into another reality."
Erik Erikson
LARGEST QUAKES -
Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)
This morning -
5.4 BISMARCK SEA
5.4 NEW IRELAND REGION, P.N.G.
5.1 HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION
5.2 MYANMAR
Yesterday -
7/21/12 -
5.3 BANDA SEA
5.9 VANUATU REGION
5.3 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
5.8 OFF E. COAST OF N. ISLAND, N.Z.
5.1 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
7/20/12 -
5.0 KEPULAUAN SANGIHE, INDONESIA
5.3 FLORES REGION, INDONESIA
5.1 KODIAK ISLAND REGION, ALASKA
5.6 FIJI REGION
5.0 JIANGSU, CHINA
5.0 VOLCANO ISLANDS, JAPAN REGION
6.3 KURIL ISLANDS
6.0 KURIL ISLANDS
5.3 KURIL ISLANDS
5.0 KURIL ISLANDS
Louisiana - Could earthquakes be the cause of bubbling bayou? Scientists descending on northern Assumption Parish over the past several weeks have been unable to explain two phenomena that may or may not be related. The water in parts of Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou has been inexplicably bubbling, and scientists said they have also been picking up earthquakes in the area. “Although they seem to be related somewhat in time and space, it may be happenstance."
Seismometers have picked up an average of 10 tremors a day since they installed four of the instruments underground Thursday. They started monitoring the area after residents reported feeling the ground shaking. They have been unable to pinpoint where the tremors originated, so they can't say for sure what their magnitudes are. However, they “almost certainly” have a magnitude less than 4.2 because greater magnitudes are felt over a much larger area. The tremors that people felt would “probably” have magnitudes above 2 or 2.5 because lesser magnitudes are often imperceptible. They are in the beginning stages of researching the matter and can not say what the cause of the earthquakes were.
Meanwhile, Assumptiopn Parish Emergency Preparedness Director said he has been monitoring the waters of Bayou Corne and Grand Bayou for a month. But he, parish officials and scientists cannot confirm the source of the bubbles rising to the surface. The constant activity is UNUSUAL, and he's been out on Bayou Corne twice a day because of the bubbles. Tests have revealed the gas is not flammable, suggesting it is not a hydrocarbon or natural gas leak. Daily readings continue to show no explosive risks to the community or boaters. Scientists with the state Department of Environmental Quality have started using air monitors to check the property surrounding the bayous for flammable gases. Thibodaux-based Acadian Gas Pipeline System and Dallas-based Crosstex Energy have pipelines beneath the floor in the bayous, and employees are working to shut off the lines to see if that makes a difference.
Blasting through some of the mud above the pipelines did not indicate the source of the bubbles. Chevron is also working with Assumption Parish because that company owns a salt dome storage cavern containing natural gas. Preliminary information from the state Department of Natural Resources suggests Chevron's dome is not the source of the bubbles. Acadian Gas owns the other salt dome in the area that contains natural gas, and employees are working to determine if the gas bubbles may be related to its dome. However, that company's cavern is about a mile and a half away from the bubbling area, while Chevron's is about 3,800 feet away.
New Jersey - Mysterious booms in Rockaway. Loud and unexplained “booms” heard in one part of town several times this week were small and shallow earthquakes. Police were inundated with phone calls about the booms.
VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams
New Zealand volcano shows signs of activity after 35 years of dormancy - Tongariro sees sharp increase in earthquakes. The volcanic alert level has been raised for Mt Tongariro following a series of earthquakes. Small earthquakes were recorded beneath the central North Island mountain on July 13. They died down but flared up again on July 18 and increased in frequency. Usually such quakes only occur at Tongariro at an average rate of two per year but in the past week more than 20 have been recorded, including some on Friday. The earthquakes are all small in magnitude, at less than 2.5 magnitude.
Mt Tongariro is a volcanic complex that lies to the north of Ngauruhoe and consists of numerous craters and vents. Tongariro as a massive complex of volcanic cones and craters formed by eruptions from at least 12 vents over more than 275,000 years. Erosion during the last Ice Age wore away what was once a substantial mountain.
Scientists and locals have dismissed immediate chances of a large eruption. Volcanologists are continuing to monitor the earthquake activity. GNS Science will be deploying seismic recorders around the epicentres of the earthquakes and sampling selected hot springs, crater lakes and fumaroles in the area.
TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Pacific -
Tropical storm 09w (Vicente) was located approximately 180 nm south-southeast of Hong Kong.
Tropical storm Vicente is forecast to strike China at about 12:00 GMT on July 23.
Tropical Storm Khanun kills at least 7 in North Korea - Tropical storm Khanun destroyed scores of houses, buildings and transportation infrastructure in southern parts of North Korea this week, killing at least seven people in the reclusive state. Hundreds of flights were grounded as the center of Khanun passed directly through the heart of South Korea's capital city of Seoul on Thursday.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
China - 20 now reported dead in RECORD RAINS. Beijing has been hit by heavy rain, killing 10 there and forcing the evacuation of 30,000 people from its outlying districts. It was the HEAVIEST RAIN IN 61 YEARS. More downpours are forecast for northeast and southwest China.
Torrential rain pounded the capital all day on Saturday, leading to the evacuation of more than 30,000 people, mostly from Beijing's outlying mountainous districts. A policeman who was electrocuted by a fallen power line during a rescue operation was among the fatalities, while others were killed in traffic accidents and roof collapses. The death toll could rise with media reports on Sunday saying numerous people, including rescue workers, were missing.
Meanwhile three bodies were recovered on Sunday in Beijing's mountainous Fangshan region where several landslides were reported. Up to 46 centimetres of rain fell in Fangshan district, THE MOST RAIN TO HIT THE CITY IN A 14-HOUR PERIOD SINCE RECORDS BEGAN in 1951. The average rainfall throughout the capital during the period amounted to 16.4 centimetres. Numerous roads in the city were submerged under up to a metre of water, while 475 flights were cancelled. Despite the damage, the rain was largely welcomed in drought-prone northern China which has suffered from a lack of rain over the last decade.
