in which it can most readily develop.
Tacitus
LARGEST QUAKES -
Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)
This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.
Yesterday -
7/7/12 -
5.0 KEP. MENTAWAI REGION, INDONESIA
5.0 SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA, INDONESIA
5.1 MAURITIUS - REUNION REGION
5.2 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
5.4 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
5.7 NEW IRELAND REGION, P.N.G.
5.4 KURIL ISLANDS
5.2 NORTH ISLAND OF NEW ZEALAND
7/6/12 -
5.0 OFFSHORE LOS LAGOS, CHILE
6.3 VANUATU
TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Pacific -
- Category 2 Hurricane Daniel was located about 920 mi [485 km] SW of the southern tip of Baja California. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
- Tropical storm Emilia, the fifth tropical storm of the season, was located about 480 mi [775 km] SSW of Acapulco, Mexico. Emilia is expected to become a hurricane today or early Monday. The forecast expects Emilia to move farther away from Mexico. There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
El Niño Likely By End Of Year – Big Southern Hemisphere Cyclone Season Coming? El Niño conditions can be expected across the Pacific region by the end of this year, according to the latest Island Climate Update.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
Russia - Flash floods caused by torrential rain have swept the southern Russian Krasnodar region, killing 144 people. The floods,THE WORST THERE IN LIVING MEMORY, struck at night, reportedly without warning. TV pictures showed people scrambling onto their rooftops to escape.
Most of those who died were in and around Krymsk, a town of 57,000 people. But nine deaths were reported in the Black Sea resort of Gelendzhik with a further two in the port town of Novorossiysk. Russian TV showed thousands of houses in the region almost completely submerged and police said many of the victims were elderly people who had been asleep at the time. "Our house was flooded to the ceiling. We broke the window to climb out. I put my five-year-old grandson on the roof of our submerged car, and then we somehow climbed up into the attic."
Dozens of people are reportedly missing, and there are fears that the death toll will rise further. Emergency teams have been sent from Moscow by plane and helicopter. Crude oil shipments from Novorossiysk have been suspended. "Something unimaginable" is going on in Krymsk. "No-one can remember such floods in our history. There was nothing of the kind for the last 70 years". Some said Krymsk looked like it was hit "by a tsunami". Others accused the authorities of not telling the whole truth about the disaster. Local activists blamed the ferocity of the flood on the opening of sluice gates at a reservoir. But Krasnodar's regional administration dismissed the allegation as "absolute nonsense."
The Krasnodar-Novorossiysk motorway was cut, and the transport system in the region is said to have collapsed. Altogether 13,000 people have been affected by the floods. More than 7,000 Russian children were attending summer camps in the area and one of the camps was evacuated. "The floods were very strong. Even traffic lights were ripped out."
"The water started flooding in at 02:00 [22:00 GMT Friday]. People were running out into the streets in their underwear and wrapping their children in blankets. People were only able to save their passports. There is no electricity and the shops are shut. Many people have lost everything and are in a state of panic." The rains dumped as much as 28cm (11 inches) of water on parts of the Krasnodar region overnight, forcing many residents to take refuge in trees or on house roofs. "T"he port is located in the lower part of town, the whole landslide has moved towards it. As we speak, the rain has started again." (map and photos)
Germany - Storms in Germany have killed three, including a nine-year-old girl, and injured at least 20.
INDIA - The death toll has risen to 105 in floods caused by heavy monsoon rains in India's northeastern state of Assam, while hundreds of animals have died in the region's Kaziranga national park.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / CLIMATE CHANGE -
Unrelenting heat wave bakes half the US - Americans dipped into the water, went to the movies and rode the subway just to be in air conditioning on Saturday for relief from unrelenting heat that has killed at least 30 people across half the country.
In lakes and rivers across parched areas of the U.S., heat and lower water levels are reducing oxygen levels -- and killing fish populations by the thousands. At one lake in Delaware, up to 6,000 dead gizzard shad and 600 perch were found floating this week. "Aggravating this summertime problem, increased temperatures lead to warmer water, which holds less dissolved oxygen." In South Carolina, some 500 fish died at Lake Hartwell. "It started Sunday afternoon. We started seeing ten fish popping up out of the water. Then Monday, it was full." Across South Dakota, fishermen have reported thousands of fish kills in multiple lakes and rivers. And in Tennessee, a fish kill on Butterfly Lake left a horrid stench in one Knoxville neighborhood. "It's really putrid. It's like after a hurricane. Gooky and yucky." Some 10,000 bluegills were thought to have died, and city workers were tasked with the cleanup even though the lake is on private property. "It's a public health issue, and it just smells real bad."
