Manmade Catastrophes and Human-Enhanced Natural Disasters

• CJ
• OCT
• TML

FIRE-EARTH Report: Manmade Catastrophes and Human-Enhanced Natural Disasters – I

[Source: FIRE-EARTH Science]

• Report available via FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

May Disasters in China

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
DEADLY FLOODS
EARTHQUAKE DISASTERS
MAJOR DISASTERS
SCENARIOS 444, 177, 111, 101, 070, 066, 023, 09, 08, 03
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Floods, earthquakes, droughts, hail, storms, landslides, forest fires … destroyed or damaged 400,000 homes across China in May

At least 21.8 million people were affected by human-enhanced natural disasters across China last month, said the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Commission for Disaster Reduction, Xinhua reported.

The official toll is as follows:

• No. of people affected by the disasters: 21.8 million
• Killed or missing: 126 dead, six missing
• Displaced: 777,000 people
• Homes destroyed or damaged: 377,000
• Cropland destroyed: 2.4 million hectares
• Direct economic losses: 25.64 billion yuan (4.17 billion U.S. dollars)

Floods and earthquakes were the worst disasters to hit the country in May, however, droughts, hailstorms, icy conditions, snowstorms, landslides and forest fires also caused substantial damage, said the report.

2014: Year Five of Human-Enhanced Natural Disasters

LIMITS TO IGNORANCE!

Earth is fighting to stay alive. IF she loses the fight…

For every single step taken to restore the natural life support services, humans take 6,400 steps in the opposite direction, destroying the planet’s ability to maintain life.—EDRO

How long did you think your world would last?

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• 800 Days and Counting Down:  December 30, 2013
• Index of Human Impact on Nature
• Human Impact
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• As of July 1,  2013, the CASF Index of Human Impact on Nature (HIoN) was 323!
• RAPID CHANGE IN PROGRESS! July 4, 2012

2013 Disasters Affected Third of China

GLOBAL DISASTERS 2013

Human-enhanced natural disasters affected 390 million people across China 

Some 390 million people  across the country, or about 30 percent of China’s population, were affected by [human-enhanced] natural disasters, which left at least 1,181 people dead, 431 others missing [and possibly thousands injured] and resulted in direct economic losses of about 593 billion yuan (US$98 billion), according to an annual report issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) on Friday, Xinhua reported.

“The National Committee for Disaster Reduction and the MCA have issued 49 warning or emergency responses in response to various disasters, and a total of 10.1 billion yuan (US$1.7 billion) in disaster relief funds was allocated by the central authorities this year,” the report said.

The ministry has also promised to protect “615,000 graves of revolutionary martyrs and 12,000 memorial facilities for them,” the report quoted an official as saying.

-oOo-

China Formally Eases One Child Policy after 30 Years

China’s top legislature passed a resolution easing the country’s one-child policy on Saturday following a six-day meeting , Xinhua reported.

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) passed a resolution allowing couples to have two children provided either parent is an only child.

NPC also adopted a proposal to abolish “re-education” through labor camps, said the state news agency.

China introduced its one-child policy in the late 1970s to curtail rapid population growth. However, the policy has reportedly become increasingly unpopular because the country’s aging population is both reducing the labor pool and burdening elderly care systems.

Disaster Toll for China in November

Disasters affected 5+ million people across China in November: Officials

[Human-enhanced] natural disasters across China left 330,000 people displaced, dozens dead, and an unknown number of others injured in November, according to official figures.

Official Toll

• Number of People Affected: More than five million
• Displaced: 330,000
• Fatalities: 24
• Injured: Not known
• No. of homes destroyed or damaged: 255,000 dwellings
• Crop area affected: 661,900 hectars (ha)
• Cropland destroyed: 67,600 ha
• Direct economic losses:  6.81 billion yuan ($1.12 billion)

Source: the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Commission for Disaster Reduction/via Xinhua.

“Natural disasters last month were mainly earthquakes and typhoons, while droughts, floods and snowstorms also played their part. The overall damages were heavier than those from the same period last year,” the report said.

Agri Disaster List Continues Growing

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,281 Days Left

[September 12, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,281 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

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

  .

 Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Hundreds of additional counties designated disaster areas due to drought, excessive heat

USDA has designated about 400 additional counties across 14 states as both primary and contiguous disaster areas due to drought, excessive heat.

• The states are Alabama, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,  Montana, Tennessee, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
• As of September 12, 2012 USDA has designated 2,341 unduplicated counties across the country as agricultural disaster areas due to drought.
• List of Designated Drought Disaster Counties

U.S. Drought Disaster Map, September 12, 2012. Source: USDA. Edited for brevity by FIRE-EARTH.

Related Links

• U.S. Drought Disaster Plagues Additional Counties in 19 States Posted September 6, 2012
• Drought and Deluge Disasters Declared Posted  September 1, 2012
• U.S. Disaster Impact Leaps 24 Folds Posted August 1, 2012
• Disaster Declared for 142 U.S. Counties Posted August 23, 2012

Drought – Recent Links

• U.S. Disaster Areas Expand as Drought Deepens Posted August 1, 2012
• Extreme and Exceptional Drought Spread Across Midwest, South Posted August 2, 2012
• Wildfires Destroy Oklahoma Town Posted August 5, 2012

• Watching Events Unfold, Frame by Frame, Exactly as Forecast Posted July 20, 2012
• Deadly Heat Continues to Devour U.S. Crops Posted July 19, 2012

• Drought Continues to Plague Two-Thirds of Continental U.S. Posted July 17, 2012
• Largest Ever U.S. Disaster Continues Unfolding July 14, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012
• Drought and deluge 

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Primary and Contiguous Agri Disaster Areas

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,282 Days Left

[September 11, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,282 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

 Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• U.S. Counties Designated as Primary and Contiguous Disaster Areas (2012 All Crop, as of September 5, 2012)

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

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Disaster Calendar – 11 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,344 Days Left

[July 11, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,344 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 10 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,345 Days Left

[July 10, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,345 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 9 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,346 Days Left

[July 9, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,346 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 8 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,347 Days Left

[July 8, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,347 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 7 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,348 Days Left

[July 7, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,348 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

As of end-June 2012, the CASF Index of Human Impact on Nature (HIoN), an index for calculating the human impact on the planetary life support systems, stood at an astoundingly high level of 285. In other words, the anthropogenic impact on the living environment has now exceeded 2.85 times the planet’s diminishing carrying capacity. 

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

Related Links

• Index of Human Impact on Nature

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 6 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,349 Days Left

[July 6, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,349 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 5 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,350 Days Left

[July 5, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,350 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Colorado Declared Agri Disaster Area

DISASTER CALENDAR – 4 July 2012

Symbolic Countdown: 1,351 Days Left 

[July 4, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,351 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

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Drought, Extreme Weather Events Cause Agricultural Disaster in Colorado

USDA has designated the state of Colorado as agricultural disaster area due to damage and losses caused by drought, excessive heat and high winds that began January 1 and continues.

• All but two of Colorado’s 64 counties have been declared primary natural disaster areas, with the remaining counties, Delta and San Juan, being designated continuous disaster areas.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Florida. The Disaster President has declared a major disaster exists in the state of Florida following the damage caused by Tropical Storm DEBBY.
  • Baker, Bradford, Columbia, Pasco, and Wakulla Counties are listed as Federal Disaster Areas.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 3 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,352 Days Left

[July 3, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,352 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 2 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,353 Days Left

[July 2, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,353 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 1 July 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,354 Days Left

[July 1, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,354 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Kansai Electric Power Co restarted the 1,180-megawatt No. 3 unit at its Ohi nuclear plant on Sunday.

The No.4 reactor unit will resume operations in two weeks time, reports said.

Several thousand protesters  marched through Tokyo streets calling for an end to the use of nuclear power, NHK reported. [Japan has a population of about 128 million.]

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 30 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,355 Days Left

[June 30, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,355 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 29 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,356 Days Left

[June 29 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,356 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 28 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,357 Days Left

[June 28, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,357 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 27 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,358 Days Left

[June 27, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,358 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Heat in the Midwest and South could break hundreds of all-time temperature records, this week.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 26 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,359 Days Left

[June 26, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,359 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

State of the Climate – Global Analysis for May 2012

• The globally-averaged land surface temperature for May 2012 was the all-time warmest May on record, at 1.21°C (2.18°F) above average
• The Northern Hemisphere land and ocean average surface temperature for May 2012 was the all-time warmest May on record, at 0.85°C (1.53°F) above average.
• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for May 2012 was 0.66°C (1.19°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.8°C (58.6°F). This is the second warmest May since records began in 1880, behind only 2010.

Temperature Anomalies Maps for May 2012 – [Source: NCDC/NOAA]

See also: Hottest U.S. Spring on Record

Record Temperatures Today

NOAA/NCDC reported 58 high temperature records broken Monday across nine states:  Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky. The temperature records included

• Colorado: 31 records broken, 7 tied; highest temp 110 degrees at La Junta Airport; old record 107 in 1990

• Kansas: 10 broken, 4 tied, highest temp 114 1 northeast of Hill City, old record 108 in 1971

• Kentucky: tied record 94 degrees at London, KY; old record set in 1988

• Missouri:  1 tie, 95 degrees at Kirksville, old record set in 1971

• Nebraska:  4 broken, 1 tied; 105 degrees near Harrisburg in Banner County; old record 98 in 2001

• Wyoming:  6 broken, 8 tied; highest temp 107 at Gillette; old record 99 in 1988

• Texas:  3 broken, 2 tied, highest 102 degrees at Victoria tied 102 in 2009

• Oklahoma: 1 broken, 101 degrees at Ralston in Pawnee County, old record 100 in 1988

• Arkansas:  3 broken, two tied, highest 101 at Little Rock Forecast office and Little Rock airport; old record 99 and 100 in 1988

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 25 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,360 Days Left

[June 25, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,360 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 24 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,361 Days Left

[June 24, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,361 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar