Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake his Antofagasta, Chile.
5.1 earthquake hits south of Africa.
5.0 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits south of Africa.
5.0 earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Jalisco, Mexico.
5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 earthquake hits near the coast of central Peru.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storm systems.
Newsbytes:
Scotland - Flooding has caused travel disruption across Scotland after heavy rain in many parts of the country. Several rail services were cancelled and sections of the M9 and the M74 motorways have been closed. The warning was raised to severe in Whitesands, Dumfries after intense rain through the day brought a "rapid and extreme rise" to the River Nith. Sepa said the river was forecast to exceed levels seen in Storm Frank in December 2015 and also the higher flooding of December 1982.
New Zealand - Over the Christmas period, the upper North Island of New Zealand experienced stormy conditions, grounding flights and flooding roads. Thunderstorms broke out on 22 December, leading to heavy rainfall and an incredible 4,500 lightning strikes in just two hours. Unfortunately, one of these lightning strikes set a property alight in the town of Waitōtara in the south of the island. Although no injuries were reported, the property and surrounding farmlands were mostly destroyed. Furthermore, a small tornado was spotted in the Southland region of the South Island, though thankfully, no damage was caused.
Summer wildfires in England almost quadrupled in 2022
Fire services in England dealt with nearly 25,000 wildfires this summer, almost four times that recorded over the same period in 2021, figures show. Some forces tackled more than 50 wildfires a day amid droughts and record-breaking temperatures of more than 40C. More than 800 wildfires were recorded on 19 July alone. The parched land saw many areas succumb to fires including London, Yorkshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Norfolk.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.4 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.3 earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile.
5.3 earthquake hits Kepulauan Batu, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits Kepulauan Batu, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the Timor Sea.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darienn, located approximately 797 nm east-southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking southwestward at 08 knots.
Quadrantid Meteor Shower
The first meteor shower of 2023, the Quadrantids, is coming up — and it may be one of the most spectacular showers of the year. The Quadrantids are active from Dec. 26 to Jan. 16 but will peak on Jan. 2 and 3. At the peak, viewers can expect an average of 80 meteors per hour streaking through Earth's atmosphere, according to NASA(opens in new tab). — although the shower could produce up to 200 per hour. Most notably, the Quadrantids are known for producing dramatic fireball meteors, which are longer and brighter than typical meteors because they originate from bigger pieces of debris.
The Quadrantids are the debris trail of an asteroid called 2003 EH1, which was discovered in the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth-Object Search (LONEOS) in 2003. The asteroid is about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) across and may be the remnants of an extinct comet
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 53.0 degrees Celsius (127 degrees F) at Death Valley, California.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 79.0 degrees Celsius (-110 degrees F) at Vostok, Antarctica.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Rabies
South Africa - The National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) reported a confirmed case of human rabies in Limpopo Province in December 2022. This is the 13th confirmed case of human rabies in South Africa this year.
Vietnam - A 30-year-old patient (in Phu Tho) entered the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases on December 21, 2022 in a state of panic and anxiety. It transpired that about 3-4 months ago, the patient was bitten by a strange dog. The patient then beat the dog to death and ate it. The patient tested positive for rabies infection.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week 21 December - 27 December 2022
Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest continued to be detected at Ahyi Seamount during 21-27 December. Wake Island hydrophone sensors detected daily signals that possibly indicated explosions. An underwater plume was visible in satellite images during 26-27 December.
Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 19-26 December. Crater incandescence was visible nightly. Sulfur dioxide emissions were slightly high at 1,500 tons per day on 19 December. An explosion at 0449 on 22 December ejected blocks 600-900 m from the vent. An explosion at 1954 on 24 December produced an ash plume that rose 1.2 km above the crater rim and ejected large blocks as far as 1.1 km from the vent.
Alaid - Kuril Islands (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Alaid was identified in satellite images on 17 and 22 December; weather clouds obscured observations on the other days during 16-21 December.
Cotopaxi - Ecuador : On 23 December IG issued a special report about increased activity at Cotopaxi. A total of 27 ash emissions had been recorded since the eruption began on 21 October; one ash emission was recorded in October, four were recorded in November, and 22 were recorded by 23 December. Based on Washington VAAC notices, ash clouds drifted the farthest, 60 km NNW, on 26 November and 20 December after rising 2.2 km (the maximum recorded height) and 1.5 km above the crater rim, respectively. Ashfall on those two days was reported in the Mejía, Rumiñahui, and Quito regions. Ash samples from 21 October and 26 November revealed a slight increase in the total percentage of juvenile material; an analysis of 20 December ash was in progress. Increases in sulfur dioxide emissions were measured both by satellite and ground-based Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) instruments. Gas measurements taken during periodic overflights showed increases in the ratio of sulfur dioxide to hydrogen sulfide. Based on these and other monitoring data, IG reiterated that the activity was caused by magma in the volcano’s conduit, though not from new magma entering the system after the 2015 eruption. Daily emissions with ash continued to be observed in webcam images and reported by the Washington VAAC during 23-27 December; weather clouds obscured views on 26 December. Gas-and-steam plumes with low ash content rose as high as 1.5 km above the crater rim and drifted in various directions.
Dukono - Halmahera : PVMBG reported that almost daily white-and-gray plumes of variable densities rose from Dukono as high as 400 m above the summit and drifted N and E during 23-27 December. Inclement weather conditions sometimes prevented visual observations.
Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 15-22 December. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions on 18 December generated ash plumes that rose to 2.5 km (8,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images that same day; the volcano was obscured by weather clouds on the other days of the week.
Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that satellite data acquired on 22 December confirmed that the lava flow field at Great Sitkin was advancing E. Slow lava effusion likely continued during 23-27 December, though nothing significant was visible in sometimes cloudy satellite images or detected in seismic data. Elevated surface temperatures were identified in satellite images during 21-23 and 25-27 December.
Klyuchevskoy - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : As from 22 December, the eruption had ended in November and the thermal anomaly that had been identified in satellite images had returned to background levels.
Manam - Northeast of New Guinea : The Darwin VAAC reported that on 26 December an ash plume from Manam rose to 3 km (10,000 ft) and drifted S and SSE based on satellite images.
Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 16-22 December and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced three lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1.5 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Kali Bebeng drainage). Sounds of falling material were noted four times. No significant morphological changes to the central and SW lava domes were evident.
Reventador - Ecuador : IG described the ongoing eruption at Reventador as moderate during 21-27 December. Daily seismicity was characterized by explosions, long-period earthquakes, periods of harmonic tremor, and signals that indicated emissions. Gas, steam, and ash plumes, observed daily with webcams or reported by the Washington VAAC, rose as high as 1.3 km above the summit and drifted in multiple directions. Weather clouds occasionally prevented webcam and satellite views of the volcano. Crater incandescence was visible nightly or during the early morning hours; incandescent blocks rolled down all flanks, descending as far as 700 m.
Sangay - Ecuador : IG reported a high level of activity at Sangay during 20-27 December, which included daily explosions, volcanic tremor, and gas, steam, and ash emissions. The daily count of explosions ranged from 708-1,250, though seismic data transmission was sometimes interrupted. Almost daily ash-and-gas plumes were identified in IG webcam images and satellite images according to the Washington VAAC; weather clouds sometimes prevented observations of the summit. Gas, steam, and ash plumes rose as high as 1.2 km above the volcano and drifted mainly NW, W, SW, and S. Multiple daily thermal anomalies were identified in satellite images. Crater incandescence was visible some nights and early mornings. Incandescent material was observed rolling down the SE flank during 26-27 December.
Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch during 15-22 December was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images, and ash plumes were visible drifting 110 km NNE on 16 December.
