Drought Disaster Declared in Two States

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  900, 444, 117, 111, 100, 067, 03, 02
.

Crop Disaster Declared for Eight Counties in Georgia and Alabama

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of eight counties in Georgia and Alabama as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a recent drought.

The disaster designations are for the following areas:

• Georgia. Early, Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Miller and Seminole counties.
• Alabama. Henry and Houston counties.

Crop Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 2,690 counties across 41 states. Most of those designations are due to  drought.

Those states are

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

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

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. Some 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 posted above were approved by USDA on October 29, 2014.

Crop Disaster Declarations since September 2014

• Crop Disasters Declared in Six States October 23, 2014
• Drought Destroys Crops in Georgia, Florida October 17, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States October 10, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in New England October 4, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Occur in 11 States October 3, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in 10 States September 25, 2014
• Drought Crop Disasters Declared in U.S. West  September 18, 2014
• FREEZE Destroys Crops in Ohio, Pennsylvania  September 18, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States September 12, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Six States Posted on September 5, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for New Mexico

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
MAJOR DISASTERS
REMNANTS OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION ODILE
SEVERE FLOODING
FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARED
SCENARIOS 900, 444, 111, 101, 066, 064, 027, 023, 02
.

Federal Disaster declared in New Mexico due to damage caused by severe flooding (DR-4199)

“Just weeks after receiving a federal declaration, and a subsequent amendment only days ago adding more counties for July 27-August 5 flooding, a second presidential declaration has been approved, this time providing federal assistance for flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Depression Odile between September 15-26,” said the federal officials.

The new declaration is said to cover  state agencies, tribal governments, certain nonprofits, community ditch associations and other local government entities in Colfax, Eddy, Lea, Lincoln, Otero, Santa Fe, San Miguel and Sierra counties.

“The flooding between July and September was devastating for many of our communities,” said the State Coordinating Officer.

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

 Federal Disaster Declarations Since July 2014

• Major Disaster Declared for Montana October 11, 2014
• Major Disaster Declared for New Mexico October 10, 2014
• Major Disaster Declared for Kentucky October 2, 2014
• Major Disaster Declared for Michigan September 28, 2014
• Major Disaster Declarations for Hawaii, California and Guam – September 13, 2014
• Major Disaster Declaration for American Samoa – Sep. 11, 2014
•  Major Disaster Declared for North Dakota August 21, 2014
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Tennessee  August 15, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared in Washington August 15, 2014
• Major Disaster Declared for Iowa August 7, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared in Minnesota July 23, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared for Iowa  July 16, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared for New York  July 11, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Turrialba Volcano Explodes

VOLCANIC HAZARDS
VOLCANIC CHAIN REACTION
MAJOR EXPLOSION at TURRIALBA
MASS EVACUATIONS
CROP DESTRUCTION
SCENARIOS 989, 900, 797, 787, 707, 700, 444, 402, 070, 017, 07, 02
.

Costa Rica evacuates nearby residents after Turrialba’s largest eruption in 148 years

Residents in large areas of San Jose, La Union, Cartago, Santo Domingo and Heredia provinces, located as far as 50km from the crater, have reported volcanic ash and strong sulfur odors.

The 3,340-meter-high volcano, located about 65km northeast of the capital San Jose, has been shaking and rumbling since Wednesday, authorities said.

June 27th Flow Could Reach Ocean by May 2015

VOLCANIC HAZARDS
KILAUEA JUNE 27TH LAVA FLOW
STATE OF EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
CROP DESTRUCTION
SCENARIOS 989, 900, 797, 787, 707, 444, 402, 070, 047, 017, 07, 02
.

Kilauea’s lava flow continues to cross Pāhoa Village

FIRE-EARTH estimates the June 27th flow could reach the ocean, currently about 10km away, by May 2015. Temperature of the lava exceeds 850°C along the leading edge of the most rapidly advancing part of the flow.

HVO Daily Update:  October 29, 2014 @09:12 AM HST (Wednesday, October 29, 2014 @ 19:12 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010)
Coordinates: 19°25’16” N 155°17’13” W (19.421111N, 155.286944W)
Summit Elevation: 4091 ft (1,247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

Activity Summary: Kīlauea continues to erupt at its summit and within its East Rift Zone, and gas emissions remained elevated. Currently, the June 27th flow is advancing northeast through a residential area between Apaʻa St/Cemetery Rd and Pāhoa Village Road. During the past 24 hours, the leading edge of the most rapidly advancing part of the flow advanced at an average rate of roughly 10 m/hr (~11 yd/hr); between 2am and 630 am this morning, the rate of advance slowed to roughly 5 m/hr (~5.5 yd/hr). At 7AM, the flow front was about 240 m (~260 yd) straight-line distance from Pāhoa Village Road. Source: HVO

Currently, the flow continues to advance at a rate of 5 m/hr (~5.5 yd/hr), said HVO.

• GPS receivers in the summit area have recorded slight contraction across the caldera since early July. The most recent sulfur-dioxide emission rate measurements for the summit were 2,700–3,600 tonnes/day (see caveat here) for the week ending October 21, 2014.
• The ambient SO2 concentrations near the vent vary greatly, but are persistently higher than 10 ppm and frequently exceed 50 ppm (upper limit of detector) during moderate trade winds.
• The gas plume typically includes a small amount of ash-sized tephra (mostly fresh spatter bits and Pele’s hair from the circulating lava lake). The heaviest pieces are deposited onto nearby surfaces while the finer bits can be carried several kilometers before dropping out of the plume.

