Earth Changes

Earthquake swarms a sign Mount St. Helens is recharging

Karen Graham
Digital Journal
Sun, 08 May 2016 21:28 UTC

© www.mountsthelens.com
This live image of Mount St. Helens is from the USFS HD Volcano Cam at Johnston Ridge Observatory on May 8, 2016.

Seattle - Washington state's Mount St. Helens is letting the USGS know it is waking up again. For the past eight weeks, there have been a swarm of over 130 low-magnitude earthquakes.

"At this point, there is absolutely no sign that it will erupt anytime soon, but the data we collect tells us that the volcano is still very much alive," the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The low-magnitude quakes have increased in frequency to about 40 a week, as recorded by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN). The PNSN has a network of 300 seismology stations in Washington and Oregon, working to monitor earthquake and volcanic activity across the Pacific Northwest.

There have been no signs indicating any change in gas emissions, and no signs of magma formation beneath the surface, says the USGS, and more importantly, no signs of an imminent eruption, reports CNN. The agency reminds us that a recharge can continue for many years beneath a volcano without an eruption.

Winter-like storm brings snow to Palm Springs, California

Joe Galli
KESQ News
Fri, 06 May 2016 11:06 UTC

A spring storm brings winter-like conditions to the Coachella Valley. Rain drops fell on the valley floor and our local mountains got a dusting of snow.

When it's wet outside more people pop into Luigi's Barber Shop in Palm Springs to get a quick cut and dry.

"It's actually good. For some reason people don't go to work and they just feel like getting a haircut. So we get busy when weather gets like this," said Roman Ocelo Owner Luigi's Barber Shop.

Locals and tourist in the Coachella Valley enjoyed this unseasonable blast of winter weather. We talked to one man who escaped major rain in the Los Angeles area which had flooded streets.

"It was pouring in certain areas and it was pouring in Pasadena when we were on our way over," said Shawn Maestretti.

The tops of our local mountains also saw a dusting of snow. Some families at the Palm Springs Ariel tramway were caught off guard with the snowfall.

35 missing after landslide in Southeast China

Xinhuanet
Sun, 08 May 2016 11:57 UTC

© Xinhua/Qiu Canwang
Photo taken by a mobile phone shows the landslide site in Taining County of Sanming City, southeast China's Fujian Province, May 8, 2016. Thirty-five people got lost after a landslide hit a construction site in Taining Sunday morning.

Thirty-five people were missing after a landslide hit southeast China's Fujian province Sunday morning, sources with authorities in Sanming City said.

A rescue is underway.

The landslide occurred at about 5 a.m. in Taining county, where about 100,000 cubic meters of mud and rocks flowed downhill, burying the construction site of a hydropower station and its office building.

The local tourism administration ordered all scenic spots to suspend business starting at 8 a.m.. The mountainous county boasts rich scenic lakes and canyons.

The landslide was triggered by heavy downpours that lashed down 191.6 millimeters of rainwater in 24 hours from Saturday.

Source: Xinhua

Wildfires in Alberta expected to double in size and burn for months

Carli Velocci
Gizmodo
Sun, 08 May 2016 18:29 UTC

The wildfires that began in the Fort McMurray area in Alberta last week are expected to double in size, with officials saying that it could take months to get the situation under control.

According to an update provided late Saturday, a total of 43 wildfires are burning, seven of them out of control, while 12 new wildfires ignited on Friday.

Due to increasing temperatures, excessive winds and low humidity, officials fear that the fire could move to bordering Saskatchewan. Over the weekend, the weather worsened for firefighters, with temperatures reaching up to 82 degrees and winds gusting up to 25 mph.

"In no way is this fire under control," Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said on Saturday, "Officials tell us the fire may double in size in the forested areas today. As well, it may actually reach the Saskatchewan border."

Another dead whale washes up on Lincolnshire beach in the UK

Paul Whitelam
Lincolnshire Echo
Sun, 08 May 2016 14:26 UTC

A Minke whale which washed up on Cleethorpes beach and the removal of the sperm whales in Skegness earlier this year

The body of a five metre long whale has washed up on a beach in Mablethorpe.

The grim discovery comes just four months after five sperm whales beached and died on the east coast, including three in Lincolnshire near Skegness.

Scientists are still trying to work out what caused the members of the sperm whale pod to beach. Among the theories put forward so far, are that the animals were chasing squid in shallow water when they got into difficulty, they were confused by noise pollution or were ill.

The mass beaching of the whales was huge story that travelled around the world and brought Skegness global attention. the events were linked to other whale beachings in Europe.

The creature this time is believed to be a Minke whale and it was discovered on the sand just off the Sea View car park.

A spokesman for East Lindsey District Council said the latest whale to be discovered could have been dead for some time.

Comment: See also: 3 more sperm whales wash up along the North Sea coast at Skegness beach, UK

Bizarre video shows unexplained desert blowhole shooting sand hundreds of feet in the air in Saudi Arabia

Kara O'Neill
Daily Mirror
Fri, 06 May 2016 14:16 UTC

The hole fired sand hundreds of feet into the air

This is the bizarre moment a huge blow hole opened in the middle of the desert - firing sand hundreds of feet into the air.

Workers tried to fill the hole using a digger to push sand into the gap, but to no avail.

But each time they pushed sand into the hole, it immediately threw it back into the air, along with other pieces of debris.

In the video, the men appear to be astounded as they watch the sand flying hundreds of feet towards the sky.

Lightning strikes kill six in Bangladesh

The Daily Star (Bangladesh)
Sun, 08 May 2016 13:04 UTC

Six people were killed by lighting in Faridpur, Sirajganj and Shariatpur yesterday.

In Faridpur, two persons were killed in the afternoon when they were struck by thunderbolts, reports BSS.

Health department sources said, Amena Begum, 40, was hit by a thunderbolt at BS Dangi village while she was returning home after casting her vote in the Union Parishad electing. She was succumbed to her injuries at Charbhadrasan upazilla hospital.

In another incident, Hafiz Mondol, 35, was killed as he was hit by lighting when he was working in the field in Nagarkanada upazila's Shasha village. He was declared dead at Nagarkanda hospital. Meanwhile, four people were killed in separate incidents of lighting as nor'wester swept across Sirajganj and Shariatpur yesterday afternoon, reports UNB.

Of them, three were killed in Shahjadpur and Enayetpur upazilas of Sirajganj.

Lightning bolt kills four elephants in Sri Lanka

Channel News Asia
Sun, 08 May 2016 12:55 UTC

Four elephants, including two calves, were killed by lightning in northern Sri Lanka in one of the worst wildlife tragedies to hit the country in years, officials said Sunday (May 8).

A female elephant, aged about 25 years, and two of her calves, aged 10 months and two years, and an eight-year-old female were found dead Sunday just outside the Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary, an official said.

"Villagers from neighbouring areas alerted the authorities and we carried out autopsies," wildlife veterinary surgeon Chandana Jayasinghe said. "The deaths were caused by lightning."

Local villagers in Mahavilachchiya, 250 kilometres (156 miles) north of Colombo, had reported heavy rains accompanied by thunder and lightning in the shrub jungle area on Friday when the elephants were thought to have been struck.

It was the worst natural disaster involving elephants since February 2011 when four baby elephants drowned in a major flood in the north-east of the country.

Fort McMurray wildfire update: Massive Canadian blaze remains 'out of control'; set to double in size to 300,000 hectares; approaching oil sands project & Saskatchewan

Gregoire Lake
The Indian Express
Sun, 08 May 2016 04:25 UTC

A raging Canadian wildfire grew explosively on Saturday as hot, dry winds pushed the blaze across the energy heartland of Alberta and threatened to burn close to an oil sands project.

The fire that has already prompted the evacuation of all 88,000 people who lived in the city of Fort McMurray was set to double in size on Saturday, the seventh day of what is expected to be the costliest natural disaster in Canada's history.

Provincial officials praised evacuees for their patience and, in a sign of how long the crisis could drag on, said the cities of Calgary and Edmonton, many hundreds of miles to the south, were the best place to receive longer-term support such as medical care and emergency payments.

Firefighting officials said the inferno, propelled northeast towards neighboring Saskatchewan by high winds and fueled by tinder-dry forests, was set to double in size to 300,000 hectares (740,000 acres) - almost twice the size of Houston - by the end of Saturday.

Fort McMurray is the center of Canada's oil sands region. About half of the nation's crude output from the sands, or one million barrels per day (bpd), had been taken offline as of Friday, according to a Reuters estimate.

Officials said they expected the fire would burn up to the edge of a project operated by Suncor Energy Inc, but noted the site and others like it were resilient to fire damage.

Comment: See also:

Mt. Ruapehu crater lake recording increased temperatures

MSN News
Sat, 07 May 2016 22:23 UTC

Temperatures have risen to a 16-year high and surface activity has been reported at Mt Ruapehu's crater lake in the central North Island. A tourist flight over the lake on Saturday afternoon reported vigorous steaming of the surface, which was also disturbed by upwelling bubbles.

GNS duty volcanologist Brad Scott said although these signs hadn't been seen in recent years, the same sort of activity had been observed when temperatures rose over 40-42C. Crater lake temperatures have been rising since late 2015 and have now reached 44C, the hottest recorded since the new lake was established post 2000.

A swarm of volcanic earthquakes reported beneath the surface late last month has stopped, although volcanic tremor has increased slightly this week. Volcanic tremor is always present at Ruapehu, although the level varies and doesn't necessarily indicate an upcoming eruption.

GNS Science volcanologists regularly monitor Mt Ruapehu, an active volcano at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone.

The Federal requirement states you must be 21 years old to hold an Interstate Commercial Divers License. It used to be 25 and for good reason, the...

bj0311

Six weeks after 2nd Pfizer shot my father in law now has at least three pulmonary embolisms. dr assured no way it's jab related

sbc

My father in law now has at least 3clots in his lungs. Can't hardly breathe. Dr says no way vaccine related! my ass!

sbc

It's a numbers game. They stated that X percentage of the population needed to be vaccinated, for what ever reason and firstly set about their...

Winternights3

It's all for psychological reasons and not for health or "infection prevention" anyway, so she is basically correct ...

codis

Earth Changes

Earthquake swarms a sign Mount St. Helens is recharging

Winter-like storm brings snow to Palm Springs, California

35 missing after landslide in Southeast China

Wildfires in Alberta expected to double in size and burn for months

Another dead whale washes up on Lincolnshire beach in the UK

Bizarre video shows unexplained desert blowhole shooting sand hundreds of feet in the air in Saudi Arabia

Lightning strikes kill six in Bangladesh

Lightning bolt kills four elephants in Sri Lanka

Fort McMurray wildfire update: Massive Canadian blaze remains 'out of control'; set to double in size to 300,000 hectares; approaching oil sands project & Saskatchewan

Mt. Ruapehu crater lake recording increased temperatures

Latest News

Picture of the Day

Quote of the Day

Recent Comments

Quantum Quirk

Contact Us