Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.4 earthquake hits Chiapas, Mexico.
5.3 earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.
5.3 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.1 earthquake hits Fiji.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Depression Claudette is located about 85 mi…135 km wsw of Atlanta Georgia and about 450 mi…725 km w of Cape Fear North Carolina with maximum sustained winds…30 mph…45 km/h. Present movement…ene or 60 degrees at 13 mph…20 km/h.
In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression 04e (Dolores), located approximately 913 nm southeast of San Diego, is tracking northward at 10 knots.
Environment
Sargassum Explosion
Beaches in Florida, the Caribbean and tropical Atlantic are being overwhelmed by masses of sargassum, a seaweed now growing explosively because of fertilizer runoff.
While the seaweed is key to the marine environment, excessive nitrogen and phosphorus in coastal waters from the fertilizers have caused the proliferation.
This poses a health risk as rotting sargassum creates toxic hydrogen sulfide gas that can be dangerous for people with asthma and other respiratory problems. Florida Atlantic University professor Brian Lapointe says levels of fecal bacteria can also be high around the decaying blooms. He adds that runoff from the Mississippi River and others from the Amazon to the Congo are responsible for the new great “Atlantic Sargassum Belt.”
Disease
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Ebola – Guinea
Guinean health authorities today declared the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak over today. The outbreak in Guinea was declared on February 14 this year. Cumulatively 23 cases, 12 deaths (CFR: 52%), and 10 recoveries of EVD have been reported. This includes five health workers.
Hantavirus – Panama
So far in 2021, 11 cases of hantavirus have been registered in Panama, of which 6 cases have been classified as Cardiopulmonary Syndrome due to Hantavirus (SCPH) and 5 cases as hantavirus fever (FH).