Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits Samoa.
5.1 earthquake hits the Ryukyu islands off Japan.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 16p (Kevin), located approximately 596 nm south-southeast of Suva, Fiji, is tracking east-southeastward at 36 knots.
Tropical Cyclone 11s (Freddy) has reformed and is located approximately 71 nm east-southeast of Europa Island, is tracking eastward at 06 knots.
Global Warming
US got a record-breaking 40% of its energy from carbon-free sources in 2022
Carbon-free sources supplied over 40 per cent of the US’s total energy output in 2022, a new report reveals. This is an all-time high. The figure combines renewable generation – such as solar, wind and hydro – and nuclear power. Nuclear and hydropower remained at similar levels to previous years, so the majority of this increase comes from wind and solar.
Nuclear power is a contentious topic among sustainable energy advocates. It is considered ‘carbon-free’ as nuclear reactors don’t produce direct CO2 emissions, however, whether or not it ought to be regarded as being sustainable remains in dispute.
The report also shows that electric vehicle (EV) sales surged by 50 per cent in 2022 with nearly 982,000 new cars sold.
Wildfires
Wildfires – Boreal Forests
Wildfires in the boreal forests that ring the globe’s far northern latitudes are emitting rapidly increasing amounts of carbon dioxide, according to an international study using new satellite technology.
Burning boreal forests across Eurasia and North America in 2021 released a record 1.76bn tonnes of CO₂ — representing 23 per cent of the world’s entire CO₂ emissions from fire.
While tropical forest fires had attracted much attention, as a result of deforestation, boreal forests were relatively overlooked. This was despite them being one of the most extensive and important biomes on Earth and being at threat from warming that is occurring much faster in the Arctic region than the rest of the planet.
Disease
Nipah Virus – Bangladesh
There is an outbreak of Nipah virus disease in seven districts (Rajshahi, Naogaon, Rajbari, Pabna, Shariatpur, Natore and Narsingdi) in Bangladesh. To date, 11 cases and eight deaths have been reported (72.7% CFR). This outbreak is related to the consumption of date palm sap. The CDC has issued a travel advisory in this regard.