Earth Report – Global Disaster Watch
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.6 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
5.4 earthquake hits central Turkey.
5.3 earthquake hits Vanuatu.
5.2 earthquake hits near the coast of Nicaragua.
5.2 earthquake hits offshore Tarapaca, Chile.
5.2 earthquake hits Fiji.
5.2 earthquake hits southern Peru.
5.1 earthquake hits Mindanao in the Philippines.
5.0 earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits off the coast of Tarapaca, Chile.
5.0 earthquake hits Taiwan.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 11s (Freddy), located approximately 589 nm east-northeast of Port Louis, Mauritius, is tracking west-southwestward at 12 knots.
Newsbytes:
Bolivia – Weeks of severe weather including heavy rainfall and flooding have taken their toll on the Chuquisaca Department of Bolivia, where authorities say 308 communities have been affected in 21 municipalities. On 15 February 2023, heavy rain and hail caused flooding and landslides in San Lucas municipality. 2,294 families were affected 582 households were displaced. One fatality was reported. Flooding affected other parts of the department in early January this year. Three members of a family died in floods in Sopachuy on 01 January. Another person died in flooding in Yamparáez where rivers overflowed on 02 January. Flooding affected Villa Serrano municipality on 08 January 2023. Over 5,500 families were affected by flooding across La Paz, Beni and Santa Cruz Departments in Bolivia in early February. Two fatalities were reported, and dozens of homes and wide areas of crops were damaged or destroyed.
USA – At least 2 people have died after heavy rain caused flooding in several southern states in the USA from 16 February 2023. The governor of West Virginia declared a State of Emergency. Roads and homes were flooded in areas of Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky. In 24 hours to 17 February, Culloden in Putnam County recorded 4.02 inches / 102.108 mm of rain; Hamlin in Lincoln County 4.04 inches / 102.61 mm; and Pinch in Kanawha County 4.08 inches / 103.63 mm. NWS Louisville reported some areas in the north of the state recorded 4.15 inches / 105.41 mm of rain in 24 hours to 17 February. Flooding was also reported in parts of Tennessee, damaging some homes and blocking roads in Friendship, Crockett County, Murfreesboro and Lascassas in Rutherford County and Spring Hill City.
Ancient global warming event sheds light on Earth’s future
About 56 million years ago, our planet experienced one of the largest and fastest global warming events in the history. The so-called Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) was exceptional both in terms of its amplitude (with global temperatures rising by five to eight degrees Celsius) and its suddenness (about 5,000 years – a very short period on a geological scale).
By analyzing sediments collected from the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, a team of scientists led by the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has now found that this event – which led to the extinction of a vast number of terrestrial and marine species – was characterized by an increase in rainfall seasonality, which led to the movement of massive quantities of clay into the ocean, making it uninhabitable for many species.
Due to the similarities between PETM and current global warming – including possible causes such as high concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere – the geological remains of this period are closely studied by scientists in order to gain insights to the future of our planet.
Wildfires – Chile
New and reactivated wildfires in south-central Chile are causing great concern in populated areas as some have destroyed buildings and left at least three people severely injured. Fires in the region of Biobio and Araucania have left a school and a church completely burned. As winds spread across the region, fires restarted again on Friday, she added. So far, the country has 256 active fires and 151 controlled fires, and that the main concern is that some of the active fires could move to “highly populated areas.”