Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits near the north coast of Papua, Indonesia.
5.4 earthquake hits the Alamagan region, North Mariana Islands.
5.3 earthquake hits the island of Hawaii, Hawaii.
5.0 earthquake hits Halmahera, Indonesia.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm Bud is located about 30 mi…50 km nne of La Paz Mexico with maximum sustained winds…40 mph…65 km/h. Present movement…n or 355 degrees at 13 mph…20 km/h.
Tropical Depression Four-E is located about 110 mi…180 km s of Acapulco Mexico with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h. Present movement…stationary.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression (td) 08w (Gaemi), located approximately 115 nm south of Taipei, Taiwan, is tracking east-northeastward at 12 knots.
Tropical Storm (ts) 07w (Seven), located approximately 132 nm northeast of Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan is tracking east-northeastward at 35 knots.
NewsBytes:
Lebanon – Heavy rain on Wednesday and Thursday resulted in massive floods at the Christian village of Ras Baalbak in the northern Bekka Valley of Lebanon, where at least one person, Shahira Balis, was killed, as mud and water broke into her home. The village’s electricity system was disrupted completely, as the floods knocked down all electricity polls, and destroyed a still unaccounted number of shops, fields, crops, and merchandise. School walls collapsed, and cars were smashed by the floods, while trees were uprooted. The ceilings of many older homes caved in.
India – Floods triggered by heavy rainfall over the past three days have claimed the lives of 12 people in the Northeast and affected nearly four lakh people across the region. Several rivers are flowing above danger level and landslides, submerged roads and railways tracks have affected movement of traffic at several places and led to cancellations of some trains. According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority, seven districts — Hojai, Karbi Anglong East, Karbi Anglong West, Golaghat, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Cachar — have been affected. Nearly 36,000 displaced people are residing in 116 relief camps.
Carbon Collecting
Recent advances in removing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the air have significantly brought down the cost, with one process having the ability to create synthetic fuel.
Carbon Engineering’s pilot facility in western Canada has been extracting about one ton of CO2 per day at a cost of about $100 per ton, far less than the prevailing price of about $600 per ton.
While the captured carbon can be stored in stone deep underground, Carbon Engineering says it can use renewable energy to take hydrogen from water and combine it with the collected carbon to create a synthetic liquid fuel.
The Bill Gates-funded company says it is already making about one barrel a day with that process.
Dolphin Bonding
A new study reveals that male bottlenose dolphins communicate by calling on their bros by name.
The University of Western Australia study found that dolphins use signature whistles for each other, and are the only animals besides humans to adopt names.
Researcher Stephanie King says that using individual names helps the dolphins negotiate a complex social network of relationships.
The study also revealed the male dolphins spend a lot of time caressing each other with their pectoral fins, as if they are holding hands.
Interesting Images
Ghostly Tree – No, a spider didn’t build this web — hundreds or thousands of tiny caterpillars did.
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 123 degrees Fahrenheit (50.6 degrees Celsius) in Jacobabad, Pakistan.
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 97.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 71.7 degrees Celsius) 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.
Kentucky hepatitis A outbreak, USA – Update
In an update on the Kentucky hepatitis A outbreak, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (DPH) has now reported 761 outbreak cases, including 467 hospitalizations as of June 2. In addition, 6 hepatitis A related deaths have been reported.
Rabies – Malawi – Cholera
The Malawian government says 22 people have died of rabies since the confirmation an outbreak in the Mount Mulanje province since July last year. 1 600 cases of infectious dog bites have been reported in the same period. The disease has killed 74 dogs across the province. The government does not have the 17 million Kwacha required for the acquisition of sufficient vaccines to run mass treatment and immunization programmes for people, dogs and cats.
Meanwhile, a new cholera outbreak has killed 1 person and infected 100 people in the Salima area of central Malawi. The resurgence of the disease came exactly one month after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the area cholera-free following a prolonged epidemic that began late in 2017.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 6 June – 12 June 2018
Agung | Bali (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 1 May-7 June activity at Agung remained at a relatively high level. Emissions were mostly water vapor, occasionally with ash. In general, tiltmeter and GPS showed long-term deflation since December 2017, though inflation began to be detected the second week of May; deformation analysis indicated that magma continued to accumulate about 3-4 km below the crater. Low- and high-frequency earthquakes also suggested rising magma. Sulfur dioxide flux was 190-203 tons/day, and thermal anomalies in the crater were identified in satellite data. The erupted volume of lava was estimated to be 23 million cubic meters, equivalent to about a third of the total crater volume. At 2214 on 10 June an event generated an ash plume that drifted W at an unspecified altitude. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) and the exclusion zone was stable at a 4-km radius.
Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that there were eight events and five explosions at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) during 4-11 June. Crater incandescence was occasionally visible at night. Ash plumes rose up to 2 km above the crater rim, except an event at 1135 on 10 June produced a plume that rose 3.5 km. Tephra was ejected as far as 1.3 km from the crater during 8-11 June. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).
Ambae | Vanuatu : The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-hazards Department reported that activity at Ambae’s Lake Voui decreased in May, and by 7 June had ceased; the Alert Level was lowered to 2 (on a scale of 0-5) and a 2-km-radius exclusion zone was emplaced. Steam and volcanic gas emissions continued, and were reportedly smelled by local residents near the volcano.
Ambrym | Vanuatu : On 7 June the Vanuatu Geohazards Observatory (VGO) reported that the lava lakes in Ambrym’s Benbow and Marum craters continued to be active, and produced sustained and substantial gas-and-steam emissions. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 0-5); the report reminded the public to stay outside of the Permanent Danger Zone defined as a 1-km radius from Benbow Crater and a 2.7-km radius from Marum Crater.
Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) : AVO reported that low-level unrest at Cleveland continued during 6-12 June. Elevated surface temperatures were identified using satellite data on most days, during times of cloud-free observations. Nothing unusual was observed in seismic or pressure sensor data. Steam emissions were observed during 11-12 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Yellow and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Advisory.
Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on PVMBG observations and satellite data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 6-12 June ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W, NW, N, NE, and E.
Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : KVERT reported that a diffuse ash plume drifting 8 km E of Ebeko was identified in satellite images on 5 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Kadovar | Papua New Guinea : According to the Darwin VAAC a pilot observed an ash plume from Kadovar rising to an altitude of 1.2 km (4,000 ft) a.s.l. on 10 June. The ash plume was not identified in satellite data.
Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that the eruption at Kilauea’s Lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) and at Overlook Crater within Halema`uma`u Crater continued during 7-12 June. Lava fountaining and spatter was concentrated at Fissure 8, feeding lava flows that spread through Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens subdivisions, and built out the coastline where the fast-moving flow entered the ocean in the Kapoho Bay area. Minor lava activity at Fissures 16/18 was occasionally noted.
Inward slumping of the crater rim and walls of Halema`uma`u continued, adjusting from the withdrawal of magma and subsidence of the summit area; the floor had subsided at least 100 m during the previous few weeks, and by 12 June the lowest point was 300 m below the crater rim. Steam plumes rose from areas in the crater as well as from circumferential cracks adjacent to the crater.
Summit explosions occurred almost daily. Explosions at 1607 and 0244 on 6 and 8 June, respectively, each produced an ash plume that rose 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. An explosion was recorded at 0448 on 9 June. Two explosions, the second larger than the first, were recorded at 0046 and 0443 on 11 June. An ash-poor explosion occurred at 0152 on 12 June. A pattern of an increasing number of earthquakes, an explosion, and then a drop-off of seismicity immediately afterwards had emerged during the past few weeks and continued.
A total of 12 rockfalls in Pu’u ‘O’o Crater were recorded between 1031 and 1056 on 8 June, following a M 3.2 earthquake at the summit. A red dust plume was visible around 1050 but dissipated quickly.
Fountaining at Fissue 8 was stable, though by 10 June three closely spaced fountains were active within the 35-m-high spatter cone. The heights of the fountains varied, but rose no higher than 70 m. Pele’s hair and other volcanic glass from the fountaining fell within Leilani Estates. The fountains continued to feed the fast-moving lava flow that traveled NE, and then SE around Kapoho Crater, and into the ocean. The width of the channel varied from 100-300 m along its length. Periodic overflows sometimes sent small flows down the sides of the channel. Lava entered the ocean at Kapoho Bay, building a lava delta that by 11 June was just over 100 hectares in area. A plume of laze rose from the entry points. An area of strong thermal upwelling in the ocean around 920 m out from the visible lava-delta front was visible beginning on 7 June, suggesting lava flowing on the ocean floor. According to a news report, the Hawaii County Mayor noted that by 8 June lava flows had destroyed over 600 homes.
Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Klyuchevskoy and a diffuse ash plume drifting 12 km W were identified in satellite images on 6 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).
Langila | New Britain (Papua New Guinea) : Based on analyses of satellite imagery and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 7 June a minor ash emission from Langila rose to an altitude of 3.4 km (11,000 ft) a.s.l., slowly drifted SW, and detached form the summit. On 10 June a discrete event produced an ash plume that rose to 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. and dissipated.
Pacaya | Guatemala : INSIVUMEH and CONRED reported that on 6 June a lava flow emerged from a vent on La Meseta (the Mesa) on Pacaya’s NW flank and traveled 200 m over a period of six hours. Strombolian explosions ejected material as high as 50 m above the crater rim during 7-10 June.
Popocatepetl | Mexico : CENAPRED reported that each day during 6-12 June there were 19-34 steam-and-gas emissions from Popocatépetl, and nightly crater incandescence. Explosions were detected almost every day: at 2026 on 7 June; 0130 on 8 June; 1756, 1931, and 2358 on 9 June; 1724 on 10 June. An explosion at 0220 on 11 June ejected incandescent fragments. The Alert Level remained at Yellow, Phase Two.
Sangay | Ecuador : The Washington VAAC reported that on 8 June a possible discrete ash emission from Sangay rose to an altitude of 5.8 km (19,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 28 km WSW before dissipating.
Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 5-6 June. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).