Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.8 Earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.

5.9 Earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.

5.8 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.7 Earthquake hits central Peru.

Two 5.2 Earthquakes hit the Sumbawa region, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of North Island, New Zealand.

Earthquake Swarm hits the French Alps

The French Alps have been rocked by 140 mini-quakes in just 40 days - sparking fears a huge earthquake could strike at any time. There are also fears the tremors could lead to a deadly avalanche hitting dozens of popular ski resorts in the Alps mountain. The strongest tremor registered was 3.8 on the Richter scale. Residents in the region have describe how they have been getting used to being shaken awake at night in recent weeks.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Invest 94L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic Ocean that has the potential for further tropical development.

Newsbytes:

Europe - Strong winds battered northern and central Europe on Sunday, killing at least six people in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic, with authorities watching for oil leaks from a huge freighter that ran aground in the North Sea. Four victims in Poland and the Czech Republic were killed by falling trees. The storm also knocked out power to thousands of Czechs and Poles, and rail traffic in large parts of northern Germany remained suspended after heavy damage from fallen trees. Winds reached more than 100km/h (60 miles per hour) in several parts of the Czech Republic and topped out at 180km/h on Snezka, at 1,602 metres, the country’s highest mountain. The two victims in Germany included a 63-year-old German man who drowned at a campsite in Lower Saxony as a result of a storm surge, and a woman whose motorboat overturned in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, German media reported.

Malaysia - A Monday afternoon downpour resulted in flash floods in several parts of Kuala Lumpur. Numerous streets and highways were flooded creating huge traffic jams that lasted for hours.

Canada - Record-breaking rainfall in Ottawa on Monday flooded homes and forced Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take an ATV for part of his commute. At least 175 homes were flooded, according to the city. More than 50 mm of rain fell in just six hours Monday morning, setting a new one-day record, Environment Canada reports.

Wildlife

Octopuses crawl to shore en masse

More than two dozen octopuses were spotted slogging along a shoreline in West Wales, worrying beachgoers, who spent some time picking up the critters and plopping them back into the ocean.

It is uncertain why the octopuses were engaged in what has been described by scientists as “odd” behaviour. There could be several reasons that they moved on to the beach, including spawning, weather and water temperatures. As the areas where they are exhibiting this odd behavior coincides with the two areas hit by the two recent low-pressure depressions and associated storms of Ophelia and Brian, it could be supposed that these have affected them. Or it could simply be injuries sustained by the rough weather itself or there could be a sensitivity to a change in atmospheric pressure.

Octlantis - Octopus Community off Australia

n the briny waters of Jervis Bay on Australia's east coast, where three rocky outcrops jut out from piles of broken scallop shells, beer bottles and lead fishing lures, a clutch of gambol among a warren of nearly two dozen dens..

The bustling community belies conventionally held notions of the cephalopods, once thought to be solitary and asocial. Scientists have discovered the normally gloomy and reclusive octopuses living at high densities in Jervis Bay, Australia, where they are interacting with one another, signaling, mating and throwing one another out of their dens.

Global Warming

Pollution Fuelling Climate Change

Climate change is already affecting the health of populations around the world, but things are set to get worse if adequate changes aren't made, according to an international consortium of climate experts.

Fueling the impact is the fact that more than 2,100 cities globally exceed recommended levels of atmospheric particulate matter -- particles emitted when fuels, such as coal or diesel, are burned and are small enough to get into the lungs -- says a report published Monday in the medical journal The Lancet. In the UK alone, 44 cities exceeded levels recommended by the World Health Organization.

More than 803,000 deaths across 21 Asian countries in 2015 were attributable to pollution from coal power, transport and the use of fossil fuels at home, the report states.

Disease

Madagascar plague situation improving

While plague cases continue to be reported in Madagascar, health officials say the situation is improving as evidenced by 16 previously affected districts reported no new confirmed or probable cases of pulmonary plague during the past two weeks, which is creating some optimism.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits Oaxaca, Mexico.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Remnants of Philippe are located about 290 mi...470 km S of Cape Hatteras North Carolina with maximum sustained winds...60 mph...95 km/h. Present movement…NNE or 20 degrees at 46 mph...74 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 27w (Saola), located approximately 64 nm south-southeast of Yokosuka, Japan, is tracking east-northeastward at 42 knots.

Newsbytes:

Alaska - Heavy rain Thursday and Friday caused minor mudslides and triggered flood warnings across Juneau. No injuries were reported.

Global Warming

Record surge in atmospheric CO2 seen in 2016

Concentrations of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere surged to a record high in 2016, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Last year's increase was 50% higher than the average of the past 10 years.

Researchers say a combination of human activities and the El Niño weather phenomenon drove CO2 to a level not seen in 800,000 years. Scientists say this risks making global temperature targets largely unattainable.

This year's greenhouse gas bulletin produced by the WMO, is based on measurements taken in 51 countries. Research stations dotted around the globe measure concentrations of warming gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

The figures published by the WMO are what's left in the atmosphere after significant amounts are absorbed by the Earth's "sinks", which include the oceans and the biosphere. 2016 saw average concentrations of CO2 hit 403.3 parts per million, up from 400ppm in 2015.

"It is the largest increase we have ever seen in the 30 years we have had this network," Dr Oksana Tarasova, chief of WMO's global atmosphere watch programme.

Wildfires

Bushfires - Australia

More than 40 bushfires burned across South Australia on Sunday, scorching hundreds of hectares and threatening properties.

The spate of fires came before Wednesday's start to the official bushfire season in most districts and more than a month before summer. Country Fire Service volunteers battled grass fires fuelled by tricky weather conditions, including wind gusts of up to 100km/h and dry vegetation.

The biggest fire at Worlds End, in the state's mid-north, destroyed 280 hectares of stubble before being contained, but was still being monitored for flare-ups on Monday.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 Earthquake hits north of Franz Josef Land.

5.7 Earthquake hits north of Franz Josef Land.

5.5 Earthquake hits north of Franz Josef Land.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Carlsberg Ridge.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.

5.1 Earthquake hits west of Macquarie Island.

5.1 Earthquake hits Reykjanes Ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Philippe is located about 75 mi...120 km SW of Miami Florida and about 55 mi...90 km ENE of Wey west Florida with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement…ENE or 70 degrees at 17 mph...28 km/h.

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Post Tropical Cyclone Selma is located about 50 mi…80 km NNE of San Salvador El Salvador with maximum sustained winds…30 mph…45 km/h. Present movement…NNE or 30 degrees at 5 mph…7 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 27w (Saola), located approximately 211 nm east-southeast of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking east-northeastward at 28 knots.

Newsbytes:

Florida, USA - Tropical Storm Philippe makes for a wet day and night in South Florida. The National Hurricane Center said the poorly organized Philippe’s center was approaching the Florida Keys as heavy rains washed over Central Cuba, South Florida and the Northwestern Bahamas.

Thailand - Despite floodwaters draining across the country more than 112,800 families in 17 provinces are still affected by floods, with the death toll standing officially at 10 from the latest spate of flooding.

Global Warming

Frost Season Arriving Later Each Year - USA

Across the United States, the year's first freeze has been arriving further and further into the calendar, according to more than a century of measurements from weather stations nationwide.

The trend of ever later first freezes appears to have started around 1980, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of data from 700 weather stations across the U.S. going back to 1895 compiled by Ken Kunkel, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Centers for Environmental Information.

To look for nationwide trends, Kunkel compared the first freeze from each of the 700 stations to the station's average for the 20th century. Some parts of the country experience earlier or later freezes every year, but on average freezes are coming later.

The average first freeze over the past 10 years, from 2007 to 2016, is a week later than the average from 1971 to 1980, which is before Kunkel said the trend became noticeable.

Overall the United States freeze season of 2016 was more than a month shorter than the freeze season of 1916. It was most extreme in the Pacific Northwest. Oregon's freeze season was 61 days - two months - shorter than normal.

A shorter freeze season means a longer growing season and less money spent on heat. But it also hurts some plants that require a certain amount of chill, such as Georgia peaches, said Theresa Crimmins, a University of Arizona ecologist. Crimmins is assistant director of the National Phenology Network . Phenology is the study of the seasons and how plants and animals adapt to timing changes.

Pests that attack trees and spread disease aren't being killed off as early as they normally would be, Crimmins said.

In New England, many trees aren't changing colors as vibrantly as they normally do or used to because some take cues for when to turn from temperature, said Boston University biology professor Richard Primack.

Clusters of late-emerging monarch butterflies are being found far further north than normal for this time of year and are unlikely to survive their migration to Mexico.

Disease

Q Fever - Chile

Chilean authorities are seeking international advice after dozens of people in the southern part of the country contracted the infection, Q fever. Authorities report that the 43 patients are inhabitants of the region of Los Lagos and Los Ríos, in southern Chile, and twenty of them were hospitalized. It should be noted that the majority of the cases are workers in the dairy industry.

Q fever is caused by the obligate intracellular pathogen, Coxiella burnetii. The disease is usually transmitted to people through either infected milk or through aerosols. This disease is found on most continents with the reported incidence probably much lower than the actual because so many cases are so mild.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits west of Macquarie Island.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Anatahan region in the North Mariana Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Potential Tropical Cyclone Eighteen is located about 165 mi...265 km SSW of the Isle of Youth and about 275 mi...440 km SSW of Havana Cuba with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement…N or 10 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm Selma is located about 55 mi...90 km SSE of San Salvador El Salvador with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement…NNE or 15 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon 27w (Saola), located approximately 48 nm northeast of Kadena AFB, is tracking north-northeastward at 16 knots.

Wildlife

Sea Lions Washing Ashore From Disease

An outbreak of a bacterial disease has caused sick or dead sea lions to wash up on Oregon and California beaches.

Researchers say the culprit is leptospirosis, a bacteria that can cause kidney failure, fever, and muscle pain. Young male sea lions are usually affected and may exhibit dehydration and depression.

Leptospirosis can be spread through the urine of an infected animal. So if a dog touches or somehow ingests the urine of that animal they can in turn become sick themselves. Pet owners have been asked to take care when walking their dogs along affected beaches.

Global Warming

Scientists Find Major Mistake in Water Temperature Readings - Study

Global warming might be far worse than we thought, according to a new study.

The research challenges the ways that researchers have worked out sea temperatures until now, meaning that they may be increasing quicker than previously suggested.

The methodology widely used to understand sea temperatures in the scientific community may be based on a mistake, the new study suggests, and so our understanding of climate change might be fundamentally flawed.

The new research suggests that the oceans hundreds of millions of years ago were much cooler than we thought. If true, that means that the global warming we are currently undergoing is unparallelled within the last 100 million years, and far worse than we had previously calculated.

Until now, scientists believed that the temperature of the ocean depths and the surface of the polar ocean 100 million years ago were about 15 degrees warmer than they are today. But they might in fact have stayed relatively stable – making the warming we're currently undergoing far more alarming.

The researchers believe that scientists have been overlooking crucial processes when they calculated the temperature of the seas millions of years ago. In so doing, they may have been mistakenly thinking that they were warmer than they actually are.

Until now, scientists have calculated the temperature of the ancient seas by looking at foraminifera, the fossils of tiny marine organisms found in the sediment on the ocean floor. Those form small shells and take on more or less of an oxygen isotope depending on how warm the water is, so by looking at the oxygen content they can estimate the temperature when those fossils were around.

That working led scientists to believe that the temperature of the seas had fallen by 15 degrees over the last 100 million years.

BP and Shell planning for catastrophic 5°C global warming

Oil giants Shell and BP are planning for global temperatures to rise as much as 5°C by the middle of the century. The level is more than double the upper limit committed to by most countries in the world under the Paris Climate Agreement, which both companies publicly support.

The discrepancy demonstrates that the companies are keeping shareholders in the dark about the risks posed to their businesses by climate change, according to two new reports published by investment campaign group Share Action. Many climate scientists say that a temperature rise of 5°C would be catastrophic for the planet.

ShareAction claims that the companies’ actions put the value of millions of people's pensions at risk. Two years after BP and Shell shareholders voted resoundingly in favour of forcing the companies to make detailed disclosures about climate risks, the companies have made unconvincing steps forward, according to the reports.

Neither company sets targets to reduce emissions and BP’s total investment in renewable and clean technologies has actually shrunk since 2005, the reports said. That’s despite the company’s public-facing image of being “beyond petroleum”.

Both companies assess the resilience of their businesses against climate models in which temperatures warm by between 3°C and 5°C.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

Bubble-Blowing Wasp

Several of the industrious insects were recently observed with droplets dangling from their mouths. Turns out, they were removing excess moisture from their nest by hoovering up water and then expelling it as minuscule water globes, which makes the wasps look like they're blowing perfectly round bubbles.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Amurskaya Oblast, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 27w (Saola), located approximately 253 nm south-southeast of Kadena AFB, is tracking northwestward at 12 knots.

Newsbytes:

Honduras, Nicaragua - Heavy rains have hit Central America, killing up to five people and causing widespread damage in Honduras and Nicaragua. The rains flooded houses and fields, damaged roads, knocked down walls and trees, and made rivers overflow their banks. Three people drowned in rivers in northern and central Honduras, disaster relief coordinator COPECO said.

US Cities Vulnerable to Coastal Floods

Climate Central, a nonprofit organization that analyzes and reports on climate science, has ranked the U.S. cities most vulnerable to major coastal floods.

Global Warming

Carbon Emissions Pause

The world’s carbon dioxide emissions remain stalled for a third consecutive year, with both the United States and Russia decreasing their output by 2 percent in 2016. Japan cut its CO2 emissions by 1 percent, while those produced by Europe and China held steady. India’s emissions increased by 5 percent.

Despite the overall pause in the growth of the world’s most pervasive greenhouse gas pollution, emissions of methane and nitrous oxide continued to increase. Methane can trap 30 times more heat in the atmosphere than CO2, while nitrous oxide traps 300 times more.

Environment

Pollution Kills

Pollution is responsible for illnesses that kill one in every six people around the world each year, according to a new landmark report.

The Lancet, the world’s leading peer-reviewed journal on health, commissioned a study that found toxic air, water, soil and workplace environments kill at least 9 million people annually.

Study authors warn that the crisis “threatens the continuing survival of human societies.” Philip Landrigan, from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, said the scale of deaths from pollution surprised the researchers, as did the rate at which the fatalities were rising.

Wildlife

Magpie Attacks

Residents of Melbourne, Australia, have been warned of increased attacks by swooping magpie birds that have resulted in an alarming number of eye injuries. “In the last week, we saw five in the one day, including a penetrating eye injury that needed to go to theatre (surgery),” said Dr. Carmel Crock of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.

A special online map has been prepared to show where the highest numbers of attacks have occurred. Officials say that since the birds may be less likely to swoop if they think people are watching them, people are advised to draw a pair of “eyes” on the backs of their hats and helmets.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 112 degrees Fahrenheit (44.4 degrees Celsius) in Hermosillo, Mexico.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 72.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 57.8 degrees Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica.

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

Disease

Yellow Fever - Brazil

The discovery of one dead monkey infected with yellow fever on the north side of Brazil’s largest city has prompted São Paulo health authorities to launch a massive vaccination campaign.

The virus responsible for the disease has been blamed for at least 261 Brazilian deaths since December, almost entirely in the southeast of the country.

The mosquito-borne disease originated in Africa and was discovered to be back in Brazil after hundreds of dead monkeys were found infected in the country’s Atlantic rainforest late last year.

Yellow fever is one of the world’s most deadly tropical diseases, causing symptoms such as muscle aches and fever, progressing to liver damage and kidney failure.

Typhoid - North Korea

A typhoid outbreak that began in June in the North Korean province of Ryanggang, on the China border, has the country’s health officials struggling to contain the spread of the diseas While there is scant detail on the outbreak, the report notes that typhoid related deaths are increasing among the older people.

The outbreak is attributable to the North’s poor water supply, sewerage system and the Yalu River as many local residents in Ryanggang Province drink the water from the river without boiling it.

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

On 8 and 15 September 2017, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC) notified WHO of two additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus in China.

Trichinosis - Russia

At least 17 people, including several children have contracted the parasitic infection, trichinosis, after eating smoked brown bear cub in Kataiga village in the Tomsk region of Russia. Local hunters gifted the meat to villagers. Some meat was smoked, some salted. In total, 29 cases of poisoning were detected in the region.

Trichinellosis, or trichinosis is a parasitic disease caused most commonly by the roundworm Trichinella spiralis. If someone ingests undercooked or raw meat with the encysted larvae, the stomach acid releases the larvae which mature to adults in the intestine.

African Countries Should Prepare For Black Death - WHO

South Africa is among nine countries identified by the World Health Organisation as priority areas to be prepared for the plague as the deadly disease spreads through Madagascar. Madagascar, which has travel and trade ties to South Africa, has experienced a large outbreak of plague, also known as the "black death", since August.

The disease has claimed 124 lives in Madagascar since August 1, according to reports, and about 1200 suspected, probable and confirmed cases have been recorded so far.

WHO said countries should remain prepared - because of their travel and trade links with Madagascar. The list included Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Réunion, Seychelles, South Africa and Tanzania.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 18 October - 24 October 2017

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that a very small event at Showa Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) was detected on 17 October. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that the lava dome in Cleveland's summit crater continued to grow, and by 15 October it covered an area of about 9,500 square meters with dimensions of 125 x 100 m. No significant change in the size of the dome was identified in satellite data from 15 to 19 October. During 16 and 21-23 October satellite data showed moderately elevated surface temperatures and a small steam plume was visible in web camera images. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, wind model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 19-20 and 22-23 October ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.5-2.1 km (5,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NNE, NE, and E.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Based on observations by volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions during 13-20 October generated ash plumes that rose as high as 2.5 km (8,200 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : On 19 October KVERT reported that gas-and-steam activity at Karymsky continued, and that quiet or cloudy conditions had been observed in satellite data since 3 October. The Aviation colour Code was lowered to Yellow (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 18-24 October HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of the crater. The 61G lava flow, originating from a vent on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's E flank, continued to enter the ocean at Kamokuna. Surface lava flows were active above the pali and on the coastal plain.

Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 17-18 and 20 October ash plumes from Langila rose 1.5-1.8 km (5,000-6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S, W, and NW.

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya slightly increased compared to the previous week; there was an average of 47 explosions recorded per day during 16-22 October. Seismicity was dominated by long-period events, with an increase in signals indicating emissions and a low number of hybrid events. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 3.8 km above the crater rim and drifted 60 km NE, E, and SE. The MIROVA system detected four thermal anomalies. The report warned the public not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a plume comprised of re-suspended ash drifted about 230 km SE from the vicinity of the Sheveluch on 13 October. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images during 15-19 October. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.

Sinabung | Indonesia : Based on observations by PVMBG, webcam and satellite images, and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 17-18 and 21-23 October ash plumes from Sinabung rose 2.4-4.6 km (8,000-15,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.

Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that an event at Turrialba at 0825 on 20 October generated an ash plume that rose 300 m above the crater rim and drifted NW.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Pagan region in the North Mariana Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 27w (Saola), located approximately 533 nm south-southeast of Kadena AFB, is tracking northwestward at 09 knots.

Newsbytes:

Bulgaria - Three people are dead and several are missing after huge volumes of torrential rain hit the municipalities of Bourgas and Kameno on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast yesterday. Bourgas and surrounds were hit by deluges of water and partial states of emergency were declared in five settlements. Numerous houses were flooded and the residents were evacuated.

Disease

Dengue Fever - Vietnam: Update

After a brutal dengue season earlier this year in Vietnam, the numbers of cases are steadily decreasing. Through Oct. 15, the country has reported 152,924 cases of dengue, including 30 deaths.

Cholera Outbreaks in Eastern and Southern Africa

More than 104,095 cholera/acute watery diarrhea (AWD) cases and 1562 deaths (Case Fatality Rate: 1.5%) have been reported in 12 of 21 countries of Eastern and Southern Africa Region (ESAR) since the beginning of 2017. These countries include; Angola, Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Somalia, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 18 October - 24 October 2017

Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that although foggy conditions at Agung occasionally prevented visual observations, during 18-24 October dense white plumes were seen rising as high as 500 m above the crater rim. Seismicity fluctuated but remained high, though BNPB reported that overall seismicity had decreased. According to BNPB a team launched a drone on 19 October and were able to capture video of the fumarolic emissions from several vents and cracks in the crater. The Alert Level remained at 4 (the highest level on a scale of 1-4) with the exclusion zone at 9 km, and an additional expansion to 12 km in the SE, S, and SW directions.

Aoba | Vanuatu : According to a news article posted on 20 October, residents that had evacuated from Aoba after the eruption from a vent in Lake Voui were returning home. Based on analyses of satellite imagery and model data, the Wellington VAAC reported that during 22-23 October intermittent events generated low-level ash plumes that rose 2.4-3.7 km (8,000-12,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E.

Kirishimayama | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Shinmoe-dake (Shinmoe peak), a stratovolcano of the Kirishimayama volcano group, began on 11 October and lasted almost continuously until the morning of 17 October. The eruption plume usually rose several hundred meters about the crater rim, though on 14 October the plume rose as high as 2.3 km. Sulfur dioxide flux exceeding 10,000 tons/day was also recorded. Cloudy weather conditions prevented webcam views during 19-20 October. Plumes rose 200-600 m on 21, 23, and 24 October. During an overflight on 24 October scientists observed a white plume rising from the active vent on the E side of the crater, and puddles in multiple low areas of the crater. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

Tinakula | Solomon Islands : Based on satellite data, the Wellington VAAC reported that an eruption at Tinakula began around 0620 on 21 October, producing a sulfur dioxide signature, and an ash plume that rose to an altitude of 4.6 km (15,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N. Another eruption at 1040 generated an ash plume that rose significantly higher that the first, to an altitude of 10.7 (35,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE. Later that day ash plumes rose to 6.1 km (20,000 ft) a.s.l. Ash emissions continued through at least 24 October, rising to altitudes of 3-3.7 (10,000-12,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifting E and W on 22 October, 2.4 km (8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifting S and SE on 23 October, and 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. with a SW drift on 24 October. A news article from 24 October stated that water supplies in the Reef Islands had been contaminated with ashfall, and that ashfall was also reported in Fenualoa, and likely in Nupani.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.5 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Chiapas, Mexico.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 27w (Saola), located approximately 385 nm north-northwest of Yap, is tracking northwestward at 12 knots.

Global Warming

Cost of Global Warming Related Disasters - USA

A non-partisan federal watchdog says climate change is already costing U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars each year, with those costs expected to rise. The graphic below shows the billion dollar events that the U.S. has experienced this year alone.

Arctic sea ice may be declining faster than expected -study

Arctic sea ice may be thinning faster than predicted because salty snow on the surface of the ice skews the accuracy of satellite measurements, a new study from the University of Calgary said on Tuesday.

The report from the Canadian university's Cryosphere Climate Research Group published in the academic journal Geophysical Research Letters found satellite estimates for the thickness of seasonal sea ice have been overestimated by up to 25 percent.

That means the Arctic Ocean could be ice-free much sooner than some scientific predictions, which forecast sea ice will first disappear completely during summer months between 2040 and 2050, according to lead author Vishnu Nandan.

Ice-free summers in the Arctic Ocean would impact global weather patterns by increasing the magnitude and frequency of major storms, and alter the Arctic marine ecosystem, making it harder for animals like polar bears to hunt.

Microwave measurements from satellites don’t penetrate the salty snow very well, so the satellite is not measuring the proper sea ice freeboard and the satellite readings overestimate the thickness of the ice.

Wildfires

Forest fires stoke record loss in world tree cover

Forest fires in Brazil and Indonesia contributed to a record loss in global tree cover in 2016, equivalent to the size of New Zealand, that could accelerate deforestation blamed for climate change, an independent forest monitoring network said on Monday.

Man-made global warming increased the risks of wildfires by adding to extreme heat and droughts in some regions, according to Global Forest Watch (GFW). This year, California and Portugal have been among places suffering deadly blazes.

The combination of forest fires with land use change and climate change could speed destruction in areas like the Amazon and contribute to emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the gases that contribute to global warming, the report said.

Worldwide, global tree cover losses rose 51 percent in 2016 from the previous year to 297,000 square kilometers (114,672 square miles), according to data from the University of Maryland compiled by Global Forest Watch (GFW). That was a record high for GFW records stretching back to 2000.

Disease

Marburg virus – Uganda

On 17 October 2017, the Ugandan Ministry of Health notified WHO of a confirmed outbreak of Marburg virus disease in Kween District, Eastern Uganda. The Ministry for Health officially declared the outbreak on 19 October 2017.

As of 24 October, five cases have been reported – one confirmed case, one probable case with an epidemiological link to the confirmed case, and three suspected cases including two health workers.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

5.2 Earthquake hits southwest of Africa.

5.2 Earthquake hits the South Pacific Ocean.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits southwest of Africa.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm 27w (Twenty-seven), located approximately 159 nm west of Navsta, Guam, is tracking northwestward at 25 knots.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Corsica

French authorities say firefighters have mostly contained wildfires that spread across the Mediterranean island of Corsica over the weekend.

Authorities in Haute-Corse, the prefecture covering the northern part of the island, said strong winds fed fires that started in several places on the weekend following a dry spell. One was a forest fire that broke out on Sunday close to the village of Ville di Paraso. About 190 military police and firefighters, supported by four water bombers, were mobilized to tackle the flames.

Wildfires - Utah USA

Wind-driven wildfires in Utah forced evacuations and threatened structures on a big weekend for deer hunters in the fire zone. Two separate wildfires of 600 acres each and two miles apart raged near Strawberry Reservoir about 80 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. By Sunday evening the winds died down, enabling fire crews to make progress fighting the flames.

Wildfires - Tasmania

An out of control fire burning for a week near St Helens has burnt more than 6000ha of bush and scrub and has prompted the Tasmania Fire Service to ask people unprepared for a bushfire to leave for a safer place. The fire ground covered areas of steep and inaccessible terrain and the fire perimeter was more than 35km.

Disease

Madagascar - Plague

In a quick update on the plague case count in the Madagascar outbreak, health officials reported an additional 68 cases Friday bringing the total count to 1365 since Aug. 1. 106 deaths have been reported.

Pakistan - Measles

An outbreak of measles has struck the Qadirabad area of Nushki district in Balochistan province killing eleven children and leaving dozens (40) hospitalized, according to a report.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits southwest of Africa.

5.4 Earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.

5.2 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 25w (Lan), located approximately 187 nm south of Misawa, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 36 knots.

Tropical Depression 27w (Twenty-seven), located approximately 297 nm south-southeast of Anderson AFB, is tracking west-northwestward at 04 knots.

Newsbytes:

India - Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall for more than 24 hours beginning Friday inflicted havoc in different parts of Tripura, forcing nearly 4,000 families to seek shelter at relief camps. Nearly 120 houses were submerged fully or partially and huge tracts of farm land were destroyed in the flash floods. Floods hit several low-lying parts of Agartala and the outskirts of West Tripura, Khowai, and Gomati districts and forced people to abandon their homes on Saturday. A total of 157mm rainfall was recorded since Friday. The rain subsided on Sunday, but flooding continued in several parts.

Japan - Typhoon Lan caused flooding and landslides along the Pacific coast of Japan on Monday. Typhoon Lan made landfall around 0300 local time on Monday (1800 GMT on Sunday) and swept across Tokyo before heading out to sea several hours later off northeastern Japan. Japanese media say two people have died and one is missing.

Norway - Heavy rainfall in Norway’s south in recent days have resulted in a number of roads being closed across the region. A village of around 20 houses is isolated in Froland because a bridge risks collapsing.

Oregon, USA - Overnight downpours flooded Tillamook, closing roads and businesses and snarling traffic. The area is prone to flooding, but these floods came early in the season. The worst was in Lee’s Camp, which was hit with 10 inches overnight.

Wildlife

2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year

Brent Stirton was awarded the grand prize title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year for his story on the illegal rhino horn trade.

Disease

Zimbabwe - Another Typhoid Outbreak

A fresh outbreak of typhoid has been reported in Mbare’s Matapi flats at the weekend, raising fears that the disease could blow out of control if it is not contained before the onset of the rainy season.

The latest outbreak, confirmed by a council spokesperson yesterday, has been blamed on water shortages, raw sewer spillages and uncollected garbage in Harare’s populous high-density suburb. 83 cases of typhoid have been confirmed in Harare this year.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits southern Peru.

5.3 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits Jan Mayen Island.

5.1 Earthquake hits Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania.

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

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 25w (Lan), located approximately 293 nm south-southeast of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking north-northeastward at 22 knots.

Tropical Depression 27w (Twenty-seven), located approximately 342 nm southeast of Anderson AFB, is tracking south-southeastward at 15 knots.

Newsbytes:

Malaysia - Thousands of people have been affected by floods in Sabah, with more than 2,000 people evacuated as of Saturday evening. The Kota Belud district, which is close to mountainous areas, is one of the worst hit, with rain continuously pouring in for almost a week.

Britain - Storm Brian has hit the UK and Ireland sparking flash floods amid fears gale-force winds and heavy rain could leave thousands without power. The storm struck the western coast of Ireland late on Friday – just days after Storm Ophelia left three people dead - causing flooding on the south-west coast. Flood preparations are underway across the UK and Ireland as winds of up to 80 mph hit parts of the Britain on Saturday. East Lancashire was also hit by floods after heavy rain and high winds.

Global Warming

Scientists Are Watching China's Glaciers Disappear

Xinjiang, a land of mountains, forests and deserts, is four times the size of California and is home to 20,000 glaciers — nearly half of all the glaciers in China. Since the 1950s, all of Xinjiang's glaciers have retreated by between 21 percent to 27 percent.

Scientists are the only people allowed here. The government has banned tourism on the glacier and shut down factories in the town below, laying off 7,000 workers to try to lessen the impact of pollution. But local sources of pollution account for just 30 percent of the damage to glaciers, says Li. The other 70 percent is caused by global carbon emissions that have warmed the entire planet.

At the rate global temperatures are rising, some 55 percent of all the glaciers in Xinjiang — nearly 11,000 — will be gone within 50 years.

The Tianshan No. 1 glacier below is melting fast, receding by at least 30 feet each year. Scientists warn that the glacier — the source of the Urumqi River, which more than 4 million people depend on — may soon disappear.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 25w (Lan), located approximately 293 nm south-southeast of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking north-northeastward at 22 knots.

Tropical Depression 27w (Twenty-seven), located approximately 342 nm southeast of Anderson AFB, is tracking south-southeastward at 15 knots.

Newsbytes:

Malaysia - Thousands of people have been affected by floods in Sabah, with more than 2,000 people evacuated as of Saturday evening. The Kota Belud district, which is close to mountainous areas, is one of the worst hit, with rain continuously pouring in for almost a week.

Britain - Storm Brian has hit the UK and Ireland sparking flash floods amid fears gale-force winds and heavy rain could leave thousands without power. The storm struck the western coast of Ireland late on Friday – just days after Storm Ophelia left three people dead - causing flooding on the south-west coast. Flood preparations are underway across the UK and Ireland as winds of up to 80 mph hit parts of the Britain on Saturday. East Lancashire was also hit by floods after heavy rain and high winds.

Disease

Madagascar - Plague

The large plague outbreak in Madagascar just keeps getting bigger as international health organizations remain very concerned. According to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization (WHO), between 1 August and 19 October 2017, a total of 1,297 cases (suspected, probable and confirmed) including 102 deaths (case fatality rate 7.9%) have been reported.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Super Typhoon 25w (Lan), located approximately 337 nm southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 11 knots.

Tropical Storm 27w (Twenty-seven), located approximately 253 nm east-southeast of Anderson AFB, is tracking northwestward at 03 knots.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Firefighters battling a bushfire that is threatening lives and homes near a mine site in Western Australia's north have been forced to shift resources to a separate blaze suspected of being deliberately lit.

A watch and act has been issued for people near the Western Turner mine site, west of Tom Price in the Pilbara. The blaze is out of control and unpredictable, and smoke has closed some roads. The fire has burnt about 24,000ha since it started on October 8.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the central Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.3 Earthquake hits south of the Mariana Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.2 Earthquake hits the North Atlantic Ocean.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the central east Pacific rise.

5.0 Earthquake hits southwest of Africa.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 25w (Lan), located approximately 427 nm south-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking northward at 09 knots.

Tropical Storm 27w (Twenty-seven), located approximately 403 nm east-southeast of Saipan, is tracking northwestward at 03 knots.

Newsbytes:

Trinidad - More than 24 hours of torrential rain has flooded homes and roads and triggered landslides and evacuations across South and Central Trinidad.

Wildlife

Hungry Bears

Two people have been killed by bears in Russia’s Far East this fall due to dwindling food sources, according to a forestry worker.

AFP reports that authorities on Sakhalin Island say they were forced to shoot dead 83 of the bears during the past week because of their aggressive behavior.

The worker told the agency that there are not enough fish, berries and nuts for the bears to store up their usual fat reserves for winter. He added that overfishing of local salmon has also led to the ursine hunger.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit (45.0 degrees Celsius) in Saint-Louis, Senegal.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 87.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 66.1 degrees Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica.

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

Disease

Madagascar - Plague

The number of plague cases has topped 900 in Madagascar, with more than 600 being pulmonary plague, country health officials reported today. Official numbers from the health ministry put the total cases at 911 (612 pulmonary forms, 175 forms bubonic and 124 unspecified), including 95 fatalities.

Uganda - Marburg Virus

Health officials in Uganda are reporting two Marburg virus fatalities in Kween District in the eastern part of the country. According to a post by the Uganda Virus Research Institute: Uganda Virus Research Institute has confirmed cases of the deadly Marburg virus in Kween District on the western slopes of Mt. Elgon in Eastern Uganda. The number of possible infections related to the two deaths was not disclosed.

Mallorca - Legionnaires Disease

One tourist has died and 17 others were left seriously ill after an outbreak of Legionnaire’s disease in Mallorca. Thirteen of the victims are British tourists, with eight of them having stayed at the same hotel. Health inspectors confirmed there is bacteria at the hotel where the man who died was staying and have shut down its water supply.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 11 October - 17 October 2017

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that during 10-16 October there were 18 events detected at Showa Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano), two of which were explosive. Plumes rose as high as 1.9 km above the crater rim, and material was ejected as far as 800 m. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : On 13 October AVO reported that the lava dome in Cleveland’s summit crater, first observed in satellite data on 30 September, had doubled in size during 1-11 October. The lava dome covered an area of 8,300 square meters, and had approximate dimensions of 115 x 95 m. The number and intensity of elevated surface temperatures identified in satellite data had declined during the week, possibly indicating slowed or paused dome growth. A small steam plume was observed in mostly clear web camera views during 15-16 October, and moderately elevated surface temperatures were identified in satellite images on 16 October; these observations suggested continuing dome growth. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, wind model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 11-14 October ash plumes from Dukono rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE, E, and NE.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Based on observations by volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions during 6-7, 9, and 12 October generated ash plumes that rose as high as 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. Ash fell in Severo-Kurilsk on 7, 9, and 12 October. Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a plume comprised of re-suspended ash was identified in satellite images drifting about 320 km E from Karymsky during 11-12 October. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 11-17 October HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of the crater. The 61G lava flow, originating from a vent on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's E flank, continued to enter the ocean at Kamokuna. Surface cracks on the delta that had been covered up by new flows had begun to reemerge and become visible. Surface lava flows were active above and on the pali, and on the coastal plain.

Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 11 and 15-16 October ash plumes from Langila rose 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE, NNW, and NW.

Nevados de Chillan : Servicio Nacional de Geología and Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) Observatorio Volcanológico de Los Andes del Sur (OVDAS) reported that a series of six pulsating gas-and-tephra emissions from low-energy explosions began at 0843 on 11 October. The plumes rose 1 km and drifted SW. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, the middle level on a three-colour scale, and the public was reminded not to approach the craters within a 3-km radius.

Pacaya | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that during 13-14 October Strombolian explosions at Pacaya’s Mackenney cone ejected material as high as 25 m above the crater rim.

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya was similar to the previous week; there was an average of 41 explosions recorded per day during 9-15 October. The earthquakes were dominated by long-period events, with fewer numbers of signals indicating emissions and hybrid events. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 3.1 km above the crater rim and drifted more than 35 km S and SE. The MIROVA system detected four thermal anomalies. The report warned the public not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Sangay | Ecuador : The Washington VAAC reported that during 12-13 October ash emissions from Sangay rose to an altitude of 6.1 km (20,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S.

Santa Maria | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that on 11 October a moderate lahar descended the Cabello de Ángel and the Nimá I drainages, both tributaries of the Salama river. During 12-13 October ash plumes generated by explosions rose 500 m above the crater rim and drifted SE, causing ashfall in Finca San José. Avalanches of material descended the SE part of the lava dome. On 13 October the seismic network detected moderate-to-strong lahars in the Cabello de Ángel and the Nimá I drainages triggered by heavy rain. Explosions during 13-14 October produced ash plumes that drifted SW, causing ashfall in La Florida (5 km S) ranch. Ash plumes from explosions detected during 15-16 October rose 600 m and drifted S. Ash fell locally around the volcano. Avalanches of material descended the NE and SE parts of the lava dome.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 9-11 October. Explosions on 10 October generated ash plumes that rose 10 km (32,800 ft) a.s.l. and drifted about 250 km N. A plume comprised of re-suspended ash drifted about 350 km SE from the vicinity of the volcano on 12 October. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.

Sinabung | Indonesia : BNPB stated that at 1051 on 11 October an event at Sinabung generated an ash plume that rose 1.5 km above the crater and drifted ESE, causing ashfall in several local villages. At 0245 on 12 October an event produced an ash plume that rose 2 km above the crater, and was followed by pyroclastic flows traveling 1.5 and 2 km down the S and ESE flanks, respectively. The report noted that activity remained high. Based on observations by PVMBG and information from the Jakarta MWO, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 13-15 October ash plumes rose as high as 3 km above the crater. The Alert Level remained at 4 (on a scale of 1-4), with an exclusion zone of 7 km from the volcano on the SSE sector, and 6 km in the ESE sector, and 4 km in the NNE sector.

Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : Based on JMA notices and satellite data, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 11 October an explosion at Suwanosejima generated a plume that rose 2.7 km (9,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE.

Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that an event at Turrialba at 0927 on 11 October generated an ash plume that rose 200 m above the crater rim and drifted N.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.8 Earthquake hits southeast of the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

5.6 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.6 Earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits south of Africa.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the coast of Ecuador.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 25w (Lan), located approximately 625 nm south-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking north-northwestward at 10 knots.

Tropical Depression 26w (Twenty-six), located approximately 283 nm southwest of Manila, Philippines, is tracking northeastward at 10 knots.

Newsbytes:

Vietnam - The roads to Nam Hài Village in Hà Nội’s suburban district of Chương Mỹ are so flooded that the village has been receiving safe water via canoes sent daily by the district’s High Command. At the edge of the village in Nam Phương Tiến Commune, the water line reaches towards some roofs and treetops. Many outlying districts of Hà Nội have been seriously flooded as a result of prolonged heavy rains in the north over the past few days. Canoes and other boats are the only functional means of transport. Nearly 1,000 households in the district are affected, with nearly 400 households in lowland areas considered deeply flooded, according to local authorities. Many local roads in the suburbs of the city are submerged, paralysing traffic in some areas. In some locations, the water has risen waist-deep.

Philippines - At least seven people died while more than 10,000 others were displaced since continuous heavy rain and strong wind in Zamboanga. The assistant city social welfare officer, said the number of displaced families in 17 villages has reached 3,999 families or 18,330 people. Most affected are the coastal barangays and those living near the riverbanks. The city government has also recorded a total of 455 houses destroyed by the strong wind and flood.

Wildlife

Alarm over decline in flying insects

Scientists have long suspected that insects are in dramatic decline, but new evidence confirms this. Research at more than 60 protected areas in Germany suggests flying insects have declined by more than 75% over almost 30 years. And the causes are unknown.

The study is based on measurements of the biomass of all insects trapped at 63 nature protection areas in Germany over 27 years since 1989. The data includes thousands of different insects, such as bees, butterflies and moths. Scientists say the dramatic decline was seen regardless of habitat, land use and the weather, leaving them at a loss to explain what was behind it. They stressed the importance of adopting measures known to be beneficial for insects, including strips of flowers around farmland and minimising the effects of intensive agriculture. And they said there was an urgent need to uncover the causes and extent of the decline in all airborne insects.

The loss of insects has far-reaching consequences for entire ecosystems. Insects provide a food source for many birds, amphibians, bats and reptiles, while plants rely on insects for pollination.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 11 October - 17 October 2017

Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that although foggy conditions at Agung sometimes prevented visual observations, during 11-17 October dense white plumes were seen rising 200 m above the crater rim. On 14 October BNPB stated that seismicity remained high; PVMBG noted that seismicity was dominated by shallow volcanic events, and the number of volcanic earthquakes remained steady. The governor of Bali extended the state of emergency to 26 October, noting that the Alert Level remained at 4 (the highest level on a scale of 1-4). The number of evacuees was 139,199 (spread out in 389 shelters).

Ambrym | Vanuatu : The Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory (VGO) reported that aerial observations of Ambrym on 24 and 30 September, and 1 and 6 October, and the analysis of seismic data, confirmed that minor eruptive activity within the caldera was characterized by hot volcanic gas and steam emissions. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 0-5). Areas deemed hazardous were within a 2-km radius from Benbow Crater and a 3-km radius from Marum Crater.

Aoba | Vanuatu : Based on analyses of satellite, video, and model data, the Wellington VAAC reported that during 13-14 October ash plumes from Aoba rose 2.1-4.6 km (7,000-15,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW, N, and NE, though a short-lived event generated ash plumes that rose as high as 9.1 (30,000 ft) a.s.l.

Kirishimayama | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that an eruption at Shinmoedake (Shinmoe peak), a stratovolcano of the Kirishimayama volcano group, began at 0534 on 11 October, prompting the agency to raise the Alert Level to 3 (on a scale of 1-5). Ash plumes rose 300 m above the crater rim (2 km a.s.l.) and drifted NE, though some news sources stated that plumes rose 2 km above the crater rim. Volcanic-tremor amplitude increased and inflation was detected. Ashfall was noted in at least four towns in the Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures. On 12 October ash plumes rose as high as 2 km. Based on JMA notices, pilot observations, and satellite data, the Tokyo VAAC reported that ash plumes rose 1.8-2.1 (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. on 11 October and 3.4 km (11,000 ft) a.s.l. on 12 October. Gas measurements taken during field surveys on 12 and 13 October showed that the sulfur dioxide flux was 1,400 tons/day, an increase from 800 tons/day measured on 11 October. Volcanic tremor fluctuated but the amplitude was slightly lower. During 0823-1420 on 14 October an event produced a tall plume which rose 2.3 km above the crater rim. Another event, at 1505, generated a grayish-white plume that rose 1 km and then blended into the weather clouds. Ashfall was reported in Kirishima and Sono in the Kagoshima prefecture, and from Kobayashi in the Miyazaki prefecture to Hyuga city. An event was detected at 1300 on 15 October, and an increase in low-frequency earthquakes was recorded on 16 October.

Lewotolo | Lomblen Island (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that white plumes rose as high as 50 m above Lewotolo’s summit crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Sarychev Peak | Matua Island (Russia) : A NOAA/NESDIS scientist noted that a thermal anomaly at Sarychev Peak was identified in satellite images on 12 October. Robust thermal anomalies were identified on 14 October, and were accompanied by a plume of unknown composition. Thermal anomalies were also recorded by the MODVOLC and MIROVA thermal detection systems.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.1 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 25w (Lan), located approximately 321 nm north-northwest of Kayangel, is tracking northward at 10 knots.

Wildlife

Australia Parrot being Massacred in Tasmania

Critically endangered Swift Parrots are under threat from squirrel-like sugar gliders in a battle for space in Australia’s ancient forests, scientists said Wednesday as they race to save the rare birds.

Swift Parrots are migratory and only breed in the southern island state of Tasmania. But the nomadic nectar-eating birds’ nesting grounds — gum trees — are also popular with sugar gliders, small possums believed to have been introduced to Tasmania in the early 19th century. The marsupials, which launch themselves from tree to tree and rarely descend to the ground, eat the nesting birds as well as their eggs and chicks, the Australian National University scientists said.

This year, both species are battling for real estate on Tasmania’s east coast due to abundant eucalypt flowering in the region, which contains some of the world’s oldest trees.

Swift Parrots usually arrive from the Australian mainland in August before flying back north in February and March after the breeding season, according to the Tasmania’s Parks and Wildlife Service. There are no recent estimates of their population, but a 2011 assessment cited by the Australian government estimated there were only about 2,000 mature birds, with the population declining.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Tasmania

The Tasmania Fire Service is responding to 15 bushfires across north and south of the state burning several thousand hectares. There is currently no major threat to property. There is a currently a high fire danger rating around Tasmania in all areas except the North West. It is expected that the rating will increase to very high later today.

Disease

Hepatitis A - San Diego, California - Update

The number of hepatitis A cases in San Diego County’s current local outbreak has grown to 507, according to the latest data published Tuesday. This includes an additional fatality bringing the total deaths associated with this outbreak to 19. Seven out of 10 people affected by the outbreak have required hospitalization for their illness.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.2 Earthquake hits Tonga.

Two 5.1 Earthquakes hit Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the coast of Maule, Chile.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 25w (Lan), located approximately 187 nm northwest of Kayangel, is tracking south-southeastward at 03 knots.

Newsbytes:

Ireland - Three people were killed as ex-hurricane Ophelia battered the country and people have been warned to remain cautious in the aftermath of the severe winds. Fallen trees blocking roads and downed power lines are some of the likely hazards on Tuesday as the country begins to return to normal following a day when the island went into lockdown. Violent winds, which peaked at 119mph (191kph), caused widespread damage to electricity networks, uprooting trees and damaging properties.

Thailand - Five people have been killed following the runoff and river overflows in nine Central provinces that affected 140,000 people over the past three days, authorities said yesterday. Heavy rain from Oct 10-13, a result of a depression and discharge from the Chao Phraya Dam, triggered runoff and overflows in Lop Buri, Kamphaeng Phet, Sing Buri, Ang Thong, Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan, Chai Nat, Tak and Phichit.At least 51,669 households in 32 districts were affected.

