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"Environmental Hazards Newsletter " 3rd Aug 2018

News Highlights

Welcome to the July 2018 edition of our environmental hazards newsletter

Wildfires sadly grabbed the headlines around the world in July, with the most destructive events recorded in Greece, where over 70 people perished during the worst wildfires to hit Greece in over a decade. Climate experts have been nonplussed by weather events in the northern hemisphere, as reports of intense heatwaves and Arctic wildfires raised both alarm and academic red flags about global warming changes.

In our volcanic activity section, the eruption of Kilauea, now entering its eighth week of activity, continued to generate news reports after one person was seriously injured and 22 other hurt after a `lava bomb` hit a tour boat near a point where lava is entering the ocean. Several floods and landslides caused widespread destruction and death in Laos (because of a dam collapse). In Japan, extreme weather followed on behind a deadly heatwave, in the same way it did in Vietnam.

In the Extreme Temeratures section, prominent news channels, such as the BBC and CNN,  reported on how a Jet Stream shift has resulted in a very large plume of very warm air wafting northwards across the USA and into large parts of Canada, causing record temperatures in the Arctic Circle. In the Earthquake section, there was an earthquake measuring 6.5 which hit Indonesia towards the end of July. The quake cause 14 deaths at a major tourist resort called Lombok.

Hurricanes and Cyclones
Scientists Study Eyes of Hurricanes to Predict Their Intensity
Climate scientists have said that warming sea and air temperatures have added more energy to the storms, something that affect intensity predictions. One project to gather more information to predict intensity is the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, or CYGNSS for short.
Tropical Cyclone Son-Tinh makes landfall again
Tropical Cyclone Son-Tinh is heading to South West China after causing havoc in Vietnam and Laos. Phu Lien, on the floodplain of the Red River and its many branches, recorded 348mm of rain from this cyclone in the three days of Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Tropical locales bounce back after historic hurricanes
Within weeks of the record-breaking hurricanes Maria and Irma last year, many tropical locations for sun-worshipping tourists were on the road to recovery, and the restoration continues.
UK - Heatwave warning as Hurricane Chris expected to bring soaring temperatures
The Met Office has issued a heatwave warning as Hurricane Chris is expected to send temperatures soaring across the country. Forecasters have warned people to take extra care as a level two “alert and readiness” heat warning has been put in place in eastern parts of England from 9am Sunday to 9am Tuesday.
FEMA Internal Report Cites Problems With Agency"s Response To Hurricane Maria
An internal report released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency has concluded the agency was unable to provide adequate support to hurricane victims in Puerto Rico last year.
This year"s global hurricane boom could go into overdrive
The powerful weather pattern known as El Niño has been blamed for massive wildfires, crippling droughts, and global food shortages. And it’s looking increasingly likely that another one is on the way. The latest outlook from the National Weather Service, out Thursday, says there’s a 70 per cent chance that El Niño will arrive before the end of the year. Summertime outlooks for El Niño are generally pretty accurate, so it’s a big deal that the weather pattern is still in the forecast.
NASA surveys hurricane damage to Puerto Rico"s forests
In April a team of NASA scientists traveled to Puerto Rico with airborne instrumentation to survey damages from Hurricane Maria to the island's forests.
Newborn Baby Killed, Dozens Injured In North Dakota Tornado
The twister, which reportedly had wind speeds that reached 127 miles per hour, made landfall in a Watford City RV park on the 10th of July.
The El Niño forecast has changed, what it means for hurricane season
An El Niño watch issued last month will continue after the latest forecast for the global climate pattern increased its chances of appearing this fall or winter. The Climate Prediction Center is now forecasting a 65 per cent chance El Niño conditions will be in place by the fall, and up to a 70 per cent chance by winter.
The World Has Never Seen a Category 6 Hurricane, but the Day May Be Coming
According to Adam Sobel, professor of applied physics at Columbia University and director of its Initiative on Extreme Weather and Climate, there’s almost unanimous agreement that hurricanes will produce more rain in a warmer climate.
Extreme Temperatures
Japan: Deadly heat wave continues as temp hits record 41.4C near Tokyo
... surface temperature for the first three months of the year was the sixth highest such period since global records began in 1880. Much of the northern hemisphere has been experiencing a scorching summer characterized by heatwaves and extreme weather.
Global temperatures reach extreme highs, breaking records
Heat waves broke records around the world this week. While Burbank airport in California touched 114 degrees, Montreal in Canada recorded a high of 97.9 degrees. In Glasgow, Scotland, the temperature was a record-breaking 89.4 degrees on June 28 and a new world record was set off the coast of Oman, where the temperature never dropped below 108.7 degrees for 24 hours.
A Global Heat Wave Has Set the Arctic Circle on Fire
The list of areas experiencing extreme temperatures keeps going: An Algerian city earlier this month broke the record for the highest temperature ever in Africa when it hit 124.3 degrees and a city in Oman recorded the highest low temperature — 108.7 ...
A mega-heat wave is gaining strength over Texas and the south-central United States
An extreme heat wave is hitting Texas and surrounding states. Temperatures in much of that region have been near and past 100 for days, and they will rise there and beyond in the days ahead. Heading toward its peak, this is the most significant heat wave in Texas since 2011, and some record highs could even be in jeopardy before it finishes.
Record-breaking summer marches on to the beat of climate change
2018 is the hottest La Niña year on record (the cooling of the ocean waters in the Pacific during La Niña tends to cool the planet), according to the World Meteorological Association, and with La Niña fading away and El Niño (which warms the Pacific Ocean) likely to take its place, things are only going to get hotter.
Quebec Heat Wave: Death Toll Rising Amid Extreme Temperatures
At least 33 people have died since a heat wave began June 29 in Eastern Canada, officials said Thursday. Of those who died, 18 were in Montreal, Quebec's largest city.
How New York City Is Tackling Extreme Heat in a Warming World.
New York City is increasingly vulnerable to rising temperatures rise. A growing number of casualties have been reported following the latest heat wave.
Huge wall of dust charges through Arizona during insane haboob storm
Parts of Arizona, US have been coated in dust after a haboob storm swept through the state. Stunning images of a cloud of dust swallowing Phoenix were splashed all over social media as the strange natural spectacle took hold.
Disneyland has hottest day on record as temperatures hit 45C
Temperatures at California's Disneyland hit a whopping 114F (45C) on Friday, the hottest day ever recorded at the popular family attraction.and more »
An Arctic heatwave pushed temperatures in Siberia anomalously high.
Nick Humphrey, a meteorologist living in Nebraska, wrote on his blog that temperatures rose to 90°F (32°C) in northern Siberia—some 40°F warmer than average for this time of year. Other parts of the extreme north are hot, too—cities in Scotland and Northern Ireland are also hitting records of almost 90°F, the Washington Post reports. In Quebec, Canada, excessive heat reaching similar temperatures killed 70 people last week, and thousands were left without electricity due to overheating power wires.
Heat Wave Bakes Parts Of The Midwest And Northeast With Extreme Temperatures
A massive heat wave roasting the central and eastern U.S. this weekend with temperatures that felt like the triple digits is expected to linger at least until the July 4th holiday.
Earthquakes
Sunday"s 5.2 quake where geology "starts to get quite complicated"
Sunday's magnitude 5.2 quake near Nelson happened at a depth where the geology "starts to get quite complicated", a seismologist says.
Indonesia earthquake: 14 dead on tourist island of Lombok
The 6.4 magnitude quake hit the central island of Lombok just before 07:00 local time (00:00 GMT) on Sunday. The 6.4 magnitude quake hit the central island of Lombok just before 07:00 local time (00:00 GMT) on Sunday. More than 160 people are injured and thousands of homes are damaged, officials say.
After an earthquake, drones to the rescue?
Davide Scaramuzza develops autonomous drones that rely on their own cameras and sensors to navigate dangerous and unpredictable search-and-rescue situations. He tells swissinfo.ch about some of the most promising applications — and risks — associated with autonomous drones.
Removing the Drudgery from Earthquake Seismology
New methods of machine learning are bringing the phase arrival time and polarity picking used for automatic determination of earthquake fault planes to accuracies better than human analysists.
Huge earthquake rocks country day after shake injures hundreds
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake shook south-east Iran early injuring 25, following three earthquakes in the country the previous day.
Iran Hit By Earthquakes, 25 Injured
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake has hit western Iran, injuring at least 25 people, hours after two quakes struck Hormozgan Province in the south, Iranian media reported.
Tremors shove Washington westward, offer clues into next big earthquake
Thousands of tiny tremors over the past few months have moved parts of Washington and Vancouver Island westward. It’s a near annual event that backs expectations by some scientists that a big earthquake may hit the Seattle area harder than their previous models suggested.
Vanuatu earthquake: Magnitude 6 quake hits volcano island that ...
A powerful magnitude 6 earthquake struck off one of the islands of the Republic of Vanuatu, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said, just days after the South Pacific nation was hit by another 6.1 quake.
Hawaii volcano eruption: Kilauea rocking island with more earthquakes as eruption persists
Hawaii's Big Island continues to be rocked by magnitude 5 earthquakes every day as the erupting Kilauea persistently pumps molten hot lava into a large network of volcanic channels that fill the ocean with lava..
Israeli earthquake prediction system put into use worldwide
An earthquake prediction system invented by an Israeli company will be put into use in several Asian and European countries, Israeli technology website Geektime reported.
Yemen rocked by magnitude 6.2 EARTHQUAKE – USGS confirms
An earthquake registering magnitude 6.2 has struck Yemen, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake struck 213 km northwest of Socotra island in the Gulf of Aden. There was no immediate no tsunami warning.
Earthquake in Mexico Cracked a Pyramid and Revealed an Ancient Temple
On Sept. 19, 2017, a magnitude-7.1 earthquake rocked central Mexico, following an 8.1-magnitude quake that struck 12 days earlier, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The Sept. 19 quake killed more than 200 people and damaged multiple structures — including a pyramid in the archaeological site of Teopanzolco, about 43 miles (70 kilometers) south of Mexico City,
Your broadband cables can be used to detect earthquakes
The cables that bring you high-speed internet could provide a cheaper and more efficient alternative to the traditional ways of listening out for earthquakes. Optical fibre cables transmit information using light travelling through glass fibres. Light ...and more »
Volcanic Activity
This May Be the Most Dangerous US Volcano
Mount Rainier is a volcano that causes scientists genuine concern. It’s unclear when it will stir from its long slumber, and there’s no sign that anything is imminent. Nevertheless, a future eruption could cause one of the worst natural disasters in the U.S.
Here Is What A "Supervolcano" Actually Is, And What It"s Definitely Not
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a supervolcano is any volcanic center that has explosively erupted at least 1,000 cubic kilometres (240 cubic miles) of fresh volcanic material in a sudden, violent manner, in a so-called supereruption, often producing a huge depression crater named a caldera.
How volcano "voiceprints" could help predict eruptions
Researchers are unlocking new potential in an existing technique to eavesdrop on a volcano’s “music”, something that could improve the forecasting of eruptions.
At least 23 injured as "lava bomb" hits tour boat near Hawaii"s Kilauea volcano
One person was seriously injured and 22 others hurt after a "lava bomb" hit a tour boat near the Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island, according to emergency officials.
Scientists Risk Heat, Gas to Study Hawaii Volcano
Scientists have been in the area of the volcanic activity measuring the eruptions 24 hours a day, seven days a week since Kilauea first exploded. They are a mix of U.S. Geological Survey experts, University of Hawaii researchers and trained volunteers.
Many forms of sulfur are found on Kilauea Volcano
SO2 emissions from Kilauea ongoing eruption have increased substantially, levels are now three to seven times higher than before the current activity began. Most of the SO2 released on the LERZ occurs as lava is erupted from the active vents (fissures), although some SO2 is also emitted from the lava flows and ocean entry.
How Long Will the Current Kīlauea Volcano Eruption Last?
A US Geological Survey report to Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park on June 29, 2018, addressed time frames of activity for Kīlauea Volcano’s summit and Lower East Rift Zone.
Study finds deep subterranean connection between two Japan volcanoes
Scientists have confirmed for the first time that radical changes of one volcano in southern Japan was the direct result of an erupting volcano 22 kilometers (13.7 miles) away. The observations from the two volcanos—Aira caldera and Kirishima—show that the two were connected through a common subterranean magma source in the months leading up to the 2011 eruption of Kirishima.
Lava From The Mt. Kilauea Volcano May Be Creating Its Own Rainfall
Volcanic eruptions can produce thunderstorm type clouds. Some scientists now hypothesize that the lava field created by the Kilauea volcano may be causing its own rainfall, and weather radar seems to support the claim.
Hawaii volcano eruption: NEW river of lava emerges as fissure flow becomes unpredictable
A river of lava is spreading across Hawaii’s Big Island as the flow from fissure 8 begins to show signs of becoming unstable, with no end in sight for the eruption of the Kilauea volcano.
New Lava Flow Coming From Guatemalan Pacaya Volcano
A new eruption in Guatemala is reminding the local population of the dangers they face, as a 400-meter long and 30-meter wide lava flow comes down from the Pacaya volcano as the country continues to deal with the tragic aftermath of the eruption of Fuego volcano last month.
Done - Bali volcano explodes, sending rocks & flares of lava into the air
Mount Agung explodes, sending rocks & flares of lava into the air. A volcano on the Indonesian holiday island of Bali erupted sending rocks and lava spewing into the air and unleashing a wave of panic across the island.
Wildfires
Sweden is battling its most serious wildfire situation of modern times. Here"s what you need to know
Swedish firefighters have been battling throughout the summer in what has been described by the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency as the country's "most serious" wildfire situation of modern times.
Greece wildfires: dozens dead as holiday resort devastated
At least 49 people have been killed, scores more injured and almost 700 others rescued from the sea after a devastating wildfire swept through a small resort town near Athens, the Greek fire department has said.
1 Person Dead and Hundreds of Homes Destroyed as Wildfires Sweep Through California
Firefighters battling wildfires throughout the U.S. West that have torched hundreds of homes got some help from the weather Saturday, even as they tallied damage from new fires that erupted amid a Southern California heat wave.
California wildfires: nine missing and two firefighters killed
Nine people were reported missing as wildfires in northern California that have killed two firefighters, destroyed hundreds of buildings and forced thousands of residents to flee their homes burned out of control on Saturday.
Heatwaves: The factors causing Arctic wildfires and Africa"s hottest temperature
An insight into why countries have experienced record temperature highs in recent weeks.
Fast-spreading California wildfire nears Yosemite park
A raging California mountain blaze that has already killed one firefighter grew over the weekend and bore down on Yosemite National Park, prompting the closure of some smoke-choked campgrounds and roads at the popular tourist destination.
Forest fires devastate western Latvia
Extreme heat has made the job difficult for Latvian firefighters, as hundreds of hectares have been scorched in the west of the country. Meteorologists have said that unfavorable conditions will continue for two weeks.
Yosemite wildfire doubles in size, could "become a major threat"
A deadly California wildfire more than doubled in size and raged through more than 14 square miles of brush and forest, blanketing much of Yosemite National Park in smoke and forcing closure of a major access road at the height of tourist season.
70 wildfires ignited by lightning in Southern Oregon, evacuations ordered
A lightning storm ignited between 50 and 70 wildfires in southwest Oregon on Sunday. Two of the fires caused major concern to the Rogue Valley, including the evacuation of around 20 to 30 homes outside Jacksonville.
Huge North Wales wildfires saw firefighters face biggest challenge in more than a decade
Firefighters have dealt with 225 wildfires in less than three weeks during what has already become the busiest summer in decades. Recent blazes in Carmel, Bethesda,Bangor, and Holyhead have been enraged by the hot weather.
Wildfires are making extreme air pollution even worse in the northwest U.S.
Air quality in states from Nevada to Montana is worse than it was 30 years ago on the days with the most extreme air pollution. Bigger and more frequent wildfires that spew plumes of fine particulate matter into the sky are largely to blame
Landslides
Earthquake-Triggered Landslides Could Soon Be Predicted With New Model
Several teams across the globe are working on tools that may foresee an earthquake sometime in the future, but recently, a team of researchers at Indiana University looked at another aspect of the case, landslides that those quakes can trigger.
Flooding and landslides hit Vietnam and Philippines
With the summer monsoon in full swing across Asia, heavy rain and extreme temperatures are wreaking havoc in Vietnam, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea and China.
Devastating Floods, Landslides Bring Death in Cameroon
The official media refrain at the moment to provide data, but testimonies from the most damaged cities, Douala and Limbe, both in the southwest, ensure that several locations are isolated from the rest of the country due to landslides caused by rainfall.
How LiDAR helps in preventing and mitigating landslides
Combining LiDAR with GIS improves both the quality and the accuracy of geological data and enables geologists and disaster preparedness experts to identify landslide prone areas and study the underlying causes of a landslide and recurring patterns.
World weatherwatch: Monsoon brings floods and landslides to India
Monsoon season is under way across southern Asia, with India bearing the brunt of the torrential rains over the past week.
Homes left damaged in Hiroshima town after landslides wipe out mud control dam
As the Koyaura district of the Hiroshima Prefecture town of Saka baked in hot weather on July 14 and 15, the devastating impact of landslides following recent downpours remained strikingly visible from along the banks of the local Tenchi River flowing through the middle of the area.
Cases of landslide increasing in western hills
In Darchula, in the Himalayan region, there are increased cases of landslides caused by construction of roads without carrying out an impact assessment.
Floods
Laos Dam Collapses, and Hundreds Are Missing
Hundreds of people were missing on Tuesday after a billion-dollar hydropower dam that was under construction in Laos collapsed, killing several people and displacing more than 6,600 others, a state news agency said.
Japan floods and landslides kill dozens; millions evacuated
Heavy rains pounded southwest Japan, triggering flooding and landslides that killed 57 people and forced 2 million others to flee their homes
"Mini tsunami" hits Majorca and Menorca, flooding beaches and restaurants
A weather phenomenon known as a meteotsunami was blamed for the flooding which affected Ciutadella, on the west coast of Menorca, and Alcudia in the north of Majorca.
At least 49 killed, 20 missing in Nigeria floods
Flooding caused by torrential rains on Nigeria's border with Niger has left 49 people dead and another 20 missing, the emergency services said. Five villages in Jibia district were affected after a river burst its banks following hours of torrential rain.
Google teams up with Indian government to help forecast floodsk
Google is to team up with India's government and use its expertise in digital mapping to improve forecasts for deadly floods.

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