Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Landslide Kills 25 at Gold Mine in Southern Philippines; More Than 100 Believed Still Buried


The Washington Post
Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00 UTC
Image
© ABS OBNA deadly landslide occurred in the southern Philippines around 3 a.m. on Thursday.
A landslide buried dozens of people Thursday at a small-scale gold mining site in the southern Philippines, leaving at least 25 dead months after government officials warned miners that the mountain above them was guaranteed to crumble.

The landslide struck around 3:00 a.m. (2100 GMT Wednesday), when most residents were asleep. Aside from those confirmed dead, more than 100 people are believed to be buried in the rubble in Napnapan village in Pantukan township, Compostela Valley provincial Gov. Arturo Uy said.

Army Lt. Col. Camilo Ligayo said about 120 soldiers were heading to the area to help dig for survivors and bodies.

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje said he had warned residents and local officials last year of a fissure on a ridge of the mountain that geologists said was "highly susceptible" to landslides that could occur anytime.

"We were absolute that it will give in," he told The Associated Press. "It was a 100 percent warning. We told them it's just a matter of time. ... This is it. This is what happened this morning."
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Attention

Chile battles 3 huge wildfires; 1 killed, tourists evacuated, losses in millions


The Washington Post
Wed, 04 Jan 2012 17:11 UTC
Chile forest fire
© Associated PressA helicopter works to dampen an area of the Torres del Paine national park in Torres del Paine, Chile
Firefighters in Chile battled three huge wildfires Monday that have burned about 90 square miles (23,000 hectares) of forest, destroyed more than 100 homes and have driven away thousands of tourists while causing millions of dollars in losses.

The fires also claimed their first victim: an elderly man who refused warnings to leave his home.

Chile's normally rainy southern regions are suffering from a nationwide heat wave, on top of a drought that makes fires increasingly likely. The country was battling 48 separate fires on Sunday alone, and red alerts were declared for the regions of Magallanes, Bio Bio and Maule.

"We have a situation of extreme vulnerability," said President Sebastian Pinera, who called for toughening sentences for arson.
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Question

US, Kentucky: Over 30 Birds Mysteriously Die on Montgomery County Road

Adam Winer
Lex 18 News
Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:54 UTC
There's a bizarre scene in Montgomery County where dozens of birds are dead.

More than 30 birds are lying dead on Indian Mound Drive at the intersection of Grassy Lick Road in Mt. Sterling.


All the birds appear to be the same species, and seem to have died and landed at this spot all at once.

No word yet about what caused their death.
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X

Queensland, Australia: Harbour deaths still unexplained

Skye Davidson
Brisbane Times
Sat, 24 Dec 2011 13:15 UTC
Image
© Clive LastVets still don't know what killed dugongs, and other animals, in Gladstone Harbour earlier this year.
Autopsy reports have revealed veterinary scientists failed to find a definitive cause of death for at least 10 dolphins, turtles and dugongs found dead in central Queensland.

In response to a Right to Information request, the Department of Environment and Resource Management has provided reports for 13 of the dugongs, turtles and dolphins found dead in Gladstone this year.

The documents reveal veterinary scientists from Gladstone Veterinary Clinic and the University of Queensland's Diagnostic Services reported the cause of death was unclear or unknown for 10 of the marine animals.

In the remaining cases, net entrapments and entanglements in fishing line were cited as possible causes of death but no definitive conclusions were drawn.
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Better Earth

'Lost world' discovered around Antarctic vents


Terra Daily / SPX
Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:55 UTC
Image
© Unknown
Communities of species previously unknown to science have been discovered on the seafloor near Antarctica, clustered in the hot, dark environment surrounding hydrothermal vents. The discoveries, made by teams led by the University of Oxford, University of Southampton and British Antarctic Survey, include new species of yeti crab, starfish, barnacles, sea anemones, and potentially an octopus.

For the first time, researchers have used a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to explore the East Scotia Ridge deep beneath the Southern Ocean, where hydrothermal vents, (including 'black smokers' reaching temperatures of up to 382 degrees Celsius) create a unique environment that lacks sunlight, but is rich in certain chemicals. The team reports its findings in this week's issue of the online, open-access journal PLoS Biology.
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Bizarro Earth

Thailand's flood waters threaten marine life

Florence Looi
Al Jazeera
Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:37 UTC
Marine life is suffering in the Gulf of Thailand, where the Chao Phraya River, which runs through the capital Bangkok, meets the sea.

