Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
Newsbytes:
England - Devon and Cornwall Police said heavy rainfall had caused landslides, flooding and road damage. A number of properties have been evacuated and people are being urged "not to travel" as bad weather hits the south-west of England. Numerous rivers burst their banks across Devon and Somerset, with trains across the South West facing severe delays and cancellations.
Ganga River Dolphins
Gangetic river dolphins, primarily found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers and their tributaries in Bangladesh, India and Nepal, are categorised under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act and have been placed on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which signifies that the species is on the verge of extinction. These dolphins are one of the three surviving freshwater dolphin species in the world. The other two are found in the Indus in Pakistan and the Amazon in South America. A fourth species, the Yangtze river dolphin in China, has gone extinct.
The Gangetic river species are blind and find their way and prey in the river waters through sonar echoes. They live by echolocation and sound is everything to them. They navigate, feed, flee from danger, find mates, breed, nurse babies and play by echolocation alone.
The Gangetic river dolphins are being pushed to extinction due to increased pollution, decreased water flow and shrinking fish populations in the Ganga.
The already endangered Gangetic river dolphins are facing a clear and present danger from climate change, which has adversely affected their habitat. With their population registering a steady decline, the Gangetic dolphins in different parts of the eastern state of Bihar are now fighting for survival. Climate change has impacted the population of fish in the river, thus reducing the food supply of the dolphins.
Measles – Ukraine
In the first two weeks of 2018, The Ukraine Health Ministry (computer translated) has already put the case tally at 1285 adults and children (856).
The highest number of cases was recorded in Ivano-Frankivsk (275), Chernivtsi (274), Transcarpathian (194) and Odesa (157) oblasts. In the city of Kiev (Kyiv) during this period 84 patients were registered.
Yellow fever – Brazil
The government of Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil decreed Saturday a public health emergency situation in three regional state for six months because of yellow fever. The measure covers the regional health units of the municipalities of Belo Horizonte, Itabira and Ponte Nova – 94 cities in total. From July last year to the beginning of this year, 22 cases of the disease were confirmed in the state. According to the State Department of Health, of these, 15 resulted in death. During this period, 40 suspected cases were ruled out, and 46 cases were investigated in 24 municipalities.
Lassa Fever - Nigeria
A fresh case of Lassa fever in Lokoja claimed the life of a seven-month-old baby. The medical doctor, who was said to have had contact with the patient has apparently contracted the disease and has been placed on the danger list.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.2 earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.
5.3 earthquake hits offshore Atacama, Chile.
5.2 earthquake hit south of Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits near the coast of southern Peru.
5.1 earthquake hit northern Xinjiang, China.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
Newsbytes:
France - Winds of up to 160 kilometres per hour hit the Mediterranean island of Corsica on Saturday night, with winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour in the Alps, the Pyrenees and parts of Provence. Flood warnings were issued for the Meuse, Haute-Marne and Vosges départements in the east of France. Snow and ice, in some areas heavy enough to disrupt traffic and business, have been forecast in the Alps.
Monarch Migration
A large number of Monarch butterflies have been seen in their migratory funnel in Cape May. N.J. instead of across the Texas-Mexico border. This delayed migration is not normal, and it alarmed monarch researchers across the country. The Cape May stragglers were only a sliver of the record number of monarchs reported in the Northeast in November and December — news that sounded good initially to conservationists. But seeing butterflies so far north so late in the year suggested that few of these latecomers would reach their Mexican wintering grounds. Scientists fear that climate change is behind what they’re calling the latest monarch migration ev er recorded in the eastern United States, and they worry that rising temperatures pose a new threat to a species that saw its population hit record lows in recent years.
Known for their complex, improbable migrations, most monarchs embark on 2,000-mile journeys each fall, from breeding grounds as far north as Canada’s maritime provinces to the Sierra Madre mountains in central Mexico. (A separate western population heads mostly to Southern California.) They mate in Mexico, then fly back north to lay their eggs (and die) in the spring.
Because they’re so delicate — each weighs less than a gram — monarchs are particular about the conditions they’ll fly in, and especially vulnerable to extreme weather systems. Major storms, high winds, early freezes — all pose large-scale dangers, and the butterflies faced all of those this year. But more pernicious than that, scientists believe, are the warmer temperatures, probably a sign of climate change, which manipulated the monarchs’ instincts and pushed their migration back.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the number of monarchs has dropped from a billion in their heyday to about 33 million in 2014 — or more than 80 percent since the mid-1990s.
For decades, scientists have focused on two main causes to explain what was happening to the monarchs: loss of their habitat to development in the United States and in the Mexican winter grounds and widespread agricultural use of pesticides, which destroy milkweed, their favorite plant. But now they are looking at climate change as a new threat to this icon of conservation.
Wildfires - Australia
New South Wales - Rural properties near Bowral in the Alders and Crees Road areas in Bannaby may come under threat from a grassfire, the NSW Rural Fire Service says.
The 634-hectare blaze is at watch-and-act alert level with firefighters and an aircraft on scene to try to slow its spread.
A watch and act alert has also been issued north of Tamworth, where there's an out of control 3500-hectare fire. The RFS is concerned isolated rural properties may be threatened 10km southwest of Bundarra.
Victoria - MORE than 30 fire trucks and seven water bombers have brought a bushfire in central Victoria under control. An emergency warning issued for the towns of Campbelltown, Cotswold, Glengower, Moolort, Smeaton, Strathlea, and Ullina has been downgraded to an alert message as a result.
Influenza - San Diego, USA
San Diego County health officials have recorded a record number of influenza deaths this season and a California deer mouse caught in routine trapping in the Santa Ysabel area has tested positive for hantavirus. Flu deaths A total of 142 flu deaths have been reported through Jan. 13, 2018, the highest ever since the County began keeping records.
Guinea Worm Disease
The provisional reports for 2017 totaled 15 cases in Chad and 15 cases in Ethiopia, the only remaining countries reporting ongoing cases of the disease. All of the cases in Ethiopia occurred in migrant workers from Oromia region on an industrial farm in Abobo district of adjacent Gambella region, where in 2016 individuals drank unfiltered water from a contaminated pond, resulting in an outbreak from September through December 2017. (It takes 12-14 months for the worm to emerge after contaminated water has been consumed.)
This image depicts a method used to extract a Guinea worm from the leg vein of a human patient.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.9 earthquake hits the Gulf of California.
5.2 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits near the coast of southern Peru.
5.0 earthquake hits the Iran-Iraq border region.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 06s (Berguitta), located approximately 622 nm south-southwest of St Denis, Reunion, is tracking south-southwestward at 17 knots. The final warning has been issued for this system.
Newsbytes:
Lebanon - High winds and torrential downpours overnight led to small-scale damage across Lebanon Friday, toppling billboards, littering streets with debris and closing many sea ports. For the first time this year, wind speeds surpassed 70 kilometers per hour. Streets in the northern district of Akkar and around the southern city of Sidon were transformed into swamps, while trash, fallen trees and other debris blocked roads temporarily. The southern sea ports of Sidon and Tyre remained closed, after fishermen had Thursday lifted their boats from the water or fastened them securely to piers in anticipation of storm surges.
Washington State, USA - The National Weather Service in Seattle issued a flood watch for the Washington coast through Thursday night, and by afternoon, surging waves were flooding roads, rolling over seawalls and pouring over jetties all along the coastline.
Wildfires - Australia
Firefighters are battling several big bushfires in New South Wales – one is threatening homes in the Southern Tablelands, and the other has forced the closure of the Royal national park in Sydney’s south. An emergency warning has been issued for an out-of-control bushfire south of Bundeena in the park.
Further south, near Bowral, rural properties in the area of Alders and Crees Road in Bannaby face the threat of a blaze burning through grass in the area, the NSW Rural Fire Service says.
And east of Canberra, firefighters from the ACT have been sent into NSW to protect houses threatened by another bushfire in the Southern Tablelands.
Cholera - Zimbabwe
Four people have died, while three others have been admitted to Chegutu District Hospital following a cholera outbreak in the town. 18 cases involving 11 men and seven women had been recorded and attended to in the town. The disease has so far claimed more than 67 lives in Zambia.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits north-west of the Kuril Islands.
