Ebola Spreads to Liberia, Senegal Shuts Border

VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS
EBOLA CONFIRMED IN LIBERIA
.

Ebola HF cases confirmed in Liberia

At least two cases of Ebola have been confirmed in Liberia, apparently spreading from neighboring Guinea, where the deadly virus has killed 78 people.

The two confirmed cases in Liberia are sisters, one of whom had recently returned from Guinea, said officials.

The highly contagious virus is spread via close personal contact and kills between 25% and 90% of victims.

The first known outbreak in Guinea started in the remote southeastern Forest Region but had recently spread to the capital, Conakry [Population 2.2 million.]

Senegal shuts border with Guinea

Senegal government closed its border with neighboring Guinea soon after confirmation that the virus had reached Conakry.

“When it used to be only in the south of Guinea, we didn’t do anything special. But now that it’s reached Conakry, we believe it’s safer to close our borders,” said Senegal’s Health Minister.

“We have also closed all weekly markets, known as luma, in the south. And we’re having some discussions with religious leaders regarding big religious events,” she added.

Suspected cases of Ebola have also been reported in neighboring Sierra Leone.

Five subspecies of Ebolavirus have so far been found. Four of those have caused disease in humans: Ebola virus (Zaire ebolavirus); Sudan virus (Sudan ebolavirus); Taï Forest virus (Taï Forest ebolavirus, formerly Côte d’Ivoire ebolavirus); and Bundibugyo virus (Bundibugyo ebolavirus). The fifth, Reston virus (Reston ebolavirus), has caused disease in nonhuman primates, but not in humans, according to CDC.

There are no known cure or vaccine for the Ebola virus.

In Africa, confirmed cases of Ebola HF have previously been reported in the following countries:

• Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
• Gabon
• South Sudan
• Ivory Coast
• Uganda
• Republic of the Congo (ROC)
• South Africa (imported)

“The natural reservoir host of ebolaviruses, and the manner in which transmission of the virus to humans occurs, remain unknown. This makes risk assessment in endemic areas difficult. With the exception of several laboratory contamination cases (one in England and two in Russia), all cases of human illness or death have occurred in Africa; no case has been reported in the United States,” said CDC.

Ebola virions (image 2 colorized 1), diagnostic specimen from the first passage in Vero cells of a specimen from a human patient — this image is from the first isolation and visualization of Ebola virus, 1976. In this case, some of the filamentous virions are fused together, end-to-end, giving the appearance of a “bowl of spaghetti.” Negatively stained virions. Magnification: approximately x40,000.  Micrograph from F. A. Murphy, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas.

12 deadly pathogens could spread into new regions aided by climate change

A report by Wildlife Conservation Society released on October 7, 2008 lists 12 deadly pathogens that could spread globally as a result of climate change. “All have potential impacts to both human and wildlife health as well as global economies.” Report said.

Titled ‘The Deadly Dozen: Wildlife Diseases in the Age of Climate Change,’ the report illustrates examples of diseases that could spread due to temperatures changes and variations in regional precipitation levels.

The “Deadly Dozen” list [ABC]

1. Avian influenza
2. Babesia
3. Cholera
4. Ebola
5. Intestinal and external parasites
6. Lyme disease
7. Plague
8. Red tides
9. Rift Valley fever
10. Sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis)
11. Tuberculosis
12. Yellow fever

RELATED LINKS

• Ebola Outbreak Kills Dozens March 23, 2014
• Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever Breaks Out in SW Uganda October 20, 2012
• Disaster Calendar – 28 July 2012 July 28, 2012
• Climate Change Spreads “Deadly Dozen” Diseases October 8, 2008
• GEO-4: Another ‘Optimistic’ Report October 26, 2007

Japan Whaling ‘Not Scientific’ —ICJ

Whaling in the Antarctic ‘Illegal’
.

ICJ Orders Japan to Halt Whaling

The Hague. International Court of Justice (ICJ) has finally ruled that Japan’s Antarctic whaling program is not for scientific purposes.

Japan had claimed that the 1,000 or so whales harpooned by its whalers each year are for “scientific research.”

In May 2010, Australia filed a case with the ICJ arguing that Japan’s whaling program is nothing but commercial whaling in disguise.

The Presiding Judge Peter Tomka said the court had decided, by 12 votes to four, “that Japan shall revoke any extant authorization, permit or license granted in relation to JARPA II [Japan’s whaling program in the Antarctic] and refrain from granting any further permits in pursuance of that program,” ordering a temporary halt to the whaling.

The court’s decision “is final, without appeal and binding on the Parties.”

Whale meat exported by Iceland and Norway  for sale in Japan. Photo: via BBC. Image may be subject to copyright.

ICJ Statement: The Court finds that Japan’s whaling program in the Antarctic (JARPAII) is not in accordance with three provisions of the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague

(1) finds, unanimously, that it has jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by Australia on 31 May 2010;

(2) finds, by twelve votes to four, that the special permits granted by Japan in connection with JARPA II do not fall within the provisions of Article VIII, paragraph 1, of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling;

(3) finds, by twelve votes to four, that Japan, by granting special permits to kill, take and treat fin, humpback and Antarctic minke whales in pursuance of JARPA II, has not acted in conformity with its obligations under paragraph 10(e) of the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling;

(4) finds, by twelve votes to four, that Japan has not acted in conformity with its obligations under paragraph 10(d) of the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling in relation to the killing, taking and treating of fin whales in pursuance of JARPA II;

(5) finds, by twelve votes to four, that Japan has not acted in conformity with its obligations under paragraph 7(b) of the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling in relation to the killing, taking and treating of fin whales in the “Southern Ocean Sanctuary” in pursuance of JARPA II;

(6) finds, by thirteen votes to three, that Japan has complied with its obligations under paragraph 30 of the Schedule to the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling with regard to JARPA II;

(7) decides, by twelve votes to four, that Japan shall revoke any extant authorization, permit or licence granted in relation to JARPA II, and refrain from granting any further permits in pursuance of that program

The Court therefore concludes that Japan has violated:

(i) the moratorium on commercial whaling in each of the years during which it has set catch limits above zero for minke whales, fin whales and humpback whales under JARPAII;

(ii) the factory ship moratorium in each of the seasons during which fin whales were taken, killed and treated under JARPA II; and (iii)the prohibition of commercial whaling in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary in each of the seasons during which fin whales have been taken under JARPA II.

Fishermen slaughter a 10m-long bottlenose whale at the Wada port in Minami-Boso city, Chiba prefecture, east of Tokyo. Photo: AFP. Image may be subject to copyright.

Related Links

• Japan Starts Annual Mass Killing of Whales January 6, 2014
• Whale of a Story February 19, 2010
• WhaleWatch [INDEX PAGE]

‘Black Storm’ Warning as XL Hail Hammer HK

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
LARGE HAIL STORM
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
BLACK RAINSTORM WARNING
SEVERE FLOODING
.

Huge Hailstones Hammer Hong Kong

Hong Kong residents have been warned of more extreme weather as torrential rains and near hurricane-force winds batter the region.

Hong Kong Observatory issued the “Black Rainstorm” warning, their highest, after the system dumped more than 70mm of rain over Hong Kong Island and Kowloon in less than an hour, causing flash flooding.

The system unleashed fierce thunderstorms accompanied by 8,703 lightning strikes, with more than 3,500 in an one hour, said the observatory.

“Because of a low pressure trough affecting the south east region of Guangdong, we are expecting the region to continue to be affected with this weather over the next couple of days,” said a senior forecaster at the Observatory, warning of more thunderstorms, heavy rain, high winds , flooding and landslides.

“Over the next few days, heavier rain is expected to persist around the coastal region, including Hong Kong.”

 

 

Cyclone HELLEN Striking Madagascar

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
LARGE TROPICAL CYCLONE
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
SEVERE COASTAL FLOODING
.

Major Tropical Cyclone HELLEN (21S) Striking Populated NW Madagascar

Latest Position

Tropical cyclone HELLEN (21S) was located near 15.6ºS, 45.7ºE , about 445km NNW of Antananarivo, Madagascar, at 05:30UTC on March 31, 2014, tracking southeastward at 9 km/h, according to JTWC.

The powerful typhoon was packing maximum wind speeds of more than 230 km/h, with max. wind gusts of 280 km/hr, but had begun weakening over the past few hours.

HELLEN was generating significant waves of about 12-meters high. Storm surges could inundate low-lying, populated coastal areas.

Tropical cyclone HELLEN (21S). IR (NHC Enhancement) Satellite Image.  Source: UW/CIMSS

More than Two Dozen Quakes Strike YNP

SEISMIC HAZARD
.

Swarm of earthquakes rattle Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

The quakes included a magnitude 4.8Mw shock, the largest shock at Yellowstone since February 22, 1980, according to Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO).

