Wildfire Alley

Red Flag Warnings Issued in 9 States

Extreme fire growth potential created by a combination of warm temperatures, low relative humidity and strong winds have created critical fire weather conditions prompting NWS to issue Red Flag Warnings in 9 states.

U.S. Hazards Map. Source: NWS.  Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 31

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,446 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
• 2012 Disaster Calendar:  Collapse has already Begun

Drought in Kansas Damages Aquifers

Kansas drought in 2011 has caused severe declines in groundwater levels

Ogallala Aquifer in southwest Kansas dropped an average 3.78 feet in 2011, Kansas Geological Survey said. That’s compared to a decline of 3 feet in 2010 and 1.39 feet in 2009.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 30

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,447 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Kansas, USA.  Kansas drought in 2011 has caused severe declines in groundwater levels.

U.S. Seasonal Drought Map.

• • The drought began in the fall of 2010.
  • Much of Kansas received between 25 to 50 percent of normal rainfall.
  • Ogallala Aquifer in southwest Kansas dropped an average 3.78 feet in 2011, Kansas Geological Survey said. That’s compared to a decline of 3 feet in 2010 and 1.39 feet in 2009.
  • Thew is a nearly 174,000-square-mile underground cache of water that spreads across parts of Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming – one of the largest freshwater aquifers in the world.
  • “The growing season was probably the worst since the 1930s,” said Kansas Geological Survey water-data manager. “It was just awful.”
  • “It’s a change from 80 years ago when, during the Great Depression, hundreds, if not thousands, of farmers went out of business after drought and dust storms damaged their crops. Back then, there was little irrigation relief or knowledge of the magnitude of the reservoir underneath the surface,” said a report.
  • The Ogallala Aquifer (aka, the High Plains Aquifer,) is one of the world’s largest aquifers, covering an area of about 450,000 km² (174,000 mi²).
  • Named after the town of Ogallala, Nebraska, the vast but shallow aquifer is located beneath the Great Plains covering portion of eight states of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota.
  • Ogallala yields about 30 percent of the ground water used for irrigation in the U.S.
  • The aquifer has been declining for decades
  • “High Plains ground water is used primarily to grow crops for the Nation; irrigation accounts for 94 percent of the ground-water use. The second largest ground-water use, 418 million gallons per day (Mgal/day), is for domestic drinking water. Almost 2 million people rely on the High Plains aquifer for their drinking water. Surface water is used for drinking water primarily in the larger cities near the periphery of the High Plains aquifer (Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Lubbock, Odessa, and Amarillo, Texas). Other uses of ground water include livestock (222 Mgal/day), mining (210 Mgal/day), and industry (155 Mgal/day).” USGS said.

Water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer, predevelopment to 2005 (modified from McGuire, 2007). Map shows the areas of substantial water-level changes in the aquifer from the time prior to substantial ground-water irrigation development (predevelopment or about 1950) to 2005 Source: USGS

Water-Level Changes, Predevelopment to 2005

• The map of water-level changes in the High Plains aquifer from predevelopment to 2005  was generated using methods described by McGuire (2007). The map is based on water levels from 3,682 wells, which were measured in predevelopment and in 2005, and other previously published data in areas with few predevelopment water levels. The areas with few predevelopment water levels are in the central part of the Nebraska Panhandle, west-central Nebraska, and southeastern Wyoming.

• The water-level changes from predevelopment to 2005 ranged between a rise of 84 feet and a decline of 277 feet. Area-weighted, average water-level change from predevelopment to 2005 was a decline of 12.8 feet. Approximately 25 percent of the aquifer area had more than 10 feet of water-level decline from predevelopment to 2005; 17 percent had more than 25 feet of water-level decline, and 9 percent had more than 50 feet of water-level decline. Approximately 2 percent of the aquifer area had more than 10 feet of water-level rise from predevelopment to 2005 (McGuire, 2007).

Change in Water in Storage, Predevelopment to 2005

• Total water in storage in 2005 was about 2,925 million acre-feet, which was a decline of about 253 million acre-feet (or 9 percent) since predevelopment. Water in storage for predevelopment was inferred from water in storage in 2000 and water-level changes from predevelopment to 2000. Changes in storage prior to predevelopment were not estimated (McGuire, 2007).

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

Ten things IPCC report can’t explain

“Managing the risks of extreme events and disasters to advance climate change adaptation (SREX)”

Oh, REALLY?

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 29

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,448 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Global Disasters. IPCC’s  594-page report, Managing the risks of extreme events and disasters to advance climate change adaptation, echos everything FIRE-EARTH has already published.
• The report is written by 220 authors from 62 countries, and we know they read everything we write. Yet, they still talk about “managing the risks”  of extreme events, and “low regrets” strategies, as if the “risks” are manageable!!!

• They can’t explain why the deadliest as well as the costliest disaster in 2011, contrary to their predictions, was a
  • NON-CLIMATIC CATASTROPHE  that hit
  • HIGH-LEVEL TARGETS  in the  then
  • WORLD’S SECOND LARGEST ECONOMY.

[While you’re scratching your “low-regrets strategies,” here’s another one we saw coming earlier! ]

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

•  NOAA and IPCC simply lack any weather/climate model with long-term predictive power
• Government “expert” says he underestimated threat

Drought Spreads in England

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 28

[March 28, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,449 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

Persistent dry weather spreads drought to East Anglia, the South East and parts of  Yorkshire, England

Continued warm weather across the UK has led to numerous blazes in North Yorkshire, south Wales, Dumfries and Galloway (Scotland) and the Scottish Borders.

• England, UK.  Drought has persisted in the English counties of Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire, parts of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, and west Norfolk since June 2011.  Following a dry winter, the counties of Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Kent, Surrey, London, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, the east of Gloucestershire and the remainder of East Anglia were officially declared as drought areas in February.  This month  parts of Yorkshire are also added to the official drought declaration.
  • Seven water companies (Anglian Water, South East Water, Southern Water, Sutton and East Surrey Water, Thames Water, Veolia Water Southeast and Veolia Water Central) have announced temporary restrictions to start by 5 April 2012, Environment Agency reported.
  • In the absence of above-average rainfall in coming weeks, the drought could spread and intensify even more widely, the Environment Agency has warned.

Latest available groundwater levels for indicator sites for the week ending 20 March, classed relative to an analysis of historic values for the same time of year (Source: Environment Agency). Geological map reproduced with kind permission from UK Groundwater Forum, BGS © NERC. Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment Agency, 100026380, 2012

Latest daily mean river flow expressed as a percentile2 and classed relative to an analysis of historic daily mean flows for the same time of year (Source: Environment Agency)

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Incidents

• A major fire has razed a shanty town in Quezon City, Philippines, destroying at least 200 homes and injuring several people, reports 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 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

UK Drought

• Drought 2012  Posted on January 8, 201
• Intensifying Winter Drought in England Worst Since 1888 Posted on March 12, 2012
• Drought Declared in Southeast UK Posted on February 21, 2012

Global Drought

• 2012 Drought and Deluge Index Page

Total’s “Well from Hell” Forces Air and Sea Exclusion Zone

It may take 6 months to stop North Sea poisonous gas cloud: Total

TOTAL E&P UK has confirmed that the gas leak at the Elgin Well Head Platform remains ongoing. The oil giant has also confirmed the presence of an oil sheen on the water near the  platform.

Both TOTAL and SHELL have evacuated hundreds of workers aboard the Elgin rig as well as two nearby rigs operated by SHELL.

So far there are no reports of injuries, but explosive natural gas has been observed bubbling under the Elgin platform.

“Shipping was ordered to come no closer than two miles from the Elgin platform and aircraft no nearer than three miles if they flew lower than 4,000 feet – effectively shutting out helicopters but not affecting airline traffic,” said a report.

TOTAL’s Titanic?

Elgin/Franklin is a high pressure/temperature (HP/HT) development in the Central Craben Area of the North Sea’s UK sector, about 240km (149 miles) east of Aberdeen. Average daily production for the Elgin and Franklin fileds is around 230,000 barrels of oil equivelant.  Elgin/Franklin comprises two wellhead platforms, one on Elgin and one on Franklin and a Production/Utilities/Quarters (PUQ) platform. The PUW is on the Elgin field and is linked to the Elgin wellhead platform by a 90-metre bridge and to Franklin by an inter-field pipeline bundle.  Hydrocarbons produced from the Elgin, Franklin, Glenelg and West Franklin fields are collected, separated and treated at the central processing facility on the PUQ. Liquid hydrocarbons are exported through the BP-operated Forties Pipeline System via Cruden Bay to Kinneil for processing and commercial quality gas compressed and exported through the SEAL (Shearwater Elgin Area Line) pipeline to Bacton in Norfolk. (Source: TOTAL website)

The Elgin well (field) on which the platform sits, lies about 150 miles east of the city of Aberdeen in Scotland and is dubbed “the well from hell” by a Norwegian environmentalist who believes the well is “out of control.”

Related Links

• Disasters Caused by Oil and Gas Drilling, Oil Spills, Leaks, Polluting Land, Water and Air

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

Drought Disaster Declared in Half of Thailand

Planetary Denial of Service (P-DoS)

Thailand declares drought disaster in 32 of its 76 provinces

At least 32 provinces in Thailand, about half the country, have been declared drought disaster areas, according to the country’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 27

[March 27, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,450 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Thailand.   At least 32 of Thailand’s 76 provinces have been declared drought disaster areas, according to the country’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department.
  • Drought has affected millions of people throughout the agricultural sector.  In three northeastern provinces of Buriram, Chaiyabhumi and Nakorn Ratchasima alone, at least half a million people have been affected, requiring water rations, reports said.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Idaho, USA.  The city of Moscow in Idaho has declared a disaster emergency following weeks of torrential rains and extensive flooding, a report said.
  • City officials have warned residents to immediately go to higher ground if rising water threatens their safety.
• Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic States.  NWS has issued Freeze Warnings for Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic States:
  • “After an extended period of record-breaking warmth across the central and eastern United States, high pressure will usher in colder air into the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic regions tonight. Low temperatures are forecast to range from the lower 20s to the lower 30s at several locations. With an early growing season already in progress, any vegetation susceptible to freezing temperatures over an extended period of time may be at risk to severe damage. In addition, pets should be brought indoors during the overnight.”

• Colorado, USA. A fast-moving wildfire in the mountains southwest of Denver has consumed at least 3,000 acres, leaving 1 person dead, destroying dozens of structures and forcing thousands of residents in and around Conifer (Jefferson County) to abandon their homes.
  • “The fire is the largest of about a dozen that burned from the northeast plains to the southern part of the state, and scorched four-and-half square miles in only a few hours,” 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:  Collapse has already Begun

Major FMD Outbreak in Egypt Threatens N Africa, Mideast

FMD has killed thousands of animals, sickened tens of thousands more in Lower Nile Delta region

A major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Egypt is threatening to spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East, the U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 26

[March 26, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,451 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Egypt. A major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Egypt has killed more than 4,600 farm animals, mostly calves, and sickened more than 40,000 in the Lower Nile Delta region.
  • The disease is threatening to spread throughout North Africa and the Middle East, the U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.
  • The new strain of  the FMD virus known as SAT2 is currently circulating throughout the region.
  • Livestock have no immune protection against SAT2 and vaccines currently available in Egypt are said to be ineffective against the new strain.
  • “The area around the Lower Nile Delta appears to be severely affected,” said FAO’s Chief Veterinary Officer.
  • “Vaccines are in limited supply for the FMD virus now present in Egypt. The country has some reserves of its own vaccines, but these do not protect against the SAT2 strain,” said FAO.
  • Milk, meat and other food products from sick animals are unsafe for consumption mainly because they contaminate the food chain.
  • Some 6.3 million buffalo and cattle and 7.5 million sheep and goats are at risk in Egypt, according to FAO’s livestock census data.
  • 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.

FMD in mouth. Ruptured oral vesicle in a cow with Foot-and-mouth disease. Photo source: USDA

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

Schmallenberg Virus Outbreak – UPDATE: March 25

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 25

[March 25, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,452 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

Schmallenberg Virus (SBV) Outbreak Intensifying in the EU

UK midges may be carrying SBV infection after biting local animals that were infected last summer following incursion of continental midges: DEFRA/AHVLA.

• Germany.  “In Germany animals from 1061 holdings have been tested positive for ‛Schmallenberg virus’ so far. The cases occurred in 194 cattle holdings, 823 sheep holdings and 44 goat holdings.” FLI reported.
  • Affected federal states are North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Brandenburg, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Hamburg, Bavaria, Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saarland and Berlin.

