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"Environmental Hazards Newsletter" 7th Jun 2018

Hurricanes and Cyclones
Are you hurricane ready?
The article discusses Hurricane preparedness after reports suggesting that the 2018 hurricane season could be as busy as the 2017 season.
The National Hurricane Center Will Make Important Changes To Their Forecasts In 2018
A look at some of the changes in forecasting techniques that will be brought forward by the National Hurricane Center (NHC) during the upcoming hurricane season.
Improving Tropical Cyclone Predictions in the Gulf of Mexico
Gao et al. evaluate the ability of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory’s latest High Resolution Atmospheric Model (HiRAM) to simulate this relationship on the basis of retrospective seasonal predictions for the 25-year period between 1990 and 2014. Their results indicate that HiRAM successfully captures the influence of intraseasonal oscillations on tropical cyclone activity in the Gulf of Mexico region, including the formation of tropical storms and major hurricanes, as well as those that make landfall.
Trump wants to cut $107M in Hurricane Sandy relief funds
President Trump will send Congress a $15 billion rescission package on Tuesday that includes pulling back $107 million for Hurricane Sandy relief in the Northeast. The White House says the money wouldn’t have been used anyway by New York and New Jersey residents hard hit by 2012 disaster.
Unwavering Preparation, Swift Response Key to Hurricane Food Relief
Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria – each Category 4 – all made landfall in less than a month between August and September 2017. It will be hard to ever forget these historic disasters and the toll they took on millions of American families. In ...
Hurricanes and the Sea: It Takes Two to Tango
Recognizing that tropical cyclones are among the most destructive and costly natural hazards on Earth, and they always develop over the ocean, a new special issue of JGR: Oceans aimed to address the oceanic responses and feedbacks to tropical cyclones. Indeed, improving our understanding, simulation, and forecasts of tropical cyclones is both a scientific and societal imperative.
3-6 tropical cyclones expected in Central Pacific this hurricane season
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Central Pacific Hurricane Center anticipates normal to above-normal tropical cyclone activity during the 2018 Central Pacific Hurricane Season. The season starts on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30. The outlook, which was released Wednesday morning, indicates equal chances of an above-normal and near-normal season at 40 percent each, and a 20 percent chance of a below-normal season.
Conagua forecasts four more cyclones than average for this year
The National Water Commission (Conagua) is predicting 32 tropical cyclones will affect Mexico this hurricane season, four more than the average recorded in recent years. Conagua director Roberto Ramírez de la Parra told attendants at a national civil protection meeting in Acapulco yesterday that 18 of the cyclones are forecast for the eastern Pacific Ocean and 14 for the Atlantic.
Extreme Temperatures
As India temperatures in northern India near 50 C, 47 die in storms
Extreme heat has also gripped many parts of India, with a high of 48.6 degrees recorded Monday in Khajuraho in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.In Delhi and much of northern India, daytime temperatures have been above 40 C for the past week.
More temperature highs and typhoons expected this year
Shanghai will officially enter the typhoon season this Friday, Shanghai's Meteorological Bureau warns, with scorching temperatures and extreme weather on the way.
Death toll climbs in Karachi heatwave
An intense heatwave across south Asia has killed dozens of people with sustained temperatures in excess of 40C (104F) coinciding with power cuts and Ramadan, when many Muslims avoid eating or drinking water. At least 65 people have died in Karachi in recent days according to the charitable organisation that runs the central morgue in the Pakistani port city, as volunteers handed out water to labourers and others working outside in temperatures as high as 44C. Local media reports claimed the death toll could have exceeded 100 in the sprawling megacity of 15 million, where high temperatures are exacerbated by an absence of green space, estimated to make up just 7% of the urban area.
Pediatricians are concerned about climate change, and here's why
A new paper highlights some studies on the implications of climate change for children's health and then calls for the world to better prepare for these health risks, not just in the future but in the present. "We already have seen the impacts," said Dr. Kevin Chan, chairman of pediatrics at Memorial University and head of child health at Eastern Health in Canada, who co-authored the paper.
Climate change will boost global lake evaporation - with "extreme" consequences
The accelerated rate of evaporation over the coming decades will, among other outcomes, trigger stronger precipitation events, researchers say.
Another extreme heat wave strikes the North Pole
In just the past few days, the temperature at the North Pole has soared to the melting point of 32 degrees, which is about 30-35 degrees (17-19 Celsius) above normal. Much of the entire Arctic north of 80 degrees latitude is abnormally warm. The temperature averaged over the whole region appears to be the warmest on record for the time of year, dating back to at least 1958. It is about 18 degrees (10 Celsius) above the normal of 4 degrees (minus 16 Celsius).
What is going on with India's crazy weather?
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted another week of extreme weather across the country. While the current spate of bad weather has a lot to do with local conditions, notably the western disturbance, a low-pressure system bringing in moisture from the west towards India, the rise in temperatures makes these types of weather events more frequent and extreme.
A Pakistani City Hit 122.4 Degrees In April, Probably Setting A World Record
On Monday, the southern Pakistani city of Nawabshah likely set a world record for the hottest ever observed temperature in April, topping out at a blistering 122.4 degrees Fahrenheit. What’s more, the city of 1.1 million people has regularly approached those temperatures since mid-April. Accuweather data shows Nawabshah has exceeded a 113-degree high every day since April 23.
"Umbrella in a hurricane" - U.N. says climate funding far too low
Worldwide investments in limiting climate change are far too low and as flimsy as using an umbrella in a hurricane, the United Nations climate chief Patricia Espinosa said on Wednesday.
Scientists Record Hottest April Temperature Ever Anywhere On Earth
This year is setting new standards in terrifying extreme temperatures. The latest example comes from Nawabshah, Pakistan, where it was 50.2ºC (122.4ºF) on April 30. Meteorologists think this is the hottest shaded temperature ever recorded for a reliable weather station in April, anywhere on Earth.
Planning for extreme temperatures could help five billion people worldwide
The research from the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre and Columbia University (US), identified vulnerable areas of the world where the seasonality of these changes can be modeled and predicted, and where heatwave and cold weather plans could help mitigate the impact of those temperature extremes.
A Temperature Roller Coaster Could Be Coming
New research suggests that global warming could cause temperature swings to get unusually extreme. And the regions where the biggest swings will occur are among the poorest in the world and the least responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.
Earthquakes
Strong earthquake rocks Hawaii
Video report of earthquakes in Hawaii which triggered a volcanic eruption. Two days after the most active volcano on the big island of Hawaii erupted, some residents there continue to experience seismic activity associated to toxic gases and lava flows which are threatening properties and infrastructure.
South African gold miners die in earthquake
Four miners were killed and three others were missing underground after an earthquake hit the Masakhane gold mine west of Johannesburg, the Sibanye-Stillwater company said on May 4. Thirteen miners were initially trapped about 2.6km below the surface.
Global earthquake forecast passes test
A newly-accepted study by the journal, Seismological Research Letters, analyzes the Global Earthquake Activity Rate (GEAR1) model. The test they conducted provides support for the model’s validity for worldwide annual earthquake forecasting.
Huge earthquake strikes Afghanistan-Tajikistan border leaving homes shaking
A huge earthquake has rocked the Afghanistan border leaving homes shaking and people fearing for their lives.
Tenerife volcano MEGA-ERUPTION fears: 270 earthquakes rock Brit holiday hotspot
An incredible 270 quakes have struck near Tenerife and Gran Canaria since April 29. According to recent research, there is a huge submarine fault between the two islands, which is exactly where the current quakes are being experienced. And they are particularly threatening as the world's third-tallest volcanic structure – Mount Teide – sits menacingly nearby. The director of the National Seismic Network from Spain’s National Geographic Institute said the biggest quake reached a magnitude of 3.2 on the Richter scale at only about 35km from Puerto La Luz, Port of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
How Do Earthquakes Affect Flying Planes?
The effects of earthquakes in the aviation industry
Earthquake simulation to be held in Accra this week
A simulation exercise to test the country’s level of readiness to deal with an earth-quake would be held this week in Accra. The week-long exercise would involve organisations that are directly responsible for disaster management such as the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Fire Service, the Ambulance Service, and the 48 Engineer Regiment
Preparations continue for major earthquake
Instead of waiting for the big event and dealing with the aftermath for years the state is trying to get ahead of the Cascadia earthquake, so it will only take about three years to reach a so-called “new normal”.
Huge 6.1-magnitude earthquake smashes Philippines hours after Hawaii quake
The quake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale rattled the Catanduanes province early this morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) said. The tremor struck around 2.19pm local time (7.19am GMT), with its epicentre around 69km northwest of Pandan, Catanduanes. Tremors were felt miles away from its epicentre, with residents in the municipalities of Guinayangan, Quezon and Sorsogon City experiencing powerful shaking.
Huge earthquake strikes Hawaii amid volcano eruption
It was just south of where the Kilauea volcano has been spewing flows of lava into residential areas, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate, the US Geological Survey said. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the strongest tremor at 12.32pm local time measured 6.9, a magnitude capable of causing severe damage. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake, whose epicentre was on the south flank of the volcano, was not large enough to cause a tsunami although it generated sea level changes around the island of up 15.7 inches.
Earthquake could devastate California's Sunset Strip, study finds
An analysis conducted by the city of West Hollywood, an upscale enclave of Los Angeles that hosts much of the colourful route, found that more than 800 buildings in the area are uniquely vulnerable to a powerful tremblor.
USGS confirms 3.6 magnitude earthquake rattled Detroit
The U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed a 3.6 magnitude earthquake occurred Thursday just across the border in Canada. The USGS said the quake's epicenter was 15.5 miles south of Detroit in Amherstburg, Ontario. Thousands of residents in Michigan said they felt tremors around 8:15 p.m. Thursday.
Evidence suggests fracking linked to South Korea’s 2017 earthquake
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake shook the industrial city of Pohang in South Korea on 15 November 2017, injuring almost 100 people and damaging thousands of buildings at a cost of millions of US dollars. Six months on, two academic papers have suggested that fracking was probably the cause of this earthquake.
Volcanic Activity
Kilauea Volcano Eruption Update: Hot, Fast Lava Flows Force New Evacuations
More neighborhoods on the Big Island of Hawaii are being advised to evacuate as the ongoing eruption in Kilauea Volcano's East Right Zone spreads and lava flows grow more swift. The Hawaii County Civil Defense Authority sent out an alert urging residents of two subdivisions in the Kapoho area on the island's southeastern corner to evacuate as lava threatens to cut off road access to the beach community.
Yellowstone volcano update: "Major tectonic shift" detected sparking fears of eruption.
Fears surrounding the Hawaii volcanic eruptions have led to increased focus on the activity at the Yellowstone Supervolcano. Increased activity above and below the surface at the US supervolcano has set off alarm bells for those who are monitoring the site for a potential eruption.
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano belches another plume of ash
As an explosive eruption on the Kilauea volcano sent another plume of ash high into the air, and as more residents were evacuated from a nearby subdivision, officials at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) warned against toasting marshmallows over the Hawaiian volcano's vents.
This Volcano Near Fresno Once Packed A Mammoth Punch
765,000 years ago, the blink of an eye in geologic time, a volcanic eruption created the Long Valley Caldera near present day Mammoth Lakes and forever transformed the eastern Sierra landscape. It's just 76 miles from Fresno, and it created a caldera 20 miles long and ten miles wide. While no eruptions are anticipated in the area anytime soon, Mammoth is still a hotbed for geologic activity.
A California volcano once obliterated a forest and propelled ash 280 miles. Experts say it offers a warning
Lassen Peak, a dormant volcano in California erupted 103 years ago in spectacular fashion sending volcanic ash 280 miles away. Including the Lassen Volcanic Center, there are eight volcanic regions considered worth watching for future eruptions in California, according to the USGS, from the far north of the state to near the Mexican border. Most have been confirmed to have partly molten rock underneath them.
Five myths about volcanoes
Erik Klemetti, an associate professor of geosciences at Denison University, discusses the myths associated with volcanoes.
Total grain-size distribution of four subplinian–Plinian tephras from Hekla volcano, Iceland: Implications for sedimentation dynamics and eruption source parameters
Here we present TGSD data associated with Hekla volcano, which has been very active in the last few thousands of years and is located on critical aviation routes. In particular, we have reconstructed the TGSD of the initial subplinian–Plinian phases of four historical eruptions, covering a range of magma composition (andesite to rhyolite), eruption intensity (VEI 4 to 5), and erupted volume (0.2 to 1 km3).
Japan volcano ERUPTION: Mount Shinmoedake spews hot ash and smoke in Ring of Fire
Japan’s volatile volcano Mount Shinmoedake roared back into life, choking out the skies with a monsters column of ash and smoke as high as 4,500m into the sky in the terrifying Ring of Fire region.
Evacuations in Indonesia as one of world's most active volcanoes erupts
Mount Merapi erupted sending a cascade of ash and smoke some 16,400ft into the sky. The government ordered residents living within a three-mile radius of the crater on Java island to leave as ash covered surrounding communities and even reached parts of Yogyakarta, Indonesia's cultural capital.
Super low sounds let scientists monitor far-off volcanoes
Infrasound sensors, which detect sound waves with frequencies below the lower limit of human hearing, can also track volcanic eruptions in remote locations, a new case study suggests.
Volcano fears for Brit tourists after 270 earthquakes strike near holiday hotspots Tenerife and Gran Canaria in past ...
The popular Brit holiday spots of Tenerife and Gran Canaria could be ravaged by volcanic eruptions - after scientists detected what could be warning signals. Scientists believe a huge amount of seismic activity in the past 10 days could be sign that the volcanoes are about to blow their tops.
GATES TO HELL: Volcanoes are SPLITTING Africa - NASA satellite images reveal
Three tectonic plates are believed to be slowly moving away from each other, opening holes and exposing large swathes of magma. The most significant crack appeared near to the Erta Ale volcano – known by locals as the 'Gateway To Hell'. The site is ...
Wildfires
Floods, wildfires spark evacuation concerns from some northern Albertans
Nine wildfires burning in the High Level forest area Saturday prompted the most recent emergency alert for Mackenzie County, an area of northern Alberta larger than Prince Edward Island. The wildfires temporarily closed Highways 58 and 35, and some residents were on standby for a possible evacuation.
Wildfires engulf over 74,000 hectares in Russia's regions
Over the past day of May 10, forest fire crews extinguished 92 wildfires covering 25,301 hectares. By 00:00 Moscow time May 11, 54 forest fires covering 63,564 hectares were active on the territory of the Russian Federation, and extinguishment efforts were underway," the report says.
Wildfires continue to burn in Contra Costa, Alameda counties
Firefighters continued to combat strong headwinds Thursday as they tried to put out seven wildfires that erupted a day prior in Contra Costa County. As of 1:30 p.m. they had reached 80 percent containment, officials said. The fires were first reported around 1 p.m. Wednesday and are burning in the area between Camino Diablo and the Alameda County line.
Scientists race to reveal how surging wildfire smoke is affecting climate and health
Emily Fischer, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, is preparing to spend the summer flying through plumes of wildfire smoke aboard a C-130 cargo plane jammed full of scientific equipment. The flights are the highlight of an unprecedented effort to better understand the chemistry and physics of wildfire smoke, as well as how it affects climate, air pollution, and human health.
2018 Predicted to be Challenging Wildfire Year
The USDA Forest Service is well prepared to respond to wildfires in what is currently forecast to be another challenging year. In 2018, the agency has more than 10,000 firefighters, 900 engines, and hundreds of aircraft available to manage wildfires.
California burning: life among the wildfires
George Marshall’s book Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change. After spending 15 years studying climate change-denying microcultures, Marshall concluded that facts don’t change people’s minds – only stories do. We’re so motivated by wanting to belong that we’d rather risk the dangers of climate change than the more immediate symbolic death of estrangement from our peers. In order to address climate change in our communities, Marshall suggests, we must appeal to the same desires that religion does: belonging, consolation and redemption.
Landslides
Rwanda landslides after heavy rain bring 2018 death toll to 200
Landslides in Rwanda have killed at least 18 people over the weekend, bringing the death toll this year to 200. Residents have been digging to search for those buried after heavy downpours.
At least 32 dead in Ethiopia landslides
Landslides caused by heavy rain killed at least 32 people in southern Ethiopia at the weekend. Nine people died in the Gamo Gofa zone, with 17 injured. The state-affiliated Fana Broadcast Corporate reported that 23 people were killed in a landslide in the Sidama zone.
Help NASA create the world’s largest landslide database
NASA researchers have launched a citizen science project requesting people to report on landslides.
Landslides can be stabilized: Expert
Keeping in mind the increased cases of landslides and with a goal to mitigate its effects, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and Gondwana Geological Society, Nagpur (GGS)a daylong national workshop on ‘Recent trends in engineering geology and landslide studies’ at Auden Hall, GSI, on Monday. N Kutumba Rao, director general, GSI, IB Chibber, retired director, GSI, S Natesan, additional director general, GSI, central region, AK Chatterjee, vice-president, GGS, Nagpur, A Thiruvengadam, additional director general, policy support system, GSI and Milind Dhakate, director (G), GSI, central region, were the dignitaries who inaugurated the workshop.
A Near-Real-Time Tool to Characterize Global Landslide Hazards
Kirschbaum and Stanley have developed a system that generates near-real-time estimates of potential rainfall-triggered landslide activity. Their Landslide Hazard Assessment for Situational Awareness (LHASA) model melds information regarding slope, lithology, deforested areas, and proximity to fault zones and roads to derive a map of landslide susceptibility, which is then combined with satellite-derived estimates of precipitation from the past week to develop “nowcasts” of areas that are susceptible to landslides.
Vietnam to invest big in dealing with landslides in Mekong Delta
Vietnam needs nearly 308 million U.S. dollars to deal with landslides along river banks, canals and seashores in its southern Mekong Delta, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The ministry said that landslides have occurred at 562 locations of river banks and seashores, with a total length of 786 km, of which 42 spots stretch 149 km in specially dangerous conditions, and it needs about 6,990 billion Vietnamese dong (307.9 million U.S. dollars) to reinforce such eroded locations
Europe's road and rail transport more often exposed to landslides this century
More heavy precipitation events will probably increase the number of landslides in parts of Europe that are susceptible to landslides because of their steep hills and geological subsoil. This is especially the case for a number of regions along the north side of the Alps: the Jura Mountains, the Vosges, the Black Forest, the Swabian Jura, the Bavarian Pre-alps, the foothills of the Austrian Alps and the Bohemian Forest. These regions are also important transport corridors for Europe’s road and rail network. More landslides may disrupt these corridors and cause a lot of damage.
Help NASA create the world's largest landslide database
In March 2018, NASA scientist Dalia Kirschbaum and several colleagues launched a citizen science project that will make it possible to report landslides you have witnessed, heard about in the news, or found on an online database. All you need to do is log into the Landslide Reporter portal and report the time, location, and date of the landslide – as well as your source of information.
Hawaii volcano eruption: Landslides plague island following horrifying earthquakes
Hawaii has been plagued with landslides as earthquakes continue to strike the region in the midst of the Kilauea volcano horror that has prompted mass evacuations, it has emerged.
Floods
Flash floods in Afghanistan kill at least 34
Flash floods caused by heavy rain in the past week have killed at least 34 people in several Afghan provinces and caused serious damage to property and livestock, officials said on Tuesday
Lightning strikes and flooding risk as storms continue to hit UK
Thunderstorms will continue to strike the UK as hot weather brings the risk of flooding, travel disruption and power cuts, forecasters have warned. Those enjoying the half-term break have been warned of potential flash floods and sudden worsening of visibility amid heavy rain and balmy temperatures.
Flash floods hit Worthing, Littlehampton and Adur
Flash floods struck Worthing, Littlehampton and parts of Adur. Firefighters were called into action as thunderstorms and torrential downpours swept the county during the afternoon.
UN, Somali Government seek $80 million in immediate relief for flood-affected populations
The United Nations and the Somali Government on Sunday launched a joint appeal for $80 million to provide immediate help for the people affected by recent flooding in the country’s centre and south.
Rising Sea Levels in the Netherlands: The Dutch Battle Against Flooding
While the United States continues to debate the validity of Climate Change science, countries such as the Netherlands are investing in R&D solutions to effectively address the challenges of tomorrow’s climate. Particular attention is given by the Dutch to water management solutions, as more than 26% of the country is located under the sea level.
Lapland braces for worst spring floods in decades
The Finnish regions of Lapland (north) is likely to see flooding in the coming weeks, as warm temperatures set spring thaws in motion. The Finnish Environment Institute’s leading hydrologist Bertel Vehviläinen says that current data point to the worst flooding in 20 years.
Flash flooding hits Hobart after torrential rain, snow falls in NSW
New South Wales was hit by Flash flooding with water sweeping away cars and with more than 13,000 properties losing power. Flash flooding also hit the suburbs of Blackmans Bay, Sandy Bay and Kingston on the city’s outskirts. The University of Tasmania’s Sandy Bay campus was closed after some buildings flooded and power was cut.
Lethal flash floods hit east African countries already in dire need .
Heavy rains and severe flash floods have left more than 300 people dead and displaced thousands of others across parts of east Africa, with Kenya and Rwanda being the worst hit.

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