Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing activity for the week 8 February - 14 February 2023

Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest at Ahyi Seamount continued during 7-14 February. Pressure sensors on Wake Island, 2,270 km E of Ahyi Seamount, occasionally detected possible activity including possible explosions during 13-14 February. No activity was identified in satellite images, though the image resolutions were too low to detect water discoloration.

Cotopaxi - Ecuador : IG reported that the eruption at Cotopaxi continued during 7-14 February, characterized by daily or almost daily emissions of gas, steam, and ash; inclement weather conditions occasionally prevented views. Gas-and-ash emissions rose as high as 2 km above the crater rim and drifted NW, W, and E during 7-10 February. Minor ashfall was reported in the parish of Tambillo (32 km NNW), Mejia region, on 10 February. Steam-and-gas emissions rose to 1 km and drifted W and SW on 11 February. Gas-and-ash plumes rose around 500 m on 12 February and drifted SW. Minor amounts of ash fell in El Chasqui (17 km W), Mulaló (19 km SW), and San Juan de Pastocalle (20 km WSW). During 13-14 February several steam-and-ash emissions rose as high as 1 km and drifted W and SW. Minor ashfall was reported in Mulaló, San Agustín (11 km W), Ticatilín (15 km WSW), San Ramón (17 km SW), Control Caspi (20 km WSW), and in Pastocalle (22 km W).

Dukono - Halmahera : PVMBG reported that white-and-gray plumes of variable densities rose from Dukono as high as 150 m above the summit and drifted S and E on 8 and 10 February. Inclement weather conditions sometimes prevented visual observations.

Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 2-9 February. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions during 4-5 and 7-8 February generated ash plumes that rose as high as 4.5 km (14,800 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE and E. Ashfall was reported in Severo-Kurilsk on 5 and 8 February. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 8 February.

Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that a 6 February satellite image confirmed continuing lava effusion at Great Sitkin and growth of the flow field to the E; effusion likely continued during 7-14 February. Weather clouds often obscured satellite and webcam views, though steam emissions were observed during 8 and 11-12 February. Seismicity was low most of the week; a network outage began at 2120 on 12 February and prevented transmission of seismic data.

Huaynaputina - Peru : IGP reported that on 4 February a small-to-medium lahar descended the El Volcán drainage, on the S flank of Huaynaputina, and traveled to within 500 m of Quinistaquillas, in the province of Sánchez Cerro, Moquegua region.

Ibu - Halmahera : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Ibu continued during 7-14 February. White-and-gray plumes of variable densities rose as high as 800 m above the summit and drifted NE and NW during 6-7 February.

Kerinci - Central Sumatra : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Kerinci was ongoing during 8-14 February. Ash plumes were visible on most days, though weather conditions prevented views towards the end of the week. At 0724 on 8 February a gray ash plum rose 150 m above the summit and drifted E. Gray-to-brown ash plumes rose 150 m and drifted NE that same day. White-and-gray ash plumes rose 150 m and drifted NE during 9-10 February. At 1740 on 10 February a dense gray ash plume rose around 100 m and drifted E, and on 14 February white-and-brown ash plumes rose 200 m and drifted NE.

Kilauea - Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that lava continued to erupt from three locations on Kilauea’s Halema’uma’u Crater floor during 7-14 February. The lava lake in E half of the crater was active and remained at about 10 hectares in size. A small 3-6 m high lava fountain in the S part of the E lake was active during the first few days but had diminished during 10-11 February and remained at lower levels during the rest of the week. The smaller western lake in the basin of the 2021–2022 lava lake as well as the smaller lava pond in the central portion of the crater floor remained active and overflowed frequently each day. Activity in the southern small lava pond had decreased. During 12-14 February a small lava fountain was visible in the smaller central lava pond and was active along with the fountain in the S part of the E lake. Lava continued to overflow the pond and possibly connected to the larger E lava lake.

Lewotolok - Lembata Island : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Lewotolok was ongoing during 7-14 February. Minor crater incandescence at the summit was visible in most of the daily webcam images posted with the daily PVMBG reports. A webcam image captured at 2140 on 11 February showed Strombolian activity. White-and-gray plumes rose as high as 300 m above the crater rim and drifted NE, E, and SE on each day except 9-10 and 14 February due to weather clouds.

Marapi - Central Sumatra : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Marapi continued during 8-14 February. White, gray, and black plumes rose as high as 400 m and drifted SW and S on 10 February. At 1827 a dense black ash plume rose 400 m and drifted NE and E. White-and-gray plumes that were sometimes dense rose as high as 200 m and drifted E and SE on 12 February. Diffuse white-and-gray plumes rose 100 m and drifted N and S on 13 February.

Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 3-9 February and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced five lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1.8 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Kali Bebeng drainage) and one pyroclastic flow traveled 1.5 km SW (on 8 February). No significant morphological changes to the central and SW lava domes were evident in webcam images.

Semeru - Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 6-12 February. Somewhat dense to dense white-and-gray ash plumes rose 300-500 m above the summit and drifted N and NE, though weather conditions often prevented visual observations. At 0623 on 11 February a white-and-brown ash plume rose 600 m above the summit, and at 0754 a dense white-to-gray ash plume rose 600 m and drifted E. At 0527 on 14 February a somewhat-dense, white-to-gray ash plume rose around 800 m. Avalanches of material were detected during the week and sometimes roaring was heard, but they were rarely seen due to weather. Deformation fluctuated and was characterized by overall inflation. The number of earthquakes increased.

Semisopochnoi - Aleutian Islands (USA) : AVO reported that eruptive activity at Semisopochnoi’s Mount Young continued during 7-14 February. Seismicity was low, and a few local earthquakes were recorded during 7-8 February. Steam emissions were visible in webcam images almost daily though views were often cloudy.

Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch during 2-9 February was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images, and minor ash plumes from lava-dome collapses drifted 110 km NE on 6 February.

Suwanosejima - Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 6-13 February with a total of 10 explosions recorded by the seismic network. The explosions produced eruption plumes that rose as high as 1.5 km above the crater rim and ejected large blocks as far as 400 m from the vent. Crater incandescence was observed nightly. Occasional ashfall was reported in Toshima village (3.5 km SSW).

Tangkuban Parahu - Western Java : PVMBG issued a special report based on recent observations of Tangkuban Parahu. Webcam images captured from 1830 on 9 February to 0300 on 10 February showed incandescence emanating from Ecoma Crater. A team of PVMBG scientists inspected the crater during 1900-2000 on 10 February to identify the source of the incandescence. They observed intense emissions rising from Ecoma Crater, heard roaring and rumbling, and detected a strong sulfur odor, but did not see incandescence. Remote measurements of solfatara temperatures in Ecoma Crater using thermal cameras show varying temperatures, with a maximum of 105 degrees Celsius, and were influenced by airflow conditions at the crater. A multi-gas detector did not record high concentrations of volcanic gases. Seismic data from June 2022 to February 2023 suggested variable rates of fluid movement and increased heating of the subsurface to the surface. Data from monitoring instruments and visual observations indicated that the incandescent was not caused by rising magma and instead by reactions of sulfur deposits around the vents.

Villarrica - Central Chile : The eruption at Villarrica was ongoing during 6-12 February. POVI reported that three explosions were heard during 1940-1942 on 6 February, and then hours later spatter was seen rising 30 m above the crater rim. On 9 February lava fountains were seen rising around 50 m above the crater rim. SERNAGEOMIN noted that in the early part of the week small Strombolian explosions and gas emissions were recorded and observed in webcam images. A period of increased seismicity was recorded on 12 February, after several weeks of stable levels. The seismicity and recent visual observations (especially ash emissions observed on 27 January) indicated that activity was localized at shallow levels, without a clear indication of deep magmatic contribution.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 earthquake hits the Masbate region, Philippines.

5.6 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.5 earthquake hits Haiti.

5.1 earthquake hits Potosi, Bolivia.

5.1 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 earthquake hits off the east coast of North island, New Zealand.

Rescue Hero Honoured

Mexico has paid tribute to a “heroic” rescue dog who died, crushed by rubble while searching for survivors buried beneath the rubble of the earthquakes in Turkey. The dog - a German Shephard named Proteo - was one of more than a dozen deployed by Mexico to assist in the disaster response efforts.

Meanwhile the death toll from the devastating earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria has surpassed 41,000.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 748 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 12 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 851 nm southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking southward at 08 knots.

Environment

EU Dumps Plastic Clothing in Kenya

EU countries are dumping 37 million items of ‘junk plastic clothing’ in Kenya every year, a new investigation has revealed. This fashion waste is too dirty or damaged to be reused and is creating serious health and environmental problems for vulnerable communities in the country. The low quality of the clothing means it ends up being immediately dumped, or burned to heat water, cook and allegedly fuel a power station.

Ohio - toxic train disaster

Almost two weeks after a freight train carrying hazardous materials was derailed in Ohio, USA, residents are reticent about returning home. The catastrophe, which occurred on 3 February near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border, sparked a massive fire.

