Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.6 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.5 earthquake hits the Sunday Strait, Indonesia.
5.4 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.2 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.1 earthquake hits Atacama, Chile.
5.0 earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Laura is located about 315 mi…510 km sse of Lake Charles Louisiana and about 335 mi…540 km se of Galveston Texas with maximum sustained winds…110 mph…175 km/h. Present movement…nw or 310 degrees at 15 mph…24 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 13e (Thirteen), located approximately 1079 nm southeast of San Diego, is tracking north- northeastward at 04 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon (ts) 09w (Bavi), located approximately 2176 nm northwest of Kunsan AFB, is tracking northward at 12 knots.
NewsBytes:
Afghanistan – Afhanistan‘s National Disaster management Agency (ANDMA) reports flooding has affected eastern provinces of the country after heavy rainfall from 25 August 2020. At least 35 people have died in the floods.
Pakistan – Heavy monsoon rainfall has caused flooding and landslides in Sindh Province, Pakistan, including the provincial capital, Karachi. According the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) in a report of 25 August, heavy rainfall and ensuing flooding affected the districts of Mirpur Khas, Tharparkar, Karachi, Badin, Thatta, Hyderabad, Chhor and Tando Jam from 24 August 2020. Local media report around 300 were evacuated in Dadu and over 1,000 in Karachi district.
Kenya – At least 1,000 families have been displaced by flooding from Lake Turkana in northwestern Kenya. Meanwhile the Turkwel Dam is expected to overflow, with over 300,000 people facing evacuation. Recent water inflow into the lake has surged to unprecedented levels from 500m to 800m claiming the once dry beaches, hotels, homes, government offices and displacement of more than 1,000 households.
Alaska salmon getting smaller
Alaska salmon have gotten smaller in recent decades, a downsizing that appears to be largely driven by climate change and increased competition for food as hatcheries release some 5 billion young fish into the North Pacific each year, according to a study published this month by U.S. and Canadian researchers in the science journal Nature Communications.
Alaska provides the vast majority of the United States’ wild salmon, and their smaller size is reducing the number of eggs that these fish produce and their value to commercial and other fishermen.
That decline encompasses salmon runs all over the state but varies by species and region. Chinook returning across a broad expanse of western and northern Alaska were some 10% smaller than the average size before 1990. Meanwhile in southeast Alaska, sockeye salmon declined — on average — by only about 2%.
Many of these salmon appear to be returning from the ocean earlier to freshwater spawning grounds, and that’s why they are smaller as they reach coastal-area harvest zones.
Wildfires – Oregon, USA
Over the past week, thousands of lightning strikes have sparked more than a dozen large wildfires in Oregon.
Five fires are burning around the Warm Springs Reservation. They include the Lionshead Fire, the Green Ridge Fire, and the largest — the P5-15 fire. It has burned about 4,400 acres and is 30% contained.
Four other blazes are burning along the Blue Mountain range. And farther south, east of Burns, the Indian Creek Fire has consumed almost 50,000 acres.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Monkeypox – DR Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) saw another 1,000 total monkeypox cases in the past month, rising from 2,591 cases on July 5 to 3,567 on August 9, according to the World Health Organization. The monkeypox death toll in DRC has also risen to 132 through Aug. 9.
Poliovirus – Nigeria
Nigeria has been declared free of wild poliovirus as has the entire African continent, according to UN health officials.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Laura is located about 85 mi…140 km nw of the western tip of Cuba and about 680 mi…1095 km se of Lake Charles Louisiana with maximum sustained winds…65 mph…100 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 290 degrees at 17 mph…28 km/h.
Post Tropical Cyclone Marco is located about 60 mi…100 km s of Morgan City Louisiana and about 110 mi…175 km sse of Lafayette Louisiana with maximum sustained winds…30 mph…45 km/h. Present movement…w or 270 degrees at 10 mph…17 km/h.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon (ts) 09w (Bavi), located approximately 288 nm southwest of Sasebo, Japan, is tracking north-northwestward at 07 knots.
NewsBytes:
Thailand – One person has died after heavy rainfall and flooding which has affected wide areas of northern Thailand since 20 August. Thai Meteorological Department reports that Phrae, capital of Phrae Province, recorded almost 240mm of rain in 24 hours to 22 August 2020. The Yom river overflowed flooding areas of Muang and Sung Men districts in the province, while the Nan river broke its banks in Nan Province, where 1 person died. Thousands of homes have been damaged, along with wide areas of crops. Almost 40,000 people have been affected and 1,065 people displaced. Heavy rainfall also triggered a landslide in Muang Mae Hong Son district of Mae Hong Son province.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.5 earthquake hits the Peru-Ecuador border.
5.3 earthquake hits Costa Rica.
5.2 earthquake hits the Owen fracture zone.
5.0 earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 earthquake hits Lake Tanganyika, Congo.
Elephant-shrew Rediscovered After 50 Years
Conservation group World wide Wildlife Conservation (GWC) announced the rediscovery of the “romantically monogamous” Somali sengi on Tuesday. The elephant-shrew was on the organization’s 25 Most Preferred Lost Species record.
GWC introduced the 1st scientific documentation of a single Somali sengi in a variety of photographs showing the mouse-like animal standing on some rocks. The insect-eater has a trunk-like nose and is more closely linked to elephants than ordinary shrews.
The study group caught an elusive Somali sengi in a lure baited with peanut butter, oatmeal and yeast.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Shingella – China
Chinese health officials are reporting a shigellosis outbreak in Shou County, Anhui province. Some 493 cases have been reported since Aug. 20. At least 293 people were hospitalized. Officials suspect to outbreak is linked to flooding from the Yangtze River which polluted drinking water.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.3 earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 earthquake hits Malawi.
5.0 earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.
Two 5.0 earthquakes hit Vanuatu.
5.0 earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Laura is located about 175 mi…285 km ese of Cayo Largo and about 255 mi…415 km ese of the Isle of Youth with maximum sustained winds…65 mph…100 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 290 degrees at 21 mph…33 km/h.
Tropical Storm Marco is located about 115 mi…190 km sse of the mouth of the Mississippi river with maximum sustained winds…60 mph…95 km/h. Present movement…nw or 325 degrees at 10 mph…17 km/h.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon (ts) 09w (Bavi), located approximately 450 nm south-southwest of Chenhae, South Korea, is tracking northeastward at 07 knots.
NewsBytes:
Haiti and Dominican Republic – Strong winds of up to 85 km/h and heavy rainfall brought by Tropical Storm Laura have caused severe damage in Haiti and Dominican Republic, with at least 11 fatalities reported.
Chad – Flooding destroyed 230 homes and damaged around 100 others in the Dembé quartier in the 7th arrondissement of N’Djamena, displacing 1,502 people from 327 households. Three people died in the flooding.
Cameroon – In Douala, the country’s economic capital, flooding swamped the city’s roads and damaged bridges, causing widespread traffic disruption. The districts pf Makèpe Missokè, Bepanda and Mabanda were among the worst affected. Flooding also caused widespread material damages, including to hundreds of homes.
Wildfires – Redwood Damage, California, USA
California’s massive wildfires have burned more than 1,000 homes and buildings over the last week, destroying irreplaceable possessions and memories for some residents. At the same time, the fires are also threatening some of the state’s rare ecosystems and wildlife.
Biologists are watching closely as the blazes encroach on old-growth redwood trees in Northern and Central California, where some giants are more than 1,000 years old and are known by individual names. While some seem to have been spared, Big Basin State Park — the oldest state park in California — saw significant fire damage.
Still, biologists say there are reasons to be hopeful, because redwoods have incredibly thick bark that can withstand wildfires. Even fully charred trees can sprout again.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Lassa fever – Nigeria
On January 24, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared a Lassa fever outbreak. By May 10, the country had reported their 1,000th case–the largest Lassa fever outbreak ever reported in any country, ‘anywhere in the world’. Since early May, Nigerian health officials have reported 61 confirmed Lassa fever cases.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.0 earthquake hits the Pagan region in the North Mariana Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Laura is located about 95 mi…150 km e of Port au Prince Haiti and about 110 mi…175 km se of Cap Haitian Haiti with maximum sustained winds…45 mph…75 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 285 degrees at 18 mph…30 km/h.
Tropical Storm Marco is located about 185 mi…295 km nw of the western tip of Cuba and about 395 mi…635 km sse of the mouth of the Mississippi river with maximum sustained winds…70 mph…110 km/h. Present movement…nnw or 335 degrees at 13 mph…20 km/h.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon (ts) 09w (Bavi), located approximately 548 nm south-southwest of Chenhae, South Korea, is tracking northeastward at 07 knots.
NewsBytes:
Turkey – Four people lost their lives in floods in Turkey’s northeastern Black Sea region. 11 more are still reported as missing. Roads to 118 villages were closed. lood waters caused vehicles in Dereli to drift and buildings were also destroyed in the area.
China – Yangtze River’s fifth flood of this year has smoothly passed the Three Gorges Dam after pushing the reservoir’s water level to a record high. The water level at the Three Gorges reservoir started to recede after reaching 167.65 meters at 8 a.m. Saturday, the highest since the reservoir was built in 2003, according to the Changjiang Water Resources Commission.
Wildfires – California, USA
California firefighters had good weather on their side on Saturday as they battled wildfires that have torched nearly one million acres and forced the evacuation of more than 119,000 people from their homes.
East of Silicon Valley, the S.C.U. Lightning Complex group of about 20 fires — largely burning in less-populated areas — has grown to 339,968 acres and is now the second-largest in state history. It is 10 percent contained. The group of fires known as the L.N.U. Lightning Complex in Napa Valley — the third-largest in California history — has burned through 325,128 acres and consumed 845 buildings.
5 people are reported to have died in the fires.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Rabies – Colorado, USA
The Colorado Department of Agriculture has confirmed that a 3-month-old ram in El Paso county with neurologic signs tested positive for rabies at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment laboratory. This is the third case of rabies in domestic livestock in Colorado in 2020.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.3 earthquake hits Ascension Island.
5.2 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.1 earthquake hits the State of Yap, Micronesia.
5.0 earthquake hits Ascension Island.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Laura is located about 70 mi…110 km se of San Juan Puerto Rico and about 295 mi…475 km e of Santo Domingo Dominican Republic with maximum sustained winds…40 mph…65 km/h. Present movement…w or 280 degrees at 21 mph…33 km/h.
Tropical Storm Marco is located about 115 mi…185 km ese of Cozumel Mexico with maximum sustained winds…45 mph…75 km/h. Present movement…nnw or 335 degrees at 12 mph…19 km/h.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm (ts) 09w (Bavi), located approximately 282 nm west-southwest of Kadena AFB, Japan, is tracking north-northeastward at 09 knots.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Polio – Yemen
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) announced that a circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 1 (cVDPV1) outbreak has been declared in Yemen. Fifteen cVDPV1 cases were reported this week.
Chikungunya – Thailand
The Thailand Bureau of Epidemiology reported an additional 775 chikungunya cases in the past week, bringing the country total to 6,888 since the beginning of the year in 68 provinces. No fatalities have been reported.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.8 earthquake hits the Banda Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits Alaska.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Depression Thirteen is located about 305 mi…490 km e of the northern Leeward islands with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 285 degrees at 21 mph…33 km/h.
Tropical Depression Fourteen is located about 30 mi…45 km nne of Cabo Gracias a Dios on Nic/Hon border and about 240 mi…385 km ese of Isla Roatan Honduras with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 290 degrees at 12 mph…19 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 12e (Genevieve), located approximately 575 nm south-southeast of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 09 knots.
NewsBytes:
Vietnam -= Disaster authorities in Vietnam report that 7 people have died and 1 is still missing after heavy rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides. Some areas of Vietnam saw more than 300mm of rain in a period 16 to 19 August. Initial damage assessments suggest over 1,000 homes have been damaged, with more than 550 of them in Yen Bai.
Pakistan – Torrential rain and thunderstorms on 20 August caused damage and fatalities in Punjab Province, Pakistan. Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) reported that parts of the provincial capital Lahore recorded more than 200mm of rain in 24 hours on 20 August. Heavy rain was reported in other areas of the province, including the city of Hafizabad, which saw over 150 mm of rain during the same period. Several houses were completely destroyed, and roofs and walls of some buildings collapsed. At least 18 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents.
India – Heavy monsoon rains have flooded parts of India’s capital New Delhi and its suburbs, throwing life out of gear for millions of people, as the death toll from the annual deluge across South Asia rose to nearly 1,300. In New Delhi’s suburb of Gurgaon, dubbed the Millenium City, roads, underpasses and residential areas were flooded on Wednesday forcing power cuts in several areas. Rafts were put into action to evacuate people in some areas. The monsoon is vital to the densely populated region, revitalising land and waterways amid scorching summers. But it also causes widespread death and destruction.
Indian Ocean Oil Pollution
Wildlife experts say it could take decades for the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius to recover from the 1,000 metric tons of oil that spilled into its pristine waters from a grounded and off-course Japanese tanker. The vessel rammed into a reef and begin spilling oil faster than local volunteers and crews, some wading without protective gear, could halt its spread. But it was a losing battle for a country where tourism and fishing drive the economy. Its reefs, endangered animals and plants, mangrove forests and lagoons have already suffered a massive poisonous shock, according to Mauritian environmental scientist Adam Moolna.
Early Magpie Mayhem
A changing climate appears to be extending the season when Australia’s magpies swoop down and terrorize cyclists and pedestrians, according to bird experts.
While the aggressive birds, which swoop to protect their hatchlings, typically don’t begin calling for a mate until the last full moon of August, they have already been menacing the human population for weeks.
Behavioral ecologist Darryl Jones of Griffith University says that the early swooping is probably because the magpies were tricked into nesting early by recent warmer winters and erratic weather. Authorities warn not to make eye contact with the birds, to carry umbrellas and to walk not run in areas where magpies are nesting.
‘Unprecedented’ ice loss as Greenland breaks record
Scientists say the loss of ice in Greenland lurched forward again last year, breaking the previous record by 15%.
A new analysis says that the scale of the melt was “unprecedented” in records dating back to 1948. High pressure systems that became blocked over Greenland last Summer were the immediate cause of the huge losses.
Using data from the Grace and Grace-FO satellites, as well as climate models, the authors conclude that across the full year Greenland lost 532 gigatonnes of ice – a significant increase on 2012.
The researchers say the loss is the equivalent of adding 1.5mm to global mean sea levels, approximately 40% of the average rise in one year.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 130 degrees Fahrenheit (54.4 degrees Celsius) in Death Valley, California.
The official thermometer at California’s Death Valley measured an air temperature of 130 degrees Fahrenheit on August 16, which meteorologists say could be the hottest ever recorded on the planet. While a reading of 134 degrees was taken in Death Valley in 1913, recent studies suggest it was incorrect because of observer error. A 131-degree reading at Kebili, Tunisia, during July 1931 is now also suspected to be bogus. This summer’s mid-August heat also baked much of the western United States, triggering lightning storms that sparked a spate of destructive wildfires and blackouts across California.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 106.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 76.7 degrees Celsius) at the South Pole, 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 – USA
There were at least 77 large complexes of wildfires burning in 15 states across the country as of Tuesday evening.
Alaska
Number of fires: Seven
Acres burned: More than 26,000 acres
Cause: Lightning strikes have caused most of the 331 fires reported this year to date, according to the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center.
Arizona
Number of fires: 11
Size: More than 31,000 acres
Cause: A lightning strike caused the largest, the Cassadora Springs Fire, according to information on InciWeb Information System.
California
Number of fires: 25
Total size: More than 345,000 acres
Cause: The August complex, made up of 20 individual fires, was caused by lightning strikes in the Mendocino National Forest, according to information on InciWeb Information System.
Colorado
Number of fires: Five
Size: More than 135,000 acres
Smoke is covering much of Colorado, and the Denver metro area is under an air quality alert.
Cause: The Pine Gulch Fire, the largest burning now, was caused by lightning, according to an incident report on InciWeb.
Florida
Number of fires: One
Size: More than 100 acres
Cause: Unclear
Idaho
Number of fires: Two
Size: More than 490 acres
Cause: The cause of the Muldoon Fire, which has burned about 400 acres, is under investigation.
Montana
Number of fires: Three
Size: Almost 8,000 acres
Cause: The Bear Creek Fire was caused by lightning. It’s burned more than 7,500 acres.
Nevada
Number of fires: Two that are totally contained, meaning they are no longer spreading.
Size: They burned more than 14,000 acres before they were contained.
Cause: Lightning caused the Poodle Fire, which has burned more than 13,600 acres.
New Mexico
Number of fires: Two
Size: More than 2,600 acres
Cause: Lightning also caused the Dark Canyon Fire, which has burned more than 3,000 acres.
Oregon
Number of fires: Seven, with two contained
Size: More than 22,000 acres
Cause: The cause of the Indian Creek Fire is under investigation. It’s burned more than 14,000 acres.
South Dakota
Number of fires: One
Size: More than 500 acres
Cause: Unclear
Texas
Number of fires: Two
Size: More than 4,000 acres
Cause: Unclear
Utah
Number of fires: Four
Size: More than 1,500 acres
Cause: Unclear
Washington
Number of fires: Six
Size: More than 44,000 acres
Cause: The Taylor Pond Fire was caused by lightning, according to a Facebook post by the Southeast Washington Interagency Incident Management Team. It’s burned almost 38,000 acres.
Wyoming
Number of fires: 1
Size: More than 825,000 acres
Cause: The Waddle Creek Fire, on the border with Montana, is still under investigation, according to CNN affiliate KULR.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Diphtheria – Myanmar
Officials in Myanmar are reporting a diphtheria outbreak in eastern Shan State. Since the end of July, 36 cases of diphtheria have been treated at Kengtung People’s Hospital and five have died.
