Sunday, March 31, 2013

Happy Easter to all those celebrating.
There will be no update tomorrow.

**When you have once seen the glow of happiness
on the face of a beloved person,
you know that a human can have no vocation but
to awaken that light on the faces surrounding him.**
Albert Camus

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.
Canary Islands cluster seems to be waning.

Yesterday -
3/30/13 -
5.0 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS
5.0 MYANMAR
5.4 GUAM REGION
5.2 OFF COAST OF NORTHERN PERU
5.1 PHILIPPINE ISLANDS REGION

3/29/13 -
5.0 SOUTHEAST OF EASTER ISLAND
5.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.5 OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
5.1 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.6 NORTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

Colima volcano (Mexico) - frequent explosions and rockfalls make for Easter tourist attraction. The "Volcano of Fire" has become a tourist attraction with now up to 200 weak to moderate explosions per day, and frequent incandescent rockfalls / small pyroclastic flows that descend the flank of the volcano to a length of up to 1.5 km and are a spectacular view at night.
The Fuego de Colima volcano is currently the most active of the country, and has recently increased its explosive activity. A 8 km exclusion zone is in place around the volcano and the governments of Colima and Jalisco are on permanent alert. Scientists rule out any risk for the population.

Iceland sees unusual seismic activity at Hekla volcano - Icelandic Met Office raises its aviation warning level from ‘green’ to ‘yellow’ for the first time in 2 years.
Iceland on Tuesday reported unusual seismic activity at Mount Hekla, one of its most active volcanos, and raised its alert level but said no eruption was imminent. The Icelandic Met Office said it had raised its aviation warning level a notch Tuesday for the first time in two years following “elevated unrest above a known background level during the last weeks.”
There was no smoke rising from the mountain, but dark clouds seen from the ground could lead people to think there had been an eruption. The alert level for the aviation industry was raised from “green” to “yellow”, which it described as a precautionary measure due to the volcano’s “increased earthquake activity.” Emergency services said in a separate statement that they had declared “an uncertainty phase”, the lowest level of warning issued for events “that may threaten public health and safety, or that an environment or inhabited area may be threatened.”
The eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjoell volcano in April 2010 stranded more than eight million travellers as volcanic ash spread across Europe.

Hawaii - An increase in Kilauea's eruptive “pulse” spawns the Kahauale'a flow. Over the past six months, the pace of Kilauea’s 30-year-long ongoing eruption has quickened. This follows the quietest period — spanning most of 2012 — of the eruption yet recorded.
In the east rift zone, this quiet period was characterized by persistent Peace-Day-flow breakouts scattered on the coastal plain that failed to reach the ocean all summer. Along with other lines of evidence, this stall of the flow advance suggested that the eruption rate was well below the long-term average. Then, in late November, the flow became more cohesive, advanced to the coast, and entered the ocean. The entry plumes, while very weak at first, became stronger and new entry points developed, indicating that the eruption rate was increasing.
At the same time, lava began to erupt from spatter cones at Pu`u `O`o. The crater filled slowly and, in January 2013, began to overflow its eastern rim. One spatter cone, on the northeast edge of the crater floor, developed into a low shield that stood above and eventually buried the adjacent crater rim. On January 19, lava from that shield began to spill down the northeast flank of Pu`u `O`o cone, starting a new lava flow informally named the Kahauale`a flow.
Flowing continuously since, the front of the Kahauale`a flow has traveled about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) to the northeast over `a`a flows erupted from Pu`u `O`o in the early 1980s and pahoehoe and `a`a flows erupted in 2007. The flow has slowed but widened over the past week. It traverses the Kahauale`a Natural Area Reserve and extends a short distance into the Wao Kele o Puna Forest Reserve.
What does all of this mean? Over the 30-year duration of the current east rift zone eruption, most lava flows have gone south toward the coast; flows north of the rift zone have been infrequent. During 1983 to 1986, there were several short-lived flows associated with fountaining phases of Pu`u `O`o that advanced parallel to, and north of, the rift zone; but they stopped when the fountaining ceased at the end of each episode. Flows from Kupaianaha in the late 1980s were prevented from going north by these older Pu`u `O`o flows.
In the summer of 2007, a new fissure that opened on the east flank of Pu`u `o`o sent lava flows initially toward the northeast. A few months later, a vent wall near the source ruptured and diverted lava to the south again. While these flows were advancing north of the rift zone, Puna residents became worried by the bright glow in the sky and the smell of wood smoke.
Like these other flows, the Kahauale`a flow is advancing north of the rift zone but is blocked to the south by the 2007 lava. The main difference between the 2007 flows and the Kahauale`a flow, however, is in supply rate of lava that fueled each flow. In 2007, these were the only active flows and they were fed at a supply rate slightly higher than the long-term average for this eruption. On the other hand, the Kahauale`a flow is fed by less than half of the long-term average supply rate while the Peace Day flow is fueled by the rest.
As it was during the 2007 eruption, there is a distant possibility that the Kahauale`a lava flows will continue to advance to the northeast. Over the past two months, the flow has advanced irregularly but at an average rate of 70 m/day (230 ft/day). Depending on exactly where the flows enter the forest, they could advance toward populated areas. The flows, however, would take months to reach these populated areas if — and this is a big “if” — they continue to advance at the current average rate. A lot could happen to slow or stop the flow between now and then.
Island residents can take comfort in knowing that, during the past 30 years, no other lava flows on the north side of Kīlauea’s East Rift Zone have ventured very far to the north — and that Hawaiian Volcano Observatory scientists are keeping close watch on the Kahauale`a flow and will continue to update emergency managers and the public with the latest information. (video)

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

HEALTH THREATS -

E coli outbreak linked to frozen snacks sickens 24 in 15 states - Federal and state health officials are investigating a multistate Escherichia coli O121 outbreak that has so far sickened 24 people in 15 states and sparked a recall of Rich Products, a New York company's frozen chicken quesadillas and other snacks.

RECALLS & ALERTS
- Rich Products Corporation Announces a Recall of Farm Rich® Mini Quesadillas, Farm Rich® Mini Pizza Slices, Farm Rich® Philly Cheese Steaks, Farm Rich® Mozzarella Bites, and Market Day® Mozzarella Bites Due to Possible Contamination with E. Coli.
- Publix Super Markets is issuing a voluntary recall for Publix Deli Tri Fruit and Grain Salad since it may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. Publix received notification of the potential contamination from their supplier, Allison's Gourmet Kitchens.

Friday, March 29, 2013

Chemtrail Operations Observed Prior to Loud booms Over Coastal Counties of Florida - 3/21/13 - TV20 in Gainesville reported receiving complaints from all over North Central Florida from people concerned about a pair of loud “booms” a little after nine o'clock Thursday night. A Dixie county weather spotter on Florida’s west coast reported jet aircraft had been spraying aerosols of unknown chemistry through most of the day through 9PM Thursday night just prior to the ground-shaking “booms”.
Saturday, 3/23: Update from Weather Observer in Dixie County: "Compass heading, 220-223 SW from my home and over the Gulf seems to be the spot they target and the night spraying has been on the up-tick. The jets spray an "X" pattern of aerosols and in 30 minutes it has spread out and moved to the east. (over Alachua County and points east) . Then they start over and repeat the maneuver in the same location to the Southwest. This goes on all day and often into the night. On Thursday (3/21) the jets were spraying at UNUSUALLY LOW low altitude. The associated "booms" were very low frequency but very loud at the same time with rapid percussions followed by more loud but low frequency rumbles. I used to live by an Air Force base and I know sound barrier when I hear it and this was not it. The description of the artificial clouds would most closely fit the description of gravity waves with "white-caps" but they were not normal gravity waves as cataloged by the National Weather Service. "
Satellite images and weather products from NASA satellites confirm the report of significant aerosol dumps over north Florida, Georgia and the Gulf of Mexico. More significant is the strong electromagentic resonance associated with the artificial aerosol cloud formations that meteorologists might otherwise call “gravity waves”. Citizens with property damage claims due to glass breakage or losses related to the man-made concussion could have no recourse since no military or other organization has stepped forward with first hand knowledge of the source of the complaints. (video)
Residents across north central Florida reported booms and shaking that rattled windows shortly after 9 p.m. Thursday. An official at a state warning point hotline for the Florida Department of Emergency Management said the agency had been told it was "the military running special ops drills." Although the official said the calls were primarily coming from Levy, Gilchrist and Alachua counties - between Gainesville and the Gulf Coast - the booms were reported as far south as DeBary.
The website for the Pinecastle Bombing Range in the Ocala National Forest just west of Volusia County stated no live bombing activity was planned this week. The Gainesville Sun reported they sounded like some sort of sonic booms. A Gainesville television station reported viewers as far south as Tampa said they heard the "booms."

**A calling is when a deep gladness in your heart
meets a deep need in the world.**
Frederick Buechner

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.

Yesterday -
3/28/13 -
5.6 KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
5.0 TONGA REGION
5.0 OFFSHORE GUATEMALA
Canary Islands quake cluster continues - largest were a pair of 4.1 quakes.

California - Four San Francisco Bay Bridge quake safety bolts fail test. Of the span's 96 bolts, which range in length from 9 to 17 feet, 32 snapped when stress meant to simulate the lateral motion of a large earthquake was introduced.

Quake expert pulls Tokyo fault claim - The leader of a team of earthquake researchers admitted Thursday that they made an erroneous announcement confirming the presence of an active fault near Tokyo, Japan, after mistaking what appears to be a concrete column buried in the ground as natural stone.

Earthquake preparedness: Where to store your emergency supplies - Residents of Oahu, Hawaii flocked to the supermarket in 2011 to stock up on emergency supplies after a severe earthquake in Japan set off tsunami waves. Experts say Oregon could face even worse damage when a powerful quake strikes the Northwest, as they predict it's bound to do. The concern stems from regular warnings from various state agencies that Oregon is overdue for a major earthquake, possibly one with a magnitude of 8.0 or larger.
One of the best solutions, according to officials with the Oregon Office of Emergency Management, is to keep supplies in a number of areas. They recommend keeping a disaster supply kit in the car and then both a "go-kit" and a seven-day supply of necessities at home. The gallons of water and canned food you've purchased won't do much good if, after the quake, the place you've stored them is inaccessible.
Major earthquakes usually produce major tsunamis and those who live in a tsunami inundation zone have to think outside their homes for storing emergency supplies. The city of Cannon Beach, for example, has set up a system under which people can rent space inside storage units so they won't have to carry their items uphill in the event of a tsunami. It's a dollar per gallon of storage space. One storage location is already open and the city hopes to unveil two more sites this year.
The right place to store supplies really depends on the type of home or apartment where a person lives. Storing them in a garage might be a good idea, because many garages are built on concrete floors and therefore will be more stable during a big quake. If no garage is available, then keeping items in a closet or storage room also works. The key thing, is accessibility and braced shelving. "The most important thing is to store your supplies in such a way that they won't fall." OEM also recommends keeping emergency supplies for up to seven days at your place of work. "That way, if you're at your office when this happens, you'll have supplies for a week." People are advised to keep their supplies near their desk and not in a locked supply closet. "You don't want your things locked away in case the person with the key isn't there."
People shouldn't put off preparing for a disaster just because they don't know where they should store their supplies. "Keep your supplies where you live your life. Disaster preparation is so personalized." People should keep their supplies wherever they can find space, and the most important thing is that people are actively thinking about and doing what they can to prepare for a disaster. "Preparedness is really about giving yourself options."
The Office of Emergency Management recommends preparing the following disaster supply kits to have on hand in the event of an earthquake or other major disaster: A "grab and go" kit that can be kept at home and at work, a household disaster supply kit with larger items, and a car disaster supply kit.

A personal/office disaster supply kit should include:
- Medications, a first-aid kit and doctors' names and contact information
- Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, and a blanket
- Cash (ATMs won't work if the power goes out)
- Flashlight, extra batteries and light bulbs
- Bottled water
- Snack foods high in water and calories (FEMA suggests items like protein bars and dried fruit)

A household disaster supply kit should hold include:
- Water (a minimum of one gallon per person or pet per day, for at least seven days)
- Canned or packaged food, and a can opener
- A portable or hand-cranked radio with extra batteries
- Comfortable, warm clothing
- Blankets or sleeping bags
- Copies of vital documents such as insurance, bank account information
- Flashlights
- Pet food, if needed

A car disaster supply kit should include:
- The most necessary items from your personal disaster supply kit
- An additional six-pack of water
- A tire repair kit, jumper cables, flares
- Seasonal supplies like blankets, hats and mittens for the winter and sunscreen and hats for the summer.
Oregon stockpilers ready for overdue earthquake - Oregon might not get an earthquake for half a century, but residents are fortifying their basements anyway. A retired banker from Portland has six months' worth of food, 50 gallons of water, tools, medicine and liquor stockpiled underneath his house. Every few months he changes the water, takes an inventory and adds more items. "If you have a major quake here, a lot of the Portland area is just not prepared, and stores would be emptied in a matter of days and they wouldn't be restocked for weeks. It's not a question of if, it's a question of when."
There is up to a 40% chance that a magnitude 8 or above earthquake will strike off the coast of Oregon within the next 50 years, according to a study released by Oregon State University. The 2011 Japanese earthquake was a magnitude 9. The Cascadia Fault runs from Northern California to British Columbia. Every 300 years or so, the Cascadia Fault causes a massive earthquake — the last one was the year 1700.
"A very large magnitude earthquake is inevitable, and we are very ill-prepared and we must prepare for it if we are going to survive it." The most basic survival tip is to follow the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Red Cross' recommendation and have essentials to keep you alive for a minimum of 72 hours. After any disaster, there will be a lot of people in need. Emergency services won't be able to reach them all. Creating an emergency kit and having "bug-out bags" on hand will help you survive — even if you can't get help. "You need to take care of yourself, and you need to take care of your neighbors. You might have to be the person who helps rescue your neighbor." Emergencies often bring out the worst in people. "They will go in and take what they want; they will do what they want; they will say these are extraordinary circumstances and they require extraordinary measures."
There are times when all the preparation can be too much. When people in the present are going without because they're spending so much money planning for the future, it could be an indicator of going overboard. "If your prepping is hurting the people you love, then you're probably going a little too far."

Earthquake Protection Strips Give New Meaning to “Band-Aid Solution” - The idea of gluing fabric on a building to protect it from the sheer force of an earthquake doesn't sound very comforting. However, when SRF was put to the test in the Great Tohoku Earthquake on 11 March, 2011, it passed with flying colors.

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

Scientists Image Deep Magma Beneath Pacific Seafloor Volcano - Since the plate tectonics revolution of the 1960s, scientists have known that new seafloor is created throughout the major ocean basins at linear chains of volcanoes known as mid-ocean ridges. But where exactly does the erupted magma come from?
Researchers now have a better idea after capturing a unique image of a site deep in the Earth where magma is generated. Using electromagnetic technology, the researchers mapped a large area beneath the seafloor off Central America at the northern East Pacific Rise, a seafloor volcano located on a section of the global mid-ocean ridges that together form the largest and most active chain of volcanoes in the solar system. By comparison, the researchers say the cross-section area of the melting region they mapped would rival the size of San Diego County.
"Our data show that mantle upwelling beneath the mid-ocean ridge creates a deeper and broader melting region than previously thought. This was the largest project of its kind, enabling us to image the mantle with a level of detail not possible with previous studies." The northern East Pacific Rise is an area where two of the planet's tectonic plates are spreading apart from each another. Mantle rising between the plates melts to generate the magma that forms fresh seafloor when it erupts or freezes in the crust. . "It was really a surprise to discover that melting started so deep in the mantle -- much deeper than was expected."
The insights that electromagnetics provides will continue to grow as the technology matures and data analysis techniques improve (last week they announced the use of electromagnetics in discovering a magma lubricant for the planet's tectonic plates). "Electromagnetics is really coming of age as a tool for imaging the earth. Much of what we know about the crust and mantle is a result of using seismic techniques. Now electromagnetic technology is offering promise for further discoveries." They also have future plans to apply electromagnetic technology to map subglacial lakes and groundwater in the polar regions.

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

STRANGE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR -

Strange rings of grass cover great swathes of desert-margin land in southwestern Africa - These so-called fairy circles have variously been pinned on the presence of other, poisonous plants, on ants, and even toxic gases rising from below. But a German scientist says the one ever-present factor is sand termites. The creatures have engineered the rings to maintain a supply of water in their environment, he says.
The invertebrates (Psammotermes allocerus) first clear a patch of ground by eating the roots of short-lived, annual grasses. This bare, sandy earth then becomes an effective rain trap - with no vegetation, water cannot be lost through transpiration (the evaporation of water from plants). Instead, it collects, oasis-like, just below the surface where it can sustain the termites and a supply of perennial grasses at the margins of the circles. These are available to eat even in the driest seasons. The regime also drives wider benefits, with the insects becoming a valuable food resource for a whole range of other animals such as geckos, moles, aardvarks, jackals, spiders, ants and the like.
The termites' behaviour surpasses the accomplishments of that other great ecosystem engineer - the beaver. "We all admire the beaver for the way it can turn a linear river into a lake with a dam, but the termites turning the desert into a pattern of oases that allow permanent life even in drought periods for hundreds of years - that's much more fascinating. What is more, these termites do it on a large scale - over hundreds of square kilometres. They should replace the beaver as the text-book engineer."
Fairy circles appear in a narrow belt that skirts the eastern edge of the Namib Desert from Angola to South Africa. They have long fascinated foreign researchers, especially from Europe. The name is almost certainly derived from the terms used to describe the rings of mushrooms often seen in forested areas. In Germany, for example, such fungi circles are known as "hexenring" - "witches' rings".
Climate is a key controlling parameter in the location of the African features. Their occurrence hugs the isohyet of 100mm mean annual precipitation. "It's very pronounced; they're really adapted to that amount of annual precipitation. If the climate changed [to wetter conditions], this belt of occurrence would shift to a more arid part of the desert. If the climate got drier in general, they would shift towards the east, inland." Rival ideas still abound for the circles' formation. Some researchers still maintain they are just a natural pattern adopted by vegetation when competing for scarce resources. (photo)

HEALTH THREATS -

Valley fever cases in US Southwest rising fast - Coccidioidomycosis, or valley fever, a fungal infection that causes influenza-like symptoms and often leads to hospitalization, has increased "dramatically" in the US Southwest in recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

A landslide thundered through a subdivision in Washington state's Whidbey Island north of Seattle on Wednesday, destroying one home and threatening more than 30 others. "It looks like a giant shovel pulled the hill down to the water. We heard a lot of rumbling and snapping of trees."
The landslide hit the Ledgewood Beach community about 50 miles north of Seattle at 4:15 a.m. local time, knocking one house off its foundation and destroying a road. Authorities rescued 12 residents from nearly 20 homes in the area that were cut off when a road was damaged by the landslide. Another 17 homes were evacuated because they were left unsafe or uninhabitable by the disaster. None one was injured.
The homes in the Ledgewood Beach area are a mix of year-round and vacation properties that sit high on a bluff overlooking the waters of the Puget Sound. A county geotechnical engineer was evaluating how long residents would be forced to stay out of their homes. "This is an area that has experienced a few landslides in the past." The area has not experienced recent heavy rains. (video)

**If there is this universal energy field that we're all
plugged in to, then we should see ourselves as a
sort of transmitter and receiver in this energy field.
The more clear we are about our purpose,
the better we transmit.
The more we become an open receiver, the more we
have all those important experiences that appear coincidental.**
Wynne Miller

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
5.0 TONGA REGION
Canary Islands quake cluster continues, and the magnitudes are higher than earlier in the week. Quakes so far today - 3.3, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.1, 3.4, 3.2, 3.1

Yesterday -
3/27/13 -
5.4 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
5.6 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
6.0 TAIWAN
Canary Islands quake cluster continued. Largest quakes - 4.4, 4.1, 4.1

A strong earthquake struck central Taiwan on Wednesday, killing at least one person and injuring 19 as it damaged buildings on the quake-prone island. The 6.0 quake's depth was a relatively shallow 9 miles. Near the epicenter in Nantou County, a section of a ceiling fell from a government office and injured one worker. Occurring at a depth of 15.4 kilometers, the temblor centered in the same region as a 1999 quake which measured 7.3 and killed more than 2,000 people. Workers at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Aftershocks jolted central Taiwan in the hours after the midmorning earthquake that prompted an evacuation at major semiconductor factories and a brief halt in train service but left the island largely unscathed.

Jamaicans urged to prepare now for big quake in future - A seismic expert is urging authorities in Jamaica to prepare for another big earthquake on the island, where the seaside capital was destroyed by a temblor just over a century ago. It’s impossible for scientists to determine if a big quake will hit in days or decades, but a geophysics professor is urging the government and stakeholders to understand that the threat is real. He said that Jamaica will most likely be exposed to a quake with a magnitude of 7 or 7.5. Jamaica’s capital of Kingston was destroyed in a 1907 quake.

Japan - 15.5% quake insurance hike sought. Premium discounts will be expanded for highly quake-resistant housing to ease the impact of the premium increase. The industry argues the hike is needed to maintain the earthquake insurance system after reserves declined sharply due to the massive 2011 quake and tsunami.

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

Nicaragua - San Cristobal Volcano. Nicaragua's National System for Mitigation and Response to Disasters (SINAPRED) is keeping a close eye on San Cristóbal Volcano after a series of four tremors reported last Sunday near the base of the volcano. [Yesterday it was reported that the Telica volcano is under close observation, due to increased micro earthquakes.]

Indonesia's Mount Lokon Eruption Puts City on Alert - Mount Lokon volcano in North Sulawesi has erupted spewing thick ash that has enveloped three neighbouring villages. A loud boom was heard on Monday, followed by lava shooting up to 2,000 metres into the air. Cars, trees and buildings are blanketed in a thick layer of ash. Indonesian authorities have placed Tomohon City on the third highest alert level. Officials have not advised residents to leave the area so far but villagers have been warned not to go within 2.5 kilometres of the crater. Volcanologists say the mountain has been erupting since July 2011. (video)

Iceland volcano's eruption fueled ocean blooms - The explosive volcanic eruption Iceland saw in 2010 may have disrupted life in the air above Europe, but it apparently enriched life in the Atlantic Ocean, researchers say. After nearly two centuries of dormancy, the volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted many times over the course of 10 weeks three years ago. These outbursts spewed a giant plume of ash that spread unusually far and stayed for an oddly long time in the atmosphere, forcing widespread flight cancellations for days.
A series of research cruises were in the Iceland Basin region of the North Atlantic Ocean both during and after the eruption. These allowed the researchers to measure iron concentrations at the ocean's surface before, during and after the eruption in areas directly influenced by the plume of iron-rich ash. "This was really the first time scientists have been under a volcanic plume at sea and could really look at the immediate effects of the ash falling into the ocean."
Iron is key to ocean life, helping spur the growth of single-celled organisms known as phytoplankton. Like plants, these organisms convert sunlight to chemical energy via photosynthesis and serve as the base of the food chain. In about a third of the global ocean, a scarcity of iron limits the abundance of life, so ash supplying this metal could spur booms in biological activity. Beneath the plume, the scientists found that peak dissolved iron levels were up to about 20 to 45 times higher after the plume than they had been before the ash came along. A model of ash dispersal rate that the researchers developed, along with measurements of iron dissolution, suggest that up to 220,000 square miles (570,000 square kilometers) of North Atlantic waters might have been seeded with up to about 100 metric tons of iron.
The researchers also saw that after the eruption, levels of another nutrient, nitrate, were nearly completely depleted in the central Iceland Basin. That finding suggests that when volcanic iron fertilized the waters, the resulting phytoplankton bloom sucked up other nutrients as well. Since phytoplankton use carbon dioxide just like plants do, volcanic ash falling on the ocean could reduce levels of the greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. However, the team estimated that the plume from Eyjafjallajökull only triggered a 10 to 20 percent rise in carbon dioxide uptake by phytoplankton in the Iceland Basin compared to other years. In order for volcanic iron to have larger effects on the atmosphere, phytoplankton must really flourish. For that to happen, the researchers suggest, ash emissions have to be much larger and longer in duration and must occur over a region high in nitrate.
The relatively modest effects that this volcanic iron apparently had on atmospheric carbon dioxide levels strike another blow against so-called geoengineering schemes that aim to reduce levels of greenhouse gases by adding large amounts of iron to the seas. "I'm not an advocate of dumping into the ocean to remove atmospheric carbon dioxide. It's not a very efficient process. You'd need so much iron to remove the man-made carbon dioxide emitted at the moment that it wouldn't be worth it."
In the future, researchers could investigate the effects of volcanic ash on the Southern Ocean, which is relatively rich in nitrate. "There, you might see more of an effect when you add extra iron via ash. However, you'd have to be lucky to be at sea when a volcano erupted there. Our cruise was scheduled three years in advance, and it was just pure luck we were in the Iceland Basin when Eyjafjallajökull erupted."

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

Madagascar hit by 'severe' plague of locusts - A severe plague of locusts has infested about half of Madagascar, threatening crops and raising concerns about food shortages. Billions of the plant-devouring insects could cause hunger for 60% of the population.
It was THE WORST PLAGUE TO HIT THE ISLAND SINCE THE 1950's. "The last one was in the 1950s and it had a duration of 17 years so if nothing is done it can last for five to 10 years, depending on the conditions. "Currently, about half the country is infested by hoppers and flying swarms - each swarm made up of billions of plant-devouring insects. FAO estimates that about two-thirds of the island country will be affected by the locust plague by September 2013 if no action is taken."
Donors are needed to give more than $22m in emergency funding by June so that a full-scale spraying campaign can be launched to fight the plague. The plague threatens pasture for livestock and rice crops - the main staple in Madagascar. "Nearly 60% of the island's more than 22m people could be threatened by a significant worsening of hunger in a country that already had extremely high rates of food insecurity and malnutrition." An estimated 85% of people in Madagascar, which has a population of more than 22 million, live on less than a dollar a day.
The Locust Control Centre in Madagascar had treated 30,000 hectares of farmland since last October, but a cyclone in February made the situation worse. The cyclone not only damaged crops but created "optimal conditions for one more generation of locusts to breed".

HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -

Farmers battle extreme weather in UK - Extreme weather is testing farmers, who are having to work around the clock to look after the welfare of their animals. The National Farmers’ Union has said, despite the weather, farmers are continuing to deliver to keep Britain moving. The unseasonable snow and ice across the country has caused disruption for both homes and businesses and has left farmers to battle against the elements, to ensure their farms keep working and their animals are cared for.
“These are UNUSUAL CONDITIONS AND ARE TOTALLY OUT OF CHARACTER FOR THE TIME OF YEAR. It has put an extraordinary strain on the industry after what has been a torrid 12 months of extreme weather, compounded by the fact that many farmers’ sheep are lambing at the moment. Sheep are adapted to living outside, but it is unusual to be lambing in this weather and we do expect to see some losses in areas hardest-hit by the weather. I’ve talked to families where everyone is out all day and night just trying to get feed out there.”
Meanwhile, farmers in Ireland are facing similar, if not worse, conditions. However, the Ulster Farmers’ Union has praised the efforts of the many farmers who have battled throughout the weekend, despite persistent heavy-lying snow. It has been a very tough couple of days for many farming families. The bad weather has come at the worst time – lambing season – and the full scale of the picture will appear in the coming days, with concerns remaining about animal losses.

EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -

Arctic ice loss may drive extreme weather patterns - Several researchers say that warming conditions in the Arctic may be weakening jet stream currents and causing extreme weather systems to linger in northern mid-latitudes. Climate scientists have blamed melting sea ice for causing extreme winter in the North America and Europe during this winter. Thickness of the ice is also a concern among the environmental scientists.

Australia - Heatwaves are lasting longer and happening more often, with new research showing hottest temperatures during heatwaves are also rising. If the trend continues there's no doubt their recent hot summers will be far more common in future.
"Heatwaves have been increasing worldwide but the trend is even more marked across large parts of Australia, which has warmed faster than the global average. Not only are we seeing more heatwaves in Australia but trends are suggesting that the hottest temperatures recorded during heatwave events are rising faster than the overall average." The researchers defined heatwaves as three days or more when temperatures reach the top 10 per cent of the hottest ever recorded for specific times of the year.
They found hot weather in traditionally cold months is increasing faster than summer heatwaves. "This could have important impacts on agriculture, particularly for the production of winter crops." The number of heatwave days in a year has increased across much of north and central Queensland, Victoria and the southeast area of South Australia. The research found in many of these places the increase in the number of heatwave events corresponded to the increase in heatwave days.
However the number of individual heatwaves have barely changed in Victoria and South Australia, suggesting the heatwaves in those states are increasing in length, if not in number. Temperatures recorded on the hottest heatwave days are climbing in every state across the country with some regional exceptions in northern and central Australia. That trend has accelerated since 1971.


HEALTH THREATS -

Novel coronavirus lab studies hint at wide tissue susceptibility - Experiments by Hong Kong researchers to gauge the susceptibility of several human and animal cell lines to novel coronavirus (NCoV) found signs that it can infect a broad range of tissues, which might shed light on the disease's seemingly high mortality rate.

RECALLS & ALERTS
- La Preferida, Inc. is recalling La Preferida Whole Pinto Beans 29 oz. (Water & Salt). The manufacturer’s preliminary inspection indicates 420 cans may not have been fully processed, which could result in product contamination by spoilage organisms or by pathogens, which could lead to illness if consumed.
- Jones Natural Chews Co of Rockford, IL is recalling 245 boxes of Woofers (beef patties) because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Salmonella can affect animals and there is risk to humans from handling contaminated pet products.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Quake and volcano activity currently rising.

Europe money crisis leads to poor health - Harsh spending cuts by debt-crippled European governments are also being partly blamed for outbreaks of diseases not normally seen in Europe and a spike in suicides, new research shows.
Since the crisis struck in 2008, state-run welfare and health services across Europe have seen their budgets cut, medical treatments rationed and unpopular measures such as hospital user fees introduced. Those countries that have slashed public spending the hardest - Greece, Spain and Portugal - have fared the worst medically. "Austerity measures haven't solved the economic problems and they have also created big health problems."
Worsening health was driven not just by unemployment, but by the lack of a welfare system to fall back on. "People need to have hope that the government will help them through this difficult time." Greece in particular is struggling. Suicides rose by 40% in 2011 compared to the previous year. Last year, the country also reported an exponential rise in the number of HIV cases among drug users, due in part to addicts sharing contaminated syringes after needle exchange programs were dropped. In recent years, Greece has also battled outbreaks of malaria, West Nile virus and dengue fever. "These are NOT DISEASES WE WOULD NORMALLY EXPECT TO SEE IN EUROPE." In 2011, Doctors Without Borders helped Greece tackle a malaria outbreak that broke out after authorities scrapped spraying programs to kill mosquitoes.
But not all countries mired in debt were found to be unhealthy. Iceland, which rejected a International Monetary Fund bailout deal, didn't record any bump in suicides and the population may even be healthier since it nearly went bankrupt. This could have been a result of global junk food chains leaving the country due to rising food costs. Elsewhere, the researchers noted a drop in road accidents as more drivers opted for public transport. In turn, that has led to a shortage of organ donations and transplants, particularly in Spain and Ireland.

**The highest reward for man's toil
is not what he gets for it,
but what he becomes by it.**
John Ruskin

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
5.6 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
6.0 TAIWAN
5.1 HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION

Yesterday -
3/26/13 -
5.5 SUMBA REGION, INDONESIA
5.7 SOUTH OF KERMADEC ISLANDS
5.0 OAXACA, MEXICO
5.3 OFFSHORE OAXACA, MEXICO
5.4 OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN

3/25/13 -
5.0 SOUTH OF SUMBAWA, INDONESIA
5.0 KEPULAUAN SANGIHE, INDONESIA
6.2 GUATEMALA
5.0 ALASKA PENINSULA
5.1 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
5.2 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
5.3 FIJI REGION
5.0 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS

Quake shakes island in Spain's Canaries - An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale shook El Hierro island in Spain's Canaries on Monday, the strongest of hundreds of tremblors recorded in recent days. About 800 earthquakes have been recorded in El Hierro since March 18. In October 2011 an underwater volcano erupted off the coast of El Hierro, two days after an earthquake measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale rocked the island. [The quake cluster continues.]

