FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 42

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 42
Coming soon. Stay tuned!

Related links

https://feww.wordpress.com/2-bulletin-board/

15-Meter Asteroid Narrowly Misses Earth

Asteroid detected hours before narrowly missing Earth

A 15-meter asteroid was detected hours before it narrowly missed the Earth over the weekend, Russian scientists said.

Russian researchers recorded the celestial object as it approached the earth on Friday.

Asteroid detected by Sternberg Astronomical Institute. © Photo Moscow State University/MASTER/Vladimir Lipunov

“[The asteroid] was discovered on Friday night by our station near Lake Baikal and nine hours later it flew within 11,300 kilometers of the Earth surface, below the orbit of geostationary satellites. It was about 15 meters in size,” said Vladimir Lipunov of the Moscow State University and the Sternberg Astronomical Institute.

Asteroid detected by Sternberg Astronomical Institute
© Photo Moscow State University/MASTER/Vladimir Lipunov

International Astronomical Union has not yet confirmed the event.

A 10,000-ton meteoroid exploded over the city of Chelyabinsk on February 15 and blasted out thousands of windows, injuring about 1,500 people.

Related Links

• Suspected Meteorite Hits Central Cuba February 16, 2013
• Stratospheric Explosion in Russian Urals Damages Buildings in 6 Cities February 15, 2013
• MASTER-II Tunka

Air Pollution: Visibility Down to 10 Meters in E China

Severe air pollution in China forces expressways to close

Many parts of China experienced extremely poor visibility on Sunday due to severe air pollution. Visibility in the eastern province of Jiangsu was reduced to 10 meters forcing authorities to close expressways for the day.

The capital Beijing recorded the highest level of hazardous PM2.5 concentration on a 6-point scale.

The heavy smog persisted in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Province on Monday.

“Levels of PM2.5 particles are above 200 micrograms per cubic meter in most urban areas of the capital, that’s above safe levels. Many areas have a level 5 ‘heavy pollution’ warning, with some places at level 6, the highest pollution level,” said a report.

Authorities are warning residents to stay indoors, or wear masks to reduce harm to their eyes and lungs.

Visibility in the eastern province of Jiangsu was reduced to 10 meters forcing authorities to close expressways on Sunday. Screenshot from news clip posted on NHK site.

Outdoor air pollution contributed to 1.2 million premature deaths [that’s the equivalent of about 25 million healthy years of life from the population] in China in 2010, about 40 percent of the global total, said a report.

WUTIP Making Landfall in Central Vietnam

Powerful winds, torrential rains lashing Indochina Peninsula as WUTIP targets Vietnam

Typhoon WUTIP is lashing eastern coast of Indochina Peninsula with high winds and heavy rains as it moves closer to landing in central Vietnam.

Typhoon WUTIP is about to make landfall on the east coast of central Vietnam with sustained winds of about 140 km/hr gusting up to 170 km/hr. The typhoon weakened slightly overnight to the equivalent of a Cat 1 hurricane force.

Typhoon WUTIP (TY 20W)

• Current position: Near 17.2ºN, 107.5E (03:32UTC on Monday, September 30, 2013)
• Movement: 25 km/hr, 280 degrees
• Max Sustained Winds: 140 km/hr
• Max Wind Gusts: 170 km/hr (expected to increase to 245km/hr)

Expected landfall: About 06:00UTC on September 30, 2013

Typhoon WUTIP. Visible/Shortwave IR Satellite Image recorded at 04:32UTC on Monday, September 30, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

Typhoon WUTIP – Water Vapor Satellite Image, with the projected path superimposed. Image recorded at 04:32UTC on Monday, September 30, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC. FIRE-EARTH Enhancement.

74 missing after typhoon sinks boats in South China Sea

Forty seven people are reported missing after Typhoon WUTIP capsized three fishing boats in the South China Sea on Monday, said a report.

Related Links

• Typhoon WUTIP Headed for Vietnam, Laos, Thailand September 29, 2013

Typhoon WUTIP Headed for Vietnam, Laos, Thailand

Extreme rains from WUTIP to exacerbate flooding in Indochina Peninsula

Typhoon WUTIP is currently a Cat 2B and expected to intensify to a Cat 3B hurricane force, headed directly toward Vietnam.

Typhoon WUTIP (TY 20W)

• Current position: Near 16.7ºN, 111.5ºE (05:32UTC on Sunday, September 29, 2013)
• Movement: 17 km/hr, 260 degrees
• Max Sustained Winds: 175 km/hr (expected to increase to 195 km/hr)
• Max Wind Gusts: 225 km/hr (expected to increase to 245km/hr)

Typhoon WUTIPVisible/Water Vapor Satellite Image, with the projected path superimposed. Image recorded at 05:32UTC on Sunday, September 29, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC. FIRE-EARTH Enhancement.

Typhoon WUTIP. Visible/Shortwave IR Satellite Image recorded at 04:32UTC on Sunday, September 29, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC. FIRE-EARTH Enhancement.

Flood Disaster in Thailand

The deputy PM responsible for flood management has assured the public that a scenario like the 2011 devastating floods in which all major dams in Thailand reached full capacity would not happen. Unless, off course, there’s more heavy rain in the north!

“He said the major dams in Thailand are now at half of its capacity and can contain more than 10,000 million cubic meters,” said a report.

He said earlier that the flood situation this year was “not worrying,” and that it’s “under control,” adding that “Bangkok would be 100 percent safe unless there is more heavy rain in the North for a couple of days.”

Related Links

• USAGI Disaster Update: 25 Dead; 7,100 Homes Destroyed September 23, 2013
• USAGI Poses a Severe Threat to Hong Kong: The HK Observatory   September 22, 2013
• Cyclone PABUK Chasing Typhoon USAGI September 21, 2013

• Typhoon USAGI Eying Taiwan September 19, 2013
• USAGI Intensifies to Super Typhoon Force  September 20, 2013
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – September 21, 2013 September 21, 2013
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale September 3, 2008
• Satellite Imagery

Global Disasters/ Significant Events – September 29, 2013

Deep Freeze Ends Growing Season in Nevada Counties

The growing season has ended for White Pine, Southern Lander and Southern Eureka counties, said NWS.

Temperatures dipped into the 20s across the majority of Southern Lander/Eureka and White Pine counties on Friday, killing most tender vegetation in these areas.

Light freezes have also occurred in other forecast zones including Northern Lander, Northern Eureka, Southeastern Elko and northern Nye counties. Growing season in isolated areas in these counties may have also ended.

-oOo-

Dozens drown as Nigeria boat sinks

At least 48 people drowned and more that 100 others are reported missing after a boat sank on the River Niger in central Nigeria late Friday, according to local reports.

The boat may have been overloaded, carrying more that two and a half times the number of passengers allowed, reports said.

-oOo-

Dozens Still missing after refugee boat sinks

“More than 30 people were still missing two days after a boat carrying asylum seekers to Australia sank off the Indonesian coast, killing 22 people including seven children,” Indonesian security officials said.

-oOo-

Dozens killed in Mumbai building collapse

Death toll reached 60 on Sunday in the collapsed apartment building in India’s financial capital of Mumbai, officials said. Some 33 others were rescued from the building’s wreckage.

The five-story building, which collapsed on Friday, was the third deadly cave-in of a Mumbai structure in six months, said a report.

“In April, at least 72 people died when an illegally constructed building fell. Two months later, a three-story structure collapsed, killing at least 10 people, including five children.”

-oOo-

Giant Hornets Kill Dozens in China

Attacks by swarms of giant hornets in Shaanxi province, central China, has left at least 28 people dead and up to a thousand others injured, many of them seriously, according to reports.

Terrorized victims have described being chased by large swarms of hornets for hundreds of yards and stung as many as 200 times over several minutes.

The insects have a highly toxic sting that can lead to anaphylactic shock and kidney failure, according to experts.

It’s believed that the swarms are populated mainly by the Asian giant hornet or Vespa mandarinia, which grows up to 50mm (2 ins.) long with a 6mm sting.

Experts have previously suggested that warmer temperatures in the region may be responsible for hornets breeding more successfully.

-oOo-

Wisconsin Gov Signs Emergency Declaration for Buckling I-43 bridge\

A span on the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge in Green Bay shows signs of buckling Wednesday in this view looking west. Gov. Scott Walker signed an emergency declaration Friday that makes federal funds available for repairs. Photo credit: Jim Matthews/ jsonline.com

-oOo-

German Town Evacuated after Gas Explosion

The entire town of Hartenhausen (population: ~ 3,000) near Ludwigshafen  in central Germany was evacuated on Saturday after a major gas explosion injured 16 firefighters and shattered windows. The blast was so powerful it could be heard up to 30 kilometers away, AP reported.

-oOo-

50 Nigerian students killed in armed attack

At least 50 Nigerian students have been killed in an armed attack, AP reported. The attack occurred at an agricultural college in northeast Nigeria’s Yobe State.  Gunmen broke into the college dorm at night and shot students as they slept. The authorities have blamed the Boko Haram [“Western education is forbidden”] group.

-oOo-

Bomb blasts kill 39 in Peshawar, NW Pakistan

Two bomb explosions in the northwestern Pakistan city of Peshawar killed 36 people and wounded more than 100 on Sunday, authorities said.

The victims included 12 members of a family who were shopping at the blast sites, according to local officials.
The powerful blasts destroyed about 20 buildings and many vehicles in nearby streets.

The Peshawar twin blasts were the third major terrorist in the city over the past 8 days. A twin suicide bomb attack on a Christian church on September 22 killed more than more than 80 people. On Friday September 27, a bomb planted on a bus carrying local government employees exploded killing at least 19 people.

-oOo-

Iraq Violence: Death Toll for September Reaches 1,079

At least 30 more people were killed in Iraq Saturday and Sunday, as of posting, in the cities of Arbil, Baghdad, Baiji, Basra, Falluja Mosul, Mussayab, Muqdadiya and Tikrit by bombs, AEDs, IEDs and gunfire, raising the death toll for September to 1,079 so far.

Death toll for 2013 has exceeded 6,000 and is expected to climb higher.

Continued…

Floods Submerge Third of Thailand

More than 2 million people affected by flooding in Thailand

Severe flooding has hit at least 191 districts in 29 of Thailand’s 77 provinces , leaving eastern Thailand almost completely submerged.

Floods have killed at least 13 people, according to official figures, and affected more than 2 million others since September 17.

Floodwater has encircled an industrial complex northeast of Bangkok, but the authorities say water would not enter the park.

Local media reported water had entered the park after the nearby Prachin Buri river overflowed due to heavy rain, but a senior official has denied that, reports said.

“It has affected villagers living near the riverbank [more than 20,000 homes inundated] but there has been no impact on our industrial park. At our highest point, we are 22 meters above sea level,” an executive vice president of 304 Industrial Park told Reuters.

The 304 Industrial Park, about 130 NE of Bangkok, has more than 110 factories, many of them Japanese-owned.

Floodwaters have also submerged at least a dozen provinces in Thailand’s central plains, the prime rice-growing region, since July; however, the authorities have not divulged the full extent of losses.

Thailand’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said on Friday floods had destroyed or damaged 6,900 houses [sic] 450,000 acres of farmland, 2,310 roads and 145 bridges.

Last Few Famous Words?

The deputy PM responsible for flood management has assured the public that a scenario like the 2011 devastating floods in which all major dams in Thailand reached full capacity would not happen. Unless, off course, there’s more heavy rain in the north!

“He said the major dams in Thailand are now at half of its capacity and can contain more than 10,000 million cubic meters,” said a report.

He said earlier that the flood situation this year is “not worrying,” and that it’s “under control,” adding that “Bangkok would be 100 percent safe unless there is more heavy rain in the North for a couple of days.”

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 41

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 41
Coming soon. Stay tuned!

Related links

• https://feww.wordpress.com/2-bulletin-board/

Deadly Aftershock Strikes NNE of Awaran, Pakistan

M6.8 strikes at a depth of 14.8km near Awaran

The quake has killed at least a dozen people and injured more than two dozen others, after it destroyed several houses in Nokjo district of Awaran, Baluchistan, according to early reports.

Meantime, death toll from an earlier earthquake that struck the region on September 24 has reached 515, with about 1,000 others injured, according to local officials.

The earlier quake, which was followed by several  significant aftershocks, destroyed thousands of homes in villages near the epicenter, affecting more than 300,000 people in the sparsely populated region.

This earthquake was an aftershock which occurred approximately 30 km to the NNE of the September 24, 2013 M7.7 event, according to USGS/EHP.

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

EQ Details [USGS/EHP]

• Event Time: 2013-09-28 07:34UTC
• Epicenter: 27.263°N, 65.587°E
• Depth: 14.8km (9.2mi)
• Nearby Cities
  • 96km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan
  • 135km NNW of Bela, Pakistan
  • 811km ENE of Muscat, Oman

Tectonic Summary

The September 28, 2013 M6.8 earthquake in south-central Pakistan occurred as the result of oblique-strike-slip motion at shallow crustal depths. This earthquake is an aftershock located approximately 30 km to the north-northeast of the September 24, 2013 M7.7 event, which struck with a similar faulting mechanism. As with the September 24 event, the September 28 earthquake mechanism and location are consistent with rupture within the Eurasia plate above the Makran subduction zone. The event occurred within the transition zone between northward subduction of the Arabia plate beneath the Eurasia plate and northward collision of the India plate with the Eurasia plate. … Makran subduction zone has produced large devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. Read more…

Related Links

• Deadly Quake Prompts New Island to Rise Off Pakistan Coastline  September 25, 2013
• Powerful Quake Kills Dozens in Pakistan September 24, 2013

Major Disaster Declared for Santa Clara Pueblo

Santa Clara Pueblo Declared a Federal Disaster Area

Santa Clara Pueblo (Indian Reservation) has been declared a Federal Disaster Area due to losses and damages caused by severe storms and flooding during the period of July 19-21, 2013

Major Disaster Declaration was declared by the Disaster President on September 27, 2013.

Crop Disaster Losses 2013

Disaster Declarations USDA: 3,721 County-level crop disasters in 38 states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 3,721 county-level agricultural disaster areas across 38 states so far this year.

The crop disasters for year 2013 include losses and damages caused by

• DROUGHT
• FLOOD
• Flash flooding
• Excessive rain, moisture, humidity
• Severe Storms, thunderstorms
• Ground Saturation, Standing Water
• Hail
• Wind, High Winds
• Fire, Wildfire
• Heat, Excessive heat, High temp. (incl. low humidity)
• Winter Storms, Ice Storms, Snow, Blizzard
• Frost, FREEZE
• Hurricanes, Typhoons, Tropical Storms
• Tornadoes
• Volcano
• Mudslides, Debris Flows, Landslides
• Heavy Surf
• Ice Jams
• Insects
• Tidal Surges
• Cold, wet weather
• Cool/Cold, Below-normal Temperatures
• Lightning
• Disease

Notes:
1. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

2. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

3. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

4. A number of counties have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA between January 9 and September 25, 2013.

Disaster Declared for 204 Counties in 10 States

204 Counties across 10 states declared agricultural disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 204 counties across 10 states—Georgia, Alabama, Florida, The Carolinas,  Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky and Tennessee—as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain and flooding in two separate declarations.

First Disaster Declaration

USDA has designated 148 counties across six states—Georgia, Alabama, Florida, The Carolinas and Tennessee—as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain that began April 1, 2013, and continuing.

List of Disaster Areas – Excessive Rain

• Georgia: Appling, Clinch, Grady, Macon, Treutlen, Turner, Twiggs, Union, Atkinson, Coffee, Greene, Madison, Walton, Ware, Washington, Wayne, Bacon, Colquitt, Gwinnett, Miller, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkinson, Baker, Cook, Hancock, Mitchell, Bibb, Dooly, Henry, Monroe, Baldwin, Crawford, Hart, Montgomery, Bulloch, Dougherty, Houston, Murray, Banks, Crisp, Irwin, Morgan, Butts, Early, Lee, Pickens, Barrow, Decatur, Jackson, Newton, Calhoun, Evans, Liberty, Pulaski, Ben Hill, De Kalb, Jasper, Oconee, Camden, Forsyth, Lincoln, Rabun, Berrien, Echols, Jeff Davis, Oglethorpe, Candler, Fulton, Long, Richmond, Bleckley, Effingham, Jefferson, Peach, Charlton, Glynn, Lumpkin, Schley, Brantley, Elbert, Jenkins, Pierce, Clayton, Gordon, McDuffie, Stephens, Brooks, Emanuel, Johnson, Putnam, Dawson, Habersham, McIntosh, Sumter, Bryan, Fannin, Jones, Rockdale, Dodge, Hall, Marion, Burke, Franklin, Lanier, Screven, Talbot, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Toombs, Chatham, Gilmer, Laurens, Seminole, Upson, Warren, White, Wilkes, Clarke, Glascock, Lowndes, Taylor, Worth, Telfair, Thomas, Tift and Towns counties.

• Alabama: Houston County.

• Florida: Baker, Gadsden, Jackson, Leon, Columbia, Hamilton, Jefferson and Madison counties.
  

• North Carolina: Cherokee and Clay counties.
  

• South Carolina: Abbeville, Anderson, Jasper, Aiken, Barnwell, McCormick, Allendale, Hampton and Oconee counties.

• Tennessee: Polk County.

Second disaster Declaration

USDA has designated 56 counties across five states—Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky and Tennessee—as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rainfall and flooding that occurred July 15 – August 19, 2013.

List of Disaster Areas – Excessive Rainfall and Flooding

• Missouri: Butler, Gasconade, New Madrid, Stoddard, Camden, Laclede, Osage, Texas, Cole, Maries, Pemiscot, Vernon, Dunklin, Miller, Pulaski, Webster, Barton, Cape Girardeau, Dent, Mississippi, St. Clair, Bates, Carter, Douglas, Moniteau, Scott, Benton, Cedar, Franklin, Montgomery, Shannon, Bollinger, Christian, Greene, Morgan, Warren, Boone, Crawford, Hickory, Phelps Callaway, Dallas, Howell, Ripley, Wright and Wayne counties.

• Arkansas: Clay, Craighead, Greene and Mississippi counties.

• Kansas: Bourbon, Crawford and Linn counties.

• Kentucky: Fulton County.

• Tennessee: Dyer and Lake counties.

All counties listed above were designated as agricultural disaster areas on September 25, 2013.

“Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that Congress has not funded the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. These are SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage,” said USDA.

Notes:
1. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.
2. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.
3. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

Related Links

• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 194 Counties in 13 States September 20, 2013
• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 138 counties in 14 States
• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

U.S. Drought Eases

Drought conditions improve slightly; near- to above-normal temps to persist nationwide

In the short term, temperatures are expected to rise  10 to 15 degrees above average from the Upper Great Lakes to part of the Middle Mississippi Valley; in contrast, temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees below average from the Northern/Central High Plains to the Great Basin/Central Rockies, said NWS.

As of September 25, 2013, at least 1,345 counties and parishes, or 42.8% of all the U.S. counties and county equivalents, across 29 states remained agricultural disaster areas due to the drought, said USDA.

US Drought Map as of September 24, released by US Drought Monitor on September 26, 2013.

The Midwest: “By September 22, topsoil moisture was still rated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at least half very short to short in Iowa (77%), Missouri (69%), Illinois (66%), South Dakota (62%), Nebraska (61%), and Wisconsin (55%).  On the same date, USDA rated at least half of the pastures in very poor to poor condition in Iowa (62%) and Wisconsin (58%).  And, more than one-quarter of the corn and soybeans were rated very poor to poor in Wisconsin (29 and 29%, respectively), Missouri (27 and 33%), and Iowa (27 and 29%).” U.S. Drought Monitor reported.

The Great Plains: “Despite all of the rain, rangeland and pastures across some parts of the Great Plains continued to suffer from the cumulative effects of multiple drought years.  On September 22, rangeland and pastures were rated at least one-third very poor to poor several states, including Texas (54%), Colorado (43%), Nebraska (40%), and Kansas (36%).”

The Lower Mississippi Valley:  “… topsoil moisture was still rated 41% very short to short in Arkansas and Louisiana, although those numbers represented a significant improvement from the previous week’s figures of 78 and 52%, respectively.”

The West: “No changes in the drought depiction were yet introduced in the Northwest, but the region will be monitored as precipitation continues to spread inland.”

Hawaii and Alaska: “From September 1-24, Hilo’s rainfall totaled just 2.17 inches (28% of normal).  Near the southern tip of the Big Island, very poor pasture conditions led to degradation from severe to extreme drought (D2 to D3). […] Fairbanks reported its first autumn freeze (29°F) on September 15, followed 3 days later by its first measurable snowfall (0.6 inch).  Meanwhile, heavy precipitation fell in non-drought areas of southeastern Alaska, where Ketchikan netted 12.22 inches of rain from September 15-23.”

Related Links

• US: Drought Disaster 2013 [Index Page]
• Agricultural Disasters Index

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 40

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 40
Coming soon. Stay tuned!

Related links

• https://feww.wordpress.com/2-bulletin-board/

Major Disaster Declaration for North Carolina

North Carolina Declared Federal Disaster Area

The Disaster President has declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Carolina in the areas affected by severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of July 3-13, 2013.

Worst of the damage caused the severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides have occurred in the counties of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Mitchell, Polk, Watauga, and Yancey and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said Fema.

Western North Carolina to Receive Federal Aid for Flood Repairs

“This summer’s flooding was a sobering reminder that all regions of our state are vulnerable to flooding even without hurricanes,” said NC Governor McCrory. “These communities did a great job responding to the devastating floods and landslides. Now we can help them recover financially.”

Catawba, Lincoln and Wilkes counties were included in the state’s aid request but were not included in the federal disaster declaration. The state is appealing to FEMA to reconsider the counties that were omitted.

A series of severe thunderstorms and heavy rains dumped between 10 and 20 inches of rain over much of the foothills and mountains from July 3 through 27.

Several locations reported more than 20 inches of rainfall and many counties reported the wettest July on record. The record-breaking rainfall damaged roads, bridges, culverts, public utilities, parks and even some schools in many western counties.

See more at http://www.governor.state.nc.us/

Agricultural Disaster Declared for 204 Counties

204 Counties across 10 states declared agricultural disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 204 counties across 10 states—Georgia, Alabama, Florida, The Carolinas,  Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky and Tennessee—as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain and flooding in two separate declarations.

First Disaster Declaration

USDA has designated 148 counties across six states—Georgia, Alabama, Florida, The Carolinas and Tennessee—as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain that began April 1, 2013, and continuing.

List of Disaster Areas – Excessive Rain

• Georgia: Appling, Clinch, Grady, Macon, Treutlen, Turner, Twiggs, Union, Atkinson, Coffee, Greene, Madison, Walton, Ware, Washington, Wayne, Bacon, Colquitt, Gwinnett, Miller, Wheeler, Wilcox, Wilkinson, Baker, Cook, Hancock, Mitchell, Bibb, Dooly, Henry, Monroe, Baldwin, Crawford, Hart, Montgomery, Bulloch, Dougherty, Houston, Murray, Banks, Crisp, Irwin, Morgan, Butts, Early, Lee, Pickens, Barrow, Decatur, Jackson, Newton, Calhoun, Evans, Liberty, Pulaski, Ben Hill, De Kalb, Jasper, Oconee, Camden, Forsyth, Lincoln, Rabun, Berrien, Echols, Jeff Davis, Oglethorpe, Candler, Fulton, Long, Richmond, Bleckley, Effingham, Jefferson, Peach, Charlton, Glynn, Lumpkin, Schley, Brantley, Elbert, Jenkins, Pierce, Clayton, Gordon, McDuffie, Stephens, Brooks, Emanuel, Johnson, Putnam, Dawson, Habersham, McIntosh, Sumter, Bryan, Fannin, Jones, Rockdale, Dodge, Hall, Marion, Burke, Franklin, Lanier, Screven, Talbot, Taliaferro, Tattnall, Toombs, Chatham, Gilmer, Laurens, Seminole, Upson, Warren, White, Wilkes, Clarke, Glascock, Lowndes, Taylor, Worth, Telfair, Thomas, Tift and Towns counties.

• Alabama: Houston County.

• Florida: Baker, Gadsden, Jackson, Leon, Columbia, Hamilton, Jefferson and Madison counties.
  

• North Carolina: Cherokee and Clay counties.
  

• South Carolina: Abbeville, Anderson, Jasper, Aiken, Barnwell, McCormick, Allendale, Hampton and Oconee counties.

• Tennessee: Polk County.

Second disaster Declaration

USDA has designated 56 counties across five states—Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, Kentucky and Tennessee—as agricultural disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rainfall and flooding that occurred July 15 – August 19, 2013.

List of Disaster Areas – Excessive Rainfall and Flooding

• Missouri: Butler, Gasconade, New Madrid, Stoddard, Camden, Laclede, Osage, Texas, Cole, Maries, Pemiscot, Vernon, Dunklin, Miller, Pulaski, Webster, Barton, Cape Girardeau, Dent, Mississippi, St. Clair, Bates, Carter, Douglas, Moniteau, Scott, Benton, Cedar, Franklin, Montgomery, Shannon, Bollinger, Christian, Greene, Morgan, Warren, Boone, Crawford, Hickory, Phelps Callaway, Dallas, Howell, Ripley, Wright and Wayne counties.

• Arkansas: Clay, Craighead, Greene and Mississippi counties.

• Kansas: Bourbon, Crawford and Linn counties.

• Kentucky: Fulton County.

• Tennessee: Dyer and Lake counties.

All counties listed above were designated as agricultural disaster areas on September 25, 2013.

“Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that Congress has not funded the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. These are SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage,” said USDA.

Notes:
1. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.
2. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.
3. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

Related Links

• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 194 Counties in 13 States September 20, 2013
• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 138 counties in 14 States
• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

M7.0 Quake Strikes 50km S of Acari, Peru

Powerful Quake Strikes Off the Coast of Peru

The 7.0 quake centered at  15.882°S, 74.543°W struck 40km  deep in the Pacific Ocean, about 50km south of Acari in the southern Arequipa region, Peru, said USGS/EHP.

The quake has reportedly caused landslides, toppling adobe houses, killing at least three people and injuring 12 others in the Arequipa region, according to El Comercio.

The reported deaths and injuries occurred when a copper mine collapsed in the district of Chaparra trapping an unspecified number of miners.

The quake shook buildings in the capital of Lima more than 500km away, said the report.

Tsunami Status

Peruvian government has not issued any tsunami alerts.
NO destructive tsunami reported.

EQ Location Map

Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP

EQ Details

• Event Date and Time: 2013-09-25 16:42:42 UTC
• Epicenter: 55.845°N, 135.970°W
• Depth: 40.0km (24.9mi)
• Nearby Cities
  • 50km (31mi) S of Acari, Peru
  • 95km (59mi) SE of Minas de Marcona, Peru
  • 502km (312mi) SSE of Lima, Peru

• Seismotectonics of South America (Nazca Plate Region)

Widespread Flooding Affects 1.5 Million in Thailand

Flooding affects 27 of Thailand’s 77 provinces; nine districts evacuated

Yet another round of severe flooding in Thailand has affected at least 1.5 million people in 27 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, killing about a dozen people and forcing nine districts to evacuate.

The affected provinces are in central, northeast and eastern Thailand. Forecasters say more rain will affect the country over the next few days.

Epic flooding in 2011 left about 1,000 dead and affected 15 million people in Thailand, causing major disruption to tourism and manufacturing.

Image credit: Thanarak Khoonton/Bangkokpost.com

Related Links

• Floods Kill Hundreds in Thailand, India and Cambodia September 26, 2011
• Bangkok Primed for Collapse  October 26, 2011

Global Disasters/ Significant Events – September 25, 2013

Toll from Pakistan quake rises

About 1,000 people were killed or injured after a powerful 7.7Mw quake on Tuesday struck Baluchistan region in SW Pakistan, reports said.

“Two hundred and eighty five bodies have so far been recovered in the Awaran district,” the deputy commissioner of Awaran, the worst affected area, told Reuters.

“And 42 bodies were found in the neighboring Kech district,” he added.

Related Links

• Powerful Quake Kills Dozens in Pakistan  September 24, 2013
• Deadly Quake Prompts New Island to Rise Off Pakistan Coastline September 25, 2013

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Typhoon USAGI Kills Dozens in China

Typhoon USAGi has killed at least 29 people since making landfall in Shanwei City, in south China’s Guangdong Province on Sunday, authorities said.

As of Tuesday evening, the typhoon had affected 9.23 million people, forcing more than 530,000 residents in the province to relocate, said a report.

USAGI has ruined 152,000 hectares of crops of and destroyed 15,000 houses, causing direct economic losses of 17.76 billion yuan ($2.9billion), the report said.

-oOo-

120,000 displaced Filipinos face humanitarian crisis: UN

Two weeks of fighting between government troops and rebels has forced more than 138,000 Filipinos to flee their homes. The clashes have left about 132 people dead, and more than 10,000 home destroyed in Zamboanga and the neighboring Basilan province.

The displaced victims are at risk of disease from unsanitary conditions, said the UN.

• Estimated no of people affected in Zamboanga City and Basilan: 257,131
• Estimated no of people displaced in Zamboanga City: 119,952
• Estimated no of people displaced in Basilan: 18,890
• Source: UNOCHA

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Iraq Body Count for September rapidly reaching 1,000

At least 22 more people were killed in Iraq on Tuesday, raising the September death toll so far to 940 civilians, according to IBC.

As of September 24, at least 5,550 people, both civilians and military personnel, have been killed and more than 13,000 other wounded in Iraq since the beginning of 2013, according to figures procvided by UNAMI and others.

Meantime, “insurgents on Wednesday carried out a coordinated gunfire and car bomb attack on government facilities and security forces in the Hawijah city in Iraq’s oil-rich province of Kirkuk, killing 15 people and wounding 30 others,” said a report.

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The health situation continues to deteriorate across Syria

“Some 60 per cent of public hospitals, 34 per cent of public health centres and 92 per cent of public ambulances have been affected. Around 212 health care staff have been killed, injured or kidnapped. In some locations, including Homs, 50 per cent of doctors have left  the country. In and around Aleppo city, only 36 doctors are practicing comp ared to 5,000 before the crisis. Around 70 per cent of pharmaceutical plants in the country have been impacted,” said UN OCHA.

Current Humanitarian Crisis
Population: 21.4m
No. of people in need: 6.8m
No. of IDPs: 4.25m
No. of Syrian refugees in neighboring countries & North Africa: 2.1m

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State of Emergency declared around Olympic city Sochi due to flooding

Russian authorities declared a state of emergency in Sochi and evacuated a village after flooding and mudslides swamped the city that will host the Winter Olympics, said a report.

“A highway leading to some of the Alpine event venues was flooded by up to 2.5 meters (8.2 ft) of water, which emergency workers said they were trying to drain, the regional branch of the Emergency Situations Ministry said.”

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Monsoon rains enhanced by USAGI kill dozens in Vietnam and Cambodia

Heavy monsoon rains exacerbated by Typhoon USAGI have buffeted  parts of Vietnam and Cambodia, triggering severe flooding and mudslides and killing at least 36 people, authorities said.

The death toll from USAGI exceeds 100, as of posting. Countries  worst-affected by the powerful typhoon were Philippines, Taiwan, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.

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Deadly Quake Prompts New Island to Rise Off Pakistan Coastline

Death toll from powerful quake rises to 100, with more than 200 others injured in Pakistan

The quake measuring 7.7Mw struck 66km north-northeast of Awaran, a remote part of the Baluchistan province in southwestern Pakistan.

The quake and its aftershocks destroyed scores of mud houses near the epicenter in sparsely populated Baluchistan region.

EQ Details

• Event Time: 2013-09-24 11:29:48 UTC
• Location: 27.000°N, 65.514°E
• Depth: 20.0km (12.4mi)
• Nearby Cities
  • 66km (41mi) NNE of Awaran, Pakistan
  • 116km (72mi) NW of Bela, Pakistan

New Island Emerges from Arabian Sea

The powerful quake caused the seabed to rise and form a small island in the Arabian Sea, about 500 meters off Pakistan’s coastline.

Powerful earthquake hits Baluchistan, forcing the sea bed to rise and form a new island in the Arabian Sea. Image sourced from news.cn/gmw.cn

EQ Location Map

Related Links

• Powerful Quake Kills Dozens in Pakistan  September 24, 2013

900 DAYS LEFT

Chances are homo sapiens sapiens won’t get their act together in 900 days!!

Unlike lemmings, which seemingly have a self-implemented population-density management plan, the “mass suicide” of homo ignarus, stemming from their pathological death wish and guaranteed by their unsustainable life styles, was in the making for quite some time…

SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 900 Days Left

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

FIRE-EARTH Population Models show mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur as early as 2016.

Critical Planetary Overload

• Earth is fighting to stay alive! A dead planet cannot support life
• Critical Overload Threatens Planetary Life Support Systems
• RAPID DECLINE 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

The Chances Are

• If Homo sapiens sapiens couldn’t get their act together in 200,000 years… September 13, 2013

…  the homo ignarus attempted to silence everyone through fear-mongering, mass spying and blanket censorship… and might well have succeeded… had they not ran out of time…

Powerful Quake Kills Dozens in Pakistan

M7.7 earthquake strikes 66km NNE of Awaran, Pakistan

A powerful quake measuring 7.7Mw struck 66km north-northeast of Awaran, a remote part of the Baluchistan province in southwestern Pakistan, USGS/EHP reported.

The quake, centered 27.000°N, 65.514°E, struck at a depth of about 20km. Tremors were felt as far east as the Indian capital New Delhi, as well Karachi in Pakistan.

The quake has left at least 100 people dead or injured, and destroyed scores of mud houses in Awaran, according to early reports.

Aftershocks

At least 5 significant aftershocks followed the mainshock, as of posting, with the strongest measuring 5.9Mw.

EQ Location Map [USGS/EHP]

EQ Details

• Event Time: 2013-09-24 11:29:48 UTC
• Location: 27.000°N, 65.514°E
• Depth: 20.0km (12.4mi)
• Nearby Cities
  • 66km (41mi) NNE of Awaran, Pakistan
  • 116km (72mi) NW of Bela, Pakistan

Estimated Fatalities: Red Alert

USGS has issued a Red Alert Level for shaking-related fatalities, which means high casualties are probable and the disaster is likely widespread. Past events with this alert level have required a national or international level response.

Estimated Economic Losses

USGS has issued an Orange Alert Level for economic losses. Significant damage is likely. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of Pakistan.

Tectonic Summary [USGS]

The September 24, 2013 M7.7 earthquake in south-central Pakistan occurred as the result of oblique-strike-slip type motion at shallow crustal depths. The location and mechanism of the earthquake are consistent with rupture within the Eurasia plate above the Makran subduction zone. The event occurred within the transition zone between northward subduction of the Arabia plate beneath the Eurasia plate and northward collision of the India plate with the Eurasia plate. The epicenter of the event is 69km north of Awaran, Pakistan, and 270km north of Karachi, Pakistan (population 11.6 million). Read More…

A Typhoon More Esthetic Than Deadly

PABUK has a message?

Typhoon PABUK. Visible/Shorwave IR Satellite Image recorded at 10:32:00UTC on September 24, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC. FIRE-EARTH Enhancement.

Related Links

• USAGI Poses a Severe Threat to Hong Kong: The HK Observatory   September 22, 2013
• Cyclone PABUK Chasing Typhoon USAGI September 21, 2013

State of Calamity Declared in Two Philippine Provinces

Severe flooding, landslides destroy homes, bridges, roads and dikes, killing dozens

State of Calamity has been declared in Ilocos Norte province after strong winds and heavy rain accompanying Typhoon USAGI [locally known as “Odette”] destroyed scores of roads, bridges and dikes, inundating thousands of homes and ruining large swathes of crops.

Severe flooding has inundated the towns of Bacarra, Bangui, Piddig, Pagudpud, Paoay and Pasuquin, in Ilocos Norte province, prompting the authorities to declare a State of Calamity throughout the province, according to local reports.

Heavy rains kill at least 33 in Zambales, N. Philippines

A state of calamity has also been declared in the city of Olongapo, Zambales province, amid widespread flooding, as monsoon rains inundated the city and its neighboring Subic municipality, said a report.

As of 11 am Tuesday, September 24, the death toll stood at 33, local officials reported.

“As of posting, houses in Sta Monica subdivision in Barangay Matain, Subic, were still submerged.” Said the report.

Floodwaters submerge vehicles in Olongapo City, September 23, 2013. Photo courtesy Ryan Viduya/ via Rappler.com

Major Flooding in Bataan Province, Central Luzon

Floodwaters also submerged at least 4 towns in the neighboring province of Bataan, in Central Luzon, authorities reported.

Mass evacuations are underway in the towns of Hermosa, Abucay, Dinalupihan, and Samal.

Thousands of families are being evacuated as floodwaters reached up to 5 feet high in some areas submerged homes and leaving roads impassable, said a report.

Flood victims were seen carrying their shivering kids as they waded through the floodwaters amid submerged cars, said an AFP reporter.

In Samal town, floodwaters “rose neck-deep” in some areas, the report said.

Olongapo City Mayor has asked the US ambassador to send the US Marines, who are conducting joint war games in the region, to help with relief efforts, said his office.

“About 2,300 US and Philippine marines are taking part in 3-week long joint exercises, many of them to be conducted in Zambales,” said the report.

Extreme Weather Paralyzes 71 Towns in Santa Catarina, Brazil

State of Emergency Declared in Brazil’s Santa Catarina State

A major storm system has triggered severe flooding, displacing more than 20,000 people in southern Brazil’s Santa Catarina state.

The flooding, hail and landslides have affected 71 counties, destroying or damaging scores of roads, bridges, and much of the state’s infrastructure, as well as thousands of homes.

The governor of Santa Catarina, Raimundo Colombo, has declared  states of emergency in 50 of the state’s municipalities amid a major rainstorm that has been pounding the state since end of last week, said Com informações da Agência Brasil.

The emergency decree shall be in effect for 180 days, the governor’s office said.
Extreme Rain Events triggered widespread flooding in the city of São José (Santa Catarina), Sunday, September 22, 2013. Photo credit: Marcelo Bittencourt / Futura Press.

Suspected Tornado Kills 2, Injures 64 in Taquarituba city,  São Paulo, Brazil

A suspected tornado hit the city of Taquarituba, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, about 320 km from the state capital, “partially destroying the municipality,” said a report.

The city  (population: ~ 24,000) remains without power, the report said.

“Firefighters reported hat the “weather phenomenon” had destroyed more than 100 homes, as well as the industrial hub of the city and the highway.”

Wreckage of Taquarituba houses destroyed by a suspected tornado that swept through Brazilian state of São Paulo. Photo credit: Oslaim Brito/ Futura Press. More images…