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Evidence proves widespread Texas earthquakes have been triggered by oil and gas operations


Science Daily
Wed, 18 May 2016 17:15 UTC
texas earthquakes Oil and gas operations
© Cliff Frohlich/ University of Texas at Austin
Figure showing the location and cumulative number of natural (tectonic) and induced earthquakes in Texas between 1980 and 2010.
Earthquakes triggered by human activity have been happening in Texas since at least 1925, and they have been widespread throughout the state ever since, according to a new historical review of the evidence published online May 18 in Seismological Research Letters.

The earthquakes are caused by oil and gas operations, but the specific production techniques behind these quakes have differed over the decades, according to Cliff Frohlich, the study's lead author and senior research scientist and associate director at the Institute for Geophysics at the University of Texas at Austin.

Frohlich said the evidence presented in the SRL paper should lay to rest the idea that there is no substantial proof for human-caused earthquakes in Texas, as some state officials have claimed as recently as 2015.

Comment:

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Attention

Whale carcass found on beach in Egypt


Egyptian Streets
Tue, 17 May 2016 14:36 UTC
Dead whale
© Al-Wafd
Civil Protection personnel pulled out the carcass of a dead whale that had washed ashore on a beach approximately ten kilometers west of Egypt's northwestern city of Marsa Matrouh, privately-owned al-Wafd reported.

The whale, which was first spotted by city locals who then reported it to the authorities, is around 15 meters long and weighs seven tons. An earlier version of this article had cited the general director of the Fisheries Authority in Matrouh as saying the animal is a humpback whale native to the Atlantic Ocean. However, its appearance suggests it is a sperm whale.

Dead whale
© The Cairo Post
Dead whale on beach at Marsa Matrouh
He went on to say that the whale had come to the warm waters of the Mediterranean to find a mate but was stranded due to the shallow waters outside Marsa Matrouh, which have a depth of no more than ten meters.

In video clips posted on social media, the whale carcass can be seen bobbing back and forth in the salty water, while a number of bystanders watch and take pictures.

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills two and critically injures 6 in Tripura, India


india.com
Wed, 18 May 2016 13:58 UTC
Lightning
Two people were killed and six others critically injured when lightning struck them in Tripura on Wednesday, police said.

Basana Debbarma, 42, and Bipul Debbarma, 38, were killed at Champahour in western Tripura. A police official said the victims were in a paddy field when the lightning hit them.

Rains accompanied by high velocity winds and lightning lashed Tripura on Wednesday, damaging crops and uprooting electric poles and trees.

Source: Indo-Asian News Service
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Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills 4 and injures 8 in Jharkhand, India


india.com
Wed, 18 May 2016 13:44 UTC
Lightning
Four persons including three teenagers were killed and eight others injured when they were struck by lighting at Murmu village of Lohardaga district today evening, a senior police officer said.

Four persons including three teenagers were killed and eight others injured when they were struck by lighting at Murmu village of Lohardaga district today evening, a senior police officer said. Four persons including a girl were killed after rain accompanied by storm struck in the evening causing extensive damage, Superintendent of Police, Karthik S said.

All the injured have been sent to a hospital in adjoining Latehar district. The deceased were identified as Sharif Ansari (28), Sunil Singh Kherwar (15), Sanjay Singh Kherwar (13) and Kanti Kumari (12). Of the eight injured, six were minors including two minors and a woman.
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Arrow Down

Sri Lanka landslide buries three villages, 300 - 400 people feared dead


Press TV
Wed, 18 May 2016 08:18 UTC
Sri Lanka landslide
© AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena
The scene after a massive landslide in Kegalle District, about 72 kilometers (45 miles) north of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, May 18, 2016. Massive landslides triggered by torrential rains crashed down onto three villages in the central hills of Sri Lanka, and more than 200 families were missing Wednesday and feared buried under the mud and debris, the Sri Lankan Red Cross said.
A massive landslide in a remote area in western Sri Lanka has buried three villages, with rescue workers still looking for 200 missing families.

The landslide struck the central Aranayake area Tuesday night following three days of heavy rain described as the most severe since 2010.

Authorities said Siripura, Pallebage and Elagipitya villages, located about 72km from the capital Colombo, were buried and that rescue operation has become difficult as electricity has been cut off.

Red Cross Director General Neville Nanayakkara said around 300-400 people are feared to have died in the Aranayaka landslide.

Rescue operations has been further hampered as reaching the mountainous areas is difficult.

"Rescuers would have to get there by foot and start digging with their hands before we can get any heavy equipment in to the site," said Sri Lanka Red Cross Communications Manager Mahieash Johnny.


Comment: Deadly floods and landslides hit Sri Lanka after 13 inches (355mm) of rain in 24 hours

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Bizarro Earth

USGS: 6.7 earthquake strikes western Ecuador


RT
Wed, 18 May 2016 12:20 UTC
Ecuador map of earthquake
© usgs.gov
A 6.7 magnitude earthquake has struck Ecuador, the US Geological Survey reports. The country has been recently hit by a series of devastating quakes that killed dozens of people.

