Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits Yunnan, China.

5.1 Earthquake hits Timor.

5.0 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone Chapala (tc) 04a, located approximately 245 nm east-northeast of Socotra Island, Yemen, is tracking westward at 09 knots.

NewsBytes:

Texas, USA - Strong storms and heavy rains thundered across central and southern Texas Friday, causing floods that trapped school buses and other vehicles. The formation of several short-lived tornadoes is suspected.

El Nino's Global Weather Havoc Intensifying

Weather shifts believed caused by a strengthening El Niño in the tropical Pacific are gaining momentum around the world, according to officials.

Drought in parts of Brazil, northern South America and the Caribbean are reportedly draining rivers and sparking wildfires.

The head of Colombia’s environment ministry says El Niño has caused “a rise in temperatures of between 5 and 6 degrees Celsius (9 to 10.8 F) in some regions of the country.”

Flooding from East Africa’s “short rains” are washing out roads and destroying crops in Kenya and Somalia, but the destruction is not as severe as during the 1997-98 record El Niño because there isn’t an accompanying warming of the Indian Ocean as seen back then.

The aid agency Oxfam warns that once the short rains end later this year, a protracted drought is likely to bring famine to some of the most impoverished areas of Africa.

The strengthening El Niño is also being blamed for the explosive development of Category-5 Hurricane Patricia off Mexico.

NOAA predicts a 95 percent chance the ocean warming will linger into next year, but says it will peak during the northern winter.

Wildlife

Drought pushes endangered California salmon to the brink

Chinook salmon were already endangered in California's Sacramento River, but the record drought parching the western United States has brought the iconic fish even closer to extinction. Chinook, also known as king salmon, need very cold water for their eggs to develop.

If everything goes right, the young salmon hatch and eventually make their way downstream toward the ocean, before later returning to the rivers to spawn and die. But the migration has dropped off in recent years.

There were 4.4 million juvenile Chinook in 2009 – half the number of four years earlier.

Last year, the number of juveniles passing by the dam in Red Bluff, at the northern end of California's Central Valley, was just 411,000.

To date, only 217,000 juveniles have been counted passing through Red Bluff in 2015, versus 280,000 over the same period last year.

The Sacramento Chinook, designated an endangered species in 1994, have been struggling for years, for a number of reasons, but the drought has only exacerbated the problems. Access to the historical spawning habitat of winter-run Chinook salmon on the Sacramento is cut off by the Shasta and Keswick dams, built in the 1940s.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images:

Huge crack in the earth opens up in US mountains.

The formation occurred in the foothills of Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains in the last fortnight. It estimated that it was 750 yards long and 50 yards wide. Wyoming Geological Survey's manager of groundwater and geological hazards said the formation is most likely the result of a slow-moving landslide.

Drought

Brazil's drought deeper than thought

New satellite data shows Brazil's drought is worse than previously thought, with the southeast losing 56 trillion liters of water in each of the past three years - more than enough to fill Lake Tahoe, a NASA scientist said on Friday.

The country's most severe drought in 35 years has also caused the Brazil's larger and less-populated northeast to lose 49 trillion liters of water each year over three years compared with normal levels, said NASA hydrologist Augusto Getirana.

Brazilians are well aware of the drought due to water rationing, power blackouts and empty reservoirs in parts of the country but this is the first study to document exactly how much water has disappeared from aquifers and reservoirs, Getirana said.

The Cantareira water reservoir system providing water for 8.8 million residents of Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, for example, was filled to less than 11 percent of its capacity last year, local officials reported.

Home to the Amazon River, Brazil does not have an absolute shortage of water, he said. The problem is that heavily populated regions, particularly the country's southeast, depend on local reservoirs and aquifers which are not being replenished due to the drought.

Water could theoretically be shipped into drought-affected cities from other parts of the country, he said, but the financial and logistical costs would be huge.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Scotia Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits Samar in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Scotia Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits southeast of Easter Island.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone Chapala (tc) 04a, located approximately 395 nm south-southeast of Masirah Island, is tracking westward at 07 knots.

NewsBytes:

Iraq - A heavy rainstorm has triggered flooding and destruction in and around Baghdad, Iraq leading to the death of a toddler. Flood water swept away a three-year-old girl at a camp for displaced people near Tuz Khurmatu. The storm damaged at least 500 tent houses in Amriyat al-Fallujah, a town in Anbar just west of Baghdad causing the evacuation of 1,000 families

Wildlife

Warming Gulf of Maine Contributes to Cod Collapse

Cod populations off New England are collapsing because waters of the Gulf of Maine have been rising 99 percent faster than anywhere else in the world since 2004, researchers say.

Scientists from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute say they found that the rapid warming has reduced the number of new cod being spawned.

While quotas for fishing fleets are carefully calculated to keep fish stock sustainable under historic conditions, the warming has not been considered as a factor, allowing overfishing to occur in recent years even though fishermen stayed within their quotas.

Global Warming

New Refrigerant Gases Also Harm Ozone Layer

A class of chemical refrigerants that replaced chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in past decades because they were believed not to damage Earth’s ozone layer has been found to inflict a small but measurable depletion of stratospheric ozone.

The ozone hole is believed to be gradually healing thanks to a global ban on the production of CFCs.

But a new NASA study says the hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) now in use are not only a strong greenhouse gas, but they are also weak ozone-depleting substances.

"We are not suggesting HFCs are an existential threat to the ozone layer or to ozone hole recovery, but the impact is not zero as has been claimed," said NASA’s lead study author Margaret Hurwitz.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images:

The Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, has exploded into a riot of color thanks to a rare spring flower bloom.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 119.1 degrees Fahrenheit (48.4 degrees Celsius) at Vredendal, South Africa.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 76.4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 60.2 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

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

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 17 and 24 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 12 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death.

Guinea records new cases of Ebola

Three more people in Guinea have been infected with the Ebola virus, a senior health official said on Wednesday, further dampening hopes of an imminent end to the world's worst recorded outbreak of the disease.

The three were infected in Forecariah in western Guinea from the family of a woman who died of Ebola and whose body was handled without appropriate protection.

In all, nine sick people are being treated at centres throughout the country and most are connected to the dead woman.

Zimbabwe runs out of money to contain outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease

Zimbabwe has run out of money to vaccinate millions of domestic animals to curb the spread of Foot and Mouth and protect against Newcastle Disease, acting Agriculture Secretary John Gondo said.

“We are in the process of vaccinating over 1.5 million cattle and 8 million chickens for FMD and Newcastle Disease, but the challenge is that there’s no money to buy more vaccine from Botswana”.

South Africa, which borders an affected area, has raised pressure on Zimbabwe to prevent further transmission of the disease, which could have an impact on beef exports.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): The volcano's activity seems to have picked up a bit compared to recent weeks. A partial collapse of the active dome generated a pyroclastic flow that traveled several km to the south, accompanied by an ash plume that rose to 4-4.5 km altitude and drifted east.

Mauna Loa (Big Island, Hawai'i): Seismic unrest continues at the volcano, but at lower levels than during mid-late summer, HVO reports: "Earthquakes occurred beneath Mauna Loa's upper Southwest Rift Zone at depths less than 13 km (8 miles). Deformation data are still consistent with inflation of magma reservoirs beneath Mauna Loa's summit and upper Southwest Rift Zone."

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): Another (the third) eruptive phase began at the volcano yesterday evening. From 16:00 local time, the volcano observatory recorded an increase in tremor and new lava was seen in the vent after 20:00. Shortly after 04:00 this morning, activity intensified further and formed a new active lava pond inside the large new crater that had formed early in the eruption near Piton Rivals. The activity is currently observable from the path leading to Piton Bert.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits the Rat Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Barbados in the Windward islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone (tc) 04a (four), located approximately 489 nm southeast of Masirah Island, is tracking northwestward at 05 knots.

