March 7, 2015 - EARTH - In the Fukushima Disaster Zone with UCLA researchers,
Mar 3, 2015: Four years after Fukushima disaster, some areas remain
untouched, clocks recording the exact time that the tsunami swept
through. Access is highly restricted but two UCLA researchers were
recently given permission to document the disaster zone. — at 3:45 in
— “With this study I think that’s what we’re trying to explore — is
that once a nuclear catastrophe strikes, it’s not only affecting that
local area, but also worldwide.”
Atmospheric dispersion of Iodine-131 released after the Fukushima event, by Giuseppe A. Marzo, ENEA (Italian National agency for new technologies, Energy and sustainable economic development), 2014: From March 12, 2011, a significant amount of radioactive material… discharged into the atmosphere…
Total emission of 131I has been estimated in [128** petabecquerels (PBq)], while 133Xe, and 137Cs total emissions have been estimated in [15,300 PBq and 36.6 PBq], respectively. In this work the global atmospheric dispersion of 131I released by the Fukushima accident is carried out, focusing on this specific radionuclide due to its radiological relevance in terms of consequences on the human health…
The image above summarizes the simulation results. It illustrates the radioactivity
concentration due to 131I released into the atmosphere at specific times
and integrated over the total atmospheric column. Immediately after the initial release on March 12, the plume moved eastward reaching the United States west coaston [March 15 at 10:00p PST]… In early April the plume extended over the entire northern hemisphere…
A significant accidental event occurred at the Fukushima NPPs… volatile
radionuclides such as 131I were transported away from the source posingsignificant concern on the safety of the population and the environment worldwide… the atmospheric dispersion of 131I [was] covering the entire northern hemisphere by early April… **According to a document released by TEPCO, “Our result shows a higher I-131 amount (500PBq)compared to the result obtained from a thirdparty organization (120-200PBq).”
WATCH: Fukushima Four Years Later - In The Disaster Zone.
Two people were able to walk away from a small plane crash Friday.
March 7, 2015 - OKLAHOMA, UNITED STATES - A
small plane crashed in a field in Bixby Friday afternoon but the pilot
and his passenger were able to walk away without any injuries.
The plane was mostly still intact after the crash landing- near 161st Street South and 151st East Avenue.
“It’s an antique aircraft. It’s one that’s been in the family for a long time,” said Scott Rabbit.
Rabbit said the plane has been in his family for more than 40 years and
that his 19-year-old grandson, Alexander Rabbit, was flying it when he
made the emergency landing.
Alexander Rabbit is a licensed pilot
who was flying a friend who is also a flight instructor. Officials said
that ground conditions and the pilot’s skill is what kept them safe in
the landing.
WATCH: Small plane crashes near Bixby.
“He did a great job getting it on the ground. They say that if you can walk from it, it’s a good landing,” said Scott Rabbit.
The cause of the emergency landing is under investigation. - FOX23.
March 7, 2015 - CANADA -
The District of Sechelt was scrambling this week after a
three-metre-deep sinkhole emerged on a residential property on Gale
Avenue North in the Seawatch subdivision on Feb. 26, prompting the
family to leave their home.
The District was scheduling
meetings with a geotechnical engineering firm it has retained and the
geotechnical firm connected with the developer, Concordia Seawatch Ltd.,
communications manager Connie Jordison said Wednesday.
Jordison said a second property could also be affected.
"There's a property across the road on lot 9 showing signs of there
being an impact on the driveway area, and that house I don't believe is
occupied," she said.
A meeting was held Tuesday night with a large group of residents to update them on the problem and the District's response.
The District is continuing to monitor the situation and closed a
portion of the road to vehicular traffic as a precautionary measure. - Coast Reporter.
March 7, 2015 - ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES -
Did little green men take a cruise in their spaceship over Alton?
Probably not — but something strange in the sky caught the attention of
several Telegraph readers Thursday evening.
According to Robert Lunsford of the American Meteor Society (AMS), reports of a fireball came from across the state Thursday evening.
"The sightings were clustered right around Chicago," Lunsford said.
"We've only received a couple from the St. Louis area. We have 34 total
sightings. St. Louis seems to be on the southwestern edge of our
reports. It was apparently seen as far away as Ann Arbor, Michigan."
Lunsford added that similar sightings came from Texas and Louisiana
around 2 a.m. Friday. He said the southern fireball had about half as
many reports as the one over Illinois. Such bright fireballs are common
in February, March and April, he added.
"This is the peak time for evening fireballs," he said. "I have no doubt that it was a meteor."
Lunsford said most of the reports claimed to have seen a large green
fireball, but some were blue or yellow. According to Lunsford, the
seemingly strange colors are actually quite common when a large chunk of
space debris enters Earth's atmosphere.
"Entering the atmosphere excites the oxygen molecules and creates a sort of greenish glow," he said.
The AMS is still investigating the case, which includes looking for
evidence that the meteor metamorphosed into a meteorite by hitting the
surface of Earth.
"There's still a possibility that it did,"
Lunsford said. "We look for signs of sonic booms that indicate that the
object entered the lower atmosphere. We haven't had any of those so
far."
Social media in the Riverbend was abuzz with chatter
about the fireball — or whatever it was — late Thursday and early
Friday. Facebook user Jason Cox wrote on the Telegraph's wall that he saw the object around 8:30 p.m. Thursday evening while traveling north on Homer Adams Parkway off Broadway.
Another user, Berthal Allsman said he saw a similar object on Homer Adams Parkway and described it as "kool as h—-."
