Deadly Tornadoes Slam Midwest

At least 11 tornadoes strike the Midwest

Kansas declares a state of emergency after an apparent tornado attack at Harveyville

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 29

[February 29, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,477 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• U.S. Midwest.   Aline of tornadoes pounded the Midwest, killing at least four people, injuring many and destroying/damaging hundreds of homes   in 4 states.
  • The first death was reported after a possible tornado hit a mobile home park in southwest Missouri, south of Buffalo, said the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.
  • The storm system also knocked out power to all of Buffalo.
  • Branson and Lebanon in southwest Missouri were among the worst hit areas, with multiple injuries and “heavy damage” reported.
  • At least 11 tornadoes have been recorded by the Storm Prediction Center across Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois, late Tuesday night .
  • Another tornado reportedly touch down in Indiana, and one in Kentucky.
• Illinois. At least 3 people were killed in Harrisburg, Ill., and dozens of homes were destroyed after a possible tornado swept through the area, a report said.

• Kansas.  Kansas governor has declared a state of emergency after an apparent tornado struck Harveyville (Wabaunsee County, southwest of Topeka).
  • At least 10 people have been injured, 4 of them criticall.
  • More than 40 percent of the town has been damaged.
  • Numerous trees and power lines were down.
  • The weather system was headed to Kentucky and Tennessee, said NWS.
• Indiana.   TORNADO REPORTED BY STATE TROOPER NEAR THE COMMUNITY OF NEWBURGH. WIDESPREAD DAMAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY PROPER. RESCUE TEAMS ARE RESPONDING. (Source: SPC)

Related Links

• Tornado Alley Maps for June
• Nebraska Nuke Plant Remains Shut After Missouri River Flooding
• The worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• MEGA DELUGE 2011?
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

•  Tornado Dead to Haunt Missouri Officials
• The worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• MEGA DELUGE 2011?

• 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season: AAA
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

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 

• Tornado Attacks Leave 100 Dead or Injured in Indonesia Posted on January 29, 2012
• State of Emergency Declared in Alabama Posted on January 24, 2012
• Deadly Tornado Season 2012 Begins Posted on January 23, 2012
• U.S. Tornado Forecast 2012 Posted on February 25, 2012

Flooding Destroys Thousands of Homes in Acre, Brazil

Thousands of homes destroyed, 1 in 5 people affected by flooding in Acre, Brazil

Major flooding in  Brazilian state of Acre (located SW of the Northern Region) has destroyed thousands of homes killing at least one person, and forcing a fifth of the state’s population of about 740,000  to relocate, officials said.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 28

[February 28, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,478 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Acre, Brazil.  Major flooding in Brazil’s state of Acre has affected about a fifth of the population, destroying thousands of homes and devastating infrastructure.
  • Flooding, caused by an abnormally intense rainy season, began more than a week ago in the Amazon basin.
  • The Acre River has burst its banks causing unprecedented flooding in Bolivia’s northern province of Pando, which borders Brazil, leaving the provincial capital, Cobija, completely inundated and obliterating dozens of villages, killing at a least a dozen people.
  • At least 45 suburbs of Rio Branco, capital of Acre, were submerged under floodwater, with more than 15,000 homes inundated by last week.
  • The Acre River has risen by about 18 meters above its normal levels, reports said.

Other Global Disasters

• Yunnan province, China.  Worsening drought and low rainfall in the last three years have dried up 273 rivers and 413 small reservoirs in Yunnan province, China, a report said.
  • More than 6.31 million people in 91 counties of Yunnan province in SW China have been affected by a persistent drought, with at least 3.1 million people and 1.55 million livestock short of drinking water, according to provincial civil affairs authorities.
  • “… more than 2 million mu (133,333 hectares) of forests and 8.2 million mu of corps having been affected.“

  • Severe drought is also posing fire risks in forest areas of SW China.

  • Some 47 percent of Yunnan province (24.7 million ha) is forested.
  • Yunnan is China’s No. 2 forested province.
  • “From Jan. 1 to Feb. 16, Yunnan saw 100 cases of forest fires. Of the total, six were serious or catastrophic forest fires, a spokesman with the Yunnan forest public security bureau said.”
• Sichuan Province, China.  Alarm bells should also be ringing in Sichuan province, SW China, as drought intensifies.

Most disturbing image of the day: A well or a mass grave?  Original caption: “Villagers wait for relief water next to a well, dug during a persistent drought in hopes of storing rainwater, at Yizi Vilage in the Renhe District of Panzhihua, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, Feb. 22, 2012. The drought, striking the area since last year as a result of insufficient rainfall, has threatened the locals’ with limited access to drinking water. Measures are now being taken to relieve the pressures of water supply.” (Xinhua/Hai Mingwei). Image may be subject to copyright.

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 

• Emergency Declared in Bolivia’s Flooded Amazon Region   Posted on February 23, 2012

Lassa Fever Outbreak Kills Dozens in Nigeria

Forty fatalities including 2 medical personnel from Lassa fever outbreak

About 400 hundred cases of the acute viral illness have been detected in 12 Nigerian states sine Mid January,  said  the country’s Minister of State for Health, 10 percent of which were fatal.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 27

[February 27, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,479 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Nigeria.   An outbreak of Lassa fever, an acute viral illness, has sickened about 400 people in 12 Nigerian states, killing at least 40 including two medical workers, a report said.
  • The areas stricken by the recent outbreak are Edo, Nasarawa, Plateau, Ebonyi, Taraba, Yobe, Ondo, Rivers, Gombe, Anambra, Delta and Lagos states.

Lassa Virus. Source: CDC

Arenavirus. Lassa fever is present in West Africa. The reservoir of Lassa virus are rodents and humans become infected through contact with the excreta of infected rats. While about 80% of the infections go with no symptoms, the remaining patients develop severe multi-system disease and up to 15% of the hospitalized cases may die. Early treatment with the antiviral drug ribavirin is effective, and infection is prevented through good hygiene conditions.  Source: European Center for Disease Prevention and Control

What is Lassa fever?

Lassa fever is an acute viral illness that occurs in West Africa. The illness was discovered in 1969 when two missionary nurses died in Nigeria, West Africa. The cause of the illness was found to be Lassa virus, named after the town in Nigeria where the first cases originated. The virus, a member of the virus family Arenaviridae, is a single-stranded RNA virus and is zoonotic, or animal-borne.

