Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Death Toll Continues to Rise

Philippine Mega Disaster:  Death toll climbs to 5,680 with 1,779 others missing

Death toll from Super Typhoon HAIYAN climbed to 5,680, after 48 bodies were recovered on Monday, said the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The number of people missing also rose to 1,779, with 26,233 others reportedly injured due to HAIYAN [ locally known as YOLANDA.]

Total number of people affected by the Super Typhoon has officially climbed to more than 11.2 million [U.N. estimate is about 13.5 million,] with the number of displaced also revised up to more than 4 million.

The number of houses destroyed or damaged has increased to 1,180,837 units including 587,035 units completely flattened, according to NDRRMC SitRep No. 51, released today.

The total cost of damage to infrastructure and agriculture [the estimate excludes cost of rebuilding homes] is pegged at over PhP34.36 billion [$1=43.77 Philippines peso] with PhP17.3 billion for losses in infrastructure and PhP17 billion for agriculture in Regions IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, VIII, and CARAGA, said the report.

State of National Calamity

The Philippine President issued Presidential Proclamation No. 682 declaring a state of national calamity on 11 November 11, 2013.

Extent of Crop Damage

“High winds, heavy rains and localized floods destroyed houses and infrastructure, including irrigation facilities, and resulted in losses of the main staple rice paddy, sugarcane and coconut crops, as well as livestock, poultry and fisheries,” said the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

HAIYAN destroyed about 153,500 hectares (ha) of rice paddy, maize and other high value crops, including 77,500 ha of rice and 21,000 ha of maize crops, it added [figures are rounded to the nearest 100.]

Philippines imports of rice are to increase by 20 percent next year to 1.2 million metric tons, said FAO.

FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models

On November 9, 2013, FIRE-EARTH Models estimated the impact of Super Typhoon HAIYAN in the Philippines as a magnitude 6.2 catastrophe on the FEWW Disaster Scale, indicating large-scale regional destruction with up to 40,000 casualties.

• FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models estimated the total cost of damage at more than $5billion.

FIRE-EARTH and MSRB  2004 Forecast

In 2004,  our team forecast an 80-90 percent increase in the total power dissipated annually by tropical cyclones  in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by 2015.

• Storms will continue to get stronger (develop greater average intensities) and survive at high intensity for longer (take more time to dissipate peak energy) resulting in substantial increases in storm-related losses in the near future.

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Chronology of Disaster

Super Typhoon HAIYAN (locally known as YOLANDA) made its first landfall in the early morning of 8 November in Guiuan, Eastern Samar province. HAIYAN made subsequent landfalls in Tolosa south of Tacloban City, Leyte province, Daanbantayan and Bantayan Island, Cebu province, Conception, Iloilo province and Busuanga, Palawan province.

Related Links

• Death Toll Rises in Super Typhoon HAIYAN November 30, 2013

• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: WE TOLD YOU SO! November 20, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN Disaster: 4 Pct of Philippine Population Displaced November 17, 2013
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – November 18, 2013 November 18, 2013
• 4.24 Million Displaced in Super Typhoon HAIYAN November 23, 2013

Illinois Declared Federal Disaster Area

Major Disaster Declared for Illinois

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

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

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

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

Disaster Declared in 13 Illinois Counties

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

Recent Disaster Declarations

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

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

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

4.24 Million Displaced in Super Typhoon HAIYAN

Super Typhoon HAIYAN left 6,848 dead or missing, destroyed or damaged 1,112,731 houses

The official death and damage toll in the aftermath of Super Typhoon HAIYAN continues rising.

Source: SitRep No. 36 released by Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC)  November 23, 2013. [$1 = 43.8 Philippine pesos – FIRE-EARTH Blog]

[Note: Official estimates  for the total cost of damage has been amended to PhP22.34billion] which is more realistic than their previous estimates.]

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Chronology of Disaster

Super Typhoon HAIYAN (locally known as YOLANDA) made its first landfall in the early morning of 8 November in Guiuan, Eastern Samar province. HAIYAN made subsequent landfalls in Tolosa south of Tacloban City, Leyte province, Daanbantayan and Bantayan Island, Cebu province, Conception, Iloilo province and Busuanga, Palawan province.

FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models

On November 9, 2013, FIRE-EARTH Models estimated the impact of Super Typhoon HAIYAN in the Philippines as a magnitude 6.2 catastrophe on the FEWW Disaster Scale, indicating large-scale regional destruction with up to 40,000 casualties.

• FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models estimate the total cost of damage at more than $5billion.

FIRE-EARTH and MSRB  2004 Forecast

In 2004,  our team forecast an 80-90 percent increase in the total power dissipated annually by tropical cyclones  in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans by 2015.

• Storms will continue to get stronger (develop greater average intensities) and survive at high intensity for longer (take more time to dissipate peak energy) resulting in substantial increases in storm-related losses in the near future.

Related Links

• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: WE TOLD YOU SO! November 20, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN Disaster: 4 Pct of Philippine Population Displaced November 17, 2013
• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – November 18, 2013 November 18, 2013

Seven IL Counties Declared Disaster Areas after Deadly Storms

“We are still receiving reports of massive damage to communities across our state” —IL Gov. Quinn

Sunday’s deadly storms killed at least six people and injured scores of others, while damaging and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and cutting power to tens of thousands of residents.

The counties declared disaster areas are Champaign, Grundy, LaSalle, Massac, Tazewell, Washington and Woodford, according to the Disaster Proclamation issued by Gov. Pat Quinn’s office on Monday.

“Although we are still receiving reports of massive damage to communities across our state, we want to make sure people are getting the assistance and resources they need as quickly as possible,” said the governor. “As we pray for the families of those who have lost their lives and others who are injured, the state of Illinois will do everything necessary to help these communities recover.”

A large swarm of storms brought destructive winds and tornadoes to Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York.

Illinois took the brunt of the ferocious weather system, which spawned a total of 76 confirmed tornadoes, and 451 storm reports.

Washington (Population: 16,000), a small city in Tazewell County, about 140 miles southwest of Chicago, was the hardest hit area, with up to 500 homes damaged or destroyed, according to reports. of 16,000.

EF4 Tornadoes

Two of the deadly twisters were rated EF-4 tornadoes, reported the National Weather Service (NWS).

EF4 tornadoes pack destructive winds of between 166 and 260 mph (267 – 322kph), and can leave well-constructed houses leveled, blowing away structures with weak foundations blown away some distance;  throwing cars and generating large missiles.

F4 F touch down in IL November 17, 2013.

Tacloban City, Philippines or the State of  Illinois?

IL deadly tornadoes aftermath – Image credit: Natalie Martinez

Powerful tornadoes tore through large swathes of Illinois on Sunday. Image credit: @WCL_Shawn

Latest Weather Forecast

Strong winds in the Northeast and across the Great Lakes will subside today as the powerful storm system responsible for yesterday’s severe weather continues to move farther away into Canada. Meanwhile, another storm system will move into the Pacific Northwest bringing rain and mountain snow. NWS

“You don’t need temperatures in the 80s and 90s to produce severe weather [since] the strong winds compensate for for the lack of heating,”  said a forecaster at NWS. “That sets the stage for what we call wind shear, which may produce tornadoes.”

Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF scale)

Fujita-Pearson Tornado Scale

F-0  [39%]
40-72 mph, chimney damage, tree branches broken

F-1 [35%]
73-112 mph, mobile homes pushed off foundation or overturned

F-2 [20%]
113-157 mph, considerable damage, mobile homes demolished, trees uprooted

F-3  [5%]
158-205 mph, roofs and walls torn down, trains overturned, cars thrown

F-4 [0.9%]
207-260 mph, well-constructed walls leveled

F-5 [<0.1%]
261-318 mph, homes lifted off foundation and carried considerable distances, autos thrown as far as 100 meters

Source: US gov. [Figures in brackets represent long-term relative frequencies— revised by FIRE-EARTH]

Related Links

• Deadly Tornadoes Attack U.S. Midwest November 18, 2013

“Apocalyptic” Storms, Flash Floods Strike Sardinia, Italy

Two dozen dead or missing, hundreds evacuated as extreme weather batters Sardinia

At least a dozen people were killed, more than a dozen others reported missing and hundreds evacuated after storms tore through the Italian island of Sardinia late Monday.

Powerful storms and torrential rains submerged roads sweeping cars and destroying several bridges, as rivers burst their banks inundating hundred of home and businesses reported local media.

The township of Olbia (Population: 57,000), located northeast of the island, was the hardest hit area.

Heavy rains were buffeting both northern and southern Italy with high winds and flooding reported in coastal areas, officials said.

Massive floods triggered by extreme rain events hit the island of Sardinia, Italy (Image Credit: AP/Diego Manunta).  The city was destroyed by the “apocalyptic” storm, with several dead and several missing. Olbia mayor Gianni Giovanelli told reporters.

Philippine Mega Disaster: 2 Million Displaced

Super Typhoon HAIYAN affects 13 pct. of Philippine population, leaves 2 pct. homeless

The number of people affected has increased to nearly 13 million, with about 2 million people displaced. The latest figures, provided by the U.N., represent a significant increase from the previous bulletin.

• According to the latest figures, more than 2 percent of the Philippines population of about 99 million are now homeless as a result of Super Typhoon HAIYAN.

Many people may have been swept out to sea and their bodies lost after a tsunami-like wall of seawater slammed into coastal areas. One neighborhood with a population of between 10,000 and 12,000 was now deserted, said Tacloban mayor Alfred Romualdez.

On November 9, 2013, FIRE-EARTH Models estimated the impact of Super Typhoon HAIYAN in the Philippines as a magnitude 6.2 catastrophe on the FEWW Disaster Scale, indicating large-scale regional destruction with up to 40,000 casualties.

FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models estimate the total cost of damage at more than $5billion.

Philippine Government’s [Highly Politicized] Official Disaster Stats:

Source: SitRep No. 22 released by Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC)  November 16, 2013. [$1 = 43.66 Philippine pesos]

[Notes: Official estimates  for the total cost of damage has been amended to PhP9,460,240,222.13] which is more realistic than the initial estimates. Philippines population is about 99 million.]

This post will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Chronology of Disaster

Super Typhoon HAIYAN (locally known as YOLANDA) made its first landfall in the early morning of 8 November in Guiuan, Eastern Samar province. HAIYAN made subsequent landfalls in Tolosa south of Tacloban City, Leyte province, Daanbantayan and Bantayan Island, Cebu province, Conception, Iloilo province and Busuanga, Palawan province.

