Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain): Seismic activity of the island has been calm over the past weeks. The number of daily small earthquakes continues to be weakly elevated, with hypocentres clustered under the central and western parts of the island.

Mauna Loa (Big Island, Hawai'i): The latest update of the USGS mentions that minor inflation of a shallow magma reservoir beneath Mauna Loa may be occurring. Seismicity rates were slightly elevated. However, the level of observed seismicity is far from alarming and the alert level remains at green. No eruption is expected in the near future.

Kilauea (Hawai'i): No significant changes in activity have occurred over the past weeks. The summit is currently in a phase of slow inflation while the lava lake level in Halema'uma'u remained fairly steady. The 2 lava flow fields fed from Pu'u 'O'o continue to be active: on the middle east rift zone, the Kahauale`a II lava flow was recently conquering new land and burning forest north of Pu`u `O`o. Southeast of Pu`u `O`o, the Peace Day flow had active breakouts at the base of the pali and on the coastal plain. Most of the flow, however, stayed within its lava tube until reaching the ocean on both the east and west sides of the Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park boundary. Gas emissions from the volcano remained elevated.

Veniaminof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): Seismic tremor continued to slowly but steadily increase yesterday, then dropped temporarily and has been increasing again today. AVO reports an intermittent, low-level steam plume issuing from the central cone within the caldera. No elevated surface temperature were visible in satellite images. No other activity was confirmed by AVO.

Pavlov (Alaska Peninsula, USA): Ash emissions continue, and possibly, a small lava flow is effusing from the summit. Seismic tremor and explosion signals are recorded by AVO and intermittent elevated surface temperatures consistent with lava effusion were observed over the past day in satellite images. (AVO)

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): A cluster of several (7) volcanic earthquakes up to magnitudes 2.4 has occurred this morning, perhaps heralding some more vigorous activity in he near future. Apart from this, activity has remained stable with about 2 weak steam-gas-sometimes ash-containing explosions per hour. A steam plume often rises about 1 km above the volcano.

Fuego (Guatemala): INSIVUMEH reports no significant changes in activity. 9 strombolian-type explosions with incandescent bombs ejected to 100 m and ash plumes rising about 500 m were observed during the past 24 hours.

Telica (Nicaragua): Seismicity has been at low levels recently. Today's seismogram is shown for comparison (see updates from earlier this year).

San Cristobal (Nicaragua): Seismic activity has returned to normal (low) levels.

Cerro Negro (Nicaragua): Seismic activity has returned to low levels.

Nyiragongo (DRCongo): A very large SO2 plume is visible hovering over the East Virunga region around Nyiragongo on NOAA's satellite data today. This leaves no doubt that the volcano's lava lake is still very active.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.2 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.0 Earthquake hits Guatemala.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Tropical storm Yagi was located about 279 nm south-southwestward of Yokosuka, Japan. Yagi is expected to die out well before it reaches any land, according to the latest Japanese forecasts and Joint Typhoon Warning Center updates. Yagi is tracking further east than earlier forecast.

Sandstorm in Nevada, USA

A sandstorm in Northern Nevada has killed one and injured two others. The sandstorm caused a 26-vehicle pileup on Interstate 80 about 160 miles northeast of Reno.

Deadly Lightning in Nepal

Lightning strike in Baglung, Nepal has claimed the lives of at least two people with at least nine people having been injured of which three are in critical condition.

Submerged Village - Germany

As cars and homes lie abandoned, this was the scene of devastation today at Fischbeck in central Germany after the entire village became submerged when a dyke burst.

Unable to withstand pressure from the swollen river Elbe after weeks of heavy rain, the levee was breached overnight, prompting officials to evacuate ten villages in the area.

Global Warming

Global Warming To Rise To 3.6-5.3 Degree Celsius

The world is not on track to limit the global temperature increase to 2 degrees Celsius, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a report on Monday, which warns that unless more is done to tackle energy sector emissions, the international community will see a spike in temperature increase of between 3.6 and 5.3 degree Celsius.

IEA urged governments to swiftly enact four energy policies that would keep climate goals alive without harming economic growth.

"Climate change has quite frankly slipped to the back burner of policy priorities. But the problem is not going away - quite the opposite," IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven said in London at the launch of a World Energy Outlook Special Report, Redrawing the Energy-Climate Map, which highlights the need for intensive action before 2020.

Noting that the energy sector accounts for around two-thirds of global greenhouse-gas emissions, she added: "This report shows that the path we are currently on is more likely to result in a temperature increase of between 3.6 °C and 5.3 °C but also finds that much more can be done to tackle energy-sector emissions without jeopardizing economic growth, an important concern for many governments."

New estimates for global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2012 reveal a 1.4% increase, reaching a record high of 31.6 gigatonnes (Gt), but also mask significant regional differences. In the United States, a switch from coal to gas in power generation helped reduce emissions by 200 million tonnes (Mt), bringing them back to the level of the mid-1990s. China experienced the largest growth in CO2 emissions (300 Mt), but the increase was one of the lowest it has seen in a decade, driven by the deployment of renewables and improvements in energy intensity. Despite increased coal use in some countries, emissions in Europe declined by 50 Mt. Emissions in Japan increased by 70 Mt.

The new IEA report presents the results of a 4-for-2 °C Scenario, in which four energy policies are selected that can deliver significant emissions reductions by 2020, rely only on existing technologies and have already been adopted successfully in several countries.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) responded to the report, saying that international efforts to mitigate the phenomenon are insufficient to meet the goal of keeping global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Disease

Hepatitis A - USA

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says an outbreak of hepatitis A linked to a frozen berry mix sold at Costco has grown to 87 people with illnesses in eight states.

Thailand - Dengue Fever and Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease Outbreaks

Thai Health Ministry officials say that since the beginning of the year, there has been a total of 39,029 people treated for dengue, of whom 44 have died. Half the patients were under the age of 15.

They are even making the dire prediction of 100,000 cases and 100 deaths by year’s end.

That number would be significantly higher than the huge numbers of 2012 where Thailand health officials recorded 74,250 cases of the mosquito borne viral disease and 79 deaths.

In addition to the dengue outbreak, health authorities are reporting more than 11,000 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease during the first five months of 2013.

Data from the Ministry’s Disease Control Department shows a total of 11,678 people with the majority being children.

Singapore Dengue Outbreak Worsens

As weekly dengue-fever infections surge to a record, Singaporean health officials are stepping up efforts to beat back a tropical-disease outbreak that could become the city-state’s worst ever.

More than 9,400 people here have been infected by the mosquito-borne dengue virus so far this year, resulting in two deaths, according to the National Environment Agency. Weekly counts surged to an all-time high of 820 cases in the week that ended June 8, topping the previous record of 713 cases in 2005.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Colorado, USA

More than 3,600 people were evacuated as a wildfire in east central Colorado burned quickly through dry timber Tuesday.

Low humidity, high temperatures and fast wind gusts helped the fire grow quickly to 400 acres and caused officials to issue evacuation orders for more than 2,500 homes.

The area under threat from the fire -- known as the Black Forest Fire -- is in rural Colorado, just northeast of Colorado Springs. The area is heavily wooded and many of the homes are on large parcels of land.

The fire, which is estimated to be 400 acres, will likely grow quickly.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Veniaminof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): A weak eruptive activity has started from the volcano. Since last night, weak ash emissions have appeared from the central cone of the caldera of the volcano. The new activity is accompanied by a persistent steam plume and increasing volcanic tremor. So far there seem to be no lava flows or other significant eruptive processes.

Sabancaya (Peru): Seismic unrest continues. Earthquake numbers have shown a light increase since May, the latest report of IGP from 5 June shows. In particular, the number of volcanic-tectonic earthquakes (related to rock fracturing) has risen. The location of most quakes,- the area where magma possibly is intruding at depth,- remained the same as during the previous months, about 8 km NE of the volcano, near the village of Hornillo.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

Tropical storm Yagi was located about 295 nm west-northwestward of Iwo To, Japan. While Tropical Storm Yagi should endure for a few more days, it doesn't appear as if it will be much of a threat to Okinawa, Japan.

Tropical Storm Dante is moving away from the Philippines. Tropical Storm “Dante,” the fourth cyclone to enter the country this year, slightly accelerated Sunday evening while moving over the Philippine Sea.

Thousands flee Central European floods

Some 23,000 people were forced to leave their homes in the east German city of Magdeburg after a dam burst on the flood-swollen River Elbe.

Although water levels in Magdeburg were reported to be receding on Monday, the city and areas of the country further north remain on high alert.

In Hungary, 1,200 people had to leave their homes but flood defences in the capital Budapest appeared to have held.

At least 19 people have died in the floods in Central Europe.

Ten victims from the Czech Republic and five from Austria died after rivers rose to dangerous levels in both countries last week.

Analysts say the damage will cost billions of euros to clean up.

Meanwhile, parts of Poland's capital Warsaw were flooded on Sunday after hours of heavy rain.

One of the city's busiest motorways was inundated, and firefighters had to help stranded drivers to safety.

Flood defences in Budapest appeared to have held on Monday as waters from the Danube River started to recede, having reached an historic peak of 8.91m (29 ft) on Sunday.

Along more than 700km (470 miles) of the River Danube, thousands of people, including many volunteers and even convicts from the prisons, worked to reinforce earth and sandbag barriers.

More than 1,200 people have been evacuated from their homes, although no flood-related deaths have yet been reported in Hungary.

In Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, flood waters rose to 7.44m (24ft), nearly four times higher than normal (2m) - forcing some 10% of the population, 23,000, to leave their homes.

Around 700 soldiers worked to build a dam of sandbags around a power sub-station in the badly-hit area of Rothensee in a bid to keep the power on.

But other parts of Saxony-Anhalt and neighbouring Brandenburg remain under threat as the flood crest moves north, testing flood defences already weakened by days of heavy rain.

A dyke at Fischbeck, west of Berlin, was breached overnight leading to the evacuation of nearby villages.

A railway bridge on the line between Berlin and Cologne, Frankfurt and Amsterdam had to be closed, leading to significant delays or cancellations for train travellers.

Other News:

Flash floods have hit Alor Star, the Kedah province of Malaysia. Around 1,000 residents have been affected.

Flash floods in Lalmonirhat, Bangladesh have affected over 40 villages. Several low lying areas in Teesta and Dharla river basins have been affected by the flood waters. Displaced people are taking shelter on government roads.

At least four people have been injured and several homes have been damaged in a storm in Kentucky, USA.

Witnesses watched a waterspout zip across the Baltimore harbour in Maryland, USA on Monday, tossing pieces of a warehouse roof into the air, as storms bringing heavy downpours and flooding moved through the region. At least one other tornado was reported in the area.

Monsoon rains are expected to cover the whole of drought-struck western India by Monday, bringing relief to millions of farmers who have suffered through a dry spell for more than a year.

Wildfires

Wildfires - USA

Fire crews from several agencies are working to put out multiple fires in eastern California and northwestern Nevada.

A new, large wildfire is burning in northern New Mexico.

Disease

Cholera in Cuba

Several cases of cholera have been reported from western Cuba after the area was hit by floods.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Shiveluch in Kamchatka had an explosion last night at 21:02 UTC lasting for 6.5 minutes that sent an ash plume to an estimated altitude of about 30,000 ft (7-8 km), KVERT reports. The eruption was not observed directly, but inferred from seismic data.

Tolbachik (Kamchatka): No significant changes have occurred in the ongoing eruption. Seismic tremor remains stable and suggests that lava flows continue to erupt from the southern fissure.

Kizimen (Kamchatka): The lava dome remains active and continues to grow slowly. KVERT reports incandescence of the volcano summit, hot avalanches on the western and eastern volcanic flanks, and strong and moderate gas-steam activity, associated with medium levels of seismicity.

Bezymianny (Central Kamchatka Depression): No changes in activity have been reported recently. The volcano remains at Aviation Colour Code YELLOW, because its lava dome is likely still active. KVERT is unable to distinguish seismic data from Bezymianny from the strong signals from erupting Tolbachik.

Gorely (Southern Kamchatka): Strong steaming and hydrothermal activity continue to produce medium levels of seismicity.

Hachijo-jima (Izu Islands): A shallow (10 km) magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred about 16 km to the NW of the volcano today.

Veniaminof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): AVO reports continuing seismic tremor and the observation of a steam plume from the volcano, but no other activity has been noted.

Pavlov (Alaska Peninsula, USA): Ash emissions, probably caused by strombolian activity continue to be observed. Seismic tremor and explosion signals accompany the activity. Persistent elevated surface temperatures visible on satellite data suggest that there is some lava effusion as well (in the form of small flows or a new lava dome). Satellite images from the last day also show an ash plume extending 12 miles (20 km) southeast of the volcano. This direction is consistent with low-level (less than 20,000 ft asl) winds. (AVO)

Guatemala: Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): A moderate explosion occurred this morning at 05:18 local time, sending an ash plume to 700 m above the crater and drifting SW, where light ash fall occurred in Finca La Florida and Parcelamiento Monte Claro. The southern lava flow on the dome's flank produced some weak avalanches.

Pacaya (Guatemala): Weak explosive activity has apparently resumed, INSIVUMEH reported.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity remains relatively weak. During the past 24 hours, INSIVUMEH observed 6 small explosions with ash plumes up to 500 m height. At the moment, the main risk from Fuego is posed by lahars (mud flows). Following heavy rainfall, unusually strong lahars with fronts of up to 5 meters tall travelled through the Ceniza ravine on 8 June, damaging the road that connects Siquinala to Rochela, San Andrés Osuna, and Ceilán. Deposits of 2-3 meters were left containing blocks of up to 3 meter in size.

Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): Strong degassing is visible as a large SO2 plume on satellite data. Seismic recordings show many mostly long-period quakes, typical of internal fluid movements.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): Seismic and degassing activity have decreased, although SERNAGEOMIN maintains alert level "orange". A total of 120 quakes, mostly near the surface, were counted during 8-9 June. No volcanic tremor was detected. A white steam and gas plume was rising 300 m from the crater.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.8 Earthquake hits the Northern Territory, Australia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Yagi was located about 393 nm southeast of Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan.

Extreme Weather in South Africa

14,337 homes were affected by Cape weather over the weekend. South Africa experienced freezing temperatures, with winter floods reported in Knysna and snow in higher altitudes. 52,529 residents, mostly in informal settlements, were affected by the flooding and inclement conditions. The city experienced extreme weather conditions including strong winds, heavy rain, flooding and extremely cold conditions. A total of 42,402 blankets, 45,090 hot meals, 22,488 brunches, 27 food parcels, 767 flood kits and 332 baby packs were distributed to those affected.

Extreme Weather in China

Torrential rain, hail and floods have affected about 98,717 residents in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region since Tuesday, local authorities reported on Sunday. Strong rainfall began on Tuesday and has continued into Sunday morning,affecting Xinjiang's northern and western areas of Altay, Aksu and Tacheng.

The rainstorms have damaged over 12,300 hectares of crops and killed 2,340 head of livestock, while 303 houses have been toppled or damaged, forcing the evacuation of 939 people. The rainstorm has also triggered torrential floods, destroying parts of channels, sluices and infrastructure as well as electric wells, bridges and roads.

Monsoon Storms in Sri Lanka

Monsoon storms in Sri Lanka have claimed the lives of at least 18 people, with another 36 missing.

Most of the fatalities occurred after boats carrying fisherman were caught in rough waters. Special operations by the Navy and Air Force have rescued 20 fisherman but 36 are still missing at sea.

Flash floods in Mindanao, Philippines

Flash floods and landslides in Mindanao, Philippines have claimed the lives of at least four people and left another two missing. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, flash floods and landslides have affected over 700 families.

Central European Floods

Thousands of emergency workers, troops and volunteers in Germany are battling Europe's worst floods in a decade, while the swelling Danube has Budapest on high alert.

Rising waters in Germany have forced mass evacuations in what's being called a "national catastrophe".

As Hungary braces for a deluge in its capital on Sunday, bolstering sandbag barriers with the Danube expected to reach historic levels, German rescuers are focussing on the eastern city of Magdeburg.

Vast areas around the city are covered in a sea of brown water, sparked by recent torrential rains which have washed down the Elbe river system from the Czech Republic.

The water level in Magdeburg reached 7.45 metres in the morning, up from the usual level of around two metres and worse than massive floods that struck the region in 2002.

Despite frantic efforts to secure it, a dam broke on Sunday south of the city where the Elbe meets the Saale tributary, the local crisis command said, urging 150 remaining local residents to seek high ground.

Almost 3000 people were evacuated from Magdeburg's Rothensee district, where hundreds of army troops are struggling to reinforce a dyke protecting a crucial electricity facility.

President Joachim Gauck on Sunday toured the flood-hit states of Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, where in many places only roofs and tree tops stick out of the water.

So far the floods on the Elbe and Danube river systems have killed at least 18 people, including 10 in the Czech Republic.

Ironically, the sun was shining above Germany's flood zone, forcing the thousands packing sandbags to ask for sun block and insect repellent.

More townships were evacuated around the Elbe town of Barby. Some of the 8000 residents of nearby Aken were taken to safety on military personnel carriers and ambulances.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is planning a crisis meeting with state premiers to assess how the cost of the disaster will be shared, the Leipziger Volkszeitung daily reported.

"We're dealing with a national catastrophe," Gerda Hasselfeldt, MP for the conservative Christian Social Union, who chairs a group of states in the Bundestag, told the newspaper.

The situation in the Czech Republic is returning to normal, after the crest of the flood passed through.

"The danger lasts even in places hit by the flood" as the soil is still soaked, Prime Minister Petr Necas said on Saturday.

The rains have also severely swollen the Danube, hitting especially Germany's Bavarian city of Passau, where the mighty waterway meets two other rivers.

The high river has sparked emergency responses as it runs through Austria and Slovakia into Hungary on its way to the Black Sea, but so far the region has dodged major disaster.

Hungary's defences held firm on Sunday morning as the flood peak moved through the northwest toward Budapest.

No casualties have been reported in Hungary although about 1000 people have been evacuated. So far, around six million sandbags have been used.

The river was forecast to peak at 8.95 metres in Budapest late on Sunday.

Disease

Foot-and-mouth disease hits cattle in China

An outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease has been confirmed in cattle in southwest China's Yunnan province, the agriculture ministry said Sunday. A village in Shangri-La County reported that 283 head of cattle had shown signs of the disease.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Heatwave Conditions - USA

The Southern Idaho wildfire season is officially underway. This after two wildfires broke out in the last twenty-four hours in hot, dry conditions, scorching several hundred acres.

One person died in heat wave conditions near the Nevada/Arizona line, while four boy scouts were rescued near Lake Mead after temperatures reached 110 degrees F.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Veniaminof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): Over the past 2 days, AVO has detected gradually increasing seismic tremor beneath Veniaminof and therefore raised the Aviation Color Code to Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level to Advisory. Clear web-camera and satellite views currently show nothing unusual at the volcano. Similar seismic activity has been associated with ash emissions at Veniaminof in the past, most recently in 2005.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Philippines.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Philippines.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Prince Edward Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical storm Yagi forms in the western Pacific about 487 nm south-southeast of Kadena Air Base, Japan. Appears headed for Honshu, Japan.

Floods in Southern China

Heavy rainfall in southern China has claimed the lives of at least 15 people. Flash flooding has affected nine provinces in southern and eastern China including Anhui, Hubei, Hunan and Jiangxi.

Central European Floods

The floodwaters have reached Hungary where frantic defense work is underway. There is a sense of siege in the capital Budapest, where river levels are expected to be at their highest early on Monday. Forecasters say levels could rise up to 8.85m (29ft) - about 25cm (10in) higher than the Danube's previous record high in 2006. In a worst-case scenario up to 55,000 people may need to be evacuated.

Space Events

Near Earth Asteroids

Newly discovered Asteroid 2013 LR6, 12 meters in size, passed by Earth at only 0.3 Lunar Distances away on Saturday.

 

On June 9, 2013 there were 1397 potentially hazardous asteroids.

Recent & Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:

Asteroid	Date(UT)	Miss Distance	Size
2009 FE	Jun 4	9.6 LD	230 m
2000 FM10	Jun 5	50.3 LD	1.3 km
2002 KL3	Jun 6	66.4 LD	1.1 km
2013 LR6	Jun 8	0.3 LD	12 m
2013 LD2	Jun 10	6 LD	48 m
1999 WC2	Jun 12	39.2 LD	1.9 km
2006 RO36	Jun 18	70.9 LD	1.2 km
2001 PJ9	Jul 17	29.2 LD	1.1 km
2006 BL8	Jul 26	9.3 LD	48 m
2003 DZ15	Jul 29	7.6 LD	153 m
2005 WK4	Aug 9	8.1 LD	420 m
1999 CF9	Aug 23	24.7 LD	1.1 km

Notes: LD means "Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256 AU. MAG is the visual magnitude of the asteroid on the date of closest approach.

Nature

Noctilucent Clouds

Every summer, something strange and wonderful happens high above the north pole. Ice crystals begin to cling to the smoky remains of meteors, forming electric-blue clouds with tendrils that ripple hypnotically against the sunset sky. Noctilucent clouds are a delight for high-latitude sky watchers, and around the Arctic Circle their season of visibility is always eagerly anticipated.

NASA's AIM spacecraft, which is orbiting Earth on a mission to study noctilucent clouds, started seeing them on May 13th which is a week earlier than expected.

Noctilucent clouds were first noticed in the mid-19th century after the eruption of super-volcano Krakatoa. Volcanic ash spread through the atmosphere, painting vivid sunsets that mesmerized observers all around the world. That was when the NLCs appeared. At first people thought they must be some side-effect of the volcano, but long after Krakatoa's ash settled the noctilucent clouds remained.

Disease

Novel Coronavirus - Update

The World Health Organization has updated its global count of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cases to 55, including 31 fatalities, as Saudi Arabia reported another new case.

Bird Flu - China

No new H7N9 avian flu cases have been reported since the end of May.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Pavlov (Alaska Peninsula, USA): Weak eruptive activity continues, producing small steam and ash plumes drifting at about 18-20,000 ft (5-6 km) altitude SSE as detected on satellite data (VAAC Anchorage).

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Given the currently low activity (1-3 weak steam and gas emissions per hour), CENAPRED has lowered the alert level back to "Yellow Phase 2".

San Cristobal (Nicaragua): New eruptions occurred yesterday. The volcano produced a series of 7 small ash emissions between 06:45 to 11:43 am (local time). The explosions were very small and ash plumes only rose up to about 100 m above the crater. The new eruptions were followed by a rise in seismic activity in the form of tremor, which rose to about 3 times normal levels during the afternoon. The tremor pulse was still of relatively low energy and in itself not alarming, as the volcano experiences similar phases of elevated seismicity frequently, but given the recent activity, INETER warns that new explosions, possibly larger in scale, could follow with little warning and that air traffic should avoid the area of the volcano.

Cerro Negro (Nicaragua): The volcano might be entering a phase of reawakening. A seismic swarm of 49 low magnitude earthquakes and a pulse of volcanic tremor occurred on 4 June, INETER reported in a press release that day. The seismic activity started 08:45 am (local time) on 4 June, increased until 10:30 and the eased again. At the moment, the seismicity is calm again. No further reports have been published by INETER, who has not raised the alert level, but recommended to limit access to the volcano's crater as a precaution measure.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.8 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.7 Earthquake hits the southern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.6 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.5 Earthquake hits Jujuy, Argentina.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Philippines.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Philippines.

5.1 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Andrea

After bringing rains, heavy winds and even tornadoes to parts of Florida, Tropical Storm Andrea moved quickly across south Georgia and was speeding through the Carolinas and moving up the East Coast, USA.

Southwestern Nova Scotia and much of the Maritimes are bracing for a good soaking this weekend from the remnants of tropical storm Andrea as it is expected to weaken.

