for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Desiderata
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.1 KURIL ISLANDS
5.0 MYANMAR
5.3 BIO-BIO, CHILE
5.4 BIO-BIO, CHILE
5.6 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
Yesterday -
8/4/10 -
5.1 SUMBAWA REGION, INDONESIA
5.9 KURIL ISLANDS
7.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G
6.4 EASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G.
5.5 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS.
6.3 ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN IS.
5.0 TONGA
5.8 KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
5.3 JUJUY, ARGENTINA
5.1 PHILIPPINE ISLANDS REGION
8/3/10 -
5.1 HALMAHERA, INDONESIA
5.3 SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA, INDONESIA
5.0 ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
5.6 SOUTHEAST OF LOYALTY ISLANDS
5.2 TANZANIA
5.4 TAJIKISTAN
6.5 MOLUCCA SEA
5.0 OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE
8/2/10 -
5.4 SUNDA STRAIT, INDONESIA
5.1 NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
5.3 MAGADANSKAYA OBLAST', RUSSIA
TROPICAL STORMS -
No current tropical cyclones.
HEAVY RAINS, SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
Spreading Pakistan floods - THE WORST FLOODING IN PAKISTAN'S HISTORY has now affected more than four million people and left at least 1,600 dead. While floods in the north-west began to recede, the vast body of water has been moving down the country into new parts of Punjab and menacing Sindh province. All wells have been contaminated and water-borne diseases are spreading. The region is midway through monsoon season and more rain is forecast.
The number of affected districts in Punjab has reached seven, while 350,000 people have been moved from neighbouring Sindh province, most of which is on high alert. "What we are facing now is a major catastrophe. We are only in the middle of the monsoon season, there is more rain expected. We are afraid it will get worse." With crops, homes, roads and bridges washed away, the human exodus continued on Thursday as yet more torrential rain fell.
Fleeing villagers have waded barefoot through water up to their necks and chests, carrying belongings on their heads. In Punjab, known as Pakistan's "breadbasket" for its rich agriculture, more than 1,300 villages have been affected and at least 25,000 homes destroyed. In the worst-affected areas, small villages have been submerged. In large tracts of Kot Addu and nearby Layyah, water levels were so high only treetops were visible. Victims have bitterly accused the authorities of failing to come to their aid. (map)
EXTREME HEAT / WILDFIRES / DROUGHT / CLIMATE CHANGE -
Russian wildfires still spreading - Russia is still fighting to extinguish nearly 600 wildfires in an emergency that has now claimed 50 lives. Foreign reinforcements are arriving, including two Canadair water-bombing planes from Italy. Ukraine and Belarus are also sending firefighters. The Moscow smog eased today, though an acrid smell persisted from peat fires burning outside the city. No details are available on the number of animals killed in the wildfires, which have spread amid a RECORD HEATWAVE, with temperatures soaring to nearly 40C (104F). Forecasters expect Moscow's high temperatures to persist for several more days.
On Wednesday the President sacked several top military officials for failing to stop wildfires from destroying a naval base outside Moscow. Commanders of the base were absent when the fire occurred and that it was "unclear where they were". Seven regions are under a state of emergency. Russian officials say there are now 589 wildfires raging across 196,000 ha (484,326 acres). More than 160,000 firefighters have been deployed. In the Nizhny Novgorod region, east of Moscow, firefighters have been battling blazes near a major nuclear research facility in Sarov. As a precaution, all nuclear materials have been removed from the site, which is about 400km (250 miles) from Moscow. More than 3,500 people have lost their homes in 14 regions of Russia in the past few days. About a fifth of Russia's grain crop has also been destroyed. (map)
The price of a loaf of bread in Britain COULD HIT A RECORD could hit a record after Russia imposed a ban on all exports of wheat and other grains. The heatwave and drought enveloping Russia has contributed to the soaring price of wheat. Wheat prices hit two-year highs following the Russian ban.
SPACE WEATHER -
Earth's magnetic field is still reverberating from the CME impact of August 3rd, which sparked auroras as far south as Wisconsin and Iowa in the United States. Analysts believe a second CME is right behind it, due to arrive on August 5th. A second impact could re-energize the fading geomagnetic storm and spark a new round of Northern Lights. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras. At the height of the August 3rd display "the whole sky over northern Quebec filled with green and purple." In Ringsaker, Norway, the auroras were so bright "we could see them through clouds, moonlight and midnight sunlight." (photo)
HEALTH THREATS -
H1N1 cases rise in New Zealand, Australia - Some New Zealand emergency departments struggled to keep up last week as pandemic H1N1 flu cases increased. Almost 1,900 people sought medical care for flu-like symptoms last week, with Auckland's hospitals running near capacity. Officially, 59 hospitalized H1N1 cases were confirmed for the week. Australia is also reporting a rise in cases with several requiring intensive care.
Two patients may have been re-infected - Israeli officials report two cases of possible lab-confirmed re-infection with pandemic H1N1. The first patient, a 26-year-old man with Noonan syndrome, developed pandemic flu in August 2009 and was discharged without antivirals or supportive treatment. His disease redeveloped last November. The second patient, a 13-year-old boy with advanced cerebral palsy, was treated for 5 days with oseltamivir (Tamiflu) in July 2009 and improved. He tested positive for recurrent novel H1N1 in December.
RECALLS & ALERTS:
-Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is extending its July recall of 100z "Beef Filet Squares for Dogs (Texas Hold'Ems)" pet treat because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
-The Procter & Gamble Company is expanding its recall to include veterinary and some specialized dry pet food (Iams Veterinary Dry Formulas, Eukanuba Naturally Wild All, Eukanuba Pure All, Eukanuba Custom Care Sensitive Skin) as a precautionary measure because it has the potential to be contaminated with salmonella.
