Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits Nepal.
5.3 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits Luzon in the Philippines.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Hurricane 07e (Frank), located approximately 866 nm south of San Diego, is tracking northwestward at 11 knots.
Tropical Storm 07e (Georgette), located approximately 1329 nm south-southwest of San Diego, is tracking westward at 08 knots.
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 06w (Songda), located approximately 206 nm southwest of Kunsan AFB, South Korea, is tracking north-northeastward at 04 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 01s (One), located approximate315 nm west-southwest of Cocos Island, is tracking west-northwestward at 07 knots. This is the final warning for this system.
Global Warming
Globe showing the areas affected by the current heatwave
Wildfires
Wildfires – Montana, USA
A wildfire burning on the west side of Flathead Lake led to evacuation orders and warnings in the Elmo area Friday night. The fire had grown to an estimated 7,000 acres by Saturday afternoon.
Wildfires – California
Evacuations have been ordered around Klamath national forest in northern California after a major new wildfire broke out amid searing heat, a prolonged drought and lightning across the region.
The fire, known as the McKinney fire, has grown to 18,000 acres in less than 12 hours and has zero containment. It has forced officials in Siskiyou county to order the evacuation of nearby communities, a virtual repeat of the Washburn and Oak fires that have recently ignited in California’s western Sierra Nevada.
Disease
Polio – Mozambique
In a follow-up on a wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) case reported in Mozambique’s north-eastern Tete province in May, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) reported this week an additional three cases from Tete province. This brings the total number of cases in the country to four.
Chikungunya – Brazil
In a follow-up on the chikungunya situation in Brazil this year, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reports Brazil has seen 186,170 total cases, including 75,505 confirmed cases through July 16. 40 deaths have been recorded.
Earthquakes
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.
5.5 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.4 earthquake hits the Russia-Mongolia border.
5.3 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.2 earthquake hits Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.2 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Two 5.1 earthquakes hit the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.1 earthquake hits the Scotia Sea.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits Sakhalin, Russia.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Hurricane 07e (Frank), located approximately 1084 nm south of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.
Tropical Storm 07e (Georgette), located approximately 1163 nm south-southwest of San Diego, is tracking ward at 11 knots.
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 06w (Songda), located approximately 121 nm southwest of Jeju Island, South Korea, is tracking west-northwestward at 11 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 01s (One), located approximately 234 nm west-southwest of Cocos Island, is tracking southwestward at 07 knots.
Newsbytes:
Iran – Heavy rain in Tehran Province in northern Iran has caused flash floods and landslides over the past few days resulting in severe damages and several casualties. The worst of the flooding and landslides struck early on 28 July 2022 in the village of Emamzadeh Davoud (also Imamzadeh Davood) situated on the steep slopes around 20 km north of the capital, Tehran City. Emergency services said a landslide and floods triggered by heavy rain dumped mud and debris on the village up to 4 metres deep. Houses were destroyed and vehicles swept away. Iranian Red Crescent said at least 6 fatalities have been reported. Fourteen people are still missing and several others have been injured. Around 500 people have been displaced and relocated to safe areas.
Wildfires
Wildfires – Turkey
A wildfire that broke out Friday in a resort area in southwestern Turkey spread to a hotel that also serves as a tourism training school, officials said. No injuries were reported, and the blaze later was brought under control.
Disease
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Anthrax – Canada
An anthrax outbreak is being reported and monitored in the remote areas of the largest national park in Canada– Wood Buffalo National Park, according to Parks Canada. As of July 28, officials have reported a total of 59 bison mortalities that are suspected to be caused by anthrax.
Monkeypox – Spain
In Spain, as of July 29, there have been a total of 4,298 confirmed cases of monkeypox reported. One death has also been reported.
Earthquakes
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.7 earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.
5.7 earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 earthquake hits the Chhattisgarh region, India.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 07e (Frank), located approximately 1200 nm south-southeast of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 05 knots.
Tropical Storm 07e (Georgette), located approximately 1062 nm south-southwest of San Diego, is tracking west-southwestward at 09 knots.
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 06w (Songda), located approximately 260 nm northeast of Kadena afb, is tracking west-northwestward at 20 knots.
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 01s (One), located approximately 119 nm west-northwest of Cocos Island, is tracking south- southwestward at 08 knots.
Newsbytes:
Kentucky, USA – At least eight people died and others were rescued from rooftops on Thursday after heavy rains across southeastern Kentucky touched off what the governor said was “one of the worst, most devastating flooding events” in state history. More than 20 people are still missing.
Environment
Plastic Eating Bacteria
British researchers have identified naturally occurring lake bacteria that grow faster and more effectively by eating plastic bags, breaking them down to natural carbon compounds.
Writing in the journal Nature Communications, Cambridge scientists suggest that enriching waters with particular species of bacteria could be a natural way to remove plastic pollution from the environment. They add that “plastic pollution is stimulating the whole food web in lakes, because more bacteria means more food for the bigger organisms like ducks and fish.”
Alpine Heat
Swiss scientists say the freezing point in the Alps has risen to a record altitude above the summits this summer as Europe bakes in unprecedented heat. Weather balloons had to rise 5,184 metres above sea level to reach freezing, 70 metres higher than the previous record set in 1995.
Glaciologist Matthias Huss says accelerating global heating, especially in July, has caused freshwater glaciers to melt faster than ever. Wild species accustomed to cold climates are migrating higher and are reaching a point where they have nowhere else to go.
A melting glacier has shifted the border between Switzerland and Italy, putting a mountain lodge that was once entirely in Italy now technically two-thirds in Switzerland.
Wildlife
Violent Marauders
Nearly 50 people have been attacked and injured in the western city of Yamaguchi by a gang of Japanese macaques that initially waged assaults on children and adults before going on to target the elderly. Residents have resorted to carrying umbrellas and sharp garden tools to fend off the simians.
Authorities managed to capture and eventually put down one member of the gang that was identified as an attacker. But eyewitnesses say monkeys involved in the assaults are of different sizes, meaning more of the suspects are still at large. Macaques are commonly seen across Japan, sometimes eating crops and invading homes.
Environment
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 49.0 degrees Celsius (120.2 degrees F) at El Oued, Algeria.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 72.0 degrees Celsius (-97.6 degrees F) 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.
Wildfires
Wildfires – Germany
A large wildfire on the German-Czech border is spreading and threatening to destroy a forested national park popular with tourists. The fire in the region, called Bohemian Switzerland on the Czech side and the Saxon Switzerland national park on the German side, started last weekend. It had seemed to be under control but spread again early Thursday.
Another large forest fire in the Elbe-Elster district of the eastern German state of Brandenburg was under control Thursday after flaring up again on Wednesday evening, local authorities said. The fire was still burning an area of 500 hectares (1,236 acres).