QUITO, Dec. 23 (Xinhuanet)-- An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale rocked the center of Ecuador and shook buildings in Quito, Ecuador's capital city in the north of the country, Ecuador's Geophysical Institute said on Friday.
The earthquake occurred at 16:47 local time (21:47 GMT). The epicenter was close to Puyo, capital of Pastaza province, 161 km southeast of Quito.
Only people at the top of tall buildings felt the quake, which caused scant damage.
The institute said that a collision between the Nazca ocean plate with the Ecuadorian continental plate caused the quake, forcing a noisy phenomenon called subduction.
Earth Changes
AS DAWN heralded Saturday morning in Montreal, the latest international climate conference closed in a mood of euphoria. There were tears in the corridors. The UK's environment secretary Margaret Beckett proclaimed a "diplomatic triumph" in which she had achieved all that she had hoped for. Even normally hard-boiled environmental campaigners and journalists were misty-eyed. "Historic," said Greenpeace. "A big step forward...the US has been shamed," said The Guardian in London (see "Small green victory").
Get a grip. Last-minute deals are always exciting, especially after overnight negotiations. But in the cold light of day we have to ask what exactly was achieved. The answer looks like little more than an agreement to carry on talking - and even that is hedged in places by promises to talk about very little that is meaningful.
Meanwhile, every square metre of the planet's surface is absorbing about 1 watt more heat than it can release into space. That may be only slightly more than the power of a Christmas tree light bulb. But it matters.
Get a grip. Last-minute deals are always exciting, especially after overnight negotiations. But in the cold light of day we have to ask what exactly was achieved. The answer looks like little more than an agreement to carry on talking - and even that is hedged in places by promises to talk about very little that is meaningful.
Meanwhile, every square metre of the planet's surface is absorbing about 1 watt more heat than it can release into space. That may be only slightly more than the power of a Christmas tree light bulb. But it matters.
Jakarta - An undersea earthquake of magnitude 6.3 rocked parts of eastern Indonesia on Wednesday, causing some panic, but there no immediate reports of casualties or damage, officials said.
An official at Japan's Meteorological Agency said chances of a tsunami were very low given the small magnitude of the quake.
The Meteorological and Geophysics Agency in Jakarta said the quake had its epicentre in the Moluccas sea between the regions of Sulawesi and the Moluccas islands.
"We don't have any reports of victims," said an agency official.
The U.S. Geological Survey on its website said the quake had a depth of 70 km (44 miles) and struck at 0709 GMT.
Some residents in the city of Manado in northern Sulawesi fled their homes, El Shinta radio said, but the local head of the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency in Manado said he had not received any reports of damage or casualties.
Indonesia is regularly hit by earthquakes.
The country is preparing to mark the first anniversary on Monday of a 9.15 magnitude quake off Sumatra island that triggered a massive tsunami that smashed into a dozen Indian Ocean nations, leaving 231,000 people dead or missing.
An official at Japan's Meteorological Agency said chances of a tsunami were very low given the small magnitude of the quake.
The Meteorological and Geophysics Agency in Jakarta said the quake had its epicentre in the Moluccas sea between the regions of Sulawesi and the Moluccas islands.
"We don't have any reports of victims," said an agency official.
The U.S. Geological Survey on its website said the quake had a depth of 70 km (44 miles) and struck at 0709 GMT.
Some residents in the city of Manado in northern Sulawesi fled their homes, El Shinta radio said, but the local head of the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency in Manado said he had not received any reports of damage or casualties.
Indonesia is regularly hit by earthquakes.
The country is preparing to mark the first anniversary on Monday of a 9.15 magnitude quake off Sumatra island that triggered a massive tsunami that smashed into a dozen Indian Ocean nations, leaving 231,000 people dead or missing.
Hundreds of Farewell Spit residents and tourists have joined conservation workers in a frantic battle to help 123 stranded whales, and more rescue attempts are planned today.
The pod of pilot whales began beaching themselves at Puponga at midday yesterday and by last night were strewn the length of the beach, at the top of the South Island, the Conservation Department's Golden Bay area manager, John Mason, said.
Three had died by early last night. "They have basically thrashed themselves to death," Mr Mason said.
The pod of pilot whales began beaching themselves at Puponga at midday yesterday and by last night were strewn the length of the beach, at the top of the South Island, the Conservation Department's Golden Bay area manager, John Mason, said.
Three had died by early last night. "They have basically thrashed themselves to death," Mr Mason said.
Tokyo - Honda Motor said Monday it will begin mass producing next-generation solar panels for household use from 2007, halving the carbon-dioxide emissions of the already eco-friendly technology.
SINGAPORE : In recent interviews, Thai tsunami prophet Smith Dharmasaroja said the epicentre of the next earthquake in the region could move further north from last year's temblors, which puts Malaysia and Singapore at risk of being hit by killer waves.
Since predicting correctly the December 26 tsunami last year, Dr Dharmasaroja, who was then labelled a "madman" and "rumour-monger", has been taken seriously by many who do not wish to see a repeat of the disaster that killed 290,000.
Two days ago, Dr Dharmasaroja - now a vice-minister in the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand - told TODAY that, based on his studies, an earthquake with its heart slightly north of last year's epicentre could "send waves surging through the Straits of Malacca, which could smash into Malaysia and Singapore".
Since predicting correctly the December 26 tsunami last year, Dr Dharmasaroja, who was then labelled a "madman" and "rumour-monger", has been taken seriously by many who do not wish to see a repeat of the disaster that killed 290,000.
Two days ago, Dr Dharmasaroja - now a vice-minister in the Office of the Prime Minister of Thailand - told TODAY that, based on his studies, an earthquake with its heart slightly north of last year's epicentre could "send waves surging through the Straits of Malacca, which could smash into Malaysia and Singapore".
A weather expert says December 2005 is on pace to become one of the 10 coldest in more than 100 years, despite claims at a global conference on climate change this week that the Earth is getting warmer.
Joe Bastardi, senior meteorologist with Accuweather.com, says present weather patterns across the country show below-normal temperatures in the single digits, with still colder air forecast in the coming weeks.
All told, he said, "the current look and pace may bring December 2005 in as a top 10 month for cold Decembers nationwide since the late 1800s."
Joe Bastardi, senior meteorologist with Accuweather.com, says present weather patterns across the country show below-normal temperatures in the single digits, with still colder air forecast in the coming weeks.
All told, he said, "the current look and pace may bring December 2005 in as a top 10 month for cold Decembers nationwide since the late 1800s."
Comment: Comment: We've been saying it for years, but it bears repeating: From the Cassiopaean Transmissions:
22 February 1997
C's: Climate is being influenced by three factors, and soon a fourth. 1) Wave approach. 2) Chloroflorocarbon increase in atmosphere, thus affecting ozone layer. 3) Change in the planet's axis rotation orientation. 4) Artificial tampering by 3rd and 4th density STS forces in a number of different ways. ...[Also] remember this: a change in the speed of the rotation may not be reported while it is imperceptible except by instrumentation. Equator is slightly "wider" than the polar zones. But, this discrepancy is decreasing slowly currently.
One change to occur in 21st Century is sudden glacial rebound, over Eurasia first, then North America. Ice ages develop much, much, much faster than thought.
Continental "drift" is caused by the continual though variable, propelling of gases from the interior to the surface, mainly at points of magnetic significance.
Q: (Jan) What causes the change in the axis?
A: By slow down of rotation. Earth alternately heats up and cools down in interior.
Q: (Laura) Why does it do that? What's the cause of this?
A: Part of cycle related to energy exerted upon surface by
the frequency resonance vibrational profile of humans and others.
5 Sept 1998
Q: How does global warming cause glaciers?
A: Increases precipitation dramatically. Then moves the belt of great precipitation much farther north. This causes
rapid buildup of ice sheets, followed by increasingly rapid and intense glacial rebound.
18 March 2000
Q: You also made a remark once that ice ages occur much, much faster than people ever thought...
A: Yes.
Q: Do we need to invest in some mukluks and snowshoes?
A: ??
Q: Well, what I am trying to get at is: should we start stockpiling firewood?
A: Maybe.
Q: So, it could be that fast?
A: Oh yes, and faster when in response to global"warming."
18 Jan 2003
Q: (L) We are a little bit curious about the strange weather. Is this the beginning of the ice age?
A: It is a precursor.
17 Aug 2003
Q: (J) Can we expect an ice age any time soon?
A: wait a couple of years and check the thermometer!!!
Intense cold wave conditions continued in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh on Sunday even as the most parts of the region were engulfed under a blanket of fog that reduced visibility and affected movement of road and rail traffic.
The minimum temperature hovered between two to four degrees below normal in most parts of the region, the MET office said.
The cold wave conditions had so far claimed three lives - two in Punjab and one in Haryana - in the region.
With a temperature of four degrees below normal, Srinagar continued to be coldest in the hills with a low of minus 5.6 degrees celsius whereas Jalandhar with a low of 0.4 degree celsius was coldest in the plains.
Chandigarh settled at a low of 3.8 degree celsius, three degrees below normal. [...]
The minimum temperature hovered between two to four degrees below normal in most parts of the region, the MET office said.
The cold wave conditions had so far claimed three lives - two in Punjab and one in Haryana - in the region.
With a temperature of four degrees below normal, Srinagar continued to be coldest in the hills with a low of minus 5.6 degrees celsius whereas Jalandhar with a low of 0.4 degree celsius was coldest in the plains.
Chandigarh settled at a low of 3.8 degree celsius, three degrees below normal. [...]
The cold spell that gripped the nation over the weekend continued to dump heavy snow in mountainous regions Monday and brought Nagoya its heaviest fall in 58 years, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
A minor earthquake occurred at 00:52:20 (UTC) on Tuesday, December 20, 2005. The magnitude 3.0 event has been located in LOUISIANA. (This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.)
Comment: Comment: Read this article carefully. Politics may be hastening the "End of The World"... as we know it. Notice the following particularly: This isn't science fiction, folks. It isn't some whacked out woman wearing a copper pyramid on her head claiming that the Planet Nibiru is gonna clean house in the Solar System. No indeedy...