Earthquakes

RSOE EDIS

Date/Time (UTC)	Magnitude	Area	Country	State/Prov./Gov.	Location	Risk	Source	Details
27.07.2012 08:40:30	4.4	Atlantic Ocean	Argentina	Salta	San Antonio de los Cobres		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 09:30:25	4.4	South-America	Argentina	Salta	San Antonio de los Cobres		EMSC
27.07.2012 08:05:32	2.8	North America	United States	Alaska	Kokhanok		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 09:25:35	2.8	Caribbean	Puerto Rico	Rincon	Rincon		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 07:40:39	3.1	North America	United States	Alaska	Valdez		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 07:00:32	2.6	North America	United States	Alaska	Petersville		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 07:30:21	3.7	South-America	Bolivia	Potosí	Villa Alota		EMSC
27.07.2012 06:25:32	2.8	Europe	Greece	Peloponnese	Pragmateftis		EMSC
27.07.2012 06:10:45	2.6	North America	United States	Alaska	Pedro Bay		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 06:20:27	4.7	Asia	Russia	Tyva	Saryg-Sep		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 06:25:55	4.7	Europe	Russia	Tyva	Saryg-Sep		EMSC
27.07.2012 06:26:17	2.0	Europe	Italy	Sicily	Rodi		EMSC
27.07.2012 06:00:39	5.4	Pacific Ocean	Northern Mariana Islands	Northern Islands Municipality	Agrihan Village		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 06:26:38	5.4	Pacific Ocean – East	Northern Mariana Islands	Northern Islands Municipality	Agrihan Village		EMSC
27.07.2012 05:29:34	2.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Chase		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 05:25:02	3.4	Europe	Italy	Sicily	Rodi		EMSC
27.07.2012 05:26:35	4.4	Middle-America	Mexico	Oaxaca	Santiago Pinotepa Nacional		EMSC
27.07.2012 04:45:25	4.4	Middle America	Mexico	Oaxaca	Santiago Pinotepa Nacional		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 05:27:43	4.7	Middle-America	Guatemala	Guatemala	Mixco		EMSC
27.07.2012 04:30:29	4.7	Middle America	Guatemala	Guatemala	Mixco		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 04:20:29	2.0	Europe	Italy	Sicily	Rodi		EMSC
27.07.2012 04:20:53	2.3	Asia	Turkey	Tunceli	Pulumer		EMSC
27.07.2012 03:40:37	2.0	North America	United States	California	Saratoga		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 03:41:05	2.0	North America	United States	Alaska	Yakutat		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 03:17:21	2.2	North America	United States	California	Cobb		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 04:21:32	2.5	Europe	Italy	Sicily	Rodi		EMSC
27.07.2012 02:55:26	2.0	North America	United States	California	Montara		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 03:15:21	2.5	Europe	Greece	Central Greece	Roviai		EMSC
27.07.2012 03:00:32	2.4	Caribbean	Puerto Rico	Rincon	Stella		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 02:40:31	3.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Petersville		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 03:15:45	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Tunceli	Hozat		EMSC
27.07.2012 02:11:26	2.0	North America	United States	California	Redlands		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 02:20:29	4.9	Indonesian archipelago	Papua New Guinea	East New Britain	Rabaul		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 03:16:07	4.9	Indonesian Archipelago	Papua New Guinea	East New Britain	Rabaul		EMSC
27.07.2012 02:35:29	3.3	Caribbean	Puerto Rico	San Juan	San Juan		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 01:50:31	2.1	North America	United States	Alaska	Petersville		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 01:15:27	2.1	North America	United States	Alaska	Petersville		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 02:10:32	2.7	Asia	Turkey	Van	Toyga		EMSC
27.07.2012 00:50:30	2.9	North America	United States	Alaska	Pedro Bay		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 00:50:52	3.3	North America	United States	Alaska	Nanwalek		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 01:10:27	4.4	Pacific Ocean – West	Philippines	Cagayan Valley	Namuac		EMSC
27.07.2012 00:25:34	4.4	Pacific Ocean – West	Philippines	Cagayan Valley	Namuac		USGS-RSOE
27.07.2012 01:10:55	3.5	South-America	Chile	Coquimbo	Coquimbo		EMSC
27.07.2012 00:10:26	4.0	South-America	Chile	Antofagasta	Tocopilla		EMSC
27.07.2012 00:10:55	3.5	Europe	Italy	Sicily	Panarea		EMSC
27.07.2012 03:16:34	2.0	Asia	Turkey	Siirt	Uzyum		EMSC
27.07.2012 00:11:18	4.5	Indonesian Archipelago	East Timor		Gunung Dilarini		EMSC
26.07.2012 22:00:23	2.9	Asia	Turkey	??rnak	Birlikkoy		EMSC
26.07.2012 22:00:51	2.1	Asia	Turkey	Denizli	Civril		EMSC
26.07.2012 21:10:36	2.4	North America	United States	Hawaii	Pahala		USGS-RSOE

………………………….

Strong quake hits off Mauritius

SINGAPORE

(Reuters) – A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck off the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The quake was centered 212 miles northeast of Rodrigues island and at a depth of 20.5 miles. The USGS initially put the magnitude at 6.7.

(Writing by Sanjeev Miglani; Editing by Ron Popeski)

8.6 Quake Possible in Southern California? Caltech Suggests New ‘Mega-Earthquake’

By Dennis Romero

LA Weekly

Ben+Sam / Flickr

In recent years, scientists, first responders and utilities have been preparing for “The Big One,” that inevitable quake that will rock Southern California to its core. It’s coming. For sure. They just don’t know when.

But the U.S. Geological Survey and Caltech have been on the ball, working from a likely scenario, a simulated “Shakeout” (see video after the jump) that would have a 7.8 quake hitting greater L.A. It would be deadly, destructive and put us in the dark for days, if not weeks.

Unfortunately, a 7.8 might now be too low of an estimate for The Big One:

Caltech researchers looked at Sumatra’s April 11 8.6 earthquake and concluded — maybe — that a similar temblor could happen along the same San Andreas fault that will produce our Big One.

Make that a possible Bigger One.

Uploaded by ShakeOut2008 on Aug 5, 2008

Simulations for the magnitude 7.8 “ShakeOut” earthquake on the southern San Andreas fault, developed by the Southern California Earthquake Center ShakeOut Simulation workgroup. Simulation by Rob Graves, URS/SCEC. Visualization by Geoff Ely, USC/SCEC.

Scientists said the Indonesian rocker was larger than they ever thought such a quake “could be,” according to Caltech. It was a “intraplate strike-slip quake,” similar to what would happen at San Andreas, where much of California, from Baja to San Francisco, is moving north as the rest of America moves south.

In Sumatra, scientists found that this was not only the biggest strike-slip fault temblor ever, but that it set of a series of right-angle ruptures that amplified the shaking, like a block of ice cracking up in the heat.

And yes, it could happen here. The research, published last week in the journal Science Express, argues:

The new details provide fresh insights into the possibility of ruptures involving multiple faults occurring elsewhere–something that could be important for earthquake-hazard assessment along California’s San Andreas fault, which itself is made up of many different segments and is intersected by a number of other faults at right angles.

Lingsen Meng, lead author of the Caltech research:

If other earthquake ruptures are able to go this deep or to connect as many fault segments as this earthquake did, they might also be very large and cause significant damage.

The USGS, of course, is begging Southern Californians to prepare for our “mega-earthquake,” as academics called the Indonesian shaker. You know, flashlights, batteries, radios, water, nonperishable food. All that good stuff.

But 8.6? Be prepared to kiss your ass goodbye.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

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Volcanic Activity

27.07.2012

Volcano Eruption

Japan

Prefecture of Kagoshima, [Volcano Sakura-jima]

Volcano Eruption in Japan on Thursday, 26 July, 2012 at 02:59 (02:59 AM) UTC.

Description

A volcano in Sakurajima in southern Japan has erupted, spewing volcanic ash onto Kagoshima City. The eruption at one of Japan’s most active volcanoes caused ash to cover roads. Residents of Kagoshima donned face masks to protect themselves while sweeping away the ash. The volcano has erupted over 600 times this year and is expected to continue its intermittent eruptions. Currently, the volcano warning there is at level three out of a possible five levels. A level five would mean that the residents living near the crater would have to be evacuated, while level three warns people not to approach the volcano.

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Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

Excessive Heat Warning

ST LOUIS MO
MOUNT HOLLY NJ
NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
WAKEFIELD VA

Heat Advisory

ST LOUIS MO
TULSA OK
PEACHTREE CITY GA
MOUNT HOLLY NJ
CHARLESTON SC
GREENVILLE-SPARTANBURG SC
WILMINGTON NC
NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
JACKSONVILLE FL
WAKEFIELD VA
BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
RALEIGH NC

27.07.2012

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.

Weather Extremes Leave Parts of U.S. Grid Buckling

Travis Long/The News & Observer, via Associated Press

Emergency repairs on a highway that buckled in triple-digit temperatures last month near Cary, N.C.

By MATTHEW L. WALD and JOHN SCHWARTZ

WASHINGTON — From highways in Texas to nuclear power plants in Illinois, the concrete, steel and sophisticated engineering that undergird the nation’s infrastructure are being taxed to worrisome degrees by heat, drought and vicious storms.

Enlarge This Image

On a single day this month here, a US Airways regional jet became stuck in asphalt that had softened in 100-degree temperatures, and a subway train derailed after the heat stretched the track so far that it kinked — inserting a sharp angle into a stretch that was supposed to be straight. In East Texas, heat and drought have had a startling effect on the clay-rich soils under highways, which “just shrink like crazy,” leading to “horrendous cracking,” said Tom Scullion, senior research engineer with the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University. In Northeastern and Midwestern states, he said, unusually high heat is causing highway sections to expand beyond their design limits, press against each other and “pop up,” creating jarring and even hazardous speed bumps.

Excessive warmth and dryness are threatening other parts of the grid as well. In the Chicago area, a twin-unit nuclear plant had to get special permission to keep operating this month because the pond it uses for cooling water rose to 102 degrees; its license to operate allows it to go only to 100. According to the Midwest Independent System Operator, the grid operator for the region, a different power plant had had to shut because the body of water from which it draws its cooling water had dropped so low that the intake pipe became high and dry; another had to cut back generation because cooling water was too warm.

The frequency of extreme weather is up over the past few years, and people who deal with infrastructure expect that to continue. Leading climate models suggest that weather-sensitive parts of the infrastructure will be seeing many more extreme episodes, along with shifts in weather patterns and rising maximum (and minimum) temperatures.

“We’ve got the ‘storm of the century’ every year now,” said Bill Gausman, a senior vice president and a 38-year veteran at the Potomac Electric Power Company, which took eight days to recover from the June 29 “derecho” storm that raced from the Midwest to the Eastern Seaboard and knocked out power for 4.3 million people in 10 states and the District of Columbia.

In general, nobody in charge of anything made of steel and concrete can plan based on past trends, said Vicki Arroyo, who heads the Georgetown Climate Center at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, a clearinghouse on climate-change adaptation strategies.

Highways, Mr. Scullion noted, are designed for the local climate, taking into account things like temperature and rainfall. “When you get outside of those things, man, all bets are off.” As weather patterns shift, he said, “we could have some very dramatic failures of highway systems.”

Adaptation efforts are taking place nationwide. Some are as huge as the multibillion-dollar effort to increase the height of levees and flood walls in New Orleans because of projections of rising sea levels and stronger storms to come; others as mundane as resizing drainage culverts in Vermont, where Hurricane Irene damaged about 2,000 culverts. “They just got blown out,” said Sue Minter, the Irene recovery officer for the state.