Earthquake Swarm Continues North of Reno, Nevada - The quakes are mostly too small to feel, with the largest recorded at magnitudes of 2.1. The swarm includes more than 150 of the small earthquakes and has lasted a week.

Earthquakes shook Mexico City on Tuesday - causing buildings to sway in the capital and sending thousands fleeing into the streets as an earthquake alarm sounded. There were no immediate reports of damages or injuries. Earthquakes shook a broad swath of southern Mexico on Tuesday.

Guatemala hit by powerful earthquake - A powerful 6.2 earthquake struck Guatemala close to the capital city, but residents said they barely felt the tremor and authorities had no immediate reports of damages or deaths. Last November, more than 50 people were killed in a 7.5 magnitude quake in Guatemala in San Marcos state, a mountainous region near the Mexican border.

Christchurch, New Zealand, earthquake responders say San Diego may not really be prepared for a major earthquake. Recovery and cleanup experts still on scene in Christchurch, New Zealand two years after a big quake say chances are they are not. Experts have predicted that a major quake in San Diego, California, is over-due.

Big Oklahoma quake in 2011 likely man-made - An unusual and widely felt 5.6-magnitude quake in Oklahoma in 2011 was probably caused when oil drilling waste was pushed deep underground, a team of university and federal scientists has concluded.

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

Arequipa volcano in pre-eruption, Peruvian scientists warn - Peru's Geological, Mining and Metallurgical Institute reported that Sabancaya's activity has led the agency to issue a yellow alert. “We have already talked with local authorities so that they can warn the nearby population, about the volcano’s status, and how to prepare before an eventual eruption."
Sabancaya is currently emitting large plumes of smoke, and is seeing between 300 and 500 seismic movements. The signs of continuous gas release indicates that magma is rising to the surface, but the agency was not yet able to estimate how much magma could be on the way. “That’s why Ingemmet has installed volcanological equipment and telemetry in strategic points at Sabancaya, we expect results within 15 days."

Iceland - Increased seismic activity around Hekla volcano raises concern. The Police in Hvolsvöllur and the Civil Defense department have expressed concern over increased seismic activity around Hekla volcano in the past few days. Seven tremors have been measured in the last two weeks, a frequency which has never been matched since Hekla’s previous eruption. Scientists worry that Hekla is overdue for an eruption; in recent decades it has erupted roughly every 10 years, most recently in 2000.
The seven earthquakes were measured some 5 km from the top of the volcano and at a depth of 11 to 12 km. However, no magma movement has been measured. The volcano is being closely monitored at the moment by geologists who decided to alert authorities as Hekla eruptions usually happen with very little warning, and the mountain itself is a popular hike among locals and tourists. The “uncertainty phase” warning issued is the lowest out of three and was raised in order to initiate an appropriate and rapid emergency response in the case of an eruption.
Iceland Prepares for Hekla Volcano Eruption (Video) - The eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjoell volcano in April 2010 stranded more than eight million travellers as volcanic ash spread across Europe. UNUSUAL SEISMIC ACTIVITY around the Hekla volcano has given Icelandic police concern.

Telica volcano in Nicaragua Showing Many Micro Earthquakes - The Nicaraguan Institute of Territorial Studies announced the Telica volcano is under close observation, due to increased micro earthquakes.

Costa Rica Volcano Producing Acid Rain? - It seems one of the tourist attractions and wonders in Costa Rica might be causing problems for both the people living around the volcano and destroying crops in the area due to the low level of the lake inside the Poas Volcano.

Mile-high plume of ash as volcano erupts in Indonesia - Mount Lokon spewed volcanic ash more than a mile into the air as it erupted in Tomohon, North Sulawesi province, Indonesia on March 25. Residents were advised to keep a safe distance after the early morning eruption. Authorities have put the situation at third highest alert level but have so far not advised residents to evacuate.

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

LANDSLIDES -

The cause of a massive land collapse in Brazil is being investigated. Since March 14, surveys are being carried out by the technical-skills expert prosecutors in places where geological disasters were generated by the collapse of land. A prosecutor is investigating the cause of environmental disasters in the cities of Santo Domingo and Campos Belos, Goias in the Northeast.
With the collapse, the flood of mud, stones and earth opened up a crater approximately 7 km, running almost 200 meters to the east of the Mosquito River. On site, there was a landslide that hit the east of the São Vicente, which passes Terra Ronca State Park; the most extensive areas of environmental devastation occurred in Goiás, with approximately 60,000 hectares endangering fish species in the Sao Vicente cave complex. (photos)

HEALTH THREATS -

Salsa and guacamole frequent vehicles of foodborne disease outbreaks in the United States, 1973-2008. Fresh salsa and guacamole often contain diced raw produce, are often made in large batches, and are often poorly refrigerated, which may make them prone to contamination that can cause foodborne illness. The safety of salsa and guacamole is increasingly important as these foods gain popularity. Among reported outbreaks, most were caused by norovirus (24%), nontyphoidal Salmonella (19%), and Shigella (7%). Eighty-four percent of outbreaks were caused by foods prepared in restaurants or delis; of these, 19% reported ill foodworkers, and 29% reported improper storage as possible contributing factors. The number of reported foodborne disease outbreaks attributable to salsa or guacamole increased in the United States from 1984 to 2008, especially in later years, and especially in restaurants. Fresh salsa and guacamole require careful preparation and storage.

Fungal infections from contaminated steroids reach 730 cases, 51 deaths. The ongoing outbreak of fungal infections associated with contaminated injectable steroids has increased by 8 cases and 1 death since the last report Mar 11. The illnesses to date include 236 cases of meningitis only, 144 of meningitis with paraspinal or spinal infection, 7 of stroke without lumbar puncture, 308 of paraspinal or spinal infection only, 33 of peripheral joint infection only, and 2 of paraspinal or spinal infection with peripheral joint infection. The outbreak has affected 20 states, with the largest number of cases in Michigan (259) and Tennessee (150). Implicated in the outbreak, which began last fall, are three recalled lots of methylprednisolone acetate produced by New England Compounding Center in Framingham, Mass.

RECALLS & ALERTS

Monday, March 25, 2013

Sinkholes: Silent killers beneath us (video) - A month after a sinkhole killed a man in Florida, another has opened nearby, forcing evacuations. What causes these silent killers and can they be prevented?

No update on Tuesday this week.

**Let us build the earth by building each other.**
Pierre Teilhard De Chardin

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
5.0 KEPULAUAN SANGIHE, INDONESIA
5.1 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
5.2 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
5.3 FIJI REGION
5.0 FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS
Large cluster of moderate quakes in the Canary Islands continues. (36 so far today - the largest 3.9, 3.7, 3.7, 3.6, 3.5, 3.5)

Yesterday -
3/24/13 -
5.0 EASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G.
5.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.1 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
5.3 SOUTHEAST OF LOYALTY ISLANDS
6.1 VANUATU REGION
6.0 EAST OF KURIL ISLANDS
Cluster of moderate quakes in the Canary Islands continues. (109 quakes; the largest 3.6)

New Zealand - Christchurch braces for worst post-quake winter yet. Christchurch health and social agencies say they are bracing themselves for the worst post-quake winter yet, as the effects of influenza, bitter weather, stress and "shameful" living conditions compound.
Clamour for survival kits - Panicked Aucklanders have been snapping up emergency kits in the wake of last Sunday's earthquakes. Some suppliers of survival packs have reported a 300 per cent increase in sales from the Auckland region this week.

Louisiana sinkhole update - ‘Very long period’ tremors increasing at giant Louisiana sinkhole – Indicates gas and ‘liquid’ moving underground.
All work has been ceased at the Bayou Corne sinkhole after monitoring systems detected tremors Friday morning. The Office of Conservation and the Assumption Parish Incident Command detected elevated subsurface activity in the area around a massive 13-acre sinkhole. Seismic monitoring also detected water movement in the slurry as well as increased bubbling on the western side of the sinkhole. Experts say a brine cavern drilled into the underground Napoleonville salt dome may have caused the sinkhole after it collapsed. 350 residents in a nearby town have been evacuated as a result of the slurry area.
Texas Brine mines caverns into the dome to harvest salt and the resulting brine mixture is then piped to nearby petrochemical companies. Jindal has also laid out a contingency plan for a second Texas Brine cavern, known as Oxy-Geismar 1, which experts say may have been drilled too close to the edge of the salt dome. Jindal said there is no data indicating a second cavern collapse is imminent. "The seismic activity is limited to the Oxy 3/sinkhole area, showing no indication of impact to the Oxy 1 area. Monitoring is constantly ongoing in the area and Conservation will advice the public of significant changes in subsurface conditions."

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

Australia - Man critically hurt by storm-felled tree. A runner who was injured after a super cell storm hit southeast Queensland remains in a critical condition and about 1500 properties are still blacked out.

EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -

The UK government's chief scientist has said that there is already enough CO2 in the atmosphere for there to be more floods and droughts over the next 25 years. He said there was a "need for urgency" in tackling climate change. He said that the later governments left it, the harder it would be to combat.
He made his comments in the final week of his tenure as the government's chief scientific adviser. "The [current] variation we are seeing in temperature or rainfall is double the rate of the average. That suggests that we are going to have more droughts, we are going to have more floods, we are going to have more sea surges and we are going to have more storms. These are the sort of changes that are going to affect us in quite a short timescale," he warned.
His comments come at a time when "climate sceptics" have been challenging claims by scientists that the release of CO2 into the atmosphere is increasing global temperatures. Other critics have argued that even if the burning of fossil fuels is changing the planet's climate, the reduction of CO2 levels by the world's emerging nations is unrealistic, impractical and undesirable.
His blunt response is: "The evidence that climate change is happening is completely unequivocal." But the issue, he says has been clouded by the fact that the planet's climate system operates slowly to changes and so there are long delays in CO2 level rises in the atmosphere resulting in changes to weather patterns. "So the next 20 or 30 years are going to be determined by what's up there now." Governments have agreed to try to keep the rise in average global temperatures to below 2C. Given the slow progress in attempts to curb CO2 emissions at successive climate change talks, many experts believe that target to be unrealistic.

HEALTH THREATS -

RECALLS & ALERTS

Sunday, March 24, 2013

A bright meteor briefly outshined the lights of New York City Friday evening (March 22), according to reports by witnesses. The dramatic fireball over the U.S. East Coast was caused by an asteroid just 3 feet long.

**The cost of a thing is the amount of life
which is required to be exchanged for it,
immediately or in the long run.**
Thoreau

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
6.1 EAST OF KURIL ISLANDS
Cluster of small quakes continues in Canary Islands.

Yesterday -
2/23/13 -
5.0 EAST OF SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS
5.0 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
5.0 GUAM REGION
Cluster of small quakes continues in Canary Islands.

2/22/13 -
5.2 KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION
5.2 SOUTHWESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN
Cluster of small quakes continues in Canary Islands.

6.1 quake off Kamchatka, far east of Russia. The quake, which hit at 0418 GMT at a depth of 9.7 kilometres (six miles), was centred 269 kilometres from the eastern Russian city of Ozernovsky, on the southern tip of the Kamchatka peninsula.

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

Nicaragua - At Telica volcano, hundreds of earthquakes, with magnitudes as high as 2.1, have shaken the volcano for the past week. Thus far, Nicaraguan authorities have not described other indicators of magmatic activity such as deformation or increased fumarolic activity.

Fuji eruption may displace 750,000 in Japan - Some 750,000 residents in 14 municipalities in Yamanashi and Shizuoka would need to evacuate in the event of an eruption of Mount Fuji, which straddles both prefectures, a recent estimate shows. The forecast was presented at a meeting Friday of a joint council of the two prefectures and Kanagawa Prefecture, which adjoins both Shizuoka and Yamanashi. The council plans to draw up evacuation plans by autumn. The estimated number of people who would be required to evacuate is the largest, at 130,000, in Shizuoka Prefecture areas, including the city of Fuji. The estimate was based on simulations of lava and pyroclastic flows, or a mix of high-temperature fragments of volcanic origin such as molten rocks, ash and gas, from Mount Fuji, an active volcano.

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

Bangladesh - The death toll from a tornado that hit villages in Bangladesh on Friday has risen to 20. The tornado ripped through 20 villages in eastern Bangladesh, leaving 200 people hurt. The 15-minute storm destroyed many homes and shops, and toppled a large number of trees and electricity poles.
Video

HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -

Thousands of homes around the UK remain without electricity after severe weather disrupted supplies. Up to 18,000 properties in Northern Ireland, 10,000 in Scotland and 2,000 in Wales have been without power overnight despite efforts by energy firms to reconnect them. Weather warnings also remain in place across much of the UK after two days of wintery conditions. Two people are known to have died - one in Lancashire and one in Cornwall.
Numerous roads in many regions became impassable after snow on Friday and Saturday. For Sunday the Met Office has warned that lying snow in many areas will melt on roads and pavements by day, refreezing by night to give icy patches. Some places, mainly in eastern England, will continue to get light snow, possibly up to a couple of inches. Also, snow blowing off fields in strong to gale force winds will affect some roads, especially over high ground.
Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) said 7,000 homes were without power the Isle of Arran and on the Kintyre peninsular. Access was difficult after deep drifts of snow blocked many roads. "Severe ice loading damage" had been found on many of its wood pole lines in Kintyre and on Arran, as well as the collapse of three steel towers under the weight of ice on the conductors near Crossaig in Kintyre. Additional generators were sent to Arran when power was lost on Friday. In Dumfries and Galloway, Scottish Power said it was trying to reconnect power to 3,000 homes overnight.
In Lancashire a man's body was found in deep snow in farmland near Burnley on Saturday afternoon. It followed the discovery of a woman's body in the debris of her house after a landslip in Looe, Cornwall early on Friday morning. The weather disrupted all calls to the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service when power cuts affected the communication network. During a three-hour period, all 999 calls had to be diverted to Scotland, then details were passed on to Northern Ireland via mobile phone.
Throughout Saturday a number of roads and airports were shut and many sport fixtures in England were cancelled. The prolonged cold snap has sparked fears that the UK will run out of stored gas. However, the National Grid has said there is "plenty of gas available", and the Department of Energy and Climate Change has said gas needs are being met.

U.S. Snowstorm takes aim at Plains, Midwest - Baseball-sized hail. An early spring snowstorm forced the cancellation of more than 100 flights at Denver International Airport and closed several roads Saturday as it moved eastward, dumping more than a foot of snow in some places.
The major early spring storm brought heavy snow, severe thunderstorms and floods as it moved east across the United States on Saturday, closing highways, forcing flight cancellations and causing a pileup involving dozens of vehicles. Blowing and drifting snow closed several roads in Colorado, including Interstate 70 in both directions east of Denver to the Kansas state line. "Travel on the eastern plains is strongly discouraged. It is snowing half an inch an hour with sustained winds of 25 miles an hour with gusts up to 40 miles an hour."
A chain-reaction crash involving some 50 vehicles and at least four tractor-trailers shut down Interstate 25 about 30 miles north of Denver for several hours on Saturday. A tanker involved in the accident burst into flames. Several injured people were taken to the hospital but no fatalities were reported. Some counties in far eastern Colorado had seen a foot of snow by mid-afternoon. Snowfall accumulations in the Denver metropolitan area could top 10 inches, with higher amounts in the foothills west of the city.
The snow was expected to move east to Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio, over the next 24 hours, before moving into the mid-Atlantic states. Rough weather also was forecast in the Gulf Coast region from Florida to eastern Texas throughout Saturday, with large hail, damaging winds and possible tornadoes.In northern Florida, the National Weather Service in Jacksonville had reports of high winds and possible tornado touchdowns, though no twisters have been confirmed. The weather service also had reports of baseball-sized hail west of Lawtey, Florida, early in the afternoon. Lake City received two inches of heavy rain in 30 minutes.

Extreme weather to continue in China - Southern China has been warned to brace for more storms after extreme weather lashed southern China. At least 24 people died and more than 100 were injured after heavy rain moved through five provinces and a "super-tornado" dropped huge hailstones.
The extreme weather conditions in southern China resulted in not only 24 deaths, but also the disappearance of four people, 215,000 evacuations and economic losses of about 210 million USD.

Friday, March 22, 2013

A study of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores found high rates of bacterial contamination in beverages dispensed from soda fountains and further found that disinfection had no impact. Researchers compared samples taken from the machines in the Roanake, Virginia, area in July 2010 with samples they had taken in June 2009 as part of an earlier study. They also interviewed managers from 26 fast-food restaurants and convenience stores in Virginia and North Carolina about their procedures for disinfecting soda fountains and obtained samples at the stores before and after disinfection.
In both years, the researchers found more than 70% of samples of soda, diet soda, and water were contaminated with similar levels of coliform and noncoliform bacteria. They also found that disinfection — whether daily, every other day, or weekly — had no effect on contamination levels. (Scroll to bottom of page at link for this news article)

**Be patient with all that is unresolved in your heart
and try to love the questions themselves.**
Ranier Maria Rilke

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.
Moderate quake cluster again in Canary Islands.

Yesterday -
3/21/13 -
5.0 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

Philippines - Potential cyclone nears VisMin, moderate rain expected. A potential cyclone moved closer to Mindanao Wednesday afternoon, even as state weather forecasters said rain may fall on parts of the country in the next 24 hours.

Australia - Ex-tropical Cyclone Tim has crossed the coast near Innisfail in far north Queensland overnight Wednesday. Up to 300 millimetres of rain could be dumped across the Cassowary Coast over the next couple of days. Tim started as an area of disturbed weather spinning off Australia's Cape York Peninsula. The disturbance remained over the Coral Sea, well off the Queensland coast and the adjacent Great Barrier Reef.

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

Australia - Powerful storms hit several towns including Yarrawonga, Mulwala, Bundalong, Rutherglen and Euroa about 8pm. Homes were flattened, caravan parks were destroyed, and commercial buildings were damaged across the region. The Bureau of Meteorology said at least two tornadoes touched down, one in Euroa and the other in Yarrawonga.
Bundalong, a town of about 300 on the Murray River, bore the brunt of the wild weather with the devastation described as "ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE". The Moira Shire Mayorsaid he had never seen such extensive damage in his four decades as an SES and CFA brigade leader. He said several houses at Bundalong had been completely destroyed, while many others had suffered some damage. "You would think an atom bomb went off. There was a horrific noise. You could hear it coming and you could see the mini-tornado coming towards the towns. One woman from Bundalong was sheltering in her house when the roof blew off. You can imagine the ordeal people are going through and the massive clean-up ahead."
Several huge trees had been ripped out of the ground, and several hundred metres of power lines had fallen. "How there wasn't lives lost is beyond me. If anyone was on that last section of road coming into the town from Yarrawonga, they would have been killed. This is certainly a VERY UNUSUAL EVENT TO OCCUR IN VICTORIA."
A man in his 50s is in a critical condition in the Royal Melbourne Hospital with head, pelvis and abdominal injuries. Another man in his 50s is in a critical condition in The Alfred Hospital suffering head injuries. A man and woman aged in their 70s are in the Royal Melbourne with broken bones after their caravan flipped over in the strong winds. And a man aged in his 40s is suffering spinal injuries after a tree smashed onto his car.
The SES received more than 150 calls for help in the region, and about 1000 from across the state. The main streets of Rutherglen and Yarrawonga both suffered widespread damage. "This is certainly some of the fiercest weather I've seen, and some of the more experienced hands have echoed that view." A caravan park has been "raised by the winds" in Yarrawonga. "All the onsite cabins and vans are just destroyed, it's just been levelled. Big lush forests" were also impacted.
Forecasters will rely on the Fujita tornado damage scale to establish exactly how strong they were. With such acute weather conditions, there could have been others. The tornadoes were a result of a humid surface air colliding with an approaching front that was fuelled by strong upper-level winds. Both tornadoes were believed to be F1 or F2 on the storm scale - strong enough to lift roofs. "It's hard to predict exactly how strong they were at this stage, until we can collate all the relevant information."
Wild winds also battered other parts of the state yesterday. St Kilda recorded a top gust of 100km/h. Tullamarine reached a top of 94km/h with other suburbs had winds between 70km/h and 90km/h. (lots of photos & a map)

Extreme weather kills at least 19 in China - Extreme weather has battered parts of China, killing at least 19 people and damaging property in provinces including Guangdong, Hunan and Fujian. The National meteorological center is warning more rainfall is likely in southern China.
Video - Giant hailstones batter southern China.

Heavy rainfall is causing flooding in the South West of England while snow has fallen in parts of the UK, with more disruption expected later. In Devon and Cornwall, homes have flooded and drivers have been rescued from their cars.
The Environment Agency has 16 flood warnings in place for the South West. The Met Office has two amber warnings for snow, covering much of the UK. BBC forecasters said 20cm-40cm (8in-16in) of snow could fall in places. The snow will cause travel disruption across northern parts of the UK today. Roads in northern parts of Wales, the Midlands into the Pennines, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland would be the worst affected, while gale force winds would blow snow and drifts across trans-Pennine routes. Heavy snow could continue into Saturday and Sunday."
They warned of flooding problems across the south and said parts of southern Cornwall and Devon could see 50-75mm of rain falling in a 24-48 hour period. The warnings come just over a week before the start of British Summer Time. On Thursday night into Friday morning, areas of Cornwall - including Newlyn, Penzance, Mevagissy and St Ives - were flooded, with the fire service taking about 50 calls between 18:00 and 21:00. Areas of Devon, including Ashburton, were also affected while, in two separate incidents in Plymstock, people were rescued by fire crews after being stuck in their cars in flood water.
"There has been a considerable amount of rainfall across the force area. There will be more to come throughout the night so the situation is not going to get much better too soon." As well as setting flood warnings - meaning "flooding is expected, immediate action required" - in the South West, the Environment Agency also has 79 flood alerts - meaning "flooding is possible, be prepared" - across England. The Met has one amber warning - meaning "be prepared" - for rain for some southern parts of Cornwall and Devon.
There are two amber warnings for snow in place - one for parts of the north Midlands, north-east Wales and north-west England, and another for parts of Northern Ireland. There are also yellow warnings - meaning "be aware" - in place for areas including parts of eastern Scotland and parts of south-west Scotland. Belfast International Airport has warned passengers there could be delays on Friday and Saturday because of heavy rain and snow. Scotland has already born the brunt of heavy snowfall, which made driving conditions hazardous and forced the closure of more than 100 schools earlier this week.
AA head of operations has warned of "a real witches' brew of driving wind, rain and snow" for drivers across the UK. "Drivers should be well prepared as even short journeys can quickly turn bad."

EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -

Extreme Weather And Genetically Modified (GMO) Crops Devastate Monarch Butterfly Migration - "In just two years, the annual migration of North American monarch butterflies has declined by 59%, and scientists are blaming extreme weather and “changed farming practices."

SPACE WEATHER -

NASA's advice for near-term meteor strike: "Pray" - At a House Committee hearing Tuesday, a NASA administrator was asked what America would do if a meteor similar to the one that hit in Russia on Feb. 15 was found to be on a path toward New York City, with impact three weeks away.
The power of the meteorite crash in Chelyabinsk, Russia was equivalent to no more than one kiloton of energy, although the blast itself released an estimated 500 kilotons of energy, said the head of the Laboratory of Meteoritics. The Chelyabinsk meteor is said to be about 300 million years old.

HEALTH THREATS -

Norovirus overtakes rotavirus as leading gastro-intestinal illness in US kids - Norovirus has eclipsed rotavirus as the leading cause of gastroenteritis in US children and carries substantial infection and treatment costs, according to a new study led by a research team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

RECALLS & ALERTS
- La Preferida, Inc. is cans of La Preferida Whole Pinto Beans 29 oz. (Water & Salt). The manufacturer’s preliminary inspection indicates cans may not have been fully processed, which could result in product contamination by spoilage organisms or by pathogens, which could lead to illness if consumed.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

**We must learn to step foward
without the grand plan and without
overcoming all possible objections.**
Margaret Lulic

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.

Yesterday -
3/20/13 -
5.4 REYKJANES RIDGE
5.2 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS

Japan - A rat may have caused this week's electrical outage at the Fukushima nuclear plant.

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

Russia - KVERT has reduced the level of alert at Kliuchevskoi volcano from “yellow” to “green” since surface activity seems to have ended at the summit of the volcano. Volcanic tremor, while still relatively strong, continues to slowly diminish in amplitude.

Hawaii was created by underwater volcanoes that gradually built upwards during eruptions until they popped out above the ocean. The next island to form is waiting 3,000 feet underwater as a seamount named Loihi.

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

Potential cyclone spotted off Mindanao, Philippines - A potential cyclone was spotted off Mindanao on Wednesday. A low pressure area (LPA) was located 1,150 kilometers east of Mindanao as of 2 a.m.

Madagascar's hungry are eating grasshoppers after the deadly cyclone.

STRANGE ANIMAL BEHAVIOR -

Weekend wave of prawn deaths baffles Chile city of Coronel - Thousands of dead prawns have washed up on a beach in Chile, sparking an investigation. Hundreds of dead crabs were also washed ashore in Coronel city, about 530km (330 miles) from the capital, Santiago.
Fishermen suggested the deaths may have been caused by local power stations that use seawater as a cooling agent. The power firms have not commented. Experts are looking into water temperature and oxygen levels and other details to explain the deaths. "I'm 69 years old and started fishing when I was nine, but as a fisherman, I never saw a disaster of this magnitude." While some blame pollution, others say the death of the crustaceans could be a consequence of the El Nino phenomenon, which warms the waters of the Pacific. A spokeswoman for the fishermen said she feared the deaths would affect the livelihood of their community. "The way everything is being destroyed here, come the high season in November, we're already thinking we won't have anything to take from the sea." (photos)

HEALTH THREATS -
RECALLS & ALERTS

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

The trend continues - few disasters to report.
New science available to help predict extreme weather events - Australia's principle science and research agency, the CSIRO, says it's developed new web-based tools and data portals to help agencies in the Pacific better plan for extreme weather events. The new tools were showcased at a meeting last week in the Solomon Islands, hosted by the Pacific Australia-Climate Change Science and Adaptation Planning Program, which is administered jointly by the CSIRO and Australia's Bureau of Meterology.
"The recent science that we've completed indicates more evidence for a trend in the past toward more hot days and more heavy rainfall events. And we are doing more work on understanding how El Nino and La Nina effect individual Pacific Island countries. And interestingly, in terms of the shorter term projections over the next say, one to nine months, we've got some new tools being developed to provide early warning for extreme sea levels and tropical cyclones, and extreme temperatures that might effect coral bleaching.
And finally, we're also looking at a new suite of about 30 different climate models and four new greenhouse gas emissions scenarios that go beyond those considered in the past, to do new projections for things like temperature and rainfall and for extreme events like cyclones, droughts and heavy rainfall. So I think we're getting more information now that is far more relevant to disaster risk management.
We have about seven different web based tools that are very popular and one of those tools for example is on climate futures, which is providing ready access in digestible form to some of these very detailed outputs from global climate models. And it presents the information in a way that I think is quite useful for risk management, because it always you to identify a "most likely" future, a "best case" and a "worst case".
We also have tools for providing access to observed climate data, over the last 50 or 60 years. And that provides a regional overview of how things have been changing. There's also a tropical cyclone data portal that provides information for each of the partner countries about how cyclones have changed in the past and it shows really nice tracks of those cyclones and some of the potential information about impacts. So there's a lot of information there that I think is providing access to science in ways that are much more easy to understand.
All of these data portals or web tools are freely accesible. Some of them have passwords which really just require you to do a training course before accessing the information. And that's just to ensure that people understand what they're looking at without misinterpreting it. So on one of the key, I guess, philosophies, in this program is to provide free and ready access to this information. I think there's a need for more people working directly with the scientists and with people in government, as well those practitioners for example the engineers and the water resource managers to try and bridge some of those gaps. And this is very labour intensive and it goes beyond science itself. And so there's a lot of thought being put into how we do that better in the future.
In the Pacific, there's a lot of variability from year to year in rainfall. This is largely driven by El Nino and La Nina. And this brings in some cases floods and in other cases droughts. And in many of the Pacific countries there are limitations to their flood management systems, to their water storage systems and to their waste disposal systems. So providing more infomation about how the climate has changed in the past as well as how the climate will change in the future, helps to give them a beter understanding of risk management.
And one of the key themes that keeps coming up is around disaster risk management and how to integrate that with climate change. So for example, if we know that there has been a trend towards increases in extreme rainfall in some countries and we expect that to continue in the future, we can design systems to cope with a larger amount of water in a shorter space of time."

**Much of life passes by as we sit and worry.
Estimates are that 40% of what we worry about never happens
and another 30% is worry about what has already happened
which is unchangeable.**
Margaret Lulic

LARGEST QUAKES -

Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
None 5.0 or higher.

Yesterday - 3/19/13 -
5.4 SAMOA ISLANDS REGION
5.3 SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS
5.0 MAURITIUS - REUNION REGION
5.0 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
6.0 SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION

Worst-case scenario quake off Japan's southern coast could cost 40% of Japan's GDP - A magnitude-9.1 earthquake off the southern coast of Japan could cause 220.3 trillion yen ($2.33 trillion) in damage, or 42 percent of the country's gross domestic product, a government panel said March 18.

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

El Hierro volcano (Canary Islands) - By noon Tuesday, more than 80 earthquakes. A clear trend of westward migration is visible, possibly corresponding to magma moving horizontally into new areas. At the moment, the seismic swarm has considerably decreased in energy. Whether this is a pause or already a sign of an end is impossible to say. IF a magmatic intrusion is the cause (there is no proof for this, after all), a plausible scenario could be the build-up of energy while pathways are temporarily blocked. Then, some larger quakes should be expected along with re-appearance of tremor when magma starts moving again.
Tuesday morning, the seismic crisis continued with little changes. A westward lateral migration of epicenters was visible. Depths remained mostly at 15-18 km, with perhaps a slight upwards trend towards shallower areas, but this is not very significant. As of 2am, the total number of earthquakes exceeded 120, most in the range of magnitude 2-3 and at 16-18 km depth beneath the western El Golfo bay. Volcanic tremor ws fluctuating, but still significant, suggesting magma is moving somewhere at depth. It doesn't take much for magma to penetrate the last 15-20 km and rupture the sea floor through a new eruptive fissure, but in many cases, such intrusions remain inside the crust and don't cause an eruption. On Monday, a powerful new earthquake swarm accompanied by volcanic tremor started under the western part of the island. The quakes are mostly at about 20 km depth. A plausible cause was that another magma intrusion from the mantle into the crust under the island has just started. (Map of recent earthquakes at El Hierro)

TROPICAL STORMS -

No current tropical storms.

SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -

Australia - Extreme weather plays havoc with the phones. Thousands of Telstra customers in Queensland have been left without home phones as the telecommunications giant struggles to overcome the summer of weather extremes. Telstra said it was worse than 2011 because it was also trying to reconnect phones in the aftermath of extreme weather in NSW and Victoria.
People across Ipswich expressed their frustration and anger. "We have been without a home phone for two weeks now." A Telstra spokeswoman said ongoing extreme weather in Queensland had resulted in 'significantly higher fault levels than normal, in some cases up to four times higher than normal operating levels. At this point we are unable to advise a timeframe for full restoration as some of our infrastructure remains under water and sustained poor weather is expected to continue to hamper restoration efforts. While we have had a few days of good weather across Queensland, water and lightning impacts our network and customers services in different ways - some will have problems straight away and others will start to notice problems over time. So faults keep coming in and this is the situation we are managing."

HEALTH THREATS -

RECALLS & ALERTS
- Natura Pet Products is voluntarily recalling specific lots of dry pet food because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
- Pro-Amino International Inc. is recalling protein bars which may contain Salmonella. The product is the ProtiDiet High Protein Chocolate Dream Bar.