• United Kingdom.  Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection has been reported on 209 farms, said DEFRA .
  • “We cannot rule out the possibility that domestic (local) midges may have transmitted SBV within the affected areas. Domestic midges may have been infected after biting a local animal infected last summer after incursion of continental midges.”
  • SBV infection has been reported in one new county, Bedfordshire, as well as in Jersey, Channel Islands.
  • Affected counties are Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Greater London, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, S. Gloucestershire, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, Warwickshire, West Berkshire, West Sussex and Wiltshire, as well as Channel Islands.

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

Previous reports of SBV infection

• Schmallenberg virus up by more than 10 percent in 7 days
• Schmallenberg Virus Continues Spreading Posted on March 15, 2012

• Schmallenberg virus entry for March 10
• Schmallenberg virus entry for March 6
• Schmallenberg Virus Hits 7 Countries posted on February 22, 2012

Disaster Declared in W. Virginia Counties

Three W. Va. counties declared federal disaster areas in response to March 15 storms

Lincoln, Logan and Mingo counties have been declared federal disaster areas following widespread damage caused by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on March 15.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 24

[March 24, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,453 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• W. Virginia, USA.Three West Virginia counties have been declared federal disaster areas following widespread damage caused by severe storms, flooding, landslides and mudslides that began on March 15.
  • Gov.  Tomblin  announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had declared  Lincoln, Logan and Mingo counties as federal disaster areas.

Other Global Disasters

• New Brunswick, Canada. A state of emergency has been declared in the New Brunswick community of  Perth-Andover following severe flooding.

 St. John River in Perth-Andover continued rising on Friday. Photo:  Government of New Brunswick via CBC

• The village has issued a mandatory evacuation order to at least 500 residents in low-lying areas near the St. John River, a report said.
• Several other communities along the river path are also threatened by flooding.
• Flooding, caused by warm weather breaking “numerous ice jams in waterways throughout western and northern New Brunswick,” has  washed out several roads and forced a hospital to close.
• The deluge is said to be the worst flooding in quarter of a century.
• “We had a chance to be on the ground to be with the people in the community, it is very devastating. I know that when you talk to local people, everyone measures the seriousness of flooding to 1987 and 1993. And everyone is indicating that it is significantly worse than those two years,” Premier Alward said, calling the flood damage “devastating.”

• Texas, USA. UPDATE: Agricultural losses due to the 2011 drought.
  
  • Total Agricultural losses:   $7.62 billion
    • Livestock: $3.23 billion (up from $2.06 billion)
    • Lost hay production value: $750 million (no change)
    • Cotton: $2.2 billion (up from $1.8 billion)
    • Corn: $736 million (up from $409 million)
    • Wheat: $314 million (up from $243 million)
    • Sorghum: $385 million (up from $63 million)
  • Additional Losses
    • Commercial timber losses: $669 million
    • The loss of economic and environmental benefits provided by urban trees:  $280 million per year (TFS estimate)
      • NOTE: Trees need about 30 years to mature.
    • Sub Total: ~ $4.2 billion[FIRE-EARTH estimate]
    • Losses incurred by related industries: $3.4 billion
    • Residential and commercial property losses:  $1 billion [FIRE-EARTH estimate]
  • Grand Total:  $16.9 billion
• In comparison, drought cost Texas agriculture $13.1 billion in the previous 13 years, an average of about $1 billion per year (peaking at a record annual loss of $4.1 billion in 2006 season.)

See also:

• Texas Drought Toll Continues Climbing Posted on March 18, 2012
• Worsening Texas Drought May Stay Many Years   Posted on September 30, 2011
• Drought-Related Losses Cost Texas $10billion Posted on August 21, 2011

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

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

State of Emergency Declared in Louisiana for Severe Weather, Flooding

Bayou State declares statewide emergency due to violent thunderstorms, tornadic events and 15″ of rain

Louisiana Governor has declared a state of emergency to exist statewide, following the current life-threatening round of flooding and escalating threats of additional destructive deluge.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 22

[March 22, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,455 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Louisiana, USA.  Louisiana Governor has declared a state of emergency to exist statewide, following the current life-threatening round of flooding and escalating threats of additional destructive flooding.

US tornado Maps

SPC tornado and severe weather map 21-22 March 2012

SPC tornado and severe weather map 20-21 March 2012.  SPC received at least 11 tornado reports in Louisiana on Tuesday and Wednesday. 

• Parishes throughout the state of Louisiana including  Acadia, Ascension, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Claiborne, Jefferson Davis, Natchitoches, St. Charles, Union, Vermilion, and Vernon had already declared states of emergency following yet another round of severe weather and widespread destructive flooding.

Map of US River Flood

Significant River Flood Outlook, March 21-26, 2012.

• “… beginning on Tuesday, March 20th and predicted to continue through Thursday, March 22nd, a series of strong thunderstorms passed over the State, depositing up to 6” of rain and generating tornadic activity throughout the State, many in areas which are still recovering from the severe weather and flooding which occurred a mere week ago and resulted in the issuance of a separate statewide emergency proclamation –20 BJ 2012,” Gov. Jindal said in his state of emergency proclamation.
• “… this latest round of severe weather has created dangerous conditions formotorists and other travelers, required widespread school closures, caused damage to houses and buildings, loss of electricity in localized areas, and is causing flooding and the threat of flooding across a large portion of the State;”
• The state of emeregncy will remain in effect for 30 days from Wednesday, March 21, 2012 to Friday, April 20, 2012, unless terminated sooner.

See also: State of Emergency Declared in S. Louisiana Following Widespread Flooding  Posted on March 13, 2012

Other Global Disasters

• Mexico Quake Update.  The 7.4Mw quake has destroyed about 150 homes and damaged about 1,250 buildings.  Most of the damage occurred in the municipality of Ometepec in Guerrero, near the quake’s epicenter.
  • At least 11 people were reportedly injured; no fatalities reported, as of posting.
  • The worst hit place was the village of Huixtepec, where nearly half of the buildings were severely damaged, reports said.
• Oregon, USA.  Klamath County commissioners in Klamath Falls, Oregon, have declared a drought emergency.
  • The Klamath Basin, which straddles the Oregon-California border, has ongoing “trouble meeting the water demands of the 11,400 farms on a federal irrigation project,” a report said. 
• California.  Marin County officials have declared a drought emergency, a report said.
  • “This resolution will recognize an emergency drought condition exists and continues to develop in Marin County,” county Agricultural Commissioner Stacy Carlsen said, adding ranchers suffered a “50 percent loss in livestock forage as a result of adverse weather conditions” including little precipitation.

• Chiang Mai, Thailand.   “Haze from forest fires and airborne dust particles beyond safety levels still blanket the northern tourist city of Chiang Mai, affecting air traffic in the region,” the Thai News Agency reported. 
  • Wildfires intensified by drought are ravaging northern Thailand.
  • Chiang Mai Airport is using runway lights during daylight hours because of poor visibility.
  • About quarter of a million people have sought medical treatment for air pollution-related illnesses, including respiratory and coronary heart disease,  said the report.

• Colorado, USA.  A massive wildfire on Colorado’s eastern plains consumed more than 84  square miles, forcing at least 1,000 residents to flee their homes in a small Colorado town of Eckley, Yuma County, and killing an undetermined number of farm animals and wildlife.
  • “Things are expected to worsen by the weekend, with high fire danger in eastern Colorado, southeast Wyoming and far western Nebraska and South Dakota,” a report said.

Significant Events

• NWS reported 41 record or record-tying high temperatures for March 20 across 8 states in the central United States. The new records included:
  • Marquette, Mich., recorded 78ºF, which was 22 degrees higher than the old record of 56ºF set in 1976, NWS reported.
  • Milwaukee, WI. New Record: 83 degrees; previous record: 77 degrees (1921).
  • Chicago, IL (Midway).  New Record: 85 degrees; previous record: 71 degrees (1938)
  • Romeoville, IL. New Record: 84 degrees;  previous record: 65 degrees (2003)
  • Jackson, KY. New Record: 86 degrees ;  previous  record: 78 degrees (2011)
  • Fort Wayne, IN.  New Record: 84 degrees;  previous  record: 76 degrees (1918)
  • Duluth, MN.  New Record: 62 degrees; previous  record: 60 degrees (1938)

• Ancient volcanoes in Upper Midwest reawakening?

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

Powerful Quake Strikes Oaxaca, Mexico

Magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes  WSW of Oaxaca, damaging or destroying up to 1,000 homes

The mainshock was followed by at least half dozen significant aftershocks. More aftershocks could follow.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 21

[March 21, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,456 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Oaxaca, Mexico.   A powerful quake measuring 7.4Mw struck about 160 km (100 miles) WSW of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico, at a depth of about 20km, damaging or destroying up to 1,000 homes on Oaxaca city, Mexico.

EQ Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH.

EQ Details

• Magnitude: 7.4Mw
• Date-Time:  Tuesday, March 20, 2012 at 18:02:48 UTC
• Location:  16.662°N, 98.188°W
• Depth:  20 km (12.4 miles)
• Region: OAXACA, MEXICO
• Distances:
  • 136 km (84 miles) SSW of Huajuapan de Leon, Oaxaca, Mexico
  • 162 km (100 miles) WSW of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico
  • 170 km (105 miles) SE of Chilpancingo, Guerrero, Mexico
  • 322 km (200 miles) SSE of MEXICO CITY, D.F., Mexico
• Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 15.8 km (9.8 miles); depth +/- 6.5 km (4.0 miles)
• Source:   USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)

Other Maps

• ShakeMap

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

Other Links

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Spring Officially Starts Today

 It’s Flooding Awareness Week nationwide!

Life-threatening Floods Possible in the Plains and Mississippi Valley: NWS

“A tremendous setup for heavy rainfall is unfolding in the central/southern Mississippi River Valley and Plains. The weather pattern is very slow-moving, so thunderstorms with heavy rain will repeatedly move over the same area resulting in some locations receiving a foot of rain through midweek.”

US Natural Hazards Map. Source: NWS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 20

[March 20, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,457 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Mid-Americanweather expected to include rain, flash floods, wild fire danger, severe storms: NWS
• Mississippi River Valley. Severe weather, torrential rains and flash flooding could occur across the southern Plains and lower to middle Mississippi River Valley, NWS reported.
• “An increased risk for wildfires is expected over much of the high plains.”

• “To the north and west of the rain and flash flood area, Red Flag Warnings have been posted across the northern High Plains, where little precipitation is expected.”
• “Critical fire danger has been forecast today for parts of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas.”
• Rain and thunderstorms expected from the eastern Great Lakes to the Eastern Seaboard and from southern New England to northern South Carolina.
• “Heavy snow is possible over several areas of western Washington, central Montana, northwest Wyoming and southwest Colorado.”

• Oklahoma, USA. Power outages reported as flood warning is issued for Oklahoma City area, flash flooding in Norman
• Idaho.  Flood warnings or advisories have been issued for most of south-central and southeastern Idaho: NWS.
  • Torrential rains  over the weekend intensifies the flooding in Fremont County
• Illinois. Flood warnings have been issued for the Illinois River Basin: NWS
  • Risk of severe weather extends over a large area from southwest to northeast Texas, southeastern Oklahoma and part  of southwest Arkansas.
  • “The Storm Prediction Center received 14 reports of tornadoes Sunday – 13 in Nebraska and 1 in South Dakota. Twelve of the Nebraska tornadoes were reported in and around North Platte in Lincoln County with the other reported near Valentine in Cherry County. The South Dakota tornado was reported 21 miles south of Mission in Todd County. Hail at 4.25-inch diameter was reported 19 miles south-southeast of Mission, which joined Quinn in Pennington County, SD, reported a peak wind of 80 mph.”
• Texas.  At least 3 tornadoes touched down in Texas. The largest hit near the town of Natalia injuring two people and damaging 6 homes, according to SPC.
  • However, the Medina County Sheriff’s Office “received over 300 calls indicating there is damage or injuries” due to the storm, said a woman from the sheriff’s office, local media reported.
  • “It struck us pretty hard,” she said from the county, which is about 30 miles west of San Antonio. “At this point, we have unknown (amount) of injuries, but we have a lot of damage.”

Other Global Disasters

• Queensland, Australia.  Townsville in the Australian state of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone after a “freak storm” described as “mini tornado” left a 500m path of destruction, leaving at least 60 homes and businesses with major structural damage, a report said.
  • The tornado reportedly packed wind of higher than 111km/h [an EF2 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale.]
  • The worst affected areas were suburbs of Vincent, Gulliver, Currajong and Pimlico, which remain in blackout.

• North Island, New Zealand.  A severe storm with high winds pounded New Zealand’s North Island felling trees, knocking out power lines and causing extensive flooding.
  • The storm dumped more than two months’ worth of rain on parts of the region, a report said.
  • Severe weather closed schools and forced dozens of flight cancellations in and out of Auckland Airport.
  • More wild weather, torrential rains and flooding are forecast for the region.

• Germany.  The number of farms reporting Schmallenberg virus have jumped up by more than 10 percent in seven days. [up from 847 farms on March 5, and 908 farms on March 12]
  • Sheep, cattle and goat from 1,000 farms [up from 847 farms on March 5, and 908 farms on March 12] have been tested positive for Schmallenberg virus (SBV) as of March 19, 2012.
  • “The cases occurred in 160 cattle holdings, 799 sheep holdings and 41 goat holdings.”  FLI reported.

© 2010 Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

• France. A total of 824 farms have reported SBV infection in France as of March 16, 2012. That is a rise of 23% in reported SBV cases in a week. (Source: Centre de ressources épidémiosurveillance).

Map of farms in France with reported SBV cases. Source: survepi.org; enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

• United Kingdom.  Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection has been identified on 190 farms [up from 158 farms on March 12 and 92 farm on March 2] located in 22 counties. The rise represents a jump of more than 20 percent since March 12, 2012. “Fourteen of the positive cases have been diagnosed in cattle, 176 in sheep,” DEFRA reported.

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

Rare Snowstorm, Winds Batter Arizona, N.M.

Parts of Arizona buried under up to 19 inches of snow

A rare snowstorm pummeled Arizona Monday, a day before spring officially starts. This was the same system that dumped several feet of new snow on the Sierra Nevadas over the weekend.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 19

[March 19, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,458 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Arizona, USA.  A late-winter snowstorm buried parts of Arizona under up to 19 inches of snow paralyzing  travel throughout  the state  and closing schools, including Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College.
  • The heavy snow and high winds, which exceeded 60MPH, also forced authorities to close more than 180 miles of Interstate 40 and parts on I17 in both directions, said the Arizona Highway Patrol.

Severe Thunderstorms Possible from Southern Minn. to Texas: NWS

The NWS Storm Prediction Center forecast a Moderate Risk of severe thunderstorms Monday into the late evening “for parts of central and northern Texas, southeastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas. Expect severe storms in these areas to continue overnight and be capable of damaging winds, large hail, a few tornadoes and excessive rainfall. SPC has also indicated a Slight Risk or severe thunderstorms from the southern Minnesota southward into Texas.”

US Natural Hazards Map. Source: NWS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

• Tornado Alley, USA.  SPC received at least 11 tornado reports in 3 states of Oklahoma, Nebraska and South Dakota.
  • At least 1 serious injury reported in Nebraska.
  • Dozens of houses significantly damaged or destroyed in the tornado-struck areas.
  • In Lincoln County, NE, 15 train cars were flipped over by a tornado, which also caused extensive damage to private vehicles, SPC said.

SPC Tornado, High Wind and Hale Map for March 18, 2012 (filtered).

• Idaho.  Bonner County in Idaho has declared a State of Emergency amid flooding caused by Thursday’s torrential rains.
  • At least a dozen roads have washed out throughout the county.

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 

Related Links

• Tornadoes, Flooding Destroy or Damage 600+ Homes in MI and W Posted on March 16, 2012
• Tornado Death Toll Climbs to 49 Posted on March 3, 2012
• Extreme Weather: States of Emergency Declared in 4 States Posted on March 2, 2012

• 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

Tornadoes 2012

• Deadly Tornadoes Slam Midwest Posted on February 29, 2012
• Map of Tornado Reports (filtered) 28 February – 02 March 2012
• U.S. Tornado Forecast 2012 Posted on February 25, 2012
• Deadly Tornado Hits Rome, Ga Posted  on February 24, 2012

• 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

Texas Drought Toll Continues Climbing

Agricultural losses from Texas historic drought still rising

Drought devastated 42.7 percent (12.2 million acres) of principal harvest in Texas and decimated cattle headcount by 1.4 million (10.5%).

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 18

[March 18, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,459 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Texas, USA.The 2011 historic drought in Texas was also the Lone Star state’s costliest.  Drought devastated 42.7 percent (12.2 million acres) of principal harvest (corn, sorghum, cotton, wheat, rice and soybean)  in Texas and decimated cattle headcount by 1.4 million (10.5%).
  • Total area planted: 21.3 million acres; only 12.2 million acres or 57.3% harvested
  • Wheat: 5.3 million acres planted; only 35.8% harvested
  • Cotton : 7.6 million acres planted; only 40.8% harvested
  • Corn:  2.1 million acres planted; only 81% harvested
  • Cattle count on January 1, 2011: 13.3 million heads;  reduced to 11.9 million on January 1, 2012.
  • In 2010, considered to be a good year for crop production in Texas, about 87% of the planted acreage was harvested.  (Source: Texas AgriLife Extension Service and USDA).
  • Agricultural losses from the historic drought is said to exceed the original $5.2 billion estimate.

Texas Drought 2011: Deepening Cracks. Frame grab from video report by Agrilife Today

• Oklahoma and New Mexico. Crop harvests in the bordering states of Oklahoma and New Mexico were also hit by the drought.  In Oklahoma, about 68 percent of the planted acreage was harvested.  In New Mexico, it was less than 60 percent.

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 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Drought

• Drought 2012  Posted on January 8, 2012
• Texas drought kills 500 million trees Posted  on December 21, 2011
• Drought Destroys Fifth of Argentine Corn Crop
• 2.5 million people in northern Mexico lack drinking water

• Texas Drought Causes Urban Forest Die-off Posted on February 16, 2012
• Disaster declaration renewed in Texas Posted on January 12, 2012
• Worsening Texas Drought May Stay Many Years Posted on September 30, 2011
• Drought-Related Losses Cost Texas $10billion Posted on August 21, 2011

Cyclone LUA Stregthens to a Cat 4D System

LUA, potentially a Super Cyclone, is making landfall on the Pilbara coast, Western Australia

LUA has strengthened to a  4D system on FEWW New Hurricane Scale and is expected to make landfall on the Pilbara coast, Western Australia, later today. 

Severe Tropical Cyclone LUA

Cyclone LUA Satellite Image IR-WV Diff – Source: CIMSS 

LUA Forecast Track Map

Issued by BOM at 11:46 am WST Saturday 17 March 2012. Refer to Tropical Cyclone Advice Number 24.

