Dozens wounded at Mexico fireworks blast

An explosion at a fireworks market outside Mexico city has injured at least 60 people.

 

The blast hit the San Pablito fireworks market, about 20 miles (32km) outside the city. No fatalities have been reported.

 

Video footage from the scene showed smoke billowing from the area, while explosions from fireworks could be heard in the background.

 

Emergency services are attending the scene.

 

Courtesy of BBC News

http://tinyurl.com/hecypld

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Crews Battle Widespread Oklahoma Wildifre

MAGNITUDE 5.6 SOLOMON ISLANDS

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=554111

Subject To Change

Depth: 15 km

Distances: 121 km SE of Honiara, Solomon Islands / pop: 56,300 / local time: 07:07:53.3 2016-12-21
1170 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu / pop: 36,000 / local time: 07:07:53.3 2016-12-21
1477 km NW of Nouméa, New Caledonia / pop: 93,100 / local time: 07:07:53.3 2016-12-21

 

MAGNITUDE 5.0 NEAR COAST OF ECUADOR

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=554087

Subject To Change

Depth: 45 km

Distances: 182 km NW of Quito, Ecuador / pop: 1,400,000 / local time: 12:39:28.1 2016-12-20
13 km NE of Propicia, Ecuador / pop: 95,700 / local time: 12:39:28.1 2016-12-20

 

‘THIS IS VERY RARE’ Four asteroids heading towards Earth will come close to colliding with planet on Wednesday while travelling at 8 miles per second

One expert said: “I don’t remember that this has ever happened before.”

 

FOUR asteroids will come close to colliding with Earth on Wednesday, with scientists warning that they could have the potential to “do quite some damage”.

The massive objects, named 2006LH, 2010XN, 2015YQ1 and 2006XD2 are travelling close together and will thankfully miss our planet.

 

2006LH, the largest of the four, is travelling at 8 miles an hour and is 260 metres across – twice the height of the London Eye.

 

It is also the asteroid that will travel closest to Earth – missing by 1.5million miles.

 

Planetary scientist Dr Detlef Koschny, co-manager of the European Space Agency’s Space Situational Awareness division, told MailOnline: “If it were to hit it would do quite some damage.

 

“But none of these objects have any chance to impact the Earth, so we are safe.”

 

How close will the asteroids comes?

 

2006LH will miss Earth by 1.5million miles

2010XN will miss Earth by 3.5million miles

2006XD2 will miss Earth by 4.2million miles

2015YQ1 will miss Earth by 4.5million miles

 

While many of Near-Earth Asteroids come within just under 6million miles of Earth each month, it is very rare for four to all pass on the same day.

 

Dr Koschny added: “This is very rare. I don’t remember that this has ever happened before.”

 

Last month we revealed that a plan to save Earth from the threat of a giant asteroid is being tested by NASA.

 

The project aims to alter the potentially catastrophic path of a boulder, redirecting the asteroid towards the moon should it come too close to earth.

 

The Asteroid Redirect Mission also aims at taking materials off the asteroid for future research.

 

The system could be ready in the next five years.

Courtesy of thesun.co.uk

http://tinyurl.com/goslse4

Villagers stunned as snow falls in the Sahara for the first time in 37 YEARS

MAGNITUDE 5.0 LUZON, PHILIPPINES

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=554054

Subject To Change

Depth: 80 km

Distances: 225 km NW of Manila, Philippines / pop: 10,445,000 / local time: 21:51:20.8 2016-12-20
92 km SW of San Fernando, Philippines / pop: 83,100 / local time: 21:51:20.8 2016-12-20
72 km W of Binmaley, Philippines / pop: 44,100 / local time: 21:51:20.8 2016-12-20
18 km W of Aloleng, Philippines / pop: 2,400 / local time: 21:51:20.8 2016-12-20

 

MAGNITUDE 6.0 SOLOMON ISLANDS

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=554017

Subject To Change

Depth: 30 km

Distances: 126 km SE of Honiara, Solomon Islands / pop: 56,300 / local time: 23:33:17.5 2016-12-20
1166 km NW of Port-Vila, Vanuatu / pop: 36,000 / local time: 23:33:17.5 2016-12-20
1472 km NW of Nouméa, New Caledonia / pop: 93,100 / local time: 23:33:17.5 2016-12-20

 

MAGNITUDE 5.0 KEPULAUAN TALAUD, INDONESIA

http://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=553992

Subject To Change

Depth: 60 km

Distances: 398 km S of Davao, Philippines / pop: 1,213,000 / local time: 18:21:34.4 2016-12-20
314 km NE of Manado, Indonesia / pop: 452,000 / local time: 18:21:34.4 2016-12-20
256 km SE of Bukid, Philippines / pop: 2,300 / local time: 18:21:34.4 2016-12-20

 

MAGNITUDE 5.6 SOUTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us200082s5#executive

Subject To Change

Depth: 10 km

Distances: 761 km S of Urunchi, China / pop: 1,509,000 / local time: 16:04:38.7 2016-12-20
463 km E of Hotan, China / pop: 114,000 / local time: 16:04:38.7 2016-12-20