Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

6.8 Earthquake hits the Pagan region in the North Mariana Islands.

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

Storms and Floods

Tropical Cyclone Mahasen was located approximately 562 nm south-southwest of Kolkata, India. Eight people have been reported killed and four others injured due to heavy rainfall caused by Cyclone Mahasen in Andhra Pradesh, India. Cyclone Mahasen is predicted to cross between the Northern Rakhine (Myanmar)and Bangladesh Coasts on evening of 16th May. Flooding caused by Cyclone Mahasen in Sri Lanka has killed two and injured eight others.

Tornado in Hungary

A rare tornado in Hungary has injured at least two persons. The north-eastern regions of Hungary bordering on Romania is reported to be hardest hit by the tornado which damaged dozens of homes and knocked down power lines and trees.

Other News:

A severe storm in Ghana which is currently at the Ghana-Togo border is expected to hit Greater Accra, other parts of Ghana today.

Environment

'Red List' of Endangered Ecosystems

With many of the world's ecosystems threatened or endangered by human activities like logging and urbanization, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published its criteria for a new "Red List" of endangered ecosystems.



The list, which measures an ecosystem's risk of collapse, will be similar to the group's authoritative Red List of Endangered Species, which created internationally accepted criteria for assessing extinction risk.

Here are the 20 case studies published today, from most to least endangered, with the ecosystem type noted if available.

Aral Sea — Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan: freshwater, collapsed
Raised bogs — Germany: critically endangered
Gonakier forests — Senegal River floodplain: freshwater, critically endangered
Cape Sand Flats — Fynbos, South Africa: terrestrial, critically endangered
Coorong lagoons — Australia: freshwater/marine, critically endangered
Karst rising springs — Southern Australia: freshwater, critically endangered
Coastal sandstone upland swamps — Australia: freshwater, endangered/critically endangered
Swamps, marshes and lakes in the Murray-Darling Basin — Australia: freshwater, endangered/critically endangered
Giant kelp forests — Alaska: marine, endangered/critically endangered
Caribbean coral reefs — Caribbean: marine, endangered/critically endangered
Seagrass meadows — Southern Australia: marine, endangered-critically endangered
German tamarisk pioneer vegetation — Europe: freshwater, endangered
Coolibah-Black Box woodland — Australia: freshwater/terrestrial, endangered
Tapia forest — Madagascar: terrestrial, endangered
Semi-evergreen vine thicket — Australia: terrestrial, endangered
Great Lakes Alvars — United States and Canada: terrestrial, vulnerable/endangered
Reed beds — Europe: freshwater, vulnerable
Floodplain ecosystem of river red gum and black box — southeastern Australia: freshwater, vulnerable Tepui shrubland - Venezuela: terrestrial, least concern
Granite gravel fields and sand plains - New Zealand: terrestrial, least concern

Wildlife

Elephant Tramples Poacher in Zimbabwe

In a grim karmic twist, a suspected poacher illegally hunting African elephants was trampled to death by his prey in Charara National Park near Lake Kariba in northwestern Zimbabwe.

Populations of forest elephants have plummeted by 62 percent over the past 10 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Space Events

Powerful Solar Flares

A huge solar flare erupted from the surface of the sun late Sunday (May 12), followed by an even more powerful blast less than 24 hours later. The solar eruptions are the most powerful ones seen so far this year.

Sunday's flare unleashed a wave of plasma and charged particles, called a coronal mass ejection (CME), into space. While the CME was not directed at Earth, the weekend flare triggered an hourlong high-frequency radio blackout, according to the Space Weather Prediction Centre, which is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

When they are aimed directly at Earth, X-class solar flares can interfere with satellites in orbit and communications infrastructure on the ground. Powerful sun storms can also be hazardous to astronauts living aboard the International Space Station.

On Earth, solar eruptions can cause radiation storms that intensify normal aurora displays (also called the northern and southern lights) for skywatchers at high latitudes.

Solar activity ebbs and flows on an 11-year cycle. The sun is currently in an active phase of Solar Cycle 24, which began in 2008 and is expected to peak later this year.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Pavlov (Alaska Peninsula, USA): A new eruption has probably started. AVO raised the alert level to orange, following an increase in seismic activity this morning along with the presence of an intense thermal anomaly at the summit observed in latest satellite imagery. Similar patterns of seismicity and elevated surface temperatures have previously signalled the onset of eruptive activity at Pavlof. Although not yet visually confirmed, a low-level eruption of lava has likely begun from a summit vent. No ash clouds have been detected.

Kizimen (Kamchatka): Activity continues with little changes. Video data showed that the lava dome is still active and produces incandescence and hot avalanches on the western and eastern flanks. Strong and moderate gas-steam activity accompany this process. Satellite data showed a thermal anomaly over the volcano. (KVERT)

Tolbachik (Kamchatka): Although tremor continues to decrease very slowly, KVERT reports that fluid lava is still being erupted from the vent on the southern fissure. MODIS satellite data still show a large hot spot, confirming that the eruption might be longer lasting than thought.

Paluweh (off Flores Island, Indonesia): The lava dome continues to be active and produce explosions and small pyroclastic flows from time to time, generating ash plumes rising to 7-10,000 ft such as today.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Activity at the volcano continues to increase. A relatively long phase of strong volcanic tremor today and high levels of SO2 output suggests that the rise of magma is accelerating. A continuous plume of steam and some ash was observed last night reaching 1 km high, in addition to intermittent explosions. Lava glow at night is now strong.

Nevado del Ruiz (Colombia): A small seismic swarm, likely caused by the rise of another new small batch of magma, occurred this morning at the volcano. The hyopcenters were located 4 km SW of the Arenas crater at depths between 4-6 km, INGEOMINAS reported.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the Fox Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits Atacama, Chile.

5.3 Earthquake hits Potosi, Bolivia.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands region.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Mid-Indian ridge.

Magnitude 5- aftershocks continue to hit southern Iran: 3.5, 4.4, 3.9, 4.0, 4.2, 3.8, 3.6, 4.2, 4.1, 4.0, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.6, 3.8, 4.4, 4.1, 3.7, 4.5, 3.5, 4.5, 3.5, 4.2, 3.7, 4.6, 4.4, 3.7, 3.6, 3.6, 4.1, 4.5, 4.5, 4.3.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Cyclone Mahasen is gathering strength over the Indian Ocean's Bay of Bengal, and is a potential major threat to Bangladesh and Myanmar. The storm is forecast to intensify as a severe cyclonic storm and even further as a very severe cyclonic storm by Monday. It would continue to advance closer to Andhra Pradesh-Odisha coast until it gets stopped mid-sea by a western disturbance moving across North-west and East India. Mahasen would be forced to re-curve, turning almost 90 degrees to east-northeast and head towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coast.

Hailstorm in Vojvodina, Serbia

Recent hailstorm in Serbia’s northern province of Vojvodina caused huge damaged to crops and knocked downed trees in Kulpin area. No injuries have been reported.

Floods in Khost, Afghanistan

Recent floods in southeast Khost province in Afghanistan have claimed the lives of two people. The floods have also damaged thousands of acres of farmland in the Gurbaz, Tanai, Ismailkhel and Zazai Maidan districts of Afghanistan.

Other News:

A hailstorm in the Sheikhpura district of India has claimed the lives of at least three people and injured more than 100 others. The hailstorm hit a religious function at the village Pinjuri. Over 1000 people had gathered to celebrate the religious festival.

A heavy hailstorm in Nepal's central regions of Nuwakot and Rasuwa have caused huge damage to agricultural crops and property, The storm blew away roofs of schools and offices in Narjamandap, Nuwakot. The storm also knocked down several power lines in the area.

A sudden flood triggered by melting snow has led to the collapse of a river embankment in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Global Warming

'Dramatic decline' Warning for Plants and Animals

More than half of common plant species and a third of animals could see a serious decline in their habitat range because of climate change.

New research suggests that biodiversity around the globe will be significantly impacted if temperatures rise more than 2C.

But the scientists say that the losses can be reduced if rapid action is taken to curb greenhouse gases.

The paper is published in the journal, Nature Climate Change.

An international team of researchers looked at the impacts of rising temperatures on nearly 50,000 common species of plants and animals.

They looked at both temperature and rainfall records for the habitats that these species now live in and mapped the areas that would remain suitable for them under a number of different climate change scenarios.

The scientists projected that if no significant efforts were made to limit greenhouse gas emissions, 2100 global temperatures would be 4C above pre-industrial levels.

In this model, some 34% of animal species and 57% of plants would lose more than half of their current habitat ranges.

However the researchers say that if global emissions of greenhouse gases are cut rapidly then the impact on biodiversity could be significantly curbed. If global emissions reach their peak in 2016 and temperature rises are held to 2C, then losses could be cut by 60%.

The good news is that our research provides new evidence of how swift action to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases can prevent the biodiversity loss by reducing the amount of global warming to 2C rather than 4 degrees.

"his would also buy time – up to four decades - for plants and animals to adapt to the remaining 2 degrees of climate change.

Wildfires

Wildfires in Canada

Firefighters are warning the public to be mindful of their surroundings as three wildfires continue to burn in the B.C. Interior today. One fire, near the town of Ashcroft west of Kamloops, has been burning for more than a week.

Another fire burning two kilometres outside Nordegg, west of Rocky Mountain House in Alberta remains out of control. Residents in the small community were placed on a one-hour evacuation notice due to an out-of-control wildfire there on Thursday.

A wildfire advisory has been issued for central and southern Alberta. This advisory zone extends to just north of Edmonton.

Disease

Wild Poliovirus in Somalia

An investigation has been launched into a preliminary report of the detection of a wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) in the Banadir region of Somalia. This is the first WPV to be reported from Somalia since 25 March 2007. The virus was isolated from specimens collected on 21 April 2013 from a 32-month-old girl, who became ill due to acute flaccid paralysis on 18 April 2013, and from specimens collected from 3 of her close contacts.

WHO Press Statement Related to the Novel Coronavirus Situation

The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health in France has informed WHO of an additional laboratory-confirmed case with infection of the novel coronavirus (NCoV).

The emergence of this new coronavirus is globally recognized as an important and major challenge for all of the countries which have been affected as well as the rest of the world.

The greatest global concern, however, is about the potential for this new virus to spread. This is partly because the virus has already caused severe disease in multiple countries, although in small numbers, and has persisted in the region since 2012. Of most concern, however, is the fact that the different clusters seen in multiple countries increasingly support the hypothesis that when there is close contact this novel coronavirus can transmit from person-to-person.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity:

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): The activity continued to increase over the past days and CENAPRED raised the alert level to Yellow Phase 3 this morning. The volcano has been producing frequent sequences of continuous steam and ash emissions as well as discrete vulcanian-type explosions that throw glowing bombs to several hundred meters distance from the crater and create ash plumes up to about 2 km high. A phase of strong volcanic tremor occurred today and a large SO2 plume visible on NOAA satellite data accompanies increase lava output rate.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): Seismic and surface activity remain moderate with ash emissions and intermittent strong strombolian to vulcanian explosions which sometimes are accompanied by ground vibration and strong shock waves that rattle windows and doors in nearby areas. An explosion on Friday produced and ash plume rising up to 30,000 ft (9 km) elevation. Ash falls have been occurring in areas of Santa Fe de Galán, Mocha, Sabañag, Tisaleo and Quero.

Sabancaya (Peru): Possible eruptions have started at the volcano. Pilots reported several volcanic ash plumes from the volcano in the past days although VAAC Buenos Aires could not identify ash on satellite imagery.

Copahue (Chile/Argentina): SERNAGEOMIN has recently raised the alert back to yellow after new small explosions occurred at the volcano and incandescence was observed at the summit crater. A small but persistent steam-and-ash plume has been rising about 350 m from the volcano. Interestingly, little change in the seismic activity has been noticed with the incandescence and explosions, so it is not clear whether this new activity is caused by fresh magma rising towards the surface.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

6.4 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.6 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

Update: Death toll from yesterday's 6.2 Earthquake has risen to 2, with at least 20 people injured. More than 400 buildings were destroyed in 70 villages.

A large number of magnitude 5- aftershocks have hit southern Iran: 4.6, 4.4, 3.7, 3.6, 3.6, 4.1, 4.5, 4.5, 4.3, 3.7, 4.6, 4.6, 4.9, 4.9, 3.5, 3.7, 4.5, 3.6, 4.5, 3.9, 3.9, 3.6, 4.3, 4.6, 4.0, 4.2, 4.3, 4.0, 4.4, 3.9, 4.0, 3.8, 3.8, 4.7, 4.4, 4.7, 4.8, 4.6, 4.1, 4.5, 4.6.

5.5 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.4 Earthquake hits Atacama, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore Guatemala.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms

In the South Indian Ocean, Tropical Cyclone Jamala was located approximately 960 nm east-southeastward of Diego Garcia.

In the Indian Ocean, Tropical Cyclone Mahasen was located approximately 749 nm southward of Calcutta, India.

Landslide in Mizoram, India

Thunderstorm and landslides in Mizoram, India have claimed the lives of 10 people with seven reported missing. The landslide also swept away nine houses in the Laipuitland area.

Flooding in Northern Taiwan

Heavy rainfall collapsed near a school in Yangmingshan, Taipei. The Central Weather Bureau (CWB) has predicted more rainfall and flash flooding in Northern Taiwan today.

Other News:

Severe ice storm at Ochre Beach on Dauphin Lake in Manitoba, Canada has damaged at least 20 houses.

Landslide in Tianzhu County, Guizhou Province in China has claimed the lives of at least five people and injured three others.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

6.2 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

Initial reports of at least 15 people injured and five villages destroyed.

5.5 Earthquake hits the southern Mid-atlantic ridge.

5.4 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.1 Earthquake hits Guatemala.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.

Storms and Floods

Flash Floods - Kenya

Flash floods in Kenya's Migori county have killed at least 10 people. The flash floods washed away bridges on rivers Nyasare and Onyinjo.

Tropical cyclone in Burma

A tropical cyclone is expected to hit Arakan State in west Burma.

The Cyclone is expected to make landfall on Tuesday night and is predicted to affect Bangladesh, India and Burma.

Other News:

An EF0 tornado touched down in the area of Washington Street in Stoughton, Massachusetts, USA. There were no reports of injuries.

Fredericksburg, Texas was struck by exceptionally large hailstones yesterday.

Environment

Acidic Arctic Threatening Marine Life

Global greenhouse gas emissions have caused the level of acidity in the Arctic Ocean to rise 30 percent since the dawn of the Industrial Age, threatening to bring dire consequences to the region’s fragile ecosystem.

Delegates to the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program conference in Bergen, Norway, were told that the pollution has caused pH levels to reach their lowest levels in the Arctic for at least the last 55 million years.

The Arctic is most vulnerable to acidification because its cold waters can absorb more carbon dioxide.

Its extensive freshwater inflow also makes it less able to chemically neutralize the acidification effects of the greenhouse gas.

It would take tens of thousands of years for the Arctic Ocean to return to the acidity levels that prevailed before the mid-1800s even if all CO2 emissions were halted today, scientists say.

The current acid levels threaten some species with a direct risk of extinction, and fish stocks may also be affected.

Space Events

Meteorite Hits in Namibia

A Meteorite has hit mahangu field in the village of Oshika, Namibia. A piece of meteorite, the of a size of a small ball or two human fists put together made such an impact that people within a radius of over 200km were able to hear the explosive impact, feel the resulting tremor and observe the blinding light that followed as it landed.

Apparently thousands of locals came to see the strange object.

Disease

Saudi Arabia Novel Coronavirus - Update

The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia has informed WHO of an additional three laboratory confirmed cases of infection with the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Incurable Citrus Disease Threatens Florida's Orange Crop

Florida's orange crop, the largest in the world after Brazil's, may not survive an incurable disease that threatens to wipe out citrus groves throughout the United States.

The disease, known as "citrus greening" or huanglongbing, is caused by a bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus. The bacteria are spread from tree to tree by a tiny insect called the Asian citrus psyllid.

A tree affected by citrus greening may not show symptoms for years. Eventually, however, the leaves turn yellow and fall, while the tree's fruit fails to mature, falling to the ground prematurely before the tree slowly dies.

Drought

Drought in Southern Angola

Angola set up an emergency plan on Thursday for the southern province of Cunene, where an estimated 300 000 people are at risk of malnutrition because of a two-year-long drought. Food and medical assistance is being mobilised for the affected areas.

Drought in China

A drought scorching China's western and central regions has affected 3.58 million hectares of farmland as of Friday, drought relief authorities have reported.

Affected land used to grow crops totaled 2.13 million hectares, lower than the average acreage of 6.3 million hectares over the past few years.

The drought has also left 5.54 million people and 3.99 million livestock short of drinking water.