LEHAR Closing in on Indian Coast

LEHAR Intensifies to a Strong Cat. 1  Storm Force

Cyclone LEHAR was packing sustained winds of about 140km/h, gusting to 170km/h, as of 06:00UTC, November 27, 2013.

LEHAR was located about 910km ESE (114 degrees) of Hyderabad, India tracking WNW (295 degrees) at about 20km/h, as of as of 06:00UTC, November 27, 2013. [Estimate is based on FIRE-EARTH Models, with data supplied from various satellites.]

LEHAR – Water Vapor [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] Satellite image – recorded at 05:30UTC on November 27, 2013. Original Image Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

The maximum significant wave height generated by the storm is currently about 9 meters.

The storm could intensify marginally before making landfall. The storm surge, rainfall and winds associated with LEHAR could cause significant damage, especially in low lying areas.

LEHAR has been designated as a “very severe cyclonic storm (VSCS)” by India’s Meteorological Department (IMD), and is forecast to make landfall on the Andhra Pradesh coast near Machillipatnam about 12:00pm on Thursday, November 28, 2013.

LEHAR’s Projected Path according to IDM.

Cyclones PHAILIN and HELEN

In October, Cyclone PHAILIN destroyed or damaged more than 500,000 mud houses, killing dozens of people and ruining 1.3 million hectares of crops.

Cyclone HELEN struck the Andhra Pradesh coast last Friday, forcing thousands of  evacuations, killing six people and  causing significant  damage to crops.

LEHAR would be considerably stronger than HELEN on landfall.

This post will be updated throughout the day …

 Related Links

• Cyclonic Storm LEHAR Strikes Andaman Islands November 25, 2013
• Tropical Cyclone HELEN Striking East India Coast November 21, 2013
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery

Sperm Whale Explodes!

Faroe Islanders watch in horror as the  carcass of a beached sperm whale explodes

Was it something the poor animal ate?

GMO Linked to Gluten Disorders Affecting 18 Million Americans – Report

Genetically Modified Foods Likely Trigger  Gluten Sensitivity: IRT

The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) has released a new report linking  genetically modified (GM) foods and gluten-related disorders.

A team of experts suggests that GM foods may be an important environmental trigger for gluten sensitivity, which affect about 18 million Americans.

Based on a variety of data provided by the  U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Act records, medical journal reviews, and international research, “the authors relate genetically modified foods to five conditions that may either trigger or exacerbate gluten-related disorders.”  The conditions include the serious autoimmune disorder, Celiac Disease:

1. Intestinal permeability
2. Imbalanced gut bacteria
3. Immune activation and allergic response
4. Impaired digestion
5. Damage to the intestinal wall

“Although wheat has been hybridized over the years, it is not a genetically modified organism (GMO), which can only be created by a laboratory process that inserts genetic material into plant DNA,” according to the report.

GMO food crops currently being grown for commercial consumption include soy, corn, cotton (oil), canola (oil), sugar from sugar beets,  zucchini, yellow squash, Hawaiian papaya, and alfalfa, says the report.

“Most GMOs are engineered to tolerate a weed killer called glyphosate (Roundup®). They contain high levels of this toxin at harvest. Corn and cotton varieties are also engineered to produce an insecticide called Bt-toxin.”

“The Bt-toxin in corn is designed to puncture holes in insect cells, but studies show it does the same in human cells. Bt-toxin may be linked to leaky gut, which physicians consistently see in gluten-sensitive patients,” said Jeffrey Smith, Executive Director of the Institute for Responsible Technology.

Expressing concern about Roundup®, Stephanie Seneff, Senior Research Scientist at MIT said: “Glyphosate is a patented antibiotic that destroys beneficial gut bacteria. An imbalance of gut flora commonly accompanies Celiac Disease and other gluten-related disorders.”

Dr. Tom O’Bryan, internationally recognized expert on gluten sensitivity and Celiac Disease, said: “The introduction of GMOs is highly suspect as a candidate to explain the rapid rise in gluten-related disorders over the last 17 years.”

Emily Linder MD said: “Based on my clinical experience, when I remove genetically modified foods as part of the treatment for gluten sensitivity, recovery is faster and more complete. I believe that GMOs in our diet contribute to the rise in gluten sensitivity in the U.S. population.”

Full report is posted at  http://responsibletechnology.org/media/images/content/Press_Release_Gluten_11_25.pdf

Related Links:

• Monsanto’s Pesticides Causing Cancer, Birth Defects in Argentina
• Monsanto Chemical Found in Euro Urine
• GM Genocide: Relieving farmers of hardship and misery! [IMAGE  WAS REMOVED BY WORDPRESS. REINSTATED by FIRE-EARTH on NOVEMBER 27, 2013.]
• The GM genocide: Thousands of Indian farmers are committing suicide after using genetically modified crops
• An Assault on Japanese Farmers

Nor’easter Spawned by Deadly Thanksgiving Storm

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

Nor’easter brings heavier rain, heavier snow, sleet and high winds

Winds of up to 63MPH forecast in parts the affected area, as thousands of flights are cancelled and thousands more delayed.

Snow, sleet and freezing rain hit large areas in the northeast, dumping several inches of snow across Pennsylvania.

Hazardous travel conditions prevail throughout vast regions in the northeast.  NWS has issued the following forecast:

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Wednesday, November 27, 2013. Source: NWS/CRH. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

Heavy snow is forecast from the Tennessee Valley to western New England, with freezing rain possible across the Appalachians and western Mid-Atlantic into the Northeast through Wednesday. Meanwhile, heavy rainfall is forecast across parts of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, with severe thunderstorms possible for parts of the coastal Southeast this evening.

Moderate to heavy rain continues to move over the southeast and
The middle Atlantic while light snow continues from Ohio eastward
Through central New England.

Winter Storm Warnings and winter weather advisories are in effect
for a large area from the Tennessee and Ohio valleys eastward
across the Appalachians to the interior mid-Atlantic region, the
lower Great Lakes as well as interior New England.

Flood watches are in effect for portions of the northwest
Carolinas and portions of the northeast.

Related Links

• Deadly Thanksgiving Storm Moves East November 26, 2013

Illinois Declared Federal Disaster Area

Major Disaster Declared for Illinois

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Illinois in the area affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes on November 17, 2013.

The 15 counties worst affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, and tornadoes are Champaign, Douglas, Fayette, Grundy, Jasper, La Salle, Massac, Pope, Tazewell, Vermilion, Wabash, Washington, Wayne, Will, and Woodford.

The White House declaration  makes federal funding available to affected individuals in the disaster areas, said U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.

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 in a statement.

Disaster Declared in 13 Illinois Counties

Last week, Gov. Quinn declared a total of  13 counties in Illinois as disaster areas after tornadoes tore through the state, killing at least 6 people and leaving hundreds of others injured. A total of 85 twisters (confirmed by SPC), including two EF4 tornadoes,  which pack 166 mph to 200 mph winds, touched down in the US heartland destroying or damaging hundreds of homes.

Recent Disaster Declarations

• Nebraska Declared Federal Disaster Area November 27, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared for South Dakota November 9, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared in North Dakota November 1, 2013

• North Carolina Declared Federal Disaster Area October 31, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared in New Mexico October 30, 2013
• Kansas Declared Federal Disaster Area October 30, 2013
• Blizzard Kills 80,000 Cattle in S. Dakota October 14, 2013
• New Mexico Declared Federal Disaster Area October 2, 2013

• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 194 Counties in 13 States September 20, 2013
• N. Colorado Declared as Federal Disaster Area September 14, 2013
• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 138 counties in 14 States
• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Nebraska Declared Federal Disaster Area

Major Disaster Declared for Nebraska

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Nebraska in the area affected by severe storms, winter storms, tornadoes, and flooding during the period of October 2-6, 2013.

Areas worst affected by the severe storms, winter storms, tornadoes, and flooding are the counties of Adams, Dawes, Dixon, Howard, Sheridan, Sherman, Sioux, Thurston, and Wayne.

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 in a statement.

Recent Federal Disaster Declarations

• North Carolina Declared Federal Disaster Area October 31, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared in New Mexico October 30, 2013
• Kansas Declared Federal Disaster Area October 30, 2013

• N. Colorado Declared as Federal Disaster Area September 14, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared for South Dakota November 9, 2013
• New Mexico Declared Federal Disaster Area October 2, 2013

• 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