Swine Flu Outbreak in Leicester - UK
A hospital is dealing with a "significant" outbreak of swine flu among 14 cancer patients.
The patients on three wards at Leicester Royal Infirmary are being treated for the condition, while another three people with the illness - a child and two adults - are being treated at the city's Glenfield hospital.
All 17 people have been diagnosed with having the H1N1 flu strain of influenza, better known as swine flu.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
Tropical cyclone 11p (Winston), located approximately 474 nm south-southwest of Suva, Fiji, is tracking east-southeastward at 13 knots.
Tropical cyclone 12p (Tatiana), located approximately 386 nm east-northeast of Brisbane, Australia, is tracking south-southwestward at 17 knots.
Tropical cyclone 13s (Uriah), located approximately 295 nm west-southwest of Cocos Island, Australia, is tracking west-southwestward at 11 knots.
NewsBytes:
UK - The Thames River burst its banks yesterday as heavy rain hit the UK, and there are 16 flood alerts put in place on the river by the Environment Agency. Parts of the UK are set to plummet to temperatures as low as -15C over the next few days, with some expecting considerable amounts of snow and flooding. Britain is set for up to four inches of snow over a freezing Valentine's Day weekend, as cold showers are set to hit both the north and south of the country. The Met Office has issued yellow warning for snow and ice in the north of England and Scotland, and said that are a lot colder than normal for the time of year. Severe weather warnings have also been issued for large parts of northern Scotland warning drivers to take care in potentially hazardous conditions and to expect travel disruption.
Kenya - Three people died in Kajiado County on Friday night after flash floods wreaked havoc in the region. In the first incident, a man and his wife who were travelling in their personal car were swept away by flood waters at Kisaju area. Rescuers are still working to recover the body of the man. In a second incident, a Swedish tourist was swept away by raging flood waters at Kandisi area in Ongata Rongai. His body was recovered Saturday morning. Several rivers in Kajiado County have burst their banks following heavy rainfall in the region. Several goats and sheep were swept away by the flash floods ; houses and flower farms were also destroyed by the flooding. The heavy rains have also affected other parts of the country with Nairobi City, parts of central Kenya and the South Rift being most affected.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
No current tropical storms.
NewsBytes:
Australia - Port Lincoln is experiencing severe flooding after being hit by the remnants of Cyclone Stan more than 3,200km away. The city located on the Eyre Peninsula in the Australian experienced strong rainfall after ex-Cyclone Stan crossed the South Australian border last night. The rain has hampered drivers and businesses with reports that there was 50mm of rain recorded at 9am with an additional 20mm recorded at lunchtime.
Atlantic Ocean - Global Weather Oscillations says the 2016 - 2017 Atlantic hurricane season will be the strongest in over 4 years. GWO has issued the most accurate predictions of any organization over the past 7 years, and says - unlike the past three hurricane seasons that were dominated by hostile atmospheric conditions that subdued hurricane activity since 2013, and during the 2015 El Niño season - The next few years will be in a “Climate Pulse Hurricane Enhancement Cycle” that will provide very favourable conditions for development of tropical storms and hurricanes.
Argentina - An invasion of poisonous snakes washed downriver in recent floods forced authorities to close beaches to summer holidaymakers in northern Argentina, officials said Monday. Floodwaters in the Rio Plata and Rio Parana carried a species of water lily and with it countless crawling, slithering creatures, south to beaches at the mouths of those rivers near Buenos Aires.
United Kingdom - Village suffers 'biblical' non stop rain for 81 DAYS and even the livestock are 'depressed'. Rain has fallen every day in the Welsh village of Eglwyswrw since October 26 and residents, farmers and their animals are all fed up.
Australia - Darling Downs residents have been warned to brace for a massive storm and 'super cell' expected to reach the region tomorrow, bringing with it damaging weather conditions. Higgins Storm Chasers have issued a warning with a surface and upper trough bringing large hail, up to 8cm in diameter, damaging winds over 90 km/hr, heavy rain with flash flooding and frequent lightning. The system will peak on Friday as a very potent storm set up.
USA - Winter storm in Midwest; tornadoes punch Deep South - Heavy snow and high winds continued to sweep across much of the Midwest with near-blizzard force on Tuesday, causing highway closures in Nebraska and flight cancellations in Colorado. Nasty weather also hammered the South, with tornado warnings issued in Mississippi and Alabama. At least two tornadoes hit Mississippi.
Ethiopia - 'Fish Rain' in Dire Dawa. Unusual fish-rain occurred on Sunday at 11; 30 pm in Dire Dawa City Eastern part of Ethiopia for a few minutes both in rural and urban areas. This typically happens when a cyclone offshore sucks up water from the ocean along with fish and deposits the moisture as rain over land.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) - Update
On 18 June 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of Thailand notified WHO of the country’s first confirmed case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Between 8 and 10 July 2015, the National IHR Focal Point of the Republic of Korea notified WHO of 2 additional deaths but no new cases of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
On 6 July 2015, the IHR National Focal Point of the Philippines notified WHO of 1 laboratory-confirmed case of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Bird Flu in UK
Tens of thousands of chickens are being slaughtered on a poultry farm after a suspected bird flu outbreak. A control zone has also been set up 10km around a Lancashire farm to prevent any risk of the disease spreading but up to 170,000 laying hens are expected to be humanely culled as a precautionary measure.
Scientists have yet to discover what strain of flu is involved. Some strains of avian influenza, particularly the H5N1 form, are known to have jumped the species barrier and resulted in more than 300 human deaths worldwide.
But advice from Public Health England is that the risk to public health is "very low", while the Food Standards Agency says there are no food safety threats for consumers.
Comet to appear in UK skies
A bright comet could be visible in the skies above the UK on 12 - 13 March - as long as it's not cloudy!
The icy mass, nicknamed "C/2011 L4 Pan-Starrs" should be visible with binoculars or a telescope.
Astronomers in countries like Australia have already spotted the comet and some reports say it was as bright as the stars in the Plough.
Uk Deer Numbers Spiralling Out Of Control
Current efforts to control Britain's increasing deer numbers are not enough to stop populations spreading out of control, according to research by the University of East Anglia.
There are now more deer in Britain than at any time since the Ice Age.
Without natural predators, populations are continuing to rise, causing a serious threat to biodiversity. High numbers of deer can threaten woodland birds, carry infections such as Lyme disease, damage crops and cause road traffic accidents.
Tropical Cyclone Felleng (13s) was located approximately 460 nm north of La Reunion. Felleng is predicted to continue to intensify as it nears Madagascar. Felleng will travel between eastern Madagascar and La Reunion Island by Feb. 1.
Landslide in Turkey
At least seven people have been killed in a landslide in Turkey. The landslide also hit a football pitch in Sirnak, Turkey.
Flooding in UK
Flooding has been reported in Devon, Somerset and south-east Wales. Heavy rain and strong wind warnings have been issued in these regions.
Flooding in Ireland
Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in the Spanish Arch, Galway city of Ireland.
The gale force winds, high tides and heavy rain caused flash flooding in Galway city. Galway city is currently on high alert.
Floods also closed Wolfe Tone Bridge and Lough Atalia Road.
Flooding in Queensland, Australia
Massive summer floods have killed four people and forced thousands of people to evacuate their homes across two Australian states on Tuesday, disrupting air and rail travel and coal production.
A deluge fed by the ex-tropical cyclone Oswald dumped more than 200 millimetres (8 inches) of rain in some areas of the Queensland and New South Wales states over the past three days, swelling rivers and swamping towns.
The worst-hit areas were around Bundaberg, Rockhampton and Ipswich in the Queensland state, and around the northern New South Wales towns of Grafton and Lismore.
A fleet of 14 helicopters rescued more than 1,000 people across Queensland overnight and rescue efforts continued on Tuesday.
Natural disaster areas has been declared in ten local government areas hit by flooding in northern NSW.
Russia’s Coldest Winter Since 1938
Russia is enduring its harshest winter in over 70 years, with temperatures plunging as low as -50 degrees Celsius. Dozens of people have already died, and almost 150 have been hospitalized, with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees lower than the seasonal norm all over Russia. The cold spell, along with snowfalls, has disrupted flights all over the country, and led to huge traffic jams. In the southern city of Rostov-on-Don some highways were closed due to snowfalls over the past two days, triggering a traffic collapse. Over the weekend, meteorologists predict temperatures will plunge even lower in the Moscow region, hitting -25.
Flooding in UK
At least six regions across the UK are still under a flood alert as more heavy rain swells already flooded rivers.
Snowstorms in Russia
-Snowstorms in Russia have killed 21 people. Other 147 others were hospitalized with frostbite.
-Daytime temperatures vary from -17 to -20 in Moscow and minus 50 in Siberia.
- Ice from the local river has plugged water pipes. People in town of Balashov, Saratov region were left without water.
Flooding in Cork and Waterford, Ireland
-Heavy rainfall caused flooding in Cork and Waterford region of Ireland.
-Rain water also caused flooding on the Killarney Road at the Racecourse in Mallow.
-Ballea Road from Carrigaline to Ballygarvan is impassable. Flood affected Waterford in Dungarvan at Garrenbane School.
Flooding in Scotland, United Kingdom
-The Met Office has issued 24-hour severe weather alert for flooding in the east from midnight. Rainfall up to 50mm is forecast.
Snowstorms in Colorado, USA
-Heavy snowstorm caused delay of flights at Denver International Airport.
-The National Weather Service has forecast 3-8 inches of snow in southern Utah and northern Arizona from Tuesday to Wednesday, and 6-8 inches of snow in some parts of Colorado.
-The Utah Avalanche Center has also issued a warning for dangerous backcountry snowslides in northern Utah's mountains.
Death toll from Sri Lanka flood has risen to 16. Other 14 are still reported to be missing. Following Disaster Management Centre, some 175,558 individuals are reported to be affected by the floods.
The remains of tropical cyclone Evan are forecast to bring heavy rain over Manawatu on New Zealand's North Island on Christmas Day. Tropical Cyclone Evan is increasingly likely to pass close to northern New Zealand. Evan wreaked havoc in Samoa and Fiji, and forecasts are predicting heavy rain for the north of the North Island on Sunday.
