Archive | January 7, 2015
Landslide kills 4 with more than a dozen missing in Myanmar
The accident was caused by heavy rain Tuesday near the town of Hpakant, 350 kilometres north of the country’s second largest city Mandalay, according to local official Tin Swe Myint.
He added that about 15 people were still missing, contradicting local media reports stating that as many as 100 people had yet to be rescued.
The official said rescuers were in the process of clearing debris in search of survivors.
Courtesy of Sowetan Live
Strong explosive eruption at the Soputan volcano in N-Sulawesi, Indonesia
The volcano erupted Tuesday at 02:45 local time with a strong explosion from the summit lava dome. It sent an 6 km tall ash column to approx. 26,000 ft (8,5 km) altitude.
The eruption followed an increase in seismic activity in December, when so-called “drumbeat” earthquakes appeared – a type of volcanic tremor typically associated with movements of viscous magma at shallow depths,- in this case new lava rising beneath the existing lava dome (in place since 1991).
As a consequence, the alert status of the volcano had been raised to the second highest level “Siaga” (3 on a scale of 1-4, alert).
Today’s explosion caused parts of the summit dome that occupies the crater, open to the western flank, to collapse and produce a glowing avalanche that traveled approx. 2000 m, remaining within the volcano’s caldera. It seems that no pyroclastic flow (which could sweep over the caldera walls and into inhabited areas below) occurred. No damage to people or infrastructure was reported.
Continued glow from the summit dome after the explosion suggests that magma has and continues to arrive now there.
Courtesy of Volcano Discovery
MAGNITUDE 5.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usc000tcxe#summary
Subject To Change
Depth: 10 km
Distances: 195km (121mi) SSW of Taron, Papua New Guinea
208km (129mi) SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
286km (178mi) ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea
320km (199mi) W of Arawa, Papua New Guinea
701km (436mi) ENE of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
Volcano Ashes Prompt Closure of Colombian Airport
The increase in the emissions of ashes from Colombia”s volcano Nevado del Ruiz prompted today the closure of nearby La Nubia airport to prevent traffic congestion to and from the terminal.
According to Director of the Volcano Observatory of Manizales, Gloria Cortes, the communities near the crater, the most watched over in Colombia, remain on alert because of this increase in its activity.
The measure to suspend operations in the terminal was adopted to prevent any air accident because the ashes might interfere with the good functioning of plane turbines.
Besides, the volcano, located between the central departments of Caldas and Tolima, continue emitting sulfure dioxide, though for the time being the situation is not serious, said Cortes as quoted by El Espectador newspaper.
Located 220 km west of Bogota, is part of the volcanic strip of Los Andes, also including another 74 similar structures.
Its first eruptions occurred 1.8 million years ago, in the early Pleistocene, but the most lethal explosion was registered in November, 1985, when an enormous lahar (mud and debris flow) buried the small town of Armero, in Tolima, in Lagunilla valley, where only one fourth of its 28,000 inhabitants managed to survive in the absence of early warnings or predictions.
Chinchina town also suffered the impact of the phenomenon, losing nearly 2,000 inhabitants.
Courtesy of Prensa Latina News
100mph storm to strike Scotland tomorrow
SCOTLAND’S first storm of 2015 will be fiercer and come sooner than previously forecast, with winds of 100mph or more blasting the north from tomorrow night, the Met Office warned today.
It came as an additional alert for heavy rain and possible flooding across the western half of the country until 8pm today was issued by the agency.
Forecasters upgraded their severe weather warning from yellow to amber – “be prepared” – for 10pm tomorrow until noon on Friday.
It covers the Highlands and Islands north from Mull, apart from Shetland.
The rest of the country north of the southern edge remains on yellow alert – “be aware” – for that period, with wind gusts of up to 70mph.
Northern Scotland is expected to get a second battering on Saturday, with winds gusting up to 90mph.
The Met Office said its current yellow warning for midnight to 6pm on Saturday may also be upgraded to amber.
The Met Office said “significant impacts” were likely from tomorrow night’s storm.
Its spokesman said: “The public should be prepared for the potential for disruption to transport as well as power supplies and the possibility of structural damage.
“Very large waves may also lead to dangerous conditions along some coasts.”
The storm, which had been forecast to arrive at noon on Friday, is being caused by very cold air over the United States combining with 250mph jet stream winds at high altitude – compared to the usual 150mph at this time of year.
The Met Office said: “A vigorous depression is expected to run rapidly east, passing northern Scotland on Thursday night and Friday morning.
“Winds will begin to increase late on Thursday to give a period of very strong westerly winds across the Western Isles, the north and north west of the Scottish mainland and Orkney.
“Gusts of 80 to 90mph are likely quite widely, with a risk of gusts of over 100mph in places.”
The Met Office said the heaviest rain today would be in western and central Scotland, with up to 30mm (1in) falling, and 40mm (1.5in) in hilly areas.
Its spokesman said: “Outbreaks of rain will continue to be heavy at times on Wednesday afternoon and into the early evening.
“There will be a good deal of surface water and spray on roads, with the chance of localised surface water flooding in prone spots.
“The public should be aware of the risk of difficult driving conditions.
“In addition, there is the possibility of minor river flooding in parts of the western Borders.”
The Forth Road Bridge was closed to high vehicles, trailers and motorbikes because of the winds, which reached 47mph by lunchtime.
A further yellow warning – for ice – has been issued for northern Scotland between 1am and noon tomorrow.
Several centimetres of snow may fall on higher-level roads, with slight falls at lower levels.
The Met Office said: “Showers will turn increasingly wintry on high ground overnight and on Thursday morning.
“Clear spells between the showers will allow icy stretches to form.
“The public should be aware of the risk of some difficult driving conditions due to ice, and on some higher routes, local snow cover.”
Courtesy of the Scotsman
MAGNITUDE 4.1 ICELAND REGION
Subject to change
Depth: 17.4 km
Depth: 17.4 km
Distances: Latitude, Longitude 64.672 -17.484
(4.1 km NNE of Bárðarbunga)
Earthquake location 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
Time and magnitude of earthquake 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
MAGNITUDE 4.0 ICELAND REGION
Subject to change
Depth: 9.2 km
Depth: 9.2 km
Distances: Latitude, Longitude 64.670 -17.441
(5.3 km NE of Bárðarbunga)
Earthquake location 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
Time and magnitude of earthquake 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
MAGNITUDE 4.1 ICELAND REGION
Subject to change
Depth: 11.1 km
Depth: 11.1 km
Distances: Latitude, Longitude 64.613 -17.424
(5.8 km ESE of Bárðarbunga)
Earthquake location 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
Time and magnitude of earthquake 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
MAGNITUDE 4.0 ICELAND REGION
Subject to change
Depth: 1.8 km
Depth: 1.8 km
Distances: Latitude, Longitude 64.666 -17.445
(4.9 km NE of Bárðarbunga)
Earthquake location 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
Time and magnitude of earthquake 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
MAGNITUDE 3.9 ICELAND REGION
Subject to change
Depth: 11.9 km
Depth: 11.9 km
Distances: Latitude, Longitude 64.612 -17.445
(5.0 km SE of Bárðarbunga)
Earthquake location 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
Time and magnitude of earthquake 07 Jan 21:50 GMT
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