Following the worst flooding in the country in decades, millions of cubic metres of extra water has been draining into the gulf causing shellfish and other fish to die or swim away.


At least 10,000 shellfish farmers have been affected and conservationists say it will be months before they can resume their trade.

Al Jazeera's Florence Looi reports from Samut Sakhon province, Thailand.
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Cloud Lightning

Indonesia: New Year's Day Rains Bring Floods To Cities and Villages Across Java

Dessy Sagita & Hangga Brata
Jakarta Globe
Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:25 UTC
Indonesia flood
© JG Photo/Ali LutfiResidents salvaging belongings after the Bengawan Solo River overflowed in Solo. Floods have been reported around the country.
At least 10 areas across Java were flooded as the country welcomed what is expected to be a wet and miserable January as the rainy season reaches its peak.

Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), said swaths of four provinces had been flooded since late on Sunday and through most of Monday.

He said Solo, Bungo, Sragen, Klaten and Brebes in Central Java, East Java's Nganjuk and Pasuruan, Yogyakarta's Yogyakarta city and Sleman and West Java's Banjar had all been affected.

"January is the height of the rainy season for most of Indonesia, so the threat of flooding will increase," he said.

Heavy rains in Solo caused the Bengawan Solo River to burst its banks, flooding much of the city.
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Cloud Lightning

Britain battered by 106mph gales which leave two dead - and there's more to come in the next 24 hours

Chris Parsons and Gareth Finighan
Daily Mail
Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:23 UTC
Storm bus crash
© INSCrushed: The driver of a single decker bus in Witley, Surrey, was badly injured when an oak tree came crashing down on the vehicle
Winds of up to 106mph battered Britain yesterday, bringing death and destruction as many returned to work after the Christmas holidays.

A driver was killed when a tree fell on his van. The storm also claimed the life of a man on board a tanker which was hit by a huge wave in the Channel.

Barely a single area was spared the onslaught roaring in from the Atlantic, which toppled lorries and brought down power lines.

Buildings were damaged, roads closed and trains, flights and ferries were cancelled.

The Met Office issued numerous severe weather warnings and emergency services urged motorists and pedestrians to stay indoors.
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Cloud Lightning

India: Cyclone's deadly toll climbs to 42


Courier Mail
Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:14 UTC
Cyclone Thane
© APHit hard: A fisherman watches waves caused by Cyclone Thane.
The death toll from a cyclone that lashed India has risen to 42 people, rescue workers said.

A French national was among the victims of the storm, which hit southern India on Friday, reports said as engineers rushed to restore power supplies knocked out by the gale.

The Press Trust of India (PTI) news agency quoting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa said the death toll from the cyclone had risen to 42 in the southern Indian state.

Cyclone Thane packing winds of up to 140 kilometres an hour lashed the coast between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu and the territory of Pondicherry on Friday, leaving in its wake a trail of destruction.
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Bizarro Earth

Volcanic Activity in Canary Islands 'Surprising'

Amanda Payne
Digital Journal
Tue, 03 Jan 2012 07:53 UTC
El Hierro
© NASAEl Hierro from space as seen by NASA Modis Aqua satellite on January 3, 2012.
The underwater volcano off the small Canary Island of El Hierro became active in July 2011 and has continued to be active on and off ever since, something described as 'surprising' by scientists.

In a regular press conference on Jan 3, Nemesio Pérez, Director of the Department of Environment of the Institute of Technology and Renewable energy (ITER) said that it was 'surprising' that the volcano was continuing in its erupting phase. He told the press that historically, the average eruption of a Canary island volcano has been around thirty days although a document found dating from the seventeenth century speaks of an ancient eruption that lasted six years.

The volcano, which has been active in the sea ( Mar de las Calmas) near the southern town of La Restinga has led to severe disruption for the people of the island with regular tremors rumbling almost every day. Three large tremors were noted by the National Geographical Institute (IGN) between Dec 26 and Dec 28 but the latest earthquakes listed by the Institute show daily activity in the Canary Island region.

A report in the ABC newspaper said that new activity such as bubbles, steam and fine materials have been seen in recent days following a period of quiet. The island continues to be on yellow alert.
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