Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.3 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.
5.4 Earthquake hits Antofagasta, Chile.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 02w (Two), located approximately 373 nm east-southeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking west-northwestward at 08 knots.
NewsBytes:
Indonesia – Hundreds of residents of flood prone areas in Cipinang Melayu in East Jakarta took shelter in higher places on Tuesday evening, hours after the nearby Sunter Reservoir overflowed because of heavy rain. The inundation was 1.5 meters deep on Tuesday night.
Indonesia – Flash floods in Indonesia’s western province of Aceh have left two dead and one missing while damaging hundreds of houses. Heavy downpours on Thursday led to flooding in two districts, said the National Board of Disaster Management. Scores of people were evacuated, and rescuers have started emergency relief efforts.
Uruguay – Almost 1,700 people have been evacuated in Uruguay’s Artigas Department amid heavy flooding. The total number of people displaced in that department currently stands at 1,675. Of this total, 645 have been evacuated and 1,030 have self-evacuated. The level of the Cuareim (Quarai) River continues to fall, currently the water is at 8.8 meters (about 29 feet), almost 3 meters (10 feet) less than the Wednesday level. All the people who have been evacuated amid flooding, which started as heavy rains caused the river to burst its banks, are currently housed at 15 temporary shelters.
Environment
Two billion people drinking contaminated water: WHO
Dramatic improvements are needed in ensuring access to clean water and sanitation worldwide, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday, warning that nearly two billion people currently use faecal-contaminated water. Hundreds of thousands of people die each year because they are forced to drink contaminated water.
“Today, almost two billion people use a source of drinking-water contaminated with faeces, putting them at risk of contracting cholera, dysentery, typhoid and polio,” Maria Neira, who head’s WHO’s public health department, said in a statement.
“Contaminated drinking-water is estimated to cause more than 500 000 diarrhoeal deaths each year and is a major factor in several neglected tropical diseases, including intestinal worms, schistosomiasis and trachoma,” she added.
Disease
Duck Plague in Mesquite, Texas, USA
The City of Mesquite has confirmed that more than 50 duck deaths at various Mesquite parks during the past few weeks is being caused by a duck virus also known as Duck Enteritis Virus, aka duck plague. The public is not at risk, as the disease is shared only between ducks and other waterfowl. This disease will run its course among the ducks, as there are no effective treatments available.