Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits near the coast of Ecuador.
5.4 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits near the coast of Ecuador.
5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits near the coast of Ecuador.
5.0 earthquake hits near the coast of Ecuador.
5.0 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), is weakening and is located approximately 796 nm east-southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking south-southwestward at 10 knots.
NewsBytes:
Cyclone Idai - Update
The following is an outline of the disaster, according to government and United Nations officials:
MOZAMBIQUE
Cyclone Idai landed on the night of 14 March near the port city of Beira, bringing heavy winds and rains. Two major rivers, the Buzi and the Pungue, burst their banks, submerging entire villages and leaving bodies floating in the water.
People killed: 501
People injured: 1,523
Houses damaged or destroyed: 99,317
Crops damaged: 669,903 hectares
People affected: 1.85 million
ZIMBABWE
On 16 March, the storm hit eastern Zimbabwe, where it flattened homes and flooded communities in the Chimanimani and Chipinge districts.
People killed: 185, according to the government. The UN migration agency puts the death toll at 259.
People injured: 200
People displaced: 16,000 households
People affected: 250,000
MALAWI
Before it arrived, the storm brought heavy rains and flooding to the lower Shire River districts of Chikwawa and Nsanje, in Malawi’s south. The rains continued after the storm hit, compounding the misery of tens of thousands of people.
People killed: 60
People injured: 672
People displaced: 19,328 households
People affected: 868,895
Alaska bakes under heat wave linked to climate change
Alaska residents accustomed to subzero temperatures are experiencing a heat wave of sorts that is shattering records, with the thermometer jumping to more than 16.7 degrees Celsius above normal in some regions.
Cities and towns in the northern half of the state, including Wainwright, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik and Barrow (also known as Utqiagvik), could see temperatures soar 14 to 22 degrees Celsius above normal this weekend as the warm trend continues.
The dramatic warming Alaska has experienced in recent years -- which is partly linked to a decline in sea ice and Arctic ocean warming - had wreaked havoc on local communities, wildlife and the economy.
Many recreational sled dog races have had to be canceled this year and the routing of the famed Iditarod race had to be changed as what is normally solid sea ice was open water on part of the race route.
Crab fishing has also been affected as the sea ice used as a platform for fishermen was non-existent or too thin in some areas.
Seal population is also likely to be affected in the coming months as some of the species give birth on solid ice.
The warmer temperatures have melted the rive ice to the extent it is no longer safe for truck or car travel."
Global warming had led to the lowest ice levels in the Bering Sea -- which connects with the Arctic Ocean - since 1850, when sea ice records began.
Australia’s Wildlife in Crisis
A new report, which reveals that record numbers of threatened forest dwelling fauna and many species are heading towards imminent extinction.
Released by the Wilderness Society this week, the report identified 48 federally-listed threatened species of forest-dwelling vertebrate fauna living in areas subject to state-run logging operations.
Four of those species – the leadbeater’s possum, swift parrot, western ringtail possum and regent honeyeater – are among the 20 bird and 20 mammal species most likely to become extinct within 20 years.
It also found that in the last 20 years, since the government allowed logging, 11 forest vertebrate species had been raised to “endangered” or “critically endangered” categories, bringing the total to 24, and none had been lowered. Another 15 species were listed as threatened for the first time.
The report called for an end to exemptions for logging operations from federal environmental laws, an overhaul of those laws, and the establishment of new assessment and regulatory bodies.
Ebola - DR Congo - Update
Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have reported 29 new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases in the past two days, the largest 2-day spike since the outbreak began, bringing the total cases to 1,059.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.5 earthquake hits the mid-Indian ridge.
5.2 earthquake hits Greece.
5.2 earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.
5.1 earthquake hits the Flores region, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 748 nm east-southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking south-southeastward at 10 knots.
Drought - Philippines
Recent PAGASA's climate monitoring and analyses indicate that the unusually warm sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (CEEP) which started since November 2018 is expected to become a full-blown El Nino. During the past three months, rainfall analyses showed that impacts of below normal rainfall conditions in provinces of Western Mindanao and Ilocos Norte were already experienced and are expected to continue. Drought conditions are being reported in the MIMAROPA Region, Region IX, and Region XII, BARMM and Metro Manila, where ten provinces have declared a State of Calamity according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Diving lizard creates its own oxygen pockets
Lizards in Costa Rica may have evolved a technique to recycle their own air using bubbles that form on their heads as they hide from predators underwater. These lizards often dive into nearby water sources in response to threats and stay submerged until danger passes. The lizards manage to stay underwater for as long as 16 minutes. They exhale air bubbles that stick to the top of their heads before re-inhaling the air — essentially recycling it.
State of the Climate in 2018 shows accelerating climate change impacts
The physical signs and socio-economic impacts of climate change are accelerating as record greenhouse gas concentrations drive global temperatures towards increasingly dangerous levels, according to a new report from the World Meteorological Organization.
The WMO Statement on the State of the Global Climate in 2018, its 25th anniversary edition, highlights record sea level rise, as well as exceptionally high land and ocean temperatures over the past four years. This warming trend has lasted since the start of this century and is expected to continue.
“Since the Statement was first published, climate science has achieved an unprecedented degree of robustness, providing authoritative evidence of global temperature increase and associated features such as accelerating sea level rise, shrinking sea ice, glacier retreat and extreme events such as heat waves,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
These key climate change indicators are becoming more pronounced. Carbon dioxide levels, which were at 357.0 parts per million when the statement was first published in 1994, keep rising – to 405.5 parts per million in 2017. For 2018 and 2019, greenhouse gas concentrations are expected to increase further.
Wildfires - Australia
A number of buildings have been damaged or destroyed by fire in central Victoria, with several grassfires burning west and south of Ballarat.
One fire had been threatening homes at Bunkers Hill, Cardigan, Haddon, Kopke, Lucas and Smythes Creek and a second larger fire earlier threatened properties at Mount Mercer, about 30 kilometres south of Ballarat.
Both fires have now been contained or brought under control and the crisis has eased.
Congolese don't believe Ebola outbreak is real
A quarter of people interviewed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo last year during the ongoing Ebola outbreak there didn't believe the deadly virus was real, according to a new study. The survey released Wednesday found that a deep mistrust of Ebola response workers resulted in those people being 15 times less likely to seek medical treatment at a health center.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.1 earthquake hits east of the Kuril Islands.
5.5 earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.
5.0 earthquake hits the Peru-Ecuador border.
5.0 earthquake hits south of the Mariana Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 622 nm east-southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking southward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
USA - Severe flooding in the Midwest is damaging fields, disrupting shipments and dealing a costly blow to growers and agribusinesses as a downturn in the farm economy stretches into a sixth year. Swollen rivers in Nebraska, Iowa and other states after months of heavy snow and rain have swamped grain bins and washed away cattle. The deluge has impeded crop shipments for U.S. grain traders and inundated roads and rail lines that companies including Hormel Foods Corp. and Tyson Foods Inc. use to move meat. Meanwhile the White River in South Dakota is in flood and has broken its banks.
Climate vs Lifestyle
A new study finds that the public won’t be willing to do the most important things necessary to cut their carbon footprint unless they are forced to through the introduction of new regulations.
Because household consumption and travel habits contribute 72 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a team of scientists asked urban residents in five European countries what they would be willing to do to combat climate change.
The lifestyle changes they said they would be willing to adopt would cut only about 50 percent of the emissions needed by 2030 to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
While those interviewed were somewhat more willing to change what they eat, such as consuming less meat, they were far less inclined to fly less and cut back on their vehicle use.
“We are entering territory that is very much taboo,” says one of the report’s authors, Benjamin Sovacool. “The things we may have to force or nudge people to do are more intertwined with identity. They are stickier, harder to change.”
The Svalbard 'Doomsday Vault' is succumbing to global warming
Just over a decade after it first opened, the world's "doomsday vault" of seeds is imperiled by global warming as the polar region where it's located warms faster than any other area on the planet.
Embedded deep in the permafrost of a remote island in the Svalbard archipelago, halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault was built to withstand the test of time - including climate change - and the challenge of any natural or man-made disasters.
Opened in 2008, the seed vault contains nearly one million packets of seeds, all carefully labeled. The seeds come from almost every country in the world and are a vast sampling of unique varieties of major African and Asian food staples such as maize, rice, wheat, cowpea, and sorghum to European and South American varieties of lettuce, eggplant, squash, and potatoes.
The seed vault was built to be indestructible but in May of 2017, soaring Arctic temperatures, coming at the end of the world's hottest year on record proved the scientists to be wrong. The extreme temperatures and rainfall started thawing the permafrost deep inside the mountain where the vault is located.
A 105-page report based on research published by the Norwegian Centre for Climate Services (NCCS) released this year, revealed that the islands that make up the Svalbard archipelago where the Seed Vault is located are experiencing rapid warming.
The thawing permafrost, once as hard as rock, has made the ground unstable, causing great cracks to form in buildings and structures to sink.
Zambia’s Looming Hippo Cull
Wildlife advocates have slammed Zambia’s plan to slaughter 2,000 hippopotamuses beginning in May because officials claim the herbivores’ habitat can’t sustain the current population.
Hippos are listed as “vulnerable,” with only 115,000-130,000 living in the wild.
The conservation group Born Free says Zambia is overstating the country’s hippo population to justify the cull, which will be carried out by trophy hunters who pay to kill the semi-aquatic animals.
“Hippo lives are on the line in order to line the pockets of a few hunting operators and government officials,” said Born Free’s president, Will Travers.
Amphibian-Killing Invasive Fungus Causes Record Wildlife Loss
The chytrid fungus has hit 500 species of amphibians, driving dozens to extinction in recent decades
A fungus that kills amphibians by invading their skin has become one of the most destructive invasive species ever recorded, a new research report says.
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a type of chytrid fungus, has caused declines in 500 amphibian species and driven dozens of them to extinction, according to the report, published Thursday in Science. This is the first time scientists have taken global stock of the problem.
The creeping destruction of B. dendrobatidis (commonly known as Bd) was first noticed in the 1980s, and identified and named in the 1990s. The spores of the fungus infect amphibian skin, causing it to harden and slough off. Because amphibians drink through their skin, the resulting disease (called chytridiomycosis) disrupts their hydration and electrolyte balance, killing them.
The researchers found Bd caused declines in 500 amphibian species, 90 of which are now extinct in the wild. Another 124 have lost more than 90 percent of their population.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Diffa, Niger.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 99.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 72.8 degrees Celsius) at Russia’s Vostok base, 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.
Dolphins - Health Sentinels
The brains of dead dolphins recently found stranded on the beaches of Florida and Massachusetts contained the same amyloid plaques responsible for Alzheimer’s disease in humans, along with toxic contamination.
Researchers from the University of Miami and other institutions detected an environmental toxin in the brains of the marine mammals that is produced by green algae blooms, which are becoming more common in coastal waters worldwide because of pollution runoff.
Since the dolphins are considered a “sentinel species” for toxic exposure in the ocean, the scientists warn that the toxins from the algae could be triggering the same plaque buildup and contamination in human brains.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
From 1 through 28 February 2019, the National IHR Focal Point of Saudi Arabia reported 68 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 10 deaths.
Ebola - DR Congo - Update
The ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces saw a rise in the number of new cases this past week. During the last 21 days (6 – 26 March), a total of 125 new cases were reported.
Cholera - Mozambique
Cholera cases in Mozambique among survivors of a devastating cyclone have shot up to 139, officials said, as nearly 1 million vaccine doses were rushed to the region and health workers desperately tried to improvise treatment space for victims. Cholera causes acute diarrhea, is spread by contaminated food and water and can kill within hours if not treated. The disease is a major concern for the hundreds of thousands of cyclone survivors in the southern African nation now living in squalid conditions in camps, schools or damaged homes.
Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week of 20 March - 26 March 2019
Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that at 0018 on 21 March an event at Agung was recorded for 1 minute and 47 seconds by the seismic network. Weather conditions prevented visual observations of the summit. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) with the exclusion zone set at a 4-km radius.
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that during 18-22 March there were two events and one explosion recorded at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano). Plumes rose at least as high as 1.7 km above the crater rim. Small events occasionally occurred during 22-25 March; crater incandescence was visible at night on 24 March. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on satellite and wind model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 20-22 and 24 March ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 2.1-2.4 km (7,000-8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and visitors were warned to remain outside of the 2-km exclusion zone.
Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, observed explosions during 15, 16-19, and 21 March that sent ash plumes up to 4.5 km (14,800 ft) a.s.l. Ash fell in Severo-Kurilsk during 15-16 and 21 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Fuego | Guatemala : On 22 March INSIVUMEH reported that activity at Fuego had increased during the previous few days. There were 15-20 explosions per hour producing ash plumes that rose as high as 1.3 km above the summit and drifted 20-30 km E, SE, S, SW, and W. Ashfall was reported in communities downwind including La Rochela, Ceylán, San Andrés Osuna, Las Palmas, Siquinalá, and Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa (23 km SW). Shock waves vibrated residential structures within 20 km. The explosions also caused avalanches of material from the crater that traveled down the Seca (W), Ceniza (SSW), Taniluyá (SW), Trinidad (S), Las Lajas (SE), and Honda ravines. In the evening on 21 March and early morning hours of 22 March lava fountains rose 350 m above the summit. During 23-26 March explosions occurred at a rate of 15-25 per hour, generating ash plumes that rose as high as 1.2 km and drifted 15-20 km W, S, and SE. Explosions sometimes vibrated nearby residences. Incandescent material was ejected 200-300 m high and caused avalanches of material that traveled down Seca, Taniluyá, Ceniza, Trinidad, Las Lajas, and Honda ravines, sometimes reaching vegetated areas. Ashfall as reported in areas downwind including Panimache I (8 km SW), Morelia (8 km SW), Santa Sofia (12 km SE), La Rochela, and San Andrés Osuna.
Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) : The Darwin VAAC reported that a minor ash plume from Ibu rose to an altitude of 2.4 km (8,000 ft) a.s.l., drifted about 17 km NE, and dissipated. An ash plume rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. later that day, and to 2.4 km on 23 March; both plumes drifted E. 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.
Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Karymsky was visible in satellite images on 17 March. The volcano was quiet or obscured by clouds on the other days during 15-22 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that during the previous several months monitoring data at Kilauea showed relatively low rates of seismicity, deformation, and gas emissions at the summit and East Rift Zone (ERZ) (including the area of the 2018 eruption). As a result, HVO lowered the Volcano Alert Level to Normal and the Aviation colour Code to Green.
Krakatau | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that a total of six explosions at Anak Krakatau were recorded on 18 March, with dense white plumes rising as high as 500 m from the summit. During 18-24 March no other plumes were noted although weather conditions often prevented visual observations. Events were recorded at 0301 and 0305 on 24 March, though ash plumes were not visible. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), and residents were warned to remain outside of the 5-km radius hazard zone from the crater.
Manam | Papua New Guinea : The Darwin VAAC reported that during 19-22 March ash plumes from Manam rose to an altitude of 4.6 km (15,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E and SE based on satellite data and ground-based observations.
Merapi | Central Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that the slow extrusion of a lava dome in Merapi’s summit crater continued during 17-24 March. By 21 March the lava dome had grown to an estimated size of 472,000 cubic meters based on analyses of drone footage. There were no apparent morphological changes; most of the extruded lava fell into the upper parts of the Gendol River drainage on the SE flank. Block-and-ash flows traveled as far as 1,500 m down the Gendol drainage during 18-19 and 23 March. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and residents were warned to remain outside of the 3-km exclusion zone.
Rincon de la Vieja | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that a small event at Rincón de la Vieja was recorded at 1851 on 19 March.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch’s lava dome was identified daily in satellite images during 15-22 March. Strong gas-and-steam emissions containing variable amounts of ash rose 3.5-4 km (11,500-13,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 105 km E during 15-17 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that crater incandescence at Suwanosejima’s Ontake Crater was visible at night during 22 15-22 March. Small events were occasionally recorded, generating plumes that rose as high as 600 m above the crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a 5-level scale).
Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported a period of continuous emissions from Turrialba during 20-22 March. The emissions were characterized as white water vapor plumes with periodic pulses of diffuse ash rising 300 m above the vent rim and drifting W and SW. A sulfur odor was noted in Tierra Blanca de Cartago on 22 March. Only water vapor plumes with a low concentration of magmatic gases were visible during 23-26 March.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.
5.2 earthquake hits New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.2 earthquake hits the Andaman Islands off India.
5.2 earthquake hits the Xinjiang-Qinghai border, China.
5.0 earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 570 nm east of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking south-southeastward at 04 knots.
Wildfires - Portugal
Hundreds of Portuguese firefighters struggled on Wednesday to contain wildfires which erupted far earlier in the season than usual because of unexpectedly hot and windy weather. Ten fires were burning across the country, most in the north, several months before the late spring season when fire crews are normally in place.
African Swine Fever - Vietnam
The Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture reported this week (computer translated) on three additional provinces having reported African swine fever (ASF). This brings the total 21 provinces reporting cases in the past five weeks with 64,879 pigs affected. To date, ASF has mainly appeared on small farms where sanitation and biosecurity is not good.
Syphilis - Australia
A total of 1,372 cases of infectious syphilis were notified in Victoria, compared to 1,351 cases in 2017 and 1,134 cases in 2016. The majority of notified cases continue to occur in males with 73 per cent of males reporting male sexual partners as the source of infection. Thirty per cent of the cases among MSM were HIV positive and of these, 57 per cent were reinfections.
Measles - Brooklyn, USA
New York City health officials reported an additional 33 confirmed measles in the past week, bringing the outbreak total to 214 since October 2018.
Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever - South Africa
A Kimberley man is being treated for Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF), commonly known as Congo fever, in the isolation unit at the Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe Hospital. Elliott is the second patient to be diagnosed with Congo fever in South Africa this year. The other case is in the Free State. It is thought he contracted the disease through a tick bite.
Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week of 20 March - 26 March 2019
Bezymianny | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that after a powerful explosive eruption at Bezymianny recorded on 15 March activity was characterized by growth of the W part of the lava dome, strong fumarolic activity, and dome incandescence. The Aviation Color Code was lowered to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-colour scale) on 21 March.
Tengger Caldera | Eastern Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 19-26 March ash plumes of variable densities and colors ranging from white to black rose as high as 1.2 km above the crater rim of Tengger Caldera’s Bromo cone. The ash plumes drifted in multiple directions. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and visitors were warned to stay outside of a 1-km radius of the crater.
Villarrica | Chile : On 20 March POVI reported that lava fountains at Villarrica were visible rising almost 50 m above the crater rim. They noted that, despite low seismicity, Strombolian explosions on 24 March ejected material more than 25 m above the crater rim.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.6 earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.
5.4 earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.
5.3 earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.
5.2 earthquake hits northern Alaska.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 171 nm east of Port Mathurin, Mauritius, is tracking eastward at 05 knots.
NewsBytes:
New Zealand - A woman has been found dead in New Zealand following a severe downpour that washed away a bridge and prompted a state of emergency in the South Island. A storm battering the region saw the Waiho Bridge, near the town of Franz Josef, destroyed by a torrential river on Tuesday night. Meteorologists have described the event as significant, even by the area’s rainy standards, with some parts struck by more than 800mm of rain in a once-in-a-century downpour.
Indonesia - Update - The Indonesian Red Cross is continuing search and rescue efforts in the wake of devastating floods that killed at least 113 people in the eastern province of Papua, with almost 100 still missing more than a week after the disaster struck. More than 11,500 people were displaced in flash floods and a subsequent landslide in the Sentani area of the provincial capital, Jayapura, earlier this month. As many as 94 people remain missing.
Global carbon emissions hit record high in 2018
Global energy-related carbon emissions rose to a record high last year as energy demand and coal use increased, mainly in Asia, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday (March 26).
Energy-related CO2 emissions rose by 1.7 per cent to 33.1 billion tonnes from the previous year, the highest rate of growth since 2013, with the power sector accounting for almost two-thirds of this growth.
The United States' CO2 emissions grew by 3.1 per cent in 2018, reversing a decline a year earlier, while China's emissions rose by 2.5 per cent and India's by 4.5 per cent. Europe's emissions fell by 1.3 per cent and Japan's fell for the fifth year running.
Carbon dioxide emissions are the primary cause of global average temperature rise which countries are seeking to curb to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 21s (Veronica), located approximately 123 nm northeast of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 08 knots.
Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 45 nm east-northeast of Port Mathurin, Mauritius, is tracking east-southeastward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Iran - At least 18 people were killed and around 100 others were wounded in flash floods in Iran's southern province of Fars, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Monday, following devastating floods in the north. State TV said several provinces were also on high alert for more imminent flooding because of heavy rain.
Wildfires - Indonesia
The total area lost to wildfires in Riau, a province of Indonesia, this year has increased to 2,719 hectares. The worst wildfires were recorded on Rupat Island, where peatland was on fire throughout February, causing thick smoke that spread to the city of Dumai on the Sumatran mainland.
Measles - Philippines - Update
In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in the Philippines, government officials have reported an additional 596 cases since the last update - 2 days ago.
Lassa Fever - Nigeria
Nigerian health officials reported 23 new confirmed Lassa fever cases in the past week, bringing the outbreak total to 495 confirmed positive since the beginning of the year.
Lassa Fever - Liberia
Cumulatively, 16 cases including four deaths have been confirmed since the beginning of 2019.
Plague - DR Congo
The DRC Ministry of Health reported four deceased suspected cases of pneumonic plague identified retrospectively in the same family from Atungkulei Village, Mahagi District, Ituri Province. The cases are epidemiologically linked to those in Uganda.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.1 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits offshore Oaxaca, Mexico.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 21s (Veronica), located approximately 203 nm northeast of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking west-northwestward at 04 knots.
Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 331 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking east-southeastward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Iran - Massive floods in northern Iran over the weekend were so severe that the armed forces and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were deployed to deal with the crisis. Up to 400 villages in Golestan and 200 in Mazandaran were reported to be without power. Some of the villages received assistance in recent days, and 7,000 people were said to have received emergency accommodations.
Australia - Veronica was a category four on Saturday before making landfall on Sunday, bringing destructive winds that downed trees and damaged roofs, heavy rain that caused flooding and a storm surge that eroded beaches.
Wayward Gorillas
Australian scientists believe they know why the endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park are leaving the reserve to raid nearby eucalyptus plantations, causing conflict with the human population.
It had been thought that the gorillas made the regular forays into the nearby farms only because the plants there were richer in protein and more digestible than what is available in the park.
But researchers from the University of Western Australia found that the eucalyptus bark is rich in salt, which the gorillas crave and will go out of their way to get.
Billion Volt Storm
The most powerful thunderstorm on record, with an electric potential of 1.3 billion volts, has been measured by scientists from Japan and India.
They made the novel discovery by using a muon telescope located in Southern India to estimate the intensity of the record storm by measuring the flow of the high-energy muon particles it blocked.
Muons are subatomic particles that rain down after being created when cosmic rays collide with Earth’s upper atmosphere.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.1 earthquake hits Colombia.
6.0 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.4 earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.3 earthquake hits near the coast of Nicaragua.
5.0 earthquake hits the Carlsberg ridge.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 21s (Veronica), located approximately 231 nm east-northeast of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking south-southeastward at 04 knots.
Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 311 nm northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking northward at 02 knots.
NewsBytes:
Mozambique - Update - Mozambique reported scores more deaths on Saturday from a cyclone and floods around southern Africa that have killed at least 732 people and left thousands in desperate need of help, many on rooftops and trees. Cyclone Idai lashed the Mozambican port city of Beira with wind s of up to 170 kilometres per hour (105 miles per hour) last week, then moved inland to Zimbabwe and Malawi, swamping populations and devastating homes. In all three countries, survivors have been digging through rubble to search for victims, and scrambling for shelter, food and water, while governments and aid agencies rush in help.
Illinois, USA - Floods hit hundreds of homes, businesses in northern Illinois. Emergency responders continue to monitor flooding in Winnebago and Stephenson counties as river levels slowly recede and the recovery process begins. The Rock River was at moderate flood stage Friday afternoon in Rockton and Machesney Park after cresting above major flood stage levels on Monday. Flooding affected 502 homes and businesses in Winnebago County and 316 of them are in Machesney Park.
Wildfires - Florida, USA
Firefighters were continuing late Friday afternoon to battle two wildfires that began Thursday on the Eglin Air Force base’s test ranges in Santa Rosa County and had consumed a total of 2,400 acres as of the last report from Eglin’s Wildland Support Branch.
Ebola - DR Congo - Update
Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) reported two additional Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases Thursday, bringing the cumulative number of cases is 993, since the beginning of the epidemic. The two new confirmed cases were reported in Mandima and Masereka. In addition, seven new EVD fatalities were reported bringing that total to 621.
Dengue Fever - Reunion - Update
During the most recent reportable week, health officials saw another 566 confirmed cases with the most activity reported in The Saint-Louis River, St. Louis and St. Peter’s communes.
Typhoid Fever - Philippines
Health officials in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) on Luzon island, Philippines are reporting an increase in typhoid in the region. According to the Department of Health-CAR, 681 cases were recorded in the first quarter of 2019
Dengue Fever - Philippines
The Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) reports some 5,616 cases of dengue fever with 18 deaths in the region through March 16, 2019.
Cholera - Mozambique
Cholera cases were reported on Friday in the Mozambican city of Beira, adding a risk of deadly illnesses for hundreds of thousands of people who are scrambling for shelter, food and water after catastrophic flooding in southern Africa caused by Cyclone Idai.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits southwest of Africa.
5.1 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.1 earthquake hits the Andaman Islands off India.
5.0 earthquake hits the Samoa Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the Maug Islands in the North Mariana Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 20p (Trevor), located approximately 438 nm east-southeast of Darwin, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 10 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 21s (Veronica), located approximately 260 nm northeast of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking south-southeastward at 03 knots.
Tropical cyclone 22s (Joaninha), located approximately 823 nm southwest of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 04 knots.
Everest's melting glaciers reveal bodies of dead climbers
Glaciers on Mount Everest have been melting at a rapid pace over the past few years. Now authorities have begun removing some of the estimated hundreds of bodies that once lay buried beneath the ice, and they say more and more have begun to emerge because of global warming. Since 1922, when the first deaths on Everest were recorded, more than 200 mountaineers have died on the peak.
Florida’s devastating coral disease spreads
A devastating coral disease that started in the Miami area has spread to nearly all of the Florida reef tract and the infection known as stony coral tissue loss disease can now even be found as far away in the Caribbean as Mexico, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, the U.S. Virgin Islands and St. Maarten.
Scientists have warned that nearly all individuals of certain coral species have died from the disease and that “in some areas, this is essentially equivalent to local extinction, an ecological extirpation of those species.”
Measles - Philippines - Update
Philippines health officials are reporting an additional 1571 measles cases during the past 5 days. From the beginning of the year through Mar. 19, 22,967 cases have been reported nationwide. In addition, the number of measles fatalities has risen to 333.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits the northern mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.1 earthquake hits Lake Rukwa, Tanzania.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 20p (Trevor), located approximately 109 nm north of Mornington Island, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 06 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 21s (Veronica), located approximately 185 nm northwest of Port Hedland, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 02 knots.
Tropical cyclone 22s (Twenty-two), located approximately 735 nm southwest of Diego Garcia, is tracking southeastward at 03 knots.
NewsBytes:
Mozambique - Rescue workers in Mozambique fear that thousands more may have fallen victim to floods which have left a 125-kilometre lake after the African country was hit by cyclone Idai. The storm made landfall near Beira on March 14, leading to storm surges and massive flooding, as well as a massive body of water in an area where hundreds of thousands of people live. In the Buzi region near the severely affected city of Beira, a lake 125 kilometres long and 11 metres deep has formed. In Beira's hinterland, river levels continue to rise due to prolonged rainfall. Thousands of people are believed to have sought refuge on rooftops and in treetops. In the inland province of Manica, more than 100,000 people are cut off from outside help because transport routes are destroyed. Cyclone Idai, a Category 4 storm, could be one of the biggest cyclone disasters south of the equator, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
Hydrogen Power
Stanford scientists have proven they can use solar power to convert salt water taken directly from San Francisco Bay to create hydrogen gas.
On a larger scale, the process could achieve a truly pollution-free and carbon-neutral energy source to power cars and other devices.
Current methods of splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen require the use of expensive purified water, which doesn’t corrode the electrodes that produce the splitting as does seawater at high voltages.
The researchers found that by using electrodes rich in negatively charged layers of nickel-iron hydroxide and nickel sulfide over a nickel foam core, the corrosion is significantly reduced.
Tiny Traveller
The epic migration of a tiny bird was tracked as it traveled 12,400 miles back and forth between Alaska and the Amazon.
Scientists from Canada’s University of Guelph say the 0.4-ounce blackpoll warbler is one of the fastest-declining songbirds in North America.
The record-holding bird was observed taking 18 days to fly from Nome, Alaska, to the Atlantic coast of the Carolinas, where it rested and fattened up for almost a month.
The bird then endured a nonstop 2.5-day flight across open water of the Atlantic toward its wintering grounds in South America.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Diourbel, Senegal.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 89.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 67.2 degrees Celsius) at Russia’s Vostok base, 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.
Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week of 13 March - 19 March 2019
Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that at 1827 on 15 March an explosive event at Agung was recorded for one minute and 23 seconds and produced a dense gray ash plume that rose about 1 km above the crater rim and drifted NNW. Minor ashfall was reported in the villages of Kubu (6 km N), Tianyar (14 km NNW), Ban, Kadundung, and Sukadana. At 0803 on 17 March an event was recorded for 39 seconds and produced a dense gray ash plume that rose about 500 m above the crater rim and drifted E. A second event began at 1030 and lasted about one minute and 16 seconds; a dense gray ash plume rose about 600 m and drifted E. At 0736 on 18 March an ash plume rose 1 km and drifted W and NW. Thermal satellite images continue to indicate hot areas in the crater on the previously-erupted lava surface especially near the flow margins. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) with the exclusion zone set at a 4-km radius.
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that incandescence from Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) was occasionally visible during 11-18 March. There were nine events and four explosions detected during 11-15 March ejecting material as far as 1.3 km. One of the events, recorded at 2323 on 14 March generated an ash plume that rose 3.5 km above the crater rim and ejected material as far as 1.1 km. During 16-18 March there were eight events and two explosions. Ash plumes rose as high as 2.7 km. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on satellite images, wind model data, and PVMBG observations, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 13-18 March ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.5-2.4 km (5,000-8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S, SE, and SSE. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and visitors were warned to remain outside of the 2-km exclusion zone.
Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, observed explosions during 8-10 March that sent ash plumes to 4 km (13,100 ft) a.s.l. Satellite images showed the ash plume drifting about 30 km ENE. Ash fell in Severo-Kurilsk during 9-10 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Merapi | Central Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that the slow extrusion of a lava dome in Merapi’s summit crater continued during 11-17 March. The volume of the lava dome had not changed since the last measurement of 470,000 cubic meters estimated on 5 March. There were no apparent morphological changes; most of the extruded lava fell into the upper parts of the Gendol River drainage on the SE flank. Block-and-ash flows traveled as far as 1,500 m down the Gendol drainage on 12, 15, and 17 March. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and residents were warned to remain outside of the 3-km exclusion zone.
Poas | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that on 18 March an event at Poás produced a plume with minor ash content that rose 200 m above the crater rim.
Popocatepetl | Mexico : CENAPRED reported that each day during 13-19 March there were 43-175 steam-and-gas emissions from Popocatépetl, some of which contained ash. Crater incandescence was visible most nights. A short period of Strombolian activity commenced at 0500 on 13 March and lasted for 15 minutes, ejecting incandescent fragments onto the E and SE flanks. An explosion at 0510 generated an ash plume that rose 1.5 km above the crater rim and ejected incandescent material 1.7 km away and onto the ESE flank. An ash plume from an explosion at 0730 rose 3.5 km and drifted NE. An explosion at 1430 on 14 March generated a dense ash plume that rose 5 km and drifted NNE. During an overflight of the crater on 15 March observers noted that lava dome #82 was gone, and that the inner crater was 300 m wide and 130 m deep. Explosions at 0255 and 0930 on 16 March produced ash plumes that rose 2-2.5 km and drifted NNE. Explosions were detected at 2206, 2321, and 2325. Gas, steam, and ash plumes from an event at 2138 on 18 March rose 4 km and drifted E. Incandescent fragments were ejected 2.5 km onto the flanks and set fire to some grasslands. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, Phase Two (middle level on a three-colour scale).