Mandi Carroll wrote that she saw it while driving on Missouri Route 367 towards Alton.
Most Facebook users that claimed to have seen the object on the Telegraph's page described it as a meteor. Others jokingly theorized that it was a spaceship, a methamphetamine lab explosion or popular Star Trek character Spock, portrayed by the recently deceased Leonard Nimoy, reaching his destination on the final frontier.
The Alton Police Department said that they did not receive any calls on
the matter. Alton Police spokesperson Emily Hejna speculated that it
was most likely not a visiting life form from the far reaches of the
cosmos.
The Telegraph also reached out to NASA
regarding the matter, but nobody from the administration had responded
to the request as of press time. An official did confirm they were
investigating the reports, however. The official echoed the belief that
it was probably not a spaceship. - The Telegraph.
Train derailment a carrying crude oil causing a large.
March 7, 2015 - ONTARIO, CANADA
- A train carrying crude oil has derailed in Northern Ontario and burst
into flames. This is the fourth derailment in the province since the
start of the year.
CN Rail, the owner of the rail network in the
eastern Canadian province, said the crash took place at 2:45 am on
Saturday. No one was injured.
FILE PHOTO: Heavy equipment is used in an attempt to extinguish a fire after a crude oil train derailment 50 miles (80 km) south of Timmins, Ontario, February 16, 2015. (Reuters / Transportation Safety Board of Canada / Handout via Reuters)
Three roads near the community of Gogama, where the accident took place, have been sealed off for up to 36 hours.
The
$70-billion Canadian National Railway Company suffered its last
derailment in nearby Horneypayne just two days earlier, though there was
no chemical spillage in that crash.
But a massive explosion, also
in Gogama, just last month resulted in the spillage of more than 1
million liters of bitumen into the environment, after 15 carriage tanks
were breached, following yet another derailment. The authorities said
that the spill contaminated a nearby lake and pond, but insisted the
toxicity levels were not threatening to humans or wildlife.
Last
year Canadian authorities instituted more stringent safety standards for
rail cars carrying flammable liquids, and last month new rules
increased insurance liabilities for companies transporting dangerous
goods.
The measures are a response primarily to the Luc-Megantic
disaster of 2013, when an oil-laden train exploded after a derailment in
an urban area in Quebec, causing the deaths of 47 people.
The
industry has resisted sweeping measures, which it says will force it to
refit 50,000 train carriages in a decade, scuppering the oil-by-rail
revolution that has taken place in the last half decade, caused by
production expansion in Western Canada, and limits in pipeline capacity.
Canadian train tracks are expected to carry 700,000 barrels of oil a
day by next year, up from less than 300,000 in 2009. - RT.
Firefighters and police examine the smoldering wreckage after a
helicopter crashed near St. Louis University Hospital late Friday, March
6, 2015.
Photo by David Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
March 7, 2015 - MISSOURI, UNITED STATES
- The pilot of a medical helicopter was killed late Friday in a crash near St. Louis University Hospital, a spokesman for the St. Louis Fire Department said.
The pilot was the only person aboard the helicopter, which was bound for the hospital to pick up a crew when it went down about 11:13 p.m. near Spring Avenue and Rutger Street, just west of the hospital, fire Capt. Garon Mosby said.
Mosby said the cause of the crash had not been determined. Federal Aviation Administration investigators were on the scene Saturday morning, and National Transportation Safety Board investigators were on the way.
The helicopter had just left the ARCH Air Medical Services base at 2207 Scott Avenue, near Highway 40 (Interstate 64) and Jefferson Avenue. In an emailed statement, ARCH's parent company, Englewood, Colo.-based Air Methods, said the helicopter was an EC-130.
"We are deeply saddened by the news that our sole occupant, our pilot, was fatally injured, and our hearts go out to the pilot’s family," the statement said. "The FAA and the NTSB have our full cooperation as they investigate the accident."
Firefighters hose down smoldering wreckage from a helicopter crash at
St. Louis University Hospital on Friday, March 6, 2015.
Photo By David
Carson, dcarson@post-dispatch.com
Firefighters and police examine the smoldering wreckage after a
helicopter crashed near St. Louis University Hospital late on Friday,
March 6, 2015.
Officials report one person died. Photo by David Carson,
dcarson@post-dispatch.com
A St.
Louis Fire Department investigator looks at the smoldering wreckage of a
helicopter crash at Saint Louis University Hospital in St. Louis on
March 6, 2015. According to fire officials, the Arch medical helicopter
was arriving at the hospital to pick up a crew when the crash occured.
The pilot, who was killed, was the only person aboard. Photo by Bill
Greenblatt/UPI
In operation since 1979, ARCH Air Medical Service provides critical car ambulatory transportation from accident scenes and from hospitals and other medical institutions in Missouri and Illinois. Air Methods operates more than 450 aircraft nationwide in 48 states, including 363 helicopters through its air medical services division. According to its website, ARCH operates EC-130 helicopters from bases in Sullivan, Mo.; Warrenton, Mo.; Urbana, Ill.; and Springfield, Ill.
Witnesses at the scene said they saw the helicopter and then heard what sounded like an explosion.
Willie Thomas, 57, of Jennings, said he was sitting in his truck with his son outside the hospital waiting for his daughter, who was inside getting X-rays.
Just before the crash, Thomas said he and his son saw a helicopter flying low with a light shining down on them and on the hospital. Then it dropped. He thought it had landed until he saw people running toward the crash site.
WATCH: Witness Says Helicopter Crashed At SLU Hospital.
Kenneth Grady, 48, who lives near the hospital, said he heard what sounded like a truck dropping a large trash container and saw a fire with flames reaching as high as the top of a light pole.
"It rocked the neighborhood," Grady said.
Authorities were still investigating Saturday morning and had an area around the crash site blocked off. The hospital remained open. Dialysis patients needing access to Drummond Hall, at 3691 Rutger Street, can enter by going south on Spring Avenue from Chouteau Avenue.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the pilot," said SLU Hospital spokeswoman Laura Keller in an emailed statement. - St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
March 7, 2015 - THE BALKANS - A
man was killed in Bosnia and more than 100,000 homes across the Balkans
were without electricity on Friday after blizzards brought down power
lines and triggered landslides.
The Bosnian died when a tree, dislodged by a landslide, fell on his car near the central town of Zepce.
Dozens of motorists in southwest Bosnia were stranded by the snowstorm, which began on Thursday.
Authorities
said more than 50,000 households were without power in Bosnia and over
30,000 in Serbia. Many in Bosnia were also without running water because
electricity was cut to pumping stations.
"Teams are out in the field; they are facing heavy and wet snow and have
to constantly remove broken trees that damaged power lines," Milovan
Glisic, a Serbian electricity official, told Reuters.
A blizzard which dumped 2.5 meters (8 feet) of
snow on mountains around Sarajevo has isolated dozens of Bosnian
mountain villages and left them without electricity.
"We
are carrying out repairs constantly but the pace depends on the
weather; we hope to fix everything today," said Tamara Utvic,
spokeswoman for Serbia's electricity supplier, EPS. In
western Slovenia, about 1,200 households were without power. Gale-force
winds and driving rain along Croatia's Adriatic coast uprooted trees,
disrupting traffic and electricity supplies to some 24,000 homes.
In Montenegro, snow and strong winds prompted authorities on Friday to
issue a blizzard warning for mountainous regions. A number of roads were
closed for traffic.
Overnight, rescuers evacuated more than 40
people stranded in deep snow in mountains near the Montenegrin towns of
Niksic and Savnik, said Zlatko Micanovic, an official with Montenegro's
Department for Emergency Situations.
"Although we expect the weather to stabilize, more rescue actions are possible," he said. - Reuters.
Kids ignoring USCP regulations and sledding on House side of US Capitol amid snowstorm.
March 7, 2015 - UNITED STATES- It seems like March is the new winter in Washington.
If
yesterday’s snow wasn’t enough to make one yearn for spring, this
morning’s deep freeze might have been. Record lows were set for March 6
at both Dulles and Baltimore. Early-morning temperatures sank into
the single digits to the teens across the D.C. area. This is as much as
about 20 degrees below normal for lows.
Mesoanalysis model temperatures as of 7 a.m.
Friday, the typical time at which low temperatures are recorded for the
day. (weatherbell.com)
Let’s take a look at the
morning records locally and beyond — plus, keep in mind that near-record
cold lasts through today and tonight.
A look at where records were threatened or broken Friday morning. (coolwx.com/records)
Washington
Dulles International Airport dipped to 9 degrees this morning, colder
than the previous record 15-degree low on this date in 1978. Records at
Dulles go back to 1963.
Baltimore-Washington International
Marshall Airport fell to 10 degrees, besting the previous record of 13
degrees set most recently in 1901. The Baltimore and D.C. records go
back to the 1870s.
Reagan National Airport was the warm spot, as
usual, with a low of 15 degrees. Not a record, but 20 degrees below the
normal low of 35 degrees for the date.
NWS forecast for Friday night. Big-city stations where record lows are threatened are circled. (weatherbell.com)
It was also the coldest March 6
at the current location for observations, since the mid-1940s (readings
for this climate station were taken downtown prior to the mid-1940s).
The
record lows in the D.C. area were just a few of many across the broader
Northeast. As of early this morning, in the neighborhood of 200 record
lows were believed to be within reach or broken. Cities like Pittsburgh (all-time March low), Little Rock and Birmingham, just to name a couple, saw records for the date.
Cold
air is in no hurry to go anywhere on Friday or on Saturday morning.
Given Dulles’s relatively short historical record, its record cool high
temperature for today is only 32 degrees in 2007. That’s compared to 21
degrees at both National and BWI back in the early 1900s. Dulles’s
record cool high seems likely to fall today.
Temperatures will
probably be about as cold tonight as last night, or even colder in spots
that radiate “warmth” really well, given light winds and clear skies.
National’s
record low of 13 degrees in 1890 is unlikely to fall tonight. Dulles’s
record of 14 degrees from 1985 is a good bet. BWI may be in play, too,
with a record low of 10 back in 1960.
Thursday’s record-breaking snowfall and review of the forecast
A plump cardinal sits on a snowy branch on Friday morning. (Kevin Ambrose)
Anywhere
from 4 to 10 inches of snow fell across the Washington metro region
Thursday, with the highest amounts in our northwest suburbs and the
lowest downtown and to the south and southeast.
All three airports established new daily snowfall records.
Reagan
National Airport received 4.8 inches – setting a new daily record for
March 5, passing the previous record of 4.4 inches set in 1888 (when
snow was measured at 24th and M streets downtown).
Dulles International Airport picked up 9.4 inches, a record for March 5 (crushing the previous record of 1 inch from 2001).
Baltimore-Washington International Airport logged 6.2 inches, besting its record for March 5 of 4.0 inches from 1902.
Impressively,
Dulles’s total of 9.5 inches marked the airport’s second biggest March
snow day, and third biggest snowstorm on record, trailing the March 1993
superstorm, which dropped 13.9 inches, and 2014′s March 16-17 storm
that totaled 11.1 inches.
