Earth ChangesS


Seismograph

6.1 magnitude earthquake off Tonga


Earthquake Track
Mon, 11 Dec 2023 19:34 UTC
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6.1 magnitude earthquake 158 km from Neiafu, Vava'u, Tonga

UTC time: Monday, December 11, 2023 06:33 AM
Your time: Monday, December 11, 2023 at 6:33 AM GMT
Magnitude Type: mww
USGS page: M 6.1 - 158 km W of Neiafu, Tonga
USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist
Reports from the public: 5 people

238 km depth
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Snowflake

Schools, train service and roads closed as heavy snow blankets northern China


Independent (UK)
Mon, 11 Dec 2023 19:10 UTC
This photo taken on Dec. 11, 2023 shows the sno
© Xinhua/Li XinThis photo taken on Dec. 11, 2023 shows the snow scenery of the Palace Museum in Beijing, capital of China.
Overnight snowfall across much of northern China prompted road closures and the suspension of classes and train service on Monday.

A red alert for a blizzard was in effect until mid-morning in Zhengzhou, the capital of Henan province, and schools were closed there and in two other cities in Henan, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The Zhengzhou airport was also closed until 11 a.m.

A total of 134 road sections in 12 provinces, including 95 on highways, were closed as of 7 a.m. because of snowfall and icy conditions, CCTV said. Several trains in two parts of Shanxi province were suspended.

It was the first significant snowfall this year in much of China, outside of mountainous areas and in the northeast near the border with Russia's Siberia.

A thin layer of snow blanketed rooftops and parked cars in downtown Beijing. The roads were mostly clear and workers swept remaining snow from the sidewalks. The Beijing Public Transport Group said that 187 bus routes were suspended on Monday morning. Some subway lines were adding additional trains during the morning rush hour, CCTV said.

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Attention

Massive 52-foot fin whale washes up on beach in San Diego, California

Rebecca Cohen
NBC News
Sun, 10 Dec 2023 18:37 UTC
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A dead 52-foot fin whale washed up on Pacific Beach in San Diego Sunday.

The whale came ashore sometime before 9:30 a.m. local time, NBC San Diego reported, off of Santa Rita Place near the border of Mission Beach and Pacific Beach.

The dead whale was bleeding from its side, but it appeared to be from birds pecking at it rather than a major injury, Michael Milstein, a public affairs officer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told NBC San Diego.

Lifeguards made an unsuccessful attempt this morning to tow the massive mammal back out to sea by tying its tail to a small boat, NBC San Diego reported.

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Cloud Precipitation

Makkah streets flooded as heavy rains lash region of Saudi Arabia


Khaleej Times
Mon, 11 Dec 2023 14:33 UTC
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Heavy rains and thunderstorms hit areas of Saudi Arabia on Sunday, according to the country's National Centre of Meteorology.

Videos surfaced online showing streets in Makkah flooded as heavy rains lashed the region. The NCM has issued a yellow alert in several parts of the country.

Rains, thunderstorms and dust storms are expected to continue until Wednesday, as per the country's weather authority.

Several videos from Arab Storms show cars trying to get past flooded streets with water reaching window level near some parked vehicles.

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Attention

Bear attacks in Japan are at a record high - 212 people attacked, 6 killed in 2023

Chris Lau and Francesca Annio
CNN
Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:25 UTC
Seishi Sato attacked by a bear while picking mushrooms, in Iwaizumi, Iwate prefecture.
© Seishi SatoSeishi Sato attacked by a bear while picking mushrooms, in Iwaizumi, Iwate prefecture.
Seishi Sato had an ominous feeling when he saw something rustling in a bush during a recent stroll in a forest in northern Japan.

Before he knew it, two Asiatic bears had sprung from the shrub, one charging at him as he frantically tried to fend it off while fearing for his life.

"When I saw them, I was so close and I thought I was in deep trouble," the 57-year-old from Iwate prefecture, in northeast Japan, told CNN.

He survived the attack — but not without plenty of scratches and puncture wounds on his arm and thigh.

Sato is among at least 212 people who survived what has been a record year for bear attacks in Japan, according to the Ministry of Environment. Six people have died.
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Doberman

Dogs attack, kill 50-year-old Greek woman


Punch
Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:19 UTC
dog attack
A 50-year-old Greek woman has died after she was attacked by three shepherd dogs in her garden in the village of Neochorouda, Greece, Sky News reports Monday.

According to police sources, the dogs escaped through a hole in their owner's fence about 80 metres away and ran to the woman's garden where she was working.

A man, who police said was deaf-mute, was helping the woman with the gardening but was far from her at the moment of the attack and could not hear her screams, the report stated.

The woman was severely mauled and bleeding heavily and was confirmed dead at the scene after the arrival of emergency workers with an ambulance.
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Tornado1

Best of the Web: Tornado causes serious damage in Leitrim Village, Ireland

Donal O'Grady
Leitrim Observer
Sun, 10 Dec 2023 14:35 UTC

Comment: A tornado... in Ireland... in winter! We're definitely in a 'new climate normal'...


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Serious damage was caused property and cars in Leitrim Village this lunch time when a tornado struck.
A freak weather event this lunch time has caused serious damage to property and cars in Leitrim Village.

With Storm Fergus descending on the country this afternoon, there was serious thunder and lightning witnessed at about 12.30pm in the Carrick-on-Shannon area.

Reports then came in of a tornado ripping through Leitrim Village at about 12.40pm, causing damage to properties, knocking trees and walls as well as damaging cars.

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Fire

Red alert declared as wildfires threaten populated areas in Limache and Villa Alemana, Chile

Ebenezer Mensah
BNN
Sat, 09 Dec 2023 13:29 UTC
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The National Service for Disaster Prevention and Response (Senapred) has declared a red alert for the Marga Marga Province due to the wildfires that have affected Villa Alemana and Limache. At least 370 hectares have been affected by the fires in both municipalities of the Valparaíso Region.

The fire is close to populated sectors and has affected an area of at least 70 hectares in Limache, prompting the deployment of a technician, nine brigades, two helicopters, four planes, and a tanker truck from Conaf, in addition to personnel from the Limache Fire Department and the municipality.

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Fire

Sakurajima volcano erupts in Japan on December 10


Volcano Discovery
Sun, 10 Dec 2023 13:19 UTC
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Volcanic Ash Advisory Center Tokyo (VAAC) issued the following report:

FVFE01 at 01:36 UTC, 10/12/23 from RJTD
VA ADVISORY
DTG: 20231210/0136Z
VAAC: TOKYO
VOLCANO: SAKURAJIMA [AIRA CALDERA] 282080
PSN: N3136 E13039
AREA: JAPAN
SUMMIT ELEV: 1117M

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Cloud Lightning

Flashback History of life shaped by great catastrophes

Robert S. Boyd
McClatchy Newspapers
Tue, 20 Mar 2007 06:24 UTC
comet
Tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards, floods, wildfires, earthquakes, tsunamis: Mother Nature seems to have it in for our world these days.

In a way, though, we live in a relatively peaceful time. While it's no comfort to those hurting or grieving now, Earth saw far greater catastrophes in its long and troubled past.

The planet has been frozen, roasted, smothered, battered, shaken, half-drowned. Entire species have been obliterated; so far, fortunately, that doesn't include Homo sapiens, but we've had a close call.

And these are all natural calamities, not those caused by humans, such as war, terrorism or the Holocaust.
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