Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 earthquake hits offshore Jalisco, Mexico.

5.3 earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.2 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 06e (Emilia), located about 695 mi...1120 km sw of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...wnw or 285 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

In the western Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm (ts) 09w (Prapiroon), located approximately 327 nm south-southeast of Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking northwestward at 04 knots.

NewsBytes:

Romania - Floods have swirled through Romania, damaging as many as 60 towns in 14 counties. Highways have been closed and hundreds are without electricity or gas. In one area, Slănic-Moldova, more than 300 farms were flooded.

Singapore - Intense rain again caused flash floods at four locations in central Singapore on Friday morning, national water agency PUB said in a statement. The flash floods occurred at Lorong Kismis and Bukit Timah Road, as well as Dunearn Road near Watten Estate Road and along Yarwood Avenue to Binjai Park. The PUB said that about 85mm of rainfall was recorded for two hours between 9.30am and 11.30am.

India - Incessant rain lash most parts of the Kashmir valley, though there is no immediate threat of flood. Rain has however, resulted in increase in the water level in the water bodies, including rivers and nallahs in the valley, particularly in south Kashmir.

Wildlife

Manta Nursery

The world’s first known manta ray nursery has been discovered in the Gulf of Mexico, solving a mystery that had baffled scientists.

Young mantas are virtually never seen swimming in the world’s oceans, leaving researchers with few clues about their early life.

But a researcher at California’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography worked with NOAA to pinpoint the manta nursery in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, about 120 miles southeast of Houston.

Wildebeest Buffet

The world-famous wildebeest migration across East Africa is being slowed this year by a bounty of fresh grass left along the route by heavy rains that nourished the Serengeti last year, and again during much of May.

The Tanzania Daily News reports the migration is now nearly two months behind its typical pace, meaning the grazers are going to be considerably delayed in reaching Kenya’s Maasai Mara. The wildebeest crossings of the Grumeti and Mara rivers, typically during July, are popular safari attractions

Wildfires

Wildfires - Britain

Seven square miles of Saddleworth Moor has gone up in flames, blanketing the Greater Manchester region and beyond in smoke and ash. Meanwhile, a new moorland blaze – on Winter Hill, near Rivington, Lancashire – broke out on Thursday with huge plumes of smoke visible from the area surrounding the moorland. Authorities fear the fires could take weeks to put out completely.

Wildfires - Colorado, USA

At least a dozen wildfires were raging on Friday in drought-stricken portions of Colorado where hundreds of residents have been evacuated as a wave of prime wildfire weather conditions moves through the U.S. West.

The most active blaze, the Spring Fire, had scorched nearly 24,000 acres (9,712 hectares) between the towns of Fort Garland and La Veta in southern Colorado. The fire was not contained as of Friday. An unknown number of structures were consumed by the fire in Costilla County where the fire is burning. People in about 350 homes in the area were ordered to evacuate.

The largest wildfire in the state, the 416 Fire, which has charred almost 42,000 acres in the southwest corner of the state since it ignited on June 1, is 37 percent contained, fire officials said.

An orphaned bear cub suffered painful burns to her paws in the Spring Fire, but she is being nursed back to health, state officials said Friday.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 20 June – 26 June 2018

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that there were four events and one explosion at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 18-25 June, with ash plumes rising as high as 1.9 km above the crater rim. Crater incandescence was visible at night on 18 June. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that a satellite image of Cleveland acquired on 25 June showed a small, circular lava flow about 80 m in diameter in the summit crater. The presence of a flow over the active vent increases the chances of an explosion, so AVO raised the Aviation colour Code to Orange and the Volcano Alert Level to Watch.

Copahue | Central Chile-Argentina border : The Buenos Aires VAAC reported that on 24 June diffuse steam emissions with possible ash were visible in webcam views rising to an altitude of 3.6 km (12,000 ft) a.s.l.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on PVMBG observations and satellite data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 20-26 June ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW, W, and SW.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that on 15 June an ash plume from Ebeko was visible in satellite images drifting 14 km SE. Video data from SVERT and KBGS RAS (Kamchatka Branch, Geophysical Service, Russian Academy of Sciences) showed ash explosions during 17-18 June that sent ash plumes to 2.5-3 km (8,200-10,000 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Fuego | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH and CONRED reported that during 20-26 June multiple lahars at Fuego were often hot, steaming, and had a sulfur odor, and were generated from heavy rains and the recent accumulation of pyroclastic-flow deposits from the 3 June events. Lahars remained a significant hazard, and descended the Cenizas (SSW), Las Lajas (SE), Santa Teresa (W), and Taniluyá (SW) drainages. They were 25-45 m wide, as deep as 3 m, and often carried blocks up to 3 m in diameter, tree trunks, and branches. The agencies warned that because the Las Lajas drainage is full of deposits, lahars can continue to descend that drainage or create new channels in San Miguel Los Lotes (one of the hardest-hit areas).

Explosions continued, producing ash plumes that rose as high as 1.3 km above the crater and drifted as far as 15 km in multiple directions. Ashfall was reported in Panimache, Morelia, Sangre de Cristo, and finca Palo Verde on 22 June. Avalanches of material descended the SE, S, and W flanks (Santa Teresa, Las Lajas, and Cenizas drainages). According to CONRED, as of 26 June, the number of people confirmed to have died due to the 3 June pyroclastic flows was 112, and 197 more were missing. In addition, 12,823 remained evacuated.

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that the eruption at Kilauea’s Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) and at Halema`uma`u Crater continued during 20-26 June. Lava fountaining and spatter was concentrated at Fissure 8, feeding lava flows that spread through Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens subdivisions, and built out the coastline where the fast-moving flow entered the ocean in the area of the former Kapoho Bay. Fissure 16/18 was often incandescent, and lava effusion was visible at Fissure 6 on 21 June. Fissure 22 produced weak lava fountains on 22 June, and weak spattering and small lava flows on 26 June.

Inward slumping of the crater rim and walls of Halema`uma`u continued, adjusting from the withdrawal of magma and subsidence of the summit area. Steam plumes rose from areas in the crater as well as from circumferential cracks adjacent to the crater. Explosions from collapse events occurred daily, producing gas-and-ash-poor plumes that rose less than 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SW. On 24 June HVO noted that since late May these plumes rarely rose higher than 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. where they can cause an aviation hazard; the Aviation colour Code was reduced to Orange.

Fountaining at Fissure 8 continued; lava fountains rose occasionally higher than the 55-m-high spatter cone. Pele's hair and other volcanic glass from the fountaining fell within Leilani Estates. The fountains continued to feed the fast-moving lava flow that traveled NE, and then SE around Kapoho Crater, and into the ocean. Occasional overflows sent small flows down the sides of the channel. The lava-flow front at the ocean was almost 3.2 km wide by 25 June, with lava entering the ocean on the S side of the flow front mainly through an open channel, but also along a 1-km-long area marked with billowing laze plumes.

Kirishimayama | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that at Shinmoedake (Shinmoe peak), a stratovolcano of the Kirishimayama volcano group, an explosive eruption at 0909 on 22 June generated an ash plume that rose 2.6 km above the crater rim and drifted E. Tephra was ejected 1.1 km away, and shock waves were felt in the Miyazaki region. Minor amounts of ash fell in Kirishima prefecture and Kagoshima prefecture to the S, Miyakonojo city (Miyazaki prefecture) to the E, and Takahara Town. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-5).

Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Klyuchevskoy was identified in satellite images during 16-17 and 19 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 20-21 June ash plumes from Langila rose to an altitude of 2.4 km (8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W and NW.

Mauna Loa | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : On 21 June HVO reported that seismicity and deformation at Mauna Loa had been at near-background levels for at least the previous six months. The Aviation colour Code was lowered to Green and the Volcano Alert Level was lowered to Normal. During 2014 through most of 2017 seismicity was variable but elevated, and ground deformation was consistent with an influx of magma in the shallow reservoir.

Nishinoshima | Japan : JMA reported that seismic, thermal, RADAR, and sulfur dioxide data all showed no eruptive activity at Nishinoshima since mid-August 2017. During an overflight on 14 June the Japan Coast Guard noted white fumarolic plumes rising about 20 m from the E side of main cone’s inner wall and from the center of the crater. Ocean water all around the island was discoloured, especially in the N-to-NW quadrant where the yellowish brown water extended 200-300 m from the shore. On 20 June the JMA reduced the warning level for the island, specifying hazards were less severe “around the crater” (encompassing areas within 500 m).

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosions at Sabancaya averaged 29 per day during 18-24 June. Hybrid earthquakes were infrequent and low magnitude. Gas-and-ash plumes rose as high as 1.8 km above the crater rim and drifted 30 km S, SE, and E. The MIROVA system detected 11 thermal anomalies, and on 21 June the sulfur dioxide gas flux was high at 4,900 tons/day. The report noted that the public should not approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 16-17 and 19 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Sinabung | Indonesia : Based on observations by PVMBG, satellite and webcam images, and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 20-22 June ash plumes from Sinabung rose 3-3.7 km (10,000-12,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE and E. The Alert Level remained at 4 (on a scale of 1-4), with a general exclusion zone of 3 km and extensions of 7 km on the SSE sector, 6 km in the ESE sector, and 4 km in the NNE sector.

Yasur | Vanuatu : Based on webcam images and local visual observations the Wellington VAAC reported that during 20-21 June intermittent, low-level ash plumes from Yasur rose to an altitude of 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.3 earthquake hits the Island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.3 earthquake hits New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 earthquake hits the Ceram Sea, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 06e (Emilia), located about 590 mi...955 km sw of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...wnw or 300 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

In the western Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm (ts) 09w (Prapiroon), located approximately 427 nm south-southeast of Kadena AFB, is tracking westward at 03 knots.

NewsBytes:

Boston, USA - The heavy downpours that drenched the region Thursday morning flooded roads in the Boston area, but no injuries or crashes were reported, officials said.

Wildlife

Someone Just Killed One of the Last Remaining Jaguars in the USA

One of just three jaguars known to be living in the U.S. was recently killed by poachers. Experts identified the jaguar's pelt in a recent photo and say it is Yo'oko, a male jaguar (Panthera onca) that was known to roam the Huachuca Mountains in southern Arizona.

The rosette patterns on a jaguar's pelt are unique to each individual, a trait that allowed officials with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to identify Yo'oko's pelt in a photo sent to them from the Tucson-based Northern Jaguar Project. The endangered carnivore had been photographed near the Mexican border in Arizona several times in 2016 and 2017.

It's unclear when Yo'oko died or who killed him, but the Arizona Daily Star reported today (June 28) that he may have been killed by a mountain lion hunter. A local rancher, Carlos Robles Elias, told the Arizona Daily Star that he heard from a friend that the jaguar was trapped and killed six months ago somewhere in Sonora, Mexico, near the U.S. border.

Orange, cave-dwelling crocodiles found in Gabon

Scientists looking for traces of ancient human life stumbled upon the unusual reptiles decade ago as they searched in the gloom of isolated caves in Gabon's southern Omboue region. The scientists discarded other theories before speculating that lack of light in the Abanda caves may have caused depigmentation and urea in bat droppings may then have induced an orange hue.

Dwarf crocodiles (Osteolaemus tetraspis) are a well-studied species, but the ones in the cave complex stand out in the way they have adapted to their habitat. "We think these... crocodiles have been in the Abanda caves for around 3,000 years, which correlates fairly well with a time when the sea level fell and this coastal zone became terrestrial once again," the scientists said. Mapping the cave complex, the scientists found four orange specimens in a community of 40.

Global Warming

Bees Affected by Rising Temperatures

The survival of bees is hanging in the balance. Some species are dying off at a record pace, and toxic agricultural chemicals might be to blame. There seem to be many threats to these winged creatures, but climate change may be the final straw for some bee species. If the Earth continues to warm and bees don’t find a way to adapt, some populations could face extinction, according to new research.

A team of scientists found that 30 to 70 percent of mason bees died when they heated up the bees' environments. This reveals that if temperatures continue to climb, bee populations could begin to die off at faster rates, disrupting ecosystems worldwide, said Paul CaraDonna, an ecologist at Northwestern University.

In the tests conducted in the research, the bees that survived the heat became smaller, lost much of their body fat and suffered from disruptions to their hibernation. These results suggest bees that survived were not healthy and might struggle to find food or a mate.

Local bee populations could possibly substantially decrease or even go extinct in the future because of climate change, according to the research.

Historic Shift Means the Arctic Ocean Could Become Part of the Atlantic

A region in the Arctic Ocean is undergoing a historic identity crisis, as recent climate change has warmed it so much that it might as well be considered part of the Atlantic.

All of the Arctic has been heating up in recent decades, but nowhere is it as dramatic as in the Barents Sea, northeast of Finland. There, temperatures are climbing faster than anywhere else in the Arctic Ocean — not only in the atmosphere but down through the water column, scientists recently reported in a new study.

The northern Barents is also becoming saltier as it warms, mostly because there's little seasonal melt of sea ice to dilute the water body. These temperature and salinity changes nudge the northern Barents to a state that more closely resembles that of the neighboring Atlantic Ocean, rather than the Arctic, which could have dramatic implications for its marine ecosystems, according to the study.

Space Events

Visitor from another solar system accelerated away from the Sun

Last year, the Solar System was treated to its first known tourist. 'Oumuamua, an odd, cigar-shaped body, shot through our neighborhood at high speed, following an orbit that indicates it arrived from somewhere else. Although bodies ejected from other solar systems are expected to make regular visits, this was the first one that we'd imaged sufficiently to determine that its origins were elsewhere.

The imaging, however, didn't resolve a somewhat different debate: what, exactly, is 'Oumuamua? Its odd orbit had initially had it categorized as a comet, as these tend to have more extreme orbits. But imaging didn't show any indication of gas and dust being released, as is typical when a comet approaches the Sun. That imaging also revealed that it had an elongated, cigar-like shape. Combined with its relatively rapid rotation, this would indicate that 'Oumuamua had to be fairly robust, leading to the conclusion that it was probably an asteroid.

But now, a large international team of researchers is weighing in with another vote for comet. The argument, says the team, is based on the odd behavior of 'Oumuamua, which appears to have been accelerating away from the Sun.

Scientists explain the acceleration to be caused by warming-induced gas release from particles on the body of the comet which appears to be the least-worst of the possible explanations. It should generate a consistent force and one that scales with proximity to the Sun, which is what seems to be happening.

Environment

Hottest Night in Recorded History

The day of June 26 was a scorcher in the town of Quriyat, Oman. Temperatures in the town, which is weathering a miserable heat wave, peaked at 121.6 degrees Fahrenheit (49.8 degrees Celsius) during the day, according to Weather Underground. That's just shy of the Omani record-high temperature of 123.4 degrees F (50.8 degrees C), set on May 30, 2017. But anyone in Quriyat hoping for an evening respite from the extreme heat would have been disappointed: Temperatures fell to a low of just 108.7 degrees F (42.6 degrees C.) That's a world record: The highest "low" temperature ever recorded in history.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

Martian Sand Dune

A big sand dune blazes in an electric blue on the Red Planet in a gorgeous photo by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO).

The large, complex dune is embedded within a field of classic, crescent-shaped dunes on the floor of the 147-mile-wide (236 kilometers) Lyot Crater, which lies about 50 degrees north of the Martian equator.

"This particular dune, appearing like turquoise blue in enhanced color, is made of finer material and/or has a different composition than the surrounding" sand, NASA officials.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.4 degrees Celsius) in Death Valley, California.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 97.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 71.7 degrees Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica.

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 - Utah, USA

A number of wildfires erupted across the state of Utah within 24 hours of each other, beginning on Wednesday afternoon.

The Black Mountain Fire: Estimated 5,000 acres as of 10:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Rough Canyon Fire: Estimated 5,142 acres as of 9 p.m. on Thursday.

West Valley Fire: The fire was estimated to have burned 7,200 acres as of 9 p.m. Thursday.

Trail Mountain Fire: Estimated 17,767 acres as of 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Fruitland Shed Fire: Estimated 20 acres as of 8:25 p.m. on Thursday. At least three structures were destroyed.

Wildfires - Colorado, USA

A rapidly moving wildfire in Costilla County has destroyed buildings and grew to 3,724 acres by Thursday morning, forcing evacuations in the Forbes Park area and triggering an emergency declaration. A number of structures have been destroyed.

Disease

Measles - France - Update

In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in France, health officials continue to report a decrease in cases in the current outbreak. During the past month, an average of 50 cases have been reported weekly. As of June 24, 2018, 2567 cases reported since November 6, 2017. In addition, health officials have reported a second measles death.

Parasitic infection, Strongyloidiasis - Northern Australia

A life-threatening parasitic worm could be quietly infecting up to 60 percent of vulnerable Australians in remote northern communities. Flinders University researchers are warning it should be listed as a nationally notifiable disease because the true extent of its spread remains unknown because basic testing isn’t widespread. Strongyloidiasis is an infection caused by parasitic worms which crawl in through human skin and reproduce inside stomachs and digestive organs indefinitely.

