Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.1 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands, New Zealand.

5.0 earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the western Pacific: Typhoon (td) 03w (Jelawat), located approximately 256 nm west of Agrihan, is tracking northeastward at 06 knots.

Environment

Sahara Desert Expanding

The Sahara — the world’s biggest hot desert — is getting even bigger. In fact, it is currently about 10 percent larger than it was nearly a century ago, and scientists suggest that climate change is partly responsible.

In a new study, researchers examined rainfall data gathered across Africa, consulting records dating back to 1920 and noting how changing conditions affected regions around the boundaries of the great desert.

They discovered that while some natural climate cycles could partly explain reduced rainfall and desert expansion southward, human-driven climate change is also playing a part. And if climate change continues unchecked, the Sahara's slow growth will likely continue.

Disease

Chicago, USA: Severe bleeding reported after using synthetic cannabinoids

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) is warning people about the dangers of synthetic cannabinoids -often called fake weed, K2 and spice- after a number of people in Chicago who used synthetic cannabinoids suffered life-threatening bleeding. Additional cases have been reported across the state. Eight people in Chicago and 32 people in Illinois have suffered severe bleeding, some of whom are in the ICU with threatening illness, after reporting using synthetic cannabinoids.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

7.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) issued a threat warning for the country’s coastline located within 300 km of the quake’s epicentre, but later advised that the threat had passed. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The shallow quake struck close to the coast, around 100 miles (162 km) southwest of Rabaul, a much more remote region than the country’s mountainous mainland highlands where a magnitude 7.5 tremor struck on 26 February, killing 100 people.

5.8 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.7 earthquake hits Tajikistan.

5.5 earthquake hits near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan.

Two 5.3 earthquakes hit New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua and New Guinea.

5.1 earthquake hits Seram, Indonesia.

5.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua and New Guinea.

5.0 earthquake hits New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the western Pacific: Typhoon (td) 03w (Jelawat), located approximately 388 nm north-northwest of Ulithi, is tracking northeastward at 08 knots.

Newsbytes:

Siberia - The government of Russia's Republic of Tuva in southern Siberia says the region has been hit by floods triggered by melting snow. In a March 29 statement, the Tuva government said 88 homes were hit by flooding in the Kyzyl district, adding that hundreds of residents were affected by the floods, while rescue teams are providing people with shelter and food. Authorities in the neighboring Republic of Khakasia announced a state of emergency on March 28 as snowmelt caused massive floods there as well. Authorities in the nearby Altai Krai, where a state of emergency was declared on March 27, said on March 28 that two men had died in the floods.

Texas, USA - Severe thunderstorms caused flash floods in parts of Texas on March 28. The Woodlands cataloged the most rainfall in the Greater Houston area over a 24-hour period, with 6.3 inches recorded by the National Weather Service. In Harris County, rainfall ranged from a high of 5.56 inches in Westfield to a low of 1.1 inches near Holcombe. Houston meteorologists confirmed that a weak tornado producing winds of 60 mph went through Iowa Colony in Brazoria County Thursday morning. The West Fork of San Jacinto River is expected to rise above 51 feet through mid-day, causing moderate flooding.

Wildlife

Puffing Pachyderm

Wildlife experts say they are baffled at footage captured of an Asian elephant “smoking” in a southern Indian forest — a behavior never seen before.

Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society filmed the female pachyderm at Nagarhole National Park picking up lumps of charcoal with its truck, placing them in its mouth and exhaling with a large plume of ash.

In a self-medicating behavior known as zoopharmacognosy, the elephant could have been using the charcoal as a laxative since it is plentiful in the forest after wildfires or lightning strikes, researchers say.

Global Warming

Ancient climate change catastrophe

The Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum is the time considered one of Earth's best analogues to this era of modern, human-caused global warming. The clues it left behind might help stop history repeating itself.

The PETM is the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum — an ungainly name for the time that’s considered one of Earth’s best analogues to this era of modern, human-caused global warming. In a matter of a few thousand years, huge amounts of carbon were injected into the atmosphere, causing global temperatures to rise between five and eight degrees Celsius. The rapid climate change disrupted weather, transformed landscapes, acidified oceans and triggered extinctions. It took more than 150,000 years for the world to recover.

If history is allowed to repeat itself, the consequences for modern life could be similarly long-lasting.

The first major evidence for the PETM was uncovered in the early 1990s by scientists looking at the transition from the Paleocene, the epoch after the extinction of the dinosaurs, to the Eocene, when modern mammal orders first emerged. Chalk deposits at the bottom of the ocean began to dissolve as carbon dioxide made seawater more acidic. Fossils of tiny, deep sea-dwelling creatures showed evidence of an oxygen shortage — a sign that the water was getting warmer. Everywhere in the ocean, creatures adapted to the changed environment, or else they died out.

On land, mammals got smaller and smaller. Ancient ancestors of horses, tiny to begin with, shrunk 30 percent to the size of house cats.

Weather also got wilder. Geologists have uncovered huge rocks that were carried long distances by intense floods — something that happens when dry spells are followed by extreme rains.

The pace at which we are changing the climate outstrips anything in the geologic record. The carbon surge that set off the PETM unfolded over the course of as long as 5,000 years. At our current rate, humans will produce a comparable surge in a matter of a few centuries.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Nawabshah, Pakistan.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 90.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 67.8 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.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

More than 200 firefighters are still battling peat fires that have been burning in south-west Victoria for weeks, creating a carbon monoxide poisoning risk for local residents.

Specialist compressed air foam trucks were due to arrive in the region on Friday to help minimise smoke and carbon monoxide around the main fire near Cobrico, east of Warrnambool.

That blaze now covers 58 hectares and is seven metres deep. It is burning in a similar fashion to briquettes, releasing large quantities of smoke.

Disease

Cholera – Somalia

The ongoing cholera outbreak in Somalia started in December 2017. As of 18 March 2018, a total of 1613 cholera cases, including nine deaths (case fatality rate = 0.6 %), have been reported from four regions: Hiraan, Banadir, Lower Juba and Middle Shabelle.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 21 March - 27 March 2018

Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : In a VONA, PVMBG reported that at 1009 on 26 March an event at Agung generated an ash plume that rose at least to an altitude of 3.6 km (11,650 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) and the exclusion zone continued at a 4-km radius.

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that there were 20 events at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 19-26 March, two of which were explosive. The first explosive event, at 0138 on 21 March, generated a plume that rose 1 km above the crater rim and into weather clouds. At 0228 on 26 March the second explosive event ejected tephra as far as 900 m from the crater and produced a plume that rose 2.8 km. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, wind model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 21-25 March ash plumes from Dukono rose to an altitude of 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S, SE, and E.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Based on observations by volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions during 18 and 21-22 March generated ash plumes that rose as high as 1.8 km (5,900 ft) a.s.l. Ashfall was reported in Severo-Kurilsk on 17 and 21 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 21-27 March HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Surface lava flows were active above and on Pulama pali. Webcams recorded incandescence from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of Pu'u 'O'o Crater, and increased spattering which began on 22 March. Lava flowed out of a vent on the SE part of the crater onto the crater floor on 25 March, and expanded over the next few days.

Mayon | Luzon (Philippines) : PHIVOLCS reported that during 21-27 March activity at Mayon included periods of gravity-driven lava advancement, gas-and-steam emissions, rockfalls, and quiescence. Lava flows were about 3.3 km, 4.5 km, and 1.9 km long in the Mi-isi (S), Bonga (SE), and Basud (E) drainages, respectively. Steam-and-gas emissions drifted mainly SW. At 1039 and 2133 on 23 March pyroclastic flows traveled 4-5 km down the Mi-isi drainage, producing light brown ash clouds that drifted SW. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 0-5 scale) and PHIVOLCS reminded residents to stay away from the 6-km-radius Permanent Danger Zone and the 7-km Extended Danger Zone on the SSW and ENE flanks.

Popocatepetl | Mexico : CENAPRED reported that during an overflight of Popocatépetl on 16 March scientists observed a small lava dome, number 78, at the bottom of the inner crater. The dome was 50 m in diameter and 30 m thick, and produced gas plumes visible above the main crater rim. The inner crater was 320 m in diameter and about 100 m deep; remnants of the previous dome had been deposited on the walls of the inner crater. Each day during 21-27 March there were 20-233 emissions, often containing slight amounts of ash. Incandescence from the crater was visible at night. Plumes of gas and water vapor drifted WSW, SSW, SSE, and SE. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, Phase Two.

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya was similar compared to the previous week; explosions averaged 17 per day during 19-25 March. Seismicity was dominated by long-period events, with signals indicating emissions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 2.7 km above the crater rim and drifted 30 km SW. The sulfur dioxide flux was high, at 5,180 tons per day on 21 March. At 0853 on 7 March an ash plume rose 3.5 km and drifted more than 30 km NW. The report noted that the public should not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 18-19 and 21-22 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.

Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : Based on JMA notices and satellite data, the Tokyo VAAC reported that during 22-23 and 25-26 March events at Suwanosejima produced plumes that rose 1.2-2.4 km (4,000-8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE and NW.

Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that an event at Turrialba at 0605 on 23 March generated a small ash plume that rose 100 m above the crater rim and drifted SW.

Villarrica | Chile : On 20 March POVI reported very weak and sporadic incandescence emanating from Villarrica’s crater, noting very low rates of activity since mid-December 2017.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua and New Guinea.

5.2 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.1 earthquake hits the Gulf of Alaska.

5.0 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 earthquake hits Kepulauan Tanimbar, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the western Pacific: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Jelawat), located approximately 379 nm north-northwest of Yap, is tracking eastward at 04 knots.

Disease

Listeriosis - South Africa

In South Africa, the outbreak of listeriosis, a serious foodborne disease, has been ongoing since the start of 2017. Between 1 January 2017 through 14 March 2018, 978 laboratory-confirmed listeriosis cases have been reported to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) from all provinces.

Following the identification of the source of this outbreak, a food processing company, the incidence of cases has dropped dramatically after a mass recall of affected products.

Nigeria - Mystery Disease

An outbreak of a strange disease in Dungurawa community, Dawakin Tofa local government area of Kano state has killed at least 10 people mostly children below the age of nine.

Although the children showed signs thought to be malaria, this tested have been found to be negative. A diagnostic team from the local government has been sent to the village to determine the cause of the deaths.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 21 March - 27 March 2018

Ambae | Vanuatu : Based on satellite data, webcam observations, and wind model data, the Wellington VAAC reported that during 21-27 March ash plumes from the vent at Ambae’s Lake Voui rose to altitudes of 3-4.6 km (10,000-15,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted mainly S and SW, but towards the end of the week to the N and W. News articles noted that ashfall had significantly impacted the S and W parts of the island, damaging crops, contaminating water, and collapsing homes, leading to the evacuation of three villages. On 25 March a flight was cancelled. Residents of Santo reportedly witnessed incandescent material being ejected as high as 1 km around 1800 and 2200; residents also noted four more events during the next morning that were also heard in Pentecost and Maewo.

Copahue | Central Chile-Argentina border : According to ONEMI, OVDAS-SERNAGEOMIN reported that a hydrothermal explosion at Copahue was recorded on 24 March, along with increased tremor. The Alert Level was raised to Yellow (second highest level on a four-colour scale); SERNAGEOMIN recommended no entry into a restricted area within 1 km of the crater. ONEMI maintained an Alert Level Yellow (the middle level on a three-colour scale) for the municipality of Alto Biobío.

Ijen | Eastern Java (Indonesia) : Based on information from residents of Sempol (8 km W), PVMBG reported that 27 people in Watu Capil village (7 km NW) required medical treatment after exposure to sulfur dioxide gas from Ijen at 2100 on 21 March. The path from Paltuding (SW base) to the top of the crater was closed as a result. During 21-22 March white plumes rose 100-200 m above the summit area; there were no visible changes in the emissions after the incident. PVMBG noted that there had been three occurrences of anomalous gas concentrations during January-March. The Alert Level remained at 1 (on a scale of 1-4), and residents and visitors were advised to not approach the crater rim or crater floor.

Kick 'em Jenny | North of Grenada : On 22 March the University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre (SRC) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) reported that seismicity at Kick 'em Jenny continued to decline. The Alert Level was lowered to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-colour scale) and the maritime exclusion zone was adjusted to a radius of 1.5 km.

Kirishimayama | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Shinmoedake (Shinmoe peak), a stratovolcano of the Kirishimayama volcano group, continued during 19-27 March. Lava effusion possibly stopped on 9 March, though the lava flow on the NW flank continued to advance. A high number of volcanic earthquakes continued to be recorded, in addition to many low-frequency earthquakes with shallow hypocenters. Short-duration volcanic tremor was occasionally recorded. During a field survey on 22 March scientists measured 600 tons/day of sulfur dioxide gas, and noted that the crack on the W flank had grown slightly larger. On 25 March an explosion at 0735 was followed by an ash plume that rose 3.2 km above the crater rim and ejected material as far as 800 m. An event at 0845 generated an ash plume that rose 2.1 km above the crater rim, and a very small pyroclastic flow that traveled 800 m W. Sulfur dioxide emissions were 300 tons/day on 24 March. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

Myojinsho | Japan : JMA issued a warning on 24 March for the waters surrounding Myojinsho after reports from the Japan Coast Guard indicated discoloured water from a possible eruptive event.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 earthquake hits the Gulf of Alaska.

5.1 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 earthquake hits Kepulauan Tanimbar, Indonesia.

Earthquake Swarm hits Iceland

Almost thirty earthquakes occurred in North Iceland and the ocean north of Iceland Monday night. The largest earthquake of the swarm occcured at 2.30 AM at a magnitude of 3.0. Its origins were around 20 km North East of Siglufjörður. The swarm began at around 00.30 Monday night and most of them were at a magnitude of between 1.0 and 2.0. An earthquake of 2.8 occurred North East of Grímsey. The Iceland Met Office sees no cause for concern but is carefully monitoring events.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the western Pacific: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Jelawat), located approximately 297 nm north-northwest of Yap, is tracking northward at 14 knots.

Wildlife

This Could Be the 'Beginning of the End' for North Atlantic Right Whales

Researchers who have been observing migrating North Atlantic right whales, which are endangered, are troubled by what they found this season: no sign of any newborns.

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) — one of three right whale species, along with the Southern and Pacific right whales, defined by the ocean ranges they inhabit — typically reproduce during the winter months, which they spend in waters off the southeastern coast of the U.S. But this year, the season is winding to a close without any sightings of new babies — something that hasn't happened in nearly three decades of aerial observations, (AP) recently reported.

During the species' reproductive season, the North Atlantic right whale populations average about 17 births per year. Though the number of births has been below average since 2012, the prospect of zero new births this season is "truly alarming”.

Calving season for these whales begins in mid-November and lasts until around mid-April. At the season's start, the pregnant females 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from northern waters near New England and Canada to their winter homes in warmer waters near Georgia, South Carolina and the eastern coast of Florida, representatives of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said released in November.

Every winter since 1989, research planes staffed by NOAA experts have taken to the air and flown over the open ocean to observe the whales and count the adults and new additions swimming near their mothers, NPR in February.

But this year, the researchers spotted no new calves at all. And now, with the season nearly at an end, the grim reality is that there likely are none.

The is one of the rarest marine mammals in the world, and right now, their prospects are not looking promising. Approximately 450 of them are left in the wild, and there were 16 reported whale deaths in this species during the summer of 2017 — a record number for a six-month-period — according to the NOAA statement.

Environment

Land degradation drives mass migration and climate change

Billions of people live on farmland that is deteriorating and producing less food, and this situation could force hundreds of millions of people to migrate over the next three decades, a major report said on Monday.

The study, which is backed by the United Nations, said climate change and worsening land quality could see crop yields halve in some regions by 2050, and warned that larger tracts of degraded land meant conflict over resources was more likely.

Decreasing land productivity also makes societies more vulnerable to social instability – particularly in dryland areas, where years with extremely low rainfall have been associated with an increase of up to 45 percent in violent conflict.

The report was written by more than 100 experts from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a global scientific group.

The body said that as degraded land becomes less productive - through deforestation, overgrazing, flash floods or drought - people, many of them poor farmers, are forced to migrate to cities or abroad.

And, it warned, when arid, semi-dry or dryland areas degrade further, deserts spread - which means lower crop yields.

Disease

New Zealand to cull 20,000 cattle hit by disease outbreak

New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has said that all cattle on properties infected with the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis will be culled, and will be working with farmers to do that from today.

Nearly 30 farms in the world’s biggest dairy exporter have tested positive for the disease since it was first detected in South Canterbury on the country’s South Island in July. It's understood that some 20,000 cattle will be culled.

Mycoplasma bovis is common in many countries and can lead to conditions such as udder infection, pneumonia and arthritis in affected cattle, but does not pose a food safety risk or any risk to humans.

Borna Virus - Germany

The Borna virus which until now had only been seen to infect animals, has infected four people and killed at least three in Germany sparking fears the disease could continue to spread through human populations.

In horses, borna virus infections have been known for more than 100 years and diseased animals show movement disorders, behavioural problems and often die as a result but it is not known how the animals are infected.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits the Volcano Islands off Japan.

5.0 earthquake hits south of the Fiji.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the western Pacific: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Jelawat), located approximately 156 nm north-northeast of Koror, Palau, is tracking northeastward at 04 knots.

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 17p (Iris), located approximately 451 nm west-northwest of Noumea, New Caledonia, is tracking southward at 07 knots.

Newsbytes:

Monsoon, India - India is expected to experience a normal monsoon which could bring in a major relief to several states. La Nina, a phenomenon associated with the cooling of Pacific waters, will be neutral during this monsoon, raising hope for normal rainfall this year.

Cairns, Australia - Flooding from the Barron River in Cairns is the worst recorded since February 2000, but the height of the flooding emergency has passed for the time being, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says. More than 40 people were evacuated from a caravan park and others rescued from flooded cars, as the tail-end of ex-Tropical Cyclone Nora drenched areas in far north Queensland. No further significant rain is expected over the next few days.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Portugal

One sapling at a time, thousands of volunteers planted trees in Portugal's oldest forest burned by last year's devastating wildfires. Around 3,000 volunteers planted roughly 67,500 pine trees in the Leiria forest in central Portugal on Sunday.

Disease

Meningitis - Sudan

An outbreak of meningitis has left more than 30 people dead in the war-torn South Sudan. More than 170 cases of the disease have been reported in the eastern Equatoria State's Torit, Iyire and Imurok regions.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.7 earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

6.6 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.7 earthquake hits the Izu Islands, Japan.

5.2 earthquake it the Izu Islands, Japan.

5.4 earthquake hits Santiago del Estero, Argentina.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the western Pacific: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Jelawat), located approximately 131 nm southwest of Yap, Fsm, is tracking west-northwestward at 12 knots.

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 17p (Iris), located approximately 531 nm west-northwest of Noumea, New Caledonia, is tracking southward at 10 knots.

Newsbytes:

Australia - Flooding rain from ex-cyclone Nora has sparked more than 100 calls for help in far north Queensland. Low lying parts of Cairns have flooded, and in the tourist town of Port Douglas, water has crept up to the doors of some holiday apartments. Landslides and debris also closed roads in the region, including the Captain Cook Highway north of Cairns. In just a few hours, 130mm of rain fell in some locations, with the wild weather caused by the low pressure system that was Cyclone Nora, hundreds of kilometres to the west.

Malaysia - An unexpected heavy downpour caused flash floods to hit the Sebauh district in northern Sarawak on Sunday morning. The floods, which rose to as high as one metre, inundated SK Ulu Segan and its surrounding villages.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the western Pacific: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Three), located approximately 227 nm southeast of Yap, Fsm, is tracking west-northwestward at 10 knots.

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 17p (Iris), located approximately 572 nm west-northwest of Port Vila, Vanuatu, is tracking south-southwestward at 06 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 16p (Nora), located approximately 213 nm west of Cairns, Australia, is tracking southward at 13 knots.

Disease

Measles – France

Measles is currently affecting several French regions and the rapid increase in the number of cases since the beginning of the year may give rise to fears of another major epidemic throughout the country. Since the last report, the number of measles cases in France has increased by more than 150 cases, bringing the total since early Nov. 2017 to 1,077 cases.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits Fiji.

5.1 earthquake hits Ethiopia.

5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.

5.0 earthquake hits the Eastern Sea of Japan.

5.0 earthquake hits New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 449 nm southwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking southward at 16 knots. This is the final warning for this system.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 16p (Nora), located approximately 361 nm northwest of Cairns, Australia, is tracking southeastward at 10 knots.

Newsbytes:

Balkans - Heavy snow and flooding have wreaked havoc across large parts of the Balkans, forcing road closures, flooding homes and stopping ferries along the Adriatic coast. The spate of fresh snow came as Croatia was already struggling to contain overflowing rivers that were swollen from melting snow. Croatian authorities said that only small vehicles were allowed on main roads leading towards the coast while trucks or buses could not pass. Citizens have been urged to avoid travelling. Snow has also fallen in neighbouring Serbia, surprising the region in early spring, while a thaw has brought flooding to Bosnia.

Environment

Destruction of nature as dangerous as climate change, scientists warn

Human destruction of nature is rapidly eroding the world’s capacity to provide food, water and security to billions of people, according to the most comprehensive biodiversity study in more than a decade.

Such is the rate of decline that the risks posed by biodiversity loss should be considered on the same scale as those of climate change, noted the authors of the UN-backed report, which was released in Medellin, Colombia on Friday.

Among the standout findings are that exploitable fisheries in the world’s most populous region – the Asia-Pacific – are on course to decline to zero by 2048; that freshwater availability in the Americas has halved since the 1950s and that 42% of land species in Europe have declined in the past decade.

Underscoring the grim trends, this report was released in the week that the decimation of French bird populations was revealed, as well as the death of the last male northern white rhinoceros, leaving the species only two females from extinction.

Divided into four regional reports, the study of studies has been written by more than 550 experts from over 100 countries and taken three years to complete. Approved by the governments of 129 members nations, the IPBES reports aim to provide a knowledge base for global action on biodiversity in much the same way that the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is used by policymakers to set carbon emission targets.

Although poaching often grabs the headlines for the demise of the rhino and other animals, worldwide the biggest threats to nature are from habitat loss, invasive species, chemicals and climate change.

Conversion of forests to croplands and wetlands to shrimp farms has fed a human population that has more than doubled since the 1960s, but at a devastating cost to other species – such as pollinating insects and oxygen-producing plants – on which our climate, economy and well-being depend.

In the Americas, more than 95% of high-grass prairies have been transformed into farms, along with 72% of dry forests and 88% of the Atlantic forests, notes the report. The Amazon rainforest is still mostly intact, but it is rapidly diminishing and degrading along with an even faster disappearing cerrado (tropical savannah). Between 2003 to 2013, the area under cultivation in Brazil’s northeast agricultural frontier more than doubled to 2.5m hectares, according to the report.

“The world has lost over 130m hectares of rainforests since 1990 and we lose dozens of species every day, pushing the Earth’s ecological system to its limit,” said Achim Steiner, administrator of the UN Development Programme. “Biodiversity and the ecosystem services it supports are not only the foundation for our life on Earth, but critical to the livelihoods and well-being of people everywhere.”

The rate of decline is moreover accelerating. In the Americas – which has about 40% of the world’s remaining biodiversity – the regional population is gobbling up resources at twice the rate of the global average. Despite having 13% of the people on the planet, it is using a quarter of the resources, said Jake Rice, a co-chair of the Americas assessment.

Since the start of colonisation by Europeans 500 years ago, he said 30% of biodiversity has been lost in the region. This will rise to 40% in the next 10 years unless policies and behaviours are transformed.

The authors urged an end to subsidies for agriculture and energy that are encouraging unsustainable production. The European Union’s support for fishing was among those cited for criticism.

A dead Bodó fish in front of stranded floating houses on the bed of Negro River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, during a drought in 2015.

Wildlife

Did Human Noise Pollution Drive 150 Whales To Beach Themselves in Australia?

A commercial fisherman in Australia spotted an alarming site this morning: Upward of 100 whales were stranded and dying on a beach at Hamelin Bay, about 180 miles (300 kilometers) south of Perth. (And we're all pulling for a happy ending.)

Rescuers rushed to the scene, but only 15 of the 150 whales, thought to be short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), were still alive as of 12 p.m. local time, the Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions reported.

The 15 still-breathing whales were in shallow waters, and rescuers planned to herd them into deeper water by late afternoon.

It's unclear why the whales became stranded in this case. It's thought that the species is vulnerable to loud, human-made sounds, such as those made by navy sonar. Researchers have yet to show a conclusive cause-and-effect relationship between noise pollution and beached G. macrorhynchus whales, but other mass-stranding events involving this species have happened during times of high human-made noise in the environment, according a 2006 report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Global Warming

UK Government rejects plans for new coal mine due to climate change

The UK has decided to stop plans for a new opencast coal mine because it would “adversely impact upon measures to limit climate change”.

The application for the new mine had initially been approved by the local council in Northumberland, but was ‘called-in’ for review by the Minister for Local Government, Sajid Javid.

On Friday, Mr Javid announced his refusal of the coal mine citing the need to prevent dangerous climate change as one of the main considerations.

The project, called Highthorn, was to be located near Druridge Bay in northeast England. It had the potential to extract up to 3 million tonnes of coal over 250 hectares of land.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Florida

Crews are still battling several large wildfires in Southwest Florida. The biggest are in Collier County.

The Greenway Fire was 100 percent contained Thursday, but another brush fire merged with it and it grew to 1,600 acres. It was only 25% contained as of Friday afternoon.

The Flag Pond Fire in the Picayune Strand State Forest grew from about 800 acres Thursday to 2,600 on Friday, and was 70% contained. Voluntary evacuations for people living in Picayune Strand were issued Thursday, and remained in effect Friday.

Another large wildfire is called the West Boundary Fire, in eastern Collier County. Friday, it was estimated to be about 1,000 acres, and 50% contained.

Disease

Lassa Fever – Nigeria

From 1 January through 18 March 2018, 1495 suspected cases and 119 deaths have been reported from 19 states (Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Federal Capital Territory, Gombe, Imo, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Rivers, and Taraba). 95 deaths were reported.

Measles - Protugal

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in northern Portugal, the country’s Directorate-General of Health (DGS) reported Thursday (computer translated) that the outbreak total has risen to 66 confirmed cases and another 32 cases under investigation.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 earthquake hits off the coast of Araucania, Chile.

5.2 earthquake hits the northern mid-Atlantic Ridge.

5.1 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.1 earthquake hits near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 467 nm west of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking southward at 13 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 16p (Nora), located approximately 438 nm east-northeast of Darwin, Australia, is tracking southeastward at 13 knots.

Newsbytes:

South Africa - Continous rains have resulted in flash floods in parts of Johannesburg and authorities on Friday warned motorists to be cautious because many low-lying bridges had become flooded. Power outages in some northern suburbs and large parts of Pretoria were also reported. Numerous shacks located under highways and alongside rivers were flooded.

Environment

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch Has Quadrupled, Maybe Even 16-upled

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is getting denser. The enormous plastic soup floating in the vast North Pacific spans more than 617,000 square miles (1.6 million square kilometers), and its density is now between four and 16 times greater than previous estimates, scientists have found.

Researchers made the discovery by looking at the garbage patch in the Pacific between California and Hawaii. They found that the patch has more than 87,000 tons (79,000 metric tons) of plastic in it. That equates to 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, or roughly 250 pieces for every person on the planet, the researchers said.

Plastics made up 99.9 percent of the debris in the patch. Fishing nets accounted for at least 46 percent of the plastic, the researchers found. Smaller items had broken into fragments, but researchers still managed to identify quite a few objects, including containers, bottles, lids, packaging straps and ropes. Fifty items even had discernable dates, including one from 1977, seven from the 1980s, 17 from the 1990s, 24 from the 2000s and one from 2010.

Wildlife

Island Rodent Free

After a 125-year infestation, mice have been eradicated from an extremely remote sub-Antarctic outcropping known as Antipodes Island.

The rodents were accidentally introduced in 1893 from a shipwreck or by seal hunters, and they have since ravaged the island’s unique land birds, causing local extinctions.

But New Zealand’s “Million Dollar Mouse” project, launched in 2014, has exterminated the more than 200,000 mice that plagued the 8-square-mile island, located 470 miles southeast of New Zealand.

The island’s unique parakeets, pipits, snipe and insects can now thrive on the predator-free island, said New Zealand conservation minister Eugenie Sage.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 111 degrees Fahrenheit (43.9 degrees Celsius) in Diffa, Niger.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 86.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 65.5 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

Expanding Fire Season

A lengthening wildfire season brought on in many parts of the world by a warming climate claimed scores of homes in southeastern Australia.

An out-of-season brushfire quickly engulfed the New South Wales seaside town of Tathra. It and other blazes destroyed at least 90 homes.

Such wildfires have historically occurred in Australia between December and February. “Sadly, fires like this, well into autumn, are an increasing part of the southern Australian experience, as we move further towards climate disruption,” said Grant Wardell-Johnson of Curtin University’s biodiversity and climate department.

Fire seasons are now 19 percent longer on average worldwide than they were in the 1970s.

Disease

HIV in the Philippines

While most of the world has seen a decline in HIV cases in recent years, the Philippines is one of the few countries on the planet reporting an increase in cases.

Between 2010 and 2016, the number of new infections has increased by 140% – representing the highest increase of any country in this period. An average of 31 newly diagnosed cases of HIV infection per day were reported in 2017. In addition, HIV drug resistance has been reported in the Philippines.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 14 March - 20 March 2018

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that during 12-19 March there were seven events and six explosions at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano). Some of the explosions ejected tephra as far as 1.1 km and generated ash plumes that rose 1.7-2.3 km above the crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Ambrym | Vanuatu : On 19 March the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory (VGO) reported that, based on photos taken during February-March, the lava lakes in Ambrym’s Benbow and Marum craters continued to be active and produced gas-and-steam emissions. Visitors occasionally reported smelling volcanic gases and hearing explosions. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 0-5); the report reminded the public to stay outside of the Permanent Danger Zone defined as a 1-km radius from Benbow Crater and a 2.7-km radius from Marum Crater.

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that seismic and infrasound sensors recorded a small explosion at Cleveland at 2219 on 14 March; ash plumes were not visible in subsequent cloudy satellite images. The Aviation colour Code remained at Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Advisory.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, wind model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 14-20 March ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.7 km (6,000-9,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Based on observations by volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions during 12-13 March generated ash plumes that rose as high as 2.7 km (8,900 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Kadovar | Papua New Guinea : RVO reported that the lava dome at Kadovar’s SE Coastal Vent continued to grow, though slowly, with only a 1-m change detected during 10-20 March. Weak incandescence from the Main Crater was visible on 13 March. Bright incandescence from both the Main Crater and the SE Coastal vent was visible on 14 March, coincident with the start of dark gray ash emissions from both vents, lasting until 19 March.

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 14-20 March HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of Pu'u 'O'o Crater. Surface lava flows were active above and on Pulama pali.

Kusatsu-Shiranesan | Honshu (Japan) : On 16 March JMA lowered the Alert Level for the Kusatsu-Shiranesan complex to 2 (on a 5-level scale) noting that the number of volcanic earthquakes had gradually declined since the 23 January eruption; seismicity remained elevated.

Mayon | Luzon (Philippines) : PHIVOLCS reported that during 13-20 March activity at Mayon was mostly characterized by periods of gravity-driven lava advancement, gas-and-steam emissions, rockfalls, and quiescence. Lava flows extended 3.3 km, 4.5 km, and 1.9 km long in the Mi-isi (S), Bonga (SE), and Basud (E) drainages, respectively. Sulfur dioxide emissions were between 969 and 2,077 tonnes/day. Steam-and-gas emissions drifted SW. An episode of lava fountaining was recorded during 0831-0832 on 14 March and produced a light-gray ash plume that rose 200 m above the crater and drifted SW. At 1347 on 16 March a pyroclastic flow traveled 4-5 km down the Mi-isi and Basud drainages. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 0-5 scale) and PHIVOLCS reminded residents to stay away from the 6-km-radius Permanent Danger Zone and the 7-km Extended Danger Zone on the SSW and ENE flanks.

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya increased compared to the previous week; explosions averaged 17 per day during 12-18 March. Seismicity was dominated by long-period events, with signals indicating emissions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 3 km above the crater rim and drifted 30 km NW, SW, and S. The sulfur dioxide flux was high, at 3,110 tons per day on 14 March. The report noted that the public should not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 11-14 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.

Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : Based on JMA notices and satellite data, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 17 March an eruption at Suwanosejima produced a plume that rose 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W.

Yasur | Vanuatu : Based on visual observations and satellite data, the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory reported on 19 March that explosions at Yasur remained strong. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 0-4). VGO reminded residents and tourists that hazardous areas were near and around the volcanic crater, within a 395-m-radius permanent exclusion zone, and that volcanic ash and gas could reach areas impacted by trade winds.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.3 earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.2 earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

5.1 earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

5.0 earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.0 earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 541 nm northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 11 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 16p (Sixteen), located approximately 309 nm east-northeast of Darwin, Australia, is tracking east-southeastward at 03 knots.

Newsbytes:

Australia - Continuing heavy rain on the NSW mid-north coast and the Hunter region prompted severe weather warnings and the evacuation of a primary school as stormwater drains broke their banks and rivers flooded. The eastern seaboard was drenched yesterday but parts of the NSW coast between Taree and Newcastle received more than 100mm in several hours.

California, USA - Rain from a powerful Pacific storm is falling across areas of central and southern California at risk of mudslides. Thousands of residents evacuated their homes ahead of the storm while others were waiting it out and hoping for the best. Late Tuesday, Los Angeles County authorities told thousands more to be ready to evacuate from neighborhoods in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, which have also been badly hit by wildfires.

Wildlife

Where are South Africa’s rhinos going?

Hundreds of rhinos have been shipped from South Africa to disreputable zoos and breeding facilities across the world, despite losing more than 1000 rhinos a year to poaching.

Between 2006 and 2017, amid the onslaught of a national poaching crisis, South Africa shipped around 900 live white rhinos overseas. These animals are now destined to live out their lives in the zoos and breeding facilities of China, North Korea, Singapore, Bangladesh, the US, Mauritius, Russia and Vietnam.

According to the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) Draft Biodiversity Management Plan for White Rhinoceros, a receiving rhino facility abroad should only be deemed acceptable to acquire South African rhinos if it can show a high standard of husbandry and veterinary care.

The facility should also be able to maintain animal record systems, has written conservation action plans in place, contributes to scientific studies, promotes education and can demonstrate a risk management plan.

However, once an animal has been exported to a facility in Vietnam for example, there are no domestic laws that compel the importing facility to keep the animals on site and they can move or loan the rhinos to other zoos. One case of this occurring was seen in 2015 when 14 loaned rhinos ended up at a facility in Vietnam, allegedly responsible for mass animal deaths.

However, there is also a lack of transparency regarding how many rhinos have been exported from South Africa or where they have been sent, with a number of inconsistencies clearly visible in the Cites public trade data. For instance, import and export figures simply do not line up and there are irregularities in the purpose codes used with some live animals even listed as hunting trophies.

Disease

Yellow fever: Brazil

The Brazil Ministry of Health will be extending yellow fever vaccination to the whole country. According to Health Minister, Ricardo Barros, vaccinations, which have already started in several states, will be gradual until the whole population is vaccinated by April 2019.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 14 March - 20 March 2018

Ambae | Vanuatu : On 18 March the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory (VGO) reported that eruptive activity at Ambae’s Lake Voui during February-March was similar to activity observed at the end of October 2017, but with more sustained ash emissions from explosions at the vent. The ongoing ash-and-gas emissions were impacting local villages, prompting VGO to raise the Alert Level to 3 (on a scale of 0-5) and to warn residents and tourists to stay outside of the Danger Zone defined as a 3-km radius around the active vent in Lake Voui. A news article noted that ashfall was reported in the NW, W, SW, and S parts of the island.

Kick 'em Jenny | North of Grenada : The University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre (SRC) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) reported that during 12-15 March seismicity at Kick 'em Jenny significantly decreased. The Alert Level remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale) with a 5-km maritime exclusion zone.

Kikai | Japan : JMA reported that one small-amplitude, short-duration volcanic tremor was detected on 16 March at Satsuma Iwo-jima, a subaerial part of Kikai’s NW caldera rim. The number of volcanic earthquakes increased on 19 March, prompting JMA to raise the Alert Level to 2 (on a 5-level scale), and then decreased the next day. The report noted increased thermal activity since February, with occasional visual observations of incandescence.

Kirishimayama | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Shinmoedake (Shinmoe peak), a stratovolcano of the Kirishimayama volcano group, continued during 13-19 March. Lava effusion possibly stopped on 9 March, though the lava flow on the NW flank continued to advance. An explosion at 1413 on 15 March generated a gray-white plume that rose 2.1 km above the crater and ejected material 1 km from the crater. A high number of volcanic earthquakes continued to be recorded, in addition to many low-frequency earthquakes with shallow hypocenters. Volcanic tremor was occasionally recorded. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

Stromboli | Aeolian Islands (Italy) : INGV reported that during 12-17 March activity at Stromboli was at normal levels, characterized by explosive activity and gas emissions from two vents (N1 and N2) in Area N and two vents in Area C-S (C and S2). Explosions at N1 ejected lapilli, bombs, and sometimes ash less than 120 m high, and less intense explosions at N2 emitted ash no higher than 80 m. The frequency of explosions in Area N was 3-8 events/hour. Continuous gas emissions rose from C. Explosions at S2 emitted ash no higher than 80 m at a rate of 2-5 explosions/hour. A high-energy explosive sequence began at vent C at 2027 on 19 March and lasted about 40 seconds. The first explosion ejected ash and incandescent material that fell in a radial distribution around the crater. Two subsequent explosions ejected incandescent material as high as 80 m. Tephra fell along the Sciara del Fuoco, towards the NE parts of the island. At 2028 an explosion at N2 ejected lapilli 100-120 m high.

Disease

Monkeypox – Central African Republic

UN health officials reported this week that during the week ending Mar. 4, three cases of monkeypox were reported in Bria town in Haute-Kotto Prefecture, Central African Republic (CAR).

Measles – Serbia

Since the measles outbreak started in Oct. 2017, Serbian health authorities have reported 3,812 cases, including nearly 2,000 cases in just the past two months, of which 1972 were laboratory confirmed at the Torlak Institute, according Serbia’s Institute for Public Health. Of this total, 13 people have died.

Wildlife

Still No Causes Found for Sea Star Wasting Disease

Beginning in 2013, a mysterious disease crippled sea star populations up and down the U.S. west coast. Over a matter of months, many sea star species died in record-breaking numbers, though Pisaster ochraceus—a keystone species known as the ochre sea star—was among the hardest hit. Now, researchers at UC Santa Cruz have analyzed just how much the populations of this species have declined, but they have not yet determined what factors might be contributing to the epidemic.

Scientists aren't sure what causes this disease, known as sea star wasting syndrome (SSWS). Some researchers think the culprit could be a viral pathogen, but evidence is inconclusive.

This latest outbreak extended from as far south as Baja California, Mexico, all the way to the southern shores of Alaska.

In a new study published March 20 in PLOS ONE, Miner, Raimondi, and colleagues analyzed marine data collected between 2000 and 2016 from 90 intertidal sites on the North American Pacific coast to determine the impacts of SSWS on ochre sea star populations and try to understand what factors may have contributed to this most recent SSWS outbreak.

The data revealed that, while ochre sea star populations shrank in all coastal areas, sites in southern California and the Channel Islands experienced more severe declines than those farther north. In the south, adult sea stars declined by 99 percent or more at over half of the 39 sites surveyed, whereas only 2 sites in the north experienced similar levels of decline. Miner's group also noted that juvenile sea star mortality in the period after the initial outbreak of SSWS increased by approximately 90 percent compared to pre-outbreak levels.

Ochre sea stars are keystone predators in intertidal ecosystems—the part of the shore area submerged at high tide and uncovered at low tide—preying on organisms like the California mussel. When ochre stars are removed, mussel beds can expand, leaving less space for other organisms to flourish in those habitats. A decline in ochre sea stars could lead to a change in the make-up of intertidal communities on the west coast, although other factors are also at play, Miner said. The epidemic that started in late 2013 is still ongoing, though the major population crashes noted in 2014 and 2015 have since leveled off.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 485 nm north-northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 15 knots.

Newsbytes:

Kenya - Rains continue to leave a trail of death and destruction across the country. In Kilifi and Tana River counties, some 800 families displaced by floods are in dire need of food, shelter and clothing. The National Environment Management Authority warned residents against consuming water from Lake Victoria due to damage of sewerage system.

Malaysia - Flash floods wreak havoc in Kuala Lumpur. Heavy rain and strong winds uprooted trees in Bangsar today, bringing traffic to a standstill on some roads.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hit Taiwan.

5.0 earthquake hits Oaxaca, Mexico.

5.0 earthquake hit off the coast of Aisen, Chile.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.

5.1 earthquake hits Mendoza, Argentina.

5.0 earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.0 earthquake hits the Balleny Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 14s (Eliakim), located approximately 444 nm south-southwest of St. Denis, La Reunion, is tracking south-southwestward at 15 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 347 nm north-northwest of Port Hedland, Australia, is tracking westward at 17 knots.

Newsbytes:

Europe, Croatia - Emergency crews in Croatia have struggled to contain a swollen river that reached record levels southeast of Zagreb Monday, while soldiers distributed food and drinking water to a section of Albania that has been flooded for two weeks. To the east, snow and freezing rain delayed dozens of flights and some trains in Romania amid a late cold snap. Snow also hit Germany, Hungary and Britain, among other European nations. Trains running from Bucharest to the Black Sea port of Constanta and the southern city of Craiova were also delayed. In Albania, local authorities reported that about 7,400 acres of land in the country's northwest were flooded and 225 houses in the countryside were surrounded by water.

Wildlife

Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhino, dies aged 45

When Sudan was born in 1973 in the wild in Shambe, South Sudan, there were about 700 of his kind left in existence.

At his death, there are only two females remaining alive and the hope that in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) techniques will advance enough to preserve the sub-species.

Sudan, elderly by rhino standards, had been ailing for some time, suffering from age-related infections, according to his keepers at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Sudan lived out his final years on a 90,000-acre (36,400-hectare) reserve of savannah and woodlands in central Kenya, along with the two remaining females, under armed guard to protect them from poachers.

Global Warming

Totten Glacier Found to be Largely floating on Warming Ocean

More of one of Antarctica's largest and most important glaciers is floating on top of the ocean than previously thought, researchers say, which could have a significant impact on the rise of global sea levels.

The new research from the Australian Antarctic Program has found the Totten Glacier, located in the southern continent's east, could be affected more by warming ocean temperatures because more of the glacier is directly in contact with the ocean, and much less is sitting on rock than originally thought.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Texas, USA

Texas officials reported Sunday that 111 wildfires had burned nearly 25,000 acres (10,000 hectares) across the state in the previous week. State officials reported 19 active wildfires on Monday, with the largest fires concentrated in the state's panhandle.

According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, the County Line fire that started in Hartley County on Thursday and spread into Oldham and Moore counties burned 15,682 acres. It is now 100 percent contained. The second largest fire, the Old Muddy Road fire, began Sunday and burned 4,480 acres.

Disease

Meningococcal disease - Fiji

The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services has declared an outbreak of meningococcal disease, a potentially life threatening bacterial disease, on the island as 18 cases have been reported through mid-February this year.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 earthquake hits near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan.

5.5 earthquake the Kuril Islands.

5.5 earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

5.4 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 earthquake hits south of Tonga.

5.0 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua and New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 14s (Eliakim), located approximately 345 nm west-southwest of St. Denis, La Reunion, is tracking southward at 13 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 146 nm north of Broome, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 08 knots.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Wildfires razed dozens of homes in southeast Australia, cut power to thousands more and killed livestock, but most of the weekend blazes had been contained by Monday. There have been no reports of serious injury, officials said.

The worst-hit town was Tathra on the south coast of New South Wales state where more than 70 homes and businesses had been severely damaged or destroyed by a fire that started in woods around midday on Sunday, Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

In neighboring Victoria state, up to 18 homes had been destroyed over the weekend by three fires and 40,000 homes lost power, Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley said. Sheep and cattle losses had yet to be assessed.

Disease

Measles – Ukraine

According to the operational data of the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, for the first 10 weeks of 2018, 7069 people have been infected by measles– 2,434 adults and 4635 children.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits Oruro, Bolivia.

5.0 earthquake hits the Celebes Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 14s (Eliakim), located approximately 339 nm west of St. Denis, La Reunion, is tracking west-southward at 10 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 275 nm west-southwest of Darwin, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 11 knots.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

More than 50 bush and grass fire ravaging Victoria's southwest have been downgraded after destroying about a dozen homes and livestock. Hundreds of beef and dairy cattle, as well as farm buildings, have also been destroyed, and 40,000 hectares of land burnt.

Emergency Management said not all of the homes destroyed were occupied, and there had been no deaths or major injuries reported. However, 800 people had been forced to seek shelter at relief centres.

Disease

Global warming and the spread of vectors carrying viral infection

Spurred on by climate change, international travel and international trade, disease-bearing insects are spreading to ever-wider parts of the world.

This means that more humans are exposed to viral infections such as Dengue fever, Chikungunya, Zika, West Nile fever, Yellow fever and Tick-borne encephalitis.

For many of these diseases, there are as yet no specific antiviral agents or vaccines.

Global warming has allowed mosquitoes, ticks and other disease-bearing insects to proliferate, adapt to different seasons, migrate and spread to new niche areas that have become warmer.

Cholera - Nigeria

The Government of Nigeria is reported more than 600 cholera cases in Kukawa Local Government Area (LGA) in Borno State over the past month. Since Feb. 13, 608 cases including 3 deaths have been reported. The bulk of the cases have been reported from two wards–Doro and Baga.

Lassa Fever - Liberia

Liberia's Ministry of Health has revealed it is fighting to control an outbreak of Lassa fever which has killed two people since the beginning of March. An official of the ministry told the BBC the outbreak seems under control, as all of the 109 suspected cases had tested negative. They will be officially declared free of the disease by the 25 March.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 earthquake hits the southern mid-Atlantic Ridge.

5.2 earthquake hits south of Fiji.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 14s (Eliakim), located approximately 435 nm northwest of St. Denis, La Reunion, is tracking west-southwestward at 02 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 61 nm west-southwest of Darwin, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 12 knots.

Newsbytes:

Kenya - Kenyan officials said Friday that at least 15 people have drowned and scores of families have been displaced across the East African nation during two days of heavy rainfall that caused flooding in urban and rural areas. The deaths happened as flood and river waters swept through Kenyan towns that had experienced drought months earlier. More than 20 residents in Marsabit County were trapped in tree tops after the Lag Balal seasonal river in Maikona breached its banks and flooded their homes.

Uganda - One person is dead and six others are reported missing as floods caused by heavy rain-ravaged Mbarara town.

Wildlife

Winged Contagion

Bird lovers are being warned that their garden feeders could contribute to the spread of serious disease among wild birds unless they are cleaned regularly.

A new British study found that contaminated feeders could be causing rare bird illnesses to become epidemics.

Experts recommend using feed from accredited suppliers and leaving it out in moderation so the feeders are emptied every day or two, allowing them to be cleaned more often.

They also suggest rotating the feeding sites to avoid accumulation of waste food and bird droppings that could carry disease.

Disease

Dengue epidemic - Réunion

Officials with Sante Publique France are reporting a dengue fever epidemic on in the Indian Ocean, according to a recent news release (computer translated). Since the beginning of the year, 193 indigenous dengue cases have been reported, with the number doubling every week since the end of January. The majority of the cases have been reported from Saint Denis.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.2 earthquake hits New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 earthquake hits offshore Sucre, Venezuela.

