Friday, February 3, 2012

**A man is rich in proportion to the number of things
which he can afford to let alone.**
Henry David Thoreau


LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.6 VANUATU
5.4 VANUATU
6.0 VANUATU

Yesterday -
2/2/12 -
5.0 VANUATU
5.2 VANUATU
5.5 VANUATU
5.1 VANUATU
5.2 VANUATU
5.0 VANUATU
5.3 VANUATU
7.1 VANUATU
5.6 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.0 NEW IRELAND REGION, P.N.G.
5.6 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.0 WEST OF MACQUARIE ISLAND

Canada - A small earthquake rippled through Saskatchewan and western Manitoba just before 2:30 am on Wednesday, with the temblor reportedly being felt in some parts of the province. "It's significant, mostly because it's in an UNUSUAL place."

VOLCANOES -

Second Icelandic volcano is NOT erupting - Geologists and volcanologists around the world got a brief jolt at 1:20 EDT Thursday when news sites began reporting that Hekla, Iceland's most active volcano, had started erupting. However the rumor was quickly quashed.

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
Tropical cyclone 09s (Iggy) was located approximately 170 nm northwest of Perth, Australia.

Cyclone Iggy loses intensity as it nears Australian coast - Cyclone Iggy is moving towards the Mid West coast but authorities expect it to have little impact. The Weather Bureau now believes the system will weaken below tropical cyclone intensity before it reaches the coast.

Dry Spell Caused by Tropical Cyclone Funso Devastates Zimbabwe Crops - Drought in Matabeleland South, Masvingo, Manicaland and parts of Midlands is due to dry continental air being
pushed by cyclone Funso into Zimbabwe. Tropical cyclone Funso, which has been dumping heavy rains on the coastal regions of Mozambique and Swaziland, has ironically brought misery to the southwest of Zimbabwe where villagers say their crops have wilted due to a lack of rain. The dry conditions are likely to be causing havoc in these regions where some fields have been turned into dust bowls. Villagers said they are now appealing for food aid following the ruin of their crops. Cyclones can devastate crops in various ways."They can either bring heavy rains or dry weather conditions leading to the destruction of crops." Crops are almost a write-off at this point. "The situation is hopeless in all parts of Matobo."

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

Queensland, Australia, floods officially declared disaster - RECORD-BREAKING FLOODS have sparked a disaster declaration in Queensland's southwest, with the premier warning the region has entered dangerous new territory, as floodwaters continue to rise across the region.
Flood towns cut off by 'inland sea' - The New South Wales Premier has compared the flood-ravaged streets of Moree to the canals of Venice.

HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -

Death toll rises in Europe cold snap - The cold snap has claimed 164 lives, as countries from Ukraine to Italy struggle with temperatures that have plunged to RECORD LOWS.
Even London is braced for snow as Britain shivers - Forecasters warned that extreme cold will grip the country over the next few day with the possibility of snow even in London and the south. The Met Office has upgraded its cold weather alert to level three, which means 'severe'.
Europe freeze: Serbia snow strands thousands - Heavy snow has left at least 11,000 villagers cut off in remote areas of Serbia amid the European cold snap. At least six people have died in Serbia, with emergency services expressing concern for the health of the sick and the elderly in particular. Temperatures are below -30C (-22F) in parts of Europe and 63 people have died in Ukraine and 29 in Poland. In Italy, weather experts say it is THE COLDEST WEEK FOR 27 YEARS. Emergency services in Serbia have described the situation, close to the country's south-western borders with Kosovo and Montenegro, as very serious. In places, the snow has reached a depth of 2m (6ft 6in). Fourteen municipalities are affected. Helicopters have helped move several people to safety, and food and medicines have been airlifted to isolated areas.
Snow began falling in Serbia on 7 January and has hardly stopped since. Serbian media say further snow is expected in the coming days.Ukraine has seen the highest number of fatalities, many of them homeless. Over a 24-hour period, as many as 20 people died. Food shortages have been reported in the capital, Kiev, because lorries have been unable to transport supplies. Heavy snow has also caused widespread disruption in northern and central Italy. More than 600 passengers were trapped on an unheated train in the Apennine mountains for seven hours on Wednesday night, when the brakes and electrical cables froze.
The coldest temperatures have been recorded in Russia and Kazakhstan. Snow is piled high in parts of the country. In the Urals and Siberia, the temperature fell to -40C (-40F) while in the capital of Kazakhstan, Astana, the wind-chill factor meant the real temperature was down to -52C, even though the air temperature was -35C. In southern Russia, cars and lorries became stuck in snow drifts between Novorossiisk and Krasnodar.
Heavy snow has also hit Turkey, with 50cm falling in Istanbul on Wednesday. An avalanche in the south-east of the country killed a woman in her home. Another avalanche blocked a main road connecting the provinces of Bitlis and Diyarbakir. Rescuers in Germany were unable to save an elderly woman after she had gone swimming in the frozen waters of a gravel pit in Lower Saxony. Reports said she had often swum in the lake.

The streets of Seoul, South Korea are covered in SOME OF THE HEAVIEST SNOW ON RECORD. The snow caused traffic jams all over the city which deployed more than 200 police officers to control traffic. Streets will turn to ice as temperatures drop below freezing.

EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -

The Year That Winter Forgot: Is It Climate Change? - 2012 is shaping up to be the year that winter forgot in the U.S. December and the first week of January have seen atypically mild temperatures throughout much of the country — especially in the usually harsh states of the far north and parts of the plains. Fargo, N.D. saw temperatures of 55°F on Jan. 5, breaking a more than century-old record for the warmest day in January. High temperatures in Nebraska at the end of last week were more than 30°F above normal, and in December at least half the U.S. had temperatures at least 5°F above normal.
Nor is the unseasonable warmth confined to the U.S.; Europe had mild temperatures as well [until this week]. When cold goes missing, snow does too and it's been an unusually green (or brown) winter. At the end of 2011, less than 20% of the continental U.S. was covered with snow, compared with more than 50% at the end of 2010. Ski resorts from California to Vermont are panicked about the possibility of a dry, warm winter leaving slopes bare and skiers looking into beach vacations. The unseasonable weather is doing weird things to nature too. In Washington, at the end of December, early spring flowers are responding to the warmth and blooming months early in the National Arboretum. New England lost most of its fall foliage, as heavier than usual rain and unusually warm nights kept trees green until the leaves suddenly fell. "It's a weird kind of fall blending right into spring."
The winter of 2012 may see precious little snow, but the winters of 2011 and '10 saw unusually heavy snowfall — record-breaking in some parts of the U.S. Britain experienced some of the coldest temperatures in its history last winter — and just last fall, parts of the U.S. were hit by the celebrated October Snowmageddon, leading people to predict a ferocious winter was coming. The fact that things have, so far, been so mild is due in part to some extenuating circumstances. The jet-stream pattern in December was the most extreme on record, which kept cold Arctic air from pushing into the U.S. Those kinds of factors can — and do — change fast. Truly cold temperatures are becoming less and less common in the U.S. To take one example, since 1996, there have been 48 high-temperatures records set in New York City's Central Park — and one just one record low. Since 1980, nearly every year in the U.S. has seen annual average temperatures higher than the long-term average. Confusion and uncertainty still exists over the exact impact of climate change on extreme-weather events like hurricanes or tornadoes, but there's one thing we can be pretty sure of: it will be less cold.
To many people that's probably not a bad thing. Extreme cold isn't just uncomfortable and inconvenient — it's also dangerous, particularly for older or poorer people who can't protect themselves from the elements as well as others. But warmer winters can change nature in dangerous ways as well. Western bark beetles — which have ravaged the pine trees of the west — are thriving because they're no longer being knocked out by very cold winters. Dry warm weather can worsen the risk of forest fires, and short winters can end up intensifying the spring-allergy season. A decline in mountain snowpack in the west can mean less water for dry states that are accustomed to meltwater runoff in the spring. Climate change disrupts the rhythm of the seasons, that regular passage of time and temperature we assumed was fixed. It turns out we may be wrong, and winter as we know it could one day be a season of the past.

SPACE WEATHER -

TEXAS FIREBALL - 2/1/12 - Wednesday night, a spectacular fireball appeared in the skies of eastern Texas and Oklahoma. As is often the case for unexpected night-sky phenomena, few pictures are available. The best so far comes from a police dash-board camera in the small town of Little River-Academy. : "At approximately 756pm CST, over Abilene, Texas, I saw an object falling from the sky much brighter and long-lasting than anything I've seen. [The fireball] lasted close to 8 secs before completely burning out. At first, it was bright white, and then started slowing down and getting brighter. Then it exploded like a firecracker artillery shell into several pieces, flickered a few more times and then slowly burned out... awesome!!!" Another observer in Coppell, Texas, reported a "double boom heard at 8:00:30 CST. [The object appeared to be] 1/2 the size of the waxing moon, and broke into two major chunks with many smaller pieces. It had a 'white plasma' (sun-colored) look with a long golden tail."
This was probably a natural object - a small asteroid about the size of a car or bus - not a decaying satellite or other manmade space debris. The fireball, which disintegrated in the general vicinity of Dallas-Fort Worth, was bright enough to be seen on NASA cameras located in New Mexico more than 500 miles away. It was about as bright as the full Moon (astronomical magnitude -13). (video)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

**Men have become the tools of their tools.**
Henry David Thoreau


LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.0 NEAR COAST OF SOUTHERN PERU
5.0 WEST OF MACQUARIE ISLAND

Yesterday -
2/1/12 -
5.4 SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
5.0 EASTER ISLAND REGION
5.0 MAUG ISLANDS REG, N. MARIANA IS.
5.2 SAMAR, PHILIPPINES

VOLCANOES -

Alaska - Officials are monitoring a remote Alaska volcano that could launch an ash cloud, potentially threatening intercontinental flights. "Eruptive activity" of Cleveland Volcano was detected in satellite data. The volcano, also known as Mount Cleveland, is on the Aleutian Islands, southwest of mainland Alaska. "A new lava dome has been observed in the summit crater," the observatory said Tuesday. "There have been no observations of ash emissions or explosive activity during this current lava eruption." But the volcanic activity could heighten and affect air travel.
90% of air freight from Asia to Europe and North America flies over Alaska air space, and hundreds of flights -- including more than 20,000 passengers -- fly through Anchorage's air space daily. "If there is an explosion and (ash) reaches high altitudes, it will causes flights to be rerouted and ultimately canceled." The volcano's most recent significant eruption took place in 2001. It produced three explosions that led to ash clouds as high as 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) above sea level. "The 2001 eruption also produced a rubbly lava flow and hot avalanche that reached the sea."

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
Tropical cyclone 09s (Iggy) was located approximately 290 nm west-northwest of Perth, Australia.

Tropical Storm Damages May Quadruple by 2100 - The combined impact of climate change and expanding human population means that tropical cyclones will cause more than four times the damage in 2100 than they do today, increasing from $26 billion to $109 billion, new research published in Nature says.

Fiji braces for new storm as death toll rises - A second tropical depression is approaching Fiji and could form into a tropical cyclone within the next 12 to 24 hours. This comes as the death toll in the nation's floods rises to seven.

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

Australia - Thousands of people are being evacuated from northern NSW, with helicopters descending on the region to airlift hundreds to safety. About 1600 residents in Moree and 80 people in nearby Biniguy have been ordered to leave their homes immediately as the Mehi and Gwydir rivers continue to rise to LEVELS NOT SEEN SINCE THE 1970s. Meanwhile a major operation is underway at Pallamallawa, with helicopters airlifting 600 trapped residents to safety. The SES has received 820 requests for assistance in recent days, with nine flood rescues carried out overnight. Multiple flood rescues of people trapped in their homes and cars were being carried out on Thursday.
Meanwhile, up to 260 residents at Croki and Manning Point have been warned to prepare to evacuate as the Manning River continues to rise. That evacuation order was likely to be put out later on today. The region has been hammered with 250mm of rain overnight, and the town of Wee Waa is completely isolated. About 2500 residents there will be monitored through regular food and supply drops. Bellingen, which was heavily flooded last week, is once again cut in two after the Bellinger River spilled over its banks. Thirteen flood warnings remain in place for river systems across NSW, with rain expected to spread to the Hunter region, the Illawarra and metropolitan Sydney later today. "This is a campaign of flood events that are likely to stay around for some time."

HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -

Heavy snow has caused disruption across Europe, carpeting much of Italy to the south and Turkey to the east. The freeze that has swept south through the continent has caused at least 80 deaths, mainly in Ukraine and Poland. Temperatures were so low that some areas in Romania along the shores of the Black Sea froze. In central Italy, heavy goods lorries were barred from motorways and several top-flight football matches have fallen victim to the wintry conditions.
Ukrainian officials reported that the number of deaths attributed to the freeze had risen to 43, with 13 people falling victim to hypothermia in the past 24 hours. School closures were reported in northern Greece, where temperatures of -16C (3F) were recorded. Villages were cut off in Bosnia where temperatures fell to -10C Several towns and cities in Bulgaria saw record lows, with -29C reported in Kneja in the north for the second day running. For much of the country an "orange" alert was in place, warning of dangerously low temperatures. In Bosnia and Serbia helicopters were used to airlift supplies to villages cut off by drifting snow.
Seven more deaths were reported in Poland, bringing to more than 20 the number who have fallen victim to the cold snap. German media reported that ice and sub-zero temperatures had led to the deaths of two women: a pedestrian froze after falling into a drainage ditch and a driver was killed when she lost control of her car on an icy road. Snowfalls were recorded as far south as southern Italy and Corsica, where at least 20cm of snow covered the centre of the Mediterranean island. Italian rail services were reduced because of the wintry conditions. The cold snap, according to forecasters, is due to an area of high pressure that has extended across Europe from Siberia and is expected to reach its peak at the weekend. They expected the bitter weather to continue for several more days across most of Europe, with cold winds and snow also spreading further south to affect the Balearic Islands and parts of northwest Africa by the weekend.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

**I have hung onto every bit of rubbish there is in life
and I've thrown all the good bits away.
Now can you tell me why I do that?**
Judy Garland


LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.4 SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
5.2 SAMAR, PHILIPPINES

Yesterday -
1/31/12 -
5.1 VANUATU
5.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.2 FIJI REGION

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
Tropical cyclone 09s (Iggy), located approximately 420 nm west-southwest of Learmonth, Australia.

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

AUSTRALIA - Sydney has recorded its SOGGIEST JANUARY IN 11 YEARS and the COLDEST ONE IN 12 YEARS. .

HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -

Deadly cold snap freezes much of Europe - A deadly cold snap is spreading across eastern Europe from Russia on its way westwards leaving a trail of disruption and a rising death toll. Dozens have been killed by the freezing weather as temperatures have plummeted. In Turkey 20cm of snow fell – THE MOST SEEN IN 50 YEARS. Police in Poland say at least ten people froze to death as the weather worsened over night after what had been until now, a mild winter. There are warnings the country can expect 30 degrees below zero at the end of the week.
In the Czech Republic the railways suffered as the extreme weather buckled tracks and engines broke down. Romania, central Serbia and Bulgaria are all in the grip of the big freeze with Ukraine reporting over 18 deaths. It is not just humans having to battle the cold – in southern Russia severe frosts have caused the deaths of thousands of fish after river levels which were already low completely froze. Transport, communications and power lines are all being hit. Several stranded lorry drivers faced a night in their cabs as roads became impassable. And in Romania an unlikely crew came to the rescue of 300 stray dogs being held in kennels just outside Bucharest. Volunteers from a local prison worked for several hours to dig out alleyways at the shelter to help the freezing animals.
Bulgaria faces further 'Code Orange' weather warning - Bulgaria faced another day of RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES on Tuesday, January 31, with a "Code Orange" weather warning in force for the whole country and with the severe weather having claimed two lives the previous day.

EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -

Southern California RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURES - January 26, Southern California ws experiencing record-breaking high temperatures, with some areas also getting powerful winds. Santa Barbara, San Diego and Los Angeles counties all had record highs for this time of the year Thursday.
At Santa Barbara Airport, the high was 85 degrees, breaking a record of 82 set in 1947. Other areas also were in the 80s.

AUSTRALIA - Perth has sweltered through its HOTTEST JANUARY IN 34 YEARS.

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Jelly-like blue balls fall from the sky - Mysterious blue balls that fell from the sky on to a yard in southern England are to be analysed by scientists, as theories abound as to exactly what the strange objects are. The jelly-like spheres, which are about 3cm in diameter, and rained down on a backyard last Friday during a brief hailstorm. "They were almost impossible to pick up, they were very jelly-like. I had to get a spoon and flick them into a jam jar. They had an exterior shell with a soft inside. They only landed in our garden in an area of a couple of hundred square metres. It is the most peculiar thing I have ever seen - there must be about 20 complete spheres. They don't smell and they don't float. I've been an aircraft engineer for many years and I've never seen anything like it." Theories have sprung up ever since the mysterious find was reported, with some suggesting the balls were crystals that are used in floral displays and others claiming they were ammunition for a toy gun. The UK Meteorological Office has said the transparent, marble-sized objects were "not meteorological". He is keeping the balls in his fridge and has accepted an offer from local university scientists to analyse them. "I think it is some kind of atmospheric pollution. Pollution forms into spheres and fell like the hailstones". ( Researchers at Bournemouth University have speculated that the small blue balls may be marine invertebrate eggs which could be transferred from the feet of birds. Photos )

**In politics you must always keep running with the pack.
The moment that you falter and they sense that you are injured,
the rest will turn on you like wolves.**
R.A. Butler


LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.

Yesterday -
1/30/12 -
5.0 SERAM, INDONESIA
5.1 SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
6.3 NEAR COAST OF CENTRAL PERU

More than 100 reported injured as magnitude-6.3 quake strikes central Peru - The powerful earthquake has injured scores of people, buckled buildings and caused power outages on the coast south of Lima. The quake struck at 11 minutes after midnight (0511 GMT), nine miles (15 kilometers) southeast of Ica. The city was badly damaged by a magnitude-8 earthquake in August 2007.

Haiti, DR may be facing big quake period - Haiti and the neighbouring Dominican Republic could be in for a period of periodic powerful earthquakes, according to a scientific study released Thursday. The study says Haiti's 7.0-magnitude earthquake two years ago is likely to be the first of several quakes of a similarly powerful magnitude. The Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake caused widespread damage in the Haitian capital and surrounding cities. The disaster killed 314,000 people and toppled thousands of crudely built homes.
"The 2010 Haiti earthquake may mark the beginning of a new cycle of large earthquakes on the Enriquillo fault system after 240 years of seismic quiescence. The entire Enriquillo fault system appears to be seismically active; Haiti and the Dominican Republic should prepare for future devastating earthquakes."
A series of four major earthquakes of magnitude 6.6 and higher struck Hispaniola, the Caribbean island shared by Haiti and the Dominican Republic. The phase began in 1701, near the site of the 2010 quake, and ended in 1770. There was no evidence of significant earthquake activity on the Enriquillo fault system in the 240 years from 1770 until the 2010 disaster, except for an earthquake in 1860 that likely occurred offshore. Moderate quakes have struck the Dominican Republic in recent weeks but there were no reports of damage.

VOLCANOES -

ICELAND - Glacial Outburst Flood from Grímsvötn Volcano. It is believed that a glacial outburst flood (jökulhlaup) occurred in the Grímsvötn volcano in Vatnajökull Sunday as the river Gígjukvísl was dark in color in the afternoon and commuters smelled sulfur in the air by the bridge across the Ring Road in south Iceland. However, the glacial outburst is not considered to be a matter of concern. Heavy rain and high temperatures in the past days after excessive snowfall caused snow to melt, damaging parts of the Ring Road between Núpsvötn and Gígjukvísl in Skeiðarársandur, as well as to the east of Gígjukvísl.

GREECE - Santorini volcano strong seismic swarm continues. The highly unusual swarm of earthquakes SW of Santorini on the main fault zone that also defines the volcanic vents of the region continues with about 10 quakes larger than magnitude 2 during the past 24 hours. 2 of the quakes were magnitude 4 and 4.7, respectively. Greek media start to pick up the story and become increasingly interested.
From 1993 until 2010 there was deflation in the caldera of about 1cm/year. Since the beginning of 2011 that has changed to inflationon the north part of the caldera, rapid episodes of inflation have been recorded at intervals that coincide with bursts in seismic activity. Since August the intensity of the phenomenon warranted a rise to alert level 4 (red), where it has remained ever since. A displacement of 10 million cubic meters has been located 1km north of the central island of Nea Kameni at a depth of 4 km, it is hypothesized that it is a magma intrusion, located right at the center of the most seismicity active part of the caldera. Co2 levels have jumped to 39 tonnes/day along with the emission of other gasses, a rising gas column has been observed outside the port of Thirassia in the caldera (the island on the west rim). The rise in sea water temperature in the caldera has been confirmed.
Most of the Greek scientists have brushed any concerns saying that conditions are normal and that has happened before. A geologist from Athens University even said on TV that there is no danger even of a large earthquake in the vicinity of the island - the next day there were 3 earthquakes magnitude 5 and above, 50 km to the SW at the other end of the fault line. Foreign geologists have a very different opinion. A geologist from Oxford mentioned that the evidence points to something important, there is volcanic activity and the volcano is now potentially active at depth.

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
Tropical cyclone 09s (Iggy) was located approximately 260 nm west of Learmonth, Australia.

Tropical Cyclone Iggy triggered Indonesian tornadoes - An area of developing low pressure, which eventually developed into Tropical Cyclone Iggy, triggered tornadoes across the islands of Java and Bali in Indonesia. The tornadoes damaged nearly 1000 houses.

Tropical cyclone Iggy is forecast to strike Australia as a tropical storm at about 08:00 GMT on February 3.

Flood-hit Fiji braces for cyclone - Fiji is bracing for a cyclone which could reignite the country's flood crisis, as the clean-up from last week's flooding continues. A tropical depression is heading towards Fiji and meteorologists say it could become a cyclone.

HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -

Deaths in Ukraine and Poland in freezing Europe weather - Emergency shelters have been set up in the Bulgarian capital Sofia after days of freezing weather At least 18 people have died in Ukraine and 10 in Poland after heavy snow fall and a sudden drop in temperatures across east Europe. Three deaths were also reported in Serbia and one in Bulgaria.
Ukrainian officials said nearly 500 people had sought treatment for frostbite and hypothermia in just three days. And over that time, more than 17,000 people had sought refuge in some 1,500 shelters. Temperatures have plunged to -16C (3F) during the day and -23C (-10F) at night.
Poland had been having a relatively mild winter, until temperatures dropped last Friday from just below freezing to -26C (-15F). Polish forecasters have warned that temperatures could fall further during the week, to below -20C during the day and -30C at night. In Serbia, police reported that the snowy conditions had led to the deaths of a woman and two elderly men. Two other men, in their 70s, are believed to be missing in the south of the country. The freezing conditions also claimed a life in neighbouring Bulgaria. Emergency shelters offering food and heat are being set up in the Bulgarian capital Sofia and the Czech capital Prague.

Quake efforts blamed for rise in snow mishaps in Japan - This winter's heavier snowfall in Japan has seen more than 500 people across seven prefectures die or be injured in snow-related accidents, including cases in which they had been trying to remove snow. People are trying to remove snow themselves using shovels and other tools because of delays in municipal-led snow removal. The delays have been caused by a shortage of dump trucks - many of which are being used in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake for reconstruction work - to transport snow. The death toll from such snow-related accidents had reached 31 as of Wednesday, while 479 people had sustained injuries. In Aomori City, the municipal government recently conducted intensive snow removal in residential areas. But the snow removal was five days behind schedule and much of the snow had compacted. Construction companies have reduced the number of dump trucks in their fleets to save costs due to downsized public works projects. Many dump trucks, mainly from independent truckers, are also being used in the disaster-hit Tohoku region. Thus fewer trucks remain in other areas of the nation.Snow dumping sites measuring about 11,250 square-meters in Akita City have reached capacity 15 days earlier than the previous year. The municipal government has decided to create a new snow dumping site next to the original sites.

EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -

New USDA plant zones clearly show climate change.

Australia - Extreme weather hits east and west. Australia's two largest states are being challenged by remarkably different
weather patterns, with summer storms flooding parts of Queensland as the hot and dry conditions in Western Australia fuel dangerous bushfires.

SPACE WEATHER -

Forget global warming - it's Solar Cycle 25 we need to worry about (and if NASA scientists are right the Thames will be freezing over again). Met Office releases new figures which show no warming in 15 years. The supposed ‘consensus’ on man-made global warming is facing an inconvenient challenge after the release of new United Kingdom temperature data showing the planet has not warmed for the past 15 years. The figures suggest that we could even be heading for a mini ice age to rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the Thames in the 17th Century. Based on readings from more than 30,000 measuring stations, the data was issued last week without fanfare by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit. It confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended in 1997.
Meanwhile, leading climate scientists said that after emitting unusually high levels of energy throughout the 20th Century, the sun is now heading towards a ‘grand minimum’ in its output, threatening cold summers, bitter winters and a shortening of the season available for growing food. Solar output goes through 11-year cycles, with high numbers of sunspots seen at their peak. We are now at what should be the peak of what scientists call ‘Cycle 24’ – which is why last week’s solar storm resulted in sightings of the aurora borealis further south than usual. But sunspot numbers are running at less than half those seen during cycle peaks in the 20th Century. Analysis by experts at NASA and the University of Arizona – derived from magnetic-field measurements 120,000 miles beneath the sun’s surface – suggest that Cycle 25, whose peak is due in 2022, will be a great deal weaker still.
There is a 92 per cent chance that both Cycle 25 and those taking place in the following decades will be as weak as, or weaker than, the ‘Dalton minimum’ of 1790 to 1830. In this period average temperatures in parts of Europe fell by 2C. However, it is also possible that the new solar energy slump could be as deep as the ‘Maunder minimum’ (after astronomer Edward Maunder), between 1645 and 1715 in the coldest part of the ‘Little Ice Age’ when, as well as the Thames frost fairs, the canals of Holland froze solid. Yet, in its paper, the Met Office claimed that the consequences now would be negligible – because the impact of the sun on climate is far less than man-made carbon dioxide. Although the sun’s output is likely to decrease until 2100, ‘This would only cause a reduction in global temperatures of 0.08C. Our findings suggest a reduction of solar activity to levels not seen in hundreds of years would be insufficient to offset the dominant influence of greenhouse gases.’ These findings are fiercely disputed by other solar experts.
In 2007, the Met Office claimed that global warming was about to ‘come roaring back’. It said that between 2004 and 2014 there would be an overall increase of 0.3C. In 2009, it predicted that at least three of the years 2009 to 2014 would break the previous temperature record set in 1998. So far there is no sign of any of this happening. ‘If temperatures continue to stay flat or start to cool again, the divergence between the models and recorded data will eventually become so great that the whole scientific community will question the current theories." As the Met Office model attaches much greater significance to CO2 than to the sun, it was bound to conclude that there would not be cooling. ‘The real issue is whether the model itself is accurate." It is becoming evident that factors other than CO2 play an important role in rising or falling warmth, such as the 60-year water temperature cycles in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. When both oceans were cold in the past, such as from 1940 to 1970, the climate cooled. The Pacific cycle ‘flipped’ back from warm to cold mode in 2008 and the Atlantic is also thought likely to flip in the next few years . Some scientists found the importance of water cycles difficult to accept, because doing so means admitting that the oceans – not CO2 – caused much of the global warming between 1970 and 1997. The same goes for the impact of the sun – which was highly active for much of the 20th Century.
‘Nature is about to carry out a very interesting experiment. Ten or 15 years from now, we will be able to determine much better whether the warming of the late 20th Century really was caused by man-made CO2, or by natural variability.’ Meanwhile, since the end of last year, world temperatures have fallen by more than half a degree, as the cold ‘La Nina’ effect has re-emerged in the South Pacific. ‘We’re now well into the second decade of the pause. If we don’t see convincing evidence of global warming by 2015, it will start to become clear whether the models are bunk. And, if they are, the implications for some scientists could be very serious.’

Monday, January 30, 2012

**Inventions are wont to be pretty toys
which distract our attention from serious things.
They are but improved means to an unimproved end."
Henry David Thoreau


LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
6.3 NEAR COAST OF CENTRAL PERU

Yesterday -
1/29/12 -
5.2 NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE
5.1 KYUSHU, JAPAN
5.3 MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES

1/28/12 -
5.2 PAPUA, INDONESIA
5.3 SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
5.2 SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
5.0 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
5.4 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
5.3 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
5.2 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
5.3 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
5.8 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
5.8 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
5.0 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.6 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.1 POTOSI, BOLIVIA
5.1 BABUYAN ISL REGION, PHILIPPINES
5.3 CATANDUANES, PHILIPPINES
5.0 SOUTHERN EAST PACIFIC RISE

1/27/12 -
5.2 SOUTH OF BALI, INDONESIA
5.1 NEAR N COAST OF PAPUA, INDONESIA
5.1 OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
5.2 EASTERN HONSHU, JAPAN
5.0 OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.0 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.1 IZU ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
5.0 NORTHERN ITALY
5.4 DODECANESE ISLANDS, GREECE

1/26/12 -
5.4 MARIANA ISLANDS REGION
5.3 SCOTIA SEA
5.3 ROTA REGION, N. MARIANA ISLANDS
5.3 DODECANESE ISLANDS, GREECE (many aftershocks continuing)

VOLCANOES -

A new vent has opened on one of Costa Rica's active volcanoes, the latest activity following a series of small eruptions beginning in 2010.

Increased activity of Sangay volcano, Ecuador - There has been an intensification of Sangay volcano's activity, as indicated by reports from pilots who reported the presence of ash from the volcano drifting S-SE.

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
Tropical cyclone 09s (Iggy) was located approximately 240 nm northwest of Learmonth, Australia.

Indonesia - Tropical Cyclone Iggy Leaves 16 Dead and Trail of Destruction. More than 2300 houses in 35 districts and cities across Java and Bali have been damaged in the last four days due to heavy winds and rain whipped up by Tropical Cyclone Iggy, churning just south of Bali and the Nusa Tenggara island chain. Many victims were crushed by falling trees. 60 people were injured.

The tropical cyclone which closed some offshore Western Australia oil fields and threatened the region's rich iron ore mining region has weakened and is expected to head away from the coast.

Fiji on alert for cyclone - Fiji is on alert as a tropical depression that forecasters say could become a cyclone heads for the Pacific island state. Reports from the capital Suva today said flood warnings were in force as more heavy rain was predicted over the next 24 hours.

Mozambique - At least 26 people died and other 125,000 were affected when tropical storm “Dando” and cyclone “Funso” hit the southern, central and northern regions of Mozambique in the last few days.

EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -

Florida - Bush fire. Ten people have been killed in a multi-vehicle crash on a highway in the American state of Florida. The pile-up occurred before dawn on Interstate 75 near Gainesville. Reports say it involved at least 12 cars and six trucks. The road was shrouded in a cloud of thick smoke caused by a bush fire. At least 18 people were taken to hospital and wreckage was strewn for nearly a mile (1.6km) along the road. One driver said that he was travelling home early in the morning when he ran into a bank of thick fog and smoke. "You could hear cars hitting each other. People were crying. People were screaming. It was crazy. If I could give you an idea of what it looked like, I would say it looked like the end of the world."

SPACE WEATHER -

A string of massive solar storms have unleashed their fury on the Earth in the last 48 hours, just the first set of strong solar storms expected to hit our planet in the coming months. NASA scientists report that the most recent solar flare — the strongest one to date this year — erupted Friday from the same active region of the sun that triggered a raging solar tempest earlier this week.
The latest coronal mass ejection (CME) was moving at almost 1,553 miles per second, and it could cause a number of disruptions. The solar storm, which is just the latest to bombard Earth, has put on a show for stargazers and astronomers alike. The solar storms have also caused a bit of havoc for NASA, which had to take into consideration astronauts working on the International Space Station. The mass of energy poses problems to astronauts and spacecraft, which do not have the added protection of the Earth’s magnetic field. The solar storms have also caused problems for airlines, which as a safety precaution have rerouted flights flying over the North Pole. The resulting streams of radiation that bounce across the Earth’s magnetic field are able to cause long lasting radiation storms that could also impact satellite and ground communications systems.
Although the Sun’s corona has been observed during total eclipses of the Sun for thousands of years, the existence of coronal mass ejections was unrealized until the space age. NASA scientists announced in late 2011 that they expect 2012 and 2013 to be one of the most active times in recent memory for increased solar activity. “I would expect that we will see more storms like this one or even bigger as we get closer to solar maximum."

Thursday, January 26, 2012

No update tomorrow.

Obama Orders Strategy for Protecting Nation’s Supply Chain - Obama is directing the Departments of State and Homeland Security to develop a plan to protect the $14.6 trillion U.S. economy from interruptions in the international supply chain. A National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security that gives officials from those departments six months to make recommendations on how to spot risks and make commercial infrastructure more resilient. “Disruptions to supply chains caused by natural disasters -- earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions -- and from criminal and terrorist networks seeking to exploit the system or use it as a means of attack can adversely impact global economic growth and productivity. As a nation, we must address the challenges posed by these threats and strengthen our national and international policies accordingly."
Hurricane Katrina in 2005 threatened or disrupted the U.S. oil and refining industry. The 2010 eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland led to flight cancellations on almost a global scale. The Japan earthquake and tsunami last year interrupted imports and exports and hurt the U.S. auto and other industries, costing jobs.
“We must continue to strengthen global supply chains to ensure that they operate effectively in time of crisis, recover quickly from disruptions and facilitate international trade and travel." Obama directed department officials to confer with state, federal and international government agencies and private industry to identify areas that are most at risk and come up with layered defenses and tightened security steps to guard against disruptions, the strategy says.

**Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past.
Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank god that it can go.**
Brooks Atkinson


LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.3 ROTA REGION, N. MARIANA ISLANDS
5.2 DODECANESE ISLANDS, GREECE (many aftershocks continuing)

Yesterday -
1/25/12 -
5.3 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.2 SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN
5.0 TONGA
5.1 NEAR WEST COAST OF COLOMBIA
5.3 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.2 OFF W. COAST OF S. ISLAND, N.Z.
5.1 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

INDIA - Delhi's high-rises vulnerable to Himalayan quake. Tall buildings in Delhi will come crashing down if a strong earthquake occurs in the northwest region of the Himalayas, warns a research seismologist who had predicted the Sumatran quake that caused the deadly tsunami in 2004. Buildings taller than 17 metres in the nation’s capital are vulnerable even though the city is more than 300 km away from the Uttarakhand-Himachal region where scientists expect the next high magnitude earthquake. Bapat, formerly head of the earthquake engineering department at the Central Water and Power Research Station, says his warning is based on a careful analysis of damage caused by the 7.9 magnitude Gujarat earthquake that occurred Jan 26, 2001, with its epicentre near Bhuj.
“Maximum destruction from an earthquake is normally confined to an area of 20 to 30 km radius from the epicentre. However, in the case of the Bhuj quake, extensive damage was caused in Ahmedabad, which is about 320 km from Bhuj.” While tall buildings in Ahmedabad collapsed, the damage was minimal to buildings that had only two or three floors. The “distance effect” – where the damage is felt far away from the epicentre — is characteristic of “Rayleigh waves” produced during an earthquake. There are about 100 tall buildings in the Delhi municipal area and an equal number in the nearby areas, all of which need strengthening to protect against Rayleigh waves. Unlike the “P” and “S” waves that travel through the body of the earth and cause damage close to the epicentre, the Rayleigh waves roll along the surface of the earth just like waves on the ocean and cause damage at a distance — typically between 150 to 550 km from the epicentre. The damage due to Rayleigh waves occur at a distance because the “amplitude” or strength of these waves is higher far away from the epicentre than closer to it.
A situation similar to what happened in Ahmedabad during the Bhuj earthquake will be repeated in Delhi if an earthquake of magnitude 7.5 or more occurs in Himachal or Uttarakhand. “Rayleigh waves from such an earthquake would definitely cause heavy damage to tall structures in Delhi and the entire National Capital Region (NCR)." . During the 8.1 magnitude Mexican earthquake on Sep 19, 1985, Mexico City suffered extensive damage although the epicentre of this earthquake was located at a distance of about 530 km on the Pacific coast. Again the 8.0 magnitude earthquake witnessed by Pakistan Oct 8, 2005, destroyed the tall buildings in Islamabad although the epicentre of this quake was about 150 km from the Pakistani capital.
Mexico revised its seismic code after the 1985 earthquake damage and many countries including the United States, China and Japan have taken steps to protect the tall structures from possible damage due to Rayleigh waves. “But the BIS is yet to initiate any action about revision of the seismic code in India,” he said. “If no action is taken immediately, it is quite possible that the scenarios at Mexico City and Ahmedabad may be repeated in the NCR of Delhi.” Not only Delhi but all cities located at a vulnerable distance from potential epicentres of large magnitude earthquakes should make suitable provisions in the seismic codes, he said. Other vulnerable cities which could see damage to tall structures from large magnitude earthquakes in northeast India are Kolkata as well as Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh. “Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan could suffer from large magnitude earthquakes in the Himalayas and Hindukush while Mumbai and Karachi could possibly suffer damage due to a tsunami produced by an earthquake in the Makran coast.”
Delhi ignores own quake peril warnings - The Delhi government's own estimates say nine out of every 10 buildings in the city are at risk of moderate or significant quake damage, yet the basic disaster response plan it had promised to complete nearly three years ago remains unfinished. If a major earthquake were to strike India's seismically vulnerable capital, these neighborhoods — India's most crowded — would collapse into an apocalyptic nightmare. Waters from the nearby Yamuna River would turn the water-soaked subsoil to jelly.

VOLCANOES -

CHILE & ARGENTINA - The Chilean airline LAN has canceled 39 flights in Argentina and Chile due to a giant ash cloud emitted by the Cordon Caulle volcano.

ARGENTINA - First volcanic ash - now no snow. The Argentine ski resorts were affected by the eruption of a volcano in Chile, now there is a lack of snow. The main resort of Cerro Catedrale has once again delayed its opening. It hasn't been a great start to the winter
ski season in South America. At the beginning of June the Puyehue volcano chain in the Chilean Andres erupted spewing ash over the surrounding areas. The actual ski resorts were relatively unscathed, but the town of Bariloche and, most importantly its airport and airspace, were badly affected. The airport was closed and has only just re-opened. It is the gateway airport to the main ski areas. The surrounding area has been covered in thick ash and it is stilll affecting many areas.
Cerro Catedrale, the largest ski area in South American has also suffered from a lack of snow. There was some a few weeks ago but it quickly melted. Meanwhile in neighbouring Chile Valle Nevado has also delayed its opening to the beginning of July. Portillo says it will open shortly but only a few runs will be open.

