Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
7.0 earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
6.7 earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
Two 5.4 earthquakes hit southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
5.4 earthquake hits offshore Guatemala.
5.4 earthquake hits Atacama, Chile.
5.3 earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
5.1 earthquake hits near the coast of central Peru.
Three 5.1 earthquakes hit southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
5.0 earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Halima), located approximately 965 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking east-northwestward at 08 knots.
In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical depression (td) 01w (One), located approximately 220 nm east-northeast of Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam, is tracking west-northwestward at 07 knots.
Solar Flare
The dazzling northern lights could light up the skies as far south as the northern United States after the detection of 17 solar eruptions blasting from a single sunspot, two of which are headed straight to Earth.
The two Earth-directed eruptions have merged into a “cannibal coronal mass ejection” and are barreling toward us at 1,881,263 mph (3,027,599 km/h). When it crashes into the Earth’s magnetic field from the night of March 30 to April 1, the result will be a powerful G3 geomagnetic storm, according to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). G3 storms are classified as strong geomagnetic storms, meaning that the oncoming sun blast could bring the aurora as south as Pennsylvania, Iowa and Oregon.
Wildfires – Texas, USA
A fast-moving wildfire near Fort Hood, a sprawling military base in Texas, continues to grow in size but poses no threat to lives, homes or infrastructure, fire officials said.
As of late Monday, the Crittenberg Complex, which consists of three wildfires in Coryell County, Texas, has burned more than 33,000 acres and was 55 percent contained.
Wildfires – Tennessee, USA
A fast-moving wildfire near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, continued to grow – and prompt more evacuation orders – Wednesday night and has burned more than 1 000 acres.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Bird Flu – USA
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial, mixed-species backyard flock (non-poultry) in Berkshire County, Massachusetts; a non-commercial, mixed-species backyard flock (non-poultry) in Johnson County, Wyoming; a commercial poultry flock in Johnston County, North Carolina; a non-commercial, backyard chicken flock (non-poultry) in Franklin County, Ohio; and a non-commercial, backyard chicken flock (poultry) in Kidder County, North Dakota. According to the CDC, these detections do not present an immediate public health concern. No human cases of these avian influenza viruses have been detected in the United States.
Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity – New Activity for the week 23 March – 29 March 2022
Bezymianny – Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a daily thermal anomaly over Bezymianny was visible in satellite images during 18-25 March.
Kita-Ioto – Volcano Islands : JMA reported that a submarine eruption occurred at Funka Asane, a submarine vent 4-5 km NW of Kita-Ioto, at around 1800 on 27 March based on satellite images. An eruption plume was visible rising to 5.5 km (18,000 ft) a.s.l. at 2100 and may have contained ash. Eruption warnings and maritime warnings were issued at 2314 and 2318, respectively. Satellite images showed that by 2330 the plume had risen to 7 km (23,000 ft) a.s.l. Areas of discolored water and bubbling were also visible.
Krakatau – Sunda Strait : PVMBG reported that as many as five daily ash plumes from Anak Krakatau were visible in images from the webcam on Sertung Island, seen by observers on nearby islands, and identified in satellite images during 24-29 March. Dense gray and black ash plumes rose as high as 2.2 km from the vent and drifted mainly E, and occasionally S and SE.
Ruapehu – North Island (New Zealand) : On 28 March GeoNet reported that unrest continued at Ruapehu with strong levels of tremor and increasing crater lake water temperatures that began two weeks prior. The temperature was 32 degrees Celsius, up one degree from the week before; the temperature rose at a slow rate due to heavy rainfall and an influx of cold water into the lake.
Sao Jorge – Azores : A seismic swarm beneath the W half of São Jorge began at 1605 on 19 March, with earthquakes along the Manadas volcanic fissure system between Velas (S side of the island) and Fajã do Ouvidor (N coast). CIVISA raised the Alert Level to V2 and then V3 (on a scale of V0-V6) during the morning of 20 March, and finally to V4 that afternoon. On 22 March Proteção Civil e Bombeiros dos Açores noted that, although no official evacuations had been issued, vulnerable people such as patients in the Velas health center were being moved to other locations on the island. Supplies were being distributed to São Jorge Island and residents were encouraged to prepare in case of a volcanic eruption. The total estimated population of the island was around 8,400 people; according to a news report, about 1,250 residents left the island during 23-24 March. Most of the earthquakes were low magnitude, M 1.6-3.3, though about 209 of them were felt by residents; the largest event, a M 3.8, was detected near Velas at 2256 on 29 March. By 30 March a total of about 20,000 events had been recorded. Besides the increased seismicity, CIVISA noted that ground-based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data showed inflation, which was also suggested by satellite-based data processed by partners.
Taal – Luzon (Philippines) : PHIVOLCS reported that hot volcanic fluids circulated and upwelled in Taal’s Main Crater lake during 24-25 March, producing plumes that rose as high as 2.4 km above the lake’s surface. A phreatomagmatic eruption was recorded at 0226 on 25 March, based on seismic data and webcam images, and produced a 500-m-tall plume. Sulfur dioxide emissions averaged 6,957 tonnes/day that same day. A phreatomagmatic eruption during 0722-0859 on 26 March consisted of as many as 66 explosions. Eruption plumes rose as high as 3 km. Wet ashfall with a sulfur odor fell on Taal Volcano Island, along the Calauit and Alas-as shorelines, and on the lakeshore of Banyaga, Agoncillo, Batangas. PHIVOLCS noted that Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) means that there has been a magmatic intrusion and evacuation of high-risk barangays is recommended. The Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported that residents of Bilibinwang and Banyaga, Agoncillo and Boso-boso, Gulod and eastern Bugaan East, Laurel, Batangas Province began evacuating that day. Entry onto Taal Volcanic Island as well as the barangays of Agoncillo and Laurel was prohibited. National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that by 27 March 2,961 people had been evacuated. Hot volcanic fluids continued to upwell in the lake during 26-29 March, generating plumes that rose as high as 2.4 km and drifted SW. Phreatomagmatic events were recorded at 0434 and 0504 on 27 March by the seismic network and seen in webcam images, producing eruption plumes that rose 800 and 400 m, respectively, and drifted SW. Three more phreatomagmatic events were recorded at 0930, 0933, and 0946; eruption plumes rose 400-800 m and drifted SW. Sulfur dioxide emissions averaged 1,140-4,273 tonnes/day during 28-29 March.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Two 5.0 earthquakes hit Luzon in the Philippines.
5.0 earthquake hits the Sunday Strait, Indonesia.
5.0 earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.
5.0 earthquake hits of the coast of Michoacan, Mexico.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Halima), located approximately 1946 nm southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking northwestward at 09 knots.
Wildfires – Arizona, USA
The Presumido Peak Fire in Southern Arizona had burned about 2,600 acres of grass, brush, oak, and juniper when it was mapped Monday. It is about 20 miles northwest of the border town Sasabe. The human-caused blaze was discovered Saturday afternoon near Presumido Peak.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits north of Honduras.
5.3 earthquake hits southeast of the Loyalty Islands.
5.2 earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Halima), located approximately 1040 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking east-northward at 04 knots.
Newsbytes:
Ecuador – At least 4 people have lost their lives after heavy rain in southern Ecuador triggered floods and landslides in Azuay Province on 27 March 2022. Floods and landslides pushed rocks and debris onto the small community of Sayausí in Cuenca Canton. The municipal government report a school building and 10 houses were completely destroyed, leaving 14 people homeless. A further 27 houses sustained damage and many more are at risk and are being assessed. Water supplies gave also been affected, with an estimated 250,000 currently without drinking water.
Australia – Evacuation orders are in place for several northern New South Wales towns amid warnings of life-threatening flash floods, just four weeks after record floods forced thousands of people from their homes in the region. As of 8.30am Tuesday, the NSW State Emergency Service had issued six evacuation orders covering 6,600 people in the northern rivers region. There was also one evacuation warning for 7,800 people, including the Lismore central business district. A region of Queensland was also covered by an alert after heavy rain dumped about 300mm over parts of the Gold Coast in less than a day.
Covid-19
The countries with the 10 greatest number of Covid-19 cases:
Dengue Fever – East Timor
The government of Timor-Leste has recorded more than 1,000 dengue fever cases in each of the first three months of 2022, reporting a total of 3,713 cases through March 29. This compares to 1451 total cases reported in all of 2020 and 901 total cases in all of last year. 44 fatalities have been reported.
Tuberculosis – DR Congo
In total, 11,735 cases of tuberculosis were detected in the province of Kasaï in 2021.
Measles – South Sudan
On February 23, a measles outbreak was declared in South Sudan in east/central Africa. As of early March, a total of 209 measles cases and two deaths (CFR = 0.9%) have been reported. Most cases are children under five years old (59.3%).
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) – Qatar
Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) declared that a case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) has been confirmed.
Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global
5.3 earthquake hits near the coast of Ecuador.
5.1 earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.
Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:
In the Southern Hemisphere: Tropical cyclone 22s (Halima), located approximately 973 nm south-southeast of Diego Garcia, is tracking southeastward at 07 knots.
Earth Report 