Egypt’s FMD outbreak reaches Gaza, threatening entire Middle East

Outbreak of SAT2 strain of FMD virus in Egypt and Libya reaches Gaza Strip

Sick animals detected in Rafah, a Gaza Strip town bordering Egypt, have tested positive for the SAT2 strain of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus, following the February outbreak in Egypt and Libya, FAO said.

“The SAT2 variant is new to the region, meaning that animals do not have any acquired resistance to it.”

FMD Virus. Source: Virginia Bioinformatics Institute.

FMD  is  highly infectious and affects all cloven-hoofed animals, including sheep, cattle, buffalo, goats and pigs, causing serious production losses, and can be lethal, especially in younger animals.

When this shorthorn heifer in the United Kingdom became afflicted with foot-and-mouth disease, (a) she began to drool, and (b) virus-filled blisters developed in her mouth and at the junction where skin connects with the hoof walls. Source: LLNL

“Diseases simply do not respect international boundaries, and if FMD SAT2 reaches deeper into the Middle East it could spread throughout vast areas, threatening the Gulf countries – even southern and eastern Europe, and perhaps beyond” said Juan Lubroth, FAO’s Chief Veterinary Officer and head of the organization’s Animal Health Service.

About 10-million sheep, pigs, and cows were slaughtered during the 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom, which caused more than $5 billion in losses to the food and agriculture sector and even greater losses in tourism.

The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus consists of a single strand of RNA packed inside a tough protein coat. The hardy virus can live 28 days in cool soil and up to 180 days in a slurry of cow dung. It can be spread directly from animal to animal, or it can be transported indirectly by a person or vehicle traveling from one farm to another—for example, with mud containing the virus caked on boots or tires. Livermore’s Pam Hullinger, a foreign animal disease diagnostician and veterinary epidemiologist, notes that FMD is so contagious, an animal can become infected after contact with as few as 10 virus particles.
Although the U.S. has not had an FMD outbreak since 1929, it is endemic in many parts of the world. In 2000 and 2001 a Pan-Asian strain caused outbreaks in Korea, Japan, Russia, Mongolia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, France, and the Netherlands. Source: LLNL

A SAT2 virus strain was recently reported in cattle in Bahrain’s quarantine center, FAO reported.

FMD Related Links

• Japan’s Foot-and-mouth Disease “Out of Control” Posted on June 12, 2010
• 2010 Disaster Calendar [DECEMBER]  Posted on December 3, 2010
• New type of HFMD virus spreading across Vietnam Posted on June 15, 2011
• HFMD outbreak in Vietnam 7 times deadlier than average Posted on December 16, 2011
• Major FMD Outbreak in Egypt Threatens N Africa, Mideast Posted on March 26, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

China’s War on Nature Intensifies

Taking too long to melt!

Military planes bombard ice-jammed waterways in north China

Ice-jammed waterways in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region are  bombarded by Chinese military planes, March 20, 2012. (Xinhua). Image may be subject to copyright. More images…

Chairman Mao (1940 speech):

For the purpose of attaining freedom in the world of nature, man must use natural science to understand, conquer, and change nature, and thus attain freedom from nature.

Freud (1856 – 1939):

There is, indeed, another and a better path: that of becoming a member of human community, and, with the help of a technique guided by science, going over to attack against nature and subjecting her to human will.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 23

[March 23, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,454 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

Related Links

• The Death of Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Part 1)
• Stealing Weather

• CO2e Links Page
• World CO2 Emissions
• Carbon Footprint of Your Dollar
• New York Cognitive Dissonance

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar: Collapse has already Begun

Most Unethical Nations in 2011 [and Probably 2012]

“War Is Peace”

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 31

[December 31, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,537 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

World’s top 20 countries with the highest arms expenditure 

Top 20 countries with the highest military expenditure for 2010 shown as a percentage of the world total. Source: SIPRI Military Expenditure Database, War Resisters League and others.