• Death Toll Doubles in Philippine Typhoon Disaster November 15, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Death Toll Continues Rising November 14, 2013
• Philippine President Lowers the Typhoon Death Toll, for Now November 13, 2013
• Stench of Death Permeates the Philippines Disaster Zone November 12, 2013
• Tropical Depression ZORAIDA Striking Mindanao, Philippines November 11, 2013
• Philippine Disaster Update – November 11 November 11, 2013
• Typhoon HAIYAN Strikes Northern Vietnam Near China Border November 11, 2013
• Philippine Disaster Zone: “It’s Like the End of the World.” November 10, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN – NOV 10 Update November 10, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Casualties Could Top Many Thousands November 9, 2013
• Extraterrestrial Typhoon Force Generating 20-Meter “Tsunami” November 8, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN’S Arm Battering the Philippines November 7, 2013
• “Extraterrestrial” Typhoon HAIYAN – Image Update November 6, 2013
• HAIYAN Intensifying to “Extraterrestrial” Levels November 6, 2013
• Potential Super Typhoon Headed for the Philippines November 4, 2013
• Typhoon KROSA Destroys or Damages 19,000 Homes in Philippines  November 2, 2013

Other Related Links

• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Death Toll Continues Rising

About 12% of the entire Philippines population directly affected by Super Typhoon HAIYAN: UNDAC

Official figures: At least 2,357 people are dead; 3,853 injured; 77 missing and 818,596 displaced

On November 9, 2013, FIRE-EARTH Models estimated the impact of Super Typhoon HAIYAN in the Philippines as a magnitude 6.2 catastrophe on the FEWW Disaster Scale, indicating large-scale regional destruction with up to 40,000 casualties.

FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models estimate the total cost of damage at more than $5billion.

The following table [SitRep No. 19] shows latest official casualty and damage estimates released by  Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC).

Source: Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC). [$1 = 43.6 Philippine pesos]

[Notes: Official estimates  for the total cost of damage has been substantially reduced to PhP4,060,044,079.13,] which is more realistic than the original figures. Philippines population is about 99million.]

Table below [SitRep No. 18] shows earlier casualty and damage estimates as released by  Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC).

Source: Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC).

This post will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Chronology of Disaster

• Philippine President Lowers the Typhoon Death Toll, for Now November 13, 2013
• Stench of Death Permeates the Philippines Disaster Zone November 12, 2013
• Tropical Depression ZORAIDA Striking Mindanao, Philippines November 11, 2013
• Philippine Disaster Update – November 11 November 11, 2013
• Typhoon HAIYAN Strikes Northern Vietnam Near China Border November 11, 2013
• Philippine Disaster Zone: “It’s Like the End of the World.” November 10, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN – NOV 10 Update November 10, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Casualties Could Top Many Thousands November 9, 2013
• Extraterrestrial Typhoon Force Generating 20-Meter “Tsunami” November 8, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN’S Arm Battering the Philippines November 7, 2013
• “Extraterrestrial” Typhoon HAIYAN – Image Update November 6, 2013
• HAIYAN Intensifying to “Extraterrestrial” Levels November 6, 2013
• Potential Super Typhoon Headed for the Philippines November 4, 2013
• Typhoon KROSA Destroys or Damages 19,000 Homes in Philippines  November 2, 2013

Other Related Links

• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery

Crop Disaster Declared in Five States

High Winds, Hail, Excessive Rain and Flooding prompt USDA to declare crop disaster for44 counties in five states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 44 counties across five states as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by a combination of excessive rain, related flooding, high winds and hail in three separate declarations.

Designation # 1: Ten Counties in New Jersey have been declared  Crop Disaster Areas due to losses caused by excessive rain, related flooding, high winds and hail that occurred May 1 – September 24, 2013.

Those counties are Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean and  Salem.

Designation # 2: USDA has designated 20 counties in Michigan as Agricultural Disaster Areas due losses caused by hail that occurred June 10 – August 2, 2013

Those areas are Bay, Calhoun, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Huron, Ingham, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Midland, Monroe, Oakland, Saginaw,  Sanilac, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Washtenaw, and  Wayne counties.

Designation # 3: USDA has designated fourteen counties in three states–Florida, Georgia and Alabama– as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain that occurred May 1 – September 25, 2013.

• Florida: Escambia, Madison, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Dixie, Jefferson, Okaloosa, Hamilton, Lafayette and Suwannee counties.
• Georgia: Brooks and Lowndes counties.
• Alabama: Baldwin and Escambia counties.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas Nov. 13, 2013.

“Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that Congress has not funded the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill. These are SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage,” said USDA.

Recent Crop Disaster Designations

• Crop Disasters
• Crop Disaster Declared in Maine and Montana November 1, 2013

Hundreds Dead or Missing after Storm Hits Somalia

State of Emergency declared in Puntland, Somalia amid storm disaster

Hundreds are dead or missing after a tropical cyclone, known as 03A, hit Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region on Saturday, according to the government.

“A tropical cyclone storm (has) wreaked death and destruction… the storm brought high wind speeds and torrential rains, causing flash floods,” said the government of the of Puntland.

“Information collected from coastal areas via irregular telephone contact over the past 48 hours indicates that up to 100 people might have been killed, while hundreds of other people remain unaccounted for.”

Puntland President Farole said the scale of “crisis was immense,” as his government declared the calamity a “disaster,” proclaiming a state of emergency.

“Houses and livestock were swept into the ocean by the floods,” said the President at a news conference in the capital Garowe.

“We urge United Nations aid agencies to assist the victims. As Puntland, we have established a committee to investigate the loss and damage. Electricity, communication and fishing boats were all destroyed.”

The storm hit the eastern coast of the country, destroying entire villages and  sweeping at least 100,000 livestock and scores of people into the ocean.

“Preliminary information also indicates that homes, buildings, boats and entire villages have been destroyed and over 100,000 livestock lost, endangering the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local people,” the government said.

High Winds and Heavy Rains

High winds and heavy rains hit a vast area causing flash floods and cutting off roads, as the immediate impact of the storm was forecast to continue until Wednesday.

“I have buried 10 members of my family, the icy storm and rain killed more than hundred people here,” Reuters quoted a villager as saying.

“I have never witnessed such fatal cold. Some people were blown away and others died after their houses collapsed on them. Some people, and the animals they were looking after, are still missing,” he said.

Super Typhoon HAIYAN – NOV 10 Update

Casualty Figures Moving Closer to FIRE-EARTH Forecasts

Super Typhoon HAIYAN has killed at least 10,000 people in the Tacloban alone,  according to the provincial governor.

Tacloban, officially the City of Tacloban (pop: 230,000), located central Philippines province of Leyte, bore the brunt of HAIYAN. The casualty figure has not yet been confirmed by the central government’s disaster agency.

FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models calculated the impact of Super Typhoon HAIYAN in the Philippines as a magnitude 6.2 catastrophe on the FEWW Disaster Scale, indicating large-scale regional destruction with up to 40,000 casualties, the blog said on Saturday.

Summary of Latest Events

• Potential Super Typhoon Headed for the Philippines November 4, 2013
• HAIYAN Intensifying to “Extraterrestrial” Levels November 6, 2013
• “Extraterrestrial” Typhoon HAIYAN – Image Update November 6, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN’S Arm Battering the Philippines November 7, 2013
• Extraterrestrial Typhoon Force Generating 20-Meter “Tsunami” November 8, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Casualties Could Top Many Thousands November 9, 2013

Typhoon HAIYAN was downgraded to a Cat. 4A storm force on the FEWW New Hurricane Scale racing toward Indochina Peninsula, over the warm (29ºC) waters of South China Sea, at a forward speed of about 35 km/hr, as of 04:30UTC on Saturday November 9, 2013.

UPDATES – Sunday November 10, 2013

• According to the latest official figures, about 500,000 people have been displaced and more than 4.5 million people affected as a result of the typhoon attack.

• At least 300 people were killed in Samar province, with 2,000 others reported as missing. Scores of others are injured. “However vast areas of Samar, an island of over 733,000, still have not been contacted over two days after the typhoon struck.” AFP said.

• Authorities in Vietnam have evacuated about 900,000 people in 11 provinces.

• “Tacloban is totally destroyed. Some people are losing their minds from hunger or from losing their families,” a high school teacher told reporters. “People are becoming violent. They are looting business establishments, the malls, just to find food, rice and milk… I am afraid that in one week, people will be killing from hunger.”

• “People are walking like zombies looking for food,” said a medical student in Leyte. “It’s like a movie.”

• A tourist describing the scene of total devastation in Tacloban City said: “It’s like the end of the world.”

• Aerial surveys show “significant damage to coastal areas” with large ships thrown ashore, countless homes destroyed and large swathes of crops “decimated,” said The U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

• President Benigno Aquino is reportedly considering to impose martial law to stem the widespread looting (!)

Typhoon HAIYAN – IR/Water Vapor Difference [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] satellite image (recorded at 02:30UTC on November 10, 2013. Original image sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

UPDATES – Saturday November 9, 2013

• As of 12:00UTC the typhoon-related death toll had climbed to 1,200, but it’s expected to rise sharply.

• Large scale devastation has occurred in the islands of Leyte and Samar, which is consistent with FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models.

• At least 36 provinces, out of a total of 80, have been severely affected.

• FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models estimate the total cost of damage at more than $5billion.

• At least 4.3 million people have been affected including about 350,000 who have lost their homes, according to the Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

• The Super Typhoon pummeled seven of the country’s 17 regions, causing large-scale power outages across much of the disaster areas.

• There are numerous reports of widespread looting across the disaster zone.

• Dozens of towns throughout the disaster zone have declared states of calamity.

• HAIYAN is currently targeting South China, moving close  to Vietnam shoreline, according to revised projections suggested by several models. This would be a nightmare scenario for Vietnam because the typhoon could dump 4 to 6 times more rain over the country, and affect a much larger land area, than previously forecast, according to FIRE-EARTH Models.

• Chinese authorities have issued a level three emergency response as the recently downgraded Cat 2 typhoon approaches southern China.

FIRE-EARTH Models show storm surges of up to 20 meters high, generated by the Super Typhoon, striking coastal areas in the Bicol Peninsula. SEE

• Extraterrestrial Typhoon Force Generating 20-Meter “Tsunami” November 8, 2013

[NOTE: To those reporters who have difficulty understanding the basic mechanics of tsunamis:  The height of tsunamis are governed by at least two major factors, in this case, (i) the initial height of the storm surge, and (ii) the geographical characteristics of the attack area. This is best described by Diposaptono et al in their paper Impacts of the 2011 East Japan tsunami in the Papua region, Indonesia: field observation data and numerical analyses – Geophysical Journal International, Volume 194, Issue 3, p.1625-1639.

… the impacts of the 2011 East Japan tsunami in Yos Sudarso Bay, Papua, Indonesia. Although the far-field tsunami had a height of 0.8 m measured at a tide gauge inside the small U-shaped bay, it severely damaged four villages scattered along the bay. Detailed numerical analysis was carried out to explain the damages. We used a well-verified source model in the near- and far-field cases to model the propagation of the tsunami southward in the Pacific until reaching Papua Island, Indonesia. The numerical analyses demonstrate two causes of damage in the bay: the maximum tsunami velocity (3.5 m s^-1) floated the houses in the villages of Tobati and Enggros and caused them to collapse, and water trapped by the hook-shaped peninsula amplified the tsunami height at the Holtekamp and Hanurata.

Extent of the Devastation

“From a helicopter, you can see the extent of devastation. From the shore and moving a kilometer inland, there are no structures standing. It was like a tsunami,” said Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas.
“The dead are on the streets, they are in their houses, they are under the debris, they are everywhere,” said Tecson John Lim, a Tacloban city administrator.

“I have never seen such damage in my life,” said Capt John Andrews, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Authority in the Philippines. I saw “utter destruction.”

“At the airport, there’s actually no structure left standing except the walls,” he told reporters.

Bohol Island Earthquake Disaster Update

Meantime, the following disaster update has been issued for the M7.2 earthquake that struck Bohol Island on October 15 2013.

• Number of people killed:  195  + (12 others missing, presumed dead)
• Injuries: 651
• About 350,000 people have been displaced.

The earthquake triggered massive landslides causing extensive damage to housing, hospitals, schools, infrastructure and utilities, with more than 53,300 houses severely damaged or destroyed.

More details to follow…

This post will be updated throughout Sunday.

Related Links

• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Casualties Could Top Many Thousands November 9, 2013
• Extraterrestrial Typhoon Force Generating 20-Meter “Tsunami” November 8, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN’S Arm Battering the Philippines November 7, 2013
• “Extraterrestrial” Typhoon HAIYAN – Image Update November 6, 2013
• HAIYAN Intensifying to “Extraterrestrial” Levels November 6, 2013
• Potential Super Typhoon Headed for the Philippines November 4, 2013
• Typhoon KROSA Destroys or Damages 19,000 Homes in Philippines  November 2, 2013
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery

Iraq Violence Death Toll Nears 7,200 in 10 Months

Bloody October Leaves about 3,000 Iraqis Dead or Wounded

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

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

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

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

UNAMI 2013 Stats for Armed Violence in Iraq

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

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

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

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

Related Links

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

Typhoon KROSA Destroys or Damages 19,000 Homes in Philippines

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

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

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

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

• Some 299 families have been displaced displaced.

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

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

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

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

Typhoon KROSA Details

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

[Source:  FEWW, JTWC and others]

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

Typhoon KROSA Special Message.

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

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

Typhoon Stats for NW Pacific

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

More details to follow…

Related Links

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

Earthquakes Destroy or Damage Thousands of Homes in NE China

Quakes injure a dozen people, but cause much devastation in Jilin Province, NE China

Two moderate earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 5.5 and 5.0 respectively, struck Songyuan City in NE China’s Jillin Province Thursday morning local time, destroying at least 55 homes and damaging more than 4,100 others, said a report.

The larger of the two quakes was centered at 44.6ºN, 124.2ºE, according to the country’s Earthquake Networks Center.

Local officials have relocated more than 14,400 residents in Chaganhua Town, the report said.

“Telecommunications have been cut off in Dongbaiyinhua Village, located at the quake’s epicenter, according to an officer from Qian Gorlos Mongol Autonomous County.”

The cost of damage and associated economic losses have been estimated at about 130 million yuan ($21.33 million).

Original Caption: Rescuers set up tents at a temporary shelter in quake-hit Qian’an County of Songyuan City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, Nov. 1, 2013. Two earthquakes, 5.5-magnitude and 5.0-magnitude respectively, jolted Songyuan City of Jilin Province Thursday morning, leaving at least 12 people injured and many houses damaged. The Jilin provincial government has allotted 10 million yuan (about 1.6 million U.S. dollars) in disaster relief funds to the quake-hit region. Relief teams have also been sent there. A shipment of 1,100 tents, 1,000 quilts and 100 folding beds has been sent to the area. Bottled water, bread and instant noodles are being given out to quake victims.(Xinhua/Zhang Nan). More images…

Major Disaster Declared in North Dakota

North Dakota Declared Federal Disaster Area due to Damage Caused by Severe Winter Storm

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the State of North Dakota due to extensive damage caused by a severe winter storm during the period of October 4-5, 2013.

Areas worst affected by the severe winter storm are the counties of Adams, Bowman, Grant, Hettinger, Morton, Sioux, and Slope, said The White House Office of the Press Secretary.

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

Recent Federal Disaster Declarations

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

Halloween Storm Forces Thousands of Evacuations

Trick-or-treat storms batter a vast region in the U.S.

Heavy rain and high winds forced dozens of U.S. cities and towns into cancelling Halloween activities on Thursday, battering a vast region from the Gulf of Mexico to the Great Lakes.

“The cities of Indianapolis and Muncie, Indiana, postponed trick-or-treating, local officials said. Toledo and at least 30 cities in Central Ohio put it off until Friday or as late as Sunday, according to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission’s website,” said a report.

The storm system, aided by the remnants of Hurricane Raymond, which dissipated over the Pacific on Tuesday, dumped as much as 15 inches of rain over Austin area, killing at least two people, and forcing some 1,000 residences to evacuate due to flooding.

“For certain areas, it looks like this will be in their Top 10 [flood events] of all time,” said a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Austin-San Antonio office.

Crop Disaster Declared in Maine and Montana

14 Counties in Maine and Montana Declared Agricultural Disaster Areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated seven counties in Maine as a agricultural  disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive precipitation that occurred from May 8 – September 25, 2013.

• The disaster areas in Maine are Somerset, Aroostook, Franklin, Kennebec, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Waldo counties.

Montana Disaster Designations

USDA has designated seven counties in the state of Montana as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by hail, high winds and severe storms that occurred July 8 – August 3, 2013.

• Those areas are Custer, Carter, Fallon, Garfield, Powder River, Prairie and Rosebud counties.

Crop Disaster Losses 2013

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 3,858 county-level crop disaster areas across 43 states, so far this year.

The crop disasters for year 2013 include losses and damages caused by

DROUGHT
FLOOD
Flash flooding
Excessive rain, moisture, humidity
Severe Storms, thunderstorms
Ground Saturation, Standing Water
Hail
Wind, High Winds
Fire, Wildfire
Heat, Excessive heat, High temp. (incl. low humidity)
Winter Storms, Ice Storms, Snow, Blizzard
Frost, FREEZE
Hurricanes, Typhoons, Tropical Storms
Tornadoes
Volcano
Mudslides, Debris Flows, Landslides
Heavy Surf
Ice Jams
Insects
Tidal Surges
Cold, wet weather
Cool/Cold, Below-normal Temperatures
Lightning
Disease

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

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

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

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

5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA between January 9 and October 30, 2013.

Recent Crop Disaster Designations

• Crop Disasters

North Carolina Declared Federal Disaster Area

Severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides prompt Major Disaster Declaration for NC

North Carolina has been declared a Federal Disaster Area by the White House due to severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides  that occurred on July 27, 2013.

Severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides have severely affected the counties of Ashe, Avery, Catawba, Lincoln, Watauga and Wilkes, said the White House in a statement.

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

Recent Federal Disaster Declarations

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

Japan Disaster PM Declares Izu Oshima Island “Severe Disaster Area”

Once again Japanese authorities stand accused of “criminal negligence” for failing to save lives

Japan’s disaster Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited typhoon-hit volcanic island of Izu Oshima on Sunday and declared the devastation caused by the Typhoon WIPHA as a “disaster of extreme severity.”

Just about everyone and their uncle knew typhoon WIPHA was a very intense storm capable of causing major damage, possibly multiple deaths.

Even Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) had earlier warned about the severity of the typhoon, which failed to make a direct hit, describing it as a “once a decade” type of storm.

The storm triggered deadly mudslides on the island destroying homes and burying residents alive on October 16. At least 32 people were killed and about a dozen were missing, presumed dead.

Once again the authorities in Japan have been accused of “criminal negligence” for failing to issue adequate warnings and evacuation alerts as the deadly storm approached, which would have saved dozens of lives.

Related Links

• 70,000 People Told to Evacuate as FRANCISCO Pounds Japan October 25, 2013
• Typhoon WIPHA Dumps 800mm of Rain Over Tokyo October 16, 2013
• Typhoon WIPHA Targets Tokyo October 15, 2013
• Typhoon NARI Chased by TS WIPHA October 12, 2013
• Vietnam Evacuates 250,000 ahead of NARI October 14, 2013

Kansas Declared Federal Disaster Area

Severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding prompt Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Kansas

The State of Kansas has been declared a major disaster area by the White House due to severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding during the period of July 22 to August 16, 2013.

Severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding have devastated nearly a half of the states 105 counties including Barber, Barton, Bourbon, Butler, Chase, Cherokee, Clark, Clay, Cloud, Coffey, Comanche, Cowley, Crawford, Dickinson, Edwards, Elk, Ellsworth, Ford, Geary, Greenwood, Hamilton, Harper, Harvey, Hodgeman, Kingman, Kiowa, Lane, Linn, Lyon, Marion, McPherson, Meade, Montgomery, Morris, Ness, Ottawa, Pawnee, Pratt, Reno, Republic, Rice, Saline, Sumner, Washington, Wilson, and Woodson, said the White House in a statement.

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

 

Storm Kills at least 15 in Northern Europe

Record gusts of 191 km/h (119mph) reported over the North Sea

A major storm battering NW Europe has killed at least 15 people including seven in Germany, four in Britain, two in the Netherlands and one each in France and Denmark.

The storm hit Britain with gusts of up to nearly 100mph early Monday, leaving a path of damage across large parts of southern UK, before targeting mainland Europe.

A crane smashed into the U.K. Cabinet Office in central London, forcing Deputy Prime Minister to cancel a news conference, while a gas explosion caused by toppled trees killed at least two people in west London, according to reports.

Flights and ferry services as well as road and rail transport were severely affected throughout the vast storm-battered region.

The storm knocked out power to about a million homes and business across northwestern Europe, including 750,000 customers in Britain.

Winds of about 155 kph swept across the low-lying Netherlands, killing at least two people, and causing widespread damage.

Giant waves crash against a lighthouse in Port of Boulogne, France October 28, 2013. Credit: Reuters. Image may be subject to copyright.

Denmark and Sweden issued storm warnings, as hurricane force winds gusting to about 162km/h hit Scandinavia, causing widespread damage across the region, while meteorologists measured record winds of  191 km/h (119mph) over the North Sea.

Related Links

• Severe Weather Warning Issued for South of England  on October 24, 2013
• Deadly Storm Batters Southern U.K. October 28, 2013

2,000 Villages Washed Away in Odisha, India

Extreme Rain Events trigger new round of flooding in east India

Five days of extreme monsoon rains have unleashed severe flooding in eastern India’s states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, washing away more than 2,000 villages in the cyclone-ravaged Odisha alone.

Flood situation in Odisha continues to remain critical with more than 2,000 villages washed away in that state alone. Source: Times of India.

Floodwaters have inundated about two million hectares ( 5 million acres) of crops across the region, affecting more than a million people, with at least 250,000 displaced. The death toll has climbed to  42 in Andhra Pradesh, and 28 in Odisha, with about a dozen people reported missing.

About 85,000 people in the district of Ganjam alone have been rescued so far, with 200,000 others still cut off.

The floods have caused significant damage to public infrastructure across 30 districts, destroying or damaging  thousands of kilometers of roads and  railroad tracks, disrupting public transport and causing massive damage to agriculture fields in several parts of the two states.

Flood situation continues to remain critical across the the region.

Related Links

• Death Toll in East India Floods Continues to Rise October 25, 2013

Australia’s Bushfire Losses Top 1,000

Insurers Receive 1,011 claims for bushfire losses totaling $138 million

As of October 25, insurers in Australia have received 1,011 claims, with the losses caused by October bushfires estimated at $138 million, said the Insurance Council of Australia (ICA).

“While claims lodgements have stabilised over the past couple of days, we expect these to begin climbing again as returning residents assess any property damage,” said ICA CEO Rob Whelan.

An aerial photo of some of the hundreds of NSW homes destroyed in the October bushfires.

Meantime, Australia’s new Prime Minister Abbott, talking through his hat, has dismissed any link between climate change and the NSW bushfires as “complete hogwash.”

Long-time readers of this blog may recall that FIRE-EARTH climate-related models forecast the extent of damage caused by Victoria’s February 2009 bushfires with great accuracy.

Related Links

• Costs of Back-to-back Disasters in Australia Continue to Mount October 22, 2013
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast (2011)
• More Australian Coal, Anyone? Posted on January 31, 2011
• State of Emergency Declared in NSW amid Firestorm October 20, 2013
• Australia Declares Emergency as NSW Bushfires Destroy “Hundreds of Homes” October 17, 2013
• Thousands Evacuated due to Bushfires in NSW September 10, 2013
• Australia: Entombed by a ‘dome of heat’ January 8, 2013
• Australia’s Runaway Bushfires Threaten Lives and Property
• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Australia on Fire: Tasmania Burning

70,000 People Told to Evacuate as FRANCISCO Pounds Japan

All Izu Oshima island residents told to evacuate

Authorities in Japan have also instructed 19,000 households in seven prefectures to evacuate as Tropical Storm FRANCISCO continues to pound the Pacific coast of Japan.

Heavy rain and high winds brought by severe tropical storm FRANCISCO is expected to batter the island by early Saturday.

Typhoon WIPHA hit the volcanic island of Izu Oshima last week, dumping large amounts of rain, which triggered massive landslides, leaving 31 people dead and at least 13 others missing.

FRANCISCO was located near 29.9ºN, 134.9ºE, about 420 km south of Tanabe, Japan, heading northeast at a forward speed of about 33 km/hr, dumping heavy rains on western Japan.  Some areas have reported rainfalls in excess of 600mm, as of 14:00UTC on Friday, October 25.

Severe Tropical Storm FRANCISCO and Typhoon LEKIMA.  VISIBLE/INFRARED satellite image (FIRE-EARTH Enhancement) recorded at 13:30UTC on October 25, 2013. Original image sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

Related News

Back to the Dark Empire Days

Japan’s desperate Prime Minister Abe’s government is reportedly planning a state secrets act meant to curtail public access to information on wide ranging issues including the Fukushima nuclear crisis and tensions with China, said a report.

Under the act whistleblowers could go to prison for up to 10 years. Journalist and other non-governmental persons would receive sentences of up to  five years for encouraging leaks.

“Japan’s harsh state secrecy regime before and during World War Two has long made such legislation taboo, but the new law looks certain to be enacted since Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party-led bloc has a comfortable majority in both houses of parliament and the opposition has been in disarray since he came to power last December.” The report said.

“There is a demand by the established political forces for greater control over the people,” said Lawrence Repeta, a law professor at Meiji University. “This fits with the notion that the state should have broad authority to act in secret.”

Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Plant

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is running out of options to store radioactive contaminated rainwater as a very wet FRANCISCO approaches.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has started  transferring contaminated rainwater into underground pools, originally deemed too leaky. The precipitation from recent typhoons and extreme rain events have been accumulating in barriers around radioactive waste water tanks, reported NHK.

TEPCO has been storing the most contaminated rainwater in tanks and in the basement of a turbine building. But the tanks are now full, the report said.

Related Links

• Coldest Place on or Near the Earth October 24, 2013
• FRANCISCO Drenches Okinawa, Moves Northeast October 24, 2013
• FRANCISCO to Bring More Rain to Sodden Coastal Japan October 23, 2013
• Crimes Against Nature: Water Overflows from 12 Fukushima Barriers October 21, 2013

• Typhoon FRANCISCO and TD 27 Headed for Tokyo October 20, 2013
• FRANCISCO Intensifying to “Extraterrestrial” Storm Force  October 19, 2013
• FRANCISCO Shifts Up Into Major Typhoon Gear October 18, 2013
• Typhoon FRANCISCO Inching Toward Japan October 17, 2013
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery

Links to Typhoon WIPHA

• Typhoon WIPHA Dumps 800mm of Rain Over Tokyo October 16, 2013
• Typhoon WIPHA Targets Tokyo October 15, 2013
• Typhoon NARI Chased by TS WIPHA October 12, 2013
• Vietnam Evacuates 250,000 ahead of NARI October 14, 2013

Monsanto’s Pesticides Causing Cancer, Birth Defects in Argentina

Pesticides sold by Monsanto poisoning Argentina: AP

The Associated Press (AP) has documented dozens of cases around Argentina where widespread misuse of Monsanto’s products are causing major health problems.

Toxic pesticides were sprayed close to populated areas and close to the water supply; farmers mix and apply poisons without protective clothing; villagers store water in pesticide containers.

In Santa Fe Province [population: 3.2 million, 3rd most populated province,] Argentina’s number one producer of cereals, toxic chemicals were used about 30 meters from homes, instead of the mandatory 500 meters, according to the AP report.

Unsurprisingly, cancer rates in the province are up to four times higher than the national average. In the neighboring Chaco province [population 1.2 million,]  birth defects quadrupled since the mid 1990s when Monsanto convinced the Argentines that  its patented seeds and agrochemicals would sharply increase crop yields and lower pesticide use, thus dramatically transforming farming in Argentina.

Health authorities are now warning that growing health problems among nearly a third of the country’s 41 million population may be due to uncontrolled use of pesticides.

Today, all of Argentina’s soy crop and most of its corn and cotton are genetically modified.

“The change in how agriculture is produced has brought, frankly, a change in the profile of diseases,” says Dr. Medardo Avila Vazquez, a pediatrician and neonatologist who co-founded Doctors of Fumigated Towns, part of a growing movement demanding enforcement of agricultural safety rules. “We’ve gone from a pretty healthy population to one with a high rate of cancer, birth defects, and illnesses seldom seen before.”

Farmers in Argentina use about 320 million liters of agrochemicals last year, applying about 5 kg of pesticide per hectare (4.3lbs. per acres), or more than twice the amount used in the U.S., to boost production, as pests become ever more resistant to the poisons.

“As we’ve also learned in the United States, herbicide-resistant GE crops lead to dramatically increased pesticide use. And as weeds develop resistance to these chemicals, industry rolls out even more hazardous chemicals to battle the superweeds. Farmers get trapped on the pesticide treadmill.” Pesticide Action Network International told AP.

Notes:

1. Total agricultural land in Argentina is 1,333,500km², or 48.0 % of the area.
2. Argentina’s soy planting area is a projected at 20.65 million hectares for the current 2013/14 season, with corn at 5.7 million hectares, and wheat 3.4 million hectares.

Crimes Against Nature: Water Overflows from 12 Fukushima Barriers

Radioactive water may have reached the ocean, says plant operator

Water has overflowed 12 barriers around holding tanks at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, and some of it may have reached the ocean, the plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said on Sunday.

“The utility says workers found water overflowing from five barriers Sunday afternoon. They found additional overflows in seven barriers Sunday evening,” reported NHK.

Although the barriers are 30 centimeter high, they already contained at least 20 centimeters of water due to earlier downpours brought by Typhoon WIPHA. The barriers overflowed after more than 100 millimeters of rain fell in four hours  Sunday afternoon. Workers can pump out the water at a rate of about 1.5 centimeters per day.

“The operator of the crippled plant also says workers released some of the water accumulated inside barriers into the ground. The utility says the water met safety standards for radioactivity set by the Nuclear Regulation Authority.” said NHK.

Other Disaster News in Japan

More rain amplifies misery on Izu Oshima Island

Izu Ōshima Island is keeping its evacuation advisories in effect as town officials brace for more torrential rains that  may cause further destructive mudslides.

Officials in Ōshima have already evacuated more than 580 people and issued evacuation advisories to nearly 2,300 people in 1,200 households on the island on Saturday, reported NHK.

Massive mudslides caused by Typhoon WIPHA last week killed at least 27 people, with 19 others still missing, presumed dead. The typhoon destroyed or damaged more than 300 buildings, and overflowing rivers and mudslides continue to  close roads.

Izu Ōshima, a volcanic island in the Izu Islands, lies about 100 km south of Tokyo and is administered by the Tokyo Metropolitan government.

Related Links

• Fukushima Potentially More Disastrous Than Hiroshima October 18, 2013