November 23, 2014 - ICELAND - A volcano sitting beneath Iceland's Mýrdalsjökull ice cap isdue for a "big" eruption, Nasa has said.Satellite images showing Mýrdalsjökull reveal the ice cap has shrunk dramatically over the last 30 years, and experts believe this is a result of recent volcanic episodes.
The
images, from Nasa's Earth Observatory, show before and after photos of
the ice cap - the first from September 2014, the second from September
1986.
More than half of Iceland's ice caps and glaciers sit
either directly above or near active volcanoes, meaning fire and ice
often unite.
Mýrdalsjökull sits above the Katla volcano, on the
country's southern tip. This volcano normally erupts about twice every
100 years, with the last being in 1918.
After and before shot shows how ice cap has changed.(Nasa Earth Observatory)
Image of Mýrdalsjökull Ice Cap from 1986(Nasa Earth Observatory)
The ice cap seen in September 2014.(Nasa Earth Observatory)
Scientists say this
indicates the volcano is due to blow: "Katla has been 'due' for a while
now," said Throstur Thorsteinsson of the University of Iceland. "There
have been episodes of seismic activity, but still no big eruptions."
Researchers say there have been signs of small glacial outburst floods -
indicating small volcanic events are taking place, "but nothing has
been well confirmed," Thorsteinsson said.
The latest image from
September shows the southwest-central part of the ice cap with dimple
like features known as ice cauldrons, which are caused by geothermal
heat from the volcano. Along the northern part, ablation has exposed
brown bands of ash deposited by past eruptions.
"A few of the
bands are likely from Hekla, a stratovolcano with relatively frequent
eruption events," Nasa said in a statement. "Across the middle of the
ice cap, the dark surface can likely be attributed to more recent
volcanic episodes."
Researchers also said global warming has led to the ice cap to retreat, with a steady decline since the 1990s. - IBT.
November 23, 2014 - AFGHANISTAN - A suicide bombing has reportedly killed 50 people at a volleyball tournament in eastern Afghanistan, local officials say.
Mokhis
Afghan, spokesman for the provincial governor of Paktika province,
bordering Pakistan, told AP the attack happened during an inter-district
tournament attended by a large crowed in the Yahyakhail district late
Sunday afternoon.
The suicide bomber was walking among hundreds of
spectators who had gathered to watch the volleyball tournament final
when the device was detonated, he says.
Afghan said at
least 50 more were wounded in the bombing, with the casualty count
expected to rise. Most of the casualties were civilians. It is the
deadliest such attack to hit the country in months. So far, no one has
claimed responsibility for the bombing.
President Ashraf Ghani has condemned the attack.
On
January 1, 2010, a similar suicide attack on a volleyball match in
northwest Pakistan killed 105 and injured over 100 more. It was widely
believed the attack was retaliation against villagers in Shah Hasan Khel
– Lakki Marwat District – who had formed a pro-government militia to
fight against the Taliban.
In the weeks leading up to the attack, militants had promised to kill anyone who joined the militia.
Paktia
was once one of the most chaotic provinces in the Afghanisan, though
the security situation has improved in recent years. Bordering the
Pakistani-ruled tribal areas of North Waziristan, Bannu and the Kurram
Tribal Agency, parts of Paktia are used by militants from the Haqqani
network and other Taliban fighters as a safe haven.
Meanwhile, Sunday's bombing comes on the same day Afghanistan’s parliament signed off on an agreement that will allow NATO forces to stay in the country beyond 2014.
The
new agreement, ratified Sunday, allows the NATO-led International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to maintain a total of 12,000 troops in
Afghanistan next year. After a 152-5 vote, Nazifullah Salarzai,
spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, said the foreign troops
will "train, advise and assist Afghan security forces.
In ratifying the deal, Afghan MPs made no mention of foreign troops taking part in combat operations against Taliban fighters. According to
a recent New York Times report, however, a secret order extending the
direct combat role for US troops was signed by President Barack Obama. -
RT.
November 23, 2014 - PHILIPPINES -
At least nine volcanic quakes were recorded from the restive Mayon
Volcano in the last 48 hours, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology
and Seismology said Sunday.
Three were registered on Saturday and six on Friday.
In
its 8 a.m. update, Phivolcs also recorded an emission of white
"moderate to voluminous" steam plumes that drifted west-southwest,
west-northwest, northeast, and southeast. Also, it recorded a crater
glow at Intensity I Friday night.
Phivolcs likewise observed a crater glow at Intensity I Saturday night.
Also, Phivolcs said Mayon's alert level remains at 3, meaning an eruption is still likely within weeks.
More
than 12,000 families were evacuated from their homes in Mayon's danger
zone since mid-September, when Phivolcs raised the alert level at Mayon
to 3.
Last November 3, the Office of Civil Defense allowed
residents in the seven- to eight-kilometer extended danger zone to
return home for now.
On November 4, many families whose homes were with in the extended danger zone were allowed to go home. - GMA Network.
November 23, 2014 - ASIA
- The damage from an overnight earthquake in a mountainous area of
central Japan that hosted the 1998 winter Olympics proved more extensive
than initially thought. A daylight assessment Sunday found at least 50
homes destroyed in two villages, and 41 people injured across the
region, including seven seriously, mostly with broken bones, officials
said.
Damage worse than thought in Japanese earthquake
The
magnitude-6.7 earthquake struck shortly after 10 p.m. Saturday west of
Nagano city at a depth of 5 kilometers (3 miles), the Japan
Meteorological Agency said. The agency revised the magnitude and depth
from initial estimates. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude
of 6.2. Since the quake occurred inland, there was no possibility of a
tsunami.
Ryo Nishino, a restaurant owner in Hakuba, a ski
resort village west of Nagano, told Japanese broadcaster NHK that he had
"never experienced a quake that shook so hard. The sideways shaking was
enormous." He said he was in the restaurant's wine cellar when the
quake struck, and that nothing broke there.
Japan's Nuclear
Regulation Authority said no abnormalities were reported at three
nuclear power plants in the affected areas. All of Japan's nuclear
plants are offline following a magnitude-9.0 earthquake and massive
tsunami in 2011 that sent three reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant
into meltdown. Fukushima is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) northeast
of where Saturday's earthquake occurred.
The hardest-hit area
appeared to be Hakuba, which hosted events in the 1998 winter games. At
least 43 homes were destroyed there, and 17 people injured, national and
local disaster agencies said. Another seven homes were lost in Otari, a
nearby village to the north. Non-residential buildings were also
destroyed, with officials assessing the extent.
Houses damaged by an earthquake are seen in Hakuba, Nagano prefecture, in this photo taken by Kyodo, Nov. 23, 2014.
This aerial photo shows houses collapsed after a strong earthquake hit Hakuba, Nagano near a ski resort Sunday local time.
Firefighters and rescuers examine buildings collapsed after the 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Hakuba.
Local residents look at a collapsed house after a strong earthquake hit
the area the night before, in Hakuba, Nagano prefecture, on Nov. 23.
An aerial view shows collapsed houses after an earthquake in Hakuba
town, Nagano prefecture, in this photo taken by Kyodo on Nov. 23.
Japanese
television footage showed buildings in various states of collapse, some
flattened and others leaning to one side, and deep cracks in the roads. A
landslide spilled onto a railroad track, forcing service to stop. About
200 people from Hakuba and Otari had evacuated to shelters.
Shigeharu Fujimori, a Nagano prefecture disaster management official,
said it was fortunate there haven't been any deaths reported despite the
extent of the damage.
More than 20 people trapped under
collapsed houses were rescued, the National Police Agency told Japan's
Kyodo news agency. Japanese television showed police going house to
house Sunday morning, calling out to make sure that inhabitants were
accounted for.
WATCH: Damage worse than thought in Japanese earthquake.
"The hardest-hit area was in the mountains and
sparsely populated, where neighbors have a close relationship and help
each other," Fujimori said. "So I don't think anyone has been forgotten
or left isolated."
Shinkansen bullet train service in the
region was restored after a short interruption. Chubu Electric Power Co.
said 200 homes remained without power on Sunday.
The quake has
been followed by more than 60 aftershocks, and Meteorological Agency
official Yohei Hasegawa urged residents to watch out for landslides. The
area was struck by a magnitude-6.7 earthquake the day after the huge
March 2011 quake. - AP.
6.8
[quake] jolted central Japan on Saturday evening… felt in the capital
Tokyo 180 km away… an advanced party of Japan’s military had been sent…
“the tremor was too strong to stand,” said… an NHK employee. - Reuters.
Helicopter
surveys on Sunday showed more extensive damage than earlier thought
from an overnight earthquake… footage showed buildings in various states
of collapse, some flattened and others leaning… and deep cracks in the
roads… The quake was followed by more than 45 aftershocks… [Officials]
urged residents to watch out for landslides. - AP.
A
powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake… halted high-speed train service,
caused several major roads to collapse and shut down others because of
landslides. - Voice of America.
Nagano
prefecture government has enforced the disaster relief law… [Officials]
warned of possible strong aftershocks… the government has set up a
disaster relief office. - Xinhua.
One
of the strongest ever felt in recent years by residents… Ryo Nishino, a
restaurant owner… “never experienced a quake that shook so hard…
shaking was enormous.”… The earthquake was felt across much of northern
Japan… the Meteorological Agency… warned of further aftershocks. - AP.
21
aftershocks in the 90 minutes following the quake [and] tremors
continued… “an aftershock registering upper 5 could occur in the coming
week,” an agency official said… The quake was felt in wide areas from
[including] Tohoku in north-eastern Japan… train systems in… Tohoku,
Yamagata, Akita, Joetsu and Nagano… temporarily stopped. - ABC Australia.
Footage
showed flattened wooden houses… “It’s quite a strong earthquake for an
inland one,” an official at the Japanese agency told a midnight press
conference. “We are worried about the extent of damage to houses and
buildings,” he said… police and municipal officials said they were still
scrambling to collect information as they were operating in the dark…
The meteorological agency warned strong aftershocks could still occur in
the coming week. - AFP. Japanese officials warn of quake aftershocks
— Officials at Japan’s Meteorological Agency are warning people to be
on the alert for aftershocks in the days ahead after a magnitude 6.7
earthquake… The tremor registered intensities of 6-minus on the Japanese
scale of 7. - NHK.
Fukushima is about 155 miles northeast of where Saturday’s earthquake occurred. - FOX News.
Five killed, 80,000 affected in earthquake in China
In this Saturday, Nov. 23, 2014 photo, injured people receive medical
treatment at a hospital in Kangding County, Sichuan province, China. A
strong earthquake
that hit a sparsely populated, mountainous area of
western China killed at least five people and injured more than 50
others, officials said Sunday.
(AP Photo/Xinhua, Li Qiaoqiao)
China
on Sunday launched an all-out rescue operation after a powerful
6.3-magnitude earthquake struck quake-prone Sichuan Province, killing at
least five people and affecting nearly 80,000 others.
Fifty-four
people were injured, including six in critical condition and another
five suffering severe injuries, latest updates said.
Chinese
leaders have urged all-out rescue efforts after the quake hit the Garze
Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province yesterday.
"The death toll from the quake rose to five," officials said.
"The
provincial and civil affairs authorities must be swift in organising
rescue and relief work and do their best to minimise casualties," said
President Xi Jinping, who was on a state-visit to Fiji.
Nearly
80,000 people have been affected by the quake and 25,000 houses were
damaged. About 6,200 people had been relocated, the provincial civil
affair department said in a statement.
A 35-member rescue team of
armed police has arrived at Tagong township, the epicenter, two hours
after the quake occurred. Six military aircraft, 60 medical staff and
nearly 1,000 soldiers and militia are ready for mission call, the
state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
Premier Li Keqiang has also ordered immediate verification of the damage and all-out rescue and relief efforts.
He asked state disaster relief authorities to send work teams as appropriate to guide local quake relief.
The
China Earthquake Administration and Sichuan Provincial Earthquake
Administration launched Grade II emergency response and sent work teams
to Kangding. Power facilities, tents and quilts have also been sent to
the quake-hit areas.
Sichuan, neighbouring the Tibet Autonomous Region, is a mountainous and quake-prone area.
A massive 8.0-magnitude earthquake struck Wenchuan of the province on May 12, 2008 and left more than 80,000 people dead.
Another 196 people were killed in the 7.0-magnitude quake that hit Lushan in April last year. - ZEE News.
Israel Air Force planes fly over Tel Aviv. (Photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
November 23, 2014 - ISRAEL -
Historic negotiations with Iran will reach an inflection point on
Monday, as world powers seek to clinch a comprehensive deal that will,
to their satisfaction, end concerns over the nature of its vast,
decade-old nuclear program.
But reflecting on the deal under discussion with The Jerusalem Post on
the eve of the deadline, Israel has issued a stark, public warning to
its allies with a clear argument: Current proposals guarantee the
perpetuation of a crisis, backing Israel into a corner from which
military force against Iran provides the only logical exit.
The deal on the table
World
powers have presented Iran with an accord that would restrict its
nuclear program for roughly ten years and cap its ability to produce
fissile material for a weapon during that time to a minimum nine-month
additional period, from the current three months.
Should Tehran
agree, the deal may rely on Russia to convert Iran's current uranium
stockpile into fuel rods for peaceful use. The proposal would also
include an inspection regime that would attempt to follow the program's
entire supply chain, from the mining of raw material to the syphoning of
that material to various nuclear facilities across Iran.
Israel's
leaders believe the best of a worst-case scenario, should that deal be
reached, is for inspections to go perfectly and for Iran to choose to
abide by the deal for the entire decade-long period.
But "our
intelligence agencies are not perfect," an Israeli official said. "We
did not know for years about Natanz and Qom. And inspection regimes are
certainly not perfect. They weren't in the case in North Korea, and it
isn't the case now – Iran's been giving the IAEA the run around for
years about its past activities."
"What's going to happen with that?" the official continued. "Are they going to sweep that under the rug if there's a deal?"
On
Saturday afternoon, reports from Vienna suggested the P5+1 – the US,
United Kingdom, France, Russia, China and Germany – are willing to stop
short of demanding full disclosure of any secret weapon work by Tehran.
Speaking to the Post, a senior US official rejected concern over limited surveillance capabilities, during or after a deal.
"If
we can conclude a comprehensive agreement, we will have significantly
more ability to detect covert facilities – even after its duration is
over – than we do today," the senior US official said. "After the
duration of the agreement, the most intrusive inspections will continue:
the Additional Protocol – which encompasses very intrusive
transparency, and which Iran has already said it will implement – will
continue."
But compounding Israel's fears, the proposal Jerusalem
has seen shows that mass dismantlement of Iran's nuclear infrastructure
– including the destruction, and not the mere warehousing, of its parts
– is no longer on the table in Vienna.
"Iran's not being asked
to dismantle the nuclear infrastructure," the Israeli official said,
having seen the proposal before the weekend. "Right now what they're
talking about is something very different. They're talking about
Ayatollah Khamenei allowing the P5+1 to save face."
Officials in
the Netanyahu government are satisfied that their ideas and concerns
have been given a fair hearing by their American counterparts. They
praise the US for granting Israel unprecedented visibility into the
process.
But while those discussions may have affected the talks
at the margins, large gaps – on whether to grant Iran the right to
enrich uranium, or allow it to keep much of its infrastructure – have
remained largely unaddressed.
"It's like the chemical weapons
deal in Syria," the official said. "They didn't just say: Here, let's
get rid of the stockpile and the weapons, but we will leave all the
plants and assembly lines."
'Sunset clause'
Yet,
more than any single enforcement standard or cap included in the deal,
Israel believes the Achilles' heel of the proposed agreement is its
definitive end date – the sunset clause.
"You've not dismantled
the infrastructure, you've basically tried to put limits that you think
are going to be monitored by inspectors and intelligence," said the
official, "and then after this period of time, Iran is basically free to
do whatever it wants."
The Obama administration also rejects
this claim. By e-mail, the senior US administration official said that,
"'following successful implementation of the final step of the
comprehensive solution for its duration, the Iranian nuclear program
will be treated in the same manner as that of any non-nuclear weapon
state party to the NPT – with an emphasis on non-nuclear weapon."
"That has in no way changed," the American official continued, quoting the interim Joint Plan of Action reached last year.
But
the treatment of Iran as any other signatory of the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty –189 countries are members, including Iran –
would allow Tehran to ultimately acquire "an industrial-sized
capability," the Israelis say. "The breakout times [to a nuclear weapon]
will be effectively zero."
Israel and world powers seek to
maximize the amount of time they would have to identify non-compliance
from a nuclear deal, should Iran choose to defy its tenets and build a
bomb.
But in the deal under discussion in Vienna, Iran would be
able to comply with international standards for a decade and, from
Israel's perspective, then walk, not sneak, into the nuclear club.
"You've
not only created a deal that leaves Iran as a threshold nuclear power
today, because they have the capability to break out quickly if they
wanted to," the Israeli official contended. "But you've also legitimized
Iran as a military nuclear power in the future."
From the moment
this deal is clinched, Israel fears it will guarantee Iran as a
military nuclear power. There will be no off ramp, because Iran's
reentry into the international community will be fixed, a fait accompli,
by the very powers trying to contain it.
"The statement that
says we've prevented them from having a nuclear weapon is not a true
statement," the Israeli official continued. "What you've said is, you're
going to put restrictions on Iran for a given number of years, after
which there will be no restrictions and no sanctions. That's the deal
that's on the table."
Revisiting the use of force
Without
an exit ramp, Israel insists its hands will not be tied by an agreement
reached this week, this month or next, should it contain a clause that
ultimately normalizes Iran's home-grown enrichment program.
On
the surface, its leadership dismisses fears that Israel will be punished
or delegitimized if it disrupts an historic, international deal on the
nuclear program with unilateral military action against its
infrastructure.
By framing the deal as fundamentally flawed,
regardless of its enforcement, Israel is telling the world that it will
not wait to see whether inspectors do their jobs as ordered.
"Ten,
fifteen years in the life of a politician is a long time," the Israeli
said, in a vague swipe against the political directors now scrambling in
Vienna. "In the life of a nation, it's nothing."
Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu has threatened the use of force against Iran several
times since 2009, even seeking authorization from his cabinet in 2011.
Iran's program has since grown in size and scope.
According to
his aides, the prime minister's preference is not war, but the
continuation of a tight sanctions regime on Iran's economy coupled with a
credible threat of military force. Netanyahu believes more time under
duress would have led to an acceptable deal. But that opportunity, in
his mind, may now be lost.
Whether Israel still has the ability to strike Iran, without American assistance, is an open question. Quoted last month in the Atlantic magazine, US officials suggested that window for Netanyahu closed over two years ago.
But
responding to claims by that same official, quoted by Jeffrey Goldberg,
over Netanyahu's courage and will, the Israeli official responded
sternly: "The prime minister is a very serious man who knows the serious
responsibility that rests on his shoulders. He wouldn't say the
statements that he made if he didn't mean them."
"People have underestimated Israel many, many times in the past," he continued, "and they underestimate it now." - JPOST.
November 23, 2014 - OREGON, UNITED STATES - Two strong earthquakes struck off the coast of Oregon on Sunday, the 23rd of November, 2014.
According
to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the first temblor hit at 02:01:25
am local time at 43.798°N 128.408°W with a depth of 10.0km or 6 miles
and was measured as a 5.4 magnitude.
The second tremor, a 4.9 magnitude, occurred an hour later and also hit at a depth of 10.0km.
USGS shakemap intensity.
Maps
released by the USGS show the quake occurred close where the Pacific
plate meets the Juan de Fuca plate along the Blano Fracture Zone.
A tsunami warning has not been issued near Oregon, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center.
Oregon - Earthquake History
A
strong earthquake in Del Norte County, California, on November 22,
1873, caused chimney damage in many places as far north as Port Orford,
Oregon, and east to Jacksonville, California. The tremor was felt from
Portland to San Francisco and onboard ships at sea. Chimneys were
damaged (intensity VII) in the Portland area from an October 12, 1877,
earthquake apparently centered in the Cascade Mountains.
Another severe shock affected Portland on February 3, 1892. Buildings
swayed, and terrified people rushed into the street (VI). The earthquake
was felt strongly at Astoria and Salem; the total area affected covered
about 26,000 square kilometers. Some damage to buildings at Umatilla
(VI-VII) resulted from a March 6, 1893, earthquake. Details on this
shock are lacking.
On April 2, 1896, three shocks in
succession awakened everyone in McMinnville (VI). The main shock was
felt at Portland and Salem. A similar occurrence on April 19, 1906,
awakened people at Paisley (V). Three additional shocks followed within 1
1/2 hours. A strong earthquake on October 4, 1913, in the Seven Devils
Mountains of western Idaho broke windows and dishes (V) in the area. On
May 18, 1915, a sharp local earthquake rattled dishes, rocked chairs,
and caused some fright (V) at Portland; three shocks were reported.
Seismicity Map - 1973 to March 2012
Three shocks were felt at Fort Klamath (V) on April 14, 1920. The
center was probably in the vicinity of Crater Lake. People in a small
area around Cascadia felt an earthquake on February 25, 1921 (V). A
shock that was probably rather strong in an unsettled region of southern
Oregon occurred on January 10, 1923. Plaster fell at Alturas,
California, and the tremor was felt strongly (V) at Lakeview, Oregon.
The felt area extended to Klamath Falls. Another earthquake was felt
widely over a sparsely settled area in eastern Oregon on April 8, 1927.
The center was apparently in eastern Baker County; the maximum intensity
(V) was noticed at Halfway and Richland.
A damaging earthquake
occurred at 11:08 PM PST on July 15, 1936, near the State line between
Milton-Freewater, Oregon, and Walla Walla, Washington. The magnitude
5.75 shock affected an area of about 272,000 square kilometers in the
two States and adjacent Idaho. Ground cracking was observed about 6.5
kilometers west of Freewater, and there were marked changes in the flow
of well water (VII). Many chimneys were damaged at the roof level in
Freewater; in addition, plaster was broken, and walls cracked. Similar
damage was reported from Umapine. Total damage amounted to $100,000.
There were numerous aftershocks up to November 17; more than 20 moderate
shocks occurred during the night, and stronger ones were felt (V) on
July 18 and August 4 and 27.
A shock of intensity VI affected
about 13,000 square kilometers in the vicinity of Portland on December
29, 1941. A downtown display window was shattered, and a few other
windows were broken in other parts of Portland. The earthquake was also
felt strongly at Hillsboro, Sherwood (where many were frightened), and
Yamhill. The felt region extended into Washington; Vancouver and
Woodland experienced minor damage.
On April 13, a major
earthquake (magnitude 7.0) caused eight deaths and an estimated $25
million damage at Olympia, Washington, and a broad area around the
capital city. The depth of focus was estimated to be slightly greater
than normal, which, in part, accounted for the large felt area - 388,000
square kilometers in the United States. In Oregon, widespread damage
was observed, several injuries occurred at Astoria and Portland. A
maximum intensity of VIII was experienced at Clatskanie and Rainier,
where many chimneys twisted and fell, and there was considerable damage
to brick and masonry.
Minor damage in the Portland area
resulted from a December 15, 1953, shock. There was one report of a
cracked chimney and slight damage to fireplace tile (VI). Additional
reports of plaster cracking were received from Portland and Roy, Oregon,
and Vancouver, Washington. The total felt area covered about 7,700
square kilometers.
Similar damage occurred at Salem on
November 16, 1957, from an earthquake felt over a land area of 11,600
square kilometers in northwestern Oregon. The tremor frightened all in
the city (VI) and caused some cracked plaster in West Salem.
On August 18, 1961, another earthquake caused minor damage at Albany and
Lebanon, south of the 1957 center. The magnitude 4.5 shock was felt
(VI) by all in the two cities. Two house chimneys were toppled, and
plaster cracked. The felt region extended into Cowlitz County,
Washington; the total area was about 18,000 square kilometers. Portland
experienced another moderately strong shock on November 6, 1961. Slight
plaster cracking (VI) was the principal damage reported. Also, part of a
chimney fell, and windows and lights broke. The earthquake was felt
over a large area (about 23,000 square kilometers) of northwestern
Oregon and southwestern Washington.
A series of earthquakes
near the Oregon-California border began on May 26, 1968, and continued
daily through June 11. At Adel, old chimneys fell or were cracked, and
part of an old rock cellar wall fell (VI) from a magnitude 4.7 tremor on
June 3. Some ground fissures were noted in Bidwell Creek Canyon, near
Fort Bidwell, California. The total felt area in the two States covered
18,000 square kilometers.
Numerous other shocks located in
California, Idaho, Nevada, Washington, and offshore points affected
places in Oregon. The 1959 Hebgen Lake, Montana, earthquake was also
felt in the State; slight damage was reported at Richland. - USGS.
Quake swarms drawing more scrutiny - Seismologists are gathering further information about a recent increase in activity
Seismologists
have taken steps to better track an earthquake swarm in the sparsely
populated northwest corner of Nevada near Oregon and California.
The
placement of seismographs closer to the activity will improve experts’
ability to locate temblors and gain more information about them, said
officials at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Seismological
Laboratory.
No major damage has been
reported since the swarm began in July around the Sheldon National
Wildlife Refuge, about 40 miles southeast of Lakeview and 250 miles
north of Reno. The area is home to scattered ranches and farms.
“We’ve
been in contact with local residents, and they’ve been very helpful in
finding locations to install this additional instrumentation,” lab
director Graham Kent said in a statement. “Residents expressed an
eagerness to help, as they are feeling the daily barrage of magnitude 3
and 4 quakes.”
About 1,350 quakes have
been recorded during the swarm, but seismologists have been unable to
locate thousands more because of the small number of seismic stations in
the remote desert region.
They’re
calling it the strongest such swarm in Nevada’s recent history, with 12
magnitude-4.0-plus temblors and 112 quakes magnitude 3 or above. The
largest two events — both magnitude 4.7 — shook the area on Nov. 6 and
Nov. 7. Other swarms were felt near Hawthorne in 2011 and in Reno in
2008.
Kindergartners duck and cover during an earthquake and tsunami drill at
Blossom Gulch Elementary School in Coos Bay. University of Nevada
seismologists are tracking swarms of small quakes on the Oregon border.
(Jeff Barnard/The Associated Press)
This week saw about 50 small
quakes, including several measuring magnitude 3 and others measuring
magnitude 4.0 on Friday and 4.3 on Nov. 17, said Ken Smith, seismic
network manager of the seismological lab. “The activity has quieted down
somewhat this week, but it has had slowdown periods throughout, so we
are still closely monitoring the sequence,” Smith said Friday. “The
sequence, although slowing down somewhat, is still not over.”
There’s
a small increase in the probability of a larger event following such
swarms, experts said, but large quakes can’t be predicted.
“Right
now, it’s not making much impact on the nearest communities, but if
this gets into the magnitude-5 range a couple of communities will start
to see an impact, and if it reaches magnitude 6.0, which is always a
possibility in Nevada, we could see some impacts on people and damage to
structures,” Kent said.
Nevada, which is laced by faults, is the third most seismically active state in the nation behind California and Alaska.
Seven
temblors of magnitude 6.5 or higher jolted the state from 1900 to 1954,
with the last occurring east of Fallon in 1954 when two of magnitude 7
hit four minutes apart. A magnitude-6.0 temblor near the northeast
Nevada town of Wells on Feb. 21, 2008, was the biggest in the state in
four decades, causing nearly $10 million in damage.
Bill
Hammond of the university’s Nevada Geodetic Laboratory said that while
some residents wonder if the latest swarm is related to an extinct
volcano in the Sheldon wildlife refuge, experts think it stems from the
region’s faults.
“However, conclusively
ruling out a volcanic source will require the additional seismic and
geodetic measurements closer to the events,” Hammond said. - The Register Guard.
Two earthquakes struck near the town of San Juan Bautista in San Benito County late Wednesday night. CBS San Francisco
November 23, 2014 - CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES - Two moderate earthquakes have struck central California, one of which was widely felt across the region.
The
U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude-3.6 earthquake struck at
10:21 p.m. Wednesday and a magnitude-4.2 temblor struck five minutes
later. At least one smaller quake followed later.
The epicenter was about 2 miles south of San Juan Bautista and 11 miles northeast of Salinas.
Nearly 1,500 people reported on the USGS website that they felt the first quake and more than 30 reported the second.
USGS shakemap intensity.
There were no reports of damage. CBS San Francisco reports
that deeper quakes are less noticeable while a shallow quake-in the 0
to 40 mile depth range-can feel much stronger than their actual reported
magnitude.
Quakes just below the earth's surface, in the 0 to 10 miles
range, can cause even more damage at lower magnitudes.
Strong
earthquakes with an epicenter off the coast can trigger tsunamis,
depending on the size and type of the fault movement. The Pacific
Tsunami Warning Center tracks earthquake data for the West Coast. - CBS.
California - Earthquake History
The
first strong earthquake listed in earthquake annals for California
occurred in the Los Angeles region in 1769. Four violent shocks were
recorded by the Gaspar de Portola Expedition, in camp about 30 miles
southeast of Los Angeles center. Most authorities speculate, even though
the record is very incomplete, that this was a major earthquake.
Forty
persons attending church at San Juan Capistrano on December 8, 1812,
were killed by a strong earthquake that destroyed the church. Many
mission buildings were severely damaged there and at San Gabriel. The
shock probably centered on a submarine fault offshore.
A violent shock near Fort Tejon in January 1857
threw down buildings and large trees at the Fort. It was also severe in
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Sacramento. This earthquake has been
compared to that of April 1906; both caused extensive displacement along
the San Andreas Fault. One source notes, "The magnitude of the two
events cannot have differed greatly."
A strong earthquake occurred
on the Hayward Fault, the principal active branch of the San Andreas in
central California, in October 1868. Some 30 persons were killed in the
region. Damage was severe at San Francisco; many buildings were wrecked
at Hayward and San Leandro. Until 1906, this shock was often referred
to as "the great earthquake."
USGS Seismicity Map - 1973 to March 2012
An earthquake in the Sierra - Nevada Fault system in March 1872,
killed 27 people at Lone Pine and destroyed 52 of 59 adobe houses. Near
Owens Lake, numerous depressions formed between cracks in the earth.
One area 200 to 300 feet wide sank 20 to 30 feet; several long, narrow
ponds formed. Thousands of aftershocks, some severe, appear to have
occurred.
Nearly all brick structures were wrecked, and many frame
buildings were damaged in Vacaville by an earthquake on April 19, 1892.
Damage was similar at Winters and Dixon, two small towns nearby. Ground
fissures were noted in the area. The shock centered north of Santa
Rosa, in the Healdsburg Fault area.
On Christmas Day of 1899, six
persons died and several were injured at Saboba, near San Jacinto, by a
strong shock. At nearby Hemet, nearly all brick buildings were severely
damaged, with only two chimneys remaining upright. This shock occurred
on the San Jacinto Fault, and has been compared to the April 1918
(magnitude 6.8) shock in the same region.
Seven hundred persons died on April 18, 1906,
in one of the greatest earthquakes ever to hit California. Damage was
extensive in San Francisco, and was increased perhaps tenfold by raging
fires. Total damage was estimated at over $500 million.
Two
destructive shocks nearly one hour apart caused about $1 million
property damage in southern Imperial Valley on June 22, 1915. Six
persons were killed and several injured by the second quake at Mexicali,
located just inside the Mexican border. Unstable banks of the New and
Alamo Rivers caved in many places. Magnitude 6 1/4, both shocks.
A
shock on the San Jacinto Fault in April 1918 caused heavy damage at San
Jacinto and Hemet. Only one new concrete and one frame building
remained standing in the business section of San Jacinto; property loss
was about $200,000. The dry earth surface was broken up, as though by a
harrow, in the San Jacinto Fault area southeast of Hemet. One auto was
carried off the road by a slide; many area roads were blocked. Magnitude
6.8.
USGS 2014 Seismic Hazard Map
Santa Barbara sustained $8 million damage and 13 fatalities
from an offshore shock in June 1925. The shock occurred in the Santa
Barbara Channel, on an extension of the Mesa Fault or the Santa Ynez
system. On State Street, the principal business thoroughfare, few
buildings escaped damage; several collapsed. One on marshy ground
withstood the shaking well, but its foundation sank 19 feet. The shock
occurred at 6:42 a.m., before many people had reported for work and when
streets were uncrowded, reducing death and injury. Magnitude 6.3.
The shock of November 1927
wrecked chimneys at Lompoc, shifted a house on its foundation, and
caused heavy earth and rockslides on steep slopes. Water spurted from
the ground in places; sand craters formed.
The Long Beach earthquake of March 1933
eliminated all doubts regarding the need for earthquake resistant
design for structures in California. Forty million dollars property
damage resulted; 115 lives were lost. The major damage occurred in the
thickly settled district from Long Beach to the industrial section south
of Los Angeles, where unfavorable geological conditions (made land,
water-soaked alluvium) combined with much poor structural work to
increase the damage. At Long Beach, buildings collapsed, tanks fell
through roofs, and houses displaced on foundations. School buildings
were among those structures most generally and severely damaged. The
epicenter was offshore, southeast of Long Beach, on the Newport -
Inglewood Fault. Magnitude 6.3.
Nine people were killed by the May
1940 Imperial Valley earthquake. At Imperial, 80 percent of the
buildings were damaged to some degree. In the business district of
Brawley, all structures were damaged, and about 50 percent had to be
condemned. The shock caused 40 miles of surface faulting on the Imperial
Fault, part of the San Andreas system in southern California. It was
the first strong test of public schools designed to be
earthquake-resistive after the 1933 Long Beach quake. Fifteen such
public schools in the area had no apparent damage. Total damage has been
estimated at about $6 million. Magnitude 7.1.
The towns of Tehachapi and Arvin were hit severely by the July 1952 Kern County earthquake.
Twelve persons died, many were injured, and $60 million property damage
was sustained. Damage to well designed structures was slight, but old
and poorly built buildings were cracked, and many collapsed. Reinforced
tunnels with walls 18 inches thick near Bealville were cracked, twisted,
and caved in; rails were shifted and bent info S-shaped curves. Near
Caliente, reinforced concrete railroad tunnels were demolished. Many
aftershocks occurred, three over 6 on the Richter scale. One aftershock
on August 22 (magnitude 5.8) centered near Bakersfield. It took two
lives and caused extensive damage to many already weakened buildings.
The Kern County earthquake, the largest with an epicenter in California
since 1906, originated on the White Wolf Fault. - USGS.
Map of earthquake epicenter northwest of Dallas. (Image from NBC 5, Dallas)
November 23, 2014 - TEXAS, UNITED STATES - A magnitude-3.3 earthquake has shaken North Texas.
The
U.S. Geological Survey said the quake occurred about 9:15 p.m. Saturday
and was centered about 2 miles beneath east Irving, 6 miles northwest
of Dallas.
The USGS said it was at least the fourth earthquake recorded in Irving in the last two months, the Dallas Morning News reported.
CBS
Dallas-Fort Worth reported the quake was felt over a wide area, likely
because it was relatively shallow. It was the strongest earthquake to
hit the Dallas area since September of 2009, which has experienced
several temblors since the summer.
USGS shakemap intensity.
James McLellan, a public
information officer for the Irving Police Department, told CBS News
there were no reports of damage or injuries.
Small earthquakes
have become more common recently in Texas and Oklahoma. Last month, the
Texas Railroad Commission amended rules for disposal well operators amid
concerns that high-pressure injections can trigger earthquakes.
Geologists
say earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 to 3.0 are generally the smallest that
are felt by humans and that damage is not likely as a result of quakes
below magnitude 4.0. - KXAN | CBS.
Tectonic Summary - Earthquakes in the Stable Continental Region
Natural Occurring Earthquake Activity
Most
of North America east of the Rocky Mountains has infrequent
earthquakes. Here and there earthquakes are more numerous, for example
in the New Madrid seismic zone centered on southeastern Missouri, in the
Charlevoix-Kamouraska seismic zone of eastern Quebec, in New England,
in the New York - Philadelphia - Wilmington urban corridor, and
elsewhere. However, most of the enormous region from the Rockies to the
Atlantic can go years without an earthquake large enough to be felt, and
several U.S. states have never reported a damaging earthquake.
Earthquakes
east of the Rocky Mountains, although less frequent than in the West,
are typically felt over a much broader region than earthquakes of
similar magnitude in the west. East of the Rockies, an earthquake can be
felt over an area more than ten times larger than a similar magnitude
earthquake on the west coast. It would not be unusual for a magnitude
4.0 earthquake in eastern or central North America to be felt by a
significant percentage of the population in many communities more than
100 km (60 mi) from its source. A magnitude 5.5 earthquake in eastern or
central North America might be felt by much of the population out to
more than 500 km (300 mi) from its source. Earthquakes east of the
Rockies that are centered in populated areas and large enough to cause
damage are, similarly, likely to cause damage out to greater distances
than earthquakes of the same magnitude centered in western North
America.
USGS Seismicity Map - 1973 to March 2012
Most earthquakes in North America east of the Rockies
occur as faulting within bedrock, usually miles deep. Few earthquakes
east of the Rockies, however, have been definitely linked to mapped
geologic faults, in contrast to the situation at plate boundaries such
as California's San Andreas fault system, where scientists can commonly
use geologic evidence to identify a fault that has produced a large
earthquake and that is likely to produce large future earthquakes.
Scientists who study eastern and central North America earthquakes often
work from the hypothesis that modern earthquakes occur as the result of
slip on preexisting faults that were formed in earlier geologic eras
and that have been reactivated under the current stress conditions. The
bedrock of Eastern North America is, however, laced with faults that
were active in earlier geologic eras, and few of these faults are known
to have been active in the current geologic era. In most areas east of
the Rockies, the likelihood of future damaging earthquakes is currently
estimated from the frequencies and sizes of instrumentally recorded
earthquakes or earthquakes documented in historical records.
Induced Seismicity
As
is the case elsewhere in the world, there is evidence that some central
and eastern North America earthquakes have been triggered or caused by
human activities that have altered the stress conditions in earth's
crust sufficiently to induce faulting. Activities that have induced felt
earthquakes in some geologic environments have included impoundment of
water behind dams, injection of fluid into the earth's crust, extraction
of fluid or gas, and removal of rock in mining or quarrying operations.
In much of eastern and central North America, the number of earthquakes
suspected of having been induced is much smaller than the number of
natural earthquakes, but in some regions, such as the south-central
states of the U.S., a significant majority of recent earthquakes are
thought by many seismologists to have been human-induced. Even within
areas with many human-induced earthquakes, however, the activity that
seems to induce seismicity at one location may be taking place at many
other locations without inducing felt earthquakes. In addition, regions
with frequent induced earthquakes may also be subject to damaging
earthquakes that would have occurred independently of human activity.
Making a strong scientific case for a causative link between a
particular human activity and a particular sequence of earthquakes
typically involves special studies devoted specifically to the question.
Such investigations usually address the process by which the suspected
triggering activity might have significantly altered stresses in the
bedrock at the earthquake source, and they commonly address the ways in
which the characteristics of the suspected human-triggered earthquakes
differ from the characteristics of natural earthquakes in the region. - USGS.
November 23, 2014 - ROMANIA
- An earthquake with the magnitude of 5.6 degrees on the Richter scale
took place in the Vrancea seismic area in Romania on Saturday evening,
shortly after 9:00 PM.
The depth of the quake was 40 kilometres, which is why it was felt quite strongly around the epicentre.
The
earthquake was felt in the capital Bucharest, as well as in other
cities in the Muntenia, Moldova, and Dobrogea regions - South, North and
East.
It was felt for more than 30 seconds, according unofficial estimates.
This was one of the strongest earthquakes felt in Romania in recent years and also the strongest this year.
The previous stronger earhquake was felt in Romania on October 6, 2013. That one was 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale.
Some mobile networks experienced technical problems after the quake, preventing users from making voice calls.
No material damages have been reported by publishing time of this article. - Romania Insider.
History of earthquakes in Romania
This
is a list of earthquakes in Romania, including any notable historical
earthquakes that have epicenters within the current boundaries of
Romania, or which caused significant effects in this area.
USGS Seismicity Map - 1900 to March 2012
Seismic hazard
The
seismicity of Romania is clustered in several epicentral zones:
Vrancea, Făgăraș-Câmpulung, Banat, Crișana, Maramureș and Southern
Dobruja. Other epicentral zones of local importance can be found in
Transylvania, in the area of Jibou and Târnava River, in northern and
western part of Oltenia, in northern Moldavia and in the Wallachian
Plain.
USGS Seismic Hazard Map
The Vrancea seismogenic zone is the most important among
these seismic zones, having in mind the energy, the extent of the
macroseismic effects and the persistent and confined character of the
earthquakes that occur in this area. Two belts of moderate and shallower
seismicity are emphasized in the other regions of the country: one
along the Southern Carpathians and the eastern edge of the Pannonian
Basin, the other along the Eastern Carpathians that extends towards SE
on the Peceneaga–Camena line.
Frequency of earthquakes
During
the last 1,000 years, according to historical data, it is thought that
17 earthquakes with 7 and over magnitude have occurred, which suggests a
mean for unleashing the energy of every 58 years. Statistically, the
magnitude 6 and over earthquakes in the Vrancea area occur approximately
every 10 years, magnitude 7 every 33 years, while those with 7.5
magnitude every 80 years.
November 23, 2014 - EARTH-
The following constitutes the latest reports of unusual and symbolic
animal behavior, mass die-offs, beaching and stranding of mammals, and
the appearance of rare creatures.
Thousands of dead fish wash up at Washoe Lake in Nevada, United States
Three
years of drought is taking its toll on Washoe Lake. The water is a few
hundred yards away from the boat dock, where the water used to reach.
That is leaving behind nothing but a muddy mess and thousands of dead
fish. Chris Healy is a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife.
He says the lake's water has receded much more quickly in the past few
weeks.
"This kind of thing happens, periodically, at Washoe
Lake," Healy said. "Unfortunately, all too often in the past couple of
decades."
The fish line the old shoreline for hundreds of
yards down the east side of the lake. Almost all of them are carp, and
Healy says if if they are dying, you know it's a bad situation.
"They
can survive some difficult problems with water, low oxygen levels, very
little water to survive in," Healy said. "But in this case, no water
means no survival."
Healy says in the early 1900s, the lake would
go dry about once every 20 years. It's much more common now, since the
area has been in a dry period for more than two decades.
"In the
last 20-plus years, there's four or five instances of these kinds of
things happening, with the lack of water, at Washoe Lake," Healy said.
This
is a much different scenario than we saw at the Sparks Marina, last
year, when thousands of fish washed up on shore because of cold water
temperatures and lack of wind.
"It caused what's called a violent
turnover," Healy said. "So, essentially, there was no oxygen in the
water. That means no oxygen and the fish all pass away."
WATCH: Thousands of Fish Die at Washoe Lake.
Washoe
Lake is only six to eight feet deep during a wet year, and NDOW doesn't
stock fish there because of the potential for the lake to dry up.
"We're
hoping we get an extended wet period and the day will come when we can
rebuild that modest fishing at Washoe Lake," Healy said.
Meanwhile,
the fish have been a source of food for other animals, whose tracks can
be found along the mud. Some fish have been partially eaten.
"You're
going to see raccoons out there," Healy said. "You're going to see
coyotes. You're going to see a lot of birds out there that will actually
clean up the mess."
NDOW says they don't plan to remove the
fish. Instead, they say they will leave them there and let nature take
care of the problem. - KTVN.
Barely surviving: Alaska's polar bear population falls 40% in 10 years
Reuters / Mathieu Belanger
Polar
bears are becoming an endangered species in Alaska, where their numbers
have fallen by 40 percent in a decade, says a new study. Poor ice
conditions linked to global warming, limiting access to their
traditional prey, may be to blame.
The number of polar bears in
the southern Beaufort Sea near Alaska dropped to 900 in the period from
2001 to 2010, says the study, led by scientists from the US Geological
Survey, as well as researchers from Canada and others from the US. The
research appeared in the journal Ecological Applications, published by the Ecological Society of America (ESA).
The
most drastic decline in the bear population was between 2004 and 2006
which led to 25-50 percent decline in abundance, says the research. “Of the 80 cubs observed in Alaska from 2004 to 2007, only two are known to have survived,” said Jeff Bromaghin, USGS research statistician and lead author of the study.
The scientists suggest that low survival during this period might have resulted from “unfavorable ice conditions that limited access to prey [seal] during multiple seasons; and possibly low prey abundance.”
They added that “continued climate warming and the ensuing loss of sea ice habitat” also may lead to the polar bears becoming extinct.
For reasons which are not yet clear to the researchers, the survival of adult bears and cubs began to improve in 2007 “and abundance [of polar bears] was comparatively stable from 2008 to 2010 with approximately 900 bears in 2010," the study’s final year. “The low survival may have been caused by a combination of factors that could be difficult to unravel,” said Bromaghin, “and
why survival improved at the end of the study is unknown. Research and
monitoring to better understand the factors influencing this population
continue.”
However, the paper states that survival of “subadult bears declined throughout the entire period.” The scientists suggest that conditions remained unfavorable for young bears newly separated from their mothers.
The authors of the study say that to more accurately predict what will happen to the bears, they need to understand “the ecological mechanisms underlying their population dynamics.”
According
Dr. Pete Ewins, WWF’s (World Wide Fund for Nature) Species Conservation
Specialist in Canada, the fall in the polar bear population “is a clear
warning sign of the impact a warming Arctic has on ice-dependent
species like the polar bear.” “We know human activities have
caused global wildlife populations to drop by over half in the last 40
years. We need to change course if we want to stop further habitat loss
and ensure resilient wildlife populations, both in the Arctic and around
the world,” said Margaret Williams, Managing Director for WWF’s Arctic program in Alaska.
Reuters / Mathieu Belanger
The
Polar Bear Specialists’ Group of the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature will use the new data to track the trends in 19
populations of polar bears worldwide. Four geographical groups,
including the one in the Beaufort Sea, are considered to be declining by
the scientists, five are stable and one is increasing.
As for the
others, the data is insufficient to make a clear assessment.
The
US Endangered Species Act put the polar bear, which mostly populate the
Arctic Circle, on the endangered species list in 2008. - RT.
Queensland woman fights off angry kangaroo with backpack
A Queensland woman has recounted the moment she fought off an angry kangaroo while walking to work.
Last Thursday's incident was the second time in a year a kangaroo has attacked someone in Toogoolawah,a small town about 120 kilometres northwest of Brisbane.
Petra Oligmuller suffered grazes and scratches in the most recent
encounter, which happened while she was walking to her job at the local
aged care centre at 6am.
Ms Oligmuller said she was on Ivory
Creek Road and about 50 metres from her destination when she spotted two
kangaroos in a paddock.
"One came across and stopped at the gully, then he roared at meand I froze," she told Fairfax Media.
"But he didn't stop. Then he came at me so I swung my backpack and he knocked me over and I ended up on the bitumen.
"Then he jumped the fence, looked at me, roared again and came for seconds. I don't know how I got up, but I raced to my workplace.
"I've walked that road for 14 years and never had anything like it...It really just scared the crap out of me."
Ms Oligmuller, who is 160 centimetres tall, said the angry roo was taller than her and managed to rip her backpack.
She said she she was lucky to have escaped serious injury and would drive to work from now on.
Toogoolawah Sergeant John Cumner said another woman had to be hospitalised after being attacked in her own property, which borders the town golf course.
"Kangaroos have encroached upon the township in the last 18 to 24
months more noticeably, obviously looking for the greener grass," he
said.
"It is certainly a very common sight to see kangaroos on the outskirts of town when they're looking for food.
"Like any native wildlife, we urge people to be aware and take precautions to avoid any confrontations.
"There's only been two incidents that I'm aware of this year.
"I hope it's not being blown out of proportion." - Brisbane Times.
Violent elk put down in Sweden after attack on woman
An
elk which kicked and trampled on a woman in northern Sweden has been
shot dead after the attack by the animal left her in hospital with
numerous injuries.
The incident occurred in Luleå on
Sunday afternoon when the woman was out walking her dogs. Local media
reported that she was close to her home when she encountered the elk, who kicked her to the ground and then trampled over her.
Witnesses rang the emergency services and the woman was rushed to the
local Sunderby hospital. Despite initial reports that the woman was
severely injured, she was later released from hospital after having
stitches on her lip and been treated for cuts and bruises.
"It
ended happily after all but what if it had been a small child that had
been attacked by an elk," the woman's partner Nils-Göran Berglund to the
Kuriren newspaper.
Berglund had been shovelling snow
in his driveway when he heard his partner scream out for help. He told
the newspaper that she was bleeding from her mouth but was fully
conscious when the ambulance arrived.
Following the attack the Norbotten police gave an order for the elk to be killed.
"She had been out with her dogs. Then the elk came along and rushed
past. To find out what happened and in what way is difficult to know,"
Catrin Hedqvist of the local police told the TT news agency.
Local
media reported that the elk attack was the second in the space of a few
days in the area. On Friday a 69-year-old man was also attacked when he
was walking his dog.
"It felt like I had been run over by a train," he told Kuriren.
Police suspect it may have been the same elk which attacked the woman on Sunday. The animal has since been put down.
Meanwhile the elk hunter who was attacked by a bear in eastern Sweden
on Saturday is making a good recovery in hospital. He fired two shots at
the bear, which has not yet been found by local authorities. - The Local.
Wild elephant tramples 11-year-old girl to death in Cambodia
Officials are calling an animal attack "unusual"after a wild elephant trampled an 11-year-old girl to death on Sunday near the Chi Phat eco-tourism zone in Koh Kong province.
At about 11am, the young girl, named Cheam Sokkhim, was fishing with her mother at a protected area when the male elephant emerged and went on a rampage, Koh Kong's Thmor Bang district police chief Saum Samei told the Post yesterday.
They ran, but the elephant started chasing after them, and then the daughter fell down.
The elephant then kicked and crushed her with its foot, according to Samei.
"This
is the first time this has happened," Samei said. "Before, elephants
used to be afraid of people, but now they chase people."
John Willis, director of programs for the preservation group Wildlife Alliance, which oversees Chi Phat, said elephant attacks are unheard of around the eco-tourism zone.
"There have been some elephant attacks in other provinces ... but we
haven't heard of any elephant attacks in Chi Phat," Willis said.
However, he added that a male elephant in the area was reported to be acting aggressively around the same time last year.
According to Samei, the elephants have grown bolder ever since Chi Phat became a popular tourist destination.
In 2013, Willis said that Wildlife Alliance recorded 2,000 international tourist visits in the area.
"There are banana and sugar plantations around there that tend to
attract elephants, and that might be a factor ... but as far as
elephants being acclimated to humans, I don't know if it is," Willis
said.
A Wildlife Alliance worker, who has not been authorised
to speak to the press, confirmed that the wild elephant has since
disappeared into the forest and that the NGO is looking at policies on
how to deal with the incident.
"This is a tourist site, so we
couldn't do anything to the animal," Samei said. "We only hope that
people would be more careful about this."
The family of the victim could not be reached. - PPP.
Farmer injured in repeated attacks by cow in New Zealand
A farmer injured after he was repeatedly attacked by one of his cows has been discharged from hospital.
The Tauranga-based Trustpower TECT Rescue helicopter was called to
Opotiki about midday on Saturday where a 50-year-old local farmer had
been injured.
A rescue helicopter spokesman said the farmer and his wife were working in the yards on their property with a herd of cows when one attacked the man three times.
The man suffered serious chest injuries, he said.
St John ambulance staff transported the man from his Otara Rd property
and drove him to the Opotiki airfield, before he was airlifted to
Whakatane Hospital.
An Otara Rd resident, who did not want to be named, said she heard sirens and "an ambulance screaming down the road".
"There was so much noise, the helicopter, the ambulance, we didn't know what was going on," she said.
"It wasn't until later that we found out what happened, that a man was attacked by a cow. How bizarre. It's not something you hear of every day is it?"
A Whakatane Hospital spokeswoman said the man was discharged yesterday morning and was recovering at home.
Federated Farmers Rotorua-Taupo president Alan Wills said he had heard of similar attacks, but they were rare.
"No it's not common or normal, but we do hear of these things from time to time.
"Generally when an animal attacks like this, the animal is in a
confined area, like a shed, yard or pen. They attack when they feel
cornered or threatened, when they just want out."
Mr Wills said
he had heard of an incident where a man was mauled by a bull on the
back of the truck, leaving him with a broken ankle.
Mr Wills said in general it was important people were careful when working with animals in confined spaces.
The incident is an example of one of the thousands of injuries caused
on farms each year. The national total of ACC claims for farming
injuries sits at 31,233.
In the Rotorua district, more than
2000 farming injuries were reported from 2011 to 2013 - costing the ACC
almost $2 million in payouts. - Rotorua Daily Post.
Gorilla in Berlin zoo throws rock at tourists
This
gorilla at Berlin zoo shows a group of unsuspecting Irish tourists
exactly what he thinks of their company, as he throws a rock at them
from close range
A gorilla at Berlin zoo shows a group of
Irish tourist exactly what he thinks of their company as he throws a
rock directly at their group.
WATCH: Gorilla gets tourist rage at Berlin zoo.
According to his Youtube account
Stefan Nolan and his friends were waiting for a flight back to Ireland
when they decided to visit Berlin zoo.
Finding themselves at the gorilla enclosure Stefan decided to film the impressive creature on his phone.
The gorilla approached the group then seemingly out of nowhere threw a rock at them from close range.
According to Mr Nolan, "apparently gorillas aren't a fan of the Irish ..." - Daily Telegraph.
The
Bundaberg Regional Council is hunting a rogue kangaroo which
hospitalised an elderly man, but some within council believe killing the
animal would be doing the State Government's dirty work.
Bevan
Irwin was locking his car outside his home at Bargara on September 14
when he was violently attack by a large male kangaroo.
Mr Irwin
suffered severe gashes to his head and stomach and spent two-and-a-half
weeks in the hospital at Bundaberg, including two visits to the
intensive care unit.
The 67-year-old considers himself lucky he wasn't killed.
Despite calls for the animal to be destroyed and reports of the same
kangaroo behaving aggressively towards other people, it is still on the
hop.
Almost two months after the attack, the Bundaberg Regional
Council and the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection are
still in disagreement over who should deal with the rogue roo.
Mayor Mal Forman said the council had been given a permit to euthanise the animal but was yet to do so.
"Council has a mitigation permit to deal with this kangaroo however
none of our staff are suitably qualified to handle kangaroo culling or
relocation, particularly one which is so large and has reportedly proven
to be aggressive," Cr Forman said.
"Council accepted the
permit as it was not willing to be left in a position that would render
us unable to legally act in the interests of community safety."
Bargara's divisional councillor Greg Barnes said the council should not
have to cover the cost of hiring an expert and had sought legal advice
over the "dispute" with the state government.
"We look after dogs, cats and chooks - not kangaroos, brumbies, dingoes and crocodiles," Cr Barnes said.
"We don't have any experience, we don't even know how to identify this
kangaroo other than it's a big roo, so we could quite easily go out
there and kill the wrong one."
The DEHP has erected signs
around the town warning visitors to keep away from kangaroos, which Cr
Barnes claimed was an acknowledgment of responsibility for dealing with
the situation.
A DEHP spokesperson said the department issued
damage mitigation permits to landholders or local authorities to manage
or remove problem native wildlife but was not responsible for managing
or removing the wildlife itself.
"EHP contacted Bundaberg
Regional Council about the situation when this incident originally
occurred and offered assistance should Council require a damage
mitigation permit to remove the kangaroo or any other macropods in the
area considered to be of concern," the spokesperson said.
"A
permit has been issued to Council giving them the authority to humanely
euthanize aggressive kangaroos where they pose a risk to public safety."
Mr Irwin, 67, has recovered from the attack but some of his wounds are still healing.
He said he feared for his life when he was attacked but would prefer the roo to be relocated rather than put down. "He went berserk... it was a terrifying thing," Mr Irwin said.
"He just kept kicking. If he didn't stop when he did I would have been dead.
"As long as he doesn't come back here I don't care." - The Courier-Mail.