The cyclone is currently packing potentially devastating winds of about 250km/h and gusts of up to 270km/h and is carrying huge amounts of precipitation , threatening severe flooding and dangerous storm tides.

Lua is the strongest cyclone to strike Australia this year and the strongest since Cyclone YASI hit Queensland last year, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said.

Australia BOM said

Severe Tropical Cyclone Lua is approaching the east Pilbara coast, with an expected crossing in the vicinity of Pardoo Station around 2-3pm this afternoon.

Gales are occurring in coastal areas between Port Hedland and Bidyadanga and will extend to adjacent inland areas later today, possibly north to Cape Leveque including Broome and west to Dampier.

Destructive winds to 150 kilometres per hour are possible between Port Hedland and Bidyadanga extending to the inland eastern Pilbara later in the day. Very Destructive winds to 250 kilometres per hour are forecast near the cyclone centre as it crosses the coast.

As the cyclone moves further inland, gales should reach the eastern Gascoyne areas, adjacent Interior and far northern Goldfields on Sunday morning.

Heavy rainfall is expected in coastal and inland parts of the east Pilbara, west Kimberley extending into the eastern Gascoyne, western Interior and northern Goldfields later today and during Sunday.

Residents of the east Pilbara and 80 Mile Beach area, east of but NOT including Port Hedland, are specifically warned of the very dangerous storm tide expected this afternoon. Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark with damaging waves and very dangerous flooding.

Heavy surf conditions are also expected along the west Kimberley coast.

FESA-State Emergency Service advises of the following community alerts:

RED ALERT: People in coastal communities between Bidyadanga and Port Hedland, including Wallal, 80 Mile Beach, Sandfire, Pardoo, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Warralong, Yandeyarra and surrounding Pastoral and Mining leases need to go to shelter immediately.

YELLOW ALERT: People in remaining communities between Broome and Whim Creek including the Town of Broome, Marble Bar, Telfer, Nullagine, Woodie Woodie, and adjacent pastoral and mining leases need to take action and get ready to shelter from a cyclone.

BLUE ALERT: People in coastal communities between Whim Creek and Dampier including Karratha, Dampier, Roebourne, Wickham and Point Samson as well as inland communities including Newman and Jigalong and surrounding pastoral and mining leases need to prepare for cyclonic weather and organise an emergency kit including first aid kit, torch, portable radio, spare batteries, food and water.

Remaining communities between Broome and Cape Leveque and in the inland eastern Pilbara, east Gascoyne and western Interior should listen for the next advice.

Related Links

• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast

Disaster Declared in 11 W Virginia Counties after “Unspeakable Devastation”

Severe storms and torrential rains pound southern West Virginia causing “extreme devastation”

Torrential rains have caused creeks to spill over their banks, flooding homes, businesses and roads, said gov Tomblin. “Broken water lines on houses, remnants of roads and high water that continue to prevent safe travel are saddening reminders of the destruction Mother Nature is capable of and the magnitude of the cleanup that remains.”

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 17

[March 17, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,460 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• W. Virginia, USA.  Severe storms and torrential rains have pounded southern West Virginia causing what a senior official called “unspeakable devastation.”
  • The Disaster President has issued a disaster declaration in the following 11 W Virginia counties: Doddridge, Harrison, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Mingo, Monongalia, Preston, Ritchie, Taylor and Wayne.
  • The declaration covers the recent devastating storms  that occurred Feb. 29-March 5 and now the flooding in several additional counties.
  • Earlier, Gov Tomblin had extended an emergency declaration to cover the 11 counties.
  • Severe flooding, caused by rivers and creeks leaving their banks, have washed out roads and bridges and triggered mudslides and rock falls, trapping dozens of  people in their homes and leaving hundreds of others stranded in Lincoln, Logan and Mingo counties.
  • In Griffithsville, floodwaters stranded parents preventing them from reaching Duval Middle School to pick up their kids.
  • More than 500 homes are reportedly destroyed or damaged in Logan County alone, as of posting.
  • “Those counts are just a rough estimate, and I fear the numbers may increase if we receive more rains and storms like the weather service is predicting,” said Commissioner Baisden.

See also: Tornadoes, Flooding Destroy or Damage 600+ Homes in MI and WV

Other Disasters

• Michigan. The tornado that struck Pinckney in Washtenaw County, MI., has been rated as an EF3 tornado with winds of about 140mph, SPC said.
  • The tornado reportedly damaged or destroyed 123 homes.
  • The  tornado stayed on the ground for about 30 minutes leaving behind a 10-mile path of destruction.
• Tennessee.  The Disaster President has declared Tennessee a disaster area following the tornadoes that swept through East Tennessee in February and March leaving at least 3 people dead.

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 

Tornadoes, Flooding Destroy or Damage 600+ Homes in MI and WV

Tornadoes destroy or damage 126 homes in Michigan; flooding ruins 500 homes in W. Virginia

A powerful tornado, packing winds of about 135mph, touched down northeast of Dexter in Washtenaw County, located northwest of Ann Arbor, leveling or damaging at least 123 homes, uprooting trees and toppling power lines, sparking fires and flooding neighborhoods.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 16

[March 16, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,461 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

Map of Michigan Tornadoes

At least 3 tornado, 18 wind and 146 hail reports were received by SPC, as of posting.

• Michigan, USA.  A powerful tornado touched down northeast of Dexter, northwest of Ann Arbor, leveling or damaging at least 123 homes, uprooting trees and felling power lines, sparking fires and flooding neighborhoods. The  tornado, packing winds of 135mph, stayed on the ground for about 30 minutes leaving behind a 10-mile path of destruction.
  • Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department told Reuters that “there are homes leveled [in Dexter.]”
  • Sheriff’s spokesman told The AP that at least homes were destroyed and 105 others significantly damaged in Dexter and the surrounding area.
  • More than 200 people have been displaced and placed  in a temporary shelter at a nearby school.
  • Another tornado touched down in Columbiaville, Lapeer County causing damage to trees and powerliness. The tornado left a one-mile path of twisted debris, SPC said.
  • A third tornado touchdown in SSE of Ida, Monroe County, also caused damage to 3 homes, trees and powerlines.

