Earth ChangesS


Question

Another mysterious boom in Ocean City, Maryland reportedly caused by sonic boom


The Dispatch
Thu, 17 Apr 2014 00:00 UTC
Image
A loud boom on Monday, followed by windows rattling and homes and businesses shaking, was due to a sonic boom related to military jets in a testing track off the coast.

Many residents and visitors reported the incident shortly after noon on Monday and initially there were concerns it was the result of some seismic activity in the area. By mid-afternoon, the town of Ocean City issued a report stating, "we have received several calls regarding a loud noise in the Ocean City area. The reported noise appears to be a sonic boom. We will continue to monitor reports and update citizens if our initial information changes."

By late Monday afternoon, officials reported the boom and associated side effects were caused by sonic boom associated with military jet training in the area. Naval Air Station Patuxent River (PAX) officials confirmed they had received a call reporting a sonic boom in the Lewes, Del. area around 12:40 p.m. on Monday.

"We investigated the disturbance and concluded it was a PAX aircraft, compliant with FAA regulations and U.S. Navy requirements," the PAX statement reads. "Supersonic flights are routinely conducted in the Test Track off the Atlantic coast. The test track is a designated location controlled by the Department of Defense and used by multiple DoD agencies for military training. Sonic booms occur when a jet aircraft exceeds the speed of sound."

Comment: Sonic Boom
"Ground motion resulting from sonic boom is rare and is well below structural damage thresholds accepted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines and other agencies."

Perhaps something other than a sonic boom is being indicated:



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Question

Keene, New Hampshire residents say 'loud noise' that shook homes and rattled windows sounded like sonic boom, but Air Force say it wasn't

Heather Hamel
WMUR 9
Thu, 17 Apr 2014 06:41 UTC
Something rattled houses in the Keene area Wednesday, and despite official reports to the contrary, many residents are convinced it was a sonic boom.

Residents reported a loud noise about 2:15 p.m., with many saying it shook their homes and rattled windows.

"It was a loud boom," said Swanzey resident Jim Vitous. "It shook the whole house."

Vitous had just put his twins down for a nap, but they didn't stay asleep for long. A rushing noise lasting two or three seconds got their attention, Vitous said.

"I thought a propane tank blew up or something hit the house, a truck hit the house or something," he said. "But then after that, we figured something that loud that was heard all over was a sonic boom."

But the Massachusetts Air National Guard said that wasn't not the case. Officials said jets from the Massachusetts Air National Guard were in the area training, but they said they didn't break supersonic speeds.


Comment: ...except that it probably wasn't a sonic boom from a jet because:
"Ground motion resulting from sonic boom is rare and is well below structural damage thresholds accepted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines and other agencies."
...and in the above case homes shook and windows rattled.

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Attention

Massive landslide threatens Mont Blanc tunnel in Italy


Xinhua
Tue, 22 Apr 2014 00:00 UTC
Mt Blanc tunnel entrance
© Christophe JacquetMont Blance tunnel entrance.
A series of landslides over the past few days have disrupted traffic near Courmayeur, a renowned tourist resort in the Italian Alps, forcing temporarily closure of Mont Blanc tunnel, local reports said on Tuesday.

Around 20,000 cubic meters of mud and rock fell on Monday night, while another estimated 400,000 cubic meters of earth were on the move triggered by rising temperatures.

Local authorities reportedly closed Mont Blanc tunnel, which links Italy and France, for about two hours as a result of the crashing rocks
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Lemon

U.S. orange production hit by deadly bacteria, juice prices soar

Juliette Michel
Yahoo! News
Fri, 18 Apr 2014 00:18 UTC
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© AFP/Robert Sullivan
A citrus disease spread by a tiny insect has devastated Florida's orange crop, which is expected to be the worst in nearly 30 years, and sent juice prices soaring on New York markets.

The culprit? The gnat-sized Asian citrus psyllid, which is infecting citrus trees across the Sunshine State with huanglongbing, or citrus greening disease, which causes fruit to taste bitter and fall from trees too soon.

"It feels we are losing the fight," said Ellis Hunt, the head of a family-run citrus farm spread over about 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) in the central Florida town of Lake Wales.

The deadly bacteria has slashed his annual production over the past few years from one million boxes of fruit to 750,000.
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Attention

4.4 earthquake in Slovenia, Italy, near nuclear plant


RT
Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:33 UTC
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© AFP/StringerKrsko nuclear power plant
A 4.4-magnitude earthquake has struck Slovenia southwest of the country's capital, Ljubljana, at a depth of 12.4 kilometers, says USGS.

According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center, the magnitude of the quake was measured at 4.5, with a depth of 2 kilometers.

The earthquake took place about 200 kilometers from a nuclear power plant at Krško, a town in eastern Slovenia. The plant is co-owned by Slovenia and Croatia.

The quake struck at about 11:00 local time (09:00 GMT).

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake hit about 5 kilometers northeast of the Slovene town of Ilirska Bistrica, 32 kilometers northwest of the Croatian city of Rijeka and 37 kilometers east of the Italian city of Trieste.
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Red Flag

Large wildfire in Dutch national park

Toby Sterling
Associated Press
Sun, 20 Apr 2014 00:00 UTC
Netherlands wildfire
© UnknownHoge Veluwe National Park
A large wildfire destroyed at least 530 hectares (1,300 acres) in the Netherlands' Hoge Veluwe National Park on Sunday, one of the worst fires seen in the region for decades, Dutch authorities said.

No injuries have been reported, according to Mayor Cees van der Knaap of the municipality of Ede, 65 kilometers (40 miles) east of Amsterdam, which oversees the park.
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Attention

Large whale carcass found in Dalian sea, China


china.org.cn
Mon, 21 Apr 2014 14:04 UTC
Image
© Sina Weibo
A dead whale measuring over four meters long was found floating belly-up in the sea area off Changhai County, Dalian, Liaoning Province, on April 19, a netizen said on his Sina Weibo account on Saturday. The whale was most likely killed by unexpected strikes, judging by the bruises on its belly.
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Ice Cube

Another report of dead whales stranded by ice off Newfoundland


www.cbc.ca
Mon, 21 Apr 2014 13:53 UTC
Image
© Kayla KendallKayla Kendall tweeted this photograph on Saturday of a whale stranded at Rocky Harbour because of ice.
The Canadian Coast Guard has issued a new report of dead whales off western Newfoundland.

Mariners have been warned about four whale carcasses at different locations at the entrance to Bonne Bay.

It has not said what kind of whales have died.

Earlier this month, at least nine blue whales died in ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

In March, dozens of dolphins were killed when they were crushed by ice near Cape Ray, on Newfoundland's southwest coast.
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Info

Drug that wiped out 95 % of Indian vultures may cause an EU eco-disaster

Andy McSmith
The Independent, UK
Sun, 20 Apr 2014 09:50 UTC
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© GettySpain approves use of drug beneficial to mammals - that will kill any vulture that feeds on a carcass containing traces of it
Bureaucratic ignorance has allowed a drug that almost wiped out India's vultures to be sanctioned for use in Europe - raising fears that authorities will have to spend vast sums collecting and incinerating animal carcasses which the birds usually dispose of.

Despite their unappealing looks, vultures make a vital contribution to public health in southern Europe.

But Spain, which is home to about 100,000 vultures, has horrified conservationists and bird lovers by approving the use of diclophenac - a powerful anti-inflammatory drug used that is beneficial to mammals but will kill any vulture that feeds on a carcass containing traces of the drug.

Diclophenac can also be used legally in Italy, where it was first developed. The country also has a small population of wild vultures.

About 95 per cent of India's vultures disappeared after diclophenac was introduced in the mid-1990s, before eventually being banned in 2006. The result was a dangerous increase in rotting animal carcasses, which caused a rapid rise in the number of feral dogs, and the spread of rabies. One study put the resulting cost to Indian society at £20bn.

Spain, where vets can now legally use diclophenac, has about 90 per cent of all Europe's vultures, including 97 per cent of one species, the Black Vulture.
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Cloud Lightning

Severe weather in India claims 1 life and injures 120


Express News Service
Mon, 21 Apr 2014 03:36 UTC
India severe storm
© Javed RajaA waterlogged road after the shower in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Even as the sudden heavy showers that lashed the city on Sunday evening brought much respite to people in Ahmedabad from the soaring heat, one person was reported to have been crushed to death under the weight of an uprooted tree at Nava Vadaj. At least 120 people have also been reportedly injured in separate incidents across the city.

Earlier in the day, the temperature in the city had touched 39.8 degree Celsius, according to the Met office. The downpour continued till late in the evening, leading to several mishaps across the city.
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