Anthrax Outbreak Kills 109 Hippos in Namibia

Namibian authorities say an anthrax outbreak may have caused the deaths of 109 hippos in one of the country’s national parks, Bwabwata National Park.

“We first noticed the deaths of 10 hippos last week Sunday, but the number increased during the week,” Bwabwata National Park director told reporters. “As we speak, the number of deaths is 109. We suspect an anthrax outbreak, but our vete­rinary team is still to confirm that.”

Two of the hippos were discovered dead in the Kavango River outside the park. New Era toured the park on Saturday with the help of park warden Jonas Hausiku and one could see hippo carcasses scattered by the river in the park and over streams of stagnant water that link with the river.

“This is a situation that we have seen before. It happened in Zambia before and it mainly occurs when the level of the river is so low… Our scientist will advise properly, but we suspect it is anthrax.

Read more…

 

DISASTER Diary – May 26, 2013

Namibia Declares National Drought Emergency

President of Namibia has declared a national drought emergency due to significantly below-average precipitation.

• An estimated 331,000 people, 14 percent of the Namibia’s population of 2.324 million,  in rural communities across 13 regions have now been classified as food insecure so far this year.

• An additional 448,000 people have been classified as moderately food insecure.

•   Those moderately food insecure could rapidly become food insecure, UN reported.

• About 109,000 children under age 5 living in rural households classified severely and moderately food insecure are at risk of malnutrition due to reduced availability, access and utilization of food, compounded by limited access to safe water and improved sanitation, UN said.

Namibia: Rainfall Anomaly for Q1 2013. Source: SADC FANR

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

• 11 Regions across the country are without water tanks for additional storage.

• About 32% of households and communities use boreholes as their main sources of water, followed by piped water (20%) and public taps in neighboring houses (19%).

• As a result of the severe drought, water tables in boreholes are currently low with reduced yields.

• The cost of water has risen and most households are now using their limited funds to buy food instead of water.

• Only 33% of households have improved sanitation facilities.

• 50% of the population practice open defecation. [Source: U.N.]

-oOo-

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Extreme Rain Events Flood San Antonio, Texas

At least two people were killed on Saturday as torrential rains in San Antonio triggered severe flooding forcing the rescue of about 240 people, officials said.

• San Antonio was inundated with about 10 inches of rain Saturday, the second-wettest-day recorded, San Antonio Express-News reported.

• “Saturday was not only the wettest day in May ever recorded, but with 9.87 inches of rain at the San Antonio International Airport, it was the second wettest day ever recorded in San Antonio, according to the National Weather Service. The wettest day on record is Oct. 17, 1998, when 11.26 inches of rain fell.”

• NWS issued Flood Warnings  for rivers affecting Bexar, Wilson and Karnes counties.

-oOo-

Average CO₂ at Mauna Loa:
Last 5 days of preliminary daily average CO₂

• May 24 – 399.84        
• May 23 – 399.67        
• May 22 – 399.97        
• May 21 – 399.74        
• May 20 – 400.11
  

-oOo-

M5.7 Earthquake, Plumas County, Northern Calif

A state of emergency has been declared in Plumas County after the magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the area Thursday, causing damage both to infrastructure as well as homes and businesses.

• “The earthquake did not injure anyone but did cause moderate damage and was felt by people as far away as the Bay Area, Reno and into Oregon,” said a report.

-oOo-

DISASTER CALENDAR – May 26, 2013 — 
SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,021 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,021 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

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