Leprosy - Brazil

The bacteria that causes leprosy, a chronic disease that can lead to disfigurement and nerve damage, is known to be transmitted to humans from nine-banded armadillos. A new study in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases reports that 62% of the armadillos in the western part of Pará state in the Brazilian Amazon are positive for the leprosy bacteria.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 20 June – 26 June 2018

Fernandina | Ecuador : On 21 June Parque Nacional Galápagos reported that lava flows at Fernandina were no longer reaching the ocean, though white plumes continued to rise from flows at the coastline.

Great Sitkin | Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported continuing low-level unrest at Great Sitkin during 20-26 June; seismic activity remained at or near background levels. A recently analyzed satellite image acquired on 11 June, one day after short-duration explosive event was recorded, showed a minor ash deposit on the snow extending 2 km from a vent in the summit crater. The Aviation colour Code remained at Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Advisory.

Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that at 0857 on 21 June an event at Ibu generated an ash plume that rose at least 600 m above the crater rim and drifted N. Signals indicating an explosion and rock avalanches were detected in seismic data. During 22-26 June ash plumes rose as high as 850 m and drifted WNW and W. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to stay at least 2 km away from the active crater, and 3.5 km away on the N side.

Kadovar | Papua New Guinea : According to the Darwin VAAC an ash plume from Kadovar identified by a pilot and in satellite images rose to an altitude of 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. on 20 June and drifted W.

Krakatau | Indonesia : PVMBG and BNPB reported that an eruption at Anak Krakatau began on 18 June, along with increased seismicity, and reminded residents that the Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4); visitors were warned not to approach the volcano within 1 km of the crater. Foggy conditions hampered visual observations during 19-20 June, but on 21 June gray plumes were observed rising 100-200 m above the summit. An event at 0714 on 25 June produced a dense ash plume that rose about 1 km and drifted N.

Sierra Negra | Isla Isabela (Ecuador) : On 22 June IG reported increased seismic activity at Sierra Negra on the S end of Isabela Island; the largest event, a M 4.2, was recorded at 0624 and felt in El Cura and San Joaquín, NE of the volcano. A M 5.3 earthquake was detected at 0315 on 26 June, occurring at a depth of 5.3 km below Sierra Negra. The event was strongly felt on the upper flanks and in Puerto Villamil (23 km SE). Several aftershocks and subsequent tremor were recorded. An earthquake swarm began at 1117, characterized by events located 3-5 km depth. A M 4.2 earthquake was recorded at 1338, and followed by increasing amplitudes of seismic and infrasound signals. Parque Nacional Galápagos staff heard noises described as bellows coming from Volcán Chico fissure vent, and coupled with the seismicity and infrasound data, suggested the start of an eruption. An IG report posted 20 minutes later described a thermal anomaly identified in satellite images in the N area of the caldera, near Volcán Chico. Park staff observed lava flowing towards the crater’s interior as well as towards the N flank.

Telica | Nicaragua : INETER and SINAPRED reported that an eruption at Telica began at 0708 on 21 June. Explosions produced an ash plume that rose 500 m above the crater and drifted E, S, and SW, and ejected tephra that was deposited within a 1-km-radius of the volcano. Ashfall was reported in areas including La Joya, Las Marías (7 km NNW), Pozo Viejo (10 km NNW), Ojo de Agua, San Lucas (11 km NNW), Las Higueras, Las Grietas (12 km NNW), and Posoltega (16 km WSW).

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 06e (Emilia), located approximately 1198 nm south-southeast of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 13 knots.

NewsBytes:

Greece - Heavy summer rainstorms over the past two days have caused flooding in several parts of Greece, including an area near Athens where flash floods last year caused 24 deaths. Fifteen people needed to be evacuated from flooded homes or cars late Tuesday. The flooding also forced the closure of several roads in the area. The fire brigade said 95 firefighters with 40 vehicles and a boat were helping address the situation. Flooding problems were also reported in the Halkidiki region of northern Greece, a popular tourist destination, and near Larissa in central Greece.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 earthquake hits the Island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.2 earthquake hits the southern mid-Atlantic ridge.

Global Warming

Buried Volcanic Vent Heats Up Antarctica

What lurks beneath western Antarctica's frozen surface? Volcanic heat, according to a new study. And that extra warmth might be speeding up the disappearance of the Pine Island Glacier, the continent's fastest-melting glacier.

Chilly Antarctica hides much under thick layers of ice, which extend for miles over its bedrock. Scientists previously found a volcanic rift system stretching under West Antarctica and into the Ross Sea, with as many as 138 volcanoes identified. However, those volcanoes have been dormant for 2,200 years, but evidence that turned up near the Pine Island Glacier pointed to recent magma activity deep underground.

Volcanoes typically announce themselves by belching smoke and gas into the air, but in Antarctica, the heat source was buried under miles of ice. However, even though the magma itself was hidden, scientists could spot its "fingerprints" in certain gases they found in seawater samples. The chemistry of melted ice running off the glacier hinted at a volcanic source upstream, warming the ice from below and accelerating melt into the Amundsen Sea.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

Spider Eggs Can Look Like Rock Candy - But Don't Eat Them

Disease

More measles in Ukraine

According to the Center for Public Health of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, in the 25th week of 2018, 1273 people (487 adults and 786 children) suffered from measles. Since the beginning of the year, 23,131 people – 9,327 adults and 13,804 children – have contracted measles.

Anthrax - South Dakota, USA - Update

In a follow-up on the anthrax situation in South Dakota, State Veterinarian Dr. Dustin Oedekoven says anthrax is responsible for recent death loss in a second cattle herd, this time in in Bon Homme County. Four adult cattle died suddenly last week in the herd, which had not been vaccinated against anthrax.

The comes after reports of 8 deaths in a Clark County herd.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.2 earthquake hits the Mayotte region.

5.2 earthquake hits Chiapas, Mexico.

5.0 earthquake hits the Sumbawa region, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Singapore - "Intense rain" caused flash floods in three locations across central and western Singapore on Tuesday morning, leaving vehicles and pedestrians to wade their way through murky waters as they made their way to work during peak hour.

Wildlife

Feral Cats Are Devouring Australia's Reptiles

Outdoor cats are feasting on the reptiles of Australia, and conservationists are concerned about the toll their snacking habits might take on the country's biodiversity.

Feral cats kill, on average, 1 million reptiles each day in Australia, according to a new study published today (June 25) in the journal Wildlife Research.

Feral cats (Felis catus) are those animals that used to be (or their ancestors used to be) domesticated, but who now roam in the wild. In the 18th century, the Europeans who came to Australia introduced these furry felines to the continent, bringing them along as pets, according to the study. But 230 years later, the descendants of those cats — totaling more than 2 million — are now menacing populations of lizards, turtles and snakes. [Here, Kitty, Kitty: 10 Facts for Cat Lovers]

To figure out the toll cats took on Australian reptiles, the researchers looked at more than 80 studies that included, in total, analyses of more than 10,000 samples of cat poop or stomach samples. They found that the feral cats in the studies eat 258 different kinds of Australian reptiles, including 11 threatened species such as the Christmas Island forest skink (Emoia nativitatis), the pygmy copperhead snake (Austrelaps labialis) and some turtles. They also found that the cats hunted reptiles much more in areas that were hotter and drier.

However, the actual number is likely higher. That's because many reptiles are local to specific areas of Australia, and the researchers weren't able to sample every region of the country. Rainforests, for example, were largely unsampled, they wrote.

Some of the cats in the studies truly indulged: For example, one cat was found to have the remains of 40 reptiles in its stomach, most of which were lined earless dragons (Tympanocryptis lineata), and another cat was found to have ingested 27 skinks, according to the study.

In total, feral cats were responsible for killing, on average, 466 million reptiles a year in Australia, most of which were native to the continent. But when the researchers also added in pet cats and cats who roam in areas where they can find food from humans (such as cities or dumps), they found that all cats in the country were responsible for killing, on average, 649 million reptiles a year.

Environment

The Coldest Place on Earth Is Even Colder

Scientists already knew that the lowest temperatures ever measured on Earth were on a frozen ice ridge in eastern Antarctica, near the South Pole. But they recently discovered that temperatures there can drop even lower than those previously measured.

In 2013, analysis of satellite data pinpointed scattered pockets of intensely cold air on the East Antarctic Plateau between Dome Argus and Dome Fuji — temperatures that dipped to a staggering minus 135 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 93 degrees Celsius).

However, new analysis of the same data suggests that under the right conditions, those temperatures can drop to nearly minus 148 degrees F (minus 100 degrees C), which is probably the coldest it can get on Earth, researchers reported in a new study.

Wildfires

Wildfires - UK

A large wildfire has broken out on Saddleworth Moor above Manchester sending a huge plume of smoke into the air. Dozens of homes were evacuated. The heatwave that the UK is currently experiencing has created tinderbox conditions. The fire started on Sunday night and now stretches over more than a square mile of land between Dove Stone Reservoir and Buckton Vale.

Disease

Rift Valley Fever - Kenya - Update

In a follow-up on the Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak in Kenya, the outbreak has rapidly increased in the last week, with more cases reported and two new counties affected.

In the past two and one-half weeks, , a cumulative total of 54 cases, with 11 deaths (case fatality rate 20.4%), have been reported from three counties: Wajir (25 cases, 6 deaths), Marsabit (28 cases, 4 deaths) and Siaya (1 case, 1 death).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic Ridge.

5.2 earthquake hits the Galapagos Islands.

5.2 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.1 earthquake hit the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits the Mayotte region.

5.0 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 earthquake hits west of MacQuarie Island.

5.0 earthquake hits Santiago del Estero, Argentina.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression 05e (Daniel), located approximately 781 nm south of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 06 knots.

NewsBytes:

India - The overall flood situation in Assam showed a slight improvement on Monday with all the major rivers of the state flowing below the danger level, even as two more persons lost their lives, taking the death toll in flood related incidents to 26.A total of 96,993 people in five districts were reeling under the impact of the flood, as against 1.94 lakh people in six districts on Sunday.

Global Warming

US judge throws out climate change lawsuits against big oil

A U.S. judge who held a hearing about climate change that received widespread attention ruled Monday that Congress and the president were best suited to address the contribution of fossil fuels to global warming, throwing out lawsuits that sought to hold big oil companies liable for the Earth's changing environment.

Noting that the world has also benefited significantly from oil and other fossil fuel, Judge William Alsup said questions about how to balance the "worldwide positives of the energy" against its role in global warming "demand the expertise of our environmental agencies, our diplomats, our Executive, and at least the Senate."

However, in Monday's ruling, the judge said he accepted the "vast scientific consensus" that the combustion of fossil fuels has contributed to global warming and rising sea levels.

Fracking Not a Solution to Climate Change

A new, comprehensive study of methane leaks in the oil and gas industry is the final piece of evidence that natural gas is not part of the climate solution. Fracking and consequent natural gas production have been seen as a solution to climate change.

The findings confirm if a coal-fired plant is replaced with a gas-fired plant there is no net climate benefit for at least two decades. Natural gas is mostly methane (CH4), a super-potent greenhouse gas, which traps 86 times as much heat as CO2 over a 20-year period. A very small leakage rate of methane from the natural gas supply chain (production to delivery to combustion) can have a large climate impact  —  enough to gut the entire benefit of switching from coal-fired power to gas for a long, long time.

In November, another study found the methane emissions escaping from just New Mexico’s gas and oil industry are “equivalent to the climate impact of approximately 12 coal-fired power plants.” In January, NASA found that most of the huge rise in global methane emissions in the past decade was in fact from the fossil fuel industry — and that this rise was “substantially larger” than previously thought.

It’s time to acknowledge that fracking is truly part of the climate problem, and likely to become a bigger problem over time as natural gas competes more and more with renewable energy sources.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Florida, USA

A fast-moving wildfire along the coast of Florida's Panhandle has destroyed more than 30 homes, authorities said Monday. The fire broke out at about 4 p.m. ET Sunday in Eastpoint, about 60 miles southwest of Tallahassee near Apalachicola. Firefighters from Franklin County and neighboring jurisdictions used 13 bulldozers and eight fire engines to beat back the blaze, which by midnight had burned into Tate's Hell State Forest.

Disease

Poliovirus – Papua New Guinea

The National Department of Health of Papua New Guinea and the World Health Organization (WHO) today confirmed that the strain of poliovirus first detected in a child from Morobe Province in April is now circulating in the same community. On 22 June 2018, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the same virus was also isolated from stool specimens of two healthy children from the same community. Papua New Guinea has not had a case of wild poliovirus since 1996, and the country was certified as polio-free in 2000.

Anthrax - South Dakota, USA

For the first time this year, anthrax has been reported in cattle in South Dakota. State Veterinarian Dr. Dustin Oedekoven has confirmed that 8 cows died from a herd of 87 unvaccinated cattle in Clark County.

Measles - Chad

Since the start of the year, 400 cases, including 14 deaths, were reported as of 20 May. Three districts have reached the epidemic threshold. A measles outbreak has been declared on 30 May in five districts of Chad (Bokoro, Gama, Ati, Am dam and Goz Beida), where 474 cases and 18 deaths have been reported. Health authorities on 8 June declared a measles epidemic after 540 cases and 23 deaths were recorded. The disease has erupted in 89 districts, 10 of which have reached the epidemic level.

Dysentery, Bilharzia - Zambia

The Zambian government says 17 cases have been confirmed following the recent outbreak of dysentery at a girls-only technical school in the Lusaka Metropolitan Province. Although 84 suspected cases are still under management, the government says the dysentery outbreak has largely been contained.

Meanwhile, the local disease surveillance unit is investigating a possible bilharzia outbreak in the Lukwipa area of the Rufunsa district. The investigations have just started.

India - Foot and Mouth Disease

Outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the bovine animals of Sonawari belt of Bandipora districts has caused distress among the farmers of the area with dozens of animals affected.

The diseases broke out two months ago and since then no official from the animal husbandry department has reached out to those affected. People say the veterinary centres are under staffed and lack medicines for such kind of diseases.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.5 earthquake hits southern Greece.

5.4 earthquake hits the central East Pacific rise.

5.4 earthquake hits southern Greece.

5.3 earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.2 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.1 earthquake hits Salta, Argentina.

5.0 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits the Chagos Archipelago.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 05e (Daniel), located approximately 852 nm south of San Diego, is tracking north-northwestward at 09 knots.

NewsBytes:

Vietnam - Heavy rainfall in the northern mountainous regions of Viet Nam, including in the provinces of Lai Chau and Ha Giang, have caused extensive flash floods and landslides, killing five people and causing damage to infrastructure and agriculture.

Iowa, USA - Very intense rainfall caused flash flooding across Siouxland Sunday afternoon and evening, leaving most of the area under a flash flood warning. Major flooding happened in Akron, Iowa, over the weekend. There, the Big Sioux River crested at 23.51 feet Saturday.

Wildfires

Wildfires - California, USA

Wind-driven wildfires destroyed buildings and threatened hundreds of others Sunday as they raced across dry brush in rural Northern California.

The Pawnee fire that broke out Saturday near the community of Clearlake Oaks has destroyed 12 buildings and threatened an additional 600 as it burned out of control across about 12 square miles. Authorities ordered people to evacuate all homes in the Spring Valley area, where about 3,000 people live.

The Lane fire in Tehama County consumed 5.5 square miles, but no buildings were reported burned. The blaze threatened 200 structures and some homes had been evacuated, Cox said. It was 10% contained.

The Creek fire in neighboring Shasta County grew to 1.6 square miles and was 20% contained. The conflagration had damaged no structures but did prompt evacuations.

Wildfires - Oregon, USA

Firefighters say they are making good progress on two lightning-sparked wildfires that started last week in Central Oregon.

The Graham Fire, near Lake Billy Chinook, remained at 2,055 acres Sunday, and was 50 percent contained. The fire threatened numerous homes in the Three Rivers subdivision, but residents who had previously been evacuated were allowed to return home Saturday night.

The Boxcar Fire, near Maupin, grew to 87,000 acres Saturday night after merging with the nearby South Junction Fire. It’s now 10 percent contained.

Disease

Rift Valley fever – South Africa

Following confirmation of a Rift Valley fever (RVF) outbreak in sheep on a farm in Jacobsdal area, Free State in May 2018, human and vector surveillance was conducted on the affected farm by Provincial Department of Health and National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD). Mosquitoes collected on the affected farm tested negative for RVF virus, suggesting that active transmission had diminished due to decreased mosquito populations.

Farmworkers and residents, who had been involved in the handling of potentially contaminated animal tissues during the sheep outbreak, were interviewed and sampled for RVF testing at NICD. Of 10 persons sampled, four individuals were retrospectively confirmed to have been infected with RVF virus; four individuals were shown to have been infected with RVFV. The cases reported having experienced mild symptoms (fever, muscle pain, headache) in the preceding month, while none developed a severe disease that necessitated hospitalization.

Venezuela - Diptheria

Venezuelan authorities confirmed last week that the vaccine-preventable disease, diphtheria, has killed some 19 children at the pediatric hospital Menca de Leoni, in the state of Bolívar

HIV-AIDS - Namibia

An average of 11 people die daily from AIDS in Omusati Region, while 25 infections are recorded daily in the region, says Governor Erginus Endjala. This year alone, 445 pupils in the region have fallen pregnant, with Okalongo topping the list with 78 pupils. Amongst the whopping number of pregnant learners are children in grades four and six. Given the grades of some of the pupils, the governor pointed out that the statistics are an indication that rape is on the increase in the region but often goes unreported. "It defies human logic how young learners of 10 years got pregnant but no single report was registered with the police”.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 05e (Five), located approximately 1090 nm south of San Diego, is tracking northward at 09 knots.

NewsBytes:

Malaysia - Low-lying areas at the fringes of Kuala Lumpur particularly MRR2 and Ampang have been hit by flash floods following a downpour that lasted more than two hours.

Turkey - Turkey’s northeastern provinces were hit by heavy rains this weekend, causing flash floods that submerged a number of vehicles. At least two trucks fell into a creek on amid torrential rain in the Yolaç village of the northeastern province of Trabzon. The construction site of a planned hydropower plant near Yolaç was also submerged in the downpours.

India - The flood situation in Assam, which had shown improvement over the last two days, has reversed with two more districts being affected by the rising waters, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said on Saturday. Vast tracts of land in Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts have been freshly inundated, taking the number of affected districts to six. A total of 2,22,792 people in 369 villages have been affected in the current wave of floods. The deluge has so far claimed 24 lives.

Wildfires

Wildfires - California, USA

Tehama County firefighters are tackling a fire that is burning a field near Sierra Pacific Industries in Red Bluff. It is called the Sierra Fire. Multiple homes and commercial buildings have been destroyed in Red Bluff due to the Stoll Fire, which is 300 acres in size and 35 percent contained. The Lane Fire has burned 2,500 acres off Highway 36 in Paynes Creek. Evacuations have been ordered. Power has been cut to about 10 000 customers in the Redding, Red Bluff and Chico areas as a safety measure.

Disease

Measles - Serbia

The Institute of Public Health of Serbia reported this week on the measles situation in the country. From Oct. 2017 through June 21, 2018, 5,598 measles cases were recorded, of which 2837 were laboratory confirmed at the Torlak Institute. During this time, 15 measles related deaths were registered. Thirty-three percent of the patients required hospitalization.

Measles- Japan - Update

Japan’s National International Health Regulations Focal Point (NFP) notified WHO of an ongoing outbreak of measles in Japan. From 1 January through 20 May 2018, 161 cases of measles were diagnosed, including 145 (90%) laboratory-confirmed cases.

Dengue Fever - Reunion - Update

In an update on the dengue fever epidemic on Reunion Island, health authorities report 325 additional cases during the week of June 4, bringing the outbreak total to 5,019. 102 people have required hospitalization and 13 people experienced severe dengue. Current weather conditions are still favorable for mosquitoes, especially in the lower parts of the island

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.4 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.4 earthquake hits offshore Sucre, Venezuela.

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.2 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.1 earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile.

5.0 earthquake hits the Java Sea.

5.0 earthquake hits south of Sumbawa, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

USA - Helicopters rescued people stranded by flooding in Montana, including 140 children and counselors stuck in a mountain bible camp for two days, as severe storms swept the Rockies and the Midwest. Montana was just drying out from spring flooding caused by near-record snowfall over the winter when a storm unleashed heavy rains last weekend. Flooding in Minnesota and South Dakota caused some road closures. In northwest Iowa, several roads were inundated and basements swamped by heavy rain. Flooding in Virginia forced Richmond International Airport and parts of nearby Interstate 64 to close Friday morning. Meanwhile, great swaths of Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado were experiencing extreme or exceptional drought, forcing recent closures of national forests and other public lands because of fire danger.

Ivory Coast - Update - The cleanup is continuing in Ivory Coast's southern city of Abidjan after torrential rain caused deadly flash flooding. According to the country's interior minister, 18 people died on Monday as flash floods raged through parts of the city, reaching a depth of 2.5 metres in some places. Two other people were reported killed in the provinces. On Thursday, the government called for the evacuation of all people living in flood-prone zones. Many parts of the city are vulnerable to flooding, from the up-market Cocody neighbourhood to the densely populated Yopougon area due mainly to lack of infrastructure, including drainage and sewerage.

Global Warming

Climate change drives spread of toxic algae in USA water supplies

Across the U.S., reservoirs that supply drinking water and lakes used for recreation are experiencing algae blooms which release toxins into the water with growing frequency. The trend represents another impact of global warming and raises looming questions about the effects on human health, researchers say.

Technically called cyanobacteria, the ancient class of organisms that create the blooms are present nearly everywhere water is found but thrive in warm, still bodies like lakes and ponds. They also create a unique class of toxins, the impact of which on humans is only partly understood.

Long linked to animal deaths, high doses of the toxins in humans can cause liver damage and attack the nervous system. In the largest outbreaks, hundreds have been sickened by blooms in reservoirs and lakes, and officials in some areas now routinely close water bodies used for recreation and post warnings when blooms occur.

In Lake Erie, a major bloom in 2014 caused authorities to warn against drinking tap water in Toledo, Ohio, for more than two days, cutting off the main water source for more than 400,000 people. Now blooms happen every year in Utah and Ohio. Other blooms, including flare-ups affecting drinking water, have been logged in recent years in New York, Florida and California. In Oregon, officials lifted Salem’s drinking water advisory after several days, but then had to reissue the warning. Testing for the blooms isn’t required by either federal or state law.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Oregon, USA

Some residents have been evacuated and others are on standby as the Graham and Boxcar wildfires burn in central Oregon.

About 2,000 acres are in flames after the Graham Fire spreads near Culver. The fire was first reported on Thursday. Some damage to structures was reported but it was not yet clear what type of buildings burned.

The Boxcar Fire, which started three miles south of Maupin in Central Oregon, closed part of U.S. Highway 197 and is expected to grow. A level 1 evacuation — meaning "get ready" — has been issued for East Maupin. The largest wildfire of the young season grew to 18,000 acres Friday afternoon.

Disease

Hepatitis A outbreak spreads to Ohio, USA

The hepatitis A outbreak associated with hundreds of cases in Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia has spread to Ohio, according to a news release from the Ohio Department of Health.

Ohio's numbers are not as high as those in surrounding states -- Kentucky reported a whopping 761 cases over an eight-month period -- but its 79 cases are "almost double the number of cases reported during all of last year," according to the release. Community health departments across the state will receive thousands of doses of the vaccine to help curb the disease's spread.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.1 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.7 earthquake hits Salta, Argentina.

5.4 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.4 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.1 earthquake hits Atacama, Chile.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Texas, USA - Days of torrential rain have led to widespread flooding in southeastern Texas, the state's worst floods since Hurricane Harvey last year. Since Tuesday, 5 to 10 inches of rain has fallen along the Texas coast from the border to around 125 miles south of Houston, with more than 15 inches in some areas, the National Weather Service said.

Illinois, USA - Heavy rains have led to some flooding and standing water on roadways across the Chicago area Thursday, especially in the south suburbs, and raised concerns for those living along the area's rivers. More bands of rain will move through the Chicago area overnight, bringing more rain. That has residents who live along the Fox River concerned.

Environment

Newly Nocturnal

The expanding human influence on the world is causing many animal species to be more active at night, while most people are sleeping.

“Humans are now this ubiquitous terrifying force on the planet, and we are driving all the other mammals back into the nighttime,” said University of California, Berkeley, researcher Kaitlyn Gaynor.

She and colleagues analyzed studies of 62 species on six continents and found that human activity, such as hunting and farming, triggered an increase of about 20 percent in nighttime activities. This includes animals that aren’t typically night owls.

Global Warming

Antarctica Is Getting Taller

Bedrock under Antarctica is rising more swiftly than ever recorded — about 1.6 inches (41 millimeters) upward per year. And thinning ice in Antarctica may be responsible.

That's because as ice melts, its weight on the rock below lightens. And over time, when enormous quantities of ice have disappeared, the bedrock rises in response, pushed up by the flow of the viscous mantle below Earth's surface, scientists reported in a new study.

These uplifting findings are both bad news and good news for the frozen continent.

The good news is that the uplift of supporting bedrock could make the remaining ice sheets more stable. The bad news is that in recent years, the rising earth has probably skewed satellite measurements of ice loss, leading researchers to underestimate the rate of vanishing ice by as much as 10 percent, the scientists reported.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 121 degrees Fahrenheit (49.4 degrees Celsius) in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 84.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 64.4 degrees Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica.

