Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano erupted on August 2, 2017, ejecting a plume of ash and smoke up to 5.4 km (18 000 feet) above sea level.

Indonesia’s Sinabung volcano erupted at 01:10 UTC (08:10 local time) on August 2, 2017, ejecting a plume of ash and smoke up to 5.4 km (18 000 feet) above sea level. It was one of Sinabung’s biggest eruptions in the past several months. By 05:10 UTC, there were at least 19 reported eruptions, up from about 2 to 8 per day. The Aviation Color Code is Orange. There were no reports of casualties.

The eruptions produced a large pyroclastic flow at 03:04 UTC (08:04 local time). The flow tumbled down the east and southeast slopes as far as 4.5 km (2.8 miles), reaching the Labortus River and creating a natural dam on its upper reaches.

By 03:30 UTC, volcanic ash cloud was reaching a height of 5.4 km (18 000 feet) above sea level, according to the Darwin VAAC. 

According to local media reports, students from an elementary school in Kuta Rakyat were sent home because volcanic ash covering the village was considered dangerous. 

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said, as reported by the AFP, thousands of people in 10 villages were directly affected by ash fall. He warned villagers to stay out of a danger zone that extends as far as 7 km (4.4 miles) from the peak.

Nugroho said villagers urgently need face masks and clean water and called on people to be vigilant about the possibility of flash floods and lava flows because the eruption created a natural dam on the Laborus River.
FULL ARTICLE AND MANY IMAGES AND VIDEOS
https://watchers.news/2017/08/02/mount-sinabung-eruption-august-2-2017/

 

August 2nd: Earth Overshoot Day 2017

On August 2, 2017, we will use more from nature than our planet can renew in the whole year. By over extracting resources and emitting more greenhouse gasses than can be sequestered, we are scheduled to hit Earth Overshoot Day six days earlier than last year.

 

 

WLE is partnering with the Global Footprint Network on Earth overshoot day in order to try and #movethedate back. If we don’t work to become more sustainable, our earth will not be able to support us.

 

 

Violent hail storm bombards Istanbul, leaves at least 10 injured

Hail damage on an Airbus A320 which landed through the severe hailstorm at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, Turkey yesterday, July 27. It encountered hail at about 5,000 feet (~1500 m) altitude. Major damage to the nose and windshield. Report: Sieć Obserwatorów Burz

A severe storm hit Istanbul, Turkey’s most populated city, on Thursday, July 27, 2017, with heavy rain, strong winds and hail stones up to 9 cm (3.5 inches) wide. The storm caused widespread damage and injured at least 10 people. The city was hit by a similar storm on July 18, leaving most of it under water.

Thursday’s storm lasted only 20 minutes but it hit during the evening rush hour and was so violent that it managed to knock down trees, damage buildings and cars, disrupt both road and air traffic and cause new rounds of flash flooding throughout the city. Several airplanes landing at Istanbul’s Ataturk sustained major hail damage. 

Officials said that 7 000 emergency workers were called in to help after the storm uprooted 230 trees, destroyed 90 roofs and sparked fires across the city. Strong winds toppled a large crane that landed on oil barrels at a port, causing an explosion and a fire that injured at least one person.

Eurasia Tunnel, which connects Istanbul’s Asian and European sides under the Bosporus Strait, was closed as a precaution again.

SEE VIDEOS ON
https://watchers.news/2017/07/28/istanbul-hailstorm-july-27-2017/

Extreme flash flooding hits Istanbul after heaviest rain since 1985, Turkey

Turkey’s most populated city, Istanbul suffered extreme flash flooding on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, after rainstorm dumped 4 months worth of rain in just 12 hours. It was the most severe rainfall the city has seen in the past 32 years, but only the first of several waves of rainstorms expected. Meteorologists say the rains will last until Wednesday evening.

Light showers reached Istanbul late Monday, July 17, and turned into extremely heavy rains at 08:30 local time (05:30 UTC), Tuesday when huge black clouds covered the city, effectively ending the summer heat.

According to Doğan News Agency, the city was hit by most severe rainfall in the past 32 years, with 128 mm (5 inches) of rain before the first storm was over. This is more than four times the average for the month of July (32.5 mm / 1.3 inches), its driest month, and more than the region usually records during entire December, its wettest month.

According to a statement issued by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, 65 mm (2.5 inches) of rain fell on the city center within 1 hour, accompanied by winds of up to 80 km/h (50 mph). In total, the city center and western districts saw 110 mm (4.3 inches) of rain before 14:00 local time when the second wave of heavy rain was expected.

MORE INFO ON

https://watchers.news/2017/07/18/flash-flood-istanbul-july-18-2017/

New activity/unrest was reported for 4 volcanoes between July 5 and 11, 2017. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 15 volcanoes.

New activity/unrest: Bogoslof, Fox Islands (USA) | Fuego, Guatemala | Rincon de la Vieja, Costa Rica | Sheveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia).

Ongoing activity: Aira, Kyushu (Japan) | Bezymianny, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Cleveland, Chuginadak Island (USA) | Copahue, Central Chile-Argentina border | Dukono, Halmahera (Indonesia) | Ebeko, Paramushir Island (Russia) | Karymsky, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Kilauea, Hawaiian Islands (USA) | Klyuchevskoy, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Nishinoshima, Japan | Poas, Costa Rica | Sabancaya, Peru | Santa Maria, Guatemala | Sinabung, Indonesia | Turrialba, Costa Rica.

DETAILS ON THE WEBSITE THE WATCHERS

https://watchers.news/2017/07/13/active-volcanoes-in-the-world-july-5-11-2017/

Drastic increase in the number of icebergs in transatlantic shipping lanes – The Watchers

Last week, we reported car and house-sized chunks of broken-up sea ice are being pounded onto the shore of St. John’s harbor in a sight locals haven’t seen since the 1980’s. Now, USCG’s International Ice Patrol reports a drastic increase in icebergs drifting in the transatlantic ship lanes.

As of April 4, 2017, 455 icebergs have drifted or been sighted south of 48°N in the transatlantic shipping lanes, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s International Ice Patrol. On average, 83 icebergs drift south of this latitude by the end of March based on data collected between 1900 and 2016. The number of icebergs we are seeing now is usually not seen until late May or early June.

Coast Guard Cmdr. Gabrielle McGrath, who leads the ice patrol, told AP she has never seen such a drastic increase in such a short time. Adding to the danger, three icebergs were discovered outside the boundaries of the area the Coast Guard had advised mariners to avoid, she said. According to AP, McGrath is predicting a fourth consecutive “extreme ice season” with more than 600 icebergs in the shipping lanes.

“Cold temperatures and persistent, strong northerly winds caused sea-ice expansion south and east through to near 46°N,” IIP said in their 7-day Iceberg Outlook released April 5. “These conditions also brought significant numbers of icebergs into Flemish Pass. During the last week of March, three icebergs were detected outside of IIP’s published Iceberg Limit.” 

“While sea ice is forecasted to contract and recede to the north, hundreds of icebergs are expected to continue drifting the Flemish Pass expanding the Iceberg Limit southward. The Southern Iceberg Limit will reach near 42°N close to the mid-April median Iceberg Limit while the Eastern Iceberg Limit is expected to remain inside of the mid-April median over the next seven days,” IIP said.

IIP’s data records, which extend to 1900, show that nearly 500 icebergs enter the shipping lanes in an average year. However, the year-to-year variation is wide. In 1984, the busiest iceberg year in IIP’s history, 2 202 icebergs entered the shipping lanes. On the other hand, during two years (1966 and 2006) no icebergs reached the shipping lanes.

TO BE CONTINUED ON THE WATCHERS

Source: Drastic increase in the number of icebergs in transatlantic shipping lanes

Etna Volcano Activity in Italy on Monday, 30 January, 2017

Schools in Sicily were evacuated on Monday after the island’s active volcano, Mount Etna, experienced a flurry of quakes. Seismic experts at Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Vulcanology (Ingv) registered more than 60 tremors on Monday morning – the most significant measuring at least 3.5 magnitude, at 10:51am.

The quakes began shortly after 6am, and five have measured over 3.0 in magnitude. Local authorities have alerted residents to the series of tremors, which have had their epicentre between Ragalna and Monte San Leo, at around 14km deep.

Ingv said there was “nothing unusual” about the volcanic activity, and there have not been any reports of damage to buildings or any injuries caused by the quakes. In the towns of Ragalna, Nicolosi and Bronte on the south side of the volcano, schoolchildren were evacuated on Monday morning as a precaution. Etna, nestled between the cities of Messina and Catania, is Europe’s most active and highest volcano and Italy’s highest peak south of the Alps.

Together with Mount Vesuvius near Naples, it is one of 16 volcanoes in the world designated as ‘Decade Volcanoes’ by the UN, which means that they are studied particularly closely due to the frequency of activity and density of nearby population.

It is in a near-constant state of activity, and striking video footage from the past week shows the snow-covered peak sending out clouds of smoke.

Source: RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service (EDIS)

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/