3.1 Million Iraqis Displaced by Violence

 9 Percent of remaining Iraqi population now displaced

More than 3.1 million Iraqis have been internally displaced by the ongoing bloody conflict, said UN spokesperson on Tuesday.

At least 300,000 people have been displaced from and within Anbar province including more than 250,000 individuals from Ramadi, the capital of governorate, since military operations began in April, said the UN Assistance (!) Mission for Iraq (UNAMI).

The DTM has identified 3,112,914 persons displaced by conflict in Iraq. The majority, 67 per cent, are sheltered in private settings that include rented housing, host families and hotels. A smaller but significant number, 20 per cent, are identified as living in critical shelter arrangements, which include unfinished buildings, religious buildings, informal settlements and schools. Eight per cent of those currently displaced in Iraq are living in camp settings.

A total of 1,466 Iraqis were killed and another 1,687 were injured in acts of terrorism, violence and armed conflict in June 2015, according to casualty figures released by UNAMI earlier this month.

In the first half 2015, at least 6,784 Iraqis were killed and 11,789 others wounded in acts of terrorism and violence.

Fighting to liberate the Anbar province continues between the Iraqi security forces, and the so-called Islamic State (ISIL) terrorists, better known as daesh , the thugs, assassins and murder mechanics left behind from the genocidal regime of Saddam-Hussein, who have seized most of the governorate.

*CAVEATS: In general, UNAMI has been hindered in effectively verifying casualties in conflict areas.  Figures for casualties from Anbar Governorate are provided by the Health Directorate and are noted below. In some cases, UNAMI could only partially verify certain incidents.  UNAMI has also received, without being able to verify, reports of large numbers of casualties along with unknown numbers of persons who have died from secondary effects of violence after having fled their homes due to exposure to the elements, lack of water, food, medicines and health care.  For these reasons, the figures reported have to be considered as the absolute minimum.

Mt Gamalama Erupts

Another Indonesian volcano erupting, more airports shut

Mt Gamalama in Ternate, North Maluku, erupted Thursday morning local time, releasing large clouds of ejecta more than 1.5km into the sky.

At least five Indonesian airports are now closed due to eruptions at Raung and Gamalama volcanoes:

The airports serving Surabaya and Malang in East Java, near Raung volcano and Ternate in North Maluku, near Gamalama volcano.

Airports in Banyuwangi and Jember near Raung volcano have remained closed since last week.

Additionally, Juanda International Airport and Abdurahman Saleh Airport were also closed temporarily, Antara News reported.

GAMALAMA Volcano

The 1,715-meter volcano comprises the entire island of Ternate, located in Maluku Islands, Indonesia.

A 1775 eruption killed an estimated 1,500 people. in 2011, several people were killed and many more were injured from lahar after a weeks of activity.

In December 2014, a thick layer of ash ejected from the volcano forced the closure of Babullah Airport in Ternate.

Volcanology of Java

Made up almost entirely of volcanic eruptions, the island of Java contains dozens of volcanoes including at least 45 that are considered to be “active” volcanoes.

Related Links

• Mt. Raung Eruptions Force Flight Cancellations July 3, 2015
• Mount Raung volcanic ash cloud disrupts Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to Bali (see video)
• Volcanic Ash Forces Closure of Five Indonesian Airports July 10, 2015
• Colima Volcano Erupts, Hundreds Evacuated in W. Mexico July 12, 2015
• Air Asia cancels all flights from Surabaya [Antara News, July 16, 2015]

Drought Destroys Crops in Florida, Idaho , Montana, Utah, Washington & Puerto Rico

Drought Disaster: Crop Disasters Declared for 90 U.S. counties and municipalities

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 76 additional counties across five states—Florida, Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington—as well as 14 municipalities in Puerto Rico, as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by drought.

The disaster designations are as follows:

Drought Crop Disaster Designation #1

• Florida: Broward, Collier, Hendry, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties.

Drought Crop Disaster Designation #2

• Idaho: Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho, Kootenai, Lewis, Latah, Nez Perce and Shoshone counties.
• Montana: Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula and Sanders counties.
• Washington: Pend Oreille, Spokane and Whitman counties.

Drought Crop Disaster Designation #3

• Montana: Beaverhead, Broadwater, Cascade, Chouteau, Deer Lodge, Flathead, Glacier, Granite, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Liberty, Lincoln, Madison, Meagher, Mineral, Missoula, Pondera, Powell, Ravalli, Sanders, Silver Bow, Teton and Toole counties.
• Idaho: Bonner, Clark, Fremont, Lemhi, Boundary, Clearwater, Idaho and Shoshone counties.

Drought Crop Disaster Designation #4

• Puerto Rico: Aguas Buenas, Caguas, Canovanas, Carolina, Cayey, Cidra, Gurabo, Juncos, Las Piedras, Patillas, San Juan, San Lorenzo, Trujillo Alto and Yabucoa municipalities.

Drought Crop Disaster Designation #5

• Utah: Duchesne, Salt Lake, Summit, Utah and Wasatch counties.

Drought Crop Disaster Designation #6

• Washington:  Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Grant, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Skagit, Spokane, Stevens, Whatcom and Whitman counties.

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 1,451 counties across 22 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

USDA has also designated 14 municipalities in Puerto Rico as drought disaster areas.

About 99 percent of the 2015 crop disaster designations so far are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014, USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states were:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 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 as 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 July 15, 2015 .

Related Links

• U.S. Drought: Crop Disaster Declared for Idaho Counties July 10, 2015
• Drought Destroys Crops in Six U.S. States July 2, 2015
• Drought and Deluge, Hail and Severe Freezing Destroy Crops in 7 States June 25, 2015
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Drought, Deluge, Heat Alert and a Billion-Dollar Typhoon

China Issues Heat Alert

A heatwave was forecast to hit central, eastern and northern China with temperatures rising to as much as 40 degrees Celsius, said The National Meteorological Center (NMC), Reported Xinhua, the country’s official news agency.

“Since mid-May, some northern regions have been suffering from drought due to continued hot weather. Miyun Reservoir, one of Beijing’s major water sources, has shrunk about 39 percent over the past year,” said the report.

“The upcoming heat wave will even worsen the drought. Local governments should work to reduce its impact on agricultural production,” said the weather observatory in China.

Meanwhile, Typhoon CHAN-HOM dumped as much as 322 mm of rain on parts of eastern China, affecting at least 1.92 million people in nine cities, including more than 1.11 million who were evacuated, said the report.

CHAN-HOM  caused direct economic losses of about a billion dollars, according to the provincial flood control and drought prevention HQ.

“The worst hit sector is agriculture with economic losses of 3.62 billion yuan, because the typhoon coincided with the picking period of vegetables and melons and wrecked havoc on agricultural facilities,” said the HQ.

Water level in many rivers and lakes are still above the warning lines, with more damaged expected from potential floods and mudslides.

M5.7 earthquake Strikes Planet of the Abes

Earthquake strikes Kyushu island

Centered at 33.0N, 131.9E the quake struck at a depth of about 60km, said Japan’s weather agency.

The quake registered “5+” on Japan’s seismic intensity scale of 1-7.

EQ Details
Magnitude: 5.7Mw
Location: 33.0N, 131.9E
Depth: 60km
Date/Time: 2015-07-12 at 17:52:06 UTC
Aftershocks: 4.3Mw (31.4N, 131.9E; depth=40 km)

Nearby nuclear power stations:

• Ikata Nuclear Power station
• Sendai Nuclear Power station
• Genkai Nuclear Power station

Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters – 2014 Update

Eight weather and climate mega disasters in 2014 caused more than $17 billion in losses

In 2014, eight weather and climate events across the United States, each with losses exceeding $1 billion, caused  a total of more than $17 billion in losses.

In 2013, there were nine events with over $24 billion in losses (CPI-adjusted). Since 1980, the year 2011 had the most billion-dollar events (16) while 2005 was the most damaging year with more than $200 billion in losses (CPI-adjusted), according to the official Scorekeeper, the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

The greatest economic impact of the weather and climate events have occurred since 1980 [and are ongoing.] The U.S. experienced 178 weather and climate mega disasters during the 1980-2014 period, with overall damages/costs of each event exceeding $1 billion (including CPI adjustment to 2015). The total cost of these 178 mega disasters exceeds $1 trillion, said NCEI (NOAA/NCDC).

From the ‘SUBLIME’ to the RIDICULOUS

Gauguin’s “When Will You Marry?” sold for $300 million

An oil painting by Paul Gauguin, the French artist, has been sold to a “Qatari buyer” for about $300 million, said reports.

When Will You Marry? [“Nafea Faa Ipoipo,”] painted in 1892, was owned by a Swiss collector. The sale tops the previous highest price for a painting, a work by Paul Cezanne, which sold for $260m.

When Will You Marry? [“Nafea Faa Ipoipo”] by Paul Gauguin 1892. The image is in the public domain in the U.S.

Carbon Footprint of Your Dollar

To produce a GDP of 77.61 trillion (International Dollars) in 2014, the world economies emitted about 40.33 billion metric tons of CO2 [~ 11 billion tons of carbon.] That is, for every dollar paid (or received), each time, an average of 520  grams of CO2 (142g carbon) was released to the environment!

Based on the above calculations, “When Will You Marry?” has a carbon footprint of about 160,000 metric tons of CO2.   [Sources: CASF, MSRB, EDRO, FEWW.]

This amount of pollution is equivalent to Vincent van Gogh driving an economy car 16,000 times around the equator.

See the original calculation for 2007: Carbon Footprint of Your Dollar

Related Links

• Sculpture that killed a civilization
• How Much Carbon Dioxide Does Your Money Make

Drought Disaster Declared in 12 States

UPDATED February 7, 2015

RAPID CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DROUGHT
MULTIPLE CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  900, [500,] 444, 117, 111, 100, 067, 03, 02
.

Drought destroys or damages crops in 504 counties across 12 states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of 504 countiesⁱⁱⁱ in 12 states as crop disaster areas due to losses and damages caused by drought.

Those designations are for:

Arizona (20 counties/disaster designations), California (68 disaster designations, which cover ALL of the state’s 58 counties), Colorado (36), Idaho (9), Kansas (54), Nebraska (1), Nevada (28 designations, which cover ALL of the state’s 16 counties and Carson City), New Mexico (27), Oklahoma (77), Oregon (7), Texas (154) and Utah (22).

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 731 countiesⁱⁱⁱ across 14 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.

All of the 2015 disaster designations so far are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014, USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states were:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 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 as 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 February 4, 2015.

Related Links

• Drought Disaster Declared for VA, WV Counties January 30, 2015
• Crop Disasters Declared for 220 Counties in 3 States January 8, 2015
• Crop Disasters Declared in 3 States December 25, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Measles Cases and Outbreaks

Updated Jan. 29, 2015

Measles Outbreaks

U.S. Outbreaks

• Some  78 people in 11 California counties, as well as Utah, Arizona, Nebraska, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and New Mexico have been infected. About a quarter of them have been hospitalized. So far, none have died.

• The majority of cases reported so far during 2015 are part of a large, ongoing outbreak linked to an amusement park in California, said CDC.

• In 2014, some 23 outbreaks were responsible for 89% of the 644 cases reported across 27 states

• The Philippines is experiencing a large, ongoing measles outbreak. Many of the cases in the U.S. in 2014 were associated with cases brought in from the Philippines. see the Measles in the Philippines Travelers’ Health Notice.

China Outbreaks:

An outbreak of measles in downtown Beijing has been reported by Beijing’s disease control and prevention center, reported Xinhua.

Between January 22 – 26, at least 23 people contracted measles in an office building in Chaoyangmen, a busy commercial area in Dongcheng District, Beijing, said a statement released by the center, Xinhua reported.

On January 7, at least 32 cases of measles were confirmed in Datong University in the city of Datong, in north China’s Shanxi Province.

In recent years, large measles outbreaks have occurred in Africa, Europe, eastern Mediterranean, W Pacific and SE Asia. Outbreaks with more than 10,000 reported cases have occurred in the DRC, India, Indonesia, Somalia and Ukraine.

Major Disaster Declared for Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians, Calif.

Federal Disaster Declared for Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians

Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians Severe Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides (DR-4206)

The White House has declared a major disaster exists for Soboba Band of Luiseño Indians in Riverside County, California due to severe storms, flooding, and mudslides during the period of December 4-6, 2014.

The Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Links to Recent Federal Disaster Declarations

• Major Disaster Declared in the State of Mississippi January 8, 2015
• Federal Disaster Declared for New York State December 23, 2014
• Major Disasters Declared in Arizona, Nevada  November 7, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declarations 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Moving America’s Oil [One Way or Another]

 Breached pipeline spills about 50,000 gallons of oil into Yellowstone River

An oil pipeline breach has spilled about 50,000 gallons of oil into the Yellowstone River about 9 miles upriver from Glendive, Montana, said state officials.

Some of the oil did enter the water, said a spokesman for Gov. Bullock.

Bridger Pipeline Co. said that they have shut down the 12-inch-wide pipeline, calling the breach an “unfortunate incident.”

The incident was a Déjà vu of 2011 ExxonMobil 12-inch Silvertip pipeline rupture breach near Laurel, when more than 60,000 gallons of oil contaminated an 85-mile stretch of riverbank.

BP Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico

Judge Carl Barbier ruled Thursday that the fines for the 2010 BP massive oil spill were excessive, imposing a maximum ceiling of $13.7 billion, significantly lower than the $18 billion fine sought by prosecutors.

Related Links

• ExxonMobil pipeline leak into Yellowstone River forces evacuations Posted on July 3, 2011
• Exxon Pays Peanuts to the Monkeys Posted on August 14, 2009
• Exxon Mobile Court Orders Only Fraction of Damages Posted on June 16, 2009

Malawi Floods Devastate Half the Country

500 Dead or missing, ¼ million displaced in Malawi floods

Malawi floods are a “national tragedy that urgently needs both local and international response,” the president has said.

The floods have devastated half the the country’s 28 districts, destroying thousands of homes, washing away scores of livestock, and submerging hundreds of hectares of crops, a senior official said.

Last week, the Malawi president declared more than a third of the country disaster areas, as torrential rains inundated large swathes of land, destroying crops, homes, roads, railroads and other infrastructure.

“I flew over some parts of the Lower Shire but we could not find anywhere to land,” said the country’s vice president. “It’s a big challenge we have before us.”

“Most of Nsanje and East Bank are submerged under two to three meters of water, which has transformed these vast plains into a giant lake engulfing houses and bridges,” said Doctors Without Borders’ mission head in Malawi’s south, AP reported.

“Sanitation will be compromised now with waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid likely to occur,” said Malawi’s health ministry spokesman.

“Sanitation will be compromised now with waterborne diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid likely to occur.”

Death and devastation in Mozambique

Malawi shares a river system with neighboring Mozambique, where floods have displaced up to 20,000 families, killing at least 52 people.

Related Links

• Disaster Declared as Deadly Floods Swamp Third of Malawi January 14, 2015
• Thousands Displaced by Deadly Floods in Malawi January 11, 2015

2014 Hottest Year on Record: NOAA

UPDATED January 17, 2014

2014 Hottest year on record at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20th century average

The December 2014 average combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the highest on record since record-keeping began 135 years ago, at 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20th century average of 12.2°C (54.0°F), making 2014 the warmest year on record, according to the latest State of the Climate report released by NCDC/NOAA.

January–December 2014 Blended Land and Sea Surface Temperature Anomalies in degrees Celsius

 

Selected Highlights

• The December 2014 globally-averaged temperature for land and ocean surfaces combined was 0.77°C (1.39°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.2°C (54.0°F), the highest on record for December since records began in 1880.
• The January–December temperatures were warmer than average across the vast majority of the globe during 2014, resulting in  record warmth for 2014, at 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20^th century average.
• The 2014 average global ocean surface temperature was also the highest on record, at 0.55°C (0.99°F) above average.
• The highest temperature anomalies (more than 5°C / 9°F above the 1981–2010 average) were observed in parts of Alaska and Siberia.

December 2014 Selected Climate Anomalies and Events Map

Source: NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for December 2014, published online January 2015, retrieved on January 16, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/2014/12.

The latest data show that 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have occurred this century.

2001-2010 was the warmest decade on record.

The Atmospheric Temperatures

Two different analyses examined NOAA satellite-based data records for the lower and middle troposphere and the lower stratosphere.

• The 2014 temperature for the lower troposphere (roughly the lowest five miles of the atmosphere) was third highest in the 1979-2014 record, at 0.50°F (0.28°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by the University of Alabama Huntsville (UAH), and sixth highest on record, at 0.29°F (0.16°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by Remote Sensing Systems (RSS).
• The 2014 temperature for the mid-troposphere (roughly two miles to six miles above the surface) was third highest in the 1979–2014 record, at 0.32°F (0.18°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by UAH, and sixth highest on record, at 0.25°F (0.14°C) above the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by RSS.
• The temperature for the lower stratosphere (roughly 10 miles to 13 miles above the surface) was 13^th lowest in the 1979–2014 record, at 0.56°F (0.31°C) below the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by UAH, and also 13^th lowest on record, at 0.41°F (0.23°C) below the 1981–2010 average, as analyzed by RSS. The stratospheric temperature is decreasing on average while the lower and middle troposphere temperatures are increasing on average, consistent with expectations in a greenhouse-warmed world. [NOAH]
  

Related Links

• 2014 U.S. Temperature Tops 20th-Century Average (Again) January 10, 2015
• Year-to-Date Global Temperature Highest on Record December 16, 2014

‘Breathtaken’ Beijing Besotted by Beastly Smog (AGAIN)

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
APOCALYPTIC SMOG
SCENARIOS 797, 699, 444, 404, 402, 222
.

China issues a “yellow alert” as  deadly air pollution lingers in Beijing

Air pollution has again soared to hazardous levels in Beijing since Saturday, reaching nearly 30 times the limit recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Levels of deadly PM2.5 particulates in Beijing climbed to 546 micrograms per cubic meter on Thursday.

A government official in Sichuan Province has blamed the persistent smog on smoking bacon, the traditional method of preserving pork meat and sausages in the region, said the official Xinhua news agency.

However, independent experts put the blame for the city smog squarely on car emissions, construction and industrial production.

A formula for calculating the AQI from the concentrations of various air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, O3, CO, SO2, NO2 …)  is posted HERE.

Smog related links

• Red Tides Attack Shenzhen; Beijing Issues Air Pollution Alert November 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Shrouds Beijing, North China (AGAIN) October 9, 2014
• Besotted by Beijing
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

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

65% of Africa’s Arable Land ‘Too Damaged’ for Food Production

NO ORDINARY MATTER:

Soil degradation affecting 180 million people in SSA alone

The impacts of land degradation in Africa are substantial: 65% of arable land, 30% of grazing land and 20% of forests are too damaged for food production, according to a report published by the Montpellier Panel—a group of agriculture, ecology and trade experts from Africa and Europe.

“Affecting nearly one-third of the earth’s land area, land degradation reduces the productive capacity of agricultural land by eroding topsoil and depleting nutrients resulting in enormous environmental, social and economic costs. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) an estimated 180 million people are affected, while the economic loss due to land degradation is estimated at $68 billion per year.”

Types of soil degradation in Africa. Source: MONTPELLIER PANEL December 2014 Report.  Read more…

 Related Links

• YESTERDAY Was World Soil Day 2014 December 6, 2014

Disaster Declared as Deadly Floods Swamp Third of Malawi

Floods Kill Many in Malawi and Mozambique

At least 52 people have been killed and about 50,000 forced to flee their homes amid severe flooding in Malawi, UNOCHA reported.

Authorities have declared more than a third of the country disaster areas, as torrential rains inundated large swathes of land, destroying crops, homes, roads, railroads and other infrastructure.

Heavy rain is expected to continue for at least another week or so, forecasters said.

“People have fled into schools and churches on higher ground, others are in the open because there is not enough space,” a senior official  told  the AP.

Mozambique

The National Institute for Disaster Management activated institutional orange alert country wide. A total of 9,652 families have been affected, with Maputo city, Gaza, Nampula and Cabo Delgado provinces being most affected.

A group of 25 schoolchildren were swept away by floodwaters earlier this week, said reports.

Zimbabwe

Heavy rains have been falling throughout Zimbabwe since early December 2014. According to the Department of Civil Protection, 11 deaths were reported and over 1,500 people have been affected by rainfall and flooding country-wide.

Related Links

• Thousands Displaced by Deadly Floods in Malawi January 11, 2015

Overexploitation, Drought Destroying China’s Largest Freshwater Lake

E. China’s Poyang Lake drying up!

Fed by the Gan, Xin, and Xiu rivers, the area of Poyang Lake fluctuates considerably between the wet and dry seasons; however, the average size of the lake has continued to shrink in recent years.

The lake area averages about 3,500 km² in a normal year, but it reached a low of under 200 km² in 2012, due to drought and the water intercepted for storage at the Three Gorges Dam.

Each year, up to a million migratory birds visit the vanishing lake, the largest freshwater lake in China.

During the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) the lake area reached its greatest size of more than 6,000 km².

Poyang Lake is known as the “Bermuda Triangle of the East,” said a report.

Between early 1960s and late 1980s, more than 200 boats reportedly sank in the lake leaving a total of “1,600 people missing and 30 survivors who became mentally ill.”

“Among the boats missing in this area was one as large as 2,000 tons. It is documented that on Aug. 3, 1985, 13 boats had accidents in the Laoye Temple waters. The mystery is that those boats could not be recovered,” said the report.

Original caption: A stone bridge relic of Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) is revealed on the bed of drought-affected Poyang Lake in east China’s Jiangxi Province, Dec. 30, 2014. Poyang Lake is renowned for its rich fishing resources, while in recent years, persistent drought and over-exploitation have endangered the lake’s resources. (Xinhua/Zhang Jun). More images…

Related Links

• With Water Sources Intercepted, Ecological Disaster Looms

Thousands Displaced by Deadly Floods in Malawi

Deadly floods force thousands out of their homes

At least 6 people are dead and thousands more displaced after severe flooding triggered by extreme rain events submerged large regions across  the southeast African country, nicknamed “The Warm Heart of Africa.”

The disasters have been described as national crisis, but the authorities have yet to declare a state of emergency, said reports.

The extreme weather events have destroyed more than a thousand homes and thousands of hectares of crops.

“The Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services has warned of high rainfall amounts which will eventually trigger flash floods in the country for the next two to three weeks,” said a report.

2014 U.S. Temperature Tops 20th-Century Average (Again)

DISASTERS CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXTREME WET & EXTREME DRY CONDITIONS
ECOLOGICAL COLLAPSE
SPECIES EXTINCTION 
MAIN SCENARIOS: 900, 888, 808, 800, 797,  777, 666, 560, 555, 444, 300, 123, 117, 114, 111, 101, 100, 097, 090, 080, 078, 071, 067, 066, 047, 033, 027, 025, 024, 023, 022, 012, 011, 09, 04, 03, 02, 01
.

2014 U.S. temperature tops 20^th-century average for the 18^th consecutive year

Contiguous U.S. experienced its 2nd warmest December on record, according to the State of the Climate Summary Information released by NOAA National Climatic Data Center.

Highlights from the Summary Report

• During December, the average contiguous U.S. temperature was 37.1°F, 4.5°F above the 20^th century average.
• Eight weather and climate disasters exceeded $1 billion in damages each and resulted in 53 fatalities. The events included the western U.S. drought, the Michigan & Northeast flooding event, five severe storm events, and one winter storm event.
• 2014 annual average contiguous U.S. temperature was 52.6°F, 0.5°F above the 20^th century average.
• The temperature exceeded the 20^th Century average for the 18^th consecutive year.
• The average contiguous U.S. precipitation was 30.76 inches, 0.82 inch above average.

Damage from eight weather and climate disasters in U.S. exceeded $1 billion each

In 2014, there were 8 weather and climate disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each across the United States. These events included a drought event, a flooding event, 5 severe storm events, and a winter storm event. Overall, these events resulted in the deaths of 53 people and had significant economic effects on the areas impacted. Further cost data and figures on individual events in 2014 will be announced in mid-2015. The U.S. has sustained 178 weather and climate disasters since 1980 where overall damages/costs reached or exceeded $1 billion (including CPI adjustment to 2014). The total cost of these 178 events exceeds $1 trillion. Source: NOAA/NCDC.

NOAA National Climatic Data Center, State of the Climate: National Overview for December 2014, published online January 2015, retrieved on January 10, 2015 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/2014/12.

Related Links (Most Recent)

• Year-to-Date Global Temperature Highest on Record December 16, 2014
• Global Temperature Breaks October Record: Report November 29, 2014
• Global Temperature Reaches Record High in September: NOAA October 21, 2014
• 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

 

State of Emergency Declared in Washington

RAPID CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
RECORD RAINFALL
SEVERE WINTER STORM
RISING TEMPERATURES, ABNORMAL SNOWMELT, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES
STATE OF EMERGENCY
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Severe winter storm causes extensive damage in 9 WA counties

Gov. Inslee has proclaimed a state of emergency for nine Washington counties in the wake of a severe winter storm that battered the region causing extensive damage to roads and other infrastructure January 4 through 6.

The emergency proclamation is for Grays Harbor, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Wahkiakum, and Whatcom counties.

“The governor noted in his proclamation that heavy rain and unseasonable snowmelt from this week’s storm combined with soils saturated by previous storms to cause slope erosion and landslides that impacted state and local roadways,” said a statement released by his office.

“WHEREAS,from November 25 through December 12, 2014, Western Washington received record rainfall from multiple storms resulting in saturated soil and slope erosion throughout the area; and […] from January 4 through 6, 2015, another significant winter storm struck Western Washington, producing extreme rainfall and above normal temperatures throughout the lowlands and mountain snowpack elevations; and […] the heavy rainfall from this storm combined with unseasonable snowmelt compounded existing soil saturation resulted in flooding, additional slope erosion, and landslides causing extensive damage to roadways, road closures and restricted access to affected areas in Grays Harbor, King, Kittitas, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Wahkiakum, and Whatcom counties, affecting the life, health, and safety [of the public,]” said the proclamation.

Crop Disasters Declared for 220 Counties in Three States

RAPID CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  900, [500,] 444, 117, 111, 100, 067, 03, 02
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Persistent Drought Destroys or Damages Crops in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of 220 counties in three states—Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico—as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by a lingering drought that occurred from January 1, 2014, and continues.

Texas:

Oklahoma: Beaver, Cotton, Jefferson, Roger Mills, Beckham, Ellis, Love, Texas, Bryan, Harmon, Marshall, Tillman, Cimarron and Jackson counties.

New Mexico: Curry, Lea, Quay, Union, Dona Ana, Otero and Roosevelt counties.

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in  220 counties across three states. All of those disaster designations are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014 USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states are

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 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 January 7, 2015.

Crop Disaster Declarations in 2014

• Crop Disasters Declared in 3 States December 25, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Major Disaster Declared in the State of Mississippi

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC DISASTERS
SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES
FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARED
SCENARIOS: 900, [500,] 477, 444, 111, 088, 066
.

Federal Disaster Declared for The  Hospitality State

Mississippi Federal Disaster Declaration (DR-4205)

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Mississippi in the area affected by severe storms and tornadoes on December 23, 2014.

The area worst affected by the severe storms and tornadoes is Marion County.

The Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments.

Related Links

• Federal Disaster Declared for New York State December 23, 2014
• Major Disasters Declared in Arizona, Nevada  November 7, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declarations 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Australia Had Warmest Spring, Third-Warmest Year in 2014

CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
MAJOR EMERGENCY
RISING TEMPERATURES
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
LOSS OF CROPS & LIVESTOCK
SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 111, 101, 100, 080, 071, 070, 03, 02
.

SSTs around Australia were unusually warm at 0.49°C above average

Australia recorded its third-warmest calendar year in 104 years, since national records began in 1910, said the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

“Today’s release of the Bureau of Meteorology Annual Climate Statement 2014 confirms Australia has recorded its third-warmest calendar year since national records began in 1910.”

Mean temperatures were 0.91C above the long-term average last year, said BOM.

“This follows the warmest year on record in 2013, which was 1.20°C warmer than average.”

The news comes amid South Australia’s worst bushfires in thirty years, as a major wildfire Adelaide Hills continues to burn uncontrollably, with soaring temperatures and strong winds forecast to fuel it further.

The monster blaze has already consumed at least 38 homes, 125 outbuildings and four businesses, the South Australian authorities have confirmed.

BOM Report: Selected Highlights

• Spring 2014 was the warmest on record in Australia.

• A number of major bushfires occurred during January and February, with particularly destructive fires in Victoria and South Australia.

• Six significant heatwaves and warm spells occurred, including one of southeast Australia’s most prolonged heatwaves in mid-January.

• Prolonged rainfall deficiencies continued for inland and southeastern Queensland and northeastern New South Wales.

• Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) around Australia were unusually warm; 0.49°C above average for the year to November.

• Australian temperatures have warmed approximately one degree Celsius since 1950, and the continued warmth in 2014 adds to this long-term warming trend.

Large Wildfire Threatens Homes in Victoria, Australia

CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
MAJOR EMERGENCY DECLARED
RISING TEMPERATURES
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
LOSS OF CROPS & LIVESTOCK
SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 111, 101, 100, 080, 071, 070, 03, 02
.

Emergency warning  issued as wildfire threatens homes in Victoria, Australia

The warning has been issued for towns Mockinya, Nurrabiel, Telangatuk and Toolondo in northwestern portion of the state of Victoria, said reports.

“Private properties north of the Black Range State Park and the Mt Talbot area could be impacted anytime within the next hour,” said  a warning by the country fire authority (CFA) .

The “fast moving, out of control” wildfire has consumed more than 1,500 hectares and was traveling north from the Black Range State Forest in the Southern Grampians, having reached the Mt Talbot Reserve, said the local media.

South Australia

Meantime, another major blaze has destroyed or damaged dozens of homes and numerous outbuildings in the state of South Australia.

“More than 700 firefighters from SA, New South Wales and Victoria continue to secure the blaze ahead of 38 degree Celsius temperatures forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday,” said a report..

Social media have reported looting  in the areas affected by wildfire.

Related Links

• Major Emergency Declared as Wildfires Devour Homes in S. Australia January 3, 2015

Major Emergency Declared as Wildfires Devour Homes in S. Australia

CLIMATE CHANGE DISASTERS
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
MAJOR EMERGENCY DECLARED
RISING TEMPERATURES
DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRES
MASS EVACUATIONS
LOSS OF HABITAT
LOSS OF CROPS & LIVESTOCK
SCENARIOS 900, 800, 555, 444, 111, 101, 100, 080, 071, 070, 03, 02
.

Thousands flee their homes in S Australia as massive blaze burns towards multiple communities

Dozens of homes are feared lost as a massive out-of-control fire burning on multiple fronts threatens lives and property in the state of  South Australia.

The city of Adelaide Hills [Population: ~ 30,000] remains siege as the 10,000-hectare out-of-control Sampson Flat fire in the Mount Lofty Ranges threatens dozens of communities, reported ABC Australia.

A major emergency has been declared, with the fire conditions described as the worst since Ash Wednesday in 1983, when a monster blaze killed more than 75 people in the states of South Australia and Victoria and destroyed 2,300 homes.

In February 2009, the so-called “Black Saturday” bushfires claimed 173 lives and destroyed more than 2,000 homes in Victoria. A total of 12 bushfires are burning out of control across Victoria, comprising about 26 blazes,  covering up to 225,000 hectare of land.

 

Sampson Flat fire front in the Adelaide Hills approaches goats and geese in a field. Photo from firefighter Eugene Klaebe taken on January 3, 2015. User submitted: Eugene Klaebe/ via ABC (au)

2013 confirmed as Australia’s hottest year on record: Australia BoM

• Average temperatures were 1.20°C above the long-term average of 21.8°C, breaking the previous record set in 2005 by 0.17°C.
• All states and territories recorded above average temperatures in 2013, with Western Australia, Northern Territory and South Australia breaking their previous annual average temperature records.