Ebola – DR Congo
The number of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases increased by seven, bringing the total to 96 cases reported (including 92 confirmed and 4 probable) in Equateur province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the Week 12 August 2020 – 18 August 2020
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that very small eruptive events at Minamidake Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) were recorded during 10-17 August. The daily sulfur dioxide emission rate was just over 1,000 tons/day on 13 August. During an overflight on 14 August observers noted that emissions were rising from multiple vents in the crater. 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 12-18 August ash plumes from Dukono rose to 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions. A discrete ash plume rose to 4.3 km (14,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W on 17 August; the event was associated with a summit thermal anomaly. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was 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 on 7, 9, 11, and 13 August that sent ash plumes up to 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W, S, and E. Ashfall was reported in Severo-Kurilsk on 9 August. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was identified in satellite images on 7 and 10 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 12-14 and 16-17 August ash plumes rose 200-800 m above Ibu’s summit and drifted N, W, and S. Weather conditions sometimes prevented visual observations of the summit. 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 : Based on satellite and wind model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 16 August an ash plume from Kadovar rose to an altitude of 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW.
Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Karymsky was identified in satellite images on 7 and 10 August; weather clouds prevented views of the volcano on the other days during 7-14 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Kerinci | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that at 1602 on 12 August a brown ash emission from Kerinci rose 1 km above the summit and drifted NE, E, and SE. At 1225 on 13 August and 0731 on 15 August brown ash emissions rose 600-800 m and drifted ENE and NW, respectively. On 16 August brown emissions rose 300-500 m and drifted W. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to remain outside of the 3-km exclusion zone.
Nishinoshima | Japan : Based on satellite data, the Tokyo VAAC reported that during 12-18 August ash plumes from Nishinoshima rose to 2.4-5.5 km (8,000-18,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE, NW, W, and SW.
Reventador | Ecuador : IG reported that a high level of activity continued to be recorded at Reventador during 11-17 August. Gas, steam, and ash emissions observed sometimes multiple times a day with the webcam or reported by the Washington VAAC rose as high as 1 km above the summit crater and drifted NW and W. Cloudy weather sometimes prevented views of the volcano. Incandescent blocks rolled 500-700 m down mainly the NE and E flanks during 12-13 and 15-16 August. A lava flow traveled 200 m down the NE flank on 13 August. The flow lengthened to 300 m by 15 August and remained active, though did not advance, through 18 August. A small pyroclastic flow descended the NE flank during 15-16 August.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 7-14 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Semeru | Eastern Java (Indonesia) : The Darwin VAAC reported, based on satellite images and weather models, that on 14 and 16 August ash plumes from Semeru rose to an altitude of 4 km (13,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W and WSW. A thermal anomaly was visible on 16 August. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4).
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits Alaska.
5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits near the west coast of Colombia.
5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands off India.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Depression Thirteen is located About 905 mi…1455 km e of the northern Leeward islands with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 295 degrees at 21 mph…33 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Hurricane 12e (Genevieve), located approximately 729 nm south-southeast of San Diego, is tracking north-northwestward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Cameroon – Heavy rainfall at the end of July caused widespread flooding in seven districts of Mayo-Danay division, Far North (Extrême-Nord) region. According to the Cameroonian Red Cross, 5,553 people, including 1,260 children under five years old and 407 individuals with special needs have lost their shelter, personal belongings, livestock and field crops.
Uganda – Red Cross in Uganda reported that flash flooding caused severe damaged in Kasitu Sub County, Bundibugyo district early on 19 August, 2020. Heavy rainfall during the early hours of 19 August caused several local rivers to break their banks. Local officials said at least 800 homes were damaged, along with crops, roads and bridges. One person was missing, later found dead, after floods in Ntandi trading centre, Kasitu Sub County, Bundibugyo district.
Nepal – Authorities in Nepal report that at least 6 people have died and more are missing after flooding western parts of the country. A small stream broke its banks in Ramaroshan Rural Municipality, Achham district in Sudurpashchim Province, late on 18 August, 2020. Flash flooding swept away 22 houses. The bodies of 6 people have been found, while 11 more are thought to be missing. Three people were injured in the incident.
Australia – Damaging winds, dust storms and small bushfires have broken out across New South Wales and one person has been injured after scaffolding collapsed in Gosford during high winds.
Interesting Images
The picture, which was captured by an astronaut on the International Space Station, shows the exact moment when Aurora meets airglow above the Earth before dawn.
Wildfires – Australia
Nine small bushfires broke out across New South Wales marking the first fires of the season. The largest fire, at Duranbah in the Tweed Council, was 164 hectares in size and out of control at 4.30pm.
Similarly in Queensland, bushfire season has been sparked by strong winds and dry conditions, with three blazes burning across the state today.
Wildfires – California, USA
Crews were battling wildfires in the San Francisco Bay Area and thousands of people were under orders to evacuate Wednesday as hundreds of wildfires blazed across the state amid a blistering heat wave now in its second week.
Gov. Gavin Newsom blamed “this extraordinary weather we’re experiencing and all of these lightning strikes” for 367 known fires, including 23 major fires or groups of fires. He said the state has recorded nearly 11,000 lightning strikes in 72 hours.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the Week 12 August 2020 – 18 August 2020
Manam | Papua New Guinea : The Darwin VAAC reported that on 16 August ash plumes from Manam rose 2.1-4.3 km (7,000-14,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W and NW.
Raung | Eastern Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that gray emissions rose 200 m above Raung’s summit and drifted S during 11-12 August. White plumes rose as high as 100 m and drifted N and S on a few days during 13-18 August; weather conditions sometimes prevented visual observations. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to remain outside of the 2-km exclusion zone.
Sinabung | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that white-and-gray plumes rose 200 m above Sinabung’s summit and drifted E and SE on 12 August. A series of seven eruptions late on 13 August generated ash plumes that rose as high as 2 km and drifted E, SE, and S. The first event, at 0607, lasted for 12 minutes and produced an ash plume that rose 2 km according to BNPB. Seismicity was dominated by continuous tremor during the series. Eruptive events at 1030, 1425, and 1455 on 14 August produced ash plumes that rose as high as 2.1 km and drifted SSE and ESE. An ash plume from an event at 1656 rose 4.2 km and drifted E. At 1724 on 17 August an ash plume rose 1.5 km and drifted SE. Ash plumes rose as high as 2 km on 18 August. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4), with a general exclusion zone of 3 km and extensions to 5 km on the SE sector and 4 km in the NE sector.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.9 earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.
