Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.7 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.7 earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.
5.6 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.2 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.0 earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm 27w (Nyatoh), located approximately 200 nm north-northwest of Ulithi, is tracking westward at 10 knots.
As floods worsen, Uganda moves to protect its vanishing wetlands
Until recently, truck drivers who poured fill into wetlands near Uganda’s capital, to illegally create new land for building or agricultural expansion, rarely met any resistance. But recently, some of those drivers have ended up in jail following convictions Authorities say this will deter others from destroying the valued environment.
Wetlands assist in the control of floodwaters. Uganda has been suffering more frequent and severe flooding in recent times.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits the Canary Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits the Banda Sea.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
Volcanic Gas Hazard
High concentrations of carbon dioxide spewing from volcanic vents on the Italian island of Vulcano have prompted officials to order hundreds of residents to leave home at night for fear of them being suffocated in their sleep.
While the island’s volcano, located off the northern coast of Sicily, hasn’t erupted since 1890, CO2 levels six times higher than normal from it have already caused breathing difficulties for some residents and health issues for pets. Since the heavy gas can hug the ground on windless nights, officials fear it could seep into homes, killing those sleeping in the low-lying areas around Porto di Levante.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
7.2 earthquake hits northern Peru.
5.6 earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.
5.3 earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.1 earthquake hits near the coast of central Peru.
5.1 earthquake hits Atacama, Chile.
5.0 earthquake hits offshore Araucania, Chile.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
Global Warming Began Way Earlier Than Previously Thought
A group of researchers at the University of Cambridge have found evidence that the warming of the Arctic Ocean began much before the current calculations offered by modern instrumental measurements. It is observed that the rise in global temperature had been initiated way back at the beginning of the last century. ‘Atlantification,’ a process in which the influx of warmer and saltier water in the Arctic Ocean is witnessed, has been prevalent since the beginning of 1900. Researchers used the chemical signatures found in marine microorganisms and based the study on them. The paper acts as a link between the North Atlantic and the climate of the Arctic.
Atlantification will lead to the melting of snow due to the introduction of warmer and saltier water. As the ocean surface gets exposed to sunlight, the release of heat into the atmosphere will melt the permafrost, a layer that has capsuled a large amount of methane, a much more damaging greenhouse gas than CO2.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
China – Covid-19
China could face more than 630,000 COVID-19 infections a day if it dropped its zero-tolerance policies by lifting travel controls, according to a study by Peking University mathematicians.
Using data for August from the United States, Britain, Spain, France and Israel, the mathematicians assessed the potential results if China adopted the same pandemic control tactics as those countries. China’s daily new cases would reach at least 637,155 if it adopted the United States’ pandemic strategy, the report said. Daily cases would hit 275,793 if China took the same approach as Britain and 454,198 if it imitated France, it said.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits Kepulauan Talaud, Indonesia.
5.5 earthquake hits the Bougainville region, Papua New Guinea.
5.4 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.3 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.1 earthquake hits northern Peru.
5.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
NewsBytes:
Washington/British Columbia – A week and a half after damaging floods in Washington state, and British Columbia, forecasters are warning that multiple “atmospheric rivers” threaten to once again drench the Pacific Northwest beginning Thanksgiving Day. Atmospheric rivers are huge plumes of moisture extending over the Pacific and into the Northwest. Forecasters say more moisture from the atmospheric rivers is expected to bring up to 3 inches of rain in some areas hit by the recent flooding. Officials from the National Weather Service predict periods of moderate to heavy rain through Wednesday, as the first in a series of systems moving across the region.
Wildfires – USA
The number of wildfires nationwide and the acres they burned both set records in 2021, the federal Department of Interior reported. The wildfire season also saw a record number of days of high fire danger this year, the department reported.
Overall, there were 48,487 wildfires that burned more than 6.5 million acres.
There were 15 wildland firefighters and 33 civilians killed in 2021 fires. In addition, 4,818 structures were destroyed.
California experienced the most wildfires, followed by Montana, Oregon, Arizona and Washington. The vast majority of the wildfires were human-caused, Interior reported, but lightning-caused fires destroyed more acres.
Wildfires – California, USA
More than 70,000 homes and businesses in Southern California lost power on Thanksgiving as the region battles dangerously dry conditions and high winds, with gusts topping 70 mph in some areas. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for parts of multiple counties, including San Diego, Los Angeles and Ventura — collectively affecting more than 17 million people through Friday afternoon.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Dengue Fever – Philippines
The Philippines is reporting a total of 61,170 dengue cases this year through October 23, including 216 deaths, according to data from the World Health Organization (WHO). This is 21% lower compared to the 77,859 cases reported in the same period in 2020. In 2021, 1,472,059 cases have been reported, the majority from Brazil (863,650), India (123,106), Vietnam (61,304), the Philippines (61,170) and Peru (41,379).