Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 Earthquake hits Jujuy, Argentina.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 04p (Tuni), located approximately 231 nm south-southeast of Pago Pago, American Samoa, and is tracking southeastward at 06 knots.

NewsBytes:

Florida, USA - For the 10th year running, Florida dodged a hurricane, setting a new record, while the rest of the eastern seaboard escaped a hit by a major hurricane.

Global Warming

Climate Change Summit Begins in Paris

Today, in a renovated aircraft hanger in northern Paris, climate negotiators representing some 195 countries start to hammer out a new international climate deal.

Their attention is focused on a 54-page draft document, produced in Bonn last month ahead of this summit. This key paper contains a forest of bracketed text which captures states’ competing aspirations. These differences have to be resolved over the next fortnight if a final climate deal is to appear.

The new agreement will aim to hold average global warming below 2℃ above pre-industrial levels, although this goal is itself contentious. Such warming will lead to devastating longer-term impacts, is especially dangerous for least developed countries, and constitutes a death knell for low-lying island states which are arguing for 1.5℃ or less.

Second, there is the matter of climate finance – meeting the costs of mitigation and adaptation, and loss and damage, for poor countries. In 2009, the Copenhagen conference was partly saved from collapse by the rich countries pledging to find US$100 billion each year, by 2020, for poor countries to build resilience against the impacts of global warming. A Green Climate Fund was created for this purpose.

Last, there is the matter of legal form – the question about whether the final agreement will be a legally binding treaty, or an agreement with legal force, or some hybrid of these two. While this was a vital issue some years ago, there seems to be less interest in it now – perhaps in recognition that any attempt to create a binding agreement will likely have a chilling effect on the cooperation of big players such as the United States and China.

The long shadow of the Copenhagen climate talks still falls across the Paris meeting. The failures in 2009 have already disciplined these negotiations, which are an attempt to finish the business of that earlier conference.

Copenhagen was marked by stratospheric hopes and then profound disappointment. A flock of national leaders went to bask in the outcome of a tough, comprehensive, legally binding deal. The talks stalled and almost collapsed, only to be rescued by some deft drafting by the leaders of China, Brazil, India and the United States. The experience almost destroyed the climate treaty itself.

Expectations have been greatly and deliberately lowered for Paris. The biggest shift has been away from the search for a rigid, legally binding treaty with “top-down” targets and solutions like those featured in the Kyoto Protocol. The outcome rescued from Copenhagen was an approach that is voluntarily cooperative, defined by a “bottom-up” approach in which countries determine their own targets, submitted to the conference but no longer dependent on an international legally binding agreement.

A triumphant conclusion would be strong commitments to tighten targets, fund climate resilience, and decarbonise the global economy before 2050.

With time running out and the planet’s carbon budget almost exhausted, this meeting is one of our final chances to tackle the extraordinary dangers of global warming.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Zao (Honshu): Signs of unrest have been reported from the volcano. According to a news article, new episodes of volcanic tremor were detected under the volcano recently, believed to be signs of increased internal fluid movements. No volcanic earthquakes or significant deformation of the volcanic edifice have been recorded, that could suggest new magma rising, and currently, no eruption is expected to be likely in the near future. However, the volcano will now be observed with increased vigilance.

Fuego (Guatemala): The activity at the volcano has been increasing since a few days ago. The effusion rate has risen significantly. Pulsating lava fountaining and strong, detonating strombolian explosions several hundred meters high from the summit vents are currently feeding at least 3 relatively large lava flows descending on the western and southern flanks: - through the Trinidad drainage (S): approx. 2400 m long, - through the Santa Teresa drainage (W): approx. 2000 m long, - through Las Lajas ravine (SW):approx. 1300 m long.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits the Owen Fracture Zone.

5.3 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits central Turkey.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 04p (Tuni), located approximately 132 nm south of Pago Pago, American Samoa, and is tracking southeastward at 13 knots.

Disease

Hawaii reports more dengue

The Hawaii Department of Health continues to work with other state and county agencies on the issue of the Dengue Fever outbreak. As of Friday, the Department of Health had reported 107 confirmed cases originating on Hawaii Island. This is an increase of 6 cases from the previous update. These cases include 93 residents and 14 visitors.

Because dengue fever is only transmitted by mosquitoes, the Department of Health is spraying and treating areas with high mosquito presence and confirmed cases. The Department of Health plans to conduct spraying in various areas of South Kona, Hilo, Puna, and Kau.

Although spraying and treatment of areas is ongoing, the most effective method to reduce the spread and eliminate Dengue is to fight the bite. Minimize or prevent the possibility of being bitten by an infected mosquito by wearing clothing that minimizes exposed skin, use mosquito repellant and avoid activities in areas of high mosquito concentration during the early morning and late afternoon periods when mosquito activity is greatest.

Zika virus infection – Guatemala

PAHO/WHO has received notification of a laboratory-confirmed autochthonous case of Zika virus infection in Guatemala. The case, who is a resident of the Zacapa department, developed symptoms on 11 November. An investigation is being carried out to detect further cases.

Zika virus infection – El Salvador

On 24 November, the National IHR Focal Point of El Salvador notified PAHO/WHO of 3 laboratory-confirmed autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection. The preliminary confirmation was provided by the national reference laboratory and has since been confirmed by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Fort Collins. Salvadoran health authorities are implementing the corresponding prevention and control activities.

Microcephaly – Brazil

The Ministry of Health (MoH) of Brazil has provided PAHO/WHO with an update regarding the unusual increase in the number of cases of microcephaly among newborns in the northeast of Brazil.

As of 21 November, a total of 739 cases of microcephaly were being investigated in nine states in the northeast of Brazil. The distribution of the cases was as follows: Pernambuco (487 cases), Paraíba (96 cases), Sergipe (54 cases), Rio Grande do Norte (47 cases), Piauí (27 cases), Alagoas (10 cases), Ceará (9 cases), Bahia (8 cases) and Goiás (1 case). One fatal case was reported in the state of Rio Grande do Norte.

Environment

Global Shift in the 1980’s Left Planet Altered

Earth underwent an unprecedented global ecological and climate shift late in the 1980s, which a new report says was triggered by a combination of manmade global warming and a powerful volcanic eruption.

Researchers from the U.K. and Switzerland write in the journal Global Change Biology that they found the shift throughout nature, from the upper atmosphere to the depth of the oceans.

The shift was manifest in atmospheric and ocean temperatures, the pH levels of rivers, the timing of land events, behaviour of plants and birds, wind speeds and the amount of ice and snow, according to the report.

The study found that the shift appeared to have moved regionally around the world from west to east, starting with South America in 1984, then moving through North America in 1985, the North Atlantic in 1986, Europe in 1987 and Asia in 1988.

The researchers say the shift was sparked by the 1982 eruption of Mexico's El Chichón volcano, interacting with climate change to cause the biggest ecological change in 1 000 years.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.9 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits northwest of the Kuril Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Antofagasta, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Simeulue, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Sandra is located about 115 mi...180 km SSE of Cabo San Lucas Mexico with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...N or 360 degrees at 2 mph...4 km/h.

Tropical cyclone (tc) 04p (Tuni), located approximately 157 nm west of Pago Pago, American Samoa and is tracking east-southeastward at 11 knots.

NewsBytes:

USA - At least three people have died in fast-moving floodwaters in Texas as freezing rain and flooding pummelled the state and other parts of the central U.S. on Friday, with forecasters warning that the chilling weather would worsen over the holiday weekend. Forecasters issued flash-flood watches and warnings from northern Texas up to St. Louis, with up to 4 inches of rain reported in some places as the storm slowly moved to the northeast. Freezing rain and strong winds have been blamed for several fatal accidents in Kansas and Texas since Thursday.

Kenya - At least 4,040 families in Tana River county have been displaced by floods after River Tana burst its banks and flooded their homes. No casualties have been reported. Some victims said they have lost household property, food and livestock.

Global Warming

Interactive: See how global warming is changing the face of our planet

Visit this website for a revealing look at the reality of global warming. [Click the images to see before and after views]

Rising Carbon Dioxide Causes Rapid Growth of Plankton in the Ocean

There's something strange happening in the world's oceans due to an excess of carbon dioxide. Plankton is, apparently, growing rapidly in spite of scientific predictions.

Scientists have long thought that the number of coccolithophores, which are chalk-shelled algae, would decline due to an excess of carbon dioxide. These single-shelled algae play a role in the cycling of calcium carbonate, a factor in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. More specifically, researchers believed that more-acidic oceans would be the downfall of these organisms.

In this latest study, though, the researchers analyzed the data from the Continuous Plankton Recorder survey from the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea since the mid-1960s. This revealed that carbon dioxide may actually be causing an increase in the population of coccolithophores.

These algae make it more difficult to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in the short term. However, in the long term, they help remove carbon dioxide from the atmospheres and confine it in the deep ocean.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia - Update

Nearly 90 homes have been destroyed or made uninhabitable by the deadly Pinery bushfire.

Police said this afternoon that 87 homes had been completely destroyed or significantly damaged, rendering them uninhabitable. Nearly 100 vehicles and more than 380 farm sheds were destroyed in the blaze, as were 89 pieces of farm machinery.

Earlier this afternoon the Country Fire Service announced the bushfire had officially become “contained”. The CFS warned, however, that there was still some active fire well within the control lines.

The blaze has killed two people and five more are in hospital in a critical condition as fears remain that the death toll will rise.

Roads are now open within the 82,600 hectare fire ground, but the CFS warns areas are still burning and flare-ups will continue to produce embers and smoke. Police have warned motorists to take care, because emergency crews are still working to remove fallen trees and power lines.

Disease

Kissing bugs found in more than half the US - Chagas disease

After recent reports of locally acquired Chagas disease in a dozen people in Texas, plus hundreds of dogs, the media has been flooded with hundreds of reports on the Triatomine bug, or kissing bug and the parasitic infection it can carry, Chagas disease.

In July 2013, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said that 11 different triatomine species were found in at least 28 US states, although most cases diagnosed with Chagas contracted it outside the country.

Chagas disease is transmitted naturally in North, Central, and South America. In parts of Mexico and Central and South America, where Chagas disease is considered highly endemic, it is estimated that approximately 8 million people are infected.

The Triatoma or “kissing” bug frequently carry for life the parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. T. cruzi is a comma shaped flagellated parasite and the cause of an acute and chronic disease called Chagas.

The triatoma bug can be found in poorly constructed homes, with cracks and crevices in the walls or those with thatch roofs. They can also be found in palm trees and the fronds.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): We just returned from a 3-days expedition to the island during 23-26 Nov: the volcano's activity was overall at similar levels as during the previous visits between 2012-June this year, but highly variable from day to day: Phases lasting several hours, or even few days, with mild, ash-rich strombolian eruptions at intervals between 10-30 minutes alternated / were interrupted by much more powerful vulcanian-type explosions that produced shock waves and ejected dense columns of tephra (ash, blocks and incandescent lava bombs) in a single, cannon-shot like explosion. They sent ballistics to several hundred meters of height all over the upper half of the volcano. During the first two observation days, these explosions occurred at intervals between 3-10 hours, but became the dominant type of activity during the last 24 hours of our stay, when they occurred at shorter intervals of 1-2 hours typically.

Telica (Nicaragua): After its powerful explosion on 22 Nov, the volcano has mainly been calm, but weaker, sporadic ash emissions resumed during the past days. It is still thought that the recent activity is only caused by over-pressurized fluids in the upper conduit, and doesn't involve new magma, but comparing with the past episodes of explosive activity in May and September this year, it is almost likely that new, potentially strong and very dangerous explosions (in particular if you climb the volcano) could follow in the near future with no or little warning.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): Small to moderately strong ash emissions and explosions have been near continuous during the past days, creating steam/ash plumes that rise up to approx. 1 km. Overall, the volcano's activity seems to be gradually increasing. A larger landslide occurred yesterday from the eastern flank.

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Since Nov 25 there is a change visible in Etna's activity. Weak strombolian activity has started from the New SE crater. The activity probably started earlier today, but due to bad weather it was not observed before. Weak strombolian activity continues also from the vent inside the Voragine crater. Tremor remains low at the moment.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.

5.1 Earthquake hits Myanmar.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Peru-Brazil border.

5.0 Earthquake hits Fiji.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Hurricane Sandra is located about 255 mi...415 km SSE of the southern tip of Baja California and about 315 mi...505 km SSW of Mazatlan Mexico with maximum sustained winds...100 mph...160 km/h. Present movement...NNE or 20 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Environment

Climate Disasters Now Happening Daily: UN

Weather-related disasters have nearly doubled over the past 30 years — now occurring almost daily somewhere in the world, according to a new report.

Published by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), The Human Cost of Weather Related Disasters (PDF copy) fell short of directly blaming climate change for the increase.

But it did warn, “predictions of more extreme weather in the future almost certainly mean that we will witness a continued upward trend in weather-related disasters in the decades ahead.”

The report found that 600,000 people have died as a result of floods, storms, heatwaves, droughts and other weather-related events since 1995.

About 4.1 billion others being injured, left homeless or in need of emergency assistance.

There were an average of 335 weather-related disasters annually between 2005 and this year, up 14 percent from 1995 to 2004 and almost twice as many as during the years from 1985 to 1994.

The report ranked the United States, China, India, Philippines and Indonesia as being hit by the highest number of disasters.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 114.8 degrees Fahrenheit (46.0 degrees Celsius) at Mandora, Western Australia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 53.7 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 47.6 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

Cholera – Iraq

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

As of 22 November, a total of 2,810 laboratory-confirmed cases of Vibrio cholerae 01 Inaba had been confirmed at the Central Public Health Laboratory in Baghdad, and only 2 deaths related to cholera were reported.

Cholera – United Republic of Tanzania

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) of Tanzania has notified WHO of additional laboratory-confirmed cases of cholera. Across the country, at least 9,871 cases have been reported, including 150 deaths.

Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus – Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Two additional cases of type 1 vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV1) have been reported from Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), bringing the total number of cases in this outbreak to three.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.4 Earthquake hits Peru-Brazil border region.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.4 Earthquake hits western Iran.

5.2 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

Lefkada Earthquake (Nov 17) Destroys Pristine Greek Beach - Before & After

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 296 nm southwest of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 09 knots.

Hurricane Sandra is located about 500 mi...810 km SW of Cabo Corrientes Mexico and about 575 mi...925 km S of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...145 mph...230 km/h. Present movement...N or 350 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Aceh, Indonesia - More than 7,000 people from 12 sub-districts in West Aceh, Aceh province, have been evacuated from flooded areas after heavy rains poured starting Tuesday morning. Several houses were destroyed after they fell into a river in Woyla district; and one community health centre fell to a river in Arongan Lambalek district. The worst affected area was West Woyla district, which was cut off from the rest of the district by the floods covering roads with up to 80cm of water.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar - The Gulf states were hit by heavy rainfall which brought a year’s worth of rain in a letter of hours, bringing widespread disruption. In Qatar, an investigation was prompted after the heavy rains exposed poor construction in the oil-rich country set to host the 2022 Fifa World Cup when the $18bn airport started leaking.

Global Warming

2015 likely to be the warmest year ever recorded

This year is destined for the history books with 2015 likely to be the warmest on record. It is smashing regional records around the globe for the driest year, strongest tropical storms, warmest ocean temperatures and warmest five year period.

The figures published on Wednesday by the World Meteorological Organisation will provide a grim backdrop to the UN COP21 climate conference which gets underway in Paris next Monday.

The figures are based on data accumulated between January and October from measuring centres around the world. The numbers are so bad already that the organisation is fully confident 2015 will be warmer on average than any year before it.

Symbolic milestones are also being reached with this year’s average temperature likely to reach the one full degree above the pre-industrial era. It is probable that the 1 degree Celsius threshold will be crossed.

Temperature records are highlighted all through the report. Ocean surface temperatures are already ahead of the record high set in 2014.

It will be one of the warmest years on record over land. China is having its warmest year on record as is South America and Asia generally. Africa and Europe are having their second hottest.

