Earth ChangesS


Snowflake Cold

Dozens of villages in Georgia lose power following heavy snowfall

Robert Felix
Ice Age Now
Sun, 03 Jan 2016 18:56 UTC
snowfall
Snowfall in Georgia
Heavy snow continues today in a number of cities and regions in both west and east Georgia (former Soviet Republic).

Snow depth in the western town of Zugdidi, Tsalenjikha, Kobuleti, Batumi reaches 50-70 cm (20-28 inches) in some areas and other nearby cities - 1 meter (39 inches).

The temperature dropped to minus 10.5 degrees, in mountainous areas - to minus 15-20 degrees Celsius. Also in Abkhazia the heavy snow knocked out power to dozens of villages of western Georgia.

Power teams are working almost around the clock to restore power and brigades of workers with heavy machinery are working to clear the highways.
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Attention

34 earthquakes recorded in 2015 for Jammu and Kashmir, India

Mudassir Ahmad
The North Lines
Tue, 05 Jan 2016 16:36 UTC
Earthquake graph
© Science Photo Library
Govt "ill-prepared" to deal with disasters

Jammu and Kashmir has recorded 34 earth quakes in 2015 which has brought to limelight the state"s vulnerabilities to natural disasters.

According to the Indian metrological department, most parts of Kashmir covering the districts of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Budgam, Anantnag and parts of Jammu region, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar come under Seismic Zone V and are prone to earthquakes. While the rest part of the state comes under Seismic Zone IV.

In 2015, the frequent earth quakes some were measured above 7 magnitude on the Richter scale has proved that J&K is prone to earthquakes and there is a dire need of having well equipped agencies to deal with natural disasters.

According to the official figures of J&K meteorological department, 34 earthquakes hit J&K in 2015. Tremors were felt twice in February last while eight earth quakes were reported in March. Tremors jolted the state four times in April including a powerful earth quake on April 25 measuring 7.5 on the Richter scale. Tremors were felt twice and once in the month of May and June respectively. In July, the state recorded four earthquakes although of low intensity. Mild to moderate tremors were felt twice and thrice in the month of August and September respectively. In October, two earth quakes were recorded including a powerful one on October 26 of 7.5 magnitude in which three people lost their lives and caused damage to scores of houses across the state. The figures reveal, earth quakes were recorded thrice in the month of November. In December also, tremors jolted J&K thrice including a power earthquake on 26 midnight of the month measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale in which two people died due to heart attack.

Comment: See also: 4,300 earthquakes strike Indonesia in 2015

Seismic activity increases in Azerbaijan: 7,000 earthquakes in 2015

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Attention

Hundreds more earthquakes shake Oklahoma in 2015 setting new state record

Joshua Cain
San Antonio Express-News
Mon, 04 Jan 2016 15:52 UTC
Earthquake reader
Earthquakes in Oklahoma spiked in 2015, jumping more than 50 percent and setting another state record, according to Energy Wire.

The state was rocked by 881 earthquakes with a magnitude of 3 or greater last year, compared to 578 in 2014, according to data from the Oklahoma Geological Survey.

Quakes have been on the rise in Oklahoma following a boom in oil and gas activity — state officials have blamed the seismic activity on an increase in wastewater injections in drilling areas.

The technique that has helped Oklahoma become a bigger energy producer, hydraulic fracturing, involves blasting a combination of water, chemicals and sand underground to unlock the oil and natural gas trapped in shale deposits. When the left over water from that process is pumped into some fault lines, state researchers have said, an increase in seismic activity can result. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission requires well operators to prove that their wells do not reach a certain depth that has been linked to greater earthquake activity, according to The Oklahoman.

Pages from a powerpoint presentation
© Sue Ogrocki / APPages from a powerpoint presentation discussing the recent earthquake activity in Oklahoma are pictured at the Oklahoma Geological Survey at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., Thursday, June 26, 2014. Earthquakes that have shaken Oklahoma communities in recent months have damaged homes, alarmed residents and prompted lawmakers and regulators to investigate what's behind the temblors and what can be done to stop them.

Comment: See also: 17,500 earthquakes recorded for Nevada in 2015

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Attention

'Horrible rumble' from 3.5 earthquake in Custer County, Nebraska

Steve White
nebraska.tv
Mon, 04 Jan 2016 15:28 UTC
Earthquake reader
Rumbling through the Sandhills, an earthquake rattled folks across Custer County on Monday. That includes Shannon Cooksley, who was in her kitchen writing checks.

She said, "All of a sudden there was a shaking and a horrible rumble."

The Cooksley's picturesque Sandhills ranch was near the epicenter of an earthquake, with a magnitude of 3.5.

Cooksley said, "People in Broken Bow didn't know what was going on. I heard reports on the radio that maybe a plane had crashed at the airport or maybe a train had derailed."

