Earth ChangesS

Evil Rays

China's Sichuan hit by new earthquake

An earthquake aftershock measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale struck China's southwest province of Sichuan on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The aftershock hit the county of Mianzhu at 5:26 p.m. local time (9:30 GMT), the agency said, citing the China Earthquake Administration. No details on casualties or damage have yet been released.

Sherlock

Brazil announces new offshore oil find

Brazil's state-controlled oil company Petrobras has announced the discovery of a high-quality off-shore oil deposit in the Espirito Santo Basin.

The new deposit is located in near the Golfinho field, 60 kilometers (40 miles) from the city of Vitoria, at a depth of 1,374 meters (about 4,500 feet). The first estimates indicate a potential of 150 million barrels of recoverable oil, Petrobras said in a press release posted on its website on Tuesday.

Phoenix

US: California blazes called state's largest 'fire event'

Officials say the recent California wildfires have burned more area than a devastating series of blazes in October 2003.

The Governor's Office of Emergency Services said Monday that the earlier fires burned 1,155 square miles. The new fires have burned nearly 1,300 square miles since June 21.

Question

Flashback India: Mysterious disease affects crops in Nellai district

Farmers in and around Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai, who cultivated cotton, vegetables, and sunflower, are in a shock over a mysterious disease, which caused heavy damage to the crops.

Farmers from Gangaikondan, Anaithalaiyoor, Paruthikulam, Maanur and other areas surrounding Tirunelveli and Palayamkottai have cultivated cotton, vegetables and sunflower on 600 acres. They bought seeds from private companies and recently they noticed, a white liquid secreting from the stem of cotton.

X

Two elderly Danes were killed by a glacial wave while visiting Western Greenland

A giant wave resulting from ice that melted and dropped from a glacier swept five Danish tourists into the icy Kangerluarsuk Fjord on Greenland's west coast Sunday, killing two, reports KNR radio.

Uummannaq assistant police chief Carl Borup said that the tragedy occurred while the group of 15 tourists from the boat 'Kisak' stood on a plateau at the glacier to take pictures.

'Witnesses said that there was suddenly a loud sound like a helicopter and a huge wave came pouring in on them,' said Borup.

Cloud Lightning

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano: more activity



Image
©Associated Press

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano is throwing up more lava than usual.

Aerial pictures show lava spewing up in the air from what may be the world's most active volcano.

However, health officials are now concerned that the volcanic gas may trouble people having respiratory conditions.

Evil Rays

Tremors felt across Israel after 6.8-scale quake hits Greek isle

Tremors were felt across Israel on Tuesday, after a strong earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck the Greek island of Rhodes early in the morning.

The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the quake struck at 6:26 A.M. local time, with its epicenter located 445 kilometers southeast of Athens, beneath the seabed south of Rhodes in the Aegean Sea.

The quake sent residents and tourists fleeing their homes and hotels. Dodecanese prefect Yiannis Mahairides said on Antenna radio that one woman died of head injuries when she tripped and fell on a staircase in her home in a village on Rhodes.

Evil Rays

Strong quake strikes Greek island, 1 killed

The Athens Geodynamic Institute says an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.3 has struck near the Greek island of Rhodes. Local media say one woman was killed when she slipped and fell as she tried to flee her home.

The Geodynamic Institute says the quake struck at 6:26 a.m. Tuesday about 275 miles southeast of Athens, beneath the seabed south of Rhodes. The earthquake did not cause any major damage.

Butterfly

Vanishing Bees May Mean Still Higher Food Prices

If the attempts to find out why the honey bees have disappear fail it is possible that rising food prices will climb higher still.

Comment: "CCD Lip Balm"..... the mind boggles.


Question

UK: Mysterious 'yellow spots' spreading across Flintshire

The cause of a mysterious flourish of yellow spots that plagued a Flintshire town remains a mystery, despite months of meetings and inquiries. And now there are fears the problem could be spreading.

In December last year, residents in Garthorpe Avenue, Connah's Quay, raised concerns after they noticed strange yellow spots appearing all over their cars, windows and washing.

Resident Dave Webster was so concerned at the effect that the strange spots could be having on his and his neighbours' health, he posted questionnaires through all the doors in his street, asking people to confirm whether they had experienced problems.

Image
©Unknown
The spots on a resident's car.