2017 Year in Review: Day 2 | Environment

6-word summary of environmental phenomena in 2017: Trump says climate change isn't real?

• Arctic Sea ice this winter was both thinner and scanter than ever before, approximately 8% less ice than usual.
• Trump signed an executive order to stop funding for EPA's plan to limit  coal-burning power plants
• There have been 64,610 fires this past year, burning a total of 9,574,533, the National Intervention Fires reported. The average number of fires in this past decade is 67,940 with an average of 6,531,605 acres burning. The LA Times declares Thomas fire as "the fifth-largest wildfire in modern California history."

Hurricane Report

Hurricane Maria | Photo courtesy of WPLG Local 10

• Total hurricanes: 17 -- Maria was the strongest among the top three major storms (Maria, Irma, Harvey).
• This year has been the most expensive season to recover from, with more than $369.86 billion in damages.
• More than 882 casualties.
• This year has been one of six years to have multiple Category 5 hurricanes, with six of the hurricanes being Category 3 or higher this year.

Earthquake Report

• Total casualties: 1,231
• Top 5 strongest: 
• 1) México (8.2 M -  92 fatalities - September)
• 2) Papua New Guinea (7.9 M - 3 fatalities) - January)
• 3) Russia (7.7 M - 0 fatalities - July)
• 4) Philippines (7.3 M - January - 0 fatalities) and Iran/Iraq (7.3 - November - 630 fatalities).
• 5) México (7.1 - September - 370 fatalities)
• Top 5 deadliest: 
• 1) Iran/Iraq
• 2) México (7.1 M - September 19 - 370 fatalities) - on the same day as the 32nd anniversary of México's previously strongest quake, the 1985 earthquake.
• 3) México (8.2 M - September 8 - 98 fatalities)
• 4) Italy (5.7 M -  January - 34 fatalities)
• 5) China (6.5 M - August - 25 fatalities)

Earthquake in México, Sept. 7, 2017 |  Courtesy of KTLA

Other Natural Disasters News*

1. Zimbabwe - early 2017 - severe rains and a cyclone in - 117+ casualties and thousands homeless
2. China - January to June - severe floods - 144+ casualties, 56 of which died in early July within just a couple of days | According to China's Ministry of Civil Affairs and the National Commission for Disaster Reduction, other natural disasters have killed over 70 more people. Overall, 1 million people have sought shelter elsewhere and approximately 31,000 homes have been destroyed.
3. Peru - July - unusually warm water from the Pacific Ocean, which caused major flooding - 150 casualties
4. Afghanistan and Pakistan - winter - avalanches - 156 casualties, especially women and children
5. The Democratic Republic of Congo - August - landslide - 174 casualties, leaving approximately 280 children orphaned.
6. Sri Lanka - May - strong rainfall and monsoon wind which caused flooding and landslides - 250 casualties and counting
7. Colombia - April - massive landslide - 300+ casualties | Subsequent landslides have affected many impoverished Colombian towns, which fail to come up with their own relief without international support.
8. Sierra Leone - August - mudslide caused by heavy rainfall and flooding  - 600+ casualties
9. Bangladesh, India, and Nepal - summer - flooding and landslides - 1,200+ casualties

*According to U.S. News