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Indonesia
Earthquake Rocks Eastern Islands
On Saturday, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit just north of Indonesia’s Flores Island, killing 68 people and forcing thousands to evacuate. The impact of the tremor damaged over 1,300 buildings, including schools, hospitals, and government offices. Many people remain trapped in the rubble, as thousands of survivors are left living in makeshift tents after fleeing their homes. The shockwaves also generated landslides in the mountainous islands, causing boulders and mud to block critical roads. Since Saturday, aftershocks have stopped people from returning to their homes as they await essential aid. Indonesia, which is located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” sits near the intersection of four tectonic plates, making the islands extremely vulnerable to powerful earthquakes.
This map depicts the epicenter of an earthquake that struck north of Flores Island this past weekend. The concentric rings show shake intensity based the MMI scale, which is overlaid on population data. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: USGS
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Democratic Republic of the Congo
DRC’s Deadliest Ebola Outbreak
The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has killed 2,325 people, according to government data released Sunday, surpassing the toll from the 2018-2020 outbreak to become the deadliest in the country’s history. DRC’s public health institute said in its latest report that confirmed cases had risen to 4,945, including 101 new cases detected in the previous 24 hours. The United Nations says one person in the country is dying every 30 minutes of the disease. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which has no approved vaccines or treatments. The outbreak has gained momentum since it was declared on May 15, as weak health infrastructure, community resistance, and instability hinder the effort to identify and respond to cases. The proportion of people dying from the outbreak after a confirmed infection, known as the case fatality ratio, has risen from about 20% in early June to 46%, according to government data, meaning nearly one in every two confirmed cases is now fatal.
This map depicts the distribution of cumulative confirmed cases of Bundibugyo virus disease in the DRC as of August 12. Click on the map to learn more.
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United States
Herd Immunity Decreases
Lower vaccination rates are causing a decrease in herd immunity across the U.S., as an executive order signed by President Donald Trump aims to reduce the number of vaccinations recommended for children. Vaccination rates had already been in decline before the pandemic, only to be further impacted with many schools loosening vaccine mandates in order to attract more students back to in-person classes. According to county-level data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), vaccination rates in kindergarten classrooms in more than 70 percent of U.S. counties fall below the threshold for herd immunity. Despite long-term evidence showing the safety and efficacy of the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine, the new guidance includes a recommendation to break it up into three separate shots, each delivered twice. Measles cases in the US have reached a 35-year-high this year, the vast majority of which are in people who have not been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. Experts have criticized the recent move for putting children at higher risk of contracting diseases, in addition to potentially increasing healthcare costs.
This map depicts county-by-county changes in herd immunity in kindergarten classrooms across the U.S. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What archipelago is home to 332 volcanic islands spread out over one million square miles (2.6 million sq km) in the South Pacific Ocean?
A: Fiji
Fiji comprises an archipelago of more than 332 islands, of which 110 are permanently inhabited and the rest comprises uninhabited islands with over 500 islets. The two major islands, Viti Levu and Vanua Levu, are home to 87% of the population of almost 850,000 Fijians. Fiji covers a total area of some 74,903 square miles (194,000 sq km) of which around 10% is land. The islands are mountainous, with peaks up to 4,265 feet (1,300 m), and covered with thick tropical forests. Fiji’s flora and fauna species are relatively few in number but higher proportions are endemic (found nowhere else in the world). Recent research has revealed the presence of over 340 species of reef-building corals, more than 1,200 species of reef fish (including 15 known endemics to the Fiji-Tonga region), over 475 species of mollusks, 17 species of cetaceans, and 5 species of marine turtles.
Source
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Q: What sea is known for its fossilized tree resin (amber) from ancient coniferous forests, giving rise to the Amber Road and the nickname “Land of Amber” for its bordering states?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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