Major Catastrophe Unfolding in China

Tens of millions affected by severe drought, heat wave in China

Drought has affected tens of millions of people in southern, southwestern, eastern and central China, leaving millions of people and livestock short of drinking water, and damaging or destroying millions of hectares of crops.

The drought is forecast to intensify and spread in the coming days and weeks, and heat wave to linger.

Original caption: A farmer pulls a cow to drink in a dried pool in Qianguang Village, Yuping County of southwest China’s Guizhou Province, July 29, 2013. Due to little rainfall and high temperature, 38 counties in Guizhou Province faced with serious drought in recent days. (Xinhua/Yao Lei). More images …

Shanghai, China’s financial capital, is set to have the hottest July on record.

• Shanghai saw a high of 39.1ºC on Monday, the 7th straight day for temperatures to remain above 38 degrees, and the longest period of on record.

Many cities in [neighboring] Zhejiang saw temperatures rise above 40 degrees Celsius on a couple days last week. Meanwhile, the heat is worsening the drought in the province, which received 74 percent less rain than normal in the first 29 days of July. (Xinhua)

Original caption: A boy sits on the chapped riverbeds near the Wantou Bridge over Yaojiang River in Ningbo, east China’s Zhejiang Province, July 28, 2013. Unrelenting heat in Ningbo has drawn the water table of the Yaojiang River down and parts of the beds were chapped, which led to the death of mussels and fish. (Xinhua/Hu Xuejun)

Hunan meteorologic center issued orange alert for drought on Monday

Many cities in Hunan also endured record-high temperatures this month. The provincial capital Changsha reported temperatures at or above 35 degrees Celsius in all of the past 29 days.

Temperatures could climb to 41ºC in Hunan’s central and eastern parts, the report said.

The province also received over 70 percent less rain than normal this month, leaving 33 counties and cities to contend with a severe drought.

Original caption: A villager walks on a dried-up bed of Shima Reservoir at Shima Village of Shaoyang County, central China’s Hunan Province, July 27, 2013. A drought that has already lasted several weeks is continuing to linger in Hunan, leaving 533,000 people short of drinking water. (Xinhua/Zeng Yong). More images …

July Heat

At least 43 counties and cities in southern China have seen temperatures top 40ºC so far this month, said China’s National Meteorological Center.

Related Links

• More Disasters Hit China July 28, 2013
• Drought Drying Up Thousands of Rivers and Reservoirs in China  July 27, 2013
• Dozens Killed, Hundreds Injured in Gansu Quakes, China July 22, 2013
• Climate Catastrophes Cumulate in China   July 20, 2013
• Thousands of Towns and Villages Devastated by Floods in China July 18, 2013
• China to Become Top Wheat Importer after Major Crop Disaster July 17, 2013
• Fire Destroys 200 Houses in SW China July 17, 2013
• Flooding Destroys Town of Caopo in SW China July 16, 2013
• Typhoon SOULIK Affects 2 Million in China  July 15, 2013
• Hundreds of Thousands Evacuated as SOULIK Hits China July 13, 2013
• Extreme Weather Wreaks Havoc in SW China July 10, 201

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Disaster Calendar: July 30, 2013

SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN:  956 Days Left

FIRE-EARTH Climate Models show climate change forcings and feedbacks switching global weather patterns onto “primordial tracks.”

FIRE-EARTH Population Model shows mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

Critical Planetary Overload

• Critical Overload Threatens Planetary Life Support Systems
• RAPID CHANGE IN PROGRESS!

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

Collapse in Progress

• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Massive Explosions Rock Florida Gas Plant

Multiple deaths, injuries and evacuations after explosions rock gas plant in Lake County, Fl

Massive explosions at a gas plant in Lake County, Florida have caused multiple deaths and injuries, forcing the evacuations of residents at least a mile away, authorities said.

The explosions occurred at Blue Rhino, a propane-tank business in Tavares City, reported Orlando Sentinel.

