Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.4 Earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.2 Earthquake hits the Black Sea.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the North Atlantic: Tropical Storm Nicole is located about 600 mi…965 km S of Cape Race, Newfoundland with maximum sustained winds…70 mph…110 km/h. Present movement…ENE or 65 degrees at 17 mph…28 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific: Invest 99E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for further tropical development.
In the Western Pacific: Typhoon 24w (Sarika), located approximately 114 nm east-northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking west-northwestward at 10 knots.
Tropical Storm 25w (Haima), located approximately 189 nm east of Yap, FSM, is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.
In the Central Pacific: Invest 95C is an area of disturbed weather in the Central Pacific that has the potential for further tropical development.
Global Warming
Landmark deal to cut HFC’s
Representatives from nearly 200 member countries of the Montreal Protocol agreed on a deal to reduce emissions of powerful greenhouse gases on Saturday at a summit in Kigali, Rwanda.
The “landmark” deal will reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the world’s fastest growing greenhouse gases, the United Nations Environment Program said in a statement.
HFCs are potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning instead of other, ozone-depleting substances.
According to UNEP, the agreed reduction in HFCs could prevent up to 0.5 degrees Celsius (0.9 degrees Fahrenheit) of global warming by the end of this century.
Wildfires
Wildfires – Nevada, USA
A wind-whipped wildfire raged out of control Friday in northern Nevada, destroying more than a dozen homes, forcing evacuations, closing roads and schools, and triggering power outages, officials said.
A state of emergency was declared as the Little Valley Fire burned between Reno and Carson City. Nevada Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Gail Powell said an estimated 18 homes had been lost in Washoe Valley.
More than 300 firefighters were battling the blaze that has charred about 3 square miles of brush and timber. Winds gusting in excess of 70 mph along the Sierra Nevada’s eastern front were keeping air tankers and helicopters on the ground.
Disease
Cholera Outbreak in DRC – Update
The number of cholera cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to date in 2016 is significantly higher the same period in 2015, according to UNICEF data published today. Between January and October 2016, a total of 22,002 cases of cholera with 646 deaths were reported in the DRC.