NOTES:
1. The “Tier 1 Coalition Countries,” or the countries that obediently  support the United States war efforts to maintain its empire status, which include Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, South Korea, Australia, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Spain and the Netherlands account for at least 71% of the world’s total arms procurement.

2. Arms procurement is normally 20-50% of the countries’ military budgets.

3. World’s total arms expenditure for 2010-2011 was estimated at $1,655 billion.

4. The 2012 United States federal budget is a staggering $2,847 billion, of which 48% ($1,372 billion) is allocated to the military. (Source). The figure includes 30% or $869 billion for current military operations, and 18% or $503 billion for past military disasters from Total Outlays of $2,847 billion in 2012 fiscal year. ["The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan—not to mention the Pentagon’s voracious appetite for expensive weapons systems—have been a gold mine for the Big Five:  Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Raytheon, Northrop-Grumman and Boeing." ~ “From Pentagon, a Buy Rating on Contractors,” Joe Nocera, New York Times, Feb. 11, 2011]

Global Disaster Links

• The 48 percent

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Cyclone THANE Kills Dozens, Destroys or Damages Thousands of Homes in India

Strong Cyclone THANE Wreaks Havoc Across India’s Tamil Nadu Province

Cyclone THANE struck the Tamil Nadu coast, leaving at least 2 dozen dead and causing extensive damage across the Cuddalore district and the Union Territory of Puduchery.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 30

[December 30, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,538 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Tamil Nadu, India.Cyclone THANE struck the Tamil Nadu coast with winds of up to 140kmh, leaving at least 2 dozen people dead and causing extensive damage across the Cuddalore district and the Union Territory of Puduchery.
  • At least 5,000 coastal homes have been damaged or destroyed.
  • Thousands of trees have been uprooted.
  • Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu is the worst-hit area, with roads severely damaged.
  • The Union Territory of Puduchery is cut-off from the nearby districts, reports said.

Cyclone THANE. IR-NHC Enhancement. Source: CIMSS

• Thailand. Official death toll from epic flooding in Thailand has climbed to 790 with three people still missing (!)
  • Floods affected up to 14 million people across 66 of Thailand’s 76 provinces.
  • Up to 1.5 million homes have been destroyed or damaged.
  • The government estimates overall flood-related damage at  Bt1,300bn ($41.4bn), a report said.
  • Flooding, which began in late July, still persists in the provinces of Ayutthaya, Lop Buri, Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani affecting up to 2.5 million people.
  • Thai government also declared cold spell disaster zones in 26 northern and northeastern provinces in November.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Extreme Weather Event in Melbourne Declared Catastrophe

Melbourne’s Xmas Day violent storms declared a catastrophe by insurers

The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the extreme weather event that tore through Melbourne a catastrophe.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 29

[December 29, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,539 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Melbourne, Australia.Insurance industry has declared the extreme weather event that struck Melbourne on Xmas Day Australia’s 8th catastrophe in 2011.
  • The insurance companies have received more than 15,000 claims for homes, businesses and vehicle damage following the violent storms, and the number is expected to grow in the coming weeks as more people return from their holidays, reports said.
  • Insured losses from the 2011 catastrophes are estimated to top $4.5 billion this year, more than twice the $2.144 billion in 2010.
• Aklan Province, Philippines.  Authorities in the Aklan Province, Western Visayas, Philippines, have declared a State of Calamity after giant waves battering against coastal areas destroyed or damaged at least 500 homes.
  • Municipality of New Washington in Western Visayas is the worst hit area.
  • The disaster has left thousands of people displaced, destroyed crops and infrastructure.

