Archive | May 23, 2015
MAGNITUDE 5.9 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us10002buu#general_summary
Subject To Change
Depth: 50 km
Distances: 63km (39mi) SW of Taron, Papua New Guinea
66km (41mi) SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
283km (176mi) ENE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea
321km (199mi) SE of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea
785km (488mi) NE of Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
MAGNITUDE 3.3 GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIF. USA
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=443481
Subject To Change
Depth: 10 km
Distances: 12 km SW of Los Angeles, United States / pop: 3,792,621 / local time: 10:06:51.5 2015-05-23
1 km S of View Park-Windsor Hills, United States / pop: 11,075 / local time: 10:06:51.5 2015-05-23
MAGNITUDE 4.4 NEPAL
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=443483
Subject To Change
Depth: 10 km
Distances: 29 km NE of Kathmandu, Nepal / pop: 1,442,271 / local time: 22:26:00.0 2015-05-23
410 km W of Thimphu, Bhutan / pop: 98,676 / local time: 22:41:00.0 2015-05-23
676 km NW of Dhaka, Bangladesh / pop: 10,356,500 / local time: 22:41:00.0 2015-05-23
MAGNITUDE 5.0 SOLOMON ISLANDS
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=443457
Subject To Change
Depth: 10 km
Distances: 430 km SE of Honiara, Solomon Islands / pop: 56,298 / local time: 01:10:15.7 2015-05-24
187 km E of Kirakira, Solomon Islands / pop: 1,122 / local time: 01:10:15.7 2015-05-24
MAGNITUDE 4.9 OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE
http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=443443
Subject To Change
Depth: 15 km
Distances: 501 km SW of La Paz, Bolivia / pop: 812,799 / local time: 09:09:43.8 2015-05-23
74 km W of Iquique, Chile / pop: 227,499 / local time: 10:09:43.8 2015-05-23
Severe heatwave strikes as temperatures soar to 40C or higher in Philippines
The Philippines is in the grip of a heatwave that has killed two people as temperatures soar to a scorching 40 deg C or higher.
In Tuguegarao city, 480km north of the capital Manila, two people died of heatstroke on Tuesday. The city was reported to have baked in heat of up to 42 deg C early this week.
Health officials said Mr Edwin Galupan, 53, was found lifeless on his cassava farm, while Madam Bannawag Lucas, 62, died inside her home.
Reservoirs that supply tap and irrigation water across the main island of Luzon are drying up fast, threatening crop harvests. This could force the nation to import more rice and corn this year.
The water level is dropping in the Angat Dam reservoir, the main source of water for more than 21 million people in metropolitan Manila and seven adjacent provinces. Irrigation to farmlands and even tap water may be shut off if the level continues to fall. — PHOTO: GMA NEWS
The Angat Dam reservoir, the main source of water for more than 21 million people in metropolitan Manila and seven adjacent provinces, may shut off irrigation to farmlands in the next five days if its water level falls below the critical 180m mark. As of 6am yesterday, the water level was 180.95m. The normal high water level is 212m.
The reservoir irrigates around 27,000ha of farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces, and supplies tap water to 14 million inhabitants of Metro Manila, a metropolis of 14 cities and one town.
Angat will stop supplying taps if the water level drops below 160m. It dropped to 157m in July 2010 due to a prolonged drought.
The weather bureau announced on May 11 that the Philippines is experiencing a “mild” El Nino, a weather phenomenon that is under way in the tropical Pacific Ocean and may last for most of the year.
El Nino is created by an unusual increase in ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. It occurs every two to seven years, bringing with it drought that may last for a year or extreme weather events.
Experts have warned that climate change is causing El Nino episodes to occur more frequently and more severely.
Philippine weather officials said the current dry spell could last until the middle of the year, although they have run models that showed it could intensify towards the end of the year.
The southern island of Mindanao has been hit especially hard by this year’s El Nino.
Bloomberg reported earlier that farmers there have resorted to hunting rats with bows and arrows to supplement their food sources. They eat the rats and exchange the rats’ tails for rice under a government bounty system.
The Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice importers, is seeking another 250,000 tonnes of the grain to boost its buffer stocks, Reuters reported yesterday. This is to avert a spike in food prices resulting from any supply disruptions.
President Benigno Aquino has approved the additional rice purchases and has also given the National Food Authority permission to import a further 250,000 tonnes later this year should El Nino intensify.
Across the capital, people are seeking shelter from the sweltering heat in air-conditioned malls.
Mr Ferdinand Bigasa, 68, a retiree, said he has been taking advantage of his privilege as a senior citizen to watch free movies at SM North Edsa, the Philippines’ biggest mall, every Monday and Tuesday. He stays at the mall until 5pm. “Free movies, free air-conditioning. How can you resist that, especially when it’s hot as hell outside?” he said.
As for taxi and motorised rickshaw drivers, some have been staying off the streets during the middle of the day. “My cab’s air-conditioning can’t handle the heat. It’s just too hot. The engine may just overheat, and I’ll just lose the day’s income,” Mr Roger Moreno told a news TV channel.
Courtesy of straitstimes.com
Severe heatwave toll climbs to alert four in Bengal, India
West Bengal continued to reel under intense heatwave as a cab driver died of a suspected heatstroke on Saturday taking the toll to four since Friday.
“The cab driver identified as Shatrughan Poddar (52) was found lying unconscious inside his taxi near Jadavpur on Saturday. Later, he was pronounced dead at the hospital,” said a police officer.
Earlier on Friday, two people, including a Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) employee, Moinuddin Ali and an under trial prisoner, Jitendra Tanti died as the mercury soared past 40 degrees Celsius in several districts of the state.
Confirming the toll, member and mayor-in-council (MMIC) Atin Ghosh said Moinuddin Ali complained of chest pain and uneasiness. Later, he was pronounced dead by a doctor.
Also, Ali`s death has created resentment among the KMC employees.
“While the Mayor and MMICs have air-conditioned cabins, most of us have to work in humid conditions. Even the fans in our offices don`t work properly. Ali`s death is a result of the discrimination that we suffer,” said a KMC employee.
Met department has forecast hotter days ahead.
Courtesy of zeenews.india.com
Massive Sinkhole Opens Up On Golf Course in Missouri, USA
Experts were called in to assess the dramatic formation
Golfers had to deal with a spectacular divot after a 35ft deep sinkhole appeared on a course in Missouri.
Measuring up to 80ft at its widest point, it was the biggest of four which opened up on the driving range near the town of Branson on Friday.
Experts from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources were called to the scene to assess the cause and impact of the sinkholes.
Doug Gouzie, associate professor of geology and sinkhole expert at Missouri State University, told local media recent heavy rains in the area are likely to have played significant part in their formation.
Water flows downwards through cracks in the rock, eventually reaching a cave below and causing it to collapse.
Sinkholes are not uncommon in Missouri with 15,981 verified in the state, according to the Department of Natural Resources’ website.
Courtesy of Sky News
Activity update: steaming, seismic unrest at Bulusan volcano in Luzon Island, Philippines
During 13-15 and 17-19 May PHIVOLCS reported that six or fewer volcanic earthquakes were recorded at Bulusan. Weak steam emissions were occasionally observed rising from the SW vent and from a vent on the upper NW flank; plumes drifted SW, WNW, or drifted downslope.
PHIVOLCS maintained Alert Level 1, indicating abnormal conditions, and reminded the public of the 4-km radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ).
Courtesy of volcanodiscovery.com
New explosions at Telica volcano in Nicaragua
Eruption at Telica volcano on 20 May
Several new explosions occurred during the past days, some of which showered the volcano’s summit cone with incandescent material.
Courtesy of volcanodiscovery.com
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