Earth ChangesS


Attention

Emergency declared on the Vanuatu island of Ambae as eruption displaces thousands

Jamie Tahana
RNZ
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 19:17 UTC
An aerial image of the smoking volcano in the centre of Ambae, Vanuatu, that's forced the evacuation of some 5,000 people.
© Vanuatu Disaster Management OfficeAn aerial image of the smoking volcano in the centre of Ambae, Vanuatu, that's forced the evacuation of some 5,000 people.
A state of emergency has been declared on the Vanuatu island of Ambae, as the volcano that towers from the island's centre continued to erupt, forcing thousands to flee their villages.

The volcano - known as Monaro - has been rumbling for weeks, but its activity increased rapidly on Saturday, when it started belching ash across much of the island, blanketing villages and crops in the north and south.

That prompted authorities to evacuate half the island's population - at least 5000 people - from the north and south of the island, sending them to the east and west.

"It's quite a serious emergency," said Manuel Amu, the chairman of the island's disaster committee. "Moving people from their communities into an area with very limited houses and very limited resources like food and water. It's really a challenging issue.

"At the moment the volcano has blown up ash and dark smoke, with a little bit of lava," he said in an interview.

Comment: See also this report from 5 days ago concerning seismic activity on another island in the region: Powerful 6.4 magnitude earthquake hits island in Vanuatu archipelago; 4th major quake in 24 hours.

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Snowflake

Flake News: Early snowfall reported on mountains across Europe with a foot of snow recorded in Austria

Patrick Thorne
IN THE SNOW.COM
Wed, 20 Sep 2017 14:49 UTC
Hintertux, Austria
Hintertux, Austria
After a very long, hot summer, September has seen large and on-going snowfalls on Alpine glaciers, with the snow now falling to lower elevations and over a wider area of the continent.

The snowfall in the first few weeks of the Meteorological Autumn, and the last three weeks of the astronomical summer appears to have been greater than at the start of the past few winters at some areas. Snow has been reported in The Dolomites, Pyrenees, Scandinavia and even dustings on high points in Scotland and Croatia.

Around 10 glaciers are already open for 2017-18 snowsports in Europe including three that opened last weekend after two weekends of September snowfall. The snow is particularly heavy in Austria where the Hintertux glacier (pictured top) has had 30cm (a foot) of fresh snow and the Stubai glacier 25cm (10 inches) of snow. Both report powder conditions.

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Snowflake

Heavy snowfall strikes East Kazakhstan


Kazinform
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 14:31 UTC
snow
Much of the East Kazakhstan region was affected by heavy snowfalls over the weekend, Kazinform correspondent reports.

Precipitation in the form of rain transitioning into wet snow occurred across the whole region, including the cities of Semey, Ust-Kamenogorsk, and Ridder.

Most of the snow fell in the mountainous areas of the region.

According to local authorities, sudden precipitation didn't cause any significant damage or accidents as the residents were properly informed.
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Snowflake

Dozens of cities, towns and villages in Russia get early snow after hot summer


The Siberian Tmes
Mon, 25 Sep 2017 14:16 UTC
The cold blast is in contrast to last year when the first snow in western Siberia came only in the first week of October.
© Aleksei SalamatovThe cold blast is in contrast to last year when the first snow in western Siberia came only in the first week of October.
In Yakutia the snow came earlier - with the first falls on 28-29 August, before the official end of summer.

But in western Siberia the first white blanket has now come to the cities of Omsk, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, and Krasnoyarsk, as well as both Altai Republic and Altai region.
Drivers have been warned to take care across this large area.

The cold blast is in contrast to last year when the first snow in western Siberia came only in the first week of October.

So far the coldest temperature as the new winter approaches is around minus 5C in Aldan, Neryungi, Aikhal and Verkhoyansk - all in Yakutia region, officially the Sakha Republic.
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Attention

Up to 35,000 evacuated as Bali on high alert for looming volcanic eruption


RT
Sun, 24 Sep 2017 16:18 UTC
Bali evacuated people
© / Reuters
Up to 35,000 people have fled a looming volcanic eruption on the island of Bali after some 300 tremors, increasing in both frequency and intensity, registered between midnight and 6am Sunday.

The Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency has set up temporary shelters for evacuees and provided 14 tons of aid including food, water, tents, blankets and mattresses.

"Four days after we raised the alert level to level three, there were extraordinary tremors ... the biggest since 1963. So, we raised the alert level to level four," the head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), Kasbani, told News.com.au.

"We could not predict when the mountain will erupt," he added. "However, we don't know whether the eruption now will be bigger or smaller. If we see the eruption in 1963, it could take one year."

Comment: See also: Bali issues travel warning as Mount Agung volcano threatens to erupt

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Attention

Hurricane Maria batters Puerto Rico as dam failure fears prompt the evacuation of 70,000 people

Mary Kekatos
Daily Mail
Sat, 23 Sep 2017 08:52 UTC
dam break puerto rico
© Weather NationEarlier, Puerto Rican authorities had scrambled to evacuate as many as 70,000 people after the National Weather Service warned that failure of the dam was 'imminent' and could lead to 'life-threatening' flash flooding.
A terrifying torrent of water swept through Puerto Rico after a dam failed at Lake Guajataca in the northwest region.

Water was seen sweeping through the municipalities of Isabela and Quebradillas after the dam sustained structural damage from Hurricane Maria.

Nearly 16 inches of rain fell in the area, significantly raising water levels on the 90-year-old dam.

Earlier, Puerto Rican authorities had scrambled to evacuate as many as 70,000 people after the National Weather Service warned that failure of the dam was 'imminent' and could lead to 'life-threatening' flash flooding.

The National Weather Service first learned of a 'contained breach' during a Friday afternoon inspection and said a full breach would result in large peak flows that could reach the coast in under 12 hours.
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Tornado1

Hurricane Maria: Officials in Puerto Rico describe 'apocalyptic' conditions

Nicole Chavez
CNN
Sun, 24 Sep 2017 18:30 UTC
Hurricane Maria damage in Puerto Rico
A resident of the La Perla neighborhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico, surveys the damage.
Days after Hurricane Maria pounded the island of Puerto Rico, killing at least 10 people, authorities are starting to see firsthand the scope of devastation that left the US territory off the grid. Without power and communications in much of the island, millions of people, including city leaders and first responders, have been cut off from the world since Maria hit Wednesday.

Authorities flew over the island Saturday, and were stunned by what they saw. No cellphones, water or power. Roads completely washed away and others blocked by debris, isolating residents. "It was devastating to see all that kind of debris in all areas, in all towns of the island," Jenniffer González, the island's non-voting representative in Congress told CNN.

"We never expected to have a lot of debris in so many areas. A lot of roads are closed, older ones are just gone," she added. At least 10 people have been confirmed killed by the storm, according to Gov. Ricardo Rosselló's office. Roselló met with more than 50 mayors and representatives from across Puerto Rico on Saturday.

Some described the conditions in their communities as "apocalyptic" and said there have been incidents of looting in both homes and stores. "We know a little more today than we did yesterday," Rossello said. "This is going to be a long road." A dam is in danger of collapsing, adding to the crisis.

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Snowflake

Early-season snowfall closes roads in northern Utah; 8 inches deep

Jacob Klopfenstein
KSL.com
Sun, 24 Sep 2017 19:49 UTC
Fresh snow in Big Cottonwood Canyon
© Solitude Mtn ResortFresh snow in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Early-season snow continued to fall around northern Utah, with a few first-of-the-season road closures.

Utah Department of Transportation reported just after 10 a.m. Sunday that a gate had been closed on state Route 224, just past Park City Hall in Summit County. The gate would be opened as soon as crews could clear the area.
CLOSURE: the first seasonal gate at SR-224 in @SummitCountyUT due to heavy snowfall. Gate will reopen when crews are able to clear it.

— UDOT Region Two (@UDOTRegionTwo) September 24, 2017
Officials in Alta reported 8 inches of snow on the ground in some places. Snowplows were out in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and drivers should expect snowy roads, especially on state Route 210 in the canyon.
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Better Earth

Mother and son swept away by flash flood in Thailand


The Nation
Sun, 24 Sep 2017 19:36 UTC
flood
Flash floods hit a hilltribe village in Mae Hong Son's Mae La Noi district Saturday night, sweeping away two residents. Authorities said the two victims were a mother and her son.

Suda Banpotdilok, 54, and Thanachoke Banpotdilok, 8, were reported missing on Sunday morning.

Tambon Mae La Noi Administrative Organisation president Chairat Prasitrattana said the flash floods also damaged two houses and one car.

The relevant authorities are heading to the flood-hit village to deliver assistance.
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Cloud Precipitation

Flood ravages communities in Cross River State, Nigeria; 3,000 farmlands destroyed


Premium Times
Sun, 24 Sep 2017 19:18 UTC
Benue flood.
© Bella NaijaBenue flood.
Twelve communities in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State have been flooded following two days of heavy rain, while more than 3,000 farmlands were equally destroyed.

The incident, which occurred between the late hours of September 18 and the early hours of September 19, has rendered hundreds of residents homeless as properties worth millions of naira were destroyed.

John Inaku, the Director General, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), told NAN on Sunday, during an inspection of the affected areas that the economic survival of residents of the submerged communities had been seriously affected.

Mr. Inaku stated that more than 1,000 people have been displaced and are taking refuge in nearby communities.

According to him, the state government has promised to address the plight of the people
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