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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Russia’s coldest city suffocates under a thick blanket of smog from September wildfires
The lengthy wildfire season follows a record-hot Arctic summer. People living in Yakutsk are waking up to heavy smog brought from the wildfires raging to the west, east and north; struggling to breathe and with head, eye and throat aches.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

Wildfires add to coronavirus misery across nine Siberian regions and republics
With Russia on Covid-19 lockdown, 77 houses were burned down in Novosibirsk and Kemerovo regions.
Краснинское, Ленинск-Кузнецкий район, Кемеровская область, Russia
Siberia Times

Where is our spring? Locals in Western Siberia say it feels like they skipped a season
Abnormally hot May weather resembles midsummer with air temperatures as high as +35C.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

Horror as brown bear walks into a village and grabs one of six year old twins
Boy was mauled to death, his sister managed to escape and raised alarm.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia
Siberian Times

Dam burst in Krasnoyarsk region: 10 dead, another 10 missing, 14 injured, 130 evacuated
Flood on Seyba River at gold mining facility leads to major emergency after accident near Shchetinkino village.
South of Krasnoyarsk
Siberia Times

Permafrost is ablaze with hundreds of wildfires in world’s coldest region
Wildfires on permafrost are ravaging Yakutia - or the Sakha Republic - the largest and coldest entity of the Russian Federation. The scale is mesmerizing. There are some 300 separate fires, now covering 12,140 square kilometers - but only around half of these are being tackled, because they pose a threat to people. The rest are burning unchecked.
Sakha, Russia
Siberian Times

Delhi: Bhalswa landfill smoulders for 2nd day, shrouds areas in toxic haze
The blaze was the fourth such incident in the last one month, as Delhi’s landfills are catching fire due to heavy build up of methane between the layers of millions of tonnes of garbage and high temperatures the city. Local residents said small fires keep erupting in the huge mountain of waste, but they have not seen such a massive one that broke out on Tuesday night.
New Delhi, Delhi, India
Hindustan Times

First-ever cases of obesity in Arctic peoples as noodles replace traditional diet
Changes in traditional diet and lifestyle of native ethnic groups in the Yamalo-Nenets region have brought the first cases of obesity. Change in wildlife routes and climate are among factors causing diets to change.
Yamal Peninsula

Avalanche hits ski resort near Norilsk
Father missing under snow; more than 200 people continue search and rescue at -23C, snowstorm and bleak light of polar night.
Norilsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Dead giant octopuses washed ashore south from Kamchtka peninsula on the Kuril Islands
A mass die off of fish and invertebrates has been reported in the Sea of Okhotsk, west of Kamchatka. Dozens of surfers reported symptoms including including poor eyesight, fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes and head and throat aches.
Severo-Kuril’sk, Sakhalin, Russia

Sun disappears in bizarre repeat of last year’s blackout
This time weather experts think the blackout was caused by smoke from wildfires mixing with heavy rain clouds.
Verkhoyansk, Sakha, Russia

Flood apocalypse in Eastern Siberia kills five and maroons 9,919 whose homes destroyed or damaged
State of emergency in Irkutsk region as President Vladimir Putin flies in amid carnage from heavy rain - with ‘worse to come’.
Tulun, Irkutsk, Russia

Roofs ripped off dozens of buildings, including maternity hospital, by stormy wind in Chita
The stormy wind at 30 metres per second rose in Chita in the afternoon on Wednesday 13 May.
Chita, Transbaikal Territory, Russia

Death cap mushrooms popping up early in Uplands
The potentially fatal death cap mushrooms that killed a three-year-old boy last year are popping up early in Uplands. The mushroom, known by the scientific name Amanita phalloides, was discovered.
Ripon Road, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Nuclear town on fire, with residents 'choking' from smoke
Facilities for producing weapons grade plutonium believed safe despite fierce flames caused by wildfires.
Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Ash turns Siberia snow black triggering acute pollution concerns from locals
Blame for pollution is focused on failure of coal plant to filter emissions.
Прокопьевский, Кемеровская область, Russia

The day the world’s most polluted city was in Siberia
The locals call it Black Sky, a combination of weather conditions and the exhaust from dozens of factories in this industrial city on the Yenisei river.
Krasnoyarsk, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Pack of brown bears reported in Magadan region
Bears in the Far East of Russia have become extremely aggressive searching for food. Experts say the number of bear attacks on humans this year is 'unprecedented.'
Takhtoyamsk, Magadan Oblast, Russia

2019 to be ‘worst-ever year’ for wildfires in Siberia and ‘only rain can now extinguish flames’
Some 5.4 million hectares of land are ablaze across Russia, mostly in Siberia and the country's far east. Water sprayed by planes to fight the fires is ‘now as expensive as Champagne’.

More than two million hectares on fire in Siberia, with tundra on fire destroying the permafrost
Some 784,931 hectares of wildfires are raging on permafrost zones including the Arctic in Yakutia - officially Sakha Republic - and the Khanty-Mansi autonomous region, causing possibly irreparable damage to the tundra. Other infernos are sweeping through boreal forests which are known as the lungs of the Northern Hemisphere.
Vanavara, Krasnoyarskiy, Russia

Oil worker killed and eaten by hungry bears as beasts besiege towns and villages
Staff and passengers at Nyagan airport in fear of bear patrolling the runway and trying to break into terminal.
Nyagan, Khanty-Mansiyskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Town in Mongolia closed for quarantine after Bubonic plague claimed two lives
The Mongolian Ministry of Health confirmed two people died from plague after consuming raw meat and internal organs of a marmot.
Өлгий, Bayan-Ölgiy, Mongolia

Black skies over Siberia as wildfires rage around the world’s oldest lake
Cries to urgently call state of emergency in Irkutsk region as it chokes in smoke.
Irkutsk, Irkutsk, Russia

Warning issued after toxic death cap mushrooms found in Greater Victoria
The highly toxic death cap mushroom, responsible for the death of a Victoria toddler in 2016, has already been found growing in Greater Victoria, much earlier than expected.
Cedar Hill Golf Course, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Far East Russia’s Sakha Declares Wildfire Emergency
Sakha is now the fourth region in the Far East where a state of emergency is currently in place due to wildfires. The other three are the Zabaykalsky and Amur regions, as well as the republic of Buryatia. Russia’s wildfire season officially began in early March. By mid-April, regions in the Far East recorded nearly twice as many fires as they had during the same period last year, with most blazes caused by human negligence.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
The Moscow Times

String of collapses at Del Mar bluffs
Officials press forward with emergency plan following string of collapses at Del Mar bluffs.
Del Mar, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Deadly Tensions Rise as India’s Water Supply Runs Dangerously Low
Some 600 million Indians, about half the population, face high to extreme water scarcity conditions, with about 200,000 dying every year from inadequate access to safe water, says a government report.
Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India
New York Times

President Tokayev Arrives in Kostanai Region as Forest Fires Burn Record 43,000 Hectares
The Kostanai Region declared a state of emergency on Sept. 4 after forest fires burned a record 43,000 hectares (the size of Сarribean Barbados island) and forced an evacuation of 1,841 people.
Аманкарагай, Әулиекөл, Kostanay, Kazakhstan
The Astana Times

Wildfires Blanket Moscow in Smog
The fires affecting Moscow are concentrated in the Ryazan region, some 250 kilometers to the south. This is not the first time smog has appeared in Moscow in recent months, with local authorities advising residents to wear masks to protect themselves earlier this month.
Moscow, Russia
The Moscow Times

Wildfires rage across Siberia and the Russian Far East
Dry conditions fuel dozens of fires and result in a state of emergency across the Siberian Federal District.
Bubnovka, Irkutsk, Russia

At least 35 killed and 17 missing after Typhoon Hagibis tears through country, flooding rivers and submerging cities
In the aftermath of the largest typhoon to hit Japan in decades, the nation on Sunday was still assessing the scope of the damage caused by the massive storm.
Japan
The Japan Times

Officials resort to artificial rain to tackle raging wildfires in Siberia
Fires have wreaked havoc this summer with Yakutia and the Yamalo-Nenets autonomous the latest to be hard hit.
Yakutsk, Sakha, Russia
The Siberian Times

Afghanistan floods devastate villages, killing 315
Northern Afghanistan devastated by flash floods, 315 dead, 1,600 injured. Thousands of homes damaged, livestock lost. Villagers lack essentials.
Nahrīn, Wilāyat-e Baghlān, Afghanistan
The Times of India

Intense Rainfall Brings Floods to Russia's Far East Primorye Region
Intense rainfall in Russia's Far East Primorye region caused floods, power outages, and evacuations, with water levels exceeding the norm by eightfold in some areas, following previous flooding caused by tropical storm Khanun.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia
The Moscow Times

Mongolia Quarantines Russian Border Region Over Bubonic Plague Suspicion
Lab tests confirmed that two individuals had contracted the illness after eating marmot meat.
Khovd, Hovd, Mongolia

Saint Lucians Urged To Protect Themselves Against Saharan Dust
Saint Lucia’s Ministry of Health has advised citizens to take measures to protect themselves from the ill effects of Saharan dust.
Castries, Castries Quarter, Saint Lucia
St. Lucia Times News

Sudden snowstorm snarled traffic, caused accidents in Kazakh capital
A severe and sudden snow storm caused traffic jams and road accidents. From Nov. 11 to Nov. 13 alone, more than 230 crashes occurred on the roads of Nur-Sultan, according to the city’s police department. Five people were injured in the accidents.
Nur-Sulta, Kazakhstan
The Astana Times

Over 1,000 families flee Davao del Norte floods
At least 1,130 families in some villages in Santo Tomas town in Davao del Norte were displaced by flash floods early morning of April 11, 2021. The Santo Tomas LGU, together with these three affected barangay (villages), are set to discuss the reoccurring flooding issue attributed to the various drainage canals or the lack of them.
New Visayas, Davao, Philippines
The Manila Times

