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Earth Watch Report – Wednesday July 25th, 2012

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July 25, 2012

Earthquakes

RSOE EDIS

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk	Source	Details
25.07.2012 06:30:35	2.1	North America	United States	Washington	May Creek		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 06:30:58	2.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Y		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 06:15:37	3.0	North America	United States	California	Cobb		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 06:20:21	3.0	South-America	Chile	Valparaíso	Los Andes		EMSC
25.07.2012 05:16:25	2.0	North America	United States	California	Cobb		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 06:20:45	3.1	Asia	Turkey	Siirt	Uzyum		EMSC
25.07.2012 04:55:53	2.8	North America	United States	Alaska	Sunrise		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 05:15:19	3.0	Europe	Czech Republic		Kanovice		EMSC
25.07.2012 06:21:06	3.1	Asia	Turkey	Van	Yuvacik		EMSC
25.07.2012 05:15:55	2.4	South-America	Chile	Valparaíso	La Ligua		EMSC
25.07.2012 04:15:25	2.2	Europe	Poland	Lower Silesian Voivodeship	Patnow		EMSC
25.07.2012 04:10:30	2.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Nanwalek		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 04:15:48	3.5	Asia	Turkey	Van	Yuvacik		EMSC
25.07.2012 04:16:09	2.9	South-America	Bolivia	Potosí	Villa Alota		EMSC
25.07.2012 04:16:33	2.2	Asia	Turkey	?zmir	Urla		EMSC
25.07.2012 06:21:25	2.7	Asia	Turkey	Van	Toyga		EMSC
25.07.2012 04:16:54	2.3	Asia	Turkey	Van	Toyga		EMSC
25.07.2012 03:10:21	2.7	Europe	Greece	Central Greece	Neon Monastirion		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:45:27	2.0	North America	United States	Nevada	Black Rock City		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 04:17:15	2.0	Asia	Turkey	Kütahya	Saphane		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:40:49	6.6	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia	Aceh	Sinabang		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 03:10:47	5.9	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia	Aceh	Sinabang		EMSC
25.07.2012 03:11:08	2.1	Europe	France	Centre	Levroux		EMSC
25.07.2012 04:40:35	2.3	Caribbean	Puerto Rico	Juana Diaz	Potala Pastillo		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 04:17:36	2.4	Asia	Turkey	Van	Yuvacik		EMSC
25.07.2012 03:11:28	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Bal?kesir	Susurluk		EMSC
25.07.2012 03:11:49	2.5	Asia	Turkey	Van	Toyga		EMSC
25.07.2012 01:55:24	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Happy Valley		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 01:40:39	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Four Mile Road		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 02:05:25	2.2	Asia	Turkey	Van	Toyga		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:05:46	2.4	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Ula		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:06:07	4.0	South-America	Chile	Antofagasta	San Pedro de Atacama		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:06:29	2.6	Asia	Turkey	Van	Toyga		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:06:55	4.4	Asia	Turkey	Van	Yuvacik		EMSC
25.07.2012 01:25:27	4.5	Asia	Turkey	Van	Yuvacik		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 00:55:28	2.8	North America	United States	California	Ferndale		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 00:55:58	2.1	North America	United States	California	Cobb		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 01:00:27	2.9	Europe	Greece	South Aegean	Adamas		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:07:15	2.2	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Datca		EMSC
25.07.2012 00:45:29	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Lake Minchumina		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 00:35:44	2.7	North America	United States	Alaska	Valdez		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 02:07:36	2.4	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Sarigerme		EMSC
25.07.2012 01:00:47	3.9	South-America	Chile	Antofagasta	San Pedro de Atacama		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:07:58	3.5	South-America	Chile	Antofagasta	San Pedro de Atacama		EMSC
25.07.2012 00:00:26	2.3	Europe	Poland	Silesian Voivodeship	Zbytkow		EMSC
25.07.2012 02:08:20	2.4	Asia	Turkey	Amasya	Dedekoy		EMSC
24.07.2012 23:35:27	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Point MacKenzie		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 00:00:46	4.7	Europe	Russia	Kamtsjatka	Kamenskoye		EMSC
25.07.2012 00:50:59	4.8	Asia	Russia	Kamtsjatka	Tilichiki		USGS-RSOE
25.07.2012 00:01:06	3.1	Europe	Greece	Central Greece	Zarakes		EMSC

Date/Time (UTC)	Message	Location	Magnitude	Depth	Status	Details
25.07.2012 00:34 AM	Tsunami Information Bulletin	Off W Coast Of Northern Sumatra	6.6	0 km

Original Bulletin

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Tsunami Information Bulletin in Off W Coast Of Northern Sumatra, Indian Ocean

000
WEIO23 PHEB 250034
TIBIOX

TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 0034Z 25 JUL 2012

THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE INDIAN OCEAN.

... TSUNAMI INFORMATION BULLETIN ...

THIS MESSAGE IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY.

THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.  ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

 ORIGIN TIME -  0028Z 25 JUL 2012
 COORDINATES -   2.5 NORTH   95.8 EAST
 LOCATION    -  OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
 MAGNITUDE   -  6.6

EVALUATION

 A DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT DOES NOT EXIST BASED ON
 HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA.

 HOWEVER - THERE IS A VERY SMALL POSSIBILITY OF A LOCAL TSUNAMI
 THAT COULD AFFECT COASTS LOCATED USUALLY NO MORE THAN A HUNDRED
 KILOMETERS FROM THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. AUTHORITIES IN THE
 REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS
 POSSIBILITY.

THIS WILL BE THE ONLY BULLETIN ISSUED BY THE PACIFIC TSUNAMI
WARNING CENTER FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
BECOMES AVAILABLE.

THE JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY MAY ISSUE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
FOR THIS EVENT. IN THE CASE OF CONFLICTING INFORMATION...THE
MORE CONSERVATIVE INFORMATION SHOULD BE USED FOR SAFETY.

No damage, tsunami after 6.6 quake hits off Indonesia’s Sumatra

JAKARTA

(Reuters) – A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.6 struck off northern Sumatra in Indonesia on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but authorities said there was little chance of a tsunami.

The quake was felt by residents on the island of Simeulue off Sumatra’s northwest coast but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

“The quake has no tsunami potential,” said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. “Some people ran away from their houses. We don’t have any house damage.”

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a widespread, destructive tsunami after the quake, about 330 km (205 miles) southeast of Indonesia’s Banda Aceh. It said there was a “very small possibility” of a local tsunami. (Reporting by Olivia Rondonuwu; Writing by Paul Tait; Editing by Michael Perry)

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Volcanic Activity

Tongariro volcano (New Zealand): seismic swarm, a possible precursor to new activity

BY: T

Tongariro volcano is showing signs of a possible awakening. On 13 July 2012, an increase in small (<M2.5) earthquakes was detected. The quakes were clustered at depths of 2-7 km under the area between Emerald crater and Te Mari crater. More than 20 earthquakes were recorded until 20 July, when the seismic activity peaked and prompted GeoNet to raise the alert level from 0 to 1. Compared to a background average of 2 quakes per year, the swarm is significant and could indicate magma movements. Seismic activity dropped on 21 July with only 1 quake since then, but preliminary measurements show an increase in volcanic gas emission. NZ Scientist started to increase their monitoring at the volcano.

New Mechanism Observes Activity of Caldera in Santorini

By Spyros Kouvoussis The new seismic-detecting mechanism that observes the activity of the volcano in Santorini, Caldera, was finally placed at the bottom of the sea. The scientific community now says it will be ready to warn authorities in case there is any alarming activity. The new mechanism is the cutting edge of technology of its kind.

The procedure to place the mechanism at the bottom of the sea took ten days and the team of scientists of the project hailed from Greece, France and Spain. The mechanism is placed in the north part of Caldera, where the deepest spot is 389m. The mechanism was set up with the use of two special ships owned by the Greek Center of Sea Research. The mechanism is equipped with instruments that can assess the structure of the bottom of the sea and measure its temperature. That way scientists can have a better look at the volcano’s activity.

Dimitris Sakellariou, the head of the program, said that the first signs show that the volcano has very limited activity. He also pointed out that although the program should have started a long time ago, there is a high risk that due to the economic crisis its survival will be an issue.

Source: (in.gr)

Santorini, Santorini caldera, volcano

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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather /Drought

Today

Heat Wave

Japan

[Statewide]

Heat Wave in Japan on Wednesday, 25 July, 2012 at 03:36 (03:36 AM) UTC.

Description

The number of people taken to hospitals by ambulance due to heatstroke in the week through Sunday more than doubled from the preceding week to 5,467, preliminary data showed Tuesday. The figure, up from 2,622 in the week to July 15, hit the highest for a single week this summer, according to the data released by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. Deaths caused by heatstroke increased to 13 from five in the preceding week. Tokyo and Saitama Prefecture had the most victims, with ambulances called for 388 people each. They were followed by 382 in Aichi Prefecture and 372 in Osaka Prefecture. People aged 65 or older accounted for 45.9 percent of the total. Since the agency started this year’s survey on May 28, 11,116 people were taken to hospitals as of Sunday. Twenty-three people have died. The rise in heatstroke cases reflects the smothering heat wave, with temperatures of 35 degrees or higher observed in many places for the four days from July 16, agency officials said. In Tatebayashi, Gunma Prefecture, the mercury shot up to 37.6 on July 16 and to 39.2 the following day, according to the Meteorological Agency.

24.07.2012

Heat Wave

South Korea

[Statewide]

Heat Wave in South Korea on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 14:09 (02:09 PM) UTC.

Description

Weather authorities issued heat wave advisories nationwide on Tuesday in response to a heat wave that has been gripping South Korea, with the capital city experiencing its second straight “tropical night” this week. The so-called tropical night phenomenon is defined by nighttime lows staying above 25 C, with nighttime being from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. It often happens when monsoon season ends, which falls in July in general for the country. Overnight lows across the nation soared well above the threshold on Monday, with the eastern coastal city of Gangneung recording the highest temperature at 28.7 C followed by the southern city of Pohang at 27.1 C. The temperature overnight in Seoul also reached 25.8 C to mark its second consecutive tropical night, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration. The scorching heat led the weather authorities to issue the country’s first heat wave warnings in the southeastern city of Daegu and its surrounding areas in North Gyeongsang Province, set to take effect from 11 a.m. The daytime highs in the region are forecast to soar above 35 C, according to the KMA. The agency also extended the heat wave advisories from the southern regions to the central part of the country including Seoul and the surrounding Gyeonggi areas starting at 11 a.m., with the daytime high in Seoul being expected to climb to 32 C. Heat wave advisories are issued when the mercury goes over 33 C for at least two days, and heat wave warnings are issued when it soars up to 35 C for at least two consecutive days. The heat wave on the Korean Peninsula is forecast to be unabated until at least the end of July due to the influence of a hot and humid North Pacific high temperature system, the weather agency said.