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
- Tropical cyclone 08s (Funso) was located approximately 377 nm east-northeast of Maputo, Mozambique.
- Tropical cyclone 09s (Iiggy) was located approximately 485 nm northwest of Learmonth, Australia.

Tropical Cyclone Iggy - A cyclone watch has been issued for category one Iggy, which formed on the Indian Ocean this morning and is moving southeast towards the west Pilbara Coast of Australia. A flood watch is in place as well. No community alerts have been issued as it remains well away from shore.

Tropical Cyclone Funso is now a dangerous Category 4 cyclone in the Mozambique Channel, moving southward between Mozambique on the African mainland and the island nation of Madagascar. As Funso became a major cyclone two NASA satellites were providing forecasters with valuable storm information. The cloud cover extends from Mozambique on the African mainland, east to the coast of the island nation of Madagascar. MODIS imagery also revealed a clear 11 mile-wide eye. Thunderstorm cloud tops surround the entire center of circulation, colder than -63 Fahrenheit (-52.7 Celsius) indicating strong storms, dropping heavy rainfall.
The TRMM satellite also had a good view of powerful tropical cyclone Funso battering the Mozambique coast when it flew over on January 24. TRMM data showed that Funso was dropping moderate to heavy rainfall in bands covering the Mozambique Channel from eastern Mozambique to western Madagascar.On January 25, Major Tropical Cyclone Funso had maximum sustained winds of 120 knots (138 mph/222 kph). Hurricane-force winds extend out 40 miles (64 km) from the center. Cyclone Funso continues to track the over open waters of the southern Mozambique Channel and forecasts take it out into the Southern Indian Ocean over the next three days without any danger of a direct landfall. (photos & map)

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

Fiji declares parts of main island a disaster zone as six confirmed dead in bad weather. Parts of Fiji's main island Viti Levu continued to be battered by flooding and heavy rain. About 60 percent of the nation's 850,000 people live on Viti Levu, which is the hub of the island chain and the site of the nation's capital Suva. A family of four, including two children, were killed in a landslide Wednesday after becoming trapped in their home at a village in the island's western Ba region. Earlier this week, two farmers were killed in separate incidents as they tried to protect their livestock from rising waters.
Almost 3500 people have been forced from their homes by the torrential downpour that has continued since the weekend. 74 evacuations centers had been opened across the Pacific nation. The government said roads had been cut and some communities were without power and water supplies, advising people to avoid low-lying areas and take precautions against water-borne illnesses. The tropical low over Fiji was the same one causing flooding today in Queensland, Australia.

CALIFORNIA - Extreme Weather - Boulders came tumbling down rain soaked telegraph hill Tuesday morning in San Francisco. The rocks crushed a car and caused the partial evacuation of an apartment building. The public works department plans to put up a concrete barrier in case loose debris continues to cause problems.
Winds this weekend raged through the desert leaving behind a huge mess in Palm Springs California. The city is so understaffed that the fire chief says they had to send for additional resources from across the state. The wind knocked down about 500 trees, snapped power poles and even started some fires.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Chinese dragon dances into 2012, Indian astrologers warn of earthquakes - As the unpredictable but volatile year of the rabbit hopped into the sunset, the water dragon enters 2012 in what astrologers predict to be a “smooth” but potential year for natural disasters. Steeped in Chinese mythology, the dragon would dominate 2012 beginning Feb 4, and arrive with a ‘mixed bag’, said Indian experts in Chinese astrology which is touted as the world’s oldest horoscope system, besides the Indian Vedic astrology.
“The Year of the Dragon is usually associated with new good beginnings and good fortune." The mightiest of creatures represents a powerful sign in the 12-zodiac 12-year-cycle in Chinese astrology. Since it is related to water, experts warn of water-related troubles. “The dragon, once settled, will cool its fiery nature, though 2012 might see some major disasters. Illnesses and epidemics would be much more rampant than in the previous years. It will be a better year than 2011, many of the problems of last year will also be seen this year, but many changes will be happening later this year, like in the financial market. But since it’s heavily related to water, we can see some water-related natural calamities like tsunami, earthquakes and even water-borne diseases." On January 23 in 1556 (also a dragon year), a massive earthquake struck Central China, killing over 800,000 people.

**The strength and power of despotism
consists wholly in the fear of resistance.**
Thomas Paine


LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.0 NORTHERN ITALY
5.3 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.2 OFF W. COAST OF S. ISLAND, N.Z.
5.1 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

Yesterday -
1/24/12 -
5.1 WEST CHILE RISE
5.5 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
5.1 MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
6.4 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS
5.0 GUAM REGION

VOLCANOES -

California's Death Valley volcano could come back to life - Geologists have discovered that Death Valley's Ubehebe Crater, formed by a volcanic explosion, was created much more recently than thought — and that it could go off again any time. The half-mile-wide, 600-foot deep crater, was formed when a rising plume of magma hit a pocket of underground water, creating an explosion. But until now, the date was unknown. The most common estimate was about 6,000 years, based partly on Native American artifacts found under debris.
Now, though, a team has used isotopes in rocks blown out of the crater to show that it formed just 800 years ago, around the year 1200. That means it probably still has some strength left in it - and, the scientists believe, there's probably still enough groundwater and magma around for another reaction. Ubehebe is the largest of a dozen craters, clustered over about three square kilometers of Death Valley National Park, but had been poorly studied until now. When it exploded, nothing within two miles would have survived. "It would be fun to witness — but I'd want to be 10 miles away." The eruption dates revealed by the isotopes clustered from 2,100 to 800 years ago. The team beleives this indicates a series of smaller explosions, culminating in the big one that created the main crater around 1200.
As a result, magma is probably still lurking somewhere below - and other researchers have spotted what look like magma bodies under other parts of Death Valley. "Additional small bodies may exist in the region, even if they are sufficiently small not to show up geophysically." The dates indicate an eruption frequency of about every thousand years or less, which puts the current day within the realm of possibility. "There is no basis for thinking that Ubehebe is done." Any eruption would almost certainly be preceded by warning signs such as shallow earthquakes and opening of steam vents, giving several years' warning, so park officials aren't worried. "We've typically viewed Ubehebe as a static feature, but of course we're aware it could come back. This certainly adds another dimension to what we tell the public. Right now, we're not planning to issue an orange alert or anything like that."

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
Tropical cyclone 08s (Funso) was located approximately 400 nm northeast of Maputo, Mozambique.

Powerful, dangerous Tropical Cyclone Funso has continued to lash central Mozambique with flooding rain and damaging winds. The region is staggering from last week's swipe by Tropical Storms Dando, a Category One storm.

Cyclone-hit Indians will take "years" to rebuild livelihoods - It could take "years" for hundreds of thousands of people in southeastern India to rebuild their livelihoods after a devastating cyclone wiped out their entire plantations of cash crops last month.

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

PAPUA NEW GUINEA - Dozens reported dead in PNG landslide. Up to 60 people are feared killed in a massive landslide which hit villages near the ExxonMobil-led LNG project in Papua New Guinea's Southern Highlands. The landslide struck at 7am (AEDT) yesterday near the Nogoli base for the liquefied natural gas plant site, northwest of Port Moresby. ExxonMobil says all its staff have been accounted for. There are settlements close to the otherwise remote site near Mendi, in the centre of the country, and there are fears lives have been lost. "At this time it is hard to say. Most likely lives have been lost, we cannot tell how many. There were villages - settlements - where the landslide covered." Media reports of deaths are between 40 and 60. "The land is covered and quite extensively. Those little hamlets ... they may not have escaped."
PNG media are reporting 40 bodies have been recovered and another 20 people are still missing, with the damage spreading for two kilometres, leaving roads to nearby villages cut off. One local MP said the landslide completely covered two villages while people slept. "There are people buried underneath and a number of them are, from what I have heard, children." ExxonMobil said the company is in close contact with authorities to help deal with the landslide, which is not expected to hinder the project's completion in 2014. The $16 billion LNG project is due to begin production in 2014 and will see PNG's natural gas sold across Asia for the next 30 years - a plan projected to double PNG's gross domestic product.

Extreme weather threat across Australia - Heavy flooding in the eastern states, tropical activity in the north and a heatwave in the west. This week has turned into one of extreme weather across the Australian continent. There is a growing flood threat across eastern Australia this week, while in Western Australia, Perth is experiencing heatwave conditions for at least another week. In the north of Western Australia, coastal communities will be on alert due to the potential for a tropical cyclone to form.
Widespread rainfall of 50-150mm has caused major flooding in parts of NSW and minor flooding in south-east Queensland. Bellingen in NSW has had a bucket-full, with 167mm in the 24 hours to 9am today, while Upper Darkwood to the west gained 178mm. Dorrigo was inundated with as much as 100mm in just one hour and 209mm during the past 24 hours, their heaviest rain since May 2009. These very high rain totals have led to major flooding on the Bellinger River at Thora, with river levels continuing to rise this morning. In Queensland, Bribie Island received some of the heaviest falls with a daily total of 130mm to 9am today. Hotham Creek to the north of Coomera was drenched with 125mm in the 24-hour period. The scattered persistent rain led to minor flooding on the Paynter River at Diddlibah, inland of Maroochydore. Several severe weather alerts and storm warnings have been issued for NSW and Queensland due to flash flooding. The recent rainfall has saturated the land along the coast and nearby inland and so the bulk of the water has nowhere to go but along the surface. The outlook is for the wet weather to continue for the eastern seaboard over the next several days, particularly along the coast and adjacent ranges.
"Some towns will see even higher rain totals in the 300-400mm range over the next six days, bringing a significant threat of both flash flooding and river flooding. We have a stationary high pressure system in place over the Tasman Sea, which is going to send a persistent flow of moisture-laden air into both Queensland and New South Wales. The entire lower portion of the atmosphere is going to become saturated during the first half of this week, setting the scene for torrential rainfall when a deepening low pressure trough forms along the eastern seaboard."
For the west coast of Western Australia, weather conditions will be in stark contrast, with extended heatwave conditions. Heatwaves can have the greatest toll on human life of any weather phenomena, with the very young and elderly at greatest risk. "Using the most widely accepted heatwave definition of at least five days in a row with maximum temperatures of five or more degrees above average, Perth is certainly going to qualify. Perth's average maximum temperature in January is 30.9 degrees and the forecast is for temperatures near 40 degrees between Tuesday and Sunday. Perth is forecast to face the highest consecutive number of days of high temperatures since 1965.
While Perth is sweltering through an extended run of heat, communities along the north-west coastline of Western Australia will be monitoring the formation of a tropical low over the Indian Ocean. "A monsoonal low over the Indian Ocean is expected to intensify into a tropical cyclone by mid to late week (likely to be named Iggy), with the potential for a coastal impact towards the weekend. There is still uncertainty around the future movement and strength of this system, although the Pilbara coastline would be the area singled out for being most at risk."
Mass evacuations are underway on NSW's north coast, with rivers overflowing from days of heavy rain inundating homes and isolating communities. Almost 2000 people were ordered out of caravan parks and homes along the Tweed River, south of Tweed Heads, after the swollen waterway burst its banks. Residents at eight caravan parks were told to head to an evacuation centre at Kingscliff at 1.30pm (AEDT), followed by the evacuation of 400 people from homes at nearby Fingal Head. "The Bureau of Meteorology advises me that the rain will continue at this intensity for the next 24 to 48 hours. Then there might be a small reprieve on Friday, but back again with a vengeance on the weekend, possibly through to Tuesday."
Flood warnings were issued for EVERY MAJOR RIVER SYSTEM between Taree and the Queensland border - a 500km stretch taking in dozens of towns. Parts of Bellingen remain cut off after the Bellinger River burst its banks on Tuesday. About 500 people remained isolated in Darkwood, upstream of Bellingen, with the SES now carrying out supply runs. Emergency services were concerned about the safety of motorists and holidaymakers on Australia Day, particularly at trouble spots on the Pacific Highway.

Quakes Not the Only Concern California Locals Face, Says Seismologist - While most of the country braces for the big quake to hit California, there is another natural danger that has not only already impacted the state and Loma Linda twice, it's become a growing in risk due to climate change. The public should be equally prepared for the ARkStorm, which describes a scenario of intense rain that leads to catastrophic flooding. The storm could be similar to the one experienced in California in 1862, and four larger such events in the past 100 years.
"The ARkStorm scenario is a complete picture of what that storm would do to the social and economic systems of California. We think this event happens once every 100 or 200 years or so, which puts it in the same category as our big San Andreas earthquakes.” The storm could cause landslides, debris flows, coastal inundation and flooding, USGS officials said. The result could be infrastructure damage and pollution. The scenario is plausible. In fact a smaller version hit Loma Linda in December of 2010. Several days of pounding rain brought down mud and debris from the south facing hills, overwhelming San Timoteo Creek which breached its banks flooding homes and damaging businesses. The damage to city property alone cost more than $1 million. In 1969, the city was devastated by a similar ARkStorm-like storm. That flood in 1969 covered about two-thirds of the town. The ARkStorm Scenario explores the resulting impacts to the social structure and can be used to understand how California’s “other” Big One can be more expensive than a large San Andreas earthquake.