A view of the flow over Cemetery Rd./Apaʻa St. The transfer station is at the top of the image. Source: HVO

The June 27th flow remains active, and is slowly approaching Pāhoa Village Road. This photo was taken just before 10 am, and shows the flow front moving through private property towards a low point on the road. At 11:30 am today, the flow front was 215 m (235 yards) from Pāhoa Village Road. Source: HVO

This photo looks downslope from Cemetery Road, and shows the pasture and cemetery that the flow front advanced through several days ago. Much of the cemetery has been covered by lava, but a kipuka has left a portion of the cemetery uncovered for now. Source: HVO

Related Links

• Lava Enters Two Residences in Pāhoa October 29, 2014
• Kilauea Lava Flow Could Affect Thousands on Hawaiʻi Island  September 5, 2014
• Lava Flow from Kilauea Advancing AGAIN on Big Island Communities October 7, 2014
• Kīlauea Lava Flow Consuming Everything Along Its Paths October 27, 2014
• Lava Flow Nearing Residences in Pāhoa, Hawaii October 28, 2014

Deadly Landslide Buries Scores of Homes in Sri Lanka

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY LANDLIDES
LOSS OF HABITAT
MASS DISPLACEMENT
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  900, 888, 444, 111, 071, 047, 027, 022, 09, 02
.

ERE unleash deadly landslide killing a dozen, leaving hundreds missing in Sri Lanka

A deadly landslide caused by extreme monsoon rains buried score of homes with hundreds of occupants in Meiriyabedda tea plantation near the town of Haldummulla in Uva Province, Sri Lankan officials said.

“Rescue operations have recovered 10 bodies so far,” said a spokesman for the Disaster Management Center, adding that the landslide was more than 3km long.

“At least 250 people are still missing and 140 homes are buried.”

Landslides in Sri Lanka killed at least two dozen people and left thousands displaced earlier this year.

Lava Enters Two Residences in Pāhoa

VOLCANIC HAZARDS
KILAUEA JUNE 27TH LAVA FLOW
STATE OF EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
CROP DESTRUCTION
SCENARIOS 989, 900, 797, 787, 707, 444, 402, 070, 047, 017, 07, 02
.

Kīlauea June 27th flow enters Pāhoa, Hawaii

Lava is crossing Pāhoa Village, Hawaii at a rate of about 15 m/hr (16yd/hr), according to observers from Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO).

Tuesday, October 28, 2014 5:57 PM HST (Wednesday, October 29, 2014 03:57 UTC)

Kīlauea Volcano Activity Summary: Kīlauea continued to erupt at its summit and within the East Rift Zone, and gas emissions remained elevated. The advance rate of the narrow leading edge has been variable over the past day, and as high as 16 meters (17 yards) per hour. The flow width was less than about 50 meters (55 yards) at the leading edge and as wide as 150 meters (165 yards) immediately upslope as breakouts have occurred along margins of the flow. Portions of the flow continued to inflate by as much as 2 meters as new fresh new lava was delivered to the advancing flow front.

As of 5:30 PM, the flow was 310 meters (340 yards) in a straight line distance from Pāhoa Village Road and about 900 meters (985 yards) in a straight-line distance from Highway 130.

The lava lobe upslope of Apa`a Street advanced about 30 meters (82 yards) since yesterday. [Source: HVO]

June 27th Lava Flow Observations:

Top: The most rapidly advancing lobe of the flow entered the first occupied residential property at about 2 am HST Tuesday morning, and is continuing to advance northeast towards Pāhoa Village Road, currently at a rate of 15 m/hr (16 yd/hr). HVO expects the flow to cross Pahoa Village Road between Apaʻa St and Post Office Road. Bottom: Note the inflated flow behind the fence, which is chest-high. (Source: HVO)

The June 27th lava flow burns vegetation as it approaches a property boundary above Pāhoa early on the morning of Tuesday, October 28, 2014. (Source: HVO)

Related Links

• Kilauea Lava Flow Could Affect Thousands on Hawaiʻi Island  September 5, 2014
• Lava Flow from Kilauea Advancing AGAIN on Big Island Communities October 7, 2014
• Kīlauea Lava Flow Consuming Everything Along Its Paths October 27, 2014
• Lava Flow Nearing Residences in Pāhoa, Hawaii October 28, 2014
  

Lava Flow Nearing Residences in Pāhoa, Hawaii

VOLCANIC HAZARDS
KILAUEA JUNE 27TH LAVA FLOW
STATE OF EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
CROP DESTRUCTION
SCENARIOS 989, 900, 797, 787, 707, 444, 402, 070, 047, 017, 07, 02
.

Kīlauea continues to erupt,

Active lava flows can produce methane blasts, propelling rocks and other debris into the air, said HVO.

Kilauea Status Reports, Updates, and Information Releases  issued by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)

Monday, October 27, 2014 5:51 PM HST (Tuesday, October 28, 2014 03:51 UTC)

• The advance rate of the narrow leading edge varied between 7 and 10 meters (8 and 11 yards) per hour today, which is equivalent to 170 and 240 meters (185 and 260 yards) per day. As of 4:30 PM, the flow was 510 meters (560 yards) upslope from Pāhoa Village Road; the flow width was about 50 meters (55 yards) at the leading edge.
• The most recent sulfur-dioxide emission rate measurements for the summit were 2,700–3,600 tonnes/day (see caveat here) for the week ending October 21, 2014. A small amount of particulate material was carried aloft by the plume.
• Potentially-lethal concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas may be present within 1 km downwind of vent areas.

The June 27th lava flow remained active, and the flow front was nearing residential areas in the northwest portion of Pāhoa. The flow front was heading towards a low spot on the Pāhoa Village Road, between Apaʻa St. and the post office. This photo was taken at 11:30 am HST on Monday, when the flow front was 540 meters (0.3 miles) from Pāhoa Village Road. Source: HVO

This annotated photograph shows the notable features around the flow front. The photo was taken at 11:30 am, and also shows the distance the flow front has traveled between Cemetery Rd./Apaʻa St. and Pāhoa Village Rd. Source: HVO

A comparison of a normal photograph with a thermal image. The white box shows the approximate extent of the thermal image. The elevated temperatures (white and yellow areas) around the flow front indicate that significant activity is focused at the front, driving its forward movement. In addition, a slow-moving lobe was active upslope of Cemetery Rd. Farther upslope, scattered breakouts persist in the wider portion of the flow.  Source: HVO

• Sulfur Dioxide Advisory Level

Related Links

• Kilauea Lava Flow Could Affect Thousands on Hawaiʻi Island  September 5, 2014
• Lava Flow from Kilauea Advancing AGAIN on Big Island Communities October 7, 2014
• Kīlauea Lava Flow Consuming Everything Along Its Paths October 27, 2014

Kīlauea Lava Flow Consuming Everything Along Its Paths

VOLCANIC HAZARDS
KILAUEA JUNE 27TH LAVA FLOW
STATE OF EMERGENCY PROCLAMATION
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
CROP DESTRUCTION
SCENARIOS 989, 900, 797, 787, 707, 444, 070, 047, 017, 07, 02
.

Kīlauea Lava Flow Advancing toward Pāhoa, Hawaii

The June 27th lava flow continues advancing toward Pāhoa at a rate of up to 360 meters per day.

Kilauea Status Reports, Updates, and Information Releases  issued by the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)

Sunday, October 26, 2014 5:59 PM HST (Monday, October 27, 2014 03:59 UTC)

KILAUEA VOLCANO (VNUM #332010)
19°25’16” N, 155°17’13” W, Summit Elevation 4091 ft (1,247 m)
Current Volcano Alert Level: WARNING
Current Aviation Color Code: ORANGE

The relatively narrow finger of lava that crossed Apaʻa Street yesterday morning continued to travel downslope, splitting into two lobes as it advanced. The faster, northern lobe crossed completely through the Pāhoa cemetery by mid-morning, while the slower southern lobe was advancing through open pasture south of the cemetery. Another lobe farther upslope, just above Apaʻa Street, advanced about 50 meters (55 yards) since yesterday.

Over the course of the day, the advance rate of the narrow finger that crossed the cemetery varied from about 10 and 15 meters per hour (11 to 16 yards per hour), which is equivalent to 240–360 meters per day (260–390 yards per day). As of 5 PM, the faster-moving finger was about 390 meters (425 yards) downslope of Apaʻa Street and 660 meters (720 yards) upslope from Pāhoa Village Road. It had an average width of about 40 m (45 yd). The slightly slower-moving southern lobe in the pasture south of the cemetery reached slightly steeper terrain at mid-afternoon today, and was traveling at about 9 meters per hour (10 yards per hour) at 5 PM. It will likely rejoin with the finger that came through the cemetery near the northeast end of the pasture. [HVO]

 

As of 10 AM, HST, on October 26, 2014, the June 27th flow front remains active and continues to advance towards the northeast. A portion of the front is still moving through the open field (shown here), while the leading tip of the flow has advanced through the Pāhoa cemetery. Source: HVO

An HVO geologist walks across the surface of the flow, which covers the short access road to the cemetery. As is typical for pāhoehoe, the flow has inflated over the past day and was chest high in many places. Source: HVO

The June 27th lava flow crossed Apaʻa Street / Cemetery Road at 3:50 AM, HST, Saturday morning, October 25, 2014. In this photo, which was taken at about 9 AM Saturday, the flow is moving from right to left, with burning asphalt visible along it’s NW margin. A utility pole, far right, was surrounded by lava but remained standing at the time of the photo. The hope is that the protective insulation and cinder/cement barrier around the pole will prevent it from burning through. Source: HVO

This map uses a satellite image acquired in March 2014 (provided by Digital Globe) as a base to show the area around the front of the June 27th lava flow. The area of the flow on October 25, 2014, at 5:00 PM is shown in pink, while widening and advancement of the flow as mapped on October 26 at 12:30 PM is shown in red. The dotted blue lines show steepest-descent paths in the area, calculated from a 1983 digital elevation model (DEM).  Source: HVO

Sulfur Dioxide Advisory Level

Related Links

• Kilauea Lava Flow Could Affect Thousands on Hawaiʻi Island  September 5, 2014
• Lava Flow from Kilauea Advancing AGAIN on Big Island Communities October 7, 2014

500 Days Left

Humans failed qualifying for the next phase
.

Symbolic countdown to the onset of mass die-offs: 500 days left

FIRE-EARTH’s population model shows mass die-offs resulting from human impact on the planet and the planetary response to the anthropogenic harm  could occur by early 2016.

• The mass die-offs would occur “randomly.”

• Once triggered, the mass die offs would follow own momentum and dynamics.

The symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011.

Collapse of Planetary Life Support Systems Accelerating …

HIoN Index

The FIRE-EARTH/CASF Index of Human Impact on Nature (HIoN), an index for calculating the human impact on the planetary life support systems, climbed to a critically high level of 382 in July, 2014. In other words, the anthropogenic impact on the living environment exceeded 3.82 times the planet’s diminishing carrying capacity.

• The index is rising exponentially.
• HIoN reached 323  in July 2013 .
• HIoN has risen 97 points, or more than 34 percent, since July 2012 when it reached 285.
• The index was less than 80 in 1960, and rose to about 100 in 1980.

According to HIoN projections, our cities and population centers could become almost entirely unsustainable by as early as 2015.

HIoN since End June 2012

• Critical Overload Threatens Planetary Life Support Systems July 6, 2013
• As of end-June 2012, the CASF Index of Human Impact on Nature (HIoN) was 285 !
• WARNING: RAPID CHANGE IN PROGRESS! July 4, 2012

RAPID DECLINE OCCURRING!

Tidal Surge of Global Change 28 Times Faster in 21st Century

FIRE-EARTH Models show the rate of global change has intensified by a factor of at least 28 in the last decade compared with the 1960s.

FIRE-EARTH defines ‘global change’ as the deterioration in the planet’s life-support capacity, caused by large-scale anthropogenic impact, which is leading to a total collapse.

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

In 2011, FIRE-EARTH said: The extreme weather events triggered by anthropogenic climate change have a four-prong impact on humans over the next 50 months. FIRE-EARTH models forecast:

1. Food production:

• Average decline of 22% in the global agricultural output
• Loss of topsoil and worsening of soil quality
• Rapid Climate Change & Extreme Weather Events
  • Drought and Deluge
  • Extremes of Temperature
  • Heatwaves and Late Frosts
  • Desertification and Dust Storms
• Crop Pests
• Increases in the size and occurrence of dead zones
• Large decline in marine food sources

2. Spread of Disease

• Substantial increases in the spread of diseases
  • Vector borne
  • Air borne
  • Water borne
  • Food borne
• Superbugs:  Emergence of resistant bacteria, especially MDR bacteria
• Resurgence of killer infectious diseases
• Increases in the spread of human immunodeficiency viruses
• Significant decline in air quality (and corresponding increase in chronic respiratory diseases)
• Other viral diseases
• Massive rises in mental illnesses

3. Physical Safety

Major increases in the number of deaths and injuries, as well as large scale displacements due to the loss of shelter and livelihood caused by extreme weather and geophysical events including:

• Tornadoes
• Hurricanes
• Storms and Extreme Weather
• Climate Change
• Extreme Rain Events
• Flash Flooding
• Drought and Deluge
• Landslides
• Extremes of Temperature
• Deforestation
• Wildfires
• Loss of “Seasons”
• Earthquakes*
• Tsunamis*
• Volcanic activity*
• Nuclear Incidents
• Oil Spills
• Chemical and Biological Threats
• Poisoned and Polluted Environment (Air, Water and Soil pollution)
• Ozone Depletion  (Ozone Holes)

4. The Combined Effect

Social upheavals, regional conflicts and wars caused by mass migrations and scarcity of basic resources resulting from the combined effects of the above, as well as other mechanisms.

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 500 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

 

Ebola Cases Top 10,000 in Eight Countries

GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY
EMERGING & RE-EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS
EBOLA EPIDEMIC IN WEST AFRICA
SCENARIOS 797, 444, 333, 080, 011
.

Ebola cases reach 10,141 with 4,922 deaths: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed 10,141 cases of Ebola infections—and 4,922 deaths—so far this year.

Nearly all of the infections have occurred in three West African countries: Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Some 27 cases have been reported outside of West Africa, namely in Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Spain and the United States, resulting in 10 fatalities.

“A total of 10,141 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have been reported in six affected countries (Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, Spain, and the United States of America) and two previously affected countries (Nigeria, Senegal) up to the end of 23 October. There have been 4,922 reported deaths.” WHO said.

Liberia remains the worst affected country, with 2,705 reported fatalities. Sierra Leone has reported 1,281 deaths and Guinea has lost 926 people to EVD.

Mandatory Quarantine

A New York City doctor was diagnosed with Ebola this week. Dr Craig Spencer was on a Doctors Without Borders mission in Guinea and developed a fever after returning home.

The latest infection has prompted the governors of the states of New York and New Jersey to order a mandatory 21-day quarantine period for all health workers and visitors who may have had contact with Ebola patients in West Africa.

Ebola Stats

• At least 10,141 cases of Ebola have been reported, with 4,922 fatalities  from the outbreak, mainly in West Africa, so far this year, according to The World Health Organization (WHO).
• Most of the fatalities have occurred in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.
• WHO warns the infection rate could reach 20,000 in early November, with 5,000 to 10,000 new cases per week by December 2014 if the response remains inadequate.

Ebola in Brief

Symptoms of Ebola include

• Fever (greater than 38.6°C or 101.5°F)
• Severe headache
• Muscle pain
• Weakness
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Unexplained hemorrhage (bleeding or bruising)

Symptoms may appear anywhere from 2 to 21 days after exposure to Ebola, but the average is 8 to 10 days.

Recovery from Ebola depends on the patient’s immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years. [Source: CDC]

U.S. Health Emergency

Gov. Malloy declared a “public health emergency” for the state of Connecticut last week and signed an order authorizing the Department of Public Health to quarantine potentially infected individuals/groups.

In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the respective state health commissioners have the authority to quarantine anyone suspected of exposure to Ebola virus.

Global Health Emergency

WHO declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa  a ‘Public Health Emergency of International Concern,’ under the International Health Regulations on August 8, 2014.

All Other U.S.-Based Outbreaks [sourced from CDC]

• Acute Neurological Illness with Focal Limb Weakness in Children, Undetermined Origin Announced September 2014
• Cilantro – Cyclosporiasis (Texas) Announced September 2014
• Almond and Peanut Butter – Salmonella Braenderup Announced August 2014
• Live Poultry – Salmonella Infantis and Newport Announced May 2014
• Serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak at University of California, Santa Barbara Announced December 2013
• Serogroup B meningococcal disease outbreak at Princeton University Announced December 2013
• Fungal Meningitis and Other Infections – Multistate outbreak Announced October 2013

Outbreaks Affecting International Travelers

See the Travelers’ Health site for a complete list.

• MERS-CoV Announced May 2014
• Ebola Outbreak in West Africa Announced March 2014
• Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Virus  Announced March 2013

Related Links

• Ebola and Other Outbreaks in U.S. October 15, 2014
• Connecticut Declares Ebola Health Emergency, Authorizes Quarantines October 8, 2014
• Ebola outbreak devastating West Africa could spread globally October 1, 2014

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT – October 25, 2014

A special message will be broadcast by FIRE-EARTH  today, October 25, 2014.

Tune into FIRE-EARTH Reports today @ 14:00UTC!

CJ Members only!

 

 

Thousands of California Wells Drying Up

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DESERTIFICATION
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT, WATER FAMINE
SINKHOLES, SUBSIDENCE
SOIL EROSION, LOSS OF TOPSOIL
DUST STORMS, MEGA LIGHTNING STORMS, DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MAJOR CROP DISASTERS
MULTIPLE STATES OF EMERGENCY
SCENARIOS 900, 808, 800, 555, 444, 311, 117, 111, 101, 100, 090, 071, 067, 010, 090, 04, 03, 02
.

California drought threatens fifth of U.S. milk supply

Exceptional drought continues to severely affect California’s dairy industry. The average dairy needs about 500,000 liters of water per day just to prevent its cows dying from thirst.

Lack of water also translates into lack of feed. The farmers have been forced to leave fallow more than a million acres of land.

Meantime, they are paying up to $350 a ton for alfalfa hay, nearly twice what they paid last year.

Additionally, many farmers are paying on average 10 times more for water for their animals and crops than they were a year ago, according to a spokeswoman for Fresno’s Westlands Water District.

In the absence of County water allocation, the cost of water in In Fresno has skyrocketed from to about $1,100 per acre-foot—about 325,851 gallons, or 1.23 million liters— compared $140 last year, said a report.

In Tulare, farmers are paying $1,200 to $1,800 per acre-foot, said the  executive director of the Tulare County Farm Bureau.

Meantime, the cost of milk continues to climb,  with a gallon of whole milk in Los Angeles priced at $3.79, a rise of 54 cents  since 2012, and $4.76 a gallon in San Francisco, up 89 cents, said the report.

“California has lost 1% to 2% of its dairy industry in the last three years, said Lesley Butler, a dairy economist at UC Davis. About 100 dairies go out of business every year waiting for rain.”

Gov. Brown has declared multiple states of emergency since January due to the worsening drought and signed an executive order in August to purchase drinking water for farmers with dry wells.

In April, 2014 FIRE-EARTH said:

Vital groundwater provides up to 60% of California’s water supply during droughts

California groundwater resources are at historically low levels, and recent groundwater levels are more than 100 feet below previous historic lows in some parts of the state, according to a recent report released by the California Department of Water Resources.

About 30 million Californians, over three quarters of the state’s population, receives at least part of their drinking water from groundwater, said California Water Foundation.

Groundwater is the only supply available for some regions during drought, and it’s critical to the state’s agricultural economy.

Drought causes water famine leading to crop disasters. It degrades water quality, and leads to surface and groundwater level declines, land subsidence, soil erosion, intense wildfires, humongous dust storms, and spread of disease.

Related Links

• Southern Sierra Loses Snow Cover May 27, 2014
• California’s Snow Story: Going, Going … May 21, 2014
• Calif SWEQ Drops to 0.6 Inch on May 20, 2014
• California Running Out of Snow May 17, 2014
• Severe – Exceptional Drought Plagues 100% of California May 16, 2014
• California Groundwater Levels 100 Feet Below Previous Historic Lows May 7, 2014
• Drought [Index Page]

Crop Disasters Declared in Six States

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DROUGHT
HAIL, HIGH WIND
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  477, 444, 178, 111, 100, 064, 03, 02
.

Crop Disasters Declared for 21 Counties across Six States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared crop disasters for an additional  21 counties across six states—Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee—due to the losses and damage caused by recent drought, hail and high wind.

Crop damage and losses caused by a recent drought

• Georgia. Miller, Seminole, Baker, Decatur and Early counties.
• Florida. Gadsden and Jackson counties.
• Alabama. Houston

Crop damage and losses caused by high winds and hail on October 7, 2014

• Arkansas. Craighead, Mississippi, Crittenden, Greene, Jackson, Lawrence and Poinsett counties.
• Missouri. Dunklin and Pemiscot counties.
• Tennessee. Dyer, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties.

Crop Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 2,682 counties across 41 states. Most of those designations are due to  drought.

Those states are

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

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

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. Some 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 posted above were approved by USDA on October 22, 2014.

Latest/ Recent Crop Disaster Declarations

• Drought Destroys Crops in Georgia, Florida October 17, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States October 10, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in New England October 4, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Occur in 11 States October 3, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in 10 States September 25, 2014
• Drought Crop Disasters Declared in U.S. West  September 18, 2014
• FREEZE Destroys Crops in Ohio, Pennsylvania  September 18, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States September 12, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Six States Posted on September 5, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Food Security Alert for Central America

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DROUGHT
COFFEE RUST (Hemileia vastatrix)
CROP DISASTERS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
FAMINE
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 817, 808, 800,  444, 300, 277, 255, 244, 111, 101, 100, 03, 02
.

Drought, Coffee Rust Threaten Food Security across Large Areas of Central America

Poor harvest caused by drought and coffee rust threaten food security across large swathes of Central America, severely affecting millions of people in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador, according to Famine Early Warning System (FEWS).

Poor harvests caused by severe drought and “the reduction in coffee-sector income for day laborers, and a more rapid than usual increase in the prices of some staple foods, extremely poor households across large areas of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador will experience a rapid deterioration in their food security in early 2015. Atypically high levels of humanitarian assistance, possibly the highest since Hurricane Mitch in 1998, will likely be required in order to avoid a food crisis,” reported FEWS.

Large swathes of central America have been experiencing severe drought since May, with the rainfall accumulation being up to 75 percent below average.

Estimated losses to basic grains for the 2014 harvests of Primera crops.  † For Honduras, the reference year is 2010/11. Source: Prepared by FEWS NET with data provided by national Ministries of Agriculture, and estimates

“Primera crops are estimated at between 9 and 75 percent, while losses incurred by subsistence farmers located in the worst-affected areas are expected to exceed 70 percent. Forecasts by the XLIV Central American Climate Outlook Forum indicate below-average rainfall will continue through November in all four countries, meaning that Postrera harvests are also likely to be below-average,” said FEWS.

 Honduras

The Government of Honduras declared a state of emergency for drought in the dry corridor in July, 2014.

As of last month, up to one million people (about 190,000 families) have been affected by the drought.

China’s Largest Freshwater Lake Reduced by 1/3 in 3 Days: Report

SEVERE HUMAN IMPACT
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 800, 699, 444, 200, 111, 101, 100, 090, 03, 02, 01
.

Poyang lake water level falling by 30 cm per day

“China’s largest freshwater lake, Poyang, has shrunk by one third in the past three days due to reduced water supply from the Yangtze River and little rainfall,” reported the official Xinhua news agency.

The lake’s surface area was reduced from 2,169 km² on Monday to 1,490 km² Wednesday (October 22) , a reduction of 679 km², reported the Jiangxi Provincial Hydrological Bureau.

“The water level at Xingzi hydrological station was 11.99 meters at 4 p.m. Wednesday, 2.13 meters lower than the levels in normal years. The water level is falling by 30 cm per day.”

Limited water flow from the upper Yangtze River, due to the water being diverted to hydroelectric dams, and lack of rainfall in the province were two major causes for the loss, said the bureau.

Jiangxi Province has received an average precipitation of less than 5 mm since September 20, said the report.

“The sharp fall of water levels in the lake will affect shipping and fishing as well as the water supply for nearby residents.”

From 3500 km² to just 200 km²

The average area of the lake is about 3,500 in normal years. However, it shrank to about 200 due to drought and the practice of diverting water to the Three Gorges Dam in 2012.

“Every year, when the Three Gorges reservoir stores water – to power the dam’s turbines during the winter – the flow rate in the Yangtze drops. This in turn increases the rate at which the level of Poyang lake falls, and the period of low water comes sooner,” said Ye Xuchun, a researcher at China’s Southwest University.

“The incomes in fishing villages are dropping as fast as the water in the lake. Some residents will have move on to other trades,” said Xu Bin, the author of a thesis on the socio-economic consequences of the lake’s environmental disorders. He said: “The soil of China is dry, so the Yangtze is vital. Poyang is one of the key elements and its current predicament is a warning for the future.”

Habitat for 236 Species of Birds

Poyang Lake is a vital habitat for at least 236 species of birds including various endangered species, such as oriental white stork and white crane, and more than 100 species of wintering migrants, including Siberian cranes, according to a recent survey.

 

‘Dramatic’ Temperature Drops Reported in North China

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
EXTREME TEMPERATURE FLUCTUATIONS
SNOWSTORMS
MAIN SCENARIOS 887, 808, 785, 666, 560, 444, 177, 123, 111, 063, 033, 023, 09, 02
.

Temperature Drops by 20°C in Northern China

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and northeastern Chinese provinces of Heilongjiang and Jilin have experienced temperature drops of up to 20 degrees Celsius (36°F), China’s CCTV reported.

In Harbin, the highest temperature barely reached 5 degrees Celsius (41°F), said the report. “And the lowest in many cities is below zero. Heilongjiang’s Mohe has seen some heavy snowfall this season already.”

“The cold will also creep down into the southern and eastern regions, with temperature falls of up to 10 degrees Celsius, along with bouts of rain.”

Global Temperature Reaches Record High in September: NOAA

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
RISING TEMPERATURES
ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE
SPECIES EXTINCTION 
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 808, 800, 797,  777, 666, 555, 444, 300, 123, 111, 101, 090, 067, 066, 033, 011, 04, 03, 02, 01
.

Global temperature breaks September record; ties record highest for January-September

The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces reached a record high for September, at 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 20^th century average of 15.0°C (59.0°F), according to  NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

Additionally, the first nine months of 2014 (January–September) tied with 1998 as the warmest such period on record, with a combined global land and ocean average surface temperature 0.68°C (1.22°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.1°C (57.5°F), said NCDC.

If 2014 maintains this temperature departure from average for the remainder of the year, it will be the warmest calendar year on record. The past 12 months—October 2013–September 2014—was the warmest 12-month period among all months since records began in 1880, at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20^th century average. This breaks the previous record of +0.68°C (+1.22°F) set for the periods September 1998–August 1999, August 2009–July 2010; and September 2013–August 2014.

Global Highlights

• The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for September 2014 was the highest on record for September, at 0.72°C (1.30°F) above the 20^th century average of 15.0°C (59.0°F).

• The global land surface temperature was 0.89°C (1.60°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.0°C (53.6°F), the sixth highest for September on record.

• Heating Ocean. The September global sea surface temperature was 0.66°C (1.19°F) above the 20^th century average of 16.2°C (61.1°F), the highest on record for September and also the highest on record for any month.

• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for the January–September period (year-to-date) was 0.68°C (1.22°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.1°C (57.5°F), tying with 1998 as the warmest such period on record.

 

Details posted at: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for September 2014, published online October 2014, retrieved on October 20, 2014 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/9

Related Links (Most Recent)

• August Global Temperature Breaks Record September 20, 2014
• Hottest June on Record Posted on July 22, 2014
• May Global Temperature Reaches All-time High Posted on June 24, 2014
• Warmest Winter on Record Deepens California Drought Posted on March 18, 2014
• December Ocean Temperature 2nd Warmest Posted on January 23, 2010
• Global Temperature Analysis Posted on January 22, 2014

Reuters News Police Removes Comment on Japan’s Corrupt Politics

Censoring comments reveals Reuters want of journalistic integrity

A comment concerning the corrupt state of politics in Japan, posted at reuters.com by one of our readers, was disallowed/ removed by Reuters news police.

The reader contended, and we’ve confirmed, that the comment contained original quotes from a book written by a prominent Japanese businessman, humanitarian and author, Toshihiko Abe, who was a former Director of European and American Operations at Casio Ltd.

The book, titled “Japan’s Hidden Face: A Call for Radical Change In Japanese Society & Commerce,” published by BainBridge Books, Philadelphia, is available in the United States  and Japan. 

The comment, which was submitted to Reuters and copied to Fire-Earth, is as follows:

In his book, “Japan’s Hidden Face,” the prominent Japanese businessman and author Toshihiko Abe says:

In Japan, although the prime minister is “the leader of the nation,” it’s “someone else sitting behind the scene [who] holds the real power. He can have the Diet designate whomever he wants to be prime minister, and manipulate him as he like, though he has no legal ground to do so at all. His power simply derives from money. This makes all LDP leaders absorbed in a money game, rather than working out good policies for the people. For the last [fifty] years, politicians, government officials and businessmen have built up a triangle of interests.” [P177]

“[The Boss] can simply replace his robot prime minister when necessary.” [page 183]

“Businesses provide ministers and government officials with positions in private companies after retirement. If government officials are faithful to LDP rulers, an easy and comfortable life is guaranteed for the rest of their lives.” [page 184]

[Japan’s Hidden Face ISBN 1-891696-05-X BainBridge Books]
[Library of Congress Catalog Card #98-70339]

This begs the question, at whose behest did Reuters news police remove the highly informative material that has previously been published by a respectable publisher?

Why Is Reuters So Afraid Of Truth?

Why is Reuters Afraid of Truth?

Continued …

States of Emergency Declared in Mexico due to Deadly Mudslides

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
STATES OF EMERGENCY
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY FLOODS & MUDSLIDES
MAJOR DISASTERS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS 888, 444, 111, 070, 066, 047, 027, 023, 022, 09, 03, 02
.

Mudslides kill at least 6, displace thousands in Mexico

Mexico has declared states of emergency in 36 municipalities after mudslides killed at least 6 people and left more than 4,000 displaced.

Torrential rains brought by the remnants of Tropical Storm TRUDY unleashed widespread flooding and mudslides in southern Mexican states of Guerrero and Oaxaca that left at least six people dead.

Schools have been ordered shut ” for an area stretching from the tourist resort of Acapulco to the border with Oaxaca,” AP reported.

 

EREs Kill Dozens, Displace 36,000 in Nicaragua

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
DEADLY FLOODS & MUDSLIDES
MAJOR DISASTERS
MASS DISPLACEMENT
SCENARIOS 888, 444, 111, 070, 066, 047, 027, 023, 022, 03, 02
.

EREs kill dozens, destroy thousands of homes, displace tens of thousands in Nicaragua

Extreme rain events (EREs) since September have unleashed deadly floods in Nicaragua killing at least two dozen people,  destroying or damaging thousands of homes and leaving more than 36,000 people homeless.

The rains have severely affected 17 departments in the country, and have impacted El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, according to local reports.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events – October 18, 2014

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DEADLY CYCLONE
DEADLY HURRICANE
DEADLY BLIZZARD
CROP DISASTERS
STATE TERRORISM
US COVERT WAR
SCENARIOS  888, 887, 785, 444, 200, 111, 100, 071, 070, 066, 047, 027, 024, 023, 04, 02
.

Cyclone HUDHUD: At least 41 dead, tens of thousands of homes destroyed

Death toll from cyclone HUDHUD has climbed to at least 41 in the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, with tens of thousands of homes flattened and large swathes of crops destroyed.

Moisture carried north into Himalaya by the cyclone caused severe snowstorms in Nepal unleashing avalanches around Annapurna, the world’s 10th-highest peak (8,090m), killing at least 39 hikers, injuring nearly 200 others and leaving more than 50 missing, as of posting.

US carries out its 400th drone attack in Pakistan

US has carried out at least 400 drone strikes in Pakistan since 2004, killing about 2,400 people, but only 4% of drone victims in Pakistan were al Qaeda members, said a report.

“Only 704 of the 2,379 dead have been identified, and only 295 of these were reported to be members of some kind of armed group,” reported the  Bureau of Investigative Journalism.

US drone strikes and other US covert actions are currently being conducted in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia, said the report.

Hurricane GONZALO Slams into Bermuda

GONZALO slammed into Bermuda with winds of about 180 km/h ( category 3 hurricane) cutting power to tens of thousands of customers, and causing what is believed to be widespread damage across the 53-km² Island.

Roads are blocked by fallen trees and downed utility poles, with serious damage across the island caused by powerful winds and flooding, the Royal Gazette reported.

In 2003, Hurricane FABIAN, also a Category 3 storm, raked the island, causing about $300 million in damage.

GONAZALO caused destruction in the Caribbean earlier, killing at least one person in St. Maarten, according to reports.

Hailstorm Destroys Crops in Colorado

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
HAILSTORM
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  444, 178, 111, 066
.

Crop Disaster Declared for Colorado Counties due to Hailstorm

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared crop disasters for six counties in the state of Colorado due to damages and losses caused by a hailstorm that occurred on July 16, 2014.

Those counties are Otero, Bent, Crowley, Kiowa, Las Animas and Pueblo.

Crop Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 2,667 counties across 41 states. Most of those designations are due to  drought.

Those states are

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

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

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. 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 posted above were approved by USDA on October 15, 2014.

Latest/ Recent Crop Disaster Declarations

• Drought Destroys Crops in Georgia, Florida October 17, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States October 10, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in New England October 4, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Occur in 11 States October 3, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in 10 States September 25, 2014
• Drought Crop Disasters Declared in U.S. West  September 18, 2014
• FREEZE Destroys Crops in Ohio, Pennsylvania  September 18, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States September 12, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Six States Posted on September 5, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

 

 

Drought Destroys Crops in Georgia, Florida

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  444, 111, 100, 03, 02
.

Drought Crop Disaster declared for 19 counties across two states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared crop disasters for an additional  19 counties across two states—Georgia and Florida—due to the losses and damage caused by recent drought.

Those counties are:

• Georgia. Baker, Decatur, Mitchell, Colquitt, Grady, Thomas, Brooks,  Dougherty, Seminole, Calhoun, Early, Tift, Cook, Miller and Worth.
• Florida. Gadsden, Jackson, Jefferson and Leon.

Crop Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 2,661 counties across 41 states. Most of those designations are due to  drought.

Those states are

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

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

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. 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 posted above were approved by USDA on October 15, 2014.

Latest/ Recent Crop Disaster Declarations

• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States October 10, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in New England October 4, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Occur in 11 States October 3, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in 10 States September 25, 2014
• Drought Crop Disasters Declared in U.S. West  September 18, 2014
• FREEZE Destroys Crops in Ohio, Pennsylvania  September 18, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States September 12, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Six States Posted on September 5, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

World’s Largest Floating Petri Dish

Submitted by a reader [Edited by FIRE-EARTH]

First survivor of next contagious deadly disease on a cruise ship should be awarded…

More than 8,700 passengers and crew, wine, dine and make sewage aboard Oasis of the Seas nearly every day of the year.

Oasis of the Seas is 362 meters long, 65 meters wide and 65 meters high from the water line—the size of a city block. It made its maiden voyage five years ago.

Oasis Stats
22 knots cruising speed; 16 guest decks; 18 total decks; 24 passenger elevators; 4 bow thrusters with 7,500 horse power each; 5,400 guests (double occupancy); 6,360 guests total; 2,394 crew (From more than 71 countries); 241 km of piping used 5,310 km of electrical cables; 600,000 liters of paint used; 500,000 individual steel parts; makes 50 tons of ice cubes every day; contains 2,300 tons of water in the swimming pools and whirlpools…

The world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas. (Photo source:cri.cn/ xinhua)

• Passengers Sickened On Oasis Of The Seas Cruise November 27, 2011
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Accidents and Incidents
• Norovirus on the Oasis of the Seas December 28, 2013