Earthquakes

5.4 Earthquake hits near the north coast of Chile.

5.4 Earthquake hits the northern Pacific Ocean.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Volcano Islands, Japan region.

5.1 Earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.

4.9 Earthquake hits the northern Indian Ocean.

Storms and Floods

Major typhoon Jelawet bore down on Japan's main island on Sunday, with winds gusting up to 180 kilometers per hour and heavy rains that threatened to disrupt the Tokyo area. 104 people across five prefectures were injured in various incidents. It also said that 158,000 homes were without power as of midafternoon. Dozens of trains were suspended Sunday in coastal areas around Tokyo, and some 300 domestic flights were to be grounded throughout the day. The storm hit the southernmost main island of Okinawa on Saturday, where it left more than 50 people injured, and more than 300,000 homes without power.

Earthquakes

5.5 Earthquake hits near the coast of Guerrero, Mexico.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands, off India.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Virgin Islands region.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

Disease

More than 6,500 German children and teenagers have fallen ill with diarrhoea and vomiting that health authorities say has likely been caused by a food-borne virus in meals delivered to schools and daycare centres. Youngsters from five of Germany's 16 states had been affected by the acute gastroenteritis.

Wildfires

Wildfires ravage Sicily between Palermo and Messina.

  

Storms and Floods

Resilient Tropical Storm Nadine again becomes a hurricane in the Atlantic, circling toward the Azores.

In the eastern Pacific, Super Typhoon Jelawat is closing in on Okinawa, Japan.

Tropical Storm Norman forms in the Eastern Pacific and is expected to go ashore late today or early tomorrow on the western coast of Mexico,

422 people have been killed and nearly 3,000 have been injured during the season of heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan. About five million people have been affected by the resulting floods.

Six people, including a young girl and an elderly woman, have died in floods that overturned cars and forced hundreds from their homes in southern Spain. At least 600 people had to be evacuated from their homes in the Andalusia province.

A weak tornado touched down in western Pennsylvania, USA yesterday. Little damage.

A tornado swept through a fair ground in Gandia, a town in southern Spain, knocking down a Ferris wheel and injuring 35 people.

Earthquakes

6.0 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

4.9 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

Volcanos

Five active volcanoes in Indonesia are rumbling due to increased geophysical activity linked to recent earthquakes in the nearby Philippines.

Mounts Soputan, Lokon and Karangetang are active in North Sulawesi province, while Mount Gamalama is showing signs of unrest on Ternate Island and Mount Marapi rumbles on Sumatra.

All five volcanoes produced explosions within a week’s time that sent ash plumes soaring above the summits.

The overnight blast from Mount Soputan was heard by residents nearly 30 miles away.

New Activity/Unrest has also been reported at the following volcanos this week: Fuego, Guatemala | Little Sitkin, Aleutian Islands | Lokon-Empung, Sulawesi | Tangkubanparahu, Western Java (Indonesia)

Ongoing Activity for the week: Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia) | Galeras, Colombia | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Reventador, Ecuador | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat

Transportation

Seven Britons were among 19 people killed when a plane heading for the Everest region crashed in Nepal's capital.

The Sita Air plane came down minutes after taking-off from Kathmandu for Lukla. The aircraft crashed into a river bank and caught fire.

Environment

This week's hottest temperature was 114.4 degrees Fahrenheit (45.8 degrees Celsius) at Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

This week's coldest temperature was minus 97.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 72.1 degrees Celsius) at the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

Radiation

Health officials in Japan report that contamination from last year’s Fukushima nuclear disaster appears to be waning, but some foods produced or collected in the disaster zone remain unsafe to eat.

Earthquakes

6.9 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands near the tip of the Aleutian Island chain off Alaska. No tsunami or damage has been reported, although there is a watch for larger than usual waves.

5.3 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Island region.

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Two massive quakes off Indonesia's Sumatra island in April showed something scientists have long been trying to prove - that large earthquakes can trigger a swarm of more tremors around the globe.

The latest findings could eventually help efforts to predict some earthquakes.

Over the six days after the quakes hit on April 11, the number of tremors of magnitude greater than 5.5 jumped nearly five-fold globally.

"This is the first time that we've seen these remote aftershocks at this magnitude and to this extent," said Kerry Sieh, director of the Earth Observatory of Singapore, author of a number of studies on earthquake hazards in the Sumatra region.

The first quake on April 11 was 8.7 magnitude, nearly as large as the one which triggered a massive tsunami and nuclear disaster in eastern Japan just over a year earlier.

The second one was also huge, at 8.2. Both occurred under the Indian Ocean several hundred kilometres west of Sumatra, in a zone where the Indo-Australian tectonic plate is slowly tearing itself apart.

Wildfires.txt

Some 35 large wildfires blistered parts of the Western United States Wednesday.

 

Drought

The recent drought in Texas, USA killed 301 million trees. The latest count was determined after a three-month, on-the-ground study of hundreds of forested plots, as well as satellite imagery from before and after the drought.

Disease

Syphilis outbreak in Houston and Harris County, Texas, USA. From January to August this year, there were 318 cases. Houston's last syphilis outbreak occurred in 2007. Syphilis begins with a raised sore. Three weeks later, that goes away and a rash begins and after that, it can go internal, but still affects the brain, heart and skin. It is easily cured with a single shot of penicillin.

Ebola virus outbreak in DR Congo continues. A total of 79 cases had been recorded, including 19 confirmed positive after laboratory analysis, 32 probable cases and 28 suspected cases, while 33 deaths were registered by September 25. The disease is transmitted by direct contact with blood, faeces and sweat, by sexual contact and by unprotected handling of contaminated corpses. There is no known cure. Currently, 167 people who have been in contact with the 79 reported cases are under surveillance.

Another 400 West Nile cases have been reported in U.S. during the past week according to the CDC.

Volcanos

Mexico’s Popocatepetl Volcano has registered at least 26 eruptions accompanied by steam and gas, as well as a volcano tectonic quake.

Mount Marapi volcano has erupted on Indonesia's Sumatra island, spewing thick grey smoke up to 1.5 kilometres into the sky.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Nadine continues to spin in the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Nadine just won't give up. The storm has been spinning in the eastern Atlantic Ocean in varying stages of intensity, since September 11.

In the Western Pacific:

- Super Typhoon Jelawat is located approximately 430 nm south-southwest of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. Expected to make landfall in Honshu, Japan. All models now track across Japan and into the Sea of Japan, but historically storms are not able to cross Japan's mountainous geography.

- Tropical storm Ewiniar - was located approximately 345 nm south-southeast of Yokosuka, Japan. No threat to land.

A tornado has been reported Tuesday evening near the town of Okawville, just outside Saint Louis, Illinois, USA.

Poachers killed two rhinos and chopped off their horns as they had strayed out of flood-hit Assam's Kaziranga National Park in northern India to escape floodwaters on Wednesday.

Earthquakes

6.2 Earthquake hits Baja California. The quake was widely felt in Mexico, but apart from people rushing outdoors in panic, there have been no reports of fatalities or serious damage.

5.4 and 5.1 Earthquakes hit the Tonga Islands region.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Fiji Islands region.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands north of New Zealand.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska.

Environment

A study conducted for governments of 20 developing countries suggests that more than 100 million people will die and global economic growth will be cut by 3.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 if the world fails to tackle climate change.

As global average temperatures rise due to greenhouse gas emissions, the effects on the planet, such as melting ice caps, extreme weather, drought and rising sea levels, will threaten populations and livelihoods, said the report conducted by humanitarian organisation DARA.

It calculated that five million deaths occur each year from air pollution, hunger and disease as a result of climate change and carbon-intensive economies, and that toll would likely rise to six million a year by 2030 if current patterns of fossil fuel use continue.

More than 90 percent of those deaths will occur in developing countries, said the report that calculated the human and economic impact of climate change on 184 countries in 2010 and 2030. It was commissioned by the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a partnership of 20 developing countries threatened by climate change. Link

Wildfires

Wildfires in Southern California have destroyed 20 homes and threatened several hundred more in rural areas near San Diego.

Storms and Floods

Super Typhoon Jelawat, which has intensified to a Category 5 typhoon with 160 mph winds. Jelawat is Earth's second Category 5 storm of 2012; the other was Super Typhoon Sanba. Jelawat is approaching China's east coastal regions, bringing rain and gales.

Floods and gale force winds wreak havoc on England and Scotland's transport routes. Many people are facing a night in temporary accommodation after a second day of heavy rain brought flooding and travel chaos to parts of the UK.

Tens of thousands of people have been made homeless by heavy monsoon flooding in the Pakistani provinces of Balochistan and Sindh. About 120 000 homes have been destroyed and tens of thousands of tents are now being distributed to flood victims.

Earthquakes

5.7 Earthquake hits the Tonga Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.2 Earthquake hits far south of Africa.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Timor region.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Hindu Kush region, Afghanistan.

Volcanos

Kizimen volcano (Eastern Kamchatka (Russia)) activity update: active lava flow, occasional pyroclastic flows and/or explosions, ash plume to 11 800 ft.

Wildfires

Fire crews battle blazes in north, north-west and south-east of Queensland, Australia. Bushfires are threatening homes near Cairns and closing down highways in the state's northwest.

Residents were evacuated from six villages northwest of Valencia, Spain on Monday. About 500 firefighters using 14 aircraft were battling the flames, which were approaching the villages of Chulilla and Gestalgar.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Miriam, churning far off the Mexican coast in the Pacific Ocean, strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane early Monday.

Heavy rain has led to flooding and travel disruption in Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol in England. Flood warnings issued in Wales.

At least 120 houses were damaged in Barangay Bagong Silangan, Quezon City, in the Philippines after a tornado tore through the community.

Earthquakes

5.5 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.5 Earthquake hits south of the Mariana Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Ascension Islands region.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Philippine Islands region.

Wildfires

Forest fires devastating Ecuador have left five people dead and 73 injured, consuming more than 17,600 hectares of woodland and crops.

 

Disease

The World Health Organization is keeping a close eye on a disease outbreak in Saudi Arabia caused by a new virus in the same family as the one that caused the SARS outbreak that killed 800 people worldwide in 2002.

About 20 cows owned by villagers in Karisalpatti in Rediyarchathiran union in Dindigul district, India have succumbed to a suspected outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the past week causing panic among the people, who are dependent on the animals for subsistence.

The US Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are warning consumers not to eat Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter because it is “possibly linked” to a salmonella outbreak.

Storms and Floods

Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains in northeast India have claimed at least 26 lives, with eight other people missing. Nearly one million people have been displaced in Assam state alone, many sheltering in camps or beside roads.

As River Niger continues to overflow its banks due to the release of dam water from Cameroon, farmlands in Ibaji and other communities in Kogi East senatorial districts of Kogi state, Nigeria have been submerged.

Earthquakes

5.3 Earthquake hits the Fiji region.

5.2 Earthquake hits the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Philippine Island region.

4.9 Earthquake hits the southern Mid-atlantic ridge.

Avalanche

An avalanche hit a team of climbers on a high Himalayan peak Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world, in northern Nepal on Sunday, leaving at least nine dead and six others missing. Ten other members of the team survived the avalanche but many were injured and were flown to hospitals by rescue helicopters.

Disease

Biologists are working to contain an outbreak of avian botulism that has killed at least 2,000 birds in the North Portland wetlands, Oregon, USA.

100 whitetail deer have died near Janesville, in southern Wisconsin, USA in recent weeks from epizootic hemorrhagic disease.

Health officials in northern India report that a serious outbreak of Japanese encephalitis has infected hundreds of children. The viral brain disease, which can cause permanent disabilities and sometimes death, is a common seasonal disease in Asia.

Wildfires

Three wildfires have caused havoc this week in western North Dakota, burning more than 6 000 acres.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Miriam has formed over the eastern Pacific, but it remains well offshore and does not pose a threat to land.

A severe weather watch is in place for much of England as ex Hurricane, now extra tropical storm Nadine edges closer to the UK. It's not Nadine that is affecting the UK directly, she has spawned a very deep secondary low pressure system.

Public storm warning signals were hoisted over six provinces in the Philippines on Saturday as Tropical Storm “Lawin” (international name: Jelawat) intensified slightly as it moved slowly over the Philippine Sea.

The flood situation in the Assam, India worsened further on Saturday as heavy showers continued in Arunachal Pradesh. A population of nearly five lakh (500 000) in 14 districts has been hit.

A fierce storm, described as an extra-tropical cyclone, ripped across South America Wednesday. The storm, packing 140-kilometre (87-mile) an hour winds tore across the heart of South America on Wednesday, killing five people in Paraguay and wreaking havoc in Argentina and Uruguay and Bolivia.

Earthquakes

5.6 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.4 Earthquake hits near the coast of Guerrero, Mexico.

5.2 Earthquake hits Sakhalin, Russia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Greece.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Greece-Albania border region.

Drought

The worst drought to hit the United States in a half century expanded in the upper Midwest and northern Plains States in the past week due to warmer and drier-than-normal weather, but loosened its grip on some central and southern areas of the country.

A lack of rain in Ghana's cocoa-growing regions is curbing prospects for the 2012-13 crop harvest as drought is causing budding cocoa pods to wither.

Storms and Floods

Rescue teams were deployed in India's upper Assam on Friday to rescue thousands of people marooned by flood waters as the overall flood situation turned critical in the State following incessant rain for past more than a week in the Tinsukia and Dhemaji districts.

Earthquakes

5.7 Earthquake hits the Fiji Islands region.

5.4 and 4.8 Earthquakes hit Mindanao in the Philippines.

5.3 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Batu in Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the northern Molucca Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the central Mediterranean Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Philippine Islands.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

Environment

As previously reported, the melting of ice in the Arctic has set a new record. On Sunday, according to the National Snow and Ice Center, sea ice covered just 24 percent of the surface of the Arctic Ocean, or 1.32 million square miles. That shattered the previous low set in 2007, when sea ice covered just 29 percent of the ocean.

Predictions of future ice melts vary wildly — some scientists say the summer ice could be gone within four years, while other scientists support climate models which don’t expect ice-free summers in the Arctic for another 30 or 40 years. Some models indicate that 2015 may be an extreme.

These predictions aren’t just of interest to scientists. A wide variety of nations and companies are now swooping in to exploit the Arctic’s oil, gas and minerals.

But there remain plenty of mysteries about how the ice will melt — and when, exactly, we’ll see ice-free summers. What does seem indisputable is that the present trend towards global warming will continue.

The warmest Atlantic waters on record off New England are driving Cod and other fish to cooler waters.

Soot from oil production and shipping across the Arctic threatens to cause even more rapid sea ice melt.

Previous prediction model:

 

New prediction model:

 

 

Volcanos

Lokbatan mud volcano in Azerbaijan erupted Thursday morning. The flow of mud has since weakened and no flame was observed. Last time the volcano erupted was in 2010.

Disease

At least five people in the Balkans have died from West Nile virus and several dozen others have been taken to hospital in the past four weeks, according to health authorities in Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Croatia.

Wildfires

Firefighters rushed to protect more than 600 at-risk homes Thursday as a pair of massive wildfires threatened to merge southwest of Wenatchee., Washington, USA. The Table Mountain Complex and Wenatchee Complex fires have burned across some 70,000 acres.

Several relatively small wildfires continue to cause problems in the Dakotas, USA.

While a number of wildfires have been mostly contained by teams of firefighters, the military and volunteers, fires continue to blaze across Serbia and the Western Balkans, in what has been an exceptionally dry year punctuated by extreme heat waves.

Bushfires have destroyed 33 500 hectares of Namibia's vegetation countrywide, since the start of the southern winter.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Jelawat forms in the Western Pacific, and is located approximately 575 nm east of Manila, Philippines.

Fierce gales and torrential rain are expected to lash Britain at the start of next week as the tail end of tropical storm Nadine arrives with a bang.

Earthquakes

5.4 Earthquake hits the Fiji region.

4.9 Earthquke hits central Peru.

Volcanos

Fuego volcano, Guatemala has increased its activity again. Strong strombolian explosions generated ash plumes rising up to 1 km and ejected blocks up to 200 m above the rim. Incandescent material rolled down the flanks for 500-1000 m and shock waves accompanied the explosions.

Mount Merapi volcano in Indonesia also shows increased activity emitting ash and smoke.

An overview of new Activity/Unrest globally: Fuego, Guatemala | Gamalama, Halmahera | Grozny Group, Iturup Island | Little Sitkin, Aleutian Islands | Lokon-Empung, Sulawesi | San Cristóbal, Nicaragua | Soputan, Sulawesi.

Ongoing Activity has been reported at: Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia) | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Popocatépetl, México | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Telica, Nicaragua.

Disease

The number of U.S. cases of West Nile virus rose by 19 percent in the latest week, slowing slightly from its earlier pace but still putting this year on track to be the worst outbreak since 2003. So far this year, 3,142 cases have been reported to federal health officials as of Sept. 18, up from 2,636 reported the week before.

An outbreak of measles has been reported from the Uganda-Kenya border region. 3 children have died, dozens more infected.

Wildfires

Bushfires allegedly lit by some Livingstone residents have swept through thousands of hectares of the Mosi-o-Tunya National Park, Zambia, forcing thousands of wild animals, birds and other creatures to flee southwards.

Storms and Floods

Tropical storm Nadine was located about 160 miles (255 km) South of Flores in the Azores. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Azores Islands.

Earthquakes

5.0 Earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

4.9 Earthquake hits southern Turkey.

Environment

The images below show the Antarctic ozone hole on September 16 (the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer) in the years 1979, 1987, 2006, and 2011.

Stratospheric ozone is typically measured in Dobson Units (DU), which is the number of molecules required to create a layer of pure ozone 0.01 millimeters thick at a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius and an air pressure of 1 atmosphere (the pressure at the surface of the Earth). The average amount of ozone in Earth’s atmosphere is 300 Dobson Units, equivalent to a layer 3 millimeters (0.12 inches) thick — the height of 2 pennies stacked together.



In 1979 — when scientists were just coming to understand that atmospheric ozone could be depleted — the area of ozone depletion over Antarctica grew to 1.1 million square kilometers, with a minimum ozone concentration of 194 Dobson Units. In 1987, as the Montreal Protocol was being signed, the area of the hole reached 22.4 million square kilometers and ozone concentrations dropped to 109 DU. By 2006, the worst year for ozone depletion to date, the numbers were 29.6 million square kilometers and just 84 DU. By 2011, the most recent year with a complete data set, the hole stretched 26 million square kilometers and dropped to 95 DU.

The Antarctic hole seems to be stabilizing and may be slowly recovering. The focus of scientists now is to make sure that it is healing as expected. The amount of ozone-depleting substances (ODS) in the atmosphere has stopped rising in recent years, and may actually be decreasing. Changes in the ozone hole now are not significantly driven by changes in CFCs, but instead driven by year-to-year changes in weather in the stratosphere.

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Plans to open up a new Australian "coal export rush" could turn a single Queensland region into the seventh largest contributor of carbon dioxide emissions on the planet, undermining international efforts to keep global warming below 2C.

Nine proposed "mega mines" in the Galilee Basin would, at full capacity, result in 705m tonnes of CO2 released into the atmosphere. This level of emissions would surpass those of all but six nations in the world. By comparison, the UK emitted 549.3 million tonnes of CO2 from all sources in 2011.

Volcanos

A third Indonesian volcano erupts. Soputan volcano in North Sulawesi has had a new explosive eruption which produced lava fountains of several hundred meters height and an ash plume rising to 30,000 ft [10 km].

Another new explosion occurred at Shiveluch volcano in Kamchatka, Russia.

Wildfires

NASA captured this image of fires burning in Tomsk, a region of south central Siberia where severe wildfires have burned throughout the summer. Thick smoke billowed from numerous wildfires near the Ob River and mixed with haze and clouds that arrived from the southwest. Red outlines indicate hot spots where MODIS detected the unusually warm surface temperatures associated with fires.

More than 17,000 wildfires had burned more than 30 million hectares (74 million acres) through August 2012, according to researchers at the Sukachev Institute of Forest in the Russian Academy of Sciences. In comparison, 20 million hectares burned last year, which was roughly the average between 2000 and 2008.

Earthquakes

5.4 Earthquake hits the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Kodiak Islands region, Alaska.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Talaud Islands, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

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

5.1 Earthquake hits south-west of Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits the northern Molucca Sea.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Loyalty Islands off New Caledonia.

Environment

Many of the world’s glaciers and ice sheets are retreating in the face of global warming, but a few are stable or growing — including glaciers in the western Himalaya Mountains, according to a new report. The mountains in the region form the headwaters of several major river systems — including the Ganges, Mekong, Yangtze, and Yellow rivers — which serve as sources of drinking water and irrigation supplies for about 1.5 billion people.

The US National Weather Service in Los Angeles released two notices of triple-digit record-breaking temperatures in Long Beach over the weekend. On Friday, a high of 104 degrees was recorded, breaking the old record of 96 set in 1979.

Drought

Severe drought in Poland reveals 400-yr-old sunken treasures. A huge cargo of elaborate marble stonework that sank to the bottom of Poland's Vistula river four centuries ago has re-appeared after a drought and record-low water levels revealed the masonry lying in the mud on the river bed.

Volcanos

Indonesia's Mount Gamalama volcano Molucca Islands unleashed two strong eruptions over the weekend, sending volcanic ash as high as 1 kilometer, showering nearby Ternate with ash.

It has been reported that another Indonesian volcano, Mt Lokon has erupted, sending ash plumes up to 1,500-meters.

Offshore volcanic activity on Spain’s El Hierro island has resumed far below the Earth’s surface in a similar manner to last July, but on a somewhat stronger scale.

Disease

Legionnaires outbreak in Carmarthen, Wales. Three confirmed cases have been linked to the area. Legionnaires’ disease is contracted by breathing in droplets from contaminated water sources. Symptoms include breathlessness, chest pain and a dry cough, as well as fever, muscle aches, and sometimes vomiting and diarrhoea. Legionnaires’ disease can lead to pneumonia and can be fatal.

Cholera Outbreak: Six dead in the Volta Region, Ghana.

A cumulative total of 18,508 cases including 271 deaths (with a case fatality ratio of 1.5%) has been reported in the ongoing cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone since the beginning of the year.

46 cases of Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) have now been reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Wildfires

Firefighters continue battle against the E. Washington wildfires, USA. More than 240 wildfires are now burning in Washington. The Yakima complex fire is burning at about 6,000 acres, and Kittitas was at 3,500 on the last update. Officials are now calling in Canadian fire crews to assist with Washington and Oregon fire fighting. About 3,500 crews from both states are fighting five large fires in Washington.

The Sheep fire burning seven miles north of Riggins, Idaho, is 24 percent contained and had burned a total of 29,171 acres.

A 100-foot-high (30-meter) whirlwind of fire tore around a patch of Australian Outback on Tuesday near Alice Springs.

Storms and Floods

Floods in northern Cameroon kill at least 30 people, affect more than 26000.

Massive Floods Kill At Least 70 in Nigeria. About 12,000 people have been displaced by flood disaster that ravaged many communities in Kano and Jigawa states where no fewer than 400,000 farmlands and 36,000 houses have been destroyed by the floods.

Tropical storm Nadine was located about 490 mi. [790 km] WSW of the Azores.

Category 1 Hurricane Lane was located about 1180 mi. [1895 km] WSW of the southern tip of Baja California. Lane should weaken into a tropical storm today and further weakening is expected on Wednesday. No threat to land.

Typhoon Sanba Reaches Vladivostok, Russia, floods the city's streets.

Earthquakes

5.3 Earthquake hits the Philippines Islands region.

4.9 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

Earthquakes

5.3 Earthquake hits the Philippines Islands region.

4.9 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

Environment

Coral reefs around the world are under severe threat.

Caribbean corals are under immediate threat and urgent action was needed to limit pollution and aggressive fishing practices. Average live coral cover on Caribbean reefs has declined to just 8 percent today compared to more than 50 percent in the 1970s.

As more and more carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere, sea water turns more acidic which can hinder calcification which is crucial for corals' growth.

Warmer sea surface temperatures are likely to trigger more frequent and more intense mass coral bleaching, which is when reefs turn pale. Although corals can survive bleaching, if the heat persists they can die. This happened in 1998 when 16 percent of corals were lost in a single, prolonged period of warmth worldwide.

Warmer ocean temperatures and acidification are also placing the Great Barrier Reef off Australia under stress.

Coral reefs are home to almost a quarter of the world's ocean species, they provide coastal protection and can support tourism and fishing industries for millions of people worldwide.

Storms and Floods

Powerful typhoon Sanba lashed North and South Korea with strong wind and heavy rain Monday, killing at least one person, leaving dozens of others homeless and cutting power to many homes and businesses in the South. The storm is expected to make a final landfall in northern South Korea/Russia.

Earthquakes

5.8 and 5.2 Earthquakes hit south of Java, Indonesia.

5.5 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.1 Earthquake hits off the coast of Costa Rica.

5.0 Earthquake hits Irian Jaya, Papua, Indonesia.

4.9 Earthquake hits off the coast of northern Sumatra.

Drought

Despite rain in some areas, the drought in the US continues to cause concern for farmers and food production. Over a recent six-week stretch, the U.S. Department of Agriculture designated 1,692 counties as disaster areas due to the drought. About 80% of agricultural land in the country is affected. The summer's extreme drought is on track to being one of the nation's costliest natural disasters since 1980.

Disease

Foot and Mouth disease claim livestock in Tibet. The highly infectious and sometimes fatal disease has been traced to livestock in the Nyingtri region of central Tibet. According to the regional agricultural ministry, a total of 123 live head of cattle and 108 pigs have showed symptoms associated with FMD.

The UN health agency says the Ebola death toll stands at 31 in DR Congo. The outbreak cannot be considered to be under control.

The number of swine-origin H3N2 (variant H3N2, or H3N2v) influenza cases in the United States has climbed by 9 in the past week, to 305.

Wildfires

Officials say that they are unable to contain the wildfires that have been raging inside Wae Wuul National Park in West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) in Jakarta, Indonesia for several days. The blaze has destroyed about half of the 1,484-hectare park.

Wildfires are also burning on Sumatra.

Firefighters continue battle against the E. Washington wildfires, USA.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Lane forms far out in Pacific, poses no land threat.

Nadine becomes Hurricane in Atlantic, moving away from USA, may hit the Azores next week.

Powerful Typhoon Sanba has hit the Japanese island of Okinawa. 74,500 homes left without power. The powerful typhoon passing over southwestern Japan has brought transportation in the region by sea and air to a standstill. Several flights were cancelled. Typhoon Sanba was aiming squarely at South Korea today and was located approximately 485 nm south of Busan, South Korea. Sanba is expected to make landfall west of Busan.

Flooding in the province of Balochistan in Pakistan has left at least half a million people marooned, besides destroying over 2,000 houses. The flood-affected people of Balochistan are fighting yet another menace after flooding which is the unavailability of clean drinking water and the resultant waterborne diseases which are affecting women and children in particular.



Parts of Metro Manila experienced intense and torrential rainfall early yesterday due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by typhoon “Karen” (international name “Sanba”), causing floods in some parts of the metropolis. At least nine people have been reported dead.

One person was injured and several buildings were damaged when a tornado hit a town in Zamboanga Sibugay, Philippines.

Alaska - A series of extremely powerful fronts that moved across Southeast Alaska this week brought record level amounts of rainfall for the area accompanied by high winds.

Earthquakes

5.3 and 5.1 Earthquakes hit Samar in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands off Alaska.

Earthquakes

5.3 and 5.1 Earthquakes hit Samar in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands off Alaska.

Environment

Arctic sea ice is shrinking at a rate much faster than scientists ever predicted and its collapse, due to global warming, may well cause extreme weather this winter in North America and Europe.Decades ago, Arctic ice covered about 6 million square miles of sea in the winter, and would shrink to about 3 million square miles in the summer. The rate of summer melt increased enormously around 2005, however, and today scientists say Arctic ice covers only about 1 million square miles.

The loss of Arctic ice has several effects. Ice reflects heat and solar energy back into space. With less ice cover, that heat energy is instead absorbed by the ocean, which warms and melts more ice. Currently, the Arctic region is the fastest-warming region on the planet, and the change in temperature will probably influence weather patterns here and in Europe.

The heating and cooling of Arctic seawater has been affecting the jet stream – the river of air that flows from west to east high above the Earth’s surface – and has slowed it down, Francis said. The jet stream controls the formation and movement of storm systems, so when its movement slows, weather conditions persist for longer periods of time over the same area. They get “stuck.”

Disease

16 refugees killed by Hepatitis E in camps in South Sudan.

There have been additional confirmed and probable cases with Ebola haemorrhagic fever (EHF) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Exact numbers have not been released.

Storms and Storms

Tropical Storm Kristy is expected to create life-threatening surf and rip currents off the coast of southern Baja California and southwest Mexico over the next few days.

Floods could wipe out most of Niger's main rice harvest this year as rain-swollen rivers rose to 50-year highs across West Africa, spreading devastation. At least 81 people have been killed in Niger since annual rains caused flooding along the banks of the Niger River, raising its waters to their highest levels since the 1920s.

Super typhoon Sanba is headed for Okinawa and South Korea. The tropical cyclone is currently classed as a super typhoon. The previous super typhoon Bolaven caused widespread damage and fatalities across Japan and the Koreas earlier this year. Sanba is expected to approach Okinawa late Saturday or early Sunday local time before trudging on toward South Korea, according to projections from regional weather agencies. It is forecast to gradually weaken as it moves north.

Disease

Outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) has been reported from remote Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal Pradesh, northern India.

Earthquakes

6.3 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Mentawai, Indonesia.

5.4 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

5.2 Earthquake hits north of Severnaya Zemlya in the Arctic.

5.1 Earthquake hits northern Xinjiang, China.

2 Earthquakes of 5.1 hit the southern mid-Atlantic ridge.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

4.8 Earthquake hits the Fiji islands region.

Environment

The week's hottest temperature was 115.5 degrees Fahrenheit (46.4 degrees Celsius) at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 112.7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 80.4 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

Volcanos

Long-simmering Fuego volcano has exploded in Guatemala. The series of eruptions on Thursday hurled thick clouds of ash nearly three kilometres high, spewing rivers of lava down its flanks and prompting evacuation orders for more than 33,000 people from surrounding communities.

New Activity/Unrest has been reported at the following sites:

Apoyeque, Nicaragua | Grozny Group, Iturup Island | Krakatau, Indonesia | Little Sitkin, Aleutian Islands | San Cristóbal, Nicaragua | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat | Tangkubanparahu, Western Java (Indonesia)

Ongoing Activity:

Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia) | Cleveland, Chuginadak Island | Fuego, Guatemala | Gamkonora, Halmahera | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Machín, Colombia | Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia | Paluweh, Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia) | Sakura- jima, Kyushu | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Sirung, Pantar Island (Indonesia)

Earthquakes

5.5 Earthquake hits the Philippine Islands region.

5.4 Earthquake hits the southern Indian Ocean.

5.2 Earthquake hits Iraq.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Fiji region.

Volcanos

Japan's Mount Sakurajima volcano erupts.

Wildfires

More than 8.2 million acres of land have burned throughout the United States so far this year making it one of the most severe wildfire seasons in the last decade.

The extent of the Washington wildfires can be seen from space.

Storms and Floods

 

Tropical Storm Kristy forms off the coast of Mexico. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Nadine has strengthened in the Atlantic to become a hurricane, but is still far from land. Named storms Michael and Leslie have dissipated.

Las Vegas has been hit by flash floods and mudslides. On Tuesday, torrential downpours left parts of the city underwater. Flash floods washed out roads, stranded motorists, and left thousands without power. Some areas had to contend with up to four feet of flash flood water.

 

Earthquakes

5.9 and 5.0 Earthquakes hit south of the Mariana Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits the New Britain Region, Papua New Guinea.

5.5 Earthquake hits Crete, Greece.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Philippine Island Region.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Crozet Islands far south of Madagascar in the southern Indian Ocean.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril islands off Alaska.

4.9 Earthquake hits off the coast of Central America.

 

Space Events

An apparent impact by a meteor on Jupiter early Monday created a fireball on the planet so large and bright that amateur astronomers on Earth spotted the flash, which occurred near the southern edge of Jupiter's northern equatorial belt of clouds.

Disease

Outbreak of chicken pox in Malawai. Health authorities have closed schools in the southern district of Neno. So far health officials say at least 400 cases have been confirmed.

Outbreak of ramorum tree disease in Surrey, England. Thousands of trees in Surrey have been felled after the highly destructive disease was found in the south east for the first time. The disease has been responsible for the premature felling of more than three million larch trees in the UK since it was first found in the West Country in 2009.

Wildfires

Fierce winds stoking massive wildfires in southern Alberta, Canada have prompted evacuations in the towns of Coalhurst, Milk River and parts of Lethbridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical depression “Karen” has intensified a into tropical storm in Mindanao in the Philippines.

Tropical Storm Nadine forms in the Atlantic, located About 995 Miles East-Northeast of the Lesser Antilles.

Tornado confirmed west of Kingston, Ottawa, Canada.

More heavy downpours cause floods as rivers overflow their banks in Nigeria. A flood alert has been issued for the immediate evacuation of all communities along the plains of River Niger. 1 000 homes were destroyed by floodwaters in Makurdi.

Floods triggered by monsoon rains have wreaked havoc across Pakistan. Government officials have confirmed 89 deaths so far, while unofficial statistics reported over 100 casualties across the country.

Earthquakes

Survivors of a series of earthquakes, including two 5.6 magnitude that killed 81 people and injured more than 800 in a mountainous area of southwestern China were desperately waiting for more aid to arrive Sunday as jolting aftershocks kept fears high and hindered rescue efforts.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands off Alaska.

5.1 Earthquake hits San Juan, Mendoza Province, Argentina.

5.0 Earthquke hits south of Java, Indonesia.

2 x 4.9 Earthquakes hit off the west coast of northern Sumatra.

Environment

The first eight months of 2012 have been the warmest of any year on record in the contiguous United States.