24.07.2012

Extreme Weather

USA

State of Wisconsin, City of Beloit

Extreme Weather in USA on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 18:57 (06:57 PM) UTC.

Description

The City of Beloit endured trees blocking roads, fires and thousands of people without power after a series of storms rocked their city on Tuesday morning. “We had a lot of trees down, wires down. We had about 7,000 people without power,” Beloit Fire Chief Brad Liggett told Newsradio 620 WTMJ’s Jon Byman. “We at one time had about 35 calls for response for wires down and trees on fire, trees across the roadway, patients that require oxygen who were without power.” Roads were closed, especially in residential neighborhoods on the west side. Chief Liggett explained that he was hoping for roads closed by fallen trees to be re-opened within 24 hours after crews saw the trunks up to remove them. “It’s a pretty severe storm. The last time I remember a storm like this was in August of 2003,” said Liggett. Alliant Energy said about 12,000 customers had lost power due to the storms in that area.

Today

Forest / Wild Fire

Canada

Province of Ontario, [Muskoka Lakes region]

Forest / Wild Fire in Canada on Wednesday, 25 July, 2012 at 03:07 (03:07 AM) UTC.

Description

About 50 residents have been evacuated due to a brush fire in central Ontario’s cottage country. Muskoka Lakes Mayor Alice Murphy says four township fire stations have responded to the blaze on Huckleberry Rock in Milford Bay. The Ministry of Natural Resources is assisting with a water bomber. Murphy says there’s no information yet on the cause of the brush fire, and motorists are being turned away from entering Milford Bay. Murphy says those with no need to travel Highway 118 west in the Milford Bay area should stay away. The response is being co-ordinated by the Muskoka Lakes fire department, the provincial police and the natural resources ministry.

24.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

Canada

Province of Manitoba, [Red Sucker Lake First Nation, Wasagamack First Nation, St. Theresa Point First Nation and Garden Hill First Nation]

Forest / Wild Fire in Canada on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 17:09 (05:09 PM) UTC.

Description

More than 800 people from four northern Manitoba First Nations have been flown to Winnipeg and Brandon due to forest fires near their home communities. Officials said people deemed the most vulnerable, such as those with asthma and other breathing conditions, were flown out first, while others may follow if the fire situation gets worse. “We didn’t have anybody who was acutely distressed from smoke inhalation but we did have folks with runny eyes, coughing, sore throats, which is a normal effect from being involved with the forest fires,” said Janice Lowe from the Brandon Regional Health Authority. The Manitoba Association of Native Firefighters is looking after the evacuations and asked both Brandon and Winnipeg to host the evacuees, due to the large number. “This is the largest evacuation that we’ve handled in recent times,” said Brian Kayes from the City of Brandon. On Monday, the province said 77 forest fires are burning in Manitoba. As of July 20, more than 360 firefighters were battling the blazes, with 12 water bombers and 31 helicopters being used. Fires are currently burning in northeastern and western, central and eastern parts of Manitoba, said officials. The largest numbers of fires are currently burning in the northeastern part of Manitoba. Officials from the Manitoba Association of Native Firefighters said people had to leave Red Sucker Lake First Nation, Wasagamack First Nation, St. Theresa Point First Nation and Garden Hill First Nation. They said it’s tough to determine how long people could be out of their homes, due to the unpredictable nature of forest fires. They said, however, people should be prepared to be out of their homes for approximately three to seven days. Community members said homes are not currently at risk of burning. Some evacuees, however, said leaving was still difficult. “Some people don’t want to go because they don’t want to leave their homes,” said Eric Wood from Garden Hill Public Health.

25.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

Croatia

Primorsko-Goranska Region, [Near to Selce and Moscenicka Draga]

Forest / Wild Fire in Croatia on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 04:28 (04:28 AM) UTC.

Description

A firefighter has died and 1,500 tourists have been evacuated after forest fires fanned by strong winds broke out on Croatia’s Adriatic coast. “The situation is very difficult … we are doing everything possible to protect people’s lives and property,” Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic said, as the fires continued to blaze out of control on Monday in the increasingly popular tourist area. “Everything is ready for (further) evacuations,” said the minister, who visited the coastal resort of Selce, close to the northern port of Rijeka, where some 150 firefighters were battling the blaze. A firefighter died while battling another blaze that broke out near Moscenicka Draga on the Istria peninsula, fire service official Slavko Gaus said. That fire was brought under control later in the day. The inferno broke out in the morning in the hinterland of Rijeka, some 180km southwest of Zagreb, and spread towards Selce. Strong winds of more than 100km an hour made tackling the fires very difficult as water-bombing planes could not be used, the authorities said. In Selce some 1,500 tourists from two campsites, mostly Slovenians and Austrians, were evacuated while a number of other tourists left a nearby hotel, officials said. Part of the Adriatic coastal highway was closed, police said. The resort was cut off from electricity and phone lines were down, Nova television reported, showing footage of people in Selce covering their faces with scarves to protect themselves from the thick smoke and ashes. The roofs of several houses also caught fire.

25.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

Portugal

Atlantic Ocean – North, [Island of Madeira ]

Forest / Wild Fire in Portugal on Thursday, 19 July, 2012 at 19:09 (07:09 PM) UTC.

Description

Wildfires have forced the evacuation of dozens of villagers from their homes in Madeira on Thursday, with the Portuguese authorities sending teams from the mainland to help overwhelmed local firefighters. Portugal had suffered from a severe drought this year before being hit by temperatures of up to 40C this week, which has triggered forest blazes on the mainland too. More than 300 firefighters were struggling on Thursday to put out wildfires near Tavira, a popular holiday destination in the Algarve region near the Spanish border. Authorities in Madeira have used planes and helicopters to combat the flames, including an aircraft sent by Spain’s civil defence. Portugal sent a military transport plane with 83 firefighters to Madeira, where the flames briefly threatened the outskirts of Funchal, the archipelago’s capital, on Wednesday night. The Portuguese interior minister, Miguel Macedo, is also in Madeira to co-ordinate the efforts. While Funchal was mostly out of danger on Thursday, television footage from the archipelago’s smaller island of Porto Santo showed houses catching fire and firefighters telling residents of Camacha to abandon the area. “The changing wind is strongly compromising the effort to put out the flames, and we only have five firemen there and one truck,” the local fire brigade chief, Afonso Nobrega, told the Lusa news agency. SIC television showed a local man shouting for help to get three women out of a building whose door was on fire. Enveloped in heavy smoke, local residents sprayed water on the outside of their homes while others fled. There have been no reports of deaths of serious injuries. This year’s drought, coupled with scorching weather, poses a threat that fires will escalate during the hottest period in late July and August.

25.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

Greece

West Greece, [Patras city area]

Forest / Wild Fire in Greece on Wednesday, 18 July, 2012 at 11:06 (11:06 AM) UTC.

Description

Authorities issued evacuation orders for villages in southwestern Greece on Wednesday where wildfires, aided by strong winds and soaring temperatures, have ravaged large areas. The blaze, burning mostly pine forest, sent smoke over the city of Patras, a port with some 220,000 inhabitants, where regional authorities have declared an emergency. Nine planes and one helicopter were involved in the firefighting effort at Argyra, some 15 kilometres (9 miles) east of Patras. Apostolos Katsifaras, regional governor for western Greece, said evacuation orders had been issued for villages in the rugged fire stricken area — likely to involve several hundred residents. “The conditions are very tough. We are using everything we have against the fire,” Katsifaras said. The state of emergency allows authorities to use additional resources, including Greece’s military.

25.07.2012

Drought

USA

State of Washington, [Counties of Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Jefferson, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Walla Walla and Yakim]

Drought in USA on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 08:03 (08:03 AM) UTC.

Description

Gov. Chris Gregoire on Monday proclaimed a state of emergency for 16 Washington counties hit by a series of recent storms. Most of the counties are in the eastern half of the state. One death in northeast Washington’s Ferry County is considered storm-related, the governor said. A series of storms that started July 13 have caused power outages, fuel shortages and road closures that threaten some at-risk populations, Gregoire said. High winds, severe thunderstorms and extreme rainfall have damaged homes, businesses and public buildings. The proclamation directs state agencies to “do everything reasonably possible” to help affected communities recover. After a fierce thunder and rain storm last Friday, Ferry County and the Colville Tribes asked for state assistance. The small community of Keller on the Colville Reservation was pummeled by the storm, with downed trees blocking roads, crushing power lines and damaging houses. KHQ-TV reports the Keller Community Center has been functioning as the town’s hub.

“Everyone comes here. This is the place to be,” said volunteer Corrie Johnson. The community center has been offering meals and shelter to those who need it. Winds in northeast Washington hit 66 mph during Friday’s storm, National Weather Service meteorologist John Livingston told the Spokesman-Review. Forest Service officials in the Republic Ranger District said the storm winds toppled numerous trees, blocking trails and roads. “It was horrendous, chaotic,” Christine Bonney, the Republic Police Department’s administrative assistant, told the newspaper. “There were fields of trees lying flat, like the wind ironed them down.” In the Okanogan County community of Omak in north-central Washington, crews were still cleaning up Monday after rain from Friday’s storm flooded about five blocks of downtown streets. At one point, water was knee-deep in the downtown area, the Wenatchee World reported. Several highways in the county were closed temporarily due to downed trees and rain-caused mudslides, Sheriff Frank Rogers said. Grant County also saw pounding hail and isolated flooding.

Counties included in the proclamation include: Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Jefferson, Kitsap, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Walla Walla and Yakima.

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Storms / Flooding

24.07.2012

Tropical Storm

China

Hong Kong Special Administrative Regions, Hong Kong

Tropical Storm in China on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 13:06 (01:06 PM) UTC.

Description

Fifty people were injured and trees ripped from the ground as Typhoon Vicente lashed Hong Kong, packing winds in excess of 140 kilometres per hour. Authorities raised the typhoon warning to the most severe level of 10 for the first time since 1999 just after midnight, as Typhoon Vicente roared to within 100km of Hong Kong but it was eventually downgraded to eight. “In the past few hours, Vicente intensified rapidly into a severe typhoon and moved in a more northerly direction, edging closer to Hong Kong,” the Hong Kong Observatory said in a statement following the 10 warning. More than 200 trees fell and pieces of buildings were seen crashing into downtown streets as commuters made their way home from work on Monday evening. Ferry, bus and train services were suspended or ran at reduced capacity, the port was closed and 15 passenger flights to the regional aviation hub were cancelled. More than 210 flights were delayed. The Hong Kong stock exchange delayed the opening of trading on Tuesday until authorities gave the all-clear that it was safe to go to work.

School classes and hospital outpatient clinics were suspended until further notice. Flooding was reported in two areas. Fifteen people were hospitalised out of 50 who sought medical treatment, officials said. Almost 250 people sought refuge in storm shelters. Local media reported that more than 100 commuters stayed in the Tai Wai underground train station overnight, unable to get home after services were suspended. The 10 warning was downgraded to eight early on Tuesday morning as the storm passed to the west and weakened over the southern Chinese coast, but authorities warned residents to remain vigilant. “Although Vicente is moving gradually away from Hong Kong and started to weaken, gale force winds are still prevailing over parts of the territory with occasional storm force winds offshore and on high ground and frequent heavy squally showers,” the Observatory said. “Members of the public are advised not to relax their precautions.”

Severe typhoon hits Hong Kong

Tropical cyclone warning raised to its highest level, grounding flights and disrupting businesses across financial hub.

Storm surges and sea wave warnings have been heightened, with winds of up to 100 kph expected [AFP]

A severe typhoon has hit Hong Kong, disrupting business across the financial hub, with offices and the stock market to remain closed for at least part of the morning after the city raised its highest typhoon warning overnight.

Typhoon Vicente battered Hong Kong with gale-force winds and torrential rain, grounding flights and shutting port operations on Tuesday.

Authorities raised the No. 10 tropical cyclone signal for several hours overnight, making this one of the strongest
typhoons to hit the city in the past decade.

Al Jazeera’s Stephanie Scawen, reporting from Hong Kong, said “heavy rain is coming through” the financial hub, and is expected to last “probably for a few days”.

Highest warning level

Financial markets, schools, businesses and non-essential government services close when a No. 8 signal or above is
hoisted, posing a disruption to business in the capitalist hub and former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

By 8am local time (00:00 GMT), the typhoon was veering away from the city and weakening, although the No. 8 signal is expected to remain in force until at least 10am (02:00 GMT), the Hong Kong Observatory said, which would force a closure of the stock market for the morning.

Hong Kong Observatory raised the No. 10 signal early on Tuesday as typhoon Vicente swept closer to Hong Kong [Reuters]

The market will be closed for the day if the No. 8 signal remains in place until noon (04:00 GMT), after it dropped three per cent on Monday.

Separately, China’s National Meteorological Centre issued an orange alert for Typhoon Vicente, the second highest warning level in China’s four-tier typhoon warning system, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Strengthening gale-force winds overturned trees, churned up huge waves in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour and sent debris
flying, injuring some 30 people as Vicente hit the city and the western reaches of China’s Guangdong province.

Fifteen flights were cancelled and more than 200 delayed late on Monday, aviation authorities said, although Hong Kong’s
main carrier Cathay Pacific said it planned to resume some flights.

The Hong Kong Observatory raised the No. 10 signal early on Tuesday as typhoon Vicente swept much closer to Hong Kong than initially thought, making this the first time the highest typhoon signal had been raised since 1999.

More than 30,000 Chinese fishing boats were alerted to return to harbour, with 10,560 fishermen taking shelter ashore
in Guangdong, Chinese state media reported. Storm surges and sea wave warnings were heightened, with winds of up to 100 kph expected.

Source:

Al Jazeera And Agencies

Photos: Dust Storm Envelops Phoenix Area

weather.com Associated Press

weather.com

The sky turned orange in Scottsdale, Ariz. during the Haboob. iWitness/Mikelp82

PHOENIX — A dust storm, or haboob, enveloped the greater Phoenix area in a cloud of yellow-gray blowing dust on Saturday night.

(MORE: Origin of the word “haboob”)

National Weather Service meteorologist Charlotte Dewey said the storm was moving northwest and was first spotted between Eloy and Tucson.

The haboob covered cities in the metropolitan Phoenix area such as Scottsdale, Gilbert, Mesa, Apache Junction, Santan Valley, Chandler, Casa Grande and downtown Phoenix.

There were no official estimates of its size, but Dewey says spotters estimated it was around 2,000 feet tall. She says there were also reports of 35 mph wind gusts in the area, and a report of a 50 mph gust at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.

Above are photos of the event from The Associated Press and our iWitness Weather contributors.

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Radiation / Nuclear

24.07.2012

Nuclear Event

India

State of Rajasthan, Rawatbhata [Rajasthan Atomic Power Station, District of Chittorgarh]

Nuclear Event in India on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 10:49 (10:49 AM) UTC.

Description

More than 40 workers at a nuclear power station in northern India have been exposed to tritium radiation in two separate leaks in the past five weeks. The first accident occurred on June 23 when 38 people were exposed during maintenance work on a coolant channel at the Rajasthan Atomic Power Station in Rawatbhata, senior plant manager Vinod Kumar said. Two of them received radiation doses equivalent to the annual permissible limit, he said, but all those involved have returned to work. In a second incident last Thursday, another four maintenance workers at the plant were exposed to tritium radiation while they were repairing a faulty seal on a pipe. India is on a nuclear power drive, with a host of plants based on Russian, Japanese, American and French technology under consideration or construction.

The country’s growing economy is currently heavily dependent on coal, getting less than 3% of its energy from its existing atomic plants, and the government hopes to raise the figure to 25% by 2050. But environmental watchdogs have expressed concerns about safety in India, where small-scale industrial accidents due to negligence or poor maintenance are commonplace and regulatory bodies are often under-staffed and under-funded. The director of the Rajasthan power station, C.P. Jamb, confirmed the second accident to AFP but said the radiation was within permissible limits and posed no health threat. “The workers were exposed to radiation from 10 to 25 per cent of the annual limit,” Jamb said. “Such minor leakages keep on happening but they cause no harm.” C.D. Rajput, director of the unit where the leak happened, also said the radiation exposure “was well under the limits and all the workers are working normally”. No explanation was immediately available as to why the first incident at the plant took a month to emerge.

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Epidemic Hazards / Diseases

25.07.2012

Epidemic

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Province of North Kivu, [Province-wide]

Epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 02:57 (02:57 AM) UTC.

Description
The security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) province of North Kivu has been deteriorating for months because of armed conflict between various renegade soldier groups. The fighting has resulted in the displacement of approximately 250,000 people from the area fleeing the violence in search of safety. Health concerns have also risen in violence-ridden areas of the eastern DRC. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) Global Alert and Response (GAR) issued Monday, the DRC has reported a sharp increase in the number of cholera cases in the armed conflict area of North Kivu. For the three weeks spanning June 11 to July 1, 368 new cases of cholera were reported. Because of the lack of security in the area, there is a concern those stricken with cholera will have difficulty in accessing the health-care facilities and could increase the number of severe and fatal cases. The WHO also reports the fear of the cholera spilling over the borders into neighboring countries Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda. Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and its partners blame the outbreak on a lack of potable drinking water. Patients are being treated with infusions and antibiotics as appropriate, at treatment centres. Interventions to control the epidemic that are being carried out include education and communication; management of cases; increased surveillance; hygiene and sanitation; and provision of safe drinking water.WHO is working to support national authorities in response to the cholera outbreak and the broader humanitarian emergency resulting from conflict and population displacement. Cholera is an acute bacterial intestinal disease characterized by sudden onset, profuse watery stools (given the appearance as rice water stools because of flecks of mucus in water) due to a very potent enterotoxin. The enterotoxin leads to an extreme loss of fluid and electrolytes in the production of diarrhea. It has been noted that an untreated patient can lose his bodyweight in fluids in hours resulting in shock and death. It is caused by the bacterium, Vibrio cholerae. Serogroups O1 and O139 are the types associated with the epidemiological characteristics of cholera (outbreaks). The bacteria are acquired through ingestion of contaminated water or food through a number of mechanisms. Water is usually contaminated by the feces of infected individuals. Drinking water can be contaminated at the source, during transport or during storage at home.Food can be contaminated by soiled hands, during preparation or while eating. Beverages and ice prepared with contaminated water and fruits and vegetables washed with this water are other examples. Some outbreaks are linked to raw or undercooked seafood. The incubation for cholera can be from a few hours to 5 days. As long as the stools are positive, the person is infective. Some patients may become carriers of the organism which can last for months. Cholera is diagnosed by growing the bacteria in culture. Treatment consists of replacement of fluids lost, intravenous replacement in severe cases. Doxycycline or tetracycline antibiotic therapy can shorten the course of severe disease. According to Wikipedia, North Kivu is a province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Its capital is Goma. North Kivu borders the provinces of Orientale to the north and northwest, Maniema to the southwest, and South Kivu to the south. To the east, it borders the countries of Uganda and Rwanda.
Biohazard name:	Cholera Outbreak
Biohazard level:	2/4 Medium
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever, and HIV. “Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus) can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures. Virus production activities, including virus concentrations, require a BSL-3 (P3) facility and use of BSL-3 practices and procedures”, see Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

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Solar Activity

2MIN News July 24, 2012: Spaceweather Ramp-Up

Published on Jul 24, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

EARTHQUAKE WATCH:

REPEAT LINKS
Spaceweather:
http://spaceweather.com/
[Look on the left at the X-ray Flux and Solar Wind Speed/Density]

HAARP:
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/data.html
[Click online data, and have a little fun]

SDO:
http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/
[Place to find Solar Images and Videos - as seen from earth]

SOHO:
http://sohodata.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/soho_movie_theater
[SOHO; Lasco and EIT - as seen from earth]

Stereo:
http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/images
[Stereo; Cor, EUVI, HI - as seen from the side]

SunAEON:
http://www.sunaeon.com/#/solarsystem/
[Just click it... trust me]

SOLARIMG:
http://solarimg.org/artis/
[All purpose data viewing site]

iSWA:
http://iswa.gsfc.nasa.gov/iswa/iSWA.html
[Free Application; for advanced sun watchers]

NOAA ENLIL SPIRAL:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wsa-enlil/cme-based/
[CME Evolution]

NOAA Bouys:
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

RSOE:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php
[That cool alert map I use]

JAPAN Radiation Map:
http://jciv.iidj.net/map/

LISS:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/monitoring/operations/heliplots_gsn.php

Gamma Ray Bursts:
http://grb.sonoma.edu/
[Really? You can't figure out what this one is for?]

BARTOL Cosmic Rays:
http://neutronm.bartol.udel.edu//spaceweather/welcome.html
[Top left box, look for BIG blue circles]

TORCON:
http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-torcon-index
[Tornado Forecast for the day]

GOES Weather:
http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/
[Clouds over America]

INTELLICAST:
http://www.intellicast.com/
[Weather site used by many youtubers]

NASA News:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/

PHYSORG:
http://phys.org/
[GREAT News Site!]

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Space

Earth approaching objects (objects that are known in the next 30 days)

Object Name

Apporach Date

Left

AU Distance

LD Distance

Estimated Diameter*

Relative Velocity

(2009 PC)

28th July 2012

3 day(s)

0.1772

68.9

61 m – 140 m

7.34 km/s

26424 km/h

217013 (2001 AA50)

31st July 2012

6 day(s)

0.1355

52.7

580 m – 1.3 km

22.15 km/s

79740 km/h

(2012 DS30)

02nd August 2012

8 day(s)

0.1224

47.6

18 m – 39 m

5.39 km/s

19404 km/h

(2000 RN77)

03rd August 2012

9 day(s)

0.1955

76.1

410 m – 920 m

9.87 km/s

35532 km/h

(2004 SB56)

04th August 2012

10 day(s)

0.1393

54.2

380 m – 840 m

13.72 km/s

49392 km/h

(2000 SD8)

04th August 2012

10 day(s)

0.1675

65.2

180 m – 400 m

5.82 km/s

20952 km/h

(2006 EC)

06th August 2012

12 day(s)

0.0932

36.3

13 m – 28 m

6.13 km/s

22068 km/h

(2006 MV1)

07th August 2012

13 day(s)

0.0612

23.8

12 m – 28 m

4.79 km/s

17244 km/h

(2005 RK3)

08th August 2012

14 day(s)

0.1843

71.7

52 m – 120 m

8.27 km/s

29772 km/h

(2009 BW2)

09th August 2012

15 day(s)

0.0337

13.1

25 m – 56 m

5.27 km/s

18972 km/h

277475 (2005 WK4)

09th August 2012

15 day(s)

0.1283

49.9

260 m – 580 m

6.18 km/s

22248 km/h

(2004 SC56)

09th August 2012

15 day(s)

0.0811

31.6

74 m – 170 m

10.57 km/s

38052 km/h

(2008 AF4)

10th August 2012

16 day(s)

0.1936

75.3

310 m – 690 m

16.05 km/s

57780 km/h

37655 Illapa

12th August 2012

18 day(s)

0.0951

37.0

770 m – 1.7 km

28.73 km/s

103428 km/h

(2012 HS15)

14th August 2012

20 day(s)

0.1803

70.2

220 m – 490 m

11.54 km/s

41544 km/h

4581 Asclepius

16th August 2012

22 day(s)

0.1079

42.0

220 m – 490 m

13.48 km/s

48528 km/h

(2008 TC4)

18th August 2012

24 day(s)

0.1937

75.4

140 m – 300 m

17.34 km/s

62424 km/h

(2006 CV)

20th August 2012

26 day(s)

0.1744

67.9

290 m – 640 m

13.24 km/s

47664 km/h

(2012 EC)

20th August 2012

26 day(s)

0.0815

31.7

56 m – 130 m

5.57 km/s

20052 km/h

162421 (2000 ET70)

21st August 2012

27 day(s)

0.1503

58.5

640 m – 1.4 km

12.92 km/s

46512 km/h

(2007 WU3)

21st August 2012

27 day(s)

0.1954

76.0

56 m – 120 m

5.25 km/s

18900 km/h

1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers

Source: NASA-NEO

SAO Astronomers Focus Their Attention
On Accretion Around Young Star TW Hydrae

MessageToEagle.com – TW Hydrae is a star between 5-10 million years old, and only 176 light-years away, in the direction of the constellation of Hydrae (the Water Snake), is in the final stage of formation.

It’s surrounded by a disc of dust and gas that may condense to form a complete set of planets. TW Hydrae has passed out of its infancy but is not yet mature.

Astronomers are trying to understand the processes at work in stars at this stage in their lives because, for example, during this period planets might be developing from disks around the stars.

The nature of the star’s corona, the very hot (over a million degrees centigrade) extended gaseous outer atmosphere, is one such process. TW Hydrae provides a valuable example for two reasons:

It is relatively close by and therefore bright, and it is rotating with its pole pointed nearly directly towards Earth, enabling scientists to view the star’s polar region nearly face on.

Like other young stars of its size and age, TW Hydrae emits strong X-rays and lines of ionized hydrogen. These are thought to result from shocks generated as material flows onto the stellar surface, and from magnetically heated gas in the corona.

Like other young stars of its size and age, TW Hydrae emits strong X-rays and astronomers investigate why, and how might they effect the star’s proto-planetary disk?

TW Hydrae

The star system TW Hydrae, shown here in an artist’s conception, possesses a protoplanetary disk holding vast numbers of pebble-sized rocky chunks. Those pebbles eventually should grow to become full-sized planets. Credit: Bill Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF)
Several mechanisms have been proposed, including coronal magnetic field activity similar to that on the sun, accretion onto the stellar surface that might also contribute to winds and flares, and shocks from jets that develop.

Each mechanism has associated with it hot gas with characteristic temperatures and densities.

A schematic diagram of the surface of TW Hydrae, illustrating where strong X-ray emission might arise. Accreting material can produce winds and shocks at the stellar photosphere; some parameters are specified. Credit: N. Brickhouse, et al, 2010
Recently, SAO astronomers Andrea Dupree, Nancy Brickhouse, Steve Cranmer, Juan Luna, and Evan Schneider, along with colleagues, also observed TW Hya with the Chandra X-ray Observatory, with complementary and simultaneous measurements from a suite of other telescopes.

They continuously monitored the star over about seventeen days, during which time they observed both periodic and flaring events on the star.

Click on image to enlargeAn artist’s conception of an icy, planet-forming disk around the young star TW Hydrae. Astronomers have used the Herschel Space Observatory to detect copious amounts of water ice in this source. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Their results show that the star has both a hot solar-like corona and an accretion shock at relatively high densities and small volumes.

Interestingly, the shocked gas heats a larger volume of the stellar atmosphere up to 2 million degrees, much hotter than the 10,000 degree hot spots previously known from optical and ultraviolet spectra.

The new results are able to explain many of the earlier puzzles associated with X-ray emission, help to identify how winds can be produced in these stars, and suggest that the magnetic processes at work in this star are by no means unique but may be ubiquitous in other young stars of similar mass.

The scientists, in a astronomical first, were able to track an accretion flare spectroscopically, providing direct information on how the excitation of the gas evolves during these events.

The team successfully modeled the emission as arising in a sequence: A shock develops from accreting material and then flows down into a turbulent region, heating the star’s photosphere. This ultimately leads to coronal heating and the development of stellar winds.

MessageToEagle.com

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Description
The KDHE has issued a toxic algae warning for Chisholm Creek Park Lake North in Sedgwick County. The lake is located off of N. Woodlawn near the K-96 bypass. It’s one of 13 warnings and advisories issued in Kansas. An advisory discourages contact, but a warning means the public should have no contact with the water. It is unsafe to touch. “It will bloom and go through a rapid period of growth. One of the byproducts of this algae- as it dies and goes through it’s life cycle, it releases toxins into the water,” says KDHE Director Tom Langer. Blue green algae can cause allergic-type reactions such as intestinal problems, respiratory problems, or skin irritations.
Biohazard name:	Blue-Green Algae bloom (cyanobacteria)
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

24.07.2012

HAZMAT

USA

State of New Hampshire, Laconia [ABC Fabricators]

HAZMAT in USA on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 14:08 (02:08 PM) UTC.

Description

Firefighters have evacuated some homes in Laconia, N.H., after responding to a situation at an electronics company involving hazardous materials. Firefighters were called to ABC Fabricators after 5 a.m. Tuesday. It was not immediately clear what the problem was. A man who identified himself as the manager said there was a minor chemical spill involving nitric acid, but that it was being treated and cleaned. He said it was under control.
The company makes circuit boards.

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Articles of Interest

24.07.2012

Power Outage

USA

State of Illinois, Chicago

Power Outage in USA on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 15:23 (03:23 PM) UTC.

Description
Storms rushed through the Chicago area Tuesday morning, leaving at least 183,000 Commonwealth Edison customers without power. Strong to severe thunderstorms moved from the northwest after 6 a.m., bringing heavy rain and damaging winds in excess of 60 mph across a good portion of the metro area. One woman who lives in Chinatown said her house shook in the forceful wind, and on the 2500 block of South Hillock on Chicago’s Southwest Side, a tree toppled onto a home. The Chicago Fire Department confirmed no injuries were reported from the fallen tree. Tree damage and flooding were reported across the area. The 4900 block of North Lawndale Avenue in Chicago was reportedly blocked by fallen trees and branches covered cars. A severe storm warning was in effect until 6:30 a.m. as storm moved through Lake, DuPage, DeKalb, Kane and Kendall counties. A severe thunderstorm watch expired in the Chicago area and Northwest Indiana at 9 a.m. The National Weather Service reported it tracked a line of thunderstorms capable of winds in excess of 70 mph just before 6 a.m. extending from Kildeer to St. Charles. Cloudy skies will replace showers through the afternoon with high temperatures in the mid- to upper-80s. But this isn’t the last of the rain aimed at the area. NBC Chicago meteorologist Andy Avalos is tracking a slight risk for isolated, possible strong to severe thunderstorms for the rest of the day. Mild but muggy conditions return Tuesday night along with another chance of scattered, possibly severe storms Wednesday morning. After clouds break early, near-record heat moves back in as afternoon highs could range from 95 to 100 degrees with heat index readings jumping to 100-108. Yet another chance of storms threatens throughout Thursday, a welcomed sight for Illinois famers and gardeners alike. High temperatures become more comfortable in the mid-80s as a cold front begins to move through.

Amazing Alien Landscape On Earth: Stunning Images Of Arctic Circle Reveal
Bizarre White Tendrils Emerge From The Ground

MessageToEagle.com – There are a number of amazing alien landscapes on Earth and here is one of them!

These stunning images of the Arctic Circle reveal an entire landscape that is transformed into an otherworldly planet.

It looks like a scene taken straight from a science fiction movie.

What are these bizarre white tendrils emerging from the ground?

These images were taken by photographer and an environmental engineering student from Monza, Italy, Niccolo Bonfadini who spent nine days camping alone in the frozen world, which is around 77 square kilometres.The tendrils you see, are frost-covered trees which are located close to the Arctic Circle, where temperatures can drop as low as -40C.

In the dramatic sub-zero conditions, the snow and frost become so thick that everything is covered in a thick blanket.

“I was blown away by the otherworldly landscape, everything was white as far as the eye could see. Everything was frozen.

This is not an alien planet. This is the Arctic Circle! Image credit: Niccolo Bonfadini / Solent News

It was incredible to see how ice would form on top of every free surface. Even my snow shoes and fuel bottles would be covered in ice if I left them outside my tent during the night, said Mr Bonfadini.

Mr Bonfadini sustained himself on powdered freeze-dried food during his trek and slept in his tent.

Trees are covered under the snow. Image credit: Niccolo Bonfadini / Solent News

He said: “I loved what I was doing. I love to go deep into nature alone, to feel the majesty and beauty of Nature. It is absolutely what makes me happiest.

What made the trip harder than average was the fact that I was completely alone, I only met three people during my nine days.

But I prefer it like that, I don’t like crowds.”

Bizarre tendrils emerge from the ground… Image credit: Niccolo Bonfadini / Solent News

Many people who have seen these images have difficult to understand the shapes are actually trees covered with snow.

Mr Bonfadini said: “Some thought they were volcanic eruptions and clouds. To me they seemed to be alive like frozen people.

Every tree was different from the others, they had weird forms, some had snow covered branches that looked like arms.

With such a surreal landscape, it is easy to see how many tales and legends about trolls and other creatures could have been born.”

Snow and frost become so thick the entire landscape is transformed into an otherworldly planet. Image credit: Niccolo Bonfadini / Solent News

He added: “Both the landscape and the sky were white, there were no shades during the day. It was like being in a completely white room and it was even difficult for the eyes to focus.

Sometimes I couldn’t even notice when the path was starting to go downhill because everything looked flat.”

Despite his young age, Mr Bonfadini has photographed wildlife all over the world.

Here the temperatures can drop as low as -40C. Image credit: Niccolo Bonfadini / Solent News

He said: ‘My favourite subjects are the northern countries. I feel a sense of wonder while surrounded by desolate frozen landscapes.

I feel small and vulnerable among the power of Nature. During those moments I really feel alive. Photography motivates me to get out into Nature more often, experiencing conditions and places that I wouldn’t probably have witnessed otherwise.”

Planet Earth is truly amazing!

@ MessageToEagle.com

Unusual Flatworm With 60 Eyes – First Ever Discovered!

MessageToEagle.com – Two eyes can be enough to sometimes give you the feeling you are being watched, but how would you feel if 60 eyes starred at you?

An entirely new kind of species has been discovered in grassland near Cambridge, UK.

The unique animal has 60 eyes, all crammed into a body just 12mm long. It is one of the most unusual animals ever discovered.

This little creature is a worm found by Brian Eversham, chief executive of the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire.

New record for the UK. A flatworm with as many as 60 eyes. Photo credit Brian Eversham.

Brian Eversham said, “I was taking wildlife pictures one Sunday morning and turned over a log to reveal this rather cute flatworm.It is likely to be a close relative of a species found in Northern Ireland called Kontikia andersoni.

Britain is one of the best countries for documenting wildlife so it’s quite unusual to find a species here which has not been seen before.”

Leading biology expert Dr Hugh Jones believes the flatworm is of antipodean descent but may carry out DNA testing to determine its exact ancestry.

Dr Jones has only seen one specimen of the species in the Netherlands in April this year before Mr Eversham’s discovery. It is thought the flatworm could have originated from New Zealand or Australia.

Photo credit Brian Eversham.

Brian Eversham said “New Zealand seems to be the centre of diversity for land flatworms worldwide, and its climate is very similar to Britain.

Whereas there are millions of undescribed species in the tropics and other poorly-known parts of the world, Britain is the best-documented place on the planet.

It’s quite unusual to find a species here which has not been seen before.”

The animal kingdom is full of surprises!

@ MessageToEagle.com

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[In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit, for research and/or educational purposes. This constitutes 'FAIR USE' of any such copyrighted material.]

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Tags: 2012: Spaceweather Ramp-Up, 2MIN News July 24, a possible precursor to new activity, Alaska, Amazing Alien Landscape On Earth: Stunning Images Of Arctic Circle Reveal Bizarre White Tendrils Emerge From The Ground, Arizona, Asia, Bees attack, Biological Hazard in USA, Blue-Green Algae bloom (cyanobacteria), Bolivia, California, Canada, Chile, China, Cholera Outbreak, Colorado, Czech Republic, Drought in USA, Earth approaching objects, Epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Extreme Weather in USA, Florida, Forest / Wild Fire in Canada, Forest / Wild Fire in Croatia, Forest / Wild Fire in Greece, Forest / Wild Fire in Portugal, FRANCE, Great White Shark spotted, Greece, HAZMAT in USA, Heat Wave in Japan, Heat Wave in South Korea, Illinois, India, Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Indonesian Archipelago, Italy, Japan, Kansas, Mass. Die-off (fishes), Mass. Food Poisoning, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mechanism Observes Activity of Caldera in Santorini, New Zealand, No damage, North America, North Carolina, Nuclear Event in India, Photos: Dust Storm Envelops Phoenix Area, Poland, Portugal, Power Outage in USA, Puerto Rico, Russia, Santorini, SAO Astronomers Focus Their Attention On Accretion Around Young Star TW Hydrae, Severe typhoon hits Hong Kong, Shark attack (Non-Fatal), South America, South Korea, Tongariro volcano, Tongariro volcano (New Zealand): seismic swarm, Tropical Storm in China, tsunami after 6.6 quake hits off Indonesia's Sumatra, Tsunami Information Bulletin in Off W Coast Of Northern Sumatra, Turkey, Typhoon Vicente, United States, Unusual Flatworm With 60 Eyes - First Ever Discovered!, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin;

Comment

Earth Watch Report – Tuesday July 24th, 2012

Filed under: Asteroids, Biological Hazard, Diseases, Drought, Earthquakes, Extreme Weather, Flooding, Global Disaster Watch, meteors, Solar Activity, Space, Storms — Leave a comment

July 24, 2012

Earthquakes

RSOE EDIS

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk	Source	Details
24.07.2012 08:15:23	4.1	North America	United States	Alaska	Old Harbor		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 08:10:51	3.2	North America	United States	Alaska	Old Harbor		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 07:45:23	5.2	Middle America	Mexico	Oaxaca	San Juan Cacahuatepec		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 07:25:54	3.6	Caribbean	Puerto Rico	Cabo Rojo	Pole Ojea		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 07:35:34	2.9	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Bodrum		EMSC
24.07.2012 07:35:53	2.5	Europe	Italy	Emilia-Romagna	San Prospero		EMSC
24.07.2012 07:36:12	3.0	Europe	Poland	Lower Silesian Voivodeship	Drozow		EMSC
24.07.2012 07:36:30	2.6	Asia	Turkey	Ankara	Gudul		EMSC
24.07.2012 06:35:20	2.8	Europe	Greece	West Greece	Chavarion		EMSC
24.07.2012 05:50:31	2.0	North America	United States	California	Redcrest		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 05:50:51	2.3	North America	United States	Hawaii	Na’alehu		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 06:36:22	2.8	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Bodrum		EMSC
24.07.2012 05:25:31	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Anchor Point		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 05:25:55	2.3	North America	United States	Montana	Drummond		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 05:35:46	2.4	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Bodrum		EMSC
24.07.2012 05:20:34	4.7	Pacific Ocean – West	Philippines	Davao	Kinablangan		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 05:36:10	4.7	Pacific Ocean – West	Philippines	Davao	Kinablangan		EMSC
24.07.2012 05:36:32	2.2	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Bodrum		EMSC
24.07.2012 05:36:53	2.7	Asia	Turkey	Kütahya	Dumlupinar		EMSC
24.07.2012 04:05:41	2.0	North America	United States	California	Cobb		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 04:35:19	3.6	Middle-East	Iran	F?rs	Firuzabad		EMSC
24.07.2012 04:35:40	2.7	Europe	Greece	Central Macedonia	Profitis		EMSC
24.07.2012 04:35:59	3.6	South-America	Peru	Tacna	Sobraya		EMSC
24.07.2012 07:36:48	2.3	Asia	Turkey	Manisa	Golmarmara		EMSC
24.07.2012 04:36:19	2.6	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Bodrum		EMSC
24.07.2012 02:40:25	2.5	North America	United States	Alaska	Happy Valley		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 07:37:21	2.2	Asia	Turkey	Kütahya	Emet		EMSC
24.07.2012 04:36:37	2.8	Asia	Turkey	Kütahya	Simav		EMSC
24.07.2012 03:35:20	3.5	South-America	Chile	Antofagasta	Tocopilla		EMSC
24.07.2012 07:37:38	2.5	Asia	Turkey	Ankara	Gudul		EMSC
24.07.2012 02:35:24	2.8	South-America	Chile	Región Metropolitana	Puente Alto		EMSC
24.07.2012 02:35:43	2.6	Europe	Italy	Emilia-Romagna	San Prospero		EMSC
24.07.2012 01:35:24	2.6	Europe	Greece	Peloponnese	Vytina		EMSC
24.07.2012 01:20:28	4.8	Atlantic Ocean	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands		Grytviken		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 01:35:44	4.8	Atlantic Ocean – North	South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands		Grytviken		EMSC
24.07.2012 03:35:48	2.9	South-America	Chile	Antofagasta	San Pedro de Atacama		EMSC
24.07.2012 01:36:01	3.5	South-America	Chile	Libertador General Bernardo O?Higgins	Santa Cruz		EMSC
24.07.2012 00:30:25	2.2	Europe	Italy	Emilia-Romagna	Solignano Nuovo		EMSC
24.07.2012 06:36:49	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Burdur	Golhisar		EMSC
24.07.2012 00:30:49	4.7	Middle-East	Yemen	?a?ramawt	Kilmia		EMSC
24.07.2012 06:37:11	2.3	Asia	Turkey	Manisa	Akhisar		EMSC
23.07.2012 23:25:20	2.1	Europe	Poland	Silesian Voivodeship	Gorzyczki		EMSC
24.07.2012 06:37:52	2.0	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Bodrum		EMSC
24.07.2012 06:38:17	2.6	Middle-East	Iran	?z??rb?yj?n-e Gharb?	Salmas		EMSC
24.07.2012 06:38:39	2.3	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Fethiye		EMSC
23.07.2012 22:05:51	2.7	North America	United States	Alaska	Tatitlek		USGS-RSOE
23.07.2012 22:25:18	3.7	Europe	Iceland	Northeast	Husavik		EMSC
23.07.2012 22:25:44	5.1	Australia & New-Zealand	New Zealand	Gisborne	Ruatoria		EMSC
23.07.2012 22:16:08	5.0	Pacific Ocean	New Zealand	Gisborne	Ruatoria		USGS-RSOE
24.07.2012 06:38:57	2.2	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	OEluedeniz		EMSC

***********************************************************************************************************

Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

Excessive Heat Warning

OMAHA/VALLEY NE
DES MOINES IA
KANSAS CITY/PLEASANT HILL MO
TOPEKA KS
ST LOUIS MO
PADUCAH KY

Heat Advisory

GOODLAND KS
LINCOLN IL
OMAHA/VALLEY NE
DES MOINES IA
MEMPHIS TN
WILMINGTON NC
SPRINGFIELD MO
HASTINGS NE
TULSA OK
BIRMINGHAM AL
NASHVILLE TN
WICHITA KS
NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
SIOUX FALLS SD
ST LOUIS MO
NORMAN OK
NORTH PLATTE NE

Red Flag Warning

FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE

GREAT FALLS MT
NORTH PLATTE NE

Fire Weather Watch

NORMAN OK

Today

Complex Emergency

USA

State of Missouri, [Missouri-wide]

Complex Emergency in USA on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 02:48 (02:48 AM) UTC.

Description

The governor of Missouri on Monday declared a state of emergency due to the drought and prolonged severe heat of this summer, which has so far been blamed in the deaths of 25 people in the state. “The high temperatures and dry conditions across the state are taking their toll on Missourians,” Governor Jay Nixon said in a statement. “Our farmers are suffering tremendous losses in crops and livestock, and we’re seeing more heat-related deaths and emergency room visits, particularly among seniors.” The declaration activates the State Emergency Operations Plan, which authorizes state agencies to help local jurisdictions with their emergency responses. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has confirmed 25 heat-related deaths in the state, including 20 in the St. Louis area. The department also has received hospital reports of 829 heat-related emergency department visits from May 1 through July 22. The weather is also causing a high risk of fire, according to the governor’s office. The most expansive drought in the United States in more than half a century has hurt corn and soybean crops. The temperature in St. Louis was 104 Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Through July 21, this year has been the warmest start to a calendar year on record in St. Louis and Columbia, Missouri, the NWS said. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture declared all 114 Missouri counties as primary natural disaster areas, clearing the way for affected farmers to receive federal assistance through low-interest loans, according to Nixon spokesman Scott Holste.

Today

Extreme Weather

Canada

Province of Ontario, [Eastern Ontario]

Extreme Weather in Canada on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 03:02 (03:02 AM) UTC.

Description

A severe thunderstorm knocked out power to thousands of homes across eastern Ontario on Monday and blasted hail across many parts of the region. At one point Hydro Ottawa reported 8,600 customers had lost power in communities including Gloucester, Goulbourn, Kanata and Nepean as a result of power lines brought down by the storm. As of 8 p.m. ET that number had been reduced to 2,500 customers. Hydro One reported thousands of homes in an area stretching to Alexandria and Cornwall in the east from Barry’s Bay south of Algonquin Park in the west had been affected by outages The largest of these outages, in an area encompassing Renfrew and Calabogie, saw power cut to about 5,600 homes in the region. Service had only been partially restored as of 8 p.m. ET. Ottawa airport, which had cancelled or delayed arriving and departing flights during the storm, reopened just after 7 p.m. ET. The federal weather agency had issued tornado warnings for several eastern Ontario communities west of Ottawa, including Smiths Falls, Lanark, Sharbot Lake, Barry’s Bay, Killaloe, Renfrew, Arnprior, Calabogie and French River.

Ottawa and regions to the east remain under a severe thunderstorm warning into Monday evening. The weather agency said there have been unconfirmed reports of a tornado touching down near Golden Lake about 140 kilometres west of Ottawa. Campers at a trailer park near Lake Doré, close to where the unconfirmed tornado was sighted, say they are shaken up after heavy rains and winds hit at about 2:30 p.m. No injuries have been reported, but trees fell on several trailers at the Lake Doré Tent & Trailer Park, owner Carol Brisebois said. “We could see some trees falling down, lots of damage to trailers, awnings, trees and boats lifted from the shoreline. I had one of my fishing boats, my row boat, went flying,” Brisebois said. Emergency Management Ontario recommends taking cover immediately when threatening weather approaches. Last Tuesday, two tornadoes touched down in eastern Ontario after a similar group of storms rolled through the region. One hit the area of Athens, near Brockville, and another touched down around Summerstown, east of Cornwall.

Today

Forest / Wild Fire

Croatia

Primorsko-Goranska Region, [Near to Selce ]

Forest / Wild Fire in Croatia on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 04:28 (04:28 AM) UTC.

Description

A firefighter has died and 1,500 tourists have been evacuated after forest fires fanned by strong winds broke out on Croatia’s Adriatic coast. “The situation is very difficult … we are doing everything possible to protect people’s lives and property,” Interior Minister Ranko Ostojic told commercial Nova television, as the fires continued to blaze out of control on Monday in the increasingly popular tourist area. “Everything is ready for (further) evacuations,” said the minister, who visited the coastal resort of Selce, close to the northern port of Rijeka, where some 150 firefighters were battling the blaze. A firefighter died while battling another blaze that broke out near Moscenicka Draga on the Istria peninsula, fire service official Slavko Gaus told national HRT television. That fire was brought under control later in the day. The inferno broke out in the morning in the hinterland of Rijeka, some 180km southwest of Zagreb, and spread towards Selce. Strong winds of more than 100km an hour made tackling the fires very difficult as water-bombing planes could not be used, the authorities said. In Selce some 1,500 tourists from two campsites, mostly Slovenians and Austrians, were evacuated while a number of other tourists left a nearby hotel, officials said. Part of the Adriatic coastal highway was closed, police said. The resort was cut off from electricity and phone lines were down, Nova television reported, showing footage of people in Selce covering their faces with scarves to protect themselves from the thick smoke and ashes. The roofs of several houses also caught fire.

Petawawa wildfire ‘growing’ rampant

Petawawa wildfire 'growing' rampant

An aerial photograph released by the Ministry of Natural Resources Pembroke District Office Sunday shows the wildfire at CFB Petawawa as it burned on Friday. The blaze has been contained to a 210-hectare area, however, officials don’t consider it under control yet.

Credits: QMI AGENCY

SEAN CHASE | QMI AGENCY

OTTAWA — A wildfire raging at CFB Petawawa is not spreading into neighbouring Algonquin Park, but officials Sunday feared that could change if the weather deteriorates.

Overcast skies over the region were a sign that things could get worse for firefighters battling the blaze, which has burned up 210 hectares since Thursday in the far western reaches of the base’s training area.

Environment Canada has forecasted a 60% chance of showers with the risk of a thunderstorm in the evening. Those storms might generate lightening strikes that could spawn more fires in the area.

A second fire on the base, which was discovered Saturday, has grown to five hectares, base officials confirmed Sunday.

“The fire is not considered under control but is growing slowly at this time,” said Capt. Sally Ann Cyr, public affairs officer for 2 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group.

The main fire was largely contained within a perimeter established by firefighters with the Department of National Defence assisted by heavy equipment operators from 2 Combat Engineer, who used bulldozers to dig out fire lanes to contain the flames.

The ministry of natural resources (MNR) also confirmed that the fire is situated south of Montgomery Lake, the site of an abandoned boy scout camp, and remains 100 metres from the Algonquin Park boundary.

The area has largely been clear cut over the years so that the military could construct a Forward Operating Base (FOB) in order to train soldiers for overseas missions.

“We’re in an extreme fire response situation,” MNR spokesman Doug Skeggs said.

The fire is still classified as “not under control” due to the ever-changing wind and weather conditions. The possibility of thunderstorms is causing great concern for firefighters, he added.

“There’s not a great deal of rain associated with those storms,” he said. “So we are looking at the potential for thunder strikes and new (fire) outbreaks.”

A fire behaviour expert with the MNR is on the scene assisting the base fire department with developing fire suppression strategies, while the ministry continues to fly in helicopters to dump water on the flames.

Meanwhile, the evacuation of five campsites inside the park is complete. Park wardens ordered up to 400 people to leave the area on Friday night. It was more challenging locating the campers already canoeing on the Petawawa and Barron rivers and isolated interior lakes, Skeggs said, adding he doesn’t believe there are any stragglers left behind.

“We believe we’ve got everybody but we are continuing to patrol,” he said.

The mandatory closure of the east side of Algonquin Park, ordered on Friday, affected access to Sec Lake gate, McManus Lake gate, Achray Grand Lake gate and Lake Traverse in the park, plus all Crown land between the park boundary and Barron Canyon Road, the main access point.

Ontario Provincial Police and Ontario Parks employees continued Sunday to man roadblocks on Barron Canyon Road west of Petawawa.

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Storms / Flooding

Today

Flash Flood

New Zealand

Northland, [Western Bay of Plenty District, Bay Of Plenty]

Flash Flood in New Zealand on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 03:01 (03:01 AM) UTC.

Description

Torrential rain that exploded over the Western Bay of Plenty closed one of the region’s major highways and left people stranded at home as floodwaters rose and rivers burst their banks. A heavy rain warning is in place and flooding is expected to affect a number of Western Bay roads until midday today. All areas of the Western Bay fell victim to the ferocious weather but northern areas were the hardest hit. A family was trapped in its Karangahake Gorge home yesterday after the Ohinemuri River burst its banks. The state highway was closed where the floodgates were up at Criterion Bridge. Along the gorge, the swollen river spilled over the barrier and over both lanes of traffic. Wendy Hillerich said in her 23 years in the gorge, she had never experienced conditions as extreme as they were yesterday. “I have never seen it this bad. The river is across both lanes and there’s no way anyone is getting through at the moment,” she said. “The past 48 hours have been really heavy … and the bridges that wind through the gorge, there would be less than half a metre of space under them. That’s how high the water is.” Mrs Hillerich, and her husband Horst, own the Ohinemuri Estate. Visiting friends were caught by the floodwaters and were forced to spend the night, she said.

“We’re totally stranded. There’s no way we can move in any direction.” People in Waihi Beach were stranded as both roads heading into and out of the town were closed for the afternoon and evening. Waihi Beach Rd closed about 3pm while the Athenree Gorge closed shortly after because of a slip. One lane in the gorge was re-opened about 8pm. An NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) spokesperson said a work crew were due to begin to clean up the slip today. NZTA advised motorists to use State Highway 29 via Tauranga over the Kaimai Range and avoid SH2 until floodwaters recede. At the Waihi Beach Top 10 Holiday Park, owner Ian Smith said the heavy rain in Waihi caused serious flooding at the northern end of the beach. He said the rain had caused the Waihi Beach stream to overflow and caused quite a lot of damage to the park. Traffic was delayed in Katikati after flooding on SH2, south of the Uretara Stream bridge, forced one lane to close for the afternoon. North of the township motorists had to negotiate knee-deep water across the highway. The jetty at The Landing on Beach Rd was completely submerged and the Haiku Reserve at the back of Katikati’s central business district was flooded with water lapping the top of the Haiku pedestrian bridge.

Katikati College and Katikati Primary Schools closed early due to the threat of further flooding. The high tide at 10pm yesterday was likely to affect the Uretara, Criterion and Hikuai Bridges. NZTA said this could result in further closures of the bridges. In Papamoa, flooding caused the northbound lane of SH2 to close between Bruce Rd and Domain Rd last night. NZTA Bay of Plenty state highway manager, Brett Gliddon, said the heavy rain and surface flooding caused a number of potholes in areas that were resealed last week. At 9pm yesterday he said contractors were on site to repair the road. “Repairs are being carried out as quickly as possible to enable the highway to be restored to two lanes by morning. We ask motorists to reduce their speed and take extreme care when travelling in this area,” he said. In Tauranga City almost 100mm of rain fell from 7am to 7pm yesterday. Similar levels were expected to fall last night before the rain was due to ease today. MetService forecaster Mad Naeraa said the worst of the weather had passed but it would take some time for the surface flooding and rivers to subside.

Flood Warning

TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

Flood Advisory

NORTH PLATTE NE

2 dead, 6 missing in flood-hit Philippines

Motorists wade through a street flooded by heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Ferdie in Quezon City, Metro Manila on July 21, 2012. Several colleges in Metro Manila suspended classes on Saturday due to a heavy downpour that began early morning. — PHOTO: REUTERS

MANILA (AFP) – Two people were killed and six others are missing in the Philippines as floods inundated parts of Manila and nearby areas while a storm tore through the country’s north, authorities said on Saturday.

The civil defence office said rescuers are on standby to help residents evacuate if necessary as creeks and open sewers in the capital overflowed from overnight rains, swamping nearby slums and causing traffic jams.

The rains began to ease by midday after plunging some areas in knee-deep waters, but civil defence chief Benito Ramos said he could not rule out further flooding as runoff from nearby mountains descends into Manila Bay.

‘All that rain up there would eventually find their way here,’ he told AFP, referring to the mountains to the east of Manila.

Flood in Central Nigeria Kills at Least 35 People

JOS, Nigeria

Authorities in central Nigeria say a flood triggered by heavy rains killed at least 35 people.

Plateau state Red Cross chief Mnasseh Pampe said Monday several other Jos residents remain missing and rescue forces expect the death toll to rise further.

He says the flood waters washed away many homes in the area — often built with mud — leaving some 200 residents displaced.

Nigeria is currently experiencing its annual rainy season, which comes with torrential rains that challenge the country’s infrastructure, often leading buildings to collapse and people to drown as many build houses in flood plains.

************************************************************************************************************

Radiation / Nuclear

Today

Nuclear Event

USA

State of New Jersey, [Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant, Lacey Township]

Nuclear Event in USA on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 03:05 (03:05 AM) UTC.

Description

The Oyster Creek nuclear plant in Lacey Township was shut down early today after a power failure, according to plant owner Exelon. Electrical service from the outside grid was disrupted at around 3:41 a.m., and the plant’s emergency diesel generators kicked in and powered the plant’s safety systems, said a statement from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The problem appeared to be a grounded 230-kilovolt line, according to the NRC. Jersey Central Power & Light crews fixed the problem a little after 5:30 a.m., Exelon said. Afterwards the plant was taken to cold shutdown, in which the reactor and associated systems are cooled down and depressurized, according to the NRC. The plant will likely start up again in a matter of days, said Exelon spokeswoman Suzanne D’Ambrosio. “We make sure the plant is shut down and cooled down and then if there’s any little maintenance we need to do we may take advantage of down time to do that,” D’Ambrosio said. “Obviously with the hot summer it’s in our best interest to get running as soon as possible, but it’s a very slow and deliberate process.” Oyster Creek produces 636 megawatts of electricity at full power, enough electricity for about 600,000 homes.

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Epidemic Hazards / Diseases

Today

Epidemic

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Province of North Kivu, [Province-wide]

Epidemic in Democratic Republic of the Congo on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 02:57 (02:57 AM) UTC.

Description
The security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) province of North Kivu has been deteriorating for months because of armed conflict between various renegade soldier groups. The fighting has resulted in the displacement of approximately 250,000 people from the area fleeing the violence in search of safety. Health concerns have also risen in violence-ridden areas of the eastern DRC. According to a World Health Organization (WHO) Global Alert and Response (GAR) issued Monday, the DRC has reported a sharp increase in the number of cholera cases in the armed conflict area of North Kivu. For the three weeks spanning June 11 to July 1, 368 new cases of cholera were reported. Because of the lack of security in the area, there is a concern those stricken with cholera will have difficulty in accessing the health-care facilities and could increase the number of severe and fatal cases. The WHO also reports the fear of the cholera spilling over the borders into neighboring countries Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and Uganda. Médecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) and its partners blame the outbreak on a lack of potable drinking water. Patients are being treated with infusions and antibiotics as appropriate, at treatment centres. Interventions to control the epidemic that are being carried out include education and communication; management of cases; increased surveillance; hygiene and sanitation; and provision of safe drinking water.WHO is working to support national authorities in response to the cholera outbreak and the broader humanitarian emergency resulting from conflict and population displacement. Cholera is an acute bacterial intestinal disease characterized by sudden onset, profuse watery stools (given the appearance as rice water stools because of flecks of mucus in water) due to a very potent enterotoxin. The enterotoxin leads to an extreme loss of fluid and electrolytes in the production of diarrhea. It has been noted that an untreated patient can lose his bodyweight in fluids in hours resulting in shock and death. It is caused by the bacterium, Vibrio cholerae. Serogroups O1 and O139 are the types associated with the epidemiological characteristics of cholera (outbreaks). The bacteria are acquired through ingestion of contaminated water or food through a number of mechanisms. Water is usually contaminated by the feces of infected individuals. Drinking water can be contaminated at the source, during transport or during storage at home.Food can be contaminated by soiled hands, during preparation or while eating. Beverages and ice prepared with contaminated water and fruits and vegetables washed with this water are other examples. Some outbreaks are linked to raw or undercooked seafood. The incubation for cholera can be from a few hours to 5 days. As long as the stools are positive, the person is infective. Some patients may become carriers of the organism which can last for months. Cholera is diagnosed by growing the bacteria in culture. Treatment consists of replacement of fluids lost, intravenous replacement in severe cases. Doxycycline or tetracycline antibiotic therapy can shorten the course of severe disease. According to Wikipedia, North Kivu is a province bordering Lake Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Its capital is Goma. North Kivu borders the provinces of Orientale to the north and northwest, Maniema to the southwest, and South Kivu to the south. To the east, it borders the countries of Uganda and Rwanda.
Biohazard name:	Cholera Outbreak
Biohazard level:	2/4 Medium
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that cause only mild disease to humans, or are difficult to contract via aerosol in a lab setting, such as hepatitis A, B, and C, influenza A, Lyme disease, salmonella, mumps, measles, scrapie, dengue fever, and HIV. “Routine diagnostic work with clinical specimens can be done safely at Biosafety Level 2, using Biosafety Level 2 practices and procedures. Research work (including co-cultivation, virus replication studies, or manipulations involving concentrated virus) can be done in a BSL-2 (P2) facility, using BSL-3 practices and procedures. Virus production activities, including virus concentrations, require a BSL-3 (P3) facility and use of BSL-3 practices and procedures”, see Recommended Biosafety Levels for Infectious Agents.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

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Solar Activity

2MIN News July 23, 2012

Published on Jul 23, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

EARTHQUAKE WATCH:

REPEAT LINKS
Spaceweather:
http://spaceweather.com/
[Look on the left at the X-ray Flux and Solar Wind Speed/Density]

HAARP:
http://www.haarp.alaska.edu/haarp/data.html
[Click online data, and have a little fun]

SDO:
http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/
[Place to find Solar Images and Videos - as seen from earth]

SOHO:
http://sohodata.nascom.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/soho_movie_theater
[SOHO; Lasco and EIT - as seen from earth]

Stereo:
http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/images
[Stereo; Cor, EUVI, HI - as seen from the side]

SunAEON:
http://www.sunaeon.com/#/solarsystem/
[Just click it... trust me]

SOLARIMG:
http://solarimg.org/artis/
[All purpose data viewing site]

iSWA:
http://iswa.gsfc.nasa.gov/iswa/iSWA.html
[Free Application; for advanced sun watchers]

NOAA ENLIL SPIRAL:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wsa-enlil/cme-based/
[CME Evolution]

NOAA Bouys:
http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/

RSOE:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php
[That cool alert map I use]

JAPAN Radiation Map:
http://jciv.iidj.net/map/

LISS:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/monitoring/operations/heliplots_gsn.php

Gamma Ray Bursts:
http://grb.sonoma.edu/
[Really? You can't figure out what this one is for?]

BARTOL Cosmic Rays:
http://neutronm.bartol.udel.edu//spaceweather/welcome.html
[Top left box, look for BIG blue circles]

TORCON:
http://www.weather.com/news/tornado-torcon-index
[Tornado Forecast for the day]

GOES Weather:
http://rsd.gsfc.nasa.gov/goes/
[Clouds over America]

INTELLICAST:
http://www.intellicast.com/
[Weather site used by many youtubers]

NASA News:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/

PHYSORG:
http://phys.org/
[GREAT News Site!]

VERY FAST FARSIDE CME (UPDATED):

On July 23rd, a coronal mass ejection (CME) blasted away from the sun with rare speed: 3400 km/s or 7.6 million mph. CMEs moving this fast occur only once every ~5 to 10 years. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory recorded the cloud’s rapid departure from the sun:

The source of the CME was sunspot AR1520, which sparked many bright auroras earlier this montth when it was on the Earthside of the sun. Now, however, the active region is transiting the sun’s farside so this blast was not geoeffective. One can only imagine the geomagnetic storms such a fast CME could produce if it were heading our way.

Update: According to a forecast track prepared by analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, this CME will miss all of the solar system’s inner planets

Strong Far Side Solar Flare – Protons Rising July 23, 2012

Published on Jul 23, 2012 by SunsFlare

Proton Flux Rising July 23, 2012 – 10:36:02 UTC
There was a large eruption from the 1520 sunspot group after it had turned the limb to the far side as seen on stereo ahead. Earth’s magnetic portal foot print was on the back side and very close to the eruption.

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Space

Earth approaching objects (objects that are known in the next 30 days)

Object Name

Apporach Date

Left

AU Distance

LD Distance

Estimated Diameter*

Relative Velocity

(2012 BB124)

24th July 2012

0 day(s)

0.1610

62.7

170 m – 380 m

8.78 km/s

31608 km/h

(2009 PC)

28th July 2012

4 day(s)

0.1772

68.9

61 m – 140 m

7.34 km/s

26424 km/h

217013 (2001 AA50)

31st July 2012

7 day(s)

0.1355

52.7

580 m – 1.3 km

22.15 km/s

79740 km/h

(2012 DS30)

02nd August 2012

9 day(s)

0.1224

47.6

18 m – 39 m

5.39 km/s

19404 km/h

(2000 RN77)

03rd August 2012

10 day(s)

0.1955

76.1

410 m – 920 m

9.87 km/s

35532 km/h

(2004 SB56)

04th August 2012

11 day(s)

0.1393

54.2

380 m – 840 m

13.72 km/s

49392 km/h

(2000 SD8)

04th August 2012

11 day(s)

0.1675

65.2

180 m – 400 m

5.82 km/s

20952 km/h

(2006 EC)

06th August 2012

13 day(s)

0.0932

36.3

13 m – 28 m

6.13 km/s

22068 km/h

(2006 MV1)

07th August 2012

14 day(s)

0.0612

23.8

12 m – 28 m

4.79 km/s

17244 km/h

(2005 RK3)

08th August 2012

15 day(s)

0.1843

71.7

52 m – 120 m

8.27 km/s

29772 km/h

(2009 BW2)

09th August 2012

16 day(s)

0.0337

13.1

25 m – 56 m

5.27 km/s

18972 km/h

277475 (2005 WK4)

09th August 2012

16 day(s)

0.1283

49.9

260 m – 580 m

6.18 km/s

22248 km/h

(2004 SC56)

09th August 2012

16 day(s)

0.0811

31.6

74 m – 170 m

10.57 km/s

38052 km/h

(2008 AF4)

10th August 2012

17 day(s)

0.1936

75.3

310 m – 690 m

16.05 km/s

57780 km/h

37655 Illapa

12th August 2012

19 day(s)

0.0951

37.0

770 m – 1.7 km

28.73 km/s

103428 km/h

(2012 HS15)

14th August 2012

21 day(s)

0.1803

70.2

220 m – 490 m

11.54 km/s

41544 km/h

4581 Asclepius

16th August 2012

23 day(s)

0.1079

42.0

220 m – 490 m

13.48 km/s

48528 km/h

(2008 TC4)

18th August 2012

25 day(s)

0.1937

75.4

140 m – 300 m

17.34 km/s

62424 km/h

(2006 CV)

20th August 2012

27 day(s)

0.1744

67.9

290 m – 640 m

13.24 km/s

47664 km/h

(2012 EC)

20th August 2012

27 day(s)

0.0815

31.7

56 m – 130 m

5.57 km/s

20052 km/h

162421 (2000 ET70)

21st August 2012

28 day(s)

0.1503

58.5

640 m – 1.4 km

12.92 km/s

46512 km/h

(2007 WU3)

21st August 2012

28 day(s)

0.1954

76.0

56 m – 120 m

5.25 km/s

18900 km/h

1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers

Source: NASA-NEO

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Biological Hazards / Wildlife / Hazmat

Today

HAZMAT

USA

State of Colorado, Pueblo [Pueblo Chemical Depot]

HAZMAT in USA on Tuesday, 24 July, 2012 at 02:55 (02:55 AM) UTC.

Description

A monitoring crew has found a leak inside one of the igloos at the Pueblo Chemical Depot where mustard agent is stored. The storage igloo contains 105 mm projectiles with chemical weapons inside which date back more than fifty years. All the weapons are scheduled for destruction and the plant to destroy them is under construction. This is a fairly common occurrence. When a leaking projectile is found it is sealed in a special case until it can be destroyed.

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Articles of Interest

“Polar Regions Of Earth Lit Up Like A Christmas Tree”

MessageToEagle.com – Solar Max is due in the year 2013. NASA scientists make analysis of recent solar activity. and say that it’s still more to come.

When solar maximum arrives, the peak of 11-year sunspot cycle will bring more solar flares, more coronal mass ejections, more geomagnetic storms and more auroras than we have experienced in quite some time.

On the weekend of July 14, 2012, sky watchers around the world got a taste of things to come.

It was mid-Saturday in North America when a coronal mass ejection or “CME” crashed into Earth’s magnetic field and triggered the most sustained display of auroras in years. For more than 36 hours, magnetic storms circled Earth’s poles.

Northern Lights spilled across the Canadian border into the United States as far south as California, Colorado, Kansas, and Arkansas.

In the southern hemisphere, skies turned red over Tasmania and New Zealand, while the aurora australis pirouetted around the South Pole.

The source of the CME was giant sunspot AR1520, a seething nest of tangled magnetism more than 15 times wider than Earth itself.

On July 12th, the sunspot’s magnetic field erupted, producing an X-class solar flare and hurling a billion tons of electrified plasma toward our planet.

An experimental NASA computer model of the incoming CME predicted its arrival at Earth on July 14th. Credit: Goddard Space Weather Lab. animation
NASA’s twin STEREO probes and the European Space Agency’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory monitored the CME as it billowed away from the sun. Using those data, analysts at NOAA and NASA successfully predicted the cloud’s arrival time.
It would take almost two full days for the CME to cross the 93 million mile void between Earth and sun.

The CME’s impact sharply compressed Earth’s magnetosphere, briefly exposing geosynchronous satellites to solar wind plasma. The shaking of Earth’s magnetic field caused compass needles to swing–just a little–and prompted electrical currents to flow through the soil at high latitudes. p> Fortunately, the strike did no harm; satellites survived and power grids stayed online.

Click on image to enlargeAurora, Pawnee Grasslands, CR-61, ColoradoThis was the first time I ever saw an aurora. It is very rare that they are visible from Northern Colorado. As soon as I stepped out of the car, the northern sky appeared as it was on fire. I imaged the event for a good 30 minutes before the Moon-Venus-Jupiter conjunction rose above the horizon. To see the two events side-by-side was incredible! Date: 2012-07-15 Camera: Canon XSi (modified) Lens: Canon 50mm f/1.4 Mount: Astrotrac Shot: 13-panel Mosaic 13×8 seconds f/2.5 ISO 1600 Processing: Photoshop, Topaz. Robert Arn

Click on image to enlargeAurora, Ozark, AR, USAThere was a very faint red glow off and on most of the night but around 2am CDT it began increasing. Around 3am and 330am there were pretty good outburst. The red was naked eye visible at times after 2am but the outburst that included some tall columns was much more visible with the naked eye. Canon T2i. Photo Credits: Brian Emfinger

Click on image to enlargeAurora, Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Jul. 15, 2012Hi, besides being inside the oval, we had some crazy auroras the last few days. The last 6 days were the best of the whole winter so far, and we got really nice clear skies as well, but we buy it with temperatures below -100F for more than 24h now, coldest today was around -105F, -76°C both images Canon 7D, 8mm, f3.5, 5sec, iso 6400 cheers, Robert http://www.antarctic-adventures.de. Photo Credit: Robert Schwarz

Next came the light show. As the CME’s wake washed across Earth, the polar regions of our planet lit up like a Christmas tree. Red, green, blue and purple auroras capped both ends of the planet, glowing, dancing, and ultimately spreading to places where auroras are seldom seen.
In Arkansas, for instance, “there was a faint glow off and on for most of the night,” reports Brad Emfinger from a little town called Ozark. “Around 3am there was an outburst of red and purple plainly visible to the naked eye.”

In Pawnee Grasslands, Colorado, photographer Robert Arn saw the Northern Lights for the first time ever: “As soon as I stepped out of the car, the sky looked like it was on fire.

Then the Moon, Venus and Jupiter rose together in the east. To see the conjunction and the auroras side-by-side was incredible!”

Meanwhile at the other end of the planet, “auroras were going crazy over the South Pole,” reports Robert Schwarz at the Amundsen-Scott south pole research station “We enjoyed the show under crystal clear skies with an air temperature of minus 105 degrees F.”

In Ashland, Wisconsin, on the other hand, John Welling watched the show in his shirt sleeves:

“Tonight was absolutely the best with a comfortable temperature of +78 degrees F and Northern Lights dancing overhead. The X-flare definitely lived up to the hype.”

From one end of the planet to the other, spanning more than 90 degrees of combined north-south latitude, 183 degrees of temperature, and 360 degrees of longitude, this was truly a global space weather event. And it was just a taste of things to come

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