Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits Guam.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits western Iran.

5.0 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Global Warming

Great Barrier Reef coral bleaching more widespread than first thought

New aerial surveys have found the devastating coral bleaching event hitting the Great Barrier Reef has a larger footprint than initially thought.

Professor Terry Hughes, who is part of a national coral bleaching taskforce, said research flights on Wednesday between Townsville and Cairns had observed differing levels of bleaching across all 74 reefs that had been surveyed in the region.

That comes on top of the significantly more severe bleaching seen further north on more than 500 reefs surveyed by plane and helicopter last week along a 1000 kilometre stretch from Cairns to the Torres Strait.

"When we initially headed north from Cairns we thought we would encounter a southern border [of the bleaching event] and beyond that in the far north things would get bad," Professor Hughes said. "We still haven't found the southern border. We will find it. It is just taking longer than we expected because the footprint of this is substantially bigger than was initially reported."

Professor Hughes said on the 74 reefs surveyed on Wednesday corals were on average bleached by about 25 to 30 per cent.

Those results are less severe than what has been seen on the reefs north of Port Douglas, where Professor Hughes said the average bleaching was closer to 75 per cent.

In total, Professor Hughes said half the Great Barrier Reef had been severely bleached in the event.

The National Coral Bleaching Taskforce has found record levels of bleaching on the Great Barrirer Reef. An aerial survey photo of a reef in the northern stretches of the Great Barrier Reef last week where the bleaching is most severe. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority last week reported coral death rates of 50 per cent on the reefs in the inner Cape York region.

Professor Hughes said it was known there was no bleaching at the southern tip of the reef from research at Heron Island near Gladstone, adding he hoped the boundary of the bleaching event would be found not too far below Townsville in coming days.

The bleaching has been caused by substantially warmer ocean temperatures than normal. In the northern waters of the Great Barrier Reef sea temperatures have been more than one degree higher than the long-term average in recent months.

Disease

Angola: Yellow Fever outbreak spreads out of Luanda

459 infections and 178 deaths is the latest information coming out of Angola, where an outbreak of Yellow Fever was first reported in the capital city, Luanda, in December 2015, the first outbreak of the disease in three decades, and has now spread out to ten of the country's eighteen provinces.

The outbreak is also reaching neighbouring countries, with cases reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Namibia. Other cases in Kenya and the People's Republic of China have been described as travel-related cases with links to Angola.

India - Second suspected anthrax outbreak in Jharkhand

Thirteen people have been hospitalised in Jharkhand’s Simdega in the second suspected anthrax outbreak within a week and probably caused by infected cattle meat.

Anthrax, a bacterial disease that mainly affects cattle, causes peneumonia, infection of the blood and even death in humans.

Bardega village where the anthrax outbreak is reported is about 145 km west of state capital Ranchi and just 30 km from Kurumdegi where one person was killed by the disease four days ago.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Stromboli (Eolian Islands, Italy): The activity at the summit craters has been (comparably very) low recently. However, small strombolian explosions continue to occur at irregular rates of 30-60 minutes intervals, mainly from western vent.

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Intermittent weak to moderate ash emissions (presumably from older pulverized rock) have been occurring from the North-East crater, where also weak incandescence can be seen at night. Apart from this and an incandescent fumarole on the New SE crater, no other significant activity is currently occurring at the volcano. Tremor levels have been low.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The extrusive-explosive activity of the volcano continues at moderate rate. Glowing avalanches from the active lava dome and strong degassing indicate ongoing magma supply. Occasionally, explosions and larger avalanches that turn into pyroclastic flows occur as well and generate ash plumes that rise several 1000 meters. Last evening, Tokyo VAAC reported an eruption that sent an ash plume to 20,000 ft (6 km) altitude. Whether it was caused by an explosion or avalanche is unknown - only the top of the plume was visible on webcam imagery.

Chikurachki (Paramushir Island): A new eruption is occurring from the remote volcano on Paramushir Island immediately to the south of the Kamchatka peninsula.

Since 29 March, ash emissions have been seen on satellite images. The ash plume increased yesterday, reaching altitudes of 3-4 km (9-12,000 ft) and extending up to 150-200 km into south- and southwesterly directions. KVERT raised the Aviation Colour code to orange (as many trans-Pacific flight routes pass nearby) and warns that "ash explosions up to 32,800 ft (10 km) a.s.l. could occur at any time. Ongoing activity could affect international and low-flying aircraft."

Alaid (Northern Kuriles): Eruptive activity of some sort continues at the volcano. This is evidenced by a strong thermal signal detected and a gas plume extending south of the small island, both detected on satellite imagery. Contrary to nearby Chikourachki (that started to erupt 29 March), Alaid seems not to have produced any ash recently; no such darker-colored fresh deposits can be seen on the snow-covered flanks or in the plume. This suggests that the activity, at the moment, is non-explosive and confined to the summit crater, perhaps in the form of a small active lava lake.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano continues to produce explosions and occasional small to moderate pyroclastic flows. Early on Tuesday morning, around 05:40 local time, a collapse of parts of the sticky lava lobe on the SE flank generated a pyroclastic flow that reached approx. 3 km length.

Soputan (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): In its latest report, VSI describes continuing elevated seismic activity, including shallow volcanic earthquakes and avalanches that indicate slow magma extrusion from the main vent. Visible activity during the past weeks otherwise consisted in moderate degassing generating a plume of 20-100 m height. The volcano's alert level is maintained at "siaga" ("alert"), or 3 on the Indonesian scale of 1-4 and recommends an exclusion zone of 4 km radius around the summit of Mt. Soputan.

Makian (Halmahera): Seismic unrest continues at the volcano with a weak tendency of increase in shallow volcanic earthquakes during the past weeks, possibly related to the ascent of a new magmatic body. No surface changes or other alarming signs have been observed at the volcano. While an eruption is not considered likely to be imminent, VSI maintains the alert level 2 (on a scale of 1-4) and advises locals and visitors not to climb Makian's Kie Besi volcano and stay away from the summit within a radius of 1.5 km distance.

Kerinci (Sumatra): A small eruption occurred at the volcano yesterday morning around 07:00 local time. An ash plume rising a few 100 m from the summit crater was observed.

The nature of the eruption (likely a phreatic explosion) is unknown. As safety precaution, access to the volcano's summit, Indonesia's highest volcanic peak and a popular climbing destination, was closed.

Colima (Western Mexico): The activity of the volcano has decreased overall. Explosions have been mostly weak and relatively rare (a few per day) and the previously continuously visible glow at the summit crater, indicative of the small new lava dome, has recently been visible only during increased degassing or explosion events. This in turn suggests that the growth of the dome has been very low or even stopped for now.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): No significant changes in activity have occurred at the volcano recently despite a series of stronger explosions during the past days. One explosion on Tuesday afternoon generated an ash plume that rose up to 3.5 km, and another one during the following night was seen ejecting abundant incandescent material outside the summit crater. During 29-30 March, CENAPRED recorded an increase of degassing events ("exhalations") and 4 explosions (an average value), as well as two small shallow volcanic earthquakes and 30 minutes of harmonic tremor. Following the larger explosion in the afternoon of 29 Mar, the International Airport of Puebla was temporarily closed.

Bright glow from the summit crater indicates that magma slowly continues to arrive there, filling the inner crater, a process that is regularly interrupted by the explosions (that usually destroy parts of the accumulated, cake-like lava dome again).

Nevados de Chillán (Central Chile): Intermittent ash emissions re-appeared at the volcano during the past days. The emissions originated from several vents, involving both the Arrau crater and the new summit pits that had formed in early and late January this year.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Carlsberg ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone 17s (Seventeen), located approximately 1270 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southeastward at 31 knots.

NewsBytes:

Bermuda - Heavy rains soaked the island yesterday and caused flooding in some low-lying areas. The weather also temporarily knocked out power to about 1,000 customers.

Canada - Backyards and farm fields were flooded in Brigham, Quebec following heavy rain on Monday. The flooding occurred after the Yamaska River spilled its banks Tuesday morning.

Wildlife

Plastic found inside beached whales

A post-mortem conducted on 13 beached sperm whales - found ashore near the town of Toenning in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, found their stomachs were filled with plastic.

This plastic included a 13m fisherman's net and a 70cm piece of plastic from a car. But scientists believed the whales did not die because they ingested plastic, but rather that their hearts failed due to starvation.

Schleswig-Holstein environment minister Robert Habeck said: "These findings show us the results of our plastic-orientated society. Animals inadvertently consume plastic and plastic waste, which causes them to suffer and, at worst, causes them to starve with full stomachs."

The whales were all male, between 10 and 15 years old, and severely underweight. They all weighed around 15t and the average weight of a sperm whale is between 32t and 41t.

Experts believe storms in the northeast Atlantic shifted the whales' food source into the North Sea. The whales followed the food source and found themselves stranded in shallow water, where they starved to death.

This news comes after six dead sperm whales were found beached in Norfolk in February.

Space Events

Jupiter Collision

John Mckeon captured an impact on the gas giant on March 17th, 2016 (00:18:45 UT). The video was snapped using an an 11" SCT with an ASI120mm camera and Ir-pass 742nm filter. It was most likely an asteroid or comet colliding with Jupiter.

Disease

Ebola - West Africa

West Africa's Ebola outbreak no longer constitutes a threat to international public health, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday, declaring an end to a nearly 20-month emergency that has killed about 11,300 people.

Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO director-general, accepted the recommendations of a committee of independent experts who also called for lifting any travel and trade restrictions affecting Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

"The Committee provided its view that Ebola transmission in West Africa no longer constitutes an extraordinary event, that the risk of international spread is now low, and that countries currently have the capacity to respond rapidly to new virus emergences," the WHO said in a statement.

All original chains of virus transmission have ended, but a new chain in Guinea has infected eight people including seven who have died, it said, adding that the virus persists in the semen of some men for over a year.

Hepatitis A - Kenya

Twenty one people have been admitted to various hospitals in Mombasa over the past few days following a new outbreak of hepatitis A, county health officials have said.

Hepatitis A is a viral liver disease that is transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food and water or through direct contact with an infected person.

Mombasa Health executive Mohammed Abdi said the disease had been on the rise since January among school children and had escalated due to water contamination in the county.

Yellow Fever – China

On 13 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of China notified WHO of an imported case of yellow fever virus infection.

Zika virus infection – Dominica and Cuba

Between 15 and 16 March 2016, PAHO/WHO was notified of cases of Zika virus infection in Dominica and Cuba.

Microcephaly – Panama

On 18 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Panama notified PAHO/WHO of a newborn with concomitant microcephaly, occipital encephalocele and Zika virus infection.

Guillain-Barré syndrome – Panama

On 15 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Panama informed PAHO/WHO of a case of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) with concomitant Zika virus infection.

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

On 18 March 2016, the Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region notified WHO of a confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): Over the past days, vulcanian-type explosions have again picked up in number and size, after only very few events during the first 3 weeks of March. Ash plumes rose to up to 10-12,000 ft (3-3.6 km) altitude. The remarkable novelty is that most of the recent explosions occurred from the Minamidake crater, the volcano's old summit vent, and not from the Showa crater on its eastern flank, which had been (an almost exclusive) protagonist during the 10 years since 2006 until very recently.

Santiaguito (Guatemala): Activity continues at the Caliente lava dome with little changes. The volcano observatory reported strong degassing, some weak to moderate explosions with ash plumes rising up to approx. 900 m and constant block lava avalanches on the eastern and southeastern flanks of the lava dome. The latter suggests that effusive activity has been elevated recently compared to during previous months.

Pacaya (Guatemala): Mild activity continues at the intra-crater cone of the Mackenney crater. INSIVUMEH reports a steam and gas plume rising 600 m and glow from lava visible at night.

Fuego (Guatemala): After its latest paroxysm a few days ago, activity of the volcano has returned to normal levels with intermittent (one every few hours) weak to moderate-sized strombolian explosions. During the past week, activity at the volcano gradually increased into the 5th paroxysm in 2016, generating pulsating lava fountains, lava flows and possibly pyroclastic flows. After the previous such episode in early March, the volcano had continued to produce its typical, persistent, but intermittent strombolian activity. The latter started to become more and more intense from around 22 March, and became near-constant during 24-25 March.

Momotombo (Nicaragua): A slight increase in activity occurred last week between 23-26 March, when the volcano again produced some mild to moderate explosions, some of which were strong enough to send bombs to its upper outer slopes. During the past days, activity has again been calmer, although crater glow continues to tell the presence of fresh lava in the summit crater.

Disease

Thousands of ducks slaughtered in Korea

In an effort to stop the spread of bird flu, discovered in ducks on a poultry farm near Seoul, South Korean authorities are slaughtering thousands of the suspected infected ducks, just a month after the nation declared itself free of the disease.

The strain is the same as the one found back in November of last year, H5N8, that stopped the exporting of ducks from South Korea to Hong Kong. The country had just re-started the exporting of the ducks, and this new development will surely cause a massive blow to the industry.

A total of 11,604 ducks were killed at the farm, located in Icheon, a city east of Seoul.

Cholera in Kenya

Five people have been confirmed dead in Sarif, Wajir South constituency, following a cholera outbreak in Wajir County.

Medical and health officials at local hospitals and Cholera Treatment Centres (CTC) that have been set up are overwhelmed by the large number of patients seeking medical attention after showing signs of the deadly disease.

There is fear that the disease could spread even faster due to the rising number of patients and overcrowding at treatment centres.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Gulf of California.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.3 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Svalbard region.

5.2 Earthquake hits off the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico.

5.2 Earthquake hits southern Sumatra.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Ionian Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone 17s (Seventeen), located approximately 726 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southward at 15 knots.

NewsBytes:

Nepal - A severe dust storm lashed Nepal including the Kathmandu valley at around 4 pm Monday afternoon injuring seven people and closing the Tribhuvan International Airport.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Pavlof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): A new eruption started at the volcano abruptly Sunday (27 Mar) afternoon at 16:16 local time (00:18 UTC). An explosive eruption with lava fountaining produced an ash plume that quickly rose to approx. 20,000 ft elevation (6 km) and the Aviation Color code was raised to red. The activity continued and reached its peak over the next 24 hours, when a sustained, continuous ash plume extended more than 700 km (400 miles) to the northeast over interior Alaska, with a maximum height of 37,000 ft (9 km) altitude. Lava fountaining from the summit crater was observed throughout the night by mariners, pilots, and by residents in Cold Bay, located 37 miles (60 km) to the SW. Volcanic mudflows (lahars), generated by rapidly melting ice and snow, are likely descending on the flanks of the volcano and could present a hazard in the local river valleys.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits Papua, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Saudi Arabia - A huge sandstorm in Jeddah today killed two people, closing schools and rescheduling of flights. A state of emergency has been declared in Makkah, which is situated 90 km east of Jeddah. Jeddah was blanketed by dust with winds moving at 60 km/hour.

Britain - Storm Katie has battered large parts of Britain, with winds of up to 105mph forcing dozens of flights to be cancelled or diverted and major bridges shut. Passengers described "terrifying" aborted attempts to land at Gatwick Airport on Monday morning before being diverted elsewhere in the country. Several train routes were hit by long delays as the powerful storm blew trees onto the tracks. It ensured the Easter Bank Holiday weekend came to a blustery end, with gusts of more than 70mph for many areas combined with torrential rain, and thousands of families left without power.

Wildlife

Coral Reefs Bounce Back

Coral reefs have managed to bounce back, despite being under constant threat of extinction. However, marine scientists caution these fragile ecosystems are still being threatened by global warming, pollution and human activity.

The discovery of a large number of coral reefs in excellent health has been quite a joyous occasion for the researchers who routinely deal with ominous news like mass die-offs, worldwide bleaching events, oil spills, and such other calamities which have been pushing the coral reefs towards extinction, reported The Washington Post.

A decade-long study of remote islands in the Central Pacific has indicated that these coral reefs might survive despite threats posed by global warming brought on by climate change and warming of the oceans due to increasing amounts of carbon dioxide introduced by burning of fossil fuels.

In a large scale study covering 56 islands, researchers studied 450 locations that were once teeming with coral reefs. Researchers looked at regions spanning from Hawaii to American Samoa. They even investigated locations in the remote Line and Phoenix Islands as well as the Mariana Archipelago. To their surprise, they realized there are quite a few locations where coral reefs have defied the odds and bounced back to life.