NewsBytes:

Somalia - Flash floods in Somalia have destroyed thousands of makeshift homes, as well as latrines and shallow wells, the United Nations said, predicting that up to 900,000 people could be hit by the strongest El Niño weather phenomenon in decades. The floods, which have made roads impassable and cut thousands off from aid, could reverse many of the humanitarian gains made in southern Somalia since 2011 when the Horn of Africa nation was devastated by famine. Some 3.2 million Somalis - one-third of the population - already needed life-saving aid and over one million were internally displaced before the rains began on Oct. 7.

Israel - Residents of Herzliya, Ra’anana and Kfar Saba in central Israel faced heavy floods Wednesday as a brief but intense winter storm swept the area, closing major roads and flooding whole neighbourhoods. Three days after a storm knocked out power for tens of thousands of Israeli homes, Wednesday’s downpour left some 15,000 households in the dark for the second time in less than a week.

Wildlife

African vultures headed for extinction

Africa's vultures are vanishing, according to a report released on Thursday, a situation that could affect human health and livestock since populations of other scavengers such as rats and jackals could rise as a result.

The assessment, carried out by conservation group BirdLife International, found that six of Africa's 11 vulture species were at risk of extinction.

Deliberate targeting by poachers is one of the reasons as the birds, which circle the sights where they feed, can alert authorities to the carcasses of illegally slain animals.

"Vultures are important. They come in, they clean up and they leave," said Ross Wanless of BirdLife South Africa.

Vultures also help to stem the spread of disease on the world's poorest continent by eating carcasses that would otherwise rot.

Other reasons behind the decline of the big birds include indiscriminate poisonings and the popularity of vulture parts for traditional medicine.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): After several weeks of calm, new activity has started during the past days inside the central Voragine crater. Mild strombolian explosions have been observed from a vent at the bottom of the crater.

Ibu (Halmahera, Indonesia): Our recent group who visited the volcano reports small to moderate explosion from the central vent at intervals of 5-20 minutes.

Aso (Kyushu): While the volcano continues to degas strongly and has intermittent, mostly small ash emissions, a stronger explosion occurred again early on 23 Oct around 6 am local time. An ash plume rose approx. 1.5 km above the Nakadake crater and dissipated quickly. Alert level remains at 3 out of 5, and an exclusion zone of 2 km around the crater is in place.

Bagana (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea): Ash emissions occurred from the volcano yesterday, suggesting ongoing mild explosive activity. VAAC Darwin reported a low-level plume extending 50 km northwest from Bagana.

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): A volcanic ash plume at 5,000 ft (1.5 km) altitude extending 80 km west of the volcano was reported by VAAC Darwin this morning.

Dukono (Halmahera): The volcano continues to erupt continuous, loud, roaring jets of gas and small amounts of spatter from vents at the bottom of the deep crater. Ash plumes are regularly being reported by VAAC Darwin.

Turrialba (Costa Rica): After several months of relative calm, the volcano began to erupt ash plumes again since 23 Oct. Some of the explosions have been relatively strong and caused very small pyroclastic flows limited to the crater area. The origin of these emissions are likely phreatic explosions, i.e. caused by overheated ground water flashing to steam. Whether this is the case or at least some fresh magma is involved is unclear. Seismic activity, which could suggest the rise of new magma, has been reported to have picked up recently.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): No significant changes have occurred during the past days. The activity remains characterized by intense degassing and occasional mild ash emissions mixed into the plume.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): Mild to moderate ash emissions, with ash plumes rising 1-2 km above the crater, have become more frequent over the past days, suggesting the volcano's activity has started to picking up. An explosion at 04:33 yesterday morning was seen ejecting incandescent material that rolled down the western flank to up to 1 km distance. Light ash fall occurred later in Chacauco, Cotaló and Manzano. The ash was reported to be black and red in colour and sugary in grain size. The first (colour) suggest that it is from new magma (as opposed to typically gray-brown coloured ash from pulverized older rock). The volcano observatory also reported an increase in seismic activity associated with fluid movements. One possibility is that the volcano (after all, one of the world's most active ones) enters a more vigorous phase of activity in the near future, as often occurred in the past.

Wildlife

280 bears massacred in shocking Florida bear hunt

More than 200 bears have been savagely massacred in a bear hunt in Florida, USA despite widespread outcry from animal rights activists.

The week-long cull – branded a "trophy hunt" by activists – began across the state yesterday amid furious protests.

One of the first kills of the hunt went to 49-year-old Bryan Smith, who claimed: "He had a good life and a good death."

Several lactating females have also being killed, according to local media reports – meaning their cubs will starve to death.

The hunt was approved after officials claimed Florida's black bear population had grown to 3,500 – up from several hundred in the 1970s – and presented a safety hazard.

Almost 3,800 permits were sold for the hunt to blood-thirsty Americans before the deadline on Friday.

Those with permits are allowed to use firearms and bows to kill the creatures this week – but unleashed dogs or bait are banned.

Animal activists deplored the hunt saying that: “There is not a bear problem in Florida but a leadership problem. If wealthy land developers have their way in Florida we will have no bears or panthers and will be left with the endless strip malls of box stores."

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

5.3 Earthquake hits Pakistan.

5.2 Earthquake hits El Salvador.

5.2 Earthquake hits off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

Record-Breaking 408 Earthquakes Hit Bay Area City

A whopping 408 earthquakes have hit San Ramon, California, in the past two weeks, including 11 in one 24-hour stretch.

This record-breaking earthquake swarm is nothing to fear, however, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Periods of tectonic unrest are common in the area and probably don't presage a larger quake, the USGS said.

Most of the quakes affecting this Bay Area city are tiny. The one that kicked off the swarm at 8:50 a.m. Pacific Time on Oct. 13 was a mere magnitude 0.8. People don't usually feel earthquakes until they reach a magnitude of 2.5; quakes between magnitude 2.5 and 5.4 can be felt but rarely cause much damage.

The quakes are hitting on the north end of the Pleasanton Fault in the Calaveras Fault zone, according to the USGS. Swarms of small earthquakes are common in this fault system. In fact, in 1990, a swarm of 351 earthquakes struck over a 42-day period. The largest quake in that swarm was a magnitude 4.2, a level unlikely to cause serious damage.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Florida, USA - A King tide has caused flooding in parts of Florida. While South Florida cities have dealt with nuisance King Tide floods each October, now they're becoming deeper, more widespread and chronic.

Environment

Indonesia Smoke Haze Death Toll Rises

The death toll from acrid haze blanketing parts of Indonesia has climbed to 19, a minister said Wednesday, almost double the previous figure as the crisis from widespread forest fires worsens.

For nearly two months, thousands of fires caused by slash-and-burn farming in Indonesia have choked vast expanses of Southeast Asia, forcing schools to close and scores of flights and some international events to be cancelled.

An estimated half a million people have suffered respiratory illnesses since the fires started in July. Indonesia's disaster agency previously stated the fires had killed 10 people, some of whom died while fighting the blazes and others from the pollution.

Wildlife also affected

The environmental catastrophe that is unfolding across Indonesian Borneo is threatening to engulf precious sanctuaries where a third of endangered great ape's entire population hangs on for survival.

For two months, uncontrolled fires have been raging across the Borneo landscape, spewing up thick black clouds of smoke that have caused respiratory infections in 500,000 people.

The financial cost for Indonesia is also immense, with the fires costing the economy as much as £30billion. Conservationists are warning the fires' impacts have taken a sinister twist by setting light to huge swathes of virgin peat swamp forest, a precious tropical wilderness where endangered clouded leopards and orangutans keep one step from extinction.

But, it is the Sabangau Forest, with the world's largest population of nearly 7,000 wild orangutans, which is facing the greatest threat. For the orangutans, recent decades have seen their wild kingdoms eroded by the onset of logging and the turning over of forest for oil palm plantations.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits eastern Xizang, China.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Olaf is located about 1290 mi...2080 km ENE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...ENE or 65 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Pakistan - A snowstorm in Babusar, Pakistan has claimed the lifone of a person. At least 70 tourists have been evacuated from Naran valley. The earliest snowfall in 40 years has dumped three feet of snow on one town in less than 24 hours. The snowfall has also damaged the power lines and some small bridges.

Louisiana, USA - Parts of Louisiana were under water early Monday as severe thunderstorms moved into the Gulf Coast area after drenching Texas over the weekend.

Global Warming

Antarctic Ozone Hole

Intense depletion of the ozone layer above Antarctica happens each year. In October 2015 it was more than 1.5 million square miles larger (2.5Mkm2) than in 2014, which is an area larger than the North American continent.

Disease

Shingella Outbreak in San Francisco, USA

Nearly 200 people in the San Francisco area have been sickened by an intestinal disease caused by the highly contagious Shigella bacteria since an outbreak began at a Mexican seafood restaurant 10 days ago, health officials said on Monday.

The outbreak had spread across six counties and infected 182 people as of last Friday, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department said in a statement.

Many of those sickened have required hospitalization and at least a dozen were admitted to intensive care units. Transmission typically occurs when faecal matter enters the mouth, possibly when an infected food handler prepares meals consumed by unwitting diners.

Shigella infections can trigger watery or bloody diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever and other symptoms. The bacteria is “extremely contagious,” sickened individuals should avoid going to work.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

7.7 Earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.

Initial reports that at least 12 people were killed in northwestern Pakistan. Shockwaves were felt in northern India and in Pakistan's capital, where hundreds of people ran out of buildings as the ground rolled beneath them. The quake was 213km deep and centred 254km north-east of Kabul in a remote area of Afghanistan in the Hindu Kush mountain range.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits Guerrero, Mexico.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Olaf is located about 1030 mi...1660 km ENE of Honolulu Hawaii and about 890 mi...1435 km ENE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...70 mph...110 km/h. Present movement...NE or 40 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

NewsBytes:

South Africa - A lightning storm in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa has claimed the lives of two women.

Middle East - Stormy weather in Israel has claimed the life of one person and left thousands without power. A 20-year old worker died in Pardes Hanna when a wall collapsed at a construction site because of the strong winds. The Airport Authority briefly closed Sde Dov Airport in Tel Aviv due to the weather conditions. Similarly, severe weather in Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria has claimed the lives of six people, including two children.

Texas, USA - Heavy rains fuelled by the meeting of two storm systems, one the remnants of Hurricane Patricia, pounded southeastern Texas, triggering flash floods in Houston.

Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – South Korea

On 12 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea provided follow-up information on a previously reported case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. The patient, who was discharged from hospital on 3 October following two consecutive negative PCR tests for MERS-CoV, was readmitted to hospital with fever on 11 October and tested again positive for MERS-CoV on 12 October.

Syria cholera outbreak sparks fears of ‘international threat’

Cholera has broken out in Syria, with one child having already died after contracting the disease – and the outbreak could constitute an “international threat”.

The break-out, which follows one in Iraq, could spread rapidly, according to Dr Ahmad Tarakji, president of the Syrian American Medical Society (Sams), the largest medical NGO still working in Syria. There are over four million registered Syrian refugees and nearly eight million internally displaced.

There have already been 1,200 confirmed cases of cholera in Iraq in recent weeks, including six deaths. An immunisation programme is due to start there next week.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Soputan (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): The volcano is calm at the surface, but seismic activity shows it is at unrest and might erupt again soon. Deep volcanic quakes (5-10 km depth) and shallow tremors has been more frequent (10 -15 times per day) since 3 oct - 22 oct. This suggests there is probably magma raising up slowly, but there are still no glowing spots visible.

Rinjani (Lombok): A small explosive eruption with ash emissions was reported from the volcano this morning. It seems to have occurred from the Baru Jari cone inside the caldera lake (and the site of all recent eruptions of the volcano) at around 10:45 local time. Hikers from and near the camp at the lake were evacuated and all trekking routes through the Rinjani National Park were closed, including those through Sembulan and Timbanuh, East Lombok, and Senaru and North Lombok. No significant seismic activity seems to have accompanied the explosion. The ash emission was too small to be detected on satellite data. The aviation alert level of the volcano was raised to Orange (VAAC Darwin).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 876 nm northwest of Wake Island, and is tracking northeastward at 22 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 905 mi...1460 km E of Honolulu Hawaii and about 740 mi...1190 km E of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...90 mph...150 km/h. Present movement...NE or 35 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Mexico - Hurricane Patricia caused less damage than feared on Mexico's Pacific coast on Saturday, but hammered an isolated part of the shoreline dotted with luxury villas and fishing villages, where the storm and its 165 mph (266 kph) winds landed. Thousands of residents and tourists fled the advance of the storm, one of the strongest in recorded history, seeking refuge in hastily arranged shelters. There were no early reports of deaths and it appeared major damage was averted as Patricia missed tourist centres like Puerto Vallarta and the major cargo port of Manzanillo. However, the storm carved through small rural villages, ripping corrugated metal roofing off modest brick homes and uprooting trees, with the forceful winds sucking the leaves off them.

In its march north, Patricia was likely to make matters worse in Texas, which saw heavy rains overnight from a separate storm system that caused flooding powerful enough to knock over a freight train. Officials said moisture from Patricia would increase the intensity of rains swamping parts of the state by Sunday. Patricia has since weakened to become a post-tropical depression.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): The latest (second) effusive phase of the eruption ended yesterday afternoon. After 15:00 local time, tremor became discontinuous and lava effusion ceased. The short-lived, but quite intense re-activation of the eruption began last Thursday evening, after a break of 4 days in activity. During the evening, lava quickly filled the main cone again and produced a new lava flow that traveled more than 1 km to the SSE. By next morning, it had reached the western foot of Piton de Bert where it caused a bush fire that was still out of control yesterday afternoon and prevented ground access to the eruption site from Pas de Bellecombe. Whether the eruption will enter another (third) phase of lava effusion in the near future, or now can be considered to have ended for good, is impossible to say.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits Papua, Indonesia.

5.4 Earthquake hits off the west coast of northern Sumatra.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 223 nm north-northwest of Minami Tori Shima, and is tracking east-northeastward at 14 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 625 mi...1005 km E of Hilo Hawaii and about 820 mi...1315 km E of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...120 mph...195 km/h. Present movement...NNE or 25 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

Hurricane Patricia is located about 35 mi...55 km...NE of Zacatecas Mexico with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...80 km/h. Present movement...NNE or 25 degrees at 21 mph...33 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Mexico - Patricia, one of the strongest ever hurricanes lashed western Mexico with rain and winds of up to 266 km/h, causing chaos in coastal towns and resorts but less damage than feared before weakening on Saturday as it moved inland. Mowing down trees, flooding streets and battering buildings, Hurricane Patricia ploughed into Mexico as a Category 5 storm on Friday before grinding inland, where it began to lose power in the mountains that rise up along the Pacific coast. Around 15 000 tourists were hurriedly evacuated from the beach resort of Puerto Vallarta as people scrambled to get away from the advancing hurricane, whose massive swirl over Mexico could be seen clearly from space. At one point generating sustained winds of 322km/h, Patricia was the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Western Hemisphere.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits the Prince Edward Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Bouvet Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits Pakistan.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of North Island, New Zealand.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 619 nm north of Saipan, and is tracking east-northeastward at 14 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 660 mi...1065 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii and about 870 mi...1405 km ESE of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...115 mph...185 km/h. Present movement...N or 360 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Hurricane Patricia is located about 145 mi...235 km SW of Manzanillo Mexico and about 215 mi...345 km S of Cabo Corrientes Mexico with maximum sustained winds...200 mph...325 km/h. Present movement...NNW or 345 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Hazards affecting land: Rainfall: Patricia is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 8 to 12 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches, over the Mexican states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan and Guerrero through Saturday. These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.

Tropical depression 26w (twenty-six), located approximately 759 nm northwest of Wake Island, and is tracking northeastward at 19 knots.

NewsBytes:

Greece - Emergency rescue workers and firefighters were searching parts of northern and western Athens on Thursday night after flash floods in the capital left at least one person dead. The weather, which included gale-force winds, caused difficulties in other parts of Greece as well.

Philippines - After bearing the brunt of Typhoon Koppu, the Philippines is now suffering floods in the northern islands.

Global Warming

Sea Ice Around Antarctica Declines in 2015 Peak

The sea ice around Antarctica grew to its annual peak on Oct. 6 but showed a sharp decline from the record coverage of recent years.

NASA says this year’s maximum fell roughly in the middle of what has been measured during the past 37 years of satellite observations.

Scientists said the developing El Niño probably had a strong influence on this year’s sea ice.

Rather than being in sharp contradiction to a warming climate, a greater amount of ice ringing Antarctica in the recent past has been linked to climate change.

Stronger southern hemisphere winds due to a warmer climate appear to have caused the floating ice to bunch up around Antarctica rather than drifting northward and melting.

“After three record high extent years, this year marks a return toward normalcy for Antarctic sea ice,” said Walt Meier, a sea ice scientist at Goddard.

“There may be more high years in the future because of the large year-to-year variation in Antarctic extent, but such extremes are not near as substantial as in the Arctic, where the declining trend towards a new normal is continuing,” Meier added.

Satellite data composite of Antarctic sea ice maximum on October 6, 2015.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 109.4 degrees Fahrenheit (51.6 degrees Celsius) at Matam, Senegal.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 92.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 68.9 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

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.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): A moderately sized pyroclastic flow as result of small collapse of part of the active lava dome occurred this afternoon (Kamchatka time), sending an ash plume to approx. 15,000 ft (4.5 km) altitude.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano has been relatively calm during the past weeks. JMA reported small explosions at the Showa crater during 13-16 October. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): Ash plumes from the volcano have become an almost daily observation on satellite data monitored by VAAC Darwin. This suggests that activity has picked up at the volcano (we will find out more when we are going there in November). This morning, a plume at 5,000 ft (1.5 km) altitude drifted 35 km W from the volcano.

Dukono (Halmahera): Ash emissions continue to be intense and near continuous. VAAC Darwin reported again an ash plume extending 50 km NW from the volcano this morning.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): According to local news, the eruption restarted today after 4 days of quiet. Observers detected minor strombolian activity from a small, 1 m diameter vent at the bottom of the large new cone. Small explosions every few seconds were seen sending lava bombs to a few tens of meters height, not surpassing the outer crater rim. According to volcano observatory, sporadic pulses of tremor have reappeared this morning since 7am local time. Whether this is just a weak after-play or the onset of a more significant eruptive phase of the latest eruption remains to be seen.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits the Scotia Sea.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Northwest Territories, Canada.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 53 nm south-southeast of Iwo To, Japan, and is tracking northeastward at 05 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 750 mi...1205 km se of Hilo Hawaii and about 960 mi...1550 km se of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...120 mph...195 km/h. Present movement...NW or 315 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

Hurricane Patricia is located about 255 mi...410 km S of Lazaro Cardenas Mexico and about 350 mi...565 km SSE of Manzanillo Mexico with maximum sustained winds...85 mph...140 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 17 mph...28 km/h. Hazards affecting land: Rainfall: Patricia is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches, with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches, over the Mexican states of Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan and Guerrero later Thursday into Saturday. These rains could produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.

Tropical depression 26w (twenty-six), located approximately 747 nm west-northwest of Wake Island, is tracking north-northwestward at 19 knots.

NewsBytes:

Mexico - Heavy rainfall has caused flooding across Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, leading to the governor of Quintana Roo state declaring a state of emergency. On Monday, 106mm of rain fell in the state capital, Chetumal. More than 100 homes have been flooded.

Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 10 and 13 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 4 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. The four cases are from the same compound in Riyadh city.

Zika virus infection – Brazil and Colombia

Between 8 October and 16 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Points of Brazil and Colombia notified PAHO/WHO of cases of Zika virus infection.

In May 2015, the public health authorities of Brazil confirmed autochthonous transmission of Zika virus in the northeastern part of the country. As of 8 October, autochthonous cases of Zika virus had been detected in 14 states: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará, Paraná, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Norte, Roraima, and São Paulo.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): An ash plume at estimated 5,000 ft (1.5 km) altitude was reported extending 50 km SW of the volcano this morning (VAAC Darwin).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

7.2 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said there is no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Drake Passage.

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

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Depression Koppu is located approximately 362 nm south of Taipei, Taiwan, and is tracking eastward at 07 knots.

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 134 nm south-southwest of Iwo To, Japan, and is tracking northward at 02 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 940 mi...1515 km se of Hilo Hawaii and about 1150 mi...1855 km se of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...135 mph...215 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 300 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Tropical Storm Patricia is located about 330 mi...530 km se of Acapulco Mexico with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...W or 265 degrees at 9 mph...14 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Philippines - The death toll following the powerful typhoon Koppu in the Philippines has risen to 47, while tens of thousands of people still remain in evacuation centres.

Wildlife

Sunscreen - Killing The World's Coral Reefs

Just two weeks ago, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) raised the alarm about the terrible plight facing the Earth’s coral reefs. For the third time in history, the world is in the midst of a global coral bleaching event, the agency said.

"We are losing huge areas of coral across the U.S., as well as internationally," said Mark Eakin, NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch coordinator, citing climate change and events like the current El Niño as primary reasons for the mass die-off.

A new study published this week is bringing even more bad news about the world’s dying corals. According to researchers, there may be another, oft-overlooked threat to reefs worldwide: sunscreen.

Scientists who conducted their research in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands found that the chemical oxybenzone -- used in more than 3,500 sunscreen products worldwide, including those by popular brands such as Coppertone, L’Oreal and Banana Boat -- was extremely harmful to fragile coral reefs.

"The chemical not only kills the coral, it causes DNA damage in adults and deforms the DNA in coral in the larval stage, making it unlikely they can develop properly," a news release reported.

The researchers said even a tiny amount of oxybenzone-containing sunscreen can damage corals. As The Washington Post noted, "the equivalent of a drop of water in a half-dozen Olympic-sized swimming pools" was sufficient to cause harm.

Every year, approximately 14,000 tons of sunscreen ends up in coral reefs worldwide.

Global Warming

Cornerstone krill under threat from global warming

The world’s oceans are warming according to many scientists. According to the EPA, the layer of ocean waters is now warming at a rate of .2 degrees Fahrenheit. Given how fragile ocean ecosystems are, this could wreak havoc. Indeed, experts are warning that vital krill populations in the southern oceans are under threat.

Krill are tiny ocean crustaceans, and are part of the “base” for many ocean ecosystems. Just as many land herbivores depend on grass, and many predators, in turn, depend on these herbivores for food, entire oceanic food chains depend on krill.

Even the massive blue whale, the largest known creature to ever exist on earth, and also massive whale shark, depend on krill. These tiny crustaceans are members of the plankton family of tiny organisms that form a sort of “grass of the sea.”

The biggest threat to krill is currently in the southern Antarctic ocean, where increased acidification caused by carbon dioxide absorption appears to be disrupting the krill’s life cycle. Researchers believe that fewer krill are reaching adulthood, with larvae failing to survive, and/or eggs failing to hatch.

Dr. So Kawaguchi, a researcher for the Australian government, has warned that “if we continue with business as usual, and we don’t act on reducing carbon emissions, in that case, there could be a 20 to 70 percent reduction in Antarctic krill by 2100. By 2300, the Southern Ocean might not be suitable for krill reproduction.”

While 2100 might seem like a long way off, any substantial reductions in krill populations could disrupt fragile ocean ecosystems. Many of those fish and other ocean going animals that don’t consume krill directly, eat animals that do consume krill.

If those prey animals die off due to a lack of krill, animals up the food chain will almost certainly starve too.

Right now, the krill are facing a threat not just from global warming, but also overfishing. Each year, massive industrial fishing operations suck up thousands of tons of krill in a single fishing season.

In the past, such operations might have been sustainable, but with so many krill dying before they reach adulthood, researchers fear that the tiny crustaceans won’t be able to cope.

Disease

Cholera - Tanzania

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) of the United Republic of Tanzania has notified WHO of new foci of cholera outbreaks in the country. As of 13 October, 13 regions have been affected, namely Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Pwani, Kigoma, Kilimanjaro, Iringa, Dodoma, Geita, Mara, Singida, Shinyaga, Mwanza and Zanzibar. As of 19 October, the cumulative number of cases is 4,835 cases, including 68 deaths. The region of Dar es Salam accounts for 72% of all reported cases (3,460). Zanzibar has reported 140 cases.

Hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak - USA

An outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease has been reported at Princeton University, affecting 13 students, according to a University spokesman.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Nishino-shima (Volcano Islands, Japan): The eruption that had started in Nov 2013 still continues with no significant changes. During the most recent survey on 18 Oct by the Japanese Coast guard, strombolian activity was observed at the central vent, but lava flows no longer reached the coast of the young island, which is being affected and modified by wave erosion. According to a bathymetric analysis conducted between June 22 and July 9, the total lava volume erupted so far is approx. 160 million cubic meters, of which 74 million m3 are under sea level.

Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): The volcano remains very active, producing lava flows that generate many incandescent avalanches.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits Guam.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.

5.4 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.4 Earthquake hits Mindoro in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Koppu is located approximately 271 nm north of Manila, Philippines, and is tracking northwestward at 04 knots.

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 194 nm south-southwest of Iwo To, Japan, and is tracking north-northwestward at 03 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 1175 mi...1890 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii and about 1385 mi...2230 km ESE of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...150 mph...240 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Disease

Typhoid Outbreak in Malaysia

The health ministry today said they are still in the midst of identifying the source of a typhoid outbreak in Kuala Lumpur, as a total of 32 cases have been reported over the past two and a half months. No deaths have been reported.

Typhoid fever is transmitted through food or drinks contaminated with Salmonella typhii, and symptoms usually arise between one and three weeks after infection. These include lethargy, fever, stomach aches, constipation, headaches, diarrhoea and vomiting.

If left untreated, it could lead to complications such as bleeding and puncturing of the intestinal tract, brain inflammation, psychosis and other symptoms, or become a carrier without any symptoms.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Karymsky (Kamchatka): An ash plume was reported this morning from the volcano drifting SE (VAAC Tokyo).

Bagana (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea): A small ash plume was reported yesterday from the volcano (VAAC Darwin). A moderate thermal anomaly from the crater remains visible on satellite data. This suggests mild ongoing effusive and/or explosive activity.

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): Strombolian activity remains apparently intense. Ash plumes from the volcano have been spotted more frequently in the past weeks.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Explosions and pyroclastic flows continue to occur at the volcano during the past days. This morning, a pyroclastic flow traveled 2 km and produced an ash plume of 2.5 km height.

Dukono (Halmahera): Darwin VAAC reported ash plumes drifting at estimated 7,000 ft (2.1 km) 40 km to the north of the volcano.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): According to the volcano observatory, the effusive phase of the eruption is over (no more activity since the sudden stop of lava effusion on Saturday). A weak tremor signal continued to be recorded this morning, probably related to degassing. The eruption has emplaced an impressive pahoehoe (ropy) lava flow field south and southeast of Dolomieu crater.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.1 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.3 Earthquake hits Maule, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

Two 5.1 Earthquakes hit Tonga.

5.1 Earthquake hits the southern east Pacific ride.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone Two is located approximately 362 nm east-northeast of Noumea, New Caledonia, and is tracking south-southwestward at 19 knots.

Typhoon Koppu is located approximately 201 nm north of Manila, Philippines, and is tracking westward at 05 knots.

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 246 nm south-southwest of Iwo To, Japan, and is tracking north-northwestward at 03 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 1415 mi...2275 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii and about 1965 mi...3160 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...100 mph...155 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Philippines - Typhoon Koppu swept across the northern Philippines killing at least nine people as trees, power lines and walls were toppled and flood waters spread far from riverbeds, but tens of thousands of people were evacuated in time. Officials fear the death toll may rise after Typhoon Koppu tore through the main island of Luzon on Sunday leaving several remote towns and villages isolated due to flash floods and toppled trees and boulders blocking roads. Power was down in many areas. The storm, downgraded to a category 1 typhoon from category 4, was moving slowly north on Monday and was forecast to weaken to a tropical storm within hours. "We haven't reached many areas. About 60 to 70 percent of our town is flooded, some as deep as 10 feet (3 metres). There are about 20,000 residents in isolated areas that need food and water," said Henry Velarde, vice mayor of Jaen town in Nueva Ecija province, north of Manila.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – China

On 14 October 2015, the National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) of China notified WHO of 2 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A (H7N9) virus.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Indonesia

Indonesia launched its biggest operation till date to tackle wildfires enveloping Southeast Asian countries in haze. Fires illegally started to clear fields for plantation have left countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore in thick, dense haze.

The ‘notorious’ El-Nino weather system has led to bone-dry conditions in Indonesia. Although such wildfires are a common annual affair, weather scientists have warned that this year’s blazes might just be the worst ever due to the dry weather conditions prevailing in the region.

Jakarta has said yes to international help after weeks of failed attempts aimed at controlling the wildfires. The country, on Friday, launched a large-scale operation which includes 32 planes and helicopters, out of which six are from Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. Some 22,000 personnel including army troops are a part of this operation. If this was not enough, new fires continue to sprout across the region due to extremely dry weather conditions. Air quality levels in the region continue to plummet as schools have also been shut.

On Friday, when Indonesia committed a large force to contain the fires, Japan donated two tons of flame retardant to the operation. As per a report by Global Fire Emissions Database, Indonesia has witnessed close to 100,000 active fires in 2015. These fires have led to emissions on a daily basis. These emissions exceed the average per day emissions from the entire US Economic activity. It is now being deemed as a major climate catastrophe.

Bushfires - Queensland, Australia

Firefighters are desperately trying to gain control of a large, fast-moving bushfire which is threatening homes in Townsville, north Queensland - with authorities telling residents to evacuate.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) is advising residents in the area of The Pinnacles, Round Mountain to enact their bushfire plans immediately.

The fire is moving in a south-westerly direction and is expected to affect Moncrieff Road, Laudberg Road, Round Mountain Road and Laudham Road, Kelso.

Currently 18 fire crews are tackling the blaze but it is moving quickly and firefighters are finding it difficult to control.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.2 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 Earthquake hits the west Chile rise.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone Two is located approximately 362 nm east-northeast of Noumea, New Caledonia, and is tracking south-southwestward at 19 knots.

Typhoon Koppu is located approximately 100 nm north-northwest of Manila, Philippines, and is tracking westward at 07 knots.

Typhoon Champi is located approximately 326 nm south-southwest of Iwo To, Japan, and is tracking north-northwestward at 03 knots.

Hurricane Olaf is located about 1725 mi...2780 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...75 mph...120 km/h. Present movement...W or 275 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Invest 92L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Philippines - Philippines battered as Typhoon Koppu makes landfall. Homes have been flattened, power lines toppled, and thousands of people have fled their homes as Typhoon Koppu swept into the northern Philippines. Disaster agency officials said the storm was also whipping up coastal surges 4m (12ft) high. The slow-moving typhoon made landfall near the town of Casiguran on the main island of Luzon on Sunday morning. Koppu is predicted to bring three days of torrential rain, triggering major flooding and possibly landslides. 10,000 people have been displaced in north-eastern Luzon but no casualties had been reported so far.

Disease

New Ebola Cases - West Africa

The World Health Organization announced Friday that there were two confirmed cases of Ebola in Guinea.

The re-emergence of the disease suggests that the outbreak may go on its third year in 2016 in West Africa. The new cases are the first ones in West Africa since it was declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) after passing 42 days without the disease. However, the new cases suggest that a place can be declared Ebola-free but with many carrying the virus.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): Intermittent ash emissions that resumed on 6 Oct, continue from the El Agrio crater and incandescence (from hot gasses) is visible at night. The ash/steam plume has been reaching heights of up to 1 km. SERNAGEOMIN keeps the alert level at yellow.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): After a the eruption had intensified considerably during the past week, tremor suddenly dropped this morning at 08:02 local time and only showed sporadic pulses. The lava effusion seemed to have stopped as well. Aerial surveys this morning showed no more lava inside the vent. Whether this is a temporary pause or a rather sudden (but not uncommon) end of the eruption will be clearer in the near future. Up until yesterday (17 Oct), the eruption had been increasing, and generated again lava fountains from the main vent up to 40 m tall. The main vent itself had increased to reach approx. 100 m diameter, containing a lava lake which released large bubbles of gas (SO2), generating spectacular lava bubble ejections (images).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits Salta, Argentina.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone Two is located approximately 321 nm west-northwest of Suva, Fiji, and is tracking southwestward at 15 knots.

Typhoon Koppu is located approximately 175 nm east-northeast of Manila, Philippines, and is tracking westward at 05 knots.

Tropical Storm Champi is located approximately 451 nm south of Iwo To, Japan, and is tracking west-northwestward at 06 knots.

Tropical Storm Olaf is located about 1540 mi...2475 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Invest 92L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Italy - At least five people have died due to flooding and landslides in Benevento, Italy. Heavy flooding has also affected parts across Croatia and Bosnia.

Philippines - Disaster officials advised communities in flood-prone areas of the northern Philippines to evacuate Saturday as the slow-moving Typhoon Koppu bore down on the coast with heavy rains and high winds.

Disease

Measles in DR Congo

A measles outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo's southeast districts have infected more than 30 000 people with 400 deaths.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Potosi, Bolivia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Cyclone Two is located approximately 309 nm north-northwest of Suva, Fiji, and is tracking south-southwestward at 10 knots.

Tropical Storm Koppu is located approximately 335 nm east of Manila, Philippines, and is tracking westward at 08 knots.

Tropical Storm Champi is located approximately 127 nm north of Andersen AFB, and is tracking westward at 17 knots.

Tropical Depression Nineteen-E is located about 1260 mi...2030 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 14 mph...22 km/h.

NewsBytes:

California, USA - Southern California authorities scrambled to rescue motorists stranded on roadways as flash floods and large hail pounded areas north of Los Angeles.

Wildlife

Hunter shoots and kills one of Zimbabwe’s ‘biggest ever’ elephants

One of Zimbabwe’s biggest ever elephants has been shot dead by a German hunter who paid nearly £40,000 for the paperwork, just months after famous lion Cecil was mourned worldwide.

The giant animal is thought to have been between 40 and 60 years old, and could be the largest killed in Zimbabwe for more than 30 years.

Its tusks alone weighed a combined 120lb, an exceptional size even for an African elephant.

A picture taken just minutes after the killing shows the hunter and his guide grasping hands in celebration, one of them sitting on the elephant’s front leg as his body lies on the ground.

The hunter killed the gentle giant on October 8 in a private hunting zone bordering Zimbabwe’s southern Gonarezhou National Park, The Telegraph reported.

He had paid $60,000 dollars for a permit granting permission to slay a large bull elephant as part of his 21-day hunting itinerary. He hoped to go home able to boast of killing the Big Five, which also included leopards, lions, buffalo and rhinoceros.

But conservationists said they were outraged by the killing, saying the government should preserve its animals as part of the national heritage and refuse to issue permits.

The news comes less than a week after rangers found 26 elephants poisoned by cyanide in Zimbabwe, killed for their ivory.

Baboons Black Out Zimbabwe Radio Station

A troop of rogue baboons forced a radio station off the air in Zimbabwe, where the government is often blamed for using oppressive censorship and intimidation to silence its critics.

The staff of YA-FM, in the central mining town of Zvishavane, was initially puzzled when the remote mountaintop transmitter went off the air since there were none of the power cuts that sometimes plague the facility.

When engineers arrived and found the station’s fibre optic cable had been chewed through, they also saw baboons nearby.

“I’m told there were more than five of them that ate into the cable,” radio station head Munyaradzi Hwengwere told the country’s Chronicle newspaper. “When we got to the tower, we saw the baboons scurrying away”.

Global Warming

Warming oceans are releasing methane

Warming oceans are creating a whole host of problems. From driving schools of fish closer to shores, to disrupting fragile ecosystems, the gradual increase in water temperatures could spell trouble for Planet Earth. Now, long-frozen methane is bubbling up from the ocean depths, adding more greenhouse gases (GHG) to the atmosphere.

The most recent discovery of so-called methane plumes is off the coast in the Pacific Northwest. This is no small matter as methane is a much more powerful greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and could potentially accelerate global warming.

Besides the West Coast, research last year found a huge increase in methane plumes off the East Coast. Given that methane is a very powerful greenhouse gas, this could spell trouble for a planet many already believe is warming.

Methane is 23 times more powerful of a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Methane is suspected for previously causing big and often sudden swings in the Earth’s climate. Much of the methane on Earth is actually trapped, frozen in the ocean, but as oceans warm up, this powerful greenhouse gas could be released. Global warming could thus accelerate.

Essentially, the methane at the bottom of the ocean mixes with sediments and forms a substance called methane hydrate. Methane is able to exist in this form due to high water pressure levels and the cold-temperatures.

A sonar image shows a bubble plume rising from the seafloor off the coast of Washington state.

Space Events

A Huge Black Mark Has Appeared On The Sun

A vast ‘hole’ has appeared in the sun - a black mark the size of 50 Earths, which is spewing out particles towards our planet.

At worst, the coronal hole, which materialised last week, can interfere with some satellite communications and high-altitude radio transmissions.

It has released a stream of particles towards our planet, travelling across space at up to 500 miles per second, which have caused days of Northern Lights around the world as they hit our atmosphere.

Coronal holes are magnetically open areas that are one source of high-speed solar wind. They appear dark when viewed in many wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light, such as seen here. At times, the solar wind can generate auroras at higher latitudes on Earth.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 111.2 degrees Fahrenheit (44.0 degrees Celsius) at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 76.4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 60.2 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Texas, USA

A state of emergency was declared in Bastrop County after wildfires continue to spread in the area. More than 4 200 acres have been scorched to date. State and local resources have been dispatched to contain the wildfires and ensure the safety of the surrounding communities.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The volcano continues to slowly extrude viscous lava, which results in occasional small to moderately sized pyroclastic flows (2-3 per day on average). Unfortunately, it indirectly claimed another victim: heavy rains in recent days have appeared and produced numerous mud flows (lahars) that caused damages in various places, but also a victim: on 9 October, a lahar traveled through the Susuk riverbed near Tiganderket village on the western slope and hit a couple on a motorcycle while crossing the valley. It killed the driver who could not escape the muddy torrent, while his wife survived clinging to a tree trunk.

Veniaminof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): AVO reported that "slightly elevated levels of seismicity continued to be detected at Veniaminof during 7-13 October. Minor steam emissions were recorded by the webcam on 7 October. The Aviation Color Code remained at Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Advisory."

Fuego (Guatemala): Another paroxysm, the 9th this year, occurred at the volcano during 10-13 Oct. Strongly increased lava effusion and violent strombolian activity produced intermittent lava fountaining up to 300 m high, and re-alimented the two lava flows on the southern and western slopes, which reached 1000 and 1300 m length. Small pyroclastic flows occurred when parts of the lava flows on the steep slope collapsed. A new cone has formed around one of the two active vents on the rim of the volcano's summit crater and now forms its highest point.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): The current, remarkably long-lived eruption continues with no signs of weakening. On the contrary, a significant increase in tremor and lava effusion was noted starting 12 Oct, reaching high values comparable to the start of the eruption. The observatory estimated the effusion rate to have risen from 9 to 13.5 cubic meters per second. The part of the Enclos southeast of Dolomieu crater has been profoundly changed by the eruption: A large pahoehoe lava field with 10-20 m thickness is growing, fed by a network of lava tubes originating from the vents near the base of Piton Bert. Around the principal vent, a cone has been built that contains a violently boiling and spectacular lava lake. Several older cones are in the stage of disappearing beneath the lava field.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Ecuador.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Depression Nora is located about 280 mi...445 km se of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...NW or 320 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.

Tropical Storm Koppu is located approximately 516 nm south-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan and is tracking westward at 14 knots.

Tropical Storm Champi is located approximately 218 nm east-northeast of Saipan, and is tracking westward at 16 knots.

Tropical Depression Nineteen-E is located about 1080 mi...1740 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.

Global Warming

The US cities that will stay above sea level after global warming—and the ones that will disappear

We’ve all heard doomsday predictions about what global warming means for coastal US cities. And now a new, interactive map from nonprofit climate science publication Climate Central illustrates precisely how American cities will fare under the best and worst possible climate futures—and which ones will disappear completely.

Climate Central is not the first group to visualize how the US landscape will be altered, but as Wired notes, this map draws on new research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (pdf) that ties carbon dioxide levels to sea level rise and layers in topography and population statistics.

The report doesn’t unearth exactly when water will begin flowing into coastal cities, but notes that our current carbon emissions will lock in changes that could start occurring in as early as 2200. (Even if we stopped burning fossil fuels today, carbon pollution already in the atmosphere would be high enough to register an effect for years to come.)

The map uses four different scenarios laid out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In the best case, aggressive cuts would cause carbon emissions to peak within the next five years; in the worst case, pollution goes unchecked and emissions continue climbing through the year 2100.

Most of New Orleans will disappear even in the best climate future. Even with aggressive carbon cuts, cities like Miami and Jacksonville, Florida, could lose more than half their land. New York and Boston are in danger of shrinking by a quarter.

New Orleans, meanwhile, is pretty much doomed any way you look at it. All of the city’s population-weighted area, based on 2010 US Census data, is expected to fall below future sea levels if pollution goes unchecked or only minor carbon cuts are implemented. With aggressive cuts, still more than half of the area currently populated will go under water. That’s also true for parts of Florida, including Cape Coral, Miami Gardens, and Hollywood.

If triggered, the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) covering a portion of Antarctica could leave tens of thousands of more Americans without dry land, even with extreme carbon cuts.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): VAAC Darwin spotted an ash plume at 7,000 ft (2.1 km) drifting 80 km west from the volcano this morning.

Reports from Batu Tara have become more frequent, recently, suggesting that activity is intense.

Dukono (Halmahera): Ash emissions remain intense. A plume was reported extending 50 nautical miles to the NE from the volcano this morning.

Cleveland (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): Unrest at the volcano has decreased and the Alaska Volcano Observatory lowered the alert level down to Yellow: Strongly elevated surface temperatures have not been observed at Cleveland since August 18. Moderately elevated surface temperatures have been observed with decreasing regularity since then, with the most recent instance occurring on September 30. This indicates lava effusion at the summit has likely ceased. In addition, explosive activity, as detected by infrasound, last occurred over two months ago on August 6. Based on the decline in activity, we are lowering the Level of Concern Colour Code to YELLOW and the Alert Level to ADVISORY.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits east of the Kuril Islands.

5.4 Earthquake hits northern Colombia.

5.1 Earthquake hits east of the Kuril Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Depression Nora is located about 450 mi...725 km se of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 6 mph...9 km/h.

Tropical Storm Koppu is located approximately 757 nm south-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan and is tracking westward at 11 knots.

Tropical Storm Champi is located approximately 614 nm east of Saipan, and is tracking west-northwestward at 20 knots.

Invest 96E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Pakistan - A landslide in Pakistan's Gulsitan-e-Jauhar area in Karachi has claimed the lives of at least 13 people including seven children on Tuesday. The landslide buried three shanties built on mud and sand.

Romania - Authorities say more than 20 people have been rescued after flash floods swept through a town in eastern Romania, submerging cars and flooding a railway embankment. Authorities said Tuesday that 23 cars were flooded in Corbu, a small town on the Black Sea coast, late Monday.

El Niño

El Niño is expected to be more beast than "little boy" this year — a forecast about the weather pattern that becomes clear in newly released maps of the waters around the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

Disease

Cholera – Kenya

Twenty people have been infected with cholera in Nakuru and Baringo counties, Nakuru public health official Samuel King'ori has said.

He said the new cases have been reported in Rongai and Mogotio constituencies.

Mysterious disease threatens snake populations across the United States

A new disease in snakes has been quietly spreading across the U.S. The disease known as Snake Fungal Disease (SFD) is believed to be caused by a fungus called Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola and so far has been found in 15 states in the eastern half of the U.S. The disease has been discovered as far west as Minnesota, but biologists suspect that SFD is more widespread in the U.S. than is currently documented.

A strange skin disease affecting snakes have been known to wildlife biologists since the mid-2000s, but “over the past few years, the number of snakes with the disease appears to be increasing,” says Jeffrey Lorch, a microbiologist at the USGS National Wildlife Health Centre in Madison, Wisconsin, who recently developed a rapid molecular test for the fungus. The disease affects different species of snakes differently; however, snakes with SFD commonly have crusty-looking scales, scabs, nodules under the skin, or experience premature moulting. Some may also have nodules in deeper tissues and swelling of the face.

The disease was first documented in 2006 in New Hampshire, where there was a 50% decline in a population of timber rattlesnakes due to the disease.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Louisiana, USA

An evacuation advisory for residents in south Webster and north Bienville parishes in northern Louisiana has been lifted after firefighters battled wildfires through the early morning today.

Dozens of residents had to leave their homes Monday as the fires consumed more than 1,500 acres. Firefighters are still monitoring hot spots but said the fire is contained.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Turkmenistan.

5.2 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Turkmenistan.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Alaska.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Nora is located about 595 mi...960 km se of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

Tropical Depression Twenty-four is located approximately 303 nm west-northwest of Andersen AFB, Guam and is tracking westward at 29 knots.

Tropical Depression Twenty-five is located approximately 380 nm north-northeast of Pohnpei, FSM and is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.

Invest 96E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Nepal - A lightning strike in the Pyuthan district has claimed the lives of two people and injured 10 others.

Albania - Albanian authorities say flooding caused by heavy rains has damaged highways, forced power cuts and claimed the life of a man when his car was washed away.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Wyoming, Idaho - USA

Hundreds of Wyoming residents were forced to flee a wind-driven wildfire that destroyed at least 10 homes even as a separate blaze in neighbouring Idaho burned several cabins to the ground and prompted dozens to evacuate, fire managers said Monday.

The fire that broke out Saturday evening in a brush pile at a landfill north of Wyoming’s second-largest city of Casper has charred 10,000 acres of grasslands and trees and led to the evacuation of more than 300 residents, said Bob Fawcett, fire marshal with the Natrona County Fire Protection District.

At least 10 houses and an unknown number of outbuildings have been lost to a blaze fed by winds that gusted up to 60 miles an hour over the weekend amid bone-dry conditions, he said.

That fire and a blaze in southwest Idaho that has destroyed three cabins and forced about 80 people from their homes since igniting Saturday near the small mountain town of Idaho City have come at a time the fire season in the northern Rockies is usually drawing to a close, officials said.

Disease

Cholera – Iraq

WHO has received notification from the National IHR Focal Point of Iraq of additional laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera.

As of 8 October, a total of 1,263 laboratory-confirmed cases of Vibrio cholerae 01 Inaba were reported. These cases were reported from at least 15 governorates of the country – These are Babylon (469 cases), Baghdad (304 cases), Qadisiyyah (146 cases), Muthanna (155 cases), Basra (61 cases), Wassit (41 cases), Karbala (33 case), Najaf (32 cases), Thi-qar (6 cases), Maysan (6 cases), Diyala (2 cases), Duhok (2 cases), Erbil (2 cases), Kirkuk (2 cases), Salah al-din (1 case) and Suleimaniyah (1 case).

India - Dengue Outbreak in Delhi - Update

The number of dengue cases in Delhi has mounted to a staggering 10,683, making it the worst outbreak of the vector-borne disease in the national capital since 1996. The deadly virus, however, had claimed over 420 lives, nearly 20 years ago, while the casualty count for this year stands at 41.

According to a municipal report on the vector-borne disease released on Monday, over 3,000 fresh dengue cases have been reported in the past one week, taking the total number of people down with the vector-borne fever in the city this year to a menacing 10,683.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): Intense strombolian activity continues at the volcano. A volcanic ash plume at estimated 5,000 ft (1.5 km) altitude was observed extending 80 km to the west of the volcano this morning. (VAAC Darwin)

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.4 Earthquake hits North island, New Zealand.

5.4 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Owen fracture Zone.

5.1 Earthquake hits southern Qinghai, China.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Panama-Colombia border.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Nora is located about 855 mi...1380 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...70 mph...110 km/h, Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

Invest 96E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Disease

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia, Jordan

Between 27 September and 1 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 1 additional case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.

On 7 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Jordan notified WHO of 1 additional case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Wildfires

Wildfires - Limpopo, South Africa

Limpopo wildfires have flattened 70 000 hectares of land, killing domestic and wild animals and destroying a number of properties, including two guest lodges, Working on Fire said on Sunday.

Many animals, both domestic and wild, have been killed in the fires that broke out late on Friday across towns in the Waterberg district, including in Mokopane, Modimolle, Mookgophong, Thabazimbi and Vaalwater.

Three residences, two guest lodges, one farmhouse and three vehicles were destroyed.

At first firefighters were battling about 20 blazes, but by Saturday morning this had been reduced to 10. The cause of two of the fires – lightning – had been established.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Askja (Central Iceland): A shallow earthquake swarm has been occurring 25 km NE of the Aksja caldera since Thursday. More than 150 small quakes with magnitudes up to 2.2 have so far been recorded, clustered at depths between 3-12 km in 5 km north of the Herðubreið table mountain, an old subglacial volcano 20 km NE of the Askja caldera. Whether the swarm is caused by a magmatic intrusion or something else is not known at the moment.

Sabancaya (Peru): Weak dilute ash emissions could be observed yesterday from the volcano. An inspection of the crater by staff from the Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur (OVS) on 1 October showed that temperatures at the fumaroles remain elevated (near 400 deg C) and volcanic gas emissions had slightly increased over the past weeks. According to the latest report by INGEMMET, seismic activity, in particular rock-fracturing earthquakes increased significantly at the volcano during the first days of October. However, according to the latest report by OVS, no such increase is mentioned. Overall seismic activity has been low during the past weeks.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Nora is located about 1075 mi...1730 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...60 mph...95 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Three is located approximately 551 nm south-southeast of Karachi, Pakistan, and is tracking west-northwestward at 02 knots.

Invest 96E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Dukono (Halmahera): Intense ash emissions from the volcano create plumes at low altitude (2-2.5 km) that extend up to approx. 100 km to the NE.

Colima (Western Mexico): Activity at the volcano remains essentially unchanged. Explosions of small to moderate size continue to occur from the summit crater at irregular intervals (up to a few times a day).

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity has calmed down. Explosions have been only of smaller size, but the lava flows on the upper southern and western flanks remained weakly active last evening.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): During the past days, intermittent explosive activity has resumed at the volcano's summit crater. Intense activity on 8 and 9 Oct generated ash plumes that rose up to 1-1.5 km height above the crater and drifted to the west.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits east of the South Sandwich Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits central Turkey.

5.1 Earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Oklahoma, USA.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Salta, Argentina.

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 Earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Nora is located about 1375 mi...2215 km ESE of South Point Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Three is located approximately 600 nm south-southeast of Karachi, Pakistan, and is tracking west-northwestward at 04 knots.

Invest 96E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Texas, USA - Up to 10 inches of rain has fallen overnight in parts of Texas Hill Country, South Texas, triggering flash flood warnings, road closures and the cancellation of classes in schools.

Wildlife

Poaching threatens Mali's rare desert elephants

About a fifth of Mali's rare desert elephants have been killed this year as ivory poachers exploit a security vacuum in the country's north, the United Nations said on Thursday.

At least 57 elephants died between January and June among the West African country's only herd of around 300 animals, the U.N. peacekeeping mission MINUSMA said in a statement.

"(The poached elephants) represent about 20 percent of the remaining (Malian) population and were killed in areas where insecurity is present," MINUSMA said, adding that forest rangers were frequently targeted by Islamist jihadists.

The WILD Foundation, which helps protect Mali's northern Gourma herd, estimates that around 90 of the mammals have been killed since late 2014.

Tens of thousands of elephants once roamed the savannahs stretching between West Africa's shores and the Nile basin but poaching and habitat loss have dramatically cut their numbers.

Roughly 7,000 animals are thought to remain in West and Central Africa, of which some are thought to be genetically distinct from the more numerous elephants further south. They are often scattered in small, isolated groups of less than 100 and are at risk of local extinction.

Mali's Gourma elephants, once a magnet for tourists visiting the nearby desert city of Timbuktu, are one of the last two desert herds in the world. The other is in Namibia.

The decline in Mali has accelerated in recent months because of rising insecurity and a decrease in army protection, according to Amy Lewis from WILD Foundation.

Armed groups drove the Malian army out of many posts in the country's north last year and are fighting amongst each other for control of land and trafficking corridors.

Disease

Ebola Outbreak - Update

There were no new cases of Ebola reported in West Africa in the week ending last Sunday, making it the first week since March 2014 with zero cases recorded in the three countries most affected by the outbreak, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), which cautioned that there remains a near-term risk of new cases.

WHO, in its latest update ending on Sunday, 4 October, stated that no new cases were reported in Guinea and Sierra Leone. Liberia was declared free of Ebola virus transmission in the human population on 3 September 2015.

To date, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa has resulted in more than 11,000 deaths.

In Nigeria, authorities have vehemently denied claims of an Ebola outbreak in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits southern Peru.

5.1 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Invest 95E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Environment

Atlantic Cool 'Blob' May Be From Ocean Current Slowdown

Some atmospheric scientists are concerned that an unusual “blob” of cold water has emerged in parts of the far northern Atlantic Ocean during the past two years.

While the world as a whole seems poised to experience the warmest year on record, the cold blob stands out.

Located between southern Greenland and Europe, the cold pool could mean the Atlantic’s so-called “meridional overturning circulation,” of which the Gulf Stream is a part, could be slowing down.

It’s believed the freshwater runoff from Greenland’s melting ice cap could be impeding the typical sinking of the cold North Atlantic water before its deep return flow to the tropics.

Differences in temperature and salinity drive the entire ocean’s circulation.

Any slowdown of the vast oceanic engine could impact sea levels around the North Atlantic as well as marine life.

The darkest blue over the North Atlantic indicates where the coldest temperatures on record occurred between January and August 2015.

Wildlife

First Blue Whales in 100 Years Seen North of Scandinavia

Marine researchers say they have found blue whales swimming in the waters of the Barents Sea, north of Scandinavia and European Russia, after a century of absence.

The largest animals to have ever existed on the planet were hunted to near extinction by whaling fleets in the 20th century until they became protected by international agreement in 1966.

Their numbers have recently rebounded worldwide.

The giant cetaceans were spotted in the Barents Sea this past summer by coast guard ships and cruise vessels.

"This is great news,” said senior researcher at the Norwegian Polar Institute Keith Kovach.

In 20 years of operating in the region, the institute says blue whales had not been spotted once until this summer.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 112.1 degrees Fahrenheit (45.5 degrees Celsius) at Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 83.6 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 64.2 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

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.