Earth ChangesS


Seismograph

Shallow magnitude 6.1 earthquake hits southern Indian Ocean

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An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 hit the Indian Ocean on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said.

According to the US agency, the earthquake, with its epicenter in the southern Indian Ocean, struck at around 0700GMT.

Its depth was recorded at nearly 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

The earthquake came days after a major earthquake of 6.4 magnitude hit the South Asian nation of Nepal. Around 150 people were killed following the strong tremor in the landlocked Himalayan nation.

Fire

Eruption fears as Iceland's Grindavik residents given five minutes to go home amid earthquakes

crack road earthquake iceland volcano
© XEarth tremors have cracked a road in the center of Grindavik, Iceland, November 11, 2023
Seismic activity in area around Grindavik has 'increased significantly' in Iceland as eruption is predicted

Authorities in Iceland have declared a state of emergency as the threat of an "imminent" volcanic eruption which "could obliterate the entire town of Grindavik" loomed.

The Icelandic Met Office experts have said a volcanic eruption could last 'for weeks' as 30,000 earthquakes have been recorded since seismic activity began three weeks ago.

Matthew James Roberts, managing director of the service and research division at the Iceland Met Office, told Radio 4's Today Programme: "This would be a lava-producing volcanic eruption along a series of fissures and that would be the main hazard.

"Blowing lava an eruption that persists for weeks possible and that means roads and other forms of infrastructure could be eventually in harm's way."

Cloud Precipitation

Galway town in Ireland underwater as Storm Debi surge 'collapses sea wall' flooding cars

Flooding in Salthill
© Neasa ConneallyFlooding in Salthill
Salthill has been majorly flooded as seawater combined, with heavy rain, overwhelmed the town in the early hours of the morning.

Photos posted on social media show cars submerged up to their headlights parked near the seafront in the town.

The images were shared by Carlow Weather, who posted this morning that "Official stations show top gusts from Storm Debi was 113kmh at Knock Airport."

"Photos from Salthill in Galway by Neasa Conneally show cars flooded on the prom. Who parks their car there during Storm Debi?


Fire

Intense eruptive activity starts at Italy's Mount Etna

Intense eruptive activity starts at Italy's Mount Etna
Intense eruptive activity starts at Italy's Mount Etna
Intense eruptive activity started at the Mt. Etna, located in Italy's Sicily, local media reported on Monday.

As the volcanic clouds created by the explosions in the mountain have reached an inestimable height, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) issued a red code for aviation, noted the public broadcaster Rainews.

INGV announced that a network of surveillance cameras had revealed an increase in Strombolian activity at the southeast crater, accompanied by a lava overflow from the southeast saddle.

From the forecast model of volcanic ash dispersal, the simulation of the eventual dispersion of the volcanic plume indicates an east-southeast direction, it added.

Mount Etna, 3,357 meters (11,014 feet) in height, is one of the world's most active volcanoes and is in an almost constant state of activity.


Seismograph

Shallow 6.1 magnitude earthquake jolts Papua New Guinea

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A strong earthquake struck Papua New Guinea on Monday, the US Geological Survey said.

The earthquake measuring 6.1 struck Rabaul in the East New Britain province of the Pacific Island nation at around 0743GMT at a depth of around 10 kilometers (6.3 miles), according to the survey.

No loss of life or property has been reported so far.

Attention

Freak 3.5 meter wave slightly floods Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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A freak wave rolled in over Rio de Janeiro, and just kept rolling. Umbrellas, towels, people and the beach itself were no match for the 'sneaker wave,' an unusually high wave that appears to be a regular wave, until it's too late. This particular one was a miniature tsunami, reaching 3.5m tall.

The wave continued into the city itself, flooding the Leblon neighborhood and prompting an industrial-strength cleanup operation to remove the sand, debris and people. Of course, lots of people were filming and putting it on the internet, rather than getting to slightly less wet ground.

It is unclear if anyone was injured, or indeed what caused the freakishly high wave. One working theory is that it was a remnant of a large storm in the South Atlantic, although meteorologists have conceded it might have just been a really big wave.


Fire

Bolivian firefighters tackle forest blazes amid drought

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At least seven wildfires in Bolivian forests have prompted the deployment of firefighters along with specialized aircraft. Local authorities reported that some of the fires were particularly difficult to put out as they were 'inaccessible by land.'


Question

Pond turns pink in Hawaii

The pond at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge in Maui, Hawaii, turned pink.
The pond at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge in Maui, Hawaii, turned pink.
A coastal pond in Maui island in Hawaii has changed appearance and its water has turned pink. While scientists and local authorities are searching for a possible cause of such an unusual phenomenon, people on the island have been taking in the beauty of pink waters.


Attention

Woman trampled to death by an elk in Arizona - first such fatality in state's history

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An Arizona woman has died more than a week after she was trampled by an elk outside her home, wildlife officials said Tuesday.

The woman, who has not been named, died eight days after she was attacked by an animal on her property in the remote Pine Lake community in the Hualapai Mountains, 15 miles southeast of Kingman.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department said it was believed to be the first fatal elk attack in the state's history. Five attacks have been recorded in the last five years, it said.

It said in a statement that the woman's husband found her on the ground in the couple's back yard at 6 p.m. Oct. 26 "with injuries consistent with being trampled by an elk."


Snowflake

Best of the Web: Alaska's largest city declares 'snow emergency' after record snowfall - 65 inches in less than 24 hours at Thompson Pass

East of Anchorage, Richardson Highway over Thompson Pass (MP 19-63) was closed due to heavy snowfall and wind from the storm.
© Alaska Department of Transportation & Public FacilitiesEast of Anchorage, Richardson Highway over Thompson Pass (MP 19-63) was closed due to heavy snowfall and wind from the storm.
A winter storm dropped record snowfall amounts in Anchorage, Alaska, with some areas outside of Anchorage proper receiving more than 2 feet of snowfall in just two days.

The largest city in Alaska broke its daily snowfall record on Wednesday when 9 inches of snow fell in 24 hours. For context, the previous record for Nov. 8 was 7.3 inches set in 1982. Another 8.2 inches piled up on Thursday, which also broke the daily record of 7.1 inches set on Nov. 9, 1956. That brought Anchorage's two-day total to 17.2 inches of snow.

By late Thursday, Anchorage had a 21-inch snow depth, or the total amount of snow on the ground. This was Anchorage's greatest snow depth for so early in the season, according to Alaska-based climatologist Brian Brettschneider. Already, 26.6 inches of snow has fallen in Anchorage this season, which is 17.5 inches above the average snowfall to date for Nov. 9.