The oceans have been absorbing more than 90 per cent of the energy that has accumulated in the climate system and this is reflected in risking sea temperature and sea levels.

The global average sea level in the first half of 2015 was the highest since satellite observations became available in 1993, the Organization said.

The heat penetrates deep into the ocean surface with record high temperatures in the top 700 metres and top 2,000 metres.

The human-induced warming is being accentuated this year as a periodic El Nino ocean warming event is underway in the Pacific Ocean. This continues to gain strength and will add to the overall heating for many months to come, the report said.

The year is littered with exceptional heatwaves as happened in India in May and June. Europe also experienced heatwaves , with July bringing a period of excessive heat from Denmark down to Morocco.

Some regions experienced exceptional rainfall such as the southern US, southeast Europe and parts of Africa.

Drought was a problem for other countries including Central America, the Caribbean, parts of central Europe and Russia.

The desiccated landscape that affected the western US brought with it record numbers of wildfires. There were 400 fires in Alaska during May and then 700 more in July. Washington State suffered its largest fire on record.

The number of tropical storms in the Atlantic and Pacific was around normal but the mix included the strongest hurricane on record, a category five storm with wind speeds of 320km/hr when it made landfall in Mexico in October.

The poles returned contrasting statistics with the Arctic showing considerably reduced ice cover through the year. Antarctica continues to add ice according to the data.

The report overtly linked rising greenhouse gas emissions with the warming climate. These gases reached new highs in the northern hemisphere during spring 2015.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Fourteen bushfires burning across southern Australia have killed two people, thousands of animals, and destroyed 16 homes, and authorities on Thursday said they feared the toll could rise.

The fires, which stretch across 210 kms (130 miles), broke out on Wednesday in heatwave conditions and quickly burnt across farmlands, forcing residents to flee and others to frantically try and save their homes and livestock.

Emergency workers said that 60 percent of the fires were now under control.

Disease

New Ebola Case in Liberia

The death of a 15-year-old boy from Ebola in Liberia — a country that has been declared free of the disease twice — raises the question of why cases are still popping up in the country, experts say.

The teenager, who died Tuesday (Nov. 24), tested positive for the disease last week. His brother and father are also infected, and more than 150 people with whom the boy may have come into contact are now being monitored.

Liberia was first declared Ebola-free in May, but then a new case was confirmed in July. The country was declared Ebola-free for the second time in September.

In order for a country to be declared Ebola-free, health officials typically wait 42 days since the last person was cured of the disease.

The handling of this most recent case may already have put many others at risk.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

7.1 Earthquake hits central Peru.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.

7.0 Earthquake hits Peru-Brazil border region.

5.9 Earthquake hits Pagan in the North Mariana Islands.

Two 5.8 Earthquakes hit central Peru.

5.4 Earthquake hits north of Ascension Island.

5.4 Earthquake hits central Peru.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Peru.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Sangihe, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 586 nm southwest of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 11 knots.

Hurricane Sandra is located about 545 mi...880 km SW of Manzanillo Mexico and about 720 mi...1160 km S of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...85 mph...140 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

NewsBytes:

India - At least 70 people have been killed in India's Tamil region over the last two weeks by severe flooding caused by heavy rains, triggering complaints that the government isn't doing enough to help affected communities.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Kanlaon (Philippines): The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has raised alert level 1 for Mount Kanlaon volcano as it erupts and enters a period of unrest. The event was recorded by the Kanlaon Volcano seismic network as an explosion signal beginning at 9:30 P.M. on November 23 and lasted 30 minutes. The explosion produced a 1.0 – 1.5 kilometer-high white plume above the summit before drifting towards the southwest. At least four volcanic earthquakes have been recorded during the past week by the Kanlaon Network

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits Guerrero, Mexico.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Tonga.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 697 nm southwest of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 09 knots.

Tropical cyclone 03s (Annabelle), located approximately 798 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking south-southeastward at 11 knots.

Tropical Storm Sandra is located about 570 mi...915 km S of Manzanillo Mexico with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...W or 275 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.

Wildlife

Only 3 Northern White Rhinos Remain in the World

One of the four northern white rhinoceros left on Earth died on Nov. 22, leaving only three surviving members of the critically endangered species.

Nola, a 41-year-old female rhino, lived at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park since 1989. In recent weeks, Nola suffered from a bacterial infection, and on Nov. 13, the aging animal underwent surgery to drain a large abscess in her pelvic region, which veterinarians finally identified as the source of her sickness. Though the procedure was successful in reducing the infection, Nola's condition grew worse, leaving her without an appetite and unable to move around, according to zoo officials.

When intensified treatment efforts were unsuccessful, the animal's caretakers chose to euthanize her yesterday, in what was a "difficult decision," according to a statement released by the San Diego Zoo.

Nola follows in the footsteps of Nabiré, a 31-year-old female northern white rhino that died of a ruptured cyst in July at the Dvůr Králové Zoo in the Czech Republic. The deaths of these two critically endangered animals mean that just three northern white rhinos remain in the world.

Habitat loss and poaching have kept the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) on the brink of extinction for years. The three remaining members of the species reside in captivity at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya, where they were transferred after living at a zoo in the Czech Republic. The four remaining northern white rhinos that roamed the wild of the Democratic Republic of Congo as recently as 2007 are now presumed dead, which means there are no known members of the species still living in the wild, according to the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Global Warming

Panama turtle eggs could 'fry'

Sea turtle eggs laid in the sand of beaches in Panama risk getting fried before hatching because of rising temperatures, an environmental protection group in the Central American country is warning.

With the rise of a couple of degrees in the overall average temperature, many species of turtle will disappear because the nests will fry,

The group has found that temperature spikes are risking the viability of eggs laid by thousands of sea turtles on two Pacific coast beaches it monitors.

The fact that the sand is warmer, too, increases the chances of female turtles hatching, throwing gender ratios out of balance.

Temperature spikes have reached 36°C. The eggs need a sand temperature range of 26 to 35°C to be viable. Higher than that and incubation is halted, with the proteins inside becoming cooked.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.1 Earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.

5.3 Earthquake hits Merida, Venezuela.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Gansu-Qinghai border, China.

5.0 Earthquake hits west of Macquarie Island.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 850 nm southwest of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking northwestward at 12 knots.

Tropical cyclone 03s (Annabelle), located approximately 436 nm south of Diego Garcia, is tracking southeastward at 13 knots.

Invest 91E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Myanmar - At least 104 people have died in a landslide near a jade mine in Myanmar's northern Kachin State. Other 100 are still reported to be missing. Many of the dead are scavengers living on or near the waste dumps, who search through the debris in the hope of finding fragments of jade to sell. Jade mining attracts thousands of migrant workers from across Myanmar. The cause of landslide is still being investigated. The landslide is expected to have been caused by excessive mining in the area. No heavy rains or unusual weather have been reported in the area.

Albania - Albanian authorities say that heavy rainfall has killed one person and has flooded many areas, blocked national roads and cut power and water supply in several places. Rainfall has caused more problems in four districts in central and northern Albania, including the capital, Tirana, with some houses and two bridges damaged, and roads blocked in those areas. Many streets in Tirana were flooded and authorities said there was a temporary cut to power and water supplies in some of its neighbourhoods.

Sri Lanka - Over 2,000 persons in the Wattala grama niladhari division belonging to 1,064 families have been affected by floods.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits Tonga.

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

5.0 Earthquake hits Oaxaca, Mexico.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 726 nm south-southwest of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking west-northwestward at 17 knots.

Tropical Depression Rick is located about 645 mi...1040 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Tropical cyclone 03s (Annabelle), located approximately 273 nm south-southwest of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 02 knots.

Invest 91E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Malaysia - Flooding and landslides in Perak, Malaysia have claimed lives of at least 315 people. Persistent rains caused the local river to rise up to 3 feet above normal levels.

India - Floods have brought extensive damage in rain affected districts of Andhra Pradesh. 14 deaths have been reported so far and more than 3700 villages are said to be submerged under water.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Tanimbar, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Merida, Venezuela.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 233 nm northeast of Yap, is tracking west-northwestward at 17 knots.

Tropical Storm Rick is located about 485 mi...780 km SSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Tropical cyclone 03s (Three), located approximately 214 nm south-southwest of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 06 knots.

NewsBytes:

Kenya - More than 2,500 families have been displaced by floods in Tana River county after the River Tana overflowed. This brings to 10,000 the number of people affected by floods in the county.

Kenya - Floodwaters wreaked havoc in Narok town, blocking the Nairobi-Narok highway and many streets for most of Wednesday. At least 10 people have died in Narok South due to floods since the rains began this month.

El Niño Peaks at Record Level in Pacific

The intensity of El Niño peaked at a record level during the second week of November, leaving scientists wondering how much warmer the tropical Pacific could become during the current outbreak.

Analysis by the U.S. agency NOAA revealed a stretch between South America and Indonesia reaching a weekly average temperature of 3.0 degrees Celsius (5.4 F) above normal — a record.

Despite the peak, the current El Niño has yet to wield the same impacts of previous outbreaks in 1982-83 and 1997-98.

The ability to predict the effects of El Niño on worldwide weather patterns has greatly improved in recent years, but the warming is still likely to inflict considerable damage and even fatalities, according to the U.N.

“This event is playing out in uncharted territory. Our planet has altered dramatically because of climate change, the general trend towards a warmer global ocean, the loss of Arctic sea ice and of over a million square kilometer of summer snow cover in the northern hemisphere,” said World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Michel Jarraud.

He told a news conference that the naturally occurring El Niño and current manmade global warming may interact and modify each other in ways never before observed.

Environment

Shrinking Amazon forests may lose thousands of trees species

A first-of-its-kind examination of the Amazon's trees found that as many as half the species may be threatened with extinction or heading that way because of massive deforestation. Among the more than 5,000 tree species in deep trouble: the ones that produce Brazil nuts and mahogany.

An international team of 158 scientists found that depending on the degree to which deforestation comes under control in the next 35 years, between 36 and 57 percent of the 16,000 tree species in the tropical rainforest area would be considered threatened. Their study is published in Friday's edition of Science Advances.

The range rests on whether cutting down the region's forest continues at the rate of the late 20th and early 21st centuries or slows down to lesser levels proposed in 2006, study authors said. If deforestation continues at the same pace, nearly 8,700 tree types are in trouble, but the number of species at risk could be as low as 5,500 if nations are able to cut back as planned, said study co-author Nigel Pitman from the Field Museum in Chicago.

About 15 years ago, the Amazon was losing about 11.6 million square miles (30 million sq. kilometres) of forest a year, said Tim Killeen, a scientist from Agteca Amazonica in Bolivia. But that figure has dropped to about 3.8 million square miles (10 million sq. kilometres) a year, he said.

Disease

Microcephaly – Brazil

In October 2015, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of Brazil notified PAHO/WHO of an unusual increase in the number of cases of microcephaly among newborns in the state of Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil.

As of 17 November, a total of 399 cases of microcephaly were being investigated in seven states in the northeast of Brazil. Most of the cases were registered in Pernambuco state (268). Other states that reported microcephaly cases are Sergipe (44), Rio Grande do Norte (39), Paraiba (21), Piaui (10), Ceara (9) and Bahia (8).

Mosquitos Spreading New Invasive Disease in Americas (Zika Virus)

A mosquito-borne disease once limited to Africa and Asia is spreading across parts of South America.

Zika joins dengue and chikungunya as invasive diseases carried by the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes.

It threatens public health and tourism from the Caribbean to South America. Zika first appeared in Brazil last April, with local authorities linking it to foreign visitors attending the FIFA World Cup competition.

Six cases of the disease have now been confirmed in neighboring Suriname.

Symptoms include fever, muscle and joint pain, headache, nausea, eyeball pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

The illness typically lasts between four and seven days.

Ebola Returns to Liberia

Two months after Liberia was declared free of Ebola, three confirmed cases of the deadly disease have emerged in the West African nation.

Thee nation's health ministry said a new case was confirmed Thursday, when blood samples from a patient admitted in a hospital the same week tested positive.

Two other high- risk contacts also tested positive, and all three are undergoing care at an Ebola treatment centre in the capital of Monrovia, the health ministry said in a statement.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Karymsky (Kamchatka): Ash plumes from the volcano drifting east at estimated 23,000 ft (7 km) altitude were reported by VAAC Tokyo yesterday.

Nishino-shima (Volcano Islands, Japan): The volcano continues to erupt and is approaching its anniversary. It started with the birth of a new island offshore the old Nishino-Shima island on 23 Nov 2013, which by now has joined and completely covered and greatly enlarged the older one. The latest survey of the Japanese Coast Guard on 17 Nov showed that although lava effusion continues at slow rate, thickening the flow field in the interior of the island, they no longer reach the shores and the island's total surface has decreased a bit due to wave erosion from 2.67 in September to now 2.63 square km. Strombolian to vulcanian-type explosions occur from the main vent, sometimes strong enough to project bombs of meter size into the sea, i.e. to more than 1 km distance.

Shishaldin (Aleutian Islands, Alaska): No anomalous activity at Shishaldin has been observed in satellite data since weakly elevated surface temperatures were detected on October 16. Low-amplitude seismic tremor continues but is not considered to be indicative of an active eruption. AVO is therefore downgrading the status of Shishaldin volcano from aviation color code ORANGE to YELLOW and from volcano alert level WATCH to ADVISORY. (AVO / USGS)

Colima (Western Mexico): Intermittent explosive activity continues with little changes.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): The volcano's activity remains low, with intermittent small ash emissions and continuous steaming. Weak glow can sometimes be observed at night. According to IGEPN, seismic activity remains moderately strong.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): Today and yesterday, the activity at the volcano has been lower and emissions much reduced, after a phase of near continuous degassing and ash venting, producing columns of up to 3 km height during 18-19 Nov. In this period, 1-6 mm of ash fell in areas to the NW, including Cotaló, Chacauco, Pillate, Chontapamba, Chonglontus, Cusua, Juive, and Bilbao where it caused significant damage to vegetation and some infrastructure.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): An increase in activity occurred at the volcano during the past two days. Starting Thursday evening, a new pulse of volcanic tremor was detected and ash emissions began during the night Thu-Friday around 3 am. At 03:40, a larger explosive event and emission took place that produced a plume of ash rising approx. 1 km. Also, some incandescent material was seen ejected. Until now, mild ash emissions seem to continue as near-continuous.

Erta Ale (Ethiopia): The lava lake in the southern pit of the caldera, 30-40 meters in diameter, remains very active and approaches again levels close to overflowing the margins of the pit, being only a few meters below the floor of the caldera.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.

5.3 Earthquake hits Ascension island.

5.1 Earthquake hits Kyrgyzstan.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Kamchatka.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 250 nm southeast of Andersen AFB, is tracking west-northwestward at 12 knots.

Tropical Storm Rick is located about 400 mi...640 km WSW of Manzanillo Mexico and about 485 mi...780 km S of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Zimbabwe - At least three people died by the severe hailstorm in Bulilima district of Zimbabwe. Two people died on their way home from School while the other drowned in a flooded pit latrine at the school.

Washington State, USA - A severe storm in Washington state has claimed lives of three people and left about 185,000 homes and businesses without power.

Wildlife

Monarchs May Be Coming Back From the Brink

North America’s iconic monarch butterflies could quadruple in numbers this year, thanks to joint conservation efforts by Canada, the United States and Mexico.

Populations of the orange-and-black insects plunged almost 90 percent two years ago, reaching only 35 million compared with a peak of about 1 billion during the 1990s.

The destruction of milkweed by agriculture was the main cause of the decline.

The migrating monarchs are currently wintering on only a few acres of pine-and-fir forest of Mexico’s Michoacán state.

They will remain there until beginning a spring migration that will take them across the eastern half of the United States and into Canada by next summer.

Officials count the wintering monarchs by the area that they cover, not their individual numbers.

The insect occupied only 2.8 acres of forest last winter, better than during 2013-2014 when the population hit an all-time low of 1.66 acres.

