Earth ChangesS


Bizarro Earth

Peru - Earthquake Magnitude 5.7


US Geological Survey
Sun, 03 Jan 2010 20:35 UTC
Image
© USGS
Date-Time:
Sunday, January 03, 2010 at 20:39:12 UTC

Sunday, January 03, 2010 at 03:39:12 PM at epicenter

Location:
8.876°S, 77.695°W

Depth:
104.9 km (65.2 miles)

Distances:
75 km (45 miles) NNW of Huaraz, Peru

100 km (60 miles) ENE of Chimbote, Peru

365 km (225 miles) NNW of LIMA, Peru

960 km (600 miles) S of QUITO, Ecuador
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Thousands of dead octopuses wash up on Portugal beach


BBC News
Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:51 UTC
Dead octopus Portugal
© BBC News
Thousands of dead octopuses have washed up on a beach in northern Portugal, in what is being called an environmental disaster.

They cover a 5-mile stretch of Vila Nova de Gaia beach - no reason has yet been found for their appearance.

The authorities have warned the public not to eat them.

Comment: Something is happening in the Atlantic. This doesn't bode well.

Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Strong earthquake shakes Tajikistan


Al Jazeera
Sun, 03 Jan 2010 16:38 UTC
At least 10,000 people have been left homeless in Tajikistan after an earthquake hit the Gorno-Badakhshansky region in the east of the country.

The Emergency Situations and Civil Defence Committee said no casualties were reported after the magnitude 5.3 quake struck about 10 villages in the Pamir Mountains.

Azimdzhon Shamsiddinov, the deputy head of the Vanj district, on Sunday, said: "1,050 residential buildings were destroyed in our region."
Read More...
Cloud Lightning

Snow paralyses Beijing as China braces for big chill


Agence France-Presse
Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:43 UTC
Image
© Agence France-PresseTemperatures could fall as low as -16 degrees in Beijing over the next few days
A freezing front swept over much of northern China Sunday with snowstorms snarling road and air traffic, schools set to stay closed, and some of the lowest temperatures in decades forecast in coming days.

Snow storms were expected to continue through Monday and the mercury was set to plunge in the next 48 hours when China returns to work following a three-day New Year holiday, the Beijing meteorological station said.

Gale force winds sweeping down from Siberia could result in temperatures as low as minus 16 degrees Celsius (three degrees Fahrenheit) in the capital on Monday and Tuesday, it added.

In some parts of northern China temperatures were expected to drop as low as minus 32 degrees Celsius.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Australia: Wild Thunderstorms Lash Victoria

Amelia Harris
The Herald Sun
Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:59 UTC
Image
© Ben SwinnertonLightning lashed Melbourne for two consecutive nights.
Wild thunderstorms have lashed Victoria for the second night in a row, causing flooding and lightning to strike houses.

Areas northwest of Melbourne received up to 60mm of rain, while the storms also brought down trees and power lines.

Gisborne, about 50km northwest of Melbourne, was worst affected, with the State Emergency Service receiving more than 60 calls for flash flooding.

SES operations manager Tim Wiebusch said extra crews were needed to help clean up.

"The word back we've had from the crews is it's large storm water drains that aren't coping with the downpour,'' Mr Wiebusch said.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Storm Pounds Canadian Maritimes


CBC News
Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:34 UTC
Image
© CBC NewsA snowplow clears streets in downtown Halifax on Saturday.
A storm is battering most of the Maritimes, wreaking havoc on travel and power lines.

Snow, ice pellets, freezing rain and rain have been falling most of the day in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and P.E.I., creating treacherous road conditions in some areas.

High winds are also being experienced right across the region, resulting in blowing snow and whiteouts.

No major accidents have been reported, but RCMP on Saturday reminded motorists to drive carefully.

Confederation Bridge officials were restricting certain types of vehicles from crossing the bridge linking Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, effective 6:30 p.m. local time, due to high winds.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Ocean Storm Brings Deep Snow To New England


KOCO 5
Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:42 UTC
An ocean storm was backing into northern New England on Saturday, and forecasters said it will likely stick around through the weekend.

It's expected to bringing bursts of heavy snow to Maine and the mountains of Vermont and New Hampshire, with accumulations up to a foot and a half in places.

Meteorologist David Glenn said most storms approach the area from the south, but because this one is coming in from the east, it will likely hang around longer.

The snow was expected to increase in intensity throughout the day and so were the winds. Forecasts called for gusts up to 45 mph Saturday night that could create drifting snow, while coastal areas were seeing higher tides than normal and could get some flooding.
Read More...
Cloud Lightning

Hundreds Flee Australia Flooding


BBC News
Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:00 UTC

More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from an outback town in the Australian state of New South Wales, after days of flooding.

Two areas of the state have been declared natural disaster areas after days of heavy rains swelled rivers and left farms cut off.

As water levels threatened to reach 5.5m (18ft), up to 1,200 people were moved from the town of Coonamble.

It comes after summer wildfires wreaked havoc on the other side of the country.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Lightning Strikes Sleeping Woman


ABC News
Sat, 02 Jan 2010 15:26 UTC
A woman has been taken to hospital after her house was struck by lightning in Melbourne's east last night.

She was sleeping in her home in Glencairn Avenue, Ringwood when the lightning struck about 10pm (AEDT).

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade's (MFB) Alan Hunter says the bolt hit the roof, travelled down into the house and into a wardrobe.
Read More...
Snowman

U.S. East Coast Faces Deep Freeze; Florida Oranges Threatened

Dan Hart
Bloomberg News
Sun, 03 Jan 2010 12:06 UTC
The U.S. East Coast faces the coldest night of the season as frigid air spills south and threatens agriculture in Georgia, Alabama and the orange crop in Florida.

Freeze warnings were posted by the National Weather Service as far south as the Orlando area, which may be as many as 20 degrees below normal tonight, the National Weather Service said. The advisory alerts growers that subfreezing temperatures are imminent and may kill crops or other sensitive vegetation.

Tampa and others cities in the central part of the state are under a freeze warning from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. local time tomorrow. Temperatures may fall below 32 degrees Fahrenheit (zero Celsius) for more than three consecutive hours, the National Weather Service in Tampa said on its Web site.
Read More...