Frontpage
|
|
Blog

"Environmental Hazards Newsletter " 17th Nov 2018

News Highlights

Wildfires raging in California grabbed the headlines at the beginning of November. Severe hot and dry `Santa Ana Winds` of up to 40mph (64km/h) and gusts between 60mph (95 km/h) and 70mph (112 km/h) contributed to the death of at least 71 people with as many as 1,000 still missing and feared dead.

In the Volcano section, new research suggests that the magma reservoir in the massive Italian Campi Flegrei volcano has started refilling itself, so experts are preparing for a massive eruption.

The driving story in the Hurricane segment consisted of a Journal article, published in Nature magazine, which highlighted anthropogenic influences of major tropical cyclone events.

Under our Earthquakes category, we reported on the most notable seismic event of this period, which was recorded near a Norwegian volcanic island called Jan Mayen in the Arctic ocean, measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale.

Other noteworthy incidents were the devastating floods in the Middle East and the displacement of large numbers of people as a consequence of global warming.

Remember readers you can access all of the coverage in the newsletter and read it for youself by clicking on this link: www.nfind.uk/beta

Hurricanes and Cyclones
There’s little doubt we’re to blame for hurricanes getting worse
Climate scientists are still scrapping over the details, but the increased ferocity, unpredictability and spread of tropical storms is in line with predictions
Climate Change Is Already Making Hurricanes Wetter, Study Confirms
New research published in Nature Wednesday has confirmed that some of the most destructive hurricanes to pummel the U.S. in the past decade were made worse by climate change.
Hurricane Season Is Almost Over - So Why Are Meteorologists Watching The Caribbean?
Meteorologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Hurricane Center are keeping an eye on a tropical wave (below) that has formed just to the east of the Lesser Antilles. The Tropical Weather Outlook issued by the National Hurricane Center at 1:00 pm EST on November 11th provides the latest information.
Hurricane Michael is looking even more violent on closer scrutiny
Using data from instruments and sensors, the USGS concluded that Hurricane Michael storm surge at Mexico Beach had reached 15.55 feet, half a foot higher than the previous estimate. If you add the waves on top of the surge, the water level here reached 20.6 feet, or close to the height of a two-story building.
Strong Indian monsoons steer Atlantic hurricanes towards land, study finds
Strong monsoons in the Indian Ocean can induce easterly winds that push Atlantic Ocean hurricanes westward, increasing the likelihood they’ll make landfall in the Americas, according to new research.
UH study shows hurricanes move closer to Hawaii
A new study by researchers at the University of Hawaii is spelling out a grave future for the islands. Researchers say in the coming years we could see a trend of hurricanes moving closer to the islands.
Scientists want to put speed bumps in hurricane alley to slow down storms
“Offshore wind farms definitely could be a potential tool to weaken hurricanes and reduce their damage,” says Cristina Archer, a professor in the University of Delaware's College of Earth, Ocean and Environment, who conducted a recent study published ...
Earthquakes
Norway earthquake: Powerful 6.8-magnitude quake strikes in Arctic Sea off Jan Mayen island
A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 has struck in the Arctic Sea, off a Norwegian island. The Norwegian earthquake center NORSAR said it was recorded at 2.49am on Friday in the sea between the volcanic island of Jan Mayen.
Earthquake shakes Perth and WA's south after hitting Lake Muir moving and rumbling houses
The earthquake struck south-east of Manjimup just after 5:00 am at a depth of 7 kilometers and was felt as far away as Perth and Albany. More than 2,500 people have lodged reports with Geoscience Australia after the tremor.
One Month After The Tsunami And Earthquake, Indonesia's Needs Are Greater Than Ever
A locally-led recovery effort is putting in a superhuman effort – powered mostly by incredible women. The circumstances of carrying out the recovery are, to put it mildly, very difficult right now. Aftershocks continue, thousands of people are missing, and the official death toll has risen to over 2,000. Many fear the real figure is much higher.
Huge 6.3 magnitude earthquake strikes in Pacific Ring of Fire
Last week a 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippines, in the Northern Mindanao region, also known as Region X. Nearly 200,000 were within 15km of the of the quake which struck at 4 pm on November 4, but few casualties were reported.
Earthquake recorded offshore Barbados
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.3 was recorded offshore Barbados shortly after 9:00 am (local time) on Sunday. The US Geological Survey says the earthquake was located at Latitude 15.56 N, Longitude 49.86W and at a depth of 7.3 kilometers.
Mount Vesuvius on brink as earthquake strikes Italian town - schools evacuated
Residents of Irpinia, in the municipality of Paternopoli were shaken when a 3.0 magnitude quake was felt at midday, local time, today. Although no damages to buildings nor injuries were reported, schools were evacuated as a precautionary measure. Near to the epicentre of the earthquake is the potentially catastrophic Mount Vesuvius, some 51 miles away
Volcanic Activity
Campi Flegrei Volcano’s Ancient Cycle Seems to End in Large Eruption
In a study published Wednesday in Science Advances, volcanologists report that Campi Flegrei is at the start of an eruption cycle, one that may result in a massive outburst at some point in the likely distant future.
UK team shares drone expertise to help Guatemalans better prepare for volcanic eruptions
Image credit: Universities of Birmingham, Bristol and INSIVUMEH A team of scientists and engineers from the Universities of Birmingham and Bristol have returned from Guatemala where they have been teaching local scientists how to use drones to map the Fuego volcano which violently erupted earlier this year.
World’s first automated volcano forecast predicts Mount Etna’s eruptions
System tracks infrasound waves to determine when an eruption is imminent and alerts the Italian government.
Japan volcano eruption: Stunning pictures of lightning as Mt Sakurajima erupts
A bolt of lightning also strikes the active volcano located in southern Kyushu which is home to more than 600,000 people. Thick smoke from the summit has reached over 4,000 meters and continue to pollute the Pacific ocean island.
Extreme Temperatures
210 million people have been displaced by climate change. We must act
Equally vital is a stable climate. Yet here too we are sleepwalking towards a disaster that is both environmental and humanitarian. Worldwide, extreme weather events, violent storms, floods and ...
Who's running late for the Paris agreement?
In order to limit global warming to 2°C above pre-industrial levels, should countries lower their emissions’ target to meet their climate change commitments?
Policies of China, Russia and Canada threaten 5C climate change, study finds
Ranking of countries’ goals shows even EU on course for more than double safe level of warming
Scientists Made A Mistake: The Oceans May Not Be Warming Faster After All
A study published earlier this month stating that the world's oceans had absorbed up to 60% more heat than initially thought over the previous 25 years is being re-evaluated.
Part of the Answer to Climate Change May Be America’s Trees and Dirt, Scientists Say
A new study found that better management of forests, grasslands, and soils in the United States could offset as much as 21 percent of the country’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.
Global warming never stopped in last hundred years
Global warming has never stopped in the past hundred years, with a maximum rate of change occurring after Second World War II, according to a study.
Floods
Jordan: flash floods kill 12 and force tourists to flee
Death toll rises a day after floods struck in several areas including the popular tourist spot of Petra
Italy disaster: 11 regions declare state of emergency as bad weather floods country
Italy has been ravaged by bad weather sending 11 regions into a state of emergency on the same day Sicily is paying respect to the nine people who died after they remained trapped in their house during a storm.
Shocking photos and videos show the chaos caused by flash floods in Kuala Lumpur
Flash floods in Malaysia's capital city brought roads to a standstill over the weekend
Freak Weather: Extreme deluge strikes Middle East - Mass flood sweeps desert
Extreme and unprecedented weather has struck the Middle East this week - unleashing a deluge of torrential rain and lightning storms across ancient sites and deserts in Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
Venice flooding is getting worse – and the city’s grand plan won’t save it
Upcoming research conducted at the National Research Centre of Venice (CNR) shows that, without intervention, within 50 years this kind of flooding could occur with nearly every high tide. In fact, some experts have argued that Venice will be gone by the year 2100.
Drop of common sense: are humans to blame for the floods that have ravaged Spain's Costa Del Sol?
Heavy rainfall is not a recent phenomenon, but Mediterranean sea warming and building in the wrong places is adding to the recent flooding problems.
Tibet evacuates 25000 people from landslide-formed barrier lake
More than 25,000 people have been evacuated from the homes in the Tibet Autonomous Region as water levels continue to rise in a landslide-formed barrier lake, local authorities said Sunday. The municipal government of Changdu in Tibet said the water ...
Landslides
Heavy rain causes landslide in East Jakarta
Heavy rain on Sunday caused a landslide on Jl. Kampung Kramat in Setu, Cipayung in East Jakarta, preventing motorists from using the road, which serves as an alternative route that connects Jakarta and Bekasi in West Java.
Brazil landslide: At least 10 dead in Rio de Janeiro’s Niteroi
At least 10 people have been killed in Rio de Janeiro after a mudslide in the Niteroi area outside the city’s downtown on Saturday, officials reported. The mudslide was caused by heavy downpours, Rio’s civil defence department head told local media.
BNPB: Millions of People Live in Landslide Prone Areas
The Head of the Data Center, Information and Public Relations of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said millions of people live in areas prone to landslides under cliffs and hills.
Wildfires
Death toll jumps to 25 in California wildfires; 57000 buildings threatened
At least 25 people have died in massive wildfires in California, authorities reported late Saturday. In Northern California, 25 people have been reported dead in the Camp Fire, making this the second deadliest fire in California history.
Destructive California wildfires magnified by population and shifting climate
combination of dry ground, low relative humidity and gusty winds from the mountains are making conditions ripe for fires to spread out of control.
These Wind Patterns Explain Why California's Wildfires Are So Bad
The driving force has been extreme wind, gusts of up to 60 miles per hour, perhaps even 70 in the hills of Southern California, blowing through the state. Wind further desiccates already dry vegetation and pushes the fires along with incredible speed.
10 ways climate change can make wildfires worse
Deadly wildfires such as those raging in northern and southern California have become more common across the state and elsewhere in the world in recent years. Agence France-Presse talked to scientists about the ways in which climate change can make them worse. Other factors have also fuelled an increase in the frequency and intensity of major fires, including human encroachment in wooded areas, and questionable forest management.
Mapping and Analytics
10 Important Geopolitical Trends Captured Using GIS Technology
Geographic information systems (GIS) technology has many critical real-world applications. At Stratfor, our in-house creative team uses GIS to create original, illuminating graphics to highlight emerging trends in geopolitics that are defined by geography.
GIS Technology Aids in Effective Response to California Wildfires
GIS technology has been used to keep responders and the public updated, in real-time, about the spread of the fires and the areas most threatened by their unpredictable and uncontrollable nature.
GIS Day 2018 Showcases Location Intelligence around the World
Twentieth Annual Event Will Take Place November 14 and Feature the Launch of Geography.com

Contact Us

Quick Links