superstition that his world is bounded by the nearest hill,
his universe ends at river shore,
his common humanity is enclosed in the
tight circle of those who share his town or his views
and the color of his skin.
Robert F. Kennedy
LARGEST QUAKES -
Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)
This morning -
5.5 KERMADEC ISLANDS, NEW ZEALAND
Yesterday -
12/12/12 -
5.0 FIJI REGION
12/11/12 -
5.1 VANUATU
5.2 VANUATU
6.0 MOLUCCA SEA
5.3 NORTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
Friday's Japanese quake revised up to magnitude 7.4 - The Japan Meteorological Agency has revised the magnitude of Friday's earthquake that rocked the Tohoku and Kanto regions from 7.3 to 7.4, after analysing seismometer records and other data. The quake's focus was off Tohoku's Sanriku coast.
The agency also said Monday the quake could have been caused by the movement of several faults east and west of the Japan Trench, where an oceanic plate slides under the continental plate. Friday's quake was initially considered to have occurred after the Earth's crust was pulled on the east side of the trench, causing the faults to shift vertically. This is called an "outer-rise" quake.
VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams
New Zealand - White Island volcano: spiny lava dome observed, alert level raised. Volcanologists have discovered a spiny lava dome at White Island volcano in an existing small crater formed as a result of the recent eruptions in August.
Ruapehu eruption 'more likely than normal' - Scientists have confirmed Ruapehu remains at a heightened level of unrest and that an eruption is "more likely than normal". Analysis was still showing higher than normal temperatures beneath the crater lake.
Mt Tongariro gas does not mean eruption - A noticeable release of gas has been spilling out of Mt Tongariro but this did not mean an eruption has occurred, GNS Science says. There was still a "substantial possibility" of eruption however, especially over the next few months.
Video: Lava flows after huge volcanic eruption in Russia - Check out this volcanic eruption that's so spectacular it's been described as looking like the end of the world! The Plosky Tolbachik volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Russia, is pouring out 1,200 tonnes of lava every second.
TROPICAL STORMS -
In the South Indian Ocean -
Tropical Cyclone Claudia was located 1215 nm south of Diego Garcia. The final warning has been issued on this system by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center.
Tropical cyclone Evan was located approximately 40 nm west-northwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa.
Category 2 Tropical cyclone Evan lashes Samoa - Tonga and Fiji may be next. Flash floods and power cuts have hit the Samoan capital Apia as tropical cyclone Evan lashed the Pacific island nation with high winds and heavy rain. The category two cyclone, packing wind gusts exceeding 120 kilometres per hour, made landfall in the early afternoon on Thursday and was expected to intensify after moving out to sea.
Apia residents said the cyclone uprooted trees and caused widespread flooding, cutting power to much of the city and blocking roads. Police advised locals to make their way to evacuation centres. "There's lots of debris flying around and coconut trees going down. It's really dangerous to try to drive around, some people are already evacuating." Parts of the city's airport were damaged, but there were no reports of injuries.
While cyclones are relatively common in Samoa, Evan WAS EXCEPTIONAL. "I have never seen it this bad, this is very significant and scary." The US embassy in Samoa set up a hotline for citizens caught in the storm and advised them to move away from coastal areas. In travel advice, the Australian government said the cyclone was "causing damage to local services and infrastructure, including communications and electricity services and Faleolo International Airport".
The Fiji Meteorological Service, which provides forecasts for the South Pacific, said the cyclone was expected to head out to sea but could curve back and intensify to category three. It said the cyclone could threaten Tonga on Friday and reach Fiji by Sunday. "All communities in Fiji should be prepared now, heed warnings and act responsibly to avoid unnecessary loss of lives and property."
The state of Massachusetts has issued an unprecedented $24.8 million in fines against three utilities for their inadequate response to the power outages in 2011 that plunged hundreds of thousands of people in the dark after Tropical Storm Irene and the Halloween snowstorm.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
NWS confirms long-tracked tornado in South Mississippi early Monday - After surveying the damage from severe storms early Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed a long-tracked tornado tore across parts of two counties in South Mississippi. The NWS says it was an EF-1 tornado with winds of 100 mph.
SPACE WEATHER -
Hundreds of squid have intentionally stranded themselves on the shores of California and scientists only have guesses as to why. The Santa Cruz coastline is littered with squid carcasses. (video) [Occasionally, squid massings have preceded earthquakes. One time in Japan as I recall - may be purely coincidental.]
