By Charles 
Ayo Dada: Japan raises warning level on volcano not far from nuclear plant – Japan warned on Saturday that a volcano 50 km (31 miles) from a just-restarted nuclear reactor is showing signs of increased activity, and said nearby residents should prepare to evacuate. Sakurajima, a mountain on the southern island of Kyushu, is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes and erupts almost constantly. But a larger than usual eruption could be in the offing, an official at the Japan Meteorological Agency said. “There is the danger that stones could rain down on areas near the mountain’s base, so we are warning residents of those areas to be ready to evacuate if needed.” The agency also said it had raised the warning level on the peak, 990 km southwest of Tokyo, to an UNPRECEDENTED 4, for prepare to evacuate!
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine officials say that flooding from heavy rains has left 12 people dead. Swollen rivers in the past weeks have also forced the evacuation of thousands of people. The civil defense agency of the northern province of Cordoba said Friday that 10 victims were found there. A total of 1,434 people have been evacuated in Cordoba, where it rained as much in the past few weeks as all of last year. Those evacuees include all 1,000 people in the town of Idiazabal, which is completely flooded.
The state news agency Telam also reported that two victims died in the province of Santiago del Estero, some 700 miles (1,150 kilometers) north of Buenos Aires. About 3,000 people have so far been evacuated in that province.
Ecuador declares a state of emergency over massive Cotopaxi volcano – Cotopaxi is one of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes. The president of Ecuador declared a state of emergency Saturday in response to volcano activity 30 miles away from the country’s capital. A few hundred people were evacuated from two residential areas as the volcano began to spew ash. The institute says that the volcano’s frequency and style of eruptions make it one of the world’s most dangerous. The volcano’s last major eruptive period occurred in the late 19th century.
Mexico’s Colima volcano – Colima volcano has been firing out plumes of smoke and hot ash in a series of small eruptions. The most recnt eruption is the latest in a summer of volcanic activity, with the last eruption just four days ago.
What’s with all the volcanoes these days? – Volcanic activity in Cotopaxi, near the capital of Ecuador, is the latest incident in recent months, during which a number of volcanoes have come to life. Cotopaxi is the latest to reflect a recent series of volcanic activity around the world, including ash emissions from Raung volcano in East Java, Indonesia which led to the closing of airports in Bali and shallow explosions at Sakurajima volcano in Kyushu, Japan. In 2014, volcanoes in Hawaii, Alaska, Italy, and Iceland, among other places, showed signs of activity.
What’s causing these volcanoes to come to life?
Philippines – Extreme northern Luzon will be directly hit by an incoming typhoon by the weekend, according to the state weather bureau.
Gigantic Jets Above Hurricane Hilda – Gigantic jets are lightning-like discharges that spring from the tops of thunderstorms, reaching all the way from the thunderhead to the ionosphere more than 50 miles overhead. They’re enormous and powerful. “Gigantic jets are much more rare than sprites…it was not until 2001-2002 that gigantic jets were first recorded from Puerto Rico and Taiwan.” Only a few dozen gigantic jets have ever been seen, mostly over open ocean.
Britain – Mancunian Way hole: Warning not to approach road collapse. Members of the public are being told not to cross a safety cordon around a large hole that appeared in a busy Manchester road on Friday. The warning came as United Utilities said a section of the Mancunian Way could be shut for at least two weeks. About two weeks’ worth of rain fell in about six hours in Manchester on Friday. Engineers reported work to stabilise the site was “hindered” by people crossing the cordon. The hole, which appeared after heavy rain, was “unsafe”. “It’s too dangerous at the moment to approach and assess properly.” The hole was being monitored for any further collapse. “A full assessment won’t be carried out until we are satisfied it is safe for inspection.”
Brace yourselves: Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts super cold, slew of snow for much of U.S. – Just when you thought you had gotten over last winter, be warned: The Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts it will be super cold with a slew of snow for much of the country, even in places that don’t see too much of it, like the Pacific Northwest. Look for above-normal snow and below-normal temperatures for much of New England; icy conditions in parts of the South; and frigid weather in the Midwest. The snowiest periods in the Pacific Northwest will be in mid-December, early to mid-January and mid- to late February. The 224-year-old almanac is 26 years older than its closest competitor, “The Farmers’ Almanac.”
Montana declares state of emergency as U.S. Northwest battles blazes – Montana declared a state of emergency on Sunday to battle more than a dozen wildfires as blazes, fueled by drought and winds, also raged in Oregon, Idaho and the California wine region north of San Francisco. Wildfires have destroyed 50 homes in north central Idaho while a fire in north-central Washington nearly doubled in size, almost encircling the town of Chelan and forcing the evacuation of some 1,500. The Reach fire, sparked on Friday by lightning strikes and high winds, had doubled to 55,000 acres (22,250 hectares) by Sunday.
Temperatures soar as Israel hit with ‘extreme’ heat wave – Forecasters say high humidity levels to intensify heat; Jordan Valley gears up for temperatures up to 48º. A punishing heat wave wracking Israel was set to peak on Sunday, with temperatures projected to rise above 40°C (104°F) in some areas. The heat wave, THE THIRD OF ITS KIND IN UNDER A MONTH, was expected to bring temperatures up to 37°C (99°F) in Jerusalem and 35°C (95ºF) in Tel Aviv. Forecasters at Israel’s Meteorological Service said most regions nationwide would experience “very high to extreme heat stress,” coupled with high levels of humidity, making temperatures feel even hotter than reported.
More than 5,000 earthquakes have hit northwest Nevada since swarm started in July 2014 – Seismologists studying a year-long swarm of thousands of mostly minor earthquakes in northwest Nevada say they could be the precursor for a big one.
Philippines – Phivolcs warns of quake risk in Davao. The next 7.0-magnitude quake will possibly be devastating to such areas as Davao City and would trigger the collapse of buildings.
South Asia’s Deadly Rains of 2015; Tropical Storm Watch in Hawaii – A multi-week series of disastrous rains, floods, and mudslides has taken more than 400 lives and affected millions in a broad swath from Pakistan to Vietnam over the last several weeks. This is the height of the South Asia and Southeast Asia monsoon season, when life-giving rains sweep from the Indian Ocean across India and neighboring countries after the parched, scorching conditions that typify spring. Monsoon-related floods often produce hundreds of deaths across India each year.
Dozens missing after landslide in Shaanxi, China – At least 26 people remain missing after a landslide in China’s northwest Shaanxi province. About 1 million cubic metres of mud buried dormitories and homes owned by the Shaanxi Wuzhou Mining Company in Shanyang county early on Wednesday.
Scotland’s poor summer: What is to blame? Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland have been having an UNUSUALLY COOL AND WET summer so far. Some crops are failing and animals are being brought in from the fields early. There has even been snow on the mountains.
Europe and Egypt swelter in heatwave. Much of central and eastern Europe is in the grip of a heatwave, with several countries breaking record temperatures. Egypt has also been affected.
California blaze grows, prompting more evacuations – Wildfires are charging through several states in the parched West, scorching homes and forcing people to flee. Flames are plaguing some California residents, who had to evacuate for the second time.
