The fourth earthquake in 16 days hit East Texas early Saturday.
No injuries or significant damage were reported from the preliminary magnitude 2.5 temblor that hit about 1:30 a.m., said Larry Burns, emergency management coordinator in Timpson.
The quake was centered about seven miles southeast of town, near FM 1645 and Texas 87, according to information from the U.S. Geological Survey.
"One of the guys I work with, he told me it shook but it wasn't like any of the others we've had," said Burns, who was not in town when the latest quake occurred. "We're up to four of them so far."
There perhaps have been more than that, according to accounts collected by the Timpson and Teneha News, Mayor Debra Smith said Saturday.
"I think they've determined we are up to seven in the last 12 months," the mayor said, dating the first reports to July. "But some of them were smaller than the (Geological Survey) keeps up."
Earth Changes
Earlier this year, dozens of reports were rolling in from all over the world about incredibly loud sounds like airplane engines coming out of the sky with no explanation. Some call them "apocalypse sounds," and others "Earth sounds." Either way, when you hear them, they are downright scary.
© Reuters/U.S. Forest Service
Smoke rises into the air from a large forest fire which has consumed a total of 82,252 acres as seen in this U.S. Forest Service handout photo taken in Gila National Forest, New Mexico May 25, 2012.
Smoke rises into the air from a large forest fire which has consumed a total of 82,252 acres as seen in this U.S. Forest Service handout photo taken in Gila National Forest, New Mexico May 25, 2012.
Efforts to contain the blazes spreading in sparsely populated areas of Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah have been hurt by gusting winds and tinder-dry late-spring conditions.
Several small towns, including the historic Wild West mining town of Mogollon - now nearly a ghost town - were ordered to evacuate, as the spreading fire torched miles forest, brush and grass.
New Mexico's Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire, which was started by lightning 10 days ago, had raged across 82,252 acres as of Friday and officials said the area could now be much larger than that.
"We know that there was significant growth yesterday, but we don't have a hard and fast number," said Fire Information Officer Dan Ware.
More than 580 firefighters and support crew have been fighting the blaze.
"This is the biggest show in the country right now in terms of fire size. So a lot of resources are available to us. We're just not sure we'll be able to do a lot of flying," Ware said.
He said access to the fire had been the chief difficulty as it was burning in very steep, rugged terrain where firefighters were not able to cut through the brush and timber.
"Fire activity was so extreme yesterday we had to pull crews out," he said. "We're expecting another day like that today. With such high wind levels and low humidity there's going to be big potential for some major growth."
© CBS
The sinkhole near Central City.
The sinkhole near Central City.
The sinkhole happened at the end of Gregory Street just east of Central City. The asphalt on the side of the road gave way to a small cavern early Saturday morning. By midday the cavern had turned into a crater.
Officials said an old mine shaft caved in. There's some speculation that recent, heavy rains and heavy Memorial Day weekend traffic may have been a contributing factor.
The shaft is about 30 feet wide by 50 feet deep. Crews will fill it in with large rocks and then add filler to the rock for stabilization.
Experts say such collapses aren't uncommon in Gilpin County.
© USGS
Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 21:48:09 UTC
Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 07:48:09 AM at epicenterTime of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
26.876°N, 140.214°E
Depth
472.6 km (293.7 miles)
Region
BONIN ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
Distances
201 km (124 miles) W of Chichi-shima, Bonin Islands, Japan
255 km (158 miles) NNW of Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, Japan
694 km (431 miles) S of Hachijo-jima, Izu Islands, Japan
979 km (608 miles) S of TOKYO, Japan
© SPH
Thousands of crustaceans were found dead off the coast of Lima following the mystery mass death of dolphins and pelicans, the Peruvian Navy said Friday.
The cause of death is under investigation, said Industry and Fishing Minister Gladys Triveno, warning that "it would be premature to give a reason for this phenomenon."
The Navy said it presented a report on the find to the Agency of Environmental Evaluation and Control to determine the cause.
Biologist Yuri Hooker of Cayetano Heredia University said the species found on Pucusana Beach, 60 kilometers (37 miles) south of Lima, was a type of red krill about three centimeters (1.2 inches) long.
"They live mostly along the coast of Chile up to the coast of northern Peru. What is happening is that these crustaceans are being affected by the warming of Pacific waters in the north of the country," he said, adding that the phenomenon occurs "with some frequency."
© PerthNow
FROSTY: Ice on the grass at Allanson, near Collie in the South West, were the temperature plunged to around -3C overnight.
FROSTY: Ice on the grass at Allanson, near Collie in the South West, were the temperature plunged to around -3C overnight.
Bureau of Meteorology spokesman, Neil Bennett, said Perth's overnight low equalled the record temperature set on May 11, 1914 at 7am this morning.
Mr Bennett said the chill was caused by a "very large" high pressure system sitting on the south coast of WA which produced clear skies, which meant sunny days but a lack of cloud cover to slow the cooling down overnight.
"With no clouds and light winds, the cooling down is going off at its maximum rate," Mr Bennett said.
Jandakot recorded -0.6C at 5.49am, the only spot in the metropolitan area to fall below zero, while several centres in the South West also dipped below zero.
Early risers in Jandakot and Bibra Lake had to scrape the ice off car windscreens before they left for work and lawns were covered in a layer of frost.
© Zee News
According to the Kazakh agriculture ministry, the carcasses were found in the Kostanai region.
"Aviation monitoring today (Thursday) discovered a new concentration of saiga deaths with the approximate number of dead animals reaching beyond 400," the ministry said.
Last year, at least 12,000 saiga antelopes died in Kazakhstan, presumably from pasteurellosis infection and from overeating. In November 2010, Kazakhstan introduced a ban on saiga hunting.
The latest statistics put the number of saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan at 85,500. The country spends $800,000 annually to prevent the deaths.
Saiga were virtually exterminated in the 1920s but then their numbers increased in the 1950s. The animals mostly became endangered because of hunting and the high demand for their horns in traditional Chinese medicine.
Saiga are also found in Russia's Kalmykia region and in Mongolia.
© The Canadian Press
A forest fire burns near Timmins, Ont. on Thursday, May 24, 2012.
A forest fire burns near Timmins, Ont. on Thursday, May 24, 2012.
And fire crews report a new fire on Highway 101 southwest of Timmins has forced the evacuation of the Old Mill campground.
The city of 43,000 is under a state of emergency and officials are on high alert.
Mayor Tom Laughren says more than 225 people have been evacuated from rural communities including Hydro Bay, Kamiskotia Highway and Cooks Lake.
Many have sought shelter with the Red Cross, while others are staying with friends or family.
That's in addition to an evacuation order for the nearby Mattagami First Nation that saw 118 residents relocate to Kapuskasing.
"I think the next 48 to 72 hours, from a fire perspective, as it relates to Timmins, will be critical," the mayor said Friday.
Laughren said he hopes the skies will clear up enough to allow water bombers to take on the flames.
© EPA
An increasingly common sight on Russia's and Ukraine's Black Sea coast.
An increasingly common sight on Russia's and Ukraine's Black Sea coast.
Hardly a day goes by in Sochi, Russia's picturesque Black Sea resort, without a dead dolphin washing up on the beach.
With the tourist season just kicking off, the unexplained deaths have yet to draw much scrutiny.
But environmentalists are increasingly alarmed. The dolphin carcasses are also turning into a real holiday spoiler for vacationers drawn to the region's scenic beaches and pristine vistas.
Russian tourist Aida Kobzh was shocked to discover a group of dead dolphins last week at her local beach in Sochi.
"Everyone stood there and stared at the dead little dolphins lying belly up. Poor creatures!" Kobzh says. "There were some on the beach but also in the water, they were floating there, dead.
