Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 Earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.
5.1 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.0 Earthquake hits the Volcano Islands off Japan.
5.0 Earthquake hits the western Indian-Antarctic ridge.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms
No current tropical storms.
NewsBytes:
Serbia – Extreme weather is continuing in Serbia this summer, with a new round of storms hitting many areas of the country late on Wednesday. A tornado-like storm was reported in a village near the town of Lazarevac. Strong winds in Šopići ripped off roofs from homes, caused significant damage to a local church, and turned over vehicles, including a tank truck. Heavy rain and high winds affected several other towns, including Topola and Aranđelovac in central Serbia, Šabac, Bogatić, and Koceljeva in the west, and Belgrade.
USA – Heavy rains over the past couple of weeks have rivers rising all across the Upper Midwest, flooding homes, swamping fields and washing out roads.
India – Landslides and floods in Guwahati today have claimed the lives of at least nine people. Around 154 flood relief camps have been opened across Assam, where nearly 2 lakh people have taken shelter. The floods are the worst in Assam since 1998.
Paraguay – Floods caused by torrential rains have forced the evacuation of 200,000 people living near the Paraguay and Parana Rivers.
Disease
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9) virus – update
On 22-23 and 25 April 2014, Taipei Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 2 additional laboratory-confirmed cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H7N9). These are the third and fourth cases with infection of avian influenza A(H7N9) virus reported from Taipei CDC.
Outbreak Of Hand, Foot And Mouth Disease In Huron County, UK
The Huron County Health Unit is advising people to be aware of an outbreak of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease.
The virus spreads very quickly and often in schools and day care centres, although adults can get it as well.
Symptoms can include a fever and general tired or run down feeling as well as blisters inside of the mouth and on the hands and feet. The symptoms don’t usually last for more than a few days, but the virus is very contagious, particularly in the first week when symptoms are often not evident.
The Hand, Foot and Mouth virus commonly shows up in the late spring or early summer and she says the best prevention is frequent hand washing.
Volcanos
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity
San Miguel volcano (El Salvador) activity update The volcano continues to be in an unstable phase. Tremor remains elevated, but has dropped significantly during the past days.
Fuego volcano (Guatemala) activity update Activity has been relatively low recently. The volcano observatory only reported weak to moderate explosions with ash plumes up to 500 m height above the crater.
Dukono volcano (Halmahera, Indonesia) activity update Explosive activity at the volcano continues at elevated levels. Ash-rich strombolian explosions produce a plume that rises 1-2 km above the crater sometimes extends up to approx. 100 km and is often visible on satellite imagery.