Earth ChangesS


Bizarro Earth

Earth's Tropics Belt Expands

WASHINGTON - Earth's tropical belt seems to have expanded a couple hundred miles over the past quarter century, which could mean more arid weather for some already dry subtropical regions, new climate research shows.

Snowman

Snow, Freezing Rain on Tap in Northeast

ALBANY, N.Y. - A storm system slid across the Northeast with snow, sleet and freezing rain Sunday, glazing roads and tying up air travel after blacking out thousands of customers in the Midwest.

Evil Rays

An earthquake hits Iran city, cutting some power - agency

An earthquake with a magnitude of 4.6 hit an area around the northwest Iranian city of Tabriz on Saturday frightening residents when some power and telephone lines were cut in the city, the official IRNA news agency said.

The disruption to services in a large part of the city sent many people into the streets in panic, some taking to their cars and causing heavy traffic, IRNA reported.

Downed phone lines made it difficult for officials to contact the affected area to determine possible damage, IRNA said.

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.