Floods in Western Cuba

Heavy rains in westernmost Cuba from what later became Tropical Storm Andrea have destroyed tons of warehoused tobacco leaves, flooded farms and cut electricity to several parts of Pinar del Rio province.

Central European Floods

The crest of the flood-swollen Danube River surged toward the Hungarian capital of Budapest on Friday and Saturday, while communities along the Elbe in Germany braced for high water as the river churned toward the North Sea.

Agriculture in Central Europe has been hard hit by floods—the worst some regions have seen in more than 500 years—while industry analysts estimate the economic damage could top that seen in similar flooding in the region in 2002.

Environment

The Amazon Rainforest's Silent Killer - Understory Fires

Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest may capture most of the headlines, but NASA scientists have found a previously-undiscovered killer lurking under the tree tops: understory fires.

The extent of damage caused by these fires is so great that it has destroyed more of the Amazon in recent years than deforestation.

These understory fires have escaped NASA's satellites throughout the years because they are hidden from view and all that escapes through the thick tree canopies are wisps of smoke.

Amazon forests are quite vulnerable to fire.

According to the study, understory fires between 1999 and 2010 ravaged 2.8 percent of the Amazon, or 33,000 square miles of forest. While grasses and shrubs in the Amazon savannah can handle fires that can spread up to 330 feet per minute, the trees and plants underneath the thick forest canopy cannot. Understory fires burn at a slow rate of only a few feet per minute, but destroy 10-50 percent of the burn area's trees. A slow but efficient killer of the forest.

Disease

Swine Flu Epidemic in Venezuela

Representatives from the Venezuelan Infectious Diseases Society reported on Friday that the AH1N1 virus which has infected 724 individuals has practically spread over the whole country, which expresses signs of an epidemic disease totaling 23 people dead.

Considering that events of AH1N1 have been reported in 20 out of 23 states of Venezuela in individuals of all ages, "we have shifted from an epidemic disease outbreak to epidemic disease."

Wildfires

Wildfires - New Mexico, USA

It's been a week since the Thompson Ridge Fire broke out in the Jemez Mountains, and it's now the largest of three major wildfire in the state. As of Friday morning it was reported at more than 14,000 acres with 10 percent containment.

Firefighters are on their way to four new wildfires reported across the Santa Fe National Forest and near Cimarron.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Etna (Sicily, Italy): During a visit to the summit craters today, we could observe a new hot fumarole in the western pit of the Bocca Nuova, increased bluish degassing from a vent in the saddle between the old and new SE crater and hear deep-seated explosions inside the NE crater. Apart from this, Etna seems to continue its "sleep". Tremor levels have been low during the past weeks, and no eruptive activity has been observed from any of the summit craters since early May.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): During the past 5 days, no explosions have been recorded by Tokyo VAAC. It seems that the volcano is currently taking a rest and at very low levels of activity, with no or only very small explosions occurring.

Bagana (Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea): Eruptions continue at Bagana. Occasionally, ash plumes are detected on satellite data such as on 4 June when a plume at 8,000 ft (2.4 km) altitude extended 20 nautical miles to the west. (VAAC Darwin)

Ibu (Halmahera, Indonesia): The alert level of the volcano was raised to 3 ("Siaga", "alarm") on a scale of 1-4 by the Indonesian Volcanological Survey. The remote volcano on Halmahera island is rarely visited, but reports from the ground suggest it has been in a state of near-permanent (mostly strombolian) activity for years.

Pavlov (Alaska Peninsula, USA): The renewed eruptive activity (since 4 June) continues at low to moderate levels, accompanied by increased seismic activity. AVO reported low lava fountaining, although webcam images of the plume are more consistent with classic strombolian-type activity. Yesterday morning, ash emissions rose to 14-18,000 ft (4.2-5.6 km) altitude and drifted about 45 km SW. Satellite images show elevated surface temperatures at the summit, consistent with mild explosive and perhaps effusive activity.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Activity has not changed much and remained comparably low, with about 3 weak to moderate emissions of steam and gas per hour. Occasionally, some of them contained small amounts of ash. Yesterday, 4 volcanic-tectonic quakes of magnitudes between 2.1 and 2.7 occurred.

Pacaya (Guatemala): An emission of fine ash occurred this morning at 04:00 local time, but INSIVUMEH reports no other (e.g. strombolian) activity but degassing from the crater at the moment.

Fuego (Guatemala): The level of activity has been generally very weak recently. During yesterday-today, only two small strombolian explosions were counted. Similarly, the Santiaguito lava dome has been rather calm as well.

Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): Seismic unrest and elevated degassing (high SO2 output) continue, but no significant eruptive activity at the surface has been observed recently.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): Seismic unrest continues, but the number and energy of quakes has been decreasing in recent days.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Andrea was located approximately 65 mi (100 km) SSW of Savannah, Georgia. The center of Andrea will continue to move over southeast Georgia this morning and then move near the East Coast of the United States through Saturday.

Andrea had a busy day Thursday in Florida, dumping heavy rains, spawning ten tornadoes, and bringing a storm surge of up to 4.5' to the coast. The Florida East Coast was hit by five suspected tornadoes. Only one caused an injury, a tornado that hit The Acreage in Palm Beach County at 6:45 am EDT. Two other tornadoes were reported in Broward and Palm Beach Counties, and two more were reported in coastal areas near the Georgia border.

Deadly Lightning in India

A total of 27 people including six children and three women died in last 24 hours after being struck by bolts of lightning across Bihar.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.9 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

Environment

Trashing the Seafloor

In their 25 years of exploring the deep seafloor, researchers with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute in California have discovered trash and debris littering the floor of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the garbage was recyclables such as plastic bottles, soda and food cans. But plastic bags, shoes and even shipping containers make their way to the deep ocean depths, 13,000 feet (4,000 meters) below the surface.

More than half of the plastic items were bags. A deep-sea coral living nearly 7,000 feet (2,115 meters) off the Oregon Coast had a black plastic bag wrapped around its base, which will eventually kill the organism.

The second biggest source of ocean trash was metal — soda and food cans. Other common types of debris included rope from fishing equipment, glass bottles, cardboard, wood and clothing.

Because most of the ocean pollution came from single-use plastic bottles and cans, it is hoped the research will inspire more people to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Disease

Meningitis in Africa

From 1 January to 12 May 2013, 9 249 suspected cases of meningitis, including 857 deaths, with a case fatality ratio of 9.3 percent, have been reported from 18 of the 19 African countries under enhanced surveillance for meningitis in the African Meningitis Belt. The number of cases reported so far are the lowest recorded during the epidemic season in the last ten years.

Novel Coronavirus - Saudi Arabia

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has notified WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Wildlife

Long-Distance Migratory Birds Go Hungry

Some migrating songbirds are going a little hungry because they have not adjusted their long-distance springtime journeys back north in response to climate change, a Canadian scientist warns.

Kevin Fraser of York University says he found that purple martins, which migrate from the Amazon Basin to North America, arrived too late to enjoy the abundant food that accompanied the earliest and hottest spring on record in 2012.

He says that since there is no hint of what spring will be like while the birds are still in Brazil, they don’t receive any clues of what the northern spring will be like until they reach the U.S. Gulf Coast.

He says that, at least in 2012, they “missed out on peak food they need to be productive breeders.”

Fraser warns that the lack of adjustment to climate change may be contributing to the decline in migratory songbird populations.

This is especially true for species that migrate very long distances.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 120.9 degrees Fahrenheit (49.5 degrees Celsius) at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 98.5 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 72.5 degrees Celsius) at the U.S. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.

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

Wildfires

Wildfires - California

A wildfire burning in mountains north of Los Angeles has consumed just over 30 000 acres and destroyed 24 homes including a number of summer cabins, fire officials said on Thursday after it was safe enough to send in an on-foot assessment team.

The damage wrought by the Powerhouse Fire comes as officials in California have warned of a particularly early and intense start of the fire season. Two major wildfires are also burning in New Mexico, including one that was threatening Native American sites.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.2 Earthquake hits southern Greece.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

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

5.0 Earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

4.9 Earthquake hits Borneo.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Andrea forms in the Atlantic approximately 270 mi (430 km) WSW of Tampa, Florida. On the forecast track, the centre of Andrea will reach the coast of the Florida Big Bend area Thursday evening and then move from southeastern Georgia across southeastern South Carolina and eastern North Carolina Thursday night and Friday.

Flooding in Slovakia

A flood emergency has been declared in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia.

The rising water level in the Danube River has reached 9.71 meters. The floods are expected to peak on Thursday as the flood waters from Austria reach Slovakia.

Oklahoma, USA Tornado - Update

The tornado that struck El Reno, Oklahoma some days ago is believed to be the widest on record in the United States. A 2.5-mile wide storm claimed at least 18 lives including six children.

Landslide in Nepal

At least seven people have died and four other are missing in a landslide in Taplejung region of eastern Nepal. Six people among the dead are members of the same family. The landslide occurred in the remote village of Thukimba-6 in Taplejung district.

Floodwaters Reach Eastern Germany

As the people of Prague started to clean up after three days of flooding, residents in the eastern German cities of Dresden, Halle and Meissen were bolstering their defenses against the torrents of water still surging from the Vltava, Mulde and Saale rivers into the Elbe.

While water levels subsided in parts of Bavaria, Austria and the Czech Republic, the full force of the deluge is expected to hit eastern Germany in the coming days. Soldiers, emergency services and volunteers are battling to limit the damage from the flooding, the worst on record in some parts of the country, recalling the devastation in 2002 that put whole regions of Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary under water.

The Elbe had risen to 8.44 meters (28 feet) in Dresden. City officials said the water mark may reach 9 meters in the course of the floods, compared with 9.4 meters at the height of the 2002 catastrophe. While Dresden’s historic city center, including the Frauenkirche cathedral, will be safe because of protection installed after the 2002 floods, some city districts that are located further downstream still lack such protection. About 5,600 German soldiers are toiling in the flood areas, according to the defense ministry. The troops are reinforcing dams, giving medical aid and helping with evacuations. Contingents of Dutch and French troops are also aiding the relief effort.

In Halle on the Saale, one dam in the city has burst, prompting authorities to order 30,000 people to leave their homes. As many as 1,500 emergency staff and volunteers are working to protect the city with pumps and at least 140,000 sandbags. The Elbe reached 8.89 meters in the city of Meissen in Saxony, where water flowed into the city center and the local utility had to temporarily cut power supplies in some parts. At least 10,000 people have been evacuated in the state.

Wildfires

Wildfires USA - And Climate Change

America's wildfire season lasts two months longer than it did 40 years ago and burns up twice as much land as it did in those earlier days because of the hotter, drier conditions produced by climate change, according to Thomas Tidwell, the chief of the United States Forest Service.

While numerous factors determine the frequency, severity and cost of wildfires, scientific research indicates that human-induced climate change increases fire risks in parts of the Western U.S. by promoting warmer and drier conditions.

Ten years ago in New Mexico outside Los Alamos we had a fire get started. Over seven days, it burned 40,000 acres. In 2011, we had another fire. Las Conchas. It also burned 40,000 acres. It did it in 12 hours

California has already experienced 680 wildfires this year, about 200 more than average for this period of the season.

Disease

Typhoid Outbreak in Kashmir

A Typhoid epidemic has broken out in Wagoora area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district where more than 300 patients are suffering from this water borne disease and the number is increasing with every passing day.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Tolbachik (Kamchatka): Activity continues with little changes, although the slow trend of decreasing seismic activity persists. A small lava lake 20 m across and weak strombolian activity were recently observed by Russian volcanologists who visited the site. Lava flows continue to be alimented and spread mainly to the SE.

Kikai (Ryukyu Islands): New activity seems to have started from Satsuma-Iwo-jima (Kikai) volcano. A steam / gas and possibly ash-containing plume has been observed on satellite images and a thermal anomaly was visible on recent MODIS satellite data. On yesterday morning's NASA Aqua satellite image, the plume from the volcano was about 70 km long to the SW. A thermal anomaly was visible already on images from 23 May. Kikai south of Kyushu island it is the northernmost of the volcanic Ryukyu island chain that stretches between Japan and Taiwan.

Kerinci (Sumatra): An small eruption occurred last Sunday (2 June) at 8:43 am (local time), preceded by a rise in seismic activity reported by the local volcano observatory. An ash explosion produced a small rising 300-600 m and light ash fall at Gunung Tujuh about 20 km away. According to local news, the sudden eruption caused panik among inhabitants of Sungai Rumpun village and several evacuated their homes. Some climbers who were on the volcano at the time of the explosions returned unharmed. The eruption was not signalled by VSI nor VAAC and originally only mentioned in some Indonesian media where it is not worth more than a brief note, given the large number of such events every year. Many more eruptions probably occur around the world without getting the attention of international media.

Kelimutu (Flores): VSI raised the alert level of the volcano on Flores, famous for its 3 differently colored crater lakes, from 1 to 2 ("normal" to "waspada", "watch") on a scaled of 1 to 4, after one of the 3 crater lakes turned from blue to white on 3 June. In addition, a strong smell of sulfur was noted by people from Pemo village a few kilometers south. The main risk in case of an eruption would be phreatic explosions, ash falls, and the possibly catastrophic draining of the lake(s) potentially causing large lahars and floods threatening nearby communities near and inside the valleys radiating from the volcano.

Pavlov (Alaska Peninsula, USA): New ash emissions resumed at approximately 11:00 AKDT (19:00 UTC) this morning and were seen in satellite data and observed by pilots. The new ash plume was drifting SE at approx. 19,000 ft (6 km) a.s.l. altitude. AVO reported weak seismicity beginning at 10:57 AKDT and raised the Aviation Color Code to Orange.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

6.1 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.7 Earthquake Alamagan region, Mariana Islands.

5.5 Earthquake hits northern Qinghai, China.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Sea of Okhotsk.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Big Island, Hawaii.

5.1 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

Iran Nuclear Plant Damaged by Recent Earthquakes

Tehran claimed the Bushehr nuclear facility was untouched by recent tremblers, but large cracks have apparently been seen in its structure.

Diplomats say countries monitoring Iran’s nuclear program have picked up information that the country’s only power-producing nuclear reactor was damaged by one or more recent earthquakes. Two diplomats say long cracks have appeared in at least one section of the structure. One concrete section of the structure appears to have developed cracks several meters long as a result of the quakes on April 9 and April 16.

Iran has refused to join an international nuclear safety convention, and technical problems have shut the plant for lengthy periods since it started up in September 2011 after years of construction delays. Kuwait and other Arab countries are only a few hundred kilometers (miles) away from Iran’s Bushehr reactor, on the other side of Persian Gulf coast south of Tehran, and are particularly worried about the safety of the Russian-built reactor. But Iran insists the plant is technically sound and built to withstand all but the largest earthquakes unscathed. Officials in Tehran reassured the international community after the quakes struck in April and early May that the facility was undamaged.

Storms and Floods

Floods in Central Europe - Update

German flood threat heads north towards Dresden

Thousands of German troops have been sent to help flood-hit regions as rising rivers threaten more cities. Surging waters that have already caused extensive damage across central Europe are moving north and east along rivers including the Elbe and Danube.

Meanwhile river levels in the Czech capital Prague have begun to fall. Large areas of suburban Prague were flooded but metal barriers protecting the historic city centre held as the floods peaked and the high waters moved north towards Germany.

Around 4,000 German troops have been deployed in four states, reinforcing dykes with sandbags and providing help to thousands of people forced to leave their homes.

All the signs were that the waters of the Danube were subsiding, but other rivers further north started to look more threatening.

In Saxony, the Elbe was rising to dangerous levels, as waters poured in from the Czech Republic. The latest cities to be hit include Meissen on the Elbe. Nearby Dresden is preparing for water levels 5m higher than normal. Officials in Saxony - home to both Meissen and Dresden - have warned that rivers could rise even higher than in the record floods of 2002, when both cities were devastated.

Global Warming

Causes of Global Warming - Reference Article

Earth's climate has always been in a state of flux, according to data gleaned from the geological record, ice core samples and other sources.

Smog over Los Angeles, USA

However, since the Industrial Revolution began in the late 1700s, the world's climate has been changing in a rapid and unprecedented way.

Earth's average temperature has risen by 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) over the past century, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports. What are the causes of global warming?

The greenhouse effect

Earth's climate is the result of a balance between the amount of incoming energy from the sun, and energy being radiated out into space.

Incoming solar radiation strikes Earth's atmosphere in the form of visible light, plus ultraviolet and infrared radiation (which are invisible to the human eye), according to the Earth Observatory of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has a higher energy level than visible light, and infrared (IR) radiation has a weaker energy level. Some of the sun's incoming radiation is absorbed by the atmosphere, the oceans and the surface of the Earth.

Much of it, however, is reflected back out to space as low-energy IR radiation. For Earth's temperature to remain stable, the amount of incoming solar radiation should be roughly equal to the amount of IR radiation leaving the atmosphere.

As Earth's atmosphere changes, however, the amount of IR radiation leaving the atmosphere also changes. And since the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gasoline have greatly increased the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, according to NASA's Earth Observatory.

Along with other gases like methane and nitrous oxide, CO2 acts like a blanket, absorbing IR radiation and preventing it from leaving the atmosphere. The net effect causes the gradual heating of Earth's atmosphere and surface. [Related: Effects of Global Warming]

This is called the "greenhouse effect" because a similar process occurs in a greenhouse: Relatively high-energy UV and visible radiation penetrate the glass walls and roof of a greenhouse, but weaker IR radiation isn't able to pass out through the glass. The trapped IR radiation keeps the greenhouse warm, even in the coldest winter weather.

Greenhouse gases

There are several gases in Earth's atmosphere known as "greenhouse gases" because they exacerbate the greenhouse effect: CO2, methane, nitrous oxide, water vapor and ozone are among the most prevalent, according to NASA.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were once commonly used as refrigerants and aerosol propellants (they're now largely phased out by international agreement because they caused significant damage to the ozone layer). CFCs also function as greenhouse gases.

Not all greenhouse gases are the same: Some, like methane, are produced through agricultural practices including livestock manure management. Others, like CO2, largely result from natural processes like respiration and from the burning of fossil fuels.

Additionally, these greenhouses gases don't all contribute equally to the greenhouse effect: Methane, for example, is about 21 times more effective at trapping heat from IR radiation than carbon dioxide, according to the EPA.

This difference in heat-trapping ability is sometimes referred to as a gas's "global-warming potential," or GWP.

Natural causes vs. human causes of global warming

Earth's historic climate changes have included ice ages, warming periods and other fluctuations in climate over many centuries.

Some of these historical changes can be attributed to changes in the amount of solar radiation hitting the planet. A drop in solar activity, for example, is believed to have caused the "Little Ice Age," a period of unusually colder climate that lasted from about 1650 to 1850, according to NASA.

However, there is no evidence that any increase in solar radiation could be responsible for the steady increase in global temperatures that scientists are now recording, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

In other words, natural causes cannot be held responsible for global warming. "There is no scientific debate on this point," the NOAA website states.

Indeed, virtually every credible source of scientific research from around the world indicates that human causes — primarily the burning of fossil fuels and the subsequent increase in atmospheric CO2 levels — are responsible for global warming.

Disease

Novel Coronavirus - Saudi Arabia - Update

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has notified WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits southern Sumatra.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

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

Storms and Floods

Floods in Central Europe - Update

Floods in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic have claimed the lives of at least eight people and left nine people missing.

In Germany, flooding has claimed the lives of two people and left two more missing. Bavaria, Thuringia and Saxony are reported to be worst hit by the floods. Train services in southern and lower Bavaria have also been disrupted. The water levels in Passua were the highest recorded since 1501.

A flood emergency has been declared in seven regions of the Czech Republic.

Storms in Pakistan

A huge storm and heavy rainfall have claimed the lives of at least 10 people and injured more than 40 others in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) region, Pakistan. The storm collapsed walls and roofs of numerous houses.

Wildfires

Wildfires California, USA

California's drought-fueled Powerhouse wildfire has scorched 25,000 acres: Pictures

The landscape glows immediately after the main fire front swept over in a fast run toward Lake Hughes on June 1, 2013. Nearly 1,000 firefighters have been working in hot, dry conditions to establish containment lines around 20 percent of the fire so far.

Disease

Poliovirus Detected in Israel

In Israel, wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) was isolated from sewage samples collected on 9 April 2013 in Rahat, southern Israel. The virus has been detected in sewage only; no case of paralytic polio has been reported. Genetic sequencing and epidemiological investigations are ongoing to determine its origin. Preliminary analyses indicate the strain is not related to the virus currently affecting the Horn of Africa.

The virus isolate was detected through routine environmental surveillance in Israel that involves regular testing of sewage water. Israel has been free of indigenous WPV transmission since 1988. In the past, wild poliovirus has been detected in environmental samples collected in this region between 1991 and 2002 without occurrence of cases of paralytic polio in the area.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Pavlov (Alaska Peninsula, USA): No further activity has been detected during the past days. Alert status is at yellow.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Activity has been reduced during the past days. Occasional explosions produced steam and ash plumes rising about 1 km above the crater and the frequency of small emissions has been about 3 per hour. Most of the time, the summit of the volcano has been in clouds, but occasionally, a weak steam and ash plume, as well incandescence at night could be observed. CENAPRED maintains alert level "Yellow Phase 3".

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): A lahar descended the valley of the Nimá I river at 13:30 h local time yesterday, caused by heavy rainfalls mobilizing pyroclastic deposits. The mud flow was about 30 m wide, dense, hot and stinking of sulfur, and carried large boulders (up to 3 m across).

Pacaya (Guatemala): Activity has decreased and strombolian activity has dropped or even stopped for the time being. INSIVUMEH reported only degassing sounds for yesterday.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity remains weak, but due to heavy rainfall, INSIVUMEH warns of lahars through the drainages of the Ceniza, Las Lajas and El Jute canyons, as well the valleys Taniluyá and Santa Teresa.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): The alert level of the volcano was lowered from "red" to "orange" in response to a declining trend of seismic activity recorded under the volcano. However, seismic activity remains significant and monitoring efforts continue at maximum level. The Civil Defence (ONEMI) allowed the 621 evacuees from the Chilean side to return to their homes, while another about 600 evacuees from the Argentina side still remain in evacuation centres.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.5 Earthquake hits hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

5.3 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Landslides and flooding across Central Europe

Homes were evacuated across southern Germany, the Czech Republic, Austria and Switzerland as rivers reach dangerous levels following days of heavy rain. The Czech capital Prague is on high alert as a swell of floodwater moves in from the south. Both Germany and Austria are deploying their armies to help emergency services.

Flooding and landslides in Austria have claimed the life of at least one person and left two missing. Upper Austria, Tyrol and Styria province in Austria were hardest hit by the floods.

Parts of the old town of Passau in Bavaria are under water. Bavaria's flood alert service warns that the forecast of continuing heavy rain is likely to worsen the flooding affecting the Danube and the Inn, among other rivers in the area. The German cities of Passau and Rosenheim have declared a state of emergency.

Bavaria is not the only German state to be affected; towns and cities in Saxony, Thuringia and Baden-Wuerttemberg are also inundated. The German army is to be deployed in Bavaria, Saxony and Thuringia to support the flood-affected areas.

Severe Storms Move Across USA

Heavy rain, thunderstorms, high winds and hail moved through sections of the Northeast on Sunday afternoon, knocking out power to more than 40,000 in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Flights were delayed in New York City and a tornado touched down in South Carolina as the East Coast weathered the remnants of violent storms that claimed 13 lives in Oklahoma.

Mississippi River floods Grafton

Waters rose Sunday along the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, sending high water into some small towns that had just begun to dry out from the floods of just a few weeks ago.

Wildfires

Wildfires California, USA

A wildfire that destroyed at least six homes, damaged 15 others and threatened hundreds more grew quickly Sunday as it triggered evacuations for nearly 3,000 people and burned dangerously close to communities in the parched mountains north of Los Angeles.

The blaze had burned about 35 square miles of very dry brush in the Angeles National Forest mountains and canyons, some of which hadn't burned since 1929. The fire was growing so fast, and the smoke was so thick, that it was difficult to estimate the size.

The fire, which was 20 percent contained, appeared to be the fiercest of several burning in the West, including two in New Mexico, where thick smoke covered several communities and set a blanket of haze over Santa Fe on Saturday. Crews fighting the two un-contained wildfires focused Sunday on building protection lines around them amid anticipation that a forecast of storms could bring moisture to help reduce the intensity of the fires.

Wildfires - Alaska

Wildfires are igniting statewide thanks to a delayed spring that offered little time for vegetation to grow and dead grasses to disappear. A lightning-caused fire in Interior Alaska had burned an estimated 1,000 acres by Saturday afternoon.

Archeology

World's First Bird?

The skeleton of a Jurassic dinosaur from China could be the oldest known bird, scientists report.

The fossil of Aurornis xui was found last year in a museum at the Fossil and Geology Park in Yizhou, China, long after a farmer first dug it up in the Liaoning Province. The feathery specimen represents the most ancient of the avialans, the group that includes birds and their relatives since their split from nonavian dinosaurs.

The research also reconfirms the birdlike fossil Archaeopteryx as an avialan, a classification that was challenged by some recent research.

Not everyone agrees that the new specimen is strictly a bird. "In my opinion, it's a bird," study author Pascal Godefroit, a paleontologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels, told Nature News. Even so, he added, "The differences between birds and [nonavian] dinosaurs are very thin."

Disease

Novel Coronavirus - Update

Health officials in Italy have confirmed two new cases with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the country.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Mayon (Luzon Island): The alert level for the volcano has been raised by PHILVOLCS. A weak incandescence is sometimes observed at the summit, and slight inflation has been detected, suggesting that magma has started to intrude into the volcanic edifice. On the other hand, SO2 and seismic parameters have not shown a significant increase, which probably means that an eruption is not imminent.

Batu Tara (Sunda Islands, Indonesia): The volcano remains active with often powerful strombolian explosions, and perhaps the effusion of a lava flow. An elongated thermal hot spot as well as a weak white steam plume visible on recent satellite images suggest that a lava flow might be active from the crater of the volcano these days.

Paluweh (off Flores Island, Indonesia): The lava dome remains active with occasional explosions and rock avalanches / pyroclastic flows travelling through the two main valleys to the SW and S.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

6.2 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

Initial reports one fatality and at least 18 injuries. The quake sent panicked residents dashing for the streets.

5.6 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.

Reports of nine injuries with dozens of houses damaged.

5.5 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the coast of Nicaragua.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

4.9 Earthquake hits Eilat, Israel.

Storms and Floods

Deadly USA Storm Damage Update

Three tornadoes touched down near Oklahoma City, killing nine, injuring at least 71, and causing widespread destruction. Huge hail up to baseball-sized battered portions the the metro area, accompanied by torrential flooding rains, widespread damaging straight-line winds, and lightning that flashed nearly continuously. The strongest tornado, which touched down west of Oklahoma City in El Reno, has been preliminarily rated an EF-3 with 136 - 165 mph winds. The tornado warning for the storm was issued 19 minutes before it touched down. Two other EF-3 tornadoes touched down near St. Louis, Missouri.

The tornadoes have killed at least 14 people, as flooding hampered cleanup efforts in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office announced nine fatalities in the state and said five of the victims had not been identified, while the sheriffs' offices in towns east of Oklahoma City confirmed two other people had died. In Missouri, authorities said three people died from severe flooding in the wake of the storms. Streets turned into rivers, with stranded cars submerged in water as high as their door handles in some places. A massive sink hole off a major road developed due to the deluge, halting traffic.

Flooding in Germany.

Water levels on German's Rhine, Danube and Neckar rivers are rising steadily after unusually heavy rain, with many smaller streams also threatening to break their banks.

Meteorologists predict a continued steady downpour of rain over the coming days.

Space Events

Geomagnetic Storm

Earth's magnetic field was calming down on June 1st following nearly 15 hours of non-stop geomagnetic storming. The storminess was caused by the arrival of an interplanetary shock wave on May 31st (1618 UT). The source of the shock is unknown.

Current speculation focuses on a corotating interaction region (CIR) -- a shock-like transition zone between high- and low-speed solar wind streams. Whatever it was, the impact ignited some beautiful auroras. More storms could be in the offing tonight as the solar wind continues to blow faster than 600 km/s.

Last night, Northern Lights spilled across the Canadian border into more than a dozen US states, turning the sky purple and green as far south as Colorado and Nebraska.

Disease

Novel Coronavirus - Saudi Arabia - Update

Saudi Arabian officials say three more people have died from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing the total number of deaths in the kingdom to 24.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.8 Earthquake hits the north Pacific Ocean.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Kermadec Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.

5.1 Earthquake hits Samar in the Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits the north Pacific Ocean.

Storms and Floods

Landslide in Kathmandu, Nepal

Landslide in Kathmandu's Maharajgunj area has killed one and injured two others.

Flooding in Hong Kong Airport, China

Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in Hong Kong Airport. Numerous flights were delayed due to severe weather.

Other News:

A local flood disaster emergency has been declared in Tama county of Indiana, USA. Several people were evacuated due to flooding in Chelsea.

Three new tornadoes have hit Oklahoma. Five people are reported to have lost their lives in the latest spate of at least 3 tondos in Oklahoma, USA.

Flash floods across Melbourne, Australia after heavy overnight rains.

Interesting image of storm over Arkansas:

Global Warming

The Effects of Global Warming - Reference Article

Global warming is expected to have far-reaching, long-lasting and, in many cases, devastating consequences for planet Earth.

For some years, global warming — the gradual heating of Earth's surface, oceans and atmosphere — was a topic of heated debate in the scientific community.

But the overwhelming consensus of researchers today is that global warming is real and is caused by human activity, primarily the burning of fossil fuels that pump carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Additionally, global warming is having a measurable effect on the planet right now.

Increase in average temperatures

One of the most immediate and obvious impacts of global warming is the increase in temperatures around the world. The average global temperature has increased by about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) over the past 100 years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Since recordkeeping began in 1895, the hottest year on record for the 48 contiguous U.S. states was 2012. Worldwide, 2012 was also the 10th-warmest year on record, according to NOAA. And nine of the warmest years on record have occurred since 2000.

Extreme weather events

Scientists have found that the number and severity of extreme weather events — record-breaking high or low temperatures, high rainfall events or intense storms — are an effective measure of climate change and global warming.

The U.S. Climate Extremes Index (CEI) was established in 1996 to track these events. The number of extreme weather events that are among the most unusual in the historical record, according to the CEI, has been rising over the last four decades, according to NOAA.

Scientists project that extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, blizzards and rainstorms will continue to occur more often and with greater intensity due to global warming, according to Climate Central.

Shift in climate patterns

Climate models forecast that global warming will cause climate patterns worldwide to experience significant changes. These changes will likely include major shifts in wind patterns, annual precipitation and seasonal temperatures variations.

And because high levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are likely to remain high for many years, these changes are expected to last for several decades or longer, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In the northeastern United States, for example, climate change is likely to bring increased annual rainfall, while in the Pacific Northwest, summer rainfall is expected to decrease.

Snow and ice

Since 1970, the area of snow cover in the United States has steadily decreased, according to the EPA, and the average temperature of permafrost (soil that's at or below freezing temperature) has grown warmer.

Arctic sea ice at the end of melt season, 1981-2009.

One of the most dramatic effects of global warming is the reduction in Arctic sea ice: In 2012, scientists saw the smallest amount of Arctic ice cover ever recorded. Most analyses project that, within a matter of years, the Arctic Sea will be completely ice-free during the summer months.

