w (Bavi), located approximately 310 nm east-southeast of Ujelang, and is tracking west-northwestward at 08 knots.
NewsBytes:
Italy - Snowfall in Capracotta, Italy has set the new world one-day snowfall record with 100.8 inches of snowfall in about 18 hours. It took Capracotta, Italy around 94 years to break earlier record set back between April 20 to 21, 1921 in Silver Lake, Colorado, US when 193 cm (75.8 inch) of snow fell hit the region.
Extinct Woolly Rhino Discovered
A hunter and businessman stumbled across a rare find in a frozen riverbank in Siberia: The remarkably complete remains of a baby woolly rhino which roamed the Earth more than 10 000 years ago.
Millions of starfish die on the West Coast, USA
With millions of starfish dying all along the West Coast, Washington state Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives say it’s time for Congress to intervene and find out why.
The outbreak, first noticed in the state by rangers in Olympic National Park in June 2013, has hit 20 species of starfish, also known as sea stars.
After getting lesions on their bodies, the sea stars begin curling up and soon lose their legs, shrivelling up and disintegrating into mush.
Researchers fear the epidemic may be the result of a virus caused by climate change, with the disease showing its fastest progression in warmer ocean waters.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)
On 9 March 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of Qatar notified WHO of 1 additional case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.
Between 26 February and 2 March 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 18 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 5 deaths.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China
On 9 March 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 59 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 17 fatal cases. Onset dates ranged from 21 January to 25 February 2015.
Botswana - foot and mouth disease outbreak
Botswana on Wednesday confirmed that it has been hit by an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in the northern part of the country.Acting Agriculture Assistant Minister, Fidelis Molao told Parliament that the disease was detected last week during a clinical inspection of cattle destined for slaughter at the Maun abattoir.
He said at least 20 of the 300 cattle tested positive for FMD and that the last vaccination done in the area was in September 2014.
Wildfires breakout across Kansas
Fire crews across Kansas continued to battle grass fires into Wednesday evening. The largest grass fires were reported in southern Reno County, Rice County and McPherson County.
No one was hurt and no structures were lost in one of the large grass fires that at one point, was a mile long. As of about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, there were some trees still burning, but the bulk of the fire had been contained.
Russell, Lincoln and Ellsworth Counties have now banned open burning until further notice.
Crews also battled at least three separate grass fires near El Dorado on Wednesday. There were no reports of structural damage or injuries.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Zhupanovsky (Kamchatka, Russia): The volcano continues to produce intermittent weak to moderate ash emissions during the past weeks. Together with (far more active) Shiveluch and Karymsky volcanoes further north, there are currently 3 erupting volcanoes in Kamchatka.
Aso (Kyushu): Strombolian activity continues, but has decreased. Mostly, only a steam plume can be seen rising from the Nakadake crater, suggesting that explosive activity is now much lower than during the previous months.
Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano continues to produce frequent strombolian to vulcanian-type explosions, often accompanied by long-lasting periods of ash emissions. Our friends Marc Szlegat and Martin Rietze visited the volcano last week. Some impressions of this activity can be seen on this page.
Reventador (Ecuador): Mild explosive and effusive activity in the form of a dome at the summit crater continue. Washington VAAC reported several small ash emissions and thermal images suggest that the lava flow on the upper western flank remains active.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.2 Earthquake hits northern Colombia.
The earthquake caused buildings to sway in the capital and elsewhere but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
5.2 Earthquake hits southwest of Africa.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone Pam is located approximately 696 nm north-northeast of Noumea, New Caledonia and is tracking south-southwestward at 02 knots.
Tropical cyclone Nathan is located approximately 212 nm north of Cairns, Australia and is tracking north-northwestward at 04 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 19s (Nineteen), located approximately 387 nm north-northeast of Learmonth, Australia, and is tracking southward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Bulgaria - A snow storm in Bulgaria has led to a state of emergency being declared in Smolyan, Kardzhali, Haskovo, Pazardzhik and Plovdiv municipalities. Electricity, water and food supplies have been disrupted in Rudozem and Madan. The Tundzha River near Elhovo has reached the flood line, indicating danger of overflow.
Serbia - A snow storm in Sipce near Tutin in southwestern Serbia has claimed the life of a 63-year-old man. A state of emergency has also been declared in the area.
Greece - The region of Serres in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, northern Greece, has been declared in a state of emergency by local authorities due to floods caused after several days of continuous heavy rainfall that destroyed crops and seriously damaged the road network.
Interesting Images:
The historic winter of 2015 — which has dumped 105.7 inches of snow in Boston, 2.2 inches shy of the snowiest ever — is leaving mini ”icebergs” on the shores of Cape Cod.
Sseveral giant chunks of ice washed up on the Cape Cod National Seashore in Wellfleet over the weekend. The spectacle is probably a “once-in-a-generation” event due to the extraordinary amount of ice on the Massachusetts Bay.
Last month, a surfer and photographer captured images of another once-in-a-generation kind of event: photos of waves on Nantucket turning to slush.
Arctic Sea Ice Plunges To Record Low Extent For Late Winter
Instead of easing toward its typical March maximum in coverage, the Arctic’s sea ice appears to be more inclined toward getting a head start on its yearly summer melt-out. As of Sunday, March 8, Arctic sea ice as calculated by Japan’s National Institute of Polar Research extended across 13.65 million square kilometres. This value is more than 450,000 sq km - roughly the size of California - below the record extent for the date.
Even more striking is the consistency of the ice loss over the last couple of weeks. March is often a time of rapid gains and losses in ice cover, as seasonal warming and melting battle it out with quick refreezing when shots of cold air return. This year, the ice extent peaked on February 15 at 13.94 million sq km, and it looks increasingly unlikely that the ice will manage to return to that very early peak over the next couple of weeks.
No season in the Japanese database has fallen short of the 14-million mark, so if the February peak stands, it will mark the lowest maximum in the Arctic since satellite monitoring began in 1979. Not only is Arctic sea ice essential to many ecosystems: it serves as a powerful tracer of recent warming, and its absence in summer allows open water to absorb much more heat from sunlight. While the ice has seen some modest recovery in recent years, it has failed to fully mend the fabric torn by the record-setting drop of 2007. The overall thickness of the ice, and the fraction that’s survived for multiple years (multiyear ice), have both suffered major losses.
Drought in Chile
Chile is facing an eight-year dry spell that has left fruit withered, miners grappling for enough water to run plants and the forestry industry facing some of the worst wildfires in the last century.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone 16s (Haliba), is located approximately 192 nm south of St Denis, and is tracking south-southeastward at 08 knots.
Tropical Cyclone Haliba has caused heavy rainfall in Mauritius. The disturbance has caused heavy showers and thunderstorms over the whole island. All schools in Mauritius have been closed.
Tropical cyclone 17p Pam, is located approximately 678 nm northwest of Suva, Fiji, and is tracking south-southeastward at 03 knots.
Sahara Sand Feeds Amazon Rain Forest
Some of the driest and most desolate stretches of the planet provide nutrients for lush tropical life thousands of miles away, according to a new study.
The soil of the Amazon basin is depleted because of the fierce competition for plant nutrients in the verdurous region.
But strong winds pick up minerals (mainly phosphorous) and nutrients from the Sahara and drop them far across the Atlantic where plants would otherwise have a much harder time thriving.
The delivery system was recently studied through a new simulation conducted by NASA engineers.
Their simulation calculated that roughly 182 million tons of Sahara dust are picked up by the winds each year.
The study also examined the link between the dust-carrying winds and climate.
“Dust will affect climate and, at the same time, climate change will affect dust,” said lead study author Hongbin Yu, who conducts research at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.
Advancing front of a sandstorm in northwestern Africa, as seen from space. Some of the sand may have reached the Amazon, where plants depend on it for nutrition.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Germany
On 7 March 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for Germany notified WHO of 1 case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Kliuchevskoi (Kamchatka): The explosive-effusive eruption of the volcano probably finished. According to KVERT, volcanic tremor significant decreased yesterday and no lava or ash emissions could be seen any more at the summit crater. Moderately degassing and a thermal anomaly at the summit continue. Aviation color code was lowered from orange to yellow.
Shiveluch (Kamchatka): Explosions continue to occur at the volcano sporadically, although none of the previous days has been as strong as the violent eruption on 28 Feb. The most recent was an explosion yesterday morning, producing an ash plume that rose to approx. 25,000 ft (7.5 km) altitude, but no pyroclastic flows. KVERT maintains aviation color code orange.
Soputan (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): Activity continues at the volcano, but has been decreasing. Following the strong explosion on Saturday, mild lava fountaining from two vents and the effusion of a small lava flow on the western flank occurred,- signs that the eruption had been caused by a new batch of fresh magma. Seismic activity remains strong.
Fuego (Guatemala): The volcano is in mild to moderate strombolian activity with a few explosions on average per hour. Incandescent material is being ejected to 100 m above the crater and ash plumes rise up to 800 m. A phase of strong lava effusion on 1-2 March had produced a lava flow reaching 2 km length.
San Cristobal (Nicaragua): Two explosions occurred last Thursday afternoon, producing moderately strong ash emissions of a few hundred meters height. No damage was reported, only slight ash fall causing visibility problems on nearby roads and similar minor problems.
Turrialba (Costa Rica): Small ash emissions were observed yesterday.A series of 4 small explosions occurred between 13:41 and 15:17 local time, generating plumes of up to 500 m height. It is not known at the moment, if the eruptions are phreatic, i.e. the result of exploding overheated water, or caused by fresh magma arriving at the summit.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 Earthquake hits south of Panama.
5.3 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.3 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Barat Daya, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits Minahasa, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone 16s (Haliba), is located approximately 85 nm west of La Reunion, and is tracking southeastward at 06 knots.
Tropical cyclone 17p (Seventeen), is located approximately 760 nm northwest of Nadi, Fiji, and is tracking southeastward at 03 knots.
NewsBytes:
Brazil - A landslide in Sao Paulo, Brazil has claimed the lives of three children aged between 7 and 13.
Scotland - Heavy rain in Scotland has caused a 100 tonne landslide and flooding on roads across parts of the Highlands. Some rivers reached their highest levels on record and eight people were rescued from a flooded caravan park near Beauly. More than 30 flood warnings are in place across Scotland. The A87 landslide came after 158mm of rain fell in the area in the space of 36 hours. This saturated the slope above the road and caused about 100 tonnes of debris to slip down the hillside.
Sick, starving sea lion pups wash up on California coast
Along the length of the California coastline, an extraordinary rescue effort is underway. In January and February alone, 1,450 malnourished or dying sea lion pups have washed up on shore – compared with just 68 in the same period last year.
Marine biologists and climate scientists for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say the culprit is a mass of warm coastal water that’s imperiling breeding and nursing colonies of California sea lions. The so-called “unusual mortality event” – following a much smaller bubble of sea lion strandings and deaths in 2013 – has triggered questions about the overall health and volatility of the California ocean environment.
Scientists say the warmer waters can prevent sea lion mothers from finding sufficient quantities of anchovies, mackerel, sardines and other fish to provide nutrition for nursing. So they are leaving behind their pups, mostly born each June on four islands in Southern California, to forage for food for extended periods – far beyond their normal two or three days at sea.
As a result, tens of thousands of pups birthed last summer are believed to be dying on the islands as others, fearing their mothers have abandoned them, set out into the ocean and drift or wash ashore sometimes hundreds of miles away.
Wildfires - Australia
Three bush fires are burning in the Pilliga East State Forest, approximately 30 kilometres south west of Narrabri.
The NSW Rural Fire Service, National Parks and Wildlife and Forestry Corporation are working on the blazes which have burned more than 1 500 ha.
The fires have been flagged as advice level, which means there is no immediate danger and no properties are presently threatened.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.7 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
No current tropical storms.
NewsBytes:
Argentina Update - At least a dozen people have died in Argentina after intense rains caused dangerous floods in the central region. The civil defence agency of Cordoba said 10 people died in the central farming province after two weeks of frequent storms, the heaviest rainfall in half a century. Two other deaths were reported in Santiago del Estero, a province directly north of Cordoba where more than 3,300 people have been evacuated.
Peru - Mudslides destroyed buildings in Lima after rivers burst their banks, local media reported. Six houses collapsed and 96 were seriously damaged after strong rains caused flooding in the capital’s eastern Chaclacayo and Luriganco-Chosica districts. The downpour came as major landslides impacted three other regions, as the heavy rain in the country’s wet season took its toll. The country’ territory mixes mountains and jungle terrain, frequently leaving inhabitants cut off in remote locations in periods of bad weather. Many homes built out of adobe, a combination of straw and mud, are left unprepared.
Chikungunya Disease in South America
While some countries in the Caribbeans have seen their chikungunya situation get under control, in fact Dominica declared their outbreak over earlier this week, some areas of South America are reporting an increase in cases of the mosquito borne viral disease.
During the past week, Colombia saw an increase of 7,848 cases bringing the country’s total to more than 185,000 suspected and confirmed cases, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), by far the most on the continent. Colombia has also reported three chikungunya related fatalities.
Other South American countries seeing an increase in confirmed chikungunya cases include Bolivia (+45), Ecuador (+147) and Paraguay (+130).
In addition, Mexico also reported an increase in confirmed chikungunya cases during the past week, rising by 114 cases to 355.
In the United States in 2015, as of February 24, a total of 43 chikungunya virus disease cases have been reported to CDC ArboNET from 8 U.S. states so far this year.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
Soputan (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): A new explosive eruptive phase occurred this morning, producing an ash plume that rose 4.5 km from the volcano's summit and pyroclastic flows that traveled 2.5 km.
Colima (Western Mexico): A selection of night-time photos of eruptions observed from the west and north of Colima volcano during 22-28 Feb.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.1 Earthquake hits North Island, New Zealand.
5.0 Earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone 15s (Fifteen) is located approximately 380 nm west-northwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar, and is tracking north-westward at 04 knots.
NewsBytes:
New Zealand - Flooding after heavy rain in Westport, New Zealand has inundated at least 17 houses and closed State Highway 6.
Forest Loss Accelerating From Deforestation
Analysis of satellite images reveals that many of the world’s tropical forests are disappearing far more rapidly than previously feared.
Forest researchers from the University of Maryland found that the annual rate of deforestation from 1990 to 2010 in forests from the Amazon to the Philippines was 62 percent higher than during the previous decade.
The greatest increase occurred in the tropical forests of Latin America, where about 5,400 square miles of trees were felled per year from the 1990s to the 2000s.
Earlier NASA research found that deforestation is mainly driven by an increase in urban population, logging and growth of agriculture.
The new study brings into question the reliability of the ground-based Forest Resource Assessment (FRA) report of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which has until now been the only source available to estimate deforestation.
It had led researchers to project a 25 percent slowdown in the rate of forest loss.
“The FAO report has been criticized for inconsistency in its survey methods and the definition of what is a forest. Our result is important in that we are providing a satellite-based alternative for the FRA," said Do-Hyung Kim, lead author of the study, which is expected to be published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.
Devastated rainforest and peatlands in Riau, Sumatra.