“Twenty-four people were working the night shift, and 10 people are unaccounted for, Tavares City Administrator John Drury said. The number of injured was not immediately known,” said the report.

Massive explosions rock Blue Rhino gas plant in Tavares City, Lake County, Florida. Photo: @passantino

Similar Incidents

• Canadian Town Evacuated after Train Explosion  July 7, 2013
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• Massive Explosion at Texas Plant ‘Kills Many,’ Injures Hundreds, Levels 5-Block Radius April 18, 2013
• Two People Killed in 3rd Gas Explosion in 2 Days  June 9, 2010
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“Brain-eating” Amoeba Leaves Girl in Critical Condition

Girl Contracts Parasitic Meningitis  after swimming in freshwater

“Brain-eating” amoeba likely left a 12-year-old Arkansas girl in critical condition, said health officials.

Victim: Kali Hardig, 12, reportedly contracted a case of a rare form of parasitic meningitis—primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)—after swimming in freshwater. 

The victim is named as Kali Harding, who reportedly contracted the parasite while playing in the Willow Springs Water Park.

The amoeba is called Naegleria fowleri. It enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain.

“This infection is one of the most severe infections that we know of. Ninety-nine percent of people who get it die.” The Arkansas Department of Health told reporters.

“In the United States, only 128 cases of PAM have been identified from 1962 to 2012. This marks only the sixth case in Arkansas in over 40 years,” said a report.

“Recent cases of PAM include a 9-year-old Minn. boy who was swimming in a freshwater lake prior to his death, a 28-year-old man and a 51-year-old woman who had used neti pots for nasal irrigation with water from their home plumbing which tested positive for the microbe, and 10 people in Karachi, Pakistan who may have swam in contaminated water.”

The following confirmation was issued earlier by the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)

ADH Confirms Case of Parasitic Meningitis

Little Rock — The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) has confirmed a case of a rare form of parasitic meningitis. A case of primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) — a very rare form of meningitis caused by an ameba associated with warm rivers, lakes and streams — was confirmed with the assistance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Based on our ongoing investigation, the most likely source of infection is the Willow Springs Water Park. There was another case of PAM possibly connected with Willow Springs in 2010. Based on the occurrence of two cases of this rare infection in association with the same body of water and the unique features of the park, the ADH has asked the owner of Willow Springs to voluntarily close the water park to ensure the health and safety of the public.

The organism that causes PAM is known as Naegleria fowleri. It is commonly found in warm freshwater and soil all over the world and can cause a rare but severe brain infection that is usually fatal. Naegleria cannot be passed from person-to-person. The organism typically infects people by entering the body through the nose as they are swimming and diving. Individuals cannot be infected with Naegleria by swimming in properly cleaned, maintained and disinfected swimming pools.

While infection with Naegleria can occur anywhere, it usually occurs in the warm southern U.S. From 2003-2012, there have only been 31 reported infections in the U.S. This case is only the sixth case in Arkansas in 40 years.

“We, David and Lou Ann Ratliff, as general management of Willow Springs Water Park, have received new information regarding Naegleria fowleri, and have elected to close the park as of July 25 at the request of the Arkansas Department of Health. Though the odds of contracting Naegleria are extremely low, they are just not good enough to allow our friends or family to swim” said David and Lou Ann Ratliff, owners of Willow Springs. “For the thousands of people who love Willow Springs, we will be taking this time to determine the feasibility of installing a solid bottom to the lake. We will not ever reopen as a sand bottom lake” said Ratliff. “We covet your prayers and our Willow Springs family will continue to be in our thoughts and prayers” added Ratliff.

The first symptoms of PAM start one to seven days after initial infection. If you swam at Willow Springs Water Park more than eight days ago, you are NOT at risk for the infection. Early symptoms may include headache, fever, nausea, or vomiting. Later symptoms can include stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, seizures, and hallucinations. After the start of symptoms, the disease progresses rapidly.

“The risk of infection from Naegleria in Arkansas is exceedingly low,” said Dirk Haselow, MD, State Epidemiologist at ADH.

“Swimming is a healthy summertime activity, and we do not want to discourage people from swimming,” said Haselow. “If concerned about Naegleria, avoid swimming, diving or other activities that push water up the nose, especially in natural waters when temperatures are high and water levels are low.”
Some additional precautions you can take while swimming during extremely warm periods include:

• Keep your head out of the water [!!?]
• Use nose clips or hold the nose shut
• Avoid stirring up dirt or sand at the bottom of shallow freshwater areas

Fact Sheet

More information about Naegleria fowleri and safe swimming can be found on the CDC website http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/naegleria/

Oregon Wildfires Threaten Hundreds of Homes

105 Homes evacuated, another 300 threatened by lightning-sparked wildfires

Some 1,024 fire crews are battling the The Douglas Complex Fire, which has consumed more than 21,000 acres and is only 2 percent contained.

The Douglas Complex started Friday morning, July 26, 2013, after 54 fires were ignited by lightning.

The Douglas Complex. Credit: Marvin Vetter, ODF

Evacuation Update Correction [Inciweb]

Updated information from Josephine County regarding the evacuations put in place:

Evacuations

• Graves Creek bridge to Lower Graves Creek Road/Lower Wolf Creek Road.
• Lower Wolf Creek Road to Water Tank Drainage on Lower Wolf Creek Road.

Road Closures

• Roads Closed at Graves Creek Bridge, water tank drainage as well as Lower Wolf Creek Road from the town of Wolf Creek to the Water Tank drainage.

Additional Homes Evacuated in Josephine County

Josephine County Sheriff issued a road closure order this afternoon due to fire activity in the area. Lower Wolf Creek Road is closed from the town of Wolf Creek to Leland Road. Lower Graves Creek Road is closed from Leland Road to the Rogue River. Josephine County Sheriff’s Office also issued an evacuation order for all residences on Lower Graves Creek Road from the Graves Creek Bridge to Leland Road, Lower Wolf Creek Road, and from Lower Graves Creek to Water Tank Gulch. This new evacuation order affects an estimated 30 residences.

Evacuation orders are still in effect for:

• McCullough Creek Road, Reuben Road, and Mt. Reuben Road in Douglas County, and Poorman Creek Road in Josephine County.

• Citizens can evacuate to Glendale Elementary School or Josephine County Fairgrounds:

Fire Statistics

• Location: 7 miles north of Glendale, OR
• Percent Contained: 2%
• Complex Size: 21,000 acres
• Cause: Lightning
• Start Date: 7/26/13Total
• Personnel: 1024
• Growth Potential: Extreme
• Terrain Difficulty: Extreme

Other Evacuation News

Montana

Moose Meadow fire was sparked by lightning on July 25, 2013 and has exploded to more than 2,500 acres, prompting evacuation orders for dozens of residences in the Moose Lake and Kaiser Lake areas.

The blaze is currently 5% contained, with full containment expected Sunday September 1, 2013 .

• Incident: Wildland fire, lightning-caused, reported on July 25, 2013
• Location: 18 miles southeast of Philipsburg, MT and 15 miles west of Georgetown Lake, MT
• No of fire crews deployed: 480 personnel

Moose Meadow Fire – Smoke Sunset Over Philipsburg. Source: Beaverhead – Deerlodge National Forest U.S. Forest Service

-oOo-

Texas

• A large wildfire northwest of Smithville forces multiple home evacuations

Related Links

• Dark Gray Air Warning!! July 29, 2013
• Third Town May Be Forced to Evacuate July 29, 2013
• Mass Evacuations as Wildfires Erupt in Wash. July 28, 2013
• Hundreds of Homes Evacuated as MT Wildfire Grows  July 27, 2013