Those living in the vicinity were evacuated and schools in the area were closed as fears of an explosion grew. A controlled burn was carried out to prevent this, releasing a cloud of toxic fumes. Although residents have now been told they can return home safely, concerns remain over possible drinking water contamination, long term impacts, and reports of dead animals.

Global Warming

Warm water melts weak spots on Antarctica's 'Doomsday Glacier'

Thwaites - nicknamed the Doomsday Glacier - which is roughly the size of Florida, represents more than half a meter of global sea level rise potential, and could destabilise neighbouring glaciers that have the potential to cause a further three-meter rise.

Researchers found that warmer water was making its way into crevasses and other openings known as terraces, causing sideways melt of 30 meters or more per year. Using an underwater robot vehicle known as Icefin, monitoring data and censors, they monitored the glacier's grounding line, where ice slides off the glacier and meets the ocean for the first time.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Multiple fires are burning across the region, but authorities have been focused on large and destructive blazes near Miles, Tara and Jandowae over the past few days. The three bushfires have ripped through a combined total of more than 150,000 hectares and at least 38 structures have been destroyed.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New activity for the week 8 February - 14 February 2023

Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano during 6-12 February and nightly crater incandescence. Three eruptive events and two explosions were recorded at Minamidake Crater. The first explosion, at 1815 on 9 November, generated an ash plume that rose 2 km above the crater rim and drifted N and ejected large blocks 600-900 m from the crater rim. The second explosion, at 1007 on 11 February, produced an ash plume that rose 1.7 km and ejected large blocks 600-900 m from the crater rim. An ash plume from an eruptive event at 1323 on 12 February rose 1.7 km and drifted E. A very small eruption at Showa Crater at 1052 on 8 February produced an ash plume that rose 800 m above the crater rim. This was the first eruption at Showa Crater since 3 April 2018. Ash plumes from events recorded at 1110 and 1425 rose as high as 1 km and drifted SE and SW, respectively, and blocks were ejected 200-300 m from the crater. Ashfall was reported in an area from Arimura-cho (4.5 km SE) to Furusato-cho (3 km S).

Chikurachki - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that a moderate explosive eruption at Chikurachki continued during 2-9 February. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images during 5-6 February and ash plumes drifted 125 km SE, E, and NE.

Karangetang - Sangihe Islands : According to PVMBG the eruption at Karangetang’s Main Crater (S crater) continued during 8-14 February. Multiple nighttime webcam images posted with daily reports showed three main incandescent lava flows of different lengths descending the S, SW, and W flanks. Incandescent rocks dotted the upper flanks, possibly from ejected or collapsed material from the crater; the incandescence was most intense at the summit.

Lascar - Northern Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported that seismicity at Láscar was dominated by volcano-tectonic signals with smaller numbers of both long-period and tornillo-type events during 7-14 February. Seismicity increased during the week, associated with continuing effusion of the dome-like structure that had emerged on the crater floor on 30 January. Daily whitish gas emissions were mostly diffuse and rose around 400 m above the crater rim, though emissions rose as high as 700 m during 11-12 February. Sulfur dioxide emissions were low, no deformation was detected, and no thermal anomalies were identified in satellite images.

Tengger Caldera - Eastern Java : PVMBG sent a team of scientists to investigate Tengger Caldera’s Bromo cone after an increase in activity was detected on 3 February, characterized by crater incandescence, rumbling sounds, and a strong sulfur dioxide odor. They observed somewhat dense white emissions rising as high as 300 m during 9-12 February and heard moderate-to-strong rumbling noises. A sulfur dioxide odor was strong near the crater and measurements indicated that levels were above the healthy (non-hazardous) threshold of 5 parts per million; differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) measurements indicated an average flux of 190 tons per day on 11 February. During clear periods the largest solfatara on the NNW part of the crater floor was visible and ranged in temperature from 46 to 66 degrees Celsius based on handheld instruments. Crater incandescence, originating from the solfatara, was visible at night.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 earthquake hits the Cook Strait, New Zealand.

5.7 earthquake hits Romania.

5.3 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.2 earthquake hits northern Colombia.

5.2 earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.1 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.1 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii.

5.0 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 1000 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 14 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 1187 nm south of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 18 knots.

Newsbytes:

Brazil - Heavy rain caused flooding and landslides in the municipality of São Gonçalo in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 13 to 14 February 2023. Municipal authorities declared a state of emergency after torrential. São Gonçalo City Hall reported 192.4 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in the Gradim neighbourhood of the city. Around 143 incidents of flooding and landslides were reported across the municipality.

Malawi - Severe flooding struck the city of Blantyre and surrounding areas in southern Malawi on 12 February. Authorities report 4 people have lost their lives and 3 are still missing. Government authorities have provided relief assistance to 16,607 affected households, including food, tents, housing units, kitchen utensils and plastic sheets for temporary roofing.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

More than 20 homes and sheds have been destroyed as out-of-control bushfires rage in parts of country Queensland, fuelled by hot conditions. Evacuation orders were in place for residents north of the town of Miles on Tuesday morning as fire crews battled a series of blazes in rural areas west of Brisbane. The Myall Creek fire has doubled in size, burning about 7400 hectares on Tuesday and remains uncontained, with at least two sheds and farming equipment destroyed. The fire at Tara is about 880ha, and firefighters believe more than 20 structures, including homes, have been damaged or destroyed.

Disease

Dengue Fever - Bolivia

The Bolivia Ministry of Health and Sports reported 579 new dengue fever cases, bringing the cumulative total to 6,453.

Dengue Fever - Thailand

Thai health authorities are advising the public to guard against dengue fever as the case tally rises to 3,855 total cases were reported from 72 provinces from the beginning of the year through February 7. One fatality was report to date.

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease - Philippines

The Negros Occidental Provincial Health Office in Bacolod City reports an increase in hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) cases early in 2023. According to official data, 320 cases have already been recorded from January 1 to February 4, 2023. This compares with only five cases reported in the first five weeks last year.

Marburg Virus - Equatorial Guinea

In a follow-up on the unknown deaths reported in Equatorial Guinea, the Ministry of Health now reports confirming its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD). The World Health Organization reports preliminary tests carried out following the deaths of at least nine people in the country’s western Kie Ntem Province turned out positive for the disease.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.6 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.2 earthquake hits Romania.

5.1 earthquake hits northern Qinghai, China.

5.0 earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.

5.0 earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Meanwhile the death toll in the Turkey/Syria earthquake has passed 35 000. As hopes of finding people alive under the debris fade more than a week after the quake struck, the focus has switched to providing food and shelter to the vast numbers of survivors. According to the Turkish government, about 1.2 million people have been housed in student residences, more than 206,000 tents have been erected and 400,000 victims evacuated from the devastated areas.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 1277 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 09 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 907 nm south of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 09 knots.

Newsbytes:

New Zealand - New Zealand declares national state of emergency after Cyclone Gabrielle causes major damage. The North Island takes the brunt of the cyclone and the military is on the ground helping evacuate people from cut-off communities. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins says homes are without power and families have been displaced after "extensive damage" across the country. The country's national forecaster said at one weather station in Hawke's Bay three times more rain fell on Monday night than is normal for the whole of February.

South Africa - South Africa has declared a national state of disaster to enable an intensive response to widespread flooding that has affected seven of the country's nine provinces.

Wildlife

Whale Deaths Linked to Turkey Earthquake

A number of whales washed up dead on the northern shores of Cyprus last week. It is thought the deaths could be linked to the massive earthquakes in neighbouring Turkey and Syria.

A pod of four beaked whales were found beached in Argaka, Paphos, on Thursday. Locals managed to guide three, which were still alive, back to sea. The fourth died, according to the Cyprus department of fisheries and marine research.

A further six whales were found dead on Friday between Polis and Pachyammos. It is unknown whether some of these were the ones that had been returned to the sea the previous day.

Whales use underwater sound as their primary way to communicate and assess their environment. Ocean noise can affect deep-diving whales' ability to navigate, find food and avoid predators. It is thought that seismic vibrations from the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria may have disoriented the whales.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Hawaii

Hawaii Island firefighters are battling two brush fires sparked by lightning. Both blazes started over the weekend. In an update Monday morning, officials said approximately 5% of the fire is contained and about 1,500 acres have burned.

Disease

Covid-19

The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.1 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

6.1 earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.

5.0 earthquake hits the Philippines.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 163 nm south of Cocos Island, Australia, is tracking westward at 11 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 913 nm east of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking southwestward at 07 knots.

Newsbytes:

Mozambique - Four people have now died in floods following days of incessant rains in southern Mozambique, authorities said on Saturday. The National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD) said the deaths happened around the capital Maputo, while 14,000 people were evacuated out of more than 30,000 people estimated to have been affected by the flooding. The worst hit district is Boane, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) southeast of the oceanside capital Maputo. Some 4,000 houses flooded as two bridges collapsed and several roads were completely submerged.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Fast moving fires are putting homes under threat, with residents in parts of Queensland's south-west being told to leave and at least one property destroyed.There were 50 bushfires burning across the state on Sunday night. The worst area is at Montrose, near Tara — 285km north-west from Brisbane — where it is believed to have started in a fuel drum.

