Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.7 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
5.5 earthquake hits the southern mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.0 earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 16p (Kevin), located approximately 394 nm southeast of Port Vila, Vanuatu, is tracking southeastward at 24 knots.
The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Freddy continue to hover in the Mozambique Channel bringing heavy precipitation to the area.
Newsbytes:
Malaysia – The flood situation in Peninsular Malaysia has worsened over the last 24 hours. Disaster authorities in the country report almost 30,000 people have moved to evacuation centres across the states of Johor, Pahang, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan. Over 8,000 people have evacuated their homes in Segamat and over 5,000 in Kluang. Local media reported one person died after a vehicle was swept away by floodwaters. Heavy rain has been falling in the state since 28 February, when parts of Kulang District recorded 257 mm of rain and Segamat 219 mm. Areas of Segamat, Mersing and Muar recorded more than 400 mm of rain in 24 hours on 01 March.
Wildlife
Sea Lions Decimated by Bird Flu
In a follow-up from Peru, The National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State announced this week the death of 3,487 South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) in seven natural protected areas of the coast, which represents 3.29% of just over 105,000 of this species that inhabits the entire country due to H5N1 avian flu virus.
Environment
Mass River Pollution – Poland
Greenpeace have blamed wastewater discharge from coal mines for the mass die-off of thousands of fish in the Oder River last year. The August 2022 environmental disaster saw 300 tonnes of dead fish recovered from the waterway, which runs along the Polish-German border.
Polish authorities blamed the incident on a bloom of toxic golden algae, which thrives in highly salty water and in hot temperatures. However, environmental campaign group Greenpeace blamed the river’s elevated salinity levels on wastewater discharges from Poland’s coal mines after experts’ test results of the waters were released.