Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.3 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits Tonga.
Three 5.1 earthquakes hit the South Sandwich Islands.
Four 5.0 earthquakes hit the South Sandwich Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical storm Grace is located about 265 mi…425 km e of Tuxpan Mexico and about 215 mi…345 km ene of Veracruz Mexico with maximum sustained winds…70 mph…110 km/h. Present movement…w or 270 degrees at 16 mph…26 km/h.
Tropical Storm Henri is located about 370 mi…600 km sse of Cape Hatteras North Carolina and about 780 mi…1255 km ssw of Nantucket Massachusetts with maximum sustained winds…65 mph…100 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 300 degrees at 9 mph…15 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 12e (Linda), located approximately 745 nm east of Hilo, Hawaii, is tracking westward at 15 knots.
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 16w (sixteen) has strengthened again and is located approximately 462 nm south-southeast of Kadena afb, is tracking west- northwestward at 09 knots.
Newsbytes:
Singapore – Over 100 mm of rain fell in a few hours in Singapore on 20 August 2021, flooding dozens of roads and causing severe disruption to traffic.
Malaysia – At least 4 people have died and 2 are still missing after powerful flash floods and landslides swept down the steep hillsides of Gunung Jerai in the Yan District of Kedah State in Malaysia. The weather station at Gunung Jerai (Mount Jerai) in Kedah recorded 219 mm of rain in 24 hours to 18 August 2021. Disaster officials said as much as 90mm of rain fell in just 1 hour.
Ghana – Damaging floods struck in Ghana‘s Upper West Region after recent heavy rainfall. Disaster authorities said over 1,605 people were affected and over 100 homes destroyed. Furthermore flooding caused severe damage to roads and bridges in the region, impacting livelihoods and leaving some communities cut off.
Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka‘s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reports that heavy rain and flash flooding damaged homes and displaced over 1,500 people in the districts of Kandy and Kegalle. In Kandy, areas of Gangawata Korale and Pasbage Korale were badly affected after heavy rain from 11 August. DMC reported 1,509 people were displaced as a result of floods and heavy rain, which severely damaged 19 homes. In total 1,972 people from 426 families were affected.
India – Flooding has affected over 20,000 people across 5 districts of Assam, northeastern India over the last few days. 43 village across the districts of Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur have been flooded, affecting 22,022 people. Twenty relief camps have ben set up to house those displaced. 2,937 hectares of crops have been damaged, along with several river embankments in particular in Bongaigaon district. A total of 27 roads have also been damaged.
Ancient Coral
Australian scientists have discovered one of the largest and oldest coral colonies in the Great Barrier Reef, which is the largest coral reef system on Earth. The massive coral belongs to the genus Porites and measures 34 feet (10.4 meters) wide and 17.4 feet (5.3 m) tall, making it the widest and sixth-tallest coral in the Great Barrier Reef.
The researchers found that the massive coral has been around for between 421 and 438 years, meaning that it predates the colonization of Australia. The colony has survived centuries of exposure to invasive species, coral bleaching events and low tides, as well as around 80 major cyclones.
New Temporary Island
Japan’s Coast Guard found a newly formed island about 750 miles south of Tokyo when a surveillance flight spotted an active eruption in a remote area south of Iwo Jima. The Japan Meteorological Agency says previous eruptions created islands in 1904, 1914 and 1986, with all eventually being eroded by waves and currents.
La Niña Return?
A La Niña watch has been issued for the tropical Pacific as the ocean-cooling phenomenon now has a 70% chance of developing from November to January. The sea surface between South America and Indonesia is now in a “neutral” phase between El Niño warming and La Niña.
La Niña typically pushes the polar jet stream northward, bringing wetter weather to the Pacific Northwest, western Canada and the Ohio Valley. But it may also bring ongoing dry conditions to California and the Desert Southwest, worsening droughts and wildfire threats. La Niña’s cooling can also contribute to an extended and active hurricane season.
Fish Baking
With record summer heat and drought threatening wild salmon in California, the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and Atlantic Canada this summer, experts say many commonly eaten fish could face extinction as global heating makes waters too hot for them to survive.
A report in the journal Nature Climate Change warns many species will struggle to keep pace with the deepening climate emergency. “Warming waters are a double whammy for fish, as they not only cause them to evolve to a smaller size, but also reduce their ability to move to more suitable environments, said co-author Chris Venditti of Britain’s University of Reading. He warns this could threaten global food security.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius) in Agadir, Morocco.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 90.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 67.8 degrees Celsius) at Vostok, Antarctica.
Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the Week 11 August – 17 August 2021
Ebeko – Paramushir Island (Russia) : According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, explosions during 6-9 and 11 August produced ash plumes that rose as high as 2.5 km (8,200 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E and SE. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 6, 9, and 11 August.
Karymsky – Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that explosions at Karymsky during 6-13 August produced ash plumes that rose as high as 2.5 km (8,200 ft) a.s.l. Gas-and-steam plumes containing some ash drifted over 60 km SE and SE. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images during 7-8 August.
Lewotolok – Lembata Island (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that the Strombolian eruption at Lewotolok continued during 11-17 August. White, gray, and sometimes black plumes rose as high as 2 km above the summit and drifted S, NW, and W during 10-12 August. Incandescent lava was ejected 200-350 m radially on 10 August, accompanied by banging noises. Ash plumes rose 100-300 m during 13-17 August and drifted NE and W. Incandescence from the SW part of the crater was visible during 15-16 August.
Merapi – Central Java (Indonesia) : BPPTKG reported that both the lava dome just below Merapi’s SW rim and the lava dome in the summit crater remained active during 5-12 August. The domes grew and shed material down the flanks, resulting in relatively stable dome volumes. A total of 28 pyroclastic flows descended the SW flank as far as 3 km; as many as 252 lava avalanches traveled a maximum of 2 km SW and one traveled 500 m SE. BNPB noted that ashfall was reported in 19 villages on 10 August and several on 12 August, in the districts of Dukun, Sawangan, Grabag, Pakis, Tegalrejo, Secang, Srumbung, Salam, Muntilan, and Mungkid. Winds played a role in the extensive distribution of ashfall.
Rincon de la Vieja – Costa Rica : OVSICORI-UNA reported that eruptive events at Rincón de la Vieja were recorded at 1052 on 12 August and 0703 on 13 August, though weather conditions prevented visual confirmation of emissions. Fumarolic activity within the crater increased during 16-17 August.
Sheveluch – Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 6-13 August. Gas-and-steam plumes containing some ash drifted 140 km SW during 7 and 9-12 August. On 11 August the Kamchatka Branch of Geophysical Services (KBGS; Russian Academy of Sciences) reported that the spine had crumbled and incandescent material descended the flanks.
Suwanosejima – Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that 10 explosions at Suwanosejima’s Ontake Crater produced eruption plumes that rose as high as 2.2 km above the crater rim during 6-13 August. Large volcanic bombs were ejected 400 m from the crater. Crater incandescence was visible nightly and ashfall was occasionally reported in Toshima village (4 km SSW).