In areas of Africa where the disease is endemic (that is, constantly present), Lassa fever is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. While Lassa fever is mild or has no observable symptoms in about 80% of people infected with the virus, the remaining 20% have a severe multisystem disease. Lassa fever is also associated with occasional epidemics, during which the case-fatality rate can reach 50%.

What are the symptoms of Lassa fever?

Signs and symptoms of Lassa fever typically occur 1-3 weeks after the patient comes into contact with the virus. These include fever, retrosternal pain (pain behind the chest wall), sore throat, back pain, cough, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, facial swelling, proteinuria (protein in the urine), and mucosal bleeding. Neurological problems have also been described, including hearing loss, tremors, and encephalitis. Because the symptoms of Lassa fever are so varied and nonspecific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult.

What proportion of people die from the illness?

Approximately 15%-20% of patients hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. However, overall only about 1% of infections with Lassa virus result in death. The death rates are particularly high for women in the third trimester of pregnancy, and for fetuses, about 95% of which die in the uterus of infected pregnant mothers [causing spontaneous abortion.] [Source: CDC]

Schmallenberg Virus Update:

• UK.  ” Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection has been identified on 74 farms. Five of the positive cases have been diagnosed in  cattle, 69 in sheep, and none to date in other species. So far, none of the affected farms have reported importing animals during 2011 from the affected areas in mainland Europe. Positive cases of SBV virus have now been identified on the Isle of Wight and in Wiltshire, West Berkshire and Gloucestershire. This is in addition to the counties in the east and south of England which have previously had cases identified, namely Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, East and West Sussex, Hertfordshire, Surrey, Hampshire and Cornwall,” AHVLA reported.
  • Some British farmers have reportedly lost 20 per cent of their lambs since the disease arrived in the UK early January.
• Germany.  “In Germany animals from 737 holdings have been tested positive for ‛Schmallenberg virus’ so far. The cases occurred in 47 cattle holdings, 653 sheep holdings and 37 goat holdings. Affected federal states are North Rhine-Westphalia (25 cattle, 236 sheep, 11 goat holdings), Lower Saxony (10 cattle, 104 sheep, 5 goat holdings), Hesse (1 cattle, 80 sheep holdings, 5 goat holdings), Schleswig-Holstein (5 cattle, 81 sheep, 1 goat holdings), Rhineland-Palatinate (1 Bison, 3 cattle, 35 sheep, 4 goat holdings), Baden-Wuerttemberg (1 cattle, 13 sheep, 5 goat holdings), Brandenburg (15 sheep holdings), Thuringia (24 sheep holdings, 2 goat holdings), Saxony-Anhalt (19 sheep holdings, 2 goat holding), Hamburg (1 cattle, 5 sheep holdings), Bavaria (13 sheep holdings), Saxony (20 sheep holdings), Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (5 sheep holdings, 1 goat holding), Saarland (2 sheep holdings, 1 goat holding) and Berlin (1 sheep holding),  FLI reported.
  
• Rest of Europe.   Updated figures for February NOT available. Estimates range from about 2,500 to 5,000 cases (about 2,000 affected farms) in the Benelux countries (Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands), France and Italy.
• [NOTE: In all probability, many more countries in Europe and elsewhere have been hit by the Schmallenberg virus, but the disease is not yet reportable and no stats are currently available.]

A suspected victim of Schmallenberg virus. Lambs infected with the virus are  either stillborn or have deformities so horrific they cannot survive. Image source: DWHC

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 

Schmallenberg Virus Links

• Schmallenberg Virus Hits 7 Countries Posted on February 22, 2012

Sixty Million Pakistanis Have NO Access to Potable Water

A third of 180 million Pakistani population lack clean drinking water

Sales of bottled water surge across Pakistan because of the “poor quality of drinking water supplied by the civic authorities,” a report said. However many of the mineral water brands are also contaminated.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 26

[February 26, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,480 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Pakistan.  Some 60 million Pakistanis, a third of the 180 million population, have NO access to potable water, according to a study.
  • Meantime, sales of bottled water are surging across the country because of the “poor quality of drinking water supplied by the civic authorities,” a report said. However many of the mineral water brands are also contaminated.
  • “The Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) has recently declared 16 out of these 69 brands of bottled water unsafe though a large number citizens prefer bottled water due to poor quality of drinking water being supplied by civic authorities.”
  • A large percentage of the “mineral water” bottled in Pakistan was found to contain estrogenic chemicals (Xenoestrogens), according to another study.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• Hunan Province, Central China.   About 700 sinkholes have been reported in Yuejiaqiao Town, Yiyang City, in China’s Hunan Provinceas  in the past few weeks, a report said.
  • The cenotes caused by karst subsidence have damaged or destroyed dozens of homes, swallowing  farmlands and riverbeds and affecting about 1,200 people.

Photo taken on Feb. 26, 2012 shows a large sinkhole formed on a riverbed in Yuejiaqiao Town, Yiyang City, in central China’s Hunan Province. (Xinhua/Long Hongtao). Image may be subject to copyright. More images…

• Arabia.  A major sandstorm in the Arabian Peninsula blanketed Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Aravia, bringing visibility to near zero and  “turning  day into night,” local reports said.
  • The sandstorm also hit the Persian Gulf states, forcing the temperatures to as low as 4°C in UAE.

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 

• Image of the Day: Sandstorm in Saudi Desert  Posted on March 11, 2009

M6.8 Quake Strikes SW Siberia, Russia

Strong earthquake strikes E of Kyzyl, Russia

The quake, epicentered at 51.731°N, 95.921°E, struck at a depth of 11.7 km (7.3 miles) Sunday, February 26, 2012 at 01:17 PM local time. 

The mainshock was followed by at least one significant aftershock measuring 4.9Mw, which struck at a depth of about 10km.

A 6.6Mw quake struck the same area [51.839°N, 95.921°E ; 96 km  E of Kyzyl] on December 27, 2011 at 10:21:56 PM at a depth of 15 km, according to USGS records.

At least 2 large quakes measuring 8.4Mw struck the nearby volcanic fields, south of the region, in 1905.

EQ Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP.