Disease

Dengue Fever - Americas

The Pan America Health Organization (PAHO) saw a total of 2,803,096 dengue fever cases in the Americas in 2023 accounting for 90 percent of the total arbovirus cases (3,110,442), which includes Zika (36,340) and chikungunya (271,006).

The total number of cases of arboviral disease reported in 2022 (3,110,442 cases) represents approximately a 118% relative increase compared to the same period in 2021 (1,425,221 cases).

The highest number of dengue cases in 2022 was observed in Brazil with 2,383,001 cases, followed by Nicaragua with 97,541 cases and Peru with 72,844 cases. A total of 1,223 fatalities were reported in 2022 (1,016 in Brazil alone, a record in the country).

Unknown Disease - Equatorial Guinea

Guinea Ecuatorial Salud reported Thursday that in recent weeks, there has been an unusual epidemiological situation in the Nsok Nsomo district, Kie-Ntem Province, related to 9 deaths within a short time of each other in two nearby communities, who presented the following symptoms: fever, vomiting blood and diarrhea. The deaths were linked to people who all took part in a funeral ceremony. In addition, more than 200 people have been quarantined with restricted movement

Lassa fever - Nigeria

In a follow-upon the Lassa fever outbreak in Nigeria in 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reported 1378 suspected and 361 confirmed Lassa fever cases in 18 States through January 29. 53 deaths among the confirmed cases were also reported in January with a nearly 15% case fatality rate.

Cholera - DR Congo

A cholera epidemic was officially declared by the Governor of the province of North Kivu in December when the isolation of Vibrio cholerae among 140 of the 247 samples collected from suspected cases of Nyiragongo Health Zone was reported. As of 4 February 2023, a total of 4386 cholera cases (of which 1009 are laboratory-confirmed) with 16 deaths (CFR 0.4%) have been reported. 4011 cases (91.5%) are from Nyiragongo and 375 (8.5%) from Karisimbi.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 earthquake hits the northern mid-Atlantic ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 300 nm southeast of Cosos Islands, Australia, is tracking westward at 07 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 1055 nm east of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking west-southwestward at 10 knots.

Newsbytes:

Syria - Video from relief workers in Syria showed heavy flooding in the Syrian village of Al'Tloul, Syria, on Thursday (February 9), after heavy rains swelled the river in the outskirts of the Turkish-Syrian border. Shielded from 12 years of civil war, Al-Tloul has been rocked by Monday's (February 6) huge earthquake and ensuing flooding that has pushed out nearly all of its inhabitants, residents said. A small dam near the village collapsed early on Thursday one resident told Reuters, covering fields and filling homes with knee-high murky brown water.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Chile

Wildfires that have been raging across Chile for more than a week have now killed at least 26 people and left more than 2,000 injured. Over 1,500 homes have also been completely destroyed by the fires, leaving thousands more homeless as a heatwave has enveloped the region with temperatures reaching upwards of 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chile’s Interior Ministry confirmed to ABC News that, so far, more than 889,000 acres of forests have been destroyed so far in the Andean nation. Over 6,000 firefighters — many of them mainly volunteers — are currently on the ground trying to control more than 323 active fires, including 90 that are raging out of control, according to officials.

Disease

Dengue Fever - Malaysia

The Ministry of Health of Malaysia reported that as of February 8, 11,127 dengue fever cases have been recorded in the country. This is a 211.4 percent increase compared to the same period in 2022 (3,573). Six dengue related fatalities have been reported in Malaysia to date, compared to zero last year at this time.

Dengue Fever - Bolivia

Dengue cases continue to rise in Bolivia. On Friday, the Bolivia Ministry of Health and Sports reported 398 additional dengue fever cases, bringing the country total to 5,347 since the beginning of the year.

Measles - South Africa

The South Africa National Institute of Communicable Diseases (NICD) reports since the first week in October 2022, 506 confirmed measles cases have been reported.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 earthquake hits Kepulauan Talud, Indonesia.

5.4 earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

5.3 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.2 earthquake hits Trinidad de Cunha.

5.1 earthquake hits the west Chile rise.

5.0 earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.

5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

Turkey and Syria

The death toll from Monday’s earthquake has now risen beyond 25,000 - including 21,848 people who have died in Turkey and a reported 3,553 in Syria. UN emergency relief coordinator Martin Griffiths said the death toll from the earthquake is likely to “more than double”, adding that he expected tens of thousands more deaths. Griffiths, who visited the Turkish province of Kahramanmaraş on Saturday, described the earthquake as the “worst event in 100 years in this region”. At least 870,000 people urgently need food in the two countries after the quake, which has made up to 5.3 million people homeless in Syria alone, the UN warned. Search operations continue with one boy reportedly stretchered out of the rubble in Turkey after 128 hours.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 775 nm northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking westward at 09 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 643 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking2westward at 13 knots.

Newsbytes:

Venezuela - A landslide occurred in the state of Mérida, Venezuela, following heavy rain on 08 February 2023. Authorities report two people died and a bridge was destroyed. A large part of a hillside collapsed near the banks of the Onia river in the settlement of Onia in Alberto Adriani municipality following heavy rainfall. Landslide debris fell onto a bridge on the river, killing two people who were crossing the bridge on a motorcycle. The landslide also caused damage to homes and businesses in the area.

Mozambique - Storms and heavy rain affected the city of Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, and surrounding areas of Maputo Province on 08 February 2023. Local media reported that heavy rain caused flooding in the city of Maputo, the suburb of Matola, and the nearby Boane District in Maputo Province. Roads have been cut and houses damaged. 2,400 families have been affected. Many are in a critical situation. One person died in a flooded house in the FPLM neighbourhood of Maputo city. It is thought the victim was electrocuted after power cables came into contact with flood water.

South Africa - Flooding has displaced hundreds of people in the town of Komani (also known as Queenstown) in the Eastern Province of South Africa. Further east, two people have died and one is missing after being swept away by overflowing rivers in Mpumalanga Province. Flooding has impacted parts of the Kruger National Park where some camps have been closed.

Global Warming

Launching a huge dust cloud from the moon could ease global warming

Launching a dust cloud from the moon to block sunlight reaching Earth could reduce global warming, but such a strategy may require more than a decade’s worth of research before it can be implemented. The risks involved with such an approach in terms of how it could affect agriculture, ecosystems and water quality in different parts of the world are also unclear.

Placing more than 100 million tonnes of dust between Earth and the sun to partially block light from reaching our planet has previously been explored as a way to combat climate change. Such dust particles would shade Earth by absorbing light energy or scattering light particles, known as photons, away from Earth.

To achieve this, the dust would need to be placed 1.5 million kilometres from Earth, where the gravitational pull of the sun and our planet cancel out. Here, objects stay at a fixed position known as the first Lagrange point, or L1. However, simulations indicate that the dust particles would not remain in place for long, being dispersed by solar wind and gravitational forces.

Space Events

Polar Vortex on the Sun

A long, looping filament of plasma snapped over the sun's north pole, creating a 'polar vortex' that scientists can't explain. On Feb. 2, a massive tentacle of plasma snapped apart in the sun's atmosphere before tumbling down, circling the star's north pole at thousands of miles a minute, and then disappearing — leaving scientists baffled.

Essentially, a long filament of plasma — the electrically charged gas that all stars are made of — shot out of the sun's surface, creating a huge looping feature called a prominence. These structures are common and can loop into space for hundreds of thousands of miles as solar plasma spirals along tangled magnetic field lines. What is strange, however, is for a prominence to suddenly break apart and then remain airborne for hours, swirling around the sun's poles.

Wildlife

Avian Flu - USA

It appears that the avian flu that is decimating birds across the US is spreading o other mammals. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has identified several cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in free-ranging wildlife. A black bear from Huerfano County was affected by the disease in October, a skunk from Weld County was found to be positive for the disease in November, and a mountain lion that died in Gunnison County.

Disease

Chikungunya - Paraguay

In a follow-up in the chikungunya outbreak in Paraguay, the Ministry of Health reports approximately 11,000 cases of the arbovirus in the past three weeks. In addition, chikungunya has so far accounted for 14 deaths, three newborns among them. 103 people were hospitalized for the disease, 25 of them receiving medical care in intensive care.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.1 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.2 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.1 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

Wildlife

Avian Flu - Peru

Park rangers who have registered the death of nearly 55,000 birds in eight protected natural areas of the coast. The most affected bird species are mainly boobies, pelicans and guanays, followed by tendrils, Dominican gulls, Peruvian gulls and gray gulls. Also in Franklin’s gulls, red-headed vultures, cormorants, Humboldt penguins and others. In recent weeks, avian influenza in birds has been identified as spreading to populations of sea lions in seven marine-coastal natural protected areas, registering 585 dead sea lions.

Avian Fllu - Europe

U.N. health experts say that even though bird flu has recently been detected in minks, otters, seals, foxes and bears, they believe the current prevailing strain of H5N1 avian influenza would have to undergo significant mutation to be able to spread among humans.

Europe is currently in the grip of its worst-ever outbreak of the disease, which has led to tens of millions of poultry being culled worldwide as well as a massive death toll among wild birds in several regions. The H5N1 strain of the virus first emerged in mainland China and Hong Kong in 1996. Experts say that should it somehow manage to mutate and circulate in humans, the current flu vaccines could easily be updated to provide protection.

Giant Toad

A giant toad discovered deep in an Australian rainforest is believed to be the largest in the world. Dubbed by forest rangers “Toadzilla,” the gargantuan amphibian weighed 2.65 kg, which is 0.05 kg heavier than a Swedish pet toad listed in 1991 as the heaviest by Guinness.

But all did not end well for Toadzilla. Because it is an invasive species in Australia, it was euthanized due to what rangers called its “ecological impact.” Most toads typically meet the same fate when found across Australia. “Potentially, cane toads like Toadzilla would lay up to 35,000 eggs. So their capacity to reproduce is quite staggering,” said park ranger Barry Nola.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 530 nm northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking westward at 08 knots.

Tropical cyclone 12p (Gabrielle), located approximately 367 nm west-southwest of Noumea, New Caledonia, is tracking southeastward at 22 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 854 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 13 knots.

Newsbytes:

Australia - Stormy weather brought heavy rain and flooding to parts of New South Wales in Australia on 09 February 2023. Over 20 people had to be rescued. Bellambi, a suburb of Wollongong in the Illawarra region recorded 96mm in 1 hour.

Brazil - Storms and flash flooding struck the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Region in Brazil on 08 February 2023. Two people died in the storm, while dozens were rescued from flood waters. Flooding has also occurred in the Greater São Paulo Region in recent days. Authorities report one fatality and one person missing. Rio de Janiero reported 30.4 mm of rain in 15 minutes and 67.4 mm in 1 hour at the Jardim Botânico weather station. Over 30 landslides were also reported in the city. Around 20 schools have been closed.

Bolivia - Over 5,500 families have been affected by flooding across La Paz, Beni and Santa Cruz Departments in Bolivia over the last few days. Two fatalities were reported, and dozens of homes and wide areas of crops have been damaged or destroyed. At least 20 homes were damaged or destroyed in Mapiri. Camps were set up to accommodate families who lost their homes.

Global Warming

Inter-Connections

The vast burning of trees in the Amazon has been linked to the melting of glaciers in the Himalayas and even Antarctica due to newly discovered atmospheric pathways that threaten to push some regional climates beyond tipping points that cannot be reversed. Writing in the journal Nature Climate Change, an international team of researchers says the Amazon-Himalayan climate connection stretches 20,000 km from Brazil to Tibet. That means that as the Amazon warms and receives more rainfall, the mountains of South Asia get less precipitation and become warmer.

Environment

Road to Extinction

A new report by the group NatureServe says 34% of all plants and 40% of all animals in the US are at risk of extinction. Authors of the report say the warning is based on 50 years of extensive data collected by the nonprofit.

“Two-fifths of our ecosystems are in trouble,” said the Virginia-based group’s vice president for data and methods, Regan Smyth. “Freshwater invertebrates and many pollinators, the foundation of a healthy, functional planet, are in precipitous decline.” Most “imperiled” are all of the country’s tropical forests, tropical savannas and various grasslands.

Rainbow Clouds

The Arctic Circle is best known for its Northern Lights. But this emerald display was recently replaced by spectacular iridescent rainbows. Rare ‘rainbow clouds’ painted the skies over the Arctic Circle in Finland, Iceland and Norway at the end of January.

The phenomenon, caused by extreme freezing temperatures in the stratosphere. While auroras occur when solar wind collides with atoms in the Earth's atmosphere, rainbow-coloured ‘polar stratospheric clouds’ (PSCs) are caused by tiny atmospheric ice crystals. So-called ‘rainbow clouds’ are a result of cloud iridescence caused by small water droplets or ice crystals diffracting the sun’s light.

Beautiful as they are, rainbow clouds are bad news for the climate. The chemical reactions that they encourage break down the ozone layer, which shields Earth from the sun’s harmful UV rays.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week’s hottest temperature was 42.0 degrees Celsius (107 degrees F) at Geraldton, Western Australia.

The week’s coldest temperature was minus 56.0 degrees Celsius (-69 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.

Disease

Covid-19

The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:

Cholera - Africa (Malawi)

Between 1-29 January this year, an alarming 26 000 cases and 660 deaths were reported in 10 African countries, which represents 30% of last year's caseload. A record 80 000 cases and 1 863 fatalities, from 15 impacted nations, were reported last year. The majority of the newly reported cases and fatalities are from Malawi, which is experiencing its worst cholera outbreak in 20 years. That country's president last week said the cholera cases were primarily because of climate change-induced floods. All the 29 districts of Malawi have been affected by cholera and cumulatively, as of 8 February, 40 284 cases have recorded with 1 316 deaths. On average, daily, Malawi is recording just over 500 cases. The majority, who are succumbing to cholera, were people aged above 50, while those affected were in the range of 10-59 years.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - Oman

The World Health Organization reports the Oman IHR-NFP notified them of a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) on January 5. The 60 year old male had no history of physical contact with dromedaries, goats, sheep or contact with camel products, milk, or urine. Since the first MERS case in Oman in 2013, Oman has reported 26 cases of MERS-CoV including seven deaths (CFR 27%).

Dengue Fever - Bolivia

The Bolivia Ministry of Health and Sports reported 281 new dengue fever cases, bringing the cumulative total to 4,230. Santa Cruz department reports 3,085 cases, the most in the country. 17 total dengue related deaths have been reported.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing activity for the week 1 February - 7 February 2023

Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest at Ahyi Seamount continued during 31 January-7 February. Pressure sensors on Wake Island, 2,270 km E of Ahyi Seamount, detected activity during 31 January-1 February and possible activity during 4-6 February. Plumes of discolored water were not identified satellite images, though the image resolutions were too low to detect it.

Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 30 January-6 February and crater incandescence was visible nightly. Sulfur dioxide emissions were high at 2,000 tons per day on 30 January. An explosion at 1951 on 3 February produced an ash plume that rose 1.2 km above the crater rim and ejected large blocks as far as 500 m from the crater.

Cotopaxi - Ecuador : IG reported that the eruption at Cotopaxi continued during 1-7 February, characterized by daily emissions of gas, steam, and ash emissions; inclement weather conditions occasionally prevented views. Gas-and-steam emissions were visible rising from the crater on 1 February. Seismicity increased at 0100 on 2 February and was associated with an ash plume that rose 1.3 km above the summit and drifted NW. Later that day emissions containing ash rose as high as 2.5 km and drifted N, NE, and SE. Ashfall was reported in the N part of Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, and in the area of the Tesalia (47 km NNW) and Güitig factories. Ashfall was also reported in the Quito and Mejía regions including in Amaguaña (35 km NNW), Quitumbe (43 km NNW), Conocoto (41 km N), Guamaní, La Ecuatoriana (44 km NNW), Turubamba (43 km NNW), Chillogallo (47 km NNW), La Magdalena, Machachi (24 km NW), Tambillo (32 km NNW), Alóag (28 km NW), and Cutuglahua (35 km NNW). On 3 February ash plumes rose as high as 2.5 km and drifted in multiple directions, and ash fell in Amaguaña, La Armenia, Quitumbe, Conocoto, Guamaní, La Ecuatoriana, Turubamba, Chillogallo, La Magdalena, Machachi, Tambillo, Alóag, Cutuglahua, Uyumbicho (30 km NNW), Aloasí (24 km NW), and El Chaupi (24 km WNW). On 4 February ash plumes rose 1.5 km and drifted NNE and SE. Ashfall was noted in Guamaní, Turubamba, Chillogallo, La Ecuatoriana, Quitumbe, Tambillo, Machachi, Aloasí, Aloag, and Conocoto. On 5 February steam-and-gas emissions with low ash content drifted NW. In the afternoon ash emissions rose 200 m and drifted S. Minor gas emissions were visible during 6-7 February.

Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 26 January-2 February. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions during 28-29 and 31 January and 1 February generated ash plumes that rose as high as 4 km (13,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 31 January.

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 30 January-5 February. The flow rate was highly variable with an increase on 1 February, a gradual decrease overnight during 1-2 February, and a complete cessation on the morning of 2 February. Later, during the afternoon of 2 February, lava again effused from the vent and traveled over pre-existing flows. The effusion rate started to decrease in the afternoon of 4 February and progressively decreased overnight into 5 February. By the afternoon of 5 February, the flows appeared to be cooling. Intense gas emissions rose from Bocca Nuova Crater while gas emissions at Northeast Crater (NEC) and Voragine were minimal. Activity at Southeast Crater was characterized by fumarolic activity localized along the crater rim and from the May-June 2022 eruptive vent which also occasionally produced flashes of incandescence at night. Occasional diffuse ash emissions were also visible and rapidly dispersed with the wind.

Fuego - South-Central Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that 4-12 explosions per hour were recorded at Fuego during 31 January-6 February, generating ash plumes that rose as high as 1.1 km above the crater rim and drifted as far as 20 km SW, WSW, and W. Ashfall was recorded during 2-4 February 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), San Pedro Yepocapa (8 km NW), and Finca Palo Verde. Daily block avalanches descended various drainages including the Ceniza (SSW), Seca (W), Trinidad (S), Taniluyá (SW), Honda, Las Lajas (SE), and El Jute (ESE), and often reached vegetated areas. Daily shock waves rattled structures in communities around the volcano and rumbling was often heard. Explosions ejected incandescent material 100-200 m above the summit each day. Resuspend ash deposits from high winds during 3-4 February formed “curtains” of ash on the S flank.

Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that seismicity at Great Sitkin was low during 1-7 February. No activity was observed, though weather clouds obscured satellite and webcam views.

Kerinci - Central Sumatra : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Kerinci was ongoing during 1-7 February. An eruptive event was recorded at 0230 on 3 February but was not visually confirmed. White-and-gray ash plumes were visible later that day rising 100 m above the summit and drifting NE and E. At 0646 on 4 February a gray-to-brown ash plume rose 200 m and drifted E and SE. At 0722 on 5 February a dense brown ash plume rose 200 m and drifted NE and E. White-and-brown emissions rose as high as 150 m on 7 February.

Kilauea - Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that lava continued to erupt on Kilauea’s Halema’uma’u Crater floor during 1-7 February. Activity was concentrated in the E half of the crater in a large, perched lava lake with well-defined levees, covering about 10 hectares. A smaller lake to the W was active in the basin of the 2021-2022 lava lake. Part of the E lake began to crust over on 1 February, forming a crusted isthmus through the center of the lake and two smaller areas of lava on the N and S sides. The lava fountain was located on the S side. Lava in each of the two smaller areas independently circulated in opposite directions from each other. At around 2315 lava fountaining ceased but resumed about 45 minutes later, rising 1-2 m. During 0100-0400 on 2 February lava from the S side flooded across the whole E lake, covering the isthmus, and returning the E lake to the size it was (10 hectares). The W Lake, and two smaller lava ponds in the central and S portions of the crater floor, remained relatively stable, though one of the ponds overflowed. Two small floating islands in the E lake sank during 2-3 February. During 2-7 February the E lake, the W lake, and the two small lava ponds remained active and stable. The lava fountain continued to be active, though during 4-5 February bursts of activity caused the fountain to double in height. A second small lava fountain was temporarily active near the first fountain during 0300-0700 on 5 February. Starting at around 2100 on 5 February through 0900 on 6 February a large breakout occurred on the N portion of the crater floor covering an area equal to or slightly larger than the E lava lake. A smaller breakout S of the E lake occurred around 0000 on 6 February. The large breakout continued to be active on 6 February but was only weakly active by 7 February.

Lewotolok - Lembata Island : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Lewotolok was ongoing during 1-7 February. Incandescence above the crater was visible in a 1 February webcam image. White-and-gray plumes rose as high as 400 m above the crater rim and drifted E and SE on 1 and 5 February. White plumes of variable densities were visible on other days of the week.

Marapi - Central Sumatra : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Marapi continued during 1-7 February. White-and-gray emissions rose as high as 200 m and drifted in various directions during 1-2 and 4 February; white steam plumes were visible on 3 February. White-and-brown plumes rose as high as 400 m on 6 February. Weather clouds sometimes prevented views of the volcano.

Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 27 January-2 February and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced six lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1.8 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Kali Bebeng drainage); occasional avalanche sounds were recorded. No significant morphological changes to the central and SW lava domes were evident in webcam images. At 0710 on 8 February a pyroclastic flow traveled 1.5 km down the Boyong drainage on the SW flank. Ashfall was reported in areas downwind including Sangup, Musuk, and Mriyan.

Santa Maria - Southwestern Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that the eruption at Santa María’s Santiaguito lava-dome complex continued during 31 January-6 February. Effusion from Caliente cone fed lava flows that descended the San Isidro and Zanjón Seco drainages on the W and SW flanks; the longest part of the lava flow was 4.4 km on 15 January. Incandescence from the dome and the lava flows was visible nightly. Block-and-ash flows from the dome, and from both the ends and sides of the flows, descended the S, SW, and W flanks almost daily. “Curtains” of ash sometimes rose several hundred meters along their paths. Explosions were generally weak-to-moderate in size and produced gas-and-steam plumes with minor amounts of ash that rose several hundred meters above the complex. Explosions and accompanying rumbling were heard in El Palmar (12 km SSW) during 3-4 February. Ashfall from both explosions and block-and-ash flows was reported in the Monte Claro (S), El Faro, and La Florida (6 km S), Santa Marta, and El Viejo Palmar (11 km S) ranches during 3-4 February.

Semeru - Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 1-7 February. White-and-gray ash plumes that were somewhat dense rose 300-700 m above the summit and drifted N, NE, S, and SW. One of the ash plumes, recorded at 0729 on 1 February, was a dense white-and-gray plume that rose 700 m and drifted NE. At 0700 on 2 February an ash plume rose 600 m and drifted NE. On 3 February white-and-gray plumes rose 100-300 m and drifted S, SW, W, and N. An eruptive event at 1242 on 5 February produced a white, gray, and brown ash plume that rose around 1.5 km and drifted N. Webcam images showed a pyroclastic flow descending the SE flank and ash plumes rising its path. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4). The public was warned to stay at least 5 km away from the summit, and 500 m from Kobokan drainages within 17 km of the summit, along with other drainages originating on Semeru, including the Bang, Kembar, and Sat, due to lahar, avalanche, and pyroclastic flow hazards.

Semisopochnoi - Aleutian Islands (USA) : AVO reported that eruptive activity at Semisopochnoi’s Mount Young continued during 1-7 February. Seismicity was elevated and daily weak tremor was recorded. Minor steam emissions were visible in webcam images during 3-7 February.

Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch during 26 January-2 February was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A persistent thermal anomaly was identified daily in satellite images, and minor ash plumes from explosions and lava-dome collapses drifted 70 km NE on 27 and 31 January and 2 February.

Suwanosejima

Ryukyu Islands (Japan)

JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 30 January-6 February with a total of seven explosions recorded by the seismic network. The explosions produced eruption plumes that rose as high as 1.5 km above the crater rim and ejected large blocks as far as 400 m from the vent. Crater incandescence was observed nightly. Occasional ashfall and rumbling noises were reported in Toshima village (3.5 km SSW).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 earthquake hits near the north coast od Papua, Indonesia.

5.4 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

5.4 earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.4 earthquake hits offshore Honduras.

5.3 earthquake hits central Turkey.

5.0 earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.

5.0 earthquake hits central Turkey.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 467 nm north-northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking west-northwestward at 07 knots.

Tropical cyclone 12p (Gabrielle), located approximately 478 nm east-southeast of Cairns, Australia, is tracking southeastward at 13 knots.

Tropical cyclone 13s (Dingani), located approximately 1137 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-southwestward at 13 knots.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New activity for the week 1 February - 7 February 2023

Chikurachki - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that the moderate explosive eruption at Chikurachki that began on 28 January continued through 2 February. Explosions during 28-29 and 31 January and 1-2 February produced ash plumes that rose to as high as 4 km (13,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 125 km SE, E, and NE based on satellite data. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 31 January.

Epi - Vanuatu : According to the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) an overflight of Epi was conducted during the afternoon of 31 January. Steam was observed rising from the ocean’s surface above Epi B, water around the eruption site was discolored, and rafts of pumice were floating on the surface following the currents. Several strands of pumice rafts to the SW, NW, and N of Epi B were visible in 2 February Sentinel B satellite images. During 0700-1030 on 7 February residents observed minor, low-level steaming above Epi B. The intensity of steam emissions varied, increasing and decreasing as new lava was erupted from Epi B. Steaming was again reported by residents starting around 0600 on 8 February. The seismic network recorded elevated seismicity during the previous few days.

Karangetang - Sangihe Islands : PVMBG reported a recent increase in activity at Karangetang. During 1-31 January white-and-gray plumes were occasionally seen rising as high as 150 m from Main Crater (the south crater) and incandescence emanated from the lava dome in Crater II (also called North Crater); weather conditions often prevented visual observations. The number of seismic signals indicating avalanches of material began increasing on 18 January, and then increased again in early February. The number of avalanches from Main Crater increased on 4 February, with material traveling as far as 800 m down the Batuawang (S) and Batang (W) drainages and as far as 1 km W down the Beha (W) drainage. During 1-7 February white plumes rose 50-100 m above both craters. An eruption began during the evening on 8 February at around 1700. Photos showed incandescent material at Main Crater and possible lava fountaining. Incandescent material had also descended the flank in at least two directions, and ash plumes rose along their paths. Eruption plumes rose from the summit.

Lascar - Northern Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported that a dome-like structure was first visible on the floor of Láscar’s summit crater in 30 January satellite images, after a period of increased seismicity recorded during the previous few days. The structure was 81 m by 93 m in dimension and covered an area of about 5,332 square meters. Seismicity was low during 1-7 February, though levels increased towards the end of the week. The dome was bigger in a 2 February satellite image and covered an area of 6,290 square meters, suggesting an estimated extrusion rate of 308 square meters per day during 30 January-2 February. At 2053 on 4 February a low-level, reddish-colored gas emission rose 200-340 m above the crater rim and drifted SW.

Tengger Caldera - Eastern Java :PVMBG reported that activity at Tengger Caldera’s Bromo cone increased at 2114 on 3 February and was characterized by crater incandescence, rumbling sounds, and a strong sulfur dioxide odor. The report noted that sometimes-dense white plumes rose as high as 900 m above the summit during the previous week and through 7 February, and that vegetation on the E caldera wall was yellow and withered. The seismic network recorded continuous tremor and deep and shallow volcanic earthquakes.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.3 earthquake hits central Turkey.

5.2 earthquake hits the State of Yap, Micronesia.

Two 5.0 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

5.0 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

5.0 earthquake hits the northern mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.0 earthquake hits the State of Yap, Micronesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 410 nm northwest of Port Hedland, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 08 knots.

 

Tropical cyclone 12p (Gabrielle), located approximately 406 nm east of Cairns, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 08 knots.

Newsbytes:

Peru - Mudslides and floods have caused devastation in parts of the Arequipa Department in Peru following heavy rainfall. Several districts in the Lima Department have also seen damaging mudslides in the past few days. Areas of Mariano Nicolas Valcarcel District in Camaná Province of Arequipa Department are the worst affected. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed or damaged in areas in the district of Mariano Nicolas Valcarcel.

Disease

Climate change is contributing to the rise of superbugs

Climate change and antimicrobial resistance are two of the greatest threats to global health, according to a new report from the United Nations Environment Programme which highlights the role of climate change and other environmental factors contributing to the rise of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial resistance or AMR happens when germs such as bacteria, viruses and fungi develop the ability to defeat the medications designed to kill them. More people died of drug-resistant bacterial infections in 2019 (5 million people) than HIV or malaria.

The climate crisis worsens antimicrobial resistance in several ways. Research has shown that increased temperatures increase both the rate of bacterial growth and the rate of the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes between microorganisms. Experts also say severe flooding as a result of climate change can lead to conditions of overcrowding, poor sanitation and increased pollution, which are known to increase infection rates and antimicrobial resistance as human waste, heavy metals and other pollutants in water create favorable conditions for bugs to develop resistance.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

Two 6.0 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

Two 5.5 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

5.7 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

5.5 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

5.5 earthquake hits western Turkey.

5.5 earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.

5.3 earthquake hits central Turkey.

5.2 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

Three 5.2 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

Two 5.1 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

5.1 earthquake hits Taiwan.

Seven 5.0 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

5.0 earthquake hits the Rota region, North Mariana Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

5.0 earthquake hits the central east Pacific rise.

5.0 earthquake hits Samoa.

The death toll in the Turkey-Syria earthquake has risen to more than 4 300 with over 5 300 building flattened. There are fears that toll will rise inexorably, with World Health Organization officials estimating up to 20 000 may have died. The initial earthquake was so large it was felt as far away as Greenland, and the impact is big enough to have sparked a global response. More than 14 000 people have so far been reported injured in Turkey, the disaster management agency said, while Syria said at least 3,411 people were injured. A winter blizzard has covered major roads into the area in ice and snow, hampering relief efforts.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 502 nm north-northeast of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 09 knots.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Chile

Chilean authorities have detained 10 people accused of causing deadly bushfires, a government official said. The blazes, fanned by severe heat and dry winds, have led to 24 deaths and more than 1000 injuries. Authorities are working to contain 51 of 260 bushfires currently burning, with 28 of them considered particularly dangerous, Monsalve said. The blazes have destroyed 800 homes, and 26 people are hospitalised with serious burns. The fires have consumed 270,000 hectares, officials said.

Disease

Covid-19

The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:

Dengue Fever - Bolivia

Bolivian health officials reported that the number of dengue fever cases in 2023 eclipsed the 3,000 mark on February 2. As of February 4, officials put the cumulative total of the mosquito-borne viral disease at 3,437, including 13 deaths.

Chikungunya - Paraguay

Chikungunya cases continue rise, Most in the Asunción metropolitan area. In the three epidemiological weeks evaluated (EW2, EW3, EW4) this year, a total of 8,442 cases of chikungunya and 80 of dengue were recorded.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

7.8 earthquake hits central Turkey.

7.6 earthquake hits central Turkey.

6.2 earthquake hits central Turkey.

5.9 earthquake hits central Turkey.

5.7 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

5.6 earthquake hits the Turkey-Syria border.

5.5 earthquake hits central Turkey.

Three 5.2 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

Two 5.2 earthquakes hit eastern Turkey.

Two 5.1 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

5.1 earthquake hits the Dodecanese Islands-Turkish border.

5.1 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

Four 5.0 earthquakes hit central Turkey.

5.0 earthquake hits eastern Turkey.

5.0 earthquake hits the Turkey-Syria border.

A major earthquake of magnitude 7.8 struck central Turkey and northwest Syria on Monday, killing more than 500 people and injuring hundreds as buildings collapsed across the region, triggering searches for survivors in the rubble. Initial reports indicate more than 4 000 people have been injured.

The quake, which hit in the early darkness of a winter morning, was also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon. Numerous building collapsed. Numerous substantial aftershocks rocked the region.

It is the most severe quake in Turkey since 1999 when a similar magnitude quake devastated Izmit and the heavily populated eastern Marmara Sea region near Istanbul, killing more than 17 000.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Eleven), located approximately 401 nm north-northwest of Broome, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 06 knots.

Disease

Nipah virus - Bangladesh

In a follow-up on the Nipah virus situation in Bangladesh in 2023, Health authorities are now reporting nine Nipah infections since the beginning of the year.

Chickenpox - India

A single hospital in the city of Kolkata has reported 26 deaths from from chickenpox over the last three months, the highly unusual spurt in fatalities causing concern among state health officials.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.9 earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.6 earthquake hits the Izu Islands, Japan.

5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.

Global Warming

Water

Water and climate change are inextricably linked. Climate change affects the world’s water in complex ways. From unpredictable rainfall patterns to shrinking ice sheets, rising sea levels, floods and droughts – most impacts of climate change come down to water. Climate change is exacerbating both water scarcity and water-related hazards (such as floods and droughts), as rising temperatures disrupt precipitation patterns and the entire water cycle.

About two billion people worldwide don’t have access to safe drinking water today (SDG Report 2022), and roughly half of the world’s population is experiencing severe water scarcity for at least part of the year. Only 0.5 per cent of water on Earth is useable and available freshwater.

Rising global temperatures increase the moisture the atmosphere can hold, resulting in more storms and heavy rains, but paradoxically also more intense dry spells as more water evaporates from the land and global weather patterns change.

Since 2000, flood-related disasters have risen by 134 per cent compared with the two previous decades. Most of the flood-related deaths and economic losses were recorded in Asia. The number and duration of droughts also increased by 29 per cent over this same period. Most drought-related deaths occurred in Africa.

Disease

Cholera - Zambia

An outbreak of cholera was declared by the Ministry of Health on January 26. The epidemic count of 21 cases registered from 21st to 30 January 2023 in the Vubwi district. On 27 January, there were 13 suspected cases, 6 confirmed, 12 admitted, 7 discharged, and one death.

Diphtheria - Dominican Republic

Four children are admitted with a diagnosis of diphtheria at the Robert Reid Cabral hospital in Santo Domingo. The minors come from the communities of Barahona and Duvergé. These are children from two different families in two distant communities, implying an active outbreak in both communities.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 earthquake hits northern Qinghai, China.

5.2 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.1 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 earthquake hits north Island, New Zealand.

5.0 earthquake hits northern Qinghai, China.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storm systems.

Newsbytes:

Indonesia - More heavy rain has caused havoc on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. Disaster authorities report at least 2 people have lost their lives, one person is missing and thousands have been affected after floods in South Sulawesi Province. Flooding has also affected areas of Borneo Island in recent days. Hours of heavy rain late on 01 February 2023 triggered flooding in the city of Parepare. The flooding has impacted over 5,000 residents from 1,345 families. Hundreds of homes and public buildings have been flooded or damaged. Heavy rain has affected other parts of the country in recent days in particular on Borneo Island. Floods damaged 3,189 homes and affected 18,912 people in Sambas Regency in West Kalimantan Province on 31 January 2023.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Chile

Chile’s government has declared a widened state of emergency amid wildfires that have killed at least 13 people and consumed about 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres), as the South American country endures a summer heatwave across southern and central swaths of the country. Eleven people, including a firefighter, had died in the Biobío town of Santa Juana, local authorities said. Hundreds of homes had been damaged while 39 fires raged across the country. Earlier, four people were reported to have died and hundreds were evacuated on Friday when the flames reached the town of Santa Ana. Elsewhere wildfires consumed more than 750 hectares (1,853 acres) of forest, destroying houses and threatening farms and forests as the South American nation faces a summer heatwave across southern and central swathes of the country.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

5.1 earthquake hits North Island, New Zealand.

5.0 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 earthquake hits southern Alaska.

5.0 earthquake hits Guadeloupe, Leeward Islands.

Wildlife

Shark Recovery

The decline in the number of some shark and ray species in the northwestern Atlantic appears to have been reversed, thanks to improved fisheries management and conservation efforts.

Shark and ray populations have crashed by as much as 71% over the past 50 years, with about one-third of those marine creatures threatened with extinction. But writing in the journal PNAS, Nathan Pacoureau of Simon Fraser University says the implementation of the 1993 U.S. Fishery Management Plan for Sharks of the Atlantic Ocean is responsible for the turnaround. That act mandates catch reports and a ban on the catching of some species.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week’s hottest temperature was 42.0 degrees Celsius (107 degrees F) at Port Hedland, Western Australia.

The week’s coldest temperature was minus 53.0 degrees Celsius (-63 degrees F) at Sholohonsky, 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.

Disease

Covid-19

The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing activity for the week 25 January - 31 January 2023

Ahyi - Mariana Islands (USA) : Unrest at Ahyi Seamount continued during 24-31 January. Pressure sensors on Wake Island, 2,270 km E of Ahyi Seamount, detected a possible explosion signal on 25 January. Plumes of discolored water were identified in satellite images during 27-31 January.

Aira - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported ongoing eruptive activity at Minamidake Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 23-30 January and crater incandescence was visible nightly. Two explosions were recorded on 24 January, though weather clouds prevented visual confirmation. Sulfur dioxide emissions were high at 2,800 tons per day on 26 January. An explosion at 2342 on 28 January produced an ash plume that rose 2.2 km above the crater rim and ejected large blocks as far as 700 m from the crater.

Ebeko - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing during 19-26 January. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions during 20-24 January generated ash plumes that rose as high as 3.7 km (12,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE, NE, and N. An ash plume was identified in satellite images drifting 40 km NE on 21 January and a thermal anomaly was visible during 21-22 January.

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 23-29 January, without notable changes compared to the week before. Intense gas emissions rose from Bocca Nuova Crater while gas emissions at Northeast Crater (NEC) and Voragine were minimal. Activity at Southeast Crater was characterized by fumarolic activity localized along the crater rim and from the May-June 2022 eruptive vent which also occasionally produced flashes of incandescence at night. Diffuse ash emissions rapidly dispersed with the wind.

Cotopaxi - Ecuador : IG reported that the eruption at Cotopaxi continued during 24-31 January, characterized by almost daily gas-and-steam and ash emissions; inclement weather conditions prevented views of the volcano on 29 January. During 24-25 January steam-and-gas plumes rose to the crater level and drifted W. During 26-27 January gas-and-ash plumes rose less than 1 km above the crater rim and drifted SW and W. Minor ashfall was reported in San Agustín de Callo (18 km WSW), Lima Villacís, Mulaló, Barrancas, Ticatilín and Caspi (20 km WSW), and San Ramon (127 km W). Steam-and-gas emissions rose 600 m and drifted S on 28 January. A significant increase in the size and density of ash emissions was evident in satellite images at 0820 on 30 January. The plumes rose as high as 2.5 km above the crater rim and drifted SW, S, and SE. Minor amounts of ash fell in Mulaló and Latacunga (18 km WSW). Ash plumes rose as high as 1.7 km and drifted S and SE on 31 January.

Great Sitkin - Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that slightly elevated surface temperatures at Great Sitkin were identified in satellite images during 25-26 January. Seismicity was low during 25-31 January and a few small earthquakes recorded during 27-28 January. Satellite and webcam views were mostly cloudy. A 26 January radar image confirmed growth of the flow field to the E.

Kaitoku Seamount - Volcano Islands (Japan) : Discolored water around the Kaitoku Seamount was visible in a 26 January Sentinel 2 satellite image. The plume was diffuse and dispersed a few kilometers E. No discolored water was visible in a 31 January image.

Kilauea - Hawaiian Islands (USA): HVO reported that lava continued to erupt in the E portion of Kilauea’s Halema’uma’u Crater floor during 24-31 January. Activity was concentrated in the E half of the crater in a large, perched lava lake with well-defined levees, covering about 10 hectares. A smaller lake to the W was active in the basin of the 2021-2022 lava lake. One dominant lava fountain, 6-7 m high, was active in the E lake. Small daily overflows occurred along the margins of the E lake.

Krakatau - Sunda Strait : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Anak Krakatau continued during 24-31 January. Eruptive events at 0231 and 2256 on 25 January and 0003 on 26 January ejected incandescent material from the vent, based on webcam photos. Eruptive events at 0512, 0633, and 0732 on 26 January and 1312 on 27 January produced dense gray ash plumes that rose 300-500 m above the summit and drifted NE, E, and SE. Webcam images showed incandescent ejecta at 2135, 2144, and 2328 January.

Lewotolok - Lembata Island : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Lewotolok was ongoing during 24-31 January. Nighttime webcam images captured near-daily incandescent material that was ejected above the summit crater. Almost daily emissions that were white and gray and had variable densities rose as high as 600 m above the summit and drifted SE, E, and NE.

Merapi - Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 20-26 January and seismicity remained at high levels. The SW lava dome produced 14 lava avalanches that traveled as far as 1.8 km down the SW flank (upstream in the Kali Bebeng drainage). Avalanche sounds were heard on seven occasions. No significant morphological changes at the SW dome were observed but the central dome decreased in height based on webcam images.

Popocatepetl - Mexico : CENAPRED reported that there were 81-238 steam-and-gas emissions, often containing ash, rising from Popocatépetl each day during 24-31 January and explosions occurred almost daily. Two explosions were recorded at 1424 and 1426 on 24 January. Minor ashfall was reported on 25 January in San Nicolás de los Ranchos (15 km ENE). Later that day, at 2231, an explosion ejected incandescent material onto the flanks. An overflight was conducted by Instituto de Geofísica de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) and the Guardia Nacional on 27 January to observe the crater. They saw a small lava dome that was about 30-40 m in diameter and 5-10 m tall on the inner crater floor. The inner crater floor had remnants of the previous domes mixed with fine tephra deposits and was 160-180 m deep. The rim of the inner crater was 390-410 m in diameter, similar to previous observations. A minor explosion later that day at 2214 produced an ash plume, based on a webcam image. Minor explosions were recorded at 0451, 0521, 1828, and 2232 on 28 January. A webcam image from 0343 on 29 January showed deposits of incandescent material that was ejected onto the flanks. Another explosion occurred at 2254. Explosions were noted at 0141 and 0621 on 30 January; minor ashfall was recorded in Amecameca (19 km NW), Temamatla (32 km NW), and Tenango Del Aire (28 km NW). A moderate explosion at 0029 on 31 January produced an ash plume that rose 1.8 km above the crater rim and ejected incandescent material onto the flanks almost 2 km from the crater rim. Minor explosions occurred at 0533, 0619, and 0721.

Sabancaya - Peru : Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) reported moderate levels of activity at Sabancaya during 23-29 January with a daily average of 59 explosions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose as high as 2.1 km above the summit and drifted SW and W. Four 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).

Semeru - Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 24-31 January. Dense white-and-gray ash plumes rose 500-600 m above the summit at 0450 and 0540 on 25 January and drifted N. A dense gray ash plume rose 600 m at 0534 on 27 January and drifted NW, and at 0802 a dense white-and-gray ash plume rose 500 m and drifted N. At 0602 and 0639 on 29 January dense gray ash plumes rose 500-600 m and drifted NE.

Semisopochnoi - Aleutian Islands (USA) : AVO reported that eruptive activity at Semisopochnoi’s Mount Young was ongoing during 24-31 January. Seismicity was elevated and daily weak tremor was recorded. Minor steam emissions were visible in webcam images on 24 January and 29-30 January. Discolored snow observed at the summit in webcam images during 28-29 January possibly indicated minor, low-level explosive activity at the vent.

Sheveluch - Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch during 19-26 January was generally characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, lava-dome extrusion, and strong fumarolic activity. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images, and minor ash plumes from explosions and lava-dome collapses drifted 25 km SW on 22 January.

Stromboli - Aeolian Islands (Italy) : INGV reported that both explosive and effusive activity at Stromboli occurred during 23-29 January at four vents in Area N, within the upper part of the Sciara del Fuoco, and at two vents in the Area C-S (South-Central Crater area) in the crater terrace area. Explosions at vents N1 and N2 in Area N were variable in intensity and ejected coarse material (bombs and lapilli) 80-150 m at a rate of 4-6 explosions per hour. Intense spattering occasionally occurred at N2 vents. Explosive activity at the Central-South area (CS) ejected fine-to-coarse material as high as 150 m above the vent at a rate of 6-7 explosions per hour during 23-27 January; the rate decreased to less than one event per hour the rest of the week. At 1419 on 24 January lava overflowed vents in the N2 area after a period of intense spattering. The lava flowed partially down the Sciara del Fuoco, and by the next morning, they were cooling. A major explosion began at 1007 on 30 January that lasted three minutes long. Coarse pyroclastic material was ejected several hundred meters high and was deposited on the crater terrace and the upper parts of the Sciara del Fuoco. An ash cloud quickly dispersed to the S.

Suwanosejima - Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima's Ontake Crater continued during 23-30 January. The number of explosions increased on 26 January; a total of 13 explosions were recorded during the week. The explosions produced eruption plumes that rose as high as 1.7 km above the crater rim and entered weather clouds. Large blocks were ejected as far as 400 m from the crater’s center. Nighttime crater incandescence was observed starting on 26 January. Ashfall was reported in Toshima village (3.5 km SSW).

Environment

Seaweed Farms

A new Australian study finds that expanding seaweed farming around the world could help feed the planet's growing human population and livestock while also being a sustainable source of fuel. "Seaweed has great commercial and environmental potential as a nutritious food and a building block for commercial products, including animal feed, plastics, fibers, diesel and ethanol," said researcher Scott Spillias from the University of Queensland. Writing in the journal Nature Sustainability, Spillias says millions of acres of ocean territory have already been identified around the world where at least 22 commercially viable species of seaweed could be harvested. But the report warns that care should be taken to avoid harming marine habitats.

Lake Titicaca Level Drops

Bolivian officials say a prolonged drought has caused the water levels of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake, which straddles the border of Bolivia and Peru, to plunge to historic low levels. Bolivia’s National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology forecaster Ana Luz Mendoza warned that the drop directly affects the aquatic fauna, birds and human populations settled around this lake. This includes the indigenous Uros, who have lived on human-made islands on parts of the lake for centuries.

Drought - Argentina

One of Argentina’s worst droughts in 60 years and accompanying record heat have left many rivers and lakes littered with dead fish, and its staple crops ravaged. The climate disaster has been fueled by the third consecutive year of La Niña cooling across the tropical Pacific, according to meteorologists. But a shift from La Niña to a fresh El Niño this year promises to break the drought and deadly heat during the next few months. "Precipitation will pick up (slowly), improving soil moisture reserves and moderating the intensity of heat waves,” writes the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.2 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

5.1 earthquake hits off the coast of Ecuador.

5.0 earthquake hits the Dominican Republic.

Environment

Greenwashing

Greenwashing - when companies make misleading claims about their environmental credentials. Corporations from Ryanair to Shell have been called out in recent months for making false or unsubstantiated claims about their environmental impact to pull the wool over consumers' eyes.

A climate activist group is urging the US Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Shell Plc’s claims about its investments in renewable energy are misleading to investors by materially misstating its financial commitment to renewable sources of energy.

The Nanterre public prosecution office in France started investigations against oil and gas giant TotalEnergies in December 2021 for allegedly misleading commercial practice. The French multinational has been under fire from environmental NGOs for years, but this is the first time it faces formal prosecution regarding “greenwashing” practices.

Exxon Mobile has reported a 51 billion Euro profit in 2022, while alleging its commitment to sustainable energy is only 5%.

More needs to be done to encourage or compel companies which had profited enormously from the exploration of natural resources to commit significant resources to sustainable energy initiatives.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week 25 January - 31 January 2023

Asosan - Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that the amplitude of volcanic tremor signals at Asosan increased at around 1200 on 30 January and then increased again around 1220 and remained high.

Chikurachki - Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that an explosive eruption at Chikurachki likely began at 0630 on 29 January. Ash plumes rose to as high as 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 75 km SE based on satellite data. At 1406 and 1720 ash plumes were identified in satellite images rising to 4.3 km (14,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifting 70 km E. Ash plumes had dissipated by 2320.

Epi - Vanuatu : The Wellington VAAC reported that a low-level plume of ash and sulfur dioxide from a new eruption at Epi was identified in satellite data at 0730 on 31 January. According to the Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department (VMGD) residents saw steaming at the ocean’s surface in the area over the vents at around 0748, and phreatic explosions that ejected steam and tephra 100 m above the water. Observers reportedly saw a growing cone from ongoing ash emissions. The VAAC noted that the eruption was short-lived and had ceased by 1548; the ash had dissipated. Three submarine cones, Epi A, Epi B, and Epi C, and smaller cones and craters, are located 10-16 km NNE from the summit of Epi Island and are aligned along the N rim of an inferred caldera. Epi B is the shallowest of the seamounts and has been historically active, most recently in February 2004. A March 2004 bathymetric survey revealed that Epi B was about 300 m tall, with a diameter of about 1.8 km at the base. The summit crater was about 150 m in diameter and the crater floor was at a depth of 90 m. The highest point was on the NW rim of the summit crater, at a depth of 34 m.

Erta Ale - Ethiopia : Small thermal anomalies in both of Erta Ale’s N and S pit craters were identified in satellite images on 23 January. On 28 January the anomaly in the N pit crater was large and intense.

Lascar - Northern Chile : SERNAGEOMIN reported increased seismicity at Láscar on 26 January with long-period (LP) events indicating fluid movement at shallower depths. ONEMI declared an Alert Level Yellow (the middle level on a three-color scale) for San Pedro de Atacama (70 km NW). A seismic signal at 2259 corresponded to the ejection of incandescent material and the emission of a plume that likely contained tephra and rose almost 1.9 km and drifted NW. The intensity of LP events significantly increased at 2300 on 27 January and remained at anomalous levels. A series of four LP events were recorded at 0015, 0032, 0043, and 0052 on 28 January and corresponding emissions rose 380 m above the crater rim and drifted NW. An M 3.2 volcano-tectonic earthquake was recorded at 0115 and felt by residents. LP earthquakes continued to be detected, along with tremor and volcano-tectonic events to a lesser extent. Minor crater incandescence was visible and gas plumes rose as high as 760 m. Elevated levels of seismicity continued to be detected during 28-30 January. Whitish-gray gas plumes possibly containing tephra rose to low heights and minor crater incandescence was occasionally observed. On 31 January SERNAGEOMIN stated that a satellite image from the day before showed a dome-like feature on the crater floor that was 81 m by 93 m in dimension and covered an area of about 5,332 square meters. The exclusion zone was increased to 10 km.

Myojinsho - Izu Islands : According to JMA an area of pale yellow-green discolored water with a diameter of about 100 m was visible about 65 km SSE of Myojinsho on 26 January, based on an overflight conducted by the Japan Coast Guard. An eruption warning was issued to mariners. Discolored water was last observed in March 2017.

Nishinoshima - Izu Islands : The Japan Coast Guard reported that during an overflight of Nishinoshima on 25 January scientists observed intermittent activity and small, blackish-gray plumes rising 900 m from the central part of the crater. The fumarolic zone on the E flank and base of the cone had expanded and emissions had intensified. Dark brown discolored water was visible all around the volcanic island.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.0 earthquake hits the Philippines.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storm systems.

Newsbytes:

Madagascar - Tropical storm Cheneso has continued to cause flooding, fatalities and damages in Madagascar. As of 30 January, the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC) said at least 30 people have lost their lives and a further 21 are still missing. A total of 90,519 people have been affected by the storm across 18 regions. As many as 26,397 homes have been flooded or damaged, and a total of 1,073 homes and 199 schools completely destroyed.

New Zealand - Further heavy rain is forecast for New Zealand as the city of Auckland struggles to come to terms with the damage caused by catastrophic flooding after record rainfall on 27 January 2023 in which at least 4 people died. Red (highest) warnings for heavy rain until 01 February were issued for areas to the north of Orewa, a suburb about 40 km north of the city.

Wildlife

Bird Sanctuary at Risk in Albania

Protests broke out in Albania on Saturday against a new airport being built near a bird sanctuary on the Adriatic coast. The Vjosa-Narta lagoon is a crucial stop for flocks of birds in their annual migration between Europe and Africa. The area was declared a protected landscape in 2004.

Environmentalists say the airport could threaten around 200 bird species, including flamingos and pelicans. Set to be the biggest in the country, the airport will serve the southwestern city of Vlore on Albania’s Adriatic coast. The government hopes it will boost tourism in the often overlooked Balkan country.

Disease

Lassa fever - Nigeria

During the first three weeks on 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported a total of 244 confirmed cases with 37 deaths and a case fatality rate of 15.1 % from 16 states.

Diphtheria - Nigeria

In a follow-up on the diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) reports 111 confirmed cases since last May 2022, with 89 of the cases reported in 2023. The majority (91.9%) of the confirmed cases occurred in those aged 2 – 14 years.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 earthquake hits the Andaman Islands off India.

5.2 earthquake hits the Kashmir-Xinjiang border.

5.1 earthquake hits the Babuyan Islands, Philippines.

5.0 earthquake hits Malta.