6.8 earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits Alaska.
5.0 earthquake hits Fiji.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Hurricane 12e (Genevieve), located approximately 877 nm east-southeast of San Diego, is tracking north-northwestward at 09 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm (ts) 08w (Higos), located approximately 57 nm west of Hong Kong, is tracking northwestward at 10 knots.
NewsBytes:
China – Heavy rain affected Sichuan Province in South West China from 15 August, causing flooding along the Yangtze river and its tributaries, and resulting in the evacuation of over 200,000 people. Authorities say the Three Gorges Dam is facing the most severe floods since it was built. In a statement last week, the country’s Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) said that 219 people have died or are missing and over 63.4 million have been affected due to floods since June.
Bangladesh – In a report of 19 August, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said that over 220 people have died and over 167,000 families remain displaced after this year’s monsoon flooding in Bangladesh. More than 1.27 million houses have been partially or fully damaged by the floods and over 167,000 families remain displaced. In addition, over 170,000 hectares of agricultural land have been affected.
Asteroid Close Shave
An asteroid the size of an SUV passed 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers) above Earth, the closest asteroid ever observed passing by our planet, NASA said Tuesday. If it had been on a collision course with Earth, the asteroid – named 2020 QG – would likely not have caused any damage, instead disintegrating in the atmosphere, creating a fireball in the sky, or a meteor, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said in a statement. The asteroid, which was about 10 to 20 feet (three to six meters) long, passed above the southern Indian Ocean on Sunday at 0408 GMT.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Ebola – DR Congo
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported one additional Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) case and an additional death, bringing the outbreak total in Équateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to 89 total cases (85 confirmed, 4 probable) and 37 deaths.
Dengue fever and West Nile virus – Florida, USA
In an update on the dengue fever situation in the Florida Keys, the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County reported three additional cases that were identified through retrospective case finding efforts. State health officials now report 46 locally acquired dengue fever cases.
Statewide, there are now a total of 35 West Nile Virus infections in 2020.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.6 earthquake hits Samar in the Philippines.
5.5 earthquake hits the southern mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.3 earthquake hits the southwest Indian ridge.
5.2 earthquake hits the northern mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.1 earthquake hits Baja California.
5.0 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits the D’Entrecasteaux Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Hurricane 12e (Genevieve), located approximately 1100 nm southeast of San Diego, is tracking northwestward at 16 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm (ts) 08w (Higos), located approximately 82 nm south-southeast of Hong Kong, is tracking west-northwestward at 08 knots.
NewsBytes:
India – Heavy rainfall has triggered flooding in several districts of the state of Telangana, southern India, forcing hundreds to leave their homes for safer ground. The Hyderabad, Telangana office of the India Meteorological Department reported 17 locations in the state saw more than 100mm of rain in 24 hours to 16 August. Eturnagaram in Mulugu district recorded 147.2 mm and Parkal in Warangal district recorded 138.6mm. Flooding has worsened in Telangana state in southern India. Meanwhile the neighbouring state of Andhra Pradesh has also seen flooding over recent days. Almost 15 million people have been affected and around 850 people have lost their lives as a result of this year’s monsoon in India, according to figures from the Ministry of Home Affairs Disaster Management Division.
Vast, Growing Anomaly in Earth’s Magnetic Field
NASA is actively monitoring a strange anomaly in Earth’s magnetic field: a giant region of lower magnetic intensity in the skies above the planet, stretching out between South America and southwest Africa.
This vast, developing phenomenon, called the South Atlantic Anomaly, has intrigued and concerned scientists for years, and perhaps none more so than NASA researchers. The space agency’s satellites and spacecraft are particularly vulnerable to the weakened magnetic field strength within the anomaly, and the resulting exposure to charged particles from the Sun.
Wildfires – Arizona, USA
Approximately1,600 wildfires have burned more than 700,000 acres across Arizona since the beginning of the year — amounting to more land burned than in both 2018 and 2019 combined.
Not only has 2020 been plagued with more fires, according to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, but the blazes have also been larger and more aggressive.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Plague – California, USA
El Dorado County health officials have been notified by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for plague. This is the first case in California in five years.
Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever – Senegal
On Aug. 12, health officials reported a Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) in Senegal. The case was detected as part of the epidemiological surveillance system in the country.
Rabies in Elephants – India
Some 16 elephants have died from rabies in the past 3 weeks at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, India, according to Times Now News report. According to Park Director P.Shivkumar, the domestic elephants contracted the lethal virus from wild foxes in the park that are biting the animals. This has prompted a massive anti-rabies vaccination drive.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits southern Greece.
5.4 earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits Ceram, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 11e (Fausto), located approximately 679 nm south-southwest of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 15 knots.
Tropical storm 12e (Genevieve), located approximately 1480 nm southeast of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 16 knots.
NewsBytes:
India – Heavy rainfall in the state of Rajasthan, northern India, caused flash floods in the city of Jaipur, where 3 people have died. Flood waters raged through the narrow streets of Jaipur. Roads were swamped and traffic brought to a standstill. Flooding damaged homes in low-lying areas of the city. Around 3,000 people were rescued from flooded areas and moved to safer ground by rescue teams.
Wildfires – Colorado
Four major wildfires are burning in Colorado.
Grizzly Creek Fire: Acreage: 19,440 – Containment: 0%
Pine Gulch Fire: Acreage: 74,807 – Containment: 7%
Cameron Peak Fire: Acreage: 5,424 – Containment: Unknown
Williams Fork Fire: Acreage: 1,300 – Containment: 0%
Wildfires – California
A rare summer thunderstorm brought lightning that sparked several small blazes in Northern California on Sunday and stoked a huge wildfire that has forced hundreds of people from their homes north of Los Angeles. More than 4,500 buildings remained threatened by the fire burning toward thick, dry brush in the Angeles National Forest.