ShakeMap

PAGER Earthquake Impact

Seismic Hazard Map

Taiwan Earthquakes

Continued…

Related Links

• Japan Earthquake Forecast Posted on February 14, 2012

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Worsening Drought Chokes China’s Yunnan Province

3 years of severe drought in Yunnan affecting 6.31 million people

More than 6.31 million people in 91 counties of Yunnan province in SW China have been affected by a persistent drought, with at least 3.1 million people and 1.55 million livestock short of drinking water, according to provincial civil affairs authorities.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 25

[February 25, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,481 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Yunnan Province, China.  More than 6.31 million people in 91 counties of Yunnan province in SW China have been affected by a persistent drought, which has lasted for three years, leaving at least 3.15 million people and 1.55 million livestock short of drinking water, according to provincial civil affairs authorities, a report said.

Original caption:  Photo taken on Feb. 24, 2012 shows cracked land in a pond at Fanglang Village in Malong County of southwest China’s Yunnan Province. A brutal drought has wracked the province since late last year, leaving at least 3.15 million people without sufficient supplies of drinking water as of Monday, according to government statistics. (Xinhua/Lin Yiguang). Image may be subject to copyright. More Photos …

Original caption:  Pupils queue up to get water at a primary school in Luogong Village, Luliang County of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Feb. 21, 2012. Every pupil at the school can get 1.5 liter distributed water, which is carried from five kilometers away everyday. A severe drought has lingered in Yunnan for three consecutive years, disrupting the lives of 6.3 million people in the province this year. (Xinhua/Lin Yiguang).  Image may be subject to copyright. More Photos … 

Other Global Drought Events

• Thailand.  The deepening drought in Thailand has spread to 15 of the country’s 77 provinces, officials said.
  • Ten of the drought stricken provinces are in the north:  Chiang Rai, Kampaeng Phet, Lampang, Lamphun, Nan,  Phayao, Phitsanulok, Phrae, Sukhothai and Uttaradit.
  • The other 5 province are Chanthaburi and Chachoengsao (east), Loei ( northeast), Phetchaburi and Suphan Buri (central Thailand).
  • Some 6,768 villages in 109 districts within the 15 provinces are in drought.
    
  • Some 63 districts in 11 provinces were declared drought disaster zones on February 9, 2012.

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 

Global Drought 2012

• Worsening Texas Drought May Stay Many Years Posted on September 30, 2011
• Drought Declared in SE England‎ Posted on February 21, 2012
• HUNGER: States of Emergency Declared Across the Sahel Posted on February 20, 2012
• Ten Colorado Counties Declared Disaster Areas Posted on February 19, 2012
• Texas Drought Causes Urban Forest Die-off Posted on February 16, 2012
• Thailand Drought Deepens Posted on February 9, 2012

U.S. Tornado Forecast 2012

Theft of Intellectual Properties from FIRE-EARTH Discourages Tornado Forecast

Due to the theft of intellectual properties from FIRE-EARTH blog, the Moderators are reluctant to publish tornado forecasts for the 2012 season.

However, summaries of the major tornadic, and other extreme weather/ climatic events will be posted on the Blog, as they occur.

Related Links

• Tornado Alley Maps for June
• Nebraska Nuke Plant Remains Shut After Missouri River Flooding
• The worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• MEGA DELUGE 2011?
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

•  Tornado Dead to Haunt Missouri Officials
• The worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• MEGA DELUGE 2011?

• 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season: AAA
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

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 

• Tornado Attacks Leave 100 Dead or Injured in Indonesia Posted on January 29, 2012
• State of Emergency Declared in Alabama Posted on January 24, 2012
• Deadly Tornado Season 2012 Begins Posted on January 23, 2012
• U.S. Tornado Forecast 2012 Posted on February 25, 2012

Deadly Tornado Hits Rome, Ga

EF-1 Tornado kills at least one, leaving a 3-mile swath of destruction in Floyd County, Georgia

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 24

[February 24, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,482 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Georgia, USA.   EF1 tornado with winds of about 95mph (153 km/hr) struck Rome (Floyd County), Ga., killing at least one personand devastating a vast area.
  • The twister damaged about 100 homes in Kingston Highway area, reports said.
  • This was the second time in recent months that Floyd County was hit by a tornado.
  • Tornado touched down in Floyd County at about 10:15pm Wednesday, just west of the Maplewood subdivision in Rome, and traveled 3.25 miles, SPC said.

The Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale – Quick Chart

EF0: 65 TO 85 MPH
EF1: 86 TO 110 MPH
EF2: 111 TO 135 MPH
EF3: 136 TO 165 MPH
EF4: 166 TO 200 MPH
EF5: Wind speeds greater than 200 MPH

Related Links

• Tornado Alley Maps for June
• Nebraska Nuke Plant Remains Shut After Missouri River Flooding
• The worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• MEGA DELUGE 2011?
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

•  Tornado Dead to Haunt Missouri Officials
• The worst tornado outbreak in U.S. history
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• MEGA DELUGE 2011?

• 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season: AAA
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

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 

• Tornado Attacks Leave 100 Dead or Injured in Indonesia Posted on January 29, 2012

• State of Emergency Declared in Alabama Posted on January 24, 2012

• Deadly Tornado Season 2012 Begins Posted on January 23, 2012

Emergency Declared in Bolivia’s Flooded Amazon Region

Bolivians government declares a state of emergency in Amazon region following severe flooding

Flooding in the Bolivian Amazon region has left at least a dozen people dead and up to 10,000 families homeless.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 23

[February 23, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,483 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Bolivia.  Bolivians government has declared a state of emergency in the country’s Amazon region following severe flooding.
  • Flooding has left at least a dozen people dead and up to 10,000 families homeless.
  • The Acre River has burst its banks causing unprecedented flooding in the northern province of Pando, which borders Brazil, leaving the provincial capital, Cobija, completely inundated and obliterating dozens of villages.
  • The Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon regions have also been affected by widespread flooding caused by an abnormally intense rainy season.

• Acre, Brazil.  Sever flooding has affected up to 100,000 people in northern Brazil’s Acre state, making it the state’s second worst flooding on record.
  • At least 45 suburbs of Rio Branco, capital of Acre, are submerged under floodwater, with more than 15,000 homes inundated.
  • Forecasters say the region will receive even more rain this week.

Other Global Disasters

• Buenos Aires, Argentina.  A commuter train crashed at a Buenos Aires station, killing at least 50 people and injuring more than 600.

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 

Schmallenberg Virus Hits 7 Countries

SBV induces late abortion or birth defects in newborn livestock 

The virus has infected more than 1,200 cattle, sheep and goats in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the UK, as of posting

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 22

[February 22, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,484 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Northern Europe.  At least 7 northern European countries have reported more than 1,200 cases of Schmallenberg Virus (SBV) infections in cattle, sheep and goats.
  • Schmallenberg Virus is a new emerging livestock disease that was first detected in the town of Schmallenberg, North Rhein-Westphalia region, Germany.
  • SBV causes acute illness and induces late abortion or birth defects in the newborn livestock.
  • “This exotic virus may cause severe congenital damages in pregnant animals, as well as premature births and reproductive disorders. Calves that are not stillborn may suffer from serious brain and limb malformations,” a report said.
  • The virus is believed to be transmitted through arthropod vectors including mosquitoes, midges, ticks and sand flies.
  • A significant increase in reporting from the known affected countries is noted by the International Disease Monitoring section of UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
  • “Women who are, or who may be, pregnant are potentially at risk of acquiring certain infectious diseases from pregnant livestock including sheep. Pregnant women who come into close contact with sheep during lambing may risk their own health and that of their unborn child, from infections which can occur in some ewes,” UK’s  HPA said.

Source: UK DEFRA/HPA

Source:  DEFRA/HPA/IDM

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 

Sky Photo – 21 Feb 2012

Animated Cloud Formations

Related Links

• Sky Photos II
• Sky Photos

 

Drought Declared in Southeast UK

Larger areas of the UK face drought this year: DEFRA

England declares drought in more regions after months of low rainfall.  Drought is now affecting the country’s southeastern, eastern and parts of the Midlands. The river Kennet has stopped flowing near Lockeridge in Wiltshire, reports said.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 21

[February 21, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,485 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• England, UK.  As UK government declares drought in southeast England, the country’s top official responsible for  environment has warned that large parts of the country are facing an inevitable drought this summer even if the coming months bring heavy rainfall.
  • “Drought is already an issue this year with the south-east, Anglia and other parts of the UK now officially in drought, and more areas are likely to be affected as we continue to experience a prolonged period of very low rainfall,”  British Environment Minister has warned.
  • Meantime, the country’s Meteorological Agency has warned that ‘prolonged periods of heavy rainfall in the near future are unlikely.’
  • Groundwater levels in East Anglia are exceptionally low.
  • Rainfall in the Midlands, East Anglia and the south east in January was about 35 percent below normal.
  • East Anglia has experienced its driest-ever 5-month period from last September, the Center for Hydrology and Ecology reported.
  • The counties of Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire and large parts of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, as well as  west Norfolk are experiencing drought, while Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Kent, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Shropshire are extremely dry.
  • “Since June 2011, drought has affected Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, parts of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, and west Norfolk. In February 2012 following a dry winter, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, London, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and the east of Gloucestershire are now in drought,” Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) reported.
  • In contrast, northern England and Scotland have experienced their wettest winter in 100 years, reports said.

UK Groundwater Levels as of mid February 2012. BGS © NERC. Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment Agency, 100026380, 2012.

Other Global Disasters

• New South Wales (NSW), Australia.   The government in the Australian state of NSW has extended a natural disaster declarations to the northern areas of Bourke and Tamworth, a report said.
  • The disaster declarations follow widespread flooding which has substantially damaged homes, businesses and infrastructure.
  • The following local government areas have already been declared disaster areas: Walgett, Brewarrina, Liverpool Plains, Gloucester, Upper Hunter, Ballina, Gunnedah, Moree Shire, Greater Taree, Gwydir, Narrabri, Tenterfield, Bellingen, Byron, Lismore, Kyogle, Richmond Valley, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Inverell, Nambucca, Kempsey and Tweed Shire Council.
  • Flood evacuation orders may be issued later today.
• Western NSW.  Meantime, major flooding is occurring across the western portion of NSW, reports said.
  • Fooodwaters from Queensland and eastern NSW are heading west towards Brewarrina and Bourke (combined pop: ~ 4,000), where three swollen river systems converge.
• Southern NSW.   “Authorities received more than 300 calls for help as flash flooding hit Sydney and the New South Wales south coast last night,” a report said.
  • “Extraordinary rain. Terrey Hills had 61 millimeters in a hour, and Peakhurst had 26 millimeters in just ten minutes,” State Emergency Service spokesman said.

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 

Back-to-Back Australian Disasters

• Inland sea moving across NSW, Australia  Posted on February 10, 2012
• The state government in NSW (Aus)  has declared Gunnedah a disaster area

• Flooded Australia: Thousands Evacuated in 3 States
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Wildfire Consumes 1 Million Acres in WA

• Australia: 5 disaster areas declared in NSW following severe flooding

HUNGER: States of Emergency Declared Across the Sahel

10 million threatened by hunger as Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger declare states of emergency

Niger (pop: ~ 16million) is the worst affected country with almost half of its population left without enough to eat.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 20

[February 20, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,486 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• The Sahel, Africa. Ten million people are threatened by hunger across the Sahel, as Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger declare states of emergency.
  • “Nearly half of Niger does not have enough to eat.  The 5.4 million people struggling to stay alive are part of a wider crisis affecting at least 10 million people across the swath across Africa that borders the Sahara, known as the Sahel,” said a spokeswoman for Mercy Corps.
  • “This is the third time in the last decade the people of the Sahel have faced severe food shortages.”

Other Disasters

• Global.  Wildfires kill about 339,000 people each year, according to a new study.
  • The fires consume about 450 million hectares, an area half the size of Canada.
  • [Notes:
    •  In China alone indoor air pollution kills 2.2 million youths.
    • Urban air pollution kills about 2.4 million people globally each year, said The World Health Organization (WHO); however, the true figure may be 10 times as many.]
  • About 157,000 of the deaths caused by wildfires occur in sub-Saharan Africa, and 110,000 deaths in southeast Asia.
  • The study suggests a link between climate and wildfire mortality.
  • El Niño years, when the surface ocean temperature rises in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, claim an average of 532,000 lives, twice as many as the cooler La Niña years, averaging 262,000 deaths per year.

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 

Drought: Recent Links

• Drought tightens grip on S. Mozambique Posted on January 16, 2012
• Niger Faces Food Shortages Posted on December 25, 2011
• Disaster Calendar 2011: Famine Spreads in Somalia Posted on August 4, 2011
• Worst drought in living memory gripping Horn of Africa Posted on June 29, 2011

Ten Colorado Counties Declared Disaster Areas

Continuing drought causes agricultural disaster in Colorado

Ten Colorado counties have been designated as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that began  October 1, 2011, and continues, USDA reported.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 19

[February 19, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,487 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Colorado, USA.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated ten counties in the state of Colorado as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought that occurred from October 1, 2011, and continues.
  • Primary Disaster Area:  Lincoln County.
  • Contiguous Disaster Areas:  Arapahoe, Cheyenne, Crowley, Elbert, El Paso, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Pueblo and Washington counties.

Other Global Disasters

• Negros, Philippines. Death toll and the number of people missing from a strong earthquake, measuring 6.7Mw, and several significant aftershocks that struck Philippines Negros Region on February 6 has climbed to at least 113, the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
  • About 120 people were injured in the quakes.
  • The quakes destroyed more than 6,300 houses and damaged 9,200 others.
  • About 5,000 families are currently in evacuation centers, a report said.

• Yunnan province, China. A severe drought has destroyed or damaged about 400,000 hectares (~ one million acres) of crops in Southwest China’s Yunnan province, local reports said.
  • The direct economic losses is estimated at more than 600 million yuan.
  • The drought has affected about 6.3 million people in 91 counties in the province, reports said.
  • More than 2.4 million people and 1.55 million livestock are short of drinking water.

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

• Disaster declaration renewed in Texas
• Volcanic Emissions: Hawaii County Declared Disaster Area
• Indiana, Michigan and Washington Declared Disaster Areas

Tens of Thousands Displaced Amid Severe Flooding in Philippines

Floods and landslides plague Philippines Bicol region, Visayas and Mindanao

Seven days of continuous rain has left dozens of municipalities deluged, as authorities declare a state of calamity in the town of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 18

[February 18, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,488 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Philippines.  Tens of thousands of people have been displaced amid severe flooding which has plagued three major regions in the Philippines.
  • Seven days of continuous rain have triggered floods and landslides that have swamped dozens of municipalities in large parts of the Bicol region, Visayas and Mindanao.
  • The authorities have declared a state of calamity in the town of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, said a report.
  • “Meanwhile, Alert Level 1 was raised by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) Thursday over the the cities of Surigao, Butuan and the provinces of Dinagat, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Siargao Island and other areas of Northeastern Mindanao (Caraga region) following the continuous rains that began last Saturday,” said a report.
  • Floods have severely affected at least 4,000 others in Regions VIII (Eastern Visayas), X (Northern Mindanao) and XIII (Caraga), with 3,000 moved to evacuation centers, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.
  • Meanwhile, landslides occurred in dozens of villages in Leyte and Kahupian, burying several bridges, reports said.
  • At least 5 people have  been killed so far as a result of the extreme weather events, early reports said.
  • Heavy flooding in Daguitan River, Dulag, Leyte (Leyte Province is located in the Eastern Visayas region) caused power outages in many parts of the province, said the Philippines Information Agency, a government organization.

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

• Dozens Dead or Missing after Philippine Quakes  Posted on February 6, 2012
• Hundreds flee flooding in Mindanao, Philippines  Posted on January 15, 2012

• Typhoon WASHI Legacy Lingers  Posted on January 4, 2012
• 20,000 displaced in Philippines latest floods  Posted on December 27, 2011
• Philippines declares national calamity  Posted on December 20, 2011
• Typhoon WASHI: 1,650 dead or missing  Posted on December 18, 2011

State of Emergency Declared for Greece’s Energy Grid

Heavy winter in the Balkans blamed for acute energy shortages

Greece’s energy grid has been placed under a state of emergency because of “a major deficiency” in natural gas supplies, caused by a jump in demand for natural gas and electricity throughout the Balkans, due to abnormally heavy winter.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 17

[February 17, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,489 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Greece. The country’s energy grid has been placed under a state of emergency because of “a major deficiency” in natural gas supplies, caused by a jump in demand for natural gas and electricity throughout the Balkans, due to abnormally heavy winter.
  • “The energy sufficiency problems have arisen as a result of the discontinuation of electricity exports to Greece by Bulgaria (since Friday) and FYROM (since Monday), the limited operation of hydroelectric units in order to conserve water reserves, which are already low, for the summer, problems in the country’s supply with natural gas from the pipeline via Turkey, and low temperatures in the country resulting in increased energy demand for heating given that consumers have turned to air conditioners and heaters rather than central heating due to high heating oil prices,” said a report.

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

• War on Nature: Danube Dynamited
• Europe’s Big Freeze Deepens: Hundreds Dead
• Deadly Freeze: Bosnia Declares a State of Emergency
• State of Emergency Declared in S. Bulgaria after Severe Flooding
• The Death of Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Part 1)

 

Texas Drought Causes Urban Forest Die-off

2011 Texas drought kills 5.6 million urban shade trees: TFS

The historic drought has killed an estimated 5.6 million shade trees, dubbed ‘urban forest,’ throughout the cities, towns and communities across the state of Texas since last year, Texas Forest Service (TFS) reported.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 16

[February 16, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,490 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Texas, USA.  Last year’s unrelenting drought killed an estimated 5.6 million shade trees, dubbed urban forest,’ throughout the communities across the state, Texas Forest Service(TFS) reported.
  • “This estimate is preliminary because trees are continuing to die from the drought,” said Pete Smith, Texas Forest Service staff forester and lead researcher. “This means we may be significantly undercounting the number of trees that ultimately will succumb to the drought. That number may not be known until the end of 2012, if ever.”
  • “All cities and towns in Texas were included in the study with the exception of the Trans Pecos region, where tree mortality was determined to be a result of a February 2011 cold snap; not the drought,” said the report.
  • The loss of economic and environmental benefits provided by the trees is estimated at about $280 million per year, TFS said.
  • To prevent safety hazards posed by falling dead trees, the authorities will have to remove them. The estimated cost of  removing the dead trees is $560 million.

Texas Drought Map (Feb. 2012). Source: US Drought Monitor

Other Global Disasters

• Madagascar.   Death toll from Cyclone Giovanna, which struck Madagascar on February 14, 2012, has risen to at least 16, officials have reported.
  • Many people were reported missing and about 100 injured.
  • The deadly Cat 4B cyclone slammed the Indian Ocean island with sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph.
  • The storm has destroyed about 4,000 structures, mostly homes, and dozens of schools, leaving up to 15,000 people homeless.
  • Much of the infrastructure in several cities have also been destroyed, with vast areas submerged under up to 3 feet of water.

• Honduras.  Death toll has risen to 360 following a massive prison fire that destroyed large parts of the Comayagua complex located about 100km (60 miles) north of the in Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa.

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

• Disaster declaration renewed in Texas
• Drought 2012
• Texas drought kills 500 million trees

• US 2011 Mega Disasters Costs Exceed $52 Billion*
• Billion-dollar disasters of 2011 [Updated]

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 15

Earth is fighting to stay alive! A dead planet cannot support life

[February 15, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,491 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

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

Deadly Cat 4B Cyclone Giovanna Slams Madagascar

Giovanna rips through Madagascar with destructive winds and torrential rain

Giovanna slammed the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar as a Category 4B Cyclone with sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 14

[February 14, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,492 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Madagascar. Cyclone Giovanna slammed the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar as a Category 4B stormwith sustained winds of  231km (143 miles) per hour and wind gusts exceeding 275kph.
  • The deadly storm destroyed or damaged scores of buildings, destroyed trees and caused power shutdowns in at least two towns, the capital, Antananarivo, killing at least one person in Brickaville, and eastern port city of Tamatave, according to early reports.
  • Officials warned scale of devastation could match or exceed the 1994 disaster caused by Cyclone Geralda which killed more than 200 people and left 500,000 homeless.
  • In 2008, wind damage and severe flooding by Cyclone Ivan caused much devastation to  Sainte Marie Island and mainland Madegascar, leaving about 270 people dead or missing and 330,000  others homeless, destroying about 200,000 hectares of  crops and leaving thousands without food.

Other Global Disasters

• Albania. Prime Minister of  Albania has declared 4 (of 12) counties of Shkodër, Kukës, Dibër, Korçë and the district of Librazhd as natural disaster areas due to worsening weather conditions, a report said.

• Philippines. Widespread flooding in the Philippines has left at least a dozen people dead or injured and tens of thousands displaced.

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

• War on Nature: Danube Dynamited
• Europe’s Big Freeze Deepens: Hundreds Dead
• Deadly Freeze: Bosnia Declares a State of Emergency
• State of Emergency Declared in S. Bulgaria after Severe Flooding
• The Death of Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Part 1)

Japan Earthquake Forecast

Japan Region Earthquakes: Currently Valid Forecasts by FIRE-EARTH

• TOKYO AREA QUAKE WARNING Posted by feww on March 16, 2011

• Global Tectonics Alert – April 9: JPTRMT1

A Note to Seismologists at Tokyo University and Tohoku University, Japan

FIRE-EARTH MODERATORS STRONGLY URGE YOU TO PRODUCE  ORIGINAL RESEARCH AND REFRAIN FROM PIGGYBACK RIDING ON OUR FORECASTS.

ONCE AGAIN, YOU HAVE MADE US EXTREMELY RELUCTANT TO POST ANY FUTURE EARTHQUAKE FORECAST.

Staff at Research Center for Prediction of Earthquakes & Volcanic Eruptions, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University are strongly advised to focus on probability of the next major earthquake in China.

Related Links:

• Tectonics Update – January 28: Large Quake Measuring about 8.3Mw Could Strike Near Iwaki, Japan: FIRE-EARTH – [Suspended]
• Earthquake Forecast: Tokyo, Japan Posted by feww on May 18, 2009
• Tectonics Update – March 10
• Fukushima at increased earthquake risk [European Geosciences Union]
• Big Tokyo Quake Forecast by 2016  [Researchers at Tokyo University’s Earthquake Research Institute]

FIRE-EARTH Forecast

Large Earthquake Could Strike Tokyo Area

Megaqauke measuring up to 9.2Mw could strike Tokyo / Chiba Area:  FIRE-EARTH Forecast [Posted by feww on March 16, 2011]

Details of Earthquake Forecast:

• Magnitude: 8.8Mw [Uncertainty= ±0.4Mw]
• Location: 50 – 150km radius of Tokyo Bay Area
• Depth: 24km [Uncertainty= N/A]
• Occurrence Time:
  • Between now and November 2011 [Probability = 0.70]
  • Between December 2011 and October 2012 [Probability = 0.64]
  • Between November 2012  and December 2016 [Probability = 0.78]

• Notes:
  • This forecast may be affected by SEISMIC CHAIN REACTIONS IN JAPAN REGION
  • For background, see summary of FIRE-EARTH Forecasts: Japan Earthquakes Posted on March 13, 2011
  • NEXT MAJOR TECTONICS EVENT COULD OCCUR IN THE U.S.
  • NEW FORECAST: As Many as 4 Large Earthquakes Could  Strike Japan Region by 2015
  • Waves of Intense Seismic Activity Could Strike Eastern Honshu, Japan
  • Fire-Earth Quake Forecast: Japan Earthquakes
  • Fire Earth Model shows that Japan region could be struck by up to 4 additional strong to large earthquakes possibly this year/early next year, one of which could be a catastrophic event.
  • FIRE-EARTH forecasts intense seismic activity in Japan Region during the 2011 – 2015 period.

Tokyo University Seismologists

70% chance of big Tokyo earthquake ‘within 4 yrs’

The Yomiuri Shimbun —  There is a 70 percent probability the Tokyo metropolitan area will be hit directly by a strong earthquake of magnitude-7 level within four years, according to data compiled by a University of Tokyo research team.

The preliminary calculations conducted by a team from the university’s Earthquake Research Institute were based on intensified seismic activity in the area after the Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11.

The findings are more dire than a similar estimate by the central government’s Headquarters for Earthquake Research Promotion, which states there is a 70 percent chance a quake of the same scale will hit the southern Kanto region, including the metropolitan area, within 30 years.

The central government’s Central Disaster Management Council assumes 18 different hypocenters of magnitude-7 level earthquakes, such as in southern Ibaraki Prefecture and the Tachikawa fault zone.

If a magnitude-7.3 earthquake occurs directly under northern Tokyo Bay, as many as 11,000 people are expected to die and about 850,000 buildings to be rendered totally unusable or destroyed by fire.

According to the Meteorological Agency’s observations, after the March 11 disaster, earthquakes of magnitude 3 to 6 occurred an average of 1.48 times a day in the metropolitan area through December. This was about five times the pre-disaster average.

Prof. Naoshi Hirata of the university’s research institute and others based their calculations on the rule of thumb that the frequency of earthquakes is inversely proportional to their strength. For every increase in magnitude of one, the frequency of their occurrence falls by 90 percent.

The metropolitan area was hit by the magnitude-8 level Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. Five weaker but still serious earthquakes of magnitude-7 level also hit an area extending from southern Ibaraki Prefecture to the Uraga Channel over a period of about 120 years.

The government’s earthquake headquarters obtained its quake estimate data based on the intervals of these quakes in the past. The data did not incorporate the increased seismic activity after the March 11 disaster.

Experts believe seismic activity in the metropolitan area has been intensified by changes in the movements of the Earth’s crust since March 11.

“Intensified seismic activity will continue from several to 10 more years,” Hirata said. “It’s highly probable a strong quake with a magnitude of about 7 will occur during that time.  (Jan. 24, 2012)

Death Toll Mounts in Europe’s Deadly Freeze

Avalanche destroys homes, leaves at least a dozen dead or missing in Kosovo

An avalanche buried several homes in the village of Restelica, Kosovo, near the border with Macedonia and Albania killing at least 9 people and leaving several others missing.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 13

[February 13, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,493 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Europe.  Heavy snow and ice cover much of the Balkans,  leaving hundreds, possibly thousands of people dead  from hypothermia, and thousands more suffering from severe frostbite and weather related injuries.
  • Tens of thousands of people are still isolated across the region, most of whom are without food and water.
  • Snow and ice have cut off electricity to tens of thousands of homes throughout the region since late January.
  • Hundreds of thousands of tons of farm produce has been spoiled in the region because they couldn’t reach the markets.
• Kosovo.  An avalanche buried several homes in the village of Restelica, Kosovo, near the border with Macedonia and Albania killing at least 9 people and leaving several others missing.

Other Global Disasters

• Afghanistan.  Record freezing temperatures have left at least 16 children dead at refugee camps outside the capital Kabul this month from, Officials said.

Mass Protests

• Greece. Violent clashes have left hundreds of protesters and police injured in Athens and other cities across the country were hundrdes of thousands protested against a controversial package of austerity measures that was passed 199 in favor to 74 against by the Greek parliamentarians.
  • The measures were demanded by the IMF and eurozone in return for a 130bn euro ($170bn) bailout.

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

• Greek Civil Volcano Erupts
• Europe’s Deadly Freeze Continues: Montenegro Declares State of Emergency

• The Death of Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Part 1)

Europe’s Deadly Freeze Continues: Montenegro Declares State of Emergency

Death toll rises as Europe’s big freeze worsens

Montenegro’s government has declared a state of emergency as a blizzard dumps another 220 cm of snow across the country, cutting off access to northern regions.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 12

[February 12, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,494 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• The Balkans.  New round of blizzards have brought more heavy snow to western Balkans, dumping up to 220cm of snow across Montenegro and prompting the government to declare a nationwide state of emergency.
  • Many hundreds, possibly thousands of people have lost their lives mostly from hypothermia, and thousands more are suffering from severe frostbite and weather related injuries since the big freeze began in late January.
  • Massive snowfalls and subzero temperatures have left tens of thousands of people isolated across the Balkans, most of whom without food and water.

Extreme Weather

• Italy.   Massive snowfall has buried parts of Italy, especially the southern and central regions, with dozens of  villages cut off.
  • The extreme weather has claimed at least a dozen lives (official toll).

• United States.  Arctic air mass has invaded the eastern United States, the National Weather Service (NWS) reported.   “A Hard Freeze Warnings have been posted for tonight across much of the Gulf Coast from eastern Texas into northern Florida. A substantially colder air mass behind an arctic front will impact the region, where temperatures in the upper teens and 20s will be common. Sub-freezing readings can be expected for a period of 6 to 12 hours across the region. Prematurely blooming or emerging plants are at risk of damage if not properly protected. Some exposed pipes may be susceptible to freezing and should be protected. Pets should have warm shelter or be brought inside.”

US Weather Map. Source: NWS (Color-coded by FIRE-EARTH).

Real-Time U.S. Composite Satellite Image – (Source: SSEC/Wisc-Uni)

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

• War on Nature: Danube Dynamited

• Europe’s Big Freeze Deepens: Hundreds Dead
• Deadly Freeze: Bosnia Declares a State of Emergency
• State of Emergency Declared in S. Bulgaria after Severe Flooding
• The Death of Homo Sapiens Sapiens (Part 1)

Volcanic Emissions: Hawaii County Declared Disaster Area

Hawaii County declared agricultural disaster area amid continuing volcanic emissions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared Hawaii County in Hawaii as a primary natural disaster area due to losses caused by volcanic emissions that began on January 1, 2011, and continue.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 11

[February 11, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,495 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Hawaii.  USDA has declared Hawaii County a primary natural disaster area due to agricultural losses caused by volcanic emissions that began on January 1, 2011, and continue.

HAWAIIAN VOLCANO OBSERVATORY DAILY UPDATE
Friday, February 10, 2012 7:14 AM HST (Friday, February 10, 2012 17:14 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO
19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4,091 ft (1,247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Activity Summary for past 24 hours: Overall eruptive activity was low. DI deflation and dropping of the summit lava lake started this morning. Within Pu`u `O`o Crater, glow was visible from sources on the northeast and southeast edges of the floor.  Surface flows southeast of Pu`u `O`o remained active but there were no active surface flows on the pali, coastal plain, or entering the ocean. Seismic tremor levels were low and gas emissions were elevated. (Source: HVO)

This photograph shows the east rim of Pu`u `Ō `ō crater. A collapsed spatter cone revealed a swiftly flowing stream of lava heading northeast, into the tube system that supplies the active flow field. The active flows today were 6 km (3.7 miles) southeast of Pu`u `Ō `ō. Dated 8 February 2012.  (Source: HVO)

Map showing the extent of lava flows erupted during Kīlauea’s ongoing east rift zone eruption and labeled with the years in which they were active. Episodes 1–48b (1983–1986) are shown in dark gray; Episodes 48c–49 (1986–1992) are pale yellow; Episodes 50–53 and 55 (1992–2007) are tan; Episode 54 (1997) is yellow; Episode 58 (2007–2011) is pale orange; the episode 59 Kamoamoa eruption (March 2011) is at left in light reddish orange; and the episode 60 Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō overflows and flank breakout (Mar–August 2011) is orange. The currently active flow (episode 61) is shown as the two shades of red—pink is the extent of the flow from September 21, 2011, to January 26, 2012, and bright red marks flow expansion from January 26 to February 8. The active lava tube is delineated by the yellow line within the active flow field. The contour interval on Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō is 5 m.  (Source: HVO)

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

Inland sea moving across NSW, Australia

An area the size of England and Ireland flooded in northern NSW

A massive body of water moving across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has left at least 7,000 people isolated in the northern portion of the state, but the figure is expected to exceed 10,000.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 10

[February 10, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,496 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

QLD Flood Map. Source: ABOM

NSW Flood Map.  Source: Australia BOM.

• NSW, Australia.  A massive body of water moving across the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has left at least 7,000 people isolated in northern NSW, but the figure is expected to exceed 10,000.
  • Flooding in northern NSW has impacted an area the size of England and Ireland combined.
  • Many areas in the south are also impacted by extreme rain events.
  • “Down in the south, many rivers are on a flood watch and now, as we’ve seen, the Sydney metropolitan area and surrounds are also experiencing the impact of these weather events,” State Emergency Services (SES) said.
  • The inland sea moving from the north of the state to the south was expected to continue for two months, isolating towns and communities along its path for many weeks, SES spokesperson said.
  • “It really is quite a significant protracted event of an extremely large body of water moving across the state.”
  • “A lot of communities will be isolated, some communities will need to be evacuated,” NSW Assistant Police Commissioner said.”It is a significant welfare issue, emotionally and physically, for those people.”
  • “There are water-logged cotton crops, stranded cattle and farmers sitting on the veranda counting losses,” a report said.

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

• The state government in NSW (Aus)  has declared Gunnedah a disaster area

• Flooded Australia: Thousands Evacuated in 3 States
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Wildfire Consumes 1 Million Acres in WA

• Australia: 5 disaster areas declared in NSW following severe flooding

Thailand Drought Deepens

At least 63 districts in 11 Thai provinces have been declared drought zones

Following last year’s epic deluge in northern Thailand, the region is now struck by another disaster: Drought.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 9

[February 9, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,497 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Thailand.  Another textbook case of large scale drought and deluge has unfolded in Thailand.  At least 63 districts in 11 Thai provinces have been declared drought disaster zones.
  • The drought stricken provinces are Kampaeng Phet, Lamphun, Sukhothai, Phayao, Phitsanulok, Uttaradit, Loei, Chanthaburi, Chachoengsao, Suphanburi and Petchaburi,  the country’s director general of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said.
  • Additionally, the northern province of Chiang Rai is experiencing major drought, a report said. “The main rivers have run dry and more than 70,000 rais (28,000 acres) of farmland lacks water due to the absence of rainfall for the past three months.”
  • The provincial government has declared 6 districts as disaster areas. About 100,000 people have been affected in the province.

Other Global Disasters

• Italy.  State of emergency persists due to shortage of gas supplies, a report said.

• Bulgaria. “States of emergency had been declared in the municipality of Kostinbrod in the Sofia district and in parts of Velingrad municipality,”  as Bulgaria’s severe winter weather crisis deepens.
  • Bulgaria has requested European Union for assistance.

• Greece.  The authorities have declared a state of emergency for the Evros region in northern Greece after a swollen river burst its banks, flooding the border village of Ormenio and forcing hundreds of people to evacuate, reports said.
  • Evros River flooded after the dam on the Ivanovo Reservoir collapsed sending a 3-meter (9 ft) surge of water to the nearby village of Bisser near the Greek border and down the Arda river in Greece.
  • At least 4 people have been killed in weather related  incidents caused by strong winds, torrential rains, severe flooding and landslides which have caused substantial damage to crops, property and infrastructure in many parts of Greece.

• Nevada, USA.   The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 5 counties in Nevada as  natural disaster areas due to severe losses caused by wildfires that occurred from Sept. 30, 2011, through Oct. 5, 2011.
  • The disaster areas are Eureka (PDA), Elko, Lander, Nye and White Pine counties.

• Virginia, USA.USDA has designated 7 counties in Virginia as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and continuing excessive rainfall that occurred from Jan. 27, 2011, through Oct. 31, 2011.
  • The disaster areas are Surry County (PDA), Charles City, Isle Of Wight, James City, Prince George, Southampton and Sussex counties and in the independent city of Newport News.

• North Carolina, USA. USDA has designated 60  counties in North Carolina as Agricultural Disaster Areas due to losses caused by drought and excessive heat that occurred from Jan. 1, 2011, through Dec. 31, 2011.

The following counties and independent cities in South Carolina and Virginia were also declared disaster areas because they’re contiguous.

• South Carolina: Dillon and Horry

• Virginia:  Brunswick, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Pittsylvania and Southampton

• Independent Cities: Danville and Suffolk

• New York, USA.USDA has designated 6 counties in New York as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain, flash flooding and flooding caused by Tropical Storm Lee that occurred from Sept. 5-10, 2011.
  • The disaster areas are:  Chenango (PDA) Broome, Cortland, Delaware, Madison and Otsego  counties.

• Florida, USA.USDA has designated 22 counties in Florida as agricultural disaster areas due to two separate disaster conditions.
  • Indian River and St. Lucie Brevard counties (PDA), as well as Martin, Okeechobee and Osceola counties in Florida were designated as disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain, flooding and high winds that occurred from Oct. 7-9, 2011.
  • Alachua, Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy and Union counties in Florida were designated as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by freeze and frost that occurred from Nov. 11-12, 2011.  Baker, Bradford, Citrus, Clay, Columbia, Lafayette, Marion, Lafayette, Suwannee, Putnam and Taylor counties were also declared disaster areas because they are contiguous.

• Oregon, USA.  Oregon Gov. has added 14 more counties to an executive order declaring a state of emergencydue to January’s severe weather including heavy snow, freezing rain and record flooding in Mid-Willamette Valley.
  • A total of 18 counties could potentially be declared federal disaster areas. The counties are Marion, Benton, Coos, and Lincoln (initialdeclaration), Polk, Yamhill, Lane, Linn, Tillamook, Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Columbia, Clatsop, Curry, Douglas, Harney, and Hood River counties.

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