Disease

Ebola - Guinea

A fifth person has died in Guinea Ebola flare up and is causing panic. The man might have been in contact with the first victim, officials say. The small West African country is in an alarmed state as hundreds more may be infected with the deadly disease. The Ebola virus, though carried by mosquitoes, can be transferred through human contact. The bodies are often washed before their burial, without any sanitary precautions, and might be the cause of the current Guinea Ebola flare up.

Zika Virus - USA

A woman who is pregnant is the third Kentucky resident who has tested positive for Zika virus disease after traveling to an affected area where the virus is circulating, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) is reporting.

The patient is from the Louisville area. She experienced Zika-related symptoms after traveling to Central America in recent months and has recovered from the illness.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Kansas, USA - Update

The Anderson Creek wildfire that’s burned through nearly 400,000 acres in two states since Tuesday is likely to be fully out soon, according to published reports, as snow fell on Kansas Sunday.

On Saturday, four UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters from the Kansas National Guard were deployed to contain the prairie blazes that have burned at least 620 square miles in southern Kansas and Oklahoma, where it originated. Smoke was reportedly detected as far away as St. Louis, Missouri — hundreds of miles to the northeast — as at least four homes and livestock were affected, according to Kansas officials. No serious human injuries or fatalities have been reported.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Samoa.

Global Warming

Arctic Sea Ice Is at Near Record Lows: NASA

The ice covering the Arctic is at near record lows this year, and this icy deficit may impact weather around the world, NASA reports. Every March, the Arctic's sea ice reaches its maximum cover, both in area and thickness, before it recedes to its yearly minimum in September.

This year we are seeing an extremely warm winter. Temperatures have been 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit [5.5 to 8.3 degrees Celsius] above normal in the Arctic.

NASA has been collecting data on Arctic sea-ice extent (a term that refers to area and volume) since the late 1970s. Last year's maximum was the fourth lowest on record, and 2016 is also among the lowest that scientists have seen in about 40 years.

Furthermore, the ice is thinner now than it has been in past years. So, we've lost about 50 percent of the volume of the sea ice, or the mass of the sea ice, since record keeping began.

These dramatic changes don't stay in the Arctic. Typically, white-colored ice reflects about 80 percent of the sun's rays back into space. With less ice cover, the ocean absorbs a lot more of these rays, which warms the water.

As you warm the water up, you're changing the contrast with the lower latitudes, And that contrast helps set up things like the jetstream and storm tracks and general weather patterns. As the Arctic warms, weather patterns in lower latitudes will also be affected.

For instance, cold air usually stays in the Arctic because of polar vortex winds, which make a circular, counter-clockwise trip around the North Pole. But as sea-ice extent diminishes, the Arctic warms, high pressures build and the polar vortex weakens, allowing cold air to flow southward and cause fiercely cold winters.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): The strombolian activity continues at the Otake crater continues. In the past days, it has been more intense, generating bright glow visible from neighboring islands and ash plumes that rose up to approx. 1 km.

Nyiragongo (DRCongo): The mainly effusive activity from the new secondary vent inside the volcano's caldera continues with little changes. By now, new lava flows have surrounded the central pit (containing the main lava lake), covered most of the lower platform and cascade into the central vent at multiple locations.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits the Carlsberg ridge.

5.3 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Louisiana, USA - A tornado touched down on the southeast side of Lake Charles, Louisiana damaging one home with 100 mph winds, the National Weather Service confirmed.

Florida, USA - Severe Weather Floods Most of Boca. Heavy rain has flooded portions of Boca Raton City Hall, Florida Atlantic University and Town Centre Mall according to local reports.

Disease

Unprecedented TB outbreak in Papua New Guinea

On Daru Island in Papua New Guinea, there is a significant and ongoing outbreak of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). It is spreading throughout the country and could possibly move to Australia.

Conservative estimates show that 1 percent of the population of Daru is sick with MDR-TB. This translates to about 150 cases per year in a population of 15,000. As a point of comparison, an outbreak on nearby Chuuk Island, one that the CDC was able to get under control, had 26 cases in a population of 108,000.

In one community in South Africa, Khayelitsha, there are about 200 MDR-TB cases a year, with a population of about 400,000 and an HIV prevalence above 20 percent.

Since Daru has almost no HIV—which greatly increases the risk of contracting MDR-TB—the number of cases there is even more staggering.

Britain hit by severe Spring flu outbreak

A flu outbreak is sweeping the country as the number of people struck down reaches a five-year high.

Public Health England (PHE) is warning people to be aware of the risk of flu over the Easter period after the latest figures reveal numbers are continuing to rise, with more than 320 people admitted to hospital in the last two weeks - four times the normal figure.

It says the under-45s seem to be most at risk. Rates are highest in the 15 to 44 age group, followed closely by children aged five to 14.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

China - Landslides in east China's Jiangxi Province after heavy rain over the past five days has claimed the lives of three people. Two people died in a landslide at the entrance of a tunnel on the Daqing-Guangzhou expressway in Longnan County, another person was killed in another landslide in Ganzhou city. More than 3,976 people have been relocated in Ganzhou and Ji'an cities.

Israel - Raging rivers in the desert: Negev and Arava down to Eilat set to be hit by rare intense flooding on Shabbat. According to the Water Authority massive floods are to hit the south this Saturday, and they are predicted to block off highways in the Negev and the Arava region. Primarily the floods are expected for the normally arid desert region of the Zin River, the Paran River and the Dead Sea Rivers, which for most of the year are dry riverbeds.

Disease

Mad Cow Disease Found In France

Authorities from the European Union have confirmed an isolated case of mad cow disease in Ardennes in Northern France, while promising that it poses no health risks.

Mad cow disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) was first discovered in the 1990s and is caused by a mutated or rogue protein called a prion. The outbreak of the disease in the United Kingdom in the 2000s was caused by cows that were being recycled into cattle feed who were infected by the disease. It’s for this reason that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, which is the human equivalent is essentially limited to affecting the few remaining cannibalistic societies around the world.

Nigeria - Lassa Fever

Lassa fever has claimed a total of 80 lives in its latest outbreak in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.

A total of 137 confirmed cases have so far been recorded since the disease broke out last November. "The total suspected case was 266 and 138 deaths in the whole country. But laboratory-wise, the centre for disease control recorded 137 cases and 80 deaths," according to a health department official.

The latest outbreak became worse in February but efforts have been intensified to tackle the threat and spread of Lassa fever and other hemorrhagic fevers in the country.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

No magnitude 5.0 or greater  earthquakes so far today.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

New Zealand - A local state of emergency has been declared on the West Coast after flooding forced the evacuation of nearly 200 people in Franz Josef. Flooding has also hit Nelson and Tasman, and trees have brought down power lines in Auckland as wild weather lashes the country.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Kansas, USA

Governor Sam Brownback has declared a State of Disaster Emergency for an area of south-central Kansas threatened by major wildfires.

A wildfire that began in Oklahoma on Tuesday spread into Kansas and burned about 41,000 acres in Comanche County before it moved into Barber County. As of Wednesday evening, the fire had burned more than 72,000 acres in both states.

The Kansas Adjutant General's Office said two houses on the north edge of Medicine Lodge have been destroyed by the fire, and "the remaining 800 to 1000 homes and business structures are in danger."

Wildfires - Texas, USA

After a windy Wednesday fanned several small wildfires across the South Plains and Panhandle, including one in the Panhandle that threatened a hospital, the National Weather Service called for a relatively calm day on Thursday.

But high winds and fire weather could return Friday after topping out at 69 mph on Wednesday in the northern South Plains.

Disease

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

On 15 March 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 1 additional laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus.

On 18 March 2016, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 29 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus, including 11 deaths.

Lassa Fever – Germany

Between 10 and 16 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for Germany notified WHO/EURO of 2 cases of Lassa fever.

Lassa Fever – Togo

As of 9 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Togo notified WHO of the country’s first 2 cases of Lassa fever infection.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 15 and 16 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 4 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death. One of these reported cases is linked to the MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Buraidah city.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 Earthquake hits the Gulf of Aden.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Indonesia - Flooding caused by heavy downpours and overflowing rivers has inundated several regions on Sumatra, leaving at least one person dead and causing thousands to flee their homes.

Mississippi, USA - Mississippi officials said the damage from floods this month is the most widespread the state has had since Hurricane Katrina with similar damages to infrastructure and homes.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

For the first time, scientists have seen the shock wave emanating from an exploding star in visible light.

Disease

Yellow Fever – Angola - Update

On 21 March, the Ministry of Health of Angola provided WHO with an update on the ongoing outbreak of yellow fever (YF), which started on 5 December 2015 in the Viana municipality, Luanda province.

To date, at least 1,132 suspected and confirmed cases have been reported nationally, including 168 deaths. A total of 375 cases have been laboratory-confirmed. Luanda, the outbreak epicentre, remains the main affected province with 818 cases (281 confirmed confirmed), including 129 deaths. However, the number of cases reported in provinces other than Luanda is apparently increasing.

Wildfires

Wildfires - India

The rain shadow regions of Marayur in Idukki district are witnessing a severe drought-like situation even as wildfires are reported in forests and grasslands in the district.

Marayur and Chinnar, on the boarder with Tamil Nadu, fall in a rain shadow region. The wildfires have destroyed trees and grasslands in large tracts and environmentalists say this would affect the availability of water in the coming months. The aged people of Marayur say they had not experienced so many wildfires in the past.

According to reports, wildfires have been continuing in large areas of forests and grasslands for the past three days. As it has spread to more areas, it has become difficult to control the fires.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Alaid (Northern Kuriles): The new eruptive phase that started in late February continues. An intense thermal anomaly has been detected from the volcano's summit area on satellite imagery and weak ash emissions extending approx. 60 km NW from the island were observed yesterday and this morning.

Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands): The latest eruptive phase of the volcano continues, but seems to be less vigorous. An explosion that generated a small ash plume was reported by Tokyo VAAC yesterday.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Activity of the volcano continues essentially unchanged with very slow lava extrusion and intermittent small to moderate explosions at the lava dome. These occur at irregular intervals almost daily, generating ash plumes that rise 1-3 km: last evening, an explosion produced a plume that rose approx. 2500 m, local observers reported. This morning, an ash plume to 9,000 ft (2.7 km) altitude was reported by Darwin VAAC.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): Ash emissions from the volcano (which had been less vigorous and more intermittent over the previous days) have increased this morning and become continuous. Buenos Aires VAAC reported a plume at approx. 12,000 ft (3.6 km) altitude extending 35 km east from the volcano.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Pakistan.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Qinghai, China.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Emeraude), located approximately 846 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking northwestward at 01 knot.

Wildlife

Salmon starving amid global warming in Washington and Oregon

The size of starving coho salmon and the numbers of the fish are shrinking so dramatically that officials along the US Pacific Coast are considering shutting down commercial and recreational salmon fishing in Washington and northern Oregon this year.

"We're looking at a pretty bad situation for coho and we need to do what we can to preserve them," said Kyle Adicks, salmon policy analyst for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The ban would be the first one since 1994. Salmon fishing has been significantly curtailed since 2008. California, too, faces severe restrictions on commerical chinook salmon fishing this year.

The 2015 salmon season was one of the lowest harvests on record due to drought and the drying up of rivers and streams where the fish spawn, and what's known among scientists as "The Blob" — a mass of warm coastal ocean water from Mexico to Alaska caused by global warming that has driven typical food for the salmon far deeper into the ocean.

As bad as last year was, 2016 looks even bleaker. Approximately 380,000 Columbia River hatchery coho are expected to return to the Washington coast this year, which is only half of last year's forecast, reports the Associated Press.

Some 300,000 chinook salmon from California's Sacramento River system made it back to the ocean after spawning, which is also about half of last year's population.

The incredible shrinking salmon in global warming: The top coho salmon is a normal size, the two below are significantly undernourished.

Huge discovery: Butterfly could change opinions on Global Warming

Scientists in Alaska have made a remarkable find: a new species of butterfly that is the first discovery of its kind in 28 years, and it could be indicative of the future with climate change and global warming.

The species is a hybrid of two ancient species that has adapted for life in Alaska’s interior, according to a University of Florida statement.

It’s called the Tanana arctic (Oeneis tanana), and it is believed to evolved from the offspring of two butterflies: O. chryxus and O. bore shortly before the last ice age.

Chryxus moved south to the Rockies due to the ice age, whereas the Tanana arctic and O. bore white-veined arctic stayed in Alaska. The Tanana arctic today appears to live in the Tanana-Yukon River Basin, seeking shelter in the spruce and aspen forests.

The Tanana arctic looks similar to other species, so scientists hadn’t noticed it until now. The butterfly is larger and somewhat darker, and has white freckles.

Why is the butterfly useful to climate scientists? Because butterflies in particular are very sensitive to changes in the climate. This butterfly has been living in the Tanana River valley for a long time, so scientists will be watching it closely: if it leaves permanently, that will be a sign that there are big changes coming.

Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 13 and 14 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 4 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. One of these reported cases is linked to the MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Buraidah city.

Guillain-Barré syndrome – United States of America

On 10 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of the United States of America notified PAHO/WHO of 2 cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) with confirmed Zika virus infection.

Elizabethkingia, Rare Blood Disease In Wisconsin & Michigan

After nearly four months of plaguing the state of Wisconsin, the dreaded disease Elizabethkingia outbreak has spread across Michigan, which is nearly 400 miles away from where the outbreak originated.

In a statement, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has confirmed that one of the 17 confirmed cases of Elizabethkingia in the state is related to the ongoing outbreak of the same disease in Wisconsin. The report adds that the disease is caused by the bacteria Elizabeth anopheles.

The state health department established the link between cases in two places separated by hundreds of miles away through the laboratory results of the patient’s blood culture isolates.

Of the 17 confirmed cases of Elizabethkingia in the same state, one has resulted in the death of an older adult in the West Michigan. The report adds that the first casualty due to the Elizabethkingia was an elderly with compromised immune system due to an underlying medical condition at the time of the infection.

Hand, Foot and Mouth outbreak in Limpopo, South Africa

There are fears that the hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak has spread to rural parts of Limpopo.

The disease, which is caused by the coxsackie virus and mostly affects children below the ages of fourteen, was first reported in Polokwane and the surrounding areas since mid-February.

The outbreak led to the early closure of some primary and pre-schools in Polokwane, to allow for cleaning and sterilisation of surfaces.

Some parents, outside Modjadjiskloof, now say their children are showing signs of having contracted the disease.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Dukono (Halmahera): The activity at the volcano remains intense. Our friend Patrick Marcel who visited the volcano last week reported that the vents at the bottom of the crater emitted a sustained, extremely noisy jet of gas, steam and ash, and ejected incandescent bombs to up to 500 m height. Some of them landed outside the crater rim. Ash plumes drifting from the volcano in various directions for tens of kilometres have been being spotted on satellite imagery by Darwin VAAC almost daily.

Nyiragongo (DRCongo): Goma Volcano Observatory published the results of recent field work on the crater of Nyiragongo during 10-11 March in a new report: in summary, it seems that the current intense activity from the two vents inside the inner crater is confined to this area, and no magma has migrated laterally. In other words, the risk of a flank eruption in the near future should be relatively low for the time being. The report expressively mentions that inhabitants of the surrounding villages should not be worried too much about the new activity inside the crater, at least unless something changes significantly. High-precision distance measurements, as far available, show no significant deformation of the volcano's edifice occurred after the opening of the new vent in late February; only a modest extension of 17 mm in NW-SE direction was measured between two fix points on the crater rim between 7 Feb and 2 March, but none since. In addition, no increase in temperature inside the many fissures on the crater and the volcano's flanks has been noted. As to the activity at the new vent itself: when OVG's volcanologists observed it on 10-11 March, it consisted in pulsating lava fountains / strombolian bursts of a few tens of meter height, and the effusion of abundant lava flows that started circumvent the central pit's rims, which are slightly elevated on the lower platform (caused by repeated overflows in the past few years).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.6 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Emeraude), located approximately 851 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-southwestward at 08 knots.

NewsBytes:

India - Heavy rainfall in the Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir triggered landslides forcing the closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway which has been blocked for four consecutive days after the massive landslides — In a separate indent, an avalanche triggered by an earthquake has claimed the life of a military trooper and injured one other in the frontier Kargil district of the Ladakh division in Indian-controlled Kashmir. The avalanche was triggered by a mild earthquake which buried two troopers on surveillance duty Wednesday night.

