Earth ChangesS


Fish

Huge fish die-off spotted along Glen Cove Creek, New York

Dead fish New York
Glen Cove fish kill
Long Island waters have seen yet another massive fishkill, with fish seen floating near the shores of Glen Cove Creek — many dead, but others just fighting to survive.

"There's a lot of fish in a small area, they use up the oxygen and they're fighting to breathe," Lt. Lawrence Demmler, of the Glen Cove Harbor Patrol, said.

Demmler estimates well over a hundred thousand bunker fish have crowded the creek this year, opening their gills and mouths to desperately try to draw in more oxygen.

Dozens of fish have already died, with some sinking to the bottom. Others have floated to the shore to be picked apart by seagulls, CBS2's Elise Finch reported.


Cloud Precipitation

Worst in 100 years: Non-stop torrential rains flood southern India

India floods
© Strdel / AFPAn Indian labourer pushes his cycle trishaw through floodwaters in Chennai on December 1, 2015, during a downpour of heavy rain in the southern Indian city.
Thousands of people have been evacuated and a rescue operation is under way in Southern India, which has been severely flooded after several days of non-stop torrential rains, which prompted the closure of schools and factories and flight cancellations.

The city of Chennai, capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has been almost cut off from the outside world. According to local media, the rains have set a 100-year-old record in the city, which is home to about 6 million people.


"Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds may make the situation worse in Chennai," the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said, adding that the rains may continue for at least four days.

Arrow Up

Nicaragua's Mombotombo volcano erupts for first time in 110 years; 4 explosions in an hour

Momotombo volcano
© Jaime Incer
Momotombo volcano in Nicaragua reported first eruptions in the last 110 years on the morning (local time) of December 1, 2015. The eruptions produced steam and ash plumes rising up to 1 km (3 281 feet).

Four small explosions occurred at the volcano at 07:49, 08:17, 08:42 and 08:55 am (local time), Volcano Discovery reported. The last of the eruptions was the largest and sent a plume of ash and steam high above the crater.

The communities of El Papalonal and in the vicinity of the Momotombo geothermal plant situated SW of the volcano summit reported light ash fall. A team of volcanologists from the Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies (INETER) surveyed the area and took samples of ash and gasses.

This is the first time the volcano showed the signs of eruptive activity since 1905, and only 16 eruptions have been recorded since 1524, most of which have been small explosions of phreatic nature. The only two larger eruptions were observed in 1605 and 1609 when large bombs and blocks were expelled to the distances of approximately 6 km (19 685 feet), in the area of the nowadays abandoned town of León Viejo.

According to the scientists the volcano explosions has not been triggered by the increased activity of the nearby Telica volcano over the last few weeks.


Comment: Portions of the Pacific Ring of Fire have been active in the past 30 days:


Pacific Ring of Fire:

Ring of Fire
© Wikimedia Commons



Megaphone

Loud boom rattles residents in Schuylkill Haven, Pennyslvania

Loud boom PA
© UMH Properties
Things are usually pretty quiet around Sabrina and Todd Sterner's home near Schuylkill Haven. The loudest sound is usually their dog Hoagie barking, but Friday night something disturbed the peace.

Sabrina said, "I was just sitting here on the couch and just a big boom!" She added, "The house shook and windows shook." Todd said, "It was a boom! Real deep, you almost felt the concussion of the actual shock, nothing like a gunshot." The couple looked outside, but they couldn't see what had made the sound.

People reported hearing similar sounds in communities across the southern part of Schuylkill County, including New Philadelphia and Pottsville. The phenomena quickly became a hot topic on social media. Nicole Brown read about the sounds on Facebook before she went shopping for a Christmas tree in Schuylkill County. She said, "It makes me very curious. [It's] a little frightening. [It's] a little disturbing."

State Police at Schuylkill Haven tell us, while there can't say for sure what made the loud sounds, they suspect it is caused by people shooting guns at Tannerite canisters. The targets are known for making quite a racket when they are hit, and can be bought at some sporting good stores.

Bizarro Earth

Powerful explosion of Guatemala's Santiaguita volcano prompts air traffic precautions

Santiaguito volcano
© Screenshot via YouTube/juanp756
Santiaguito, an active dome of the Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala produced a large explosion on the morning (local time) of December 1, 2015, following a period of heightened activity. An active volcano watch and the necessary precautions for air traffic in the area have been recommended.

A period of increased activity of Santiaguito volcano since November 29 resulted in a strong explosion in the early hours of December 1. The explosion produced a plume of ash between 2 and 3 km (6 562 and 9 843 feet) high most likely accompanied by a small pyroclastic flow, Volcano Discovery reported.

A powerful explosion occurred at 07:07 am (local time) and a pyroclastic flow traveled about 15 km (9.3 miles) west-southwest. The ashes have been reported to fall near the St. Marcos Palajunoj, Finca La Florida and other adjacent villages, according to INSIVUMEH.

Several explosions have been reported over the last few days from the Caliente lava dome, significantly stronger than average. A moderately strong explosion was observed on November 30 at 01:34, which ejected incandescent bombs up to 150 m (492 feet) above the volcano dome. A large incandescent avalanche has also been observed on the eastern side of the Caliente dome.


Question

Mystery boom shocks Deerwood neighborhood in Minnesota

Deerwood MN
© Via flickr/Debora Drower
A loud boom heard by many in Deerwood Thursday prompted firefighters and sheriff's deputies to search for a possible explosion.

Shortly before 1 p.m. Thanksgiving day, a caller reported the boom and described that it sounded as if something had exploded. Deerwood Fire Chief Mike Bodie said Friday some of the volunteer firefighters were also among those who heard the loud sound, which occurred in the vicinity of the 23000 block of Serpent Road.

Bodie said the department, along with deputies from the Crow Wing County Sheriff's Office, searched the area for well over a half-hour, but were unable to locate the source of the sound.

Arrow Down

Sinkholes spread to 3 more villages in Kadapa, India

Sinkhole India
The emergence of fresh sinkholes is giving sleepless nights to people in the district.
The mysterious formation of huge sinkholes with deafening noise in three villages in Chintakommadinne mandal of Kadapa district has spread to three more villages in the mandal, spreading fear among villagers.

Even as the Geological Survey of India officials are analysing the causes for the phenomenon in Nayanoripalle and Peddamusalreddipalle and near Sri Bugga Malleswara Swamy temple in Chintakommadinne mandal a fortnight ago, the emergence of fresh sinkholes in Goodavandlapalle, Buggaletipalle and Buggalapalle in the mandal is giving sleepless nights to its residents.

Meanwhile, officials plunged into action on the orders of Kadapa District Collector K.V. Ramana and evacuated people from Nayanoripalle and Peddamusalreddipalle following the formation of sinkholes of a diameter of 25 feet. Land sunk, forming 15 feet-wide and seven-feet deep circular sinkholes at four places in Buggaletipalle and Buggalapalle villages in Chintakommadinne mandal on Sunday.


Comment: See also this earlier report: Nearly a dozen large sinkholes open up in Andhra Pradesh, India


Attention

Tens of thousands of dead fish found on beach near Jakarta, Indonesia

Dead fish
© Liputan6.com/Gempur M SuryaThousands of dead fish along the coast reclamation Ancol, Jakarta (30/11/2015). Thousands of dead fish washed up on the beach and is allegedly due to contaminated industrial waste.
Following the finding of tens of thousands of dead fish, resulting in a pungent smell, along Ancol Beach in North Jakarta on Monday, environmental campaign group Greenpeace has cited three possible causes for the phenomenon.

The first possibility, Greenpeace campaigner Arifsyah Nasution said on Tuesday, related to the accumulation of water from contaminated rivers on the northern coast due to rain.

"For example, water from the Ciliwung River contains organic materials and [dangerous waste] B3. During rain, this water can accumulate in the estuary, which is Jakarta Bay," Arifsyah said as quoted by kompas.com.

He added that the situation could lead to a lack of oxygen for fish. "The fish would be unable to survive due to the change in environment happening too fast," said Arifsyah.

Comment: A fourth possible option: the day prior this region was hit by 2 earthquakes, perhaps resulting in a seabed outgassing event? See: 5.6 magnitude earthquake shakes Greater Jakarta, Indonesia


Snowflake

Snowfall record for Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Image
© Joe Ahlquist / Argus LeaderA city of Sioux Falls truck clears 14th Street during a winter storm Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, in Sioux Falls.
Sioux Falls set a snowfall record for the second time this month Monday.

The National Weather Service reported that 8 inches of snow had fallen at the Sioux Falls airport by 9 p.m., beating the old record of 7.4 inches set in 1954. The NWS said more than 3 inches were possible to fall in the city by noon Tuesday.

A winter storm warning remains in effect until Tuesday night.

Parts of Sioux Falls shattered the previous record at the airport on Nov. 20 when 14 inches fell in the southern part of the city. Tea reported 18 inches that day.


Attention

Magnitude 5.2 earthquake rocks Kyrgyzstan

Image
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake rocked the region 40 km south of Uch-Terek in Kyrgyzstan at 6:13 UTC time Tuesday morning.

The remote region has some tourism. Arslanbob a small town close to the epicenter is known for its picturesque valley, mountain range, and a large wild walnut forest. It's the Jalal-Abad Province of Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyzstans first known export to Europe was the Arslanbob walnut. Two waterfalls are located in the area which attract tourists, pilgrims and other visitors during the spring and summer months.

According to USGS the earthquake location was:

40km (25mi) S of Uch-Terek, Kyrgyzstan
53km (33mi) NNE of Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan
54km (34mi) NE of Bazar-Korgon, Kyrgyzstan
56km (35mi) SSE of Toktogul, Kyrgyzstan
200km (124mi) SW of Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

No reports of damages or injuries are yet known.