Meanwhile the Lake Fire was just 12% contained Sunday and has burned nearly 28 square miles of brush and trees. Fire officials said 33 buildings had been destroyed, including at least a dozen homes.
Unsettling weather triggered an unusual warning by the weather service of a fire-induced tornado at an out-of-control forest fire that broke out north of Lake Tahoe on Saturday afternoon. The fire has burned at least 45 square miles and triggered evacuation orders for sparsely populated communities along State Route 395 by the California-Nevada border.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Plague – Mongolia
The Mongolia National Center for Zoonotic Disease reported an additional suspected human bubonic plague case in western Mongolia. The case is a 37-year-old man from Tsetseg soum, Khovd province and is currently hospitalized in critical condition. It is reported the patient ate marmot meat.
Eastern Equine Encephalitis – Massachusetts, USA
Massachusetts State health officials confirmed the second human case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) virus infection in a female in her 60s who was exposed to EEE in Hampden County.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits the Moro Gulf, Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.3 earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.
5.1 earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits Easter Island.
5.1 earthquake hits Kepulauan Sangihe, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits Easter Island.
5.0 earthquake hits the Batan Islands in the Philippines.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Josephine is located about 155 mi…250 km nnw of the northern Leeward islands and about 190 mi…305 km ne of San Juan Puerto Rico with maximum sustained winds…40 mph…65 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 290 degrees at 15 mph…24 km/h.
Post Tropical Cyclone Kyle is located aabout 545 mi…880 km sw of Cape Race Newfoundland with maximum sustained winds…40 mph…65 km/h. Present movement…e or 80 degrees at 20 mph…31 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 10e (Ten), located approximately 1283 nm east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, is tracking northward at 02 knots.
Tropical depression 11e Eeleven), located approximately 815 nm south of San Diego, is tracking north-northwestward at 10 knots.
The first undeniable climate change deaths
July 23 2018 was a day unlike any seen before in Japan. It was the peak of a weeks-long heat wave that smashed previous temperature records across the historically temperate nation.
The heat started on July 9, on farms and in cities that only days earlier were fighting deadly rains, mudslides, and floods. As the waters receded, temperatures climbed. By July 15, 200 of the 927 weather stations in Japan recorded temperatures of 35°C or higher. Food and electricity prices hit multiyear highs as the power grid and water resources were pushed to their limits. Tens of thousands of people were hospitalised due to heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
On July 23, the heat wave reached its zenith. The large Tokyo suburb of Kumagaya was the epicentre, and around 3pm, the Kumagaya Meteorological Observatory measured a temperature of 41.135°C.
It was the hottest temperature ever recorded in Japan, but the record was more than a statistic. It was a tragedy. Over the course of those few weeks, more than a thousand people died from heat-related illnesses.
Beavers Prosper in England
The growing number of beavers that have been making England’s River Otter their home since they began returning a few years ago have been told by officials that they can stay. It’s the first time a mammal extinct in England has been given government backing to be reintroduced.
Environment minister Rebecca Pow said that going forward, the dam-builders will be considered a “public good” and that farmers and landowners would be paid to have them on their land. There are now 15 beaver families living in the waterway, building complex homes known as lodges.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits Easter Island.
5.3 earthquake hits south of Bali, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 earthquake hits Timor, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits southern Peru.
5.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Josephine is located about 310 mi…500 km e of the northern Leeward islands with maximum sustained winds…45 mph…75 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 300 degrees at 15 mph…24 km/h.
Tropical Storm Kyle is located about 280 mi…450 km se of Providence Rhode island with maximum sustained winds…45 mph…75 km/h. Present movement…ene or 70 degrees at 21 mph…33 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 10e (Ten), located approximately 1308 nm east-southeast of Hilo, Hawaii, is tracking westward at 02 knots.
NewsBytes:
North Korea – Flooding caused by weeks of unusually heavy monsoon rain has killed at least 22 people in North Korea, with four others still missing. The floodwaters even approached the country’s main nuclear reactor but the leader Kim Jong Un says he is too worried about the coronavirus to accept outside aid.
Wildfires – Colorado, USA
Officials working on the Grizzly Creek Fire, which has now burned more than 13,000 acres near Glenwood Springs since it was first reported Monday afternoon, while the Pine Gulch Fire has burned 73 000 acres and was 7% contained.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Dengue Fever – Peru
In 2020, Paraguay has reported 220,050 dengue fever cases and 73 deaths, the highest number of cases in its history.
Chikungunya – Thailand
The number of chikungunya cases in Thailand has risen to 6113, an increase of some 400 in the past week.
Polio – Sudan
The Sudanese Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of poliomyelitis on Aug. 9 after the confirmation of two vaccine-derived poliovirus (cVDPV2) in South Darfur.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits off the coast of Jalisco, Mexico.
5.2 earthquake hits south of Tonga.
5.1 earthquake hits Tajikistan.
5.0 earthquake hits Tanzania.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Josephine is located about 680 mi…1090 km ese of the northern Leeward islands with maximum sustained winds…40 mph…65 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 300 degrees at 17 mph…28 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 10e (Ten), located approximately 1359 nm southwest of San Diego, is tracking west-southwestward at 04 knots.
NewsBytes:
India – As many as 25 people have now died in flooding in the state of Bihar in north eastern India. As of 13 August, 7.7 million people were affected by flooding across 16 districts of the state. Overall, 547,804 people have been evacuated during the floods. As of 13 August, 12,479 people were staying in relief camps.
Sudan – Flooding in Sudan has affected over 180,000 people across 17 states, with over 40 fatalities reported. Recent flooding began in the country after heavy rainfall in late July. Damage was reported in parts of Khartoum and a dam collapsed in Blue Nile state.
Yemen – Ongoing rain and flash floods in Yemen continue to cause casualties and damage. Reports suggest over 130 have died in the flooding since late July, with 35,000 families affected. There are also reports that flooding has moved landmines and other explosive devices into areas not previously contaminated. he recent spate of flooding began in the country after heavy rainfall in late July, damaging infrastructure, destroying homes and shelters and causing death and injuries. Marib, Hajjah, Raymah, Al Mahwit and Al Hudaydah governorates were particularly badly affected.
