Saturday, December 29, 2007

Earthquake shakes NZ island

Wellington - A strong earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale rattled thousands of mid-summer holidaymakers at the New Zealand North Island lakeside resort town of Taupo on Saturday morning.Seismologists at GNS Science said the quake was centred 20km from Taupo and 250km south-east of Auckland.Recorded at a depth of 80km below the surface, it was widely felt in the North Island.There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.The shake followed a 5.5 tremor in the same region on Thursday and a massive quake measuring 6.8 on December 20 which did considerable damage in the east coast port town of Gisborne.

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Friday, December 21, 2007

4 quakes hit Alaska's Aleutian Islands

ANCHORAGE, Alaska-Two significant earthquakes that shook Alaska's remote Aleutian Islands were followed Friday morning by two smaller quakes, but there were no reports of any damage or injuries.The temblors were probably aftershocks of a magnitude-7.2 quake that hit the seismically active but sparsely populated island chain Tuesday along a dynamic fault line, said geophysicist Guy Urban of the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer.
"Maybe things are still moving around out there," he said. "The area is still settling."The magnitude-5.9 and 6.1 quakes struck about one minute apart starting at 9:23 p.m. Thursday. They were centered about 100 miles west of Adak in the island chain, according to a preliminary report by the U.S. Geological Survey."There were two tonight and that was very unusual," said geophysicist Paul Huang of the tsunami warning center. "We're going to study this a little more closely." No tsunami warning was expected, he and Urban said.Magnitude 4.8 and 4.6 quakes struck 14 minutes apart Friday, beginning at 6:03 a.m., Urban said. He said there have been no reports that any of the quakes this week were felt.The Aleutian Islands are a chain of more than 300 islands that extend southwestward from mainland Alaska into the northern Pacific Ocean.The earth's most active seismic feature, the circum-Pacific seismic belt, brushes Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, where more earthquakes occur than in the other 49 states combined.
On the Net:
West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center: http://wcatwc.arh.noaa.gov/
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ALASKA_QUAKE?SITE=CODER&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
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Thursday, December 20, 2007

NZ town of Gisborne rocked by major earthquake

AFTER-shocks continue to shake the Gisborne area on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island after a 6.8 magnitude earthquake flattened buildings in the centre of the town last night.An apartment block and two shops collapsed, several roofs caved in, winery vats burst and gaping holes opened in roads. A state of emergency was declared this morning as another tremor, registering 4.5 on the Richter scale, struck. Geological and Nuclear Sciences duty seismologist Warwick Smith said the after-shocks were expected to last for some time, although most would be “minor”.“It’s hard to say exactly how long they’ll go on for, but we’ll be recording them for weeks,” he told the New Zealand Press Association.“Most will be small, and especially as it’s off-shore, most won’t be felt.” He said the quake was felt as far away as Dunedin, at the bottom of the South Island, and that no tsunami had occurred.
Cleaning up
The clean-up continued at Gisborne Hospital after water tanks on the roof overflowed, causing flooding and minor damage. Lighting was also lost for about 30 minutes. Eleven people were treated for minor injuries. Tairawhiti District Health Board chief executive Jim Green said it was a “very frightening experience, because of the magnitude of the quake and the fact that you’re in a multi-storey building, so it did shake a lot”. “Immediately nurses did a really good job in helping to calm patients and check that nobody had been injured, which was the case. “There was concern from patients about the fact that there may be after-shocks, that the building may have been damaged but we were able to very quickly ascertain that the building was safe.”New Zealand scientists record around 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which around 20 are greater than 5.0 on the Richter scale.The last fatal earthquake in the geologically active country, caught between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, was in 1968 when a quake measuring 7.1 killed three people on the South Island’s west coast.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22958178-2,00.html

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Aftermath of New Zealand Quake

Raw video: Aftermath of New Zealand quake AP
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New Zealand rocked by huge quake

Buildings collapsed, power lines were knocked out and gas pipes ruptured when a powerful earthquake hit the northeastern coast of New Zealand late Thursday.Media reports in New Zealand, citing the government, listed the quake-reportedly felt as far south as the city of Christchurch-at 6.8 magnitude. The U.S. Geological Survey put it at 6.6.There were no reports of serious injury or death from the quake near the coastal city of Gisborne. But local resident Phil Robinson, who recently moved to New Zealand from the United Kingdom, told Television New Zealand that the quake had caused serious damage to the city."Everything was bedlam for about 15 or 20 seconds," Robinson said."We gather several properties in town have been damaged. It's had a serious effect on lots of people in the city."Robinson said communications were "patchy" and it was difficult to make telephone calls on both landlines and cell phones.A spokesman for the Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Management confirmed to The Associated Press that three buildings in Gisborne had collapsed."As far as we are aware, there are no injuries in those buildings,"Vince Cholewa said."Most of the damage is utilities-gas, water and electricity."
Television New Zealand said there were no reported injuries and that despite suffering minor damage, Gisborne hospital was operating normally. The network reported eye witnesses saying the city of Gisborne was covered in glass.Walker Vance, public information manager of Gisborne District Council, said there was no tsunami risk. He said people had attempted to get to higher ground because of tsunami fears but returned to their homes as they realized the threat had passed.When asked how the quake had felt, he said it was "probably a series of three quick jolts, followed by a lull of a few seconds, followed by another two jolts."

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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Magnitude 7.3 quake jolts Aleutian Islands

TOKYO-An earthquake of magnitude 7.3 jolted Alaska's Aleutian Islands in the northern Pacific on Wednesday, Japan's weather agency said, triggering a tsunami advisory for Hawaii.There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said it had issued a tsunami advisory for the state of Hawaii.The quake, with its focus about 25 miles below the seabed, occurred at 0430 EST, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.The U.S. Geological Survey, which put the magnitude at 7.2, said it was 1,200 miles west-southwest of Anchorage.

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Monday, December 17, 2007

Experts warn major Israel quakes fast approaching

As if political instability and rampant insecurity in the Middle East are not worrying enough, Israeli experts are warning that a major earthquake could strike the region at any time.
Three minor quakes over the past month have served as a reminder that Israel and the West Bank sit atop one of the most sensitive fault lines in the world, where earthquakes have a history of causing havoc."We can say with certainty that an earthquake of a magnitude of six on the Richter scale could take place in the coming years," said Yefim Gitterman from the seismology department at the geophysical institute of Lod, near Tel Aviv."It can happen tomorrow or in years to come," he said. "Statistically, there is a major quake every 80 years."Under that assessment, Israel and the Palestinian territories should brace for a major earthquake soon, as the last one happened 80 years ago, on July 11, 1927, in British mandate Palestine when 300 people were killed in Jerusalem and Jericho.A similar quake measuring seven on the Richter scale and with an epicentre in the Hula Valley, today in northern Israel up from the Sea of Galilee, devastated the town of Safed and killed some 4,000 people in 1837."Stronger earthquakes of a magnitude of seven are statistically less common," Gitterman said. But that could be bad enough.The Lod institute estimates that if a magnitude seven earthquake strikes the northern Jordan Valley or the Dead Sea, between 8,200 and 9,500 people could be killed, more than 20,000 injured and more than 20,000 left homeless.Running north to south, the Hula Valley, the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, the Arava Desert and the Red Sea lie on what is known as the Syrian-African fault line.Jewish historian Flavius Josephus, who saw Jerusalem fall to the invading Romans in 70 AD, also wrote that around 30,000 people perished in an earthquake whose epicentre was in the region of the Dead Sea in 31 BC. The Lod institute, part of the infrastructure ministry, is on standby day and night to brief the Israeli authorities on the epicentre and magnitude of a powerful tremor within 10 minutes in order to mobilise an emergency response.The Israeli home front command publishes extensive advice on how to behave in the event of an earthquake on its multi-language website, urging families to prepare emergency supplies to survive for 24 to 72 hours until help arrives.All new homes built in Israel are equipped with bomb shelters, and the civil defence advises that those without should crouch inside a doorway or under a heavy table in the event of an earthquake, and avoid using lifts.
The website advises people to carry out drills at least twice a year to make a response in an actual event automatic.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=071217130844.3w52g9f2&show_article=1
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Saturday, December 15, 2007

Powerful quake rattles Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia-A strong earthquake shook eastern Indonesia on Saturday, sending panicked residents running out of their homes.The tremor struck with a preliminary magnitude of 7.1 at a depth of about 60 miles in Maluku province, about 1,700 miles east of the capital, Jakarta, according to the Indonesian Meteorology and Geophysics Agency. The U.S. Geological Survey put the quake at a magnitude 6.3.There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries and no tsunami alert was issued, said Suharjono, an agency spokesman who like many Indonesians goes by a single name."The TV, chairs, everything in my house fell down, I saw utility poles shaking," Gulman, a resident of Saumlaki town on the island of Tanimbar, told El-shinta radio.Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago with 17,500 islands, is prone to seismic upheavals because of its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/12/15/indonesia.quake.ap/index.html
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Friday, December 7, 2007

Quake near climate summit

Jakarta - A 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's Bali on Friday, officials said, and it was strongly felt at a UN climate conference in the resort island.The earthquake, which hit at 17:45 (10:35 GMT), struck 261km southwest of the Bali resort of Nusa Dua, where delegates are meeting to craft a strategy to combat climate change, Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said in a statement.There was no threat of a tsunami, and the quake struck at a depth of 10km, the agency said. An AFP correspondent on Bali said the quake could be strongly felt at the climate conference.The Indonesian archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.Indonesia was the nation worst hit by the earthquake-triggered Asian tsunami in December 2004, which killed some 168 000 people in the country's Aceh province.

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Tuesday, December 4, 2007

HAWAII

ISLAND OF HAWAII, HAWAII
Preliminary Earthquake Report
Magnitude:3.9 Mcd
Date-Time:30 Nov 2007 04:37:25 UTC
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Earthquakes in HAWAII

Earthquakes in Hawai`i are closely linked to volcanism. They are an important part of the island-building processes that have shaped the Island of Hawai`i and the other Hawaiian Islands. Thousands of earthquakes occur every year beneath the Island of Hawai`i. Eruptions and magma movement within the presently active volcanoes (Kilauea, Mauna Loa and Lo`ihi) are usually accompanied by numerous small earthquakes. They originate in regions of magma storage or along the paths that magma follows as it rises and moves prior to eruption. These are loosely termed volcanic earthquakes.Many other earthquakes, including the largest ones, occur in areas of structural weakness at the base of Hawai`i's volcanoes or deep within the Earth's crust beneath the island. These are referred to as tectonic earthquakes. In the past 150 years, several strong tectonic earthquakes (magnitude 6 to 8) caused extensive damage to roads, buildings, and homes, triggered local tsunami, and resulted in loss of life. The most destructive earthquake in Hawai`i's history occurred on April 2, 1868, when 81 people lost their lives. With a magnitude of 7.9 and a maximum intensity of XII, this destructive earthquake destroyed more than a hundred homes and generated a 15-m high tsunami along Kilauea's south coast.Along with other signs of volcanic activity, we monitor earthquakes and seismic activity on Hawai`i continuously and in real-time to provide warnings of impending eruption and to assess seismic hazards in the State of Hawai`i.

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MEXICO QUAKES:Last week....

CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Magnitude:5.8 Mb
Date-Time:26 Nov 2007 17:41:43 UTC

MICHOACAN, MEXICO
Magnitude:5.8 Mw
Date-Time:26 Nov 2007 21:56:13 UTC

BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO

Magnitude:3.5 Ml
Date-Time:27 Nov 2007 19:03:45 UTC

BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
Magnitude:3.9 Ml
Date-Time:28 Nov 2007 22:49:36 UTC

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TAIWAN REGION

Preliminary Earthquake Report
Magnitude:4.9 Mb
Date-Time:5 Dec 2007 01:41:45 UTC
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DECEMBER 4th Daily Quakes....

VANCOUVER ISLAND, CANADA REGION
Magnitude:4.3 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 08:21:27 UTC
FLORES REGION, INDONESIA
Magnitude:5.3 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 15:48:44 UTC
MINDANAO, PHILIPPINES
Magnitude:4.7 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 16:09:40 UTC
SOUTHERN PERU
Magnitude:5.3 Mb
Date-Time:4 Dec 2007 19:56:57 UTC
WESTERN TURKEY
Magnitude:4.5 Mb
Date-Time:2 Dec 2007 20:21:52 UTC

As in the days of Noah........

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Mexican Volcano Spews Ash,Steam During Six Eruptions

MEXICO CITY-Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano rumbled to life with six eruptions Friday and Saturday, spewing steam and columns of ash more than a mile into the air.There were reports of ash raining down on parts of Mexico state and in the capital 40 miles to the northwest, the National Disaster Prevention Center said in a statement.There appeared to be no injuries or damages and the eruptions were in line with the 17,886-foot volcano's normal activity, said Teofilo Hernandez, a researcher at the center. Authorities said people in the surrounding areas should clean ash from their cars and homes immediately and cover their mouths to avoid inhaling it.Referred to affectionately as "Popo," the volcano has been erupting intermittently since December 1994.

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Yet another earthquake shakes Israel

A mild earthquake was felt throughout central Israel on Sunday morning, the fourth tremor to hit the region in the last two weeks.The Geophysical Institute of Israel reported that the latest earthquake had registered at 4.0 on the Richter scale, and that its epicenter was the Dead Sea.Last Saturday, a 4.1 earthquake originating in Israel's central coastal plain strongly shook the country.Earlier that week, two mild earthquakes again centered on the Dead Sea struck the region.Israeli experts have been warning of a large-scale earthquake for years, and of the widespread damage it is expected to cause due to a general failure to comply with safety building regulations.

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Friday, November 30, 2007

7.4 Earthquake hits the Caribbean...

To watch this video go to:
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Powerful Earthquake Hits Caribbean

ROSEAU,Dominica-A powerful earthquake rocked the eastern Caribbean Thursday, sending office workers and shoppers on several islands fleeing into the streets. Minor injuries were reported on the island of Martinique.The 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck at 2 p.m. EST and was centered 26 miles southeast of Roseau, capital of Dominica, where the shaking lasted for about 20 seconds. The temblor was felt hundreds of miles away in Puerto Rico to the west, and Venezuela and Suriname to the south.In the neighboring island of Martinique, a government official said police and firefighters were responding to hundreds of calls for help. He said some people sustained minor injuries, but no major casualties have been reported. The official declined to give his name in accordance with government policy.The earthquake collapsed the roofs of a bank and a store in the capital of Martinique, Fort-de-France. Ambulances were called in."My house shook so hard I thought it was going to fall," said a caller to Radio Martinique who identified herself only as Fannie. "The door, the windows, everything shook."The quake struck at a depth of 90 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey Web site."I wouldn't expect major damage because the quake has some depth," said Don Blakeman, a geophysicist at the National Earthquake Information Center in Golden, Colo.The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said the quake was too deep to generate a destructive tsunami.In Trinidad, the shaking sent workers streaming out of office towers into the streets of the capital, Port-of-Spain. Thousands more ran outside in St. Maarten. Flight's at Princess Juliana International Airport were briefly suspended. In Guyana, lawmakers evacuated the South American country's parliament building.The earthquake did not disrupt production at Trinidad's state-owned oil refinery, Petrotrin, which produces 160,000 barrels of refined gasoline, diesel and oil daily for domestic use and export to countries including the United States."We have not had any reports about breakdowns from our exploration and production fields," spokesman Arnold Corneal said. "We are still doing checks."In St. Luca, Julian Dubois, deputy director of the national emergency management organization, said the quake caused some panic and broke water lines but did not appear to cause severe damage. In the capital, Castries, people spoke of buildings swaying but not toppling. A glass door of one company was shattered.St. Lucia resident Annie Ellis said the quake was the strongest she has experienced. "In all my years, I have never felt any earthquake so powerful," said the 100-year-old Ellis. "And it lasted such a long time."In Antigua, islanders said the shaking lasted about 30 seconds."I haven't felt one like that in a while," said Jessie Kentish, a resident of the capital, St. John's."It was a long time."The temblor triggered a series of false quake alarms in California, with computers picking up energy coming out of the Caribbean and erroneously treating it as local seismic activity. The fake quakes began registering nine minutes after the Caribbean quake, USGS scientists said.In September, a similar incident occurred when a massive earthquake struck off the Mariana Islands in the Pacific Ocean and triggered six false reports of quakes in California.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8T7NR3O1&show_article=1
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Briton dies during Caribbean quake

A British citizen has died during an earthquake in the eastern Caribbean, the Foreign Office confirmed.The magnitude-7.4 earthquake was centred 14 miles north-west of Martinique's coastline and lasted longer than 20 seconds.The Foreign Office confirmed a Briton had died but said it understood the death was not directly related to the earthquake.A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We can confirm a British citizen died in Martinique yesterday afternoon but we are advised it was not as a direct result of the earthquake."We understand the individual died of a heart attack."The earthquake collapsed the roofs of a bank and a store in the capital of the French island and left cracks in several other buildings.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=paBriton_FR07_Caribbean_quake&show_article=1
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Powerful quake shakes Caribbean, one dead

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake shook several Caribbean holiday islands, destroying buildings and killing at least one person and causing widespread panic.Thousands of residents fled their homes on the French island of Martinique and in Barbados after the earthquake struck late Thursday.The quake, which was felt as far as Venezuela and the US territory of Puerto Rico, left at least two people injured in Martinique, while Barbados' emergency services chief was hurt while helping the population, police said.One third of Martinique and thousands in Guadeloupe lost electricity.One elderly woman died after suffering a heart attack in the panic of the moment in Martinique, security officials said.The US Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was about 23 kilometers (14 miles) northwest of Martinique, causing buildings to collapse on the French island and Barbados.Police helicopters flew over Martinique to search for casualties."For the moment, a building and a bank have collapsed," a Martinique police official told AFP.While no casualties were reported in the French territory of Guadeloupe, police said fires were reported in the main city of Pointe-a-Pitre.Hospitals were functioning normally except Hospital de Trinite, where an eight-storey tower developed large cracks after the quake."We have rarely seen anything like this. This lasted for more than 30 seconds. The last time round was in 1970 and it was less powerful," a local resident said.In Paris, French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie summoned an emergency meeting to consider relief measures.The earthquake was 143 kilometers (89 miles) deep, causing no threat of a destructive tsunami, according to the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.In Fort de France, people took shelter under tables, while others rushed out of buildings or even jumped out of windows.There were similar scenes in Barbados.USGS geophysicist Stuart Sipkin said large earthquakes in the Caribbean were uncommon but not unheard of."Earthquakes of this magnitude aren't nearly as common (in the Caribbean) as they are in the Pacific Rim," Sipkin told AFP from Colorado. "They've occurred in the past, and there have even been tsunami-producing earthquakes in the Caribbean. There just hasn't been one for quite a while."Sipkin said the depth of the earthquake made damage and casualties less likely."But things that happen when you get deeper earthquakes is that even though the shaking at the surface is not as strong, it's felt over a wider area," he said.Several observatories in Martinique and in mainland France registered the quake at levels of between 6.8 and 7.3 on the Richter scale.
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=071130113330.isznyqhd&show_article=1
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Quake kills 3, injures 55

Dompu - A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's Sumbawa island on Monday, killing three, injuring 55 and damaging hundreds of homes, officials said as repeated aftershocks rattled nerves.Buildings collapsed in Dompu and Bima districts and officials rushed to reach remote areas as frightened residents gathered outdoors, with some fleeing to higher ground in fear of potential tsunamis.Health Ministry spokesperson Rustam Pakaya said that three people had died, including a five-year-old boy, while 55 people had been injured. He did not provide further details on the fatalities.Most of the injured were being treated at the general hospital in Dompu, said a doctor there, Suriyani."We received 34 people injured. Some with slight injuries have gone home already but some 20 people are still under hospital treatment, with broken bones, open wounds and head injuries caused by collapsing walls," she said.Siti Hajar, Bima health ministry chief, said that one person had been hospitalised and 10 others had slight injuries. She said 20 houses had been destroyed and hundreds more damaged.
Camping on higher ground
Suhartomo, her counterpart in Dompu, said that 10 houses had collapsed in Dompu town and about 90% had suffered cracks.Officials struggled to reach Dompu's Kilo area due to a quake-triggered stoneslide blocking the access road but Syafruddin, a paramedic at a health centre there, said more than 100 houses were destroyed."People in Kilo, especially women and children, have been camping on higher ground since this morning in fear of another quake and a tsunami, as they live on the coast," he said.The Indonesian meteorological agency measured the initial quake at 6.7, though the US Geological Survey (USGS) later revised its same initial calculation down to 6.4.The earthquake, which hit at 12:02 (16:02 GMT), occurred 44km west of Raba and 349km east of Denpasar, Bali, at a depth of 30km, the USGS said.Repeated aftershocks - including two measuring 5.6 and 5.7 - triggered panic, residents said.ElShinta radio reported that about 100 people in Bima town rushed to higher ground when the large aftershock hit, fearing a tsunami.Welfare minister Aburizal Bakrie told ElShinta that it "appeared that the local government is able to handle the problems" following the quake but staff had been sent from Jakarta to investigate and would assist if needed.The Indonesian meteorological agency said a tsunami warning was issued for the original quake, though for technical reasons it was not sent as usual by text message to media.The powerful quake was felt on the nearby resort islands of Lombok and Bali.The Indonesian archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where continental plates meet and cause frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

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Geologist's prophecy: Holy Land overdue for a major earthquake

TEL AVIV-Based on 400-year historical cycles a the pattern of recent tremors, the Middle East should be expecting a major earthquake in the near future,a geologist said.A leading Israeli geologist has assessed that the Middle East, particularly, the Levant, was ripe for a major earthquake. The geologist based his forecast on seismological data as well as historical patterns."All of us in the region should be worried," Shmuel Marco, a geologist at Tel Aviv University, said. Seismologists have often warned of the prospect of a major earthquake in the Middle East. The Levant has undergone a series of serious tremors on the magnitude of five on the Richter Scale, but without causing significant damage.On Nov. 20, an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter Scale shook Israel and Jordan. The earthquake, whose epicenter was in the area of the Dead Sea, did not cause major damage.Marcos a member of Tel Aviv University's Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, has sought to predict the next major earthquake in the Levant through historical examination. The geologist has examined ancient records from the Vatican and other religious sources in his research.The major earthquakes in the Levant took place along the Jordan Valley. Earthquakes were reported in 31 BCE, 363 CE, 749 CE and 1033 CE."So roughly, we are talking about an interval of every 400 years," Marcos said. "If we follow the patterns of nature, a major quake should be expected any time because almost a whole millennium has passed since the last strong earthquake of 1033."Based on history, Marcos predicts a major earthquake that would affect Israel, Jordan, Palestinian Authority and Syria. He said the sites important to Christianity, Islam and Judaism could be particularly vulnerable."I am looking for patterns and I can say that based on ancient records, the pattern in Israel around the Dead Sea region is the most disturbing to us," Marcos said. "When it strikes and it will this quake will affect Amman, Jordan as well as Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem. Earthquakes don't care about religion or political boundaries."

As in the days of Noah....

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Minor earthquake felt across Israel, none hurt

A minor earthquake was felt throughout Israel at approximately 11:20 a.m. Tuesday.The quake, which lasted only a few seconds, was measured at 4.2 on the Richter scale and its epicenter was in the Dead Sea, Israel Radio reported. There were no reports of injured or damage."The whole house shook. Some things fell from their place," a caller told Israel Radio.A Magen David Adom ambulance driver who was in the northern Dead Sea area when the earthquake took place said that the quake had not been felt too strongly, even near its epicenter. "I was on shift with the ambulance. At first there was a small quake and then a larger quake came. It wasn't very strong but it was enough to be a bit frightening," he said.The last substantial earthquake in the area occurred in February 2004, and was measured at 5.2 on the Richter scale.Tel Aviv University scientists recently said that a major earthquake in the region was long overdue.The university's Dr. Shmuel Marco noted that the Syrian-African Rift is a high-risk location for earthquakes."If we examine the records of the Kinneret and the Dead Sea over the last two millennia, there were relatively many strong earthquakes during the first 1,000 years and few during the next 1,000," he said."We have not had any strong ones since 1033, which means another one is long due. It's impossible to know when it will strike, just like you can't predict road accidents."

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Thursday, November 15, 2007

15,000 homeless in Chile quake

TOCOPILLA, Chile - Strong aftershocks from a powerful earthquake hit northern Chile on Thursday as the government erected a working military hospital and promised hundreds of other portable dwellings for 15,000 left homeless by the quake.Government and army workers scrambled to distribute tons of food, water and medicine after the 7.7 magnitude quake struck near the desert village of Quillagua in the foothills of the Andes on Wednesday, killing at least two people and injuring more than 150.Major aftershocks shook the region Thursday, including one of magnitude 6.2 and another of magnitude 6.8, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of further damage or injuries.The earthquake destroyed or damaged 4,000 houses and the local hospital, blocking roads, crushing cars and knocking out power across northern Chile, officials said.This port city of 27,000 and the nearby mining town of Maria Elena were the hardest hit, and presidential spokesman Ricardo Lagos Weber said both would be declared disaster areas to expedite aid delivery.Four Cabinet ministers were in the area coordinating recovery and aid efforts. President Michelle Bachelet also flew there Thursday morning.Housing Minister Patricia Poblete said many structures cannot be saved, and firefighters and other workers began demolishing the most severely damaged homes. Dr. Cristian Castillo told The Associated Press "80 percent of our hospital is useless."Two women were killed in Tocopilla, 25 miles from the epicenter, when their houses collapsed, authorities said. Hospital director Juan Urrutia said at least 117 people were treated there for injuries or panic.In tiny Quillagua, with a population of around 100, one person suffered minor injuries and 15 houses were damaged.Electricity was restored in large areas of Tocopilla. Army trucks were distributing water to residents as supply was still cut off in most of the city.In Maria Elena, 1,200 homes were damaged-or 70 percent of the city's total, authorities said. Residents were still without running water and electricity late Wednesday.Lagos Weber said about 170 people were taken to hospitals across the region, but that many of the injuries were not serious. About 10 road workers who had been trapped near Tocopilla when a section of a tunnel they were repairing collapsed were all rescued in good condition Thursday.Hundreds of residents slept in cars or tents in front of their houses. Schools were being used as shelters for those left homeless by the quake.But officials said many are refusing to go to shelters, fearing their homes will be looted if left unattended."We slept in the car, because we have to care for whatever the quake didn't destroy," resident Luis Porcel told the AP.Chile's largest copper mines are in the quake area, and production was halted as electric power was cut for several hours Wednesday before being restored. The nation is the world's largest copper producer.At a badly damaged restaurant Wednesday night, a dozen men drank beer by candlelight."What else can I do? I lost everything. So I'll just have a few drinks," said Samuel Araya, a 57-year-old miner in this town of 7,000 people.Blanca Pizarro said she took refuge under her kitchen table when the quake struck and seconds later the roof collapsed on the table. "I'm alive by a miracle," she said.The quake struck around midday Wednesday 780 miles north of the capital, Santiago, and was followed by several aftershocks, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.It was so strong it shook Santiago and was felt on the other side of the continent in Sao Paulo, Brazil-1,400 miles to the east."It was incredible. I thought my last day had come when I saw the mountain shaking under a large cloud of dust," said Maria Ines Palete, a resident of Quillagua.The quake occurred in one of the most seismically active regions in the world, where the Nazca tectonic plate is shoving itself beneath the South American plate.A 1939 quake in Chile killed 28,000 people and in 1960, a magnitude-9.5 quake-the strongest recorded in the 20th century-killed 5,700 people. On June 13, 2005, a magnitude-7.8 quake near Tarapaca in northern Chile killed 11 people and left thousands homeless.

As in the days of Noah....

Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Quake kills 2, damages homes in Chile

SANTIAGO, Chile - A major earthquake crushed cars, damaged hundreds of houses and terrified people for hundreds of miles around Wednesday. Authorities reported at least two deaths and more than 100 injuries.The quake, which struck at 12:40 p.m., shook the Chilean capital 780 miles to the south of the epicenter, and was felt as far away as the other side of the continent — in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 1,400 miles to the east.The U.S. Geological Survey calculated the magnitude at 7.7. It was followed by several aftershocks, including three larger than magnitude 5.Two women were killed in the town of Tocopilla, 25 miles from the epicenter, when their houses collapsed, authorities said. Hospital director Juan Urrutia said at least 100 people were treated there for injuries or panic.In the port city of Antofagasta, 105 miles south of the epicenter, police Capt. Javier Carmona said at least 45 people were injured. The mayor of nearby Maria Elena, Eduardo Ahumada, said 20 others were injured there and most of the town's 1,800 houses were damaged.Television images showed cars crushed by the collapse of a hotel entryway in Antofagasta."It was horribly strong. It was very long and there was a lot of underground noise," said Andrea Riveros, spokeswoman for the Park Hotel in nearby Calama, site of the Chuquicamata copper mine. The mine's owner, Codelco, reported power outages but no major damage.At the Agua del Desierto Hotel, administrator Paola Barria said she felt like she was riding on "a floating island." She reported downed power lines, cracked windows and fallen pieces of houses near the hotel."I was very frightened. It was very strong," she said. "I've never felt one that strong."Schools, hospitals and other buildings were evacuated in several cities. Television showed some patients holding their IV bags as they were wheeled from the hospital in Copiapo, 500 miles north of Santiago.The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued, then canceled, a tsunami warning for Chile and Peru. It said the quake generated only a two-foot wave.Scientists in Chile and the United States were trying to determine why such an intense quake apparently did not cause more damage."The ground in the region is very good, very firm, so the movement's effect on buildings is limited," said Sergio Barrientos, a seismologist at the University of Chile."It comes down to the level of shaking in certain places," added Paul Earle at the USGS. "It's not immensely populated in the areas most affected."The quake occurred in one of the most seismically active regions in the world, where the Nazca tectonic plate is shoving itself beneath the South American plate.A 1939 quake in Chile killed 28,000 people and in 1960, a magnitude-9.5 quake-the strongest recorded in the 20th century — killed 5,700 people. On June 13, 2005, a magnitude-7.8 quake near Tarapaca in northern Chile killed 11 people and left thousands homeless.

As in the days of Noah...

Major earthquake strikes northern Chile

SANTIAGO,Chile-A major earthquake struck northern Chile on Wednesday, toppling power lines, closing roads and sending terrified residents into the streets. Authorities reported 20 injuries but no deaths from the quake, which was felt in the capital as well as neighboring Peru and Bolivia.The earthquake, which struck at 12:40 p.m. local time (10:40 a.m. EST), measured magnitude 7.7 and was centered 780 miles north of Santiago, or 25 miles east-southeast of Tocopilla, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The USGS said it occurred about 37.3 miles underground.The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued, then canceled a tsunami warning for Chile and Peru. It said the quake generated only a 2-foot wave. Aftershocks were felt in several cities, according to media reports from the area.Some houses were damaged in the port city of Tocopilla, according to Deputy Interior Minister Felipe Harboe, "and some people were injured, apparently none seriously."He gave no figures but the government's Emergency Bureau said at least 20 people were injured in the small town of Maria Elena. A number of houses were damaged there, said Mayor Eduardo Ahumada.Presidential spokesman Ricardo Lagos Weber said power was cut in several cities in northern Chile.The region is home to some of the country's largest copper mines. A statement from mine operator Codelco reported no "relevant" damage, but said its mines in the region were without power and only emergency teams were operating. Only minor landslides were reported, it said.Television images showed cars crushed by the collapse of a hotel entryway in Antofagasta, 105 miles south of the epicenter. A reporter for Radio Cooperativa said she saw cracks in the tarmac at the airport in Antofagasta.Schools, hospitals and other buildings were evacuated in several cities."It was horribly strong. It was very long and there was a lot of underground noise,"said Andrea Riveros, spokeswoman for the Park Hotel in Calama, 60 miles from the epicenter and site of the large Chuquicamata copper mine.She said the quake knocked out power to the hotel, but caused no damage.At the nearby Agua del Desierto Hotel, administrator Paola Barria said she felt like she was riding on "a floating island." She reported downed power lines, cracked windows and fallen pieces of houses near the hotel."I was very frightened. It was very strong," she said. "I've never felt one that strong."In the Bolivian capital of La Paz, 385 miles northeast of the epicenter, some high-rise buildings were evacuated, but there was no apparent damage and people soon returned to their offices.Stretching along the earthquake-prone Pacific "Ring of Fire," Chile has suffered many destructive temblors.A 1939 quake killed 28,000 people and in 1960 a magnitude-9.5 quake killed 5,700 people.That remains the most powerful quake on record.On June 13, 2005, a magnitude 7.8 quake near Tarapaca in northern Chile killed 11 people and left thousands homeless.

As in the days of Noah...

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Krakatoa, Other Volcanoes Keep Indonesians on Their Toes

ANAK KRAKATAU, Indonesia-Sending a boom across the bay, the offspring of the fabled Krakatoa volcano unleashes another mighty eruption, blasting smoke and red-hot rocks hundreds of feet into the sky.Even on its quiet side, the black sand on the now-forbidden island is so hot that a visitor can only briefly set foot on it.This week's display by Anak Krakatau-or "Child of Krakatoa"-is impressive, yet it is a mere sneeze when compared to the blast in August 1883 that obliterated its "father" in the most powerful explosion in recorded history.• Click here for a Krakatoa photo essay.That blast was heard as far away as 2,500 miles and choked the atmosphere with ash and dust, altering weather patterns for years. Some 36,000 people were killed in the eruptions and ensuing tsunamis.Now the 985-foot peak growing from the ocean where Krakatoa once stood is erupting, one of several Indonesian volcanoes that have roared to life in recent weeks.They illustrate the awesome seismic forces at work deep below the surface of this island nation.No lives have been lost in the latest round of activity, but thousands of villagers have been evacuated from the slopes of Mount Kelud on eastern Java island. On Thursday, its alert status was dropped a level, meaning it is still dangerous, but residents can return home.Indonesia's history is studded with seismic events. The 2004 Asian tsunami was spawned by a monster quake off the west coast, which sits at the intersection of three tectonic plates that form one border of the "Pacific Ring of Fire."The plates — each moving at about the speed a fingernail grows each year — slide against or under each other, allowing molten rock from the Earth's mantle to break the surface via a volcano, or create energy released in an earthquake.The country's 17,000 islands are home to about 70 active volcanoes, the most in the world.Twenty of them are on Java, an island roughly the same size as Mississippi, home to more than half of the country's 235 million people.With demand for farmable land at a premium, many people choose to live within the shadow of the volcanoes because of the rich volcanic soil that is especially good for crops."We have lived here for generations. The land is my life," said Meseman, a 74-year-old papaya farmer on the slopes of Mount Kelud, who like many ethnic Javanese uses only a single name and declined to heed the warnings to leave the area. "It is impossible for me leave. If anything, the volcanic ash will make my fields more fertile."The cataclysmic eruption of Krakatoa — which actually lies west of Java in the Sunda Strait, contrary to the title of the popular 1969 movie, "Krakatoa, East of Java" — followed several months of gradually increasing activity.Anak Krakatau rose from the sea in 1930 and has been growing ever since.Visitors can reach the island in about two hours by motor boat from the northern coast of Java, which is a 2½-hour drive from Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. When it is quiet, it is a short, but steep walk to the top of the sandy peak.When Anak began erupting last week, officials declared a no-go zone of about two miles. But the captain of a boat agreed to take an Associated Press reporter and photographer to Anak, briefly landing on the side of the volcano that was not erupting.The ground was hot and appeared to vibrate beneath the pumice stone, a volcanic rock that floats on water.Despite the history of its father, Anak is not considered especially dangerous — for now.It has settled into a pattern of a gentle eruption every seven or eight years, scientists said."Maybe in hundreds of years it will blow, but I will be long gone by then," said Cahya Patria, among the scientists at the Center for Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation who keep watch on the mountain from a hill on the mainland.Anak Krakatau is only just visible from their station, so the staff members monitor it with a seismograph and an array of other equipment installed on its slopes, including a camera that takes photos posted on the center's Web site.As the volcano keeps up a steady stream of thunderous explosions, scientists at the station log each eruption and its intensity.Visitors to Anak from Jakarta normally pass through the resort towns of Anyer and Carita, which were devastated by the series of tsunamis triggered by the 1883 eruption.There are few signs of that horror, aside from the foundations of a Dutch-built lighthouse that was scythed down by the sea.The park where its replacement now stands is a popular meeting point for young lovers, who sit on benches straining to catch a glimpse of Anak Krakatau as it billows mushroom clouds of smoke into the sunset.While most Indonesians are Muslims, many also follow pre-Islamic animist beliefs and worship ancient spirits.Often at full moons, people trek to crater rims and throw in rice, jewelry or live animals to appease the volcanoes."The Javanese see nature as a friend because it gives then food and life," said Bagong Suyanto, a professor of rural sociology at the University of Surabaya. "They trust it, they do not see it as a threat like volcanologists do."

As in the days of Noah....

Indonesia's Krakatau roars and dazzles with fireworks

SUNDA STRAIT, Indonesia-Indonesia's Anak Krakatau volcano lets out a massive roar as it blasts a gigantic cloud of smoke and flaming red rocks hundreds of meters into the night sky.A few hours later, a river of lava and stones glowing like embers glide down the slopes of Mount Anak Krakatau as the muted light of the rising sun tries to break through thick clouds settled above the mountain.The volcano, whose name means "Child of Krakatau," formed in the Sunda Strait close to Java island after Mount Krakatau's legendary eruption in 1883.It rumbled to life about two weeks ago and since then has been dazzling scientists and visitors with its amazing pyrotechnics.Scientists monitoring the volcano say Anak Krakatau is not especially dangerous and will continue to rumble for some time, but warn people to stay out of a 1.9 miles zone around the mountain."We are a little worried sometimes when we heard the big boom and we see rocks that fall from, I don't know, half kilometer from the hole," Chad Bouchard, one of a group of eight tourists who spent the night in a boat in the ocean to watch the volcano. "Sometimes we see the splash inside the ocean. That's a little scary but no, I think it might be stupid but I feel safe."
DEVASTATING DISASTER
Anak Krakatau, which lies 26 miles from the nearest observation post in Serang on the westernmost edge of Java, gradually formed after the volcanic island of Krakatau blew up in a massive eruption in 1883, triggering tsunamis and killing more than 36,000 people.Ashes from that eruption, one of the most devastating natural disasters in recorded history, were carried by upper level winds as far away as New York City.Krakatau, one of dozens of volcanoes in the sprawling Indonesian archipelago, last erupted in 1988, but its eruptions have never approached the ferocity of its parent.Child of Krakatau is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," but authorities have not yet raised the alert level to the highest which would require the evacuation of people around the volcano.A vulcanologist monitoring Anak Krakatau said the volcano was likely to rumble and roar for some time."It is still at the third level of alert. It is safe and there aren't any problems.There were approximately one hundred explosions yesterday,"Saut Simatupang, head of volcano observation in Bandung, told Reuters."If the energy is the same as this, it is more likely it will stay at this level for quite some time as the tremors are frequent. Today only, there have been one hundred."Visitors who had their morning coffee in a boat in the shadow of the volcano in the Sunda Strait's choppy waters about a one-and-a-half-hour ride from the mainland said they felt safe."It's spectacular, it's just amazing to be here," said Patricia Anderton, a tourist from New Haven in the United states."I feel incredibly lucky to be able to see it."

Friday, November 9, 2007

Remnant of Yellowstone volcano rising

WASHINGTON-A big blob of molten rock appears to be pushing up remnants of an ancient volcano in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, scientists reported on Friday.They say no volcanic explosion is imminent-that already happened 642,000 years ago, creating the volcanic crater known as a caldera where part of Yellowstone Lake sits.But satellite readings show just how volcanically active the area remains, the researchers reported in the journal Science.From the middle of 2004 through 2006, the floor of the caldera rose 7 inches at a rate of 2.8 inches a year-the biggest rise ever measured, they reported."There is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption or hydrothermal explosion. That's the bottom line," University of Utah seismologist Robert Smith said in a statement."A lot of calderas worldwide go up and down over decades without erupting."Yellowstone is North America's largest volcanic field, produced by what is known as a hotspot, a plume of hot and molten rock squirting up from 400 miles beneath the planet's surface.Monstrous eruptions took place there starting 2 million years ago but activity bubbles along much more calmly now-akin to similar volcanic fields such as the Campi Flegrei just outside Naples in Italy.Beneath the field lies what is known as a magma chamber, which is actually similar to a wet sponge in structure."Our best evidence is that the crustal magma chamber is filling with molten rock," Smith said. "But we have no idea how long this process goes on before there either is an eruption or the inflow of molten rock stops and the caldera deflates again."Heat from the chamber warms the park's hundreds of hot springs and geysers, including "Old Faithful," perhaps the world's best-known geyser.Established in 1872 as the first U.S. national park, Yellowstone also stretches to parts of Montana and Idaho.

As in the days of Noah...

Yellowstone Lava Dome Filling Up Quickly

WASHINGTON-Yellowstone National Park, once the site of a giant volcano, has begun swelling up, possibly because molten rock is accumulating beneath the surface, scientists report.
But, "there is no evidence of an imminent volcanic eruption," said Robert B. Smith, a professor of geophysics at the University of Utah.Many giant volcanic craters around the world go up and down over decades without erupting, he said.Smith and colleagues report in Friday's issue of the journal Science that the flow of the ancient Yellowstone crater has been moving upward almost 3 inches per year for the past three years.That is more than three times faster than ever observed since such measurements began in 1923, the researchers said."Our best evidence is that the crustal magma chamber is filling with molten rock," Smith said in a statement. "But we have no idea how long this process goes on before there either is an eruption or the inflow of molten rock stops and the caldera deflates again."It's not unusual for ancient volcano sites like Yellowstone and Long Valley, Calif., to rise and fall, according to the researchers.The Yellowstone volcanic field was produced by what the researchers described as a plume of hot and molten rock beginning at least 400 miles beneath Earth's surface and rising to 30 miles underground, where it widens to about 300 miles across.Blobs of molten rock sometimes rise to refill the magma chamber beneath Yellowstone.The volcano at Yellowstone produced massive eruptions 2 million, 1.3 million and 642,000 years ago, all larger than the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens.Site of the famed Old Faithful and hundreds of other geysers, Yellowstone sprawls across parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,309738,00.html
PS:Late last nite I heard an "expert" talking on the radio about this phenomena and he down played the news saying what they always say...that it is not an inminent threat....
On the contrary i think it is and I think it keeps building up and is not stopping soon.
We are talking about a SuperVolcano here...I'll post later more exact info about this.I do think is an inminent Threat...I wish I could tell you when it's gonna go off...but when it does is gonna bring destruction to most of the US....

As in the days of Noah....

Indonesian volcano roaring to life

ANAK KRAKATAU, Indonesia - Sending a boom across the bay, the offspring of the fabled Krakatau volcano unleashes another mighty eruption, blasting smoke and red-hot rocks hundreds of feet into the sky. Even on its quiet side, the black sand on the now-forbidden island is so hot that a visitor can only briefly set foot on it.This week's display by Anak Krakatau-or "Child of Krakatau"-is impressive, yet it is a mere sneeze when compared to the blast in August 1883 that obliterated its "father" in the most powerful explosion in recorded history. That blast was heard as far away as 2,500 miles and choked the atmosphere with ash and dust, altering weather patterns for years. Some 36,000 people were killed in the eruptions and ensuing tsunamis.Now the 985-foot peak growing from the ocean where Krakatau once stood is erupting, one of several Indonesian volcanoes that have roared to life in recent weeks.They illustrate the awesome seismic forces at work deep below the surface of this island nation.No lives have been lost in the latest round of activity, but thousands of villagers have been evacuated from the slopes of Mount Kelud on Java island.On Thursday, its alert status was dropped a level, meaning it is still dangerous, but residents can return home.Indonesia's history is studded with seismic events. The 2004 Asian tsunami was spawned by a monster quake off the west coast, which sits at the intersection of three tectonic plates that form one border of the "Pacific Ring of Fire."The plates-each moving at about the speed a fingernail grows each year- slide against or under each other, allowing molten rock from the Earth's mantle to break the surface via a volcano, or create energy released in an earthquake.The country's 17,000 islands are home to about 70 active volcanoes, the most in the world.Twenty of them are on Java, an island roughly the same size as Mississippi, and is home to more than half of the country's 235 million people. With demand for farmable land at a premium, many people choose to live within the shadow of the volcanoes because of the rich volcanic soil that is especially good for crops."We have lived here for generations. The land is my life," said Meseman, a 74-year-old papaya farmer on the slopes of Mount Kelud, who like many Indonesians uses only a single name and declined to heed the warnings to leave the area. "It is impossible for me leave. If anything, the volcanic ash will make my fields more fertile."The cataclysmic eruption of Krakatau — which actually lies west of Java in the Sunda Strait, contrary to the title of the popular 1969 movie, "Krakatoa, East of Java" — followed several months of gradually increasing activity.Anak Krakatau rose from the sea in 1930 and has been growing ever since.Visitors can reach the island in about two hours by motor boat from the northern coast of Java, which is a 2 1/2-hour drive from Indonesia's capital, Jakarta. When it is quiet, it is a short, but steep walk to the top of the sandy peak.When Anak began erupting last week, officials declared a no-go zone of about two miles. But the captain of a boat agreed to take an Associated Press reporter and photographer to Anak, briefly landing on the side of the volcano that was not erupting.The ground was hot and appeared to vibrate beneath the pumice stone, a volcanic rock that floats on water.Despite the history of its father, Anak is not considered especially dangerous-for now.It has settled into a pattern of a gentle eruption every seven or eight years, scientists said."Maybe in hundreds of years it will blow, but I will be long gone by then," said Cahya Patria, among the scientists at the Center for Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation who keep watch on the mountain from a hill on the mainland. Krakatau is only just visible from their station, so the staff members monitor it with a seismograph and an array of other equipment installed on its slopes, including a camera that takes photos posted on the center's Web site. As the volcano keeps up a steady stream of thunderous explosions, scientists at the station log each eruption and its intensity.Visitors to Anak from Jakarta normally pass through the resort towns of Anyer and Carita, which were devastated by the series of tsunamis triggered by the 1883 eruption. There are few signs of that horror, aside from the foundations of a Dutch-built lighthouse that was scythed down by the sea.The park where its replacement now stands is a popular meeting point for young lovers, who sit on benches straining to catch a glimpse of Anak Krakatau as it billows mushroom clouds of smoke into the sunset.While most Indonesians are Muslims, many also follow pre-Islamic animist beliefs and worship ancient spirits. Often at full moons, people trek to crater rims and throw in rice, jewelry or live animals to appease the volcanoes."The Javanese see nature as a friend because it gives then food and life," said Bagong Suyanto, a professor of rural sociology at the University of Surabaya. "They trust it, they do not see it as a threat like volcanologists do."

As in the days of Noah....

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

'Island' emerges in erupting Indonesian volcano

AN island that has emerged in the middle of the crater lake of Indonesia's Mt Kelut may have been effectively plugging the volcano but it could be dislodged, scientists warned yesterday.
The peak in East Java, whose fertile slopes are populated by thousands of people, was put on high alert on October 16 but has not fully erupted, puzzling scientists who say it is impossible to predict what may happen next.“The island was visually captured by our CCTV (closed-circuit television) on Sunday, with smoke now pluming up to one kilometre from it,” volcanologist Saut Simatupang said.He estimated that the 100m-long island loomed 20m above the surface of the crater lake. The temperature of the lake has soared so high it has broken measuring instruments, he said.Mr Simatupang said he still could not determine whether the island was new product or old lava from the 1990 eruption that had solidified at the bottom of the crater lake, more or less acting as a cork.It appeared to have been pushed up Saturday night, when volcanologists mistakenly thought an eruption was occurring so they abandoned their posts.Overnight, continuous tremors shuddered underneath Kelut, with dozens of puffs of steam or smoke shooting into the air, Mr Simatupang said.“We are not taking a chance yet to get closer to study the volcano, although we think it is mostly steam coming out,” Mr Simatupang said.“This could go on or it could be that the volcano is keeping its energy for a bigger eruption.”The head of Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency, Surono, told President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that Kelut appeared to have altered its normal eruptive behaviour.“There seems to be a change in the volcano's character, from historical explosive eruptions to an effusive or slow eruption,” he said during a phone call broadcast on ElShinta radio.“Is it possible that there will be an eruption (given the change), or can we still not have an accurate prediction?” Mr Yudhoyono asked.“There is a very small probability that there will be an explosive eruption, but I am still doing more evaluation with my colleagues,” Surono replied.Authorities have been trying to evacuate people living in a 10km danger zone around the volcano's peak but many have refused to leave or they return to their homes during daylight hours.Residents said they were defying a police threat to jail them if they stayed.“I'm not afraid ... If they want to put me in jail, just go ahead,” said Kandi, a 56-year-old clove farmer from Bladak village, eight kilometres from the peak.The district police chief, Ibnu Istica, said that police were telling people about a new law - that has yet to come in effect - under which people could be jailed for up to three years for refusing evacuation orders.Since record-keeping began, Mount Kelut's eruptions have claimed more than 15,000 lives, including an estimated 10,000 in a catastrophic 1586 eruption. A 1919 eruption spewed heat clouds that killed 5160 people.Indonesia sits on the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where several continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

As in the days of Noah....

Sunday, November 4, 2007

1 000s refuse to flee volcano

Mount Kelud - A deadly Indonesian volcano spewed clouds of white smoke on Sunday as the temperature of its crater lake soared.But thousands of residents defied warnings of a major eruption, choosing to tend sugar cane crops and livestock on its slopes.The top scientist monitoring Mount Kelud said the temperature of its crater lake had reached 76°C - a rise of more than 25°C over the last 24 hours, indicating a blast could be imminent.The spike indicated magma within the volcano was very close to breaking through to the surface, possibly sending a torrent of mud, ash and rock known as lahar pouring down the mountain, said Surono, who uses a single name.Despite the threat, authorities said 25 000 people were ignoring evacuation orders and remained in the danger zone around Kelud."If I live in a shelter, I can't make money," said Buhirin, a 74-year-old farmer living well within the danger zone. "I have the courage to stay because I have experienced three Kelud eruptions. I know where the lahar will flow."Kelud - one of more than 100 active volcanos in Indonesia - has been on the highest alert level for more than two weeks, but on Saturday recorded a spike in activity that led scientists to wrongly declare an eruption had begun.The mountain is in the heart of densely populated Java island.Some villagers apparently believe a local myth that the mountain won't erupt if residents turn off all the lights and speak softly.
http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_2214803,00.html
As in the days of Noah....

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Mt Kelud eruption report 'a false alarm'

INDONESIA'S volcano centre has said Mount Kelud in East Java has not erupted, contradicting earlier reports that it had."There was no eruption. If there had been an eruption, our equipment near the crater would have been damaged," said Surono, head of the Centre for Vulcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation. Earlier on Saturday, centre officials said their monitoring instruments near the crater had shown an eruption, but this was impossible to confirm visually because of heavy cloud cover.Surono said incessant tremors and a dramatic rise in the temperature of the crater lake prompted volcanologists at Mount Kelud to flee their post fearing for their safety. "Temperatures rose 2 degrees celsius in a day. This was an extremely sharp increase. On other volcanoes such phenomena would have resulted in heat clouds," Surono said.Umar Rosadi, a scientist monitoring the volcano, said he and 17 colleagues had returned to their post after tremors subsided."There has not been an eruption. All of our equipment works normally," he said.When Mount Kelud erupted in 1990 at least 30 people were killed. In 1919, about 5000 died as Kelud ejected scalding water from its crater lake.An estimated 350,000 people live within 10 km (6 miles) of the volcano which is about 90 km southwest of Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city and one of its busiest airports.In Sugihwaras, a village 8km from the crater that suffered casualties and was badly damaged in 1990, many people panicked when they heard the reports that Kelud had erupted."The mosque announced that Kelud had erupted and there was a half hour to evacuate," said Ngatijo, a villager.The authorities have been monitoring the volcano for several weeks and raised its alert status to the highest level about two weeks ago when its activity increased.Indonesia has the highest number of active volcanoes of any country and sits on a belt of intense seismic activity known as the "Pacific Ring of Fire".

As in the days of Noah....

Wednesday, October 31, 2007

5.6 Earthquake Hits Calaveras Fault

The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a 5.6 earthquake based in the Alum Rock area of San Jose hit at approximately 8:04 p.m. Bay residents as far away as Sacramento, Sonoma and Los Banos reported feeling the tremor.Glass shattered at the control tower at the Reid Hillview Airport in San Jose.Chopper11 flew over the tower and showed most of the glass missing. Workers were already hanging plastic sheets over the open tower by 9:30 p.m.The USGS reported at least 11 aftershocks, all measuring less than magnitude 2.1.USGS seismologist Steve Walter said the quake hit the Calaveras fault. They said it was the largest quake to hit the Calaveras fault since the 1984 Morgan Hill earthquake. That quake was a 6.2.There were also reports of things falling off store shelves at several grocery stores in San Jose.The quake was reported to be 5.5 miles deep, which is shallow in earthquake terms, NBC11 reported.Many people said the quake lasted around 20 seconds.The California Highway Patrol has received no reports of damage or injuries, spokesman Tom Marshall said.The quake was centered in the foothills east of San Jose, not far from the home of the city's mayor, Chuck Reed. He said the city hadn't received any reports of damage.Pictures fell off the walls of Reed's house, but the mayor said there was no major damage there."It was a pretty strong ride here, a lot of shaking but nothing broken,"Reed told The Associated Press in a phone interview from his home."I've talked to a few people and we have no reports of injuries or damage. There was a lot of shaking, but it wasn't the big one."Rod Foo, a resident of south San Jose, about 10 miles from the epicenter, said everything in his house shook for several seconds, but the electricity never went out and his telephone was still working."I could hear it coming up the street before it hit the house," said Foo, a former reporter with the San Jose Mercury News. "I thought it was the kids messing around at first, then I felt the house shaking and I knew it was an earthquake. ... It was rattling for a long time and really loud."Allison Guimard, 25, a technology executive who lives in Mountain View, about 18 miles west of the epicenter, said her china started shaking and she grabbed a dog. It was the first significant earthquake for she and her husband, Pierre, who moved here from New York six months ago."It felt like the apartment was rolling-shaking and rolling," said Pierre Guimard, 25, a home entertainment installer. "Almost like a boat on the water."A woman who lives in the Santa Teresa area, near Oakridge Mall said it shook her house. She said it felt like a hammer slammed into the house four times.That house had many frames on the wall that swayed and were left askew, but no damage.That woman's pool had a wake.
There were also reported of burst water pipes and some cracks in the walls in south San Jose.
NBC11 crews are following up on all the damage reports and will have complete wrap up on the NBC11 news at 11 p.m.Pacific Gas and Electric told NBC11 there were no power outages associated to the earthquake.A NBC11 viewer from Manteca said they felt like someone kicked the back of their couch and their fireplace tools started swaying.Their daughter in Stockton said her furniture actually moved with her in it by the shaking.The last major earthquake in Northern California-a magnitude-7.1-struck in October 1989 just before the third game of the World Series at Candlestick Park. The quake, centered in the Santa Cruz Mountains on the San Andreas fault, killed 62 people and caused nearly $3 billion in damage.Aaron McLear, a spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said the state would "will review and inspect all important infrastructure," including levees in the coming days.Earthquakes powerful enough to be felt through the Central Valley have been of increasing concern since Hurricane Katrina because of their potential to weaken the earthen levees that channel rivers throughout the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta.A San Jose State volleyball game against Pacific was postponed due to the earthquake.The school put out a news release that said just as Niki Clement put away her team-high 11th kill, the ground started to shake in Spartan Gym.After the magnitude earthquake rattled the two teams, spectators and officials, a decision was made to postpone the San Jose State-Pacific volleyball match with the Spartans leading 26-25 in game two. San Jose State won game one 30-26.Bay Area Rapid Transit trains were stopped for five minutes after the quake occurred, said BART spokesman Linton Johnson. Standard protocol for BART trains is to have the operators start running the trains again but only at half speed.The operators will drive slowly while looking out the window for damage on the tracks, said Johnson.Fire stations in San Francisco manually rolled up their garage doors as a precaution, NBC11 reported.

As in the days of Noah....

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT-CALIFORNIA

A moderate earthquake occurred at 8:04:54 PM (PDT) on Tuesday, October 30, 2007.The magnitude 5.6 event occurred 8 km (5 miles) NNE of Alum Rock, CA.The hypocentral depth is 9 km ( 6 miles).
Magnitude
5.6 - regional moment magnitude (Mw)
Time
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 at 8:04:54 PM (PDT)Wednesday, October 31, 2007 at 3:04:54 (UTC)
Distance from
Alum Rock, CA - 8 km (5 miles) NNE (31 degrees)Milpitas, CA - 11 km (7 miles) E (91 degrees)San Jose City Hall, CA - 15 km (9 miles) NE (45 degrees)Sunol-Midtown, CA - 17 km (10 miles) NE (45 degrees)
Coordinates
37 deg. 25.9 min. N (37.432N), 121 deg. 46.5 min. W (121.776W)
Depth
9.2 km (5.7 miles)
Location Quality
Excellent
Location Quality Parameters
Nst=250, Nph=250, Dmin=3 km, Rmss=0.07 sec, Erho=0.1 km, Erzz=0.3 km, Gp=32.4 degrees
http://quake.wr.usgs.gov/recenteqs/Quakes/nc40204628.htm
As in the days of Noah.....

Powerful earthquake hits SPacific island

TOKYO - A powerful earthquake struck near the Marianas Islands in the South Pacific, Japan's weather agency said Wednesday, adding that there was no threat of a tsunami.The Meteorological Agency initially said the quake's magnitude was 7.5 but later revised it to 7.0 after analyzing the data. The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude was 7.2.The quake struck about 12:30 p.m. and occurred at a depth of about 150 miles, the Meteorological Agency said.The agency said the temblor's epicenter was in the northernmost reaches of the island chain.The islands lie along the Pacific Basin's "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines where quakes are frequent.

As in the days of Noah....

Moderate quake shakes Northern Calif.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - {{{{The San Francisco Bay area's largest earthquake in nearly two decades rattled homes and nerves, but the magnitude-5.6 temblor caused no serious damage or injuries.}}}}Tuesday's tremor, centered about 9 miles northeast of San Jose, was the strongest to hit the Bay Area since October 1989, when the Loma Prieta earthquake caused 62 deaths and nearly $6 billion in damage.Though the latest quake was far less of a threat, its was widely felt within an 80-mile radius and reminded Nothern Californians of the eight major faults in the region capable of producing a significant shake.Scientists have projected that the Hayward Fault, which runs through a 50-mile swath of suburbia east of San Francisco, can produce a quake in the potentially lethal 6.7 to 7.0 range.But the latest temblor came from the lesser-known Calaveras Fault.Local and state authorities fielded a numbers of calls about gas leaks and broken water pipes, but little else related to the quake.The USGS reported about a dozen aftershocks, the biggest with a preliminary magnitude of 2.1.Historically, severe quakes have occurred on the Hayward every 151 years, give or take 23 years. The last one to hit was in 1868, meaning it is now into the danger zone.The Association of Bay Area Governments estimates a powerful Hayward quake would wipe out some 155,000 housing units, 37,000 in San Francisco alone.
Aaron McLear, a spokesman for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, said the state "will review and inspect all important infrastructure," including California's fragile levees in the coming days.
The epicenter of Tuesday's quake was near Alum Rock, in the Diablo Range foothills east of San Jose — not far from the home of Mayor Chuck Reed. Pictures fell off the walls of Reed's house, but there was no major damage there, he said."It was a pretty strong ride here, a lot of shaking but nothing broken," Reed said. "I've talked to a few people and we have no reports of injuries or damage. There was a lot of shaking, but it wasn't the big one."Amrit Shergill, a night cashier at Alum Rock Shell gasoline station in San Jose, said only some small items toppled off a shelf when the shaking began at 8 p.m. — but the intensity sent her outside and crouching on the sidewalk."My God, I felt like running because the roof might come down on my head," Shergill said.Bay Area public transportation officials said Caltrain and Bay Area Rapid Transit trains halted for several minutes after the quake, then resumed at reduced speeds. There were no reports of injuries or damage to trains, officials said.In 2003, a magnitude-6.5 earthquake jolted the Central California coast, pitching an 1892 clock tower building onto the street and killing two people. In 2005, a magnitude-7.1 earthquake struck about 80 miles off the coast of Northern California, briefly prompting a tsunami warning from the Mexican border to British Columbia, but no damage or injuries were reported.

As in the days of Noah....