Kansas could be facing more severe droughts in the future, according to a new study by the U.S. Geological Survey.
''It could get much, much worse,'' said Jim Putnam, a hydrologist with the USGS.
The USGS report shows that in the most recent drought from 2000 to 2006, rainfall levels were not that far from normal, only about one inch less than average.
By comparison, the rainfall deficit during the devastating 1952-57 drought was nearly 6 inches below normal. Yet streamflows during the 2000-2006 drought hit record lows.
''In the summer of 2006, flows at four long-term USGS stream gauges on the Republican, Saline, Solomon and Smoky Hill rivers in north-central and central Kansas were significantly lower than the 1930s and 1950s even though the rainfall deficit was not as severe,'' Putnam said.
That means if Kansas experiences the kind of rainfall deficits of the 1930s and 1950s, then the flow in some rivers would become virtually zero, he said.
Earth Changes
MEXICO CITY - The Mexican Navy searched for sharks in the ocean near Pacific surfing beaches on Monday, after two bathers were killed and another maimed in a rare spate of shark attacks.
Three boats and a helicopter patrolled the sea while Navy and rescue officials scanned the horizon with binoculars from popular beaches around the southwestern Mexican resort of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. They warned surfers not to go far out.
Three boats and a helicopter patrolled the sea while Navy and rescue officials scanned the horizon with binoculars from popular beaches around the southwestern Mexican resort of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. They warned surfers not to go far out.
PANAMA CITY - A moderate earthquake of 5.2 magnitude struck on the Pacific coast side of the Panama-Costa Rican border on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, but only minor structural damage was reported.
The quake, which hit at 10:01 a.m. local time (4:01 p.m. British time), was centred 135 miles (217 km) southeast of San Jose, Costa Rica, and at a depth of about 22 miles (35 km), the USGS said.
The quake, which hit at 10:01 a.m. local time (4:01 p.m. British time), was centred 135 miles (217 km) southeast of San Jose, Costa Rica, and at a depth of about 22 miles (35 km), the USGS said.
Well before this city was destroyed by an earthquake 32 years ago, the coming disaster was loudly preceded by strange animal behaviour and other bizarre signals that survivors wish they heeded.
"The animals were trying to tell us something. If only we knew that, not so many people would have died," said Fu Wenran, a retired farmer whose wife was among the estimated 240,000 who perished in Tangshan's quake on July 28, 1976.
Several survivors of the disaster in this northern city -- still the deadliest earthquake of modern times -- said the toll in this month's quake in southwestern China could have been minimised if such clues had been validated.
"The animals were trying to tell us something. If only we knew that, not so many people would have died," said Fu Wenran, a retired farmer whose wife was among the estimated 240,000 who perished in Tangshan's quake on July 28, 1976.
Several survivors of the disaster in this northern city -- still the deadliest earthquake of modern times -- said the toll in this month's quake in southwestern China could have been minimised if such clues had been validated.
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| ©Unknown |
| A cat sits outside a shop |
Jim Kalina, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said the service received 10 separate reports of tornadoes in eastern Colorado on Thursday afternoon.
Kalina said that survey parties from the weather service will go into the field Friday to determine exactly how many tornadoes there were and how strong they were.
He said that some of the 10 sightings may have been the same tornado. Kalina emphasized that at this point, the weather service has not determined the strength of the tornadoes.
Kalina said that survey parties from the weather service will go into the field Friday to determine exactly how many tornadoes there were and how strong they were.
He said that some of the 10 sightings may have been the same tornado. Kalina emphasized that at this point, the weather service has not determined the strength of the tornadoes.
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| ©The National Weather Service |
| The National Weather Service's Doppler radar caught an image of the Weld County tornado at 11:44 a.m. on May 22, 2008. |
Firefighters in Florida's Everglades National Park are encountering large, dangerous reptiles and poisonous trees as they battle a fire that has consumed about 39,000 acres (16,000 hectares) since last week.
Fighting the Mustang Corners blaze in the remote, trackless Everglades has "posed a lot of challenges," said Mike Dueitt, a firefighter from Florence, Mississippi.
Fighting the Mustang Corners blaze in the remote, trackless Everglades has "posed a lot of challenges," said Mike Dueitt, a firefighter from Florence, Mississippi.
Dominion Resources Inc's (D.N: Quote, Profile, Research) 882-megawatt Unit 2 at the Millstone nuclear power station in Connecticut shut from full power Thursday after lightning struck the main transformer, the company told the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in a report.
The company said the reactor had "an uncomplicated trip."
The company said the reactor had "an uncomplicated trip."
A 20-year-old man was killed and three other people were injured apparently by lightning early Saturday at Pomona State Park, the Osage County Sheriff's Department said.
The fatality victim, whose identity hasn't been released, was camping with friends and was thought to have been struck by lightning between 1 and 4 a.m. as thunderstorms rolled through the area, a deputy said. He was discovered by another person at the park.
The fatality victim, whose identity hasn't been released, was camping with friends and was thought to have been struck by lightning between 1 and 4 a.m. as thunderstorms rolled through the area, a deputy said. He was discovered by another person at the park.
One of three recycling stations operated by the City of Alamogordo is being rebuilt after it was blown away by a "dust devil" at its new location on North Florida Avenue recently.
Public Works Director Brian Cesar said the station, which had been on the corner of Florida and Indian Wells, was moved a few blocks away to the city public works yard on Florida.
"We moved it to the city yard, and that afternoon a large dust devil came through and destroyed the building," Cesar said.
Public Works Director Brian Cesar said the station, which had been on the corner of Florida and Indian Wells, was moved a few blocks away to the city public works yard on Florida.
"We moved it to the city yard, and that afternoon a large dust devil came through and destroyed the building," Cesar said.
BOGOTA -- At least six people, including two children, were killed when a 5.5-magnitude earthquake jolted central Colombia Saturday afternoon, authorities said.
The earthquake occurred in Meta province at 14:21 local time (1921 GMT), and its epicenter was at a depth of 3.9 km, Colombia's seismological administration said.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was at 54 kilometers east-southeast of Bogota at a depth of 10 kilometers.
The dead, including two children, were killed when rocks fell on a bus at a highway linking Bogota and Meta provincial capital Villavicencio in a landslide caused by the quake. A dozen others were injured and the highway was paralyzed.
The earthquake occurred in Meta province at 14:21 local time (1921 GMT), and its epicenter was at a depth of 3.9 km, Colombia's seismological administration said.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake's epicenter was at 54 kilometers east-southeast of Bogota at a depth of 10 kilometers.
The dead, including two children, were killed when rocks fell on a bus at a highway linking Bogota and Meta provincial capital Villavicencio in a landslide caused by the quake. A dozen others were injured and the highway was paralyzed.
