Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.2 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits central Alaska.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

On or near the muddy ocean floor of the Mariana Trench, NOAA’s remote operated vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer (D2) captured footage of swimming sea cucumbers, carnivorous sponges, acorn worms, several long-legged isopods.

Environment

Melting Glaciers Will Reveal Cold-War-Era Nuclear Waste

Melting glaciers have revealed a number of surprises over the past few years, from Viking artifacts in Norway to World War I burials in the Italian Alps. And one day, if global warming continues its current course, Greenland's retreating ice sheet could expose a more troubling relic of the past: a Cold War military base and whatever biological, chemical and radioactive waste is left inside, scientists say.

NASA's Earth Observatory posted maps today (Jan. 31) that show the changes expected to take place near the site of Camp Century, a once-secret U.S. military base built in 1959 primarily to test the possibility of launching nuclear missiles from the Arctic to the Soviet Union.

The site was abandoned in 1967 and is now buried about 100 feet (30 meters) beneath a crust of snow and ice. But the maps, analyzed as part of a study published in August 2016 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, show that because of ice loss, Camp Century could become an environmental hazard by the end of this century.

These maps show the surface mass balance of ice, or the net change between the accumulation and ablation of ice and snow on a glacier's surface. Ablation happens when ice thins due to evaporation, melting and wind. The dark red indicates areas where the ice surface is likely to drop by 10 feet (3 meters) or more per year.

Global Warming

Trump 'will definitely pull US out of Paris climate change deal'

A former climate change adviser to Donald Trump has said the US President will pull America out of the landmark Paris agreement and an executive order on the issue could come within “days”. Myron Ebell, who took charge of Mr Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team, said the President was determined to undo policies pushed by Barack Obama to restrict greenhouse gas emissions.

He said the US would "clearly change its course on climate policy" under the new administration and claimed Mr Trump was "pretty clear that the problem or the crisis has been overblown and overstated".

“He could do it by executive order tomorrow, or he could wait and do it as part of a larger package. There are multiple ways and I have no idea of the timing.”

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Southwest Indian ridge.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Drake Passage.

5.1 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits Guam.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Philippines - Forced evacuation and rescue operations are ongoing in several areas in the Caraga region in Mindanao due to widespread floods caused by days of continuous rain from a low-pressure area. Waist-deep to above-roof-level floods hit several areas in the region as its river systems overflow. Floodwater has swamped a national highway in Agusan del Sur's Rosario town. Residents in flooded towns of San Francisco and San Luis have been forced to use bamboo rafts as their means of transportation. Houses in some areas in the municipality of Lapaz have been submerged, especially those in Barangay Panagangan. Also, low-lying areas in Agusan del Norte's Buenavista town are flooded.

Zimbabwe - At least 70 people have died in floods since October last year. More than 1038 rural homesteads have been damaged, 40 schools destroyed and hundreds of families rendered homeless. Floodwaters breached more than 67 small dams countrywide while numerous rivers burst their banks. The heavy rains have also had a detrimental affect on the chickpea crop which is rotting, while the maize crop is waterlogged.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Chile - Update

At least 11 people have died due to what Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has called the largest and most difficult wildfires in the country's history.

A total of 127 fires were reported as of Sunday in an area of 396,089 hectares, and from those 63 are still burning, 50 have been controlled, and 14 have been put out, according to Chile's National Forestry Corporation. This has forced the evacuation of at least 4,000 people, according to officials.

According to the government, 44 official aircrafts, including planes and helicopters, are being used in different regions of the country to fight the fires. Also, about 7,000 people are working on fire control, including members of the Armed Forces, firemen and volunteers, as well as people from local governments and private companies.

At least 2,970 people have been affected by the fires, 1,061 have seen their homes destroyed and 1,343 people are living in shelters. Authorities confirmed they had detained 30 people for suspicion of premeditated arson.

Disease

Romania - Huge Increase in Measles Cases

Romania saw 15 measles cases in 2015. Since 2016, this number has blown-up to 2,165, including 13 fatalities. This is largely due to bogus claims from anti-vaccination campaigns in the country.

Mercury in vaccines, vaccines introduce foreign elements and vaccines cause asthma are some of the arguments made by the anti-vaccination movement. This misinformation has resulted in vaccination rates in the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine falling from 95% of children in 2013 to 80% in 2016, and it continues to drop.

The Ministry of Health has been denouncing “the irresponsible campaigns against the vaccination of children” for months; however, there are many parents who do not vaccinate their children for lack of confidence towards the authorities.

Vanuatu dengue outbreak

The South Pacific Ocean nation island chain of Vanuatu has had an increase in dengue cases since November that exceeds the trends in recent years. The island country has reported 919 suspected and 142 confirmed dengue fever cases as of Jan. 23, according to the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) Friday.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the South Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 03s (Three), located approximately 321 nm northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking northwestward at 03 knots.

Newsbytes:

Northern Territory, Australia - Three people are dead after being trapped inside a vehicle that was swept away in floodwaters in the Northern Territory after a crowded troop carrier with 20 people on board attempted to cross the Moyle River, around 14km from the remote Aboriginal community of Peppimenarti and approximately 320km south west of Darwin. The three people were trapped in the vehicle after it became submerged in water. Police divers located the bodies. The 17 survivors escaped from the vehicle and floodwaters and climbed to safety on the river banks.

Philippines - About 745 individuals or 215 families fled to safety for temporary shelters in Cagayan de Oro City as strong winds and heavy rains caused flooding in major areas in the city. The displaced families crowded the evacuation centers in barangays Bonbon, Iponan, Cugman, Puerto, Macansandig, Gusa and Camaman-an. Thousands were evacuated in Butuan City amid floods after the Agusan River overflowed due to heavy rains brought about by a low pressure area and the tail end of a cold front.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits eastern Sichuan, China.

5.3 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.3 Earthquake hits near the coast of northern Peru.

5.2 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 Earthquake hits Ethiopia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the South Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone 03s (Three), located approximately 130 nm north-northwest of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking westward at 17 knots.

Newsbytes:

Iran - Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency is reporting that flash floods triggered by heavy rains have killed six people and damaged some 1,700 houses in the country's southeast. Most of the houses were built of mud bricks. Six villages have been evacuated due to the floods in Iran’s southeastern province of Sistan-and-Baluchestan as rescue operations continue in the area.

Indonesia - Heavy rains have poured down on Central Sulawesi for the last two days causing flooding in several areas and claiming one life in Buol regency on Friday with many houses damaged. Ten districts and 48 villages are affected by floods in the regency.

Wildlife

Lions Killed for their Paws and Heads

Three lions have been killed for their paws and heads at a farm outside Polokwane, South Africa.

Officials say they are concerned about the rising killing of the animals in the province, with a total of 9 lions being found dead in the last few months in Tzaneen, Hoedspruit and Mara areas.

Police say a preliminary investigation suggests that the wild cats were poisoned.

Canned hunting - or officially “the hunting of captive bred lions” - remains legal in South Africa.

Recently, at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature World Conservation Congress, a motion was adopted to terminate captive-bred hunting of lions and other predators, as well as breeding them in captivity for commercial, non-conservation purposes.

South Africa has shown little regard for this overwhelming response by the key global conservation leaders who voted 82% in favour of Motion 009.

Captive-bred predators fell through the “legislative cracks” in South Africa, and there was little doubt that the legalisation of trade in domestic lion body parts would grow the demand for wild lion bones.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

2-Mile-Long Crack Opens in Arizona Desert

A gaping, 2-mile-long crack has opened in the barren earth in Arizona, and it will likely continue to grow, geologists say.

Recent footage from a flyover by an Arizona Geological Survey drone revealed the extent of the huge fissure in Pinal County, between Casa Grande and Tucson, showing the enormous gash splitting the barren land. The crack is so big that it dwarfs people walking along its edges.

The northern part of the fissure, which is older and partially filled in, is shallow, while the southern portion is tens of feet deep in some spots.

Water withdrawal, primarily for agriculture, is the culprit. As groundwater is pulled up, it leaves a void and the land above it subsides, leading to cracks. Arizona is full of these cracks. We see earth fissures forming around the margins of these subsidence areas and along mountain fronts within the subsidence areas.

Disease

H5N8 avian influenza in Europe: 24 countries report bird flu since June

Since June 2016, at least 24 countries in the WHO European Region have reported outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) virus in wild birds and domestic poultry. At least 3 of these countries have reported outbreaks in the last 2 weeks. Outbreaks have also been reported in countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

This has prompted WHO to call for heightened vigilance and strengthened surveillance efforts to prevent and detect potential human cases of avian influenza as it continues to spread in birds across Europe.

This is the second time that this virus has caused outbreaks in Europe with the autumn migration of wild birds. The virus was first detected in birds in Asia in 2014, where it has continued to circulate. In June 2016 the virus was detected in waterbirds in the southern part of the Russian Federation, and by September 2016 the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations had issued an alert for countries along the West Eurasian and Afro-Eurasian migration routes to watch for this virus.

Like other HPAI viruses, A(H5N8) can cause severe disease in birds, especially chickens. No human cases of avian influenza A(H5N8) have been reported to date. However, because similar influenza subtypes have caused human disease in the past, the possibility of transmission cannot be excluded.

Yellow Fever Spreading – Brazil

On 24 January 2017, Brazil’s International Health Regulations (IHR) National Focal Point (NFP) provided the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) with an update on the yellow fever situation. The geographical distribution of confirmed yellow fever human cases is expanding and includes, in addition to Minas Gerais State, the States of Espírito Santo and São Paulo. In addition, Bahia State reported 6 yellow fever human cases under investigation. The Brazil Health Ministry is now reporting suspected yellow fever cases in the states of Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul as well.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week of 18 January-24 January 2017 - Cont.

Pacaya | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that at night during 21-22 January incandescence was reflected from emissions above Pacaya’s Mackenney cone. In a 24 January report, INSIVUMEH noted that gas-and-ash emissions had continued, with deposits filling in the crater on top of the cone. Nighttime incandescence continued to be observed.

Sabancaya | Peru : Based on webcam and satellite views, the Buenos Aires VAAC reported that sporadic gas-and-ash puffs rose from Sabancaya during 17-24 January. Meteorological cloud cover sometimes prevented observations.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that during 13-20 January lava-dome extrusion onto Sheveluch’s N flank was accompanied by strong fumarolic activity, dome incandescence, ash explosions, and hot avalanches. Satellite images showed a daily thermal anomaly over the dome. The Aviation Colour Code remained at Orange.

Sinabung | Indonesia : Based on PVMBG observations, satellite images, and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 19-20, 22, and 24 January ash plumes from Sinabung rose 3.9-4.9 km (13,000-16,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW, SW, and SE.

Turrialba | Costa Rica : Based on webcam and satellite views, the Washington VAAC reported that on 22 January an ash plume from Turrialba rose to an altitude of 4 km (13,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

No magnitude 5.0 or greater earthquakes so far today.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the South Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 03s (Three), located approximately 350 nm northeast of Learmonth, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 16 knots.

Newsbytes:

Bolivia and Peru - The past few days have seen flooding across parts of South America. Chile has been badly affected. So too have Bolivia and Peru. Central Bolivia has been pounded by torrential downpours which have caused severe flooding, destroying homes and causing at least one injury. La Paz had 24mm of rain on Wednesday, and 37mm in the past two days. This makes up more than a quarter of the January average which is 137mm. It was a similar picture across the border in southern Peru, where heavy rain caused widespread flooding in the city of Ica. Here rivers bursting their banks as authorities told residents to brace themselves for more bad weather. The areas of Tinguina and Parcona were badly affected. The water has covered several blocks in the city, reaching a depth of 70cm in places according to local media reported. The town of San Idelfonso, which is lies next to the river, was the most affected. Strong muddy water currents were seen crashing down city streets. Meanwhile, the town of Pisco, located to the south of capital Lima, has also being hit by mudslides after heavy rainfall.

Malaysia - Continuous rain has disrupted Chinese New Year plans for thousands of people across Malaysia, as roads closed, homes were flooded and thousands were moved to relief centres. Districts in 10 of Malaysia's 13 states were faced with floods yesterday. More than 15,000 people, mainly from smaller towns and villages in rural areas, had to leave their homes to the relief centres. Johor state suffered the brunt of rising waters, with more than 8,000 evacuees and one fatality, officials said.

Environment

Doomsday Clock ticks closer to apocalypse and 1 person is to blame

Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock closer to midnight on Thursday amid increasing worries over nuclear weapons and climate change.

Each year, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a nonprofit that sets the clock, decides whether the events of the previous year pushed humanity closer or further from destruction. The symbolic clock is now two-and-a-half minutes from midnight, the closest it's been to midnight since 1953, when the hydrogen bomb was first tested. Scientists blamed a cocktail of threats ranging from dangerous political rhetoric to the potential of nuclear threat as the catalyst for moving the clock closer towards doomsday.

“This year’s Clock deliberations felt more urgent than usual…as trusted sources of information came under attack, fake news was on the rise, and words were used by a President-elect of the United States in cavalier and often reckless ways to address the twin threats of nuclear weapons and climate change,” Rachel Bronson, the executive director and publisher of Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said in a statement.

While many threats played into the decision to move the clock 30 seconds forward from where it was in 2016, one person in particular prompted the scientists to act.

"Never before has the Bulletin decided to advance the clock largely because of the statements of a single person. But when that person is the new president of the United States, his words matter," David Titley and Lawrence M. Krauss of the Bulletin wrote in an New York Times op-ed.

The Bulletin pointed to President Donald Trump's careless rhetoric on nuclear weapons and other issues as well as his troubling stance on climate change.

Global Warming

Breathing Pause

Trees “held their breath” during the recent seeming pause in global warming, when the oceans were storing most of the planet’s excess heat.

Forests are considered to be the “lungs of the planet” because of their ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store the excess carbon.

An international study found that from 1998 to 2012, when atmospheric temperatures appeared to stop rising as quickly as in the years before, the world’s forests continued to breathe in the greenhouse gas through photosynthesis. But the trees reduced the rate at which they released the gas back into the atmosphere.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 110.0 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Santa Rosa, Argentina.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 65.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53.9 degrees Celsius) at Oimyakon, Siberia.

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

Disease

Mongolia: Peste des Petits Ruminants

The international pledge to eradicate a devastating livestock disease affecting mostly sheep and goats has taken on new urgency in the wake of a mass die-off of a rare Mongolian antelope.

Some 900 Saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica mongolica) – almost 10 percent of the sub-species’ population – have been found dead in Mongolia’s western Khovd province. Samples taken from carcasses indicated the animals were positive for Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly fatal viral disease with plague-like impact on domestic sheep and goat herds, killing up to 90 percent of infected animals.

Saiga in Mongolia are not truly migratory but are certainly nomadic with an extensive range of about 130 000 square kilometers with seasonal movements in autumn for breeding and early spring for calving. The species, was once widely spread across the Eurasian steppes, is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Mongolia reported its first-ever outbreak of PPR in September 2016, when sheep and goat deaths were linked to an extension of PPR cases occurring in China.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Chile - Update

An entire town has been consumed by flames in Chile as unusually hot, dry weather undermined efforts to combat the worst forest fires in the country’s recent history.

More than 1,000 buildings, including schools, nurseries, shops and a post office were destroyed in Santa Olga, the biggest of several communities to be reduced to ashes in the Maule region.

One body was later recovered from the ruins. Two people are missing, but most of the residents were evacuated unharmed. Few will have a home to return to.

Drone images showed entire neighbourhoods reduced to ashes. The roads are still neatly symmetrical, but the buildings in block after block lie in smouldering ruins under a hazy sky.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week of 18 January-24 January 2017

Bagana | Bougainville (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 19 January an ash plume from Bagana rose to an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE. On 24 January ash plumes visible in satellite images and observed by a pilot rose to altitudes of 3-4.3 km (10,000-14,000 ft) a.s.l and drifted almost 140 km NE.

Colima | Mexico : The Unidad Estatal de Protección Civil de Colima reported that at 0027 on 18 January a moderate-to-large explosion at Colima ejected incandescent material as far as 2 km onto the W, SW, SE, and N flanks. Based on webcam and satellite images, the Mexico City MWO, and pilot observations, the Washington VAAC reported that during 18-24 January ash plumes from Colima rose to altitudes of 4.1-6.7 km (15,000-25,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions. On 19 January explosions were recorded by the webcam and noted by the Jalisco Civil protection agency; ashfall was also reported in Comala and Cuauhtémoc by the agency. A strong thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images. Remnant ash clouds were centered about 350 km SE on 20 January and about 185 km S on 22 January. A large ash plume rose to an altitude of 10.7 km (35,000 ft) a.s.l. on 23 January and drifted NE.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 18-24 January ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 2.1-2.7 km (7,000-9,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S, SW, W, and NW.

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 18-24 January HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise and fall, circulate, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook vent. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a vent high on the NE flank of the cone. The 61G lava flow, originating from a vent on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's E flank, continued to enter the ocean at Kamokuna. All surface flows were active within 2.4 km of Pu'u 'O'o.

Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that during 13-20 January gas-and-steam emissions from Klyuchevskoy sometimes contained minor amounts of ash. Satellite images showed a daily thermal anomaly over the volcano. On 22 January an ash plume rose to altitudes of 5-5.5 km (16,400-18,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 45 km E. The Aviation Colour Code was raised to Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale), but was again lowered to Yellow on 24 January.

Masaya | Nicaragua : Based on satellite images, the Washington VAAC reported that on 21 January a possible emission from Masaya with minor ash content drifted almost 25 km NW.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits Crete.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Kai, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Veracruz, Mexico.

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

Wildfires

Wildfires - Chile - Update

Wildfires continue to rage across a large area of land in Chile, with emergency teams working round the clock to put out the flames which have now claimed the lives of six firefighters.

The fire, which started last Wednesday, has so far destroyed some 155,000 hectares of land in Central and Southern Chile, forcing the evacuation of at least 4,000 people. Thousands of emergency workers and firefighters are trying to extinguish the flames.

Authorities say over 100 wildfires are raging across the country amid strong winds and a heat wave. The south-central region of O’Higgins and Maule has been suffering the most, where the inferno destroyed homes, pasture and livestock. All affected areas are under a state of emergency, while several cities, including capital, Santiago, are shrouded in smoke.

On Tuesday, officials said three more firefighters have died battling the flames, bringing the total to six, while another three have been wounded.

Wildfires - Oklahoma, USA

Authorities say two homes were destroyed in a fast-moving wildfire that burned in central Oklahoma. No injuries were reported in Tuesday's blaze in Logan County, about 30 miles north of Oklahoma City.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week of 18 January-24 January 2017

Bogoslof | Fox Islands (USA) : AVO reported that an explosive event at Bogoslof began at about 1320 on 18 January, generating an ash plume that rose at least to an altitude of 9.4 km (31,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE. The dark (ash-rich) plume was identified in satellite images and observed by a pilot, and produced lightning strikes and infrasound signals detected by sensors in Sand Point and Dillingham. Analysis of a satellite image suggested the presence of very hot material (lava) at the surface immediately surrounding the vent, which was the first such observation since the beginning of the eruption. AVO raised the Aviation Color Code (ACC) to Red and the Volcano Alert Level (VAL) to Warning. A second lower-altitude cloud was visible in satellite images around 1400, likely corresponding with an increase in seismic tremor that occurred from 1340-1355. The ACC was lowered to Orange and the VAL was lowered to Watch the next day.

Another explosion was detected at 1317 on 20 January, following an approximately 30-minute-long increase in seismic activity, based on seismic data and lightning detected from the World Wide Lightning Location Network. Pilots observed an ash plume rising to an altitude of 11 km (36,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifting SE. Satellite images indicated an ice-rich plume and lava present at the vent. The ACC was raised to Red and the VAL was raised to Warning, but were again lowered one level to Orange and Watch, respectively, the next day. Several lightning strikes north of Bogoslof indicated that an explosive event began at 1409 on 22 January. An ash plume identified in satellite images rose to an altitude of 9.1 km (30,000 ft) a.s.l. The ACC was raised to Red and the VAL was raised to Warning, and again lowered one level the next day. Following a period of increasing seismicity, an explosive event began at 0453 on 24 January, as indicated in seismic data and lightning detection, prompting AVO to raise the ACC to Red and the VAL to Warning. Seven minutes later an ice-rich plume which likely contained ash rose too altitudes of 7.6-10.7 km (25,000-35,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : On 19 January KVERT reported that activity at Ebeko had decreased significantly, and only steam-and-gas emissions had been observed since 12 January. The Aviation Color Code was lowered to Green (the lowest level on a four-color scale). According to observers in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island) about 7 km E, ash plumes rose to an altitude of 2 km (6,600 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 3 km SW on 19 January. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).

Takawangha | Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that an energetic earthquake swarm on Tanaga Island began on 23 January, with earthquakes located 6-7 km ESE of Takawangha volcano, and was possibly due to brittle failure in the surrounding rock caused by magma movement. AVO raised the Aviation Color Code to Yellow and Alert Level to Advisory.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Australia - Amid rising floodwaters across the Northern Territory and northern Western Australia, Indigenous environmental groups have issued a fire warning. Heavy rain across the region has sparked flash floods, cutting off communities and knocking out communication lines, and even pushing tropical weather into the normally arid desert region. The heavy rains have already led to rampant vegetation growth, which will become fire fuel in the dry season.

Philippines - Heavy rains and floods continue to affect parts of northern Mindanao with eight towns in Agusan del Sur under a state of calamity Tuesday. The Agusan del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management council said the towns of San Luis, Esperanza, Loreto, Veruela, Bunawan, La Paz, Trento and Talacogon remain affected by severe flooding. Vehicles are still unable to pass through some roads in the town of Talacogon after the Agusan river overflowed. Provincial disaster officials say more than a hundred barangays in Agusan del Sur are flooded, with more than 30,000 families affected.

Disease

Hepatitis E – Chad

From 1 September 2016 until 13 January 2017, a total of 693 cases including 11 deaths of acute jaundice syndrome (AJS) have been reported from Am Timan, Chad.

Hepatitis in the Americas

The first report of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) on viral hepatitis reveals the enormous scale of this silent epidemic in the Americas, and advocates an organized response by the countries of the region to prevent, detect and treat those who need it.

The new report estimates that about 2.8 million people have chronic hepatitis B virus infection and about 7.2 million have hepatitis C virus. Of these three of every four persons do not know they have the infection, which can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and even death if not treated on time.

Hepatitis B and C are estimated to cause about 125,000 deaths each year, more deaths than tuberculosis and HIV infection combined. The report shows that of the 7.2 million people living with chronic hepatitis C in the region, only 4 %, or 300,000, receive treatment, In addition, an estimated 65,000 people are infected every year with hepatitis C. Although new treatments available have the potential to cure about 90% of people infected with hepatitis C, and reduce the risk of death due to liver cancer or cirrhosis, they are still not accessible to all because of their high cost, and only 19 countries fund them, the report said.

Brazil - Yellow Fever - Update

In a follow-up on the yellow fever outbreak in Brazil, through Monday, Jan. 23, the Brazilian Ministry of Health has recorded 421 suspected cases of yellow fever and 87 deaths in four states and the Federal District.

Of the total, 358 remain under investigation, 62 were confirmed and one discarded. Of the 87 deaths reported, 34 were confirmed and 53 remain under investigation.

The cases were registered in Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo, Bahia, São Paulo and the Federal District.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): A long period of bad weather conditions prevented direct observation of Etna's summit over the past weeks. Nonetheless during brief moments of visibility a faint glow from the Voragine could be observed, together with discontinuous ash emissions from the South East Crater. Since last night weak strombolian activity from the South East Crater has started and this has intensified during the day. Additionally, on the 19th of January there have been four seismic events at shallow depths on the Pernicana fault in the NE flank of the volcano.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits Simeulue, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the South Georgia Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Australia - The Katherine River is set to flood as an active monsoon trough causes heavy rains and squally showers across the Northern Territory, registering the wettest day in five years. The low-pressure system located near Katherine is expected to track westwards over the next two days, with falls of up to 150mm expected on Tuesday. Darwin Airport's rainfall gauge registered 145.6mm for the 24 hours until 9:00am on Tuesday, which the BOM said was the wettest day since January 25, 2012.

California, USA - After another round of heavy rains soaked parts of California, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency late Monday for several counties dealing with an estimated tens of million dollars in damage from flooding, erosion, and mud flows. The rains that deluged Southern California over the weekend continued Monday, with showers punctuated by bursts of sunshine. Hail was reported in Burbank and snow was anticipated in the Antelope Valley. The storm, which forecasters said was the strongest in several years, set new rainfall records on Sunday and caused widespread flooding after several hours of sustained, pouring rain. Monday’s rain was not as intense as it was over the weekend.

South Africa - Shoppers at Jubilee Mall in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria had to be evacuated on Saturday afternoon after heavy rains and flooding. On Sunday, shopkeepers and staff spent most of the day mopping up the water. The heavy flooding also left some shops submerged in water, resulting in businesses closing down for the day.

Disease

Bird Flu - China

With the addition of 84 human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9) announced by the National Health and Family Planning Commission in China, the number of total human cases has topped 1,000 since first reported in 2013. On Friday, Chinese officials reported 84 additional human cases, including seven deaths, from January 1 to 15.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

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

5.2 Earthquake hits southeast of Easter Island.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Africa.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

USA - A spate of violent, fast-moving tornadoes continued to wreak havoc across the Deep South on Sunday, killing at least 14 people in south Georgia and raising the weekend’s severe-weather death toll to 18. Some of the most extensive damage came Sunday afternoon, when a large twister with winds of 60 mph tore across Albany, Ga., killing at least three people and mangling homes across suburban neighbourhoods. An elementary school, an airport and the sprawling Marine Corps Logistics Base were hit, Rowe said. So much debris blocked roads that fire crews had to navigate communities on foot. Earlier Sunday, just before 3 a.m., a single long-track tornado, or a couple of smaller tornadoes, struck the Georgia-Florida line, hurtling northeast for about 80 miles.

Australia - The weather bureau has issued an alert for severe thunderstorms with damaging winds of up to 125km/h for several regions — while Adelaide is also expecting a possible storm. Heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding and wind gusts of 90-125km/h in the warning area — Lower Eyre Peninsula, Eastern Eyre Peninsula North West Pastoral, North East Pastoral and parts of the West Coast and Yorke Peninsula — over the next several hours, the Bureau of Meteorology says. Locations which may be affected include Cummins, Ernabella, Coober Pedy, Roxby Down and Marree. About 50mm of rain has already been recorded in Elliston and 49mm of rain at Cummins since 9am this morning.

California, USA - Fast-moving floodwaters swept through mountain communities south of the San Francisco Bay Area as thunderstorms and powerful winds wallop California. Rock slides, debris flows and flooding have closed roads and snarled traffic up and down the state as the third storm in four days dumped heavy rain and snow in the mountains. Flash flood watches and warnings are in effect for swaths of greater Los Angeles, where mountain locations could see up to 6 inches of rain. California residents have evacuated neighbourhoods below hillsides scarred by wildfires as the third — and largest — in the latest series of storms brings powerful rain and warnings about flash flooding and possible mudslides.

Tahiti - Heavy flooding in French Polynesia has forced many residents to evacuate, cut off power to thousands of homes, and closed Tahiti's international airport. The French Polynesia High Commission said three people were injured, one seriously, while more than 100 homes were destroyed. Major roads were damaged by landslides. The floods were most severe on the islands of Tahiti and Moorea.

Singapore - A heavy downpour caused flash floods and traffic snarls in Singapore during the morning peak period on Monday.

Global Warming

Antarctica’s Larsen C Ice Shelf Rift Growing Rapidly

The large rift in the Larsen C Ice Shelf that we reported on a few weeks ago has continued to grow at a rapid rate since then, with a further 10 kilometres of length added since January 1st according to the researchers at the MIDAS Project.

The rift continues to run parallel to the shelf edge, though, so the distance holding the iceberg to the shelf (20 kilometres) remains the same as the last time that we reported on it. Obviously, though, as the images below show, even if the rift continues to run parallel, it will inevitability lead to an iceberg calving event.

This matters because, according to the researchers at the MIDAS Project, once the 5,000 sq. km iceberg calves, it will destabilize the whole Larsen C Ice Shelf — possibly leading to the disintegration of the whole ice shelf. The Larsen B Ice Shelf disintegrated in 2002 following a similar event as the one occurring now.

Disease

Anthrax - Zambia - Update

In a follow-up to previous reports on an anthrax outbreak in Western Province, Zambia, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation report today that the human case total has risen to 67 since the outbreak began in Nov. 2016. In addition, it is reported that two people have died from the lethal bacterial disease.

Bird Flu - Europe - Update

Further reports of H5N8 avian flu outbreaks have been sent to the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) from a number of European countries in the past week.

France detailed six new cases in wild birds in the past week, but also 34 separate outbreaks in poultry. Many of the poultry farm outbreaks were found through clinical symptoms, but others were detected as part of France's prevention measures, which involves pre-emptive culling of birds in some regions. Overall, over 52000 birds were destroyed on farms and over 2000 died.

In Germany, five new outbreaks were announced affecting farms of turkeys, ducks or mixed poultry in Lower Saxony, Brandenburg and North Rhine-Westphalia. A zoo in Saxony-Anhalt and a backyard holding in Bavaria were also affected. Over 68,000 birds were destroyed and 673 were killed in these outbreaks. Neighbouring Netherlands found large numbers of wild ducks with the disease in Utrecht.

Poland found two new outbreaks on farms and two in backyard holdings, in several different regions. Over 4000 birds died as a result of these outbreaks. In Ukraine, a farm in the Odessa region and a backyard holding in Chernovtsy suffered outbreaks, with over 10,000 birds killed.

Croatia reported new outbreaks of avian flu on a farm in Zagrebacka, where 40 birds died, as well as in a number of wild birds in other areas. Nearby Serbia reported one dead wild buzzard, while the Czech Republic reported several mute swans and one backyard holding in Jihočeský as affected by the disease. Slovakia found two new outbreaks in backyard holdings in Presov and Trnava as well as some affected wild birds. In Romania, several swans were found with the disease, and one backyard farm of 46 birds was also affected.

One new outbreak was reported last week by Greece, where avian flu hit caged layers in Peloponnisos region, with 28,000 birds destroyed.

Three farms were affected by avian flu in south-western parts of Russia, where 2530 birds died and over 219,000 were culled to prevent the disease from spreading. Two affected swans were also reported by Russia.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

8.0 Earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

A powerful magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck deep under Papua New Guinea on Sunday, causing damage and blackouts but no tsunami hours after the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued an alert for nearby islands. No casualties were reported. But there was damage in parts of central Bougainville and the major town of Arawa. The provincial capital of Buka was blacked out and residents of the southern town of Buin were moved to higher ground as a precaution against a potential tsunami, Laukai said. All tsunami warnings were later lifted. Because of the great depth of the earthquake, there was probably no significant tsunami.

5.6 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.3 Earthquake hits the west Chile rise.

5.1 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

New Zealand - Wild weather which hit the Nelson region overnight caused rivers in the Golden Bay area to reach 10-year flood levels, closed roads and brought down trees. Wind gusts hit 105kmh in Richmond with surface flooding evident on roads around the region. Over a five-hour period, 153mm of rain fell in the Waingaro Valley, with 41.3mm falling in one hour.

Thailand - Floods continue to wreak havoc in parts of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Phatthalung in the lower South, according to local media reports. In Pattani province, water overflowed from the Pattani River to inundate the provincial town on Sunday morning. The Meteorological Department on Sunday morning issued a weather forecast saying that heavy to very heavily rain is expected to hit Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat from Sunday until Wednesday.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Bogoslof (United States, Aleutian Islands): Yet another powerful explosion occurred at the volcano today at 13:17 AKST local time (22:17 GMT). It produced a plume that rose to 36,000 ft (12 km) altitude and drifted to the southeast over the southwest end of Unalaska Island. The eruption, among the strongest so far, followed an 30 minute period of increasing seismic activity. During the eruption, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported very hot material (likely lava) at the vent seen on satellite data, a single lightning strike and infrasound signals detected by sensors in Dillingham. The Aviation Colour Code of Bogoslof volcano remains at RED and the Alert Level remains at WARNING. (AVO)

Colima (Western Mexico): Vulcanian-type (sudden, but very strong) explosions continue to occur at the volcano. Following the powerful eruption early on Thu 19 Jan, another, an even stronger explosion - one of the most energetic in recent years - occurred in the evening of the same day at 22:16. It started with a violent cannon-shot like explosion that propelled incandescent bombs to heights well over 2000 meters and covered the whole cone and its lower flanks with impacts, igniting bush fires. Pyroclastic flows from collapsing material also descended the flanks and an ash plume rose to several kilometres height. Some of the explosions are large enough to send incandescent bombs all over the summit cone and produce small pyroclastic flows and eruption lightning.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

California, USA - A powerhouse storm slammed into southern California on Friday, bringing flash floods and mudslides and leading to traffic chaos across much of the region. A flood on the southern Santa Barbara County coast swept several cabins and vehicles down El Capitan Canyon, the Associated Press said. Photos on social media showed cars and buildings buried in mud. The storm is forecast to bring heavy snow across portions of the Sierra later on Friday and into Saturday. It will also dump snow and rain across much of Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico over the weekend. The torrential downpours overwhelmed a levee in a farming area near Hollister Friday, sending flood waters rushing through a breach and swamping farms and homes in the region.

Thailand - Persistent rain throughout Friday caused flooding to several districts of the southern provinces of Songkhla, Narathiwat Pattani, Trang and Yala early Saturday. The ground floors of several buildings, including the parking lot of a Tesco Lotus store in the municipality, were inundated. It was the third outbreak of flooding in Songkhla municipality since the start of the year. In Saba Yoi district, Ban Lae Baeng village was flooded for the fourth time this year.

