because he likes it,
and one thing supremely well because he detests it.**
Brigham Young
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.4 MOLUCCA SEA
Yesterday -
11/10/10 -
5.1 SOUTH OF PANAMA
5.1 SOUTHERN IRAN
5.2 KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
5.2 LUZON, PHILIPPINES
6.4 SOUTHEAST INDIAN RIDGE
5.3 MOLUCCA SEA
5.0 OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE
VOLCANOES -
INDONESIA - Another Merapi eruption, number of victims raised to 191. The most recent volcano eruption happened on Wednesday, just after midnight. The ashes were spreading in all directions up to 50 kilometres. 598 people have obtained serious injuries. The number of evacuated inhabitants was increased to more than 343,000, and the zone of risk was widened to 20 kilometres. The series of volcano eruptions, which has been erupting hot ashes up to 1,500 meters in height and day Wednesday, started on October 26.
NIGERIA - Kwande volcanic eruption. Residents of Makurdi are now living in fear following reports of uncommon happenings at the mountainous Mkomon community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State where a volcanic eruption claimed two lives while property worth millions of Naira have also been destroyed. The latest incident in Mkomon is the fourth in the series of eruptions in the rather forgotten community some six hours drive from Makurdi.
The first eruption in the community occurred as far back as 26 years ago in 1984 followed by others in 2005 and 2009. Unfortunately nothing was done by way of an indepth study to pre-empt further occurrence until the latest incident. But unlike the case a few days ago, the earlier eruptions recorded in the mountainous community did little or no damage at all to inhabitants of the area that also borders Cameroun Republic. The community of predominantly farmers consisting of Ityuluv-Niev, Injor Niev-ya and Iwa Niev-ya natives has been devastated and cut off from the rest of the world, thanks to a volcanic eruption that was preceded by heavy tremor that saw rocks crashing down from the hill and destroying farmlands and houses in its wake. Narrating their ordeal to newsmen who thronged the community to see things for themselves, the Chief explained that on November 4, the entire district was terrified by a heavy vibration never experienced before. The Chief grieved over the loss of his 30-year-old nephew, who died in the incident alongside a teenager.
The magma emitted from the eruption has not only polluted their only source of potable water, the KIPAM Stream, but crops and houses worth several millions of Naira have also been destroyed. He intimated that he had written several memos to the Benue State Government on the need to take action on the incessant occurrences and also requested for the construction of the only road leading to the area but all pleas fell on deaf ears. The reaction of the Commissioner for the Ministry of Water Resources and Environmen when contacted on Saturday over the incident seem to give credence to this allegation. He merely dismissed it with a wave of the hand saying: “It never happened." Nothing has been said by the state government on the matter and no move was made to alleviate the suffering of the affected people yet the incident has continued to attract attention from within and outside the state.
Meanwhile, a geologist with the University of Agriculture has described the emissions at Abelakpa Mountain as a “function of geological forces” within the earth crust where magma substances boil, thereby forcing the earth to crack. He said the magma could travel a long distance and cause great havoc depending on the space of the crack on the mountain which is occasioned by tensional forces under the earth. The geologist suggested that an indepth scientific research be carried out around the mountain to determine the level of volcanic threat to the lives of the people. Also commenting on the incident, an environmentalist said it was a volcanic slide, warning the people against drinking water, including rain water, likely to have been contaminated by the magma. Meanwhile, as the community continue to live in fear of the unknown they have also made a passionate appeal to the state and federal governments to come to their rescue since the only available bridge in the community had been cut into pieces and water gushing from the eruption sight has also flooded parts of the community.
(photo)
TROPICAL STORMS -
No current tropical cyclones.
The Atlantic has seen a very large increase in major hurricanes during the 16-year period of 1995-2010 (average 3.8 per year) in comparison with the prior 25-year period of 1970-1994 (average 1.5 per year). Researchers attribute this upturn in Atlantic major hurricanes to natural multi-decadal variability in the strength of the Atlantic thermohaline circulation and a concomitant increase in tropical Atlantic sea-surface temperatures. These changes are not directly related to global sea-surface temperature increases or atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
No hurricanes made landfall along the Florida Peninsula and East Coast. This marks the fifth year in a row with no hurricane landfalls along this portion of the U.S. coastline. This is THE FIRST TIME SINCE RELIABLE U.S. RECORDS BEGAN IN 1878 THAT NO HURRICANES HAVE MADE LANDFALL along the Florida Peninsula and East Coast IN A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD. This is the FIRST TIME IN RECORDED HISTORY THAT AS MANY AS 12 HURRICANES HAVE OCCURRED in the Atlantic basin WITHOUT A U.S. LANDFALL. Prior to that record, at least two hurricanes made landfall in the United States when a minimum of 10 hurricanes occurred in the Atlantic basin. No major hurricanes made U.S. landfall this year. Following seven major hurricane landfalls in 2004-2005, the nation has not witnessed a major hurricane landfall in the past five seasons. The five consecutive years between 1901-1905 and 1910-1914 have been the only other consecutive five-year periods with no major U.S. hurricane landfalls. Only one tropical storm made U.S. landfall this year (Bonnie). We have not had a hurricane landfall since Hurricane Ike in 2008. The last time that the United States went two years in a row with no hurricane landfalls was 2000-2001. Only three tropical storms have made landfall over the past two years. The last time that three or fewer tropical cyclones made landfall in any consecutive two-year period was 1990-1991.
The 2010 hurricane season had the following special characteristics:
• 88.25 named storm days occurred in 2010. This ties 2010 with 2008 for the sixth most-named storm days in a single season since 1944.
• Twelve hurricanes occurred in 2010. Since 1944, only two seasons, 1969 (12) and 2005 (15) have had the same or more hurricanes in a single season.
• Five major hurricanes formed during the 2010 hurricane season. Since 1944, only seven seasons (1950, 1955, 1961, 1964, 1996, 2004 and 2005) have had more than five major hurricanes form.
• No Category 5 hurricanes developed in 2010. This is the third consecutive year with no Category 5 hurricanes. The last time that two or more years occurred in a row with no Category 5 hurricanes was 1999-2002.
• Eleven named storms formed between Aug. 22 and Sept. 29. This is the most named storms to form during this period, BREAKING THE OLD RECORD of nine named storms set in 1933, 1949, 1984 and 2002.
• Five hurricanes formed during the month of October. Only 1870 (six hurricanes) and 1950 (five hurricanes) have had at least five systems reach hurricane strength for the first time during October.
• Igor and Julia both were at Category 4 status on Sept. 15. The only other time that two storms both were at Category 4 status in the Atlantic was on Sept. 15, 1926• Four Category 4 hurricanes (Danielle, Earl, Igor and Julia) formed in the Atlantic between Aug. 27 and Sept. 15 (20 days). This is the SHORTEST TIME SPAN ON RECORD FOR FOUR CATEGORY 4 HURRICANES TO DEVELOP, breaking the old record of 24 days set in 1999.
