History Channel

Tectonic Summary

The September 19, 2017, M 7.1 earthquake in Central Mexico occurred as the result of normal faulting at a depth of approximately 50 km. Focal mechanism solutions indicate that the earthquake occurred on a moderately dipping fault, striking either to the southeast, or to the northwest. The event is near, but not directly on, the plate boundary between the Cocos and North America plates in the region. At the location of this event, the Cocos plate converges with North America at a rate of approximately 76 mm/yr, in a northeast direction. The Cocos plate begins its subduction beneath Central America at the Middle America Trench, about 300 km to the southwest of this earthquake. The location, depth, and normal-faulting mechanism of this earthquake indicate that it is likely an intraplate event, within the subducting Cocos slab, rather than on the shallower megathrust plate boundary interface.

While commonly plotted as points on maps, earthquakes of this size are more appropriately described as slip over a larger fault area. Normal-faulting events of the size of the September 19th, 2017 earthquake are typically about 50×20 km (length x width).

Over the preceding century, the region within 250 km of the hypocenter of the September 19th, 2017 earthquake has experienced 19 other M 6.5+ earthquakes. Most occurred near the subduction zone interface at the Pacific coast, to the south of the September 19 event. The largest was a M 7.6 earthquake in July 1957, in the Guerrero region, which caused between to 50-160 fatalities, and many more injuries. In June 1999, a M 7.0 at 70 km depth, just to the southeast of the September 19, 2017 earthquake, caused 14 fatalities, around 200 injuries, and considerable damage in the city of Puebla (MMI VIII).

Today is the anniversary of the devastating 1985 M 8.0 Michoacan earthquake, which caused extensive damage to Mexico City and the surrounding region. That event occurred as the result of thrust faulting on the plate interface between the Cocos and North America plates, about 450 km to the west of the September 19, 2017 earthquake. Today’s earthquake also occurs 12 days after a M 8.1 earthquake offshore of Chiapas, in southern Mexico. The epicenter of the M 8.1 event is located about 650 km to the southeast of today’s quake. That earthquake also occurred as the result of normal faulting within the subducting Cocos Plate, at a depth of 50-70 km.

Reuters

“…Human rights group Amnesty International described her speech as “little more than a mix of untruths and victim-blaming”, saying she and her government were “burying their heads in the sand” for ignoring the army’s role in the violence.

“We condemn all human rights violations and unlawful violence. We are committed to the restoration of peace and stability and rule of law throughout the state,” Suu Kyi said in her address in the capital, Naypyitaw.

“Action will be taken against all people, regardless of their religion, race and political position, who go against the law of the land and violate human rights,” she said….”

ZCZC MIATCPAT5 ALL
TTAA00 KNHC DDHHMM

BULLETIN
Hurricane Maria Advisory Number  13
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL       AL152017
500 AM AST Tue Sep 19 2017

…EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HURRICANE MARIA HEADED FOR THE VIRGIN
ISLANDS AND PUERTO RICO…

SUMMARY OF 500 AM AST…0900 UTC…INFORMATION
———————————————-
LOCATION…16.0N 62.3W
ABOUT 65 MI…100 KM WSW OF GUADELOUPE
ABOUT 205 MI…325 KM SE OF ST. CROIX
MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…155 MPH…250 KM/H
PRESENT MOVEMENT…WNW OR 300 DEGREES AT 9 MPH…15 KM/H
MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…934 MB…27.58 INCHES

WATCHES AND WARNINGS
——————–
CHANGES WITH THIS ADVISORY:

None

SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* Guadeloupe
* Dominica
* St. Kitts, Nevis, and Montserrat
* U.S. Virgin Islands
* British Virgin Islands
* Puerto Rico, Culebra, and Vieques

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Antigua and Barbuda
* Saba and St. Eustatius
* St. Maarten
* Anguilla
* St. Lucia
* Martinique

A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…
* Saba and St. Eustatius
* St. Maarten
* St. Martin and St. Barthelemy
* Anguilla
* Isla Saona to Puerto Plata

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* St. Vincent and the Grenadines
* West of Puerto Plata to the northern Dominican Republic-Haiti
border

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected
somewhere within the warning area.  Preparations to protect life and
property should be rushed to completion.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are
expected somewhere within the warning area.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions are possible
within the watch area.  A watch is typically issued 48 hours
before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force
winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or
dangerous.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are
possible within the watch area, generally within 48 hours.

Interests elsewhere in Hispaniola, the southeastern Bahamas, and
the Turks and Caicos Islands should monitor the progress of Maria.
Additional watches and warnings may be required today.

For storm information specific to your area in the United
States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please
monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service
forecast office.  For storm information specific to your area
outside the United States, please monitor products issued by your
national meteorological service.

DISCUSSION AND 48-HOUR OUTLOOK
——————————
At 500 AM AST (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Maria was located
near latitude 16.0 North, longitude 62.3 West.  Maria is moving
toward the west-northwest near 9 mph (15 km/h), and this general
motion is expected to continue through Wednesday.  On the forecast
track, the eye of Maria will move over the northeastern Caribbean
Sea today, and approach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico tonight
and Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds are near 155 mph (250 km/h) with higher
gusts.  Maria is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Wind Scale.  Some fluctuations in intensity are likely
during the next day or two, but Maria is forecast to remain an
extremely dangerous category 4 or 5 hurricane while it approaches
the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.  An Air Force Hurricane Hunter
aircraft is currently investigating Maria.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the
center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles
(205 km).

The estimated minimum central pressure is 934 mb (27.58 inches).

HAZARDS AFFECTING LAND
———————-
WIND:  Hurricane conditions will continue to spread throughout
portions of the hurricane warning area in the Leeward Islands this
morning.  Hurricane conditions should spread through the remainder
of the Hurricane Warning area later today and Wednesday.  Hurricane
conditions are possible within the Hurricane Watch area in the
Dominican Republic late Wednesday, with tropical storm conditions
possible by early Wednesday.  Tropical storm conditions are possible
in the Tropical Storm Watch area in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
this morning, and are possible in the Tropical Storm Watch area in
the Dominican Republic on Wednesday.

Wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hills and mountains
could be much stronger than the near-surface winds indicated in this
advisory.

STORM SURGE:  A dangerous storm surge accompanied by large and
destructive waves will raise water levels by as much as 7 to 11
feet above normal tide levels in the hurricane warning area near
where the center of Maria moves across the Leeward Islands and the
British Virgin Islands.

The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause
normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters
moving inland from the shoreline.  The water is expected to reach
the following heights above ground if the peak surge occurs at the
time of high tide…

Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands…6 to 9 ft

The deepest water will occur along the immediate coast near and to
the north and east of the landfall location, where the surge will be
accompanied by large and destructive waves.  Surge-related
flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal
cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances.  For information
specific to your area, please see products issued by your local
National Weather Service forecast office.

RAINFALL: Maria is expected to produce the following rain
accumulations through Thursday:

Central and southern Leeward Islands…10 to 15 inches, isolated 20
inches.
U.S. and British Virgin Islands…10 to 15 inches, isolated 20
inches.
Puerto Rico…12 to 18 inches, isolated 25 inches.
Northern Leeward Islands from Barbuda to Anguilla…4 to 8 inches,
isolated 10 inches.
Windward Islands and Barbados…2 to 4 inches, isolated 6 inches.
Eastern Dominican Republic…4 to 8 inches, isolated 12 inches.

Rainfall on all of these islands will cause life-threatening flash
floods and mudslides.

SURF:  Swells generated by Maria are affecting the Lesser Antilles.
These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip
current conditions.  Please consult products from your local
weather office.

CDC 

Preparedness for Expectant and New Parents

NY Times

“….Judy Frum, the chief nursing officer at the air conditioned hospital just across the street from the rehabilitation center, was working in the Irma command center when the emergency room notified her that three patients had been brought in from the nursing home.

“It set off a red flag that something might be going on,” said Frum, who grabbed a colleague and hurried across the street.

When they arrived, paramedics were treating a critically ill patient near the entrance. She saw harried staff members trying to get patients into a room where fans were blowing.

The center had some electricity, but not enough to power the air conditioning.

Frum called her facility, Memorial Regional Hospital, to issue a mass casualty alert. As many as 100 hospital employees rushed over to help….”

History Channel

WHO

Chikungunya – Italy

As of 14 September, fourteen autochthonous confirmed cases of chikungunya have been diagnosed in Italy, six in Rome and eight in the coastal area of Anzio (Lazio Region). There are additional cases being investigated.

The date of onset of symptoms of the first case was on 5 August 2017. The dates of onset of the latest cases are between 25 August and 7 September 2017.

Public health response

The following public health measures described in the Italian National Chikungunya Surveillance and Response Plan are implemented:

• Disinfestation and vector control measures in the Anzio and Rome areas;
• Communication to the population about chikungunya and information on protection against mosquito bites. Ministry of Health’s website has pages about chikungunya which can be found here;
• Measures to prevent transmission through blood transfusion;
• Information and guidelines for health care practitioners to manage patients.

The National Health Institute (Istituto Superiore di Sanità) issued a public statement on 8 September 2017 concerning the outbreak.

WHO risk assessment

There is a risk for further transmission. This is due to:

• Aedes albopictus being established throughout the Mediterranean basin;
• this vector having demonstrated the capacity to sustain outbreaks of chikungunya in the past; and
• the area of the current case being highly populated and touristic particularly in summer months.

The disease mostly occurs in Africa, Asia, Americas and the Indian subcontinent. In 2007, transmission was reported for the first time in Europe, in the Emilia Romagna region of north-eastern Italy. There were 217 laboratory confirmed cases during this outbreak and it demonstrated that mosquito-borne outbreaks by Aedes albopictus are possible in Europe. Currently, there is another ongoing autochthonous outbreak in Var Department that started in early August 2017.

WHO advice

Personal protection

Basic precautions should be taken by people within and travelling to this area of Italy. These include wearing long sleeves and pants, use of repellents, and ensuring rooms are fitted with screens to prevent mosquitoes from entering.

Clothing which minimizes skin exposure to the day-biting vectors is advised. Repellents can be applied to exposed skin or to clothing in strict accordance with product label instructions. Repellents should contain DEET, IR3535, or Icaridin. People should sleep under a mosquito bed net and use air conditioning or window screens to prevent mosquito bites. Mosquito coils or other insecticide vaporizers may also reduce indoor biting.

Vector control

The Aedes albopictus species thrives in a wide range of water-filled containers, including tree-holes and rock pools, in addition to artificial containers such as unused vehicle tires, saucers beneath plant pots, rain water barrels and cisterns, and catch basins.

Prevention and control relies heavily on reducing the number of these natural and artificial water-filled container habitats that support breeding of the mosquitoes. This requires mobilization of affected communities, and strengthening monitoring of the vector mosquito. During outbreaks, indoor space spraying with insecticides may be performed to kill flying mosquitoes along with killing the immature larvae in water-filled containers through source reduction.

About chikungunya

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected mosquitoes. It causes fever and severe joint pain. Other symptoms include muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash. Joint pain is often debilitating and can vary in duration. Hence the virus can cause acute, subacute or chronic disease. There is no cure for the disease and treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms. The proximity of mosquito breeding sites to human habitation is a significant risk factor for chikungunya.

NY Times

“…..A New York Times examination of corporate records, epidemiological studies and government reports — as well as interviews with scores of nutritionists and health experts around the world — reveals a sea change in the way food is produced, distributed and advertised across much of the globe. The shift, many public health experts say, is contributing to a new epidemic of diabetes and heart disease, chronic illnesses that are fed by soaring rates of obesity in places that struggled with hunger and malnutrition just a generation ago….”