Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
6.1 earthquake hits Central Alaska.
5.5 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.3 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.2 earthquake hits Tonga.
5.2 earthquake hits off the west coast of South Island, New Zealand.
5.1 earthquake hits the southern east Pacific rise.
5.1 earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 04w (Choi-Wan), located approximately 267 nm northwest of Sonsorol, is tracking northwestward at 11 knots.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 02e (Two), located approximately 1382 nm south-southeast of San Diego, is tracking west-northwestward at 16 knots.
Newsbytes:
Nepal – Heavy rain over the last few days, including rain in the wake of Cyclone Yaas, has triggered flooding and landslides in parts of Nepal, where at least 4 people have died. Flash floods damaged dozens of homes and other buildings in Chame Rural Municipality, Manang District on 28 May. Two homes were destroyed in a landslide in Phidim Municipality, Panchthar after heavy rain on the same day.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Dengue Fever – Reunion
According to ARS Reunion Wednesday, from May 10 to 16, 2,074 cases of dengue were confirmed. The epidemic continues at a high level despite the onset of the southern winter (nearly 2,000 cases confirmed each week for 4 weeks). It affects the entire territory.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.
Two 5.1 earthquakes hit southern Qinghai, China.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Northwest Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 04w (Four), located approximately 89 nm north-northeast of Sonsorol, is tracking westward at 11 knots.
Newsbytes:
New Zealand – A state of emergency has been declared for the entire region of Canterbury in New Zealand following torrential rain and flooding. Evacuation notices have been issued in Waimakariri District. The Waimakariri River and Ashley Rakahuri regional parks have been closed, as have dozens of roads across the region. Some areas have seen more than 300mm of rain since 29 May 2021. More heavy rain is forecast and New Zealand’s MetService has issued a “Red Warning For Rain” lasting until the afternoon of 31 May 2021.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.5 earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.4 earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.2 earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
5.1 earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits southern Iran.
Sea Snot Invasion
Climate change and pollution are being blamed for the growing marine threat known as sea snot, mucus-like organic matter that currently threatens coral and the fishing industry in parts of the Mediterranean.
Globs of sea snot can also be found elsewhere in the planet’s waterways, and it can host dangerous bacteria such as E. coli. Sea snot’s coverage is currently exploding in Turkey’s Marmara Sea near Istanbul, where fishermen have not been able to cast their nets for months.
When the marine mucilage forms a layer over the water’s surface, it prevents fish from being able to breathe. This kills them and depletes oxygen levels in the water, eventually choking other marine life.
Wildfires – Arizona, USA
The forward progress of what was a small (150 acre) fast-moving wildfire has been stopped in the small mining town of Bagdad, Arizona, but not before 13 homes were destroyed and hundreds of people were evacuated.
Two new White Mountains wildfires are growing rapidly, with fire crews scrambling to get a box around them to prevent their spread.
The McDonald Tank Fire south of Tonto Lake near the Black River on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation started from unknown causes on Tuesday and grew to 1,500 acres by Thursday.
Meanwhile, the lightning storm that sparked the Boggy Creek Fire near Alpine had consumed 3,000 acres by Thursday morning.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Chikungunya – Brazil
From the beginning of the year through May 8, Brazilian health officials have recorded 25,807 total chikungunya cases.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.2 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.1 earthquake hits the Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.
5.0 earthquake hits the Santa Cruz Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
There are no current tropical storms.
Newsbytes:
Indonesia – Severe flooding struck in Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra Province in Indonesia on 27 May 2021. eavy rainfall caused the Lakit River to overflow on 27 May, flooding 4 villages in Selangit sub-district and one village in Suku Tengah Lakitan Ulu sub-district, where flood water reached up to 1.5 metres deep.
China – China has swung into gear to fortify its flood-defense network ahead of what may be a heavy flood season, with 97 rivers across the country having already exceeded warning levels as of Thursday.
Mass Extinction Alert: Global Warming Pushes Tropical Fish Away
If what happened 252 million years ago is anything to go by, then we can expect a mass extinction very soon.
Scientists in Australia and New Zealand discovered a current trend of tropical fish and marine life fleeing their home in the equator to relocate to cooler waters. These tropical waters have become too hot for some species to survive, caused largely by global warming, forcing them to move further afield.
The implications of such a change on marine ecosystems, and human livelihoods are monumental, explain the scientists in their study, and could trigger a mass extinction — something that happened at the end of the Permian Period, 252 million years ago, when, as a 2020 study discovered, around 90 percent of all marine species died.
Tree Farts
Forests along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard that are being killed by saltwater intrusion are releasing greenhouse gases that scientists have nicknamed “tree farts.”
These “ghost forests,” have been created by rising sea levels and storm surges that force salt water to seep into the coastal soil.
A North Carolina State University study has measured how much carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide the trees are emitting as they decay. “Even though these standing dead trees are not emitting as much as the soils, they’re still emitting something, and they definitely need to be accounted for,” said lead researcher Melinda Martinez.
Devilish Births
The first Tasmanian devils to be born on the Australian mainland in more than 3,000 years brought hope that the world’s largest surviving marsupial carnivore could reestablish its former habitats.
The animals, notoriously bad-tempered when threatened, were wiped out on the mainland by dingos and have since been confined to the island of Tasmania. But the group Aussie Arc released 26 adults into the wild in late 2020, and they have since produced seven new joeys. Those devils relocated to New South Wales’ fenced-in Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary are free of the contagious mouth cancer that has decimated up to 90% of the wild population on Tasmania.