Global Disaster Links

• Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 25

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Half a million Yemeni children suffer from acute malnutrition

Many Yemenis live off tea and bread

Half a million Yemeni children suffer from acute malnutrition; drought and deluge threaten the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of farmers, according to Yemeni Minister of Health.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 28

[December 28, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,540 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Yemen. A third of the Yemenis, about 8 million people, are food insecure, and the number is expected to rise when the World Food Program carries out a new national Comprehensive Food Security Survey next year.
• The term “food insecurity” is used when people go to  bed on an empty stomach or have no idea where their next meal may come from.
• A recent state survey conducted in Hudeidah Governorate found a global acute malnutrition (GAM) rate of 31.7 percent among the sample population.  More than 10 percent of the malnourished children were severe cases.
• “The survey also found that nearly 60 percent of children were underweight and 54.5 percent stunted, meaning their height was too low for their age, a sign of longer-term malnutrition.” The UN reported.
• “The Hudeidah survey found that three in every four children suffered from diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections or fever in the two weeks preceding the survey; and 2.5 percent of mothers reported symptoms of measles in their children in the past three months. The survey found measles vaccination coverage of 74 percent in Hudeidah, well below the 90 percent coverage rate needed to prevent an outbreak.”
• Malnutrition-related deaths are expected to rise in Yemen as the health services continue to deteriorate, UINCEF reported.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Niger Faces Food Shortages

Poor harvests caused by prolonged drought and desertification plague Niger

Grain production in West Africa’s largest country fell by 27 percent last year, Agriculture Minister Oua Seydou has told parliament.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 25

[December 25, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,543 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Republic of Niger. Grain production in West Africa’s largest country fell by 27 percent last year, Agriculture Minister Oua Seydou has told parliament, leaving the people in 6,981 villages, or 58 percent of the country, with the prospect of food shortages.
• The harvest was down to 3.8 million tons, also a shortfall of 11 percent compared with the five-year average, the Minister said.
• Allowing for wastage and seed grain for next season, an estimated 3,239,825 tons would be left for consumption, compared with 3,759,464 tons needed, a shortfall of 14 percent, he added.

Other Global Disasters

• Cuba. A boat carrying Haitian migrants sank close to the eastern coast of Cuba, leaving at least 38 people dead.
• Indonesia. Continued activity at Mt Gamalama including several eruptions since December 4, has left about 2,400 people displaced, the Ternate City Disaster Management Agency.

• Philippines. At least 1,100 people are now confirmed dead and  with 1,079 others reported missing following the devastation caused by Typhoon WASHI in the Philippines, officials said.

• Lakes State, South Sudan.  At least 250 people have been killed and more than 320 others injured in South Sudan cattle raids since January 2011, the parliament of Lakes state was told.
• “In two counties alone nearly 17,000 cattle were stolen this year commissioners told a special inquiry into the practice in Rumbek, the capital of South Sudan’s central state,” a UN report said.
• Sahel Region, West and Central Africa. More than one million children in 8 countries across the Sahel belt in West and Central Africa face severe malnourishment in 2012.
• Poor harvests caused by drought, loss of top soil, sandstorms and desertification could mean food shortages occurring as early March next year.
• Melbourne, Australia. Mini-tornadoes spawned by  severe thunderstorms that pummeled many parts of Melbourne causing widespread damage across the city, reports said.
• Hailstones measuring about 4 ins (10 cm) in diameter have pelted suburbs of the city.
• Parts of Melbourne also face the threat of flash-flooding, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said.
• “The bureau has forecast very dangerous thunderstorms around Melbourne Airport and surrounding suburbs with severe thunderstorms in other parts of the city being accompanied by destructive winds, very heavy rainfall and hail, and flash flooding,” said the report.
• “Hailstones the size of cricket balls, flash-flooding, planes diverted and flights postponed, power lost from homes, major transport delays and a tornado to top things off – that was Christmas Day in Melbourne.”

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Weather Disaster Declared in 11 Thai Provinces

8,724 villages in 11 Thai provinces declared disaster areas due to cold snaps

A weather front which has been causing cold spells in northern and northeastern Thailand, has also brought heavy rains to the lower South for several days triggering floods and major landslides.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 19

[December 19, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,549 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Thailand. Authorities have declared 11 provinces in upper Thailand as disaster areas because of a weather front which has caused cold spells to the north and northeastern parts of the country. The front has also brought heavy rains to the lower South for several days triggering floods and major landslides.
• At least two major landslides were reported in Songkhla,  one in Rattaphum and the other in Krasae Sin districts, a report said.
• The provinces declared disaster zones due to the cold spell are Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Phrae, Nan, Tak, Phayao, Sakhon Nakhon, Loei, Mukdahan, Kalasin and Buri Ram, said the Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department chief.
• At least 2 million people have been affected including 469,132 people in Chiang Mai province alone.

Related Links

• Bangkok Primed for Collapse
• Floods in SE Asia causing serious food shortages

• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

HFMD outbreak in Vietnam 7 times deadlier than average

HFMD epidemic kills 160, sickens up to 100,000 in Vietnam

The 2011 HFMD outbreak in Vietnam is more than 7 times deadlier than the previous 3-year average toll. The epidemic has claimed about 160 lives, mostly children, and sickened up to 100,000 others between May and November this year.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 16

[December 16, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,552 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Vietnam. A severe outbreak of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has claimed about 160 lives, and sickened 100,000 others between May and November this year.
• The epidemic has claimed 7 times as many lives as the previous 3-year average.
• “This year’s outbreak is a sharp uptick from recent years. Since 2008, about 10,000 to 15,000 cases were reported per year with about 20 to 30 children dying annually,” AP reported.
• HFMD is caused by intestinal viruses that belong to the Enterovirus genus (group), with the most common strains being Coxsackie A virus and Enterovirus 71 (EV-71).
• In rare cases Viral or “aseptic” meningitis or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) can occur as a result of the disease.

HFMD causes ulcers in the mouth and blisters on the hands and feet. (Source: KK Women’s and Children’s hospital, Singapore.)

Other Disasters

• The Netherlands. Tens of thousands of Dutch children have suffered sexual abuse in Catholic institutions since 1945, a report said.
• “Based on a survey of more than 34,000 people, the report estimates that one in five children in Catholic institutions suffered abuse.”
• “The problem of sexual abuse was known in the orders and dioceses of the Dutch Catholic Church, but the appropriate actions were not undertaken.” AFP quoted the commission as saying.
• About a third of Dutch population identify themselves as Catholics.
• One in 10 Dutch children suffered form abuse, rising to one in five among those who attended a Catholic institution, the report said.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

IRENE’s legacy continues to haunt the East Coast

25 Virginia counties and 2 independent cities declared agricultural disaster areas

Two separate disaster conditions, hurricane Irene, and drought and excessive heat, prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to declare 25 counties and two  independent cities in Virginia as agricultural disaster areas.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 14

[December 14, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,554 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Virginia, USA. Hurricane IRENE. Greensville and Lunenburg counties were designated primary natural disaster areas following the damage caused by Hurricane Irene that struck the area on Aug. 27-28, 2011.
• The 8 counties of Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Nottoway, Southampton, Charlotte, Mecklenburg, Prince Edward, and Sussex, as well as the independent city of Emporia were also declared disaster areas because they’re contiguous.

• North Carolina. Northampton County in neighboring North Carolina was also designated as a disaster area because it’s contiguous.
• Virginia, USA. Drought and Excessive Heat. The three counties of Cumberland, Pittsylvania and Powhatan in Virginia were designated primary natural disaster areas as a result of drought and excessive heat that occurred from May 25, 2011, through Aug. 27, 2011.
• Twelve other counties and an independent city were also declared as disaster areas because they’re contiguous.
• The counties were Amelia, Campbell, Franklin, Henrico, Bedford, Chesterfield, Goochland, Henry, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Halifax and Prince Edward.
• Independent City: Danville
• North Carolina. Caswell and Rockingham counties in North Carolina were also designated as disaster areas  because they’re contiguous.

Other Incidents

• Nelson, New Zealand. A state of emergency has been declared in Tasman and Nelson districts, located in NZ’s South Island, due to heavy flooding.
• The NZ Army is on stand by in the region, with the emergency declaration remaining in effect for seven days.
• A dam has collapsed in Golden Bay stranding dozens of people.
• The officials have described flooding in the region as “horrendous” with many road closures caused by “slips all over the place.”
• The worst affected areas were Nelson City and Eastern Golden Bay, with “major flooding” reported in the Golden Bay area.
• More rain has fallen in the past 24 hours as there usually is for the whole of December, a local meteorologist was quoted as saying.
• Major slips have caused extremely serious problems in the Nelson region.
• A number of dwellings have been obliterated by landslides.
• Makeshift evacuation centers have been set up.
• Tourists were reportedly climbing trees to avoid drowning as the Maitai River level rose considerably.
• The Nelson rain, already classified as a once-in-20-years flood,  could qualify as a once-in-50-years flood, as more heavy rain is forecast.
• “Civil Defence said 54 slips had so far been reported in the region and 108 people were registered as having “self evacuated,” a report said.
• Police has ordered many residents to evacuate.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Mystery killer disease sweeping across Central America

Mysterious epidemic killing more men in Nicaragua than HIV and diabetes combined

The disease which is causing kidney failure has killed so many men in western Nicaragua’s sugarcane-growing community of La Isla [The Island] the locals call their village La Isla de las Viudas—”The Island of the Widows.”

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 13

[December 13, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,555 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Central America. A mysterious killer epidemic is sweeping across Central America, killing more men in Nicaragua than HIV and diabetes combined. In El Salvador, the disease is the 2nd biggest cause of death among the male population, said a report.
• The epidemic is now prevalent across six countries, along the Pacific coast of Central America.
• The following figures show the percentage increase in male deaths caused by kidney disease in Central America between 2005 and 2009:
• Guatemala: 27%
• El Salvador: 26%
• Nicaragua: 41%
• Costa Rica: 16%
• “It is important that the chronic kidney disease (CKD) afflicting thousands of rural workers in Central America be recognized as what it is – a major epidemic with a tremendous population impact,” said Victor Penchaszadeh, a clinical epidemiologist at Columbia University, and a consultant to the Pan-American Health Organization on chronic diseases in Latin America.
• El Salvador’s health minister has asked the international community for help. The epidemic is  “wasting away our populations,” she said.
• The worst aspect of the disease is the suddenness by which it claims its victims. The disease victims show no sign of high blood pressure or diabetes, which are the most common causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the “developed world.”
• “Most of the men we studied have CKD from unknown causes,” said Dr. Carlos Orantes, who recently discovered that a quarter of the men in the farming region of Bajo Lempa in El Salvador are afflicted with CKD.
• Dr. Orantes believes that exposure to toxic chemicals—pesticides and herbicides—is a major cause of the CKD in his area.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Flooding intensifies in Kenya

More than 100,000 Kenyans displaced as death toll climbs to 24

Raging floods in Kenya have caused massive destruction of infrastructure, leaving at least 24 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 12

[December 12, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,556 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Kenya. Raging floods in Kenya have caused massive destruction of infrastructure, leaving at least 24 people dead and more than 100,000 displaced.
• “The displaced have challenges of sanitation facilities and are also using raw water from the open, a situation that has put their health at risk. They have also lost almost all their crops, some of which were almost mature, after their farms were submerged under floodwaters,” said a report.
• Tanzania. Extreme rains in Arusha, Kilimanjaro, and Mbeya have left at least a dozen people dead and up to 10,000 homeless.
• Strong winds and  extreme rains, which have triggered severe flooding and landslides, have destroyed hundreds of homes, as well as roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
• Torrents of mud and debris unleashed by extreme rains have buried hundred of hectares of crops including rice, maize, sunflower and sorghum.
• The floods occurred just three weeks after similar havoc last month, a report said.
• Mexico. A state of emergency was declared in 71 municipalities in the Mexican States of Durango, Zacatecas and Veracruz after freezing temperatures left at least a dozen people dead.
• Chile. Jorge Montt glacier (surface area: ~450 km²), a tidewater glacier located south of the town of Caleta Tortel in Chile’s Aisén Region, is melting at an average rate of about 2.74 meter per day (about 1 km per year), researchers say.