Paraguay - The brutal human cost of El Nino is plain to see in Paraguay's capital. Downtown plazas and the median strips of thoroughfares are crammed with temporary houses made of plywood, plastic sheets and corrugated steel, thrown together after heavy rains caused the worst flooding in more than three decades. About 145,000 people were forced out of their homes across Paraguay, a nation of 6.5 million, Mr Joaquin Roa, the minister for national emergencies, said. About 60,000 people are still displaced in Asuncion, he added.

Disease

More Ebola Deaths in Guinea.

A fourth person has died of Ebola in the ebola treatment centre in Nzerekore in Guinea in the latest flare up of the disease in Guinea.

WHO has warned that Ebola could resurface at any time, since it can linger in the eyes, central nervous system and bodily fluids of some survivors.

It was not immediately clear how the villagers from Korokpara, around 100km from Nzerekore, had contracted the disease but the area had previously resisted efforts to fight the illness in the initial epidemic.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 Earthquake hits the west Chile rise.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Emeraude), located approximately 919 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking south-southeastward at 02 knots.

NewsBytes:

Bad 10 Days for Pakistan - At least 79 people have died and 97 others have been injured in natural disasters in Pakistan over the past 10 days.

A landslide triggered by heavy rainfall collapsed a coal mine claiming the lives of seven labours and injuring 10 others in in Orakzai. In Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt, at least 22 people have been killed and 33 others have been injured due to the heavy rains. Torrential rainfall in Balochistan killed 19 people, injured 20 others and collapsed 50 houses. Similarly, at least 11 people died in seven separate house collapse incidents in the country's northeastern Kashmir region. Heavy rain in Punjab killed 10 people, injured 18 others and collapsed four houses. Torrential rainfall killed 10 people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, injured 16 others and destroyed 77 houses.

Global Warming

New Zealand losing glaciers due to global warming

New Zealand, a country famous for its tourist attractions and magnificent sceneries, is losing its glaciers due to global warming, a study indicates. Fox and Franz Josef, two stunning glaciers that run from the mountains to a temperate rain forest, are at risk. The ice is melting so fast that it has become too dangerous for tourists to hike onto the glaciers, bringing an end to a tradition dating back to a century. The warm temperatures due to global warming are responsible for the glaciers melting, according to researchers.

Scientists feel that the melting of Fox and Franz Josef is one of the examples how global warming is adversely affecting the environment. Helicopters are now the only means of getting to the glaciers, which till last year could be climbed

A paper published in 2014 in the Global and Planetary Change said that each of the two glaciers had melted by up to 3 kilometres in length since the 1800s, reducing them in height by about 20 percent. The authors also said that due to global warming, the ice has been melting at a rate never recorded before.

Wildlife

Coral bleaching at Barrier Reef: 'severe'

Australian authorities said Sunday coral bleaching occurring in the World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef had become "severe", the highest alert level, as sea temperatures warm.

Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt said while the bleaching at this stage was not as severe as in 1998 and 2002, also El Nino-related events, "it is however, in the northern parts a cause for concern".

"The reef is 2,300 kilometres (1,429 miles) long and the bottom three-quarters is in strong condition, but as we head north, it becomes increasingly prone to bleaching," Hunt said after an aerial tour of some of the affected areas Sunday, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

"Essentially what you could see was patches of coral bleaching as you approached Lizard Island (located in the Barrier Reef)."

The reef -- the world's biggest coral reef ecosystem -- is already struggling from the threat of climate change, as well as farming run-off, development and the coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.2 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

6.0 Earthquake hits Antigua and Barbuda.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.3 Earthquake hits off the coast of Central America.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits Tajikistan.

5.2 Earthquake hits Vancouver Island, Canada.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands

5.1 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Amurskaya Oblast, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Emeraude), located approximately 872 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking east-southeastward at 03 knots.

Space Events

Comets to Swerve Close to Earth

An emerald-green comet will brush the Earth Monday, followed one day later by a kissing cousin that will swerve closer to the planet than any other comet in nearly 250 years.

The first and bigger of the two comets will be visible Monday to the naked eye in the southern hemisphere, as long as city lights are far away.

The first member of the pair, known as comet 252P/LINEAR, is a bright green colour from the carbon gas it’s puffing out, says the University of Maryland’s Matthew Knight. 252P will slide past Earth at a distance of roughly 3 million miles. That’s well beyond the moon but near enough to put 252P in the top 10 of closest-approaching comets.

252P wasn’t expected to get terribly bright, but it has been surpassing all expectations. It may even be visible to the unaided eye in southern hemisphere suburbs where light pollution is low.

Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 11 and 12 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 6 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Three of these reported cases are asymptomatic and linked to the MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Buraidah city.

Zika Virus - USA

More than 100 cases of Zika virus have been confirmed in the United States, a new report finds.

The 116 residents who have now tested positive for the virus include one infant who was born with severe microcephaly, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All 116 cases of Zika were confirmed by lab tests at the CDC.

The report includes all Zika cases reported between Jan. 1, 2015, and Feb. 26, 2016, but more than three-quarters of the patients reported that their illness began in 2016, according to the report released today (March 18). The patients ranged in age from the newborn infant with microcephaly, up to 81 years old.

Yellow Fever - Angola - Update

A yellow fever outbreak in Angola that began late last year has killed 158 people, up from 50 a month ago, as deaths from the disease transmitted by mosquitoes accelerate, a World Health Organisation official said on Friday.

There has also been an increase in malaria, cholera and chronic diarrhoea in Luanda and other cities, partly due to a breakdown in sanitation services and rubbish collection, health officials say.

City authorities have slashed their budget for rubbish collection to cope with a budget crisis, leaving piles of waste building up in poorer suburbs including Viana, where the first case of yellow fever was reported in late December.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Possible Case in Askansas, USA

A national laboratory in Chantilly, Va., has confirmed a preliminary diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) following a Feb. 15, 2016, diagnostic lumbar puncture of a patient at Washington Regional Medical Centre, Arkansas.

It is uncertain how the patient contracted the disease. Investigations are ongoing. The variant of the disease is not the condition known as mad cow disease.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

5.2 Earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Emeraude), located approximately 734 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking eastward at 03 knots.

NewsBytes:

Texas, USA - Golf ball-sized hail damaged cars in Tarrant County and grounded flights at DFW Airport. Earlier, more than 20 severe Thunderstorm Warnings were issued in North Texas.

Indonesia - A heavy downpour caused the overflow of the Citarum River leaving two dead and three others missing. It was the worst flood in 10 years to lash the Bandung District in West Java Province.

Durban, South Africa - Residents of Durban dealt with a deluge on Wednesday night, with many areas reporting cases of flash flooding. Roads across the city remain closed by downed trees and other debris that is obstructing thoroughfares.

Environment

Sea Levels Seesaw

Duelling climate cycles such as El Niño and La Niña are causing sea levels to wobble back and forth across the Pacific with increasing magnitude in conjunction with climate change, according to a new NASA study.

Variations in sea levels in the Pacific basin are now three times greater than those observed on average during the previous 30 years.

Asia is currently on the high side of the sea level sway, while coastlines in the Americas as far north as California are experiencing a lower sea level.

For communities threatened by rising tides, predicting when the seesaw will swing the other way is becoming more crucial. The NASA findings may help improve those predictions.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 111.0 degrees Fahrenheit (43.9 degrees Celsius) at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus -89.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 67.2 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.

Wildlife

Penguin Mate

A starving and oil-covered Magellanic penguin saved by a Rio de Janeiro retiree in 2011 has returned to its rescuer each year after spending more than four months at sea in the South Atlantic.

Joao Pereira de Souza, 71, says “Dindim” stayed with him for 11 months after being cleaned up and fed fish to help it regain strength.

But the male penguin came back a few months later and has since come to visit de Souza annually from late June until mid-February.

“I love the penguin like it’s my own child and I believe the penguin loves me,” de Souza told Brazil’s Globo TV.

Experts say that since Dindim is with its human companion during the typical penguin mating period, it probably considers de Souza its mate. De Souza says Dindim appears to become more affectionate each year when it returns.

Penguins live to about 25 and typically stay loyal to the same partner until they die.

Space Events

Large Meteor over Britain

A bright meteor has been spotted over Britain at about at 03:16 GMT. A green flash was observed moving south to north for a few seconds, leaving a magnesium-white trail. The meteor was clearly observed from London, Hampshire, Stafford and the east coast of England. It is reportedly the biggest meteor sighting recorded Britain.

Disease

New Ebola Cases in Guinea

Two people tested positive for Ebola in Guinea on Thursday and have been taken to a treatment centre, according to the nation’s government.

The news comes after the deadly two-year outbreak in West Africa had been officially declared over. The two people infected with the virus are from the village of Korokpara, where three members of one family died in recent weeks from diarrhoea and vomiting, Reuters reported, citing a government agency spokesman.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Sangihe, Indonesia.

5.3 Earthquake hits south of Sumbawa, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Sunda Strait, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Emeraude), located approximately 710 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-northwestward at 02 knots.

Environment

How a Monster El Niño Transforms the World's Weather

From crippling drought in southern Africa to a record number of February tornadoes in the U.S. Southeast, an exceptionally strong El Niño has been making headlines around the globe as it tampers with the world’s weather.

While the event has begun its slow decline, those wide-ranging impacts will continue to be felt for weeks and months to come — good news for those in California, who need El Niño-Fuelled rains, but bad news for the many areas, like Indonesia, which is suffering from deep drought, food and water shortages, and wildfires.

Already this year, El Niño-related weather has cost billions of dollars in damage and left some 100 million people facing food and water shortages.

 

First, the big picture: El Niño is most known for shifting a large pool of warm ocean waters from the western to the central and eastern tropical Pacific. That shift changes where heat is pumped into the tropical atmosphere, disrupting its typical circulation patterns. Those local disruptions cause a domino effect through the global atmosphere that can alter weather thousands of miles away.

There are two main circulation patterns that are affected. All around the tropics is a pattern of rising and sinking air — like a vertical loop — called the Walker Circulation. The rising air corresponds to areas of unsettled, rainy weather, while the sinking air creates a stable, dry clime. Normally in the tropical Pacific, a major area of rising air is found over the western portions, where the warmest waters are found. With the eastward shift from El Niño, that rising air (and its sinking counterpart) move eastward as well. This displacement shifts the other branches of the Walker Circulation around the tropics, pushing wetter weather over areas that might normally be dry and vice versa. These areas typically see some of the strongest impacts from El Niño because they are in a region more directly linked to it.

The changes in the Walker Circulation in turn cause shifts in another looping pattern called the Hadley Circulation that runs north-to-south to the Walker’s east-to-west. And those changes in the Hadley Circulation can affect the subtropical jet stream — an area of fast-moving air that guides storms — in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. This is how El Niño can affect regions far from the tropics.

The changes in these main circulation patterns interact with other factors, like seasonal monsoons and other major climate patterns, which is why none of the typical impacts associated with El Niño are guaranteed. It merely shifts the odds in their favour.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

Fairy circles have been discovered in the arid landscape of western Australia, the first time these mysterious barren spots have been seen outside of Namibia. The discovery bolsters the hypothesis that fairy circles emerge because of water scarcity rather than ant or termite activity, because the patterns don't correlate to insect mounds in Australia.

Environment

More cars banned in Mexico City after pollution alert

More cars were ordered off Mexico City’s streets on Wednesday after a surge in pollution prompted authorities to issue the first air quality alert in 14 years.

After older vehicles were kept off the streets on Monday and Tuesday, the Environmental Commission of the megalopolis decided to expand the ban on Wednesday to include all cars with license plates that have red stickers and end in the numbers three and four.

The extraordinary measures were imposed following an increase in ozone concentration, which can cause respiratory and heart ailments.

Federal authorities ordered factories in the greater Mexico City area to slash their emissions by 40 per cent.

The last time the air quality emergency was issued was in September 2002.

Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 9 and 10 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 7 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 2 deaths.

Zika Virus - Cape Verde

Cape Verde has identified its first case of the neurological disorder microcephaly, thought to be linked to the Zika virus, in what would be a first for Africa.

The Cape Verde government says more than 7,000 cases of Zika have been recorded since the beginning of the epidemic in October 2015, with heavier than normal rains last summer boosting mosquito numbers.

Sierra Leone Ebola flare-up over for now

A recent flare-up of Ebola in Sierra Leone is over after no new transmissions of the disease were detected in the West African country, although the virus could resurface at any time, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday.

Sierra Leone has had no new cases of the virus for 42 days, the WHO said, twice the length of the virus's incubation period - the time that elapses between transmission of the disease and the appearance of symptoms.

Monkey Fever Outbreak near Goa, India

At least 20 persons are suspected to have been infected by monkey fever in four villages nestled in forest areas of the Western Ghats under Kankumbi Primary Health Centre jurisdiction in Khanapur taluk adjoining Goa.

The affected people were daily-wage labourers frequenting to Goa for livelihood, said District Health Officer Appasaheb Naratti. Preliminary investigations indicated that they were infected during their stay in Goa, where the ‘Kyasanur Forest Disease’ (a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic fever endemic to South Asia), commonly known as monkey fever has griped villages of Sattari taluk situated on the State’s eastern side adjoining Khanapur taluk.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.2 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits eastern Kazakhstan.

5.1 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Sangihe, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the State of Yap, Micronesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits west of Macquarie Island.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Emeraude), located approximately 768 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-northwestward at 05 knots.

Tropical cyclone 16p (Sixteen), located approximately 60 nm east-northeast of Mornington Island, Australia, is tracking east-southeastward at 09 knots.

NewsBytes:

Texas, USA - Massive flooding has occurred in Deweyville, Texas with the Sabine river breaking the highest river level set over 130 years ago. Mandatory evacuations have been issued after a week of heavy downpours. At least 400 homes have been flooded in Newton County. More than 18 inches of rain fell in Deweyville over five days causing the river to rise to 32 feet. The Sabine river is expected to be above 35 feet and break the old record by three feet.

Wildlife

Instead of migrating, white storks eat garbage

Birds just aren’t migrating the way they used to. And why should they? Climate change has made winters warmer, meaning they don’t need to travel as far in order to make it through the brutal temperatures.

But it’s not just climate change that’s giving birds—particularly white storks—reason to stay. New research published in Movement Ecology this week suggests that land fills provide enough food for the birds to stick around throughout the year. What that means, though, is that they’re literally eating garbage.

Franco explained that ordinarily, white storks live all over Europe in the summer, breeding months, and migrate to either southern Europe or sub-Saharan Africa over the winter. They typically eat a diet of small insects or spiders, though they also have been known to eat crayfish in rice fields.

Now, however, Franco says that of the population of about 14,000 white storks in Portugal, an increasing number are becoming residents of the areas near landfills. She and her team had been tracking the movements of over 50 of these storks in Portugal, and for this study looked at the movements of 17 birds they knew had set up colonies near the landfills. They found that even with their unusual new dietary patterns, storks that stayed over the winter had the advantage of starting to breed earlier in the season and raise more chicks per nest.

Until these landfills are gone, that is. The European Union Landfill Directive mandates that all states in the EU phase out their landfills entirely by 2018. Franco does not know what will happen to the birds in the coming years as the landfill sites close over time. “Probably these birds will struggle,” she said, adding that she expects they will either have to start migrating once more, or they will die.

Global Warming

Global warming redistributes world's water resources

Rising temperatures worldwide are changing not only weather systems, but -- just as importantly -- the distribution of water around the globe, thereby affecting the availability of potable water, says a new study.

"This study shows how climate change is altering the spatial patterns and amounts of precipitation -- where it comes from and where it falls,” said study co-author Myron Mitchell, professor at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry in the US. "Such effects can drastically affect the availability of potable water and also contribute to the massive flooding we have seen in recent years," Mitchell noted.

The researchers found that over a period of 40 years, there has been a dramatic increase, especially during the winter, of the amount of water that originated far to the north.

"In the later years, we saw more water derived from evaporation of the Arctic and the North Atlantic oceans," lead author Tamir Puntsag from State University of New York said.

With 85 percent of the world's population living in the driest half of the planet and 783 million people living without access to clean water, according to the UN, it is vital for scientists and policymakers to understand how a changing climate affects water resources.

Disease

New HIV cases at 1 000 a day in South Africa

With the staggering number of new HIV cases among young women reported to be at 1 000 every day in South Africa, experts have urged for more strategic interventions in dealing with a looming pandemic.

“The HIV infection rate among young women in the 18-24 year age group is more than double that of their male counterparts and current interventions are simply not working as effectively as they should in reducing the number of infections,” according to Professor Koleka Mlisana, University of KwaZulu-Natal head of microbiology.

Some recommendations include cash incentives to teenage girls, encouraging them to stay in school and avoid falling pregnant. Another suggestion is a self-testing kit for HIV.

“South Africa has over six million people living with HIV – the highest in the world – with new infections among young females on the rise,” says Mlisana.

“Government has introduced successful measures to stem the HIV/Aids tide, including reducing the mother-to-child transmission rate from 35% to less than 1% and the world’s largest anti-retroviral programme.

Rift Valley Fever in Uganda

A butcher and 19-year-old student in a town 336km from the Ugandan capital have contracted Rift Valley Fever. This is the first time ever the disease is reported in humans or animals in Uganda.

Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Director General of Health Services in Uganda’s Ministry of Health confirmed the two cases in Kabale in western Uganda, adding that three other suspect cases have been identified.

Rift Valley Fever is an acute, fever causing viral disease that affects domestic animals (such as cattle, sheep, goats and buffalo, camels) and humans.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Akita-Komaga-take (Honshu): Elevated seismic activity has been detected by Japanese volcanologists. No other parameters (visual fumarolic activity, deformation etc) seem to be above background levels and no particular alert was raised.

Colima (Western Mexico): Mild explosive activity continues from the volcano. Mostly small explosions occur at irregular intervals of typically several hours from the summit vent where a small new lava dome is present and probably growing slowly. An aerial photograph from 29 February shows the dome with a diameter of approx. 40-50 meters.

Telica (Nicaragua): After a period of several days of calm, lava glow has again become visible over night from the crater; during the day, increased degassing can be noted. Likely, the new fissure that formed on 2 March, has again become active and erupted a small (if not tiny) amount of lava into the crater.

Nyiragongo (DRCongo): The new vent inside the crater of Nyiragongo remains very active, producing pulsating lava fountains of approx. 30 m height at intervals of 30 seconds, according to the observatory. Well-alimented lava flows leave from the vent.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 Earthquake hits southwest of Africa.

5.1 Earthquake hits Samoa.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Strait of Gibraltar.

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

Global Warming

February Blows Away Global Heat Record

Last month was far and away the hottest February on record for the planet, by a margin that has surprised even the climate scientists who closely monitor global temperature data. It was also the most anomalously warm month Earth has seen in 135 years of NASA record keeping, continuing an astonishing recent streak that could see 2016 set a new record for hottest year.

While a strong El Niño has given global temperatures a boost, the main reason for the spate of intensely warm months is the long-term warming of the planet caused by the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, scientists have found.

According to data released by NASA this weekend, February 2016 was 2.43°F (1.35°C) warmer than the average from 1951 to 1980, and 0.8°F (0.5°C) warmer than the previous record February, in 1998. It was the 10th month in a row to set such a monthly record, tying a streak set back in 1944, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

February also marked the fifth month in a row where global temperatures breached the mark of being 1°C (about 2°F) above average. Countries have agreed on a goal of limiting warming to under 2°C (4°F) from pre-industrial times by the end of the century.

Environment

Environment behind nearly quarter of global deaths: WHO

One in four deaths worldwide are due to environmental factors like air, water and soil pollution, as well as unsafe roads and workplace stress, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Tuesday.

An estimated 12.6 million people died in 2012 as a result of living and working in unhealthy environments, 23 percent of all deaths reported globally, according to the new study.

"If countries do not take actions to make environments where people live and work healthy, millions will continue to become ill and die too young," warned WHO chief Margaret Chan in a statement.

The report defines environmental causes broadly, drawing links between a long line of environmental risk factors like pollution, chemical exposure, climate change and ultraviolet radiation, as well as access to firearms and more than 100 diseases and injuries.

As many as 8.2 million of the deaths could be blamed on air pollution, including exposure to second-hand smoke, which is responsible for heart disease, cancers and chronic respiratory disease, the report said.

Among the deaths attributed to environmental factors were 1.7 million caused by "unintentional injuries", including road accidents.

The report also counted 846,000 diarrhoeal disease deaths among environmental mortalities, adding that many were linked to pollution and unsafe drinking water.

The report found that most environmentally-linked deaths happened in Southeast Asia, which accounted for 3.8 million such deaths in 2012, followed by the Western Pacific region with 3.5 million.

The least affected region was the Americas, with 847,000 deaths blamed on environmental conditions.

Europe had 1.4 million environmentally-linked deaths while Africa reported 2.2 million.

The WHO said that better environmental management could prevent the deaths of 1.7 million children under five, who are especially prone to serious illnesses arising from respiratory infections and diarrhoea.

Disease

Chikungunya – Argentina

On 7 March 2016, the National IHR Focal Point of Argentina notified PAHO/WHO of the first chikungunya outbreak in the country.

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 26 February and 08 March 2016 the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 25 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection (MERS-CoV), including 4 fatal cases.

Meningitis in Myanmar

Health authorities are on high alert following a recent meningococcal meningitis outbreak that has claimed the lives of four children in Mandalay Region.

Two children in a serious condition are being treated for the bacterial infection at Mandalay General Hospital, while five more children are receiving treatment at Meiktila General Hospital. All are from villages in Tharsi township.

The cases were reported from March 5, when the first death was reported. Another child died on March 7, while two more passed away on March 9.

Meningococcal meningitis is transmitted person-to-person via mucous, particularly through coughing and sneezing, or sharing eating or drinking utensils.

The infection affects the lining around the brain and spinal cord. According to the World Health Organization, the most common symptoms are a stiff neck, high fever, sensitivity to light, confusion, headaches and vomiting.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Hundreds of staff and students have been evacuated from Perth’s Edith Cowan University as a bushfire rages through the area in 40C degree heat.

Firefighters have been battling a blaze that extends 19km and has so far flattened 900ha in Western Australia’s south-west.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): INGV Catania published the result of very high-resolution satellite-based measurements of ground deformation of Etna during the period between Feb 2015-Feb 2016. They show that Etna's dominant trend of deformation has changed from inflation (in blue) to deflation since the latest eruption in early December. Inflation of the entire volcanic edifice continued until November 2015, before the violent paroxysmal episodes occurred in December. During this event, the deflation that accompanied the eruptive activity has almost completely neutralized the preceding inflation, which likely means that most of the accumulated magma inside the volcano had been erupted during the recent activity.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The activity at the volcano has decreased again over the past 2 weeks. The average size and frequency of explosions has dropped to one every few days (compared to several / day earlier in February). So far, March has only seen 3 explosions recorded by JMA. Something new, however, is that a number of the recent explosions came not from the Showa crater, but from the Minamidake summit crater, the older one of the two, located west above the former one. Minamidake had been Sakurajima's main active vent for decades since 1955, until a new crater on its eastern flank began to form and gradually "take over" in 2006 and became known as the Showa crater. In the past few years, only very few explosions were recorded from Minamidake,- nearly all activity had been at Showa crater, but this might have changed very recently.

Soputan (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): A small group of VolcanoDiscovery just returned from a visit to Soputan. While clouds prevented detailed observations most of the time, glow was visible from the summit at night and moderate steaming during the day. No other unusual events were observed (rockfalls, movements of the recent lava flows etc). This suggests that effusive activity if at all is very weak at the lava dome occupying the summit crater.

Momotombo (Nicaragua): Explosions seem to have ceased during the past week. Glow remains visible at the crater, suggesting that lava continues to be present there.

Nyiragongo (DRCongo): A cook who spent the night of 10 March on the rim of the crater reported that the volcano was unusually "noisy”. While we have no other specific information, it suggests that the very high level of activity, both from the main lava lake and at the new vent NE of it, first observed on 1 March, continues.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.2 Earthquake hits northwestern Siberia, Russia.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

USA - Widespread flooding in Louisiana and Mississippi has damaged thousands of homes and the risk of more flooding played out Sunday as rain-filled rivers rose over banks. In northwest Tennessee, more than a dozen homes were evacuated late Saturday after heavy rains breached a levee, according to emergency officials. Flood warnings were in effect across the region as many rivers remained dangerously high. Also of concern was another line of thunderstorms that was expected to hit parts of Oklahoma, Arkansas, northern Louisiana and northern Mississippi Sunday night. Hail and tornadoes were possible, forecasters said. In Louisiana, emergency officials said more than 4,958 homes were damaged. That number is expected to rise as more reports come in from areas still battling floodwaters. Mississippi reported that 185 homes were damaged by floodwaters and about 650 homes sustained minor damage.

Brazil - Parts of Brazil have gone from a state of drought to intense flooding after torrential downpours hit southeastern areas of the country. At least 20 people have died in the high waters and mudslides in and around Sao Paulo. Five are still missing. Sao Paulo's fire department said 18 of the victims were killed in mudslides and the other two drowned in the floodwaters that hit more than 10 cities in the outskirts of the metropolitan area over recent days. Rio de Janeiro has also been badly hit. Authorities have declared a state of crisis after massive downpours flooded parts of the city late on Saturday. The deluge left cars, buses and local residents stranded, as streets turned into murky rivers. The rains are now easing, but further spells of wet weather are likely throughout the week, before it turns drier next weekend.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.3 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.0 Earthquakehits southern Alaska.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

USA - This Saturday Louisiana was hit by even more thunderstorms, after already having experienced flooding from storms that hit previously this week. The flooding was so bad that 1,100 people were rescued from high water levels and 2,500 homes were damaged. Fourteen inches of rain deluged Clarksdale, Mississippi, and 12 inches fell in Greenville, authorities said. The towns sit on or near the Mississippi River. Meanwhile, storms and flooding prompted calls for residents to move to higher ground in Louisiana and forced the shutdown of some New Orleans schools. Fears of levee breaches grew. Nice people have now been reported to have dies in the floods.

Disease

Measles Outbreak in London

Public Health England (PHE) is urging people to make sure they are up-to-date with the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine and to be aware of the symptoms of measles due to an increase in confirmed cases over the last few weeks.

The warning comes after 20 cases of measles were reported with 12 being in London and the east of England, three cases in Cambridge, two in Essex and three in Hertfordshire.

There were 91 cases in England the whole of last year in comparison.

It was mainly diagnosed in adolescents and young adults who had not been vaccinated. Many of which have been admitted to hospital.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits Samoa.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Barat Daya, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Brazil - Flooding and landslides triggered by torrential rainfall have claimed the lives of at least 19 people in Sao Paulo, Brazil. A landslide buried 11 people in Francisco de Morato city in Sao Paulo. Four people died in a mudslide in Mairipora with at least eight people having gone missing in the area. Similarly, two people drowned in floodwaters in Guarulhos and another two in Cajamar. The seevere weather also interrupted flights for six hours at the Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport.

Pakistan - Four children and a woman died after a roof caved in due to heavy rains in Sheerani district in Balochistan. Three people died in Mastung and Loralai districts. One person died due to lightning strike in Dalbandin district. The Meteorological office has forecast more rain across Balochistan over the weekend.

Louisiana, USA - Flooding in Monroe, Louisiana has claimed life of a 7-year-old child and flooded more than 1,000 homes. Over 23 inches of rain had fallen near Monroe, Louisiana, through Friday morning. Several evacuation shelters have been opened. The Ouachita River has risen to 39.5 feet prompting a flood warning at Monroe from Friday afternoon until further notice.

Environment

Researchers find plastic-eating bacteria in recycling plant

Plastic is everywhere around us. We drink out of plastic cups, buy disposable water bottles, unwrap new electronics from plastic packaging, take home plastic shopping bags, and even wear plastic in polyester fabrics.

Some 311 million tons of plastic is produced across the globe annually, and just 10 percent makes it back to a recycling plant. The rest ends up in landfills, or as litter on land or in the ocean, where it remains for decades and longer.

As for the plastic that has been recycled, it has given rise to an unintended side effect: A team of scientists searching through sediments at a plastic bottle recycling plant in Osaka, Japan have found a strain of bacteria that has evolved to consume the most common type of plastic.

Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6 can degrade poly (ethylene terephthalate), commonly called PET or PETE, in as little as six weeks, they report in a new paper published Thursday in the journal Science. Common uses of PET include polyester fibers, disposable bottles, and food containers.

However, more research needs to be done to find practical applications for the bacteria which, although is can degrade the plastic, is also able to subsist independently, having many options in nature for food.

Disease

More Scarlet Fever Cases in UK

There have been a record number of new cases since September 2015, with 600 being reported each week.

In total, there have been 6157 new cases of scarlet fever affecting all of the country.

Foot and Mouth Disease in South Korea

An additional outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in South Korea, rekindling concerns that the livestock disease may further spread widely, the government said Friday.

Pigs at a swine farm in Nonsan in the central region of South Chungcheong Province tested positive for the highly contagious disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

The quarantine authorities have culled some 400 affected animals, and placed a travel ban on animals and vehicles, the ministry added.

The latest outbreak came just three days after an infection was confirmed at a nearby farm in Nonsan on Tuesday.

The animal disease has been spreading in South Chungcheong Province as two outbreaks of FMD were also confirmed in the neighboring towns of Gongju and Cheonan last month.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Shishaldin (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): The alert level was lowered back to normal status. Detectable activity (visible observations and satellite-based data) has been decreasing steadily of the past several months, the Alaska Volcano Observatory reported: "There has been a steady decrease in detected thermal activity at Shishaldin over the past several months. No anomalous activity has been observed in several clear satellite images of Shishaldin since moderately elevated surface temperatures were detected on Jan. 13. Airwaves associated with low-level explosive degassing have not been detected in infrasound data since Feb. 7. Low-amplitude seismic tremor consistent with an open, degassing system continues to be seen in seismic data and is considered to be within the bounds of background activity for Shishaldin. AVO is therefore downgrading the status of Shishaldin Volcano from aviation colour code YELLOW to GREEN and from volcano alert level ADVISORY to NORMAL."

Rincón de la Vieja (Costa Rica): The volcano had a new explosion from its crater lake last Wednesday 8 March. The eruption threw deposits of mud and ash onto the northern side of the crater to up to 120 m distance from the rim and generated a small plume of ash that caused light ash fall in nearby villages in up to 6 km distance to the north. The activity at the volcano had started to increase already in 2015. Volcanologists have found evidence of several similar explosions that occurred in the past months, but the most recent one on Wednesday seems to have been significantly larger (although still small in itself). The most interesting news, however, comes from the analysis of the ejected ash. OVSICORI-UNA staff found that besides fragmented older rocks and sulphur, about 3-10 % of the ejected ash particles are glassy shards from juvenile (i.e. new) magma.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits the northern easy Pacific rise.

5.1 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits east of the Kuril Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Indonesia - A landslide struck a hotel in the Cianjur district in West Java, Indonesia claiming the lives of three people and injuring several others. Earlier, landslide in Sukaremi sub-district of Cianjur killed two people, bringing the death toll to five.

UAE - Heavy rainfall lashed most areas of the UAE on Wednesday causing severe flooding in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The Dubai Police has recorded at least 253 traffic accidents and received 3,200 calls in a span of seven hours from 6 am to 1 pm. Floods in Hatta swept away a car, claiming life of a 7-year-old boy. His other two brothers managed to escape. Flights at Abu Dhabi airport were suspended for several hours on Wednesday. A hailstorm also lashed Abu Dhabi. Schools have been closed since Wednesday. Heavy rain associated with thunder and strong winds swept across Jebel Ali, Fujairah, Sharjah and Al Ain. The National Centre for Meteorology and Seismology recorded 294 millimetres of rainfall on Wednesday near Al-Ain.

USA - Heavy rains slammed parts of the Southeast for a second straight day Thursday, part of a series of storms that has killed four people, flooded homes and wrecked highways. Flash-flood watches were in effect from eastern Texas through Louisiana and up into the Mississippi River Valley -- including Arkansas, Tennessee, Missouri and southern Illinois. Some bayous and creeks near Shreveport are expected to crest at levels not seen since 1991. In Mississippi, officials warned of flash flooding. Gov. Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency.

Global Warming

Record leap in carbon dioxide seen in 2015

The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased at a record pace last year, US government scientists reported, raising new concern about one of the top greenhouse gases and the effects of global warming.

The measurement came from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.

"The annual growth rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide... jumped by 3.05 parts per million during 2015, the largest year-to-year increase in 56 years of research," said a NOAA statement.

Last year also marked the fourth consecutive year that CO2 grew more than two parts per million.

As of February, the average global atmospheric CO2 level was 402.59 parts per million. This is a significant rise over pre-industrial times. Prior to 1800, atmospheric CO2 averaged about 280 ppm.