of both Congress and the courts,
the people have the right,
not to overthrow the Constitution,
but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution.**
Abraham Lincoln
LARGEST QUAKES -
Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)
This morning -
5.2 NEAR N COAST OF PAPUA, INDONESIA
Yesterday -
7/22/12 -
5.0 NEAR COAST OF NICARAGUA
5.3 TONGA
5.4 BISMARCK SEA
5.4 NEW IRELAND REGION, P.N.G.
5.1 HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION
5.2 MYANMAR
VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams
TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Pacific -
Tropical storm 09w (Vicente) was located approximately 150 nm south- southeast of Hong Kong.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
China - More storms set to hit southwest of China. The China Meteorological Administration forecast 100 to 160 millimeters of rain to fall on Sichuan and Yunnan provinces before Thursday. Tropical storm Vincente will arrive in Guangdong and Hainan provinces today or Tuesday.
China - Beijing floods death toll now 37. The freak storm in China's capital killed at least 37 people over the weekend, sparking anger and questions over poor infrastructure in the country.
460mm (18.1 in) fell in Beijing's Fangshan district, with the capital as a whole averaging 170mm. About 1.9m people have been affected by the downpour, and flood and economic losses had been estimated at 10bn yuan ($1.5bn, £960m). By Sunday evening, more than 65,000 people had to be evacuated. "There could be further large-scale storms or extreme weather," the Beijing city government's website said.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / CLIMATE CHANGE -
Forest fires raging in Spain's north-eastern Catalonia region have left three people dead. Two French nationals, a father and daughter, drowned in the sea close to the border with France while trying to escape the flames. Strong winds gusting up to 90km/h (55mph) have rendered one fire "out of control." All residents of the county of Alt Emporda - about 135,000 people - have been ordered to stay indoors. The area is a main link for holidaymakers travelling to and from southern France. Traffic on the cross-border AP-7 motorway was reported to have been severely disrupted on Sunday.
The two French victims were among several people who were trapped by fire as they travelled along the N-260 main coastal road near the town of Portbou and tried to reach the sea by climbing down cliffs. A 75-year-old man died after suffering a cardiac arrest in Llers, north-west of the area's main town, Figueres. At least another 19 people have been wounded, including a French national who suffered burns on 80% of his body when he was caught in his car by the flames.
The fire near Portbou has been brought under control,while a much larger blaze further inland, around the border town of La Jonquera, was still spreading late on Sunday. The fire, travelling at about 5-6km/h, came within 10km of Figueres. A total of about 13,000 hectares (32,000 acres) of forest are estimated to have been devastated in the area.
For many in the U.S., the heat and dry weather are starting to wane. It's been a hot July so far nationwide. The good news is that temperatures have started to moderate in many areas; forecasts indicate that this trend is set to continue.
The bad news - The extreme hot and dry weather in the US, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan has spiked corn, wheat and soybean prices as the countries reduce their expected crop harvest forecasts. The US is facing one of the worst droughts in years.
