Fleeing Thermonuclear Bombs and King Tides

Threatened by rising sea levels, Bikini Islanders request US refuge

More than 1,000 Bikini islanders have asked the United States to relocate them as rising sea levels threaten their homes.

The US government relocated the residents from Bikini Atoll to a nearby island named Kili in the Marshall Islands chain in the 1940s due to atomic bomb tests.

The US conducted at least 23 nuclear tests, including the massive hydrogen bomb, Bravo, the largest weapon detonated at the time, . Bravo (yield 15 Mt), an experimental thermonuclear device surface event, was detonated on Bikini Atoll on March 1, 1954 as part of the Operation Castle. Source: U.S. Department of Energy (public domain).

In December 1945, President Harry S. Truman issued a directive to Army and Navy officials for joint testing of nuclear weapons “to determine the effect of atomic bombs on American warships.” Bikini was chosen for nuclear testing because of its location away from regular air and sea routes.

Their new home, however, is now threatened by the climate change dividends—rising sea levels, giant tides and ferocious storms.

Widespread flooding across the Marshall Islands last year caused extensive damage, leaving hundreds of residents homeless.

Bikini Atoll is one of the 29 atolls and five islands that comprise the Marshall Islands. The atolls are scattered over 925,000 square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean, north of the equator. The geographic area is referred to as Micronesia.

The plight of Bikini Islanders since their first forced relocation is posted at https://www.bikiniatoll.com/history.html

Dozens Killed as Yet Another Migrant Boat Sinks

Global Disasters/ Significant Events – October 12, 2013

Yet another migrant boat sinks off Italy in last week’s Déjà vu

At least 36 people were killed when a boat carrying more than 200 migrants capsized and sank in the Mediterranean sea, said reports.

The boat capsized about 120km off the Italian island of Lampedusa, where at least 339 people drowned on October 3, when their boat capsized and sank less than 600 meters from the island.

Last week’s disaster occurred when a boat similar to the one above caught fire as it headed toward Lampedusa Island, south of Sicily. Source: UNHCR

Today’s incident was the third migrants boat disaster in the Mediterranean in two weeks. Thirteen people drowned off the southern coast of Italy on Monday September 30 after they attempted to swim ashore from a foundering vessel, said UNHCR.

In August, six migrants drowned after they jumped out of a boat off the coast of Sicily and attempted to swim ashore.

In July seven immigrants drowned as they held on to a fishing cage that was being towed to shore.

13 immigrants drowned off the coast of Sicily on Monday after they attempted to swim ashore from a foundering vessel. Photo credit: Reuters.

Sicily and the surrounding islands are ideal portals for desperate refugees and illegal immigrants from Libya, Tunisia, sub-Saharan Africa in search of employment and a better quality of life, said UNHCR.

Related Links

• Dozens Killed in Yet Another Migrants Boat Disaster October 3, 2013

Dozens Killed in Yet Another Migrants Boat Disaster

Migrants Boat Capsizes Near Lampedusa, Italy, Killing Dozens

A boat carrying hundreds of immigrants capsized near the Italian island of Lampedusa, south of Sicily, killing at least 96 people.

There were at least 450 people on board when the boat capsized, Ansa news agency reported. Italy’s Coast Guard has reportedly rescued about 147 people so far.

“Of the estimated 500 passengers on the boat, believed to be Eritreans, only 147 have been rescued so far. The boat, which originated from Libya, caught fire half a mile from the coast.” UNHCR  reported.

Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta has described the incident as an “enormous tragedy.”

Thursday’s disaster occurred when a boat similar to the one above caught fire as it headed toward Lampedusa Island, south of Sicily. Source: UNHCR

Today’s incident was the second migrants boat disaster this week off Italy’s coast. Thirteen people drowned off the southern coast of Italy on Monday after they attempted to swim ashore from a foundering vessel, said UNHCR.

In July seven immigrants drowned as they held on to a fishing cage that was being towed to shore.

13 immigrants drowned off the coast of Sicily on Monday after they attempted to swim ashore from a foundering vessel. Photo credit: Reuters.

Sicily and the surrounding islands are prime targets for desperate refugees and illegal immigrants from Libya, Tunisia, sub-Saharan Africa in search of employment and a better quality of life.

Alaska: Disaster in Slow Motion

Exile inevitable for America’s first climate refugees: Report

The impact of climate change is more intense in the far north, where temperatures are warming faster than the global average, causing  rapid thawing of the sea ice, melting the permafrost and forcing  residents of remote Alaskan areas out of their villages, said a report.

• Some 184 Alaskan villages, or 86% of all native communities, are at risk because of climate change.

• It cost $100 to $400 million just to relocate one village [See full report.]

ALASKA NATIVE VILLAGES: Most Are Affected by Flooding and Erosion, but Few Qualify for Federal Assistance—GAO

Approximately 6,600 miles of Alaska’s coastline and many of the low-lying areas along the state’s rivers are subject to severe flooding and erosion. Most of Alaska’s Native villages are located on the coast or on riverbanks.

Aerial View of Flooding in Aniak (c. 2002). Source: Alaska Division of Emergency Services

Locations of 184 Native Villages Affected by Flooding and Erosion. Source: GAO.

Permafrost (permanently frozen subsoil) is found over approximately 80 percent of Alaska. It is deepest and most extensive on the Arctic Coastal Plain and decreases in depth, eventually becoming discontinuous further south. In northern Alaska, where the permafrost is virtually everywhere, most buildings are elevated to minimize the amount of heat transferred to the ground to avoid melting the permafrost. In northern barrier island communities, the permafrost literally helps hold the island together. However, rising temperatures in recent years have led to widespread thawing of the permafrost, causing serious damage. As permafrost melts, buildings and runways sink, bulk fuel tank areas are threatened, and slumping and erosion of land ensue. —GAO.

Related Links

• Drunken Forest Posted on June 11, 2008
• Arctic Tundra 4ºC Hotter Since 1970 Posted on July 30, 2009

Tanzania Floods Affect 25,000 People

Tanzania: Days of torrential rain have triggered floods, displacing thousands

Up to 25,000 people have been affected after days of torrential rain which flooded Morogoro and Dodoma, Tanzania, International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reported.

About 25,000 people affected, so far, with more than a thousand people displaced and at least 10 reported killed, most of whom were swept away by raging waters.

UN Map of Tanzania. Click image to enlarge.

“Around 2,000 homes in Kilosa were engulfed by the rising waters and more than half of these were completely destroyed.” IFRC said.

“Some 23 camps each housing up to 100 families have been established across the region to secure safe ground for the displaced families. Many schools have been converted to serve as evacuation centers for the homeless but, with the new term approaching, it is not yet clear where these people will go next.

“The damage to infrastructure has been immense. Roads and connecting bridges have been swept away, and parts of the country’s railway line left impassable hampering the country’s transportation system.

“The waters have submerged acres of crops and pasture lands and flooded many wells that serve as the main water source for communities. As a result, some health centres are already reporting cases of cholera and acute watery diarrhea.” IFRC added

Red Cross disaster management coordinator said: “The biggest problem we need to address is shelter.

“We found hundreds of families huddled together in an open field, stranded and cold. We face an enormous task of meeting their needs, being the first agency on the ground and with the local authorities largely dependent on our response efforts.

“The situation is getting worse and, with more regions such as Shinyanga added to those devastated by the storms, a lot remains to be done,” he added.

“The El Niño rains are not only wrecking havoc in Tanzania but its impact is also being felt in neighbouring Kenya,” said Brennan Banks, IFRC’s disaster operations manager.

“The heavy showers are expected to continue through the whole of next month according to meteorological reports.”

Related Links:

• 2010 Disaster Calender
• Kenya Deadly Deluge Wreaks Havoc
• El Niño [Main Page and Links Archive]

2008 second worst year for disaster losses

Disaster losses in 2008 are about $160 billion, so far, insurers Munich Re Foundation say

Only 2005 saw a bigger financial toll of $220 billion, with a large contribution from hurricane Katrina.

China’s Sichuan quake which struck in May, was the costliest disaster in 2008 so far. However, it should be noted that outside the U.S. and EU,  natural disaster losses are far less likely to be covered by insurance.

According to a joint study by Munich Re and the U.N. Environment Program, weather-related disasters caused by global warming are rising.

“Since the 1980s… weather-related hazards such as major floods have increased by as much as 350 percent and those from wind storms have doubled,” the report said.

Meanwhile, the Colorado State University hurricane research team said 2009 would be another “above-average” hurricane season like 2008. They forecast 14 tropical storms in the 2009, including seven that would develop into hurricanes, with three being dangerous Category 3 or above on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

FEWW Tropical Storm Forecast will be release early 2009. Stay tuned!

Related News Links:

• 2008 one of worst years for disaster losses: insurer
• Forecasters see active 2009 hurricane season

Related Links:

• Index of Human Impact on Nature
• Early “Dividends” of Climate Change
• 500 Weather-Related Disasters A Year [and counting]
• Food Crisis
• Failing Ecosystems

Mississippi Levees Breached in 23 Places

A Shrinking World Series

‘We are seeing a historic hydrological event taking place with unprecedented river levels occurring.’ —Brian Pierce, meteorologist, National Weather Service.

Mississippi river surges over at least 23 levees and another 30 barriers are at risk, as the Midwest floods move south.

In 1993, devastating floods, sweeping down Missouri and Mississippi rivers, surged levees and destroyed communities from St. Louis to northern Louisiana.

Mississippi River floodwaters engulf a farm about 15 miles north Quincy, Ill. after the south portion of the Indian Graves levee breached. (Tribune photo by Michael Tercha / June 18, 2008). Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Midwest Flood Victims Feel Misled by Feds

“They all told us, `The levees are good. You can go ahead and build,”‘ said Parks, who did not buy flood coverage because her bank no longer required it. “We had so much confidence in those levees.”

“People put all their hopes in those levees, and when they do fail, the damage is catastrophic,” said Paul Osman, the National Flood Insurance Program coordinator for Illinois. “New Orleans is the epitome; a lot of those people didn’t even realize they were in a floodplain until the water was up to their roofs.”

“We reported to the president in ’94 that the levee system was in disarray, the levees were not high enough to take care of any potential problem. People didn’t understand their flood risk and there wasn’t good co-ordination across federal, state and local governments,” said Gerald Galloway, a professor of engineering and flood control expert.

“The same thing applies today,” Galloway said. “It’s amazing that in the face of [Hurricane] Katrina and now this particular challenge that we continue to relearn the same lessons.”

Galloway’s recommendations to improve the levee system were basically ignored. He said that he’s experiencing much the same response now from officials as in 1993.

Related Links:

• Floods
• China “Frankenstein”
• Midwest Flood Victims Feel Misled by Feds
• More levees at risk from surging Mississippi as Bush tours flood areas

• Drought (Index Page)
• In Spain, Water Is a New Battleground
• California ‘Mojavefied’ by 2011?
  

• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities

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Arctic Melting FAST!

Rocket Science: Ice + Heat = Water

Arctic summer sea ice. Image taken by NASA satellite September 16, 2007.

News Reports:

• Arctic ice seen melting faster than anticipated (so, what’s new?)
  
• Sun cycles seen not key to recent global warming (yawn …)
• Nearly 900 scientists at the EPA have experienced political interference in their work (While in GB they readily volunteer!)
  
• UN Expert: 50 Million Could be Displaced by Climate Change by 2010 (make that 200m)
  
• A Storehouse of Greenhouse Gases Is Opening in Siber[i]a

Related Links:

• Greenland Ice Melt Faster Than IPCC Estimates
• Only Zero Emissions Would Avert Dangerous Warming
• Stern Report: “a great toxic dump of doublespeak in truly Orwellian fashion”