Earth ChangesS


Attention

Volcano spews steam and ash in Mexico

Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano spewed ash and steam on Saturday in a giant plume stretching some 3,000 meters (two miles) high, authorities said.

The eruption southeast of Mexico City was "a major explosive event, totally different to those since the year 2000" and related to a rupture of lava inside the volcano's crater, said Ramon Pena, the director of the local government's Plan Operativo Popocatepetl.

©Unknown

Evil Rays

Expert: Major quake will cause Israel enormous damage

When a major earthquake hits Israel, the damage stands to be enormous due to the country's failure to prepare for such a scenario, Dr. Ephraim Laor, an expert in the field, stated Sunday.

According to Laor, who until recently headed the national steering committee entrusted with examining the level of preparedness for an earthquake, "The government fails to implement its own decisions, and therefore Israel isn't ready for a quake.

"The committee I chaired drafted conclusions, received authorization from the relevant bodies, but its decisions are not being implemented. Instead, National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer continues to look for creative solutions and do nothing."

Bizarro Earth

Fall in weather deaths dents climate hysteria warnings

GREEN scientists have been accused of overstating the dangers of climate change by researchers who found that the number of people killed each year by weather-related disasters is falling.

Evil Rays

Fourth quake in 2 weeks shakes Israel

Earthquake measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale felt in Dead Sea, Jerusalem and Coastal Plain areas Sunday morning; no injuries or damage reported.

A mild earthquake was felt throughout Israel Sunday morning, the fourth tremor to be registered in the country in the last two weeks.

Reports of the quake poured in from the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and the Coastal Plain areas.

Head of the Geophysical Institute of Israel Rami Hopshteter reported that the quake measured 4.0 on the Richter Scale, and that the quake's epicenter was, yet again, the Dead Sea.

Last Saturday, a 4.1 magnitude earthquake was felt throughout the country. No injuries or damage were reported.

According to reports, the earthquake hit around 00:19 am, originating in Israel's plains area.

Earlier in the week, two earthquakes, measuring 3 and 4.2 on the Richter scale, were felt throughout Israel, also causing no damage or injuries.

Snowman

Snow and Ice Hit Midwest; 1 Dead

DES MOINES, Iowa - Snow and ice plastered a wide area of the Midwest on Saturday, disrupting campaigning by presidential hopefuls, disrupting airport and highway traffic and causing the death of at least one person.

Bizarro Earth

After Fires, Calif. Mudslide Threat

Santa Ana, Calif. - Southern California's weather turned from dangerously dry to extremely wet Friday as storms brought the threat of mudslides and flash floods to areas burned by recent wildfires, causing evacuation orders.

Question

Mysterious lake swells and shrinks 3 times a day

Longchao Lake, a mysterious lake located in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality, swells and shrinks three times a day!

With no ditch or other lakes nearby, how does the lake come up with three regular one-hour swells-and-shrinks at 8 am, 12 am and 4 pm respectively every day?

Chongqing Economic Times reported that the lake's mysterious moves have finally prompted a latest scientific investigation of the lake organized by Chongqing Exploitation Association and local hydrology and geology experts. The two-day investigation starts on Friday.

©CRI
Mysterious Longchao Lake located in Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality.

Question

Mysterious Helium Leak Detected in Nevada

Strange mixtures of helium gas have been discovered leaking from the ground in Nevada. To the surprise of geologists, helium-3 and other gases, which are normally associated volcanoes, are seeping up through non-volcanic ground there.

The discovery could reveal some secrets about how hot fluids deep in the crust control earthquakes as well as lead to new geothermal energy sources.

©BLM
Scientists detected excess helium-3 at the Dixie Valley geothermal plant in central Nevada, shown here.

Bell

Strong earthquake 6.2 hits Indonesia's Sumatra

An earthquake measuring a magnitude of 6.2 hit Indonesia's Sumatra Island on Saturday morning, but there have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

Info

Agency introduces activity warnings for 7 volcanoes

The Japan Meteorological Agency on Saturday started issuing volcanic activity warnings for areas centering around seven active volcanoes including one which is undersea in line with a revised meteorological business law, noting that there has been no change in the levels of activity themselves.