Archive | August 23, 2015
MAGNITUDE 5.5 OFFSHORE COQUIMBO, CHILE
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us100034du#general_summary
32km (20mi) NNW of Coquimbo, Chile
80km (50mi) WNW of Vicuna, Chile
105km (65mi) NNW of Ovalle, Chile
426km (265mi) N of Santiago, Chile
Subject To Change
Depth: 33 km
Distances:
31km (19mi) NNW of La Serena, Chile32km (20mi) NNW of Coquimbo, Chile
80km (50mi) WNW of Vicuna, Chile
105km (65mi) NNW of Ovalle, Chile
426km (265mi) N of Santiago, Chile

MAGNITUDE 4.9 OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us100034cw#general_summary
140km (87mi) S of Arica, Chile
192km (119mi) S of Tacna, Peru
252km (157mi) SSE of Ilo, Peru
431km (268mi) SSW of La Paz, Bolivia
Subject To Change
Depth: 60 km
Distances:
59km (37mi) NNW of Iquique, Chile140km (87mi) S of Arica, Chile
192km (119mi) S of Tacna, Peru
252km (157mi) SSE of Ilo, Peru
431km (268mi) SSW of La Paz, Bolivia

Drought hit Puerto Rico to receive much needed rain
Many in Puerto Rico said only a few days ago they would rather a hurricane strike so that the region could get needed rainfall even though it meant roofs might be ripped off.
Hurricane Danny has weakened, but will still have a punch in it’s tail with loads of rain.
Fire hits an oil refinery at HollyFrontier’s corp, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
A fire at HollyFrontier Corp’s 125,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is being handled by the company’s in-house fire crews, according to a Twitter message by a local journalist.
The Tulsa Fire Department told Reuters it had not been notified of a fire that required outside assistance. Oklahoma Highway Patrol also said they had not been contacted.
A HollyFrontier spokesperson was not immediately available to comment.
Gitzel Puente, a reporter for local TV station KJRH, said in a Tweet that the fire was “self-contained”.
A KJRH meteorologist earlier posted a short video showing a fire at a refinery. It was not possible to verify the time or location of the video. The fire did not appear to be near any of the major refinery units.
While the Tulsa plant is relatively small, its location near the Cushing, Oklahoma, oil storage hub makes it significant for oil markets. An extended unplanned outage would reduce demand for crude, potentially accelerating an expected build-up in surplus stockpiles at Cushing this autumn.
Courtesy of reuters
Massive explosions at the US military facility in Japan
An explosion occurred just after midnight at the U.S. military facility in Sagamihara, Japan, and local emergency crews are battling the resulting flames to try to stop the fire from spreading.
Sagamihara is a city in the Japanese prefecture of Kanagawa, which borders Tokyo.
“An explosion occurred today just after midnight Japan time at a building on a U.S. Army post, the Sagami Depot in the city of Sagamihara, Japan, about 25 miles southwest of Tokyo,” Pentagon spokesman U.S. Navy Commander Bill Urban said in a statement. “There are no reports of injury, and base firefighters and first responders are currently fighting the resulting fire to prevent its spread to nearby buildings. These are all the details we have at this time and will provide further information as we receive it.”
The Sagami General Depot houses storage for petroleum products and ammunition.
“Fire from the American military base has occurred,” the Sagamihara Fire Department said, according to JBC.
Video and photos began streaming in from social media shortly after noon (EST), showing a large explosion, several loud booms, sustained flames and billowing smoke rising from a structure. No injuries have been reported.
A bare warehouse is currently burning on the site, The Daily Mirror reported, citing Japanese broadcasters. Helicopters have been spotted in the area and emergency vehicles are en route to the scene.
An eyewitness told the NHK news agency she initially thought the explosion was thunder, but then heard multiple “explosions in quick succession.” She also reported smelling a “gunpowder-ish smell.”
Three explosions linked to a left-wing extremist group were reported in the vicinity of the base in April, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Courtesy of foxnews
Increasing ash emissions at Cotopaxi Volcano in Ecuador

Ash plume from Cotopaxi seen from Quito yesterday (Image: Ministerio Coordinador de Seguridad)
Ash emissions have been increasing and producing plumes that rose 2 km above the summit and drifted west for over 50 km.
Ash fall occurred in several populated areas including Mulalo, Chaupi, Lasso, Machachi, Aloag, Tambillo.
According to Ministry of Security, evacuation routes and over 120 “albergues” – shelters – have been prepared to accommodate people in case evacuations become necessary.
Courtesy of volcanodiscovery
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