Earth ChangesS


Bizarro Earth

US: NOAA Predicts Largest Gulf Of Mexico 'Dead Zone' On Record

NOAA-supported scientists from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium and Louisiana State University are forecasting that the "dead zone" off the coast of Louisiana and Texas in the Gulf of Mexico this summer could be the largest on record.

The researchers are predicting the area could measure a record 8,800 square miles, or roughly the size of New Jersey. In 2007, the dead zone was 7,903 square miles. The largest dead zone on record was in 2002, when it measured 8,481 square miles. The official measurement of this year's dead zone is slated to be released in late July. Researchers began taking regular measurements of the dead zone in 1985.

dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico
©NOAA
Approximate dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The prediction of a large dead zone this summer is due to a combination of large influx of nitrogen and exceptionally high flows from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers," said LSU scientist R. Eugene Turner.

Phoenix

Colorado, US: Crews battling wildfire near Fort Carson

A 300-acre wildfire burning on Fort Carson grounds is about 50 percent contained.

The blaze is burning in grass and trees on the south part of the Army base. Authorities believe the fire was sparked by a lawn mower.

Fort Carson spokeswoman Brandy Gill says the Army base was notified of the blaze about 10 this morning. She says the fire is burning in grass and trees near the south part of the base. No structures are threatened.

Recycle

Kamikatsu, Japan: Zero Waste

The Mayor of Kamikatsu, a small community in the hills of eastern Japan, has urged politicians around the world to follow his lead and make their towns "Zero Waste".

He told BBC News that all communities could learn from Kamikatsu, where residents have to compost all their food waste and sort other rubbish into 34 different categories.

Residents say the scheme has prompted them to cut down on waste generally and food waste in particular.

If the policy spread, it would reduce the amount of food waste, and so take some of the pressure off high food prices.

Kamikatsu may be a backwater in the wooded hills and rice terraces of south-eastern Japan but it's become a world leader on waste policy.

There are no waste collections from households at all. People have to take full responsibility for everything they throw away.

Evil Rays

China's Sichuan hit by new earthquake

An earthquake aftershock measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale struck China's southwest province of Sichuan on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The aftershock hit the county of Mianzhu at 5:26 p.m. local time (9:30 GMT), the agency said, citing the China Earthquake Administration. No details on casualties or damage have yet been released.

Sherlock

Brazil announces new offshore oil find

Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petrobras has announced the discovery of a high-quality off-shore oil deposit in the Espirito Santo Basin.

The new deposit is located in near the Golfinho field, 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the city of Vitoria, at a depth of 1,374 meters (about 4,500 feet). The first estimates indicate a potential of 150 million barrels of recoverable oil, Petrobras said in a press release posted on its website on Tuesday.

Phoenix

US: California blazes called state's largest 'fire event'

Officials say the recent California wildfires have burned more area than a devastating series of blazes in October 2003.

The Governor's Office of Emergency Services said Monday that the earlier fires burned 1,155 square miles. The new fires have burned nearly 1,300 square miles since June 21.

Question

Flashback India: Mysterious disease affects crops in Nellai district

Farmers in and around Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai, who cultivated cotton, vegetables, and sunflower, are in a shock over a mysterious disease, which caused heavy damage to the crops.

Farmers from Gangaikondan, Anaithalaiyoor, Paruthikulam, Maanur and other areas surrounding Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai have cultivated cotton, vegetables and sunflower on 600 acres. They bought seeds from private companies and recently they noticed, a white liquid secreting from the stem of cotton.

X

Two elderly Danes were killed by a glacial wave while visiting Western Greenland

A giant wave resulting from ice that melted and dropped from a glacier swept five Danish tourists into the icy Kangerluarsuk Fjord on Greenland's west coast Sunday, killing two, reports KNR radio.

Uummannaq assistant police chief Carl Borup said that the tragedy occurred while the group of 15 tourists from the boat 'Kisak' stood on a plateau at the glacier to take pictures.

'Witnesses said that there was suddenly a loud sound like a helicopter and a huge wave came pouring in on them,' said Borup.

Cloud Lightning

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano: more activity



Image
©Associated Press

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is throwing up more lava than usual.

Aerial pictures show lava spewing up in the air from what may be the world's most active volcano.

However, health officials are now concerned that the volcanic gas may trouble people having respiratory conditions.

Evil Rays

Tremors felt across Israel after 6.8-scale quake hits Greek isle

Tremors were felt across Israel on Tuesday, after a strong earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck the Greek island of Rhodes early in the morning.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the quake struck at 6:26 A.M. local time, with its epicenter located 445 kilometers southeast of Athens, beneath the seabed south of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea.

The quake sent residents and tourists fleeing their homes and hotels. Dodecanese prefect Yiannis Mahairides said on Antenna radio that one woman died of head injuries when she tripped and fell on a staircase in her home in a village on Rhodes.