Philippines - At least four areas in Mindanao, including the cities of Valencia and Cagayan de Oro, have been placed under a state of calamity as widespread flooding brought about by heavy rains this week displaced thousands of residents. No storm passed through the island but a low pressure area and the tail end of a cold front dumped heavy rains that submerged communities, business centres and farmlands on the island.

Disease

Human infection with avian influenza virus – Uganda

According to a news report by TV Uganda, 20 people from the various islands across the country are feared to have caught bird flu according to ministry of health spokesperson Vivian Nakalika. Surveillance has been stepped up and blood samples have been taken from the suspected victims to further the investigations.

Yellow Fever - Brazil - Update

In a follow-up on the yellow fever outbreak in Brazil, through the first 18 days of 2017, 206 suspected and probable cases of yellow fever were reported, including 53 deaths in Minas Gerais state, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). This is up from 110 cases and 30 deaths reported one week ago.

Seoul Virus - USA

A virus rarely seen in the United States recently infected eight people in Wisconsin and Illinois who were working in facilities where pet rats are bred, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Authorities first became aware of the infections when two people in Wisconsin who operated a rat-breeding facility fell ill in December 2016, with one going to the hospital. Both breeders tested positive for Seoul virus, which is part of the Hantavirus family, a group of viruses that typically infect rodents, the CDC said.

Health officials then discovered that the Wisconsin breeders had purchased rats from two rat-breeding facilities in Illinois, and tests showed that six people who worked at the Illinois facilities were infected with the same virus.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Chile

Chile declared a state of emergency Friday as more than a dozen wildfires that have scorched nearly 50,000 hectares (123,500 acres) threatened to encroach on towns, factories and vineyards.

Firefighters, forestry service personnel and members of the military were battling 18 separate blazes in the centre and south of the country that have been fuelled by strong winds and a heat wave.

The largest has consumed 24,000 hectares in and around Pumanque, a rural area 140 kilometres (87 miles) south of the capital, Santiago, that is near some of Chile's vineyards.

 

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week of 11 January-17 January 2017 - Cont.

Nevados de Chillan | Chile : The Buenos Aires VAAC reported that on 13 January an ash puff recorded by a webcam rose from Nevados de Chillán and quickly dissipated. On 15 January a narrow ash plume observed in satellite images, by a pilot, and recorded by a webcam drifted W and dissipated.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that during 6-13 January lava-dome extrusion onto Sheveluch’s N flank was accompanied by strong fumarolic activity, dome incandescence, ash explosions, and hot avalanches. Satellite images showed a daily thermal anomaly over the dome. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange.

Sinabung | Indonesia : Based on PVMBG observations, webcam views, and satellite images, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 11-17 January ash plumes from Sinabung rose to altitudes of 4-7.3 km (13,000-24,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N, NNE, E, SE, and S.

Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : Based on JMA notices and satellite-image analyses, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 17 January an ash plume from Suwanosejima rose to an altitude of 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted S.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.7 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits southern Xinjiang, China.

5.0 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Washington, USA - Extreme weather conditions triggered chaos across the state Wednesday, closing Interstate 90 over the Cascade Mountains until at least Thursday morning, flooding some roadways and homes in the Puget Sound lowlands and closing down schools across Eastern Washington. Meanwhile, in the Western Washington lowlands, heavy rain and flooding are wreaking havoc, with standing water covering many roadways. Over two inches of rain fell in a 24-hour period at Sea-Tac Airport. Near Forks.

Singapore - Flash floods hit Upper Thomson Road after heavy rain on Thursday afternoon.

Wildlife

Vampire Bats get Human Appetite

Vampire bats in northeastern Brazil have been feasting on the blood of humans at night in a significant shift of diet away from the flying mammal’s typical menu of blood from birds.

DNA analysis of vampire bat excrement collected around Catimbau National Park revealed traces of blood from both humans and domestic chickens.

Encroachment by humans into vampire bat habitats, and the destruction of bird habitats through deforestation, could be causing a rapid evolutionary change that is driving the bats to feed on humans to survive.

Dolphin Deaths

At least 82 dolphins known as false killer whales died after mysteriously becoming stranded along the coast of South Florida, USA. Thirteen others are missing after being spotted off Everglades National Park.

It was the largest number of fatalities for the species ever observed between Key West and Tampa Bay.

Global Warming

The disappearing fishing villages of Bangladesh

A row of mangrove trees sticking out of the sand, exposed by low tide off Kutubdia island in the Bay of Bengal, is all that remains of a coastal village that for generations was home to 250 families. The villagers were forced to flee as their land, which had been slowly eroding for decades, was finally engulfed by the ever-rising tide five years ago.

For the embattled people of Ali Akbar Dial, a collection of disappearing villages on the southern tip of the island in Bangladesh, the distant trees serve as a bittersweet reminder of what they have lost and a warning of what is come. The low-lying island of Kutubdia has one of the fastest-ever sea level rises recorded in the world, placing it bang on the front line of climate change, and the islanders are fighting a battle they fear is already lost.

Tides that once stopped short of the three-metre-high concrete embankment, built by the government to protect the island, now flood over it and the embankment is damaged in many places. While no scientific monitoring is done here, sea level rise of 8mm a year over 20 years has been recorded at Cox’s Bazar, 50 miles away on the mainland. This is nearly three times the level for Bangladesh as a whole and up to five times the world average.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 110.0 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Penrith, New South Wales, Australia..

The week's coldest temperature was minus 59.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 50.6 degrees Celsius) at Oimyakon, Siberia.

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

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

A large, fast-moving bushfire has steered away from about 60 homes which were under threat on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, but firefighters are yet to bring the blaze under control. Currently, 37 fire crews and four water-bombing aircraft are trying to control the fire. Coolum Surf Club has been opened as an evacuation centre. The fire started in a national park and broke containment lines on Thursday afternoon. The fire burned an area of more than 540ha on Thursday night. Residents have been warned to evacuate or defend their homes.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing Activity for the week of 11 January-17 January 2017

Colima | Mexico : Based on webcam and satellite images, and the Mexico City MWO, the Washington VAAC reported that during 11-17 January ash plumes from Colima rose to altitudes of 4.1-6.4 km (15,000-24,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 11-17 January ash plumes from Dukono rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted almost 300 km N, NE, E, and SE.

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 11-17 January HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise and fall, circulate, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook vent. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a vent high on the NE flank of the cone. The 61G lava flow, originating from a vent on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's E flank, continued to enter the ocean at Kamokuna. Active surface flows near Pu'u 'O'o advanced ESE; one branch was 2.4 km from the vent on 12 January.

Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 12-13 and 15 January ash plumes from Langila rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted ESE and SE.

Nevado del Ruiz | Colombia : Based on information from Servicio Geológico Colombiano (SGC), the Washington VAAC reported that on 13 January an ash emission rose from Nevado del Ruiz to an altitude of 7 km (23,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N. Weather clouds prevented satellite views of the emission, and the webcam recorded gas-and-steam emissions with possible ash content.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits central Italy.

5.2 Earthquake hits central Italy.

5.1 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits eastern Sichuan, China.

5.0 Earthquake hits the western Indian-Antarctic ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Italy - An avalanche has buried a mountainside hotel in central Italy, and civil protection officials said on Thursday that up to 30 people were missing, citing local officials. The avalanche came after four earthquakes struck the region on Wednesday, prompting officials to close schools and the subway system in Rome, about 100 miles to the southwest, as a precaution.

Philippines - Forest loss blamed for Mindanao floods. Continued tree-cutting in the hinterlands of Northern Mindanao region has led to the massive flooding that submerged Cagayan de Oro City and nearby areas on Monday. When flash floods hit a certain area, there’s only one reason for that. It means there are no trees in the mountains to hold the rainwater. Deforestation and the unabated cutting of trees in the mountains of Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Misamis Oriental [provinces] are seen as the possible cause of these flash floods.

Global Warming

2016 Was Earth's Hottest Year on Record

2016 was the hottest year on Earth since record keeping began more than 130 years ago, and humans are mostly to blame, scientists reported today

Last year's average temperatures over land and sea surfaces were the highest ever seen since 1880, and were 1.69 degrees Fahrenheit (0.94 degrees Celsius) above the 20th-century average, according to scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Across the planet, there was not a single land area that experienced lower-than-average temperatures for the year, they said.

In fact, 2016 marks the third consecutive record-warm year for the globe. Every month from January through August became the warmest such month on record, according to NOAA. Moreover, the 16 successive months from May 2015 to August 2016 either broke or tied the previous record for that month, the researchers said.

The poles are also feeling the heat. An estimate of the average annual sea-ice extent in 2016 in the Arctic was the lowest annual average on record: 3.92 million square miles (10.1 million square kilometres). The Arctic was almost 7.2 degrees F (4 degrees C) warmer in 2016 than it was in preindustrial times.

The El Niño (a climate cycle characterized by unusually warm temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean) that spanned 2015 and 2016 contributed to the warmer temperatures, but the vast majority of the warming — 90 percent — was due to human activity, mainly through the emission of greenhouse gases.

Wildlife

Over half of primates now facing extinction

A new report reveals that primates are facing an impending "extinction crisis," with 60% of all primates now at risk of extinction.

The research, published in the journal Science Advances, assessed the conservation status of 504 species of nonhuman primates and found that three-quarters of the world's primate species are undergoing an "alarming" population decline.

The primates are a diverse order that include apes -- our closest biological relatives -- as well as monkeys, lemurs, lorises and tarsiers.

All of the current threats to primates, including habitat loss, bushmeat hunting and the illegal pet trade, are being driven by human activity, researchers said. The destruction of habitat extinguishes resources such as shelter, food and water, divides social groups, and also leaves primates open to the risk of predation and contamination from pathogens. Activities such as mining, industrial agriculture, cattle ranching, oil drilling and logging are all responsible for dramatic deforestation in the tropical forests inhabited by primates.

There are several primate species already on the precipice of extinction. The Miss Waldron's red colobus, which resides in southern Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire, has not been seen by primatologists in 25 years. The Javan slow loris is another leader in the current race to extinction, due largely to illegal trade. The same applies many langurs in Asia, lemurs in Madagascar, orangutans in Southeast Asia and gorillas and chimpanzees in Africa. The Sumatran orangutan population has also slid dramatically over the last 10 years, with only 14,500 now remaining. The swampy forests that they inhabit are increasingly being cut and drained for palm oil production, one of the most damaging practices currently affecting primate habitat around the world.

Primates are a key indicator of the overall health of the ecosystems in which they reside. Their decline is a red flag not only for other animals, but also for humans.

Disease

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

On 11 January 2017, the Department of Health, China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) notified WHO of a laboratory-confirmed human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus affecting a 10-year-old boy and on 12 January 2017, the Health Bureau, China, Macao SAR notified WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus affecting a 72-year old female.

Bird Flu - Uganda

There has been an outbreak of the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in wild and domestic birds in Uganda. Reports of a mass death of wild birds seen by fishermen at Lutembe beach at the shores of Lake Victoria near Entebbe. Another report was also received on 13th January 2017 from Masaka district. This is the first bird flu outbreak in Uganda.

Kenyan and Rwandan authorities said Wednesday they had banned poultry products from neighbouring Uganda, where a virulent H5 strain of avian flu has broken out.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity for the week of 11 January-17 January 2017

Bezymianny | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported strong gas-and-steam emissions at Bezymianny during 6-13 January, and a thermal anomaly over the volcano during 8-10 and 12 January. On 13 January KVERT noted that activity had gradually decreased after an intensification during 5-24 December 2016, though a thermal anomaly remained visible. The Aviation Colour Code was lowered to Yellow.

Bogoslof | Fox Islands (USA) : AVO reported that photos taken by a pilot on 10 January showed Bogoslof covered with dark gray ash, and a roughly 300-m-diameter submarine explosion crater on the E side of the island. Unrest continued during 11-17 January. Two short-lived explosions (five to six minutes long) were seismically detected at 1123 and 1230 on 12 January and observed by pilots. The estimated altitudes of the first and second plumes were 5.5 and 4.4 km (18,000 and 14,500 ft) a.s.l., respectively. Seismicity again increased at 2126 on 14 January and remained elevated. Six explosive events were detected between 2216 on 14 January and 0350 on 15 January. No volcanic clouds were identified in satellite data, although one lightning strike was recorded at 2232 on 14 January. Increased seismicity on 17 January indicated minor explosive activity; steam plumes with minor amounts of ash rose no higher than 4.6 km (15,000 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation Colour Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : On 16 January KVERT reported that activity at Ebeko had decreased; satellite images showed quiet conditions during the past few weeks, and only steam-and-gas emissions were observed on 12 January. The Aviation Colour Code was lowered to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-colour scale).

Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 15 January a minor ash plume from Ibu rose to an altitude of 2.4 km (8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted almost 30 km E. On 17 January PVMBG noted that an ash plume rose to an altitude of 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l., or 200 m above the summit, and drifted E.

Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that during 6-13 January gas-and-steam emissions from Klyuchevskoy sometimes contained minor amounts of ash. Satellite images showed a daily thermal anomaly over the volcano and ash plumes that drifted 160 km ESE during 9-10 January. The Aviation Colour Code was lowered to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-colour scale) on 16 January.

Lopevi | Vanuatu : Based on a pilot observation and webcam views, the Wellington VAAC reported that an eruption at Lopevi began at 0500 on 13 January, and produced a plume that rose no higher that 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE. That same day the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory reported that the Alert Level was raised to 3 (on a scale of 0-5), indicating that a minor eruption was in progress.

Sabancaya | Peru : Based mostly on webcam views, the Buenos Aires VAAC reported that sporadic gas-and-ash puffs rose from Sabancaya during 11-14 and 16-17 January. Partial satellite views on 13 January revealed an ash plume at an altitude of 7.6 km (25,000 ft) a.s.l. On 16 January a pilot observed an ash plume that had risen to an altitude of 8.2 km (25,000 ft) a.s.l., though meteorological cloud cover prevented satellite and webcam confirmation.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits central Italy.

5.3 Earthquake hits central Italy.

5.2 Earthquake hits southwest of Africa.

Global Warming

Global Warming Infographic

The good thing about science is that it's true, whether or not you believe it.

Climate Change eating away at Canadian Island

An aerial view of Lennox Island, off the coast of Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada. ‘We’re losing our island,’ said one resident.

 

A survey of the island carried out in 1880 counted 1,520 acres of land. In 2015, surveyors mapped out 1,100 acres of land on Lennox Island – suggesting more than 300 football fields worth of land have been swallowed by the sea within the span of a few generations.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Philippines - Flash floods have left seven people dead in the southern Philippines after more than a month's worth of rain fell in just one day. Disaster relief agencies in the area said that thousands of people had to be evacuated from their homes on Monday. Torrential downpours and a high tide left many areas under water. More than 6,800 people were forced to leave their homes as the water rose waist-high in Mindanao. The city of Dipolog recorded a staggering 205mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 06:00 GMT on Tuesday. Dipolog's average January rainfall is 99mm. Around 300km to the east, Cagayan De Oro has been left under water. Disaster officials declared a state of calamity following the massive flooding in the city, and authorities carried out forced evacuations, especially for those living near the River Ipunan River.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Australia

Residents were evacuating and moving stock on Wednesday as firefighters battled worsening conditions and an out-of-control blaze near Canberra. The grass and bushfire near Tarago, which broke out on Tuesday, is now 3,290 hectares in size and has burnt through Taylors Creek Road, Bungendore Road and Mount Fairy Road. There are reports that some property has already been lost.

Wildfires - Italy

Arson and human error are the suspected causes of wildfires in hills around the northwestern Italian port city of Genoa that drove hundreds of people from their homes overnight, investigators said on Tuesday.

The blaze that ravaged hillsides in the Genoa district of Nervi may have been started accidentally by highway workers, investigative sources said on Tuesday. But the fire in Pegli was almost certainly an act of arson, the sources said.

The wildfires have prompted officials to close several schools in the area and have badly disrupted traffic in the Liguria region with tailbacks of up to seven kilometres reported along one stretch of the A10 highway.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Colima (Western Mexico): The volcano's activity remains above average. Vulcanian-type explosions from the summit crater occur at intervals of several hours and are sometimes very powerful, generating dense ash columns that rise 2-4 km, and cover the upper slopes of the volcano with bombs. Some of them also generate small pyroclastic flows descending the steep upper flank.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.6 Earthquake hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.5 Earthquake hits Cuba.

5.5 Earthquake hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.3 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Tanimbar, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Philippines - Heavy rains swamped parts of the Visayas and Northern Mindanao due to a low pressure area (LPA) near Eastern Samar and a tail-end of a cold front, causing massive floods in several areas. Thousands were stranded in schools, offices and roads on Monday in Cagayan de Oro city and parts of Misamis Oriental after the two weather disturbances triggered flooding from the incessant heavy rains. Forced evacuation was also implemented in the villages of Tumpagon, Pigsag-an, Lumbia, Tuburan, Pagalungan, Sansimon, Iponan, Blua, Pagatpat, Canitoan and the residents near Iponan River.

Drought

Drought in Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan government declared a state of alert in response to what is already considered the worst drought in four decades, implementing measures such as water-use restrictions. The National Water Supply and Sanitation Council warned on Sunday of the need to rationalize the consumption of drinking water, as the currently available reserve is only expected to last for two months.

Wildfires

Wildfires - South Africa

Firefighters were on Tuesday attending to 19 fires across the Western Cape, while still trying to put out the Paarl fire which was "out of control". The fire in the Paarl area is being fanned by strong wind and several properties remain at risk.

Fires were burning on the Cape Peninsula, West Coast, and in the Cape Winelands, the provincial public works department said in a statement on Tuesday.

The main building on the Calais wine estate was destroyed on Tuesday morning. The fire started on Sunday.

Wildfires also damaged several homes in Vredehoek, Cape Town.

Disease

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

Between 16 and 31 December 2016 the National IHR Focal Point of Saudi Arabia reported fifteen (15) additional cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) including two (2) fatal cases. Five (5) deaths among previously reported MERS cases were also reported.

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

On 5 January 2017, the Department of Health, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) notified WHO of a case of laboratory-confirmed human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus and on 9 January 2017, the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (NHFPC) notified WHO of 106 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus.

Lassa Fever - Nigeria

Lassa fever is back and spreading fast in Nigeria. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Monday, January 16, raised concerns over the increasing cases of Lassa fever and urged increased focus on prevention and preparedness. According to Premium Times, a statement issued by Lawal Bakare, the technical assistant communication of NCDC in Lagos said that seven states reported at least one case of Lassa fever in December 2016. In a fresh report, in Nasarawa, four people have lost their lives to the deadly virus, while several people have been infected. Bakare said that 19 confirmed cases and six deaths had been reported by seven states so far.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Western Pacific: Tropical depression 01w (One), located approximately 112 nm south-southeast of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, is tracking westward at 08 knots.

Newsbytes:

Thailand - The southern region isn’t out of danger yet as the death toll continues to rise from massive flooding and heavy rain is forecast for throughout the week. Flash flood and landslide warnings were issued Monday for the southern region due to stronger monsoon conditions, just four days after officials said the situation was returning to normal. The worst flooding in a decade has inundated 12 southern provinces since the beginning of the year, killing at least 43 people and affecting more than 1.6 million people.

South Africa - A parching drought that has threatened wildlife with starvation and thirst in South Africa’s Kruger National Park for several years has been broken by downpours. While the cloudbursts brought flash floods that swamped roads in the park, rangers say the rainfall also breathed life into the world-famous refuge. Waterholes and rivers have filled up again, and it is hopeed that this is just the start of a good rainfall season.

Wildlife

Feline Invasion - Australia

Feral cats now roam more than 99.8 percent of Australia’s land area, where they are devastating wildlife and otherwise causing a major impact on the country’s ecology, according to a new comprehensive study.

Australia is the only continent on the planet other than Antarctica where native species evolved without cats. This makes its indigenous animals extremely vulnerable to felines, according to Australia’s threatened species commissioner.

The invasive cats, initially brought in by European colonists, have already driven at least 20 Australian mammals to extinction.

Disease

White-nose syndrome: Some bats develop resistance

Some bat populations in North America appear to have developed resistance to the deadly fungal disease known as white-nose syndrome. Researchers from the University of New Hampshire analyzed infection data and population trends of the little brown bat in the eastern United States and found that persisting populations long exposed to the disease had much lower fungal infection levels at the end of winter than bat populations that were still declining and only recently exposed.

The little brown bat was previously one of the most abundant bat species in the eastern United States, but was reduced to less than 10 percent of its former population with the arrival of white-nose syndrome. The fungus was introduced to New York in 2006, and continues to spread across the U.S. and Canada.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.4 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.4 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Western Pacific: Tropical depression 01w (One), located approximately 162 nm east-southeast of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, is tracking west-northwestward at 04 knots.

Newsbytes:

Peru - Freezing temperatures in Ayacucho, located in south-central Peru, has resulted in the death of at least 180,000 alpaca. A cold weather front has also been accompanied by wide flooding. The animals have died of starvation as the grasslands where they normally graze have been frozen over. One of the affected communities is Wayraccasa in the district of Vinchos, province of Huamanga, located 14,763 feet above sea level, where in recent months dozens of alpacas died due to the cold. According to local media reports, a drought since August of last year hampered the breeding of the alpaca, due to a lack of water in the lagoons, with dry grass weakening the animals who can't withstand the freezing cold and rain. Meanwhile, in the city of Huanuco in central Peru, residents in the Santa Rosa neighbourhood, were seen evacuating flooded homes, as a result of heavy rains, which began three days ago and caused rivers Yacusisa and Aucayacu to overflow, in the Tingo Maria district.

Europe - From the rivers criss-crossing eastern Europe to the Mediterranean ports of Greece and France, everyone is hunting for energy supplies. Blizzards, gale force winds, arctic temperatures and river ice thicker than a house has left the stewards of the European energy business frenzied. Prices of natural gas, primarily a heating fuel, has soared to the highest in more than two years. Blackouts across Eastern Europe caused electricity rates to spike to record levels. January will be one of Europe’s coldest months of the past five years and the chill will linger for at least another two weeks.

Wildfires

Chile city in state of emergency over wildfires

Chile on Saturday declared a local state of emergency over wildfires plaguing the landmark tourist-draw city of Valparaiso. The hilly Pacific city, part of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has been put under military authority to coordinate firefighting and government asset deployment efforts.

Located 120 kilometres (75 miles) northwest of the capital Santiago, Valparaiso is the seat of the Chilean Congress and spans 40 hills, offering stunning views of the sea. Thousands of tourists stroll its narrow cobblestone streets and ride cable cars up the steep hills each year.

At the moment, 19,000 hectares (73 square miles) of mostly woodlands have been lost, officials said.

Wildfires - Kenya

Nearly 6,000 hectares of the Aberdare National Park has been destroyed by a wildfire that has continued to spread for the second day. The fire, which began Friday morning is spreading quickly due to windy weather.

According to the Acting Assistant Director in charge of Mountain Conservation Simon Gitau the fire has consumed the lower moorlands in the northern part of the Aberdare.

Over 200 firefighters from the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service and others from the ministry of Interior have been deployed to battle the blaze.

Environment

Warsaw Grapples With Gray Smog

An eerie gray mist with a pervasive odour of fumes wreathed Warsaw and dozens of other Polish cities, bringing a global problem more associated with Beijing and New Delhi into the heart of Europe. It took less than half a day, on Jan. 8, for the smog levels to break all records set in the 10 years since Poland, following a directive from the European Union, put in place an air pollution monitoring system.

Warsaw city officials reacted by making all public transportation free last Monday, in an attempt to keep cars off the roads, and warned residents to stay indoors unless necessary. Pollution levels eventually dropped off toward the end of the week.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.1 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Britain - Thousands of people along England’s east coast have been evacuated from their homes as life-threatening floods were expected to hit towns and villages at Friday night’s high tide. But while many have been forced to spend the night in shelters, there was relief as the tide came and went without the storm surge causing as much damage to communities as had been feared. There was some flooding along the Yorkshire coast and people in Essex were still crossing their fingers late into Friday night, with the worst set to hit in the early hours of this morning.

Slovenia - Snow and ice are causing traffic problems in Slovenia, closing part of a highway leading toward the Adriatic coast. The official STA news agency says slippery conditions led to a number of accidents in the country on Friday.

Netherlands - Dutch water management authorities have closed several locks across waterways to prevent flooding as a high tide coinciding with a strong storm over the North Sea pushes up water levels near the coast of this low-lying nation. Locks in the Haringvliet south of Rotterdam and the Hollandsche Ijssel east of Rotterdam were closed to protect low-lying areas. Locks also were closed in the 32.5-kilometer (20-mile) Afsluitdijk dike that separates the IJsellmeer inland sea from the Wadden Sea north of Amsterdam.

France - Violent overnight storms have hit northern France injuring scores and leaving 200,000 homes without electricity. Strong winds caused havoc for some rail passengers who were stranded overnight Thursday to Friday in a high-speed Thalys train after a tree was blown onto the tracks.

Wildlife

Ruby Seadragons - First Sighting in the Wild

An elusive ruby seadragon that was previously known only from museum specimens has been spotted alive in its natural habitat for the first time.

The scarlet-colored fish (Phyllopteryx dewysea) was first discovered as a distinct species in 2015, when researchers uncovered a misidentified preserved specimen while studying the two known species of seadragons — the orange-tinted leafy seadragon and the yellow-and-purple common seadragon.

Beyond its distinctive red color, the ruby seadragon differs from the other two types of seadragons because it lacks leaf-like appendages. Before witnessing the fish in the wild, researchers were unsure if the ruby seadragon specimens in museums had lost their appendages over time while in collection.

Given that the ruby seadragon's habitat is deeper and more barren than that of its cousins', the ruby seadragon likely lost its leaf-like appendages through evolution, according to the researchers. Its ruby colour is probably an evolutionary trait, as camouflage in the deeper, dimly lit waters, they added.

The scientists also discovered that the fish has a prehensile, or curled tail, similar to that of the seahorse and unlike the other seadragon species.

EPA's bee decisions sting Environmentalists

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency backed away from tough restrictions on how pesticides can be used while honeybees are pollinating crops, and it declared that three of the pesticides most closely associated with bee deaths are safe in most applications.

The assessments, released late Thursday, conclude that clothianidin, thiamethoxam and dinotefuran can kill bees and their larvae individually, but that in “most approved uses” they “do not pose significant risks to bee colonies” at the exposure levels expected to be found on fields.

Those conclusions are likely to allow growers to keep using the chemicals — which are ingredients in dozens of products — to protect millions of acres of soybeans, corn, cotton, vegetables, fruit and nuts, including 439,000 acres in California.

But the documents were a double disappointment to environmentalists, who say scientific studies support bans or at least enforceable restrictions on the chemicals’ use.

These decisions came as the EPA prepares for its transition to the Trump administration where the EPA expects to be headed by a rabid anti-environmentalist.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

An amateur photographer captured brilliant images of light pillars in northern Ontario, revealing the beauty of these shafts of light reflecting off ice crystals.

Disease

Yellow fever – Brazil

On 6 January 2017, the Brazil Ministry of Health (MoH) reported 12 suspected cases of yellow fever from six municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais.

Zika Virus - Angola

One might have thought that 2016 closed the door on the terrible Zika virus. But just weeks into a new year, Zika has reared its ugly head — this time in southwest Africa.

On Wednesday, Angola announced its first two cases of the virus. It’s doubly bad news for a country that is still recovering from both a cholera and a yellow fever epidemic that has killed hundreds. The two cases may not yet be cause for concern, but they’re an ominous reminder of how ripe the region could be for a widespread Zika outbreak.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - Ongoing activity for the week of 4 January-10 January 2017 (Cont.)

Nevado del Ruiz | Colombia : Servicio Geológico Colombiano’s (SGC) Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Manizales reported that during 3-9 January seismicity at Nevado del Ruiz continued to indicate unrest. Some of the seismic signals were associated with gas-and-ash emissions, as confirmed by webcam images and officials in the Parque Nacional Natural los Nevados. A low-energy thermal anomaly was identified by the MIROVA system on 9 January. On 6 January a gas, water vapor, and ash plume rose 2.5 km above the crater rim and drifted between SW and NE directions. A seismic event at 0745 on 8 January was associated with an ash emission which drifted SW. The Alert Level remained at III (Yellow; the second lowest level on a four-colour scale).

Nevados de Chillan | Chile : Based on a pilot observation, the Buenos Aires VAAC reported that on 6 January a dark-coloured fumarolic plume rose from Nevados de Chillán to an altitude of 2.9 km (9,500 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 4.5 km E. The webcam recorded the event as a small, sporadic puff that quickly dissipated; the emission was not identified in satellite images.

Reventador | Ecuador : During 4-10 January IG reported a high level of seismic activity including explosions, long-period earthquakes, harmonic tremor, and signals indicating emissions at Reventador. Although cloud cover often prevented visual observations, ash plumes were noted rising as high as 1 km above the crater and drifting W and NW during 6-7 January.

Semeru | Eastern Java (Indonesia) : Based on analysis of satellite images and information from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 9 January ash plumes from Semeru rose to an altitude of 4 km (13,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that during 30 December 2016-6 January 2017 lava-dome extrusion onto Sheveluch’s N flank was accompanied by strong fumarolic activity, dome incandescence, ash explosions, and hot avalanches. Satellite images showed a daily thermal anomaly over the dome, and ash plumes that drifted about 100 km N and NE on 30 and 31 December. The Aviation Colour Code remained at Orange.

Sinabung | Indonesia : Based on PVMBG observations and satellite images, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 2-3 and 8-10 January ash plumes from Sinabung rose 3.6-6.4 km (12,000-21,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W, NE, and E. Plumes drifted as far as 55 km E ln 8 January. A thermal anomaly was detected on 9 January.

Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : Based on JMA notices and satellite-image analyses, the Tokyo VAAC reported that during 4-5 January ash plumes from Suwanosejima rose to altitudes of 1.2-1.8 km (4,000-6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE and W.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.4 Earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.3 Earthquake hits near the west coast of Colombia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Sea of Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

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

5.0 Earthquake hits the Chagos Archipelago.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Thailand, Update - Thirty-six people are confirmed dead and one is still missing in the floods that have hit 12 southern provinces since Jan 1, with devastated communities in many areas struggling to repair damage so they can resume their lives. The floods have taken their toll on 1.2 million people of 403,478 households in 5,244 villages in 119 districts of the 12 provinces, causing damage to 17 government installations and 592 roads, 106 bridges, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief Chatchai Promlert said on Thursday. The situation has eased in four provinces: Yala, Ranong, Pattani and Narathiwat. Flooding lingers in Phatthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Chumphon, Krabi and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

Tornado Outbreaks

Large-scale tornado outbreaks that last one to three days with six or more twisters in close succession have nearly doubled in occurrence over the past 50 years, according to a new report.

Computer models had suggested that a warming climate would create such an increase in severe storms.

But researchers, led by Joel E. Cohen at the University of Chicago, found that amplification of vertical wind shear within storms, not yet predicted to increase due to climate change, is creating the extreme outbreaks.

“Either the recent increases are not due to a warming climate, or a warming climate has implications for tornado activity that we don’t understand,” said researcher Michael K. Tippett.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 113.0 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius) in Bourke, New South Wales, Australia..

The week's coldest temperature was minus 64.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 53.4 degrees Celsius) at Oimyakon, Siberia.

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

Disease

New Caledonia - Dengue Fever

After reporting 80 dengue fever cases since the beginning of the year, health authorities in New Caledonia have declared an epidemic on the South Pacific islands. Since the start of Dec. 2016, the territory has reported more than 160 dengue cases and a dozen people required hospitalization for their illness.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity - New Activity

Lopevi (Vanuatu): According to information from Vanuatu's GeoHazards agency, a new (so far small) eruption is under way at the stratovolcano. The alert level was raised to 3 (on GeoHazards' scale of 0-5 highest), meaning "minor eruption". Wellington VAAC mentioned the eruption was confirmed by pilot observers and issued an alert about possible ash plumes estimated not to surpass 10,000 ft (3 km) altitude and drifting SE. The most likely type of activity that seems to be occurring is strombolian explosive activity from the summit. Lopevi is one of the most active volcanoes of Vanuatu and has frequent explosive-effusive eruptions of varying intensity.

Ongoing activity for the week of 4 January-10 January 2017

Bagana | Bougainville (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 7-8 January ash plumes from Bagana rose to an altitude of 2.7 km (9,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted over 45 km NE and E.

Colima | Mexico : Based on webcam and satellite images, the Mexico City MWO, and Colima Towers, the Washington VAAC reported that during 3-10 January ash plumes from Colima rose to altitudes of 4.7-6.7 km (17,000-25,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E, SE, S, and SW. The Unidad Estatal de Protección Civil de Colima reported that an explosion detected at 1602 on 7 January was slightly stronger than a moderate level, and that winds were drifting SSE.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 4-5 and 7-10 January ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.4 km (6,000-8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted as far as 120 km SE, E, and NE.

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 4-10 January HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise and fall, circulate, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook vent; the lake level rose as high as 9 m below the Halema’uma’u floor. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a vent high on the NE flank of the cone. The 61G lava flow, originating from a vent on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's E flank, continued to enter the ocean at Kamokuna. An active branch of 61G remained active E of Pu'u 'O'o and advanced slowly E at a rate of only a few tens of meters per day.

Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite images and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 2 January a weak ash plume from Langila rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NE. A thermal anomaly was also detected via satellite. On 5 January an ash plume rose to an altitude of 2.4 km (8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted over 45 km W.

Masaya | Nicaragua : Based on analysis of satellite imagery, the Washington VAAC reported that on 5 January a gas, steam, and ash plume from Masaya drifted W.