Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.0 Earthquake hits the Nicobar Islands off India.
5.6 Earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.4 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Java Sea.
5.1 Earthquake hits Myanmar.
5.0 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
No current tropical storms.
Newsbytes:
Peru - Heavy rain has caused flooding in many parts of the country, while the death toll from floods and mudslides has reached 48 people, including six miners killed in a mudslide in southern Peru. The early part of the year is when the bulk of the rain falls across the country, but there are huge variations as Peru - twice the size of France and stretching from the equator to 18 degrees south - is vast. The flooding has generally been worse in the central and northern parts of the country, and although it is consistent with the rainy season of the central and eastern regions, the rainfall has been particularly intense.
Namibia - The agriculture ministry last week warned members of the public in the northern regions that a bigger wave of floods was expected in the Omusati, Ohangwena and Oshana regions. According to the ministry, this is due to floods being experienced in parts of southern Angola following heavy rains in the Cuvelai basin. Rain received in parts of southern Angola and northern Namibia since the beginning of the year has resulted in flooding in parts of the Omusati region in the past two weeks.
Bird Flu - H5N8 strikes Nepal for first time; Vietnam reports H5N1, H5N6
Nepal's livestock department recently reported the country's first outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian flu, which stuck a commercial farm, as several countries in Europe reported more detections, including the already hard-hit southwestern section of France.
In related developments, Vietnam reported more outbreaks from two other highly pathogenic strains: H5N1 and H5N6.
Nepal's H5N8 outbreak began on Mar 1 at a layer farm in Koshi zone in the southeastern part of the country, according a Mar 10 report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). The virus hit layers in two different sheds, one housing 40-week-old birds and the other containing 20-week-old poultry. Of 6,200 susceptible birds, the virus killed 3,650, and authorities culled the remaining ones to contain the spread of the disease. Rapid response teams also destroyed eggs, feed, egg trays, and some local hens. Surveillance has been stepped up in the surrounding area.
Meanwhile, Nepalese officials also reported another H5N1 outbreak, the third reported in recent weeks in Nepal. The latest outbreak occurred not far from the H5N8 outbreak in poultry. The event began on Mar 2 at a small zoo at a recreation park. The virus killed 6 of 14 whooper swans and 1 Asian openbill stork. Officials temporarily closed the park, as workers cleaned and disinfected the sheds and buried the dead birds.
Malaria declared an epidemic in Burundi
Burundi is suffering a worrying malaria epidemic, with more than 800 deaths since the beginning of the year. These figures are more than a quarter of the 3000 who died from malaria in 2016. Out of the 11 million total population, more than eight million cases of affected people were recorded in 2016.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 Earthquake hits the Rota region in the North Mariana Islands.
5.1 Earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 Earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou region, China.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
No current tropical storms.
Newsbytes:
New Zealand - Severe flooding struck Auckland's west on Sunday - turning streets into rivers, trapping shoppers and forcing people to evacuate their houses as heavy rain poured down. More than 320 homes flooded across Auckland on Sunday as the storm lashed the region. West Auckland locals were stunned as the storm flooded a street in 15 minutes.
Whale shark takes up residence in Knysna lagoon - South Africa
Visitors and boat operators in the Garden Route are urged to be mindful of a massive whale shark currently residing in the Knysna lagoon.
The whale shark took up temporary residence in the lagoon in an attempt to avoid the colder water in the deeper ocean, outside of the Knysna heads, the National Sea Rescue Institute in the area says. But, the animal's reluctance to head out into the cold might be weakening it.
The NSRI assisted in a rescue attempt when the shark beached on Saturday, 11 March. Appearing ill and weak, the animal was assisted in breathing by pumping water through its gills, the NSRI said.
Wildfires - Texas, USA
Gov. Greg Abbott has declared six Texas Panhandle counties disaster areas following deadly wildfires. The wildfires, which began on Monday, have burned an estimated 1,935 square km in the Lone Star state, displacing about 10,000 heads of cattle and horses. Four people lost their lives in the wildfires.
New fungus outbreak in USA
The Centres for Disease and Control Prevention (CDC), warned last year about the possibility of a fungus outbreak in the United States. Now, nine months after the warning, the first cases of the infection have been reported in the country and have alerted health authorities since this disease is severe and deadly.
Almost three dozen people have been reported to have this infection in the last days. This fungus is known for being both deadly and drug-resistant, hence the concern of health authorities of the new outbreak registered.
This particular fungus is a kind of yeast called Candida Auris, and since its discovery, it has been registered in all five continents. Starting in 2009, officials worried about a possible expansion of the disease, as in that year, one patient in Japan presented a severe ear infection thanks to the fungus. In the next seven years, the fungal infection has been present in Colombia, India, Israel, Kenya, Kuwait, Pakistan, South Korea, Venezuela, and even the United Kingdom.
According to medical observations and analysis, this fungus is known for producing severe bloodstream infections. This disease can also be present in the patient’s ears. It is also known for being resistant to multiple drugs. The Candida Auris can also spread very easily since its attachable to health care settings and can survive there for many days and even months.
Anthrax - Australia
A second anthrax outbreak has been reported in Victoria's north-west. At least one sheep has died from the disease at a property near Nyah, with a "significant number" of other sheep dying at the site over the past few months. It follows a property near Swan Hill being quarantined last week, with at least one confirmed case of anthrax. Agriculture Victoria said neighbouring properties in Nyah were being assessed and stock vaccinated.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.4 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.
5.1 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
No current tropical storms.
Reports from Madagascar indicate that the death toll from Tropical Cyclone Enawo has risen to 38 with more than 53 000 people displaces and homeless.
Newsbytes:
New Zealand - Heavy rain has again hit parts of the North Island and Nelson overnight and this morning, cutting off parts of the Coromandel. Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, and Northwest Nelson all had a severe weather warning in place. MetService said the Coromandel bore the brunt, with about 130mm falling in 24 hours, most of that overnight. The poor weather overnight also included a downpour in Auckland between 5pm and 6pm that was tied for the area's wettest since records began in 1965. Kaitaia had a record rainfall, receieving 44.6mm between 3am and 4am according to NIWA, with hourly records beginning there in 1962. MetService said about 100mm fell there over 24 hours. The worst of the weather was now tracking over the central North Island, with rain developing around Wellington and the upper South Island.
Guinea - Measles Outbreak - Update
In a ReliefWeb update Friday on the measles outbreak in Guinea in West Africa the report notes that the measles outbreak that was declared one month ago has grown to affect 2,100 children since January. The outbreak has affected 17 of the 33 prefectures in the country with the southeastern prefecture of N’Zérékoré reporting the most cases at 675 this year to date.
Anthrax outbreak in Tanzania
Authorities in Tanzania are reporting an anthrax outbreak in the Northern District of Hai, in which at least 36 people were infected with the serious bacterium after consuming anthrax-tainted cow, according to a Premium Times report.
Hai District council executive director, Yohana Sintoo confirmed the outbreak saying it affected three villages of Sanya Station, and Tindigani in Kia ward and Nkwasira village in Masama West ward.
The victims presented at the hospital with symptoms of swollen eyes, lesions on the face, hands, cheeks and fingers.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 Earthquake hits offshore Falcon, Venezuela.
5.2 Earthquake hits San Juan, Argentina.
5.1 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.
5.0 Earthquake hits the central east Pacific rise.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.
5.0 Earthquake hits Liberator O’Higgins, Chile.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Norwegian Sea.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the South Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone (tc) 11s (Eleven), located approximately 810 nm east-northeast of St Denis, La Reunion, is tracking southward at 14 knots.
Zika: CDC issues new travel notices
Local transmission of Zika virus in four countries has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issue advisories for travelers to Angola, Guinea-Bissau, Maldives and Solomon Islands. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with Zika virus, spreading it to people.
More human H7N9 avian flu cases reported in China
The China National Health and Family Planning Commission reported 22 additional human cases of avian influenza A(H7N9), including three deaths during the past week. The 15 male and seven female patients, aged from 15 to 79, had their onset from February 19 to March 4.
Saudi Arabia: MERS cases up in 2017 to date
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) update, at the end of February 2017, a total of 1916 laboratory-confirmed cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), including 702 deaths (case–fatality rate: 36.6%) were reported globally. Of these, Saudi Arabia reported a total of 1561 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 633 deaths (case–fatality rate: 40.6%). In January 2017, a total of 18 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 6 deaths (case–fatality rate: 33.3%) were reported, while in February a total of 12 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 3 deaths were reported from Saudi Arabia.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.
Japan - The coastline of northeastern Japan that dropped by more than 3 feet during the 9.0 magnitude Fukushima quake in 2011 is now rising steadily.
The tectonic thrust also shifted the coast eastward 18 feet as it generated a tsunami that ravaged coastal areas. But satellite observations show that one spot on the Oshika Peninsula in Miyagi Prefecture has risen by 1.3 feet since measurements were taken the day after the 2011 temblor.
Other locations have seen lesser, but significant, rises.
Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the South Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone (tc) 11s (Eleven), located approximately 715 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking southward at 14 knots.
Tropical cyclone 09s (Enawo) has re-generated as a tropical cyclone and is located approximately 434 nm southeast of Europa Island, is tracking south-southeastward at 22 knots.
Newsbytes:
New Zealand - Continuing torrential rainfall created widespread flooding in the Waihi and Whiritoa areas. The small community of Whiritoa woke up yesterday morning isolated after several slips on State Highway 25 either side of the beachside settlement left a number of people stranded in vehicles.
Turtle Disease Mystery
Turtles in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef have suffered from a variety of illnesses that some experts believe may be caused by cobalt pollution.
The first outbreak began in 2010 when two-thirds of the green turtles examined in Brisk Bay developed a herpes virus infection that caused tumours to grow on their eyes, shells, tails, flippers and organs. Two years later, 100 green turtles washed up onshore at nearby Upstart Bay, suffering seizures and uncontrolled head movements that led to a mass death.
The latest ailments have recently left some of Upstart Bay’s turtles with mysterious eye infections.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week's hottest temperature was 110.0 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) in Port Hedland, Western Australia.
The week's coldest temperature was minus 74.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 58.9 degrees Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Wildfires - Thailand
Authorities reported that a total of 243 bush-fire incidents were reported during the period from February 15 until March 8 with 7,447 rai of forest being destroyed.
Tak province reported the highest bush fire incidence with 64 incidents and 3,452 rai of forest being destroyed. The other bus fire incidents were reported in Lampang, 51 incidents and 1,558 rai of forest destroyed; Phrae, 39 incidents with 662 rai destroyed; Chiang Mai, 32 incidents with 389 rai destroyed; Lamphun, 25 incidents with 652 rai of forest destroyed; Phayao, 11 incidents with 260 rai destroyed; Nan, 9 incidents were 335 rai destroyed; Mae Hong Son, 8 incidents with 61 rai destroyed and Chiang Rai, 4 incidents were 58 rai destroyed.
However, they said that bush-fire incidences this year were less than that of the previous years during the same period, thanks to public campaign for local villagers to refrain from starting bush fires, creation of networks to control bush fires and adoption of preventive measures such as fire prevention trenches and installation of fire alarm system.
