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© USGSEarthquake Location
Wednesday, December 08, 2010 at 06:47:18 UTC
Wednesday, December 08, 2010 at 02:47:18 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location:
7.380°N, 126.603°E
Depth:
69.6 km (43.2 miles)
Region:
MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
Distances:
115 km (70 miles) SSE of Hinatuan, Mindanao, Philippines
115 km (70 miles) ENE of Davao, Mindanao, Philippines
210 km (130 miles) SE of Butuan, Mindanao, Philippines
1005 km (630 miles) SE of MANILA, Philippines
© USGSEarthquake Location
Wednesday, December 08, 2010 at 05:24:33 UTC
Wednesday, December 08, 2010 at 03:24:33 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location:
56.440°S, 25.866°W
Depth:
17.3 km (10.8 miles) set by location program
Region:
SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
Distances:
85 km (55 miles) ENE of Visokoi Island, South Sandwich Islands
290 km (180 miles) N of Bristol Island, South Sandwich Islands
3480 km (2160 miles) SE of BUENOS AIRES, D.F., Argentina
Cold weather frosting much of the country spared Florida's citrus crop Tuesday, but more near-record lows expected overnight will pose another challenge.
"We came through last night in pretty good shape," said Andrew Meadows, a spokesman for Florida Citrus Mutual. "We had some reports of mid-20s scattered across the citrus belt but it wasn't for any duration."
Fort Lauderdale recorded its lowest temperature on record for December 7, dropping to 40 degrees Tuesday morning. The old record was 42, set in 1841.
The National Weather Service issued hard freeze warnings for Tuesday night into Wednesday morning for much of the Florida panhandle, with freeze warnings and watches extending as far south as Hollywood. Parts of Alabama and Georgia were also under a freeze warning.
"We came through last night in pretty good shape," said Andrew Meadows, a spokesman for Florida Citrus Mutual. "We had some reports of mid-20s scattered across the citrus belt but it wasn't for any duration."
Fort Lauderdale recorded its lowest temperature on record for December 7, dropping to 40 degrees Tuesday morning. The old record was 42, set in 1841.
The National Weather Service issued hard freeze warnings for Tuesday night into Wednesday morning for much of the Florida panhandle, with freeze warnings and watches extending as far south as Hollywood. Parts of Alabama and Georgia were also under a freeze warning.
Brentwood - A wayward sea lion was rescued near Brentwood Saturday after wandering a couple of miles away from any source of water.
Officials don't know how the 170-pound female sea lion ended up at an elementary school in the town of Knightsen, but it was first spotted on Delta road.
The Contra Costa Sheriff's Department corralled her in at the school until volunteers with the Marine Mammal Center arrived.
Also on scene were curious residents who ventured out to get a good look at the sea lion
"It's cool! We're the Knightsen sea lions now!," said some children watching the spectacle.
The marine mammal center says the sea lion is named Na'au and has actually rescued her once before.
Jim Oswald, a spokesman for the center says the 5-year-old female sea lion was about two miles away from the closest source of water when it was rescued.
Oswald says the sea lion was previously rescued in May, then again in June, in Santa Cruz County.
Officials don't know how the 170-pound female sea lion ended up at an elementary school in the town of Knightsen, but it was first spotted on Delta road.
The Contra Costa Sheriff's Department corralled her in at the school until volunteers with the Marine Mammal Center arrived.
Also on scene were curious residents who ventured out to get a good look at the sea lion
"It's cool! We're the Knightsen sea lions now!," said some children watching the spectacle.
The marine mammal center says the sea lion is named Na'au and has actually rescued her once before.
Jim Oswald, a spokesman for the center says the 5-year-old female sea lion was about two miles away from the closest source of water when it was rescued.
Oswald says the sea lion was previously rescued in May, then again in June, in Santa Cruz County.
© Roddy Scott PhotographyMorning after: Cars abandoned along the A80 near Crowwood, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Thousands of motorists were stranded in their cars last night after snow and freezing temperatures brought Scotland to a standstill
- Scotland is in the grip of the 'worst snow and ice conditions since the 1960s'
- Transport Minister blames weather advice for 'not meeting requirements'
- Snow forces 100 children to spend the night in their school
- At least 13 people have now died across Britain in weather-related incidents
Thousands of desperate motorists were left stranded in their cars last night after heavy snow and freezing temperatures brought much of Scotland to a standstill.
