EDM Tuesday Briefing: California Gas Leak Makes History, Study Connects Zika Virus and Birth Defects

Emergency and disaster management briefing for March 8, 2016: A study reveals that the Porter Ranch methane leak was one of the largest in history, researchers find a stronger link between Zika virus and birth defects, and the FBI/Apple iPhone unlocking battle continues.

1. The methane leak that lasted at least 112 days in Porter Ranch, CA [link url=”https://amuedge.com/study-ca-methane-leak-was-second-largest-ever-in-u-s/” title=”was the second largest ever recorded in U.S. history,“] a recent study concluded. The massive leak released a total of 97,100 tons of methane into the atmosphere — a total only surpassed by the collapse of an underground storage facility Texas in 2004.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/study-ca-methane-leak-was-second-largest-ever-in-u-s/”]

2. While crews from Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) [link url=”https://www.kcet.org/redefine/7-things-you-need-to-know-about-the-porter-ranch-gas-leak” title=”plugged the gas leak on February 18,“] many residents in Porter Ranch and surrounding communities still [link url=”http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-porter-ranch-appeal-20160302-story.html” title=”have yet to move back home.“] A California appeals court ruled that SoCalGas must continue to pay for [link url=”http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-porter-ranch-appeal-20160302-story.html” title=”temporary accommodations for displaced residents“] until March 18 while lingering health concerns are addressed.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/the-dangers-of-hidden-infrastructure/”]

3. It has long been speculated that Zika virus is linked to a birth defect known as microcephaly, but now Zika may be linked to other birth defects, as well. Results of a recent study in Brazil not only [link url=”https://amuedge.com/study-finds-links-between-zika-virus-and-birth-defects/” title=”strengthened the link between Zika and microcephaly,“] but also pointed to possible connections between Zika and other birth defects associated with central nervous system (CNS) development and fetal growth restriction.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/study-finds-links-between-zika-virus-and-birth-defects/”]

4. As of March 3, [link url=”http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204526/2/zikasitrep_4Mar2016_eng.pdf” title=”Zika has spread to 52 countries and territories.“] According to the World Health Organization (WHO), five of those 52 countries and territories [link url=”http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204526/2/zikasitrep_4Mar2016_eng.pdf” title=”reported a Zika virus outbreak that has since ended.“] The geographical distribution of the virus has steadily widened since the outbreak began in 2015, the WHO reported.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/the-zika-virus-dont-underestimate-the-threat/”]

5. The federal government [link url=”http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/07/apple-iphone-new-york-case-fbi-encryption” title=”filed an appeal in New York“] in its case against Apple about unlocking an iPhone as part of a criminal investigation. The judge ruled that the state cannot force Apple to unlock the iPhone, but federal officials are arguing that [link url=”http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/mar/07/apple-iphone-new-york-case-fbi-encryption” title=”Apple has willingly assisted in similar cases before“] and could easily do it again.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/privacy-vs-security-the-debate-that-cannot-end/”]

6. Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering at Apple, [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/apple-vp-the-fbi-wants-to-roll-back-safeguards-that-keep-us-a-step-ahead-of-criminals/2016/03/06/cceb0622-e3d1-11e5-a6f3-21ccdbc5f74e_story.html” title=”authored an op-ed in The Washington Post“] stating his case that building software to hack into the iPhone to help federal authorities unlock the device would “turn back the clock to a less-secure time and less-secure technologies.” [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/apple-vp-the-fbi-wants-to-roll-back-safeguards-that-keep-us-a-step-ahead-of-criminals/2016/03/06/cceb0622-e3d1-11e5-a6f3-21ccdbc5f74e_story.html” title=”Once this backdoor software exists“], he said, criminals could use it “wreak havoc on the privacy and personal safety of us all.”
7. The U.S. military [link url=”http://www.defense.gov/News-Article-View/Article/687353/us-conducts-airstrike-against-terrorist-camp-in-somalia” title=”conducted an airstrike against a terrorist camp in Somalia yesterday“] using both manned and unmanned aircraft. The large-scale attack [link url=”http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-35748986″ title=”killed more than 150 al-Shabab militants“] at the terrorist training facility about 120 miles north of the capital, Mogadishu.
8. The Department of Defense (DoD) is planning to host its first-ever program that will allow cyber security specialists to [link url=”https://amuedge.com/dod-invites-specialists-to-hack-the-pentagon/” title=”‘hack the Pentagon.’“] The DoD will begin a pilot program in April that will give vetted hackers a chance to find vulnerabilities in public DoD web pages.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/dod-invites-specialists-to-hack-the-pentagon/” url2=”https://amuedge.com/a-look-at-cyber-security/”]

9. Emergency personnel in Paris [link url=”http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/paris-prepares-for-possible-deluge-similar-to-1910-great-flood-a6916721.html” title=”began an 11-day exercise“] to test response to large scale flooding like the [link url=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1910_Great_Flood_of_Paris” title=”historic flood that happened more than 100 years ago “] in 1910. Up to 900 emergency personnel, 150 police officers and 40 emergency vehicles will be involved in the exercise, which will take place from March 7 to March 18.

[relink url=”https://amuedge.com/fema-to-stage-pacific-northwest-megaquake-in-june/”]

10. A fallen tree [link url=”http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hurt-train-derails-car-plunges-california-creek-37482981″ title=”caused a commuter train to derail“] in northern California last night. Parts of the train became submerged in a creek about 45 miles east of San Francisco. No passengers were killed but [link url=”http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hurt-train-derails-car-plunges-california-creek-37482981″ title=”at least nine were injured.“]