5.6 earthquake hits Kepulauan Tanimbar, Indonesia.
5.3 earthquake hits central Peru.
5.1 earthquake hits offshore Chiapas, Mexico.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 06s (Berguitta), located approximately 224 nm west-southwest of St Denis, Reunion, is tracking southwestward at 12 knots.
Newsbytes:
Turkey - Bad weather disrupted daily life in the western city of Izmir on Thursday, with rising sea levels flooding the city's famous Kordon coastline, while in Istanbul, ferry services were temporarily suspended. Northeaster winds up to 100 kilometers in speed (62 mph) battered Turkey's western coasts Thursday, gradually dropping temperatures and adding to heavy rainfall that started late Wednesday. Izmir, the country's third-largest city located on the tip of a gulf, was the scene of surreal images of streets inundated by floodwater seeming to merge with the sea.
Climate Survival
The continued existence of the human species is now threatened more by extreme weather in a changing climate than by weapons of mass destruction, according to a global survey by the World Economic Forum.
It was released just prior to the foundation’s annual meeting of global leaders in Davos, Switzerland.
The survey of nearly 1,000 international experts and decision makers reveals that in terms of likelihood and impact, extreme weather around the world is listed as the top concern.
The survey points to how catastrophic hurricane damage and wildfires last year demonstrate that environmental events can result in devastation of crucial infrastructure and food supplies.
Animals are Collateral Damage in Africa
Wildlife in more than 70 percent of Africa’s nature preserves was decimated by the ravages of war between 1946 and 2010, causing populations to enter what a new report describes as a “downward spiral.”
Writing in the journal Nature, Joshua Daskin and Robert Pringle of Princeton University point to the deaths of 90 percent of the large herbivores in Mozambique’s Gorongosa National Park during that country’s decades-long struggle for liberation from Portugal and subsequent civil war.
The decline in wildlife across Africa has also been compounded by poaching for ivory, hides and other animal parts, often sold on the black market to purchase weapons.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Twee Riviere, South Africa.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 75.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 59.4 degrees Celsius) at Oimyakon, Siberia.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 10 January - 16 January 2018
Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 10-16 January gray-and-white plumes generally rose as high as 500 m above Agung’s crater rim and drifted S, SE, and E. An event at 1754 on 11 January produced an ash plume that rose 2.5 km above the crater rim and drifted NE (likely causing ashfall in areas downwind), and another event at 0723 on 15 January generated an ash plume that rose 2 km. As of 11 January BNPB estimated that 53,207 evacuees were spread out in 233 shelters. The Alert Level remained at 4 (on a scale of 1-4) and the exclusion zone continued at a 6-km radius.
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that an explosive event occurred at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) at 1020 on 10 January, ejecting material 500-700 m from the crater. Weather clouds obscured views of the emissions. There were three events, two of which were explosive, detected during 12-15 January. The explosions ejected material as far as 500 m from the crater and produced plumes that rose as high as 1.5 km above the crater rim. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 10-16 January HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Surface lava flows were active above and on the pali, and on the coastal plain.
Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : Based on satellite observations KVERT reported that gas-and-steam plumes from Klyuchevskoy contained some ash and drifted about 160 km NW and E during 5-6 and 8-10 January. A weak thermal anomaly was visible on 6 and 8 January. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.
Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya was similar to the previous week; there was an average of 57 explosions recorded per day during 8-14 January. Seismicity was dominated by long-period events, with signals indicating emissions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 2.5 km above the crater rim and drifted 50 km NW and SW. The MIROVA system detected three thermal anomalies. The sulfur dioxide flux was high, at 2,071 tons per day on 12 January. The report noted that the public should not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 5-12 January. Ash plumes from explosions which began at 1035 on 10 January rose to altitudes of 10-11 km (32,800-36,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifted about 900 km E during 10-11 January. KVERT briefly raised the Aviation colour Code to Red on 10 January, and then lowered it back to Orange later that day.
Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : Based on JMA notices and satellite data, the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 15 January an eruption at Suwanosejima produced a plume that rose 1.8 km (6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW.
Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that an event at Turrialba at 0400 on 15 January generated a plume of unknown height due to weather conditions. Ashfall was reported in areas N of Pacayas (Pinos, Buenos Aires, and Santa Rosa de Oreamuno) and a sulfur odor was noted in Santa Rosa de Oreamuno.
Wildfires - Oklahoma, USA
Several grass fires in Murray County Thursday afternoon burned through 2,000 acres, threatening homes and livestock. More than a dozen fire departments were dispatched Thursday to fight three grass fires northeast of Sulphur. Those fires -- which eventually merged into one large blaze -- are now under control.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 06s (Berguitta), located approximately 40 nm south-southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking southwestward at 13 knots.
Hydro-Dams in Brazil may be Put On Hold
Brazil has flooded large swaths of the Amazon for hydro dams, despite opposition from Indigenous Peoples, environmentalists and others. The country gets 70 percent of its electricity from hydropower. Brazil's government had plans to expand development, opening half the Amazon basin to hydro. But a surprising announcement could halt that.
In an interview with O Globo, Mines and Energy Executive Secretary Paulo Pedrosa said the government is reconsidering hydro construction in the face of societal pressure, environmental damage and increasingly competitive renewable energy options.
We can see parallels in Canada, where large hydro projects have been pushed through despite similar opposition and concerns.
Large-scale hydro also causes enormous environmental and social damage, including farmland and habitat destruction, changes to waterways and water tables, and displacement of Indigenous Peoples. Where large areas of land are flooded, mercury in fish increases several-fold, making this traditional source of protein risky to eat.
Animals Are Shrinking and Freezing to Death in a Changing Arctic
Unusual weather brought by climate change is making it tough for muskoxen to get food—and sometimes even entombs them in ice.
Muskoxen, the plant-chomping, long-haired mammals that huddle on the Arctic tundra, are being born smaller in parts of the far north, as pregnant mothers struggle to find food.
One reason, according to new research published Thursday in Scientific Reports: Muskoxen eat most of the year by pawing through snow with their hooves. But rising temperatures mean precipitation increasingly falls as rain, only to then freeze on the surface, encasing plant life in inaccessible ice.
Meanwhile, in a type of freak weather event likely to become more common, more than 50 muskoxen died swamped in ice, as gusts of howling winds drove ice and freezing waters from a tidal surge so far inland that fish were found a half-mile from shore. Rising seas are making such surges bigger and more common.
During one February flight in 2011, one of Berger's co-authors was in a plane, photographing 55 muskoxen standing in a lagoon. A couple of weeks later, 52 of them were dead, most almost completely buried in ice. One animal had chunks of ice in its throat. The only animal not completely encased was standing and appeared to have been trying to walk.
By piecing together weather anomalies, Berger and crew figured out the most likely scenario: the animals had fallen victim to an odd type of localized tsunami. High winds pushed average tides near the site 16 times higher than normal, propelling thick ice and waves inland. Five-meter-long plates of ice up to 50 centimeters thick were found piled near the muskoxen.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 10 January - 16 January 2018
Kadovar | Papua New Guinea : According to Brandon Buser, just after eruption plumes started rising from a vent on the SE side of Kadovar on 5 January boats from a village on the mainland (22 km SW) and from Bam (25 km E) were sent to the island to evacuate residents. The entire population of the island (about 500 people according to a news article citing the Red Cross) was evacuated by the boats and numerous canoes to Blup Blup (15 km N). Activity escalated around midnight. The next day, at a distance of 65 km, Buser and others saw ash emissions rising from Kadovar, and at about 24 km away from the island they experienced ashfall. As they were circling the island a large event sent a large plume hundreds of feet into the air and ejected large boulders into the ocean. During another visit on 8 January Buser noted two new eruptive vents, ashfall covering everything on the village side, and wet falling ash. RVO reported that activity significantly escalated on 12 January characterized by a large blast of a substantial amount of material and “big” glowing red rocks directed to the S; the report noted that the blast was the only one reported to date. Observers on Blup Blup saw incandescence emanating from either the summit or an area out of view on the S flank. Large amounts of sulfur dioxide had been detected since 8 January, and continued to be emitted. A fracture had previously been reported on 6 January extending from the summit to the coast. When seen on 12 January, the fracture was wider and vigorous steaming was occurring at sea level. Ash plumes drifted tens of kilometers W and NW. RVO noted that the displaced villagers were getting transferred to the mainland, along with islanders from Bam, due to the relatively close proximity to the eruption plus the logistics of supplying them. Five newly-named vents were observed during an overflight conducted on 13 January: Main Crater, Western vent, and Southern vent (all three are at the summit), the SE Coastal vent, and the Southern Coastal vent. Sometimes voluminous steam and dense gray plumes rose 1 km above the Main Crater. The emissions obscured views of Southern and Western vents. The SE Coastal Vent was very active, emitting dense white steam plumes 600 m a.s.l. A possible lava dome was at the base of the plumes but showed no evidence of incandescence. The Southern Coastal Vent, located where the original fractures entered the sea, was inactive.