Some travellers were stuck in their vehicles for more than 15 hours as Scotland bore the brunt of a fresh wave of ice and snow which left several major routes - including the M8 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh - impassable.
The AA said yesterday was one of the busiest days in its history with around 24,000 breakdowns attended - up from 10,500 on a normal Monday.
Scotland's Transport Minister today claimed that the weather advice the authorities had been working on yesterday 'did not meet the requirements'.
© UnknownPeople walk past near Edinburgh Castle, as heavy snow continues to fall on Scotland.
Fresh blizzards closed Scottish airports and disrupted rail travel as the army was called in to help ambulance crews reach patients trapped in remote areas.
Hundreds of drivers were stuck on the main route between Glasgow and Edinburgh as the snowy conditions blanketed the central belt of the country. Others opted to bed down in their offices rather than face the long commute home.
Breakdowns and drifting snow blocked major roads. Lothian and Borders police forces said there had been "numerous" problems that brought traffic to a standstill.
"We are trying to remove vehicles from the road and get people that have been stuck," said a police spokesman. "We are looking to put gritters and snowploughs out to clear the carriageway [on the main road between Edinburgh and Glasgow]."
© Erika BlumenfeldSome Mississippi residents believe that unnatural foamy substances washing up on beeches are a byproduct of BP's toxic dispersants used as part of the clean-up effort around the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Michelle Nix, from Pensacola, Florida, founded the group Gulf Coast Oil Spill Volunteers in an effort to be pro-active and do what she could to help when the BP oil disaster began on April 20.
"I had 500 volunteers coordinated to help with cleanup, people offering free oil boom, people donating their work and time to help," Nix told Al Jazeera.
She contacted the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Coast Guard, Wildlife and Fisheries, "and everyone I could think of to try to help," Nix said. "But none of them responded. None of the government agencies would get back in touch with me."
Nix, not to be deterred, helped organise blood tests for several Gulf coasts residents who were experiencing sicknesses attributed to toxic chemicals released from BP's well blow-out and the dispersants the company has used to sink the oil.
In October, Dr. Wilma Subra, a chemist and Macarthur Fellow, conducted the blood tests for volatile solvents - chemicals present in BP's crude oil as well as their toxic dispersants - on eight people Nix provided who live and work along the coast.
© ABC News: Jo PrendergastGrain Growers Association chairman John Eastburn says damaged crop will only be good for stock feed.
The Grain Growers Association (GGA) says the recent wet weather has devastated wheat crops across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria.
A report by the Commonwealth Bank reveals the national harvest is expected to be pared back from 25 million to 22 million tonnes.
It says the "disruptions to the harvest this year and the implications for quality are the worst for a lifetime".
The loss of crops is also expected to have implications for some of Australia's staple foods.
GGA chairman John Eastburn says it has been a tough time for farmers.
"The crop here is well and truly shot and sprung and [there is] very little quality left in it," he said.
"I'll probably harvest a little bit for stock feed, but that's about it."
Mr Eastburn says the loss of the crops will hit hard.
Sydney -- More than 4,000 people were isolated by flood waters and as many as 1,800 have been evacuated in the Australian state of New South Wales after a week of heavy rains, the government said Monday.
As a result of this week's rains, the government has so far issued disaster declarations in 17 of the state's rural and suburban districts, predominantly in the south and west. They join 17 other districts declared disaster areas after flooding in October.
The flooding, which is expected to continue as a new storm front is forecast to bring extended heavy rains through Friday, has already destroyed an estimated $500 million in crops in the region, according to a statement issued by New South Wales Emergency Services.
As a result of this week's rains, the government has so far issued disaster declarations in 17 of the state's rural and suburban districts, predominantly in the south and west. They join 17 other districts declared disaster areas after flooding in October.
The flooding, which is expected to continue as a new storm front is forecast to bring extended heavy rains through Friday, has already destroyed an estimated $500 million in crops in the region, according to a statement issued by New South Wales Emergency Services.
