GLOBAL DISASTERS/ SIGNIFICANT EVENTS, SEP. 2, 2014

STATE TERRORISM IN UKRAINE
MASS DISPLACEMENT
VOLCANIC ERUPTION
SIGNIFICANT SEISMIC EVENTS
BARDARBUNGA VOLCANO
TAVURVUR VOLCANO
TUNGURAHUA VOLCANO
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
SEVERE FLOODING IN SW CHINA, E. PAKISTAN, S. SWEDEN
SCENARIOS 888, 444, 200, 069, 023, 017, 09, 08, 07
.

1 Million Ukrainians Displaced by Conflict

More than 1 million people have been displaced since the conflict began in Ukraine, says the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

“It’s safe to say you have over a million people now displaced as a result of the conflict, internally and externally together,” Reuters quoted director of the UNHCR’s bureau for Europe, as saying.

“I mean 260,000 [internally displaced] in Ukraine—it’s a low estimate—and 814,000 [have fled to] Russia.”

There has been a surge in the number of war refugees internally displaced in Ukraine since about mid August, local media reported.

Bardarbunga Eruption

Volcanic activity continues in Holuhraun lava filed webcam images show, The rate of flow remains steady with no visible change in activity since Monday, with effusive lava eruption and fountains, said IMO.

The largest earthquake to hit the volcano system measured 3.1Mw, which occurred in the northern part of the magma field with additional seismicity detected beneath the glacier rim.

IMO said:

• The eruption has not created any ash-fall. A white plume of steam and gas rises from the eruption on Holuhraun, reaching an elevation of about 4.5 km above sea level. Downwind, a volcanic cloud extends from the eruption site. Yesterday afternoon a white cloud from the eruption extended 60 km to the north-north-east.
• In comparison to yesterday, more [sulfur] dioxide has been measured in the eruption cloud.
• Sandstorms on the floodplain around the eruption site have contributed fine-grained particles to the eruption cloud. This was seen as a light-brown haze earlier today near to Egilsstaðir.
• The eruptive fissure is about 1.5 km in length, positioned about 4.5 km from the ice margin of Dyngjujökull.
• At 14:00 UTC yesterday, the lava flow was 4.2 km² in area. At 08:00 UTC the edge had extended 1.5 km to the east-south-east.

 Tungurahua shows  increased activity: Ecuador Seismologists

Dozens of explosions were recorded at the volcano on Monday, as experts warned of renewed sudden increases in explosive activity.

The volcano has been ejecting plumes of ash to heights of about to 3km since Wednesday.

The 5,023-m volcano has been active since 1999, and has shown signs of increased activity since February 1, 2014.

“Throat of Fire,” as it’s known in the in the local Quechua language, is one of nine or so active volcanoes in Ecuador, located about 140 km  south of the capital, Quito.

 Flash Floods in Sweden and Denmark

Extreme Rain Events triggered flash floods causing traffic chaos in Sweden and Denmark, submerging occupied vehicles, and forcing the evacuation of residents in some areas, AP reported.

Some 120mm (4.7 inches) of rain fell in about three hours, inundating the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

Many Dead or Missing after Severe Flooding in SW China

Extreme Rain Events triggered widespread flash floods and landslides in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality, leaving dozens dead or missing, said a report.

 

Hundreds Evacuated as Ecuador’s Tungurahua Erupts

The “Throat of Fire” Erupts

Hundreds of people were evacuated on Sunday as Tungurahua volcano [“Throat of Fire” in Quichua] in central of Ecuador erupted.

The volcano ejected “ashes and hot solids into the air,” said the National Risk Management Secretariat, as they raised the volcano alert level to “orange.”

“The explosion from the volcano could be heard from various cities such as Riobamba, Ambato, and Guayaquil [which is 250 km from the volcano] and the tremor was felt in volcano’s region, ” said the Ecuadorian Geophysics Institute.

The eruptions and smoke could be seen from the capital, Quito, some 140 km  north of the volcano.

The 5,023-m “Throat of Fire” has been active since 1999.

Tungurahua eruption viewed from the city of Banos in this AFP photo dated December 17, 2012. Image may be subject to copyright.

-oOo-

Volcanic Activity Continues at Popocatépetl

Latest Activity at Popocatépetl. Image Credit: CENAPRED

Close-up of Popocatépetl Summit Crater – July 15,2013. Image Credit: CENAPRED – Mexico

Latest statement issued Mexico’s CENAPRED, as Popocatépetl continued to spee ash and volcanic matter Late Monday.

July 15 18:00 h (July 15 23:00 GMT)

During the last 7 hours the monitoring system at Popocatepetl volcano registered 6 low intensity exhalations, which were probably followed by emissions of gases and ash, although this could not be corroborated due to the prevailing cloud cover. Aditionally, two volcanotectonic microseisms of Mc 2.0 and 2.1 were detected at 12:03 and 15:32, respectively.

Today an overflight was made with the aid of the mexican Navy, in which it could be seen that the dome reported on the previous overflight was destroyed by the explosions which ocurred and were reported on the last few days. In its place a new crater 200 m in diameter and 20 to 30 m deep was seen (see image) (see image) (see image) (see image).

The Volcanic Alert Level is at Yellow, Phase 3.

Blizzards Blast Half of the US, Temp Dips to Minus 58 in Russia

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,178 Days Left 

[December 20, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,178 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Three weather systems pound the U.S., as freezing temperatures kill/ injure hundreds in Russia

The storms have knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers across Nebraska and Iowa, reports said.

“Significant snow will impact all or parts of 21 states—five by a storm in the Pacific Northwest, two by a storm in New England and 14 by the storm in the middle of the country.” NOAA reported.

One storm is winding down in Northern New England after dropping 8-14 inches on northern Maine. The system moving into the Rockies and Central Plains will gain strength today and a new system is moving onshore in the Pacific Northwest, where another 12-20 inches are in the forecast.

The northwest storm will affect parts of Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho and Montana. The New England storm has affected mostly Main and New Hampshire. The monster storm taking over much of the Plains will impact significant parts of Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, Colorado, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan and Indiana.

Russia

Hundreds of people are dead or injured, as Russia endures its harshest winter in more than 7 decades, with temperatures dipping to as low as minus 50ºC (-58ºF).

“The country has not witnessed such a long cold spell since 1938, meteorologists said, with temperatures 10 to 15 degrees lower than the seasonal norm all over Russia.” RIA Novosti reported.

• Russia’s Emergency Ministry has issued warnings throughout 15 regions, as  record cold temperatures are forecast to linger for several more days.

• The temperatures  fell to -18ºC  Moscow region and -50 degrees in Siberia on Wednesday.
  • The temperatures will plunge to as low as -25ºC in the Moscow-2 region, forecasters said.

• “Across the country, heat pipelines have broken down due to the cold. In southeastern Russia’s Samara, the cold has broken down many heat pipelines, leaving hundreds of homes without heating, including an orphanage and a rest house. Many schools and kindergartens have been closed for almost a week.” RIA Novosti reported.

• “The cold spell, along with snowfalls, has disrupted flights all over the country, and led to huge traffic jams. In the southern city of Rostov-on-Don some highways were closed due to snowfalls over the past two days, triggering a traffic collapse.”

Ecuador: Tungurahua volcano

Seventy-two hours after the Tungurahua alert level was raised to ‘orange,’ the activity level remains between ‘moderate’ and ‘high.’

Tungurahua eruption viewed from the city of Banos in this AFP photo dated December 17, 2012. Image may be subject to copyrights.

The Geophysical Institute observatory reported volcanic activity as being  between ‘moderate’ and ‘high,’ with regular expulsions, emitting ashes high into the sky.

The roaring sounds from the volcano is rattling windows in nearby towns, where volcanic ashes continue to rain down.

Tungurahua, (“Throat of Fire” in the native Quechua language),  is located about 135 kilometers (84 miles) south of Quito, the capital city of Ecuador  (Group D – see map).

Related Links:

• Volcanoes [FEWW Links]
• Earthquakes
• Volcano Watch Weekly [6 May 2009]

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!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Heatwave Fuels Wildfires Ravaging Balkans

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,302 Days Left

[August 22, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,302 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

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

–

State of emergency declared as wildfires threaten Bosnia towns

Residents and tourists are being  evacuated from Bosnian towns, as raging wildfires fueled by the extreme heat and strong winds approach.

• Authorities declared a state of emergency in the town of Bratunac (eastern Bosnia) as wildfires approached from 4 directions.
• Residents and tourists are being evacuated from the town TouKonjic (southern Bosnia) as multiple wildfires engulf the surrounding areas.

Authorities both in Serbia and Croatia have issued extreme heat warnings, instructing people to stay indoors to avoid dehydration and heatstroke.

• Italy. The Ministry of Health raised the extreme heat warning to the maximum level ‘red’  after heatwave enveloped 8  cities including the capital Rome.
  • Wildfires were reported at multiple locations across southern Italy.

