The only visible evidence of the eruption is reported to be dead fish that have floated to the surface. The fish had probably been killed by gas escaping from the volcano, scientists said. After months of continuous earth tremors on the island, vulcanologists had said there was a reasonable chance of an eruption somewhere near or under El Hierro. That eruption seems to have started on Monday, pushing hot lava and gases up through the seabed. With the eruption deep down and several miles away under the sea, the danger to local people and tourists who travel to La Restinga for the diving was considered to be minimal – but authorities today decided to carry out their evacuation plans in case that changed. The decision was made "due to the possibility that the centre of the eruption might move closer to the coast." On Tuesday they raised the alert level from yellow to red – the third step of a four-step system.
It is best to admit them quickly,
and get on with improving your other innovations.**
Steve Jobs
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.
Yesterday -
10/11/11 -
5.0 ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
5.7 PAPUA, INDONESIA
5.2 OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.1 EASTER ISLAND REGION
5.0 KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
5.0 KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
CANARY ISLANDS - 2.7
TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Pacific -
-Category 2 Hurricane Jova was located about 70 mi. (110 km) WSW of Manzanillo, Mexico. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for parts of Mexico. The center of the hurricane will move over western Mexico today and tonight.
-Tropical storm Irwin was located about 620 mi. (1000 km) SSW of the southern tip of Baja California.
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
-Tropical storm Banyan was located approximately 485 nm southeast of Manila, Philippines.
Tropical storm “Ramon” [Banyan] claimed its first fatality in Butuan City, Philippines, when a 20-year old man died after he was buried in a landslide on Monday, while more than 1200 passengers are now stranded in various ports in Bicol region. A landslide occurred at around 5 p.m. on Monday in Purok 8 in Barangay Maibu. The victim was reportedly heading towards his three companions who were engaged in small-scale mining when a large portion of mud and rocks buried him alive. The incident happened at the height of the onslaught of the weather disturbance in the region.
At least four students killed as Tropical Storm Ramon hits central Philippines and one is missing. They were on their way home from school. The five drowned as Barotac River in Iloilo overflowed onto a bridge that they were crossing in Lipata Village, Barotac Viejo as Tropical depression Ramon neared central Philippines, from the Pacific Ocean, at the country's eastern seaboard.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
THAILAND is racing to defend Bangkok from floods. Workers are racing to complete floodwalls of sandbags on the outskirts of Bangkok to stop the country's WORST FLOODS IN YEARS from inundating parts of the capital. Further north, Thailand's plains are also severely flooded. In the province of Ayutthaya - one of the worst-affected areas - people have been moving to evacuation shelters. At least 270 people from across Thailand have died in the floods since July. Heavy monsoon rains, floods and mudslides have affected 58 of Thailand's 77 provinces since July, particularly the north, north-east and central plains, and 30 provinces are inundated. Monsoon flooding, typhoons and storms have killed hundreds of people in the past four months across south and south-east Asia, China and Japan.
Rescue workers hastily built a floodwall in Pathum Thani, north of Bangkok, where strong currents burst a river embankment, flooding homes. About people have crammed into an evacuation centre in Pathum Thani, many from the neighbouring province of Ayutthaya. High estuary tides are also expected to arrive in Bangkok in the coming days. Bangkok is only two metres (6.5 ft) above sea level, and the government is trying to tackle a shortage of sandbags for flood defences. Supermarket shelves have been cleared by shoppers of basic items such as rice, bottled water, pork and chicken. Flood damage to agricultural land in the north of the country is expected to push up food prices, rice in particular.
HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -
Britain to face 'RECORD sub-zero temperatures and snowfall' this winter - Following Britain's record-breaking October heatwave, it seems the country could be set to make more temperature records - but this time at the other end of the scale. According to experts, the UK could well see record sub-zero temperatures in the coming months. The first snow of winter hit the UK on Thursday - just a few days after the hottest October day ever recorded - and it seems there could be plenty more to follow.
A long-range forecaster for Exacta Weather said he expected November, December, January and February to feature 'largely below-average temperatures across many parts of the UK'. 'It is likely that temperature and snowfall records will be broken within this defined time frame." An Arctic storm caused foot-high drifts, near hurricane-force 70mph winds and an 18C temperature plunge across the Scottish Highlands on Thursday.
Expecting snowfall across the UK as early as November, councils up and down the country are already stockpiling tonnes of grit in a bid to prevent the travel chaos caused by last winter's whiteout. On average, local authorities aim to have 1,500 tonnes more road salt at the ready to treat roads and pavements than they did at the start of October 2010.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -
30 years of heatwaves and severe floods predicted for Britain. New research predicts extreme weather conditions will increase in frequency in Lincolnshire. Last winter, Lincolnshire was brought to a standstill by an Arctic cold snap. New research predicts extreme weather conditions will increase in frequency. Researchers from Durham University's Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience have produced new maps indicating how extreme weather will hit the UK over the next three decades. The maps show that heatwaves in Lincolnshire will become 10 per cent more likely, while the flood risk in parts of the county is set to increase by a massive 25 per cent. Cold snaps in Lincolnshire, however, are set to decrease in line with the national average.
The findings are based on data from the UK Climate Impacts Programme and the Environment Agency's Foresight, which maps the likely patterns of heatwaves, cold snaps and flooding. The researchers are now urging councils and service providers to plan ahead for the extreme weather – especially when it comes to caring for the elderly population. "When extreme weather events occur, special measures are needed to make sure people have access to the care they need in the community as well as in hospitals. Planning is important to try to keep road networks and utilities functioning, to ensure community care teams can reach their clients, and to help people manage in their homes in extreme weather."
HEALTH THREATS -
UN says food prices to remain high - Food commodity prices are likely to stay high and volatile during the next few years because of rising demand, more frequent extreme weather and the biofuel industry, according to a report from the UN's agriculture agencies.