Europe – After days of high temperatures, heavy rainfall brought by summer storms has caused flooding and landslides in parts of the United Kingdom, France and Italy. In the UK, flash flooding was reported in Scotland after heavy rainfall 11 to 12 August, 2020. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it received more than 1,000 emergency calls due to the severe weather. Authorities in Fife declared a “major incident” after flash floods caused severe damage across the region. Evacuations were carried out after a landslide near Kinghorn. Some of the worst of the flooding was in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, where the heavy rain is also thought to have triggered a landslide near which derailed a train. Three people died and 6 were injured in the derailment. Thunderstorms in France caused flooding on 12 August in parts of the northern Normandy Region. Firefighters in the region carried out 464 interventions in the departments of Orne, Calvados and Seine-Maritime. The flooding has disrupted road and rail travel. Meanwhile officials in Italy report that 3 people died and 2 were injured after heavy rain triggered a landslide in Chiareggio, a small village in the Chiesa in Valmalenco municipality, Sondrio Province in the Lombardy Region on 12 August.
Warming Greenland ice sheet passes point of no return
Nearly 40 years of satellite data from Greenland shows that glaciers on the island have shrunk so much that even if global warming were to stop today, the ice sheet would continue shrinking.
The finding, published today, Aug. 13, in the journal Nature Communications Earth and Environment, means that Greenland’s glaciers have passed a tipping point of sorts, where the snowfall that replenishes the ice sheet each year cannot keep up with the ice that is flowing into the ocean from glaciers.
Climate change, not hunters, may have killed off woolly rhinos
Rather than getting wiped out by Ice Age hunters, woolly rhinos charged to extinction in Siberia around 14,000 years ago when the climate turned warm and wet, a study of ancient DNA suggests.
Numbers of breeding woolly rhinos stayed relatively constant for tens of thousands of years until at least about 18,500 years ago, more than 13,000 years after people first reached northeastern Siberia, scientists report online August 13 in Current Biology. Yet only a few thousand years later, woolly rhinos died out, probably because temperatures had risen enough to reshape arctic habitats. A shift to warm, rainy conditions, which occurred between roughly 14,600 and 12,800 years ago, likely played a large role in the rapid decline of this cold-adapted species.
Tropical Soil Leaks CO2
Tropical forest soil warmed in experiments to levels consistent with end-of-century temperature projections released 55 percent more CO2 than control plots, exposing a previously underestimated source of greenhouse gas emissions, researchers reported Wednesday.
Before humanity began loading the atmosphere with carbon pollution by burning fossil fuels, the input and outflow of CO2 into soil – one key element in Earth’s complex carbon cycle – remained roughly in balance.
Gases emitted by deadwood and decaying leaves, in other words, were cancelled out by microorganisms that feed on such matter. But climate change has begun to upset that balance, according to a new study, published in Nature.
In experiments, researchers placed heating rods in a one-hectare plot of undisturbed primary forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. They warmed the soil to a depth of just over one metre (three feet) by 4C over a period of two years. The findings shows an increase in in the release of CO2 of 55 per cent above the basal rates.
Weakening Current
The strength of the Florida Current, which marks the beginning of the Gulf Stream, has weakened in force to the lowest level of the past 110 years, according to new research.
The current flows between Florida and Cuba before becoming the Gulf Stream near the Bahamas.
While precise measurements of the current go back to only the early 1980s, scientists say they were able to determine its past strength by how it affected coastal sea levels in the region.
The study confirms earlier findings that show the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation is slowing down due to climate change. That complex of currents wields a key warming influence across the Atlantic to much of northern Europe.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.4 degrees Celsius) in Death Valley, California.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 108.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 77.8 degrees Celsius) at the South Pole, 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.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the Week 5 August 2020 – 11 August 2020
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that the daily sulfur dioxide emission rate at Minamidake Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) was 700 tons/day on 3 August. An explosion at 0538 on 9 August produced an ash plume that rose as high as 5 km above the crater rim; ejected blocks were not visually confirmed due to weather conditions. Ashfall was reported in areas N of the crater including Kagoshima City (about 10 km W), Kirishima City (20 km NE), Yusui Town (40 km N), and parts of the Miyazaki Prefecture and the Kumamoto Prefecture. After the explosion at 0538, smaller eruptions were intermittently detected through 10 August. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on satellite and wind model data, and information from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 5, 7, and 9-11 August ash plumes from Dukono rose to 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was 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 volcano, observed explosions on 30 July and during 1-2 and 6 August that sent ash plumes up to 3.5 km (11,500 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was identified in satellite images on 6 August; weather clouds obscured views on the other days during 1-7 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Etna | Sicily (Italy) : INGV reported that during 27 July-9 August activity at Etna was characterized by intra-crater Strombolian activity at Northeast Crater (NEC), sporadic Strombolian activity at Voragine Crater (VOR) with minor ash emissions that quickly dispersed, and both Strombolian activity and diffuse ash emissions at the New Southeast Crater (NSEC) cone. Explosive activity increased on 31 July; an ash cloud rose to 4.5 km (14,800 ft) a.s.l. On 2 August very minor ashfall was reported in Trecastagni and Acicastello, possibly from a slight increase in explosive activity that was not visually confirmed. During 3-9 August Strombolian activity ejected material above the NSEC cone’s crater rim; the activity was almost continuous during the evening of 6 August and the next morning, and booming was heard several kilometers away. Ash emissions dispersed near the summit. A series of ash emissions were visible in the morning of 9 August.
Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that on 5 August an ash plume rose 500 m above Ibu’s summit and drifted N. A few hours later the Darwin VAAC reported that an ash plume rose to 4.3 km (14,000 ft) a.s.l., or 2.9 km above the summit. 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 identified in satellite images during 5-6 August; weather clouds prevented views of the volcano on the other days during 1-7 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Kerinci | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that at 1024 on 7 August a brown ash emission from Kerinci rose 600 m above the summit and drifted NE, E, and SE. At 1140 on 9 August a brown ash plume rose 600 m above the summit and drifted ENE. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to remain outside of the 3-km exclusion zone.
