Earth Changes
"Now, climate scientists say the Arctic could be completely ice free in the summer by 2012."
- Center for Biological Diversity 2009
© Fox Weather
One of the strongest earthquakes to hit Texas since the turn of the 20th century jolted residents out of bed early Wednesday morning, providing an early awakening to kick off the middle of the week.
The moderate magnitude 5.2 earthquake hit at 3:27 a.m. MST and was centered in a rural area about halfway between Midland and El Paso, or about 58 miles south-southeast of Carlsbad, New Mexico, at a depth of about 5 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS originally reported the magnitude as 5.3.
There were no immediate reports of any damage or injuries.
The goats were grazing in the field on the outskirts of the village when lightning struck them.
Police said that K. Markandeyan took more than 15 of his goats for grazing in the open land on the outskirts of the village. Around 2 p.m. when rain poured in the village, he rushed to a small room near his house along with his goats to take shelter.
However, all of sudden, the room was struck by lightning. Along with his goats, Markandeyan died on the spot. Based on the alert, Arani taluk police reached the spot and sent the body to the Government Taluk Hospital in Arani town. A case was registered.
The shallow quake, located far from the coast, hit at 8:02 pm local time (1302 GMT), the USGS said. No tsunami warning has been issued.
Daryono, an official at Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG), said the second quake was one of 23 aftershocks following the earlier one.
A volcanic eruption off Iwo Jima in the Pacific Ocean on Oct. 30 led to the formation of a 330-foot-wide island just north of the explosion site.
An underwater volcanic eruption on Oct. 30 has birthed a new island in the Pacific after the explosion flung huge chunks of rock into a pile off the coast of Japan's Iwo Jima island.
An aircraft belonging to the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun spotted the first signs of an eruption in the southern part of the Izu-Ogasawara arc, roughly 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) south of Tokyo, around midday local time. Explosions occurred every few minutes as red hot magma hit water below the surface, throwing large blocks of rock more than 160 feet (50 meters) into the air, according to a translated statement.
The eruption breached the ocean surface in at least two locations, researchers at the University of Tokyo said in the statement, with explosions occurring only off the southernmost tip of Iwo Jima. Rocks also piled up north of the explosion site, however, forming a round and rugged island about 330 feet (100 m) across. Waters surrounding this new island were discolored and littered with pumice, a type of extremely porous rock that forms during explosive volcanic eruptions.
"Floating pumice and discolored water occur from the entire periphery of the island, suggesting that magma is erupting from this location," researchers wrote in the statement. Rocks on the island formed a concentric pattern, they noted, but there was no sign of a crater on the surface.
Several underwater eruptions have been recorded in this region in recent years. Known as phreatic eruptions, these events are characterized by explosions of steam and volcanic material at the surface. They are triggered when water comes into contact with sizzling magma, lava, rocks or other scalding deposits.
© The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images
Earth and sand are sent into the air above a new islet that appeared after a volcanic eruption off the coast of Iwo Jima.
Earth and sand are sent into the air above a new islet that appeared after a volcanic eruption off the coast of Iwo Jima.
An aircraft belonging to the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun spotted the first signs of an eruption in the southern part of the Izu-Ogasawara arc, roughly 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) south of Tokyo, around midday local time. Explosions occurred every few minutes as red hot magma hit water below the surface, throwing large blocks of rock more than 160 feet (50 meters) into the air, according to a translated statement.
The eruption breached the ocean surface in at least two locations, researchers at the University of Tokyo said in the statement, with explosions occurring only off the southernmost tip of Iwo Jima. Rocks also piled up north of the explosion site, however, forming a round and rugged island about 330 feet (100 m) across. Waters surrounding this new island were discolored and littered with pumice, a type of extremely porous rock that forms during explosive volcanic eruptions.
"Floating pumice and discolored water occur from the entire periphery of the island, suggesting that magma is erupting from this location," researchers wrote in the statement. Rocks on the island formed a concentric pattern, they noted, but there was no sign of a crater on the surface.
Several underwater eruptions have been recorded in this region in recent years. Known as phreatic eruptions, these events are characterized by explosions of steam and volcanic material at the surface. They are triggered when water comes into contact with sizzling magma, lava, rocks or other scalding deposits.
"Around 60 of the country's territory has so far been covered by snow. Our country is expected to experience a harsh winter," the agency said in a statement.
Over the last weekend, heavy snow and blizzards hit large parts of Mongolia, killing eight herders.
Mongolia's climate is strongly continental with long, frigid winters and short summers. A temperature of minus 25 degrees Celsius is normal during winter in the country.
© Pascal Rossignol, Reuters
An aerial view shows a flooded area as the La Liane River overflows in Pont-de-Briques, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, after heavy rain caused flooding in northern France on November 7, 2023.
An aerial view shows a flooded area as the La Liane River overflows in Pont-de-Briques, near Boulogne-sur-Mer, after heavy rain caused flooding in northern France on November 7, 2023.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said on X (formerly Twitter) that seven people were injured but did not provide further details. He said that more than 1,500 firefighters were mobilized in the region.
Coming on the heels of Storm Ciaran which battered Western Europe last week , the floods "impacted" around 60 municipalities, causing "significant" damage, said the prefecture, adding that dozens of schools have been closed.
Vigicrues, the official river flooding watchdog, described Tuesday's floods as "exceptional".
The deceased has been identified as Bhabani Thakur, a resident of Patrabasa village under Bara Danga panchayat of the block. According to sources, Bhabani was attacked by the bear while she was going for some work. Later, some local villagers spotted her body this morning and alerted Ampani police and forest officials.
Upon getting the information, police along with forest officials rushed to the spot and seized the body. Subsequently, it was sent for post-mortem. Though the exact reason behind her death is yet to be ascertained, locals asserted that she was killed in a bear attack.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, said the police.
Comment: Details of the earlier quake: Indonesia's Banda Sea rocked by shallow 7.1 magnitude earthquake