• France. Heatwave has also affected most parts of France since last week.
  • In southern France, temperatures exceeded 40ºC (104 degrees).

• Spain. A major wildfire fueled by the extreme heatwave has scorched more than 8,000 hectares in the central Spanish province of Leon, reports said.
  • Fires in Spain have consumed about 150,000 hectares of wild land killing several people this summer.

• Greece.  Hundreds of fires were ignited across the Greek Islands over the weekend, scorching thousands of  acres of forest.

• Belgium and Germany have also been affected by the heatwave since late last week.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• Ecuador. Tungurahua volcano (summit elevation: 5,030 m) near Banos erupted again on Tuesday, August 20, 2012 spewing lava, ash and volcanic debris  into the air.  Authorities raised the alert level to ‘orange, and evacuated some of nearby residents, while advising others to leave the are voluntarily.
  • Tungurahua’s last major eruption occurred from 1916 to 1918, but the volcano became active again in October 1999.

Tungurahua volcano seen from Huambalo, Ecuador, Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2012. (Photo: Dolores Ochoa/AP). Image may be subject to copyright.

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 Zones Declared in NSW and WA, Australia

Severe Flooding in NSW, catastrophic bushfires in WA destroy homes, farms and businesses in Australia

Disaster zones have been declared in two Australian states due to catastrophic bushfires in Western Australia (WA), which began on 23 November, and severe flooding in northwestern New South Wales (NSW).  

Disaster Calendar 2011 – November 29

[November 29, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,569 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• NSW, Australia. The state government in Australian state of New South Wales has declared 3 shires in the northwest as disaster zones after flooding destroyed farms and businesses.
• Thousands of people and livestock and hundreds of farms remain isolated after days of torrential rains which triggered mega flooding, creating an inland sea.
• The three shires of  Armidale Dumaresq, Inverell and Moree Plains have been declared disaster areas.
• “I saw first-hand how widespread the devastation is,” said the Emergency Services Minister.
• “There are many families and business owners who have been affected by these recent floods.”
• Evacuation orders remain in effect at various locations.
• WA, Australia. The Government of Western Australia (WA) has  declared the Margaret River region a disaster zone following devastating fires that consumed thousands of hectares of bushland and destroyed dozens of homes, sheds and chalets.
• Tungurahua Volcano, Ecuador. Ecuador’s government is urging about 700 people in 4 villages on the slopes of the Tungurahua Volcano in the Andes to evacuate the area after the 5,023-meter volcano began erupting on Monday, sending pyroclastic flows down the volcano flanks.
  

Strombolian eruptions observed during the night of November 28, 2011. Photo by J. Bustillos / IGEPN. Image may be subject to copyright.

Related Links

• Australian Disasters [Index]
• Tungurahua volcano erupts

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disaster Calendar 
• 2011 Disaster Calendar

Tungurahua volcano erupts

Ecuador declares ORANGE alert after ash eruption at Tungurahua

The 5,023m volcano ejected a plume of ash about 7-km asl, in one of its half dozen eruptions,  the Ecuadorean geophysics institute said.

The authorities  have issued evacuation orders for residents in the villages of Bilbao, Chacauco and Cusua and other communities near Tungurahua, which translates into “Throat of Fire.”

A Tungurahua eruption in 2006 killed at least six people in the Chimborazo province, according to records.

“According to our observations, damages to crops, pastures and small effects to the health of people are already evident,” the country’s geophysics institute said.

Tungurahua volcano near the city Banos south of Quito, Ecuador. A fountain of lava erupted, spewing molten rocks to about 2 km above the crater, the Geological Institute in Quito reported. Dec. 4, 2010. AFP Photo. Image may be subject to copyright. Click here for more images.

Snow-capped Tungurahua, photographed from near the town of Baños. Photo by Minard Hall, 1976 (Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito) via GVP.

Tungurahua is located about 135 kilometers (84 miles) south of Quito, the capital city of Ecuador  (Group D – see map).

Map of Volcanoes. Background Map: University of Michigan. Designed and enhanced by Fire Earth Blog. Click image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• Tungurahua volcano explodes, villages evacuated
• Volcano Ash Threatens Ecuador’s Ambato City

More Volcano Links

• A New Era of Intense Volcanic Unrest May Have Begun
• World’s Dormant Volcanoes Firing
• VolcanoWatch Weekly [16 September 2009]

Other Related Links:

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Tungurahua volcano explodes, villages evacuated

Ecuador’s Tungurahua volcano erupted explosively, forcing the evacuation of a dozen villages and closing down the airport in Guayaquil, the country’s largest city.

The initial explosion from Tungurahua volcano ejected a large plume of ash, lava, fumes and tephra to a height of about 10km  (33,000 feet) a.s.l.

The latest eruption was the volcano’s most significant activity since 2006 when up to a 1,000 homes were destroyed, killing at least 8 people.

Tungurahua is located about 135 kilometers (84 miles) south of Quito, the capital city of Ecuador  (Group D – see map).

Collapse Survivors Note:
Volcanic explosions could play a major role as significant mechanisms of collapse and ultimately depopulation of the planet.

Map of Volcanoes. Background Map: University of Michigan. Designed and enhanced by Fire Earth Blog. Click image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• Pacaya Erupts, Covers Guatemala City with Ash
• Volcanoes [FEWW Links]
• Earthquakes
• Volcano Watch Weekly [6 May 2009]

Volcano Ash Threatens Ecuador’s Ambato City

Ambato May Become a Ghost City

Tungurahua Volcano, “Throat of Fire,” Eruption Continues

Volcanic ash from Tungurahua volcano, which has been erupting for the past several weeks, has covered a wide area of central Ecuador, including provincial capital city of Ambato, authorities said.

Tungurahua volcano, located near Baños, Ecuador. Photo Credit: Martin Zeise, Berlin. SEE Official license. Click Image to enlarge.

Authorities fear that the volcanic ash from Tungurahua, will cause heavy crop loss as well as health problems.

“People have to protect their nose and eyes, because the volcanic dust causes problems in the respiratory system,” provincial health Director was quoted as saying.

However, most of the residents of Ambato, located in Ecuador’s central Andean valley, have ignored government advice to done masks, as they swept thick blankets of ash from the streets, health officials said, UPI reported.

“Since the reactivation of the volcano this year, this is the first time that the dust has fallen on the streets of the city,” a city official told Quito’s El Comercio newspaper.

Tungurahua, which means “Throat of Fire,” is located about  180 km south of Quito, capital city of Equador.

After a large eruption on Jan. 11, Tungurahua has continued to eject columns of ash reaching  as high as 4,000 meters above the summit. The volcano erupted more than 20 times on Wednesday, said Daniel Andrade of Ecuadorian Instituto Geofísico (the Institute of Geophysics).

City of Ambato

The city of Ambato (1°14′30″S, 78°37′11″W) lies in the valley of the Central Cordillera and is surrounded by snow-capped volcanoes including Carihuairazo, Cotopaxi, Tungurahua and Chimborazo, the largest mountain in Ecuador.

Ambato has an estimated population of 400,000, has been destroyed by earthquakes several times throughout its history, the last incident occurred on 5 August 1949.

The earthquake completely destroyed the entire city as well as 50 of surrounding towns and villages,  killing at least 6,000, and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless.

Ambato is also prone to seasonal flooding due to the Ambato River which divides the north side of the city.

Tungurahua erupted on May 16, 2006, covering the city in a thick blanket of ash.

Tungurahua Volcano
Country: Ecuador
Volcano Number: 1502-08=
Volcano Type: Stratovolcano
Last Known Eruption: 2009
Summit Elevation: 5,023 m  (16,479 feet)
Latitude: 1.467°S  (1°28’1″S)
Longitude: 78.442°W  ( 78°26’30″W)
Source: Global Volcanism Program (GVP)

Snow-capped Tungurahua, seen from near the town of Baños on its northern flank, rises 3,200 m above steep-walled canyons. Historical eruptions, separated by long reposes, have produced powerful explosions, sometimes accompanied by pyroclastic flows and lava flows. All historical eruptions have originated from the summit crater, and have typically lasted for several years. The largest historical eruptions took place in 1886, 1916, and 1918.  Photo by Minard Hall, 1976 (Escuela Politécnica Nacional, Quito). Caption: GVP. Click Image to enlarge.

A break in the clouds enabled the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard NASA’s Terra satellite to observe the eruption on January 23, 2010. As the satellite orbited overhead, a tan ash plume stretched 60 km (40 miles) to the southwest of the peak reaching an altitude of 27,000 feet (8,200 meters), more than 3,000 m (10,000 ft) above the 5,023 m (16,480 ft) summit. Observers from the Ecuadorian Instituto Geofísico reported lava fountains and lava blocks cascading down the flanks of the volcano, as well as loud booms and ashfall in the surrounding communities. NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz, MODIS RRT. Caption by Robert Simmon.  Edited by FEWW. Click Image to enlarge.

Related Links:

• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links
• Earthquakes [Main Index page]
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities