HONG KONG -- A moderate earthquake struck under the sea near the island of Guam in the Pacific Ocean, Hong Kong seismologists said Monday. It was not immediately clear whether there were casualties or damage.
The magnitude-5.7 quake was recorded at 0108 GMT Monday, the Hong Kong Observatory said in a brief statement. The epicenter was about 90 kilometers (60 miles) south of the city of Agana, Guam, it said.
The small island of Guam is a US territory about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) east of the Philippine capital, Manila.
USGS 2006-01-02 -- A major earthquake occurred at 06:10:49 (UTC) on Monday, January 2, 2006. The magnitude 7.3 event has been located EAST OF THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS. (This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.)
Raging bushfires have destroyed at least 10 homes and threatened scores more in southeast Australia as a scorching heatwave hit Sydney with its hottest New Year's Day on record.
Temperatures soared up to 47 degrees Celsius (116 degrees Fahrenheit) as hundreds of firefighters backed by aircraft battled the blazes and sweltering residents of coastal cities flocked to the beaches.
NAPA, Calif. (AP) - A powerful storm sent rivers and creeks over their banks and into cities and set off mudslides that blocked major highways across Northern California on Saturday. At least a dozen people had to be rescued from the rushing water, and forecasters were warning of another storm on Sunday.
California officials urged residents along the Napa and Russian rivers and on hillsides to collect their valuables, gather emergency supplies and get out.
SEATTLE, Washington -- Roughly every three seconds, the equivalent of a large dump truck load of lava -- 10 cubic yards -- oozes into the crater of Mount St. Helens, and with the molten rock comes a steady drumfire of small earthquakes.
The unremitting pace, going on for 15 months now, is uncommon, said U.S. Geological Survey geologist Dave Sherrod. Experts say it is unclear what the activity signifies or how much longer it will continue.
PANAMA CITY, Dec. 30 (Xinhuanet) -- An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale rattled Panama on Friday afternoon, but no major damage or injuries were immediately reported.
The quake was centered in the Pacific Ocean, 335 kilometers southwest of Panama City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center. It was felt across western Panama.
Panamanian officials said there was no immediate fear that the quake could lead to a tsunami.
BEIJING -- An outbreak of Asia Type One foot-and-mouth disease has occurred in Changqing District of Jinan City, capital of east China's Shandong Province, China's Ministry of Agriculture announced on Friday.
The snowy aftermath to Christmas largely melted away yesterday in a slushy mess and driving rain, but only after claiming at least three more lives as morning blizzards buried cars on east coast roads.
MIAMI - Tropical Storm Zeta formed Friday in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, another installment in a record-breaking hurricane season that officially ended last month.
Zeta, the 27th storm of the season, formed Friday about 1,000 miles south-southwest of the Azores islands, according to an advisory posted on the National Hurricane Center's Web site. It posed no immediate threat to land.
SPECIAL TROPICAL DISTURBANCE STATEMENTNWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
