Jean Baptiste Molière
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.
Yesterday -
5/11/10 -
5.7 OFF W COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA
5.0 VANUATU
CHINA - Two years after the huge quake hit China's Sichuan province, 18,000 "missing" victims can now be declared dead by their relatives. The quake killed a further 69,000 people.
CANADA - All four members of a Canadian family are feared dead after their farmhouse was swallowed by a massive sinkhole. Police found the family in the basement of their home. Two were confirmed dead after their bodies were removed from the site, while the status of the other two was yet to be confirmed. Incredibly, the family's dog was found alive, although weak, after being dragged into the sinkhole. It is believed the family was in the basement when the earth opened up and swallowed their country home on Monday night local time. Their home is located in St. Jude, Quebec, approximately 100km northeast of Montreal. The crater was 500m by 100m wide and 30m deep. "It's a pretty gigantic crater. It's hard imagining something like this. It's pretty impressive." Neighbors said the area's soil was unstable and a similar landslide wiped out a small bridge a few years ago. The two adults were in their 40s, one daughter was in fourth grade and the other was a high school student. Three cars in front of the house were also swept away, as well as a nearby road. Five other houses in the area were evacuated.
NEVADA - Geologists in Nevada are trying to better understand an earthquake fault west of Pahrump that has the potential to send a jolt to the Las Vegas Valley. Crews in January began digging three 10-foot-deep trenches along the Stateline fault as part of a research project. Although geologists have known about the fault for decades, scientists may have underestimated its ability to produce a large earthquake. The fault could produce a magnitude 7 temblor. Among other things, the research team is hoping to use evidence from the trenches in the Stateline fault to determine the last time it had a major quake.
VOLCANOES -
ICELAND - The eruption in Eyjafjallajokull, in central southern Iceland continues unabated Tuesday. The plume from the volcano rose several kilometers into the air, disrupting air traffic at several airports. (photo)
TROPICAL STORMS -
No current tropical cyclones.
HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -
MINNESOTA - The 4.4 inches of snow that fell on Friday, May 7th, 2010 at Duluth was THE LARGEST DAILY SNOWFALL FOR THIS DATE IN 86 YEARS OF RECORDS. It also ranks as the third largest single day snowfall ever recorded for the month of May in Duluth. Second most was 5.0 inches that in fell in Duluth on May 8th, 1924.The largest single day snowfall in Duluth history occurred on May 10th, 1902 when 5.5 inches fell. Snowfall amounts around the region varied greatly, but it appears the highest was in the higher terrain of the Iron Range, with about 8 inches of snow near Grand Rapids and around 7 inches of snow near Hibbing. (snowfall map)
HEALTH THREATS -
EU Parliament members call for H1N1 investigation - More than 200 deputies of the European Parliament have signed a proposal calling for a special committee to look into the European Union's response to the H1N1 pandemic, including an evaluation of the EU's dependence on the WHO. Signers claim that steps taken undermined EU credibility, the amount spent on vaccines was unwarranted, and officials should have changed course early on.
