on the unscrupulous initiative of a few individuals,
with the blessing of more,
and amid the passive acquiescence of all.**
Tacitus
LARGEST QUAKES -
Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)
This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.
Yesterday -
7/14/12 -
5.5 MYANMAR-INDIA BORDER REGION
5.1 KURIL ISLANDS
5.2 KURIL ISLANDS
5.0 KURIL ISLANDS
5.4 KURIL ISLANDS
5.0 KURIL ISLANDS
5.3 KURIL ISLANDS
7/13/12 -
5.0 JAVA, INDONESIA
5.0 MINAHASA, SULAWESI, INDONESIA
5.1 KURIL ISLANDS
5.1 FIJI REGION
5.0 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
Israel forges national plan for contending with earthquakes - The Haaretz National Emergency Authority has formulated a contingency plan for earthquakes that could cause upwards of 7000 deaths.
U.S. East Coast - Earthquake epicenter the focus of study. Early next week, geologists plan to hunt by air for the fault that triggered the August 2011 earthquake on the East Coast. The 5.8-magnitude quake, likely felt by more people than any other earthquake in U.S. history, caused extensive damage and was among the largest ever recorded on the East Coast. The August 23 quake occurred along a buried and previously unknown fault in the Virginia Piedmont. The epicenter was 38 miles (61 kilometers) northwest of Richmond, and the fault ruptured 3 miles (about 5 km) below the surface.
The data collected during the survey will help geoscientists better estimate the region’s likelihood of damaging earthquakes. "We know where the fault is located because shortly after the earthquake, a number of different groups monitored the aftershocks. But we don't know how big or how long the fault is, or how far away it stretches from the epicenter. We don't know whether or not it reaches the surface." The USGS contracted with a private company to employ state-of-the-art survey equipment, the kind typically used for mineral or oil exploration. "This is the first time airborne gravity has been used for mapping earthquake hazards in the U.S."
The instruments can peer up to 9 miles (14.5 km) underground, deeper than the 2011 earthquake ruptured. The survey will measure Earth's gravitational and magnetic fields throughout the region. Subtle changes in the fields can indicate where underground faults are located, because different rock types generate slightly different magnetic and gravity fields. "This allows us to find where we have contrasts in different rock types, and if we see such contrasts that might be evidence of a fault." The research team also plans to pin down other faults that caused aftershocks in the days following the August quake. "We are hoping to map out all the faults in this area."
VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams
Japan - Quake left 20-meter crack in Mount Fuji. A 20-meter-long crack was found halfway up Mount Fuji in Yamanashi Prefecture after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit on March 15, 2011, centered around eastern Shizuoka Prefecture, local authorities revealed Tuesday. Experts say it is unlikely to be a sign of an impending eruption or any other abnormality. They ruled out the possibility of an eruption. "No abnormalities have been observed regarding Mount Fuji and the mountain shows no signs of an eruption," an official at the Meteorological Agency said, indicating the crack was caused not by volcanic activity but by the temblor. Both the width and depth of the crack were several centimeters, and it has subsequently been covered by sand and pebbles. "Nothing has happened after more than a year (since the discovery of the crack), so Mount Fuji is probably not going to erupt."
TROPICAL STORMS -
No current tropical storms.
In the Pacific -
- Tropical storm Emilia was located about 1675 mi [2700 km] WSW of the southern tip of Baja California.
- Category 2 Hurricane Fabio was located about 585 mi [945 km] SW of the southern tip of Baja California The hurricane is approaching colder water and gradual weakening is expected to begin on Sunday.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
New Zealand - Severe flooding on NZ's South Island. Heavy rain is causing flooding on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, cutting off Westport and triggering at least one evacuation.
CANADA – The search for four people assumed caught in Thursday’s landslide in southeastern in southeastern British Columbia resumed Friday afternoon and was to continue until dark, and then resume at first light Saturday morning. Three homes in the small community of Johnsons Landing, located just north of Kaslo on the east side of Kootenay Lake, were hit by the landslide that roared down a mountainside on Thursday. More landslides earlier Friday had delayed the ground search for a father, his two adult daughters and a German woman believed to be trapped by the landslide. There had been further slides in the area, and because of that searchers had to wait for geotechnicians to assess the safety of the terrain before they went in. Engineers gave the go-ahead, although there was no certainty the danger had passed. About 40 rescue workers are now in Johnsons Landing, with 13 on top of the debris pile at any one time, trying to burrow in strategically to locate possible survivors.
Extreme weather worried residents before the landslide - RECORD-SETTING weather conditions were much discussed in the days leading up to the disaster.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / CLIMATE CHANGE -
NOAA Believes Extreme Weather Events Will Continue - A recent report from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provides hard data that the first six months of 2012 were THE HOTTEST SINCE RECORDS BEGAN being kept in 1895.
SPACE WEATHER -
GEOMAGNETIC STORM - A fast-moving CME hit Earth's magnetic field on July 14th at approximately 1800 UT. The impact was not as strong as forecasters expected. Nevertheless, the blow compressed Earth's magnetosphere and sparked a mild (Kp=5) geomagnetic storm, in progress. So far, few sightings of auroras have been reported. The arrival of the CME shook Earth's magnetic field, which in turn induced electrical currents in the ground at Arctic latitudes. This one was not particularly strong, at least in terms of ground currents. Relatively weak ground currents are consistent with the muted displays of auroras in the aftermath of the strike.
