© earthquake.usgs.gov
The earthquake occurred some 130 miles (210 kilometers) to the northwest of Santiago, USGS reported on Monday. The epicenter of the quake was at a depth of 15.3 miles (24.7 kilometers), USGS said.
Earth Changes
The earthquake occurred some 130 miles (210 kilometers) to the northwest of Santiago, USGS reported on Monday. The epicenter of the quake was at a depth of 15.3 miles (24.7 kilometers), USGS said.
© David Royal / Associated Press
A plane drops fire retardant on a fire along Highway 68 east of Laureles Grade in rural Salinas, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015.
A plane drops fire retardant on a fire along Highway 68 east of Laureles Grade in rural Salinas, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2015.
As firefighters made progress on the Valley and Butte fires, hundreds of people displaced by the blazes returned over the weekend to find the charred remains of their homes and towns.
The Valley fire, one of the most destructive in the state's history, has burned 75,781 acres, destroyed 1,050 structures and left three dead. It ignited Sept. 12 and traveled 10 miles in 10 hours, expanding to 50,000 acres in the space of a day.
Teams of firefighters were still crisscrossing the burn area Sunday, stamping out remaining hotspots and putting out smoldering stumps. By Monday morning, the fire was 70% contained.
"We're in the mopping-up stages now, just extinguishing smoke and hotspots," said Capt. Richard Cordova, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "You're not going to see any flames."
Comment: According to the National Interagency Fire Center, the 2015 wildfire season in the United States is a record breaker. All over the world we are witnessing extensive wildfires, which in some regions have been described as "unprecedented".
Could some of these wildfires have been fueled from outgassing, then possibly 'sparked' by an increase in atmospheric electric discharge events, such as lightning strikes? See also:
Study: Wildfire seasons are more destructive and lasting longer almost everywhere on Earth
The wildfire outside Los Angeles in July this year that torched vehicles on its way through a major highway
© Youtube / Jessielou121
A very rare cloud formation with multicolored light was reported earlier this week in the sky over San Jose, Parrita, Pavas, Escazu and Hatillo in Costa Rica.
© KONSTANTIN YAROVITSYN/SIBERIAN TIMES
The poisonous jellyfish can sting
The poisonous jellyfish can sting
Bathers have been stung by the transparent jellyfish as they grow in numbers and doctors have warned people to wash the stings with cold water, take painkillers and seek urgent medical assistance.
Even elderly locals living in Andreevka village - one of the badly hit areas - say they have never seen so many of the sea monsters.
Marine experts hope colder and wetter weather will disperse the stingers back into the Pacific.
Andreevka village in Khaan disctrict is among the badly hit areas.
The hole that is believed to have appeared yesterday
Anglian Water are undertaking water main repair works at the junction of Ongar Road and Doddinghurst Road and have installed a four-way traffic light system, which has lead to long queues building up all the way up to Wilson's Corner, Ongar Road, Doddinghurst Road and on other approaches such as from Geary Drive.
But today (Sunday), the area of works appears to have been widened, to fence off a huge 'sinkhole' - which appears to have part of a white road marking collapsed into it.
This afternoon, stunned residents could be seen taking photographs of the hole.
© Google Maps
No fire followed the Monday blast at the Sellier & Bellot plant in the town of Vlašim, said a spokesman for the Fire Rescue Service of Central Bohemia.
"Explosion hit the plant that produces firearms around 12:35pm (local time). No fire followed the blast," Ladislav Holomčík said.
Approximately 320 metric tons of gunpowder blew the Sellier & Bellot manufacturing plant roof about 164 feet in the air.
© Te Hira Pere
Flooding in Gisbourne
Flooding in Gisbourne
During the last 24 hours, 97.2 mm of rain was recorded at Gisborne Aerodrome, according to WMO figures. Typical monthly averages for the whole of September stand at around 75 mm.
Flooding has been reported in Gisborne city, closing several roads in the area. Gisborne Civil Defence officials report that State Highway 2 north of Ormond is closed and anyone unable to return to their homes outside of Gisborne would need to find alternative accommodation.
Many rural areas of the East Coast have also seen severe flooding, in particular the small settlement of Te Karaka, where at one point during the day the Waipaoa River was rising at 0.8 metre an hour. Earlier today, civil defence authorities said that evacuation is being considered for Te Karaka residents as further rainfall of around 50 to 70 mm was expected during the evening.
© earthquake.usgs.gov
The new quake hit off the Chilean coast 230km north of the capital Santiago, about 50km west of the coastal city of Illapel in the Choapa Province, according to USGS.
A powerful 8.3 earthquake shook Chile on Wednesday, triggering a tsunami and the evacuation of over 1 million people.
The quake was the sixth-strongest in Chile's recorded history and was felt thousands of kilometers from the center as far away as California.
Comment: 2010 saw 3 major Chilean earthquakes over 6.0; 2011, 2012 and 2013 each brought 1 such quake. In 2014 there were 7 (3 of which occurred on the same day, April 1). This latest quake makes for the 5th in 2015. By contrast, there were apparently no such quakes from 1987 to 1994, or in 1996, 1999-2001 and 2006. See:
- Chile 8.3 mega-quake: 1 million evacuated, at least 5 dead & 20 injured
- Another earthquake hits Chile; 6.3 magnitude tremor near city of Valparaiso
© Sam Tsang/SCMP
People queue for public transport in Ma On Shan during today's rainstorm.
People queue for public transport in Ma On Shan during today's rainstorm.
Hong Kong Observatory issued an amber rainstorm warning at 6.15am and warned residents of the chance of flash flooding in some places.
Pat Heung, Kam Tin and Sheung Shui in the northern New Territories were particularly badly hit after about 90 millimetres of rain fell in just two hours.
In Yuen Long rainfall exceeded 40 millimeters, while many other parts of the New Territories recorded 20 millimeters.
Comment: All around the world flooding, in particular flash flooding following torrential rainfall, is becoming more common and intense with new records being broken.
Keep informed on these increasingly chaotic and 'unprecedented' events by viewing the monthly SOTT Earth Changes Summary.
SOTT Earth Changes Summary - August 2015: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs
© Michigan DNR
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is setting live traps, like the one in the picture, to catch a black bear that attacked a porcupine hunter. The hunter told the DNR he stabbed and injured the bear during the Thursday, Sept. 17, incident in Clare County.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is setting live traps, like the one in the picture, to catch a black bear that attacked a porcupine hunter. The hunter told the DNR he stabbed and injured the bear during the Thursday, Sept. 17, incident in Clare County.
The man was treated for minor injuries at a hospital and released, the DNR said.
About 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, the man was hunting for porcupine and alone in a ground blind. He reported to police that a black bear came from behind, knocked him over and attacked him.
"Using his hunting knife, the man stabbed the bear, which scared it off. The bear is thought to be injured," the DNR said in a news release. "The DNR was informed about 45 minutes later."
Sgt. Jon Wood spoke with the hunter and advised him to seek medical attention. The DNR's Law Enforcement Division is continuing to investigate the incident.
Comment: Since the 8.3 on September 16, Chile has been getting hit hard, with 10 quakes or aftershocks of magnitude 6.0 or greater. See: