Extreme Weather, Climatic Events Plague Japan, U.S.

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
HEATWAVE
MAJOR STORMS
SCENARIOS  777, 088, 067, 066, 023
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Derecho, Hail, Tornadoes and Dust Storms Hit Central US 

Extrme Rain Events triggered severe flash flooding Tuesday for a wide swath of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa, prompting  Iowa Gov. Branstad to declare Pottawattamie County a disaster area.

Severe storms producing baseball-sized hail, up to 12 tornadoes and a dangerous derecho pounded the US Midwest on Tuesday causing damage to buildings and vehicles.

The hail caused substantial damage to 4,300 vehicles at Woodhouse Auto Family car dealership in Nebraska, said a report.

Storm Prediction Center received at least 12 reports of possible tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa, Wyoming and Kansas by late Tuesday evening.

Japan

An unusually intense heatwave continued to grip Hokkaido and other parts of Japan since Monday, with temperatures soaring to a 90-year record.

The temperature soared to 37.8°C in the town of Otofuke at about 2 p.m. on Teusday matching Hokkaido’s highest temperature, recorded in Obihiro on July 12, 1924, said Japan Meteorological Agency.

On Wednesday, temperatures exceeded 36.8°C for the first time this year at many observation stations throughout the prefecture.

Meanwhile, a rain front approaching from the west has dumped enormous  amounts of precipitation on Kyushu, Okinawa and Amami islands in the country’s southwest, triggering numerous landslides.

MERS Deaths Surge to 282 in Saudi Arabia

EMERGING & RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
DEADLY MERS VIRUS
SCENARIO 011
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Saudi Arabia revises up MERS mortalities

Saudi Arabian health officials finally admitted that many more people have died from the MERS infection than previously reported. 

The Saudi health ministry on Tuesday said that a review of data on Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) had shown that there were in fact 688 cases in the country with 282 mortalities reported.

Before the review, the ministry’s latest figures were 575 infections, with 190 deaths.

The new figures increase the official mortality rate from MERS to 41 percent, up from 33 percent previously.

The announcement came a day after the country’s deputy health minister was fired. The sacking followed that of the health minister in April.

MERS-CoV Cases Worldwide

FIRE-EARTH Models project the total cases of MERS-CoV infections worldwide at 804 with 363 mortalities, as of June 3, 2014. See also previous projection.

What’s MERS?

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is a viral respiratory illness  caused by a coronavirus called “Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV).”

Symptoms

MERS symptoms include fever and pneumonia leading to kidney failure and often death. Most victims who got infected with MERS-CoV developed severe acute respiratory illness with symptoms of fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About half of them died. Some people were reported as having a mild respiratory illness within 14 days after traveling from countries in the Arabian Peninsula or neighboring countries.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV)

MERS was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) is viral respiratory illness first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. It is caused by a coronavirus called MERS-CoV. Most people who have been confirmed to have MERS-CoV infection developed severe acute respiratory illness. They had fever, cough, and shortness of breath. About half of these people died.

MERS-CoV is not the same coronavirus that caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003. However, like the SARS virus, MERS-CoV is most similar to coronaviruses found in bats. –CDC

Countries with Lab-Confirmed MERS – Reported Cases Since April 2012

• Egypt
• France
• Greece
• Italy
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Malaysia
• Netherlands
• Oman
• Philippines
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• United Kingdom (UK)
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Unites States of America (USA)
• Yemen

Source of MERS

MERS-CoV has been “extraordinarily common” in camels since the 1990s, and it may have evolved after being passed to humans, according to a recent study.  The virus has been found in camels in Qatar and a bat in Saudi Arabia. Camels in a few other countries have also tested positive for antibodies to MERS-CoV.

Doctors Resigning for Fear of Infection

At least four doctors at a Jeddah hospital resigned in April after refusing to treat MERS patients for fear of infection, said reports.

MERS a Year Ago

A total of 38 infected cases had been reported in Saudi Arabia, 49 worldwide, as of May 30, 2013.

Related Links

• MERS Infection Kills More People  May 17, 2014
• 2ND Case of MERS Reported in U.S.  May 13, 2014
• First U.S. Case of Deadly MERS Virus Confirmed  May 3, 2014
• Saudi MERS Death Toll Reaches 102 April 28, 2014

Links to Other Infectious Diseases

• Ebola Kills 100 in West Africa April 5, 2014
• Ebola Spreads to Liberia, Senegal Shuts Border March 31, 2014
• 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

Eruption of Pavlof Continues

VOLCANIC HAZARD
SCENARIO 07
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Pavlof Eruption Ongoing, Conditions Could Worsen Rapidly: AVO

Intense activity at Pavlov Volcano prompted the authorities to issue a red alert on Monday, the first in five years. The alert level has since been changed to “ORANGE.”

Plume of smoke and ash reached as high as 7,500 meters on Tuesday; however, seismic activity has decreased over the past 12 hours to much lower levels than that of Monday, Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported.

“Recent satellite data and web camera views of the eruption plume indicate that there are now two distinct parts of the plume. The part of the plume that reaches high above the volcano appears to be mainly steam and gas with minor ash present, extending south of the volcano. Additionally, pyroclastic flow activity on the north flank is producing diffuse ash emissions that result in areas of hazy air, with variable concentrations of ash below 10,000 ft.”

Ongoing pyroclastic and lahar activity have created hazardous conditions on the north flank and north side drainages heading on the volcano, said AVO, adding that large, more ash-rich plumes could develop with little or no warning.

Lava fountaining from the summit vent on Pavlof. View is from the southwest. Ash and steam clouds rise up to about 20,000 ft. ASL. Date: June 2, 2014 11:36 AM. Photo credit: AVO/ R. Kremer

Volcano: Pavlof (VNUM #312030)

Current Volcano Alert Level: WATCH
Previous Volcano Alert Level: WARNING

Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE
Previous Aviation Color Code: RED

Issued: Tuesday, June 3, 2014, 5:54 PM AKDT (20140604/01:54UTC)
Source: Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)
Notice Number: 2014/A8
Location: N 55 deg 25 min, W 161 deg 53 min
Elevation: 8261 ft (2,518 m)
Area: Alaska Peninsula, Alaska

Alerts at Other Alaska Volcanoes

• Shishaldin: Color Code: ORANGE/ Alert Level WATCH
• Cleveland: Color Code YELLOW / Alert Level ADVISORY
• Veniaminof: Color Code YELLOW / Alert Level ADVISORY

Index map showing location of Pavlof volcano and other Alaska Peninsula volcanoes.  Credit: Janet Schaefer/AVO

Location of Cleveland volcano and other Aleutian volcanoes with respect to nearby cities and towns.  Credit: Janet Schaefer/AVO

Related Links

• Pavlof Eruption Intensifies June 26, 2013
• Second Alaska Volcano Erupts Posted on May 16, 2013
• Volcanoes in a Dozen Global Regions Erupting  May 19, 2013