Queensland, Australia - Six people were reported missing after their fishing trawler capsized in bad weather off the central Queensland coast on Monday evening. One of their crewmates survived for 12 hours in heavy seas before raising the alarm. Torrential rain in the state also led to the death of a man caught in floodwater near Gympie and an incident in Brisbane in which a jogger was flung into a creek after being hit by a car that skidded off the road.

Disease

Madagascar - Plague

The number of plague cases continue to grow on the island nation of Madagascar. According to the Ministere de la Publique Monday, the case tally has exceeded 800 affecting 38 districts and 17 Regions of Madagascar. Of the 805 plague cases reported, 595 were pulmonary and 210 bubonic forms. In addition, they are now reporting 74 deaths.

Burkina Faso - Dengue Fever

The Burkina Faso Ministry of Health declared a dengue fever outbreak on Sep. 28 after seeing a dramatic increase in the incidence of the mosquito borne viral disease in the country, especially around the districts of Ouagadougou, the capital city since early August.

The World Health Organization says the weekly case incidence has been on the rise since the detection of the outbreak in week 31 (August 6), and is likely underestimated due to under-reporting from private clinics and health centres in peripheral zones.

Bhutan - Rabies

A rabies outbreak in Panbang, considered one of the major disease outbreaks in recent times, has been brought under control. As of October 11, 16 stray dogs were tested positive for rabies and died including seven cattle. Nine cattle bitten by rabid dogs are on observation.

About 185 people including students are undergoing rabies post exposure treatment at Panbang BHU. 371 dogs and 98 cats were vaccinated under Panbang Drungkhag.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Post Tropical Cyclone Ophelia is located about 220 mi...355 km SW of Mizen Head Ireland with maximum sustained winds...85 mph...140 km/h. Present movement…N or 10 degrees at 44 mph...70 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression 24w (Khanun), located approximately 195 nm east-southeast of Hanoi, Vietnam, is tracking southwestward at 03 knots.

Tropical storm 25w (Lan), located approximately 220 nm west-northwest of Yap, FSM, is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.

Newsbytes:

Ireland - Ireland has ordered all schools to close on Monday as the country braces for an "unprecedented storm" with the arrival of Ophelia, the largest hurricane ever recorded so far east in the Atlantic Ocean. Heavy rain and storm surges are expected to lead to flooding.

Chicago, USA - Storms poured more than five inches of rain on some parts of the Chicago area Saturday as inclement weather brought damaging winds and heavy downpours flooding some areas.

La Nina - La Nina, the cooler sibling of El Nino, is likely to form over the next few months, federal government forecasters said this week. Specifically, there's a 55 to 65 percent chance that a La Nina will develop during the fall and winter, the Climate Prediction Center said.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Portugal and Spain

Three people have been killed in Portugal as the country is hit by a record number of forest fires, and three more have died in Spain where blazes sparked by arsonists have been fanned by strong winds from Hurricane Ophelia.

In total, about 440 fires were burning across Portugal on Sunday, which is "the worst day since the beginning of the year", according to a spokesperson for the national civil protection agency.

In addition to the three dead, about 25 people had been injured, with thousands of firefighters deployed and three motorways, including one linking Lisbon and Porto, closed.

Wildfires - California

The wildfires that erupted last weekend have killed at least 40 people and destroyed at least 5,700 homes and other structures. As of Sunday, roughly 75,000 people were under evacuation orders, down from nearly 100,000 the day before. In all, 17 large fires are still burned across the northern part of the state, with more than 10,000 firefighters attacking the flames using air tankers, helicopters and more than 1,000 fire engines.

Disease

Malaria - South Africa

Management at Kruger National Park is advising visitors to the Park about the risk of malaria and precautionary measures to be taken. Although there is some risk throughout the year, the annual high malaria season (September to May) has started, and above-average numbers of cases have been reported from areas surrounding the Park.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits central Peru.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.1 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Ophelia is located about 475 mi...765 km E of the Azores and about 965 mi...1550 km SSW of Mizen Head Ireland with maximum sustained winds...105 mph...165 km/h. Present movement…NE or 45 degrees at 35 mph...56 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon 24w (Khanun), located approximately 108 nm south-southwest of Hong Kong, is tracking west-northwestward at 17 knots.

Newsbytes:

Thailand - Areas of Thailand's capital, Bangkok have been severely disrupted after being hit by flash floods. The floods triggered by an overnight downpour were the heaviest Bangkok had seen in 25 years and overwhelmed the city's drainage system. At least 55 major roads were submerged by floodwater which caused traffic jams across the capital with locals forced to wade through thigh-deep water.

Vietnam - The death toll in Vietnam from landslides and heavy rain triggered by a tropical depression earlier this week has climbed to 68, with another 34 people missing. The Vietnam Disaster Management Authority said in a statement on Sunday that the disasters have also injured 32 people, damaged infrastructure and killed more than 230,000 livestock in central and northern regions.

Wildlife

Drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge

The Trump administration and congressional Republicans in recent weeks have renewed the fight over opening part of an enormous wildlife refuge in northern Alaska to oil and gas exploration.

The battle over the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which pits Republicans in Washington and much of the political and business establishment in Alaska against congressional Democrats and environmental and conservation groups, has been going on for decades. With Republicans holding both houses of Congress and the presidency, the prospects for opening the refuge, at least to studies of its oil and gas potential, are better than they have been in years.

Global Warming

Geoengineering - Not a Quick Fix

Leading climate scientists have warned that geoengineering research could be hijacked by climate change deniers as an excuse not to reduce CO2 emissions, citing the US administration under Donald Trump as a major threat to their work.

David Keith, a solar geoengineering (GE) expert at Harvard University has said there is a real danger that his work could be exploited by those who oppose action on emissions, at the same time as he defended himself and colleagues from the claims GE strengthens the argument for abandoning the targets set by the Paris climate agreement.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits Apure, Venezuela.

5.4 Earthquake hits Oaxaca, Mexico.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Ophelia is located about 295 mi…480 km SSW of the Azores with maximum sustained winds…100 mph…155 km/h. Present movement…ENE or 60 degrees at 24 mph…39 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 24w (Khanun), located approximately 346 nm southeast of Hong Kong, is tracking northwestward at 08 knots.

Newsbytes:

Vietnam - At least 54 people have now been reported dead and 39 missing in the destructive floods that battered northern and central Vietnam this week, the disaster prevention agency said on Friday. The floods that hit Vietnam this week starting on Monday are the worst in years. Floods have also affected seven of 77 provinces in Thailand, Vietnam's neighbor to the west, that country's Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said on Thursday. More than 480,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) of agricultural land in Thailand has been hit, the department said.

Disease

Plague: Madagascar

The number of plague cases are closing in on 700 cases, according to the latest World Health Organization (WHO) update. Between 1 August and 12 October 2017, a total of 684 cases (suspected, probable and confirmed) including 57 deaths (case fatality rate 8.3%) have been reported from 35 out of 114 districts in the country.

Wildlife

Penguin catastrophe

A penguin colony in Antarctica has suffered a massive breeding failure, with only two chicks surviving the disaster.

Terre Adélie (Adélie Land) is home to more than 18,000 pairs of Adélie penguins, but this year almost all the seabirds' babies starved to death. The World Wildlife Fund said unseasonably extensive amounts of sea ice around the colony in East Antarctica had forced the adult penguins to travel further than normal to forage for food. Dead penguin chicks were strewn across beaches in Adélie Land.

It is the second time in recent years that the colony has been badly hit during the breeding season; four years ago no chicks survived when rain followed by a sudden cold snap meant they became soaked and subsequently froze to death.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits Cordoba, Argentina.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Ophelia is located about 615 mi…995 km SW of the Azores with maximum sustained winds…105 mph…165 km/h. Present movement…ENE or 70 degrees at 8 mph…13 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 24w (Khanun), located approximately 621 nm east of Da Nang, Vietnam, is tracking westward at 16 knots.

Newsbytes:

India - Barely a week before harvest season farmers in Bengal have been hit by floods following heavy rainfall in neighbouring states. Water level in several rivers such as the Ajay, Mayurakshi, Dwaraka and Kopai has risen alarmingly in Bengal following heavy rainfall in Bihar and Jharkhand over the past few days. Ferry services between East Burdwan and Nadia district have been suspended by the authorities. Movement of vehicles have been affected in parts of the Bharatpur-Kandi state highway in Murshidabad.

Wildlife

Anthrax in Namibia Spreads

In a follow-up on the anthrax outbreak in Bwabwata National Park in Namibia that killed scores of hippos, local media now report that approximately 20 dead buffalo were counted during an aerial assessment.

In a statement this week, the Environment Ministry said that the authorities are working around the clock to find an appropriate action to take. “We urge the public to refrain from touching and using the meat for consumption as this might be catastrophic,” they said.

Monkey Rescue

Scientists are scrambling in the wake of Hurricane Maria to save the more than 1,500 rhesus macaques that live on a small island off Puerto Rico.

The monkeys have been studied there since the 1930s, when they were imported from Southeast Asia.

Maria wiped out Cayo Santiago’s lush vegetation and wrecked the structures that provided fresh water.

Scientists from several universities have launched a relief effort to rebuild the research infrastructure and assure there is ample food for the monkeys until the island’s natural vegetation grows back.

Environment

Tainted Honey

A new study has found that most of the honey sampled from every continent except Antarctica during a recent five-year period was contaminated with a common class of bee-harming insecticides.

Researchers from the University of Neuchâtel in Switzerland found that 75 percent of the samples had “quantifiable amounts” of at least one of the neonicotinoids, which have also been linked to reduced colony growth and queen production in bumblebees.

The scientists say 86 percent of the samples collected in North America were contaminated, followed by 80 percent in Asia, 79 percent in Europe and 57 percent in South America.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45.0 degrees Celsius) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 77.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 60.6 degrees Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica.

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

Wildfires

Wildfires - California

Massive wildfires sweeping through California have now killed at least 31 people and damaged thousands of homes, businesses and other buildings, authorities said. Firefighters were still battling 21 large wildfires in multiple counties as of Thursday morning. Intensified by strong winds, the flames have charred more than 190,000 acres of land, damaged or destroyed at least 3,500 structures and forced more than 20,000 residents to evacuate, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Disease

Fiji - Typhoid

The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services reports treating at least 13 people who had been diagnosed with typhoid. Mass gatherings had been temporarily suspended in the hot spot areas as a preventative measure.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 4 October - 10 October 2017

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that during 2-10 October there were 19 events detected at Showa Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano), three of which were explosive. Plumes rose as high as 1.6 km above the crater rim. An explosion on 5 October ejected material as far as 800 m. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Bezymianny | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : On 6 October KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly at Bezymianny was identified in satellite images during 1-2 and 4-5 October, and that lava probably continued to flow down the W flank of the dome. The Aviation Color Code was lowered to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-color scale).

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that no significant activity at Cleveland was observed in seismic or infrasound data during 4-10 October, though elevated surface temperatures identified in satellite data on 6 October suggested that the lava dome in the summit crater (first noted on 30 September) continued to grow. Elevated surface temperatures were identified during 8-9 October. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 4-10 October ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N, NW, W, and SW. Ash plumes drifted 140-170 km on 8 October.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Based on observations by volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions during 29-30 September and 1 and 5 October generated ash plumes that rose 1.5 km (4,900 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).

Fuego | Guatemala | 14.473°N, 90.88°W : CONRED and INSIVUMEH reported that during 4-6 October increased explosive activity (8-12 explosions per hour) at Fuego generating ash plumes that rose as high as 1.3 km above the crater. Ash plumes drifted more than 20 km S, SW, and W; ashfall was reported in areas downwind including Panimaché I and II (8 km SW), Santa Sofía (12 km SW), Morelia (9 km SW), and El Porvenir. Incandescent material rose 300 m above the crater, and avalanches of material traveled as far as 1.5 km W down the Seca (Santa Teresa) ravine and SSW down the Ceniza ravine. Shockwaves vibrated local structures. An average of 4-6 explosions per hour were detected during 7-8 October. Ash plumes rose around 1 km and drifted 12 km W, NW, and N. Incandescent material was ejected 150 m above the crater, causing avalanches that were confined to the crater. Ash fell in local communities including San Pedro Yepocapa (8 km N), Sangre de Cristo (8 km WSW), and La Soledad. Vulcanian explosions during 8-9 October produced ash plumes that rose 1 km and drifted 15 km SW, W, and NW, again causing ashfall in Panimaché, Santa Sofía, Morelia, El Porvenir, San Pedro Yepocapa, and Sangre de Cristo. Block avalanches traveled 2 km down the flanks.

Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that an ash cloud was identified in satellite images drifting about 85 km ENE from Karymsky on 3 October. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 4-10 October HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of the crater. The 61G lava flow, originating from a vent on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's E flank, continued to enter the ocean at Kamokuna although the plume at the entry was weaker. Surface lava flows were active above and on the pali, and on the coastal plain.

Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 4 October a minor ash emission from Langila rose 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N.

Reventador | Ecuador : During 3-10 October IG reported a high level of seismic activity including explosions, long-period earthquakes, harmonic tremor, and signals indicating emissions at Reventador. Steam, gas, and ash plumes rose sometimes higher that 1.1 km above the crater rim and drifted mainly NW, W, and SW. Incandescent blocks rolled as far as 800 m down the flanks. Weather clouds sometimes prevented visual observations.

Rincon de la Vieja | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that at 1048 on 9 October a small eruption at Rincón de la Vieja produced a plume that rose 700 m above the crater rim.

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya slightly declined; there was an average of 42 explosions recorded per day during 2-8 October. The earthquakes were dominated by long-period events, with fewer numbers of signals indicating emissions and hybrid events. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 3.5 km above the crater rim and drifted no more than 40 km N, NW, and W. The MIROVA system detected 10 thermal anomalies. The report warned the public not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Sangay | Ecuador : In a special report from 4 October IG stated that the current eruption at Sangay which began on 20 July continued, and that the activity had not changed significantly during the previous two months. Activity was characterized by explosions at the central vent and lava from the Ñuñurco lava dome flowing down the E and ESE flanks. On each day during the previous week there were about 65 explosions, 25 long-period events, and a few harmonic tremor signals. Ash plumes rose 1 km above the crater rim and caused ashfall in areas to the W and NW (Culebrillas and Licto (35 km NW)).

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified daily in satellite images on 2 and 5 October. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

Sinabung | Indonesia : Based on observations by PVMBG and BMKG, webcam and satellite images, and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 4-5 and 7-9 October ash plumes from Sinabung rose 3-5.8 km (10,000-19,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.

Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that an event at Turrialba at 0815 on 6 October produced a plume that rose 50 m above the crater rim and drifted NW. An event at 1040 on 9 October generated a plume that rose 200 m and drifted NW.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Aegean Sea.

5.1 Earthquake hits southern Qinghai, China.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits Oaxaca, Mexico.

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

5.0 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Ophelia is located about 725 mi...1165 km SW of the Azores with maximum sustained winds…85 mph…140 km/h. Present movement…NE or 40 degrees at 3 mph…6 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 24w (twenty-four), located approximately 262 nm northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking westward at 07 knots.

Newsbytes:

Vietnam - Floods caused by a tropical depression in Vietnam killed 37 people, one of the highest death tolls recorded in the country from flooding, the disaster prevention agency said on Thursday. Forty people were missing and 21 others were injured after rains caused landslides and flooding, mostly in northern and central Vietnam. In a report, it said more than 17,000 households have been evacuated and more than 200 homes have collapsed, while nearly 18,000 other houses were submerged or damaged. It said more than 8,000 hectares of land growing rice was damaged and around 40,000 animals were killed or washed away.

Kenya - Residents of parts of Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western and Central parts of the country are asked to stay alert as flash floods are expected from Wednesday 11 October 2017.