In Washington, the subway system, which opened in 1976, has revised its operating procedures. Authorities will now watch the rail temperature and order trains to slow down if it gets too hot. When railroads install tracks in cold weather, they heat the metal to a “neutral” temperature so it reaches a moderate length, and will withstand the shrinkage and growth typical for that climate. But if the heat historically seen in the South becomes normal farther north, the rails will be too long for that weather, and will have an increased tendency to kink. So railroad officials say they will begin to undertake much more frequent inspection.

Some utilities are re-examining long-held views on the economics of protecting against the weather. Pepco, the utility serving the area around Washington, has repeatedly studied the idea of burying more power lines, and the company and its regulators have always decided that the cost outweighed the benefit. But the company has had five storms in the last two and a half years for which recovery took at least five days, and after the derecho last month, the consensus has changed. Both the District of Columbia and Montgomery County, Md., have held hearings to discuss the option — though in the District alone, the cost would be $1.1 billion to $5.8 billion, depending on how many of the power lines were put underground.

Even without storms, heat waves are changing the pattern of electricity use, raising peak demand higher than ever. That implies the need for new investment in generating stations, transmission lines and local distribution lines that will be used at full capacity for only a few hundred hours a year. “We build the system for the 10 percent of the time we need it,” said Mark Gabriel, a senior vice president of Black & Veatch, an engineering firm. And that 10 percent is “getting more extreme.”

Even as the effects of weather extremes become more evident, precisely how to react is still largely an open question, said David Behar, the climate program director for the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. “We’re living in an era of assessment, not yet in an area of adaptation,” he said.

He says that violent storms and forest fires can be expected to affect water quality and water use: runoff from major storms and falling ash could temporarily shut down reservoirs. Deciding how to address such issues is the work of groups like the Water Utility Climate Alliance, of which he is a member. “In some ways, the science is still catching up with the need of water managers for high-quality projection,” he said.

Some needs are already known. San Francisco will spend as much as $40 million to modify discharge pipes for treated wastewater to prevent bay water from flowing back into the system.

Even when state and local officials know what they want to do, they say they do not always get the cooperation they would like from the federal government. Many agencies have officially expressed a commitment to plan for climate change, but sometimes the results on the ground can be frustrating, said Ms. Minter of Vermont. For instance, she said, Vermont officials want to replace the old culverts with bigger ones. “We think it’s an opportunity to build back in a more robust way,” she said. But the Federal Emergency Management Agency wants to reuse the old culverts that washed out, or replace them with similar ones, she said.

Ms. Arroyo of Georgetown said the federal government must do more. “They are not acknowledging that the future will look different from the past,” she said, “and so we keep putting people and infrastructure in harm’s way.”

Matthew L. Wald reported from Washington, and John Schwartz from New York.

Fire Weather Watch

BOISE ID
POCATELLO ID

Extreme Fire Danger

RAPID CITY SD

Today

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of Montana, [Southeast of Columbus]

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 04:46 (04:46 AM) UTC.

Description

Residents were asked to evacuate from a rural area in southern Montana Thursday as a 5-square-mile wildfire approached the edge of a spread-out subdivision. County workers and firefighters were going door to door asking people to leave along a five-mile stretch of Shane Creek Road south of Columbus, officials said. The voluntary evacuation covered roughly 10 houses in Stillwater County, according to a hotline set up by the county. Shane Creek resident Shane Fouhy said he was packing some belongings, setting out sprinklers to water down his house and yard and heading into Columbus to stay with relatives. “I’ve been out all morning watering and the wind is kind of whirling,” he said. “It’s burning in all directions.” Paula Short with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation said the Skibstad Fire was burning in grass and timber and had approached within two miles of houses along Shane Creek Road. Residents of more than 100 houses were put on notice that they, too, might have to go. Firefighters were trying to hold the fire along a nearby ridge top to keep it from reaching the houses, Short said. But they were braced for the blaze to spread amid hot, dry conditions and winds of 5 to 10 miles per hour. Columbus High School was set up as a shelter for evacuees. Some structures were confirmed burned; how many and whether any were houses remained unclear. The fire started Wednesday evening in a secondary building on Skibstad Road and quickly spread across the surrounding landscape. It was pushed to the south by the wind, eventually reaching into areas of Carbon County. A heavy air tanker and several smaller aircraft were providing support to at least 60 firefighters with more personnel en route, Short said.

27.07.2012

Forest / Wild Fire

USA

State of Nebraska, [Fairfield Creek]

Forest / Wild Fire in USA on Thursday, 26 July, 2012 at 03:10 (03:10 AM) UTC.

Description

More federal firefighters were being deployed to bone-dry Nebraska, where a huge wildfire is threatening more structures and two smaller fires are still out of control. The handful of people living in Sparks, a gateway to canoeing and tubing on the Niobrara River, were on alert for possible evacuation. A 14-mile stretch of the valley already has been evacuated. While a cold front is expected to provide some relief, highs Wednesday will still be in the mid-90s. The front may also bring some rain, but major storms aren’t likely to develop near the fire. Plus, storms could also bring lightning and spark new fires. Hot, windy weather on Monday helped the main Fairfield Creek Fire expand to 58,000 acres, or nearly 92 square miles. Two other smaller fires about 20 miles east of the main fire had burned more than six square miles. And Tuesday’s high temperature again topped Officials estimate the fires, which have already destroyed at least 10 homes, are about 25 percent contained. Some 200 federal firefighters were being sent to join the more than 300 crews already on the front lines. Four helicopters are also fighting the fires, and three firefighters have been injured. Much of the fire-swept land near the river is rugged, forested and populated with cabins, so only 17 residences had been evacuated as of Tuesday morning.

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Storms / Flooding / Landslides

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

PEACHTREE CITY GA

26.07.2012

Complex Emergency

China

Capital City, Beijing

Complex Emergency in China on Thursday, 26 July, 2012 at 08:01 (08:01 AM) UTC.

Description

A much expected downpour bypassed Beijing Wednesday but battered the neighboring city of Tianjin, flooding many downtown streets and vehicles. As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the maximum precipitation had exceeded 300 millimeters, Tianjin’s meteorological center said in a press release. It said the city proper received an average rainfall of 147 mm, while the outer Xiqing district, one of the worst-battered areas, received 309.8 mm. The local fire prevention bureau sent 190 fire engines and 1,140 rescuers to help rescue flood stranded vehicles and pedestrians. The rain had largely stopped by midday, but the center issued another orange alarm at 11:10 a.m., warning residents of a further rainstorm. The downpour has paralyzed traffic in downtown Tianjin, drowning many roads. Dozens of vehicles were stranded on Baidi road in Nankai district after their engines died in the flood. Many pedestrians complained they had to trek in knee-deep water. In some sections of Xianyang Street, flood water was waist deep. On the badly flooded Friendship Road in Hexi district, five workers kept watch next to sewage wells whose manholes had been removed for faster drainage.The rain disrupted air traffic at Tianjin’s airport, where 20 flights were canceled and 34 delayed.8 The first flight, an incoming flight from Shanghai, landed in Tianjin after the rain subsided at 11:32 a.m., and the first departing flight took off at 12:08 p.m., according to the airport’s official website. Railway transportation, however, was largely unaffected, including the express rail link to Beijing, the city’s railway authorities confirmed. Vegetable prices were up at the city’s major wholesale markets Thursday. “Each kilo is at least 0.4 yuan — about 30 percent — more expensive than yesterday,” said Cui Hongqing, a wholesaler at Hongqi Market. Cui predicted further price hikes Friday as the rain devastated crops and increased transportation costs. China’s capital Beijing was on guard against heavy rain Wednesday, fearing a repeat of Saturday’s mayhem. Saturday’s downpour, which the local weather bureau described as the “heaviest in 61 years,” killed at least 37 people — some were drowned in private cars. Many office workers were allowed to go home early Wednesday for safety considerations, and city authorities bombarded mobile phone subscribers with text message warnings of an imminent downpour. The much expected rain, however, did not fall in Beijing. The capital was still overcast Thursday, as the central weather bureau has forecast rain in seven northern China provinces and municipalities, including Beijing, over the coming three days.

……………….

Summer Storms to Create New Ozone Holes as Earth Warms?

More storms may trigger ozone depletion in populated areas far from the Poles.

A thunderstorm, evening star, and crescent moon collide on a hilltop.

A thunderstorm rumbles through Kansas (file picture).

Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic

John Roach

for National Geographic News

Summer storms may create new holes in our protective ozone layer as Earth heats up—bringing increased solar ultraviolet radiation to densely populated areas, a new study says.

What’s more, if more sunlight reaches Earth, skin cancer could become the new marquee risk of global warming.

As the planet warms, some studies have suggested summer storms may become more frequent and intense. This would send more water vapor—a potent greenhouse gas—into the stratosphere, the middle layer of Earth’s atmosphere, which sits between 9 and 22 miles (14 and 35 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.

In a recent series of research flights over the United States, Harvard University atmospheric chemist James Anderson and colleagues found that summer storms often loft water vapor into the stratosphere.

“It was an unequivocal observation,” he said. “We had a number of flights, and this was an abiding feature” of the storms.

Under the right conditions, this water vapor could trigger chemical reactions that deplete the ozone layer, which prevents harmful ultraviolet rays from reaching Earth’s surface, the study says.

Even small reductions in the ozone layer can make people more susceptible to skin cancer and eye damage, experts say.

(See “Whatever Happened to the Ozone Hole?”)

Ozone-Attacking Conditions Occur in U.S.?

The finding concerned Anderson, whose research in the 1980s and ’90s played a pivotal role in establishing the Montreal Protocol. The international treaty phased out the production of ozone-depleting chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were found in a variety of products, including hairsprays and refrigerators.

CFCs produce a form of chlorine that degrades ozone particles in the stratosphere, most signifcantly over the Arctic and Antarctic.

Subsequent studies in the Arctic and in the laboratory revealed that both temperature and water vapor concentrations are crucial in a chemical reaction that makes chlorine attack ozone.

Now, the new observations over the United States suggest summer storms create the same combination of temperature and water vapor conditions at mid-latitudes. (Interactive Map: Global Warming Effects.)

“We essentially have the chemistry that’s present in the Arctic that is clearly very potent for destroying ozone,” Anderson said.

The findings, published today in the journal Science, calculate ozone loss at a rate between 4 and 6 percent per day in water vapor-rich areas of the stratosphere. The effect could persist for several weeks after a storm, he added.

What worries Anderson most is where and when this phenomenon appears to occur.

“It is not ozone loss in Antarctica and the Arctic under winter conditions. It is an attack on the ozone layer in the summer over populated regions of the Northern Hemisphere,” he said.

(See “Rocket Launches Damage Ozone Layer, Study Says.”)

Ozone Loss Not Yet Confirmed

Simone Tilmes, an atmospheric chemist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, views the new findings with caution.

Research does indicate that more water vapor in the stratosphere will lead to greater ozone loss under the right conditions, said Tilmes, who was not involved with the current research.

But the study found no direct evidence of a simultaneous observation of water vapor and the presence of destructive chlorine, she said.

“This raises attention,” she said, emphasizing that more research is needed to determine if such ozone depletion will occur.

Study leader Anderson and colleagues acknowledged that they haven’t yet measured the ozone-destroying chlorine in the North American stratosphere.

However, he noted that, though chlorofluorocarbons are no longer released into the atmosphere, the compounds already there can persist for decades.

Cancer Risk May Spur People to Action

If there’s a silver lining to the research, it’s that the results could have a tangible impact on people’s behavior, Anderson said.

Unlike with the “out of sight, out of mind” nature of melting glaciers and carbon dioxide and methane emissions, he said, “most people know that skin cancer is highly prevalent and increasing its frequency.”

If the new findings are confirmed, people may see a direct link between climate change and their health.

That, he said, “might spur them to “step up and take responsibility for what is actually occurring.”

Flash Flood Warning

WILMINGTON OH
CHARLESTON WV

Flood Warning

CHARLESTON WV
PITTSBURGH PA
TAMPA BAY AREA - RUSKIN FL

Flood Advisory

CORPUS CHRISTI TX

Today

Tornado

USA

State of New York, Elmira

Tornado in USA on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:21 (03:21 AM) UTC.

Description

A possible tornado touched down in Elmira, N.Y., late Thursday, damaging buildings, toppling trees and bringing down power lines. The authorities said some people were trapped in their cars when the storm struck around 4 p.m. There were no reports of serious injuries. Emergency officials in Chemung County said there was “significant damage” in Elmira. The National Weather Service said that there were unconfirmed reports that a tornado had touched down. Severe weather moved across Ohio and Pennsylvania on Thursday afternoon, and into New York and New England, bringing heavy rain and in some cases, strong winds and hail. In the New York metropolitan area, weather officials said that the storm moved in shortly after 7 p.m. The hardest hit areas were northwest of the city in Westchester County and in parts of Connecticut, where there were multiple reports of downed trees and power lines. The highest measured wind gusts in the area were 60 miles per hour, near the Tappan Zee Bridge, officials said. Around 8 p.m., wind gusts of up to 54 miles per hour were reported at Kennedy International Airport, weather officials said. Hundreds of flights were delayed because of the storm. Amtrak also reported delays. Late Thursday, tens of thousands of people in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were without power.

Today

Landslide

Vietnam

MultiProvinces, [Provinces of Tuyen Quang and Ha Giang]

Landslide in Vietnam on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:39 (03:39 AM) UTC.

Description

Disaster officials and state media in Vietnam say landslides and flash floods triggered by Typhoon Vicente have killed seven people, including three in a single family, and left three others missing. Official Lai Thanh Huyen of Tuyen Quang province in northern Vietnam said Friday that landslides following heavy rains buried a 28-year-old woman, her five-year-old daughter and four-month-old son early Thursday while they were sleeping in their home. The Tuoi Tre newspaper reported that landslides killed four people in the neighboring province of Ha Giang. It says flash floods have left three other people missing elsewhere in the region. Vicente injured dozens and grounded planes in Hong Kong earlier in the week.

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Epidemic Hazards / Diseases

Today

Epidemic

Malaysia

State of Sarawak, [Bintulu Region]

Epidemic in Malaysia on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:17 (03:17 AM) UTC.

Description
Minister of Local Government and Community Development Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh yesterday confirmed that there is a cholera outbreak in Bintulu. Speaking to reporters after a briefing by officers from the state Health Department at his office here yesterday, he said the department detected the outbreak on July 14 after a case was confirmed positive with Vibrio Cholerae. “Since July 14, the state Health Department declared there is an outbreak detected in Bintulu. Since then, the state Health Department initiated its investigation to trace all the suspected symptomatic cases. Anyone coming down with diarrhoea and vomiting will be investigated to check whether it is cholera or not,” he added. Based on investigation by the department, the outbreak was believed to have started when three groups of regatta participants from Rumah Gawan, Kampung Jepak and Kampung Hilir in Sebauh, Bintulu used water from Kemena River to wash plates, fish and their hands. “The bacteria from the river had contaminated the food and the hands of the people during the regatta and then continuously spread from person to person and contaminated food and drinks. Now the state Health Department is also suspecting that it is spread from Ramadan Bazaar due to contaminated food and drinks,” he added. He noted that as of yesterday, the department had received 140 cases – 33 positive for cholera, 55 negative and 52 cases still pending result. The youngest patient was one year 11 months old while the oldest was 84 years old. The department also detected nine cases with Vibrio Cholerae but without any symptom. As of yesterday, 177 people had been screened for signs and symptoms of acute gastroenteritis and were given doxycycline, an antibiotic.On the outbreak, Wong said it was still spreading in Bintulu with 11 localities declared positive for cholera; Rumah Panjang Gawan at Sungai Sebauh, Kampung Jepak, Kampung Sebauh Hilir in Sebauh, Rumah Usah in Sungai Segan, Setinggan Mozako, Kampung Assyikirin, Kampung Sinong in Jalan Masjid, Setinggan Hock Peng Tanjung Kidurong, Batu 10, Jalan Bintulu/Miri, Kampung Baru and Kirana Palm Oil/Brightwood Quarters, Kemena Industrial Estate. “The state Health Department will continue to take all samples from Sungai Kemena and its tributaries as well as food sampling from Ramadan Bazaar and houses. Besides that, the state Health Department will intensify diarrhoea and vomiting surveillance in all health facilities in Bintulu and issue cholera alert to all government, private health facilities in the state whereby when there is increase in number of admission, the state Health Department will investigate whether it is cholera or not,” he said. Wong said attention would also be given to all food handlers in the Ramadan Bazaar in Bintulu to ensure that they meet the department’s health standards, which also requires them to go for cholera screening. “Once they are cleared from the disease, they will be issued health cards and they must bring the health cards with them when they operate the stalls. If they refuse to go for screening, they will be asked to close down their stalls,” he added. For the convenience of the public, a screening centre is opened at the old Bintulu health clinic from 8am to 10pm every day. The department is also using Bintulu Hospital for isolation of severe cases while mild cases and asymptomatic cases would be treated at the national service camp in Samalaju in Bintulu. Wong appealed to the public to give their fullest cooperation to the department to ensure that the outbreak could be contained.
Biohazard name:	Vibrio 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

26.07.2012

Epidemic Hazard

Uganda

Western Uganda, [Kibaale District]

Epidemic Hazard in Uganda on Thursday, 26 July, 2012 at 15:57 (03:57 PM) UTC.

Description
Sixteen people are reported dead in Uganda from a mystery illness. The Uganda publication UG Pulse reports that a strange illness, cause unknown, is spreading in the Kibaale district in western Uganda. The District Health Officer, Dr. Dan Kyamanwa, stated that 11 of the deaths were from the same family in the Nyamarunda Sub County. A twelfth death was a health officer. There are also reports of the illness appearing in the clinical officer who treated the family from Nyamarunda and a driver who transported the deceased. Kyamanwa says that symptoms of the illness include high fever, vomiting, diarrhea and systems failure. Death occurs within four to seven days.The Ugandan government is reportedly sending a team of experts to investigate the outbreak.
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:
Status:	suspected

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Solar Activity

2MIN News July 26, 2012

Published on Jul 26, 2012 by Suspicious0bservers

EARTHQUAKE WATCH: http://youtu.be/SMiHsOYwdCs

TODAY’S LINKS
Nuclear Expansion: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/26/us-nuclear-uranium-report-idUSBRE86…
Antarctic Ice Rift: http://phys.org/news/2012-07-hidden-rift-valley-beneath-west.html
Fracking Study Fraud: http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceinsider/2012/07/update-university-of-texas-…
Crazy Weather Images: http://www.weather.com/news/landsat-earth-images-20120725

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

1 day(s)

0.1772

68.9

61 m – 140 m

7.34 km/s

26424 km/h

217013 (2001 AA50)

31st July 2012

4 day(s)

0.1355

52.7

580 m – 1.3 km

22.15 km/s

79740 km/h

(2012 DS30)

02nd August 2012

6 day(s)

0.1224

47.6

18 m – 39 m

5.39 km/s

19404 km/h

(2000 RN77)

03rd August 2012

7 day(s)

0.1955

76.1

410 m – 920 m

9.87 km/s

35532 km/h

(2004 SB56)

04th August 2012

8 day(s)

0.1393

54.2

380 m – 840 m

13.72 km/s

49392 km/h

(2000 SD8)

04th August 2012

8 day(s)

0.1675

65.2

180 m – 400 m

5.82 km/s

20952 km/h

(2006 EC)

06th August 2012

10 day(s)

0.0932

36.3

13 m – 28 m

6.13 km/s

22068 km/h

(2006 MV1)

07th August 2012

11 day(s)

0.0612

23.8

12 m – 28 m

4.79 km/s

17244 km/h

(2005 RK3)

08th August 2012

12 day(s)

0.1843

71.7

52 m – 120 m

8.27 km/s

29772 km/h

(2009 BW2)

09th August 2012

13 day(s)

0.0337

13.1

25 m – 56 m

5.27 km/s

18972 km/h

277475 (2005 WK4)

09th August 2012

13 day(s)

0.1283

49.9

260 m – 580 m

6.18 km/s

22248 km/h

(2004 SC56)

09th August 2012

13 day(s)

0.0811

31.6

74 m – 170 m

10.57 km/s

38052 km/h

(2008 AF4)

10th August 2012

14 day(s)

0.1936

75.3

310 m – 690 m

16.05 km/s

57780 km/h

37655 Illapa

12th August 2012

16 day(s)

0.0951

37.0

770 m – 1.7 km

28.73 km/s

103428 km/h

(2012 HS15)

14th August 2012

18 day(s)

0.1803

70.2

220 m – 490 m

11.54 km/s

41544 km/h

4581 Asclepius

16th August 2012

20 day(s)

0.1079

42.0

220 m – 490 m

13.48 km/s

48528 km/h

(2008 TC4)

18th August 2012

22 day(s)

0.1937

75.4

140 m – 300 m

17.34 km/s

62424 km/h

(2006 CV)

20th August 2012

24 day(s)

0.1744

67.9

290 m – 640 m

13.24 km/s

47664 km/h

(2012 EC)

20th August 2012

24 day(s)

0.0815

31.7

56 m – 130 m

5.57 km/s

20052 km/h

162421 (2000 ET70)

21st August 2012

25 day(s)

0.1503

58.5

640 m – 1.4 km

12.92 km/s

46512 km/h

(2007 WU3)

21st August 2012

25 day(s)

0.1954

76.0

56 m – 120 m

5.25 km/s

18900 km/h

(2012 BB14)

24th August 2012

28 day(s)

0.1234

48.0

27 m – 60 m

2.58 km/s

9288 km/h

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

Source: NASA-NEO

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Rogue Waves

Today

Giant Wave Impact

India

State of Goa, [About 200 metres of Benaulim coastal area]

Giant Wave Impact in India on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:15 (03:15 AM) UTC.

Description

Lifeguard services provided by the department of tourism were called upon to carry out a multiple rescue operation on Thursday at Benaulim after a fishing boat with 12 crew members ventured out to the sea and capsized. The incident report stated that lifeguards were continuously observing the boat that had left at 7.20am when they saw it suddenly capsize when it was hit by a huge wave about 200m from the shore. Nine crew members were secured by the lifeguards on jet-ski boats and brought to shore while three managed to swim to safety. No injuries were reported. But as two victims Santan Fernandes and Menino Fernandes had shallow breathing, they were shifted to Hospicio hospital, Margao.

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Biological Hazards / Wildlife

Today

Biological Hazard

Australia

State of Western Australia, [Swan River from Bassendean to West Swan]

Biological Hazard in Australia on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 07:32 (07:32 AM) UTC.

Description
Hundreds of fish have gone belly-up in the Swan River and others are slowly dying as the latest toxic algal bloom to hit the river takes it toll. The Swan River Trust is responding to sightings of the dead and sluggish fish near the Ascot Waters marina. Elevated levels of the microalgae Karlodinium veneficum, which is potentially toxic to fish, have been detected in the area over the past few weeks. A similar outbreak in June killed more than 2,500 fish in a 13km stretch of the river from Bassendean to West Swan. Principal scientist with the trust Kerry Trayler said the free-floating microalgae were known to affect the capacity of fish to extract oxygen from the water. She said while the algae was not toxic to humans precautions should be taken in relation to the dead or dying fish. “The Department of Health advises that people should not swim in, or fish in, water with dead and decomposing fish. They should also keep pets and other animals away from the fish because they may contain high levels of bacteria,” she said. “Sluggish and dead fish should also not be collected and used for bait or consumption because of the risk of high levels of bacteria.”
Biohazard name:	Karlodinium veneficum (HAB)
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

Today

Biological Hazard

USA

State of Kansas, Overland Park [South Lake Park, 7601 W. 86th St]

Biological Hazard in USA on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:25 (03:25 AM) UTC.

Description
Kansas health officials have strengthened their alert about toxic blue-green algae in the pond at South Lake Park, 7601 W. 86th St. City officials said an earlier “advisory” has been upgraded to a “warning,” so people and pets should not drink the water. Any fish caught there should be rinsed with clean water, and only the filet portion should be eaten. Pets should not eat dried algae, and people and animals should be rinsed with clean water if they come in contact with lake water.
Biohazard name:	Blue-Green (cyanobacteria) Algae bloom
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

Today

Biological Hazard

USA

State of Washington, Bremerton [Kitsap Lake]

Biological Hazard in USA on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:23 (03:23 AM) UTC.

Description
Health authorities are warning residents and visitors to Kitsap Lake in West Bremerton that high levels of a toxic blue-green algae have been discovered in the water. If ingested in sufficient quantities, a toxin produced by the algae can make people sick and potentially kill pets, fish, waterfowl and livestock, said Jim Zimny, water quality specialist with the Kitsap Public Health District. Water samples taken Tuesday from Kitsap Lake showed levels of the toxic compound to be 6.7 micrograms per liter. Warnings are posted when the level exceeds 6.0. Signs have gone up at public access areas and on roads around the lake, Zimny said. Weekly tests will be conducted until the algae blooms subside. People are advised to avoid drinking the water or swimming in the lake, especially in areas where the algae have concentrated. Avoid eating any fish caught during the bloom. Pets should be kept back from the water. Zimny asks people to call the health district if they see large numbers of dead fish, unexplained illness in a dog or cat or if someone entering the water suffers a physical reaction, such as a rash or illness.
Biohazard name:	Blue-Green (cyanobacteria) Algae bloom
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

Today

Biological Hazard

Malaysia

State of Preak, loc:Kampung Sg Dua [Sungai Bentong River]

Biological Hazard in Malaysia on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:13 (03:13 AM) UTC.

Description
Residents in Kampung Sg Dua near here are worried after finding dozens of fish in Sungai Bentong dead. Village chief Wong Fan Chong said they believed it was due to pollution and hazardous waste from an industrial estate nearby. “We are not alleging that the factories are dumping their waste into the river but surely, there is a reason why the fish are dead,” he said. He urged the authorities to conduct an investigation into the matter, adding that if test results showed it was due to waste pollution, guilty parties must be punished. Wong said there were previously cases of fish dying in the river but of late, the number had increased. “For the time being, I have told all villagers to stop fishing or swimming in Sungai Bentong which flows into Sungai Dua near our village. “We are not sure whether the fishes are safe to eat,” he added. State Health, Environment and Local Government Committee chairman Datuk Hoh Khai Mun said he had instructed officers from the Environment Department to investigate the issue. “We will reveal the findings of the probe in due course,” he said, adding that the state government would not compromise on the safety of the people.
Biohazard name:	Mass. Die-off (fishes)
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

Today

Biological Hazard

Spain

Province of Malaga, [Coastal areas]

Biological Hazard in Spain on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:07 (03:07 AM) UTC.

Description
Dozens of beaches in Malaga province have played host to swarms or ‘blooms’ of jellyfish this summer, closing several beaches in Marbella and Estepona and administering more than 1,000 stings within a three-day period. Many bathers have been on the wrong end of the gelatinous varmint, whose sting causes a painful rash that can last for up to three days. According to Spain’s tourist office, the marine stingers are the venomous purple striped jellyfish. Their stings, although almost never fatal, have been known to cause severe allergic reactions. Here, the Olive Press looks at the different types of stingers in the Mediterranean, why they are becoming such a problem for bathers on the Costa del Sol and what can be done to protect yourself from eye-watering stings. Purple-striped jellyfish- aka mauve stingers: These increasingly common creatures have wreaked havoc on the Costa del Sol, causing the closure of a number of beaches. They are usually small but pack a powerful punch. Portuguese man o’ war – aka blue bottle: Although not technically jellyfish, these critters can deliver an agonising sting causing vomiting and fainting in some cases. They are usually found floating at the surface of the water with long, thin tendrils extending 10 metres. Fried egg jellyfish: A small but beautiful jellyfish which gets its name from its fried-egg shaped body. Its sting has little effect on humans. Moon jellyfish: One of the most common jellyfish in the world, these translucent creatures are often sold commercially as pets. The sting is harmless to humans. Compass jellyfish: With brown spots and a saucer-shaped bell, this jellyfish can often be found drifting on the sea surface. It can deliver a nasty sting.
Biohazard name:	Jellyfish invasion
Biohazard level:	0/4 —
Biohazard desc.:	This does not included biological hazard category.
Symptoms:
Status:

26.07.2012

Biological Hazard

Zimbabwe

Province of Manicaland, [Buhera District]

Biological Hazard in Zimbabwe on Thursday, 26 July, 2012 at 11:16 (11:16 AM) UTC.

Description
Blackleg normally kills livestock within 12 to 48 hours and is caused by the spore foaming, rod shaped and gas producing bacteria Clostridium chauvoei, which can live in soil for many years. The bacteria gains entrance to the animal through small punctures in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract. Animals begin showing signs of lameness, rapid breathing, loss of appetite and high fever. Shingairai Gudyanga said the spread of the disease has been fuelled by lack of adequate grazing caused by poor rainfall. This caused cattle to eat the roots of plants, a haven for the bacteria. “Most farmers in this area are reluctant to bring their livestock for vaccination and they do not report disease outbreaks,” she added. Blackleg is almost entirely preventable by vaccination. The department’s efforts to control disease are hampered because people eat the animals before tests can be done. “We fail to take smear samples because by the time we find out about deaths, only the bones of the dead animal are left, with the rest of the meat either sold or dried for consumption,” she said. “Our office is almost sure that two of the cattle died due to anthrax because when we examined the carcases, there was blood in the openings of the cattle, the mouth, ears and nose and they decayed faster than the others,” she said. “The community did not consume one of the cattle that I am referring to because it was in a terrible state, but ate the other one before it had rotted.” The District Head for Veterinary Services for Buhera South, Mr Mavhima, could not confirm nor deny the anthrax outbreak and said he would visit Mutiusinazita this week -end. “If it is anthrax, we will look into it and act on it swiftly,” he said.
Biohazard name:	Anthrax
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:	suspected

26.07.2012

Biological Hazard

Canada

Province of Ontario, [Algonquin Park]

Biological Hazard in Canada on Thursday, 26 July, 2012 at 16:02 (04:02 PM) UTC.

Description
They may seem like furry little friends, those little squirrels, as they skitter through the forests, but researches have discovered otherwise. A bacterium known to cause ‘Q-Fever’ in humans has been detected in a high percentage rodents in Algonquin Park. A team of Laurentian University biology researchers, led by Canada Research Chair Dr. Albrecht Schulte-Hostedde have found evidence of the spread of the zoonotic bacterium Coxiella bernetii in wildlife in the park and say their findings suggest that some visitors to the park could be at risk of infection. According to a Laurentian University press release the bacterium was “detected in six out of seven species of wild rodents tested within the boundaries of Algonquin Park, including red squirrels, flying squirrels and deer mice. It was also found in flying squirrels in the Peterborough area, indicating that the bacteria may be widespread among these animal populations in Ontario.” The bacterium is a cause of Query fever, also known as Q-Fever, in humans.According to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) website, “Human Q fever is primarily an occupational disease of farmers, abattoir workers, veterinarians, and laboratory workers.” The disease is a flu-like illness that often remains undiagnosed. In a minority of cases it can cause a clinical atypical pneumonia or hepatitis. If the disease becomes chronic, endocarditis and chronic hepatitis can develop. Chronic Q fever can be fatal, and is more likely to develop in immuno-compromised individuals and pregnant women. The OMAFRA website states, “In Ontario, Q-fever has occasionally been diagnosed as a cause of abortion in sheep and goats. Reported human cases have been associated with exposure to abortions in sheep and goats, and drinking unpasteurised goat’s milk.” “It can be transmitted reasonably easily among wildlife,” he said. “The suggestion is that people can get it from, like the Hantavirus, inhaling feces. Let’s say you have a cottage or a camp and sweep the corners. Any fecal material will dry and aerosolize, it goes up in the air and you inhale some of it.” In 2007, an outbreak in the Netherlands resulted in the infection of more than 2,000 people.Thousands of goats were culled. “There is a lot of interest in Europe now on how this pathogen is transmitted in the natural environment,” said Schulte-Hostedde. He says there is a hypothesis that ticks may be a cause of the spread of this pathogen. Schulte-Hostedde says he has spoken intensively to an Algonquin Park biologist who has indicted there have been no reports of people becoming ill with Q-Fever. “In terms of mortality I don’t think it’s going to kill anybody. There are no huge numbers of people reporting being ill,” he said. “We put the press release out not to alarm people but so that the public health authorities know that this bug is out there.” He says this might be quite large spread, and there are different strains of the infection, some that may be more dangerous than others. “We don’t know anything about the strain that we found versus what might be found on farms,” he said. He says after discussions with Public Health Ontario and the Public Health Agency of Canada, they are aware that it is out there and it is reportable at some levels. “They are aware that it happens on farms but there is no real work that is being done on Coxiella bernetii in the natural environment,” he said. “My point with the whole thing… it is just providing an awareness that there is a microbrobe that can make you sick so you should take some precautions.” Schulte-Hostedde says he is in the process of returning to his initial studies and a zoonotics expert at the University of Guelph is hoping to attain OMAFRA funding to study this bacterium in a natural environment because there are still many questions to be answered, including whether this is being transferred from farm to the natural environment or vice versa; and whether the strains are the same. “It has an interesting history because it has been the subject of weaponization research in the United States,” he said. “That’s part of the sexy thing about this thing. It actually can infect people relatively easily, which is part of the history of human relationships with this bacteria.” He says in order to get the real story beyond the initial findings and the hundreds of animals tested, there is much more work to be done.
Biohazard name:	Q Fever (squirrels)
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

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Articles of Interest

Today

Power Outage

USA

State of New York, [Sullivan County]

Power Outage in USA on Friday, 27 July, 2012 at 03:11 (03:11 AM) UTC.

Description

Gov. Andrew Cuomo is meeting with utility officials and state regulators as a wave of severe storms cross the state. The National Weather Service gave Cuomo a pre-emptive warning about the possibility that severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Cuomo says he will meet Thursday with the leadership of Con Edison, the New York Power Authority, and the state Public Service Commission to make sure the New York City area is prepared. About 10,000 utility customers in western New York and Sullivan County northwest of New York City have lost power as New Yorkers are being warned of the possibility of severe weather. The power losses Thursday morning came as thunderstorms move eastward across the state. Most of the outages are in the Rochester area and in Cattaraugus County, south of Buffalo.

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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.]

Earthquakes

Volcanic Activity

Extreme Temperatures/ Weather

By MATTHEW L. WALD and JOHN SCHWARTZ

Storms / Flooding / Landslides

Summer Storms to Create New Ozone Holes as Earth Warms?

More storms may trigger ozone depletion in populated areas far from the Poles.

Epidemic Hazards / Diseases

Solar Activity

2MIN News July 26, 2012

Space

Rogue Waves

Biological Hazards / Wildlife

Articles of Interest

Trending Articles