National Severe Weather Warnings – United Kingdom

Storm-force winds batter Britain, again

The Met Office in the UK has Issued the following Warning and Assessment for Saturday – Sunday

Warning
Westerly winds will strengthen through Saturday afternoon and into the evening, bringing gusts of 50-60 mph to many parts of the warning area, and locally around 70 mph along exposed coasts.

The public should be aware of the risk of localized disruption, particularly to travel.

Chief Forecaster’s assessment
A deep area of low pressure will track east across Ireland and southern Scotland during the course of Saturday and early Sunday, bringing a spell of windy weather to many parts of the UK.

The strongest winds are expected to affect parts of southwest England and south Wales later on Saturday afternoon and during the evening, accompanied by squally heavy showers, including the risk of hail and thunder. With many trees still in leaf, the forecast wind gusts are likely to lead to some branches and trees being brought down, whilst leading to difficult driving conditions and also affecting outdoor events such as firework displays. Large waves and over-topping are also likely along some stretches of coastline.

Large tree uprooted by storm in Pendine in Carmarthenshire. Image credit: Lewis Hancox, via Bbc

High Winds and Flood Warnings

Storm-force winds gusting up to 130 km/hr have uprooted numerous trees, blocking roads and causing  difficult driving conditions in Wales, said a report.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has issued 10 flood warnings are for the coastal areas, with concerns over high tides.

High winds have knocked out power to thousands of homes in SW Britain.

-oOo-

High Winds Knock Out Power to Thousands in the U.S., Canada

Meantime, back in the U.S., high winds from Halloween Storm have knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers across a vast region including parts of Ohio and  West Virginia.

In Canada, near hurricane force winds knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of Quebec residences on Friday.

Environment Canada issued a wind warning early Friday as storms uprooted trees, shattered windows, tore roofs off buildings and left more than 350,000 customers without power.

“Just north of Montreal, the Centre Laval shopping mall was evacuated Friday afternoon after severe weather sent scaffolding crashing into the building, severing a gas line in the process,” said a report.

Related Links

• Deadly Storm Prompts State of Emergency in Russia  October 30, 2013
• Storm Kills at least 15 in Northern Europe October 29, 2013
• Deadly Storm Batters Southern U.K. October 28, 2013
• Severe Weather Warning Issued for South of England  October 24, 2013

Executive Order to “Shore UP the Collapsing Riverbank”

Submitted by a member

What’s wrong with that!???

FACT SHEET: The White House, November 1, 2013

Executive Order on Climate Preparedness

President Obama Establishes a Task Force on Climate

“We’re going to need to get prepared.  And that’s why this plan will also protect critical sectors of our economy and prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change that we cannot avoid.  States and cities across the country are already taking it upon themselves to get ready… And we’ll partner with communities seeking help to prepare for droughts and floods, reduce the risk of wildfires, protect the dunes and wetlands that pull double duty as green space and as natural storm barriers.” – President Barack Obama, June 25, 2013

Really, what’s wrong with that???

Paying Lip Service to Environmental Preservation

On Friday, President Obama established a Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience to advise the Administration on how the Federal Government can respond to the needs of communities nationwide that are dealing with the impacts of climate change. The Task Force members include state, local and tribal leaders from across the country who will use their first-hand experiences in building climate preparedness and resilience in their communities to inform their recommendations to the Administration.

The President signed an Executive Order that directs Federal agencies to take a series of steps to make it easier for American communities to strengthen their resilience to extreme weather and prepare for other impacts of climate change.

Well, nothing is wrong with that, really, except that it’s a little too late, lacks concrete action, and relies on the very systems that have driven life on this planet to the precipice of collapse.

The window of opportunity closed a long while back, and all that anyone can do now is a meaningful prayer for the dead, in Latin.

President Obama has said that we have a moral obligation to our children and future generations to leave them a planet that is not polluted or damaged. 

A planet that is not polluted or damaged?

Is there a time-machine involved here? Because for a meaningful grasp of the above you need to travel back, way back, in time.

Building climate preparedness and resilience in our communities amid exponentially deteriorating climatic conditions and imminently collapsing  ecosystems is one thing (!), leaving behind “a planet that is not polluted or damaged” to our grown-up kids, let alone future generations, is an entirely different matter.

Iraq Violence Death Toll Nears 7,200 in 10 Months

Bloody October Leaves about 3,000 Iraqis Dead or Wounded

The death toll from violence in Iraq  reached at least 1,095 in October, according to Iraq Body Count and 979, according to the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

Additionally, about 16,000 others have been wounded in the deadly violence so far this year. 