The rapidly retreating Jorge Montt glacier, Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, Chile. Photo credit AFP. Image may be subject to copyright.

Global Disaster Links

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Deadly epidemic kills 109 in Brazil

Meningitis epidemic prompts tourists to cancel reservations at Bahia’s Costa do Sauipe resort

At least 109 people, most of whom contracted cerebrospinal meningitis, have died in Brazil’s Bahia state since January, the authorities said.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 10

[December 10, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,558 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Bahia, Brazil. At least 109 people, most of whom contracted cerebrospinal meningitis, have died in Brazil’s Bahia state since January, the authorities have said.
• At least 1,670 cases of bacterial meningitis, the most serious form of the disease, have been reported in the state of Bahia so far this year, AFP reported officials as saying.
• Dozens of tourists fearing the epidemic have canceled their reservations at Bahia’s Costa do Sauipe resort.
• Meningitis is inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, and is usually caused by caused by infection with microorganisms, especially viruses and  bacteria.
• Meningitis is potentially life-threatening and has a high mortality rate if untreated.
• Typically, Brazil has a bacterial meningitis rate of about 46 per 100,000 annually.
• Bahia is one of Brazil’s 26 states, located in the country’s northeastern Atlantic coast (population: >14million).
• The largest epidemic ever recorded in history plagued the sub-Saharan Africa in 1996–1997, causing over 250,000 cases and claiming 25,000 lives, a mortality rate of 10 percent.

Other Global Disasters

• Alabama, USA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared twenty-six counties in Alabama as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding, hail, high winds and tornadoes that occurred April 1-30, 2011.
• Six counties were designated as Primary Disaster areas: Blount, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Monroe and Morgan counties.
• Twenty other counties were also declared disaster areas because they’re contiguous:  Baldwin, Conecuh, Fayette, Lamar, Butler, Cullman, Franklin, Lauderdale, Clarke, Escambia, Jackson, Limestone, Colbert, Etowah, Jefferson, Marshall, St. Clair, Walker, Wilcox and Winston counties.
• The following bordering counties in Mississippi and Tennessee were also declared as  disaster areas because they’re contiguous:
• Mississippi: Itawamba and Monroe counties.
• Tennessee: Franklin and Lincoln counties.

Global Disaster Links

• 2011 Much More Disastrous
• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

WARNING: About 20 percent of the world population could perish [randomly] by 2016

US 2011 Mega Disasters Costs Exceed $52 Billion*

12 Mega Disasters in 2011 [so far]

The U.S. has sustained 112 weather/climate related Mega Disasters over the past 31+ years, with the overall damages/costs exceeding $1 billion: NOAA

*[NOTE: FIRE-EARTH estimates the total cost of damage from 2011 Mega Disasters to exceed $70 billion.]

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 8

[December 8, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,560 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• United States. The U.S. has sustained 112 weather/climate related Mega Disasters over the past 31+ years, with the overall damages/costs exceeding $1 billion.
• More than 10 percent of these (12 disasters)  have occurred so far this year.
•  The previous record was set in 2008, with nine $1 billion disasters.
• “We have good reason to believe [sic] that what happened this year is not an anomaly, but instead is a harbinger of what is to come,” NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said in an interview.

YOUR models can’t duplicate our forecasts!

[Note: NOAA and IPCC simply lack any weather/climate model with such level of predictive power. There's NO way Administrator Jane Lubchenco could back her prediction up with any scientific evidence whatever. We know this with complete certainty because Models based on ‘science-as-usual’ assumptions and conventional algorithms are incapable of providing long-term forecasts with any degree of accuracy. On the other hand, forecasts posted on this blog are proven to be unparalleled in accuracy time and time again because they employ powerful models that observe the planet in entirely different lights, and resonate with her movements. While FIRE-EARTH has NO objection to its forecasts being echoed by other sources, the Moderators expect at least basic acknowledgement.]

List of ‘Billion-Dollar’ Disasters that have occurred in 2011, as of posting (source NOAA):

1. Texas, New Mexico, Arizona Wildfires Spring-Fall 2011
2. Hurricane Irene, August 20-29, 2011
3. Upper Midwest Flooding, Summer, 2011
4. Mississippi River flooding, Spring-Summer, 2011
5. Southern Plains/Southwest Drought, Heatwave, & Wildfires, Spring-Fall, 2011
6. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes and Severe Weather June 18-22, 2011
7. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes, May 22-27, 2011
8. Southeast/Ohio Valley/Midwest Tornadoes, April 25-30, 2011
9. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes, April 14-16, 2011
10. Southeast/Midwest Tornadoes, April 8-11, 2011
11. Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes, April 4-5, 2011
12. Groundhog Day Blizzard, Jan 29-Feb 3, 2011

Several  new records were set in 2011,  so far, including 

• Texas Drought: The most intense drought 117 years of records occurred in Texas this summer.
• Tornadoes: 199 tornadoes struck on April 27, the highest on record for any single day in the United States.

Across the Globe

• UK. The UK Met Office has issued its highest warning, a red alert, prompting regional authorities to shut hundreds of schools, and causing bridge and road closures, as 90mph winds batter the country’s coastal areas, a report said.
• “Parts of England and Northern Ireland are also being hit by extreme wind and rain.”
• Wind gust of 130 mph were reported in the Ski resort of  Aonach Mor, near Fort William in the Scottish Highlands.
• Police forces in Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Central Scotland and Lothian and Borders have issued a ‘do not travel’ warning, advising motorists against all travel, as severe winds  batter the country, the report said.

• Colombia. Bogota (Population ~8.8 million), the capital and largest city of Colombia, has declared a state of emergency after extreme rain events triggered severe flooding, inundating the southwestern part of the city and leaving 10,000 people homeless,  El Tiempo newspaper reported.
• “The river’s water volume has reached record levels — 64cm above that which is needed to issue a red alert — flooding more than 700 farms in the surrounding areas,” said the report.
• In all probability water levels would continue to rise.
• More than 21 people were killed, about 40 missing and dozens of others are trapped in the northwestern city of Manizales after a landslide, a report said.
• Since the start of the second rainy season in September, at least 500,000 people have been affected by floods and landslides across the country, including more than 50,000 in Bogota.
• The rainy season has claimed at least 134 lives, destroyed about 1,000 homes and damage up to 80,000 others.

Global Disasters

• 2011 Much More Disastrous
• 2010 Disasters [Includes Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters: 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Diagnoses of HIV Infection and AIDS in the U-S

United States HIV Infection and AIDS Statistics

The following is a summary of  HIV infection and AIDS statistics in the United States and Dependent Areas, based on the HIV Surveillance Report, Volume 21.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 4

[December 4, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,564 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• United States and Dependent Areas.  From the beginning of the AIDS epidemic through 2009, some 1,142,714 people have been diagnosed with AIDS in America.
• There were 490,696 people living with an AIDS diagnoses in the United States and five dependent areas by the end of 2008, CDC estimated.
• AIDS has killed about 617,025 people in the U.S. since the 1980s.
• Some 42,959 new diagnoses of HIV infection in the 40 states and five dependent areas were recorded in 2008.
• About 75% of adults and adolescents living with an AIDS diagnosis are male.

• Global. More than 36 million people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2009.
• About 2.8 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2009.
• An estimated 2.4 million people died of aids in 2008.

Related Links

• Measles Outbreaks Continue in Canada, New Zealand, Europe
• Thousands of tourists exposed to measles in New Zealand
• Disease Emergence and Resurgence of Infectious Diseases‎

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disaster Calendar 
• 2011 Disaster Calendar