Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.3 earthquake hits the central mid-Atlantic ridge.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Shetland Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.0 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.0 earthquake hits off the east coast of North Island, New Zealand.
5.0 earthquake hits southern Iran.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon 10w (Maysak), located approximately 144 nm south of Kadena AFB, is tracking north-northwestward at 18 knots.
NewsBytes:
India – At least 17 people have died and over 10,000 homes damaged in floods in the state of Odisha, eastern India. Days of heavy rainfall affected the state from 25 August, with several areas recording more than 200 mm of rain in 24 hour period. Marshaghai in Kendrapara District recorded 234 mm in 24 hours to 26 August. The heavy rainfall pushed rivers above the danger mark in 5 locations, including the Subarnarekha river in Baleshwar which reached record levels of 6.94 metres on 27 August, well above the danger mark of 5.5m and beating the previous high of 6.8m. Disaster authorities report over 1.4 million people have been affected by flooding across floods in 3,256 villages across 20 districts of the state.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.0 earthquake hits the South Shetland Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 14e (Iselle), located approximately 662 nm south-southeast of San Diego, is tracking northward at 06 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon 10w (Maysak), located approximately 491 nm south of Kadena AFB, is tracking north-northeastward at 11 knots.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Dengue Fever – Singapore
The Singapore government has now reported more than 27,000 dengue fever cases through Aug 28 in this record setting year after recording around one thousand cases during the past week. In addition, 20 deaths have been recorded to date.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.5 earthquake hits off the east coast of North Island, New Zealand.
5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
5.0 earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.
5.0 earthquake hits the Babuyan Islands in the Philippines.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Post Tropical Cyclone Laura is located about 130 mi…210 km e of Louisville Kentucky and about 90 mi…150 km w of Charleston West Virginia with maximum sustained winds…25 mph…35 km/h. Present movement…e or 85 degrees at 28 mph…44 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical storm 14e (Iselle), located approximately 804 nm south of San Diego, is tracking northward at 05 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 10w (Maysak), located approximately 587 nm south of Kadena AFB, is tracking north-northwestward at 06 knots.
NewsBytes:
Pakistan – As monsoon rainfall continues to cause chaos in Karachi and surrounding areas of Pakistan‘s south eastern Sindh Province, flash flooding in northern parts of the country has caused at least 19 fatalities since 26 August 2020. Flash flooding struck in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province late on 27 August, 2020. According to Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 8 people died in flash floods in Upper Kohistan district, where 18 houses were destroyed. Flash flooding also destroyed 21 houses in Swat district, where 6 people died and 8 were injured. Flooding was also reported in Mansehra and Lower Kohistan districts. Two children died in Shangla district after heavy rainfall caused a landslide which buried a house. Meanwhile in Azad Jammu and Kashmir Region (AJK), 3 people died and 19 houses were damaged or destroyed after heavy rainfall in Sudhnoti district, 26 to 27 August.
Dolphins Die in Mauritius
At least 40 dolphins have mysteriously died in an area of Mauritius affected by an oil spill from a Japanese boat, officials and witnesses said on Friday.
Environmentalists have demanded an investigation into whether the dolphins were killed as a result of the spill from a Japanese ship, which was scuttled on Monday after running aground in July and leaking oil.
The death toll may rise: fishermen say they saw between 25 and 30 apparently dead dolphins floating in the lagoon on Friday morning, among scores of the animals that fishermen were trying to herd away from the pollution.
Wildfires – Colorado, USA
Pine Gulch – Although the Pine Gulch fire on Thursday night became the largest wildfire in Colorado’s recorded history at 139,006 — 217 square miles — containment increased to 77% with “highly successful” firefighting efforts.
Grizzly Creek – The Grizzly Creek fire on Friday grew by about 40 acres to 32,448 acres, and fire containment is at 71%, fire officials said Friday night. The fire, burning near Glenwood Springs, is almost 51 square miles.
Cameron Peak – The Cameron Peak fire grew minimally overnight Thursday and has now burned 22,971 acres, or nearly 36 square miles, according to fire officials. The fire is 0% contained, and no structures have been damaged.
Williams Fork fire – The Williams Fork fire outside Fraser expanded slightly overnight Thursday and is now burning 12,048 acres — 19 square miles — with 5% containment, fire officials said Friday.
COVID-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits the Bouvet Islands.
5.3 earthquake hits the India-Myanmar border.
5.2 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Easter Island.
5.0 earthquake hits the D’Entrecasteaux Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.0 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Depression Laura is located about 95 mi…155 km wnw of Memphis Tennessee and about 175 mi…280 km wsw of Paducah Kentucky with maximum sustained winds…30 mph…45 km/h. Present movement…ne or 45 degrees at 13 mph…20 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 13e (Hernan), located approximately 825nm southeast of San Diego, is tracking north-northwestward at 19 knots.
Tropical storm 14e (Iselle), located approximately 912 nm south of San Diego, is tracking east-northeastward at 04 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 10w (Ten), located approximately 610 nm south of Kadena AFB, is tracking west-southwestward at 08 knots.
NewsBytes:
Sudan – At least 84 people have died and 381,770 affected by heavy rains and flooding in Sudan since the start of the rainy season in July this year. More than 37,000 homes have been destroyed, forcing most of the families affected to seek shelter with relatives and host communities. Another 39,000 houses 34 schools and 2,671 health facilities have been damaged.
Kenya and Uganda – In Uganda, the government reported that rising water levels on Lake Albert and Lake Kyoga had displaced over 8,700 people in Buliisa, Nakasongola and Amolatar districts. Lake flooding has also affected parts of Kenya. The impending spill over of the Turkwel dam, could displace over 300,000 people.
Niger – Red Cross Society of Niger (RCSN) reported that as many as 868 houses were destroyed by flooding of the Niger river in Niamay that began 23 August. A total of 2,283 households (approximately 15,981 people) have been affected with many of them displaced and taking refuge in local schools or host families. One fatality was reported. The Niger river at Niamey reached 6.69 metres on 28 August 2020. Danger mark here is 6.2 metres and the previous record high was 6.4 metres.
Mexico – eavy rain began around 20 August 2020. The rain intensified over the follwingg days, with Escuintla in Chiapas recording 186.4 mm of rain in a 24 hour period to 23 August and Ixtepec in Oaxaca 140.2 mm. Alvarado in Veracruz recorded 113.7 mm in 24 hours to 25 August. Civil Protection in Chiapas reported that the Doña María river broke its banks, flooding more than 400 homes in Acapetahua municipality. One fatality was reported after flooding in the city of Tapachula. Flood rescues were carried out in Acacoyagua Municipality.
Whales Strand in Mauritius
Eighteen melon-headed whales washed upon the shores of Mauritius on Wednesday. The whales, some of them still alive when they were found, later died. They stranded on the soutyhj-eastern beaches of Grand Sable and some of them had injuries. The Department of Fisheries. Reported that they had no trace of hydro-carbons on them and their deaths appear unrelated to the oil still off Mauritius.
Migratory Tragedy
More than 300 wildebeests perished during a suspected stampede while crossing the Mara River on Aug. 23 in Kenya’s Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
The Nation daily reported that the bloated carcasses littered the river, filling the air of the country’s most famous game park with the stench of death. The park’s deputy chief game warden, Eddy Nkoitoi, said there were so many dead wildebeests in the water that the crocodiles and vultures couldn’t eat them all. Those that drowned unfortunately picked a part of the river to cross that was swollen by heavy rains upstream.
Overshoot Day
Scientists designated Aug. 22 this year as Earth Overshoot Day, the date when humans have used all of the ecological resources the planet can produce in an entire year. While the date had been getting earlier and earlier as consumption grew, the drop in what has been taking from nature this year during the worldwide pandemic has pushed it back by more than three weeks. Using data compiled by the United Nations, the Global Footprint Network, which determines Earth Overshoot Day, found that humans began consuming more than the Earth can provide without being replenished about the year 1970.