Earthquakes

 

RSOE EDIS

 

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk			Source	Details
04.07.2012 12:00:37	3.1	North America	United States	Hawaii	Waimea				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 11:40:40	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Chenega				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 11:30:42	2.6	North America	United States	Hawaii	Volcano				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 11:45:22	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Bursa	Orhaneli				EMSC
04.07.2012 11:45:49	2.3	Europe	France	Brittany	Thourie				EMSC
04.07.2012 11:46:12	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Ula				EMSC
04.07.2012 11:10:37	3.4	North America	United States	California	Borrego Springs				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 11:46:32	4.4	Asia	Turkey	Bal?kesir	Manyas				EMSC
04.07.2012 11:46:51	4.8	South-America	Chile	Araucanía	Angol				EMSC
04.07.2012 10:50:43	4.7	South America	Chile	Araucanía	Angol				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 10:45:27	4.1	South-America	Chile	Región Metropolitana	Puente Alto				EMSC
04.07.2012 10:45:48	3.6	Africa	Morocco	Oriental	Zaio				EMSC
04.07.2012 09:30:42	2.3	North America	United States	Hawaii	Waimea				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 10:46:08	2.5	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Datca				EMSC
04.07.2012 09:40:25	2.3	Asia	Turkey	Bingöl	Yedisu				EMSC
04.07.2012 09:40:47	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Bilecik	Bozuyuk				EMSC
04.07.2012 09:41:06	3.9	South-America	Chile	Bío-Bío	Canete				EMSC
04.07.2012 10:15:43	2.5	North America	United States	Colorado	Weston				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 09:41:25	3.4	Asia	Turkey	Erzurum	Horasan				EMSC
04.07.2012 09:41:45	3.3	South-America	Chile	Antofagasta	Calama				EMSC
04.07.2012 09:42:04	2.6	Europe	Spain	Canary Islands	La Restinga				EMSC
04.07.2012 09:42:28	2.5	Europe	Greece	Crete	Matala				EMSC
04.07.2012 08:00:44	4.6	Indonesian archipelago	Indonesia	Jambi	Sungaipenuh				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 08:35:19	4.6	Indonesian Archipelago	Indonesia	Jambi	Sungaipenuh				EMSC
04.07.2012 07:30:39	2.4	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 07:20:50	2.8	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 07:35:25	3.6	Europe	Greece	Ionian Islands	Limni Keriou				EMSC
04.07.2012 07:35:40	2.5	Asia	Turkey	Ankara	Gudul				EMSC
04.07.2012 07:35:58	2.5	Asia	Turkey	Antalya	Belek				EMSC
04.07.2012 08:35:37	3.3	South-America	Chile	Coquimbo	Coquimbo				EMSC
04.07.2012 07:36:17	2.7	Asia	Turkey	Bal?kesir	Karaagacalan				EMSC
04.07.2012 08:35:55	2.1	Europe	Greece	Central Greece	Kamena Vourla				EMSC
04.07.2012 06:20:26	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Rampart				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 06:05:23	2.5	North America	United States	Washington	Orcas				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 07:36:33	4.8	Indonesian Archipelago	Papua New Guinea	New Ireland	Namatanai				EMSC
04.07.2012 07:37:38	4.8	Indonesian archipelago	Papua New Guinea	New Ireland	Namatanai				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 05:30:43	2.7	Europe	Greece	West Macedonia	Ammokhorion				EMSC
04.07.2012 05:31:04	3.1	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Ula				EMSC
04.07.2012 05:31:23	4.6	Europe	Russia		Shikotan				EMSC
04.07.2012 05:10:50	4.6	Asia	Russia		Shikotan				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 05:31:42	2.5	Europe	Italy	Calabria	Salerni				EMSC
04.07.2012 04:20:26	2.5	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 04:25:25	2.5	Asia	Turkey	Bingöl	Yedisu				EMSC
04.07.2012 04:21:08	2.1	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 04:15:27	2.6	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 04:16:10	2.3	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 04:10:39	2.0	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 04:11:00	2.8	North America	United States	California	Montara				USGS-RSOE
04.07.2012 04:25:45	2.0	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Ula				EMSC
04.07.2012 04:26:04	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Mu?la	Ula				EMSC

 

 

 

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Strong quake rattles New Zealand’s North Island, no reports of injury

(Reuters) – A strong earthquake struck off the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island on Tuesday, shaking residents across a wide area and toppling goods from shelves but there were no immediate reports of major damage or injury.

The 7.0 magnitude quake was centered 170 km northwest of the capital Wellington at a depth of 230 km (147 miles), the national GeoNet website reported. The U.S. Geological Service earlier reported the tremor at a 6.2 magnitude. There was no tsunami warning issued.

The quake was felt throughout central New Zealand, sparking a flurry of activity on social network sites, but local media reported only minor damage.

“It was a good shake but we see no damage. I felt the whole building shake,” a spokeswoman at the Opunake police station told Reuters. The quake was centered 60 km from Opunake.

The New Zealand dollar dipped to a session low near 80 U.S. cents following the tremor.

Christchurch, the New Zealand’s second-largest city, is still recovering from a shallow quake measuring 6.3 which killed 182 people in February 2011 and caused some NZ$20 billion ($15.5 billion) in damage.

(Reporting by Gyles Beckford and Naomi Tajitsu; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Ed Lane)

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Volcanic Activity

 

 

03.07.2012

Volcano Eruption

Colombia

Departments of Caldas and Tolima, [Nevado del Ruiz Volcano]

 

 

Volcano Eruption in Colombia on Sunday, 01 July, 2012 at 04:35 (04:35 AM) UTC.

Description

Colombia evacuated people from communities close to the Nevado del Ruiz volcano after an eruption on Saturday that spewed smoke and ash from its crater, bringing back memories of avalanches that in 1985 buried tens of thousands under rocks. President Juan Manuel Santos said on his Twitter account that the area around the Nevado del Ruiz, in the central spine of Colombia’s Andean mountain range, had been put on red alert and people should leave the area. Even as volcanic activity began to subside, emergency services urged 4,800 residents in Caldas and nearby Tolima province to get to safety, according to Carlos Ivan Marquez, who heads the security effort. The volcano is about 110 miles west of the capital Bogota.

 

 

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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather / Drought

 

03.07.2012

Heat Wave

USA

State of New York, New York City

 

 

Heat Wave in USA on Sunday, 01 July, 2012 at 16:13 (04:13 PM) UTC.