The swarm, which began striking the area on March 27, also included a magnitude 3.1Mw event.

The seismicity occurred in an area of uplift that has been elevated for about 7 months, said YVO.

Elevated seismicity was also observed in the same region during a previous period of uplift between 1996 and 2003.

YVO says there is no indication of other geologic activity, i.e., a volcanic eruption, except for the continuing seismicity (!)

Hawaii Earthquake

Meanwhile, a shallow 3.0Mw earthquake struck about 62km west of Kalaoa, Hawaii.

The quake, centered at 19.825°N 156.570°W, struck at a depth of 5.6km and was timed at 02:08:02 UTC on Monday, March 31, 2014, said USGS/EHP.

Related Links

• Significant Quakes Strike Oklahoma, Wyoming March 30, 2014

Human Conflicts Continue to Plague the Planet

More than 1 million South Sudanese Displaced:UN

At least 1 Million people have been forced from their homes due to the ongoing conflict in South Sudan, said the UN

More than quarter of million people have taken refuge in neighboring countries and at least 800,000 have been displaced internally.

Fighting erupted between the troops loyal to Salva Kiir, the president of South Sudan and and his deputy, Riek Machar, in December 2013.

Despite a ceasefire agreement in January,  fighting has continued.

Food security

The conflict has caused “a serious deterioration in the food security situation” leaving around 3.7 million people at high risk,” said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

“Fighting between government and opposition forces has continued, especially in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile state, where towns and rural areas have been ravaged by the violence.”

Nearly 5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, however “the remote and dispersed placement sites make it difficult to reach many of South Sudan’s conflict-affected people,” says the UN.

A large number of South Sudanese war refugees have crossed the border  Ethiopia since fighting erupted  in December.  Many others have  fled to Kenya, Sudan and Uganda, while the internally displaced have sought shelter in UN bases, according to reports.

Related Links

• Thousands Killed in South Sudan, as Violence Spreads: UN Posted on December 25, 2013
• 500 Killed, 20,000 Displaced in South Sudan Conflict December 18, 2013

Significant Quakes Strike Oklahoma, Wyoming

SEISMIC HAZARD
.

Swarms of significant quakes rattle Oklahoma

A large cluster of earthquakes including more than a dozen shocks measuring 2.7Mw to 4.4Mw struck Oklahoma between 03:08UTC and 14:09 UTC on March 30, 2014.

The most significant quakes in the cluster so far include three shocks measuring 4.3 and 4.4Mw.

• Magnitude 4.4, 20km NNW of Crescent, Oklahoma at 14:09:59 UTC  2014-03-30,   36.129°N 97.647°W, Depth= 4.7km

• M 4.3,  20km N of Crescent, Oklahoma at  08:42:36 UTC 2014-03-30, 36.140°N 97.616°W, Depth=5.0km

• M 4.3, 21km N of Crescent, Oklahoma at 06:51:56 UTC 2014-03-30, 36.142°N 97.592°W, Depth=5.0km

Oklahoma Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP

Since March 2, 2014 at least 112 earthquakes measuring 2.5Mw to 4.4Mw  have struck the state of Oklahoma.

M4.8 Strikes 37km ENE of West Yellowstone, Montana

A swarm of earthquakes including a magnitude 4.8Mw shock struck the Yellowstone national park about 37km ENE of West Yellowstone, Montana earlier today.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude: 4.8Mw
Event Time: 2014-03-30 12:34:39 UTC
Location: 44.778°N 110.683°W depth=6.8km (4.2mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 37km (23mi) ENE of West Yellowstone, Montana

Earthquake Location Map

Source: USGS/EHP

Related Links

• More Quakes Rattle Oklahoma, Kansas; Ohio Stops Fracking March 12, 2014

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 80

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 80 has been released.

Related links

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

No. of Days left: 710

M4.1 Quake Strike Near Los Angeles

SEISMIC HAZARD
.

Magnitude 4.1Mw earthquake strikes near Rowland Heights, California

 Centered at 33.961°N, 117.892°W the quake struck at a depth of about 9.4km, according to USGS/EHP.

The latest temblor  was the 14th quake measuring 2.5Mw or greater to strike the area since a magnitude 5.1 quake on Friday caused scattered damage around the LA area.

54 people Displaced

The Friday quake left at least 54 people displaced in Fullerton, about 8km south of the epicenter, due to damage to their homes, authorities said.

“The quake also shook items off tables, rattled chandeliers and resulted in scattered damage to cars and property, including setting off a rockslide in the Orange County city of Brea that flipped a car on its roof,” Reuters reported.

A swarm of at least 140 smaller aftershocks have rattled the area since Friday.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude: 4.1Mw
Event Time:2014-03-29 21:32:45 UTC
Location: 33.961°N, 117.892°W
Depth: 9.4km (5.9mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 2km (1mi) SE of Rowland Heights, California
• 5km (3mi) NNE of Brea, California
• 5km (3mi) SSE of South San Jose Hills, California
• 6km (4mi) ENE of La Habra, California

Earthquake Location Map

Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP

Details of other Shocks Measuring ≥ 2.5Mw

3.4 2km S of La Habra, California 2014-03-30 at 17:02:06 UTC, depth of 1.3 km
2.5 4km SSW of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 at 14:48:12, depth of 0.2 km
2.5 1km NNW of Brea, California 2014-03-29 at 12:04:27,  depth of 0.1 km
2.8 2km S of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 at 10:31:51, depth of 0.9 km
2.6 2km SSW of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 at 09:49:40, depth of 0.3 km
3.1 0km NNE of Brea, California 2014-03-29 at 05:37:14, depth of 3.6 km

2.6 2km NNW of Brea, California 2014-03-29 05:05:31 UTC, depth= 2.4 km
2.7 1km E of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 05:05:31 UTC, depth=0.7 km
2.7 2km NNW of Brea, California 2014-03-29 04:53:57 UTC, depth= 1.3 km
2.9 2km NNW of Brea, California 2014-03-29 04:47:13 UTC, depth= 5.3 km
2.7 2km N of Brea, California 2014-03-29 04:45:37 UTC, depth= 1.3 km
3.6 2km SE of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 04:30:51 UTC, depth= 0.1 km
3.4 2km ESE of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 04:11:53 UTC, depth= 0.1 km

FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecasts for California

Due to the reasons explained previously on this blog, FIRE-EARTH Science Team has suspended its research on California seismicity.

Related Links

• M5.1 Quake Strike Near Los Angeles March 29, 2014
• M4.4 Quake Strikes Near Beverly Hills, California March 18, 2014
• M4.4 Earthquake Strikes 5km N of Fontana, California January 15, 2014

First Amendment Protects Censorship by Search Engines: Manhattan Judge

Search engines’ license to censor Internet, protecting vast commercial interests and political influence, makes NSA snooping look like Candy Crush

“The First Amendment protects Baidu’s right to advocate for systems of government other than democracy [in China or the U.S.] just as surely as it protects plaintiffs’ rights to advocate for democracy.”

U.S. District Judge Jesse Furman sitting in Manhattan (!) has dismissed a lawsuit against Baidu, the Chinese Internet Goliath, which the plaintiff, a group of pro-democracy activists, argued suppresses political speech on China’s most widely used search engine.

The plaintiff, eight New York writers and video producers, had argued that Baidu search engine algorithms, created at the behest of Chinese government, blocks users in the United States from viewing articles, videos and other information critical of  China’s suppression of democracy.

What the judge conveniently ignores in his judgment is the monopoly power of a major search engine over the flow of information.

Add this license for Internet censorship to Google’s near monopoly over the flow of information in the U.S. and much of the world,  and multiply the result by their efforts to protect their vast commercial interests and political influence …

Google and a handful of other Internet Goliaths bend the truth like black holes do light.

[Baidu is the fifth-most trafficked site in the world with more than 500 million regular users in China and a growing following in the US, topped only by  Yahoo, Google’s YouTube, Facebook and Google, according to an Internet traffic monitor. Editor.]

Related Links

• Google Gagged
• Eric Schmidt you’re a LIAR!
• Google Caught Spying, Lying, Again! November 8, 2013

Search this site for other posts on Google, where the entries have not been hacked!

 

M5.1 Quake Strike Near Los Angeles

SEISMIC HAZARD
.

Magnitude 5.1Mw earthquake strikes 1km S of La Habra, California

The quake was preceded by a magnitude 3.6Mw foreshock which occurred about an hour earlier, and was followed by at least 8 aftershocks as of posting.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude: 5.1Mw
Event Time:04:09:42 UTC 2014-03-29
Location: 33.919°N 117.944°W depth=7.5km (4.6mi)
Nearby Cities

• 1km (1mi) S of La Habra, California
• 4km (2mi) W of Brea, California
• 5km (3mi) NNW of Fullerton, California
• 6km (4mi) E of La Mirada, California
• 30km E of downtown Los Angeles

Earthquake Location Map

Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP

Details of Foreshock

M 3.6 – 1km ESE of La Habra, California
Time: 2014-03-29 03:03:39 UTC
Location: 33.923°N 117.929°W
Depth: 6.8km

Details of Aftershocks

3.1 2km NE of Brea, California 2014-03-29 05:37:14 UTC, depth= 1.1 km
2.6 2km NNW of Brea, California 2014-03-29 05:05:31 UTC, depth= 2.4 km
2.7 1km E of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 05:05:31 UTC, depth=0.7 km
2.7 2km NNW of Brea, California 2014-03-29 04:53:57 UTC, depth= 1.3 km
2.9 2km NNW of Brea, California 2014-03-29 04:47:13 UTC, depth= 5.3 km
2.7 2km N of Brea, California 2014-03-29 04:45:37 UTC, depth= 1.3 km
3.6 2km SE of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 04:30:51 UTC, depth= 0.1 km
3.4 2km ESE of La Habra, California 2014-03-29 04:11:53 UTC, depth= 0.1 km

FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecasts for California

Due to the reasons explained previously on this blog, FIRE-EARTH Science Team has suspended its research on California seismicity.

Related Links

• M4.4 Quake Strikes Near Beverly Hills, California March 18, 2014

 

ASD: Another Corporate America’s Lifelong Legacy

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
HUMAN HEALTH CATASTROPHES
LIFESTYLE RELATED DISASTERS
AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER
.

At least 1 in 68 children identified with autism spectrum disorder

The estimated number of children identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exploded by 30 percent between 2008 and 2010, according to new data released by CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is described as “a group of developmental disabilities that can cause significant social, communication and behavioral challenges.”

Signs of ASD begin during early childhood and usually last throughout a person’s life.

The estimates that are highlighted below are based on data collected from the health and special education (where available) records of children aged 8 who lived in areas of Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin in 2010. [Some of the following excerpts from CDC report have been edited for brevity. Editor]

• About 1 in 68 children (or 14.7 per 1,000 children aged 8 living in 11 diverse communities) were identified with ASD.  [The data does not represent the entire population of children in the United States.]

• This latest estimate is about 30% higher than the estimate for 2008 (1 in 88), 60% higher than the estimate for 2006 (1 in 110), and  120% higher than the estimates for 2002 and 2000 (1 in 150). CDC does NOT know what is causing this dramatic increase.

ASD among children aged 8 (living in 11 diverse communities) between 2000 and 2010.  The latest estimate (2010) is about 30% higher than the estimate for 2008 (11.4 per 1,000), 60% higher than the estimate for 2006 (9.1 per  1,000), and  120% higher than the estimates for 2002 and 2000 (6.7 per 1,000). Copyright FIRE-EARTH Blog.

• The number of children identified with ASD varied widely by community, from in 45 children in areas of New Jersey to 1 in 175 children in areas of Alabama.

• Almost half (46%) of children identified with ASD had average or above average intellectual ability (IQ greater than 85).

• About 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls were identified with ASD, or a ratio of 5:1.

• About 1 in 63 white children, 1 in 81 black children, and 1 in 93 Hispanic children were identified with ASD.

• Less than half (44%) of children identified with ASD were evaluated for developmental concerns by the time they were 3 years old.

• Most children identified with ASD were not diagnosed until after age 4, even though children can be diagnosed as early as age 2.

• Black and Hispanic children identified with ASD were more likely than white children to have intellectual disability. A previous studyExternal Web Site Icon has shown that children identified with ASD and intellectual disability have a greater number of ASD symptoms and a younger age at first diagnosis. Despite the greater burden of co-occurring intellectual disability among black and Hispanic children with ASD, these new data show that there was no difference among racial and ethnic groups in the age at which children were first diagnosed.

• About 80% of children identified with ASD either received special education services for autism at school or had an ASD diagnosis from a clinician. This means that the remaining 20% of children identified with ASD had symptoms of ASD documented in their records, but had not yet been classified as having ASD by a community professional in a school or clinic.

Related Links

• Facts About ASD
• Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years

Tornado Strikes N California

N. CALIFORNIA TORNADO
.

‘It was definitely a tornado’

“It kind of touched down pretty quickly and went back up,” said a Roseville Fire Department spokesman. “Roof tiles went flying off, solar panels were all over the place … and a boat was lifted up and moved about six feet from where it was.”

