Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.8 earthquake hits Ecuador.
5.8 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.4 earthquake hits Sucre, Venezuela.
5.3 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.1 earthquake hits Southern California.
Storms and Floods
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Eastern North Pacific Ocean: Hurricane 05e (Darby), located approximately 719 nm east of Hilo, is tracking westward at 14 knots.
Environment
Human Exploitation Unsustainable
A new report highlights how unsustainable logging, hunting and fishing are driving extinctions, putting food security at risk in the future. Established in 2012, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) points out that 1 in 5 humans relies on 50,000 species of wild animals, fungi and plants for food, and all are being overexploited by the planet’s growing population.
The IPBES assessment also says about a third of ocean fish are being overfished, more than 10% of trees are threatened by unsustainable logging and more than 1,300 mammals are being pushed to extinction by unbridled hunting. It says “transformative changes” are needed to halt the overexploitation.
Record Tree Loss
More trees were lost to deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon region during the first half of this year than during the same period in any other year. The loss amounted to a 10.6% increase from January to June of last year.
The country’s national space research agency says 1,540 square miles of Amazon rainforest were lost to logging and land clearing for agriculture or livestock. Brazil also recorded the highest number of Amazon wildfires in 15 years. Trees are typically felled by loggers for valuable wood. Ranchers and land speculators then come in to clear the land for agriculture. Such tree losses release clouds of carbon into the atmosphere, worsening the climate crisis.
Wildlife
Squirrel Birth Control
Scientists say they have developed contraceptives to control Britain’s invasive gray squirrels, which are driving the native and beloved red squirrels to extinction. The birth control could help eradicate the gray squirrels without killing them.
The massive scheme will lure gray squirrels into feeding boxes that only they can fit into. There, they will find a mixture of hazelnut spread, irresistible to them, spiked with the contraceptives. The grays first arrived from North America in the late 19th century and have since also damaged Britain’s woodlands by stripping bark from trees for nutrition.
Environment
Global Temperature Extremes
The week’s hottest temperature was 50.6 degrees Celsius (123 degrees F) at Death Valley, California
The week’s coldest temperature was minus 78.9 degrees Celsius (-110 degrees F) 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.
Disease
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Dengue Fever – Thailand
The Thailand Bureau of Epidemiology reports 9473 total dengue cases ( 7390 dengue fever, 2006 dengue hemorrhagic fever and 77 dengue shock syndrome) from all 77 provinces through July 11. In addition, eight deaths have been reported.
Monkeypox – Portugal
515 total confirmed monkeypox cases have been reported since the first cases were reported on May 3.
Volcanos
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week 6 June – 12 July 2022
Bezymianny – Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Bezymianny was identified in satellite images during 1-7 July.
Great Sitkin – Andreanof Islands (USA) : AVO reported that the eruption at Great Sitkin continued during 6-12 July. Elevated surface temperatures were occasionally identified in satellite images; weather clouds sometimes obscured satellite and webcam views. Seismicity was low, and occasional local earthquakes were recorded. Sulfur dioxide emissions were possibly detected during 9-10 July.
Karymsky – Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Karymsky was identified in satellite images during 30 June and 3 and 7 July.
Kilauea – Hawaiian Islands (USA) : HVO reported that lava continued to effuse from a vent in the lower W wall of Kilauea’s Halema`uma`u Crater during 6-12 July, entering the lava lake and flowing onto the crater floor. The lake level was variable, and occasional lava breakouts occurred along the margins. Low-level spattering from the W vent was visible on most days, with material ejected no more than 10 m above the vent.
Lewotolok – Lembata Island : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Lewotolok continued during 6-12 July. Daily white-and-gray or white, gray, and black emissions rose as high as 700 m above the summit and drifted in multiple directions. Photos in posted reports showed Strombolian activity from the crater.
Merapi – Central Java : BPPTKG reported that the eruption at Merapi continued during 1-7 July. The heights and morphologies of the SW and central lava domes were unchanged from the previous week, and seismicity remained at high levels. As many as 60 lava avalanches traveled down the Bebeng drainage on the SW flank, reaching a maximum distance of 2 km.
Nyamulagira – DR Congo : Thermal anomalies from lava effusion on Nyamulagira’s crater floor were identified in satellite images on 6 and 11 July.
Nyiragongo – DR Congo : Thermal anomalies from lava effusion on Nyiragongo’s crater floor were identified in satellite images on 1, 6, and 11 July.
Pavlof – Alaska Peninsula, Alaska : AVO reported that the eruption at a vent on Pavlof’s upper E flank was ongoing during 5-12 July, and seismic tremor persisted. Daily elevated surface temperatures identified in satellite images were consistent with the continuing effusion of short lava flows; the lava flow was 380 m long by 27 June. Three small explosions were detected during 0315-0317 on 7 July in seismic and infrasound data. Multiple small explosions were recorded during 10-12 July.
Sabancaya – Peru : Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP) reported moderate levels of activity at Sabancaya during 4-10 July with a daily average of 20 explosions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose as high as 2.2 km above the summit and drifted E, SE, and S. As many as six thermal anomalies originating from the lava dome in the summit crater were identified in satellite data. Minor inflation continued to be detected near Hualca Hualca (4 km N).
Semeru – Eastern Java : PVMBG reported that the eruption at Semeru continued during 6-12 July. At 0616 on 10 July an ash plume rose 400 m above the summit and drifted SW.
Semisopochnoi – Aleutian Islands (USA) : AVO reported ongoing low-level seismicity, steam emissions, and sulfur dioxide emissions at Semisopochnoi, though no explosive activity had been detected since 12 June.
Sheveluch – Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch was identified in satellite images during 1-7 July and the eruption was characterized by ongoing explosions, hot avalanches, and lava-dome extrusion. At 1130 local time on 12 July video and satellite images showed an ash plume drifting 12 km S at altitudes of 4-4.5 km (13,100-14,800 ft) a.s.l.
Stromboli – Aeolian Islands (Italy) : INGV reported that during 4-10 July activity at Stromboli was characterized by ongoing explosions from four vents in Area N (North Crater area) and two vents in Area C-S (South-Central Crater area). Infrequent explosions from the N1 vent (Area N) ejected mostly ash, with some course material. The N2 vent (Area N) mostly emitted gases along with occasional explosions and sustained jetting. Material ejected from Area N rose no higher than about 60 m above the vents. No explosions occurred at the S1 and C vents in Area C-S; explosions that were medium-to-low intensity and frequency at the two S2 vents ejected material no higher than about 30 m.
Suwanosejima – Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : JMA lowered the Alert Level for Suwanosejima to 2 (on a 5-level scale) on 11 July, reflecting declining activity and a reduced likelihood that tephra would be ejected farther than 1 km. The number and intensity of explosions had been variable since early April but decreased overall, and material had not been ejected beyond a 1-km radius. Eruption plume heights had occasionally exceeded 3 km above the crater rim since July 2021 but none that high had been observed since mid-April. The number of volcanic earthquakes had temporality increased on 17 May but were generally low.
Taal – Luzon (Philippines) : PHIVOLCS lowered the Alert Level for Taal to 1 (on a scale of 0-5) on 11 July, noting that during the previous two months activity was characterized by baseline levels of volcanic earthquakes, weak gas emissions, and minor surface activity. Phreatomagmatic bursts from Main Crater were last observed on 2 and 10 February and 26 March. An average of seven daily volcanic earthquakes were recorded during 1 January-31 May, and none were detected after 13 June. Deformation data since January 2020 showed overall deflation. Sulfur dioxide emissions averaged 1,214 tonnes per day during May-July, though the most recent measurement was 237 tonnes per day. Minor emissions from fumarolic vents in Main Crater continued to produce diffuse steam-rich plumes that rose as high as 2.4 km.
Yakedake – Honshu (Japan) : JMA reported that after an increase in the number of small volcanic earthquakes with epicenters near Yakedake’s summit in late May, seismicity remained elevated for a few weeks. Seismicity decreased in mid-June and returned to baseline levels.