Earth ChangesS


Seismograph

Shallow 6.1 magnitude earthquake southeast of Easter Island

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6.1 magnitude earthquake

UTC time: Wednesday, September 13, 2023 11:49 AM
Magnitude Type: mww
USGS page: M 6.1 - West Chile Rise
USGS status: Reviewed by a seismologist
Reports from the public: 0 people

10 km depth
Southeast Of Easter Island

Snowflake

Best of the Web: Atmospheric river drops 10 FEET of new snow on Las Leñas ski resort in Argentina

Las Leñas ski resort is buried under tons of snow
Las Leñas ski resort is buried under tons of snow.
After getting over three feet in 24 hours, the latest storm total at Argentinian ski area Las Leñas has settled at approximately 10 feet of new snow. This is due to an atmospheric river this past week that has slammed the region of the Andes Mountains that Las Leñas is nestled in.

As a result, avalanche danger has reached an extreme level in and around Las Leñas. Two large inbounds avalanches were documented on Monday, occurring within a closed-off area of the resort.

The avalanches shown in the video above are large enough to bury, injure, and kill a person. Thankfully, the area they happened in was closed by ski patrol as a result of the ongoing storm and avalanche activity.


Comment: Earlier report: Extreme avalanche danger in Las Leñas, Argentina after resort sees over 3 feet of snow in 24 hours


Snowflake Cold

Snow-capped mountains across South Africa as cold temperatures persist

Snow in Ceres mountains
© Ayanda Ndamane/African News Agency(ANA)Snow in Ceres mountains.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) said that as the cold temperatures persist countrywide, snow could be seen over the high-lying ground of the eastern half of the Eastern Cape.

In an alert for yesterday, the service said frost could be expected over the northern interior of the Western Cape in the morning.

On Monday, SAWS issued a yellow level 1 warning for disruptive snow over the mountains and high ground of the Eastern Cape, the south-western parts of the Northern Cape, the north-western parts of the Western Cape, and the extreme south-western parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

Residents were advised of very cold, windy and wet weather, with possible light snowfalls over the mountains in the Eastern Cape, Northern Cape, and the interior of the Western Cape.

Since the beginning of the week, areas across the Western Cape have been covered in a blanket of snow.


Arrow Down

Sinkhole the size of a car appears on street in south-east London

Residents initially used wheelie bins to block off the sinkhole, which emerged on Monday morning in Eltham.
© Andrew HudsonResidents initially used wheelie bins to block off the sinkhole, which emerged on Monday morning in Eltham.
A sinkhole the size of a car has opened up on a street in south-east London.

The hole which takes up almost an entire lane of the road and runs alongside the kerb next to a postbox, emerged on Monday morning on Dunvegan Road, Eltham. The area around the hole has been cordoned off after locals initially used wheelie bins to prevent an accident.

Andrew Hudson, who posted a photo of the hole on Facebook, told people to be vigilant and warned of slow post over the next few days. He said: "Next to Mayday Cars cab office be aware!

"I feel sorry for anyone that has posted important letters in the post box there because they are not being collected anytime soon," he added.


Cloud Precipitation

The death toll from floods in Greece has risen to 15 after 4 more bodies found, authorities say

Greece floods
The number of confirmed deaths from recent flooding in central Greece rose to 15 after the bodies of four people previously considered missing were found on Sunday, authorities said.

Three of the bodies were located in villages near the city of Karditsa in western Thessaly. They are an 88-year-old woman and her 65-year-old son, who were found in their home, as well as a 58-year-old man whose body was found between two villages.

The coast guard said Sunday that the body of a 42-year-old man, missing since Tuesday, was found floating in the sea near the city of Volos. He was last seen in his car unable to control it in raging waters.

Seismograph

Magnitude-6.3 earthquake strikes northern Philippines

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A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck the area around the Babuyan Islands in the northern Philippines on Tuesday, the authorities said.

So far no damages have been reported or any tsunami warning issued.

The United States Geological Survey, which records seismic activity worldwide, reported that the earthquake occurred at 7:03 pm local time (11:03 GMT) and at a depth of 41 kilometers.

The inhabited areas closest to the tremor site were the towns of Namuac, about 73 kilometers north of the hypocenter, and Claveria (74 kilometers north).

The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of great seismic and volcanic activity where about 7,000 earthquakes are recorded each year, most of them moderate.

Snowflake

Pikes Peak in Colorado gets buried with a few inches of September snow

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© CITY OF COLORADO SPRINGS
Many Colorado peaks have picked up the first measurable snow of the season from our September cold wave that pushed through over the weekend into Monday morning.

While most of the Front Range and eastern plains had a steady soaking rain overnight Sunday into Monday morning, many higher peaks of the state above 11,000 to 12,000 feet were treated to early September snow.

Pikes Peak woke up with measurable snow to start the week. While the peak can see snow during the Summer months at over 14,000 feet, most of those storms only provide a dusting. Workers had to do a little early season shoveling.


Snowflake

Extreme avalanche danger in Las Leñas, Argentina after resort sees over 3 feet of snow in 24 hours

Much of Las Leñas’ terrain is closed today due to avalanche hazard.
© Las LeñasMuch of Las Leñas’ terrain is closed today due to avalanche hazard.
1 meter of snow in 24 hours. That's approximately 3.2 feet in a day—roughly 39 inches in only one full rotation of the Earth. And now the people of Las Leñas have to deal with it.

At this time the exact snowfall total from the monstrous 24-hour storm cycle at the Argentinian ski area has yet to be confirmed because it's been too deep for staff to efficiently walk outside and measure it. What is known with precision, however, is that the avalanche danger in Las Leñas right now is extreme, with the probability of a slide considered to be certain.


Arrow Down

Massive sinkhole opens in San Francisco intersection

A large sinkhole opened up in San Francisco’s ritzy Pacific Heights neighborhood
© NBCA large sinkhole opened up in San Francisco’s ritzy Pacific Heights neighborhood
A huge sinkhole has opened up in the middle of a busy San Francisco intersection.

The asphalt streets at the intersection of Fillmore and Green Streets caved in on Monday morning after a water main broke the night before, flooding the area.

The dramatic street collapse has caused chaos in the tony neighborhood of Pacific Heights, home to ritzy mansions and dramatic views of San Francisco's landmarks.

On Sunday night just before midnight, a 16-inch water main broke near the intersection of Fillmore and Union Streets, just one block from where the sinkhole would later emerge.


Comment: Sinkholes: The groundbreaking truth


Seismograph

Seismologist says Morocco's recent earthquake strongest since 1755

morroco earthquake damage 2023
© ABC7FILE PHOTO: Survivors pick their way through the rubble near Marrakech, Morocco, after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city on September 9, 2023
Late Friday, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Morocco 77 kilometers (48 miles) southwest of the city of Marrakesh. King of Morocco Mohammed VI on Saturday declared three days of national mourning following the disaster, with the national flag to be flown at half-staff on all public buildings.

Moroccan geological researcher Dr. Kamal Aghroud told Sputnik that such an earthquake "in Morocco has not been observed in the country since 1755."

Comment: From the event: