Earth ChangesS

Bizarro Earth

Peru: Earthquake Magnitude 4.6

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© US Geological Survey
Date-Time Wednesday, April 08, 2009 at 03:06:22 UTC

Tuesday, April 07, 2009 at 10:06:22 PM at epicenter

Location 7.937ยฐS, 74.311ยฐW

Depth 150.9 km (93.8 miles) set by location program

Distances 55 km (35 miles) NNE of Pucallpa, Peru

190 km (120 miles) W of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil

300 km (185 miles) NE of Huanuco, Peru

550 km (340 miles) NNE of LIMA, Peru

Roses

Death toll in Italy earthquake rises to 250

Italy quake
© AP Photo/Alessandra TarantinoColored sheets are seen hanging on a clothesline in this aerial view of the village of Onna, a day after a powerful earthquake struck the Abruzzo region in central Italy, on Tuesday, April 7, 2009
The Civil Protection Department says that the death toll in Italy's earthquake has risen to 250.

The department said Wednesday that 11 of the victims remained to be identified.

The magnitude-6.3 quake hit L'Aquila and several towns in central Italy early Monday, leveling buildings and reducing entire blocks to a pile of rubble and dust.

Strong aftershocks have caused further fear for residents, as rescue efforts continue.


Fish

Powerful sonar causes deafness in dolphins: study

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© Unknown
Very loud, repeated blasts of sonar can cause a dolphin to temporarily lose its hearing, according to an investigation into a suspected link between naval operations and cetacean strandings.

Numerous beachings of whales, dolphins and porpoises have occurred over the past decade, prompting a finger of blame to be pointed at warship exercises.

A theory is that the mammals' hearing becomes damaged by the powerful mid-frequency sonar used by submarines and surface vessels, prompting the creatures, which themselves use sound for navigation, to become disoriented.

A paper published in the British journal Biology Letters on Wednesday provides the first lab-scale investigation into this idea, although its authors stress it does not provide proof that warship sonar is to blame.

Bizarro Earth

Colorado: Dust Covers High Country, Creates Danger

Summit County - The high country is covered in a layer of dust after it blew in from Arizona. It was caused by a huge dust storm.

Experts say the layer of dust has created a very unstable situation in the snowpack and it might even have a long-lasting effect.

Bizarro Earth

Oaxaca, Mexico: Earthquake Magnitude 4.7

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© USGS
Date-Time Tuesday, April 07, 2009 at 21:49:33 UTC

Tuesday, April 07, 2009 at 04:49:33 PM at epicenter

Location 16.450ยฐN, 96.398ยฐW

Depth 35 km (21.7 miles) set by location program

Distances 75 km (45 miles) SSE of Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

90 km (55 miles) N of Puerto Angel, Oaxaca, Mexico

130 km (80 miles) WNW of Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, Mexico

440 km (275 miles) SE of MEXICO CITY, D.F., Mexico

X

Italy earthquake: stricken L'Aquila suffers again as aftershocks hit

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© Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images Dome of the damaged cathedral in Piazza Duomo in L'Aquila
A powerful aftershock tonight brought two apartment blocks crashing down in the stricken city of L'Aquila, causing panic among rescue workers and survivors of Monday's deadly earthquake.

Chunks of masonry fell from other damaged buildings, and the tremor - measured by the US Geological Survey at magnitude 5.6 - was felt as far away as Rome. Within minutes the city resounded again to the scream of sirens as police and rescue workers rushed to the scene.

Meanwhile rescue workers were preparing to carry out what one called a "surgical operation" on a collapsed building in the centre of L'Aquila in the hope of saving the lives of four missing students.

Bizarro Earth

Northern Japan: Earthquake Magnitude 6.6

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 jolted northern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The focus of the quake, which occurred at 13:24 p.m., was some 10 kilometers underground in the Chishima-retto region in Hokkaido. There were no reports of injuries or damage. No tsunami warning was issued.

Bizarro Earth

Central Italy: Earthquake Magnitude 5.6

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© US Geological Survey
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 at 07:47:38 PM at epicenter

Location 42.349ยฐN, 13.405ยฐE

Depth 13.1 km (8.1 miles)

Distances 70 km (40 miles) W of Pescara, Italy

90 km (55 miles) NE of ROME, Italy

120 km (75 miles) SE of Perugia, Italy

145 km (90 miles) S of Ancona, Italy

Bizarro Earth

Kuril Islands Earthquake Magnitude 6.9

Image
© US Geological Survey
Tuesday, April 07, 2009 at 04:23:33 PM at epicenter

Location 46.088ยฐN, 151.498ยฐE

Depth 34 km (21.1 miles) set by location program

Distances 300 km (185 miles) ENE of Kuril'sk, Kuril Islands

615 km (380 miles) SW of Severo-Kuril'sk, Kuril Islands, Russia

1515 km (940 miles) NE of TOKYO, Japan

7155 km (4440 miles) NE of MOSCOW, Russia

Binoculars

Red River floodwaters head to Canadian province

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Manitoba's biggest city of Winnipeg will defend itself against the Red River's highest crest without its prized floodway, an C$858 million ($692 million) ditch designed to channel floodwater around the provincial capital.

Backhoes and specialized ice-breaking machines have instead assembled along the river as the first of two crests, caused by ice jams on the north-flowing river, hits Winnipeg as early as Tuesday.