Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits near the coast of southern Peru.
5.2 earthquake hits Sakhalin, Russia.
5.1 earthquake hits south of Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits the Timor Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits Kyrgyzstan.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Earl is located about 190 mi…305 km ene of Bermuda and about 1020 mi…1640 km ssw of Cape Race Newfoundland with maximum sustained winds…100 mph…155 km/h. Present movement…ne or 35 degrees at 18 mph…29 km/h.
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 14w (Muifa), located approximately 441 nm south of Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking northwestward at 10 knots.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 12e (Kay), located approximately 237 nm south-southeast of San Diego, is tracking northwestward at 14 knots.
More Glacier Melt
Swiss scientists say the country has lost half of its glacier volume since 1931. The researchers say they “reconstructed” the topography of Swiss glaciers of 1931 and then followed how they slowly disappeared over nearly 100 years of melting.
Writing in Cryosphere, they describe their analysis of about 21,700 photos of the glaciers taken between 1916 and 1947 in the process. They say the Fiescher Glacier, for example, was a massive sea of ice in 1928 but is now only a few tiny specks of white. Glaciers in eastern Switzerland shrank faster than those in the south, home of the famed Matterhorn.
Tree Extinction
An international group of scientists issued a “warning to humanity” over the prospect of losing about a third of the world’s tree species. Writing in the State of the World’s Trees report, it says that more than 100 known tree species have already become extinct, with billions of individual trees being lost each year to pests, disease, invasive species, drought, climate change and industrial-scale deforestation.
It adds that further losses will lead to major biodiversity disruptions in a world where forests provide homes to about 75% of all bird species, 68% of mammal species and as many as 10 million species of invertebrates. “If we don’t look after trees, there’s no way we can look after all the other life there,” said lead author Malin Rivers.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 53.0 degrees Celsius (127.4 degrees F) at Death Valley. California.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 75.0 degrees Celsius (-103.0 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.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Monkeypox – DR Congo
From the first week to the 34th epidemiological week, the province of Sankuru in the DRC notified that 1258 cases of Monkeypox including 23 deaths were recorded. The epicenter of this disease are the health zones crossed by the equatorial forest.
HIV – Philippines
Philippines health officials are reporting an increase in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) cases in 2022. 41 is the now average case count per day from January to July 2022, higher than the 33 cases a day over the same period in 2021.
Dengue Fever – Vietnam
The Vietnam Ministry of Health has reported 190,005 dengue cases and 72 deaths since the beginning of the year, a 4-times increase compared to the same period in 2021.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week 31 August – 6 September 2022
Aira – Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported low but continuing activity from Minamidake Crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 29 August-5 September. Small eruptive events were recorded throughout the week, and crater incandescence was visible nightly. Sulfur dioxide emissions were 2,500 tons per day on 30 August, the same rate as the last measurement on 16 August.
Dukono – Halmahera : VMBG reported that daily ash plumes from Dukono rose as high as 800 m above the summit and drifted SW, W, and NW. The plume colors were various shades white, gray, and black and had variable densities from diffuse to dense.
Ebeko – Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that moderate activity at Ebeko was ongoing. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was identified in satellite images on 25 and 31 August. According to volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island, about 7 km E) explosions generated ash plumes during 25-26, 28, and 30-31 August, and 1 September, that rose up to 3.5 km (11,500 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N and E. Ashfall was reported in Severo-Kurilsk on 30 August.
Fuego – South-Central Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that 4-13 explosions per hour were recorded at Fuego during 30 August-6 September, generating ash plumes that rose as high as 1.1 km above the crater rim. The ash plumes drifted as far as 30 km N, NW, W, and SW, causing daily ashfall in areas downwind including Morelia (9 km SW), Panimaché I and II (8 km SW), Santa Sofía (12 km SW), El Porvenir (8 km ENE), Los Yucales (12 km SW), Sangre de Cristo (8 km WSW), El Porvenir (8 km ENE), San Pedro Yepocapa (8 km NW), and Finca Palo Verde. Daily shock waves rattled structures in communities within about 10 km around the volcano. Daily block avalanches descended the Ceniza (SSW), Seca (W), Trinidad (S), Taniluyá (SW), Honda, and Las Lajas (SE) drainages, often reaching vegetated areas. Explosions ejected incandescent material 100-300 m above the summit each day. Lahars resulting from substantial rainfall descended the Las Lajas and El Jute drainages on the ESE flank and the Ceniza drainage on the SSW flank during 29-30 August and on 2 September, carrying tree branches, trunks, and blocks as large as 2 m in diameter.
Great Sitkin – Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that slow lava effusion at Great Sitkin likely continued during 30 August-6 September with lava thickening over the vent and expanding outward; the lava flows did not advance. Minor steaming from the summit was observed during 30-31 August, and elevated surface temperatures were identified in satellite images during 2-5 September. Seismicity was very low. Weather clouds sometimes prevented satellite and webcam views.
Kadovar – Northeast of New Guinea : Based on satellite and wind model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 31 August an ash plume from Kadovar rose to an altitude of 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW.
Karymsky – Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Karymsky was identified in satellite images during 25 August-1 September.
Kilauea – Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that lava continued to effuse from a vent in the lower W wall of Kilauea’s Halema`uma`u Crater during 30 August-6 September, entering the lava lake and flowing onto the crater floor. Part of the lake’s surface was continuously active. The lake level mostly remained within the bounding levees, though breakouts were visible along the W and NW margins.
Klyuchevskoy – Central Kamchatka (Russia) : Strong winds re-suspended ash from the E flank of Klyuchevskoy and created plumes that were visible in satellite and webcam images drifting 180 km E on 5 September, local time. The plumes rose to altitudes of 3-4 km (9,800-13,100 ft) a.s.l.
Kuchinoerabujima – Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : The number of volcanic earthquakes with hypocenters near Kuchinoerabujima’s crater increased during 30-31 July. The number of earthquakes then decreased to low levels by 1 August and remained low. Sulfur dioxide emissions were also at low levels and on some days were below the detection limit.
Lewotolok – Lembata Island : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Lewotolok continued during 30 August-6 September. Daily white emissions rose as high as 500 m above the summit and drifted NW, W, and SW. During 1-2 September white, gray, and black plumes rose as high as 1.5 km above the summit.
Merapi – Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 26 August-1 September and seismicity remained at elevated levels. As many as 13 lava avalanches from the SW lava dome traveled down the Bebeng drainage on the SW flank, reaching a maximum distance of 2 km. The SW lava dome had continued to grow, and had an estimated volume of 1.62 million cubic meters based on 29 August aerial photographs.
Pavlof – Alaska Peninsula, Alaska : AVO reported that a minor eruption at a vent on Pavlof’s upper E flank was ongoing during 30 August-6 September. A small vent re-opened ESE of the main vent. Seismic tremor persisted. Weather clouds mostly prevented views of the volcano during the first part of the week, though incandescence from the vent was visible in webcam images at night on 1 September; elevated surface temperatures were identified in satellite images during 2-6 September. A diffuse gas plume visible in webcam images on 4 September possibly contained trace amounts of ash. Gas plumes visible the next day contained minor amounts of ash.
Santa Maria – Southwestern Guatemala : INSIVUMEH reported that the eruption at Santa María’s Santiaguito lava-dome complex continued during 30 August-6 September. Lava-dome effusion at Caliente cone fed lava flows that descended the San Isidro and El Tambor drainages on the W and SW flanks; the flows were as long as 4.2 km by 30 August. Block avalanches from the dome, and from both the ends and sides of the flows, descended the SW and W flanks. The avalanches sometimes generated ash plumes that rose as high as 500 m above the complex. Incandescence from the dome and the lava flows was sometimes visible at night or during early mornings. Explosions during 31 August-1 September occasionally ejected incandescent material onto the flanks in all directions.
Semeru – Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 30 August-6 September. Eruptive events at 0756 on 2 September, 0518 and 0956 on 5 September, and 0521 on 6 September produced ash plumes that rose 500-700 m above the summit and drifted mainly N and SW.
Sheveluch – Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that the ongoing eruption at Sheveluch was characterized by explosions, hot avalanches, and lava-dome extrusion during 25 August-1 September. A daily thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images. Plumes of re-suspended ash drifted 150 km E on 25 August. Hot avalanches generated an ash plume on 1 September that drifted 70 km E.
Suwanosejima – Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA reported that the eruption at Suwanosejima’s Ontake Crater continued during 31 August-5 September. There were four explosions that likely produced eruption plumes, though weather clouds prevented visual confirmation. Large blocks were ejected 700 m from the vent. Crater incandescence was observed nightly, and volcanic tremor was occasionally recorded.
Whakaari/White Island – North Island (New Zealand) : On 7 September GeoNet reported that access to continuous data streams from the last operating earthquake and pressure sensor on Whakaari/White Island had recently been lost, hindering scientists’ ability to distinguish between various levels of unrest. Observations and gas-monitoring flights will be conducted more frequently until the island can visited to service the equipment and power supplies. Images from island webcams continued to be intermittently available. The report noted that low levels of activity on the island were observed during the last overflight on 31 August. Tall steam-and-gas plumes are sometimes observed from the mainland coast.