Earth ChangesS


Life Preserver

Massive 8.9 magnitude quake hits northeast Japan, triggering ten-metre tsunami sweeping away everything in its path


RTE.ie
Fri, 11 Mar 2011 05:24 UTC

A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake has hit the northeast coast of Japan and triggered a tsunami warning across the Pacific Ocean.

There have been several strong aftershocks and a ten-metre tsunami following the quake, which also caused buildings to shake violently in the capital Tokyo.

Japanese media have reported at least 32 deaths and many injuries, with fires breaking out from Sendai city in northern Japan to Tokyo.

Two people have reportedly been killed by a collapsing ceiling at a Honda factory in Tochigi.

There are major fires at an oil refinery and steel plant in Chiba, east of Tokyo. Dozens of storage tanks are under threat at the refinery.

Comment: The Guardian has released this footage of Japanese MPs in session when the earthquake struck:



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Bell

Best of the Web: Powerful earthquakes hit Japan - tsunami warnings issued across Pacific region

Justin McCurry & Tania Branigan
The Guardian
Fri, 11 Mar 2011 03:46 UTC
Strongest quake, measuring magnitude 8.9, triggers 10 metre-high tsunami that sweeps away homes, vehicles and crops


A series of massive earthquakes have struck north-east Japan, unleashing a 10-metre tsunami that swept buildings, vehicles, crops and debris across swaths of farmland.

The first 8.9 magnitude shock is said to be the biggest to have hit Japan in 140 years, rocking buildings 235 miles (380km) away in Tokyo and sparking fires.

At least five people are known to have died, but amid widespread reports of landslides, floods, collapsed buildings and fires the death toll is expected to rise.

The quake hit at 2.46pm (5.45am GMT), about 6 miles below sea level and 78 miles off the east coast. It was swiftly followed by five powerful aftershocks of up to 7.1 magnitude.
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Attention

Massive 8.9-magnitude quake hits Japan - Eastern coastline inundated by multiple tsunamis


CNN
Fri, 11 Mar 2011 01:32 UTC
CNN's Ivan Cabrera reports as a powerful earthquake triggers tsunami waves off the coast of Japan.


Comment: Japanese state TV footage of the tsunami washing way inland:

Japanese Earthquake / Tsunami TV Coverage March 11, 2011




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Whistle

Massive Earthquake Causes Tsunami Warning for Pacific Coast


Associated Press
Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:36 UTC
Tokyo -- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii says a tsunami warning is in effect for a large swath of the Pacific after a magnitude 8.8 earthquake hit Japan.

A tsunami warning was in effect for Japan, Russia, Marcus Island and the Northern Marianas. A tsunami watch has been issued for Guam, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and U.S. state of Hawaii.

Japan's NHK says a small tsunami hit the shore near the epicenter around 3 p.m local time.

Japan's meteorological agency warns that a tsunami as high as 20 feet (6 meters) could strike the coast near Miyagi prefecture, closest to the epicenter.

The agency says the quake struck at 2:46 p.m. Friday at a depth of 6 miles (10 kilometers), about 80 miles (125 kilometers) off the eastern coast.
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Bizarro Earth

US: Mold Mystery Surrounds San Francisco Bird Deaths

John Upton
The Bay Citizen
Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:56 UTC
Dead Sea Gulls
© Richard DrechslerDead sea gulls collected over 2 weeks at Pier 94.

Western gulls have been dying at an alarming rate over the past decade at San Francisco's industrial Pier 94, and preliminary results of a state investigation that found deadly mold inside the bird's lungs are only deepening the mystery surrounding the carnage.

Bird rescuers who recover sick and dying gulls every other day or so from a small industrial patch of waterfront land have long blamed a Darling International-run rendering operation for the deaths.

But, in new findings that are disputed by the bird rescuers, a preliminary California Department of Fish and Game investigation cleared the facility of responsibility for most of the deaths.

The department found 15 to 20 dead or dying gulls monthly, according to California Fish and Game Warden William O'Brien. It performed autopsies on a number of dead gulls and found that growing inside their lungs was a mold called aspergillus, which suffocated the birds.
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Bizarro Earth

Japan: Earthquake Magnitude 8.9 - Near The Coast of Honshu


USGS
Fri, 11 Mar 2011 00:11 UTC
Honshu Quake_110311
© USGSEarthquake Location
Date-Time:
Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46:23 UTC

Friday, March 11, 2011 at 02:46:23 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location:
38.322°N, 142.369°E

Depth:
24.4 km (15.2 miles) set by location program

Region:
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

Distances:
130 km (80 miles) E of Sendai, Honshu, Japan

178 km (110 miles) E of Yamagata, Honshu, Japan

178 km (110 miles) ENE of Fukushima, Honshu, Japan

373 km (231 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan
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Bizarro Earth

NASA and Other Satellites Keeping Busy With This Week's Severe Weather

Rob Gutro
NASA
Thu, 10 Mar 2011 19:02 UTC
US Severe Weather_1
© NOAA/NASA GOES Project On March 9 at 1445 UTC (10:45 a.m. EST), the GOES-13 satellite captured a visible image of the massive storm system that covers about one-third of the U.S.

Satellites have been busy this week covering severe weather across the U.S. Today, the GOES-13 satellite and NASA's Aqua satellite captured an image of the huge stretch of clouds associated with a huge and soggy cold front as it continues its slow march eastward. Earlier this week, NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite captured images of severe weather that generated tornadoes over Louisiana.

Today the eastern third of the U.S. is being buffered by a large storm that stretches from southeastern Minnesota east to Wisconsin and Michigan, then south through the Ohio Valley and all the way down to eastern Louisiana. That massive storm system was captured in an image by the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite called GOES-13.

GOES satellites are operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and NASA's GOES Project, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. creates some of the GOES satellite images and animations.
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Bizarro Earth

China Earthquake: Deadly Temblor Kills at Least 22

Steven Hoffer
Aol News
Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:56 UTC
An earthquake struck China's southwest region today, destroying buildings and causing at least 22 deaths.

Chinese officials said the temblor, which hit while many people were taking their customary afternoon rest, had a magnitude of 5.8 and was centered on Yunnan province's Yingjiang county. (The U.S. Geological Survey, however, reported that it was a 5.4-magnitude quake.)

Here's a short news report:
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X

Australia: Mystery horse disease in Victoria


ABC
Thu, 10 Mar 2011 14:55 UTC
Image
© Jennifer Ingall
The Victorian Department of Primary Industries wants local vets to help identify a mystery horse disease.

Horses living along the Murray River and near Ballarat have become sick with a virus believed to be spread by mosquitoes.

Acting chief veterinary officer Andrew Cameron says he wants local vets to send samples from any sick horses to the DPI.

"I believe the most common symptom is sort of ataxia or wobbliness, more or less drunken horse like staggering about," he said.
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Cow Skull

Flashback 50 swans killed by mystery virus in Cork, Ireland


Irish Independent
Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:45 UTC
Image
© Unknown
A mystery virus has killed around 50 swans in The Lough area of Cork City over the past few days.

Cork City Council has yet to say how long it has been aware of the problem, but it has been removing the dead swans for the past few days.

The virus is understood to have been introduced by migratory ducks that have settled in the area.

Officials say the illness only affects fowl species and poses no threat to humans.
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