Earth ChangesS


Radar

Magnitude 5.4 earthquake hits Kazakhstan - USGS

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake was recorded in eastern Kazakhstan on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicentre was 71 km (44 miles) northeast of Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty, at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles), the geological survey said on its website, www.usgs.gov.

Reuters reporters in Almaty felt buildings shake for several seconds, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

Bad Guys

South of Panama - Earthquake Magnitude 6.0

Panama Quake_300411
© USGSEarthquake Location
Date-Time:
Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 08:19:16 UTC

Saturday, April 30, 2011 at 03:19:16 AM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
6.878°N, 82.287°W

Depth:
9.9 km (6.2 miles)

Region:
SOUTH OF PANAMA

Distances:
178 km (110 miles) S of David, Panama

200 km (124 miles) SW of Santiago, Panama

222 km (137 miles) SSE of Golfito, Costa Rica

384 km (238 miles) SW of PANAMA CITY, Panama

Question

US: Mysterious Red Water Concerns Ohio Residents


As creepy as it looks, no, it is not a scene from some gory movie.

Red water was discovered in Rattlesnake Creek Thursday in Norwalk in Ohio's Huron County.

Fire officials said rain washed the dye away from a closed powder-coating company. Machines were being moved from the company's buildings, and the rain mixed the dye with creek water.

Neighbors said it was an image they will not forget anytime soon.

"Everywhere we saw, it was just blood-red in color. I've never seen anything like it," said John Johnston, who lives near the creek.

Cloud Lightning

Freak Hail Storm Brings Chaos and Flooding to Lisbon, Portugal

Image
A sudden freak hail storm caused traffic chaos in the Benfica area of Lisbon, Friday, 29th April 2011, when temperatures dropped 20 degrees (from 27 to 5 Celsius) at 3.55pm. Roads and travellers were left to deal with an unseasonal slushy flood that turned streets into rivers and left several feet of ice piled up in many areas.



Bizarro Earth

Volcano In Ecuador Erupts Friday




Banos, Ecuador -- Tungurahua Volcano spews ash as high as 10km (33,000-feet) into the air, triggering residents to evacuate and officials to divert flights. Known as "Throat of Fire," Tungurahua is one of eight active volcanos in Ecuador.

Ecuador's "Throat of Fire" volcano erupted today spewing ash that forced hundreds of residents to flee, authorities said.

Loud explosions shook the ground and rattled windows near the volcano, known as Tungurahua in the indigenous Quechua language, 81 miles southeast of Quito, officials said.

Attention

New Zealand: More Aftershocks Follow Christchurch Earthquake 2011

Image
© Debbie RoomeImage of Earthquake Damage to the Basilica in Christchurch 2011
Just after 7am on Saturday 30th April 2011, Christchurch was shaken by a 5.2 aftershock. This was centered 65 kilometers from the city center.

Christchurch continues to experience aftershocks as the national state of emergency in New Zealand draws to a close. As from May, the Christchurch Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) will take over the planning and recovery process in the city.
Another Large Aftershock Felt in Christchurch

At 7:08am on Saturday 30th April, Geonet recorded a 5.2 aftershock in the Christchurch region. It released 879 tons of energy and was rated as 6 on the Mercalli scale. This rating describes potential effects as follows: "Felt by everyone. Difficult to stand. Some heavy furniture moved, some plaster falls. Chimneys may be slightly damaged." The motion was somewhat subdued in Christchurch due to the distance but was still obvious as a significant aftershock. Facebook comments within minutes indicated the large area affected and included the following: "Really felt it here in Oxford! Almost felt like September again just shorter. Threw me out of bed! Woke me up in Kaiapoi but I wasn't quite sure if we were having one. Everyone else still asleep. Too tired after staying up late last night to watch the wedding. Felt that in Redwood, so much for a sleep in. Felt that in Belfast - also heard from dad in Rakaia who said his house shook really badly. Felt it in Ashburton. Woke me up with a sudden jolt."

Christchurch experienced five aftershocks in the 24 hours preceding the 5.2 shake. These ranged from a 2.8 to a 3.8.

Cloud Lightning

Propaganda: US Tornadoes Whipped Up by Wind, Not Climate: Officials

US meteorologists warned Thursday it would be a mistake to blame climate change for a seeming increase in tornadoes in the wake of deadly storms that have ripped through the US south.

"If you look at the past 60 years of data, the number of tornadoes is increasing significantly, but it's agreed upon by the tornado community that it's not a real increase," said Grady Dixon, assistant professor of meteorology and climatology at Mississippi State University.

Image
In the aftermath of a severe tornado, owner Frank Evans stands on the rubble that was the Quik Pawn Shop in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. US meteorologists warned Thursday it would be a mistake to blame climate change for a seeming increase in tornadoes in the wake of deadly storms that have ripped through the US south.
"It's having to do with better (weather tracking) technology, more population, the fact that the population is better educated and more aware. So we're seeing them more often," Dixon said.

But he said it would be "a terrible mistake" to relate the up-tick to climate change.

The tornadoes that ripped through the US south this week killed over 250 people, in the worst US weather disaster in years, with residents and emergency workers sifting through the rubble on Thursday.

Violent twisters that famously rip through the US south's "Tornado Alley" are formed when strong jet winds bringing upper-level storms from the north interact with very warm, humid air mass from the Gulf of Mexico, said David Imy from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma.

Bizarro Earth

US: Second dead gray whale found in Puget Sound

dead gray whale
© Mark Harrison / The Seattle TimesA research team with the Cascadia Research Collective, conducts a necropsy on a 27-foot long gray whale found Monday.

A second gray whale has been found dead in Puget Sound. KIRO-TV reports the carcass washed up Monday on a beach near Blaine.

A whale expert says it's a little unusual to have two dead gray whales in Puget Sound at the same time.

John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research in Olympia planned to take part in Tuesday's necropsy on the whale that washed ashore Monday near Blaine.

Radar

Two Russian Volcanoes Spew Ash

Image
© National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationKamchatka volcanoes: A cluster of snow-capped volcanoes stretching across eastern portions of Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula.
Two of Far East Russia's most active volcanoes threatened aviation and wildlife during eruptions that spewed ash above the Kamchatka Peninsula.

Ash from Shiveluch soared nearly five miles high near some key trans-Pacific aviation routes.

RIA Novosti reports an eruption of Kizimen volcano brought hazardous conditions to areas inhabited by wild animals, including some endangered species.

The news agency said reindeer were leaving their normal habitat because their usual winter food supply of moss was buried beneath a thick crust of ash-covered snow.

Experts from the Krontosky Nature Reserve told reporters that reindeer numbers may be reduced to less than 1,000 as a result of the eruption.

Cloud Lightning

150-mph Jet Stream a Key Factor in Wednesday's Tornado Outbreak

Image
© National Weather Service Forecast OfficeThis image shows tornado reports from Wednesday's outbreak. There were more than 160 reports of tornadoes, most of which were in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee.
A 150-mph jet stream was one of the key players in why Wednesday's historical tornado outbreak in the South was so devastating. The persistent presence of a strong jet stream over the South is the main culprit in why this April has been such a terrible month for tornadoes.

It takes a very particular setup of "ingredients" for a rare event like Wednesday's to happen. What is even more rare is to have setups like this be so repetitious in April, with tornado outbreaks occurring about every few days and yielding nearly 900 reports of tornadoes for this month so far.

"In my 25 years as a meteorologist, this is the worst April I've ever seen," said AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Henry Margusity.