Earth Changes & Natural Disasters

11/1/12 - Eight killed in landslide in Rio de Janeiro Brazil

2012-01-11T13:19:00.001-08:00

RIO DE JANEIRO – A landslide triggered by torrential rains killed at least eight people in Rio de Janeiro state Monday and 14 others may still be buried in the rubble, local officials told Globo television. Colonel Sergio Simoes, the head of the local fire department, said six adults and two children perished and 14 were still missing after nine house collapsed in the northern Sapucaia munipality. Civil Defense officials said a family of five who took refuge in a car may also have died after the vehicle was buried by the mud. Simoes said the priority for rescue workers was “to find the bodies.” Earlier in the day, Sergio Murilo, a spokesman for the Sapucaia municipality, put the death toll at three. He told Globo by telephone that the landslide “occurred at 3:30 am (0530 GMT) after 12 hours of nonstop rain.” The road leading to the area is completely cut off which means that rescue teams can reach the area only by helicopter. “The mayor and an entire team went to the scene but there are huge communications and transport problems, no telephone,’ Murilo said. Late Sunday, authorities began evacuating 900 people in Rio de Janeiro state’s northern town of Outeiro after a local dike gave way. Hernique Oliveira, a local civil defense official, said the town was expected to be flooded later Monday. The evacuees were being sheltered in schools, tents or by relatives. The incident occurred in the same area where on Thursday 4,000 people were evacuated after floodwaters fed by torrential rains caused another dike to burst. Monday, authorities meanwhile launched an emergency plan to deal with the torrential rains hitting mainly the southeastern states of Minas Gerais, Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro. The rains and ensuing flooding caused 23 fatalities, including 15 in Minas Gerais. –GMA News

11/1/12 - 7.3 magnitude earthquake strikes off the west coast of northern Sumatra

2012-01-11T13:14:00.001-08:00

INDONESIA – A 7.3magnitude tectonic earthquake at a depth of 29 km (18 miles) was recorded on Tuesday, 420 km (260 miles) south west of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, the U.S. Geological Survey said. No immediate tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for its Indian Ocean area but later that was changed. The epicenter of the strong earthquake was about 1789 km (1111 miles) WNW of Jakarta, Java, Indonesia. The earthquake lasted for about 30 seconds, and residents in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, rushed out of their homes in fear, an AFP reporter said. They later returned indoors. In recent weeks, a spasm of earthquakes have rattled the region in around Indonesia and currently 7 volcanoes in the very geologically-active archipelago are on high alert status. The earthquake is the second large earthquake of 2012 and comes on the heels of yesterday’s 6.6 magnitude earthquake which struck the Santa Cruz Islands. –The Extinction Protocol

11/1/12 - Bushfire still a Threat as intensity of a bushfire in Western Australia's northwest Increases

2012-01-11T13:07:00.001-08:00

Update, 12.05pm: The intensity of a bushfire in Western Australia's northwest has increased and remains a threat to lives and homes, authorities say.A bushfire watch and act alert remains in place for Boologooro, Cooralya and Doorawarrah homesteads, people near the North West Coastal Highway and people west of Kennedy Range National Park in the Shire of Carnarvon.
The fire is uncontained and is burning next to the highway, about 40km north of Carnarvon.
The Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) says there is a possible threat to lives and homes because the weather is changing.
The intensity of the fire increased on Tuesday night, pushed towards the Gascoyne River by north-east winds, the department says. Read More

11/1/12 - Residents evacuated after Sydney grassfire

2012-01-11T13:06:00.002-08:00

Residents have been allowed to return to their homes as a large grassfire continues to burn in Sydney's south-west.The fire in a reserve in the Ingleburn-Minto area is being fanned by strong winds.
More than 80 firefighters are helping to tackle the blaze.
A water-bombing aircraft has also been called in to help.
Houses on Bainbridge Avenue at Ingleburn had been evacuated as a precaution but residents have now been allowed to return.
Meanwhile, a 12-hectare grassfire at Doyalson on the central coast has also caused a number of local road closures. Source

11/1/12 - More than British 1,000 skiers trapped in the Alps after freak 18ft snowfall

2012-01-11T13:06:00.000-08:00

More than British 1,000 skiers trapped in the Alps after freak 18ft snowfall

Ski resorts across Europe are in 'lockdown' after a series of freak snowfalls severed road, rail and air links amid serious fears of avalanches.Tourists in areas across Austria, southern Germany, France and Switzerland have been advised to stay indoors after in some areas a staggering 18ft of snow fell in just a few days.
Some business owners are so worried they have taken to shutting up shops and restaurants by 9pm - with many runs also closed.
In the Alps more than 1,000 British holidaymakers have been left trapped in the Austrian town of Ischgl after 10ft of powder fell in 48 hours alone. More are said to be stranded in the resorts of Galtur, St Anton and Arlberg.
It is a remarkable turnaround for the resorts who were left fretting at the start of the season after a lack of snow forced them to delay opening.Read More

10/1/12 - Cyclone Heidi to cross Western Australia's Pilbara region overnight

2012-01-11T13:05:00.001-08:00

Residents in Western Australia's Pilbara region are being warned to prepare for Cyclone Heidi, which is due to cross the coast overnight.The category one system, which is intensifying, is expected to hit the coast very close to Port Hedland and track south-west past Karratha - two of the state's major resource hubs.
The weather bureau says Cyclone Heidi could intensify to a category two just before landfall, and there will be destructive winds with gusts of up to 155 kilometres per hour.
It is also warning that between 100 to 250 millimetres of rain could fall across the central and eastern Pilbara.
The bureau's Joe Courtney says residents have a bit of time to prepare.
"The most likely scenario is it crosses the coast towards midnight to the east of Port Hedland," he said.
A blue alert has been issued for people in or near the coast, including Pardoo, Port Hedland, South Hedland, Roebourne, Port Samson, Karratha, Dampier and Mardie.
They are being told to organise an emergency kit including first aid, portable radio, spare batteries, food and water.
Heavy rain and flash flooding has already forced road closures in the central and eastern Pilbara, as well as the town of Port Hedland. Read More

10/1/12 - Heavy rainfall, flash flooding closes Karijini, Australia

2012-01-11T13:04:00.002-08:00

Flash flooding across the Pilbara has forced the closure of Karijini National Park for at least the next 24 hours, with roads and sites within the park expected to be inundated with water.

Millstream Chichester National Park has also been closed following the heavy rainfall, with more to come in the next three days.

At the Karijini ranger's headquarters, 97 millimetres of rain was recorded in the 24 hours to 9am, while at Millstream Chichester, 125 millimetres was recorded.Source

101/12 - Link Between Earthquakes and Tropical Cyclones: New Study May Help Scientists Identify Regions at High Risk for Earthquakes

2012-01-11T13:04:00.000-08:00

A groundbreaking study led by University of Miami (UM) scientist Shimon Wdowinski shows that earthquakes, including the recent 2010 temblors in Haiti and Taiwan, may be triggered by tropical cyclones (hurricanes and typhoons), according to a presentation of the findings at the 2011 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco.
"Very wet rain events are the trigger," said Wdowinski, associate research professor of marine geology and geophysics at the UM Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. "The heavy rain induces thousands of landslides and severe erosion, which removes ground material from the Earth's surface, releasing the stress load and encouraging movement along faults."

Wdowinski and a colleague from Florida International University analyzed data from quakes magnitude-6 and above in Taiwan and Haiti and found a strong temporal relationship between the two natural hazards, where large earthquakes occurred within four years after a very wet tropical cyclone season.

During the last 50 years three very wet tropical cyclone events -- Typhoons Morakot, Herb and Flossie -- were followed within four years by major earthquakes in Taiwan's mountainous regions. The 2009 Morakot typhoon was followed by a M-6.2 in 2009 and M-6.4 in 2010. The 1996 Typhoon Herb was followed by M-6.2 in 1998 and M-7.6 in 1999 and the 1969 Typhoon Flossie was followed by a M-6.2 in 1972.Read More

10/1/12 - UK weather: gale force winds the Aftermath, .... bit windy was it?

2012-01-11T13:03:00.001-08:00

Debris lies on the pavement after it fell from the front of two shops in Shirley, Southampton, as fierce storms battered Britain, with heavy rain and winds gusting up to 85mph Source

10/1/12 - Texas Floods after four inches of rain falls in two hours as twister rips up mall roof and thousands lose power (but the drought is still on!)

2012-01-11T13:00:00.001-08:00

City roads were flooded and thousands of residents lost power in Houston, Texas, on Monday after powerful thunderstorms barreled through the area.To add to the drama, a possible tornado damaged and shut down a nearby mall.
The skies over Houston turned pitch black as the massive storms raced through the drought-stricken area, dropping several inches of rain over a two-hour period.Roads rapidly flooded and drivers became stranded on major arteries that connect the city's sprawling neighborhoods and suburbs, the Associated |Press reports.
In Texas City, a town about 40 miles southeast of Houston, a possible tornado damaged the roof and wall of the Mall of the Mainland, and Fire Chief Joe Gorman evacuated and shut down the building.
In North and West Texas, meanwhile, the National Weather Service said a cold, steady downpour will drop an inch or two of much-needed rain.Read More

10/1/12 - Buying asteroid-proof bunkers, killing pets and planning mass suicide, the families convinced this ancient calendar predicts the world will end 2012

2012-01-11T12:59:00.001-08:00

NOTE: The World is NOT going to END this year. If it Does I will write a personal Apology...

To those planning Mass Suicide, get some help or at least wait 1 extra day to see the world isn't going to end and that the Cult that have told you otherwise has been lying to you.

Harold Camping who has millions of followers predicted the end of the world 3 Times, guess what? the only thing that changed was that thousands of people handed over their life savings to him, several committed suicide and no doubt many more were left mentally broken.

Many more in history have predicted the end of the world which came to nothing, in all cases death followed for a few of the believers at their own hand, leaving behind friends, family loved ones hurt and wondering if they couldn't of done more.

Think back in History when big wars break out, or huge natural disasters take place...Millions die and survivors may describe this as the end of the world but they survive they pull through and the world keeps turning.

The Mayans have NOT predicted the end of the World, they speak of a New era, one cycle ends and the next begins, so please DON'T do anything stupid.
Deep inside a secret room buried for eons within an ancient stone temple in Mexico, something dark and terrible has finally stirred.

Or so the doomsayers, with their vivid imaginations, would have you believe.

The sands of time are running out for the world and not even Indiana Jones can save us now.
The astrological alignments and numerological formulae cannot be wrong: on December 21 this year, the apocalypse foretold 5,125 years ago by the ancient Mayans will come to pass and the world will end.

Of course, it’s fair to say predictions of Armageddon are two a penny.

Harold Camping, an American radio preacher, got thousands of followers worked up when he predicted the Second Coming of Jesus Christ on May 21 last year.

When that didn’t happen, he said the world would end on October 21. And then he quietly retired from his radio show. (A very rich man, managed to manipulate millions for years and still does.....has he ever apologized?)

But the ‘2012 phenomenon’ — as it is commonly known to its legions of internet followers — is different. More

9/1/12 - Heavy snow creates chaos in Austria

2012-01-09T13:13:00.003-08:00

9/1/12 - Snow cuts off Austrian region of Vorarlberg

2012-01-09T13:13:00.001-08:00

Heavy snow has blocked road and rail services to Austria's western province of Vorarlberg, near the Swiss border.

Fallen trees on the key S16 road cut off access to the Arlberg tunnel between Austria and Switzerland.

Austrian rail service OeBB said the Arlberg train route would be closed on Monday.

Officials said that up to 60cm (23in) snow had fallen overnight into Monday and the risk of avalanches was high, assessed at four on a scale of five.

Since Thursday, the Vorarlberg region has seen two to three metres (6-10ft) of snow.

Areas of Montafon and Bregenzer Wald have been described as cut off and there is no access to a number of ski resorts, including Lech and Zuers. Read More

9/1/12 - Seven feared washed away in Cauvery Flash Flood, India

2012-01-09T13:12:00.001-08:00

Seven persons, including three women and a child, were feared drowned as the water gushing from the sluice of the newly inaugurated 30-MW Bhavani Kattalai Barrage-II (BKB-II) built across the Cauvery river at Odapalli, connecting Pallipalayam and Erode, reportedly washed them away on Sunday.

Only one body could be retrieved while the search for the rest continued. Preliminary investigations revealed that two families from the Sasthri Nagar area in Erode had come there on a picnic. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of the Tiruchengode sub-division A. Sujatha told The Hindu that nine persons from the two families had gone there in the afternoon. Read More

9/1/12 - Heat and wind fan Moreton bushfire, Australia

2012-01-09T13:11:00.001-08:00

A bushfire that has been burning for several days on an island off Brisbane has been escalated by strong winds and high temperatures and is threatening several campsites.Campers on northeast Moreton Island are on alert as the blaze burns towards the eastern beach, fanned by strong, variable northerlies.
The bushfire has burned 1600 hectares of the popular tourist destination since Thursday, when a vehicle fire sparked the blaze.
Rain subdued the flames over the weekend but Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) acting regional manager Anthony Contarino said Monday's conditions, including hot, gusty winds, had fanned the flames.
"QPWS and Queensland Police are notifying campers in northeastern campsites that they may need to relocate," he said in a statement.
Mr Contarino said there was no immediate threat to property but that Tangalooma Resort was likely to be affected by smoke. Source

9/1/12 - Weather takes another bizarre turn, dropping extreme winter conditions on select portions of the globe

2012-01-09T13:10:00.002-08:00

January 9, 2012 – ALASKA – The small Alaska fishing town of Cordova is used to dealing with excessive snow – but not like this. Residents have turned to the state to help them dig out of massive snow levels that have collapsed roofs, triggered avalanches and even covered doors, trapping some people in their homes. A statewide emergency was declared on Friday following three weeks of relentless snow, which overwhelmed local crews working around the clock and filled snow dump sites. ‘There’s nowhere to go with the snow because it’s piled up so high,’ said Wendy Rainney, who owns the Orca Adventure Lodge. A storage building for the lodge – which offers fishing trips, hiking, kayaking and glacier tours – partially collapsed under the weight of the snow, she said. This is more quantity than can be handled.’ The Alaska National Guard reported more than 18 feet of snow has fallen on Cordova in the past weeks, although the National Weather Service did not immediately have a measurement. Officials said at least three buildings have collapsed or partially collapsed and six homes are deemed severely stressed by heavy wet snow. The city has set up a shelter at a local recreation center, but said people leaving homes in avalanche-risky areas have been staying with other residents. Cordova spokesman Allen Marquette said the town also was ready to set up a pet shelter if necessary. Responders said Sunday that rain fell overnight, making for a slippery, treacherous mess in the Prince William Sound community of 2,000 year-round residents. The region has been pummeled by snow, but Cordova is of particular concern because there is no road access to the town, only boat and plane passage, said Maj. Gen. Thomas Katkus, adjutant general of the Alaska National Guard. Alaska is innundated while much of the U.S. is hit with a snow drought. There have been no reported injuries, but bad weather has prevented the Guard from flying to the town, 150 miles southeast of Anchorage. –Daily Mail

Austria paralyzed by heavy snowfall: Officials said that up to 60cm (23in) snow had fallen overnight into Monday and the risk of avalanches was high, assessed at four on a scale of five. Although road links were re-established, Austrian rail service OeBB said the Arlberg train route was closed. Several ski resorts including Lech and Zuers have been cut off. Emergency workers were busy on Monday trying to clear routes to isolated areas. Although Bregenzer Wald was reported to be cut off, roads into Montafon were said to have been cleared. The snow was accompanied by exceptionally strong winds. Since Thursday, the Vorarlberg region has seen two to three metres (6-10ft) of snow. The authorities have been blasting some areas of heavy snow to prevent avalanches from becoming too large. Snow has also blocked off roads in the Salzburg region, and rail services in the Innsbruck area have been affected. Rescue teams resumed a search on Monday for a 15-year-old skier missing from a resort south-west of Innsbruck since Saturday, Austrian media said. Thousands of tourists and residents were snowed in at resorts on the Arlberg Mountain on Friday and a major east-west railway line in Tirol province was closed over the weekend. –BBC

140 die in India from cold: Cold wave continues to spread havoc in Northern India with dense fog and low visibility hitting normal life and disrupting movement of trains and flight operations in most parts of the region. Reports on Monday claimed that severe cold has claimed the lives of at least 140 people in this season so far as rain coupled with snowfall aggravated the cold wave. Cold wave conditions continued unabated in Kashmir Valley with minimum temperatures remaining several degrees below the freezing point. Apart from snow, Kashmir is also facing a power crisis. Two people are reported to have died due to the cold in Kashmir. Meanwhile, dense fog enveloped many parts of Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh today affecting normal life even as bitter cold persisted in the region. Heavy snowfall has disrupted life in Himachal Pradesh, with temperature in Kangra dipping to -4.0 degree Celsius yesterday. In Manali, the temperature recorded was around -7.0 degree Celsius. Dharamshala experienced snowfall of upto 4 feet in the upper terrains and 1 foot in lower areas. Heavy snowfall has disrupted life in Himachal Pradesh, with temperature in Kangra dipping to -4.0 degree Celsius. Punjab continues to reel under harsh cold conditions. Pathankot yesterday experienced its first snow fall in decades, a phenomenon which the Met dismissed as ‘freak’ happening due to change in wind directions. In Ludhiana the temperature was recorded at 6.0 degrees and Pathankot dipped to 3.0 degree minimum. In Delhi, the minimum temperature settled at 6 degree Celsius and those bearing the brunt of the cold are the homeless, as is the case every year. –Zee News

A relentless cold wave is sweeping through north India, leaving people shivering and desperately hoping for some respite. There has been heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. And the Meteorological Department has predicted more snowfall in these states. Punjab, there has been snowfall as far as Pathankot which has seen snowfall after 40 years. The district normally experiences maximum temperature of up to 45 degree Celsius in summer. And that’s what makes this change of weather very unusual. -NDTV

9/1/12 - 6.6 magnitude earthquake strikes near Santa Cruz Islands

2012-01-09T13:10:00.000-08:00

January 9, 2012 – SOLOMON ISLANDS – A strong 6.6 -magnitude earthquake has struck the Santa Cruz Islands, part of the Pacific’s Solomons group, the USGS said, but there was no threat of a widespread tsunami, according to officials. The quake hit at a depth of 23 miles at about 3:00pm local time (4.00am GMT) some 220 miles east of Kirakira, the main city of the Solomons’ major island, Makira. The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was “no destructive widespread tsunami threat” based on historical data. “However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within a hundred kilometers of the earthquake epicenter,” it added. “Authorities in the region of the epicenter should be aware of this possibility and take appropriate action.” Clive Collins, a seismologist at Geoscience Australia, said the undersea tremor would have been felt strongly on the nearest islands, which are quite remote, but would not cause serious damage. “It’s not all that deep but it’s not right at the surface and 6.6, I think the nearest island is about 70 or 80 kilometers away so they’ll get a bit of a shake if there’s a town or village or something on them, but I don’t expect any real damage,” Mr. Collins said. “It’s probably quite deep ocean there so I don’t think there’s any chance of a tsunami threat from that, normally that size earthquake wouldn’t produce a tsunami.” The Solomon Islands is on a tectonic plate margin in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire and frequently sees earthquakes. In 2007 a tsunami following an 8.1-magnitude earthquake killed at least 52 people in the Solomon Islands and left thousands homeless. –Telegraph

8/1/12 - The comet and the great drought of 2011-2012: Rain disappears from skies from China to South America

2012-01-09T13:08:00.001-08:00

January 8, 2012 – BEIJING – China’s largest freshwater lake has shrunk to its smallest size in years due to drought, state media and officials said Thursday, endangering the ecology in the area and fishermen’s livelihoods. After a dry spell of more than a decade, Poyang Lake in east China’s Jiangxi province is drying up fast as scant rainfall has sent water levels in the Gan River — which feeds the lake — to record lows, the Xinhua news agency said. The lake’s area was 183 square kilometers (73 square miles) Thursday, an official at the local hydrological bureau told AFP — nearly half the average of 344 square kilometers recorded each year on this day since 1951. “This year’s level is very low,” the official said, asking not to be named, adding there had been 65 percent less rainfall in the area since December compared to the average recorded at the same period over the past 60 years. As large as 4,500 square kilometers when at full capacity — more than six times the size of Singapore — the lake is home to the migrating Siberian crane in winter and to a rare finless porpoise all year round. The long drought has left many of the lake’s 10,000 fishing boats stranded in shallow waters. China is regularly affected by crippling dry spells. Last spring, authorities said a drought along the Yangtze River had affected more than 34 million people, leaving livestock without water and parching a major grain belt. In December, Outlook — an official Xinhua news agency weekly — quoted the Yangtze Water Resources Commission as predicting an ongoing drought in the lake area and warning of a threat to the local ecology and economic development. –Terra Daily

Comet Lovejoy the December 2011 omen? “A comet will be seen in heaven – a star, that is, with a tail or appendage—and this apparition will signify destructions and tumults and hard strifes, and withholding of rains, and dryness of the Earth, and mighty battles, and the flowing of blood upon the Earth of the east, and from beyond the River Harbor it will reach to the very end of the west. And the just and the truly righteous will be oppressed and will suffer persecutions, and the house of prayer will be destroyed.” – Rigord of St. Denis 12^th century – The Extinction Protocol, page 18

Texas worst drought on record: The National Weather Service has officially declared last year as the driest on record in Texas and the second hottest. Meteorologists predict the situation won’t improve much this year. That means water restrictions will continue, and we’ll lose millions of trees. Record-setting heat and little rain in 2011 has left North Texas in a severe drought. The water level at Lake Lavon is down 12 feet. “It is a challenging time, especially to bring awareness to our consumers and businesses how critical our drought has impacted our reservoirs,” said Denise Hickey, spokesperson for the North Texas Municipal Water District. “As we’re planning to move through this drought period, we’re also planning and initiating additional strategies to bring additional sources online.” The diminished water supply forced many counties to put residents under water restrictions indefinitely. The Texas Forest Service says the drought may have killed as much as 10 percent of the state’s trees. That’s 500 million trees. Some trees in your yard might look dead, but tree experts say don’t cut them down yet. They still might come back in the spring and you should continue watering them. “A lot of trees are dormant and a lot of trees go dormant early when there’s a drought situation. And they kind of do that for a defense mechanism,” said Matt Grubisich, urban forester for the Texas Trees Foundation. “Most municipalities still let you use a soaker hose, and that is a very adequate way to be able to still water your trees.” Forecasters expect the drought to last through at least June. “It’s going to get worse before it gets better,” said Grubisich. -MSNBC

Argentia’s worst drought in almost a century: Dry weather that’s hurting soybean and corn crops in Argentina may cause more damage than the 2008-2009 drought that was the worst in 70 years, a farming group said today, disputing a government statement. The current spell of hot, dry weather covers more area and started earlier in the season than the previous drought, the Argentine Association of Regional Consortia for Agricultural Experimentation said in an e-mailed statement today. That contradicts Argentina’s National Institute for Farming Technology, which said it’s “optimistic” the weather situation will improve. While precipitation levels in December were “way below average,” the drought can “in no way be compared to what happened in 2008,” Carlos Casamiquela, the institute’s head, said in an e-mailed statement yesterday. Corn and soybean crops are suffering after weeks of low rainfall in Argentina and southern Brazil because of the La Nina weather pattern. Argentina’s soybean output plunged by almost a third to 32 million tons in the 2008-2009 season from 46.2 million tons a year earlier. -Bloomberg

Mexico’s worst drought in 70 years: Mexico’s social development secretary says an estimated 600,000 households suffered property damage or crop losses due to an unusual combination of floods, drought and freezing weather in 2011. Heriberto Felix Guerra says the drought has been so bad that about 2.6 million people in about 1,650 villages and towns in northern Mexico do not even have drinking water. Felix Guerra’s agency has helped truck in water to those communities. He said that hundreds of other communities in the country’s southeast had suffered persistent flooding. He said in a statement Sunday that the extreme weather appeared to be caused by climate change, and predicted that such natural disasters will become worse in coming years. -Google AP

Wildfires, floods, droughts across Latin America: From Chile to Colombia to Mexico, Latin America has been battered recently by wildfires, floods and droughts. For many witnessing the extreme weather in the region and around the world, the question that comes up again and again is whether climate change is playing a role. The response from experts: Probably. While leading climate scientists are unable to pin any single flood or heat wave solely on climate change, experts say the number of extreme weather events is increasing worldwide and the evidence suggests global warming is having an impact. Wildfires are raging in Chile during an atypical heat wave, and northern Mexico is suffering from its worst drought in 70 years of record-keeping. A second straight season of heavy rains in Colombia killed at least 182 people, destroyed more than 1,200 homes and caused an estimated $2 billion in damage in the past four months. Researchers predict more wild, unusual weather in the coming years, and they say Latin America is especially vulnerable because deforestation and sprawling construction have made the region more susceptible to flooding and landslides. At a rose farm in the Colombian town of Chia, workers say floodwaters covered fields of roses last month for the second time in less than a year, leaving damaged greenhouses and a wasteland of shriveled flowers. “Never in the history of this farm – and it’s a business with 30 years in the market – have we ever had any such problem,” said Javier Castellanos, the farm’s manager, who estimates the damage at more than $6 million after floods in April and December. –Huffington Post

Drought plagues Israel for 8^th year: Israel is being hit with another official drought for the eighth year in a row, according to the country’s Water Authority. Figures released Monday by the government’s executive branch in charge of Israel’s water economy classified this year as “arid.”At present, Israel’s water supply stands at roughly 2 billion cubic meters. The winter season, which normally should be filled with rain, has measured up to only 72 percent of the multi-year average rainfall thus far, state-run Voice of Israel radio reported. At the beginning of December 2011, it appeared as though early winter rains might have saved the situation, slightly reducing the drop in the water level in Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). But last year’s season, even with one month of relatively heavy rains, was still fairly dry and did not escape the official drought that has wracked the entire Middle East for a decade. Nevertheless, if January through March 2012 are filled with rain, Israel might yet luck out, and break the cycle. –Israel Nation

8/1/12 - Seven volcanoes in Indonesia on alert status

2012-01-09T13:07:00.001-08:00

January 8, 2012 – INDONESIA – The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has warned that seven volcanoes located across the archipelago are on alert statuses. The agency said it has prepared measures for the worst-case scenarios and officials met on Saturday to discuss the measures, said agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugrowo. The seven volcanoes are Papandayan Mountain in West Java, Karangetang and Lokon in North Sulawesi, Ijen in East Java, Gamalama in North Maluku, Anak Krakatau in Lampung and Lewotolo in East Nusa Tenggara. Sutopo said the agency was closely monitoring each volcano, and that mitigation measures varied in each region because of the different characteristics of the volcanoes and the territories. However, he said, in general, the agency has planned evacuation routes, sites for refugees, logistics supplies, machinery and volunteer mapping. “The plan is standardized, but we keep renewing it to adjust to current conditions. For Papandayan, we have a done dry-run three times so the people could get used to the measures,” he said. On Friday, Lokon Mountain erupted, spewing volcanic ash up to 1,500 meters high, but it had calmed down by Saturday morning and people living near the mountain were not evacuated. In North Maluku, some 296 people remain in refugee shelters in Dufa-Dufa following Mount Gamalama’s last eruption in early December. -Jakarta Globe

8/1/12 - Mother Nature unleashes her fury in first week of 2012

2012-01-09T13:06:00.001-08:00

January 8, 2012 – MANILA – Philippine rescuers dug through rock and mud Friday looking for people feared buried by a deadly landslide at a remote gold mining community, as officials vowed to shut down unsafe mine sites. At least 25 people were killed on Mindanao island before dawn on Thursday when a rock and mud avalanche buried a mountain settlement of gold prospectors who had refused to leave an area declared too dangerous for habitation. However, the national government began to back away from the previous official figure of 150 people missing, saying only eight of them are known by name and there were no reliable census figures at the gold rush site. “I think that is exaggerated,” civil defense chief Benito Ramos told AFP, adding the original estimate was given by local officials in the area who extrapolated the figure from the number of buried shanties. “It would be hard to even give an estimate,” he said. Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo flew to the disaster site near Pantukan town on Friday and also downplayed the initial estimate of the missing. “That might not be a very accurate number,” said Robredo, interviewed over ABS-CBN television in Pantukan. He said 80 percent of the population were recent migrants chasing instant riches from high gold prices. “Hopefully the search team there will be able to get it done in 48 hours,” Robredo added. Pantukan’s civil defense office said the toll now stood at 25 dead and eight missing, while 16 were rescued and treated at Mindanao hospitals. Meanwhile, Robredo announced the government would shut down up to 500 small-scale mines that dot the mountainsides around Pantukan and relocate the affected miners and their families, who will be given state financial aid. About a thousand mine tunnels operate in the area, he said. “Probably half of these are without permits, so we (he and the local officials) agreed that all the illegal tunnels will be closed down.” –Terra Earth

Dike burst Brazil: A dike burst in Brazil’s flood-hit northern Rio de Janeiro state Thursday, forcing the evacuation of nearly 4,000 residents, authorities said. Rising water levels on the Muriae River due to the torrential rains of the past few days caused the rupture of a bridge that serves as a dike protecting the town of Campos do Goytacazes, rescue officials said. “We have evacuated about 1,000 families (roughly 4,000 people) who have been brought to the fire department barracks and municipal shelters,” firefighter Joaquim Silva told reporters. The rising waters destroyed part of the bridge and opened a hole of nearly 20 meters (60 feet), flooding the Tres Vendas area in a matter of hours. Silva said the residents were warned in time and many families were able to salvage some of their belongings. Aerial television pictures showed the slow advance of flood waters and residents fleeing the area. Authorities said the water rose between 3.5 and four meters (11 to 13 feet). “From the houses, only the roofs were visible,” said Henrique Oliveira, of the local Civil Defense. Floods caused by heavy rains have left eight people dead and forced the evacuation of more than 15,000 people in the southeastern states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, officials said. Exactly a year ago, flooding and landslides left more than 1,000 people dead or missing in the mountainous area of Rio de Janeiro state. -TD

Dutch village hammered by gale-force winds: Around 10 people were evacuated Thursday from a village in the northwest of the Netherlands as high waters threatened to overwhelm a dyke, local authorities said. But the dyke at the village of Tolbert near the city of Groningen was expected to hold, Judith de Jong, a spokeswoman for the Dutch department of highways and bridges, told AFP. ‘We no longer expect the dyke to give way but it also depends on the wind,” she said. Local authority spokesman Michiel Zijlstera told AFP that eventually 10 people had been evacuated from the village. He had earlier put the number at 100. But the situation remained ‘critical,’ he added, warning that strong winds were predicted late at night. Gale force winds reaching up to 110 kilometers (about 70 miles) an hour as well as heavy rains are expected along the Dutch coast. About a quarter of the country sits below sea level. The provinces of Groningen, North Holland and Friesland were under special alert and maritime traffic was badly disrupted at Rotterdam, one of Europe’s biggest ports where some 430 million tons of goods pass through annually. “Eleven vessels wanted to leave the port and two wanted to enter but were unable to do so because of the heavy wind,” said port spokesman. About 800 people have since returned to their homes after flood water receded. –Terra Daily

7/1/12 - Earth’s climate unraveling? Winter disappears across portions of the northern hemisphere

2012-01-09T13:04:00.001-08:00

January 7, 2012 – More than 300 record high temperatures were set in 21 U.S. states Thursday. But the heart of the unusual warmth concentrated in Plains, where some areas experienced temperatures 40 degrees above average. Several locations set all-time January record high temperatures, including Huron (65 degrees) amd Mitchell (68 degrees) in South Dakota (SD) and Minot (61 degrees), Fargo (55 degrees) and Jamestown (56 degrees) in North Dakota. (Source: CapitalClimate). What distinguishes this warm spell is the amount by which some records were broken. Consider Rapid City, SD hit 73, obliterating the old record by 13 degrees. (That 73 degree high temperature was 4 above the high temperature of 69 in Miami, Fl). Aberdeen, SD reached 63, smashing the old record of 46 by 17 degrees and setting a new monthly record. AccuWeather highlighted the following incredible record: “…in Philip, S.D., the mercury reached a balmy 74 degrees, which absolutely obliterated the old record of 46 set back in 2002.” In Minnesota, several locations reached the 60s for the first time ever during the first week of January. Alexandria reached 55, crushing its old record of 38 (from 1984) by an amazing 17 degrees. In Nebraska, record highs were set in Omaha (66), North Platte (69), Valentine (69) and Imperial (73, source: USA Today, AP). Sidney Nebraska’s record high of 74 broke the previous record of 62 and tied its monthly record. Record highs were also set throughout the state of Iowa, several by at least 10 degrees. –WPB , Duluth News Tribune

Enjoy the winter chill before scorcher summer sets in. The year 2012 may turn out to be among the top ten warmest years globally, and in the country, since 1850 – over 160 years. The year is also expected to be warmer than the previous year, which was the ninth warmest year for India since 1901. Weather scientists have predicted that 2012 is expected to be around 0.48 degree Celsius warmer than the average temperature or the long term global average. However, he added that the new predictions about 2012 need not be a cause for alarm in the country. According to the weather department’s analysis, while 2011 was the ninth warmest year since 1901, 2010 was the warmest year on record since 1901. The other warmer years were 2009, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1999, 1958 and 1941. Temperatures were generally near normal over most parts of the country in 2011 except parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura where these were above normal by over one degree Celsius. Indian weather scientists said that generally La Nina, the weather phenomenon which is likely to cause higher temperatures in 2012, has positive impact on monsoons in India. –India Today

Planetary Climate chaos: As early as 2009, there were clear indications that Earth’s climate was slowly careening out of control. By the time the 2009 Geneva Climate report was released in December; the handwriting for most meteorologists was already on the wall. The game of predicting earth’s natural weather patterns was conforming less and less to tried and true computer models….The weather extremes and wild swings in termperature will become more pronounced with time and are characteristic of a planet suffering ‘meteorological shock‘ brought on by a runaway planetary entropic heating process and magnetic reversal…What we are experiencing now is climate change- what we will be experiencing tomorrow is climate collapse. -The Extinction Protocol, page 137,173

7/1/12 - Lightning claims one life in Odisha, India

2012-01-09T13:01:00.002-08:00

Kendrapara (Odisha), Jan 7 (PTI) One person was killed and another seriously injured by lightning, which followed an unseasonal gale at Rajnagar tehsil of Odisha's Kendrapara district today.

Official sources said at least 12 families were rendered homeless at Endulapur as roofs of their huts were blown away during the gale and five heaps of paddy caught fire in the lightning at Deragaon village. District collector Pradipta Kumar Patnaik said Rs one lakh ex-gratia has been sanctioned to the next of kin of the deceased.

The local tehsildar rushed to the spot and made an assessment of the situation. Efforts were on to supply relief materials in the area, Patnaik said, adding compensation would be provided to the affected people under Orissa Relief Code.Source

6/1/12 - Massive outage as storm batters northern France

2012-01-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

A storm battered France and Switzerland on Friday, with three people injured in a Swiss train derailment, hundreds of thousands left without power and a grounded ship spilling oil off Brittany.In France, Interior Minister Claude Gueant said France appeared to have escaped the storm without injuries, although Joachim wrought some significant damage, with downed electricity lines in some areas.
"It seems there have been no victims," he said, adding that "a certain number" of people living in low-lying areas in Brittany, in the northwest, had been evacuated because of the storm.
Officials said 600,000 households had lost electricity because of the storm, mainly in the west of the country.
By mid-day, the number of homes without electricity had fallen to about 260,000 as workers scrambled to restore electricity infrastructure.
The storm had been battering the area since Thursday night with gusts up to 133 kilometres (83 miles) per hour and waves up to seven metres (23 feet) high.
Joachim caused a cargo ship, the TK Bremen flying the Maltese flag, to run aground and spill some oil into the sea off Brittany early on Friday, officials said. Read More

6/1/12 - Mini tornado hits Queensland town

2012-01-09T13:00:00.001-08:00

Residents on the Western Downs are cleaning up after what they describe as a 'mini tornado' swept through their community.

John Merrill says a storm front brought wind gusts of more than a hundred kilometres an hour on his property between Tara and Chinchilla.

"We started hearing things crack and bang as trees tops of trees went out and I've got a wind generator outside- I put a brake on it but it didn't seem to do much good.

"I had a neighbour ring me about three kilometres away. She lost the entire or almost the entire verandah on her house. it was lifted up from the back."

The storms also bought good rainfall with 52 millimetres near Inglewood, 49 mm tipped out of a gauge west of Millmerran and 47.5 mm was recorded near Miles. Source

6/1/12 - Two missing in Kuching flash floods, MalaysiaTwo missing in Kuching flash floods, Malaysia

2012-01-09T12:59:00.001-08:00

KUCHING: A student and her would-be rescuer are missing after both fell into a monsoon drain during massive flash floods that left the city crippled.

Kho Ying Oi, 19, and Herman Sihas, a 29-year-old petrol station employee, have yet to be found at press time yesterday.

Kho slipped and fell into the drain while walking to a bus stop to wait for her mother after her car stalled in the floodwaters.

Herman then jumped in to save her but was swept away by the heavy current.

The flash floods inundated various parts of the city due to a combination of continuous rain and high tide.

The floods, with waters swamping even areas that had previously not been affected, caused massive traffic jams.

State Welfare, Women and Family Development Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said five schools were closed. Two Chung Hua primary schools were also reported closed.

As at 5pm, about 1,400 people from 300 families have been evacuated to five flood relief centres. The largest group of 418 evacuees is at Balai Raya Sinar Budi Baru.Read More

5/1/12 - Storms, flooding prompt Evacuations in the Netherlands

2012-01-05T12:47:00.000-08:00

Dutch villagers have been asked to leave their homes and farms because strong winds and heavy rain have led to fears of coastal flooding.Some farmers in Tolbert in the northern province of Groningen refused to leave their cattle, despite reports that an inland dyke was at risk of breaking.
There are flood warnings for the Dutch west coast. Gales have also battered the UK, Belgium, France and Germany.
Winds of up to 178kmh (111mph) were recorded in northern England.
In Germany, winds of 133kmh were recorded as high water levels on the River Rhine raised concern in Cologne and weather forecasters warned of heavy snow over higher ground.
The Oeresund bridge between Sweden and Denmark was closed for part of Thursday morning.
In Belgium, forecasters issued a code orange alert for the whole country, indicating the risk of severe weather and damage.
Northern provinces in The Netherlands have had a month's average rainfall in recent days and the strong winds have hampered attempts to drain areas of reclaimed land.
Water companies say they have pumped millions of gallons into the sea.
Eleven ships were prevented from docking at the Rotterdam container terminal because of high water levels. Read More

5/1/12 - Landslide kills 25 on Philippine island ravaged by rain

2012-01-05T12:46:00.001-08:00

4/1/12 - Unknown magma pool causing ground uplift in Oregon

2012-01-05T12:45:00.001-08:00

January 4, 2012 – OREGON – Volcanic activity is causing the earth to rise in Oregon, scientists have found. Though whether such uplift is a sign of an imminent eruption remains uncertain. As early as the summer of 1996, a 230-square-mile (600-square-kilometer) patch of ground in Oregon began to rise. The area lies just west of the South Sister Volcano, which with the North and Middle Sisters form the Three Sisters volcanoes, the most prominent peaks in the central Oregon stretch of the Cascade Mountains. Although this region has not seen an eruption in at least 1,200 years, the scattered hints of volcanic activity here have been a cause of concern, leading to continuous satellite-based monitoring. Now 14 years of data is revealing just how the Earth is changing there and the likely cause of the uplift — a reservoir of magma invading the crust 3-to-4 miles (5-to-7 km) underground. The European Space Agency’s European Remote Sensing and Envisat radar satellites revealed that the terrain deformed in three distinct phases since this uplift began. From 1996 to 1998, the ground rose by 0.4 inches (1 cm) per year. Then, from 1998 to 2004, uplift grew to 1.2-to-1.6 inches (3-to-4 cm) annually. However, for the rest of the decade, uplift declined to only a few millimeters per year, for a total of 9.8 inches (25 cm) of uplift so far. “The most important implication of our research is that the ground appears to still be uplifting,” said researcher Susan Riddick, a geodesist at the University of Oregon. ‘Previous researchers believed that the ground uplift, a result of the input of magma deep in the Earth’s crust, had stopped at around 2006. We found that the ground is still uplifting as of late 2010 and may still be uplifting, but at a slow rate.” By analyzing precisely how the landscape was changing, the researchers suggest the magma pocket behind this uplift has a volume of 1.76-billion-to-2.47-billion cubic feet (50-million-to-70-million cubic meters), enough to fill 20,000-to-28,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. Since the ground is still rising, “magma may still be accumulating, and as a result, this area needs to be continually monitored to determine whether or not there will be an eruption,” Riddick told OurAmazingPlanet. “If there were to be an eruption, it would probably not be from a pre-existing volcano that we can see because the uplifting ground area is several kilometers from historically active volcanoes,” Riddick added. ‘A new volcanic vent would likely form. Lava would be ejected from a vent and fall to the ground to create a cinder cone, which is a steep conical volcano made of lava fragments. We believe it would be a small eruption, because we calculated that only a relatively small amount of magma has accumulated in the earth’s crust so far.” –Our Amazing Planet

4/1/12 - Thousands homeless in Brazil flood

2012-01-05T12:40:00.001-08:00

4/1/12 - Storms January 2012 - Winds in Excess of 100 Miles Per Hour, Europe

2012-01-05T12:39:00.001-08:00

4/1/12 - Fresh storms tear through Britain overnight as fierce winds reach more than 100mph

2012-01-05T12:38:00.003-08:00

Fierce winds tore through the country again last night after a brief respite from the storms that resulted in two deaths.Gusts topped 100mph in the Pennines as the gales continued across England and Wales, reaching 93mph in High Bradfield, 87mph in Wales and 75mph near Leeds.
Storms will continue this morning, although they are expected to ease slightly during the day, after the raging winds climbed to 111 mph on top of Great Dunn Fell in the night. Read More

4/1/12 - Landslide kills 25 on Philippine island ravaged by rain

2012-01-05T12:38:00.001-08:00

A landslide in a remote area of the southern Philippines has killed 25 people and left more than 100 missing, the governor of the local province said Thursday. It is the latest natural disaster to strike the island of Mindanao after a tropical storm killed more than 1,200 people there last month.

The weather again appears to have played a part in Thursday's disaster, which took place in an area where small-scale miners go in search of gold. Almost constant rain since mid-December had left the soil heavily waterlogged, said Gov. Arturo Uy of Compostela Valley Province.

The landslide happened around 3 a.m., according to a statement from the Philippine National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Several people injured by the landslide have been taken to local hospitals, Uy said. Search and rescue operations are continuing.

The area was known to be dangerous, Uy said, noting that it had been evacuated for a period last year after a deadly landslide struck in April not far from the site of Thursday's disaster. more

4/1/12 - Severe weather and Flooding in Hereford and Worcester, England

2012-01-05T12:37:00.001-08:00

Flood water has closed riverside footpaths and a footbridge across the River Wye in Hereford.The Environment Agency has issued flood warnings for the River Wye from Hay to Hereford. It said the river was 5.25m (17ft) above its normal level overnight.
The King George V playing fields in the city centre were flooded and the Victoria footbridge shut.
Major roads through the city have not been affected by the flooding. Source

4/1/12 - Perth suburbs of Cloverdale and Kewdale Evacuations as fire crosses major highway,

2012-01-05T12:36:00.001-08:00

Residents in the Perth suburbs of Cloverdale and Kewdale are being evacuated as a bushfire, which has crossed the Tonkin Highway, threatens homes.The blaze started near the international airport and has already burnt up to 40 hectares of bushland.
Firefighters are reporting flames up to 12 metres high and embers jumping more than 30 metres in front of the fire.
The blaze, which began in scrub, jumped the highway fanned by high winds and is burning inside Tonkin Highway, Leach Highway, Kew Street and Abernethy Road.
ABC reporter Veronica Buck, who is at the scene, says a number of streets have been evacuated and flames are just metres from homes.
"I've seen them fleeing with their families, pets and anything they can carry," she said.
One resident Carlos Winkerey had just arrived home from work when he was told to leave.
"We've seen flames and a lot of black smoke coming from just up the road so I just wanted to pack up my family and get out," he said.
Another resident Doug Mitchell says he was told to evacuate his house immediately. Read More

3/1/12 - El Hierro’s unprecedented long eruptive phase surprises scientists

2012-01-04T04:41:00.000-08:00

January 3, 2011 – CANARY ISLANDS – The underwater volcano off the small Canary Island of El Hierro became active in July 2011 and has continued to be active on and off ever since, something described as ‘surprising’ by scientists. In a regular press conference on Jan 3, Nemesio Pérez, Director of the Department of Environment of the Institute of Technology and Renewable energy (ITER) said that it was ‘surprising’ that the volcano was continuing in its erupting phase. He told the press that historically, the average eruption of a Canary island volcano has been around thirty days although a document found dating from the seventeenth century speaks of an ancient eruption that lasted six years. The volcano, which has been active in the sea ( Mar de las Calmas) near the southern town of La Restinga has led to severe disruption for the people of the island with regular tremors rumbling almost every day. Three large tremors were noted by the National Geographical Institute (IGN) between Dec 26 and Dec 28 but the latest earthquakes listed by the Institute show daily activity in the Canary Island region. A report in the ABC newspaper said that new activity such as bubbles, steam and fine materials have been seen in recent days following a period of quiet. The island continues to be on yellow alert. Guardia Civil helicopters and research aircraft continue to fly over the ever increasing stain in the sea, keeping watch on developments. Regular updates, videos and pictures can be seen here. The Canary Islands are a popular holiday destination, especially at this time of year, because of its pleasant year round climate and sandy beaches. El Hierro is the smallest of the seven islands that make up the archipelago, lying to the west. It is the closest to the shore of North Africa. The island has a population or around ten thousand people. Scientists are unsure of exactly what will happen with the volcano and are monitoring developments closely. Some unusual activity such as a sudden increase in the population of jellyfish in the area have been seen. Emergency plans have been in place since the volcano started erupting in case an emergency evacuation of the island becomes necessary. –Digital Journal

3/1/12 - Floods ravage parts of Indonesia

2012-01-04T04:39:00.001-08:00

January 3, 2011 – INDONESIA – Floods hit at least 10 different areas across the archipelago on the first day of 2012. National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said Monday that Surakarta, Sragen, Sleman, Yogyakarta city, Klaten, Brebes, Nganjuk, Pasuruan, Bungo and Banjar had been flooded since Sunday evening. He said heavy rain in Surakarta, Central Java, had caused the Bengawan Solo River and a number of other rivers in Sragen to overflow, causing floods on the Surakarta-Sragen-Surabaya main thoroughfares. “The traffic was halted because the flood water reached up to one meter in some places,” Sutopo said in a press statement. He said heavy rain also occurred in Sleman, Yogyakarta, and around Mt. Merapi, leading to cold lava floods in some areas of Klaten in Yogyakarta province. Sutopo also said a number of villages in East Java were inundated following the collapse of embankments alongside the Ciapit, Bancang and Kabuyutan River. “In East Java, four houses collapsed and about 2,675 houses have been flooded,” he said. –Jakarta Post

Some 40,000 people living in around 11,000 homes have been affected by floods in Central Java, following the collapse of three river levees, local media reported on Monday. Levees in Ciapit, Bancang and Kabuyutan had apparently collapsed, resulting in flooding in dozens of villages in Brebes, Central Java. The news media also reported that a one-kilometer stretch of road in the regency connecting Semarang to Jakarta was also flooded, causing heavy congestion on Sunday, particularly from the Semarang area. Residents required logistic assistance and heavy equipment to repair the Kabuyutan river levee. Two other levees are also in need of repair. Indonesia is prone to heavy downpours and floods from November to April. -RSOE

3/1/12 - Perth suburbs of Cloverdale and Kewdale Evacuations as fire crosses major highway,

2012-01-04T04:38:00.002-08:00

3/1/12 - Crews battle west Victorian blaze, Australia

2012-01-04T04:38:00.000-08:00

Fire crews have contained a large fast-moving fire burning near a township the Victorian-South Australian border.The blaze broke out at Dorodong about 3:00pm (AEDT), rapidly burning through a nature reserve.
Water-bombing aircraft, several tankers and dozens of firefighters worked to prevent the fire from spreading to nearby private property.
The Country Fire Authority's Peter Baker says the emergency appears over.
"It burnt 120 hectares, mostly in grassland but a little bit of forest on the edge of it," he said.
"Local crews are mopping up now. We had some crews come in from South Australia and some aircraft to support from South Australia - they've been sent home now, so the local crews are taking care of the mopping up." Read More

3/1/12 - Britain battered by 105mph gales which leave two dead - and there's more to come in the next 24 hours

2012-01-04T04:37:00.000-08:00

Winds of up to 106mph battered Britain yesterday, bringing death and destruction as many returned to work after the Christmas holidays.

A driver was killed when a tree fell on his van. The storm also claimed the life of a man on board a tanker which was hit by a huge wave in the Channel.

Barely a single area was spared the onslaught roaring in from the Atlantic, which toppled lorries and brought down power lines.

Buildings were damaged, roads closed and trains, flights and ferries were cancelled.

The Met Office issued numerous severe weather warnings and emergency services urged motorists and pedestrians to stay indoors.
However, some had to be evacuated from their houses because of flooding. Read More

3/1/12 - As Climate Change Worsens, Scientists Feel Increasing Pressure to Speak Out

2012-01-04T04:36:00.001-08:00

At a recent conference, scientists debate how far they should go in expressing their concerns about the world's response to global warming.

Factors contributing to climate change are moving faster than predicted and pushing us toward planetary conditions unlike any humans have ever known—this was one of the salient themes to emerge from this month's meeting of the American Geophysical Union, the world's largest gathering of earth and space scientists. Some scientists think we've already crossed that boundary and are, as Jonathan Foley, director of the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment, said, "in a very different world than we have ever seen before."
What scientists are now witnessing as the earth responds to increasing levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases presents many of them with a dilemma: How far should they go in expressing their concerns about how government and society are responding to climate change? This question is particularly charged given that efforts to undermine climate science have become part of the political debate on these issues. Read More

3/1/12 - Firefighters battle to defend Ross River Resort, Australia

2012-01-04T04:35:00.001-08:00

Fire crews are fighting a blaze that is threatening the Ross River Homestead, about 90 kilometres east of Alice Springs.Bushfires NT says the fire is burning less than a kilometre away from the homestead at the Ross River Resort.
The Ross Highway has been closed from the Arltunga turn-off to the resort.
The fire started two weeks from a lighting strike but strong winds overnight have pushed the fire on to the resort property.
Neil Phillips from Bushfires NT says there is a lot of fuel between the fire and the homestead.
"At the moment it is just full preparations for defending the area," he said.
"A grader is on its way out to help."
Extra crews and tankers are also being sent to the scene from Alice Springs.
Fire crews have found the Ross River too shallow to use for water bombing.
They were trying to use a helicopter bucket but found the river only knee-deep at most. Read More

3/1/12 - Thunderstorm starts fires and lifts roofs, Australia

2012-01-04T04:34:00.000-08:00

A thunderstorm over Perth has started bushfires, uprooted trees, and damaged property.Lightning from the storm started a bushfire near the Gnangara state forest which is burning on Hawkins Road in Jandabup, north of Perth.
Crews are continuing to clean up areas of Perth after a thunderstorm caused damage across the city last night.
Strong winds brought down trees and power lines across several suburbs, including Armadale, Forrestfield and Bassendean.
SES crews responded to about two dozen calls for assistance and a man hit by a falling tree in Armadale has been admitted to hospital.
A house in Mindarie was struck by lightning, damaging its roof, another property in Forrestfield reportedly had part of its roof blown off while there was also damage in Gosnells.
Danny O'Reilly says he had just gone to bed at the Gosnells house when strong winds ripped the roof off the carport.
"I think it was some time around 11:30 pm, there was an enormous crash," he said. Read More

3/1/12 - Severe weather warnings issued as storms hit UK

2012-01-04T04:33:00.001-08:00

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings across many parts of the UK, as storms batter the country.Part of the roof of the grandstand at Epsom racecourse in Surrey has been blown off by high winds.
In Scotland, warnings for both snow and high winds have been issued, and gales have gusted up to almost 100mph.
Storm-force winds and heavy rain are causing disruption in Wales. Travel is also being disrupted in Northern Ireland.
Storm force winds and rain have also hit parts of south-west England, with the Met Office issuing a severe weather warning for storms across Cornwall and Devon.
Localised flooding and a significant drop in temperature are expected in parts of Wales and north-west England. Read More

3/1/12 - Australia endures record heatwave in Addition to Idiot Parents leaving children in Cars...(Charge them with Neglect...they may learn something)

2012-01-04T04:32:00.001-08:00

Australians have been asked to heed safety advice from authorities as much of the country swelters through what is already shaping up to be a record-breaking heatwave.Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Tuesday echoed public warnings issued by emergency services, local mayors and power companies this week as temperatures soared above 40 degrees.
In the southern states, firefighters battled hundreds of blazes in searing heat and ambulance officers treated children who had been left in cars.
On January 1, Adelaide recorded its hottest start to a new year since 1900 when the mercury reached 41.6C.
Extreme temperatures and strong winds prompted a South Australian power company to cut electricity supplies to about 3300 properties on the Fleurieu Peninsula on Monday.
The decision left many tourism-related businesses without power for several hours, prompting criticism over the lack of notice.
But ETSA Utilities defended the decision, raising concerns about potential bushfires.
Victoria's ambulance service treated 45 patients for heat-related illnesses on Monday, including four cases of children left in cars. Read More

Fears lightning could spark Victoria fires, Australia

2012-01-04T04:31:00.003-08:00

Cool relief from Victoria's heat wave is on the way but authorities fear lightning strikes accompanying the change could spark more fires.The warning comes as Melbourne endures another hot day, with the mercury tipped to hit 35 degrees and high fire danger in place across the state.
In the past 24 hours, firefighters have battled about 100 fires statewide, including three significant ones.
All fires are now under control but authorities fear lightning over the next 24 hours could start new blazes.
The northern Victorian region is facing a day of severe weather and very high fire danger with the temperature expected to hit 41 degrees in Echuca, 40 in Shepparton and 37 in Bendigo.
Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said a weather change would move through the state on Tuesday, with lightning storms that may spark fires. Read More

3/1/12 - Met Warns Severe Storms Set To Batter Britain

2012-01-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

Fierce storms are set to batter Britain with winds of up to 85mph and heavy rain expected to cause traffic chaos as commuters return to work and school.The latest round of unsettled weather will add more misery to the January blues as people return to work after the Christmas and New Year holidays.
The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings across nearly every region of the UK and said that powerful gusts of wind could cause travel disruption during the morning rush hour.
Transport minister Keith Brown said travellers should make the necessary preparations and follow police advice.
Forecasters have told those living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to be prepared, while localised flooding and a marked drop in temperature is expected for parts of Wales and north west England.
Scotland is braced for the harshest weather conditions, with the Met Office issuing warnings for both snow and wind. But it is unlikely that any area will escape higher winds than normal.
"Overnight a deep area of low pressure will head in off the Atlantic and this will bring stormy conditions to the UK," said Sky weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar.
"The rain looks to be very heavy in places with exceptionally high rainfall totals.Read More

3/1/12 - More power cuts possible as heatwave continues: Australia

2012-01-04T04:29:00.001-08:00

South Australia is sweltering with the hottest start to the year in more than a century as a hot air mass which can sear vegetation moves across the state and into Victoria.

The weather system is dragging heat from central Australia with it and causing humidity to plummet.

Weather conditions are so extreme that South Australia's power distributor cut electricity to some communities to prevent bushfires yesterday, and it has not ruled out doing the same again today.

Yesterday's power cuts meant that South Australia's holiday haven towns on the state's southern coast sweated through the soaring temperatures without the comfort of power to provide some relief.

ETSA Utilities (Electricity Trust of South Australia) has defended the decision to cut off power to Victor Harbour and surrounding areas.

Spokesman Paul Roberts says ETSA has the legislative authority to cut power supplies when winds and heat combine to form a bushfire threat.

"We take very seriously the decision to turn off power," he said. more

2/1/12 - Santiago, Chile battles 3 huge wildfires; 1 killed, tourists evacuated, losses in millions

2012-01-02T13:00:00.002-08:00

Firefighters in Chile battled three huge wildfires Monday that have burned about 90 square miles (23,000 hectares) of forest, destroyed more than 100 homes and have driven away thousands of tourists while causing millions of dollars in losses.The fires also claimed their first victim: an elderly man who refused warnings to leave his home.
Chile’s normally rainy southern regions are suffering from a nationwide heat wave, on top of a drought that makes fires increasingly likely. The country was battling 48 separate fires on Sunday alone, and red alerts were declared for the regions of Magallanes, Bio Bio and Maule.
“We have a situation of extreme vulnerability,” said President Sebastian Pinera, who called for toughening sentences for arson.
In the Bio Bio region, the timber industry is threatened by a fire that destroyed an Arauco company mill. Shares in Arauco’s parent company, Copec SA, dropped nearly 4 percent before recovering in Monday trading. One of the Bio Bio fires also killed a 75-year-old man who refused to evacuate. Hundreds of others who did leave their homes were forced to relocate yet again early Monday as the flames advanced. Read More

2/1/12 - 20 tons of dead fish wash up on Norway beaches- cause of massive fishkill unknown

2012-01-02T13:00:00.000-08:00

January 2, 2012 – NORWAY – The inhabitants of Troms could hardly believe their eyes on the morning of New Year’s Eve, a very large amount, an estimated 10 to 20 tons of dead herring washed up on the beach, writes Northern Lights. Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population. The city is warmer than most other places located on the same latitude, due to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream which originates at the tip of Florida. Various theories abound for the incident but no one knows for sure what’s happened in the popular hiking area in Nordreisa municipality. However, various theories have been tossed around, explains Jan-Petter Jorgensen (44), who stumbled upon the mass death in sight on the beach with his dog Molly. People say that something similar happened in the 80′s, and there is speculation among others on the river which flows into the ocean behind a promontory on the site, may have had something to do with it. Maybe the fish have been caught in a deprived oxygen environment, and then died of fresh water? Jorgensen estimates each individual fish to be of 100-150 grams, and that the total might be about up to 20 tons. Now he’s worried about what might happen if no one comes and removing carcasses. -Dagbladet -translated

2/1/12 - Increased seismic activity seen at dangerous Santorini caldera

2012-01-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

January 2, 2012 – GREECE - The seismic unrest beneath Santorini which had started in July 2011 continues into 2012, greeting the world with a small swarm of quakes beneath the caldera. The slightly increased number of quakes is concentrated on the volcano-tectonic Kameni line, which stretches SW-NE through the caldera and extends outside, especially to the NE where the submarine volcano Kolumbo is located 8 km off the coast. The alignment defines a tectonic graben structure underlying Santorini and has been used for rising magma for nearly all past eruptions of the volcano. –Volcano Discovery