Probabilities of significant tornadoes (F2-F5) in March – NSSL

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 (>322 km/hr)

• West Virginia, USA.Several counties in southern West Virginia experienced widespread flooding following severe storms and torrential rains.
  • The storms caused “extreme devastation” in Logan County.
  • “Once again, severe storms have caused major flooding in our state, causing significant devastation to both homes and businesses,” said the state governor (Earl Ray Tomblin).
  • Mingo County has declared a state of emergency following the deluge.
  • The governor is expected to declare a statewide state of emergency.
  • “The communities of Verdenville, Whitman, Mud Fork, Mt. Gay, Holden and several locations right in the downtown district were affected, with the estimate of homes damaged or destroyed being over 500 as of now,” said a report.
  • At least a dozen roads and bridges in Logan County alone were closed due to high water, mudslides, washouts and rock falls, reports said.
  • The towns of Griffithsville and Yawkey in Lincoln County were also severely hit by flooding.

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 

Related Links

• Tornado Death Toll Climbs to 49 Posted on March 3, 2012
• Extreme Weather: States of Emergency Declared in 4 States Posted on March 2, 2012

• 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

Tornadoes 2012

• Deadly Tornadoes Slam Midwest Posted on February 29, 2012
• Map of Tornado Reports (filtered) 28 February – 02 March 2012
• U.S. Tornado Forecast 2012 Posted on February 25, 2012
• Deadly Tornado Hits Rome, Ga Posted  on February 24, 2012

• 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

Schmallenberg Virus Continues Spreading

Thousands of farms across Europe report Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection

Tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of animals in thousands of farms across Europe have tested positive for Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 15

[March 15, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,462 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Europe.  Tens, possibly hundreds of thousands of animals in thousands of farms across Europe have tested positive for Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection.

Lamb suspected of the SBV infection. Source: DWHC

• Germany.   Sheep, cattle and goat from 944 farms [up from 847 farms on March 5, and 908 farms on March 12] have been tested positive for Schmallenberg virus as of March 14, 2012.
  • “The cases occurred in 124 cattle holdings, 780 sheep holdings and 40 goat holdings,” FLI reported.
  • Affected federal states are North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Hesse, Schleswig-Holstein, Rhineland-Palatinate, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Brandenburg, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Hamburg, Bavaria, Saxony, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saarland and Berlin, FLI said.

Map of farm locations in Germany with SBV infection

© 2010 Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

• UK. “Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection has been identified on 158 farms [up from 92 farm on March 2, and 11 farms on January 31, 2012.] Eleven of the positive cases have been diagnosed in cattle, 147 in sheep, and none to date in other species. No increase in the counties affected. SBV infection has only been identified in areas at risk of midge incursion from Northern Europe during summer / autumn 2011,” AHVLA reported.
  • Currently, 20 counties are affected: Cambridgeshire, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, South Gloucestershire, Somerset, Suffolk, Surrey, West Berkshire, West Sussex and Wiltshire.

• France. A total of 670 farms have reported SBV infection as of March 9, 2012. The infected farms include

• 634 sheep farms
• 26 cattle farms
• 10 goat farms

• Belgium.   Total of 213 farms (March 9, 2012); 151 sheep farms, 60 cattle farms and 2 goat farms.
• Netherlands.  Total of 153 farms (March 8, 2012); 101 sheep farms, 47 cattle farms and 5 goat farms.

• Spain. Large number of SBV infections have been reported in Hinojosa del Duque, ANDALUCIA. The infections were detected mostly in sheep.

• Luxembourg. Infection reported on 7 farms. Data incomplete. NO reliable data available.

• Italy. Infection reported on 1 farm. Data incomplete. NO reliable data available.

• Denmark.  Schmallenberg virus has been found in midges in Denmark,
  the Danish National Veterinary Institute reported on March 13, 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

Previous reports of SBV infection

• Schmallenberg virus entry for March 10
• Schmallenberg virus entry for March 6

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

Drought in Balkans Hits Hydro Power

Balkans worst drought in 4 decades severely affects hydro power production

Lingering drought has drastically reduced electricity production at hydro power dams on Neretva river in southern Bosnia. 

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 14

[March 14, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,463 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Balkans.  The worst drought in more than 4 decades has drastically reduced electricity production at hydro power dams on Neretva river in southern Bosnia.
  • The drought, which began late last summer,  has reduced production from about 2,000 megawatt-hours of electricity per year to less than a quarter of that amount, reports said.
  • The five lake that supply power to southern Bosnia are said to be in their lowest levels ever.
  • “There are no fish left here,” said a local, standing on his boat house, stranded in the mud.
  • Albania’s electricity output is almost entirely from hydro power, Bosnia gets 50 percent, Croatia and Slovenia 40 percent each, Serbia 30 percent and Montenegro 17 percent, while Kosovo relies heavily on coal.

Other Global Disasters

• Switzerland. From Val d’Anniviers to Walhalla. At least 28 people, including 22 schoolchildren, were killed when the driver of a Belgian bus crashed his vehicle in a tunnel in Switzerland.
  • The children were returning home after a week skiing in Val d’Anniviers in the Swiss Alps.
  • The remaining 24 children were injured in the crash near Sierre, in Valais, close to the border with Italy.
  • Most of the children were aged 12, and the bus,  one of three, was reportedly hired by a Christian group.

• Bangladesh.  Some 122 people were drowned or missing after a passenger ferry collided with a small oil tanker and sank in the Meghna River, southwest of the capital, Dhaka.

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

Significant Shock Hits Coast of Chiba, Japan

Magnitude 6.1 shock hits off the coast of Chiba, Japan

Magnitude: 6.1Mw
Region: Off Coast of Chiba (Chiba-ken Toho-oki), Japan
Time: 12:05 UTC
Epicenter: 35.8°N, 141.1°E
Depth: 10 km
Source: JMA

Distances (USGS)

• 77 km (48 miles) SSE (163°) from Mito, Honshu, Japan
• 89 km (56 miles) E (87°) from TOKYO, Japan
• 152 km (94 miles) S (186°) from Iwaki, Honshu, Japan

Related Links:

• Strong Quake Strikes Near East Coast of Honshu, Japan Posted on March 14, 2012
• Japan Earthquake Forecast
• Tectonics Update – March 10
• Global Tectonics Alert – April 9

Strong Quake Strikes Near East Coast of Honshu, Japan

6.9Mw earthquake strikes 235km S of Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan

Tsunami WARNING:

Tsunami waves of up to 20cm high reported earlier; all tsunami warnings have since been cancelled.

Magnitude: 6.9Mw
Region: Off East Coast of Honshu, Japan
Time: 2012-03-14 09:08:35.6 UTC
Epicenter: 144.96°E 40.98°N
Depth: 10 km
Status: Confirmed by a Seismologist
Source: GEOFON Extended Virtual Network (GEVN)

EARTHQUAKE Map. Source: GEOFON

NOTE: Quake magnitude reported as 6.8Mw by USGS

EARTHQUAKE Map. Source USGS

Distances (USGS)

• 235 km (146 miles) S of Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
• 265 km (164 miles) SSE of Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan
• 293 km (182 miles) E of Hachinohe, Honshu, Japan
• 734 km (456 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan

Aftershocks [UPDATED at 12:10 UTC ]

1. M6.1 centered 40.799°N, 144.770°E, Depth 9.5 km (5.9 miles); Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 10:49:24 UTC

2. M5.7 centered 40.764°N, 144.830°E,  Depth 21.8 km (13.5 miles); Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 10:57:41 UTC

3. M 5.4 centered  40.957°N, 144.793°E, Depth 22.2 km (13.8 miles); Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 11:40:19 UTC

Related Links:

• Japan Earthquake Forecast
• Tectonics Update – March 10
• Global Tectonics Alert – April 9

Harassment and Intimidation by the Japanese Establishment

Blog contributor in Japan stalked, hounded, harassed, goaded and intimidated by the Establishment

FIRE-EARTH Moderators condemn in the strongest possible terms the ongoing harassment and intimidation perpetrated by the Japanese establishment against a blog contributor who lives in Japan.

To the best of our knowledge, the atrocities committed against our colleague is for no other reason than his outspoken criticisms of the Japanese establishment for their handling of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the Antarctic whaling and the annual dolphin massacre at Taiji.

WE DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE END TO THE AGGRAVATIONS THAT ARE BEING PERPETRATED AGAINST OUR COLLEAGUE!

Signed by FIRE-EARTH Blog Contributors

State of Emergency Declared in S. Louisiana Following Widespread Flooding

Dozens of homes in four Acadiana parishes inundated

States of emergency have been declared in four south Louisiana parishes— Acadia, Lafayette, St. Landry and St. Martin—after floodwaters from severe thunderstorms caused widespread flooding.

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 13

[March 13, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,464 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Louisiana, USA.  State officials declared states of emergency in four south Louisiana parishes—Acadia, Lafayette, St. Landry and St. Martin—after floodwaters from severe thunderstorms caused widespread flooding.
  • “We had up to 7 feet of water on some streets,” said Capt. Kip Judice, the sheriff’s spokesman. “We had no deaths or injuries but a lot of near calls.”
  • SPC received reports of 4 tornadoes in Louisiana, one of which caused significant damage in Acadia.

• Kentucky, USA.  FEMA has added several more Kentucky counties to the disaster declaration for the state following he deadly tornadoes and violent storms that left at least 22 people dead and caused widespread damage.
  • Currently, there are 16 counties in the Kentucky disaster declaration:  BATH, CAMPBELL, CARROLL, GRANT, JOHNSON, KENTON, LAUREL, LAWRENCE, MAGOFFIN, MARTIN, MENIFEE, MONTGOMERY, MORGAN, PENDLETON, ROWAN and WOLFE.

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

Intensifying Winter Drought in England Worst Since 1888

Drought killing fish, destroying wildlife habitats and affecting cereal and potato crops

Fourteen UK counties in the South, the East and the Midlands are officially in drought. 

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 12

[March 12, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,465 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• England.  The worst winter drought in England since records began in 1888 is killing fish in low rivers, destroying wildlife habitats and devastating cereal and potato crops, reports said.
  • Number of fish kills caused by the drought this year already exceed the previous years.
  • Some 14 English counties in the South, the East and the Midlands are officially in drought, as of posting.
  • Senior officials responsible for environment warned last month that large parts of the country are facing an inevitable drought this summer even if the coming months bring heavy rainfall.
  • The country’s Meteorological Agency has warned that ‘prolonged periods of heavy rainfall in the near future are unlikely.’
  • Currently, the following counties are officially in drought:
    • Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, parts of Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire and west Norfolk have officially been in drought since summer 2011.
    • Berkshire, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Kent, London, Oxfordshire, eastern Wiltshire, Surrey, as well as  East and West Sussex were added to the official drought list last month.
    • Counties of Shropshire and Somerset have received much less than average rainfall in recent months.
    • Parts of Yorkshire are likely to be declared as drought areas.
  • High risk of drought exists in Nottinghamshire, south Derbyshire and Leicestershire due to the dry winter, said UK Environment Agency.
  • The UK temperatures are currently above 60ºF (15.5ºC) and are expected to rise to 67ºF, about 12ºF higher than the norm for the season, warmer than some Greek islands.
  • Hosepipe bans and other water restrictions have been/are being enforced across the drought-stricken areas affecting at least 20 million people.

Total rainfall across England and Wales for February 2012. Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment Agency, 100026380, 2012.

Groundwater Levels (latest available map) for indicator sites for the week ending 6 March (Source: Environment Agency). Geological map UK Groundwater Forum, BGS © NERC. Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment Agency, 100026380, 2012

Water resource risks to irrigated and rainfed potato cropping in England and Wales (Source: EA (2011) and PCL (2011). About 56% of all irrigated potato fields are currently located within areas classified as being at ‘high’ risk, and 32% are at ‘moderate’ risk (Cranfield University).

Soil moisture deficits for end of January 2012 (left panel) and end of February 2012 (right panel). Top row shows actual soil moisture deficits (mm) and bottom row shows the difference (mm) of the actual from the 1961-90 long term average soil moisture deficits. MORECS data for real land use (Source: Met Office © Crown Copyright, 2012). Crown copyright. All rights reserved. Environment Agency, 100026380, 2012.

Recent Global Drought Links

• Extreme or Severe Drought Covers 3/4 of Portugal Posted on March 4, 2012
• Hundreds Evacuated Amid Spain Wildfires
• Hunger Plagues Indigenous Community in N Mexico Posted on January 21, 2012
• Mexico declares disaster in drought-stricken areas Posted on January 9, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012
• Drought Declared in Southeast UK Posted on February 21, 2012
• Food production drops 40 percent in Mexico due to drought Posted on March 11, 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: Collapse has already Begun