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 - British Columbia, Canada

The B.C. Wildfire Service says more than 100 new, mostly small, blazes started after lightning storms rolled across the province Wednesday.

Chief fire information officer Kevin Skrepnek says 113 fires have recorded, most of them due to lightning, and more fires are expected because a severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect across most of the B.C. Interior. He says erratic winds have the potential to fan existing fires or hamper aircraft trying to get crews or equipment to the flames, but there is also the possibility of heavy rain.

Wildfires - Washington, USA

The state Fire Marshall mobilized statewide resources early Thursday morning to fight a wildfire burning across 2,000 acres in Kittitas County. The fire has prompted a level 1 evacuation order because homes in the area are under threat. The fire - called the Milepost 22 fire - is burning grass and brush about two miles north of Vantage, which is just across the Columbia River along I-90. The fire broke out Wednesday afternoon. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Disease

Ebola – DR Congo

Swift response by health officials appears to have “largely contained” an Ebola outbreak that emerged earlier this year in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A pilot program of administering a new Ebola vaccine to everyone who came in contact with known patients seems to have halted the spread, officials say. But as many as 28 people may have been killed by the disease since it re-emerged in early April. However, the announcement of “containment” was made with cautious optimism.

Rift Valley fever – Kenya

The Kenyan Department of Veterinary Services has shut down abattoirs and quarantined all livestock in the Tana Delta area following a new Rift Valley Fever outbreak that has affected at least 20 goats. At least 13 people have died and 234 cases of RVF have been confirmed in north-eastern counties of Kenya since last week. The outbreak was confirmed through comprehensive lab tests.

Rinderpest in Bulgaria

Bulgaria on Thursday reported the first outbreak in the European Union of the highly contagious Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), on livestock farms in the village of Voden in southeastern Bulgaria, close to the border with Turkey.

The disease, also known as ovine rinderpest or sheep and goat plague, can have a severe impact on livestock, killing between 30 to 70 percent of the infected animals. Once introduced, the virus can infect up to 90 percent of an animal heard. The virus does not infect humans.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of13 June – 19 June 2018

Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that at 1105 on 13 June an event at Agung produced a dense ash plume that rose around 2 km above the crater rim and drifted SW and W. Based on analysis of the seismic data, the event lasted two minutes and 12 seconds. Another event was detected at 2115 on 15 June, though foggy conditions prevented estimations of the ash plume height; ash fell in areas W, including in Puregai (7 km W). The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) and the 4-km-radius exclusion zone was unchanged.

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that there were eight events at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 11-15 June, with ash plumes rising as high as 1.6 km above the crater rim. An explosive event at 0719 on 16 June 2018 generated an ash plume that rose 4.7 km (the first time that a plume rose over 4 km since 2 May 2017) and ejecting tephra as far as 1.1 km. A pyroclastic flow traveled down the SW flank. The last pyroclastic flow originated at the Showa Crater on 1 April 2018. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that low-level unrest at Cleveland continued during 13-19 June. Elevated surface temperatures were evident in satellite data on days when the area was cloud-free. Nothing unusual was observed in seismic or pressure sensor data. The Aviation colour Code remained at Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Advisory.

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on PVMBG observations and satellite data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 13-17 June ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.

Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Karymsky was last identified in satellite images on 20 May. The Aviation colour Code was lowered to Yellow (the second lowest level on a four-colour scale) on 15 June.

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that the eruption at Kilauea’s Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) and at Overlook Crater within Halema`uma`u Crater continued during 13-19 June. Lava fountaining and spatter was concentrated at Fissure 8, feeding lava flows that spread through Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens subdivisions, and built out the coastline where the fast-moving flow entered the ocean in the area of the former Kapoho Bay. Minor lava activity at Fissures 16/18 was occasionally noted, and spattering was visible at Fissure 6 on 16 June. Hawai‘i County Civil Defense reported that by 17 June a total of 533 homes had been destroyed due to lava flows.

Inward slumping of the crater rim and walls of Halema`uma`u continued, adjusting from the withdrawal of magma and subsidence of the summit area. Steam plumes rose from areas in the crater as well as from circumferential cracks adjacent to the crater. Summit explosions occurred daily, producing ash plumes that rose as high as 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. On 18 June residents reported feeling a large earthquake at 0613 and hearing roaring. The event was followed by an ash plume rising to 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l.

Fountaining at Fissure 8 was stable; lava fountains rose as high 60 m from a 52-m-high spatter cone. Pele's hair and other volcanic glass from the fountaining fell within Leilani Estates. The fountains continued to feed the fast-moving lava flow that traveled NE, and then SE around Kapoho Crater, and into the ocean. Occasional overflows sent small flows down the sides of the channel. Lava entering the ocean built a lava delta that by 16 June was just over 130 hectares in area. A plume of laze rose from the entry points. An area of thermal upwelling in the ocean out from the visible lava-delta front was visible, suggesting lava flowing on the ocean floor.

Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Klyuchevskoy was identified in satellite images during 13-14 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and wind model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 17 June an ash plume from Langila rose to an altitude of 2.4 km (8,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W.

Pacaya | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH and CONRED reported that during 13 and 16-18 June Strombolian explosions at Pacaya’s Mackenney Crater ejected material as high as 50 m above the crater rim. An ash plume rose 3.5 km above the summit and drifted 10 km N and NE.

Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosions at Sabancaya averaged 19 per day during 11-17 June. Hybrid earthquakes were infrequent and low magnitude. Gas-and-ash plumes rose as high as 1.4 km above the crater rim and drifted 30 km S and SE. The MIROVA system detected two thermal anomalies, and on 14 June the sulfur dioxide gas flux was high at 4,300 tons/day. The report noted that the public should not approach the crater within a 12-km radius.

Santa Maria | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that on 13 June lahars descended Nimá I drainage on the S flank of Santa María's Santiaguito lava-dome complex. The lahars were 15-18 m wide and 1-2 m deep, and carried blocks 1.5 m in diameter and tree branches. CONRED noted that a Yellow Alert Level was declared for Quetzaltenango (18 km WNW) on 16 June due to continuing rains and an increased threat of lahars. Weak explosions during 16-18 June generated diffuse ash plumes that rose 700 m above the complex and drifted SW and W.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 13-14 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Sinabung | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that at 0700 on 15 June an event at Sinabung produced an ash plume that rose at least 500 m above the crater rim and drifted ESE. The Alert Level remained at 4 (on a scale of 1-4), with a general exclusion zone of 3 km and extensions of 7 km on the SSE sector, 6 km in the ESE sector, and 4 km in the NNE sector.

Yasur | Vanuatu : Based on webcam images, satellite data, and local visual observations the Wellington VAAC reported that during 14-15 and 17-18 June intermittent, low-level ash plumes from Yasur rose to altitudes of 0.9-1.2 km (3,000-4,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SW, W, and N.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 earthquake hits Tonga.

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.2 earthquake hits Tonga.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Texas, USA - Heavy rains along the Texas coast have caused flooding in areas that were hit hard by Hurricane Harvey less than a year ago. Flash flooding was reported in Hidalgo County, already saturated with 4 to 6 inches of rain. Flash flood watches are also in effect for areas south of Houston to Brownsville, at the Mexican border, with flash flood warnings popping up as storms flare.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of13 June – 19 June 2018

Fernandina | Ecuador : IG reported that a seismic swarm at Fernandina began at 0837 on 16 June. Nine earthquakes stronger than M 2.5 were detected with the largest event, a M 4.1, located NE of the island at a depth of 4 km. An eruption that began between 1100 and 1115 was confirmed by guides on a passing boat passing, and by thermal anomalies identified in satellite images. The eruption occurred from a radial fissure on the NNE flank, producing gas plumes with low ash content that rose 2-3 km and drifted more than 250 km WNW. Lava flows reached the sea within a few hours. After two days of intense eruptive activity, tremor levels decreased significantly, thermal anomalies decreased (though continued to remain intense), and a significant drop in sulfur dioxide emissions was recorded.

Fuego | Guatemala : During 13-19 June INSIVUMEH and CONRED reported that strong lahars at Fuego were often hot, steaming, and had a sulfur odor, and were generated from heavy rains and the recent accumulation of pyroclastic-flow deposits from the 3 June events. Lahars descended the Cenizas (SSW), Las Lajas (SE), Mineral, Santa Teresa (W), El Gobernador, and Taniluyá (SW) drainages. They were 20-45 m wide, as deep as 3 m, and often carried blocks up to 3 m in diameter, tree trunks, and branches. On 14 June lahars disrupted communication in the communities of Morelia (9 km SW), Panimaché I and II (8 km SW), Santa Sofia (12 km SW), El Porvenir (8 km ENE), Yucales, and Sangré de Cristo (8 km WSW), all of Yepocapa (8 km N), and Chimaltenango (21 km NNE), requiring assistance from the Army. Water levels in the Pantaleón River began to rapidly rise in the afternoon of 17 June.

During 16-19 June as many as seven explosions per hour produced ash plumes that rose as high as 1.2 km above the crater and drifted as far as 15 km W, SW, and S. Some explosions were heard in areas within a 10-km radius. Avalanches of material descended the Santa Teresa, Las Lajas, and Cenizas drainages during 17-18 June, producing ash plumes, and ashfall in Panimache, Morelia, Sangre de Cristo, and finca Palo Verde. According to CONRED, as of 19 June, the number of people confirmed to have died due to the 3 June pyroclastic flows remained at 110, and 197 more were missing. In addition, 12,823 people had been evacuated.

Great Sitkin | Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that satellite images captured after the short-lived steam explosion at Great Sitkin on 10 June indicated minor changes in the summit crater, characterized by possible new fumaroles in the N part of the main crater and slightly more vigorous steaming at pre-existing fumaroles. Seismicity declined to background levels during 15-16 June.

Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) :PVMBG reported that during 14-19 June white-to-gray plumes rose 200-600 m above Ibu’s crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to stay at least 2 km away from the active crater, and 3.5 km away on the N side.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.2 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits Jujuy, Argentina.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Ivory Coast - Fifteen people were killed in Abidjan, Ivory Coast's economic capital, in flooding caused by torrential rain overnight. Rain poured down from 11pm on Monday night to 6am Tuesday, causing flash floods up to 2.5 metres deep. Rescue teams saved 115 people and searches were underway for other casualties. A city of five million, Abidjan suffers from infrastructure problems and many homes are built in flood-prone areas.

India - Over the past few days, floods have hit several states, claiming the lives of at least 25 people and displacing hundreds of thousands of hapless citizens. In Assam, the biggest state in the region, the deluge has reportedly affected nearly 550,000 people (pdf). Due to the heavy downpour, many roads and bridges have already been damaged, even as the Brahmaputra river, which flows through the state, has been inching towards the danger level. The neighbouring states of Manipur and Tripura have also been affected, with flooding forcing thousands into relief camps. However, the situation is said to be improving in these states, with river levels slowly receding.

Wildlife

There Are More 'Pet' Tigers Than There Are in the Wild

Thousands more tigers may be living in private captivity or as exotic pets in the United States alone than there are anywhere in the wild, based on shocking estimates from a number of conservation organizations, Smithsonian recently reported.

Estimates of the U.S. pet-tiger population range from 5,000 to 7,000, according Born Free USA, an animal advocacy organization. Meanwhile, the worldwide wild tiger population is about 3,900, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Wildfires

Wildfires - Malaysia

Wildfires are flaring up in the Miri Division in northern Sarawak yet again, especially in the Kuala Baram district notorious for its annual haze.

Over the weekend, the Miri Fire and Rescue Department had to deal with three separate cases of big wildfires that raged in three different locations in and around Kuala Baram.

There are certain people who go around setting fires to clear bushland due to the hot weather, according to local authorities.

Disease

Toxoplasmosis – Brazil

The number of confirmed cases of toxoplasmosis in Santa Maria, in the Central Region of Rio Grande do Sul, rose to 569, according to a report released Monday (June / 2018) by the municipal and state health departments. According to the document, of the confirmed cases, 50 are pregnant women.

Cholera – Nigeria

At least 10 people have died of cholera in a new outbreak that has affected 60 more people in the Niger State of central Nigeria. In a short statement, the Niger State government health department said the outbreak is confined to the Bida local government area.

Foot and Mouth Disease - Botswana

Botswana notified its trading partners on Tuesday of a suspected outbreak of foot and mouth disease in cattle in its Ngamiland district and said it had banned meat exports from the area, adding there was no impact on exports to the European Union.

African Swine Fever - Latvia

A second outbreak of African swine fever (ASF) among domestic pigs this year has been registered Strautini farm in Kursisi county, Saldus region in western Latvia, the Latvian Food and Veterinary Service said. A quarantine zone has been established, and biosafety measures in nearby farms will be scrutinized.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.1 earthquake hits the Mayotte region.

5.0 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic Ridge.

5.0 earthquake hits Kepulauan Mentawai, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Post-tropical Cyclone Carlotta is located about 95 mi...150 km w of Lazaro Cardenas Mexico with maximum sustained winds...25 mph...35 km/h. Present movement...nw or 315 degrees at 3 mph...6 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Burma (Myanmar) - More than 5800 people have been evacuated in Mon State following heavy rainfall and flooding yesterday. Seventeen temporary shelters have been built for people affected by the floods in the Mon State capital Mawlamyine, south east of Rangoon. The area had 13.7 inches of rainfall and floods have swept through the town due to the heavy rain causing the rivers to rise. Flooding in southern Myanmar has caused a landslide at a famed Buddhist pagoda, submerged homes and displaced hundreds of people as monsoon rains batter the country. Several parts of Myanmar's southern Mon state are facing flash floods due to heavy rains since the weekend with no relief in sight. The landslide damaged the hilltop Kyeik Than Lan pagoda, whose golden stupa towers over the state capital Mawlamyine.

Wildlife

Toxoplasmosis: Death of monk seals

Officials with the Hawai‘i Departments of Health (DOH) & Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) say that the three tragic deaths of endangered Hawaiian monk seals on O‘ahu due to toxoplasmosis is very sad and could have been entirely preventable.

Health Director Dr. Bruce Anderson said, “The only thing certain about toxoplasmosis is that there are far more cases in humans and more deaths in seals, dolphins, native birds and other animals today than are recognized and reported. Since cats are the only animal that transmit the disease, it only makes sense that reducing the number of feral cats will reduce the risk of infection and serious illness or death”.

In addition to preying on native wildlife, cats pose a significant health risk to people, marine wildlife and birds. Feeding cats at state parks, boat harbors and other coastal areas increases the risk of transmission because the cysts don’t need to travel very far to get into the ocean.

With only an estimated 1,400 Hawaiian monk seals still in existence, we simply cannot afford to lose even one of these critically endangered mammals to a disease that is preventable.

Global Warming

300,000 coastal homes in USA at risk from rising seas

Hundreds of thousands of homes along U.S. coasts are at risk of devastating coastal flooding over the next 30 years as climate change causes oceans to rise, according to a new study.

About 311,000 coastal homes, worth about $120 billion, are at risk of chronic flooding, the Union of Concerned Scientists, a science advocacy group, said in the report released Monday.

By the end of the century, homes and businesses currently worth more than $1 trillion — including those in Miami, New York's Long Island and the San Francisco Bay area — could be at risk.

States with the most homes at risk by the end of the century are Florida, with about 1 million homes (more than 10 percent of the state's current residential properties); New Jersey, with 250,000 homes; and New York with 143,000 homes.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Colorado USA - Update

The 416 Fire burning near Durango, Colorado, reached 34,161 acres by Sunday, June 17, the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team said in an update. More than 1,000 fire personnel were deployed to combat the fire, which was 30 percent contained. Evacuated residents in the Hermosa area were able to return home Sunday. Pre-evacuation notices for certain areas were also lifted. Evacuation and pre-evacuation orders for the Falls Creek area, however, remained in effect.

The 416 Fire began some 10 miles north of Durango at around 10 a.m. local time June 1. It was not expected to be fully contained until July 31.

At least five other fires were also burning in Colorado Monday, including the Horse Park Fire at 1,221 acres and the Burro Fire at 3,715 acres. The Horse Park Fire, southwest of Norwood, was 91 percent contained Monday. The Burro Fire, burning near Bear Creek in the San Juan National Forest, was only 12 percent contained.

Disease

Measles et al - Liberia

Sixty-one cases of measles have been confirmed in 13 counties of Liberia amid fresh outbreaks of Lassa fever, Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP), neo-natal tetanus, meningitis and yellow fever.

Four cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) have been confirmed in four counties. To date, 31 cases have been reported. Of these, 26 cases have tested negative while test results for 5 are still pending.

Two cases of yellow fever have been confirmed in the Grand Cape Mount and River Gee counties. Forty-four of 48 suspected cases have tested negative while results from two are still pending.

9 suspected Lassa fever cases were reported from the Bong, Margibi, Montserrado and Nimba counties. To date, 116 suspected cases have been reported with 33 deaths.

Typhoid - El Salvador

El Salvador Minister of Public Health said that there is an epidemic outbreak of typhoid fever that has affected some 26 municipalities in the country. Deputy Minister Julio Tobles Ticas with the El Salvador Ministry of Health and Social Assistance (Minsal) was more specific saying they have registered 644 suspected cases of typhoid fever, to date.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.9 earthquake hits Easter Island.