Mayon | Luzon (Philippines) : PHIVOLCS reported that a phreatic eruption at Mayon was detected at 1621 on 13 January, generating an ash plume that rose 2.5 km and drifted SW. The seismic network recorded the event for 1 hour and 47 minutes. Trace amounts of ash fell in Barangays Anoling (4 km S), Sua (6 km SSW), Quirangay (6 km SSW), Tumpa (7 km SW), Ilawod (10 km SSW), and Salugan (9 km SSW) of Camalig, and in Barangays Tandarora (10 km SW), Maninila (18 km S), and Travesia (10 km SW) in Guinobatan. A sulfur odor was noted by residents of Camalig. Rumbling sounds were heard by residents in Anoling. The Alert Level was raised to 2 (on a 0-5 scale). Faint crater incandescence was first observed at 2216. A phreatic eruption began at 0849 on 14 January and lasted about five minutes, and another was detected at 1143 and lasted 15 minutes. Steam-and-ash plumes from both events rose from the crater but were mostly obscured by weather clouds. Anoling residents noted rumbling sounds and a sulfur odor, and minor amounts of ash fell in Camalig. On 14 January PHIVOLCS raised the Alert Level to 3, noting a marked increase in activity characterized by three phreatic eruptions and 158 rockfall events between 1621 on 13 January and 1925 on 14 January. Bright crater incandescence was evident, signifying growth of a new lava dome and lava beginning to flow on the S flank. The report reminded residents to stay away from the 6-km-radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and the 7-km Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) on the S flank. Three collapses of material occurred on 15 January, producing rockfall or small-volume pyroclastic density currents. They were detected by the seismic network at 0941, 1005, and 1107 and lasted five, seven, and eight minutes, respectively. The first two events appeared to have been from collapses of the lava-flow front and generated ash plumes that drifted SW and ashfall in multiple Barangays including Travesia, Muladbucad Grande (8 km W), Maninila, and Masarawag (5 km W) of the Guinobatan municipality, and several Barangays in the Camalig municipality. An ash plume from the third event rose about 1 km above the crater and drifted WSW. During 15-16 January the new lava dome in the summit crater continued to effuse. Lava flows advanced 2 km down the Miisi drainage (S), and a small-volume flow was emplaced on the upper slopes of the Bonga drainage (SSE). The seismic network recorded multiple events including short-duration lava fountaining, 75 lava-collapse events corresponding to rockfalls along the front and margins of advancing lava, and short pyroclastic flows in the Miisi drainage. Ash plumes from collapse events in the summit crater produced ash plumes that rose 2 km and caused ashfall in Camalig, Guinobatan, and Polangui.
Nevados de Chillan | Chile : Servicio Nacional de Geología and Minería (SERNAGEOMIN) Observatorio Volcanológico de Los Andes del Sur (OVDAS) reported that during an overflight of Nevados de Chillán's Volcán Arrau dome complex on 9 January scientists observed a new lava dome in the active central crater, corresponding to a new fissure first identified on 21 December 2017. Gas and water vapor rose from the fissure going across the dome surface, and the temperature of the surface was about 480 degrees Celsius. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, the middle level on a three-colour scale, and the public was reminded not to approach the craters within a 4-km radius.
San Miguel | El Salvador : SNET reported that at 1653 on 14 January and 1615 on 15 January gas-and-ash plumes from San Miguel rose no more than 300 m above the crater rim and dispersed SW. The report noted that prior to both emissions seismicity decreased and then suddenly increased.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.9 earthquake hits near the coast of Nicaragua.
5.7 earthquake hits Taiwan.
5.5 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits Western Xizang, China.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 06s (Berguitta), located approximately 204 nm northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking westward at 04 knots.
Newsbytes:
Ireland - Snow and freezing temperatures have bit Britain after severe 80mph winds were predicted to sweep in from the Atlantic last night as the Met Office's Irish counterpart named the sixth storm of the winter Storm Fionn. More than a foot of snow was recorded in Eskdalemuir in Dumfries and Galloway last night, Glenanne in Co Armagh had 9inches, while Tulloch Bridge in Inverness saw 8inches of snow overnight with temperatures as low as -4C, forecasters said. Elsewhere across England and Wales, the mercury did not reach above 2C. Drivers reported being trapped in their cars for up to 13 hours on the M74 after heavy snow battered roads, with temperatures dipping below freezing overnight and snow piling up to 15inches in Dumfries and Galloway.
No-fishing zones help endangered penguins
Small no-fishing zones around colonies of African penguins can help this struggling species, new research shows.
Working with the South African government, researchers from the universities of Exeter and Cape Town tested bans on catching "forage fish" such as sardines and anchovies - key prey for the endangered penguins - from 20km around their breeding islands.
The body condition and survival of chicks improved when the no-fishing zones were in place.
More research is needed, but the scientists say the fishing closures should continue in South Africa and should be considered elsewhere.
Deadly ocean heatwaves
A heatwave that struck a quarter of the world’s oceans in 2016 was made far more likely by climate change, according to a new study.
Nicknamed “the blob” when it appeared in the eastern Pacific, the mass of warm water was linked with the deaths of marine animals and the devastation of ecosystems.
Ocean water naturally goes through phases of higher temperatures – notably the event known as El Niño, which leads to periods of warmer water in the Pacific Ocean.
Climate change is also thought to contribute to some of this temperature fluctuation, but it can be difficult establishing the exact contribution it makes.
However, a team of Australian scientists has concluded the heatwave of 2016 was influenced by anthropogenic – that is, human-induced – climate change.
The research focuses on warming around northern Australia, which resulted in mass coral bleaching, and the northern Pacific Ocean between Alaska and Russia.
Extreme temperatures in the Gulf of Alaska have been linked with the deaths of thousands of seabirds and whales during this period.
Measles - Indonesia
Some 59 children have died from a combination of measles and malnutrition in the remote Asmat region, Papua province, Indonesia. The Associated Press reports that Indonesian health authorities are struggling to battle the measles outbreak due to a lack of access to remote areas, insufficient personnel and the high mobility of villagers hampered treatment and vaccination efforts. The measles outbreak, which began in Sep 2017, has affected 568 people and hospitalized 175.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 06s (Berguitta), located approximately 244 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking west-southwestward at 05 knots.
Newsbytes:
Fiji - Flooding caused by a heavy downpour in the Western Division on Sunday night has affected the Lautoka, Ba and Rakiraki areas. A number of roads and bridges were damaged.
Australia - Torrential rain drowns Perth and floods highways less than a day after the city baked in 38C weather. The people of Perth have gone from basking in 38C sunshine to running for cover as heavy rain brought on by ex-Tropical Cyclone Joyce belts down in the city. Unseasonal clouds stained the sky on Monday morning before 20mm of rain fell on the city at about midday - flooding the Mitchel Freeway which was closed for a time. More rain is forecast.
USA, New Jersey - Not far from New Jersey’s Capitol Building, icy-slushy water from the Delaware River has claimed the road. Massive chunks of ice and snow have spilled into each other, filling the river, forcing water over its banks and flooding roads. No homes were threatened as yet.
Hepatitis E – Namibia
During the week ending on 13 October 2017, the first identified case was admitted to a public hospital in Windhoek district, with signs and symptoms of hepatitis E. During the week ending on 8 January 2018, a total of 237 probable and confirmed cases have been seen at various health facilities in Windhoek district with the same signs and symptoms.
Cholera – United Republic of Tanzania
From 1 January 2017 through 31 December, 4985 cases including 99 deaths have been reported in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar.
Cholera - Zambia
In a follow-up on the cholera outbreak in Zambia, the cholera outbreak in Zambia continues to escalate. During the past week, an additional 613 cases were reported. As of 8 January 2018, a cumulative total of 2,672 cases with 63 deaths (case fatality rate 2.4%) have been registered.
Lassa Fever - Nigeria
Three medical personnel at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki in Ebonyi State have been killed by Lassa fever. Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner for Health, said two of the dead patients were medical doctors while the third person was a nurse. He revealed that the index patient who was treated by one of the doctors and nurse survived and had been discharged.
Kenya - Chikungunya outbreak
The Kenyan Ministry of Health has reported an outbreak of chikungunya in the coastal city of Mombasa. As of 8 January 2018, a total of 45 suspected cases of chikungunya and no deaths have been documented.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits near the north coast of New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.3 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.2 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.2 earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits Mindoro in the Philippines.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 06s (Berguitta), located approximately 362 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking northward at 01 knot.
Newsbytes:
Maine, USA - Volatile ice caused by unseasonably warm days followed by brutal cold caused turmoil for people throughout the state Sunday. Along Water Street in Hallowell, where the Kennebec River frequently floods each spring, the water rose within minutes early Sunday morning, leaving close to a dozen cars partly or completely submerged. A large ice jam formed just downriver in Farmingdale, and the water just backed up.
New York, USA - Early reports show flood waters entering the Stockade district in Schenectady from the Mohawk River. The warm weather of the last few days has now led to ice jams on the Mohawk River as the water has turned into frozen dams with the recent cold snap.
Wildfires - Australia
Skies in Perth, Australia, turned dramatic colours after a bushfire blanketed the city with smoke. More than 150 firefighters fought the blaze as it burned through 3,000 acres (1,200ha) of bushland near the city on Sunday, authorities said. Officials said the fire was being treated as suspicious, but nobody was hurt.
Listeriosis - South Africa - Update
The Listeriosis outbreak continues to spread and is causing widespread panic and leaving death in its wake. And yet The National Institute for Communicable Diseases is yet to determine the source of the food-borne Listeriosis outbreak that has reached 748 laboratory-confirmed cases.
On Friday the institute said 67 people had been confirmed dead from the outbreak gripping the country which surfaced early last month and affects all nine provinces.
The World Health Organisation has said South Africa's Listeria outbreak, with nearly 750 confirmed cases, is believed to be the largest-ever outbreak of the bacterial disease listeriosis. The second largest outbreak of listeriosis was in 2011, when the United States had a total of 147 reported cases.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
7.3 earthquake hits near the coast of southern Peru.
5.3 earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 06s (Berguitta), located approximately 364 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking westward at 04 knots.
Newsbytes:
Brunei - A heavy downpour yesterday afternoon caused flash floods as well as traffic chaos on a number of main roads in the Brunei-Muara District.
Wildfires - Australia
Newcastle Airport has been shut down and sealed off with all flights cancelled as firefighters battle a bush fire in Tomago, Australia. Estimates suggest the blaze has now covered 1 100 acres as winds continue to force the blaze northwards. Four ‘waterbombing’ aircraft have been called in.
Measles - Ukraine - Update
In a follow-up to a recent report about measles in Ukraine, the Health Ministry said Friday that some 3,382 cases of measles were detected in Ukraine during 11 months of 2017, including five deaths. The five measles fatalities were reported from Odesa region.
Uganda - Haemorrhagic Fever
Four people have now died in Uganda this week from an 'eye-bleeding fever' similar to Crimean-Congo Haemorrhagic fever, but Health Department officials remain vague about a possible outbreak of the disease in efforts to avoid panic among the population.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.9 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits the Rat Islands in the Aleutian Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits the Savu Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits Tonga.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Joyce), located approximately 68 nm east of Port Hedland, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 09 knots.
Tropical cyclone 06s (Six), located approximately 455 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, iss tracking west-southwestward at 09 knots.
Newsbytes:
USA - Low temperatures, fierce snow and ice storms buffet large areas of the Tennessee Valley, the Ohio Valley and the Northeast as Winter Storm Hunter moves east through Friday and Saturday. The heaviest snowfall is predicted from the eastern Great Lakes to northern New England, but snow is also expected to gather further to the south.
Sahara Desert - A snowstorm in the Sahara desert has turned the normally sandy landscape into what looks like arctic tundra after up to 16 inches fell on areas of Algeria Sunday. The freak occurrence—it is only the third time in almost 40 years—surprised locals as their homes and surrounding iconic red sand dunes were covered in snow.
Philippines - A heavy downpour early Friday, triggered floods and a landslide in some localities. Local authorities said more than 3,000 families were affected in Victorias City where tech-deep floods were reported, and about 80 in Talisay City, while a landslide was reported in Silay City. Several houses were also destroyed.
Buffalo, New York - More than a hundred homeowners in South Buffalo are cleaning up from flooded basements after a huge ice jam by the South Park lift bridge backed up the Buffalo River Friday morning.
Big Sheets of Water Ice on Mars
Sizable deposits of water ice lurk just beneath the surface in some regions of Mars, a new study reports.
The newfound sheets appear to contain distinct layers, suggesting that studying them could shed considerable light on the Red Planet's climate history, researchers said. And the ice is buried by just a few feet of Martian dirt in places, meaning it might be accessible to future crewed missions.
Wildfires - California
The Thomas Fire ripped through more than 440 square miles of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, killing two people, destroying more than 1,000 structures and damaging 280 more. It is now 100 percent contained but has yet to be declared fully extinguished after burning for nearly 40 days.
The fire, sparked Dec. 4, was fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds and extremely dry conditions, defying the efforts of crews in the air and on the ground, jumping the 101 Freeway and pushing relentlessly day by day until it looped back on itself in a massive rough-edged ring, with the resort town of Ojai in the middle.
It devastated several foothill and seaside communities and stripped vegetation vital to the integrity of the hillsides, leaving wide swaths below vulnerable to the mudslides that would ultimately hit earlier this week in the season's first heavy rainstorm.
Wildfires – New Caledonia
Dozens of firefighters in the south of New Caledonia are trying to contain bushfires which have destroyed more than 1,000 hectares of vegetation. The area around Mont-Dore has reportedly had no rain for five months, with winds fanning the blazes. A farm with all its equipment has been burned down while dozens of residential houses have been threatened by the flames, prompting evacuations and road closures. Earlier this season, about 13,000 hectares were destroyed in bushfires.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.2 earthquake hits Myanmar.
Three 5.3 earthquakes hit Myanmar in quick succession.
5.3 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits Costa Rica.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Joyce), located approximately 117 nm east-northeast of Port Hedland, Australia, is tracking southwestward at 05 knots.
Owls Dying Near Marijuana Farms - California
New research reveals that several species, including the northern spotted owl, are succumbing to rat poison from thousands of "unpermitted private marijuana grow sites" in the northwestern California counties of Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte.
Sea Turtles Under Threat as Warmer Climate Turns Most Babies Female
Climate change is causing some troubling new phenomena in the animal kingdom, and is most likely the culprit behind a new study discovering that as much as 99 percent of baby green sea turtles in warm equatorial regions are being born female. The study took a look at turtle populations at nesting sites at Raine Island and Moulter Cay in the northern Great Barrier Reef, an area plagued with unprecedented levels of coral bleaching from high temperatures. The researchers compared these populations with sea turtles living at sites in the cooler south. The study found that while 65 -69 percent of the turtles from the southern region were female, between 86.8 and 99.8 of turtles tested in the northern region were female, depending on age.
The sex of green sea turtles, along with some other species of turtles, crocodiles, and alligators, is not regulated by the introduction of sex chromosomes at key points during early development, as seen in humans and other mammals. Their sex is actually influenced by the temperature at which the eggs are incubated, with warmer temperatures more likely to lead to females. The difference between predominately male and predominately female hatchlings is only a few degrees, such as that formerly found between the cool, damp bottom of a sandy sea turtle nest and the sun-warmed top.
Flea Infestation
Fleas from domestic pets now infest wildlife and feral animals on all continents except Antarctica.
A University of Queensland-led global study showed that so-called cat fleas — the main flea species found on domestic dogs and cats — are carried by more than 130 wildlife species around the world, representing nearly 20 percent of all the mammal species sampled. Dog fleas are less widespread and were reported on only 31 mammal species.
The study warns that the fleas have the potential to transmit harmful bacteria back to pets and humans, including those that cause bubonic plague and typhus.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 117 degrees Fahrenheit (47.2 degrees Celsius) in Penrith, Australia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 66.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 54.4 degrees Celsius) at Ostrov Kotel’nyy, Siberia.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Malaysia
On 2 January 2018, the National IHR Focal Point of Malaysia reported one case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).
Bird Flu - Japan
Japanese authorities on Friday announced the culling of about 91,000 chickens on a farm in southwest Japan where several animals were found to be infected with a highly pathogenic form of the bird flu virus. The new outbreak has been detected on a farm in Kagawa prefecture of Shikoku Island after it was found that more than 50 dead chickens this week were infected with the highly contagious H5 strain of the virus. The culling began shortly before midnight on Thursday and will conclude in about 24 hours and the movement of eggs and animals within a radius of 10 km of the farm has been suspended while the area has been cleaned with disinfectants.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 3 January - 9 January 2018
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that very small events occurred at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 28 December 2017-4 January 2018. An event at 1744 on 6 January ejected material from Minamidake Crater as far as 900 m from the crater. An event at Showa Crater on 8 January at 0359 ejected material as far as 800 m. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Aoba | Vanuatu : Based on information from VGO, the Wellington VAAC reported that on 8 January ash from Aoba fell on the N and NE parts of the island; weather clouds prevented webcam and satellite observations. The next day a local observer saw an ash plume rising to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifting NW.
Fuego | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that during 4-9 January explosions at Fuego generated ash plumes that rose as high as 1.1 km above the crater and drifted mainly 10-15 km S, SW, and W, with an occasional plume moving E or NE. Some of the explosions generated shock waves. Incandescent material was ejected 100-300 m above the crater rim, causing avalanches of material that traveled within the crater and sometimes down the Ceniza (SSW), Taniluyá (SW), and Seca (W), and Las Lajas (SE) drainages. Minor ashfall was noted in local areas including Panimaché I (8 km SW), Santa Sofía (12 km SW), Morelia (9 km SW), El Porvenir, La Rochela, and Ceylon.
Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 3-9 January HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of the crater. Surface lava flows were active above and on the pali, and on the coastal plain.
Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : Based on satellite observations KVERT reported that gas-and-steam plumes from Klyuchevskoy contained some ash and drifted about 150 km in multiple directions during 1 and 3-4 January. A weak thermal anomaly was visible on 3 January. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.
Pacaya | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that during 4-9 January Strombolian explosions at Pacaya’s Mackenney cone ejected material as high as 50 m above the main cone.
Popocatepetl | Mexico : CENAPRED reported that at 1348 on 1 January an explosion at Popocatépetl generated a plume with low ash content that rose 0.5 km above the crater rim and drifted SE. Each day during 3-9 January there were 110-588 emissions, some of which contained minor amounts of ash. Beginning at 2032 on 6 January Strombolian activity generated an ash, gas, and water vapor emission that rose 800 m and drifted SE, and ejected incandescent material 200-300 m onto the flanks. Explosions were recorded at 0131 and 0222 on 8 January. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, Phase Two.
Rincon de la Vieja | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that at 1758 on 9 January an eruption at Rincón de la Vieja produced a plume that rose 1 km above the crater rim.
Sabancaya | Peru : Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that explosive activity at Sabancaya was similar to the previous week; there was an average of 41 explosions recorded per day during 1-7 January. Seismicity was dominated by long-period events, with signals indicating emissions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose 3 km above the crater rim and drifted 50 km N, NW, and W. The MIROVA system detected nine thermal anomalies. The sulfur dioxide flux was high, at 3,409 tons per day on 5 January. The report noted that the public should not to approach the crater within a 12-km radius.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 29 December 2017-5 January 2018. On 10 January satellite images captured an ash cloud, 192x132 km in dimension, from explosions rising to altitudes of 10-11 km (32,800-36,100 ft) a.s.l. and drifting 230 km NE. KVERT raised the Aviation colour Code to Red. Later that day satellite images showed an ash cloud 350x180 km in dimension drifting 400 km E; the Aviation colour Code was lowered back to Orange.
Turrialba | Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that events at Turrialba at 0600 and 1319 on 8 January generated ash emissions that rose 400-500 m above the crater rim and drifted NW and NE, respectively. An event at 2005 generated an ash plume that rose 800 m above the crater rim and drifted SW. At 0630 on 9 January an ash plume rose 300 m above the crater rim and drifted SW. An event was recorded at 1412, though weather conditions prevented visual conformation.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits the Iran-Iraq border.
Two 5.4 earthquakes hit the Iran-Iraq border.
5.3 earthquake hits the Iran-Iraq border.
5.2 earthquake hits the Iran-Iraq border.
5.1 earthquake hits Reykjanes ridge.
5.1 earthquake hits southeast of the Ryukyu Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits the Iran-Iraq border.
5.0 earthquake hits Reykjanes ridge.
5.0 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 05s (Joyce), located approximately 50 nm northwest of Broome, Australia, is tracking southward at 05 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 04s (Irving): The final warning has been given for this system.
Newsbytes:
Thailand - Several areas of Bangkok were flooded on Wednesday as torrential rain caused chaos on roads in the Thai capital, affecting thousands of office workers during rush hour.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 3 January - 9 January 2018
Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : BNPB reported that activity at Agung continued to fluctuate at a high level. Visual observations as well as seismic, deformation, and geochemistry data indicated that the eruption was continuing, though deformation data in recent days showed a stagnant trend. As of the morning of 4 January BNPB noted that there were 70,610 evacuees spread out in 240 shelters. The exclusion zone was adjusted to 6 km in all directions that same day, allowing thousands of displaced people the option to return to their homes. An estimated 17,115 people in seven villages have residences within the 6-km-radius exclusion zone. PVMBG reported that during 3-9 January gray-and-white plumes rose as high as 2 km above the crater rim and drifted in multiple directions. The Alert Level remained at 4 (on a scale of 1-4).
Kadovar | Papua New Guinea : The first confirmed historical eruption at Kadovar began around mid-day local time on 5 January, according to witnesses. The island is approximately 1.4 km in diameter with very steep slopes, located about 25 km NNE from the mouth of the Sepik River on the New Guinea mainland. The Rabaul Volcanological Observatory (RVO) warned of potential explosive activity, landslides, and resulting possible tsunamis. Aerial photos and observations from Samaritan Air flights showed dark gray ash and steam plumes rising from a crater on the SE side of the summit. It was estimated that up to 60% of the island was covered in volcanic products, which primarily appeared to be ash along with some pyroclastic flows. Ashfall was reported on Kairiru and Mushu islands (115 km WNW), Mt. Uru in Yangoru (130 km W), and Woginara (140 km W), along with locations along the W coast of the Wewak District. The NOAA/CIMSS Volcanic Cloud Monitoring system generated an alert for the ash cloud moving WNW, as imaged by S-NPP VIIRS at 0330 UTC on 5 January; Himawari-8 imagery subsequently showed that the eruption began around 0220 UTC. The Darwin VAAC issued a sequence of ash advisories starting on 5 January that noted ash moving W at an altitude of about 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l., and set the Aviation colour Code to Orange. Both discrete eruptions and continuous ongoing activity was seen in satellite imagery through 9 January, with the plume visible at distances of over 200 km W and WNW. Although initial news reports regarding the population and evacuation status were unclear, the East Sepik Governor, Allan Bird, told media on 8 January that 591 residents of Kadovar had been evacuated to Blup Blup island (about 10 km N) due to the organizational efforts of village councilors on the two islands. RVO stated that during 7-8 January ash continued to be emitted, and blown tens of kilometers WNW.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
7.6 earthquake hits north of Honduras.