Wildfires

Wildfires in Wyoming, USA prompted authorities to evacuate 500 people from Casper Mountain and warn 1,000 people in Jackson to be ready to leave.

The massive 260,000-acre Mustang Complex wildfire in Idaho, USA which started in July drives hundreds from homes as it threatens two communities.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Leslie headed on a northward track toward Canada's Newfoundland early Monday, after its outer bands buffeted Bermuda with a day of gusty winds and rain that caused little damage.On Tuesday Tropical Storm Leslie's stiff winds and heavy rains lashed Newfoundland as the storm made landfall, knocking out power in several communities, forcing the cancellation of some flights and the evacuation of some residents.

Heavy rain floods parts of central Nova Scotia, Canada.

Heavy rains this year in Argentina have flooded 3.5 million hectares (8.6 million acres) of farmland outside the capital, causing millions of dollars in losses for farmers and ranchers.

Sukhothai in Thailand floods as levees break after heavy rains.

A heavy downpour has hit Southwest China's earthquake-hit county of Yiliang early Tuesday morning, triggering floods to cut off roads and force thousands to evacuate.

Earthquakes

5.3 and 4.9 Earthquakes hit the Andaman Islands, India Region.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Near Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

5.1 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia.

Wildfires

A lightning storm started more than 65 wildfires Saturday night through this morning in Wenatchee River District, Washington, USA.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Leslie slowly moves past Bermuda, bound for Canada.

Hurricane Michael was located about 1020 mi [1640 km] WSW of the Azores. No threat to land.

Floods in Nigeria kill 137, displace thousands.

A small tornado hit an area north of Montreal on Saturday as part of a storm that left more than 90,000 homes and businesses without power.

Violent windstorm kills 4 in north-east Oklahoma, but it was no tornado.

Earthquakes

6.0 and 5.1 Earthquakes hit the Kuril Islands off Alaska.

5.6 Earthquake hits off the coast of Costa Rica.

5.0 Earthquake hits the northern Molucca Sea.

5.0 and 4.9 Earthquakes hit the Kermedec Islands off the coast of New Zealand.

4.9 Earthquake hits eastern Guinea, papua New Guinea.

Disease

Three people have died in the first ever outbreak of West Nile virus in Serbia, in which 35 contracted the disease

The Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to a second location. 15 people have died and 170 are being monitored by health authorities.

Volcanos

San Cristobal volcano in Nicaragua erupts. 3 000 residents evacuated.

Storms and Floods

Landslides and floods kill at least 29 in Vietnam.

Tornado hits Breezy Point in Queens, New York, USA.

Earthquakes

6.0 Earthquake hits the Irien Jaya region, Papua, Indonesia.

5.7 and 5.0 Earthquakes hit the Marianas Islands region.

5.4 Earthquake hits south of Java.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Philippine Islands region.

Disease

Diptheria outbreak in Haryana, India kills 5 children.

Floods

Floods displace more than 15 000 people in northern Uganda.

Tens of thousands of people have been affected by floods in central, eastern and southern Chad. Thousands of hectares of crops have been destroyed as well as hundreds of houses.

Drought gives way to floods in Gujarat, India as the monsoon rains finally arrive.

Earthquakes

5.7 Earthquake hits the central eastern Pacific rise.

Two 5.6 Earthquakes hit Yunnan, China. Several thousand buildings have been damaged. At least 50 people have died in the quakes.

5.3 Earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Chagos Archipelago in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

5.1 Earthquake hits Nicaragua.

5.0 Earthquake hits Antofagasto, Chile.

4.9 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

4.9 Earthquake hits Yunnan, China.

Volcanos

Anak Kraktoa volcano in Indonesia erupts. Lava flows extend the shoreline by 100 metres.

Wildfires

Wildfires in south central Washington, USA. Several homes threatened.

Wildfires scorch more than 30 000 hectares in Algeria.

Disease

The ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo claims three more victims, raising the death toll to 14.

Kala azar disease outbreak in the southern Sudan. More than 200 people admitted to hospitals.

Storms and Floods

Hurricane Leslie is expected to hit Bermuda squarely Saturday night, before heading towards Canada. Hurricane watch is in effect.

Hurricane Isaac produced 9 tornadoes in Illinois during the period 31 August - 1 September.

Disease

The outbreak of West Nile virus in the USA is the worst since the illness was first observed in the US in 1999. The number of confirmed cases rose by 25% last week to 1,993.

The number of deaths rose to 87, up from 65 a week ago. The death total seems unlikely to break the record of 260 set in the 2002-03 season.

Earthquakes

5.4 Earthquake hits Irian Jaya, Indonesia.

5.3 Earthquake hits Talaud Islands, Indonesia.

5.1 and 4.9 Earthquakes hit southern Iran.

5.1 Earthquake hits the western Gulf of Aden.

4.9 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

Bushfires

Bushfires burn across New South Wales, Australia. A burn prohibition is in effect amid extremely dry and hot conditions.

Volcanoes

Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts.

New Activity/Unrest was observed at the following sites during the past week:

Bezymianny, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Grozny Group, Iturup Island | Krakatau, Indonesia | Little Sitkin, Aleutian Islands | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat | Tiatia, Kunashir Island | Tungurahua, Ecuador.

Ongoing Activity:

Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia) | Cleveland, Chuginadak Island | Fuego, Guatemala | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia | Popocatépetl, México | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Santa María, Guatemala | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia).

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Leslie strengthens to become category 1 hurricane and continues on it path towards Bermuda and possibly Nova Scotia.

3 people have died and 9 are missing in flash floods in Pakistan's Kashmir region.

Floods displace thousands and destroy crops in Kenya's Rift Valley Province.

Tornadoes hit south-western Wisconsin and Camden County, New Jersey, USA.

Earthquakes

7.6 Earthquake hits off the coast of Costa Rica. Numerous buildings have collapsed and highways are blocked, but no initial reports of deaths.

5.9 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Philippine Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits Puerto Rico.

5.1 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

4.9 Earthquake hits south of Java.

Storms and Floods

Small Tropical Storm Michael forms in the eastern Atlantic.

Tropical Storm Leslie moves slowly towards Bermuda.

Heavy rainfall and floods in the Senegalese capital Dakar have unearthed treasures believed to date back several thousands of years. Ancient pieces of pottery and jewellery were found strewn in the streets after a day of torrential rain on Sunday.

Earthquakes

6.4 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

A new spate of aftershocks hit the Philippine Islands: 5.5, 5.5, 5.4, 5.3, 5.3, 5.3, 5.1.

5.2 and 5.1 Aftershocks hit south of Java, Indonesia.

Wildfires

Wildfires fuelled by high temperatures rage in Portugal. Authorities have called for aid from European neighbours.

Disease

14 people have now been reported to have died in the ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with 29 confirmed cases.

In Uganda, a man who sneaked into an Ebola isolation ward to steal a mobile phone from an infected patient has fallen seriously ill from the hemorrhagic fever after making calls on the stolen phone.

In Kolkata, India and outbreak of Dengue fever has flooded government and private hospitals with dengue patients. 2 people have died and the government seems unable to handle the influx of patients.

Storms

Tropical Storm John forms in the Pacific near the Mexican island of Socorro far from Baja California.

Some areas in Louisiana, USA still without power from Hurricane Isaac.

Earthquakes

5.8 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska.

5.0 and 4.9 Aftershocks hit the Philippine Islands. A total of 271 aftershocks have hit the region following the major 7.6 Earthquake that hit Friday.

4.9 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

4.9 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

4.9 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.

Wildfires

The wildfires burring across Nebraska and South Dakota, USA have grown to more than 285 square miles.

3 large Idaho wildfires are resisting containment efforts. The Halstead fire in central Idaho has grown to 194 square miles.

New wildfires are burning in the Angeles National Forest in southern California, USA. Thousands of visitors have been evacuated.

Volcanos

Bezymianny volcano on Siberia's Kamchatka peninsula has had an explosive eruption, sending an ash plume 34 000 ft into the stratosphere.

Drought

Hurricane Isaac has brought some relief to the drought affecting the US corn belt, but too late to save the current harvest with many farmers losing 80% of their crop.

Millions of migrating ducks, geese and other waterfowl will find fewer rest stops on their way south this fall — more fallout from the US drought that has parched marshes, ponds and wildlife refuges on flyways between North and South America.

Disease

11 people have now died in the Legionnaires disease outbreak in Quebec, Canada. 165 people have been infected.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms Kirk and Leslie weaken in the Atlantic and are expected to remain out at sea and not threaten the US coastline.

Floods hit Aukland New Zealand's North Shore area after heaving rains.

Disease

Hantavirus outbreak in Yosemite National Park, USA. The rodent-borne lung disease has killed two people and sickened 4. 10 000 tourists are at risk. Park visitors who exhibit strange or flu-like symptoms are urged to seek immediate medical attention.

Earthquakes

The number of large Earthquakes increased in August -

7.7 Sea of Okhotsk on the 14th. 7.3 El Salvador on the 27th. 7.6 Philippines on the 31st.

The last month that there was a magnitude 7 quake was in April.

5.3 Earthquake hits Svalbard in the Arctic off the east coast of Greenland.

5.1 Earthquake hits eastern Iran.

4.9 Aftershock hits the Philippine Islands.

Storms and Floods

The storm surge from Hurricane Isaac made the Mississippi River flow backwards for 24 hours on Tuesday.

Tropical Storm Leslie strengthens in the Atlantic and will affect Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands today.

More than 400 000 people have been left homeless and lost their property in widespread floods in Niger.

Volcanos

New Activity/Unrest has been reported at the following volcanos:

Havre Seamount, SW Pacific | Grozny Group, Iturup Island | Soputan, Sulawesi | Soufrière Hills, Montserrat | Tangkubanparahu, Western Java (Indonesia) | Tungurahua, Ecuador.

Ongoing Activity:

Batu Tara, Komba Island (Indonesia) | Cleveland, Chuginadak Island | Fuego, Guatemala | Galeras, Colombia | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Nevado del Ruiz, Colombia | Popocatépetl, México | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Santa María, Guatemala | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia).

Earthquakes

5.7, 5.6, 5.3, 5.3, 5.1, 5.1, 5.0, 5 x 4.9 Aftershocks continue to rattle the Philippine Islands following yesterday's major Earthquake.

5.5 Earthquake hits North Island, New Zealand.

5.3 Earthquake hits Chiapas, Mexico.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Gulf of Aden.

5.2 Earthquake hits the New Britain Region, papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Galapagos Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits northern Colombia.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the coast of central Chile.

4.9 Earthquake hits south east of the Loyalty Islands.

Drought

Global food prices rose 10% in July according to the World Bank's food price index due to the drought across the USA midwest, Russia and Europe.

Maize and wheat prices rose 25% and soybean prices 17% during the period June - July.

The highest price increases were seen in Africa with maize rising 113% in Mozambique and sorghum rising 220% in southern Sudan.

Despite the rising prices, the organization said it does not predict people will riot as they did in 2008 when food prices last spiked to record levels.

Disease

An outbreak of Newcastle disease in southern Minnesota, USA has prompted the closing of islands in Minnesota and Pigeon Lakes.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms Kirk and Leslie in the Atlantic are not expected to impact on land at this stage.

Tropical Storm Ileana remains far off Baja California and is also not expected to make landfall.

Flooding in northern Cameroon kills at least 14 people, displacing 22 000.

Flooding and locust swarms in Chad add to the region's food crisis.