Earth ChangesS


Attention

After burning 780 acres Virginian wildfire finally being contained


WBOC News
Fri, 03 Apr 2015 14:02 UTC
wildfire
© UnknownUnpredictable and dangerous
State foresters say they have made significant progress containing a wildfire in Botetourt (BAHT'-uh-tawt) County that has burned 780 acres.

Working in steep and rocky terrain, firefighters have used hand tools and bulldozers to create a line around the fire. The Virginia Department of Forestry reported Thursday the fire is 70 percent contained.

Still, the department expects the fire will have scorched more than 1,300 acres before it is fully snuffed.


Comment: One wonders if there is a connection between this wildfire outbreak and the recent "loud booms" (potentially overhead meteor explosions) heard in the end of March:
For a second day, people are wondering what's causing the ground to shake and where the loud booms are coming from...

Edna H. wrote, "I am in the Denbigh Section of Newport News. We have already had 4 loud blasts in less than an hour. What is going on????"

Linda T asked "Where are the sonic booms coming from?"


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Info

Wildfire in North Carolina expected to burn several more days


WRAL News
Fri, 03 Apr 2015 13:53 UTC
North Carolina wildfire
© WRAL NewsAnother wildfire burning in Black Mountain, North Carolina
A wildfire east of Asheville is expected to burn several more days.

But officials told local media Wednesday that no additional structures are in immediate danger.

Bruce MacDonald with the North Carolina Forest Service said the fire was only about 25 percent contained Wednesday night.


Comment: Also see: An unseasonable wildfire threatens Montana ski area, forcing evacuation

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Cloud Lightning

Powerful storms bring flooding, hail storms to northern Texas


WFAA
Fri, 03 Apr 2015 00:40 UTC
Image
A heap of hailstones.
A powerful spring storm in northern Tarrant and southern Denton counties Wednesday afternoon brought heavy rain, flash flooding and some hail damage.

"We do not have any severe weather; that is the good news," said WFAA Chief Meteorologist Pete Delkus at 6 p.m.

The storm system created some tennis ball-sized hail in Haslet that piled up on grassy areas. Aerial views from HD Chopper 8 showed some broken skylights and flash flooding near Eagle Mountain Lake.


Comment: Also see: Three earthquakes shake Irving, Texas in 24 hours

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Attention

Three earthquakes shake Irving,Texas in 24 hours


CBS local
Thu, 02 Apr 2015 05:51 UTC
earthquakes in Texas April 2015
Three earthquakes shook the Irving area Thursday.

The first was a 2.7 magnitude quake recorded at 5:38 am, centered 4 miles from Irving.

The second and largest hit in the early evening. USGS reported a 3.3 magnitude earthquake at 5:36 pm. This one was centered 2 miles from Irving, but was felt in Dallas as well.


Social media lit up with people in downtown and uptown Dallas reporting they felt high rise buildings shake.

Passengers at Dallas Love Field reported feeling it, and people in Irving said on social media that the earthquake did not feel "small."
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Cloud Lightning

Rescuers continue to find bodies buried during Chile's massive floods

Rosalba O'Brien and Antonio de la Jara
Reuters
Fri, 03 Apr 2015 00:47 UTC
Chile floods
© Cristhian Acori @ TwitterFloods in Chanaral, Chile, March 2015
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding that battered Chile last week has risen to 23, with another 57 still missing, and President Michelle Bachelet said on Wednesday she would cancel upcoming trips to lead ongoing reconstruction efforts.

The freak torrential downpours in the Atacama desert, normally the driest in the world, destroyed homes and bridges, cut off roads, and left thousands stranded as rivers broke their banks and flash floods dramatically filled dry valleys.

Although the rains ceased by the end of last week, the clear-up operation continues, with emergency office Onemi saying on Wednesday around 4,000 people were still in temporary housing and a night-time curfew remained in place for the worst affected areas, where looting has been reported.


Comment: Chile has definitely had a month full of tribulations:
  • Chile's Villarrica volcano explodes to life again
  • Magnitude 6.5 earthquake hits northern Chile


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Colosseum

Sinkhole opens up in the middle of Dublin's Dame Street

Michael Sheils McNamee
The Journal, Ireland
Thu, 02 Apr 2015 01:54 UTC
Image
Sinkhole in Dublin.
A sinkhole has opened up on Dublin's Dame Street, causing traffic delays in the centre of the city.

The hole is around three feet in diameter and has been cordoned off by Garda at the scene.

It is expected to be covered later this evening and an investigation into what caused it will begin tomorrow.

An engineer at the scene said that it could have been caused by water damage to the foundations beneath the road surface.

Westbound traffic on Dame Street is currently suspended between George Street and Parliament Street and cars are being advised to use alternative routes.

Comment: Apparently the hole may have exposed a tunnel through which 19th century politicians would sneak in and out of a brothel! Nowadays, of course, they don't bother going to such lengths to hide their predilections.

See also: Truck becomes stuck in sinkhole in Bronx

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Attention

Sinkhole closes bridge in Plymouth Township


The Times Herald
Thu, 02 Apr 2015 02:00 UTC
Image
© Carl Rotenberg ― Times Herald StaffA sinkhole creates dangerous conditions on the Plymouth Road bridge in Plymouth Township Wednesday, April 1, 2015. The township has announced that due to the sinkholes, the bridge will need to replaced.
Plymouth Road is closed due to severe structural and foundation damage at the bridge over Plymouth Creek that was caused by undermining from sinkholes.

The road was closed last month to repair sinkholes that appeared at the foundation of the bridge abutements.

The existing bridge will not reopen and must be replaced, according to a post on the Plymouth Township website.

Comment: Also see: Sinkhole opens up and swallows man in Pennsylvania, but who pays to fix it?

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Attention

Work truck gets stuck in a sinkhole on way home in Burton, Michigan

Gary Ridley
M Live
Thu, 02 Apr 2015 02:09 UTC
Image
A work truck from Home Service Center fell into a sinkhole around 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, on the 1400 block of Connell Street in Burton.
Kristie Welsh was searching for an address when the road gave way and her work truck came to an abrupt stop.

Police and road crews were dispatched around 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 31, to the 1400 block of Connell Street after Welsh's work truck became stuck in a sinkhole.

Welsh, an employee at Home Service Center, said she was searching for the house where she was hired to do some plumbing work when her truck collapsed into the street.

Comment: Also see: Huge sinkhole creates safety concerns in Riverdale, New York

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Bizarro Earth

Dubai sandstorm: Flights cancelled at world's busiest airport ahead of Easter weekend travel

Adam Withnall
The Independent, UK
Thu, 02 Apr 2015 22:52 UTC
Dubai Sandstorm
© The Independent, UKDramatic images showed the major storm engulfing a number of Middle Eastern cities.
Flights have been cancelled and further delays are expected in Dubai and across the Middle East after the Gulf was hit by a major sandstorm on Thursday.

The fine dust filling the air significantly reduced visibility for motorists and made breathing outside a challenge, as hospitals reported an increase in patients suffering from respiratory problems.

Dramatic images showed the extent of the problem, and Dubai airport officials confirmed that 12 inbound flights had to be diverted to nearby airports.

Dubai is the world's busiest hub for international air traffic after it overtook London Heathrow earlier this year, and authorities warned travellers that further delays and diversions were expected.

In Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, police reported that a 24-year-old was airlifted to hospital following a serious road traffic accident caused by the reduced visibility.
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Fish

Rare deep water Polka-dot ribbon fish caught off Charna Island, Pakistan

Sameer Mandhro
The Express Tribune
Thu, 02 Apr 2015 20:42 UTC
Image
© WWF-P Fishermen caught a rare marine species, a polka-dot ribbonfish.
A rare marine species known as polka-dot ribbonfish was caught off Charna Island by some local fishermen on Wednesday.

The fish, scientifically known as desmodema polystictum, was spotted in Murray Ridge after the last sighting nearly five years ago. This is the first time the fish was caught in a fisherman's gillnet as it is usually found in deep, circumtropical waters.

The fisherman, Nakhuda Nisar Hussain, has been trained by the World Wide Fund-Pakistan (WWF-P) to make sure they do not harm endangered species. He was working in the area where the water was at least 1,034 metres deep when he caught the specimen. The fish measured 32 inches with flashing red fins and faint polka dots all over the body. After taking photos of the ribbonfish, he released it back into the water.
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