5.4 earthquake hits near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.2 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands, New Zealand.
5.1 earthquake hits south east of the loyalty Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 04s (Irving), located approximately 753 nm southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking south-southwestward at 22 knots.
Tropical cyclone 05s (Five), located approximately 112 nm north- northeast of Broome, Australia, is tracking north-northwestward at 10 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava). The final warning has been given for this system.
Newsbytes:
California, USA - Mudslides, boulders and tons of debris killed at least 13 people on Tuesday in communities along California’s scenic coastline ravaged by a series of intense wildfires that burned off protective vegetation last month. Heavy downpours struck before dawn on Tuesday after thousands of residents in Santa Barbara County along the Pacific coast north of Los Angeles were ordered to evacuate or urged to do so voluntarily, some of them for a second time since December. But only 10 to 15% complied with mandatory evacuation orders.
Singapore - Singapore experienced flash floods again after more heavy rain on Tuesday.
South Africa: listeriosis outbreak
The death toll from the listeriosis outbreak plaguing SA has nearly doubled in the past month, to 61 from 36, as SA grapples with an outbreak that experts say is the worst on record, worldwide.
The origin of the outbreak remains a mystery, though researchers have confirmed it probably has a single source.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits the Galapagos Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits Tajikistan.
Boiled' Bats Fall from Sky in Australian Heat Wave
More than 200 bats have lost their lives to southern Australia's ongoing heat wave.
As temperatures rose to 111.5 degrees Fahrenheit (44.2 degrees Celsius) in Campbelltown in the Australian state of New South Wales, a colony of that lives near the town's train station felt the effects. Volunteers struggled to rescue the heat-stricken bats, , but at least 204 individual animals, mostly babies, died.
"They basically boil," Kate Ryan, the colony manager for the Campbelltown bats, told the newspaper. "It affects their brain — their brain just fries and they become incoherent."
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava), located approximately 531 nm southeast of Europa Island, is tracking southward at 12 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 04s (Irving), located approximately 861 nm east-southeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking west-southwestward at 18 knots.
Newsbytes:
California, USA - Residents who escaped devastating wildfires that swept through the state in October and December now face life-threatening floods that could destroy their homes in a matter of seconds. As much as 7 inches (18 centimeters) of rain, and 9 inches in some places, is forecast to fall across fire-scarred areas this week. Heavy rainfall could trigger mudslides that will carry debris out of the foothills and down mountains from the burn scars left by the wildfires. Many of the same residents who were forced to evacuate during this year's wildfires are being ordered to evacuate again as the very dangerous storm bears down on the area.
South Sudan: Viral hemorrhagic fever cluster
Three cases of a suspected viral hemorrhagic fever, epidemiologically linked by time and place, were reported from Yirol East county, in the Eastern Lakes State, South Sudan, according to the National Ministry of Health. All three cases ended in death.
Hepatitis A : Utah, USA
In a follow-up on the Utah hepatitis A outbreak, health officials have reported 124 cases in the current outbreak. The onset of illness ranges from May through Dec 2017. Several cases have been linked by investigation and/or viral sequencing to a national outbreak of hepatitis A involving cases in California and Arizona.
Crop Bonanza
A new “speed breeding” method for growing common crops has the potential to help feed the world’s expanding population, scientists say.
Australian researchers write in the journal Nature Plants that they have developed a way of using specially calibrated LEDs to accelerate plant growth in spurts of up to 22 hours per day.
The technique allows them to grow six generations of wheat, chickpea and barley in a year rather than the single generation of those crops that farmers now can typically grow annually.
Scientists at the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland and the John Innes Center say the crops grown under far-red spectrum LEDs also look healthier than those grown in standard conditions.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava), located approximately 451 nm southwest of St Denis, Reunion, is tracking southward at 07 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 04s (Irving), located approximately 761 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking west-southwestward at 17 knots.
Newsbytes:
Singapore - A heavy downpour on Monday morning (Jan 8) caused flash floods in several parts of eastern Singapore.
Cholera - Tanzania
Seven people have died of cholera following an outbreak that hit five wards along the Lake Rukwa Basin in Sumbawanga District in Rukwa Region, with 138 others diagnosed with the disease from November 20 last year to January this year.
Food Poisoning Rife in India
Recent data put out by the Union Health Ministry’s Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) has indicated that food poisoning is one of the commonest outbreaks reported in 2017. This is apart from acute diarrhoeal disease (ADD).
According to the data, 312 of the 1,649 outbreaks reported till the third week of December 2017 were due to ADD and 242 were due to food poisoning.
The IDSP has interpreted that the incidence of ADD and food poisoning is high in places where food is cooked in bulk, such as canteens, hostels and wedding venues.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits the Myanmar-India border.
5.4 earthquake hits the Komandorskiye Ostrova region, Russia.
5.2 earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.
5.1 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits that Iran-Iraq border region.
5.0 earthquake hits Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava), located approximately 375 nm west-southwest of St Denis, Reunion, is tracking southeastward at 08 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 04s (Irving), located approximately 890 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southwestward at 16 knots.
Curiosity Rover Spots Weird Tube-Like Structures on Mars
NASA's Mars rover Curiosity captured this image on Jan. 2, 2018.
Scientists are now trying to determine whether the image shows traces of fossils or the remains of crystal structures.
It has been suggested that the angular structures look remarkably similar to Ordovician trace fossils found on Earth. Alternatively, they could be related to crystals in the rock, perhaps "crystal molds" that are also found here on Earth. Crystals in rock that are dissolved or eroded away leave crystal molds.
Another possibility is bioturbation. A common example of bioturbation is the formation of worm burrows. The burrows, once refilled with sediments, fossilized and then exposed by erosion, can end up looking very similar to structures depicted in the photograph.
Wildfires - Australia
Authorities in Australia are battling massive bushfires that threaten to rage out of control.
Several structures are burning on the outskirts of the country's second largest city, Melbourne, state capital of Victoria.
More than 50 fires have been reported across the state and around 400 households are without power.
Emergency warnings have also been sounded in the rural south-east state of South Australia where another fire has forced residents to seek shelter in buildings because roads are too dangerous to use - they are melting in the high temperatures.
H5N6 avian influenza confirmed in Fujian province, China
For the first time since last November, Chinese health authorities are reporting a human case of avian influenza A(H5N6). The patient was a three-year-old girl from Sanming City, Fujian province who had contact with live poultry before the onset of symptoms.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.0 Earthquake hits near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.2 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava), located approximately 429 nm east-northeast of Europa Island, is tracking southwestward at 12 knots.
Tropical cyclone (tc) 04s (Irving), located approximately 1108 nm east-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking westward at 12 knots.
Newsbytes:
Germany - Rivers swollen by days of rainfall and melting snow are rising in western Germany, with floodwaters spilling into some cities and towns. Shipping was suspended Friday on the upper reaches of the Rhine River, and a similar measure might be taken in the Cologne area over the weekend. Shipping on the Moselle River and the Neckar River, two of the Rhine's tributaries, had already been halted. A road in downtown Heidelberg was closed on Friday after the Neckar spilled over its banks. In St. Blasien in Germany's Black Forest, houses were evacuated on Thursday night because of flooding and a landslide.
Switzerland - The road to the Adelboden ski resort in Switzerland was swept away by a rain-induced mudslide while one skier in the French Alps died after being hit by a falling tree.
China - Central and eastern China have been dealing with heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions since Tuesday. Downed power lines scrapped power in Suizhou, a city of 2.5 million people. The snowfall killed at least 10 people. The hardest-hit provinces were Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangsu. More than 16 inches of snow fell in parts of Henan, Hubei and Anhui. About 200 homes were destroyed by the blizzards.
Congo - Floods and mudslides killed 44 people in shantytowns in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa, the third largest metropolis in Africa. Heavy rains hit Kinshasa on Thursday, starting in the early morning and continuing for hours. The floods had caused a large amount of damage and had destroyed several houses.
Interesting Images
It's snowing iguanas in Florida. The good news is they probably aren't dead.
As a so-called bomb cyclone continues lashing the U.S. East Coast with historic cold temperatures, weird weather abounds. In south Florida, temperatures dipped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) on Jan. 3, giving Tallahassee its first measurable snowfall in 28 years. On Jan. 4, Floridians reported an even stranger sight: frozen iguana bodies falling out of trees and littering the ground around the suburbs.
Wildfires - Corsica
Storm Eleanor fans wildfires in Corsica - nearly 400 firefighters on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica were battling blazes fanned by Eleanor's strong gusts of wind, with three people injured in a fire overnight.
Three hundred goats were killed in the blaze at Chiatra-Canale di Verde near the island's east coast and 10 homes burnt – five of them completely destroyed, local authorities said.
Mumps - Hawaii - Update
The total number of confirmed mumps cases in Hawai‘i as of Thursday, Jan. 4, 2018, stands at 770, with 108 on Hawai‘i Island, 610 on O‘ahu, 49 on Kaua‘i and three on Maui.
The ongoing mumps outbreak is by far the worst in several decades for Hawai‘i, which typically has fewer than 10 cases a year.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.0 Earthquake hits Montenegro.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands off India.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava), located approximately 338 nm west-northwest of St Denis, Reunion, is tracking southwestward at 08 knots.
Newsbytes:
Eastern USA - One of the most furious winter storms ever measured on the East Coast unleashed blizzard-like conditions from Virginia to Maine Thursday, driving icy sea water into downtown Boston and coastal Massachusetts towns. The flooding caused extensive damage and forced evacuations around the region. Greater Boston and most of the rest of eastern Massachusetts are forecast to get buried under 12 to 18 inches of snow today, the National Weather Service is warning this morning, and near-hurricane force winds are expected to whip the Cape and Islands.
The Oceans are Suffocating
Ocean "dead zones" — regions of the sea where oxygen is severely or entirely depleted and most forms of life can't survive — are becoming more numerous, and scientists warn that they will continue to increase unless we curb the factors driving global climate change, which is fueling this alarming shift in ocean chemistry.
Even outside these , rising global temperatures and influxes of nutrient pollution are throttling oxygen levels in the open ocean and in coastal areas, threatening communities of sea life around the world.
While water molecules contain oxygen atoms, liquid water must also contain dissolved oxygen in order for fish and other organisms to breathe. Oxygen-deprived dead zones were first identified in estuaries — bodies of water where rivers flow into the sea — in the mid-19th century, and their oxygen depletion was linked to the presence of urban sewage in the water.
Since then, growth of industrial and agricultural activity has disrupted the ocean's chemical balance, with regions in many areas worldwide becoming infused with pollutants and nutrients that starved the water of oxygen. Meanwhile, rising global temperatures hamper oxygen's solubility in water and restrict its distribution into the deeper ocean. At the same time, some forms of marine life have grown increasingly stressed due to warmer and , which increases their oxygen requirements.
As oxygen levels in water drop, the behavior and growth of fish and other ocean organisms is affected — a lack of oxygen can make them more susceptible to disease, or make it more difficult to reproduce. In extreme cases, they can suffocate. Most larger forms of sea life either die or abandon oxygen-starved waters, invading nearby ecosystems where they may upset the balance of life, disrupt food webs or increase their vulnerability to predators.
Serengeti Mass Migration
The wildebeest migration in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park is back in full force, thanks to the removal of herds of livestock that had encroached into the reserve.
Spokesman Susuma Kusekwa of the country’s National Parks Authority says there has been a significant increase in the number of the migratory animals in parts of the park following the livestock eviction.
An estimated 1.4 million wildebeest, as well as a half-million Thomson’s gazelles and about 200,000 zebras, travel north and south between Kenya’s Masai Mara and the Serengeti as they follow seasonal rainfall patterns that provide lush grazing lands for the animals.
Vaquita War
An anti-poaching drone being used to protect the critically endangered vaquita porpoise in the northern Gulf of California was shot down by poachers just before the New Year.
The conservation group Sea Shepherd said the drone was being used in conjunction with its two ships that were patrolling the Upper Gulf of California Biosphere Reserve.
Live video streaming from the drone showed a fisherman firing repeatedly from a speedboat before the video feed cut out.
Illicit net fishing in the vaquita’s habitat has devastated the tiny porpoises’ population by inadvertently snaring and drowning the animals. Only about 30 of the marine mammals are believed to still be alive.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 114 degrees Fahrenheit (45.6 degrees Celsius) in Boulia, Queensland, Australia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 61.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 51.7 degrees Celsius) at Oimyakon, Siberia.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Syphilis - Japan
Japan health officials saw the number of syphilis cases double from 2015 to 2016, with some 4500 cases reported. Now, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases recently reported that in 2017, the number of cases of the sexually transmitted infection has easily topped 5000 with 5534 cases through Dec. 17 (Excel). Tokyo has seen the most cases.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 27 December - 2 January 2018
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that very small events occurred at Minamidake and Showa craters (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 25-28 December. An event at 0414 on 25 December ejected material from Minamidake Crater as far as 300 m from the crater. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that on 27 and 31 December 2017 and 1 January 2018 elevated surface temperatures in Cleveland's summit crater were identified in satellite data; no other activity was noted using satellite data during 28 December 2017-2 January 2018, though weather clouds often hindered observations. Seismic and infrasound data were at background levels. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.
Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery, wind model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 26 December 2017-2 January 2018 ash plumes from Dukono rose to an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.
Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Based on observations by volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions on 25 December generated ash plumes that rose as high as 1.5 km (4,900 ft) a.s.l. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : During 27 December 2017-2 January 2018 HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater and from a small lava pond in a pit on the W side of the crater. Surface lava flows were active above and on the pali, and on the coastal plain.
Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : Based on satellite observations KVERT reported that gas-and-steam plumes from Klyuchevskoy contained some ash and drifted about 220 km E during 22-25 December. A weak thermal anomaly was visible on 22 December. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 22-25 December. Explosions on 26 December generated ash plumes that rose as high as 8 km (26,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted about 300 km NE. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.
Sinabung | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that during 27 December 2017-2 January 2018 events at Sinabung generated ash plumes that rose as high as 3.2 km above the crater rim, and avalanches of material that traveled as far as 1.5 km E, SE, and S. Pyroclastic flows descended the E, SSE, and S flanks during 27-29 December, traveling 4.6 km SSE and 3.5 km E and S.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.3 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Kamchatka.
5.2 Earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.
5.2 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.1 Earthquake hits south of the Mariana Islands.
Mount St Helens
Since New Years Day Mount St. Helens has experienced 40 earthquakes within its vicinity as tremors continue every few hours. The most powerful earthquake was a magnitude 3.9 that occurred around midnight west coast time about 5 miles from Mount St. Helens and 23 miles from the town of Morton. It is common to experience swarms of earthquakes at Mount St. Helens. While it is certainly not a sign of an impending eruption, the earthquakes are a result of an active volcanic system.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 01w (Bolaven), located approximately 268 nm east-northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is tracking northwestward at 09 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava), located approximately 243 nm northwest of St Denis, is tracking southwestward at 06 knots.
Newsbytes:
Europe - Winter storm Eleanor swept across Europe on Wednesday, bringing death, damage and disruption, snarling transport networks and cutting power to tens of thousands of people. Two people died on Spain's northern Basque coast, the couple swept away by a huge wave. More than a dozen others were injured by the storm across France, four seriously as the country was lashed by what meteorologists termed the strongest winds in eight years. On the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, where gusts of up to 140km/h were recorded, winds fanned the flames of forest and scrub fires started by downed power lines, leaving three people injured. At Lenk in central Switzerland, eight people were hurt when a violent gust of wind overturned a railway carriage while one person was injured by a falling tree in the southern Dutch village of Heesch. Heavy winds forced authorities to close the airports in Strasbourg and Basel-Mulhouse on France's border with Germany and Switzerland before they were re-opened shortly after midday. About 225 000 homes across France were without electricity, while "particularly intense" flooding was expected on the Atlantic coasts.
Ireland - Galway City has been left with a massive clean-up operation today after “unprecedented” and unexpected levels of water flooded the streets at rush hour yesterday. Homes and businesses across Galway have been submerged under flood waters, while roads have been blocked and power is out as a result of fallen debris in many parts of the west.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week of 27 December - 2 January 2018
Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 27 December 2017-2 January 2018 gray-and-white plumes rose as high as 2 km above Agung’s crater rim and drifted W, SW, and E. Incandescence from the crater was often observed at night. Ash fell in several local villages including Badeg, Yeha, Temukus, Besakih (11 km WSW), and Muncan (12 km SW) on 1 January, and Rendang post on 2 January. The Alert Level remained at 4 (on a scale of 1-4), and the exclusion zones continued at a general 8-km radius and 10 km in the NNE, SE, S, and SW directions.
Bezymianny | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : On 29 December KVERT reported that activity at Bezymianny was characterized by moderate gas-and-steam emissions; a lava flow likely continued to effuse onto the N flank of the lava dome. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was identified in satellite images. The Aviation Colour Code was lowered to Yellow.
Kanlaon | Philippines : PHIVOLCS reported that there were three or fewer volcanic earthquakes detected at Kanlaon each day during 27 December 2017-2 January 2018. Dense weather clouds prevented visual observations, though on 30 December a steam plume was seen rising 500 m above the crater rim and drifting SW. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 0-5).
Pacaya | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported continuing Strombolian explosions at Pacaya’s Mackenney cone during 31 December 2017-1 January 2018.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.3 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.
5.0 Earthquake hits northern Algeria.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 01w (Bolaven), located approximately 477 nm east of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is tracking northwestward at 13 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone (tc) 03s (Ava), located approximately 335 nm north-northwest of St Denis, is tracking southeastward at 04 knots.
Newsbytes:
Britain - Thousands of homes have been left without power as Storm Eleanor hit Britain with winds of up to 80mph. An amber weather warning was issued for southern parts of Northern Ireland and northern England as well as southern fringes of Scotland overnight. Floods have already hit in Bantry, Ireland, as a result of Storm Eleanor.
Diptheria - Bangladesh
In a follow-up, the number of suspected diphtheria cases in the outbreak primarily affecting displaced Rohingya population is shooting through the roof with the latest numbers released last week showing a total of 2,526 cases suspected with diphtheria, including 27 deaths.
The current outbreak is mainly occurring within the displaced Rohingya population living in the Balukali makeshift and extension camps. This population is also affected by malnutrition, low routine immunization coverage, and poor access to clean water and sanitation facilities.
White-nose syndrome: Bats
The fungus behind white-nose syndrome, a disease that has ravaged bat populations in North America, may have an Achilles’ heel: UV light.
White-nose syndrome has spread steadily for the past decade, affecting millions of bats and is caused by the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans.
Influenza - India
The seasonal influenza (H1N1) outbreak has turned into an epidemic in Southern Punjab cities and killed 18 people so far since December, while the Punjab government has declared an emergency in all hospitals.
Meanwhile a special team of World Health Organization (WHO) reached Multan to investigate the outbreak of Swine Flu.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 Earthquake hits the North Pacific Ocean.
5.3 Earthquake hits the southwest Indian ridge.
5.0 Earthquake hits Greece.
5.0 Earthquake hits Vanuatu.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 01w (One), located approximately 318 nm south of Manila, Philippines, is tracking westward at 18 knots.
Newsbytes:
Israel - Israel saw heavy rainfall Monday morning in the northern and central regions accompanied by thunder storms, with flood warnings in the communities of the Coastal Plain. The rain will be spreading to the Negev later Monday, with flood warnings in the streams of the Judea Desert, Dead Sea and Negev.
Malaysia - Parts of Malaysia were hit by floods on Tuesday (Jan 2) after constant rainfall over the long New Year weekend affected nearly 1,500 people in six states. Pahang was one of the worst hit states, with over 700 people from 183 families from the Rompin, Kuantan and Jerantut districts evacuated to 11 flood relief centres. 349 people from 95 families were evacuated to five relief centres in Rompin.
Singapore - The first day of the New Year brought flash floods to three districts in Johor, forcing more than 200 people to seek shelter at relief centres. Heavy downpour since late Sunday evening caused floods to hit Labis, Kota Tinggi and Mersing on Monday.
Philippines - Tropical depression Agaton (One) triggered floods and landslides in Iligan City, Tuesday as it dumped rains on areas still reeling from back-to-back storms last week. Floods up to knee-deep swamped parts of barangay Palao, Hinaplanon, Tubod, Tipanoy, Santiago, Tibanga, Bagong Silang, San Miguel and Tambacan. Mud and debris covered a portion of C-3 Road in Barangay Tubod at 4:30 a.m., rendering it impassable.
Bushfire - Tasmania
The threat from a fire burning in Tasmania's north at George Town has been downgraded to a watch and act but is still a threat to properties, authorities say. About 20 fire units, three aerial units and bulldozers to cut tracks have been called to the scene.
Measles - Greece
In a follow-up on the measles outbreak in Greece, up to 28 December 2017, 922 measles cases have been notified in Greece, according to the Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Black Quarter Disease - Kenya
Black quarter disease has killed more than 100 cows in Tana River. It had been mistaken for anthrax but veterinary officers have confirmed it is black quarter disease. There is a serious shortage of vaccines in the country.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.2 Earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Chagos Archipelago.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Azores, Portugal.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
Newsbytes:
South Africa - Two people have been killed and 16 were left injured after they were struck by lightning in three separate villages in the Mthatha area, the Eastern Cape provincial government said on Sunday. The injured sustained burn wounds and were taken to local hospitals.
Philippines - Some parts of Toledo City, Cebu experienced flash floods due to intermittent rains beginning Sunday afternoon into New Years Day. Numerous revellers were stranded in barangays Tubod and Poblacion.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.
5.1 Earthquake hits Greece.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
Newsbytes:
South Africa - Two people died following an accident caused by heavy storms in Johannesburg, the City's emergency services said on Sunday. Between 30 and 40 houses in the Protea Glen and Braam Fisher areas in Soweto were found to have suffered damages from the storms which included a severe hailstorm. Parts of a roof collapsed at the Trade Route Mall.
Trinidad & Tobago - Incessant rainfall this week has led to widespread flooding and a massive landslide. Trinidad and Tobago's Meteorological Services has warned of increased fluvial flooding due to high rainfall. Areas of northern Trinidad have been affected by power failures and a major landslide that blocked the North Coast Road.
Global Warming Is Putting The Ocean's Phytoplankton In Danger
Phytoplankton are an essential part of the marine food chain. But according to new research, their numbers are dwindling.
Phytoplankton is one of the planet's most valuable resources. They form the basis of the marine food chain and provide half the ocean's oxygen (while trees, shrubs, and grasses provide the other half). Hurricanes churn the ocean, bringing up nutrients like nitrogen, phosphate, and iron from the depths of the ocean and introducing them to the surface levels where plankton live. In turn, the phytoplankton bloom and spread, and marine life grows with it.
As the climate warms, so will the oceans—bad news for phytoplankton, since warm waters contain less oxygen, and therefore less phytoplankton, than cooler areas. Already, gradually warming ocean waters have killed off phytoplankton globally by a staggering 40 percent since 1950.
Because phytoplankton migration would cause marine life to move with it (or die, should organisms fail to adapt quickly enough to the change in their environment), that has the potential to seriously affect fisheries and other economies in the coastal areas, including food security.
Listeriosis - South Africa
A prohibition notice has been issued to an abattoir in the Tshwane area halting it from distributing meat after samples taken from it tested positive for listeria‚ the Gauteng health department confirmed on Saturday. Investigators were led to the abattoir after a food sample from a patient who was confirmed to have listeriosis tested positive for the pathogen.
Gauteng is the province most affected with listeriosis‚ with over 365 cases having been detected in the province‚ and 28 related deaths from the beginning of the year to date.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.7 Earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.5 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.
5.4 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands off India.
5.2 Earthquake hits Kepulauaan Mentawai, Indonesia.
5.2 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.