“It was definitely a tornado [measuring EF0, with win speeds of up to 116 km/h,] ” said the National Weather Service.

The twister left a trail of debris 300 meters (yards) long and 20 meters wide.

Tornado in Roseville, California March 26, 2014. Photo Credit: National Weather Service (NWS)

More tornadoes than in any other state so far this year

“Three tornadoes have struck the Sacramento Valley so far this week, including one that ripped through the city of Roseville on Wednesday, levitating lawn furniture and barbecues and tearing up fences, windows and roofs. The others hit in Glenn County on Wednesday (60 almond trees uprooted), and Butte County on Tuesday (a few dead trees knocked over), said a report.

Some 127 tornadoes have touched down in California since 1996, according to NWS.

U.S. Drought Conditions Continue to Worsen

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WORSENING DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
.

Drought spreads to nearly 52 percent of Contiguous US

Drought conditions D0 (Abnormally Dry) to D4 (Exceptional Drought) cover 51.95 percent of land area in the U.S., up more than 0.5 percent since last week, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Drought Monitor

US Drought Conditions D0 – D4

• West:  71.88% (up from 71.51% last week)
• South: 66.29% (up from 65.34%; D3 and D4 conditions rapidly expanding)
• High Plains: 47.65% (from 46.94%;  D1, D2 and D3 spreading)
• Midwest: 35.15%  (D1 condition spreading)
• Southeast: 6.02% (from 5.07%; D1 spreading from 0.0 to 0.61%)
• Northeast: 3.95% (unchanged)
• Contiguous US: 51.95% (from 51.47%)

Weekly Drought Map for the Contiguous United States. Sourced from US Drought Monitor. Map Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

Crop Disasters Caused by Drought

Since January 10, 2014, at least 864 counties across 16 states have been declared as crop disaster areas by USDA due to worsening drought.

• Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

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

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

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

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

v. The latest disaster designations were issued by USDA for a total of 59 counties in five states—Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and Arizona—on March 26, 2014.

Related Links

• California Drought Continues to Intensify March 20, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Saudi leaders forge violence to achieve domination

3O begins his visit to Saudi Arabia on Friday

“… the reality is that the kingdom is a dangerous and destabilizing actor.”

On the eve of the Oval Office Occupant’s [3O’s] visit to Saudi Arabia, Toby C. Jones, an associate professor of history at Rutgers University and author of the book Desert Kingdom: How Oil and Water Forged Modern Saudi Arabia said:

“Saudi Arabia is a violent place, with an oppressive regime, that has doggedly pursued the path of counter-revolution since 2011. It seeks not stability nor security for residents across the Middle East. Rather, Saudi leaders seek domination and are supporting reactionary violence in places like Egypt, Bahrain and Syria to help them achieve it.” 

The President of the United States Barack O-bow-ma bows to sheik Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during the G20 summit, April 2009. The Washington Times called the bow a “shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate”, which ran contrary to American tradition of not deferring to royalty. 

Related Links

• Obama Itching to Accelerate Global Collapse August 31, 2013
• Destabilization of Middle East Intensifies August 26, 2013
• US, UK Munitions ‘Cause Birth Defects’ in Iraq October 14, 2012
• Oil Wars: Obama Intensifying Middle East Destabilization October 12, 2011
• Deadly Winter Follows ‘Arab Spring’ November 20, 2011

Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

Heavy smog and fog shroud huge swathes of China

Heavy smog and fog shrouded huge swathes of China prompting the authorities to issue a red alert in Shenyang the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, March 27, 2014. Photo: Xinhua/Jiang Bing

Beijing AQI

Meantime, Beijing AQI reached a high of 477 on Thursday and was hovering above 350 level, as of posting.

AQI levels of 300 or greater are categorized as “hazardous” and require mandatory health warnings because everyone may experience very serious health effects.

Related Links

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

Crop Disasters Declared in 5 States as Drought Worsens

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
WORSENING DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
.

Crop Disasters Declared in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona due to Worsening Drought

The U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA has designated a total of 59 counties in five states—Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and Arizona—as multiple crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought.

Those areas are

Texas: Hall, Briscoe, Collingsworth, Donley, Childress, Cottle and Motley counties.