Conservationists say the goal is to reach almost 15 acres by 2020. This compares to a high of nearly 47 acres in 1996-1997.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 113.9 degrees Fahrenheit (45.5 degrees Celsius) at Dampier, Western Australia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 51.9 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 46.6 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 - South Africa

Billows of thick smoke covered large swathes of sky from Simon’s Town to Atlantis in the Cape Province as fire and rescue teams battled at least 60 vegetation fires on Thursday. Fire and rescue said the city council’s fire teams responded to 60 vegetation fires, adding that approximately 240 firefighters were out from the 30 various stations.

In Simon’s Town, a vegetation fire that started on Wednesday had come down the Simon’s Town side of the mountain and destroyed some properties, with a number of residents forced to evacuate their homes. Thirteen structures were affected damaged or destroyed.

Wildfires - Indonesia

Russian Beriev Be-200 Amphibious aircraft were fighting wildfires on the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday. The forest fires have been creeping closer to Gunung Leuser National Park that is home to many exotic animals, such as Sumatran tigers, elephants, orangutangs, rhinos, and black gibbons. The planes were leased from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) on October 21 following an official request by the government in Jakarta.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.8 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits Jujuy, Argentina.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Nepal.

5.0 Earthquake hits Greece.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 481 nm southeast of Andersen AFB, is tracking west-northwestward at 16 knots.

Tropical Depression Twenty-One-E Forms in the Eastern Pacific off the Mexican Coast.

NewsBytes:

Saudi Arabia - The death toll in the floods has risen to twelve after heavy rains lashed western and central Saudi Arabia. Flash floods rushed through the second city of Jeddah after a line of thunderstorms turned wadis into rivers and alleyways into raging torrents. Heavy rains also lashed western, northern and central parts of Saudi Arabia, including the cities of Mecca, Medina, Hail and Arar.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 Earthquake hits Kyrgyzstan.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.1 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 27w (In-Fa), located approximately 158 nm west-southwest of Pohnpei, is tracking westward at 10 knots.

Invest 90E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

India - India has deployed the army and air force to rescue flood-hit residents in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where at least 71 people have died in the floodwaters.

Saudi Arabia - Heavy rain and flash floods in Saudi Arabia along its Red Sea coast has killed five people.

Britain - A new storm system brings gusts of 80mph that topple trees, close roads and bridges and cripple transport networks while heavy rain threatened further flooding. Temperatures in some areas plunged to -6C bringing snow and arctic gales.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Wildfires sparked by lightning raging across southwest Australia killed four people, officials said Wednesday, as a blistering heat wave swept through the country.

Disease

Foot and Mouth Disease on West Bank - Israel

The Israeli Ministry of Agriculture reported preliminary finding of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in sheep in the West Bank.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): No significant change in activity has occurred during the past days. Degassing from the New SE crater has decreased again, probably because the magma column has dropped again, and tremor is currently low. Mild strombolian explosions seem to continue from Voragine, as suggested by small puffs of ash visible. Strong degassing and perhaps dilute ash emissions are also originating from the NE crater where deep-seated explosive activity occurs and can be heard when on its rim.

Karymsky (Kamchatka): Tokyo VAAC reported an ash plume at 12,000 ft (3.6 km) altitude extending east from the volcano this morning. Occasionally, the volcano has stronger than average strombolian to vulcanian-type explosions. It is one of the few volcanoes in the world that have been in more or less constant eruption for several centuries.

Rinjani (Lombok): The eruption continues with no significant change. When observed yesterday on location, the Barujari cone was in violent strombolian activity and the lava flow was still weakly alimented, creating a small steam plume at the lake entry of the flow. Impressively, the lake temperature has risen so much that large parts of the surface are steaming. The volcanic activity has been producing only smaller ash plumes during the past days, which did no longer affect air traffic to / from Lombok and Rinjani.

Dukono (Halmahera): Near constant ash emissions continue from the volcano. An ash plume at 8,000 ft (2.4 km) altitude extended 40 km SW this morning (Darwin VAAC).

Colima (Western Mexico): Explosions of small to moderate size continue to occur from time to time. The more violent and ash-rich ones produce eruption lightning.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): The activity of the volcano has increased during the past days. Near-continuous explosive eruptions at the summit crater have been creating ash plumes that rose up to 3 km and drifted into westerly directions. Up to 2 mm of fresh ash fall occurred in areas up to 10-20 km west of the volcano. Incandescent bombs were seen ejected during the explosions as well. The ash falls already started to cause significant damage to infrastructure (roads, buildings) and farmland. In particular, fields in the village of Choglontus located only 6 km southwest of the summit have almost completely been destroyed by the ash.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.1 Earthquake hits Greece.

The earthquake hit the Greek Island of Lefkada. Initial reports of one fatality and damage to roads and buildings.

5.9 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits Greece.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Indian Ocean Triple Junction.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 27w (twenty-seven), located approximately 264 nm southeast of Pohnpei, is tracking westward at 11 knots.

Invest 99E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Malaysia - A heavy two-hour downpour resulted in massive flash floods in parts of Johor Baru yesterday, trapping some motorists and forcing police to close off some roads. Dozens of cars were submerged following the downpour, which started at 11am. Many basement carparks in the city centre were also flooded due to the heavy downpour.

El Niño is expected to strengthen further this season, affecting wet and dry weather patterns around the globe.

Disease

Acute respiratory syndrome – Republic of Korea

On 29 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of a cluster of cases with respiratory symptoms in Seoul. Between 19 and 29 October, 3 people who work in the same facility developed symptoms of pneumonia. From 22 to 24 October, they were admitted to hospital.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.0 Earthquake hits the Cayman islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Near Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Invest 99E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

China - At least 16 people have been killed and 21 are still missing after landslides buried homes in China on Saturday night. Heavy rains have been lashing China, triggering flooding and landslides across the country. The central province of Hunan experienced the worst winter flooding in 50 years. According to the state news agency Xinhua, the flooding has forced thousands to flee the area and 8,200 people have had to resettle since most of their homes were destroyed by the floods. These floods have damaged crops, caused blackouts and road closures, affecting 87,000 people.

Sri Lanka - Around 19,916 persons belonging to 6,310 families in Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Killinochchi, Trincomalee, Puttalam and Gampaha districts have been affected by floods while around 2,600 persons have been displaced, Disaster Management Centre sources said.

Britain - Hundreds of people were forced to leave their homes across northern Britain yesterday as raging rivers burst their banks. More than 70 flood warnings and 111 alerts were issued as a month’s worth of rain fell in a day. Rivers overflowed in a deluge of up to 100mm of rain. Areas of the Welsh coastline were battered by huge waves.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Rinjani (Lombok): The eruption continues. Ash emissions have decreased recently, with column heights ranging between a few hundred to 2000 meters. On the other hand, mild to moderate strombolian activity from the Barujari cone and the effusion of a new lava flow have been stable and seem to be going on strongly. This apparent change in eruptive style could be due to a decreasing phreatomagmatic component (water mixing with magma) in the eruption. According to local press, the explosions from the vent reach heights of (only) 50 meters and Gede Suantika, head of the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, who is also quoted to say that the eruption is likely to last 3 if not 6 months. On the other hand, in a report from a few days ago, strombolian explosions were mentioned to reach 750 m height. Active lava flows are advancing to the north and east of Barujari cone. According to the latest estimate by Indonesian scientists, the total volume of lava erupted so far is approx. 4.5 cubic kilometers. A significant part of this volume has entered the Segara Anak crater lake, which has risen by approx. 50 cm and led to an an increase of the outflow rate of the Koko Putih river, whose temperature also increased from 21 to 39 deg C.

Krakatau (Sunda Strait, Indonesia): According to our local correspondent Andi, an isolated (perhaps phreatic) explosion occurred about 12 days ago, affecting the eastern part of the summit flank. No further details are known. The volcano has been mostly calm since the lava flow eruption in Sep 2012 (image), but it is only a question of time when the next phase of activity occurs.

Merapi (Indonesia): Thousands people have been evacuated after Mount Merapi volcano in Indonesia spewed plumes of hot ash and hurling boulders into the air. Authorities in West Sumatra have raised Mount Merapi volcano’s status to the second highest alert level. A series of minor seismic events have also been reported in the area.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits northwest of the Ryukyu Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Nicobar islands off India.

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

5.2 Earthquake hits Jujuy, Argentina.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Invest 99E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Kenya - Over 700 families in Mulot, Narok County are counting losses following heavy rains that pounded the area causing massive landslides and destroying crops in their farms. Over 1,900 households have also been displaced and over 1,800 livestock lost.

Environment

Winter snowpack decline may cut water supplies

A decline in winter snowpacks in many mountainous regions of the world may soon lead to a reduction in many nations' water supplies, according to a new study.

Water from snow-dependent drainage basins in the Northern Hemisphere currently serving over two billion people run the risk of being critically imperilled in the coming years as winter snowpacks decline due to a changing climate.

In the Northern hemisphere, the maximum area usually covered by winter snow is about 45.2 million square kilometres (486,528,751 sq. ft.). In the U.S., snow melt from drainage basins in large parts of the west provides the major source of water for about 75 percent of the population. This is also true of drainage basins in southern Europe, the Mideast and central Asia.

As we have seen in the American west and in western Canada, winter snow pack is an important seasonal water source, not only for drinking water, but for farms, cities and ecosystems. Snow falling in the higher elevations of large mountain systems around the world gradually melts and the water runs into the lowlands during the spring and summer seasons.

This is when water is most needed by all of humankind, for drinking, storage, agriculture and our fragile ecosystems. But the study suggests that global warming is turning this system on its head, upsetting the balance. Studies are showing that winter precipitation is falling as rain, not snow in many parts of the world, and washing away, while snow that does fall is settling at higher elevations, yet melting earlier.

With a warming world, scientists have been studying declining snowpacks in a number of regions across the world, from the disappearing snowfields in the Rocky Mountains from Colorado to northern Montana, as well as in the Himalayas and other areas.

The basins most sensitive to change and having the most at stake for humans are: "The basins of northern and central California, where much of U.S. produce is grown; the basins of the Colorado and Rio Grande rivers, which serve much of the American West and northern Mexico; the Atlas basin of Morocco; the Ebro-Duero basin, which feeds water to Portugal and much of Spain and southern France; and a series of basins covering eastern Italy, the southern Balkans, several Caucasus nations, and northern Turkey."

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): Activity at the volcano has decreased a bit, judging from the overall thermal signal, but continues with slow lava extrusion and small explosions at the summit crater, generating incandescent avalanches. The alert level is kept at 3 (out of 4). VSI in its latest bulletin from 11 Nov mentioned that there is no significant increase or decrease of activity based on evaluation of visual and instrumental observations.

Bromo (East Java, Indonesia): A phase of increased unrest seems to have started at the volcano. On 1 November, the local volcano observatory issued a warning not to approach Bromo within 1 km radius, as changes in seismic activity and increased steaming/degassing (including sulfur dioxide) had been noted. The alert status of the volcano remains at 2 ("waspada","watch") on a scale of 1-4.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.6 Earthquake hits northwest of the Ryukyu Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Alamagan region in the North Mariana Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the central Mid-Atlantic ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Britain - Communities in northern England were warned to prepare for significant flooding which could endanger life with a month's worth of rain forecast to fall as the tail of hurricane Kate hits Britain.

India - Seven more persons lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Tamil Nadu, taking the death toll to 55 as the North East Monsoon continued to pound the area.

Disease

Zika virus infection – Suriname

On 12 November 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Suriname notified PAHO/WHO of 4 additional cases of Zika virus infection. The cases were laboratory confirmed by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). Furthermore, one of two previously reported cases (see DON published on 11 November) was also re-confirmed by CARPHA.

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

On 11 November 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.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Yasur (Tanna Island, Vanuatu): Activity at the volcano (in persistent strombolian eruption) has increased. Geohazards raised the status of the volcano to 2: "Yasur activity has changed. Explosions become intense, volcanic bombs may fall in and/or around the crater and volcanic gas and ashes can also affect some villages. The area of risk remains around the volcanic crater and in areas exposed to trade winds."

Ubinas (Peru): Another small explosion occurred this afternoon at the volcano, similar to the event a week ago. An ash plume rose approx. 500 m above the crater and quickly dissipated.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 Earthquake hits Cordoba, Argentina.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits central Peru.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Java Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Turkey - Artvin, a northeastern province on the border with Georgia, was hit by floods and landslides on Wednesday evening and all day long on Thursday. Three people died in the landslides.

Global Warming

Huge Greenland Glacier Crumbling Into The Sea

A massive Greenland glacier holding enough ice to raise world sea levels around 18 inches is retreating from the frigid island's coastline, and its leading edge is tumbling into the North Atlantic, researchers report.

The Zachariae Isstrom Glacier has been in an accelerated retreat since 2012 and is now losing its ice at the rate of more than five billions tons a year, they say.

The glacier is now breaking up and calving high volumes of icebergs into the ocean, which will result in rising sea levels for decades to come.

Decades of progressively-rising air temperatures are melting the glacier's top, while currents of warming ocean water are compromising its underside.

Located in northeastern Greenland, the glacier has lost 95 percent of the ice shelf that previously worked to stabilize it, researchers say. Most of the reduction in Zachariae Isstrom's mass is from ice loss as the glacier calves off huge chunks of its forward end into the ocean.

Environment

North Africa-Arabian Peninsula Brace for Locust Swarms

The Arabian Peninsula and parts of northeastern Africa are threatened with plagues of desert locusts because of unusually heavy rains brought on during recent weeks by two freak tropical cyclones and the intensifying El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific.

The Food and Agriculture Organization warned that the extreme weather conditions have moistened the soil around Yemen and the Horn of Africa, providing a favorable environment for locusts to lay their eggs.

Sprouting vegetation during the remainder of this year in the typically arid region is likely to provide food and shelter for the emerging young locusts.

The United Nations agency cautioned that two generations of the ravenous insects could swarm through the end of 2015 in coastal areas of Sudan, northern Eritrea, southeastern Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

Drought

Worst Drought On Record For Parts of South Africa

South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province is currently suffering from its most parching drought in over a century.

The country’s weather agency says the prolonged dry spell is due to a worsening El Niño, and follows the driest period since at least 1900.

It was also the third-driest season for South Africa as a whole since the country was in the midst of the Great Depression during the early 1930s.

Starving cattle have become traffic hazards around Durban, where motorists are dodging livestock that have resorted to grazing next to roadways. The automobile association says that what little rain has fallen simply flowed off the pavement to create narrow corridors of fresh vegetation that attract the animals.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 110.8 degrees Fahrenheit (43.8 degrees Celsius) at Beitbridge, Zimbabwe.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 64.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53.8 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 26 October and 1 November 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 7 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death.

Dengue Fever – Egypt

On 27 October 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Egypt notified WHO of an outbreak of Dengue fever in a village in the Dayrout District of Assiut Governorate.

Between 1 and 31 October 2015, a total of 253 cases were admitted to the Dayrout Fever Hospital due to acute febrile illness. Patients developed fever, headache, general body aches and abdominal pain with occasional vomiting and/or diarrhea but experienced no further complications or fatalities.

Wildfires

Russia Bans Burning of Dry Fields

The Russian government said today it had banned the burning of dry farmland and fields adjacent to roads and infrastructure in an effort to reduce the risk of hugely destructive wildfires.

The measures which expands an earlier ban of stubble burning apply to the burning of dry land located on farms, near roads, railways and pipelines.

Earlier this year, huge wildfires engulfed the forested areas on the banks of Siberia's Lake Baikal, jeopardising the unique wildlife and vegetation of the world's oldest and deepest lake.

And in April, at least 34 people died in southern Siberia as a result of wildfires, apparently caused by the careless burning of farmland. Hundreds more were left homeless.

The ban also outlaws the use of open flame in these areas and requires that dry flammable vegetation be removed.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Etna's New SE crater is the likely site of new activity in the near future. Intense steaming from the eastern vent of the youngest summit crater suggests that magma is not far from the surface. Over the past two weeks, 5 episodes of increased tremor and increased degassing occurred from the crater, but so far all ended without an eruption - one could call them "failed attempts" to produce the otherwise typical paroxysms. Another such episode might be about to start at the time of this update.In the meantime, weak strombolian activity continues at the vent inside the Voragine crater.

Lokon-Empung (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): The volcano has been relatively calm at the surface, but internal unrest continues to be significant. VSI keeps the alert level at "Siaga" (Alert) or 3 (out of 4), where it has been since July 2011. A mild gradual increase in seismic activity over the past 2-3 months has been noted. The latest bulletin issued yesterday reminds the public to keep a safety distance of 2.5 km around the Tompaluan crater, where new fractures were formed during and after the eruption on 13 Sep last year. Sudden phreatic or phreatomagmatic explosions (caused by overheated steam and/or contact between water and magma), with associated ballistic ejections, pyroclastic flows and ash falls could occur any time with little to no warning.

Rinjani (Lombok): According to local observers, the eruption has decreased in strength overall, although strombolian activity seems to still be intense and is visible on webcam images. The ash plume has been reduced to lengths of approx. 100-150 km and more southerly winds have pushed it towards the NW this morning, allowing the international airport of Lombok to reopen today.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Barat Daya, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

Two 5.0 Earthquakes hit offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Oklahoma, USA

Several grass fires were raging all over Oklahoma on Wednesday as wind gusts up to 50-60 mph swirled across the plains, making it tough for crews to stop the flames

Wildfires, South Africa

Severe heat wave and drought conditions in Guateng province led to several unseasonal wildfires, including a fire that burned several thousand acres in the Cradle of Humankind.

In the Free State province three motorists died when their vehicle was engulfed in a wildfire near Vredefort while near Thabazimbi, a game lodge was destroyed.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Post Tropical Cyclone Kate is located about 430 mi...690 km SSE of Cape Race Newfoundland with maximum sustained winds...70 mph...110 km/h. Present movement...ENE or 60 degrees at 26 mph...43 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Britain - Floods have hit York after heavy rains. The River Ouse, which has a history of overflowing following heavy rain, has flooded parts of York. Roads running alongside the river were submerged as the water lapped up against the surrounding buildings. There are 27 flood alerts in place across the country.

El Niño - The strength of the present El Niño compares with the two strongest recorded – in 1997-98 and 1982-83 – both of which brought devastating droughts to Australia and Southern Africa.

Disease

Zika virus infection – Suriname

On 2 November 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Suriname notified PAHO/WHO of 2 autochthonous cases of Zika virus infection.

Syphilis in Queensland, Australia.

Northern Australia is facing the biggest syphilis outbreak in 30 years, with the rate of the disease in indigenous teenagers aged 15 to 19 almost tripling since 2010. More than 500 Queenslanders have contracted the disease.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): Activity at the volcano remains comparably low. During 2-6 November, only two small-scale eruptions occurred at the Showa Crater. Alert level is kept at 3 out of 5.

Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): Activity at the volcano has decreased a bit, but the volcano continues to effuse viscous lava at its summit, feeding a lava flow and generating incandescent avalanches.

from the Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report 4-10 November 2015:

Gamkonora (Halmahera): PVMBG reported that observers at the Gamkonora observation post in Gamsungi (6 km NW), West Halmahera, reported that during 1 August-3 November diffuse white plumes rose up to 70 m above the crater rim.

RSAM values fluctuated; an increase was detected in October coincident with a period of increased tremor. The Alert Level was lowered to 2 (on a scale of 1-4) on 1 July. Residents and tourists were asked not to venture near the crater within a radius of 1.5 km.

Gamalama (Halmahera): PVMBG reported that during 1 August-4 November seismicity at Gamalama fluctuated, and was dominated by hybrid earthquakes and signals indicating emissions. 3 periods of increased seismicity were recorded during 3-5 and 11-19 August, and 8-22 October, though seismicity declined overall.

A sudden, small eruption from a fissure on the NW flank occurred at 19:53 on 8 September with no precursory seismicity, and produced a plume that rose 1 km. Gray plumes rose from 300-600 m the vent during 9-24 September.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): The eruption of the volcano, slow extrusion of viscous lava, continues with little changes.

A lava lobe is active on the SE upper flank. Occasionally, parts of this lobe and/or the dome collapse to produce pyroclastic flows that reach up to 3-4 km distance.

Sangeang Api (Indonesia): PVMBG reported that observers at the Sangeang Api observation post in Desa Sangeang Darat, Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, reported that during 1 July-30 September diffuse white plumes rose up to 250 m above the crater rim. During 1 October-1 November white-to-gray plumes rose as high as 350 m.

Beginning on 23 October occasional weak thumping noises were reported. Crater incandescence possibly indicated lava-dome growth or lava-flow advancement.

The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4); visitors and residents were warned not to approach the crater within a 1.5-km radius.

Paluweh (off Flores Island, Indonesia): PVMBG reported that observers at a post located in Kampung Ropa, Keliwumbu Village, noted that during 1 August-2 November diffuse white plumes rose as high as 200 m above Paluweh.

Seismicity remained relatively stable. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4). Residents and tourists were reminded not to approach the summit within a radius of 1.5 km.

Lokon-Empung (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): PVMBG reported that during 28 October-5 November observers at the post in Kakaskasen Tomohon (North Sulawesi, 4 km from the crater), saw white plumes rising as high as 125 m above the crater.

Seismicity fluctuated, but the seismic spectral amplitude measurement (SSAM) showed an increasing trend. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4). Residents and tourists were reminded not to approach the crater within a radius of 2.5 km.

Fuego (Guatemala): The strong eruptive phase (paroxysm) at the volcano ended over night and activity returned to normal levels of intermittent strombolian explosions.

A gradual decrease of activity began yesterday afternoon, when pyroclastic flows stopped and explosions at the summit decreased in size and frequency. This morning, the lava flow was still active, but its length had decreased from 2.5 to 1.5 km.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): Intermittent explosions continue at the volcano. IG reported that during 4-10 November gas, steam, and ash plumes rose almost daily from Cotopaxi as high as 1.5 km above the crater.

Minor ashfall was reported S of the volcano on 6 November, and small lahars descended the W flank during 6 and 8-9 November.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): The volcano continues to produce intermittent mild explosions with ash emissions that produce columns that rise up to approx 1 km.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.9 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

6.6 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.7 Earthquake hits Java, Indonesia.

5.6 Earthquake hits the State of Yap, Micronesia.

5.5 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits the central east Pacific rise.

Three 5.1 Earthquakes hit offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits off the coast of Costa Rica.

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

5.0 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Hurricane Kate is located about 260 mi...420 km N of Bermuda and about 985 mi...1585 km SW of Cape Race Newfoundland with maximum sustained winds...75 mph...120 km/h. Present movement...NE or 55 degrees at 40 mph...65 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Colombia - More than six thousand families have seen their homes damaged by flooding in western Colombia, leaving so far 30 houses collapsed and forcing the evacuation of thousands now without shelter. Timbiqui and Guapi, two municipalities in the western, coastal department of Cauca, have been hit the hardest by the floods, experiencing landslides and incurring severe damages to the towns. Chuare was also hit by a landslide five days ago after the river levels rose beyond capacity, forcing many of its inhabitants to take shelter in the town chapel, which is the highest point of elevation in the small community.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Pacaya (Guatemala): Near continuous spattering and weak strombolian activity is occurring from a vent deep inside the Mackenney crater.

Fuego (Guatemala): Another small paroxysm - a peak in activity with lava fountains and lava flows - occurred at the volcano last night. It seems that activity with increasing effusion rate began during the night Sunday-Monday, as the volcano observatory reported a new lava flow on the southern flank the next morning. It was headed towards the Las Lajas and El Jute drainages and had reached 1500 m length by Monday morning. By Monday evening 21:15, the flow was almost 2 km long and intermittent strombolian explosions at the summit had merged into pulsating low lava fountains, generating an ash plume that rose approx. 1.5 km and drifted 20 km west and southwest.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.2 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone 05a (Megh), located approximately 15 nm northeast of Aden, Yemen, is tracking westward at 17 knots.

Tropical Storm Kate is located about 280 mi...450 km NNE of the northwestern Bahamas and about 695 mi...1120 km WSW of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds...60 mph...95 km/h. Present movement...N or 10 degrees at 17 mph...28 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Iraq - The Iraqi Ministry of Health said 69 people have died across the country over the past two weeks, due to a combination of the country's dilapidated electrical grid and heavy rains that overwhelmed sewer systems. Many died in their homes as they waded through flooded first-floor rooms. Others were electrocuted in the city streets where electrical lines are haphazard and jerry-rigged, connecting homes to the municipal grid and a network of generators. Most homes in Baghdad receive only nine to 14 hours of electricity a day from the government.

Scotland - Parts of Scotland have been left under water and homes plunged into darkness after the country was battered by torrential rains and strong winds.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images:

600ft-huge sinkhole in Meridian, Mississippi, USA swallows 15 cars. No-one was injured.

Global Warming

Global temperature rises a warning

Global temperatures for 2015 are expected to have risen by 1C for the first time since the industrial revolution started.

Temperatures around the world averaged 1.02C above the 1850-1900 period from January to September this year, the Meteorological Office said.

If the trend continues, it would make this year the first to pass the alarming threshold.

Forecasters said the rising temperatures were caused by an El Nino event, when Pacific waters become so warm they affect the world’s weather, as well as man-made warming.

While future years will not all be 1C above pre-industrial levels, because of natural climate variability, it will eventually become the norm.

Environment

Earth: Magnetic Flip

NASA has found evidence that the Earth's magnetic fields have weakened significantly in the past 160 years and this could cause a magnetic pole shift that could cause catastrophic effects on humanity.

The weakening of the magnetic fields was prompted by a gradual reverse re-alignment of iron atoms in the Earth's liquid outer core. Researchers at NASA's Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) have indicated that the magnetic flip could happen in as early as 100 years and as long as 1,000 years.

Should this phenomenon happen, compasses pointing to the north could flip to the south but more than this, magnetic flips are feared because it was reportedly the cause of mass extinctions in the past.

According to the report, the Earth will be rendered defenseless against direct exposure to solar radiation, solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) as magnetic fields act as the planet's shield against these.

"When the polar shift happens, the Earth will have no magnetic field for about 200 years," NASA MAVEN's principal investigator Bruce Jakosky said.

However, Niemegk Geomagnetic Observatory at GFZ Potsdam's Monika Korte explained that the magnetic flip is a gradual process.

"It's not a sudden flip, but a slow process, during which the field strength becomes weak, very probably the field becomes more complex and might show more than two poles for a while, and then builds up in strength and [aligns] in the opposite direction."

According to scientists, this will not be the first time the Earth will experience a magnetic flip as it happened around 780,000 years ago and again during the Ice Age some 41,000 years ago.

Space Events

Taurid Meteor Shower

Stargazers should be on the lookout for meteorites and fireballs crossing the night skies from 5 - 12 November 2015, as the annual Taurid meteor shower will be at its peak during this time.

The American Meteor Society says that this week, especially, the cosmic fireballs set to shoot past the Earth will be one of the Universe's most dramatic meteor displays.

Stargazers can expect two distinct peaks of activity - for the southern Taurids shower the peak period has been outlined between 5 and 12 November, while for the Northern Taurids Shower spikes in activity can be seen until the end of November.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Last night, a marked peak of volcanic tremor occurred as sign of internal unrest at the volcano, but (unlike during many previous occasions) did not result in a paroxysm and was not associated with any particular change in surface activity. urrently, this consists of mild strombolian explosions inside the Voragine summit crater. During the past hours, volcanic tremor has bee rising strongly. In the past, this has often been a sign of an impending paroxysm (violent summit eruptive phase). Whether this is the case now is too early to say. So far, no significant activity is visible from the New SE crater (NSEC), although a hot spot is present on thermal webcam images.

Semeru (East Java, Indonesia): The lava dome inside the summit crater continues to grow slowly. Andi climbed the volcano a few days ago and observed continuous degassing, sometimes followed by minor explosions.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.4 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.7 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Island.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Guatemala.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone 05a (Megh), located approximately 125 nm south-southeast of Mukalla, Yemen, is tracking westward at 14 knots.

Tropical Depression Twelve is located about 30 mi...45 km SSW of San Salvador with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h, Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Yemen - Tropical Cyclone Megh made a direct hit on Socotra Island Sunday claiming the lives of two people, one week after Cyclone Chapala passed through the region.

Egypt - The death toll in the floods in the Baheira Delta has risen to 24 with 35 others injured.

Environment

CO2 levels hit record high for 30th year in a row

Greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere reached a record high in 2014 as the relentless fuelling of climate change makes the planet more dangerous for future generations, the World Meteorological Organization said in Geneva on Monday.

Graphs issued by the United Nations agency showed levels of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, climbing steadily towards the 400 parts per million (ppm) level, having hit a new record every year since reliable records began in 1984.

Carbon dioxide levels averaged 397.7 ppm in 2014 but briefly breached the 400 ppm barrier in the northern hemisphere in early 2014, and again globally in early 2015. Soon 400 ppm will be a permanent reality.

It means hotter global temperatures, more extreme weather events like heatwaves and floods, melting ice, rising sea levels and increased acidity of the oceans.

The rise in carbon dioxide levels was being amplified by higher levels of water vapour, which were in turn rising because of carbon dioxide emissions, the WMO said.

Levels of the other two major man-made greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, also continued their relentless annual rise in 2014, reaching 1,833 parts per billion (ppb) and 327.1 ppb, respectively. Both increased at the fastest rate for a decade.

The U.N. panel of climate scientists estimates that concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are at their highest in at least 800,000 years.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.7 Earthquake hits the Nias region, Indonesia.

5.7 Earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.

5.3 Earthquake hits La Paz, Bolivia.

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

5.2 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone 05a (Megh), located approximately 519 nm south-southwest of Masirah Island, Yemen, is tracking west-southwestward at 09 knots.

Invest 93L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 94L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Somalia - Over 90,000 people in war-torn southern Somalia have been hit by weeks of severe flooding, almost half of them forced from their homes. More than 90,000 people have been affected since October 23 and an estimated 42,000 people displaced as a result of the flash floods and river flooding. Hardest hit are the southern Somali regions of Bakool, Bay, Lower Juba, Middle Juba and Middle Shabelle.

Disease

Sierra Leone declared free of Ebola

Sierra Leone has officially been declared free of Ebola by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Thousands of people took to the streets of the capital, Freetown, at the stroke of midnight - marking 42 days without a single declared case of the disease. There were further cheers when the WHO local representative made the official announcement later on Saturday.

The outbreak killed almost 4,000 people in Sierra Leone over the past 18 months.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Etna remains highly restless. A peak in volcanic tremor occurred last night but with no visible changes in surface activity. Weak strombolian activity continues from the vent inside the Voragine summit craters.

Chirpoi (Kurile Islands, Russia): Passengers on board a Russian cruise ship documented the recent (and perhaps still ongoing) effusive / explosive eruption of Snow volcano. When passing the island in Oct 2015, lava flows were actively reaching the sea, creating spectacular littoral explosions.

Dukono (Halmahera): Mild strombolian activity and strong ash emissions were observed. Dukono was continuously emitting ash and producing mild strombolian activity from its two active vents with very loud rumblings and ash plumes up to 1 km. Harmonic tremor and earthquake swarms have been recorded more frequently, long with some local tectonic earthquakes triggered from the Pacific plate.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.8 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.8 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.3 Earthquake hits Merida, Venezuela.

5.1 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Oaxaca, Mexico.

5.0 Earthquake hits Papua Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical cyclone 05a (Megh), located approximately 457 nm south of Masirah Island, Yemen, is tracking west-southwestward at 09 knots.

Invest 93L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Uganda - One man died as floods ravage Karusandara, Kasese, Uganda on Thursday afternoon. The floods followed a heavy downpour that caused the River Mubuku to burst its banks destroying numerous houses. Local divers searched unsuccessfully for the body of the man who was washed away by the floodwaters.