5.0 earthquake hits Kepulauan Talud, Indonesia.

5.0 earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 14s (Eliakim), located approximately 393 nm northwest of St. Denis, La Reunion, is tracking westward at 07 knots.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 15s (Marcus), located approximately 102 nm northeast of Darwin, Australia, is tracking south-southwestward at 06 knots.

Environment

The sorry state of Earth's species, in numbers

As the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) prepares to unveil a thorough diagnosis of the health of Earth's plant and animal species, this is what we already know:

– Two species of vertebrate, animals with a backbone, have gone extinct every year, on average, for the past century.

– Scientists say Earth is undergoing a "mass extinction event", the first since the dinosaurs disappeared some 65 million years ago, and only the sixth in the last half-a-billion years.

– About 41% of amphibian species and more than a quarter of mammals are threatened with extinction.

– About half of coral reefs have been lost in the last 30 years.

– The global populations of 3 706 monitored vertebrate species – fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles – declined by nearly 60% from 1970 to 2012.

– 25 821 species of 91 523 assessed for the 2017 "Red List" update were classified as "threatened".

– Of these, 5 583 were "critically" endangered, 8 455 "endangered", and 11 783 "vulnerable".

– African elephant numbers dropped to 415 000 in 2016, down about 111 000 over 10 years.

– There are an estimated 8.7 million plant and animal species on our planet. This means about 86% of land species and 91% of sea species remain undiscovered.

– Of the ones we do know, 1 204 mammal, 1 469 bird, 1 215 reptile, 2 100 amphibian, and 2 386 fish species are considered threatened.

– Also threatened are 1 414 insect, 2 187 mollusc, 732 crustacean, 237 coral, 12 505 plant, 33 mushroom, and six brown algae species.

– Annual economic losses as a result of deforestation and forest degradation alone may be as high as $4.5 trillion.

Wildlife

Migrating Moose

A changing ecological landscape in western Canada is allowing some moose to lumber from their traditional forest and Rocky Mountain habitats into prairie farmland, where they have hardly been seen before in significant numbers.

Declining private homesteads on the prairie in recent decades, and the disappearance of predators such as grizzlies and wolves, appear to be convincing the antlered grazers that it’s safe to scavenge grain spilled during the harvest. The moose even sometimes wander into the suburbs of cities such as Calgary.

“For an animal that is used to eating splintered wood most of the winter, all this spilled grain and canola is … a great banquet for them,” said wildlife biologist and author Chris Fisher.

Global Warming

Greenland Is Literally Cracking Apart and Flooding the World

Visit on the right summer day, and you could see a 12-billion-gallon lake disappear before your very eyes. Glaciologists saw this happen for the first time in 2006, when a lake drained away into nothing in less than 2 hours. Researchers now see such events as a regular part of Greenland's increasingly hot summer routine; every year.

On a recent expedition, however, researchers saw an alarming new pattern behind Greenland's mysterious disappearing lakes: They're starting to drain farther and farther inland. Lakes that drain in one area produce fractures that cause more lakes to drain somewhere elsewhere.

As the draining water surges away from the original lake, it can destabilize other nearby ice beds. Fresh cracks form, new lakes drain and the reaction intensifies day by day. In one incident, the researchers observed 124 lakes drain in just five days. Even lakes that formed hundreds of kilometers inland, which were previously thought to be too far removed from the ice bed to drain into it, proved vulnerable to the chain-drain-reaction as new fissures in the ice formed.

This all amounts to billions of gallons of melted ice plunging below Greenland's surface every few days. Some of this water remains trapped in the ice sheet; much of it pours into the surrounding ocean.

The ice sheet, which covers 1.7 million square kilometers [650,000 square miles], was relatively stable 25 years ago, but now loses one billion tons [900 million metric tons] of ice every day. This causes one millimeter of global sea level rise per year, a rate which is much faster than what was predicted only a few years ago.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

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

The week's coldest temperature was minus 88.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 66.7 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 - Kansas, USA

Three fires in Rice County are about 70-percent contained but high winds continue to be a problem for crews fighting the fires.

Between seven and eight thousand acres have burned in the fires. One unoccupied home and several outbuildings were also destroyed. At least four Black Hawk helicopters were used to help gain control of the fire.

While the fire is mostly contained, dangerous conditions continue through Friday.

Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Oman

On 4 March 2018, the National IRH focal point of Oman reported one additional case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 7 March - 13 March 2018

Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that although there were sometimes foggy conditions during 7-13 March, white plumes were observed rising as high as 600 m above Agung’s crater rim and drifting E. An event at 2332 on 11 March generated an ash plume that rose about 950 m and drifted E. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) and the exclusion zone continued at a 4-km radius.

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that on 5 March at 2026 an event at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) produced an ash plume that rose 1 km above the crater rim, into the clouds. Two explosions were detected on 10 March; one of the events, at 2312, generated ash plumes that rose 1.5 km above the crater rim and ejected material as far as 1.3 km. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Ambae | Vanuatu : Based on satellite and webcam observations, and model data, the Wellington VAAC reported that during 12-13 March ash plumes from Ambae rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SW.

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that unrest continued at Cleveland during 7-13 March. Elevated surface temperatures were identified in satellite images on 7 March and seismicity slightly increased on 8 March. The Aviation colour Code was lowered to Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level was lowered to Advisory.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 7-13 March ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.5-3 km (5,000-10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Based on observations by volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions on 6 March generated ash plumes that rose as high as 1.7 km (5,600 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that although foggy conditions often prevailed at Ibu ash plumes were observed rising 300-600 m above the carter rim and drifting W and S. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to stay at least 2 km away from the active crater, and 3.5 km away on the N side.

Kadovar | Papua New Guinea : RVO reported that emissions from Kadovar’s Main Crater were white from 1 March, until an explosion on 1800 on 5 March was followed by gray emissions through 8 March. The gray plumes rose less than 360 m above the vent and drifted SE. Noises were described as roaring and rumbling during 1-2 and 6-8 March, and booming on 5 March. The lava dome at the SE Coastal Vent continued to grow and rose to 7-8 m above sea level on 1 March, 10-11 m on 2 March, and 10-17 m on 8 March. Dark gray ash plumes rose from the dome. Nighttime incandescence was noted from both Main Crater and the SE vent.

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 7-13 March HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of Pu'u 'O'o Crater. Surface lava flows were active above and on Pulama pali.

Mayon | Luzon (Philippines) : PHIVOLCS reported that during 6-13 March activity at Mayon was characterized by periods of gravity-driven lava advancement, gas-and-steam emissions, lava fountains, and quiescence. Episodes of weak lava fountaining during 6-10 March were accompanied by ash plumes that rose 100-300 m above the crater and drifted mainly SW. Rumbling sounds were audible at least within a 10-km radius. Active lava flows extended 3.3 km, 4.5 km, and 1.9 km long in the Mi-isi (S), Bonga (SE), and Basud (E) drainages, respectively. Steam plumes rose 2.4 km and drifted SW on 10 March. The next day white-and-gray plumes rose 2.5 km and drifted SW. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 0-5 scale) and PHIVOLCS reminded residents to stay away from the 6-km-radius Permanent Danger Zone and the 7-km Extended Danger Zone on the SSW and ENE flanks.

Nevados de Chillan | Chile : Servicio Nacional de Geología and Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) Observatorio Volcanológico de Los Andes del Sur (OVDAS) reported continuing activity during 16-28 February associated with a low rate of growth of the Gil-Cruz lava dome in Nevados de Chillán’s Nicanor Crater. Continuous gas emissions from the SE-NW-trending fissure on the dome’s surface were punctuated by emission of ash and water vapor that rose no higher than 1.8 km. During an overflight on 22 February observers noted an increased volume of the dome compared to the previous observation. 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 4-km radius.

Popocatepetl | Mexico : CENAPRED reported that each day during 7-13 March there were 105-361 steam and gas emissions from Popocatépetl. Incandescence from the crater was visible at night. Explosions were recorded on 7 March. An explosion at 1042 on 12 March generated an ash plume that rose 1.5 km above the crater rim and drifted SE. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, Phase Two.

Reventador | Ecuador : During 6-13 March 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 sometimes rose higher than 600 m above the crater rim and drifted N, NW, and W. Incandescent blocks rolled as far as 800 m down the flanks. On 13 March a pyroclastic flow traveled 400 m down the S flank. Weather clouds sometimes prevented visual observations.

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya decreased compared to the previous week; explosions averaged 10 per day during 5-11 March. Seismicity was dominated by long-period events, with signals indicating emissions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 5.4 km above the crater rim and drifted 30 km N, NW, W, and SW. The sulfur dioxide flux was high, at 2,396 tons per day on 9 March. The report noted that the public should not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images on 4 and 6-8 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.3 earthquake hits south-east of the Loyalty Islands.

5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.

5.0 earthquake hits Namibia.

5.0 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 13p (Linda), located approximately 334 nm north-northeast of Brisbane, Australia, is tracking south-southwestward at 04 knots. This is the final warning for tis system.

Tropical cyclone 14s (Eliakim), located approximately 368 nm north-northwest of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking southwestward at 08 knots.

Newsbytes:

Kenya - A morning downpour has flooded parts of Nairobi City, wreaking havoc for commuters headed to work. The rains that started a at 6.30am virtually brought business to a standstill in the Kenyan capital. Floodwaters filled major streets and avenues in the city, with some commuters wading through it as they alighted from matatus. At least two people have died in Kajiado following heavy rains that wreaked havoc on Thursday morning.

Hawaii - Heavy rains are soaking parts of the state, and Maui remains under a flash flood warning. National Weather Service forecasters said east Maui was seeing rainfall rates of 1-2 inches an hour. In Hana, the flooding closed several roads and forced the closure of the Hana Highway.

Global Warming

Global warming causing an increase in avalanches in Western Himalayas

A team of researchers from across Europe has found that rising temperatures due to global warming have been causing more avalanches in the Western Himalayas than in the past.

In looking at their data, the team was able to see that the number of avalanches occurring each year in the area has been increasing since the 1970s. Prior to that time, they found that snow avalanches were relatively rare—during the '40s and early '50s, for example, there were none. But after 1970, the rate increased to approximately 0.87 per year. A big increase over the 0.24 rate for the entire period of study. They also noticed that impacted areas tended to be larger after 1970.

The risk of a snow avalanches goes up, the researchers note, as temperatures rise causing an increase in liquid water in the snowpack which in turn increases the shear deformation rate, causing stress, which is released when the snowpack collapses in an avalanche.

Disease

Botulism - Kyrgyzstan

At least 14 people in the city of Uzgen, Osh oblast in southern Kyrgyzstan have been sickened with food poisoning caused by suspected botulism, including four children. According to the press center of the Ministry of Health, on March 11 nine people sought medical care for symptoms of botulism, followed by five more the next day.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 7 March - 13 March 2018

Kick 'em Jenny | North of Grenada : The University of the West Indies (UWI) Seismic Research Centre (SRC) and the National Disaster Management Agency (NaDMA) reported that on 12 March the Alert Level for Kick 'em Jenny was raised to Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale) due to non-specified increased activity. The report reminded marine operators of the 5-km maritime exclusion zone.

Kirishimayama | Kyushu (Japan) : According to news articles, ash plumes from Shinmoedake (Shinmoe peak), a stratovolcano of the Kirishimayama volcano group, caused the cancelation of about 80 flights in and out of Kagoshima airport on 6 March. JMA reported that daily explosions during 6-13 March generated ash plumes that generally rose 3 km above the crater rim, though an ash plume on 10 March rose as high as 4.5 km. Explosions also ejected tephra that fell 700-1,800 m from the vent. Ashfall was reported in a wide area including in the prefectures of Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. An explosion at 1558 on 9 March rattled structures in the Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures. Satellite images showed an increase in the crater diameter from 550 m on 7 March to 650 m on 9 March. During overflights on 9 March observers noted white plumes rising from the margins of the lava covering the crater floor, from lava flows on the S flank, and from newly forming lava flows on the NW flank. The volume of erupted lava was an estimated 14 million cubic meters. The NW lava flow had advanced 226 m by 13 March. A high number of volcanic earthquakes continued to be recorded, in addition to many low-frequency earthquakes with shallow hypocenters. Volcanic tremor was continuous from 1 March until 1536 on 8 March; afterwards the signals had small amplitudes and were intermittent. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

Turrialba | Costa Rica : RSN and OVSICORI-UNA reported that a new eruptive phase at Turrialba began at 2240 on 6 March with minor ash emissions that rose 500 m above the vent rim and drifted NW. The activity intensified around midnight, with dense ash emissions and the ejection of incandescent blocks, and remained elevated almost until 0300 on 7 March. At 1740 activity again intensified; emissions with an increased volume of ash was recorded by the webcam from 1801-1820 drifting W. OVSICORI-UNA reported that events at 1515 on 8 March and 0920 on 13 March generated ash plumes that rose 300 m and drifted SW and NW, respectively.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits central Peru.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 13p (Linda), located approximately 347 nm north-northeast of Brisbane, Australia, is tracking south-southwestward at 11 knots.

Newsbytes:

Bosnia - After the recent snowfall in Bosnia and Herzegovina started to melt quickly, river levels began to rise in the north of the country, causing floods in the towns of Bihac and Cazin. Several houses were flooded on Tuesday morning in Bihac in northern Bosnia due to the high level of the River Una, Vilenjaca was completely cut off on Monday due to the amount of water on the road.

Croatia - A landslide caused by melting snow destroyed several houses Tuesday in central Croatia, sending people fleeing from their homes in panic. No serious injuries were reported.

Space Events

Solar Storm

A solar storm will reach Earth Wednesday (March 14) and could supercharge the planet's auroras, making them visible from the northernmost parts of the U.S.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Florida, USA

The Big Cypress National Preserve brush fire continues to burn. Meanwhile the massive Faka Union brush fire is burning in the Picayune Strand State Forest. At last check, the nearly 10,500 acre fire is now 95% contained.

Disease

Lassa Fever - Nigeria

According to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), from 1st January to 11th March 2018, a total of 1386 suspected Lassa fever cases have been reported, including 114 deaths.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

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

5.0 earthquake hit northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the southern hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 13p (Linda), located approximately 403 nm west-northwest of Noumea, New Caledonia, is tracking southward at 13 knots.

Newsbytes:

Kazakhstan - Heavy rains and melting snow have converged to cause massive flooding in eastern Kazakhstan. 110 kindergartens, 150 homes, and about 70 other buildings were damaged by high waters in the regional capital, Oskemen, and in the districts of Ayagoz, Glubokoye, Kurshim, Zaisan, and Urzhar. Hundreds of residents have been evacuated from dozens of houses in the town of Ayagoz, but there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries.

Croatia - Following heavy snow melt, the town of Hrvatska Kostajnica, 70 kilometres southeast of Zagreb, has been braced for landslides as well as floods due to the swollen River Una. The city of Karlovac, which lies on four rivers, has also been prepared for flooding and necessary steps have been taken to help local inhabitants to protect their homes in the areas oat risk of flooding due to the melting of snow.

Queensland, Australia - Queensland authorities have warned that crocodiles and snakes could turn up in "unexpected areas" after four days of torrential rain broke river banks, covered fields and cut off towns.

Wildlife

Florida Scientists Are Running Around at Night Bashing in Iguanas' Skulls

A team of scientists in Florida are on a three-month, $63,000 iguana-bashing spree. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission contracted the 15-member crew from the University of Florida to develop a set of best practices for killing the big lizards . So far, bashing their heads in seems to be a winning method.

Iguanas, native to South America, are an invasive species in Florida, , according to invasive iguana researchers. They feed on local plants and wildlife, the Sun-Sentinel reported, and may indirectly contribute to erosion.

Head bashing may be "gruesome," the researchers told the Sun-Sentinel, but it's also the most humane of the effective methods they've come up with. Simply chopping the lizards' heads off turns out to be less humane, and the traps the team set have thus far only captured raccoons. Working in teams of two, sneaking up on the lizards in the dead of night and bashing 'em seems to be the best method.