The quake took place 34km from the town of Rosa Zarate and 35km from the town of Muisne, which already suffered from previous tremors.

According to the USGS, the quake was at a depth of 32km.

More than 600 people were killed and over 2,500 injured in a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck off the Ecuadorian coast in April. That quake was followed by a series of strong aftershocks. The disaster ravaged coastal towns and left thousands of households without power.


Comment: See also:

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Cloud Lightning

Reports of a 'mini explosion' in Glasgow as 'power surge' affects underground cables


The Scotsman
Tue, 17 May 2016 12:05 UTC
Mini explosion in Buchanan Street, Glasgow
© Daily Record
There were reports of a mini explosion in Buchanan Street, Glasgow
Power surges to electricity cables under Buchanan Street left 115 properties without power - and sparked reports of explosions in Glasgow.

Fire crews were called to the scene on Tuesday at around 8am after reports of loud bangs and smoke.

Communters reported hearing two bangs and witnessed smoke rising from a drain close to the Apple shop.

An area at the junction with St Vincent Street was sealed off while firefighters investigated the cause and discovered there was a fault with an electrical cable about a metre underground.

Scottish Power workers were called to deal with the incident.

A company spokesman said said all properties affected had been re-connected by 09:25 and there was "no evidence of any explosion".

A spokesman said: "We apologise for any inconvenience. We will now work to repair the cable fault.

"There was no evidence of any explosion. A bang was heard but the fault occurred several feet underground."

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport said the situation "resulted in a power surge affecting signalling" on the city's subway and warned of delays to services.

Comment: ANOTHER electrical incident at Washington DC metro station - This time sparking 'fireball'

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Fire

Canada wildfire threatens Fort McMurray again as 12,000 evacuated from nearby oil sand camps

James Rothwell
The Telegraph (UK)
Tue, 17 May 2016 03:37 UTC
Fort McMurray wildfire
© Instagram: officialladysaint
Fort McMurray's sky turns orange as fire forces oil workers to evacuate camps.
At least 12,000 people have been asked to evacuate oil sand camps close to the Canadian town of Fort McMurray after a fresh wildfire began to shift to the north.

According to the BBC, more than 8,000 people were urged to leave the area on Monday night, in addition to 4,000 people who had already been issued with evacuation orders.

Suncor Energy Inc was among several operators which confirmed on Tuesday that it had been forced to shut down operations as a precautionary measure.

A spokesman said there had been no damage to the company's assets and that fire defences were in place around the facilities.

Suncor and Syncrude Canada also confirmed they had evacuated workers from the area.

"Suncor has enhanced fire mitigation and protection around all of its facilities," one Suncor official told AFP.

"When it is safe to do so, we will continue implementing our restart plans," they added.

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Cloud Precipitation

Deadly floods and landslides hit Sri Lanka after 13 inches (355mm) of rain in 24 hours

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Tue, 17 May 2016 20:41 UTC
People walk through a flooded road after they moved out from their houses in Biyagama, Sri Lanka.
© Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters
People walk through a flooded road after they moved out from their houses in Biyagama, Sri Lanka.
An area of low pressure above Sri Lanka has caused heavy rainfall across the country since 14 May 2016. Some locations saw over 350 mm (13.77 inches) of rain fall in 24 hours. Floods and landslides have caused havoc in as many as 19 districts of the country, including around Colombo. Sri Lanka's Department of Meteorology say in a 24 hour period 15 to 16 May, Colombo recorded 256 mm of rain. According to WMO figures, the mean total rainfall for Colombo in April is 245.6 mm

Strong winds, lightning and falling trees have also caused major damage.

Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) report said that since 13 May, over 200,000 people have been affected, with 134,000 currently displaced and staying in 176 relief camps set up for the victims. Almost 1,300 homes have been damaged and 68 destroyed.

DMC said in a report yesterday that at least 8 people have died in the severe weather since 13 May, with at least 9 more still missing. One person died in floods in Wattala, Gampaha, Western Province. Four of the deaths occurred after a landslide in Dehiovita, Kegalle, Sabaragamuwa Province.


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Binoculars

Wrong time, wrong place: Rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) seen in Wales; first time ever recorded in the UK


ITV
Tue, 17 May 2016 19:48 UTC
The lammergeier takes to the skies
© Dale Kedward
The lammergeier takes to the skies
One of the world's most stunning birds - the lammergeier - has been seen soaring over the Severn Estuary.

The bird, also known as a bearded vulture, is typically found in mountainous areas in Europe, Asia and Africa.

The bird was seen at Sudbrook in Gwent on May 12, and a few days later over Dartmoor.

If the sightings are confirmed as a wild bird, it will be the first time one has ever been seen in the UK.

Watch the lammergeier in flight near the Severn Estuary. Video courtesy of Dale Kedward.

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