Reventador | Ecuador : IG reported that during 13-19 March periodic seismic data from Reventador’s network indicated a high level of seismic activity, including explosions, long-period earthquakes, harmonic tremor, and signals indicating emissions. Steam, gas, and ash plumes sometimes rose higher than 1 km above the crater rim and drifted W and NW. Incandescent blocks were observed rolling 500-700 m down the flanks on a few of the days. Inclement weather sometimes prevented visual observations.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch’s lava dome was identified daily in satellite images during 8-15 March. Explosions on 9 March generated ash plumes that rose to 11 km (36,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 375 km NNW, causing KVERT to temporarily raise the Aviation colour Code to Red. Forceful gas-and-steam emissions containing variable amounts of ash rose to 3.5-4 km (11,500-13,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E during 10-11 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that crater incandescence at Suwanosejima’s Ontake Crater was visible at night during 8-15 March. Small events were occasionally recorded, generating plumes that rose as high as 400 m above the crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a 5-level scale).
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.2 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.3 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.1 earthquake hits the Peru-Ecuador border.
5.0 earthquake hits the northern mid-Atlantic ridge.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 1026 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-southwestward at 04 knots.
Tropical cyclone 20p (Trevor), located approximately 350 nm northwest of Cairns, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 01 knot.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 21s (Veronica), located approximately 221 nm north-northwest of Port Hedland, Australia, is tracking south-southwestward at 05 knots.
NewsBytes:
Missouri, USA - A string of small Missouri towns prepared for the next deluge along the raging Missouri River on Wednesday after flooding wreaked nearly $1.5 billion in damage in Nebraska. High water unleashed by last week’s late-winter storm and melting snow has already inundated a large swath of Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa along the Missouri River, North America’s longest river. States of emergency have been declared in all or parts of the three Midwestern farm states. The Missouri River’s next major flood crest was forecast to hit St. Joseph, Missouri, at 6 a.m. on Friday and Kansas City, Missouri, 55 miles (88 km) to the south, about 24 hours later. Homeowners and businesses across Leavenworth County, Missouri, where 81,000 people were under a flood warning on Wednesday, were placing sandbags around property as they have watched the river rise over the last few days.
Troubled times for Namibian wildlife
There are worrying signs that Namibia’s legendary wild game numbers may be plummeting. Four years ago the Namibian Professional Hunters Association raised an alarm about the lack of huntable elephant bulls in the Caprivi region, where the number of communal conservancies had grown from one in 1997 to 15 today.
Professional hunters visiting the area are reporting that there is little wildlife left. The communities who notionally are supposed to manage the communal conservancies appear to be stripping the area of all wildlife for profit.
The loss of game has caused the lions to increasingly attack local farmers’ cattle and donkeys, which has led to widespread lion poisoning by the local population.
The authorities simply deny the reality blaming the lack of wildlife on the drought or on the racist attitude of hunters and the NGO’s reporting the situation. There would appears to be no concern on the part of the Namibian authorities for the preservation of the country’s natural resources.
Interesting Images
A group of Aussies spotted this behemoth on the beach and initially thought it was a rugged piece of driftwood. Upon closer inspection, however, they realized it was the body of an enormous, bony fish. It was later identified as an ocean sunfish, known to scientists as the Mola mola. These fish can grow up to 11 feet (3.3 meters) long and weigh up to 2.5 tons (2.2 metric tons).
Parrot Disease - Sweden
Swedish public health authorities, Folkhalsomyndigheten, is reporting an outbreak of psittacosis, or parrot disease, since November 2018. According to officials, some 60 cases have been reported from the regions of Västra Götaland, Kalmar, Jönköping and Skåne. This is the highest number of cases reported in one winter in two decades.
African Swine Fever - China
Reports are emerging that many outbreaks of African Swine Fever on Chinese farms are not being reported to the authorities. Many farms where outbreaks occur are selling on unaffected pigs, spreading the disease further. Other farms simply lack the capability to test for the disease. The large 10 000 plus swine producing units are not reporting disease outbreaks because it would have a detrimental effect on their share prices. Poor provinces are also under-reporting outbreaks because they lack the funds to compensate farmers for culled animals. It has been suggested that most large pig farms are infected. At present it seems unlikely that the authorities will manage to bring the outbreak under control.
Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week of 13 March - 19 March 2019
Barren Island | Andaman Islands (India) : Based on analysis of satellite imagery and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 14 and 16 March ash plumes from Barren Island rose to altitudes of 0.9 km (3,000 ft) and 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l., respectively, and drifted W and SW.
Bezymianny | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Bezymianny was identified in satellite images during 12-15 March, and intense gas-end-steam emissions continued to rise from the crater. Hot avalanches originating from the top of the lava dome were visible in webcam images at night. Late on 15 March KVERT reported that activity continued to intensify noting that the number of hot avalanches increased and ash plumes from the avalanches drifted about 100 km SE. The temperature of the thermal anomaly also increased. The Aviation colour Code was raised to Red (the highest level on a four-colour scale). Seismic data suggested that a powerful explosive eruption began at 0511 on 16 March. At 0530 webcam images recorded explosions generating ash plumes that rose as high as 15 km (49,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 10 km E. Thirty minutes later satellite images indicated continuing ash emissions rising to 15 km a.s.l. Ashfall was reported in Ust-Kamchatsk Village (120 km ENE) during 0650-0730. An ash plume, 79 x 65 km in dimension, was also identified drifting ENE. Strong explosions continued to produce ash plumes on 16 March, although they were lower-altitude (5-6 km (16,400-19,700 ft) a.s.l.) and had a higher concentration of ash. The plumes drifted E. By 0930 ash plumes were rising to altitudes of 4-4.5 (13,100-14,800 ft) a.s.l.; ash plumes drifted 100 km E. A large ash plume, 120 x 130 km in dimension, continued to drift E at an altitude of 15 km. The Aviation colour Code was lowered to Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale). By 1307 on 16 March satellite images showed ash plumes drifting 650 km E. The report noted that ashfall was likely occurring in Nikolskoye (370 km ESE) on Bering Island.
Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that during 8-12 March explosions at Karymsky generated ash plumes that rose as high as 4 km (13,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted about 100 km E. A thermal anomaly was visible on 10 and 12 March. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Kirishimayama | Kyushu (Japan) : The number of volcanic earthquakes below Shinmoedake (Shinmoe peak), a stratovolcano of the Kirishimayama volcano group, increased on 25 February prompting JMA to raise the Alert Level to 2 (on a scale of 1-5). The number of daily volcanic earthquakes decreased during 3-4 March, and each day through 18 March only a few were recorded.
Mayon | Luzon (Philippines) : PHIVOLCS reported that during 13-19 March white steam plumes periodically emitted from Mayon drifted mainly W and SW, and crater incandescence was visible nightly. Three phreatic events, recorded at 1510, 1518, and 1534 on 12 March, generated light-brown-to-grayish ash plumes that rose 500-1,000 m above the crater rim and drifted SW. Six phreatic events on 13 March, recorded at 0906, 0939, 0946, 0955, 1000, and 1059, produced ash plumes that rose 200-700 m and drifted W. A phreatic event at 1855 on 14 March generated an ash plume that rose 500 m and drifted SW. The Alert Level remained at 2 (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.
Tengger Caldera | Eastern Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 1 January-17 March plumes rising from Tengger Caldera’s Bromo cone were generally white to gray in colour, had variable densities, and rose no higher than 700 m above the crater rim. Tremor signals increased on 10 March and were accompanied by changes in the colour and height of the emissions. On 16 March a dense gray ash plume rose 1.5 km and drifted E, causing ashfall in areas both inside and outside the caldera. Two seismic signals indicating explosions were recorded around 1547 on 17 March. Periods of continuous ash emissions were observed during 17-18 March, with ash plumes rising as high as 1.2 km above the crater rim and drifting NE, N, NW, and W. At 1020 on 19 March a black ash plume rose 1.5 km and drifted E and NE. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4).
Villarrica | Chile : POVI reported that on 17 March sporadic Strombolian explosions at Villarrica ejected incandescent material about 25 m above the summit crater rim.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits western Turkey.
5.0 earthquake hits France.
As it gets hotter, and these wetlands get drier and saltier, they become less viable for birds raising chicks
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 972 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-southwestward at 03 knots.
Tropical cyclone 20p (Trevor), located approximately 325 nm northwest of Cairns, Australia, is tracking west-northwestward at 02 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 21s (Veronica), located approximately 263 nm west-northwest of Broome, Australia, is tracking west- southwestward at 07 knots.
Last Glimpse of Long-Tusked 'Elephant Queen'
An elephant matriarch in Kenya that recently died of old age was an impressive sight to the very end, thanks to a pair of tusks that were so unusually long that they resembled those of a woolly mammoth. The elephant, known as F_MU1, lived in Kenya's Tsavo region for more than 60 years.
F_MU1 died of natural causes, but big tuskers usually aren't so lucky, as their massive tusks make them targets for ivory poachers. In 2017, poachers killed and mutilated a big tusker named Satao II who was nearly 50 years old; one of the creature's tusks weighed 114 lbs. (51.5 kilograms) and the other weighed 111 lbs. (50.5 kg), The Guardian reported that year.
To date, only about 25 big tuskers remain in the wild.
Climate Change Linked To Declining Bird Populations In Idaho And Across Great Basin
A new study finds habitat for waterbirds has been declining due to climate change. Warmer temperatures and less precipitation are leading to a reduction in habitat which, in turn, has resulted in fewer waterbirds in the Great Basin.
Focusing on waterbirds – including ducks, geese and herons – the researchers looked at their presence along the Pacific Flyway, a major migratory corridor in the Western U.S. The scientists found significantly warmer temperatures and lower amounts of precipitation in the Basin over the last two decades. As it gets hotter, and these wetlands get drier and saltier, they become smaller and less viable for birds raising chicks.
UN global climate report restores hope, lays out roadmap
A new UN report on global climate change isn't quite as dire as one it issued last October. That special report on warming of 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius) showed that the effects of climate change could become catastrophic by 2040, at least 10 years earlier than scientists had predicted. Another report in December by private energy consulting group Wood Mackenzie showed that it's already too late to counter the worst effects of climate change.
The report lays out a roadmap for how to address critical problems, including air and water pollution, land and biodiversity degradation, and even antibiotic resistance.
It notes that water quality is getting worse, and that plastics are now found throughout every depth in all seven of the world's major oceans.
It warns, however, that "Time is running out to prevent the irreversible and dangerous impacts of climate change." In previous reports, UN climate scientists have identified 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit as the threshold at which global warming will endanger human and other life, as laid out in the Paris Climate Accord.
The latest report also warns of a "major species extinction event, compromising planetary integrity and Earth’s capacity to meet human needs" and notes that 29 percent of all land areas on the globe are already unsuitable for growing crops, and that deforestation is continuing. It notes progress, however, in the slowing rate of deforestation.
The report lays out plans to continue and expand such progress by involving community groups, scientists, academics, businesses, and authors to build the capacity to magnify change. It breaks down its findings into six major geographic areas, and notes that some regions will be especially hard-hit, including poorer regions of the world.
In North America, the report notes significant progress in energy usage and air quality, but says that high drinking-water quality is backsliding, and concerns of drought are growing. It also says that loss of biodiversity is a significant risk.
It points to stable or declining greenhouse-gas emissions in Europe, but says that higher emissions in Eastern and Southern Europe are offsetting that progress. Air quality is the largest concern in Europe, and the report says that "The region’s resource footprint is unsustainable, owing to its overuse of natural resources and its trading patterns with other regions. Ecological, societal and economic resilience will be negatively affected in coming decades by global megatrends that are largely outside the region’s direct control and influence."
Measles - Madagascar - Update
UN health officials reported an update on the measles epidemic in Madagascar recently and it shows that the number of cases has risen to 105,170 since September 3, 2018.
There were 634 reported deaths in health facilities and 567 community deaths including 114 measles-related deaths and 453 non-measles related death assessed by community workers. 70 percent of the deaths are of children.
Diptheria - Update - Venezuela
In Venezuela, the diphtheria outbreak that began in July 2016 remains ongoing. Through February 2019, Venezuela has seen a total of 2,726 suspected cases (1,612 confirmed), including 164 in 2019 to date. A total of 280 deaths were reported (17 in 2016, 103 in 2017, 150 in 2018, and 10 in 2019).
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits the Bouvet Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 1019 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 09 knots.
Tropical cyclone 20p (Trevor), located approximately 254 nm north-northwest of Cairns, Australia, is tracking westward at 04 knots.
NewsBytes:
Mozambique - The number of people killed in a powerful storm and preceding floods in Mozambique could exceed 1,000, the president said on Monday, putting the potential death toll greatly more than current figures. Only 84 deaths have been confirmed so far in Mozambique as a result of Cyclone Idai, which has also left a trail of death and destruction across Zimbabwe and Malawi, with vast areas of land flooded, roads destroyed and communication wiped out. The cyclone has also killed 89 people in Zimbabwe, an official said on Monday, while the death toll in Malawi from heavy rains and flooding stood at 56 as of last week. No new numbers had been released following the cyclone’s arrival in the country.
Indonesia - The number of people killed after torrential downpours triggered flash floods and mudslides that tore through mountainside villages in Indonesia's easternmost province has climbed to 79, with dozens of others missing, officials said Monday. On Sunday, the disaster-prone country was hit by an earthquake, triggering a landslide that hit a popular waterfall on the tourist island of Lombok, killing at least three people and damaging hundreds of homes. The worst-hit area from the flooding was Sentani subdistrict, where tons of mud, rocks and trees from a landslide on a mountain early Sunday rolled down to a river that burst its banks, sweeping away residents. Floodwaters and landslides destroyed roads and bridges in several areas of Papua province's Jayapura district following days of torrential rains, hampering rescue efforts.
Nebraska, USA - At least four people, three in Nebraska and one in Iowa, have died in the flooding. Cities across the Midwest are expected to see more rising water this week. More than 8 million people in 14 states from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico are under a flood warning. Seventy-four cities, 65 counties and four tribal areas have issued emergency declarations in Nebraska. Flood records have been shattered in 17 places across the state and rivers will likely break more cresting records this week.
Dead Whale Washes Ashore with Shocking 88 lbs. of Plastic in Its Stomach
A young Cuvier's beaked whale washed up dead on a beach in Compostela Valley in the Philippines, its stomach filled with 88 pounds (40 kilograms) of plastic bags.
Workers from the D'Bone Collector Museum Inc. in Davao City in the Philippines recovered the whale — a male — on Saturday (March 16) and later performed a necropsy. They found its stomach was packed with plastic bags — 16 rice sacks, four banana-plantation-style bags and some shopping bags. His stomach "had the most plastic we have ever seen in a whale”.
This isn't the first time a whale full of plastic has washed ashore. A dead sperm whale washed up in Indonesia last November with 100 plastic cups, four plastic bottles, 25 plastic bags and even a couple of flip-flops inside its stomach. The Cuvier's whale in the Philippines held seven times more plastic than that sperm whale
Around 8.8 million tons (8 million metric tons) of plastic get dumped into the ocean every year, according to a 2015 report by the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy. In particular, about 60 percent of it comes from China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Wildfires - Malaysia
Firefighters in Sarawak are battling bushfires that have spread in nine districts over the past 24 hours. Hotspots have been detected even in the night and pre-dawn hours, and firefighters are working hard to contain these fires. Many of these fires are caused by deliberate open burning to clear the land.
Measles - Ukraine - Update
The measles outbreak in Ukraine has topped 30,000 cases early into 2019. According to the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, 30,794 people – 13,825 adults and 16,969 children–have been affected through Mar. 14. In addition, a 9-year-old girl in the Rivne region died from complications of measles making her the 11th measles-related death.
Pork Tapeworm - Vietnam
An outbreak of the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, has affected at least 209 children from Thanh Khuong Commune in the northern province of Bac Ninh, Vietnam.
Foot and mouth disease spreads to the whole of the Korean peninsula
In the wake of the South Korean government’s battle to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease following an outbreak in three farmhouses in the cities of Anseong and Chungju earlier this year, North Korean livestock industry insiders have reported that Pyongyang is also struggling with a nationwide spread of the disease outbreak that began in the middle of January. Multiple sources across three regions of North Korea reported that foot-and-mouth outbreaks in their respective areas have led to the death of many work cattle on collective farms. The vast majority of collective farms lack appropriate supplies such as disinfectants and quicklime. They also lack an understanding of the disease itself and frequently expect the disease to resolve itself naturally while in quarantine.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.0 earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile.