Fluff Flies Into Russia's Capital
Early summer in Moscow brings an onslaught of allergy-inducing, Instagram-ready fluff from poplar seeds.
Moscow, Moscow, Russia

Typhoon Maysak Batters Russia’s Far East
High winds reached speeds of up to 154 km/hr. At least three people died and dozens were injured. The storm unmoored a floating dry dock, causing it to slam into some of the vessels making up Russia's Pacific Fleet.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia

Siberia Rushes to Extinguish Fast-Spreading Wildfires
Gallery | The fires, which were swept in from Mongolia by high winds, have caused almost $9.4 million in damage.
Zabaikalsky Region, Russian Federation

Russian Wildfire Smoke Choking Siberian Cities
Photos of Yugorsk and other cities showed residential buildings fuzzy under a blanket of white smog.
Yugorsk, Khanty-Mansiyskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug, Russia

Siberia Feels the Brunt of Climate Change as Wildfires Rage
The driest summer in 150 years has turned Yakutia into a tinderbox and seen wildfires tear through the region.

Dangerously Low on Water, Cape Town Now Faces ‘Day Zero’
One of Africa’s richest cities is threatening to turn off the taps to its four million residents, cutting off homes and most businesses.
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
The New York Times
Norimitsu Onishi and Somini Sengupta (The Daily Maverick)

Algae Bloom Fouls N.J.’s Largest Lake, Indicating Broader Crisis
Lake Hopatcong, normally buzzing with swimmers and water skiers, is filled with cyanobacteria in quantities never before recorded.
Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, United States
New York Times

At least 34 dead after Uganda landslide
At least 34 people have been killed after a river in eastern Uganda burst its banks, sending thick sludge and rocks barreling into homes.
Bukalasi, Uganda
The Times of India

Plague Is Found in New Mexico. Again.
Two people were found to have plague this week. What does the disease look like in the modern world, and why does it keep happening in New Mexico?
Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States
The New York Times

Residents of Smog-Hit Russian Town Sue Over Health Complications
Locals blamed a mining company for attempting to hide what they called an 'ecological tragedy.'
Sibay, Bashkortostan, Russia

‘It Burns and It Keeps Burning’: Scenes From Southern California’s Wildfires
Wildfires have burned more than 100,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Fighting them were professionals and homeowners with garden hoses.
Los Angeles, California, United States
The New York Times

Burning Coal for Survival in the World’s Coldest Capital
Many residents of Ulan Bator, Mongolia, use coal-burning stoves during the winter months when staying warm is a matter of survival. But the pollution is hazardous to their health.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
New York Times

Another Landslide Hits The Philippines
At least 15 people are dead and dozens more are missing.
Naga City, Naga, Philippines

Left to Louisiana’s Tides, a Village Fights for Time
For the community of Jean Lafitte, the question is less whether it will succumb to the sea than when — and how much the public should invest in artificially extending its life.
Jean Lafitte, Louisiana, United States

Across Australia, Yet Another Scorching Summer
Australia’s heat waves, now an annual ordeal, have been expanding into new territory — like Tasmania, where more than 50 wildfires were burning as of Friday.
Australia

Intense Flooding Hits Russia's Black Sea Resort Sochi
Local power supplies were cut off, apartment buildings were flooded, cars were seen being washed away and a river overflowed, leading to one civilian death and several injuries.
Sochi, Krasnodarskiy, Russia

Unmasked: the scale of Arctic junk polluting the pristine environment
One region alone - Yakutia - has 5 million tons scrap metal dumped in polar regions, an ugly Soviet legacy.
Kotelny island, Yakutia Region, Russia
The Siberian Times

Hurricane Maria Makes Landfall in Dominica as Other Islands Brace for Potential Disaster
Hurricane Maria barreled through the islands that curve through the Caribbean.
Dominican Republic, Caribbean

Portland bakes: 105 degrees forecast Thursday
After hitting 100 degrees Wednesday, Portland’s light-rail trains are operating at slower speeds amid concern that the heat will cause tracks to expand and risk a derailment. In exchange for the slow service, inspectors are not checking riders for tickets.
Portland, Oregon, United States
The Seattle Times

Death Toll From Heat Wave in Karachi, Pakistan, Hits 1,000
Searing temperatures, which have been as high as 113 degrees, were below 100 on Thursday, but a sense of panic and crisis persisted in the city.
Karachi, Sind, Pakistan

Four dead, thousands evacuated in north Argentina floods
Heavy rainfall breaks local and regional records, as provincial governments in the Litoral region struggle to
Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province, Argentina
Buenos Aires Times

Powerful Quake and Tsunami Devastate Northern Japan
Japan was filled with scenes of desperation a day after an 8.9-magnitude quake, as survivors called for help and rescuers looked for people buried in rubble.
Sendai, Miyagi, Japan

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