Shannon and her husband Kevin Cooksley have seen a lot, as Kevin told NTV in July 2014.

"Weathering drought and natural disasters," he said.

But an earthquake is a first for their ranch, and their recently remodeled home a carpenter said was well-built, like a barn.

Shannon said, "To make it shake, it had to be fairly strong, or fairly close anyway."
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Attention

5.1 earthquake hits Banda sea in Indonesia


Borneo Post
Tue, 05 Jan 2016 15:11 UTC
Banda sea
© Malaysian Meteorological Department.The moderate earthquake took place at 1:28pm,6.3S 130.6E with Magnitude 5.1 and Depth 231km at Banda Sea.393km Southeast of Ambon,Indonesia.1794km Southeast of Semporna,Sabah.
A moderate earthquake, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, occurred in the Banda Sea in Indonesia at 1.28pm today (Jan 5), according to the Meteorological Department.

It said in a statement that the epicentre of the quake was 393km southeast of Ambon, Indonesia, and 1,794km southeast of Semporna, Sabah.

The quake did not pose any tsunami threat, it added.
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Attention

4.2 magnitude tremor shakes Marlborough, New Zealand

Selina Powell
stuff.co.nz
Tue, 05 Jan 2016 15:04 UTC
earthquake 15km east of Seddon
© GeonetAn earthquake 15km east of Seddon
An earthquake has struck east of Seddon.

The 4.2 magnitude tremor, just after 9am on Tuesday, was centred 15 kilometres east of Seddon at a depth of 37km, according to GeoNet.

It was felt widely across Marlborough and also in Nelson and Christchurch.

Facebook user Alysha Morgan, who lives in Seddon, said she ran for the door frame after the quake.

"Was quite violent here," Morgan said.
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Attention

4.5 earthquake recorded in Limassol, Cyprus


Cyprus Mail
Tue, 05 Jan 2016 14:58 UTC
Earthquake reader
An earthquake measuring 4.5 was recorded in the Limassol area on Tuesday morning, the Geological Survey Department said.

The epicentre of the earthquake was the sea area 50 km southwest of Limassol at a depth of 30 km.

The quake was recorded at 9.17 am. It lasted about five seconds with furniture and lighting shaking, according to a resident of Ypsonas, which is located 53 km northeast of the epicentre.

"The quake was rather short. It lasted only a couple of seconds. It was intense though; more of an up and down shake," a resident of Erimi near Limassol commented on twitter.
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Sun

Zimbabwe to increase food imports as drought hits production badly


Eyewitness News
Fri, 01 Jan 2016 14:15 UTC
maize
© AFP /JEKESAI NJIKIZANA A Zimbabwean gathers cobs in a sack for milling at her village in Musana Bindura on September 2, 2015. Zimbabwe is facing food shortages, having been left with only eight weeks of maize reserves.
Local millers say the country only has around 248,000 tonnes of maize left, enough to last 8 weeks.

Zimbabwe's Agriculture Minister Joseph Made says food imports will be stepped up following reports that the country is left with just two months' supply of grain.

Aid agencies warned earlier this year that 1.5 million Zimbabweans would go hungry after a drought hit maize production badly.

Local grain millers say the country only has around 248,000 tonnes of maize left, enough to last eight weeks.

The Herald says Agriculture Minister Joseph Made has admitted that grain stocks are low, but he couldn't give figures.
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Binoculars

Rare Ivory gull from the Arctic turns up in Duluth, Minnesota

Jim Williams
Star Tribune
Tue, 05 Jan 2016 13:53 UTC
Ivory Gull
© Amar AyyashIvory Gull in Duluth
An Ivory Gull, resident of Arctic ice edges, has been seen for the past several days at Canal Park in Duluth.

This small gull is all white in breeding plumage, with black legs and feet.

The Duluth bird shows the random black marking of a bird in its first winter.

Ivory Gulls have been seen before in Minnesota, but rarely. Perhaps 2016 is opening with the year's highlight bird.

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Attention

Strong explosion at Momotombo volcano in Nicaragua


Volcano Discovery
Sun, 03 Jan 2016 13:04 UTC
Momotombo volcano
The cone of Momotombo volcano covered by glowing bombs from this morning's eruption
A strong explosion occurred this morning at 04:22 local time at the volcano, covering much of the summit cone with incandescent ejecta.

The lava flow effusion and continuous strombolian activity had stopped in early December, followed by only high-temperature degassing, sporadic minor explosions and the growth of what might have been a small lava dome. A more intense phase of activity seems to have started yesterday. Early on 2 January, small ash emissions occurred, followed by more, still weak explosions in the early afternoon of yesterday.

The strong explosion this morning might have involved a small pyroclastic flow on the NE side of the volcano, reaching about 1.5-2 km length.


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