Wildfires Rage Across Australia

Intensive thunderstorm ignites wildfires in Western Australia

An emergency warning remained in place in Western Australia’s South West as a dozen wildfires raged.

At least 130 personnel are battling an out of control fire in forest between Bridgetown and Nannup, which has consumed more than 1,700 hectares in less than 24 hours.

Australia experienced its hottest month on record in January 2013, with both the average mean temperature of 29.68°C and the average mean maximum temperature of 36.92°, topping previous records set in January 1932, Australian Bureau of Meteorology (ABOM) reported.

“The heatwave in the first half of January was exceptional in its extent and duration. The national average maximum temperature on 7 January was the highest on record. Numerous stations set records for the most days in succession above 40°C, including Alice Springs (17 days) and Birdsville (31 days).”

January heatwave set all-time record high temperatures in many locations including Sydney (45.8°C on 18 January) and Hobart (41.8°C on 4 January). The highest temperature recorded during the heatwave was at Moomba in South Australia (49.6°C on 12 January), ABOM reporetd.

Extreme Rain Events

Extreme rain events plagued coastal areas of Queensland and New South Wales as a low pressure system associated with ex-tropical cyclone Oswald tracked steadily south between 22 and 29 January.

“Many coastal areas from Sydney to Cape York received more than 200 mm of rainfall. The most extreme rainfalls were in the region between Rockhampton and Bundaberg, and in the ranges along the New South Wales – Queensland border region.” BOM reported.

Some 1,496 mm of rain fell in Upper Springbrook in the Gold Coast hinterland in eight days, and 1,426 mm in Boolaroo Tops, southwest of Gladstone.

Related Links

• Disaster declared in NSW
• Australian floods force evacuation of thousands in 2 states

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February 13, 2013 – DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,123 Days Left 

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

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,123 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 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

Beijing Buried in Heavy Smog – Take 4

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,138 Days Left 

[January 29, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,138 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 …

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Beijingers choking by ‘worst fog ever’

Round 4 of heavy smog in less than 4 weeks, described by Beijingers as the ‘worst fog ever,’ enveloped the Chinese capital on Monday, worsening on Tuesday, and severely affecting visibility in large portions of the city, Xinhua reported.

The pea soup fog reduced visibility in downtown Beijing to such extent that office workers could no longer see the building tops.

Putrid air has caused a surge in respiratory illnesses, especially among children and the elderly, the report said.

A pediatric hospital in downtown Beijing has treated a record 9,000 children this month, mostly flu, pneumonia, tracheitis, bronchitis and asthma patients.

Air quality in Beijing on Tuesday hit 517 on an index maintained by the U.S. Embassy in the Chinese capital, which described the pollution as “Beyond Index,” said Reuters.

• The choking smog enveloped several cities, covering a total area of 1.3 million square kilometers Tuesday, said the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).
  

 

 

Related Links

• Heavy Smog Entombs Beijing Again   January 23, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing January 14, 2013
• Hazardous Air Warnings in Beijing as Landslide Kills Dozens in SW China January 12, 2013

Egypt could collapse if political crisis continues

Egypt’s army chief warned today that the state could collapse should the current political turmoils continue.

• At least 60 people have been killed in the past 4 days as protesters across much of Egypt battle the police.
• “The continuation of the conflict between the different political forces and their differences over how the country should be run could lead to the collapse of the state and threaten future generations,” said the army chief, who is also the country’s defense minister.
• “The military is Egypt’s most powerful institution and was the de facto ruler since a 1952 coup by army officers seized power and later toppled the monarchy,” said a report.

• Hell would freeze over before Egyptians are allowed to have a functioning democracy!

Australian floods force evacuation of thousands in 2 states

• Burnett River burst its banks, flooding at least 2,000 homes in Bundaberg, Queensland.
  • The river was expected to peak above 9.6m, some 1.5m above the 2010 flood level.
  • “Those flood levels will be one of the highest levels recorded for the whole of the Bundaberg and Burnett region,” said Queensland Police Minister.
  • About 8,000 people have been displaced across the flooded city.

• The storm cell moved south triggering extreme rain in parts of New South Wales, prompting the forced evacuation of at least 2,500 residents in the city of Grafton, as rising water threatened the levees.

Related Links

• Final Eviction Notice to Australians? January 28, 2013