Some 852 civilians and 127 members of the Iraqi Security Forces were killed in October, while 1,902 others were wounded, including 1,793 civilians and 109 security personnel, reported UNAMI.

ALL Iraqis, civilians, soldiers and security personnel, are prime targets for Saudi-backed Sunni militants seeking to destabilize the country’s Shia-led government.

UNAMI 2013 Stats for Armed Violence in Iraq

According to information collected by UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and other sources, a minimum of 7,168 civilians [to be confirmed] have been killed and about 16,000 others wounded so far this year.

• In October 2013, at least 1,095 people were killed and more than 1,900 others wounded.
  • October death toll for Iraq was 979, exactly the same as September toll (!), according to UNAMI.
• In September 2013, at least 1,220 civilians were killed and about 2,000 others wounded
  • Baghdad, 1 October 2013 – According to casualty figures released today by UNAMI, a total of 979 Iraqis were killed and another 2,133 were wounded in acts of terrorism and violence in September.

• In August 2013, a minimum of 716 civilians were killed (including 106 civilian police) a further 1,936 were injured (including 195 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq
• In July 2013, at least 928 were killed (including 204 civilian police) a further 2,109 were injured (including 338 civilian police) in ongoing armed violence in Iraq during July 2013.
• In June 2013, a minimum of 685 civilians were killed and 1,610 were injured.
• In May 2013, at least 963 civilians were killed and 2,191 were injured.
• In April 2013, a minimum of 595 civilians were killed and 1481 were injured.
• In March 2013, at least 229 civilians were killed and 853 were injured.
• In January 2013, at least 319 civilians were killed and 960 were injured.
• In December 2012, 230 civilians were killed and 655 were injured.
• In November 2012, 445 civilians were killed and 1306 were injured.

ALL figures remain estimates until full investigation and analysis have been carried out, said UNAMI.

Related Links

• 7,037 Killed in Iraq Violence October 27, 2013
• Bloody Sunday Bombings Kill 78 in Iraq October 21, 2013
• Deadly Violence Intensifies in Iraq October 6, 2013
• Every Day a Major Disaster Day in Iraq  October 1, 2013
• Iraq Carnage Negates All Human Values August 29, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies 26, 2013
• 1,057 Iraqis Killed in July August 1, 2013
• The Financial Legacy of Iraq and Afghanistan April 1, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Iraq Ecocide Nears Totality August 1, 2009

Typhoon KROSA Destroys or Damages 19,000 Homes in Philippines

KROSA affects more than 100,000 people in Luzon, Philippines

Typhoon KROSA, locally known as VINTA, has affected more than 24,000 families (104,828 people) in 26 municipalities and a city in five province of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Isabela, Abra and Apayao, the government’s disaster response agency reported Saturday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) issued that following  typhoon damage report:

• 24,123 families ((104,828 people) affected in three regions in Luzon, Ilocos, Cagayan and the Cordillera Administrative Regions.

• Some 299 families have been displaced displaced.

• A total of 1,737 houses totally damaged (destroyed) and 13,174 others are partially damaged by the typhoon.

• KROSA swept through northern Luzon provinces with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour gusting to 160 km/hr.

The typhoon left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Friday and is currently heading toward central Vietnam/  Indochina Peninsula via Hainan Island.

KROSA is currently a well-defined Cat 3A Typhoon on FIRE-EARTH New Hurricane Scale with sustained winds of about 180 km/hr gusting up to 230 km/hr.

Typhoon KROSA Details

• Time: At 03:00UTC on November 2, 2013
• Position: NEAR 19.6N, 115.6E.
• Location: About 350km SSE of Hong Kong
• Speed and Direction: Tracking Westward at about 9 km/hr
• Maximum Sustained Wind Speed: 180 km/hr
• Maximum Wind Gusts: 230 km/hr
• Maximum Significant Wave Height: 14m

[Source:  FEWW, JTWC and others]

Google continues filtering information posted on FIRE-EARTH blog and excludes images posted here from its searches.

Typhoon KROSA Special Message.

VIS/IR (FIRE-EARTH Enhancement) Satellite Image of Typhoon KROSA

Typhoon KROSA – Vis/IR Satellite Image (FIRE-EARTH Enhancement) – Recorded at 02:30UTC on Nov. 2, 2013. Source of the original image: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

Typhoon Stats for NW Pacific

• The 60 year average (1951-2010) No of Typhoons: 20.9
• No of typhoons so far this year: 29
• Percent Increase: 38.8 [Calculated by FIRE-EARTH blog]

More details to follow…

Related Links

• Typhoon KROSA Striking Northern Philippines October 31, 2013
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery