Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.4 earthquake hits Fiji.
Two 5.4 earthquakes hit the west Chile rise.
5.4 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.2 earthquake hits the west Chile rise.
5.2 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.2 earthquake hits the west Chile rise.
5.2 earthquake hits near the south coast of Papua, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Two 5.0 earthquakes hit the west Chile rise.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Larry is located about 240 mi…385 km ese of Bermuda with maximum sustained winds…100 mph…155 km/h. Present movement…nnw or 330 degrees at 16 mph…26 km/h.
Tropical Depression Mindy is located about 80 mi…125 km sse of Valdosta Georgia and about 150 mi…240 km sw of Savannah Georgia with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h . Pesent movement…ne or 55 degrees at 20 mph…31 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 15e (Olaf), located approximately 900 nm southeast of San Diego, is tracking north-northwestward at 05 knots.
In the northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm (ts) 18w (Conson), located approximately 241 nm west-northwest of Manila, Philippines, is tracking west-northwestward at 14 knots.
Super Typhoon 19w (Chanthu), located approximately 365 east of Manila, Philippines, is tracking west-northwestward at 09 knots.
Newsbytes:
Sudan – Floods have caused what local authorities described as ‘catastrophic devastation’ in White Nile state, and extra boats have been deployed on the river to evacuate people who have been stranded by floodwater since the beginning of the week. Official sources say that the main stream of the Nile at Atbara has risen since yesterday, but is still almost a metre below 2020 flood levels. More than 1,800 families, estimated at 15,000 people, in 53 villages, have been affected by floods in El Jebelein locality in White Nile state.
France – Nearly two months of rain fell in just a few hours in Lot-et-Garonne Department in southwestern France late on 08 September 2021. Streets of the city of Agen were inundated with over 2 metres of water, according to the city government. Areas of nearby Boé, Nérac and Marmande were also affected and several roads in the area closed. In Boé, part of the roof of a supermarket collapsed under the weight of the rain.
Philippines – Tropical Cyclone Conson (local name Jolina), brought strong winds and heavy rainfall to parts of the Philippines after making its first landfall in Hernani, Eastern Samar on 06 September 2021. Twelve fishermen are missing in roughs seas off the coast of the province of Antique. The storm affected a total of 12,213 people from 2,753 families across the provinces of Albay, Antique, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Masbate, Negros Occidental, Samar and Sorsogon.
Polluters Are Trying to Ensure They’re Never Held Responsible for Climate Change
Last week, Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc from Louisiana to New York — but that wasn’t the only part of the country or world experiencing extreme weather events. The day before Ida raged through New Orleans, fire tornadoes blazed in California, a state currently grappling with more than a dozen active wildfires. The entire Pacific Northwest has been plagued by drought and heat waves all summer. The turmoil hasn’t been limited to North America. Italy, Lebanon, Siberia, Spain, Turkey, and Greece have been experiencing wildfires, while the Chinese province of Shaanxi has been struggling with extreme flooding and landslides.
The culprit is easily identified: man-made climate change. In recent years, “attribution science,” or the science of identifying causal connections between climate change and individual weather events, has become much more accurate. And last month, for the first time, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) asserted that human activity is the driving force behind planetary warming. “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land,” noted the new report.
According to the well-established “polluter pays” legal principle, those responsible for this warming should be held liable for the cost. Sure enough, the fossil fuel industry has increasingly found itself in the legal crosshairs of governments, impacted communities, students, and activists all over the world, especially in light of investigations showing that companies like Exxon knew about the dangers of climate change decades ago, did little to address it, and even misled the public on the dangers.
According to a January report from the UN’s Environment Programme, the number of climate change cases filed against countries and corporate actors nearly doubled in the past few years, with at least 1,550 cases filed as of July 2020. In the United States alone, twenty-four climate lawsuits — including some related to climate change–fueled wildfires — are currently moving through the courts. In February, the International Bar Association even released a model for litigants to pursue legal action related to climate change.
But the biggest polluters have yet to face meaningful consequences for planetary destruction — and it remains to be seen if they ever will. As efforts mount to hold polluters accountable, fossil fuel companies and other corporate interests are working overtime to leverage the US court and political system to avoid responsibility for the climate crisis — and offload the costs of environmental damage onto taxpayers.