5.6 earthquake hits Guatemala.

5.4 earthquake is south of Fiji.

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.3 earthquake hits near the south coast of western Honshu, Japan.

5.3 earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.2 earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.1 earthquake hits Pakistan.

5.1 earthquake hits south east of the Loyalty Islands.

5.0 earthquake hits Myanmar.

5.0 earthquake hits the Batan Island region, Philippines.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression Carlotta is located about 35 mi...55 km sw of Lazaro Cardenas Mexico with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...nw or 305 degrees at 5 mph...7 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, USA - Heavy rains and flash flooding caused severe damage in northern Michigan Saturday night into Sunday morning. Massive sinkholes opened up and some roads were completely washed out. Lines of thunderstorms crawled across northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin on Sunday after overnight flash flooding washed out roads and highways, as a heat wave sent temperatures into the high 90s elsewhere in the Midwest. The National Weather Service issued flood warnings from east-central Minnesota across northwestern Wisconsin because of the potential for rainfall rates exceeding 2 inches per hour in some places.

Global Warming

New Un Report Says Global Warming To Exceed Paris Agreement Limits

A draft of a report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (I.P.C.C.) says the world is on course to exceed the global warming limits set by the 2015 Paris Agreement.

The Paris Agreement, signed by almost 200 nations, had asked signatories to commit to a goal of limiting global warming to well below a rise of 2°C above pre-industrial times while “pursuing efforts” for the tougher 1.5° goal.

Reuters obtained an exclusive copy of the draft report which stated that temperatures are already up 1°C and rising about 0.2°C a decade. “If emissions continue at their present rate, human-induced warming will exceed 1.5°C by around 2040,” according to the report.

Disease

Japanese encephalitis – Taiwan

In a follow-up on the Japanese encephalitis situation in Taiwan, the Taiwan Centers for Disease Control (Taiwan CDC) announced 7 new Japanese encephalitis cases confirmed in Taiwan last week bringing the total to 12.

Bird Flu - China

Coined ‘Disease X’, a new strain of bird flu - H7N9 - has sparked fears of a major outbreak among scientists, having already infected more than 1600 people. Symptoms of infection include fever, coughing, shortness of breath, pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, septic shock, and organ failure. The virus has already killed 623 people within China.

At this time, the H7N9 can’t be spread between humans - and can only be contracted from contact with birds. However, experts suspect as few as three mutations could result in a human-to-human contagion - and potentially a worldwide pandemic.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.1 earthquake hits Mindanao, Philippines.

5.0 earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 earthquake hits Northern Qinghai, China.

5.0 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic Ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm Carlotta is located about 75 mi...125 km se of Zihuatanejo Mexico with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...nw or 310 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.

NewsBytes:

India - The flood situation in Assam worsened on Saturday as four more people lost their lives, taking the death toll in the region to 17, officials said. Over 4.25 lakh people have been affected in Assam's Hojai, Karbi Anglong East, Karbi Anglong West, Golaghat, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar districts. Currently, 716 villages are under water and 3,292 hectares of crop areas have been damaged. Numerous landslides have disrupted road and rail traffic.

New Zealand - The Karangahake Gorge on the Coromandel Peninsula has been hit by heavy rains and flooding. More heavy rain is expected to hit Northland, Auckland and the northern half of the Coromandel Peninsula over the next few days.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images

This perfectly symmetrical mushroom=shaped cloud was photographed by Gulf Shores, Alabama resident Rick Geiss from his local beach. This fluffy behemoth is actually a common type of storm cloud called a cumulus congestus.

Disease

Dengue fever – Reunion

With an additional 351 confirmed and probable dengue fever cases in the past week, the total cases now stand at 4,604 since the beginning of the year. The epidemic continues in the West and the South.

Rift Valley fever – Rwanda

The Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture has recently confirmed an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever (RVF) in cattle in three districts of East Province: Ngoma, Kirehe, and Kyonza.

Lassa Fever - Liberia

The National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) is responding to Lassa fever outbreak in the country. Cases of Lassa fever are on the increase in the Lassa belt (Bong, Nimba, and Grand Bassa Counties. Four (4) new confirmed cases have been reported.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 earthquake hits Samoa.

5.6 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic Ridge.

5.5 earthquake hits Fiji.

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.2 earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.2 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.2 earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Post-Tropical Cyclone Bud is located about 150 mi...245 km sse of Guaymas Mexico and about 75 mi...120 km e of Loreto Mexico with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...n or 355 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

Tropical Storm Carlotta is located about 80 mi...130 km sse of Acapulco Mexico and about 70 mi...110 km wsw of Punta Maldonado Mexico with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...stationary.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression (td) 08w (Gaemi), located approximately 64 nm east-northeast of Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan is tracking eastward at 17 knots.

NewsBytes:

France - The shrine at Lourdes has been evacuated after torrential rain caused flash floods at the site. Thirteen départments in France are on orange alert for heavy rain and flooding that has caused chaos across the country. Roads have been destroyed and a train was derailed south of Paris after being hit by the landslide. There are also fears that the Tour de France will have to be re-routed due to the damage. The Lourdes shrine last flooded five years ago, when authorities had to evacuate 200 people who were camping near the site after the Gave de Pau river suddenly rose.

Environment

Lighting Hazard

Greater care may need to be taken in choosing the color of outdoor LED lighting across Earth’s landscapes, as scientists warn that some hues of the modern-day lighting can be harmful to wildlife.

Researchers have spent years documenting how the brightness, color and direction of LED light affects migration, species attraction, predator-prey relationships and circadian rhythms.

A new study led by the University of Southern California finds that blue and white have the worst impacts, while the warmer yellow, amber and green LEDs are more benign.

Some creatures, like insects and sea turtles, are especially vulnerable.

Disease

Measles - Sierra Leone

The Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation has confirmed a new outbreak of measles with 19 confirmed cases registered in the Koinadugu north of the country. There is a high risk of the disease spreading beyond Sierra Leone because the affected district lies on the border with Guinea.

Cyclospora - USA

In a follow-up on the Cyclospora outbreak in the upper-Midwest, health officials from both Wisconsin and Minnesota are reporting increases in cases of the parasitic infection.

In Wisconsin, the bulk of the 98 Cyclospora cases reported this year have been in the past couple weeks. Health officials say dozens of cases are being reported daily and interviews with recently reported patients may not yet be completed.

In Minnesota, state health officials have identified two outbreaks together involving at least three dozen Minnesotans.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

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

5.4 earthquake hits the Alamagan region, North Mariana Islands.

5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.

5.0 earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm Bud is located about 30 mi...50 km nne of La Paz Mexico with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...n or 355 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.

Tropical Depression Four-E is located about 110 mi...180 km s of Acapulco Mexico with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...stationary.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression (td) 08w (Gaemi), located approximately 115 nm south of Taipei, Taiwan, is tracking east-northeastward at 12 knots.

Tropical Storm (ts) 07w (Seven), located approximately 132 nm northeast of Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan is tracking east-northeastward at 35 knots.

NewsBytes:

Lebanon - Heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday resulted in massive floods at the Christian village of Ras Baalbak in the northern Bekka Valley of Lebanon, where at least one person, Shahira Balis, was killed, as mud and water broke into her home. The village’s electricity system was disrupted completely, as the floods knocked down all electricity polls, and destroyed a still unaccounted number of shops, fields, crops, and merchandise. School walls collapsed, and cars were smashed by the floods, while trees were uprooted. The ceilings of many older homes caved in.

India - Floods triggered by heavy rainfall over the past three days have claimed the lives of 12 people in the Northeast and affected nearly four lakh people across the region. Several rivers are flowing above danger level and landslides, submerged roads and railways tracks have affected movement of traffic at several places and led to cancellations of some trains. According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority, seven districts — Hojai, Karbi Anglong East, Karbi Anglong West, Golaghat, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar — have been affected. Nearly 36,000 displaced people are residing in 116 relief camps.

Global Warming

Carbon Collecting

Recent advances in removing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air have significantly brought down the cost, with one process having the ability to create synthetic fuel.

Carbon Engineering’s pilot facility in western Canada has been extracting about one ton of CO2 per day at a cost of about $100 per ton, far less than the prevailing price of about $600 per ton.

While the captured carbon can be stored in stone deep underground, Carbon Engineering says it can use renewable energy to take hydrogen from water and combine it with the collected carbon to create a synthetic liquid fuel.

The Bill Gates-funded company says it is already making about one barrel a day with that process.