It turns what we have into enough - and more.**
Melody Beattie
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.0 TAJIKISTAN
5.0 HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN
Yesterday -
11/14/10 -
5.1 TURKEY-SYRIA BORDER REGION
5.1 NEAR THE COAST OF DJIBOUTI
5.2 NEAR THE COAST OF DJIBOUTI
5.3 NEAR THE COAST OF DJIBOUTI
5.0 NEAR THE COAST OF DJIBOUTI
(also in DJIBOUTI - 4.8, 4.7, 4.6, 4.8, 4.6)
5.1 NEAR THE COAST OF YEMEN
5.2 NEAR THE COAST OF YEMEN
5.4 NEAR THE COAST OF YEMEN
5.3 NEAR THE COAST OF YEMEN
5.0 NEAR THE COAST OF YEMEN
5.0 NEAR THE COAST OF YEMEN
(also in YEMEN - 4.7, 4.9, 4.9, 4.7, 4.9, 4.8, 4.7, 4.7, 4.9, 4.8, 4.8, 4.9, 4.5, 4.5, 4.9, 4.7, 4.6)
5.0 GULF OF ADEN
(also in GULF OF ADEN - 4.9, 4.5, 4.9, 4.8)
5.2 TONGA
5.0 CENTRAL MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE
5.1 OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
NEW ZEALAND - After a couple of relatively quiet days, Christchurch has experienced another wave of aftershocks with two of them measuring over 4 on the Richter scale. The Christchurch earthquake on the 4th September has been followed by a couple of thousand aftershocks. These appear to be random and don’t follow any set pattern. Christchurch residents had felt more settled over the last week but a strong 4.7 aftershock awoke many people at 1:35am on the 14th November.
Friday the 12th had 6 aftershocks ranging from 3.0 to 3.8 on the Richter scale. Only one aftershock was recorded on Saturday the 13th and that was a 3.1. Starting early on Sunday morning, Christchurch was shaken by a 3.2 just after midnight followed a few minutes later by a 3.8. At 1:35am a 4.7 magnitude tremor shook the area, setting alarms off and causing houses to bang, rattle and shake. The next aftershock was a 3.6 after 5pm followed by 4.9 at 7:21pm. People are generally coping better than they were a few weeks ago but most report that being awoken from a deep sleep by aftershocks sets their hearts racing. The stronger daytime ones also get the adrenaline flowing and many say that their biggest concern is that the city may still get an aftershock of over 6 in magnitude. This was a worry soon after the 7.1 earthquake but seismologists say the risk of such a large aftershock has diminished over the weeks although it has not completely disappeared. Christchurch could still be experiencing aftershocks a year from now. The quakes are shallow which means they are generally felt more strongly. (photos)
VOLCANOES -
INDONESIA - Despite three blasts from Mount Anak Krakatau heard by local people early Sunday morning, the volcano was declared normal. “Activities at Mt. Anak Krakatau have always been fluctuating. At night there might be a blast sound due to low air pressure." Anyer residents said they panicked after they heard three explosions from Mount Anak Krakatau on Sunday. Despite the blasts, the status of Mount Anak Krakatu will not be raised to “alert”. “The safe areas would remain two kilometers from the volcano. Sea transportation has not been disturbed, so far."
TROPICAL STORMS -
No current tropical cyclones.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
AUSTRALIA - Melbourne is on track for its WETTEST YEAR SINCE 1996. More than 30mm of rain fell on Melbourne at the weekend, and there were flash floods in Gisborne and Beechworth. The deluge also prompted the closure of the Great Ocean Road due to a landslip. Some 593mm has fallen on the city centre so far this year and the yearly total looks set to outstrip the 629mm recorded in 2000. But they've still got a way to go to beat the 777mm that fell on Melbourne in 1996. 622mm fell in 2004. "Of that year, the monthly total rainfall for November was 122mm, compared to the 45mm so far this November." The bureau says there is a 60 per cent chance that Melbourne will exceed the median rainfall between November and January.
The wet and cool conditions have slowed locust activity, but have also hampered treatment. The wet weather follows a surge in locust activity on the back of a northerly wind and warm temperatures during the week. The downpour has also created a headache for farmers, threatening to disrupt grain harvesting and ruin crops. But the wet weather has been welcomed by places like Lake Bolac, which is overflowing for the first time in 15 years. In late 2008, the lake dried up for only the second time.