Animals are ‘shape-shifting’ as a response to climate change
New review of existing research done by the authors of Trends in Ecology & Evolution, show some animals are adapting to climate change by changing their body size.
Research done on more than 30 animals show that average body size is decreasing while appendages and limbs, such as tails, beaks, and legs are growing for some animals. It’s suggested this is in order to adapt to a warming world caused by climate change. A smaller body size holds onto less heat and therefore keeps the animal cooler. Increased surface area though from a larger appendage now allows for better cooling and easier regulation of body temperature. This means larger appendages would be more advantageous in warmer climates than in cooler ones.
Australian parrots were found to have up to a 10% increase in beak surface area since 1871. Shrews and bats were also found to have an increase in ear, tails, legs and wing size as the climate warmed.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Plague – Madagascar
In a follow-up, the World Health Organization (WHO) says on August 29, in the Itasy region, in the Arivonimamo health district, an alert was received by the health authorities regarding cases of Pulmonary Plague. As of September 3, a total of 30 suspected cases of pulmonary plague including 12 confirmed and 7 death cases (CFR=23%) are reported so far.
Bird Flu – China
Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) reports monitoring a human case of avian influenza A(H5N6) in mainland China, the 18th case reported in the past year.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the Week 1 September – 7 September 2021
Askja – Iceland : On 3 September IMO reported that inflation at Askja had begun in early August based on ground deformation data derived from satellite images and continuous GPS data. The uplift was centered at the W edge of Oskjuvatn caldera and vertically deformed at a rate of about 5 cm per month. Data indicated that the source of the inflation was at a depth of about 3 km and caused a volume change of about 0.01 cubic kilometers per month; the source was unknown, though most likely was caused by an influx of magma.
Kilauea – Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that ground deformation beneath the S part of Kilauea’s summit ceased on 30 August and the earthquake rate decreased during 30-31 August. The data suggested that a magma intrusion had slowed or stopped. Earthquake rates and ground deformation remained near pre-intrusion levels through 7 September.
Pagan – Mariana Islands (USA) : Continuous gas-and-ash plumes from Pagan were observed in satellite images for most of 1 September, prompting the USGS to raise the Aviation Color Code and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Orange/Watch, respectively. The plumes drifted 150 km NW and SW at an altitude of 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. The emissions briefly paused at 2300 and then resumed; satellite images acquired the next morning, on 2 September, showed gas-and-ash plumes drifting 650 km. A plume of ash and sulfur dioxide was identified in satellite data, drifting 150 km W at an altitude of 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l. early on 3 September. Ash deposits in and around the crater and on downwind parts of the island were observed in 4 September images. During 4-6 September gas-and-ash plumes rose to 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted at least 400 km W. Sulfur dioxide emissions were observed in satellite data on 6 September; ash emissions paused sometimes during 6-7 September as activity declined. A robust steam plume possibly containing a minor amount of ash was visible in satellite data on 7 September drifting 24 km W at an altitude of 1.5 km (5,000 ft) a.s.l.
Pavlof – United States : AVO reported that seismicity at Pavlof was low, though elevated above background levels during 31 August-7 September. Inclement weather sometime prevented satellite and webcam views of the volcano. A sulfur dioxide plume was visible in satellite images on 2 September.
Whakaari/White Island – North Island (New Zealand) : GeoNet reported that beginning at 0630 on 2 September minor ash emissions from the active vent at Whakaari/White Island were visible in webcam images. The emissions were observed in satellite images drifting SW and reaching the Bay of Plenty coastline. GeoNet noted that short episodes of minor ash emissions had been recorded during the previous few weeks, though none were as sustained as the 2 September episode. Minor ash emissions were also recorded on 3 September, but then ceased. The webcam continued to record nighttime incandescence from the vent, at least through 6 September, suggesting that temperatures were likely 500-600°C. Steam-and-gas plumes were voluminous, and coupled with weather conditions, were easily visible from the coast. Deformation measurement showed a broad area of subsidence around the vent area, possibly from the release of pressurized gas at depth and the more voluminous plumes. Additionally, the ash emissions may have possibly been caused by wall fragments falling into the vent.