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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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Observations

Heavy rains cause flash floods in western Kenya
Police officers reportedly trapped in floods as West Pokot county is hit again by a potentially deadly landslide.
West Pokot, Kenya
Al Jazeera

Jammu-Srinagar-Leh highway closed, opening of Mughal road delayed
Rain across J&K, fresh snowfall at higher reaches Gopal Sharma JAMMU, Apr 17: Rain across J&K UT and the snowfall on the higher reaches has thrown
Jammu, Kashmir, India
Jammu Kashmir Latest News

Wildlife Return to Field Training Area
As human activity is reduced due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, wildlife sightings become more frequent.
CFB Shilo Training Area

Fresh bear tracks in popular hiking area
"It is unusual for bears with youngsters to wake up so early and it is difficult to say why these have come out. The bears may have been disturbed by humans or other animals."
Dákteroavvi, Finnmark Fylke, Norway
NRK

Evidence of Forest Erosion by Sea Level Rise
The northwest and west shoreline of Cormorant Island, British Columbia appears to have eroded due to sea level rise during the last few decades.
West Side Trail, Cormorant Island, British Columbia

Coyote (Canis latrans) Observed in Edmonton Urban Setting
A coyote was observed in urban Edmonton, when they are usually found in grasslands, agricultural lands, or forested areas.
Beaumont, Alberta, Canada

Patches of Disrupted Trees
I noticed sections of trees that had fallen over and or had their tops broken off. I'm wondering if it was a micro storm or a disease that affected the trees.
Barnard, Vermont, United States

Massive landslide damages houses, shuts highway at Ramban
A massive landslide damaged 28 houses in a village along Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, rendering hundreds of people homeless, officials said on Sunday.
Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Hindustan Times

The coffins should be safely in the permafrost – now more emergency need to be excavated
Permafrosten på Svalbard kunne gitt dem evig liv. Men nå er historien til hundrevis av hvalfangere i ferd med å tine bort.
Likneset, Svalbard, Svalbard and Jan Mayen
NRK

Ten bodies recovered from PNG landslide which buried 12
Ten bodies have been recovered from a landslide which buried 12 people in Papua New Guinea's Western Highlands.
Tambul, Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea
RNZ

Here there has not been such snow in 20 years
It's been decades since there has been so much snow on the icebergs in southern Norway.
Jostedalsbreen, Norway
NRK

Dead reindeer used to warn against reindeer danger
Some try to be creative to avoid reindeer driveways. But this is not something the Norwegian Public Roads Administration wants.

Thawing causing houses to slide sideways
Staircases are separating from building and utility poles leaning.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Jeffrey Luther, John Warren, Chris Dankmeyer, Oxcenia O'Domin, Max Neale, Christopher Dillon, PE, John Monville, Abby Nelson

Sink Hole in Road Impacting Home Foundation
The ground under the new road is developing a sink hole and affecting the foundation of the adjacent house.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Jeffrey Luther, Nellie Wesley, Paul Walton, Mike Brubaker, John Warren, Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, David Beveridge

Difficult grazing conditions for reindeer
In Karasjok and Kautokeino, there has been greater snowfall than usual on winter pastures. The difficulty in digging down to pasture is effecting reindeer in large parts of Troms and Finnmark.
Ivgobahta, Troms, Norway
Troms og Finnmark

Extreme weather 'Elsa' hit the coast of Norway
The extreme weather "Elsa" left its mark along the Norwegian coast on Monday night until Tuesday. In many places the water has gone far above the ordinary flood level and many cellars have been filled with water.
Måløy, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Geir Bjarte Hjetland, Ingrid Aarekol, Benedikte Grov, Roy Raasholm Fauske, Olaug Bjørneset, Julianne Bråten Mossing

Worried for the raspberries, they have started to sprout
The raspberries believes spring has begun now. They have started to bloom and have no idea that the cold temperatures may come in an instant.
Drøbak, Akershus, Norway
Silje-Lisette Tennøy, Miriam Alsvik, Iselin Øverbø

Snake encounter in January
The earliest I have ever seen the cormorant snake has been around the first week of April. I could never imagine meeting snakes in January.
Svartevatnet, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Ina Christin Løvseth, Ola Weel Skram, RoyRaasholm Fauske

Overflow Flood Waters Threaten House and Road System
A hole cut in the ice has produced a lot of overflow, and flooding is now threatening homes and a state-managed road.
Newhalen, Alaska
Lexi Trainer, Sonny Lamont, Melany Eakin, Edward "Ted" Smith, Erica Lujan, Savannah Anelon

After Heavy Rain, Landslides Shut Down Roads on Portland’s Edges
It’s been a relentlessly rainy January, with no sign of slowing down. And all the precipitation has put Portland-area roads at risk of being buried by landslides.
Portland, Oregon, United States
Willamette Week

SR4 closure may extend for weeks or months
SKAMOKAWA — The highway between Naselle and Longview will remain closed “for an indeterminate amount of time” following a large landslide Jan. 23, state highway officials said Jan. 28.
Skamokawa, Washington, United States
Chinook Observer

Several rainfall records have already been broken - now a warning has been sent out on Helgeland
Several rainfall records in Nordland have already been struck. Now a warning has been sent out for even more of the same. - We are in the top tier of what we have measured by rainfall over the last 100 years, says meteorologist Bente Wahl.
Bodø, Nordland, Norway

Icing in the high mountains produces desperate reindeer
Icy conditions in the mountains have caused wild reindeer to descend towards the hut areas to find food. In several places ski areas are now closed to prevent the reindeer from being disturbed.
Hovden, Aust-Agder, Norway

Worried about the bees this year
During the first weeks of the year, the beekeeper from Tønsberg has registered that several bees have flowed out of the cube. It really shouldn't happen until March.
[Read in
Revetal, Vestfold, Norway
Linn Udnes, Hege Therese Holtung, Magnus Skatvedt Iversen

About a fourth of Selawik homes currently have frozen pipe and it’s a chronic problem
Mayor Clyde Ramoth says frozen pipes are a chronic problem due to issues with the initial installation of the above-ground water system. The warming climate isn’t making things any easier.
Selawik, Alaska, United States
KOTZ Radio 720 AM

Hundreds of thousands of fish dead in NSW as bushfire ash washed into river
Ecologist fears the Macleay River may take decades to recover, with heavy rains likely to affect other waterways
Macleay River, New South Wales, Australia
the Guardian

The devastating cost of bushfires on Kangaroo Island's rare wildlife
Tens of thousands of livestock and hundreds of unique bee hives have been destroyed on South Australia's Kangaroo Island along with thousands of koalas and kangaroos.
Cape Jervis, South Australia, Australia
Mail Online

Landslide threat increasing as powerful storm expected by weekend
DES MOINES, Wash. - Drier weather on Wednesday helped to lessen the landslide threat across Western Washington, but another system will be moving in later in the week, increasing the threat by Friday.
Des Moines, Washington, United States
Q13 FOX News

Devastating floods, and also landslides and sinkholes
Heavy rainfalls over the past few months have done more than unleash devastating floods. A landslide caused by heavy rain left three caravan holiday homes teetering on the brink of a cliff at Trimingham, near Cromer on the Norfolk coast, on Monday (News, January 8).And over the past six months th
Cromer, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom
The Times

Shishaldin Volcano eruption raises alert level to red
Shishaldin Volcano is spewing ash up to 27,000 feet in sky, leading to flight cancelations.
Shishaldin Volcano
KTUU

Australia bushfires trap thousands on east coast beaches
Residents fled toward the waterside as winds pushed an emergency-level wildfire towards their homes. The town was shrouded in darkness from the smoke before turning an unnerving shade of bright red.
Mallacoota, Victoria, Australia
The Globe and Mail

Soil loss during high rainfall event
The following Tweet is an observation of soil erosion and loss from an agricultural field in rural England during a rainfall event. This was documented on Twitter by Dave Throup, Environment Agency Manager for Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
General overviews of increasing rainfall and soil degradation in the UK are attached.
Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom
Twitter

Erosion Threatening Burial Site
A few years ago, people had to cover up parts of the burial site that were becoming exposed.
Wales, Alaska, United States
Racheal Lee, Max Neale, Erica Lujan, Tom Wolforth, Mike Brubaker, Michael Bruce, Debra Seetook, Vladimir Romanovsky, Louisa Castrodale

Car strikes large boulder on rockfall-prone stretch of Seward Highway
No one was injured when a car hit a 6-foot-by-8-foot rock that fell from cliffs next to the Seward Highway late Wednesday.
Anchorage, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Erosion of Burial Site
Shishmaref, Alaska, United States

Storms worsened during lifetime
*Dr. Brian Starzomski, Director & McTaggart Cowan Professor of Environmental Studies at the University of Victoria, shared an observation by his father that coastal storms have worsened during his lifetime*
Ben Eoin, Nova Scotia, Canada
Twitter

Pallets in the marsh melt in warmer climates
Palsmyr is threatened by climate change. At Ferdesmyra in Finnmark, the characteristic ice-filled pals that protrude from the terrain will be gone in a few years.
Ferdesmyra, Norway
Miljødirektoratet/Norwegian Environment Agency

Erosion threatens campsites at Nome River, Fort Davis
Severe erosion at the Nome River mouth has cost Rita Hukill and her family most of their land at their campsite at Fort Davis.
Nome, Alaska, United States
The Nome Nugget

Settlement of Water Treatment Plant and Numerous Areas in Community
Ground settling is causing a wide range of impacts in Noatak, including to the water treatment plant. But are there benchmarks to monitor the changes in the water plant?
Noatak Alaska
John Warren, David Beveridge, Nellie Wesley, Vladimir Romanovsky, Brian Menghini, Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, John Monville, Mike Brubaker

Erosion of Russian Era Graves
Erosion of Russian era graves is a concern because of history with epidemic, and tribal office has to collect and rebury remains.
St. Michael, Alaska, United States
Michael Bruce, Michelle Snowball, Anahma Shannon, Tom Wolforth, Racheal Lee, Darlene Chiskok

Sizable Sea-Cliff Chunk Collapses into Ocean
“I could hardly believe my eyes,” said Ingólfur Sveinsson, resident of the Skagi peninsula.
Sauðárkrókur, Northwest, Iceland
Iceland Review

Gravesite Sinking
Noatak site experiencing thawing and subsidence.
Noatak, Alaska, United States
Paul Walton, Chris Dankmeyer, Tom Wolforth

Meshik Village Erosion and the End of Goldfish Lake
Gradual sea ice reduction and reconfiguration of the coast, have increased the rate of erosion near Port Heiden over the course of several decades. Draining of Goldfish Lake brings memories, loss of community landmark, and many emotions.
Port Heiden, Alaska, United States

Thaw-related Cracking of Local Roads
Observers seek guidance on causes for road cracks and how to address damage.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Vladimir Romanovsky, James Olanna, Johnee Seetot

Ground Sinking at Historic Mass Burial Site
This year was one of the warmest and wettest in recorded history, and permafrost thaw is causing the ground at the mass gravesite to sink.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Vanessa Tahbone, Tom Wolforth, James Olanna, Johnee Seetot, Vladimir Romanovsky, Mike Brubaker, Louisa Castrodale, Racheal Lee

Hill Where Graveyard is Located is Eroding
This year was one of the warmest and wettest in recorded history and permafrost thaw is causing the ground at the community cemetary to thaw and erode. The community is seeking guidance on best practices for relocation of remains.
Brevig Mission, Alaska, United States
Vanessa Tahbone, Anahma Shannon, James Olanna, Tom Wolforth, Johnee Seetot, Racheal Lee, Vladimir Romanovsky, Mike Brubaker

Powerful king tide causes minor flooding on Boston waterfront
Visitors to the waterfront near the New England Aquarium around 12:30 p.m. had to dodge waves slamming over docks and maneuver around water pooling on walkways. Experts say the scene will probably be replayed in the future as sea levels rise.
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
BostonGlobe.com

California fires see 200,000 evacuated while 3 million may lose power
For the third year in a row, an enormous wildfire is destroying homes and properties in California, with smaller fires raging elsewhere in the state.
Sonoma Valley, California, USA
New Scientist

Erosion of Gravesites along River
Golovin, Alaska, United States

500 earthquakes recorded in northeast
An earthquake swarm that started on Saturday night just off the coast in the Öxarfjörður area of northeast Iceland is still going strong. Some 500 quakes have now been registered, including 60 over magnitude 2.0. The epicentre of most of them is around 30 kilometres west-north-west of Kópasker.
Öxarfjörður Area
RÚV

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

Unidentified Foam on Fallen Leaves
Unusual foam on autumn fallen leaves does not belong to a spittlebug, but may be a type of fungus.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
Jessie Moan, Stephen Payton, Derek Sikes

Climate change thaws permafrost
Nils Thomas discovered "sinkhole" in the middle of Finnmarksvidda. Scientists have long warned against this, and now it happened.
Vuohcetjávri, Kautokeino

Permafrost Thaw and Related Flooding
Concern about permafrost thaw and possible impacts to underground water and wastewater lines.
Golovin, Alaska, United States
Racheal Lee, Carol Oliver, David Beveridge, Mike Brubaker, Katie Lund, Bradford Blackstone, Anahma Shannon, John Warren

Heavy rain causes flooding, mudslides in Juneau
Areas of the Southeast Alaska city “received between 3 and 7 inches of rain” in 24 hours over the weekend. The sodden ground caused mudslides in some areas, and wrecked roads and ditches around John Street and Peters Lane in Douglas.
Juneau, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Scientists monitoring new marine heat wave off B.C. coast similar to 'the Blob'
A new marine heat wave spreading across a portion of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of British Columbia resembles the infamous "blob" that disrupted marine life five years ago.
Northeast Pacific Ocean
CBC

Svalbard is now experiencing unusually large amounts of ice
The Meteorological Institute (MET) is currently registering an unusual phenomenon around Svalbard, unusually large amounts of sea ice.
Nordaustlandet, Svalbard
abc nyheter

Getting help from Sweden and Denmark for coping with the rains in Fredrikstad
Nearly 1,000 water damages have been reported following the heavy rainfall night to Sunday.
Fredrikstad, Østfold, Norway

E16 closed after landslide
Heavy rainfall in western Norway resulted in floods, raids, evacuations and several road closures. At E16, 19 people were trapped as both sides of the tunnel collapsed.
Voss, Hordaland, Norway
Even Norheim Johansen, Valentina Baisotti, Silje Thalberg

Couples evacuated after landslides and fumes in Kvam
Inge Hamre and Marta Apelthun Hamre had to evacuate by boat as heavy rainfall turned their garden into a river.
Norheimsund, Hordaland, Norway
Even Norheim Johansen, Ole Kollstrøm Heilevang

Heavy lightning and thunder created havoc in Eastern Norway
Several trains have been delayed and canceled due to the storm.
Oslo, Norway
Anja Strønen, Hilde Nilsson Ridola, Anette Holth Hansen, Victoria Wilden, Henriette Morth, Kaja Staude Mikalsen

Hail storms cause 'doomsday' floods in Madrid as cars swept away by huge rapids and vineyards destroyed
La tormenta se ve en el eco del radar que mostrado antes de este tweet … la fuerte tromba caída en el sureste de #Madrid nos deja las primeras imágenes captadas en las calles de #Arganda @PadelKass donde el cielo se ha desplomado en pocos minutos … wow! #lluvia #Tormenta pic.twitter.com/ELI1LFB4sq — Mario Picazo (@picazomario) …
Arganda, Madrid, Spain
Olive Press News Spain

City Implements Water Conservation Measures
Persistent high pressure over the Gulf of Alaska and Bristol Bay has kept most storms well away from the lower Kenai Peninsula. At Homer, total rainfall June 1-August 16 was only 53% of normal, making this the driest since 2004. The City of Seldovia has issued a "City Water Conservation Notice" on August 20th. The notice doesn't ban any specific water use but requests residents make an effort to use less water by minimizing watering lawns and washing cars and to take shorter showers.
Seldovia, Alaska, United States
John Warren, Brian Berube, Don Green, Michael Opheim , Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith, Stephen Payton

Erosion and Weird Growth on Tundra
An unidentified fungus is growing along the eroding coastal bank.
Kotlik, Alaska, United States

Napakiak loses access to a main road as riverbank erosion persists
Storms tore more land away from Napakiak’s already heavily eroded riverbank in early August. About eight feet of bank fell into the Kuskokwim River, adding to the more than 100 feet of shoreline that has already been lost this year.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States
Alaska Public Media

High Water in Selawik All Summer Long
High water posed safety hazards and resulted in the removal of boardwalk but also allowed boats to go further up river than usual.
Selawik, Alaska, United States
Ida Norton, Chris Dankmeyer, Crane Johnson, Tanya Ballot, Richard L Thoman Jr

Heavy rain and continuing erosion force Napakiak to block main street
Winds gusted up to 46 mph and about 2.4 inches of rain fell from Friday to Sunday.
Napakiak, Alaska, United States
Anchorage Daily News

Glaucous-winged Gulls (Larus glaucescens) Nesting on Bogoslof Island
"Since the last eruption event, most seabird species that previously nested on the island have returned and made attempts to breed again...but the habitat is currently not ideal."
Bogoslof Island, Alaska, United States
Melissa Good, Kathy Kuletz, Chris Price, Nikki Whittern

August Storm Resulted in High Water
An unseasonable rain event brought high rainfall and led to high water, especially around noon on August 3rd.
Unalakleet, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Gay Sheffield, Racheal Lee, John Henry, Richard L Thoman Jr, Edward "Ted" Smith

Storm-related Erosion in Shaktoolik
"We were lucky to have the berm in place. The next day, the water levels went down and the erosion was noticeable."
Shaktoolik, Alaska, United States
Anahma Shannon, Racheal Lee, Jacquelyn Overbeck, Richard Buzard, Jolene Auliye, Gay Sheffield, Edward "Ted" Smith

E39 is washed away
Several ground slides close E39 between Førde and Skei in Jølster. More than 150 people must be evacuated.
Vassenden, Sogn og Fjordane, Norway
Marita Solheim, Roy Raasholm Fauske, Erlend Blaalid Oldeide, Tonje Noreng Trøen

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
Siberia Times

Rusty Tussock Moth (Orgyia antiqua) Caterpillars in Nome
Unusually high abundance of rusty tussock moth caterpillars in the Nome area.
Nome, Alaska, United States
Elizabeth Graham, Jessie Moan, Robin Mulvey, Tammy Davis, John Lundquist, John Lundquist

Scarlet Globemallow in suburban Calgary
Uncommon wildlfower species found in suburban Calgary.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

TenTen Creek return of Salmon Species
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

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