As rain swelled the banks of local rivers, creeks, and streams over the latter half of this past week, residents of North Carolina looked to dry out this weekend from the persistent rains and threats of severe weather brought along by the first named storm of the 2013 Atlantic Hurricane Season, Tropical Storm Andrea.

Tropical Storm Andrea was a quick-forming storm, pulling itself together in the eastern half of the Gulf of Mexico midway through the week and moving to assault the residents of the eastern seaboard as it moved northward. After soaking rains, heavy winds, and tornadoes battered parts of Florida, Andrea quickly picked up ground speed and moved quickly across the eastern coast of Georgia late Thursday evening, moving north to flood the Carolinas with a light, consistent rain, intermixed with bouts of absolute downpours.

More pest species are becoming resistant to the most popular type of genetically-modified, insect-repellent crops, but not in areas where farmers follow expert advice, a study said on Monday.

The paper delves into a key aspect of so-called Bt corn and cotton -- plants that carry a gene to make them exude a bacterium called Bacillus thuringiensis, which is toxic to insects.

Publishing in the journal Nature Biotechnology, US and French researchers analysed the findings of 77 studies from eight countries on five continents that reported on data from field monitors.

Of 13 major pest species examined, five were resistant by 2011, compared with only one in 2005, they found. The benchmark was resistance among more than 50 percent of insects in a location.

Of the five species, three were cotton pests and two were corn pests.

Three of the five cases of resistance were in the United States, which accounts for roughly half of Bt crop plantings, while the others were in South Africa and India.

As the Indonesian Volcanological Survey (VSI) specified in its latest bulletin, parts of the active lava dome of the volcano have recently (early June) grown higher than the northern crater rim, where it is cut by a valley extending to the northern feet of the stratovolcano. Therefore, potential continued growth of the dome poses the risk of rockfalls and pyroclastic flows reach the northern flanks, where a number of villages are located, namely Pasilulu and Talen. In addition, VSI scientists have detected an increase of seismicity and degassing since early May. This includes volcanic tremor from growing lava dome and deeper earthquakes, possibly related to new magma rising, and the occurrence of notable sulfur smell.

Ibu's activity has been characterized by the slow building of a new lava dome inside the breached summit crater since 1999. While present growth rate is still slow, and no or little incandescence is observed at the moment, the new seismic activity could herald a phase of more vigorous activity in the near future. In that scenario, the occurrence of dangerous landslides and pyroclastic flows would be likely and the northern slopes of the volcano should be considered a high risk zone. - Volcano Discovery

A weak eruptive activity has started from the volcano. Since last night, weak ash emissions have appeared from the central cone of the caldera of the volcano. The new activity is accompanied by a persistent steam plume and increasing volcanic tremor. So far there seem to be no lava flows or other significant eruptive processes. The new ash emissions are very diluted and reach about 200-300 m height. They were first observed on the Aviation camera of Perryville from last night at around 17-18h local time. AVO who has not yet reported about the ash confirmed to Blog Culture Volcan that the plume indeed contains very small amounts of ash, which pose no problems to aviation (for now). The volcano last erupted in 2008. - Volcano Discovery

A natural phenomenon more common for America, a tornado, has hit the South of France shocking locals and holidaymakers on the Côte d'Azur, the Mediterranean coastline. As thousands in Central Europe are struggling to cope with devastating floods which have already claimed the lives of at least 21 people, a tornado ripped through the French Riviera on Sunday morning. The violently rotating column of air and water formed off the coast not far from popular resort towns of Cannes and Nice. The phenomenon was observed from the Cagnes-sur-Mer commune in southeastern France, rising off to Villeneuve-Loubet and Antibes, reports Nicematin.com. So far, no damage or injury has been reported. The incident is being widely discussed on social networking services where users - some of them freaked out others rather thrilled - share videos and photos of the "tornado." "OMG there was a mini tornado in my town today. In Nice!" tweeted user nicknamed Sachamallow. "There's been a tornado in Cannes. I bet the end of the world is approaching! we're all gonna die you, will see," noted @Amaandarine. - RT

Indiana Department of Transportation officials say they anticipated sinkholes along I-69 and are working to fill them.

As I-69 construction continues in Monroe County, crews are encountering a number of sinkholes.

The state department of transportation says it is not unexpected given all the karst features in the area. But residents are worried about the impact of the construction on the environment.

Bulldozers and land movers are working to clear a path through southern Monroe County that will eventually become part of I-69.

This phase of the construction is the most challenging because of the karst topography. The construction is exposing large caverns, some 30 feet deep and 15 feet across.

Cape Girardeau's public works director Tim Gramling said two sinkholes on South Sprigg Street, near LaCroix Creek, continue to grow. A sinkhole in the creek is causing water to flood into the nearby Buzzi Unicem quarry.

Gramling said as the waters of the Mississippi River rose to above flood stage for the second time this spring, the problem worsened. He said one of the sinkholes on South Sprigg Street is about 50 feet in diameter and about 15 feet deep. A second sinkhole near the end of the bridge over the creek is 20 to 25 feet in diameter and is roughly 6 to 8 feet deep.

"And it's growing as we're talking," he said.

A sinkhole measuring about five feet wide and eight feet deep will close the right-hand turning lane on 2000 West just before 300 North until crews can repair it, officers said.

Davis County Sheriff's Sgt. Susan Poulsen said a white truck got stuck in the sink hole sometime after 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The truck did not receive any damage.

The road is also known as State Road 108. Utah Department Transportation crews will assess the sinkhole and repair it, Poulsen said. It could take some time before the lane is open again for traffic.

City crews were out late Wednesday afternoon to begin repairing a sinkhole that opened up and nearly swallowed a small car in Buffalo's Kaisertown neighborhood.

Neighbors tell us the hole located at Willett and Griswold was just patched up in the morning, then gave way and grew into this sinkhole just as a car was driving down the street.

Winter Park, Florida - A large sinkhole swallowed up half of a woman's backyard pool. The sinkhole is 40-feet by 50-feet wide and 30-feet deep.