Rincon de la Vieja | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that phreatic activity at Rincón de la Vieja had significantly decreased compared to activity during January-May. Events were recorded at 0546 on 5 August and at 1000 on 8 August, but not visually confirmed due to weather conditions. A phreatic explosion at 0035 on 6 August generated a plume that rose 500 m above the crater rim. Small steam plumes were visible on 10 August; one at 0845 was likely produced from a small phreatic event. Another s small phreatic event was detected later that day at 2346.
Sabancaya | Peru : Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) reported a daily average of 19 explosions at Sabancaya during 3-9 August. Gas-and-ash plumes rose as high as 2.5 km above the summit and drifted SE, S, SW, and NW. There were five thermal anomalies over the crater identified in satellite data. The Alert Level remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale) and the public were warned to stay outside of a 12-km radius.
Sangay | Ecuador : IG reported a high level of activity at Sangay during 5-11 August. Weather clouds often prevented visual observations of the volcano; according to Washington VAAC notices and IG webcams ash plumes rose 870-2,000 m above the summit and drifted NW, W, and S almost daily. Heavy rain generated secondary lahars in the Volcán and Upano drainages during 5-7 August.
Semeru | Eastern Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 5-11 August, though sometimes foggy conditions prevented visual confirmation. Ash plumes rose 400-500 m above the summit and drifted N on 8 August. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was reminded to stay outside of the general 1-km radius from the summit and 4 km on the SSE flank.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 1-7 August. A moderate explosion produced a small ash plume that rose to 4.5 km (14,800 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE and E on 2 August according to the Kamchatka Branch of Geophysical Services (KBGS; Russian Academy of Sciences). The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported occasional eruptive events, three explosions, and occasional nighttime incandescence at Suwanosejima’s Ontake Crater during 31 July-7 August. An explosion at 1553 on 1 August generated an ash plume that rose 1.8 km above the crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a 5-level scale).
Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that there were 19 minor ash emissions recorded at Turrialba during 4-5 August, with event durations lasting no longer than three minutes and plumes rising no higher than 200 m above the summit. Four more events were recorded on 5 August, with event durations lasting less than 10 minutes. Plumes again rose no higher than 200 m.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.9 earthquake hits Tanzania.
5.4 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.3 earthquake hits Pakistan.
5.3 earthquake hits the Unimak Islands, Alaska.
5.1 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.1 earthquake hits the Babuyan Islands in the Philippines.
5.0 earthquake hits the Sea of Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits the eastern Xizang-India border.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Depression Eleven is located about 1075 mi…1730 km ese of the northern Leeward islands with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 285 degrees at 15 mph…24 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Post Tropical Cyclone 09e (Elida), located approximately 538 nm south-southwest of San Diego, is tracking northwestward at 09 knots.
Tropical depression 10e (Ten), located approximately 1324 nm south-southwest of San Diego, is tracking westward at 09 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression ( ) 06w (Six), located approximately 234 nm east-southeast of Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking westward at 14 knots.
NewsBytes:
South Sudan – Rivers have broken their banks in South Sudan, leaving thousands displaced by flooding. In Jonglei State, the White Nile has caused flooding in Bor South, Twic East, Duk and Ayod counties. Media reports suggest over 200,000 people have been displaced. Thousands of homes have been reportedly destroyed, along with crops and livestock. Flooding struck in Bor Town in late July when a dyke along the White Nile collapsed. Further north along the White Nile, an estimated 30,000 people have been affected by flooding in Renk County in Eastern Nile state. Meanwhile the overflowing Akobo River which runs along the country’s border with Ethiopia has caused flooding in Pochalla County in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area. Crops have been destroyed and families displaced.
Mexico – Heavy rainfall from 08 to 10 August caused flooding and landslides in the state of Veracruz in eastern Mexico. 110.3 mm of rain fell in 24 hours on 08 August in Sontecomapan in Catemaco Municipality. The next day, 158 mm of rain fell in Jesús Carranza Municipality. The state’s Civil Protection reported 3 fatalities after a landslide in Filomeno Mata Municipality. Across the state more than 1,700 buildings were damaged and around 200 people were evacuated. Bridges were damaged and several roads blocked by landslides and flooding, leaving some communities isolated.
Baghdad’s record heat offers glimpse of world’s climate change future
Baghdad hit 125.2 degrees on July 28, blowing past the previous record of 123.8 degrees — which was set here five years ago — and topping 120 degrees for four days in a row. Sitting in one of the fastest warming parts of the globe, the city offers a troubling snapshot of the future that climate change might one day bring other parts of the world.
A reporter stated that when he returned here last week, the air outside felt like an oven. The suitcase crackled as it was unzipped. It turned out that the synthetic fibers of a headscarf had melted crispy and were now stuck to the top of the case. A cold bottle of water was suddenly warm to the lips. At our office, the door handle was so hot it left blisters at the touch.
If the world acts to dramatically limit climate change, such extremes of heat, with temperatures above 120 degrees, would probably be limited to parts of the Middle East, Northern Africa, and India. But if not, temperatures in parts of the Persian Gulf region and South Asia could eventually exceed 130 degrees. Nor would the rest of the world be spared extreme spikes.
In southern Iraq, the heat and lack of rainfall are contributing to a water crisis that has forced tens of thousands of people to leave their homes over the past decade. Farmers whose families have worked the land for generations say they are losing crops and their incomes are plunging.
Wildfires – California, Colorado
Firefighters across two states are battling wildfires that have destroyed more than 60,000 acres in the US West.
In the rugged hills near California’s Lake Hughes in Los Angeles County, the Lake Fire has grown to 10,000 acres and is 0% contained as of Wednesday evening.
And in Colorado, the Grizzly Creek Fire has destroyed more than 3,200 acres and is 0% contained, according to the US Forest Service. The Grizzly Creek Fire is less than 100 miles from the Pine Gulch Fire to the southwest, which has destroyed more than 50,000 acres in less than a week. The Bureau of Land Management says it is 7% contained.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Dengue Fever – Peru
Peru health officials have reported a 263% increase in dengue fever cases during the first 30 weeks of 2020 compared to the same period last year. To date, 29,144 total dengue cases have been reported.