Stromboli - Aeolian Islands (Italy) : INGV reported that both explosive and effusive activity at Stromboli were observed during 19-25 December at four vents in Area N, one N1 vent and three N2 vents; all were located in the upper portion of the Sciara del Fuoco. Explosions from the vents were variable in intensity and ejected coarse material (bombs and lapilli) 80-150 m high at a rate of 3-10 explosions per hour. Intense spattering from all four vents occurred during the week. Lava flows reached about halfway down the Sciara del Fuoco. At 0942 on 19 December lava overflowed vents in the N2 area, after a period of intense spattering. The lava flowed part way down the Sciara del Fuoco, likely channeled in the ravine that had formed in October, out of view from webcams. The flow was well-fed for a couple of hours but then effusion slowed or stopped, and it began to cool. The same activity occurred again, with a lava overflow occurring at 1547 on 21 December and traveling about the same distance. On 22 December explosive activity at the Central-South area (CS) ejected fine-to-coarse material as high as 150 m above the vent.
Suwanosejima - Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 19-26 December. No explosions were recorded. Eruption plumes rose at least 1 km above the crater rim and disappeared into weather clouds, and blocks were ejected as far as 30 m from the vent. Ashfall was occasionally reported in Toshima village (3.5 km SSW) during 23-26 December.
Villarrica - Central Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported that at 0845 on 24 December a volcano-tectonic earthquake at Villarrica was followed by increased Strombolian activity. Explosions ejected material generally to heights of less than 100 m, though one explosion ejected incandescent tephra as far as 400 m onto the SW flank. According to POVI, there were 11 ejections of incandescent ballistics that impacted the upper SW flank between 2225 on 25 December to 0519 on 26 December. The Alert Level remained at Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-color scale) and the public was warned that material could be ejected within 500 m of the crater.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.3 earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty islands.
5.7 earthquake hits Kyrgyzstan.
5.3 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.2 earthquake hits near the coast of southern Peru.
5.0 earthquake hits the Eritrea-Ethiopia border region.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien) continues to swirl in the southern Indian Ocean, located approximately 921 nm south of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 17 knots.
Newsbytes:
Uganda - Floods in southern Uganda have killed at least 10 people, officials said on Tuesday. More than 400 families have also been displaced in the districts of Rakai and Lyantonde. Heavy rainfall that started on Dec. 20 caused the Rwizi River and Lake Kijjanibarora to overflow, submerging several nearby villages. Floodwaters have also reached the main palace of Kooki, a chiefdom in southern Uganda.
Chikungunya - Brazil
Of the three main diseases transmitted by Aedes aegypti, chikungunya is the only one that shows an increase in cases this year in Brazil compared to 2019, the year of the last survey before the pandemic. This year through December 17, there were 172,082 probable cases of chikungunya. So far, 93 chikungunya deaths have been confirmed in Brazil, with Ceará concentrating more than 40% of them.
Measles - DR Congo
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a total of 296 cases including 6 deaths have been recorded in the Ruzizi health zone in the southern part of South Kivu province during the past month.
Plague - Madagascar
Five people have died of the plague approximately 75 km from Antananarivo in Ambohimiadana, Antsaharatsy, Ampanotokana commune, Ambohidratrimo district. Three others are being treated in hospital. Schools in the district have been temporarily closed as a safety precaution.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week 21 December - 27 December 2022
Etna - Sicily (Italy) : INGV reported that the vents at the NE base of Etna’s SE Crater, in the Valle del Leone at about 2,800 m elevation, continued to feed lava flows during 19-25 December. The active flow field consisted of overlapping lava flows that expanded into the Valle del Leone and the Valle del Bove. By 25 December the most active lava flow had descended to 2,150 m elevation. Gas emissions rose from the summit craters.
Kaitoku Seamount - Volcano Islands (Japan) : After JMA first reported new activity around the Kaitoku Seamount in August, discolored water continued to be periodically visible in Sentinel satellite images through 27 December. Though weather clouds sometimes prevented views of the vent area, and on occasion no activity was visible in clear images, plumes of discolored water drifting away from the vent area appeared to become more frequent in October. Images from 18 October, and 22 and 27 November possibly captured material at the surface or an eruption plume rising above the water. The Japan Coast Guard posted pictures of disturbed water around the vent in November. Recent Sentinel images on 17 and 27 December captured plumes of discolored water drifting as far as 10 km from the vent area.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits offshore Valparaiso, Chile.
5.0 earthquake hits eastern Greenland.
5.0 earthquake hits Seram, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 840 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 13 knots.
Newsbytes:
Philippines - Severe weather including floods in the Philippines has left at least 17 people dead and a further 27 feared missing, according to disaster authorities. The combined effects of a Shear Line storm and a trough of low pressure caused widespread damages including floods and landslides over the last few days. As many as 284 homes have been completely destroyed and a further 828 damaged. Over 100 evacuation centres housed 46,636 people displaced from their homes, mainly in Northern Mindanao (Region X). Many of those reported missing are fishermen who went to sea despite treacherous conditions.
Jordan - The crowded stone corridors of the popular tourist destination Petra turned dangerous when floods forced evacuations and injured several people. Footage posted to social media on Dec. 26 showed floodwaters raging through the site. The chaotic scenes depicted sandy water cascading down cliffs, rivers running through what would usually be walkways, and people trying to escape in vehicles. The calamity at the UNESCO World Heritage site triggered the evacuation of 1,700 people.
Wildfires - Australia (Tasmania)
A hospital and mine have been spared from a 3 Ha bushfire in Tasmania's west but a hotel could not be saved. The blaze took hold at Rosebery, about 200km southwest of Launceston, at 12.30pm on Tuesday. Several buildings, including a replica workers' hut, were damaged while the Mount Black Lodge hotel was destroyed.
Shigella - Sweden
Sweden reports dozens of Shigella infections linked to travel to Cape Verde. Sweden’s Public Health Agency reports 30 cases of shigella infection with a travel connection to Cape Verde have been reported in Sweden since mid-November.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.2 earthquake hits Eritrea-Ethiopia border region.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Potosi, Bolivia.
5.0 earthquake hits south of Tonga.
5.0 earthquake hits the Banda Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 909 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 06 knots.
Newsbytes:
Philippines - Philippine authorities on Monday reported at least eight deaths mostly due to floods triggered by heavy rains in the southern provinces, as Christmas celebrations were disrupted for thousands of residents who were forced to evacuate. Images on social media showed rescue workers helping residents out of chest-deep flood waters caused by two days of moderate to heavy rainfall in central and southern Philippines.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Cholera - Haiti
Since the notification of the first two confirmed cases of Vibrio cholerae O1 in the greater Port-au-Prince area on 2 October 2022, to 23 December 2022, the Haitian Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Population reported a total of 19,378 suspected cases in 10 departments of the country, including 1,427 confirmed cases and 355 registered deaths.
Measles - South Africa
In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in South Africa, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) now reports 227 cases of laboratory-confirmed measles across all provinces through December 17.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.2 earthquake hits west of Macquarie Island.
5.2 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.2 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits off the west coast of South Island, New Zealand.
5.1 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.0 earthquake hits Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 934 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southward at 05 knots.
Oases Dry Up - Morocco
Residents of the oasis of Alnif say they can’t remember a drought this bad: The land is dry. Some wells are empty. Palm groves that date back more than 100 years are barren.
Home to centuries-old oases that have been a trademark of Morocco, this region about 170 miles southeast of Marrakesh is reeling from the effects of climate change, which has created an emergency for the kingdom’s agriculture.
In the last three years, hundreds of people from oasis areas have fled toward cities and many young people have migrated toward Europe, mainly because of the drought.
Histoplasmosis - Venezuela
The Institute of Tropical Medicine of the Central University of Venezuela (IMT – UCV) detected on December 5, at least 20 cases of histoplasmosis, a lung infection caused by a fungus, in a whole group of rescuers who worked the torrential avalanche in Las Tejerías, in the state of Aragua in the north-central region.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits near the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.
5.2 earthquake hits the Pagan region, North Mariana Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits eastern Iran.
5.0 earthquake hits Salta, Argentina.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 845 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking south-southeastward at 11 knots.
Newsbytes:
Australia - Authorities say impassable roads are hampering their response to a "significant flooding" situation in the Northern Territory township of Timber Creek, near the West Australian border, which is being described as a one-in-50-year event with 30cm water flowing through some building in the town. An emergency response is being impeded by heavy rainfall and flooded roads, as a result of former Tropical Cyclone Ellie tracking inland after making landfall late on Thursday night as a category one system.
Lithium Pollution
Lithium represents one way out of our global reliance on fossil fuels. But, as photographer Tom Hegen captured in South America, there is a dark side to our swiftly electrifying world. Mining this chemical can be deeply harmful to the environment. Aerial photos document the 'Lithium Triangle' located where the borders of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia meet.
Drought in Europe, Spain
This summer saw Europe's worst drought in 500 years. Record-breaking temperatures and low rainfall led to wildfires, rivers running dry and crops failing. At one point, nearly two-thirds of the EU was under some kind of drought warning.
As water levels in reservoirs sank to their lowest levels in decades, all sorts of structures started to emerge. Parts of the old village of Aceredo in northwestern Spain reemerged as drought hit the Lindoso reservoir. It was submerged three decades ago when a hydropower dam flooded the valley.
Deforestation - Madagascar
Extreme weather events are likely to continue getting worse as climate change pushed global temperatures higher. Four years of drought and deforestation caused by people cutting down trees for farming and fuel have turned the Androy region of Madagascar into a dust bowl. This year, millions in the country faced famine. Food shortages were compounded by three cyclones and one tropical storm that ravaged the country back in January.
Covid-19 - China
Nearly 37 million people in China may have been infected with Covid-19 on a single day this week, the Bloomberg news agency has reported, citing minutes from an internal meeting of the country’s National Health Commission held on Wednesday. In all, the report which was published on Friday said about 18 percent of the country’s population – 248 million people – are likely to have contracted the virus in the first 20 days of December.
China is witnessing a dramatic surge in coronavirus cases since it dropped its controversial zero-Covid policy following widespread protests in recent weeks.
On Thursday, health data firm Airfinity estimated that there are likely more than 5,000 daily deaths and upwards of a million daily infections from Covid-19 in the country. Mortality risk analysis suggested between 1.3 million to 2.1 million people could die in China’s current Covid-19 outbreak. However, on the same day, China officially reported less than 4 000 new symptomatic local Covid-19 cases nationwide and no deaths from the virus.
Officially China has reported a total of 1 909 905 cover-19 cases with only 5 242 deaths.
Dengue Fever, Leprosy - Vietnam
According to the Vietnam Ministry of Health, the whole country recorded 7,350 cases of dengue fever, 1 death in Lam Dong during the past week. Compared to the previous week, the number of cases decreased by 24%. In which, the number of hospitalizations was 6,048. Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has seen 354,282 cases and 133 deaths from dengue fever.
Health authorities said that currently, the detection rate of new leprosy patients has steadily decreased over the years, but this is still an infectious disease with potential risk of transmission. In 2022, the whole country detected 50 new cases of this disease. Leprosy is a contagious disease with a long incubation period which can be 5 to 10 years after being exposed to an infectious source.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile.
5.1 earthquake hits the Bonin Islands, Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits Taiwan.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 713 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southeastward at 01 knot.
Newsbytes:
Saudi Arabia - Flash floods hit Saudi Arabia's city of Mecca on Friday morning following a night of torrential rain, damaging vehicles and properties in the city. Video footage of the flash floods shows vehicles being swept away by torrents of water, while several main roads were closed off. Video footage from the Great Mosque of Mecca showed rain pouring on pilgrims and worshipers in the mosque's courtyard.
USA - A powerful winter storm triggering weather alerts across the U.S. triggered major coastal flooding and downed trees across Long Island, Queens and parts of the Jersey Shore; travel is chaotic. Tri-state power outages peaked around 125,000 Friday morning but were drastically reduced by early afternoon; frigid temps could make more problems, though, so stay weather aware for weekend. Wind chill warnings are in effect for much of central and northwestern New Jersey, with the outside air feeling like -10 to -20 — which could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.
Chili Defense
Zimbabwe farmers have developed a unique and nature-friendly way to fend off attacks from elephants that threaten their crops and homes. They create items known as chili bricks, bombs and strings to deter the jumbos.
The bricks and bombs are made by mixing elephant or buffalo dung with cow dung and chili powder to make a thick paste, which is then moulded into bricks or balls. When burned, they release a strong odor known to repel the pachyderms. Chili strings are soaked with a mixture of used oil and chili, and have a smell that keeps the animals away.
Wildfires - Chile
A fire broke out at the Ventanas port on Thursday, and a separate forest fire to the south near the coastal resort town of Vina del Mar has killed at least one person and destroyed more than 100 homes. The government declared a state of emergency in the Vina del Mar area on Thursday evening after the fire spread quickly. The fire had erupted earlier that day, and within 24 hours, it had burned about 125 hectares (310 acres). Several neighbourhoods have been evacuated, with varying levels of home damage reported.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits northern Peru.
5.1 earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.
5.0 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 767 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 08 knots.
Tropical cyclone 06s (Ellie), located approximately 112 nm south-southwest of Darwin, Australia, is tracking south-southeastward at 09 knots.
Planetary Pact
A new UN framework to protect 30% of Earth’s land, oceans and inland bodies of water by the end of the decade was agreed to in Montreal at a long-delayed summit of world policymakers.
The COP15 conference of almost 200 countries wrestled with how much funding should be sent by developed countries to the third world, which is home to most biodiversity. Poorer countries argued that first-world nations had grown rich by exploiting their natural resources, and should pay to protect them in the future. Similar to the Paris climate agreement, the new pact still faces an uphill battle to be implemented.
Is that me in the mirror?
Researchers say they have observed that Adélie penguins appear to recognize themselves in their mirror reflections, a trait that could indicate some degree of self-awareness. The mirror test was developed in the 1970s and includes placing a mark on a test animal’s face or other parts of the body to see if it touches or investigates it when seen in a mirror.
Very few animals have “passed” this test aside from some primates, dolphins and Asian elephants. Indian researchers say Adélie penguins study their images in the mirror and make movements as if to see if it is themselves. But they did not pass other parts of the test, such as recognizing foreign objects placed on them or blocking the view of themselves.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 42.0 degrees Celsius (108 degrees F) at Rivadavia, Salta, Argentina.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 54.0 degrees Celsius (-65 degrees F) at Toko, Siberia.
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.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week 14 December - 20 December 2022
Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater during 12-19 December. Crater incandescence was visible nightly. Two explosions on 14 December produced eruption plumes that rose as high as 1.7 km and disappeared into weather clouds. Blocks were ejected as far as 700 m. An explosion at 0805 on 17 December produced a plume that rose 700 m and into the clouds. Blocks were ejected 900 m.
Alaid - Kuril Islands (Russia) : KVERT reported that the eruption at Alaid was ongoing during 8-15 December. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 8, 12, and 14 December; weather clouds obscured observations on the other days.
Bezymianny - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that during 8-15 December a daily thermal anomaly over Bezymianny was identified in satellite images.
Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 8-15 December. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions on 9 December generated ash plumes that rose to 2.6 km (8,500 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E. The volcano was obscured by weather clouds on the other days of the week.
Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that slow lava effusion likely continued at Great Sitkin during 13-20 December, though satellite and webcam observations were mostly obscured by clouds. Nothing notable was observed in clear webcam and satellite views during 19-20 December. No significant seismic activity was detected.
Karymsky - Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly at Karymsky was identified in satellite images on 12 and 13 December. Gas-and-steam emissions persisted.
Kerinci - Central Sumatra : PVMBG reported that daily white steam-and-gas plumes rose as high as 150 m above Kerinci’s summit and drifted NE and NW during 14-17 December. Brown plumes rose 100 m above the summit and drifted NW and E during 17-19 December.
Krakatau - Sunda Strait : PVMBG reported that at 1031 on 15 December an eruptive event at Anak Krakatau produced a dense gray ash plume that rose 700 m above summit and drifted NE. Four minutes later a white-and-gray ash plume rose 100 m and drifted NE. At 1910 a gray ash plume rose 100 m and drifted E. An image from 1936 showed incandescent material being ejected above vent. Weather clouds often prevented views of the volcano during 16-19 December, though white plumes were occasionally seen rising as high as 50 m above the summit.
Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 9-15 December and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced four lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1.5 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Kali Bebeng drainage). No significant morphological changes to the central and SW lava domes were evident.
Nevado del Ruiz - Colombia : Servicio Geológico Colombiano’s (SGC) reported that seismicity at Nevado del Ruiz began to increase at around 1550 on 13 December. The signals indicated moving fluids within the volcano’s conduit, and some were associated with pulsating gas-and-ash emissions seen from several surrounding municipalities. Ashfall was reported on 14 December in several municipalities.
Pavlof - Alaska Peninsula, Alaska : AVO reported that no elevated surface temperatures or incandescent lava at Pavlof had been observed in satellite and webcam images since 2 December. Seismicity remained above background levels with intermittent seismic tremor, though explosions had not been recorded since 7 December.
Popocatepetl - Mexico : CENAPRED reported that there were 53-196 steam-and-gas emissions, sometimes containing minor amounts of ash, rising from Popocatépetl each day during 13-20 December. Explosions were recorded at 0747 and 0849 on 15 December. A series of 12 explosions were recorded midweek, at 2107 and 2143 on 17 December and at 0102, 0247, 0404, 0440, 0604, 0614, 0639, 0741, 0752, and 0957 on 18 December. Some of the explosions ejected incandescent material onto the upper flanks based on posted images and video. Two minor explosions were detected at 1323 and 2252 on 18 December. A minor explosion was recorded at 0250 on 19 December and two moderate ones occurred at 0045 and 0639 that same day.
Rincon de la Vieja - Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that small phreatic explosions continued at Rincón de la Vieja during 14-20 December. A small phreatic explosion at 0828 on 14 December produced a steam plume that rose 500 m above the crater rim. An associated sulfur dioxide anomaly was registered at a station located to the W of the crater. Small phreatic events were also recorded at 1433 on 15 December, at 0314 and 2042 on 16 December, at 1958 on 17 December, and 0119 on 20 December, though cloudy weather conditions prevented visual confirmation.
San Miguel - Eastern El Salvador : On 14 December MARN reported that activity at San Miguel continued to decrease. They noted that there were no major changes to seismicity and gas emissions, though minor explosions were occasionally detected by the seismic network and manifested as small gas emissions. Sulfur dioxide emissions were below the baseline of 300 tons per day.
Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch during 8-15 December was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images.
Suwanosejima - Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 12-19 December. No explosions were recorded. Eruption plumes rose at least 1.7 km above the crater rim and blocks were ejected as far as 100 m from the vent. Crater incandescence was visible at night during 12-16 December and ashfall was occasionally reported in Toshima village (3.5 km SSW) during 16-19 December.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.2 earthquake hits the Revilla Gigedo Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits the southwest Indian ridge.
5.1 earthquake hits southern Qinghai, China.
5.0 earthquake hits south of Alaska.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits off the coast of Ecuador.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 948 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-northwestward at 08 knots.
Tropical cyclone 06s (Six), located approximately 107 nm west of Darwin, Australia, is tracking southward at 10 knots.
Newsbytes:
Malaysia - The flooding situation in Malaysia continues to worsen. The total number of flood evacuees in five states increased to 71,208 people Tuesday night (Dec 20) compared with 66,718 in the evening, with Terengganu and Kelantan still the hardest hit.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week 14 December - 20 December 2022
Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest continued to be detected at Ahyi Seamount during 14-20 December. Wake Island hydrophone sensors detected daily signals consistent with explosions. A possible underwater plume was observed in satellite images on 18 December, and definite but diffuse plumes were visible to the SSE of the vent during 19-20 December.
Cotopaxi - Ecuador : IG reported that the low-level eruption at Cotopaxi continued during 14-20 December, characterized by daily steam-and-gas emissions with low ash content. At 0626 on 14 December an ash emission rose 500 m above the crater rim and drifted W, causing ashfall within Parque Nacional Cotopaxi. Weather clouds sometimes obscured views of the volcano; between weather clouds during 14-16 December steam-and gas plumes with low ash content were seen rising as high as 500 m above the crater rim and drifting W. Several emissions with low or very low ash content rose as high as 800 m above the crater rim and drifted W and SW during 16-17 December; similar emissions rose as high as 1.1 km above the crater rim and drifted W and SW during 18-20 December based on webcam views and Washington VAAC notices. Ashfall was reported in San Pedro de Taboada (40 km N), Uyumbicho (30 km NNW), Güitig Alta, Güitig Baja, Conocoto (42 km N), Sur de Quito, Chimbacalle (48 km NNW), La Magdalena (48 km NNW), Barrio Nuevo, Villaflora (48 km NNW), Miraflores, and La Floresta (50 km N) during 19-20 December.
Etna - Sicily (Italy) : INGV reported that the vents at the NE base of Etna’s SE Crater, in the Valle del Leone, continued to feed lava flows during 7-18 December. The active flow field consisted of a main lava flow and several breakouts that fed smaller lava flows. A small hornito formed at the vent area and ejected pieces of lava.
Klyuchevskoy - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the explosive Strombolian eruption at Klyuchevskoy that began on 16 November had decreased. The Kamchatka Branch of Geophysical Services (KBGS; Russian Academy of Sciences) noted that possible ash plumes rose as high as 150 m above the summit on 1 December. KVERT began to characterize the activity as moderate on 6 December and noted that the periodic thermal anomalies identified in satellite images had become weak on 9 December.
Lascar - Northern Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported that seismic signals characterized as moderate were recorded on 19 December and located near Láscar’s main crater at shallow depths. The seismicity was the most notable recorded since the eruption on 10 December. The Alert Level remained at Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-color scale) and the public were warned to stay at least 5 km away from the crater.
Semeru - Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 16-20 December. At 0455 on 16 December an eruptive event produced a dense white, gray, and brown plume that rose 1 km above the summit and drifted N. At 0500 on 18 December a dense gray ash plume rose 300 m and drifted N and NE. At 0623 and 0755 that same day dense white-and-gray ash plumes rose 1 km and 700 m, respectively, and drifted N. At 0516 and 0703 on 19 December white-and-gray ash plumes rose 400-700 m and drifted N and NE. At 1558 a dense gray-to-brown ash plume rose 1.5 km and drifted N and NE. At 0545 on 20 December an ash plume rose 600 m and drifted N.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.0 earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.
5.5 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.4 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits the mid-Indian ridge.
5.1 earthquake hits Antigua and Barbuda.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 1148 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-northwestward at 07 knots.
Newsbytes:
Brazil - Heavy rainfall caused flooding and landslides in the state of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil on 20 December 2022. State Civil Defence reported incidents of rain damage, flooding or landslides in the 6 municipalities of Jaraguá do Sul, Ilhota, Itapema, Porto Belo, Penha and Camboriú. In total, almost 190 people have been displaced from their homes. The municipality of Camboriú is among the worst affected areas. About 60% of the municipality’s territory is flooded.
Ebola - Uganda
Uganda’s Ministry of Health declared an outbreak of Sudan Ebola Virus (SVD) on September 20 after a case was confirmed in Mubende district. This is the first time in more than a decade that Uganda reported an outbreak of Sudan ebolavirus. According to officials, it’s been 23 days since the last confirmed case was reported in Kassanda District. To date, 142 confirmed SVD cases with 55 confirmed deaths including 12 children and 7 health workers, as well as 87 recoveries, have been reported.
Dengue Fever - Vietnam
Currently, the weather in Hanoi has turned to the cold season with the temperature not favorable for the development of mosquitoes that transmit the disease. The number of dengue cases continued to decrease compared to the previous week but remained high. Last week, Hanoi recorded 1,165 cases of dengue fever, 2 deaths.
Syphilis - Japan
Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID)have reported 12,192 syphilis cases through December 14 this year, the highest number of the sexually transmitted infection since records have been kept.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.3 earthquake hits offshore Northern California.
5.3 earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.
5.2 earthquake hits Antigua and Barbuda.
5.0 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 1270 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 05 knots.
Newsbytes:
Thailand and Malaysia - Disaster authorities report severe flooding in 9 southern provinces of Thailand and 5 states in Peninsular Malaysia after heavy rain from 17 December 2022. Four people have died and thousands of people displaced. Meanwhile, search and rescue operations in the Selangor state of Malaysia have confirmed 24 people have now died in the landslide that struck a campsite on 16 December 2022. Areas of southern Thailand recorded more than 500 mm of rain in 24 hours on 18 December 2022. Thai Water reported rivers were overflowing in around 25 locations across the south.
Greenland's Glaciers Melting Faster
Greenland's glaciers are melting 100 times faster than previously calculated, according to a new model that takes into account the unique interaction between ice and water at the island’s fjords.
The new mathematical representation of glacial melt factors in the latest observations of how ice gets eaten away from the stark vertical faces at the ends of glaciers in Greenland. Previously, scientists used models developed in Antarctica, where glacial tongues float on top of seawater — a very different arrangement.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits Fiji.
Two 5.2 earthquakes hit Luzon, Philippines.
5.1 earthquake hits the Sunda Strait, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits northern Peru.
5.0 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 205 nm west of the Cocos Islands, is tracking southeastward at 03 knots.
Newsbytes:
Malaysia - The flood situation in Kelantan, Terengganu and Perak has worsened due to continuous rain with more victims evacuated to relief centres. In Jertih, floods in Terengganu have claimed its first victim, a two-year-old girl in Kampung Apal. In Kelantan, the number of flood victims increased to 3,320 people from 975 families and seeking temporary shelter at 32 relief centres. In Terengganu, the number of flood-affected residents at relief centres increased to 1,866 people from 512 families.
Wildfires - Western Australia
There are multiple bushfire warnings in place as 100 firefighters fight to bring multiple blazes around Perth under control, with warnings hot and dry conditions over coming days will exacerbate further fire risk.
An out-of-control bushfire in Perth’s southwest is threatening lives and homes, with an emergency warning active for parts of Henderson and Wattleup in Kwinana. Nearby residents have been urged to evacuate.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Darien), located approximately 240 nm west of the cocos islands, has tracked southwestward at 03 knots.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.
5.3 earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.
5.2 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits Reykjanes ridge.
5.0 earthquake hits the Madeira Islands, Portugal.
Measles - South Africa
In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in South Africa, health officials in the country now report 169 cases of laboratory-confirmed measles from 11 October to 07 December 2022 across 4 provinces.
Botulism in Horses - USA
In a follow-up on the suspected botulism outbreak in horses in Louisiana, federal officials know of at least 98 horses in Colorado, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Texas who showed neurologic symptoms. At least 45 of these horses have died or were euthanized due to declining health. The symptoms reported are consistent with botulism. It is suspected that alfalfa cubes were the source of the disease.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits near the coast of Ecuador.
5.3 earthquake hits western Texas, USA.
5.0 earthquake hits Mindoro in the Philippines.
5.0 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits off the coast of northern Peru.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are currently no active tropical storm systems.
Newsbytes:
Malaysia - Massive search and rescue (SAR) operations are being carried out in the state of Selangor in Malaysia after a landslide buried a campsite in the early hours of 16 December 2022. Malaysia’s fire service said a slope as high as a 30-story building collapsed onto the campsite. A total of 94 people were at the campsite when the landslide struck. Sixty-one people were rescued alive. Sixteen fatalities have been confirmed, while SAR operations are looking for a further 17 people thought to be missing. The cause of the landslide is not yet clear. Heavy rain has affected wide areas of Peninsular Malaysia, with flooding reported in Selangor in late November.
Ice Pancakes in Scottish River
Dozens of eerily perfect circles of slushy ice, known as "ice pancakes," have been floating on the surface of a Scottish river after temperatures in the U.K. unexpectedly plummeted.
On rivers, the pancakes form when frozen foam on the water's surface gets trapped in a spiraling current known as an eddy. As other bits of frozen foam and ice hit these forming discs, the debris joins onto the nascent pancakes, which causes them to grow.
Wildfires - Amazon, Brazil
Under Bolsonaro's rule, wildfires as well as illegal gold mining and deforestation skyrocketed.
Almost 2 million acres of territory in Brazil have been ravaged by wildfires in November, according to data released by an NGO, which noted that this is a 90% increase from November 2021. That is an area about 75% of the size of Manaus, a Brazilian Amazon city.
According to MapBiomad, over 80% of the land ravaged by the fire is located in the Amazon rainforest.
MapBiomas reports that the area burned within the first 11 months of 2022 amounted to 40 million acres - which is equivalent to the size of Uruguay - a 13% increase from the same period last year.
Measles - India
Government data on measles in India revealed a total 10,416 laboratory-confirmed cases and 40 deaths among children have been reported till December 12.
Cholera - Climate Change
Climate change has driven an “unprecedented” number of larger and more deadly cholera outbreaks around the world this year, the UN health agency, WHO, said on Friday. Available data points to cases of infection in around 30 countries, whereas in the previous five years, fewer than 20 countries reported infections, on average. The new outbreaks are larger and more deadly than the ones we have seen in past years.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the North Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 07a (Seven), located approximately 523 nm southeast of Masirah Island, is tracking westward at 06 knots.
Newsbytes:
Namibia - Flooding damaged buildings and swept away vehicles in the city of Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on 15 December 2022 after 3 months’ worth of rain fell in 24 hours. Several buildings were damaged, including a Police Station in Otjomuise and the Wernhill Park shopping centre. Dozens of cars parked in the shopping centre were flooded. Local media reported fast-flowing rivers have caused havoc in the suburbs and informal areas of the city.
DT Congo - The number of people killed by widespread floods and landslides in Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, has climbed to more than 140. At least 12 others are still missing but the government is not optimistic anyone will be found alive.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits offshore El Salvador
5.3 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 earthquake hits near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
Brokeback Whale
A humpback whale with a back apparently broken during a vessel strike has completed a 5,000-km journey from Canada to Hawaii by doing what researchers describe as the breaststroke. Named Moon, the lone humpback appeared to be in “considerable pain” during the journey, according to the research group BC Whales.
It has tracked Moon for the past decade, usually when she was feeding on krill around British Columbia’s Fin island. In 2020, they observed her birthing a calf and teaching it to feed and migrate. But in September, they noticed her body had become twisted, leaving her unable to propel with her tail. Her recent journey was said to have left her emaciated and covered in whale lice.
Climate Migrations
Vanuatu has become the latest country to draw up plans to relocate villages as they face the threat of being swamped by rising sea level. The South Pacific island nation says residents of dozens of long-established communities will have to move to higher ground on its chain of islands.
“It’s going to be a huge challenge and a huge tragedy for many people who would have to leave their ancestral land to move to other places, but that’s the reality,” said Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu. Mountainous Vanuatu is more fortunate than low-lying island countries threatened by rising tides because it has higher terrain where people can relocate.
Our Vanishing Plants
Scientists at Britain’s Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew say that nearly 800 plant species around the world have disappeared since the 18th century, while thousands of others are so diminished that they are rare or can no longer reproduce.
“Most plant extinctions happen silently,” with plant populations often disappearing without notice until their absence begins to affect nature, said Kew conservation researcher Eimear Nic Lughadha. She adds that little is known about what other species in the wild might depend on from the vanishing plants, or the long-term effects of their disappearances. A study published in 2019 said about two plant species vanish each year on average — 500 times the average rate of extinction in nature.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 47.0 degrees Celsius (117 -78degrees F) at Mandora, West Australia.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 78.0 degrees Celsius (-108 degrees F) at Oimyakon, Siberia.
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:
Malaria - Mexico
The Oaxaca Health authorities issued an epidemiological alert for an outbreak of malaria in the state. So far, a total of 20 confirmed cases of malaria have been identified.
Lassa fever - Liberia
Since the beginning of the year through December 1, Liberia has reported seven Lassa fever outbreaks amounting to 67 laboratory confirmed cases including 22 deaths (CFR 32.8%), according to the WHO.
Lassa fever - Guinea
The World Health Organization reports one confirmed case of Lassa Fever in the Health District of Gueckedou, Guinea on December 8. The patient is a female greater than 60 years old.
Rift Valley Fever - Senegal
The Institut Pasteur in Dakar confirmed by polymerase chain reaction a case of Rift Valley fever (RVF) from Matam district, Matam region on November 28. The case is a 19-year-old female.
Dengue Fever - El Salvador
The El Salvador Ministry of Health has reported dengue fever cases triple this year in the country. According to the latest Epidemiological Bulletin, 16,259 dengue fever cases have been reported to date.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week 7 December - 13 December 2022
Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 5-12 December consisting of a few eruptive events and three explosions. Crater incandescence was visible nightly. Explosions produced ash plumes that rose as high as 2.7 km above the crater rim and ejected large blocks as far as 1.1 km away. Sulfur dioxide emissions were high at 2,800 tons per day on 6 December.
Alaid - Kuril Islands (Russia) : KVERT reported that the eruption at Alaid was ongoing during 1-8 December. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 2 and 8 December; weather clouds obscured observations on the other days.
Cotopaxi - Ecuador : IG reported that the low-level eruption at Cotopaxi continued during 7-13 December characterized by steam-and-gas emissions and occasional ash emissions. Sulfur dioxide emissions measured by satellite almost daily averaged 665-2,745 tons per day. Steam-and-gas emissions observed during 7-10 December rose as high as 2 km above the crater rim and drifted SW, W, and NW. Ash emissions during 0758-0816 on 8 December rose 1 km and drifted WNW. The Washington VAAC issued three advisories noting that ash rose 800-1,100 m and drifted W. A tremor signal that started at 0832 on 9 December was probably related to gas-and-ash emissions, though cloudy weather conditions prevented visual confirmation. During the night of 9-10 December several steam-and-ash emissions were identified in satellite images rising as high as 1.1 km and drifting NW. Minor ashfall was reported in Conocoto-Pichincha in the morning of 10 December. At 0930 on 11 December the seismic stations recorded a signal related to gas-and-ash emissions that rose 2 km and drifted W. Ash fell in Control Caspi, located at the S entrance to Parque Nacional Cotopaxi. Several gas-and-steam emissions with low ash content were visible that afternoon and during the morning of 12 December rising as high as 500 m and drifting W.
Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 1-8 December. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions during 1-2 and 7 December generated ash plumes that rose to 2.5 km (8,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE. The volcano was quiet or obscured by weather clouds on the other days of the week.
Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that slow lava effusion continued at Great Sitkin during 27 November-11 December based on satellite images. Cloud cover mostly prevented satellite and webcam observations during 7-12 December. Seismicity remained at low levels.
Kilauea - Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that lava continued to effuse from a vent in the lower W wall of Kilauea’s Halema`uma`u Crater during 6-8 December and entered the lava lake, though the eruption rate had diminished, and the floor of the crater had deflated. The eruption ceased on 9 December. During 10-12 December the lake crusted over, no incandescence was visible, and sulfur dioxide emissions had decreased to near pre-eruption background levels.
Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 2-8 December and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced two lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1.6 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Kali Bebeng drainage). No significant morphological changes to the central and SW lava domes were evident.
Pavlof - Alaska Peninsula, Alaska : AVO reported that seismic tremor and a few low-frequency earthquakes at Pavlof indicated continuing unrest during 7-13 December; one explosion was recorded on 7 December. No explosions or lava flow activity was detected in seismic, infrasound, satellite, or webcam data during the rest of the week. The report noted that events on 3 December resulted in the erosion of a narrow, 2-km-long gully beneath the ice below the vent.
Sabancaya - Peru : Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) reported moderate levels of activity at Sabancaya during 5-11 December with a daily average of 40 explosions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose as high as 2 km above the summit and drifted SW, S, and NE. Two thermal anomalies originating from the lava dome in the summit crater were identified in satellite data. Minor inflation continued to be detected near Hualca Hualca (4 km N).
San Miguel - Eastern El Salvador : On 7 December MARN reported that activity at San Miguel had decreased. No explosions had been recorded since 29 November and seismicity had decreased. Sulfur dioxide emissions were below the baseline of 300 tons per day.
Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch during 2-8 December was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images. Collapses generated hot avalanches and ash plumes that drifted 60 km NE and E during the week.
Stromboli - Aeolian Islands (Italy) : INGV reported that lava continued to flow from the vent that opened on 4 December just downslope of the N2 vent in Stromboli’s Area N. The flow had descended the Sciara del Fuoco and reached the coast by around 1700 on 4 December. By 7 December only the top third of the flow was active while the rest of the flow was cooling. The flow was last confirmed to be active in webcam images on 8 December, but afterwards the webcam stream was interrupted. Explosions at three vents in Area N ejected coarse material (bombs and lapilli) less than 80 m high at a rate of 1-7 explosions per hour during 5-11 December.
Suwanosejima - Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 5-12 December and crater incandescence was visible nightly. No explosions were recorded. Eruption plumes rose as high as 1.7 km above the crater rim and blocks were ejected as far as 200 m from the vent. Ashfall was occasionally reported in Toshima village (3.5 km SSW).
Villarrica - Central Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported that during an overflight of Villarrica on 6 December scientists observed intense gas emissions from the lava lake and tephra deposits on the S and SE flanks, as far as 500 m from the crater. During 7-12 December seismicity slightly increased, whitish, low-altitude gas plumes were emitted, and incandescence from the crater was sometimes visible.
Whakaari/White Island - North Island (New Zealand) : On 12 December GeoNet reported continuing unrest at Whakaari/White Island characterized by minor-to-moderate gas-and-steam emissions and low levels of gas. During an overflight on 6 December sulfur dioxide gas emissions averaged around 273 tonnes per day and carbon dioxide emissions averaged around 787 tonnes per day, levels similar to those last measured on 14 October. The lake level had decreased. No signs of ash emissions or other eruptive activity were recorded.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.3 earthquake hits the Rat Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
6.0 earthquake hits Taiwan.
5.1 earthquake hits west of Macquarie Island.
5.0 earthquake hits Myanmar.
5.0 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the North Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 07a (Seven), located approximately 619 nm southeast of Masirah Island, is tracking west-northwestward at 07 knots.
Newsbytes:
Spain - Storm Efraín brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of western and central areas of Spain on 13 December 2022. Flood damage was reported in Extremadura, Castilla-La Mancha and the Community of Madrid.
Plastic Pollution
Amazon, the online retailer, generated more than 300 million kilograms of plastic packaging waste last year, new research claims. In total, the online retail giant allegedly created 321 million kilograms of packaging waste - mostly in the form of air-pillows, a protective packaging used in parcels. If laid out, this waste could circle the earth more than 800 times.
Plastic can take 1,000 years to decompose, filling landfill and littering the ocean. Of the 10 billion tonnes of plastic that have ever been created, a massive 6 billion sits in landfill sites or in the natural environment.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week 7 December - 13 December 2022
Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest continued to be detected at Ahyi Seamount during 7-13 December. Wake Island hydrophone sensors detected daily signals consistent with explosions during 10-12 December. No signs of underwater plumes were visible in satellite images during 10-11 December; weather clouds obscured the area on 12 December.
Fuego - South-Central Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that the eruption at Fuego was ongoing during 7-13 December, though activity had notably intensified during 10-11 December. The seismic network recorded 4-10 explosions per hour during the week, with ash plumes rising as high as 1.2 km above the crater rim. The ash plumes generally drifted 10-20 km NW, W, and SW, causing daily ashfall in areas downwind including Morelia (9 km SW), Panimaché I and II (8 km SW), Santa Sofía (12 km SW), El Porvenir (8 km ENE), Finca Palo Verde, Sangre de Cristo (8 km WSW), San Pedro Yepocapa (8 km NW). Daily shock waves rattled structures in communities around the volcano. Daily block avalanches descended the Ceniza (SSW), Seca (W), Trinidad (S), Taniluyá (SW), Honda, Las Lajas (SE), and El Jute (ESE) drainages, often reaching vegetated areas. Strombolian explosions ejected incandescent material as high as 200 m above the summit on a few of the days. Activity increased on 10 December. In a special report posted at 2241, INSIVUMEH noted that in the previous minutes multiple explosions of variable intensities produced ash plume that rose 1.2 km above the summit and drifted 30 km W and NW. Pulsating lava fountains rose as high as 500 m above the summit. A lava flow had traveled 800 m down the Ceniza drainage by the time the report was issued, and avalanches of material spalled from its front reached vegetated areas. At 2300 pyroclastic flows descended the Las Lajas drainage several kilometers. Dense ash plumes and pyroclastic flows down the Las Lajas drainage continued for at least an hour. Just before 0030 on 11 December pyroclastic flows traveled several kilometers down the Ceniza drainage on the SW flank. Lava fountains rose as high as 300 m. By 0640 dense ash plumes were rising over 1.2 km above the summit and the lava flow remained active. Avalanches of material from the advancing lava front descended to vegetated areas. Satellite images showed that ash clouds had spread NE, E, and SE, covering a wide area in the department of Sacatepéquez and the central and southern parts of the department of Guatemala. Activity decreased by the early afternoon; lava fountaining, dense ash emissions, and pyroclastic flows had all ceased before 1410.
Lascar - Northern Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported that an eruption at Láscar began at 1236 on 10 December with an explosive event that produced a dense ash plume and pyroclastic flows proximal to the crater. Hikers were near the crater and took video of the eruption. According to SEGEMAR the pyroclastic flows traveled short distances to the N and SE. The ash plume rose about 6 km above the crater rim and drifted SW. The event was coincident with a long-period earthquake detected by the seismic network. CKELAR noted that the thermal anomaly had intensified during the five days prior to the eruption along with increased sulfur dioxide gas emissions.
Mauna Loa - Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that activity at Mauna Loa’s Fissure 3 declined during 7-9 December and then ceased on 10 December. The main lava flow had only advanced a small distance during 6-7 December, at a rate of about 6 m per hour, possibly due to a significant breakout that had occurred about 4.5 km upslope of the flow front. Lava erupting from Fissure 3 was greatly reduced by the morning of 8 December. Lava overtopped channels near the vent but had not advanced farther than 4.4 km from the vent by 0930. The channel at lower elevations appeared to be drained and was likely no longer feeding the main flow which had stalled about 2.8 km from the Daniel K. Inouye Highway (Saddle Road). The sulfur dioxide emission rate had declined to 30,000 tonnes per day. By 1130 on 9 December low lava fountains at Fissure 3 fed flows that traveled as far as 2.65 km NE. By 0700 on 10 December a lava pond in the Fissure 3 vent was visible and fed short lava flows that stagnated at 2.6 km. Tremor levels were slowly declining and the sulfur dioxide emission rate was about 2,000 tonnnes per day. Lava was confined to the small pond by 1435 and gas emissions had significantly declined. No activity was visible on the flow field overnight during 10-11 December, and by 0700 on 11 December the Fissure 3 vent was barely incandescent. Scientists observed no lava movement and only minor incandescence at the vent during an overflight in the early morning of 12 December. They heard a small explosion that accompanied a spray of spatter from the W end of the fissure.
Semeru - Eastern Java : BNPB reported that residents continued to be impacted by the collapses and large pyroclastic flows on Semeru’s SE flank on 4 December. As of 6 December, there were 781 people spread across 21 evacuation shelters and heavy ashfall prevented aid from easily reaching Pronojiwo Village, according to BNPB. Kajar Kuning was the worst affected village. PVMBG reported that lava continued to erupt from the summit vent during 4-9 December, though activity generally declined. Ongoing thermal anomalies were identified in satellite images, though the intensity had decreased. The rate of deformation had declined based on tiltmeter data. Four pyroclastic flows moved as far as 6 km down the SE flanks, and avalanches of material traveled 300-500 m SE. At 0521 on 8 December a gray-to-white ash plume rose around 300 m above the summit and drifted N. At 0536 a gray ash plume rose 400 m and drifted N, as reported by a ground-based observer. A dense gray ash plume rose 500 m and drifted N at 0521 on 9 December. Eruptive activity continued during 10-13 December. At 0653 on 10 December a dense white-to-gray ash plume rose about 700 m above the summit and drifted N. White-and-gray ash plume were visible at 0652 on 11 December and 0727 on 12 December rising at least 500 m and drifting S and SW, respectively.
Wildfires - Australia
Fire crews are battling a large bushfire in Western Australia which has threatened homes and lives in Cervantes, about 200 kilometres north of Perth. Residents in Cervantes were told to "act immediately to survive", with an evacuation centre in the town. Winds up to 40km/h were making things difficult and the situation unpredictable.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.8 earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.
5.6 earthquake hits the Balleny Islands.
5.5 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.3 earthquake hits eastern Iran.
5.3 earthquake hits Bali, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are currently no tropical storm systems.
Newsbytes:
Dr Congo - At least 120 people have lost their lives after torrential rain caused widespread damages, landslides and flooding in the city of Kinshasa, the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Heavy rain fell overnight, from 12 to 13 December 2022, causing floods, landslides and sinkholes. Several municipalities in the city were affected. Dozens of houses and buildings collapsed and vehicles were left stranded. Wide stretches of road were completely destroyed, including in Mitendi, a commune to the southwest of the city, where a sinkhole wiped out the busy N1 highway which connects Kinshasa to Matadi the port city for Kinshasa.
Bosnia and Croatia - At least one person died and dozens of homes were damaged after heavy rain caused flash flooding, landslides and rivers to overflow in northern areas of Bosnia-Herzegovina and parts of neighbouring Croatia. The Red Cross reported around 500 people were affected by flooding in Bosnia-Herzegovina from 10 to 12 December 2022. One person died after a landslide buried part of a road near the city of Prijedor. A bridge was destroyed near the city of Gradiska leaving several communities isolated. In Croatia, the rising Kupa river threatened to flood areas of Karlovac County. Roads were flooded in Blatnica, Donja Kupčina and Gradec Pokupski. Several houses were damaged in Zadar County. Five people were evacuated in Gračac. Some roads were flooded in Lika-Senj County.
Turkey - Heavy rain of over 200 mm in 24 hours caused flooding in parts of Antalya Province in Turkey on 12 December 2022. Many of the areas affected saw severe flooding just days earlier. Finike in Antalya recorded 253.8 mm of rain in 24 hours to 12 December. The district of Kumluca recorded 207.8 mm during the same period. Several buildings were damaged and vehicles were swept away. A bridge collapsed in Kumluca.
Portugal - More heavy rain struck from 12 December affecting Lisbon District. Several severe weather-related incidents were also reported in the district of Setúbal. The weather station at Tapada da Ajuda in Lisbon recorded 65.6 mm of rain in 3 hours early on 13 December. The city of Almada in Setúbal recorded 59.7 mm of rain in 5 hours.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits south of Panama.
5.1 earthquake hits Seram, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression 29w (Pakhar), located approximately 649 nm east-northeast of Manilia, Philippines, is tracking southeastward at 06 knots.
Newsbytes:
USA - A massive winter storm blew toward the center of the U.S. on Monday, threatening millions of people with heavy snow, freezing rain and flooding. A swath of country stretching from Montana into western Nebraska and Colorado was under blizzard warnings Monday, and the National Weather Service said that as much as 2 feet (61 centimeters) of snow was possible in some areas of western South Dakota and northwestern Nebraska. Meanwhile, ice and sleet were expected in the eastern Great Plains. Those farther south in Texas and Louisiana could get heavy rains with flash flooding, hail and tornadoes by Tuesday. The storm will continue southeast into Florida later in the week, forecasters said.