Glacial retreat, too, is an obvious effect of global warming. Only 25 glaciers bigger than 25 acres are now found in Montana's Glacier National Park, where about 150 glaciers were once found, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A similar trend is seen in glacial areas worldwide.

Rising sea levels

Melting polar ice in the Arctic and Antarctic region, coupled with melting ice sheets and glaciers across Greenland, North America, South America, Europe and Asia, are expected to raise sea levels significantly.

Global sea levels have risen about 8 inches since 1870, according to the EPA, and the rate of increase is expected to accelerate in the coming years. If current trends continue, many coastal areas — where roughly half of the Earth's human population lives — will be inundated.

Researchers project that by 2100, average sea levels will be 2.3 feet higher in New York City, 2.9 feet higher at Hampton Roads, Va., and 3.5 feet higher at Galveston, Texas, the EPA reports.

Ocean acidification

As levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) increase, the oceans absorb some of that CO2, which increases the acidity of seawater. Since the Industrial Revolution began in the early 1700s, the acidity of the oceans has increased about 25 percent, according to the EPA.

Because acids dissolve calcium carbonate, seawater that's more acidic has a deleterious effect on organisms with shells made of calcium carbonate, such as corals, mollusks, shellfish and plankton.

If current ocean acidification trends continue, coral reefs are expected to become increasingly rare in areas where they are now common, including most U.S. waters, the EPA reports.

Plant and animal impacts

The effects of global warming on the Earth's ecosystems are expected to be profound and widespread. Many species of plants and animals are already moving their range northward or to higher altitudes as a result of warming temperatures, according to a report from the National Academy of Sciences.

Warmer temperatures will also expand the range of many disease-causing pathogens that were once confined to tropical and subtropical areas, killing off plant and animal species that formerly were protected from disease.

These and other impacts of global warming, if left unchecked, will likely contribute to the disappearance of up to one-half of the Earth's plants and one-third of animals from their current range by 2080, according to a 2013 report in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Social impacts

As dramatic as the effects of climate change are expected to be on the natural world, the projected changes to human society may be even more devastating.

Agricultural systems will likely be dealt a crippling blow: Though growing seasons in some areas will expand, the combined impacts of drought, severe weather, lack of snowmelt, greater number and diversity of pests, lower groundwater tables and a loss of arable land could cause severe crop failures and livestock shortages worldwide.

This loss of food security might, in turn, create havoc in international food markets and could spark famines, food riots, political instability and civil unrest worldwide, according to a number of analyses from sources as diverse as the U.S Department of Defense, the Center for American Progress and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

The effect of global warming on human health is also expected to be serious: The American Medical Association has reported an increase in mosquito-borne diseases like malaria and dengue fever, as well as a rise in cases of chronic conditions like asthma, are already occurring, most likely as a direct result of global warming.

Many of these expected impacts are the result of exhaustive scientific research and climate models, and the fact that most of them are already being observed gives additional credibility to the projected effects of global warming and climate change.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 119.3 degrees Fahrenheit (48.5 degrees Celsius) at Dongola, Sudan.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 99.2 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 72.9 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

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

Disease

Yellow fever in Ethiopia

The Ministry of Health of Ethiopia is launching an emergency mass-vaccination campaign against yellow fever from 10 June 2013. This is in response to an outbreak of six confirmed cases of yellow fever.

Novel Coronavirus - Saudi Arabia - Update

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has notified WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV).

Italy reported its first case of the SARS-like novel coronavirus on Friday. A 45-year-old man who had been travelling in Jordan.

Wildfires

Wildfires USA

A wildfire in the mountains north of Los Angeles was slowed by morning overcast Friday, but about 25 homes were evacuated as scattered flames continued to leap hillsides.

Also Friday, a fast-moving blaze in the mountains west of Santa Fe, N.M., prompted evacuations, threatened upscale cabins and vacation homes and closed a highway. Officials asked residents of about 150 homes and cabins to leave the area as crews battled the 500-acre wildfire near Pecos and the village of Tres Lagunas. Officials believe the blaze was sparked on Thursday by a downed power line on private land.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Activity has continued to decrease and there have been no new significant explosions. The number of steam-gas emissions (which sometimes contain also small amounts of ash) has dropped from an average of 5 per hour to only 2 per hour last night.

Pacaya (Guatemala): As the seismic signal suggested, a strong increase in activity occurred yesterday evening and culminated in the effusion of a lava flow from the Mackenney crater which lasted about 2 hours. The activity returned back to mild strombolian activity afterwards, with projections reaching about 200 m height and ash plumes rising to 400 m above the crater.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.2 Earthquake hits southwest of Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Khabarovskiy Kray, Russia.

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

5.0 Earthquake hits Seram, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storm Barbara

TC Barbara continues to weaken as it moves inland, dumping heavy rain across portions of southeastern Mexico.

Tornado - Milan, Italy

A rare tornado has hit near Milan, Italy. Tornado damage is reported to be heavy throughout the Brianza region. At least two people have been injured by flying debris nearby A4 highway.

Hailstorm, Cyclone hits Vietnam

Hailstorm and cyclone in Cao Lanh city in Dong Thap province in Vietnam have caused huge damage. Winds have blown away roofs of houses and knocked down electric poles.

Flood in Xinjiang, China

Flooding in Xinjiang, China has claimed the lives of two people and affected over 16,400. Flood waters have damaged around 700 houses and destroyed 2,100 hectares of farmland in Kashgar.

Flooding in Portland, Jamaica

Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in eastern Portland, northeast coastal region in Jamaica. Classes have been suspended at several schools. No reports of injuries.

New round of tornadoes in Oklahoma and Arkansas, USA

At least two tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma Thursday. Tornado touched down near the town of Perkins in northeast Oklahoma whereas a second tornado touched near Ripley.

Two more tornadoes hit Arkansas on Thursday injuring nine people. At least two were injured by lightning strike in Rogers.

Disease

Dengue Fever Outbreak in Singapore

Singapore's widening dengue epidemic has claimed its first fatality this year, as health officials brace for a tropical-disease outbreak that could become the city-state's worst ever.

Cholera in Mali

Cholera outbreak in Mali's Gao region leaves 2 dead.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Chirinkotan (Northern Kurils): Based on satellite imagery, the volcanic activity (evidenced by a significant degassing plume) was no longer visible after 25 May and has probably ended or is pausing at the moment. Analysis of past images in return showed that the eruption likely began in early April already.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): After a few days of relatively calmness, the volcano erupted at least 3 times today already. It seems to have begun another cycle of increased explosion frequency, which seem typically to last a few days.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): An earthquake swarm and tremor pulses occurred today, which could suggest new magma on the rise, but this has (not yet) resulted in particular surface activity which remained rather calm. Degassing (SO2 emissions) remains strong.

Santa María / Santiaguito (Guatemala): Activity has remained generally low, with occasional small to medium-sized ash explosions and small avalanches from the Caliente dome.

Pacaya (Guatemala): The volcano has been mostly hidden in clouds, but strombolian (and perhaps effusive) activity continues as can be seen from glow at night and noises from explosions and degassing. A strong increase of seismic activity seems to have started a few hours ago as suggested by the current seismogram. A strong increase in activity occurred yesterday evening and culminated in the effusion of a lava flow from the Mackenney crater which lasted about 2 hours. The activity returned back to mild strombolian activity afterwards, with projections reaching about 200 m height and ash plumes rising to 400 m above the crater.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity remains weak. As it's rainy season, the volcano is mostly in clouds, but the seismogram and INSIVUMEH reports indicate occasional small explosions, some rockfalls and degassing events.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): The seismic crisis continues, but has decreased in intensity. An eruption in the near future still remains a likely scenario, SERNAGEOMIN scientists emphazise, as this decrease in energy could be temporary. It is impossible to predict whether this is a question of days or weeks, or even if an eruption actually will occur. At the same time, authorities (ONEMI) intensify their preventive measures and reported that 316 people have now been evacuated. It is estimated that more than 2,200 people live in the areas most at thread (Barco, Bultalelbún, Trapa Trapa, Guallalí).