**Nothing in the world is more dangerous than
sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.**
Martin Luther King Jr.
LARGEST QUAKES so far today -
5.6 SIMEULUE, INDONESIA
6.5 KEPULAUAN BARAT DAYA, INDONESIA
5.1 GUERRERO, MEXICO
5.0 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
Yesterday, 11/30/13 -
5.4 DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
11/29/13 -
5.0 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS
5.5 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS
5.3 SOUTH OF PANAMA
5.1 ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA
5.3 ANATAHAN REG, N. MARIANA ISLANDS
11/28/13 -
5.1 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
5.0 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
5.0 NIAS REGION, INDONESIA
5.0 INDIAN OCEAN TRIPLE JUNCTION
5.6 SOUTHERN IRAN
5.0 YUNNAN, CHINA
Iran - 5.6 quake killed 8, injures 59 in Southern Iran on Thursday. The quake destroyed around 250 homes and businesses. the nearby nuclear plant was not damaged. The quake's epicentre was near Borazjan, around 60 kilometres from Bushehr. The earthquake has left some of Iran's neighboring countries questioning whether the nuclear power plant in Bushehr is safe.
VOLCANOES -
Indonesia - North Sumatra: Thousands of residents have been evacuated from a 5-kilometre exclusion zone around Mount Sinabung which experts have said could erupt any day now. But while authorities have announced that the zone is off limits to anyone, some residents are still willing to risk their lives to protect whatever is left of their homes.
Living at the foot of an active volcano may be a frightening prospect for many, but for residents here it is a risk they have learned to live with. During its most recent major eruption last weekend, Mount Sinabung not only ejected columns of ash but for the first time ejected coin-sized volcanic rocks. The village of Sigarang-garang village is located almost 3 kilometres away from the crater of Mount Sinabung. This village is situated within the danger zone. Thousands of its residents have been evacuated to nearby shelters.
Although residents spend their nights in temporary shelters, during the day, a few can still be seen returning to check their homes or tend to their farms and livestock. Security is lax around the 5-kilometre evacuation zone so it is easy to climb up the mountainside without being detected by police or military troops tasked to comb the area. Despite calls for residents to avoid returning home, many locals are rather unperturbed by the threat of a very dangerous volcanic eruption.
"At the shelters, all we do is sit around and wait. We usually work hard on our farms and then suddenly we find ourselves doing nothing. It is boring to stay at the shelter." Farming is one of the most common livelihoods in the area. The volcanic eruptions have damaged over 1,300 hectares of farmland with an estimated value of more than US$3 million. For some farmers, there are high hopes they will be able to pick up whatever is left behind.
"It is not easy staying at the shelters. So whatever crops survived the ash fall, we will do our best to protect them. We will pick whatever crops are left over. The money earned after selling them can be used to give my kids some allowance money and buy cigarettes for my husband." For evacuees, the wait at the shelters can seem endless and although most understand the importance of evacuating, many are anxious to be able to resume their normal lives as soon as possible.
TROPICAL STORMS -
Current tropical storms - maps and details.
No current tropical storms.
Philippines - The number of tropical cyclones that hit the Philippines this year is already above the average but up to two more may lash the country next month, the state weather bureau said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration this week issued a climate outlook for December 2013 to April 2014, which said that one or two tropical cyclones may hit the country next month and one more in January.
There was no tropical cyclone existing within the Philippine Area of Responsibility as of Friday. For the next five months, weather systems that will also affect the country are low pressure areas, the Intertropical Convergence Zone, the tail end of a cold front, cold surge, and the northeast monsoon (Amihan). Near to above normal rainfall is also expected in December. For January next year, generally near to above normal rainfall is forecast in most parts of the country, except Samar provinces, Marinduque and Sulu that will likely to receive below normal rainfall.
According to government data, an average of 19 tropical cyclones entered the PAR yearly from 1948 to 2011. In 2013, 25 tropical cyclones entered the country including powerful ones such as Typhoons Labuyo, Odette, Santi and the deadliest, Super Typhoon Yolanda. Considered as among the strongest typhoons ever recorded, Yolanda slammed into the country earlier last month and devastated several areas in Eastern Visayas with its powerful winds and tsunami-like storm surges. More than 5,500 fatalities have been reported while over 1,000 others remain missing. About 10 million people were affected including thousands displaced from their damaged homes and communities.
Thousands of Somalis struggle in aftermath of devastating cyclone - More than 100,000 people are struggling in Somalia's cyclone-hit north-eastern Puntland region, aid agencies warned Friday (November 29th). The tropical cyclone slammed into Somalia's northeastern coast on November 10, killing at least 100 people.
The Unusually Quiet Atlantic Hurricane Season of 2013 Ends - Mexico took a severe beating in 2013, with eight landfalling storms: one hurricane (Ingrid) and two tropical storms (Barry and Fernand) from the Atlantic side.
VIDEO: 2013 U. S. hurricane season in review
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
Heavy rain in Cuba lashes Havana, killing two - Heavy rain has been battering Cuba since Friday, flooding streets and leaving at least two people dead. A number of buildings have collapsed in the capital, Havana. A 54-year-old man and a 60-year-old woman are reported to have died as a house crumbled in central Havana.
Up to 200mm (7.8in) of rain fell overnight and the Cuban meteorological service forecast more heavy rain for Saturday, particularly in the western and central regions. The nephew of the two victims of the building collapse said, "It was raining very hard and there was a lot of weight [from the water] up there. They went to bed." He narrowly escaped because he had to leave the house to go to work.
Many streets in the capital remain submerged, as the authorities assess the damage to other derelict buildings in the city. Bad weather also led to the closure of the picturesque Malecon seaside boulevard, lashed by stormy waves. The torrential rain is expected to bring flooding to coastal areas in western Cuba and the central region.
HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -
Severe weather set to hit Britain over the coming weeks - The Met Office has warned that snow, ice and harsh winds could hit Britain over the next few weeks. The extreme weather conditions, which are expected to disrupt travel, are likely to affect northern England and large parts of Scotland the most.
In England temperatures have already fallen below zero, with the remarkably cold weather being described as UNUSUAL for this time of year when 10C is considered the average. Areas such as Oxfordshire and Manchester have been met with the lowest temperatures of this winter so far. “It will stay cold, particularly in the South East, with frost widespread” through until at least December 3rd. Winter rain has also been predicted by the Met Office over the next few weeks. Snow has been forecast for the majority of England and will arrive sooner rather than later.
Icy conditions will develop further over the next week or so due to cold blasts of wind travelling down from the Arctic. Drivers are being encouraged to drive carefully and to have patience on the roads, whilst also being warned to remain vigilant during this time. The adverse weather has reportedly come as a ‘shock to the system’ of the Met Office, as they advise people to wrap up warm to avoid biting temperatures, as well as the oncoming snow, frost, rain and wind.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES -
Sacramento, Calfiornia - Fall has started off dry and warm. On Thanksgiving, Sacramento hit RECORD HIGHS and is still on track to be the DRIEST YEAR ON RECORD.
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