Geminid Meteor Shower
The annual Geminids meteor shower reaches its peak on Wednesday (Dec. 14). The peak of the Geminid meteor shower(opens in new tab) offers skywatchers the opportunity to view what is regarded as the most consistent and reliable meteor shower(opens in new tab) of the year while at its best. As many as 120 meteors could tumble through the sky each hour during the Geminids' peak. The best way to see plenty of meteors is to view the sky when the viewing location is pointed towards the shower's radiant point, found in the constellation of Gemini.
Wildfires - Chile
Chile is battling to control the spread of several wildfires that have already destroyed more than 4,000 hectares (9,900 acres) of woodlands and are putting local communities at risk. Central regions including the Santiago metropolitan area, Valparaiso, O'Higgins and Maule are on red alert, with nine active fires currently being fought, data from the National Forestry Corporation (Conaf) showed on Monday.
Wildfires - Australia
There are currently three active bushfires, and several burn offs happening throughout the south west, Western Australia, which are making for a busy afternoon for the bushfire brigades and firefighting aircraft. People living in the affected areas are advised to store or weigh down loose objects around the home, move vehicles under cover, and ensure pets are in a safe area.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits Guerrero, Mexico.
5.1 earthquake hits Guatemala.
5.1 earthquake hits south of Africa.
5.0 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 29w (Pakhar), located approximately 408 nm south-southeast of Kadena, AFB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking east-northeastward at 08 knots.
Newsbytes:
California, USA - Heavy rain pounded Southern California on Sunday, leading to flooding, mud and debris flows and the swift water rescue of a man in the Santa Ana River. The storm also produced snow in the mountains, creating hazardous driving conditions.
Beavers are Moving to a Warming Arctic
It’s said that one beaver walked so far to get there that it rubbed the skin off the underside of its long, flat tail. Today. Beavers have homes and colonies scattered throughout the tundra in Alaska and Canada — and their numbers are increasing.
Researchers have observed that the dams beavers build accelerate changes already in play due to a warming climate. Indigenous people already have to portage around beaver dams and are worried the dams could pose a threat to the migrations of fish species they depend on.
Aerial photography from the 1950s showed no beaver ponds at all in Arctic Alaska. But in a recent study, Ken Tape, an ecologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, scanned satellite images of nearly every stream, river and lake in the Alaskan tundra and found 11,377 beaver ponds.
Dengue Fever - Nepal
Nepal reported today an update on dengue fever in the country for 2022. As of December 11, 2022 a total of 54,232 dengue cases have been identified. To date, 67 deaths due to dengue are verified.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits the Rat Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.1 earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 29w (Twenty-nine), located approximately 344 nm east-northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking northeastward at 08 knots.
Cholera - Philippines
The Philippines Department of Health reported nearly 1,200 additional confirmed cholera cases in the past month. As of October 15, the case tally was 4,102. Through November 12, health authorities have reported 5,291.
Rabies - South Africa
In a follow-up on the rabies situation in South Africa this year, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) reports a laboratory-confirmed human rabies case reported from Eastern Cape Province on 22 November 2022. A seven-year-old girl from Ncera village, East London, in the Buffalo City Municipality, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital. This is the twelfth rabies case this year.
Dengue Fever - Bangladesh
For the second time since the Bangladesh government started keeping records on dengue in 2000, the country has eclipsed the 60,000 dengue case tally nationally. According to data published by the the Bangladesh Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) today, the cumulative case count is 60,078 in 2022. 266 dengue related deaths have been reported.
Vietnam - Dengue Fever
Vietnam health officials reported an additional 10,000 dengue fever cases in the past week, bringing the cumulative total countrywide to 335,333 cases. To date, the country has recorded 123 deaths from dengue fever.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.5 earthquake hits offshore Valparaiso, Chile
5.2 earthquake hits Ascension Island.
5.2 earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the North Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 06b (Mandous), located approximately 130 nm south-southeast of Chennai, India, is tracking northwestward at 05 knots.
Newsbytes:
DR Congo - Surface water detected by satellite shows that dozens of communities along the Congo River and tributaries in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been exposed to flood waters over recent weeks. As many as 245,000 were potentially exposed to flooding in the provinces of Equateur, Nord-Ubangi and Sud-Ubangi, in November 2022. UNOSAT also detected flooded areas in the province of Tshopo between 24 November 24 and 05 December 2022. In the analyzed area of approximately 200 000 km², a total of about 1,600 km² of land in Tshopo appears to be flooded. Surface water extent appears to be at the same level as between the dates of 25 November to 05 December 2019. An estimated 70,000 people are affected across the province.
Brazil - Further heavy rain has fallen in Brazil, this time causing damages and 1 fatality in the state of Minas Gerais. As much as 70 mm of rain fell in just 1 hour causing a stream in the Palmital neighbourhood of the municipality to break its banks. The force of the water destroyed part of a house, killing one resident. Vehicles were seen floating along flooded streets of the city.
South Africa - Johannesburg – Heavy rains on Thursday night and Friday morning have led to severe flooding and havoc across parts of Johannesburg, particularly in the West Rand and Joburg South. The Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) has reported severe road infrastructural damage, including damaged roads and bridges. Large areas were left without power.
How much does a cloud weigh?
When you're flying in an airplane above a blanket of clouds, the pillars of white and gray look soft, fluffy and lighter than air. But those bouncy-looking clouds are much, much heavier than they appear.
Clouds are composed mainly of air and millions of tiny water droplets, which form when water condenses around a "seed" particle. Seed particles can be anything from nitric acid to vapours released by trees.
In measuring the weight of the water in an average cumulus cloud, an atmospheric scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado measured a cloud's shadow, estimated its height, bearing in mind that cumulus clouds are frequently as tall as they are wide and estimated the average density of water droplets at about 0.5 gram per cubic meter and arrived at the sum of around 500 tons - the equivalent of about 100 elephants.
Measles - South Africa
In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in South Africa, the National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) reports the number of measles cases in the country is rising. Four out of nine provinces have recorded outbreaks to date. Limpopo and Mpumalanga have reported 89 and 40 cases, respectively. An outbreak was declared in North West province on the 2nd of December 2022 after three cases were reported. On the 6th of December, three cases were reported by Gauteng, and an outbreak in this province has been declared. The WHO defines a measles outbreak as 3 cases reported in a single district in one month.
Dengue Fever - Philippines
The number of dengue fever cases reported in the Philippines this year has eclipsed 200,000, according to the latest data from the Epidemiology Bureau of the Department of Health. From January 1 to November 12, 201,509 cumulative cases have been reported nationally.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits the Philippines.
Two 5.3 earthquakes hit the northern mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.2 earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.
5.2 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits northern Peru.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the North Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 06b (Mandous), located approximately 130 nm south-southeast of Chennai, India, is tracking northwestward at 05 knots.
Rogue Wave
One person died and four others were injured when a giant wave hit a cruise ship en route to Antarctica. The owners of the Viking Polaris said the ship sustained only limited damage by the rogue wave, but several windows were smashed.
The wave hit as the ship was approaching the port of Ushuaia in Argentina's Tierra del Fuego province. Rogue waves, which scientists call "extreme storm waves," are at lease twice the size of surrounding waves. They often come from different directions than the wind and existing waves.
Ozone Hole Alert
Residents of Argentina’s Patagonia region were warned to avoid the early summertime sunshine because the stratospheric ozone hole over Antarctica was predicted to extend northward over populated areas for the third time this year. That would allow higher levels of ultraviolet rays from the sun to potentially cause skin damage and even cancer.
Such events are particularly harmful during October, November and December, when the sun is high above the horizon and the intensity of ultraviolet radiation is already increasing considerably. In October, the ozone layer over far southern Argentina was providing only about 50% of its normal protection.
Restoring Earth
Delegates from nearly 200 nations gathered in Montreal to seek ways to reverse the loss of nature, hoping to put the world on a path of restoring the environment by the end of the decade. The UN’s COP15 summit is designed to do for biodiversity what the Paris agreement is attempting to do for climate change.
As the summit began, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged countries to stop treating nature “like a toilet.” He added, “Humanity has become a weapon of mass extinction.” Goals of the summit include reducing the extinction risks of one million species, protecting 30% of the land and sea, and restoring degraded ecosystems.