5.0 earthquake hits the Sumba region, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Three), located approximately 170 nm east of Davao in the Philippines, is tracking westward at 16 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 1115 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-southwestward at 08 knots.
Tropical cyclone 20p (Trevor), located approximately 280 nm north of Cairns, Australia, is tracking westward at 07 knots.
NewsBytes:
Indonesia - Flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain in Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua have killed at least 58 people, injured dozens and displaced more than 4,000, authorities said on Sunday. A search for more possible victims was underway in the town of Sentani, which was hit by flash floods late on Saturday. Fifty-one people were killed and 74 injured there. Heavy rain caused landslides in the nearby provincial capital of Jayapura, killing seven there.
US detects huge meteor explosion
At about noon local time on 18 December, the asteroid barrelled through the atmosphere at a speed of 32km/s, on a steep trajectory of seven degrees. Measuring several metres in size, the space rock exploded 25.6km above the Earth's surface, with an impact energy of 173 kilotons 10 times the energy released by the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
The blast was the second largest of its kind in 30 years, and the biggest since the fireball over Chelyabinsk in Russia six years ago. It was 40% the energy release of Chelyabinsk, but it was over the Bering Sea so it didn't have the same type of effect or show up in the news.
A fireball this big is only expected about two or three times every 100 years.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits the Lombok region, Indonesia.
5.4 earthquake hits Mindoro in the Philippines.
5.2 earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.
5.2 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.1 earthquake hits Potosi, Bolivia.
5.0 earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Three), located approximately 30 nm west of Koror, Palau, is tracking westward at 08 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 450 nm southwest of Cocos Island, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 06 knots.
US wildlife officials move to strip grey wolves of protected status
US wildlife officials want to strip grey wolves of their remaining endangered species protections and declare the species recovered following a decades-long restoration effort.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service proposal released Thursday would put wolves under state authority and allow hunting in more areas.
Critics argue the move is premature, with wolves still absent across most of their historic range.
Government officials say their goal was to protect against extinction, not restore wolves everywhere.
Trapping, poisoning and hunting exterminated wolves across most of the Lower 48 early last century. They bounced back under federal protection, and more than 6,000 now live in portions of nine states.
Students Around the World Protest Climate Change
Thousands of school pupils worldwide have abandoned classrooms for a day of protest against climate change. India, South Korea, Australia and the US are among the countries where teenagers are already on strike.
The day of action is expected to embrace about 100 countries. The globally co-ordinated children's protests - promoted through posts on Twitter and other social media - have been going on for several months.
Wildfires - Spain
A cluster of wildfires in the countryside above Torrox in southern Spain are spreading rapidly towards numerous homes on the mountain above. A wildfire has also been declared in the Alpujarras. Thirty-five specialist forest firefighters are on the scene alongside one firefighting helicopter.
Wildfires - Malaysia
Approximately 100 acres of forested bush land have been razed in wildfires in the Kuala Baram and Miri districts. Five hotspots had been detected as of 5pm on Saturday (March 16). Meanwhile air pollutant levels in Sabah's state capital have hit the unhealthy mark as bush fires were reported around the city in the current dry spell.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.0 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.5 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.3 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.1 earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile.
5.1 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.1 earthquake hits Kepulauan Barat Daya, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.0 earthquake hits Pakistan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Three), located approximately 121 nm south-southeast of Yap, is tracking westward at 12 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 18s (Idai), has dissipated after making landfall in Mozambique, but is still expected to bring substantial rainfall across the area.
Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 269 nm southwest of Cocos Island, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 05 knots.
NewsBytes:
Mozambique - Update - Cyclone Idai dumped more water and brought destruction on areas where scores of people have already been killed and tens of thousands displaced by floods over the past week. Idai made landfall in Mozambique on Thursday evening, battering Beira, a city of around 500,000 people and a gateway for imports to landlocked countries in southeast Africa.
Zimbabwe - At least 100 people are missing in parts of eastern Zimbabwe hit by the peripheral effects of tropical cyclone Idai which has lashed Mozambique. Thousands of people have been affected, power cut off and major bridges flooded in parts of the Manicaland province which borders Mozambique.
USA - A harsh late winter storm broadsided a vast swathe of the U.S. agriculture industry this week as heavy snow closed roads and buried cattle in the Plains while excessive rain flooded Midwest farm fields and swamped grain elevators. A “bomb cyclone” hurled hurricane-force winds, sparked tornadoes and dumped heavy snow and rain across the Plains and western Midwest on its march across the United States this week. Recovery from the storm is expected to take days or weeks, if not longer. Prolonged supply disruptions could rattle cattle, hog and feed grain markets around the region and futures on the Chicago Board of Trade and Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The Nebraska Public Power District declared an "unusual event" at its Cooper Nuclear Station power plant on Friday due to the possibility of flooding along the Missouri. Workers filled sandbags along the river levee and procured other materials for flood protection, the agency said. It said the plant continued to operate safely and there was no immediate threat to plant employees or to the public.
Measles - Philippines
The Philippines government issued an update today on the measles epidemic situation in 2019. Through Mar. 12, 20,308 measles cases have been reported since the beginning of the year. In addition, the measles related death toll has reached 301.
Beware the Mosquito!
It has been suggested that the deadliest animal in the world is the mosquito. When it comes to killing humans, no other animal even comes close. According to the World Health Organization, about 725,000 people are killed every year by mosquito-borne diseases.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression (td) 03w (Three), located approximately 295 nm east-southeast of Yap, is tracking westward at 14 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 18s (Idai), located approximately 340 nm west-northwest of Europa Island, is tracking westward at 07 knots.
Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 1375 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 04 knots.
NewsBytes:
Mozambique - Update - Category 3 cyclone Idai has made landfall in Mozambique on Thursday evening, bringing with it high wind speeds of up to 224km/h and rain. There are reports of damage and power cuts as the tropical cyclone made landfall. The storm is expected to deliver a massive punch to the country when it hits, as pre-storm flooding in Mozambique has already killed 66 people. The cyclone is gathering strength over the Indian Ocean and is predicted to hit the country in the city of Beira in Sofala Province.
Malawi - The number of people killed in floods in southern Malawi has risen to 56, an official said on Wednesday, with the country now also on alert for an approaching tropical cyclone. Almost 83,000 people have been displaced since storms that began more than a week ago caused rivers to break their banks, leaving villages underwater, and knocked out power and water supplies in some areas.
USA - Numerous towns in Nebraska and western Iowa were inundated by rising floodwaters Thursday, and the flooding was blamed for at least one death. Residents across the region are being evacuated as levees break or rivers overflow their banks. Roads were closed across the state as they became impassable, and people displaced by the waters took shelter in hospitals, schools and other community buildings. Levels on the Missouri River will surge even higher in the next few days as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers tries to ease pressure from flooding by ramping up releases from Gavins Point Dam.
Glacial Break
The most significant glacial ruptures at Chile’s Grey Glacier in Patagonia since the 1990s saw two new icebergs break off in the last three weeks, sparking concerns that such ruptures are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
A larger break-off of glacial ice occurred in 2017. Scientists say recent above-normal temperatures and heavy rain could also be factors in the latest ruptures.
Primate Diversity
Increased contact with humans is causing chimpanzees across a wide range of their African habitats to lose their behavioral and cultural diversity.
Earlier studies found individual groups have unique characteristics, with behavior learned through interaction with others.
But researchers from the Max Planck Institute say that the chimps’ habitats are being lost to agriculture, plantations and human settlements. The nine-year study found that chimpanzee behavioral diversity was reduced by 88 percent when and where human impact was highest.
The illegal trade in African wildlife and poaching for human consumption of bushmeat are also threats to chimp diversity.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 116 degrees Fahrenheit (46.7 degrees Celsius) in Dampier, Western Australia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 79.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 61.7 degrees Celsius) at Russia’s Vostok base, 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.
Measles - Ukraine - Update
Ukrainian health officials reported an additional 2,235 measles cases in the past week, bringing the outbreak total for 2019 to 28,686. Since the beginning of the year, ten people have died from the complications of the measles.
Barmah Forest virus - Tasmania
A mosquito-borne virus outbreak has Tasmanian health authorities moving to try to contain its spread. People on the state's east coast in particular have been warned to protect themselves from mosquitoes after the confirmation of five cases of the Barmah Forest virus. Another two cases are being investigated. The Barmah Forest virus is related to Ross River virus and causes a similar illness.
Drug Resistant Bacteria
Analysis of sewage samples taken from 74 cities in 60 countries around the world reveals that drug-resistant bacteria are present in many healthy people living in those areas.
Scientists from the Technical University of Denmark found that the highest concentrations of such resistance was across a swath of South America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
North America, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand generally had the lowest levels.
The researchers say that poor sanitation and extensive use of antibiotics in the worst-affected areas are likely to be behind the growth in drug-resistance.
Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week of 6 March - 12 March 2019
Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that at 0452 on 4 March an event at Agung was recorded for just under three minutes and produced ashfall in Besakih (7 km SW) around 0615. No ash plume was visible although foggy conditions prevented views of the summit. An event that began at 0047 on 9 March lasted for 3 minutes and 50 seconds, and produced an ash plume that drifted E. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) with the exclusion zone set at a 4-km radius.
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that incandescence from Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) was occasionally visible during 4-11 March. Occasional small events and three explosions were detected during 8-11 March. Plumes rose as high as 1.9 km. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on satellite images, wind model data, and ground observations, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 5-9 and 11-12 March ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.4 km (6,000-8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted WSW, SW, S, and SE. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and visitors were warned to remain outside of the 2-km exclusion zone.
Karangetang | Siau Island (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 4-10 March a low rate of lava effusion continued at Karangetang’s Kawah Dua (North Crater) as evident by avalanches in the Malabuhe River drainage on the NW flank. White plumes rose as high as 500 m above the rims of the summit craters during 4-12 March. The Darwin VAAC reported that on 7 March an ash plume rose to an altitude of 2.7 km (9,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SW. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), and residents were warned to remain outside of the 2.5-km exclusion zone around the N and S craters, and additionally within 3 km WNW and 4 km NW.
Kerinci | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that at 1850 on 7 March a brown ash emission rose 150 m above the rim of Kerinci summit vent and drifted NE. Ash also drifted down the SE and E flanks. Another brown ash emission was observed at 1209 on 8 March rising 700 m and drifting W. Brown ash emissions at 1607 on 10 March and 0919 on 11 March rose 300 m and 500 m, respectively, and drifted NE. Seismicity was dominated by volcanic tremor during 7-11 March.
Manam | Papua New Guinea : The Darwin VAAC reported that during 5-6 March ash plumes from Manam rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E based on satellite data and ground-based observations. A significant thermal anomaly was also visible in satellite images, and seismicity was elevated.
Merapi | Central Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 1-12 March white-and-gray emissions of variable density rose as high as 1 km above Merapi’s summit. The volume of the lava dome was 470,000 cubic meters on 5 March, as estimated from drone photographs, and relatively unchanged from the previous weeks. There were no apparent morphological changes; most of the extruded lava fell into the upper parts of the Gendol River drainage on the SE flank. Block-and-ash flows traveled 500-1,900 m down the Gendol drainage on 2, 3, and 7. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and residents were warned to remain outside of the 3-km exclusion zone.
Nevados de Chillan | Chile : ONEMI and SERNAGEOMIN reported that an explosive event at Nevados de Chillán’s Nicanor Crater was recorded at 0845 on 8 March and was associated with a long-period earthquake signal. The explosion ejected and deposited material in areas around the crater, mainly to the N, and produced a plume that rose 2.7 km above the crater rim. The Alert Level remained at Orange, the second highest level on a four-colour scale, and residents were reminded not to approach the crater within 3 km. ONEMI maintained an Alert Level Yellow (the middle level on a three-colour scale) for the communities of Pinto, Coihueco, and San Fabián.
Poas | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that, although weather conditions often prevented visual observations of Poás during 7-8 and 10 March, gas plumes sometimes containing ash were observed rising as high as 500 m above the crater rim and drifting SW. A sulfur odor and ashfall were reported in Naranjo and Grecia (16 km SW).
Sabancaya | Peru : Instituto GeofÃsico del Perú (IGP) and Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico (INGEMMET) reported that an average of 15 explosions per day occurred at Sabancaya during 4-10 March. Long-period seismic events were recorded, and hybrid earthquakes were infrequent and of low magnitude. Gas-and-ash plumes rose as high as 2.8 km above the crater rim and drifted 20 km SW, W, and NW. MIROVA detected four thermal anomalies, and on 3 March the sulfur-dioxide gas flux was high at 3,360 tons per day. The report noted that the public should not approach the crater within a 12-km radius.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch’s lava dome was identified daily in satellite images during 1-8 March. Strong gas-and-steam emissions containing variable amounts of ash rose to altitudes of 3.5-4 km (11,500-13,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted about 50 km E on 1 March. On 9 March explosions generated ash plumes that rose 10-11.2 km (32,800-36,700 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 70 km NW and N, prompting KVERT to raise the Aviation colour Code to Red (the highest level on a four-colour scale). Early on 10 March the Aviation colour Code was lowered to Orange. Ash plumes continued to rise from the crater, to an altitude of 8 km (26,200 ft) a.s.l., and drift 375 km N. Later that day gas-and-steam plumes with some ash rose as high as 4.5 km (14,800 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 15 km NE. On 11 March an ash plume rose as high as 4.7 km (15,400 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 70 km SE.
Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that crater incandescence at Suwanosejima’s Ontake Crater was visible at night during 1-8 March. Small events were occasionally recorded, generating plumes that rose as high as 600 m above the crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a 5-level scale).
Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that during 9-12 March plumes of gas sometimes containing small amounts of ash rose as high as 1 km above Turrialba’s crater rim
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits the Island of Hawaii.
5.0 earthquake hits Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 18s (Idai), located approximately 221 nm north-northwest of Europa Island, is tracking westward at 07 knots.
Tropical cyclone 19s (Savannah), located approximately 1412 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 08 knots.
NewsBytes:
Mozambique - Update - At least 66 people have been killed and 141,000 affected after heavy rains deluged central and northern Mozambique. The government has decreed a red alert.
USA - A window-rattling late winter storm brought blizzards, floods and a tornado across more than 25 states Wednesday, stretching from the northern Rocky Mountains to Texas and beyond. Hundreds of drivers were stranded on Colorado highways, including 500 in the Colorado Springs area alone. Scores of motorists took refuge at truck stops in eastern Wyoming while blowing snow forced portions of major highways to close in Colorado, Nebraska and South Dakota.
Iowa, USA - An Iowa city has been evacuated and an interstate shut down as rain and melting snow flood the western portion of the state. Harrison County Emergency Management has ordered a partial evacuation of Missouri Valley. People south of Highway 30 and east of Interstate 29 — about 10 percent of the city — have been told to leave. Parts of Missouri Valley, which is about 22 miles north of Council Bluffs and has about 2,600 people, are already underwater.
Dire UN climate change report
Earth is sick with multiple and worsening environmental ills killing millions of people yearly, a new U.N. report says.
Climate change, a global major extinction of animals and plants, a human population soaring toward 10 billion, degraded land, polluted air, and plastics, pesticides and hormone-changing chemicals in the water are making the planet an increasing unhealthy place for people, says the scientific report issued once every few years.
The sixth Global Environment Outlook, released Wednesday at a U.N. conference in Nairobi, Kenya, concludes "unsustainable human activities globally have degraded the Earth's ecosystems, endangering the ecological foundations of society."
But the same document says changes in the way the world eats, buys things, gets its energy and handles its waste could help fix the problems.
The report details climate change impacts on human health, air, water, land and biodiversity. Almost all coastal cities and small island nations are increasingly vulnerable to flooding from rising seas and extreme weather.
A major species extinction event, compromising planetary integrity and Earth's capacity to meet human needs, is unfolding," the report says, listing threats to ecosystems, fisheries and other major systems. It notes conservationists are divided on whether Earth is in a sixth mass extinction.
People getting sick from diseases caused by antimicrobial resistant bacteria in water supplies could become a major cause of death worldwide by 2050, unless something can be done about it, the report says.
Land is getting less fertile and useful. The report says degradation "hot spots," where it's difficult to grow crops, now cover 29 percent of all land areas. The rate of deforestation has slowed but continues.