Oklahoma: Alfalfa, Caddo, Major, Blaine, Custer, Grady, Kiowa,
Canadian, Dewey, Grant, Washita, Comanche, Garfield, Kingfisher, Woods and Woodward counties.

Kansas: Barton, Ellsworth, Kiowa, Mitchell, Edwards, Jewell, Lincoln, Osborne, Smith, Russell, Barber (2 designations), Ellis, Ottawa, Republic, Clark, Ford, Pawnee, Rice, Cloud, Hodgeman, Phillips, Rooks, Comanche, McPherson, Pratt, Stafford, Saline, Rush and Harper.

Nebraska: Franklin, Nuckolls and Webster counties.

Arizona:  Santa Cruz, Cochise and Pima counties.

Drought Disasters 2014

Since January 10, 2014 USDA has declared at least 864 counties across 16 states as crop disaster areas due to worsening drought.

• Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

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

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

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

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

v. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on March 26, 2014.

Related Links

• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Freeze, Freezing Temperatures Destroy Crops in NY, PA

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
FREEZE & FREEZING TEMPERATURES
CROP DISASTER
.

Crop Disaster Declared in New York, Pennsylvania due to Freeze and Freezing Temps

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of 22 counties in New York and Pennsylvania as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by a freeze and freezing temperatures that occurred Dec. 1, 2013, and continues.

Those areas are

New York: Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Oswego, Yates, Allegany, Jefferson, Onondaga, Seneca, Cortland, Lewis, Ontario, Steuben, Erie, Oneida, Schuyler, Tompkins, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

Pennsylvania: Erie, McKean and Warren counties.

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

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

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

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

v. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on March 26, 2014.

Related Links

• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Water Famine: State of Emergency Declared in Baja California

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Baja Declares a State of Emergency as City of Ensenada Runs Out of Water

The persistent drought has plagued Baja California, has intensifies following a dry winter, forcing the government to declare a state of emergency. The aquifers, which are the sole source of water for the port city of Ensenada, have dried up.

The state water supplier was forced to put Ensenada on a rationing regime   since January, delivering water only three times a week to most residents, said a report.

“Ensenada’s water crisis has been looming for decades, Guerrero said. Its urban population has grown rapidly, and the city increasingly competes for water with the nearby wine-growing region of Valle de Guadalupe.”

 Related Links

• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• California Drought Continues to Intensify March 20, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought March 18, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014

 

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 79

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

FIRE-EARTH Bulletin NO. 79 has been released.

Related links

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

No. of Days left: 714

Killing Life in Beijing

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

‘The great virtue of Heaven and Earth is creating life’  —I Ching

China issued a “yellow alert” yesterday amid 5th consecutive day of deadly air pollution in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei Provinc . Beijing AQI reached a peak of of 417 at 11:00 am local time on Wednesday.

“Foggy weather will appear in north China and areas along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers, while some parts of Beijing and Tianjin, and the provinces of Hebei, Shandong and Liaoning will see heavy air pollution until Wednesday morning, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) said on Tuesday,” Xinhua reported.

“Yellow” is the 2nd lowest [despite the life-threatening smog] of a four-tier alert system—red, orange, yellow, blue—indicating the severity of air pollution.

The reoccurring heavy smog episodes have been described as “Apocalyptic” by Beijing residents.

AQI for Beijing and surrounding areas. Source: aqicn.org

Related Links

• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• Chinese Cities Unfit for Living March 8, 2014
• You’ve Created a World Unfit for Living February 28, 2014
• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China  February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

M6.5 Strikes South of the Fiji Islands

15 M7.5+ earthquakes recorded near New Zealand since 1900

Earthquake Details

Magnitude: 6.5Mw
Event Time: 2014-03-26 03:29:36 UTC
Location: 26.092°S 179.279°E depth=493.1km (306.4mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 448km (278mi) NW of Raoul Island, New Zealand
• 786km (488mi) SW of Nuku`alofa, Tonga
• 884km (549mi) S of Suva, Fiji

Seismotectonics of the Eastern Margin of the Australia Plate

Excerpts from the Tectonic Summary [sourced from USGS]

Since 1900 there have been 15 M7.5+ earthquakes recorded near New Zealand. Nine of these, and the four largest, occurred along or near the Macquarie Ridge, including the 1989 M8.2 event on the ridge itself, and the 2004 M8.1 event 200 km to the west of the plate boundary, reflecting intraplate deformation. The largest recorded earthquake in New Zealand itself was the 1931 M7.8 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, which killed 256 people.