Description

The Big Apple baked again Saturday – and it could be cooking for days. Temperatures topped 90 degrees for the third-straight day, sending legions of New Yorkers to area beaches and pools to try to stay cool. The mercury soared to 93 degrees in Central Park, the second-straight day it cleared 90, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures are expected to eclipse that mark again Sunday. There will be some relief Monday – but only a little. Temperatures are expected to top out in the high 80s or low 90s – where, they are forecasters say, they will remain for the next week.

…………………………………………

 

Today

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of Wyoming, [Squirrel Creek]

 

 

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 03:05 (03:05 AM) UTC.

Description

More are being evacuated from the Squirrel Creek Fire area. The fire that’s nearly 7,000 acres, is pushing towards the northeast today. The Squirrel Creek Fire began on Saturday afternoon and in just a matter of days has spread rapidly due to extremely dry conditions and the high winds. Helicopters spent the afternoon dropping buckets of water to try to prevent that fire from spreading to nearby homes. Residents near the towns of Wood’s Landing and Jelm plus others near Highway 10 and Fox Creek Road have already been evacuated. “I don’t have a complete number, but we’ve evacuated potentially several hundred people,” said David O’Malley, Albany County Sheriff. Fire crews have formed an anchor point at the southwest flank of the fire, but lost ground to the northeast on Tuesday forcing more ranchers to be evacuated. “Just recently today we were activated to evacuate an area from Sheep Mountain to the north towards Lake Hattie and we have that accomplished at this time,” O’Malley said. An evacuation center has been established at the Albany County Fairgrounds for residents and their livestock. An incident management team from California has arrived to take over command of the fire. They’re reporting that one house and three other structures have been destroyed. They say containment of the fire remains at about 6%. “The cooler temperatures and the cloud cover actually does help, but the wind’s a major concern. Were we’ve seen the significant runs, both a couple days ago and what we had today it’s because it’s been wind driven,” said Rocky Opliger, Incident Commander. Crews from the U.S. Forest service and nearby rural fire departments have been instrumental in suppressing the fire and creating structure protection. They just received word reinforcements are on the way. “I just got confirmation a few minutes ago that we are getting two MAFFS,” Opliger said. This comes just days after one crashed in South Dakota. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

 

Today

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of Montana, [South of Butte]

 

 

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 02:59 (02:59 AM) UTC.

Description

Fire crews have a grass fire burning south of Butte close to 50 percent contained. The fire broke out Tuesday around 4 p.m. near Buxton and quickly spread. Officials revised earlier estimates and put the blaze at around 30 acres. It threatened some homes, but crews were able to protect them. No one was evacuated. “Were in red flag conditions today for low humidity and higher winds and as a result of that this fire did spread rapidly as you can see it obviously moves faster in grass which is pretty normal but we got a good response from the county as well as forest service folks to get on this and were able to hold this on the East flank,” Joe Sampson with the U.S. Forest Service said. At least three crews and two helicopters are on the fire. Firefighters expect to be on the scene until after dark. Sampson said they used helicopters from the Pony Fire.

 

03.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

Spain

Province of Valencia, [Around 30km to the west of Valencia]

 

 

 

Forest / Wild Fire in Spain on Monday, 02 July, 2012 at 03:39 (03:39 AM) UTC.

Description

Two thousand people have been evacuated from Spain’s popular tourist region of Valencia as the worst forest fires in more than a decade raged out of control, causing a huge cloud of ash to pour into the country’s third-largest city. Media reports on Sunday said between 20 000 and 45 000 hectares of land had been destroyed in two forest fires around 30km to the west of Valencia on Spain’s eastern coast. No official estimates have been given of how much land has been destroyed by the fires, but Nasa images show smoke covering a vast area of the region famous for its beaches. The majority of people in the Valencia region were not at risk, according to emergency services. The city’s airport was still operating and it was not known how many tourists were affected by the fires. Spain’s tourism sector represents around 10 percent of the country’s economic output, and has been one of the few drivers of growth as the economy slides back into a heavy recession. Authorities in the Valencia region told Reuters that in the three days since the fires started around 2 000 people have been forced to leave their homes, though many have since been able to return. The fires, which are still not under control, began after a week in which temperatures in many parts of Spain soared to close to 40 degrees Celsius, leading authorities to raise to maximum the level of forest fire risk in the Valencia region. Authorities said preliminary investigations showed one of the fires had been accidentally started by workers in the hillsides around Valencia, and the other by agricultural burning that could not be controlled. The country has seen 10 big forest fires this year, and around 50 000 hectares of land destroyed in the first five months of 2012, the worst since 2002, according to data from the Environment Ministry.

 

03.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of South Dakota, [Near to Edgemont]

 

 

 

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Monday, 02 July, 2012 at 03:37 (03:37 AM) UTC.

Description

Authorities say a Black Hills forest fire is 10% contained and has burned about 3,000 acres. The White Draw Fire is about five miles northeast of Edgemont, primarily in a mix of grasslands and timber. Officials say crews started early Sunday morning ahead of expected unfavorable winds and hot temperatures. Rains on Saturday briefly slowed the advance of the fire. More than 180 personnel are assigned to the fire. Workers are battling the blaze with the help of 4 helicopters and three air tankers. More crews and equipment have been ordered. Officials say firefighters are facing additional hazards with the steep terrain and rattlesnakes. Residents of 5 homes near Edgemont were given voluntary evacuation notices Saturday.

 

03.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of Montana, [Ash Creek (Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation)]

 

 

 

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Sunday, 01 July, 2012 at 05:01 (05:01 AM) UTC.

Description

Authorities in eastern Montana ordered the evacuation of several communities Saturday as the Ash Creek Complex fires consumed another 72 square miles and pushed the number of structures destroyed past 30. The Powder River County Sheriff’s office ordered Wilbur, Whitetail, Beaver Creek and East Fork of Otter Creek residents out after the fire swelled to 244 square miles overnight. Fire spokesman Pat McKelvey said one home and five outbuildings were destroyed overnight but no injuries were reported due to the lightning-caused fire that started Monday. The fire had destroyed at least 26 structures previously. “We did have significant movement to the east,” he said, noting embers were causing spot fires a mile ahead of the main fire that’s burning in timber, juniper, pine, sage and grass. He said officials were looking at Saturday as a chance to possibly strengthen fire lines before Sunday when high winds and lower humidity are predicted. The fire is about 25 percent contained. “We are figuring today will be a lull day, if you can call 90 degree temperatures a lull,” he said. Nearly 450 firefighters are at the blaze with more being called in, McKelvey said, adding that two helicopters are working the fire and fixed-wing retardant bombers are also available.

 

03.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of California, [San Gabriel Mountains]

 

 

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Sunday, 01 July, 2012 at 04:59 (04:59 AM) UTC.

Description

Firefighters moved quickly to get a handle on a wildfire that has burned 96 acres of dry brush in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles. Los Angeles County Fire dispatcher Andre Gougis says the fire north of Wrightwood near the San Bernardino County line is 80 percent contained Saturday night. Crews got help from water-dropping aircraft as they worked to keep the flames from moving east into the Pinyon Hills area. Gougis says there has been no damage or injuries. Route 138 near Route 18 was briefly closed in both directions. The fire was reported just before noon. The cause is under investigation.

 

 

Today

Drought

USA

State of Colorado, [Colorado-wide (62 counties)]

 

 

Drought in USA on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 03:45 (03:45 AM) UTC.

Description

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has issued a drought disaster designation for 62 of Colorado’s 64 counties, making federal assistance available for at least some of the farmers and ranchers in those counties. Vilsack notified Gov. John Hickenlooper of the disaster declaration on Tuesday, according to members of Colorado’s congressional delegation, who were alerted to the action on Tuesday morning. Vilsack wrote the governor that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has reviewed loss assessment reports and determined that there were sufficient losses in 62 counties — all of Colorado’s counties except Delta and San Juan — to qualify them as “primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by drought, excessive heat and high winds that occurred from Jan. 1, 2012, and continuing.” Delta and San Juan counties have been named “contiguous disaster counties.” Vilsack said the disaster designation makes farm operators in both the primary and contiguous counties eligible to be considered for assistance from the federal Farm Service Agency, provided other eligibility requirements are met. That assistance includes emergency loans. Hickenlooper, who’d written Vilsack last week seeking the drought assistance, said in a Tuesday afternoon statement that “this federal disaster declaration will give farmers and ranchers in Weld County and nearly every other part of the state much needed relief.” Vilsack said farmers in eligible counties have eight months to apply for that emergency loan assistance. The Farm Service Agency will consider each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses, security available and repayment ability. “The entire state of Colorado has been severely affected by hot and dry conditions that have hampered the production of our agricultural producers,” said U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. “The designations from USDA will provide much-needed assistance to farmers to help offset their losses due to drought. Agriculture is a critical part of Colorado’s economy, and these resources will help producers weather a difficult growing season.” U.S. Sen. Mark Udall said, “The losses that face Colorado’s agriculture producers are mounting and now that this declaration has been made, Colorado’s farmers and ranchers will have access to additional resources to get them through these tough times.” Udall, D-Eldorado Springs, and Bennet, D-Denver, had written Vilsack last month, asking for federal assistance for Colorado’s drought-threatened farms and ranches. So had at least two other members of the state’s congressional delegation, U.S. Reps. Cory Gardner R-Yuma, and Scott Tipton, R-Cortez. Weld County commissioners have backed their county’s farmers continuing push to get state permission to pump water onto their parched fields from an underground aquifer in the South Platte River Basin — something Hickenlooper said last month that Colorado Attorney General John Suthers’ staff has advised the governor’s legal staff that Hickenlooper doesn’t have the legal authority to do. Weld’s commissioners had then sought a formal legal opinion from Suthers, asking the attorney general to consider legal points raised by Weld County Attorney Bruce Barker in support of the groundwater pumping proposal. Weld commissioners’ spokeswoman Jennifer Finch said Tuesday that Suthers’ office has declined the commissioners’ request for a formal legal opinion on the pumping issue. Meanwhile, the Weld commissioners announced Tuesday that they were sending letters to about 30 ditch companies and others holding senior rights to surface water — senior water rights holders whose rights have been held to be jeopardized under the onetime practice of pumping from the aquifer. The Weld commissioners are asking those senior water rights holders’ consent to allow Weld farmers to pump from those wells for up to 30 days this summer, in order to irrigate their fields during the drought. For about six years, South Platte River Basin farmers have been prohibited by court decisions and state engineer’s orders from using the wells that were long ago drilled into the aquifer. Weld County commissioners wrote that farmers who rely solely on ditch rights to water their fields “are now completely out or very short of water, and their crops are dying in the field.”

 

Today

Drought

USA

State of Wyoming, [Counties of Yellowstone and Stillwater]

 

 

Drought in USA on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 03:17 (03:17 AM) UTC.

Description

The resolution urges Gov. Brian Schweitzer and the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to support the drought declaration and to provide “all available assistance to the agricultural producers in Yellowstone County.” In Stillwater County, the commissioners said in their resolution that its drought advisory committee recommended a disaster declaration. Dryland hay production is estimated to be 15 percent of normal, and most of the dryland spring wheat is “not expected to make a harvestable grain crop,” Stillwater’s resolution read. “Livestock pasture and range conditions are extremely poor due to lack of precipitation, excessive winds and grasshoppers.” Darla Rhodes, the Farm Service Agency’s executive director in Yellowstone County, said that if the governor and USDA declare a disaster, it would make available low-interest loans for producers and give producers a tax advantage if they need to liquidate livestock. Land enrolled in the conservation reserve program could be grazed or used for emergency hay without a disaster declaration, Rhodes said, but producers face a 25 percent reduction in payments for the months grazed. Kelsey said producers would like to see the penalty reduced to about 10 percent. The drought and extreme turnaround from last year, when conditions were wetter, have caught a lot of producers “flat-footed,” Kelsey said. Grass quality is diminishing every day, he said. Spring grains are “taking it on the chin,” with crops about 50 percent of normal and not as high as the stubble from last year, Kelsey said. Creeks that provide stock water are running dry, prompting water hauling, Kelsey said. Wells are stressed. As for moisture in the soil? “There is none,” he said. If producers have to ship out cattle, they will be slow to recover, Kelsey said. “Something to keep the cattle here would be great,” he said. Most producers have crop insurance on forage and grain crops, but that only covers a certain percentage when there is a total loss, Kelsey said. “Believe me, I’d rather be haying and combining wheat,” he said. Commission Chairman John Ostlund said he was concerned about the agricultural industry. “When ag suffers, our economy suffers,” he said. In passing the resolution, Ostlund said it was important to give producers the tools they need to try to cope with the situation. The drought also appears to be having an effect on animals in the county. Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder said his office is getting more calls about neglected animals, like horses, that don’t appear to be getting food, either because of a lack of hay or the expense of feed. Someone may have 5 acres but no grass for their animals, he said. Sheriff’s deputies advise that owners know they have to take care of their animals and follow up on neglect calls, Linder said.

 

 

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Storms, Flooding, Landslides

 

Active tropical storm system(s)
Name of storm system	Location	Formed	Last update	Last category	Course	Wind Speed	Gust	Wave	Source	Details
04E	Pacific Ocean – East	04.07.2012	04.07.2012	Tropical Depression	295 °	56 km/h	74 km/h	3.66 m	NHC

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tropical Storm data

Share: Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on email Share on print More Sharing Services 0 Storm name: 04E Area: Pacific Ocean – East Start up location: N 12° 18.000, W 105° 30.000 Start up: 04th July 2012 Status: Active Track long: 0.00 km Top category.: Report by: NHC Useful links: Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale FEMA – How To Prepare for a Hurricane Effects of a Hurricane USA – National Hurricane Center

Past track Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave Pressure Source Current position Date Time Position Speed km/h Wind km/h Gust km/h Category Course Wave feet Pressure Source 04th Jul 2012 11:07:18 N 12° 18.000, W 105° 30.000 19 56 74 Tropical Depression 295 ° 12 1006 MB NHC Forecast track Date Time Position Category Wind km/h Gust km/h Source 05th Jul 2012 18:00:00 N 14° 24.000, W 110° 24.000 Tropical Storm 83 102 NHC 05th Jul 2012 06:00:00 N 13° 48.000, W 108° 30.000 Tropical Storm 74 93 NHC 06th Jul 2012 06:00:00 N 14° 42.000, W 112° 24.000 Tropical Storm 93 111 NHC 07th Jul 2012 06:00:00 N 15° 0.000, W 116° 36.000 Tropical Storm 111 139 NHC 08th Jul 2012 06:00:00 N 15° 12.000, W 121° 0.000 Tropical Storm 111 139 NHC 09th Jul 2012 06:00:00 N 15° 48.000, W 125° 30.000 Tropical Storm 93 111 NHC

 

 

 

………………………………..

Power outage forecast: 1 week

1.8 million in East without electricity

 

Today

Flash Flood

Turkey

Samsun Province, Samsun

 

 

 

Flash Flood in Turkey on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 09:31 (09:31 AM) UTC.

Description

Flash flooding caused by torrential rains has killed eight people, including at least four children in northern Turkey, authorities said Wednesday. The downpours caused a river to burst its banks late Tuesday, inundating homes and shops and stranding cars in the Black Sea port city of Samsun, the state-run Anadolu agency reported Wednesday. Two brothers, aged 1 and 5, as well as a father and his two sons, aged 9 and 16, were drowned when the flood hit their homes, it said. The country’s emergency management authority said at least eight people were killed and two others were missing in Samsun. It said 21 people were injured.

 

Today

Landslide

Canada

Province of Manitoba, [Highway 83, near Asessippi Provincial Park ]

 

Landslide in Canada on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 03:29 (03:29 AM) UTC.

Description

Manitoba has closed a section of a highway near the Saskatchewan border after a large section of the road collapsed. Highway 83, near Asessippi Provincial Park about 200 km northwest of Brandon, collapsed Sunday, leaving a hole that’s nearly four metres deep, according to witnesses. Crews had been working to fix problems with the highway for several days when a large section of road collapsed on Sunday, according Rick Goraluk, a councillor in nearby Shellmouth. “It’s quite a mess,” said Goraluk, who also operates Asessippi Beach & Campground nearby. “It looks like something you see after a California earthquake.” Goraluk said a recent storm may have washed away part of the unstable road, which he said had been dropping a few centimetres every day before the collapse. He said problems with the road have persisted for years, and it’s hard to say how long it could take to fix. “I don’t think they could do anything until it stops moving. If you stand there, you can actually see dirt moving,” he said. “It’s been a problem for a long time.” Manitoba Highways’ website said Hwy. 83 is closed between Roblin and Russell due to “poor conditions.”

 

Today

Landslide

USA

State of Florida, [Hernando County]

 

 

Landslide in USA on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 03:24 (03:24 AM) UTC.

Description

Parts of the Suncoast Parkway are still shut down because of flooding due to Tropical Storm Debby, but what’s underneath the water is also a source of concern for Hernando County residents. Road depressions and sinkholes, which are already a problem in Hernando County, are an even bigger issue since Debby dumped several inches of rain last week. Nearly 200 sinkholes have showed up throughout Hernando County. Officials said they have received 56 sinkhole reports, many of which have multiple sinkholes at one location. Headley Wilks is among those residents who now have to deal with sinkholes on their personal property. “I was surprised,” he said. “All I can say is there’s nothing you can do about it.” Within days, Wilks said he had two sinkholes appear near his home, including one in his backyard that appears to be about 12 feet wide and more than 15 feet deep. Wilks also lives near one of the sinkholes that opened on Mariner Road. As a result, he has to endure detour traffic until it is repaired. “This street is just like the highway, now so I hope they fix the road as soon as possible,” he said. Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis said repairs are already underway on some roads. “As far as the ones on public roadways, they’re going to be prioritized,” he said. “We’re still finding new ones everyday.” Other locations are left with massive holes, some of which are big enough to swallow a car. “Some of the larger ones are somewhere between the size of a large room in a house and a small house and that goes for the width and breadth as well as the depth,” Nienhuis said. “There can be some pretty good sized ones, ones that you could put a car in with no problem.”

 

 

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Epidemic Hazards / Diseases

 

 

Rare cholera outbreak kills 3 in eastern Cuba

The Associated Press

 

Today

Epidemic

Bolivia

Multiple areas, [Departmento de La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Oruro]

 

 

 

Epidemic in Bolivia on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 03:21 (03:21 AM) UTC.

Description
An epidemic of H1N1 flu has infected almost 900 people and claimed 11 lives in Bolivia, health officials said Tuesday. Although most of the cases occurred in the last few weeks, the outbreak does not rise to the level of a national epidemic, officials said. “At the national level, the situation is under control. The most affected area is in the west,” Johnny Rada, director of the ministry of health’s epidemiology service reported. According to official tallies, 873 cases have been reported across the country, of which 606 are in the western department of La Paz and 60 in the department just south of it, Oruro. There have also been 167 cases reported in the large eastern department of Santa Cruz, and 36 in central Cochabamba department. A health alert has been issued for La Paz and Oruro, which, according to Rada, will permit health workers to intensify preventative measures. Deputy Health Minister Martin Maturano also urged Bolivians to take precautions, such as eating well and frequently washing their hands. Bolivian authorities have not said whether the strain of the virus originated as swine or avian flu — in other words whether it first spread to humans from pigs or birds. Bolivia’s current outbreak has primarily affected young children, the elderly, and those whose systems are already weakened by illness or chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Eight of the deaths were identified in the department of La Paz department, while the remaining three were in the eastern department of Santa Cruz.
Biohazard name:	H1N1
Biohazard level:	3/4 Hight
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist, such as anthrax, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS virus, variola virus (smallpox), tuberculosis, typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Among parasites Plasmodium falciparum, which causes Malaria, and Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes trypanosomiasis, also come under this level.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

 

 

 

 

 

Unknown disease kills 60 children in Cambodia: WHO

 

An unidentified disease has killed 60 young children in Cambodia in three months, the World Health Organization said Tuesday as it raced to identify the cause.

“The number of deaths reported to WHO is 60 cases and they have all been in young children,” said Dr Nima Asgari, a public health specialist for the UN body in Cambodia, adding that the first casualties were reported in April.

The WHO is currently working with the Cambodian Ministry of Health “to identify the cause and the route of spread of this disease”, he said.

With the investigation still at an early stage, Asgari said it was difficult to specify the symptoms, which “include high fever and severe chest disease symptoms, plus in some children there were signs of neurological involvement”.

There have been 61 reported cases so far, Asgari said, with just one patient surviving. The victims, all aged seven and under, were admitted to hospitals in the capital Phnom Penh and the northwestern tourist hub of Siem Reap.

In separate comments sent to AFP, the WHO said there were no signs yet of contagion.

“To date, there is no report of any staff or any neighbouring patients to the cases at the hospitals becoming sick with similar symptoms,” it said.

Asgari confirmed there was “no cluster of the cases yet” but said the high mortality rate in such a short space of time was worrisome.

“WHO is always concerned about a disease which causes death in such high numbers of children,” he told AFP.

Cambodian health ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

(c) 2012 AFP

 

 

 

 

03.07.2012

Epidemic Hazard

Cambodia

[Statewide]

 

 

Epidemic Hazard in Cambodia on Tuesday, 03 July, 2012 at 16:41 (04:41 PM) UTC.

Description
An unidentified disease has killed 60 young children in Cambodia in three months, the World Health Organization said Tuesday as it raced to identify the cause. “The number of deaths reported to WHO is 60 cases and they have all been in young children,” said Dr Nima Asgari, a public health specialist for the UN body in Cambodia, adding that the first casualties were reported in April. The WHO is currently working with the Cambodian Ministry of Health “to identify the cause and the route of spread of this disease”, he said. With the investigation still at an early stage, Asgari said it was difficult to specify the symptoms, which “include high fever and severe chest disease symptoms, plus in some children there were signs of neurological involvement”. There have been 61 reported cases so far, Asgari said, with just one patient surviving. The victims, all aged seven and under, were admitted to hospitals in the capital Phnom Penh and the northwestern tourist hub of Siem Reap. In separate comments the WHO said there were no signs yet of contagion. “To date, there is no report of any staff or any neighbouring patients to the cases at the hospitals becoming sick with similar symptoms,” it said. Asgari confirmed there was “no cluster of the cases yet” but said the high mortality rate in such a short space of time was worrisome. “WHO is always concerned about a disease which causes death in such high numbers of children,” he said. Cambodian health ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.
Biohazard name:	Unidentified fatal disease
Biohazard level:	4/4 Hazardous
Biohazard desc.:	Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.
Symptoms:	The symptoms include high fever and severe chest disease symptoms, plus in some children there were signs of neurological involvement.
Status:	suspected

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Solar Activity

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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
(2005 QQ30)	06th July 2012	2 day(s)	0.1765	68.7	280 m – 620 m	13.13 km/s	47268 km/h
(2011 YJ28)	06th July 2012	2 day(s)	0.1383	53.8	150 m – 330 m	14.19 km/s	51084 km/h
276392 (2002 XH4)	07th July 2012	3 day(s)	0.1851	72.0	370 m – 840 m	7.76 km/s	27936 km/h
(2003 MK4)	08th July 2012	4 day(s)	0.1673	65.1	180 m – 410 m	14.35 km/s	51660 km/h
(1999 NW2)	08th July 2012	4 day(s)	0.0853	33.2	62 m – 140 m	6.66 km/s	23976 km/h
189P/NEAT	09th July 2012	5 day(s)	0.1720	66.9	n/a	12.47 km/s	44892 km/h
(2000 JB6)	10th July 2012	6 day(s)	0.1780	69.3	490 m – 1.1 km	6.42 km/s	23112 km/h
(2010 MJ1)	10th July 2012	6 day(s)	0.1533	59.7	52 m – 120 m	10.35 km/s	37260 km/h
(2008 NP3)	12th July 2012	8 day(s)	0.1572	61.2	57 m – 130 m	6.08 km/s	21888 km/h
(2006 BV39)	12th July 2012	8 day(s)	0.1132	44.1	4.2 m – 9.5 m	11.11 km/s	39996 km/h
(2005 NE21)	15th July 2012	11 day(s)	0.1555	60.5	140 m – 320 m	10.77 km/s	38772 km/h
(2003 KU2)	15th July 2012	11 day(s)	0.1034	40.2	770 m – 1.7 km	17.12 km/s	61632 km/h
(2007 TN74)	16th July 2012	12 day(s)	0.1718	66.9	20 m – 45 m	7.36 km/s	26496 km/h
(2007 DD)	16th July 2012	12 day(s)	0.1101	42.8	19 m – 42 m	6.47 km/s	23292 km/h
(2006 BC8)	16th July 2012	12 day(s)	0.1584	61.6	25 m – 56 m	17.71 km/s	63756 km/h
144411 (2004 EW9)	16th July 2012	12 day(s)	0.1202	46.8	1.3 km – 2.9 km	10.90 km/s	39240 km/h
(2012 BV26)	18th July 2012	14 day(s)	0.1759	68.4	94 m – 210 m	10.88 km/s	39168 km/h
(2010 OB101)	19th July 2012	15 day(s)	0.1196	46.6	200 m – 450 m	13.34 km/s	48024 km/h
(2008 OX1)	20th July 2012	16 day(s)	0.1873	72.9	130 m – 300 m	15.35 km/s	55260 km/h
(2010 GK65)	21st July 2012	17 day(s)	0.1696	66.0	34 m – 75 m	17.80 km/s	64080 km/h
(2011 OJ45)	21st July 2012	17 day(s)	0.1367	53.2	18 m – 39 m	3.79 km/s	13644 km/h
153958 (2002 AM31)	22nd July 2012	18 day(s)	0.0351	13.7	630 m – 1.4 km	9.55 km/s	34380 km/h
(2011 CA7)	23rd July 2012	19 day(s)	0.1492	58.1	2.3 m – 5.1 m	5.43 km/s	19548 km/h
(2012 BB124)	24th July 2012	20 day(s)	0.1610	62.7	170 m – 380 m	8.78 km/s	31608 km/h
(2009 PC)	28th July 2012	24 day(s)	0.1772	68.9	61 m – 140 m	7.34 km/s	26424 km/h
217013 (2001 AA50)	31st July 2012	27 day(s)	0.1355	52.7	580 m – 1.3 km	22.15 km/s	79740 km/h
(2012 DS30)	02nd August 2012	29 day(s)	0.1224	47.6	18 m – 39 m	5.39 km/s	19404 km/h
1 AU = ~150 million kilometers,1 LD = Lunar Distance = ~384,000 kilometers Source: NASA-NEO

 

 

 

………………………………….

Dangerous Apophis Will Reach Our Planet In 2036:
Will It Strike Earth? 

MessageToEagle.com – A brief look into the future.

The year is 2029 and a very dangerous asteroid named Apophis is making its closest approach to Earth.

Humans are awaiting this moment with great anxiety as they will finally learn whether the space killer will strike Earth when it returns in the year 2036.

Just how dangerous is Apophis really?

A huge, potentially hazardous, aircraft carrier-sized asteroid named Apophis, is rushing toward Earth at speeds of more than 30 thousand km per hour. This NEA (Near-Earth Asteroids) has a size of 320 m and mass of about 4.6 × 1010 kg.

Apophis (circled) in a composite of five exposures taken on January 31 with the University of Hawaii 2.2-meter telescope on Mauna Kea. The doughnut in the upper left corner is an artifact caused by a dust speck on the camera. Image by D. Tholen, M. Micheli, G. Elliott, IfA.

It constitutes a possible danger from the sky that may hit our planet as preliminary planned.Such events did actually happen before and will certainly take place in the future. We hope that Apophis’ passing close to the Earth will be ONLY a great astronomical event for all observers in Europe, Africa and western Asia and no harm will be done. The computation of Earth impact probabilities for near-Earth objects is a complex process requiring sophisticated mathematical methods and it’s not any easy work. For now a possible impact risk from Apophis (MN4) still does exist.

The asteroid will be making the nearest-in-time close approach with Earth on April 13, 2029, when the minimum distance of the asteroid from the Earth’s center will be as small as 38 000 km (23,612 miles).

Will Apophis hit our planet?

It was previously predicted that Apophis will pass about 36350 km above the Earth on April 13, 2029.

Recent observations using Doppler radar at the giant Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico confirmed that Apophis will swing by at about 32000 km above the Earth in 2029, but with a chance of resonant return in 2036.

So, there’s no danger of being hit in 2029, but the force of Earth’s gravity will have a great influence on Apophis and its orbit. “When it does pass close to us on April 13, 2029, the Earth will deflect it and change its orbit. There’s a small possibility that if it passes through a particular point in space, the so-called keyhole, … the Earth’s gravity will change things so that when it comes back around again in 2036, it will collide with us,” according to Alan Fitzsimmons, an astronomer from Queen’s University Belfast.

The chance of Apophis passing through the keyhole, a 600-metre patch of space, is 1 in 5,500 based on current information.

“Such a close approach will result in substantial transformation of the asteroid’s orbit. The value of the perturbations depends on the minimum distance between the bodies during the approach…” Russian scientists explain in their “How precise is the orbit of asteroid (99942) Apophis and how probable is its collision with the Earth in 2036-2037?”

Scientists seriously consider this transformation because it may result in new dangerous approaches and even in probable Apophis collisions with the Earth starting from 2036.

If that happened, there would be a massive destruction, and the victims could be counted in millions. It will create a ball of iron and iridium 320 metres (1049 feet) wide and weighing 200 billion tonnes, which will crash into the Atlantic Ocean, according to predictions. The shockwaves from that would create huge tsunami waves, destroying both coastlines and inland areas, whilst creating a thick cloud of dust that would darken the skies indefinitely.

In 2012, Apophis will become observable for approximately nine months. More accurate forecasting will be achieved due to additional optical and radar observations in 2013, when Apophis will pass close enough to Earth for ultraprecise radar signals to be bounced off its surface.

Our next possibility to observe this asteroid will be in 2020-2021.

Scientists from many countries joined their efforts in closely watching the flight path of this asteroid and they will know much more and more exactly in 2029 when the asteroid will come to a specific trajectory . This trajectory is unfortunately possible and if it happens – the impact will become inevitable.

According to Dr. Donald Yeomans of NASA’s Near Earth Object Program, Apophis is not likely to hit Earth in 2036.

However, “if the object passes through a 600-meter-sized keyhole in 2029 – that is, a location in space that is only 600 meters wide – it will indeed hit the Earth in 2036. But the chances of its actually passing through this 600-meter-sized keyhole in space in 2029 are extremely low.” he said.

Timelapse of Asteroid 2004 FH’s flyby (NASA/JPL Public Domain) 2004 FH is the centre dot being followed by the sequence; the object that flashes by near the end is an artificial satellite. Images obtained by Stefano Sposetti, Switzerland on March 18, 2004. Animation made Raoul Behrend, Geneva Observatory, Switzerland. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Astronomers of Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center, Poland say that “the present observations are not adequate to eliminate definitely the possibility of impact with the Earth in 2036 and in many years following this year even in fully ballistic model…”

There are many asteroid collision avoidance strategies ideas, but at least one of them must be reasonable and possible to realize in … good time, if necessary.

Russian scientists made their own calculations and propose an unmanned machine, designed solely for the purpose of diverting Apophis from a collision course with Earth safely. At the same time, Professor Leonid Sokolov of the Saint Petersburg State University in Russia believes that the chance of a collision in 2036 is extremely slim saying that the asteroid would likely disintegrate into smaller parts and smaller collisions with Earth could occur in the following years.

However, he adds that “our task is to consider various alternatives and develop scenarios and plans of action depending on the results of further observations of Apophis.”
And so, one of many alternatives is a 10 kg solar sail with a lead-time of one year can move Apophis out of a 600-m keyhole area in 2029 to eliminate the possibility of its resonant return in 2036, according to Chinese scientist Shengping Gong of Tsinghua University, Beijing.

Along with his colleagues, he propose this alternative solution to the Apophis problem in their paper.

In 2029, we’ll know much more about the danger from Apophis. If necessary, Apophis can be deflected, but a deflection mission must be determined soon enough.
We’ll have seven years to alter its course enough to miss our planet in 2036 preventing the tragedy.

Is it enough time to do so? Is it enough time to test any asteroid-deflection plan in order to put it almost immediately into practice?

Many say that if the object gets close enough, it would be a good research opportunity. Of course… we hope so! Because if it comes too close we’ll not have time to research anything!
@ MessageToEagle.com

See also:
Near-Miss Asteroid 2012 DA14 Returns Next Year

Follow MessageToEagle.com for the latest news on Facebook and Twitter !

 

 

 

A Young Star Flaunts Its X-ray Spots In McNeil’s Nebula MessageToEagle.com -X-ray observations have revealed something curious about the young star that illuminates McNeil’s Nebula, a glowing jewel of cosmic dust in the Orion constellation:

The object is a protostar rotating once a day, or 30 times faster than the sun. The stellar baby also has distinct birthmarks—two X-ray-emitting spots, where gas flows from a surrounding disk, fueling the infant star.

The young star, V1647 Orionis, first made news in early 2004, when it erupted and lit up McNeil’s Nebula, located 1,300 light years away in a region of active star formation within the constellation of Orion.

The initial outburst died down in early 2006, but then V1647 Ori erupted again in 2008, and has since remained bright. More recently, astronomers combined 11 observations of V1647 Ori from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, the Japan-led Suzaku satellite, and the European Space Agency’s XMM-Newton to determine the source of the high-energy emission. T he team began monitoring the star shortly after its eruption in 2004 and continued to keep watch through 2010, a period covering both eruptions. Strong similarities among X-ray light curves captured over this six-year period allowed the lead author on the study, Kenji Hamaguchi, astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, to identify cyclic X-ray variations.

Hamaguchi and the rest of the team determined the star is rotating once per day, making V1647 among the youngest stars whose spin has been determined using an X-ray-based technique.

“The observations give us a look inside the cradle at a very young star,” says co-author Joel Kastner, a professor of imaging science and astronomical sciences and technology at Rochester Institute of Technology.

“It’s as though we’re able to see its beating heart. We’re actually able to watch it rotate. We caught the star at a point where it is rotating so fast as it gains material that it’s barely able to hold itself together. It’s rotating at near break-up speed.”

During outbursts, the infant star illuminating the McNeil Nebula may brighten by 100 times at X-ray energies. In this rendering, magnetic fields drive powerful flows onto the star, creating two hot spots that produce the high-energy emission. Photo Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center

The team identified V1647 Ori as a protostar in formation. “Based on infrared studies, we suspect that this protostar is no more than a million years old, and probably much younger,” Hamaguchi says.

V1647 Ori presently feeds on gas channeled from a surrounding disk and will likely continue to do so—though not nearly so rapidly—for millions of years. At that point it will finally be able to generate its own energy by fusing hydrogen into helium in its core like the sun and other mature stars.

Hamaguchi’s analysis focused on repetitive behavior found in the data from all three of the X-ray observatories. By combining data, he pieced together a picture showing the daily rotation of two X-ray-emitting spots on V1647 Ori that are thousands of times hotter than the rest of the star.

McNeil’s Nebula was discovered with a 3-inch telescope by amateur astronomer Jay McNeil in January 2004. A young star buried deep in a cloud had brightened suddenly, illuminating the nebula. This optical image of McNeil’s Nebula and the surrounding area was taken by the Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO)

The hot spots are located at opposite sides of the star, with the southerly one five times brighter than its companion. Each spot is about the diameter of the sun. In comparison, the low density of V1647 Ori bloats the star itself to nearly five times the size of the sun.

“We think these spots are showing us X-ray-emitting regions that are very tightly constrained to a couple positions on the star by magnetic fields,” says Kastner, director of the Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics in RIT’s Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science.

“For six years, through two different eruptions, we’ve seen it rotate like this. That means the magnetic field configuration—the overall geometry between the disk and the star—is very stable. At the same time, the local disruption of magnetic fields probably generates the X-rays.”

BRz composite V1647 Ori (Fedele et al., in prep.)

“One attractive possibility for driving such high-speed matter involves magnetic fields that are undergoing a continual cycle of shearing and reconnection in mass accretion,” says co-author David Weintraub, professor of astronomy at Vanderbilt University.

In this picture, X-ray outbursts result from interplay of the magnetic fields belonging to the star and the disk. The star spins faster than the disk and winds up the magnetic fields until they snap like rubber bands. The pent up energy creates a powerful blast when the tangled magnetic fields fall back into place. The process, called magnetic reconnection, also powers X-ray flares on the sun.

During the outbursts, the star’s luminosity varied at optical and infrared wavelengths. The astronomers associated this to changes in the protostar’s main energy source, the inflow of matter onto the star. Because changes in the X-ray brightness of V1647 Ori closely followed those in the optical and infrared, the team established that its higher-energy emission is also closely linked to accretion.

“V1647 Ori gave us the first direct evidence that a protostar surges in X-ray activity as its rate of mass accretion rises,” says co-author Nicolas Grosso, an astrophysicist of the French National Center for Scientific Research at the Strasbourg Astronomical Observatory.

The finding that an accretion burst could be accompanied a surge of high-energy X-rays during the formation of a young star was originally announced by essentially the same study team, led by Kastner, in a paper published in Nature in 2004. In that paper, the team first argued that X-rays emitted by V1647 Ori were coming from material falling onto the star from a surrounding disk.

Up until then, the more widely accepted mechanism for producing X-rays from protostars was thought to be via coronae that are far more powerful than the sun’s, Kastner explains. Signatures in X-ray observations of a handful of stars in formative stages had led to the hunch that accretion might also contribute to or even dominate protostellar X-ray emission. The eruptions of V1647 Ori and a few other young stars that were accompanied by elevated X-ray emission levels have since underscored this connection, Kastner notes.

“The exciting and unexpected thing about our fresh look at the whole set of X-ray data for V1647 Ori is that this is the first time we’ve seen a star in such an early stage of formation with a regular rotation that you can measure in X-rays,” Kastner says.

Kastner and team hope to confirm the X-ray study’s findings at infrared wavelengths using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.

Results from the study will appear in the paper “X-raying the Beating Heart of a Newborn Star: Rotational Modulation of High-energy Radiation from V1647 Ori,” in the July 20 issue of The Astrophysical Journal.
MessageToEagle.com via .rit.edu

See also:
Unusual Pulsar Or Alien Signals?

 

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Biological Hazards / Wildlife / Hazmat

 

03.07.2012

Biological Hazard

Mexico

State of Jalisco, [Jalisco-wide]

 

 

Biological Hazard in Mexico on Saturday, 30 June, 2012 at 15:04 (03:04 PM) UTC.

Description
Around one million birds have died or were culled at 111 poultry farms and 15 farms in Jalisco, Mexico, where the National Health and Quality Agribusiness Service (Senasica) detected in ten such facilities the AH7N3 strain of avian flu. The Senasica said it issued license to import a vaccine from Asia to be distributed at the disease-hit states where the birds are being buried with due prophylaxis (quarantine, cull and vaccination) to contain the spread and get rid of the virus. FAO also issued a call to check the outbreak since the bird flu virus is very aggressive, adding that its presence now enters Mexico in the WHO watch list though Mexican authorities claim the strain is not a threat to human poultry consumption.
Biohazard name:	AH7N3
Biohazard level:	3/4 Hight
Biohazard desc.:	Bacteria and viruses that can cause severe to fatal disease in humans, but for which vaccines or other treatments exist, such as anthrax, West Nile virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, SARS virus, variola virus (smallpox), tuberculosis, typhus, Rift Valley fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, yellow fever, and malaria. Among parasites Plasmodium falciparum, which causes Malaria, and Trypanosoma cruzi, which causes trypanosomiasis, also come under this level.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

 

Mexico declares bird flu ‘emergency’

by Staff Writers
Mexico City (AFP)

The Mexican government declared a national animal health emergency on Monday in the face of an aggressive bird flu epidemic that has infected nearly 1.7 million poultry.

More than half the infected birds have died or been culled, the agriculture ministry said of an epidemic that was confirmed on Friday by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

“We have activated a national animal health emergency… with the goal of diagnosing, preventing, controlling and eradicating the Type A, sub-type H7N3 bird flu virus,” the ministry said.

Health officials keep a close watch on such outbreaks in Mexico since so-called swine flu began there in 2009. The H1N1 virus spread into a global pandemic that claimed the lives of 17,000 people.

The virus responsible for Mexico’s current bird flu outbreak, H7N3, has occasionally caused human disease in various parts of the world, according to the UN, but has not shown itself to be easily transmittable between humans.

The outbreak was first detected

 

 

03.07.2012

Biological Hazard

China

Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, [The area was not defined.]

 

 

Biological Hazard in China on Monday, 02 July, 2012 at 14:18 (02:18 PM) UTC.

Description
China’s northwestern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region has reported an outbreak of H5N1 in poultry, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) announced Monday. The disease has killed 1,600 chickens raised by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC), a unique economic and semi-military government organization of about 2.5 million people. A total of 5,500 XPCC-farmed chickens showed symptoms of suspected avian flu on June 20, according to the MOA. The National Avian Influenza Reference Laboratory Monday confirmed the epidemic was H5N1 bird flu after testing samples collected at the farm, the MOA said. Local authorities have sealed off and sterilized the infected area, where a total of 156,439 chickens have been culled and safely disposed of to prevent the disease from spreading, according to the MOA. Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a contagious disease of animal origin caused by viruses that normally infect only birds and, less commonly, pigs. It can be fatal to humans.
Biohazard name:	H5N1 – Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus
Biohazard level:	4/4 Hazardous
Biohazard desc.:	Viruses and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system, and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility of an accidental release.
Symptoms:
Status:	confirmed

 

Today

Biological Hazard

USA

State of Ohio, [Lake Erie]

 

 

Biological Hazard in USA on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 03:27 (03:27 AM) UTC.

Description
Harmful blue-green algae has been found on Lake Erie and may reach beyond Lake County’s borders, according to the Lake County General Health District. Laboratory tests of samples collected in January revealed harmful algal blooms in the lake. The blooms produce toxins that may cause skin rashes, blisters or hives. Those in contact with the blooms may also experience dizziness, numbness, vomiting, diarrhea, tingling, sore throat and headaches, among other symptoms. In more severe cases, contact with the algae may cause liver or kidney damage. Those who may have come in contact with the blooms are cautioned to completely rinse off after the contact. People are also encouraged not to drink the water, and to only eat fish from the lake at your own risk after the skin, fat and intestines are removed.
Biohazard name:	Blue-Green (cyanobacteria) Algae bloom
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

 

 

Today

HAZMAT

Georgia

Capital City, Tbilisi

 

 

HAZMAT in Georgia on Wednesday, 04 July, 2012 at 08:21 (08:21 AM) UTC.

Description

Officials say that 73 people, including 20 children and a pregnant woman, have been hospitalized after a chlorine leak in a suburb of the ex-Soviet nation’s capital, Tbilisi. Georgian Health Ministry said that the incident occurred early Wednesday after poisonous chlorine leaked from a tank that belongs to a water utility company. It said 27 people remain in the hospital, and one of them, a 18-year-old man with asthma, is in a critical condition. The impoverished nation of 5 million people faces constant problems with crumbling Soviet-era infrastructure.

 

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Articles of Interest

New Particle Found, Consistent With Higgs Boson

Physicists said they had discovered a new particle that is consistent with the Higgs boson, a long-sought particle crucial to scientists’ current understanding of how the universe is built, although they will need additional data to pin it down with near absolute certainty. Joe Incandela, leader of one of the teams, told scientists at the European Center for Nuclear Research, or CERN, that the new particle was definitely a boson and the heaviest boson ever found. “The implications are very significant and it is precisely for this reason that we must be extremely diligent in all of our studies and cross-checks,” he said in a statement. The new particle found at CERN is in the mass range of 125-126 GeV, or gigaelectronvolts, which means its mass is 125-126 times greater than the mass of a proton. CERN said their data had pinned down the mass of the new particle with an extremely high level of statistical certainty. It’s hard not to get excited by these results,” CERN Research Director Sergio. However, the researchers cautioned that the current finding was still preliminary and they expect more data from additional experiments in coming months. One crucial detail would be for them to pin down specific properties that the Higgs boson is supposed to have. For example, the theory predicts it will have a spin of zero

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