Large earthquakes are common along the North New Hebrides trench and have mechanisms associated with subduction tectonics, though occasional strike slip earthquakes occur near the subduction of the D’Entrecasteaux ridge. Within the subduction zone 34 M7.5+ earthquakes have been recorded since 1900. On October 7, 2009, a large interplate thrust fault earthquake (M7.6) in the northern North New Hebrides subduction zone was followed 15 minutes later by an even larger interplate event (M7.8) 60 km to the north. It is likely that the first event triggered the second of the so-called earthquake “doublet”.

Give US a *^%$# Break!

MARINE POLLUTION
OIL SPILL
.

Oil leaks into Lake Michigan from BP refinery

BP says “an unknown amount” of oil has leaked from its Indiana Whiting refinery into Lake Michigan.

BP said the leak, which resulted in the discharge of crude oil from the refinery’s cooling system, was discovered Monday afternoon.

More than a half of the lake is covered in ice, said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Save the Dunes environmental group has expressed great concern about the impact of the spill on the environment, drinking water, recreational, fishing and shipping industries, said Nicole Barker, the group’s executive director.

“This BP spill, while seemingly contained and currently under control exemplifies some of the concerns Save the Dunes has with transporting and refining oil near Lake Michigan,”said Barker.

“We are glad to see that the crews effectively responded to the spill and it is fortunate that winds were blowing in a way that pushed the oil toward the shoreline,” she said. “However, irreversible damage can be caused by spills into our waterways and it is our greatest hope that the oil was contained before causing great harm to the Lake Michigan ecosystem.”

Community Vanishes in Deadly Oso Slide

EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY LANDSLIDE
MAJOR DISASTER
.

14 Killed, community buried under tens of millions of tons of earth

Death toll in the deadly landslide near Oso, Wash., climbed to at least 14, while the list of potentially missing people ballooned to 176 by late Monday.

However, the  Snohomish County officials said the number included many duplicate names, and could drop.

The massive mudslide struck Saturday morning, a time when most residents  are at home, totally destroying or damaging dozens of structures in the communities. At least 25 residences were fully occupied at the time, officials said.

FIRE-EARTH estimates the slide moved about 50 million tons of mud, rock and debris.

 

A 54m (177ft) wall of rain-sodden earth separated from foothills of the Cascade Mountains along the Stillaguamish River, leaving a trail of  mud, rock and debris up to 5m deep. It buried communities  near the town of Oso, north of Seattle.  Photo: WSDOT, Handout

Photo: Handout, Snohomish County

Washington Emergency Declaration: Flooding and Mudslides (EM-3370)

The White House has signed Washington Emergency Declaration, authorizing FEMA to co-ordinate the disaster relief effort in the Snohomish County.

Washington Governor Inslee said it was “devastation beyond imagination” after surveying the area from the air.

A massive landslide near Oso, Washington killed at least 14 people and buried an entire community. The slide created a dam on the North Fork of the Stillaguamash River on Saturday.  Photo: Snohomish County, Handout.

 

Related Links

• Death Toll Climbs in Washington Landslide March 24, 2014

7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
.

Air pollution the world’s worst environmental hazard: WHO

Based on its environmental models, FIRE-EARTH team believes the estimate by World Health Organization (WHO) is grossly underestimated.

“[About] 1 in 8 of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure. This finding more than doubles previous estimates and confirms that air pollution is now the world’s largest single environmental health risk,” said WHO.

The latest data reveal a more robust link between air pollution and cardiovascular diseases such as strokes and ischaemic heart disease, “in addition to air pollution’s role in the development of respiratory diseases, including acute respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases,” as well as between air pollution and cancer, said WHO.

Unsustainable Policies

“Excessive air pollution is often a by-product of unsustainable policies in sectors such as transport, energy, waste management and industry,” said a WHO public health expert.

“In most cases, healthier strategies will also be more economical in the long term due to healthcare cost savings as well as climate gains.”

Outdoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 40% – ischaemic heart disease;
• 40% – stroke;
• 11% – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD);
• 6% – lung cancer; and
• 3% – acute lower respiratory infections in children.

Indoor air pollution-caused deaths – breakdown by disease:

• 34% – stroke;
• 26% – ischaemic heart disease;
• 22% – COPD;
• 12% – acute lower respiratory infections in children; and
• 6% – lung cancer.

Related Links

• Air Pollution Kills May 2, 2009
• Pollution Kills, OK? Posted on May 11, 2010