Across the broader region, the highest
totals within about an hour’s drive of the District were around
Frederick, Md., where about 9 to 10 inches fell. On the low end,
downtown D.C. and scattered locations to the south reported just 4
inches.
Here is a breakdown by region:
Northwest of the District: 6-11 inches (NWS)
Northeast of the District: 5-8 inches (NWS)
Southwest of the District: 5-7 inches (NWS)
Southeast of the District: 4-6 inches (NWS)
Forecast review:
This forecast emerges as one of our best in recent
memory. We more or less correctly captured all of the following: the
onset time, the time snow would be the heaviest and roads most
challenging, the snow amounts, the effects on schools and government
operations, and the end time.
A comparison of our forecast versus what actually fell is a close match:
Capital Weather Gang forecast map (left) and how much snow actually fell, right. (Jordan Tessler)
Our
forecast totals were just about spot-on for the entire metro area. The
only location where our predictions erred a little was toward the
Pennsylvania line.
I must concede the rain changed to sleet and,
ultimately, snow much faster than I thought. I assumed the process would
take a couple of hours, but in most spots it required just 30 minutes.
(We wrongly accepted the NAM’s high-altitude temperature forecast, which
erroneously extended the period of sleet too long.)
I was also
surprised how long it took temperatures to drop below freezing inside
the city once the snow started. It’s important for us to remember that
downtown locations often have some challenges cooling and achieving snow
accumulations during daytime March winter storms. Even though Reagan
National Airport changed from rain to snow before 9 a.m., the
temperature didn’t drop to freezing there until noon – reducing
accumulation some (but still in the forecast range).
We
provided plenty of lead time for this event, first mentioning the
possibility of rain changing to snow Wednesday night into Thursday in
our forecast early Monday morning. During Monday and Tuesday, we laid
out the range of possible scenarios – before converging on the right
forecast Tuesday night.
What makes me most pleased about this
forecast is that we formed our general ideas about this storm on
Tuesday, issued our first call accumulation map Tuesday night (at 11:40
p.m.) almost 36 hours before the first flakes and did not waver (our
second and final forecast made Wednesday morning was unchanged except
along the northwest periphery of the forecast map – where we
unfortunately lowered totals and made the forecast slightly less
accurate there). It was tempting with the various model fluctuations to
change our forecast (both up and down) at times. But we analyzed the
situation, came up with a forecast we thought made sense given the
pattern and situation, and stuck with it – because we saw no compelling
reason to make a meaningful change.
This is the second straight
event (to close the winter perhaps?) where this kind of steady approach
worked out extremely well for us. - Washington Post.
Ban or not, kids allowed to sled at Capitol
From sledding to snowball fights, dozens of children and their parents took to Capitol Hill Thursday afternoon to protest a controversial sledding ban.
Capitol Police have refused to lift the sledding ban, but some parents organized a “sled in” on the west lawn of the Capitol to put a spotlight on the unpopular rule.
The snow day provided ample opportunity for the children and their parents to challenge the sledding ban.
“This is a great day for sledding and democracy,” said Tim Krepp, a parent who helped organize the event.
Krepp said the sledding ban is a “silly problem” that points to the larger issue of dysfunction in Washington.
Among those calling to lift the sledding ban is Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), who wrote to U.S. Capitol Police Board Chairman Frank Larkin Wednesday.
Capitol Police pointed out that more than 20,000 sledding injuries occur in the U.S. each year. They denied her request to lift the ban, but officers on the ground also refused to enforce it.
“No enforcement of #sledding ban on Capitol Hill today,” Holmes-Norton tweeted. “Thank you Capitol Police!”
It’s turning into a public relations nightmare for those who oppose sledding and support the ban.
“No member of Congress wants to go on the record saying, ‘Yeah, I hate children. Let’s ban this,’ ” Krepp said.
In the backyard of Congress, the children were not only sledding but also climbing trees, building snowmen and throwing snowballs at one another. Mostly oblivious to the protest, they were just there for fun.
WATCH: Slide free or die - Kids & parents sledge on Capitol Hill despite police ban.
“We come here every snow day,” said Kat Cummins, one of the parents. “This is our neighborhood and we want to sled.”
“There are not many other hills in the Capitol Hill area that are that great for sledding,” added Jason Petty, another parent.
The sled-in was also an escape for the many parents, who didn’t want to be cooped up with their children at home.
“We don’t want to be trapped in the house all day with the kids,” Krepp joked. - The Hill.
Metro Detroit Breaks 114-Year-Old Winter Weather Record
Just how cold is it in metro Detroit?
According
to the National Weather Service, the low temperature Friday morning was
zero degrees, breaking the old record of 2 degrees set in 1901.
It’s one of many cold weather records we’ve broken this winter, according Accuweather Meteorologist Brian Thompson.
“It’s the sixth record low that we’ve hit this year and most of them have occurred in the last few weeks,” he said.
It’s
not going to get much warmer Friday, with highs barely reaching 20
degrees. But don’t worry, temperatures will finally feel a little more
like normal this weekend, with highs in the 40s and mainly sunny skies. Here’s the local forecast from the CBS Detroit weather team: Friday: A mix of clouds and sun. High 24F. Low 19F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Saturday: Cloudy with snow showers mainly during the morning. High 39F. Low 28F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 40%. Sunday: Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A few flurries or snow showers possible. High around 40F. Low 27F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Monday: Sun and a few passing clouds. High 43F. Low 29F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tuesday: Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals. High 47F. Low 31F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. - CBS Detroit.
More than 50 eruptions on Saturday sent lava and searing gas tumbling out of the volcano in North Sumatra province down the southeastern slopes up to five kilometers (three miles) away, said Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo NugrohoPicture: AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara
March 7, 2015 - INDONESIA-
Volcanic ash from the Mount Sinabung eruption is still covering a number
of villages in three districts in Karo regency, North Sumatra, a day
after the eruption and is disrupting people’s normal activities.
The
continuing eruptions of Mount Sinabung caused a forest fire in Karo
regency, North Sumatra, and forced the cancelation of a flight at Kuala
Namu International Airport in Medan on Thursday.
Forested areas
along the Lau Borus River in Berastepu village were reportedly
destroyed by pyroclastic flow during eruptions early Thursday. No
casualties were reported, but the eruptions caused anxiety among
residents living around the volcano.
Residents were unable to
tend to their fields as the ash remained thick, especially in
Mardinding, Temburun and Perbaji villages in Tiganderket district, and
several other villages in the Payung and Kutabuluh districts, and are
preferring to stay at home until the ash disperses.
Temburun
villager Sarah Singarimbun, a mother of two, said she had not worked in
the fields for two days because of the ash and only stayed at home with
her family.
“We couldn’t go anywhere as almost every place is covered by ash,” she told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
Sarah
added the ash had evenly spread over a number of villages in
Tiganderket district for the past two days because of their proximity to
Mount Sinabung.
“Our village is located just 3.3 kilometers from
Mount Sinabung, so when it erupts, our village is always covered by
ash,” said Sarah.
Authorities extended a danger zone around a rumbling volcano in western Indonesia after it spewed blistering gas farther than expected, sending panicked residents streaming down the sides of the mountainPicture: Ade Sinuhaji / Barcroft Media
Mount Sinabung's booming explosion just after midnight triggered a panicked evacuationPicture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
Men with ash-covered faces streamed down the scorched slopes on motorcycles, followed by truckloads of women and children, many crying. Officials barked out orders on megaphones as rocks and debris rained from the sky.Picture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
The volcano was still spitting clouds of gas and lava as high as 4,000 meters (13,000 feet) in several eruptions, but no casualties were reportedPicture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
Villagers evacuate their cows as Mount Sinabung eruptsPicture: EPA/DEDI SAHPUTRA
More than 20,000 people have been evacuated from villages around the crater into several temporary shelters since authorities raised the alert status for Sinabung to the highest level in NovemberPicture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
Mount Sinabung Observation Station head Armen
Putra said the remaining volcanic ash currently affecting a number of
villages was a remnant of Thursday’s eruption and the condition of the
volcano has since remained normal.
“No eruption was recorded
today, but just minor slides,” said Armen, who urged residents to raise
their awareness as further eruptions remain imminent.
“The scale
of eruptions is rising. Further eruptions should be anticipated, with
uncertain intensity,” Armen told The Jakarta Post.
He added that eruption graphics from the past several months showed that the level of volcanic activities tended to rise.
Armen gave as an example Thursday morning’s first eruption, which was the biggest in two weeks.
Mt
Sinabung initially erupted at 1:39 a.m. on Thursday, followed by
eruptions at 2:32 a.m., 2:41 a.m., 3:07 a.m. and 3:13 a.m. The
pyroclastic flows extended 3.5 kilometers south.
However, 30
minutes later the volcano erupted twice more, with two minutes between
each eruption, and discharged pyroclastic clouds that spread as far as
4.5 km south.
“The last two eruptions were followed by a very
loud rumble. The pyroclastic flow destroyed forested areas along the Lau
Borus River,” said Armen, who observed the eruptions until 8:30 a.m.,
after which their intensity decreased.
Karo Disaster Mitigation
Agency (BPBD) head Subur Tambun said the eruption on Thursday would not
hamper efforts to return evacuees home, as they would be repatriated
next week.
“We plan to return the evacuees from March 9 to 13,” said Subur.
Separately,
the BPBD's Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Affairs head, Baron Kaban,
said the regency administration remained unclear on the level of damage
caused by the eruption early on Thursday as the affected areas had been
closed off and declared danger zones.
The 2,600-meter (8,530-foot) Mount Sinabung has sporadically erupted since September. An eruption in 2010 killed two people and caught scientists off guard because the volcano had been quiet for four centuries.Picture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
Ash covered motorcyclists drive on a road covered with ash following an eruption of Mount Sinabung in Karo DistrictPicture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
A motorcycle is covered in volcanic ash from an eruption of Mount Sinabung in Tiga PancurPicture: AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara
Mount Sinabung spews ash and smoke after several eruptions in Karo District, North Sumatra, IndonesiaPicture: AP Photo/Binsar Bakkara
Mount Sinabung spews ash and smoke after several eruptions in Karo District, North Sumatra, IndonesiaPicture: Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images
However, he said that judging from several photos shown to him, a number of huts had been flattened and a fire had broken out.
Baron
said besides the fire, the eruption also resulted in three districts
located on the western side of the volcano — Tiganderket, Payung and
Kutabuluh — being covered in ash.
“The three districts are
covered in very thick ash that is harmful to people’s health and
motorists,” Baron told the Post in Mardinding village on Thursday noon.
Baron said the Karo regency administration had deployed two fire trucks to clean areas covered in ash.
Asam
Sembiring, a resident of Temburun village in Tiganderket district, said
volcanic ash still covered her village as of Thursday noon.
The 51-year-old housewife said the ash was thick and disrupted people’s activities.
“The
situation is terrible. We can’t leave our homes due to the very thick
volcanic ash,” said Sembiring, adding that the village’s entire
population was forced to wear masks to engage in outdoor activities.
Meanwhile,
a Jetstar airliner destined for Singapore was forced to cancel takeoff
from Kuala Namu International Airport in Deli Serdang on Thursday
because of the volcanic ash.
Kuala Namu Airport operational
manager Mardiono said the volcanic ash had reached the airport and an
outgoing flight had to be canceled.
“A Jetstar flight to
Singapore, which should have departed at 11:30 a.m. was canceled because
of the effects of the volcanic ash,” Mardiono said.
He added
that passengers of the Jetstar flight were initially enraged by the
cancellation but calmed down when promised they would be put on the same
plane the next day. - The Jakarta Post.
March 7, 2015 - KASHMIR
- Indian military said Thursday that Indian Air Force (IAF) rescued 220
civilians including women and children trapped in a remote snowbound
area of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The people, according to
spokesman, were stranded in snowbound villages of Navpachchi and Sondar
of Kishtwar district, around 275 km northeast of Jammu city, the winter
capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir. "The Indian Air Force (IAF)
airlifted as many as 220 people trapped in snow hit Kishtwar district on
Wednesday," Indian military spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said.
"Braving
piercing snow waves, and extreme cold conditions, IAF' s MI-17 Chopper
in assistance with the local administration airlifted these people from
the villages."
The villagers were stranded in these villages
for past several days, following a heavy snowfall that cut off the road
links to the area.
WATCH: Jammu and Kashmir receives fresh snow.
Vehicular traffic to these places remains suspended in wake of accumulation of snow on the roads.
Kashmir has a rugged terrain. Landslides and avalanches are often
triggered from its mountains during frequent rains and heavy snowfall
the region receives.
Authorities Monday evacuated dozens of
people who were trapped in avalanche prone village Waltengo Nard of
Qazigund in Anantnag district, around 75 km south of Srinagar city, the
summer capital.
In 2005, a snowstorm hit Waltengo Nard village, killing 158 people and injuring scores of others.
The plains and upper reaches of Indian-controlled Kashmir experienced
snowfall on Monday following which officials issued high and medium
range avalanche warnings for the people inhabiting upper reaches and
areas close to the line-of-control (LoC).
Meanwhile,
the road link connecting Muslim majority areas of the region to Jammu
and beyond remains closed for vehicular traffic for the fourth straight
day Thursday due to landslides following snowfall and intermittent
rains.
The 294 km Srinagar-Jammu highway is the only surface link that connects two capital cities.
"Work is going on to resume traffic on the road," a traffic department official said, Endi. - China.
March 7, 2015 - 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.
20 TONS+ of dead fish wash ashore along the coast of Montevideo, Uruguay
The director of the Division of Clean explained that there are still areas where additional copies is on the rocks,
because the machine does not have access and personal needs
On Thursday morning appeared in the Montevideo coast
hundreds of dead fish floating in the water. The situation drew the
attention of the authorities of the National Directorate of Aquatic
Resources (Dinara), who sent a group of technicians who ran the
promenade from the center to the Arroyo Carrasco and a significant
amount of spice known as Lacha was observed.
"Since yesterday
being cleaned beaches with machinery, we collect some 20 tons of rotting
fish from Pajas Blancas to Paso Carrasco," said Martirena.
In
turn, explained that they were "hostages tide" which hampered a little
more work and that the equipment normally used in season had to add a
blade longer to perform the task.
"The more time passes the worse. Luckily there were fish with certain hardness and could lift well, "he said.
Furthermore,
since the division was requested will monitor the situation from the
air to see if in the coming days could expect a new wave of these dead
birds. "Being dead animals float and told us that no other can be seen
offshore, so do not come closer to the coast," he said.
The work
culminated in the coast of Pocitos and Buceo and the director explained
that the places where there are still plenty of fish is on the rocks
where machinery can not access. "You have to take with officials with
the clothes and the right tools. That takes more time, "he said.
As
for the causes that explain the appearance of dead fish from the Dinara
is "ruled it an issue of pollution" and favors the theory that they
were thrown into the sea as a ship discard. - El Observador. [Translated]
600 TONS of dead fish due to algae in fish farms in the east of Singapore
Dead fish due to red tide at a Pasir Ris fish farm. (Photo: Frank Tan, Marine Life Aquaculture)
Up to 600 tonnes of fish belonging to 55 farms have been lost to algal bloom in recent days, said the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority on Thursday (Mar 5).
Issuing its first comments on the algal bloom since last Saturday, the authority said last year’s plankton bloom cost 53 farms about 500 tonnes of fish.
The AVA also said it would help the affected fish farmers - who operate off Pasir Ris in the East Johor Strait - to recover and restart their operations, and enhance their resilience to environmental challenges.
AVA’s media statement and replies to queries came after Minister of State for National Development Mohamad Maliki Osman visited two affected fish farms today. One of the farmers he visited, Mr Gary Chang, told TODAY via the phone that he managed to minimise his losses to just over a tonne - or 10 to 15 per cent of his fish - by moving half of his stocks to the farm of a good friend in Malaysia. He enveloped the remaining half in canvas bags and aerated the water in the bags, said Mr Chang, who rears grouper and sea bass.
Dr Maliki said farmers who suffered severe losses may not have taken measures early enough. “Plankton bloom occurrences are very difficult to prevent, but it is possible to reduce the impact. Whilst we provide assistance to help farmers tide over this difficult period, it is also important for farmers to do their part to take mitigating measures early,” he said. The AVA is looking to build up farmers’ resilience against these incidents, such as through robust contingency plans and contingency exercises. It will also ask farmers who have taken early action to share their experience with other farmers, Dr Maliki added.
Farmers reported the bulk of deaths to have occurred in the pre-dawn hours last Saturday, and many dead wild fish also washed up on Pasir Ris beach over the weekend. TODAY reported on Wednesday that a laboratory test had identified the algae species to belong to the Gymnodinium group, but AVA said its preliminary findings point to the Karlodinium veneficum species, which has been associated with fish kills worldwide.
According to website algaebase.org, the Karlodinium veneficum has been detected in places including France, Korea, Australia and New Zealand, and is known to produce karlotoxin, an agent responsible for fish kills. According to Western Australia’s Swan River Trust, there is no evidence that this species is toxic to humans.
The AVA said the dead fish had gill damage caused by plankton. No marine biotixins have been detected in fish samples from affected farms and live fish harvested from the farms are safe for consumption, it added.
DHI Water & Environment, which did the laboratory test for TODAY, said that the seawater sample tested was examined at a magnification of 400 times. At that level, species of algae belonging to the Karlodinium and Gymnodinium groups would appear very similar. To be able to positively identify the algae species, a genetic test or a microscope with 1,500 to 2,000 times’ magnification would be needed, said Dr Hans Eikaas, head of environmental technology and chemistry at DHI, a not-for-profit offering consultancy and water-modelling services.
To his knowledge, no Karlodinium algae has been found in the East Johor Strait, although they have been found in the West Johor Strait, said Dr Eikaas.
Blogger and marine enthusiast Ria Tan reported seeing dead wild and farmed fish at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Extension, which is near the West Johor Strait, on Wednesday afternoon. But West Johor Strait farmer Malcolm Ong said there have been no fish deaths on his farm so far. His staff are on alert during this “dangerous period” and have pumps and aerators on standby, said Mr Ong, chief executive of Metropolitan Fishery Group, which is a major stakeholder in Singapore’s largest marine fish farm, off Lim Chu Kang.
On how it was dealing with plankton bloom in the longer term, the AVA said it has been working with the Tropical Marine Science Institute of the National University of Singapore on plankton bloom studies since last year’s episode. The studies, for the development of effective mitigating solutions, are ongoing, it said.The AVA also called for proposals to design and develop a closed-containment aquaculture system for coastal fish farming last year. It recently awarded the tender to five companies, which will be working on a sustainable option for fish farms to minimise exposure to changes in the environment, such as plankton bloom, said the authority. -
Channel News Asia.
15,000 turkeys dead due to avian flu in Minnesota, United States
Federal agriculture officials have issued warnings after a deadly strain of the bird flu decimated a turkey flock in Minnesota.
The United States Department of Agriculture said a "highly pathogenic" strain of the avian influenza killed 15,000 turkeys in Pope County, Minn. It's the same type of flu that's been infecting wild birds in the Pacific Northwest recently.
The H5N2 strain is considered deadly to foul, but low risk to humans.
"These virus strains can travel in wild birds without them appearing sick. People should avoid contact with sick/dead poultry or wildlife," the USDA said in a written statement.
Workers started noticing dead birds in the turkey flock at the end of February. The virus is passed from bird to bird through fecal matter. The Minnesota Department of Health said four workers who came in contact with the dead birds are being monitored.
The first reported case of this strain appeared in Canada and has since made its way through Oregon, Idaho and Washington, which are all considered part of the Pacific flyaway migratory path.Minnesota produces a majority of turkeys in the U.S., with some 46 million each year.Amy R. Connolly. - Big News Network.
Flocks of rare bohemian waxwing seen in New Hampshire, United States
An
irregular visitor in winter from the far north, several flocks of
Bohemian waxwings have been spotted in the Granite State this past week.
Slightly larger than a cedar waxwing, with a reddish brown under its tail, Bohemian waxwings only come as far south as states which border Canada.
Sightings during the past week included: a flock of 75 near the library in Strafford on Feb. 25 and again on March 1; a flock of over 80behind
Stan's Auto Service Center in Conway on the 26th; a flock of 12 in
Hart's Location on the 27th; a flock of over 150 near the traffic circle
in New London on the 27th and aflock of 209 in the same area on March 1.
Also,a flock of 40 was seen along Route 106 near Sam's Club in Concord on Feb. 28; a flock of 50 along Winona Road in New Hampton on March 1, and a flock of 45 in Hanover on March 2.
These flocks were seen mainly foraging on ornamental fruit tress, or resting nearby. - WMUR.
Thousands of dead fish wash up on beaches in Buenos Aires, Argentina
On the beaches of Santa Teresita and Mar del Tuyú appeared countless dead fishes. No one knows the cause,
but the neighbors are altered by the odor given off. WhatsApp Chronicle.
According to what some neighbors told him Chronicle via WhatsApp this
story comes from earlier this year, but the number began to increase
since February 2nd.Mariano
a lifeguard in the party of the coast said: "It's amazing the amount of
dead fish appeared, someone has to figure this out or at least explain
the reasons why it happened The smell is nauseating, can not be. the beach ".Among the neighbors handle some hypotheses as to why this occurred. The species was found dead on the seashore, is known as "saraca" are
very weak fish which may have affected the constant change in water
temperature and Descents in their oxygen levels.It could also be of fishing vessels are thrown into the sea because they have little commercial value. The
last possible factor considered is the emergence of factory ships
seeking to eliminate the species with bombs in schools because they take
place in networks and unloved. - Cronica. [Translated]
Aggressive badger shuts down hotel in Stockholm, Sweden
A luxury hotel in the Swedish capital was on lockdown early Friday due to "a crazy or stressed-out badger" refusing to let anyone near the door, police said.
Stockholm police said the badger was spotted near the entrance of the Radisson Blu hotel about 5 a.m. Friday
and authorities were called when the animal acted aggressive toward
anyone who attempted to get in or out of the building.
"A crazy or stressed-out badger is preventing the staff and clients at a
major hotel from leaving their cars, and from picking up their bags," a
report on the Stockholm Police website said.
WATCH: Aggressive badger shuts down hotel in Stockholm, Sweden.
The report said police summoned a game warden to the scene, but the
badger was gone by the time the official arrived. The hotel was on
lockdown for about 40 minutes.
"Nightlife in Stockholm is beastly," Albin Naverberg of the Stockholm Police told newspaper DN.
Naverberg said the badger may have been stressed from waking early from
hibernation. He said the animal was likely on the hunt for some food.
The badger apparently has good taste -- the Stockholm hotel was named the "Radisson Blu Hotel of the Year" Friday morning. - UPI.
Cougar captured at Promenade mall in Temecula, California, United States
A
mountain lion that wandered into the Promenade mall parking lot in
Temecula was tranquilized for removal but died shortly after, an
official said.
At least one witness called the Riverside County
Sheriff's Department reporting the lion walking near the Macy's store
early Friday morning, March 6. The sheriff's department called in a Fish
and Wildlife warden who used an air-powered gun to shoot it with a
tranquilizer dart, said Kyle Orr, a spokesman with Fish and Wildlife.
As officials were taking the adult male lion into the wilderness, it died, Orr said.
The cause of death is unknown and a necropsy is planned, but in
general, when an animal dies after being shot with a tranquilizer dart,
the two most common causes are damage done by the needle and a bad
reaction to the drug, Orr said.
The animal was not acting
aggressively but because the area is so densely populated by humans,
removing it was a necessity, he said. How the big cat ended up at the mall is unknown,but the lion appeared a little younger than two years which is an age marked by a case of wanderlust, Orr said.
"At that age, that generally means they're dispersing, looking for their own territory," he said.
Though it's rare for them to get deep into populated areas without being detected,it's not unheard of, he said.
"They're pretty elusive animals and can move pretty stealthily," he said. - The Press-Enterprise.
Hundreds of cattle are dead due to drought in southern Ecuador
Drought leaves losses in Loja
Mangahúrco
dwellers, Cazaderos, Bolaspamba, Heron and Lemons, Canton Zapotillo,
Loja, parishes are concerned about the lack of rain, which caused,
according to them a few times viewed drought.
Carmen Chamba, a
resident of one of these sites, said he lost two cows. "The loss in
agriculture is high, goats almost no longer exist. No how to plant corn
for the animals. Bank we have taken out to buy some corn, but we do not
have how to pay, "he said.
According to farmers in these areas
would be about 120 animals in Mangahúrco, Cazadteros 250 and 400 in
other border areas who have died from drought.
Osman Romero,
president of the parish Board Mangahúrco, seeks help from the
authorities to address the situation, stating that, in the last days the
weather has improved a little, have even flourished guayacanes, but who
knows until when will this improvement.
WATCH: Mass cattle die-off in Ecuador.
One solution would be
digging deep wells, expressed some inhabitants of the border. They also
note that the allocation of credit through Banco de Fomento is
necessary.
Activation of Emerging Operations Committee was held
in early February. "We have prioritized issues such as water supply for
human consumption and livestock production, and humanitarian aid
fodder," said Yuliana Rogel, mayor of Zapotillo.
Meanwhile, the
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries delivered
1,360 cases silage to feed the goats and 27,000 kilograms of grass
cutting for cattle.
The Secretariat Risk Management endowed with
18 tanks reservoirs of 2500 liters. The Ministry of Defense, through the
Armed Forces, provides water daily with a tanker to the sectors
concerned.
The governor of the province, Johanna Ortiz said drought in total are 984 goats and 170 cattle that have died. - El Universo. [Translated]
Thousands of cattle dead due to flooding of the river Ebro in Spain
A dead several feet beef farm. - Photo: JAIME GALINDO
The
public company Serge has already withdrawn more than 7,000 carcasses of
livestock farms of zaragozanas flooded by the rising populations of
Ebro of this week.
In a press release, the Government of Aragon indicates that all day today Twill staff is dedicated to the work of collection.
During the morning were removed 1,400 corpses of Villafranca, Swirls and Nuez de Ebro, to which must be added the 6,000 who have retired in previous days Gallur and Boquiñeni.
It is expected that the remaining 4,000 corpses can be collected in the rest of the day and in any case, is expected to finish the work tomorrow.
The withdrawal is done with heavy machinery and trucks to access the flooded farms.
The main difficulty lies in two farms of Swirls, for the difficult access to the high water level, and to address this situation are being considered various options.
Even has sought the cooperation of Pontoneros Regiment, who this morning has been studying the situation on the ground.
As for live animals throughout the morning a helicopter Department of Agriculture and Environment has transported 10 tons of food, in addition to medication, 700 calves and cows 1,650 exploitation of swirls.
In addition, firefighters Council of Zaragoza have taken food for livestock farms boating Swirls and Heifers.
The Directorate General of Public Health, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Animal Health and the Department of Agriculture, have extreme measures to ensure public health.
Thus, populations where there have been floods and animal deaths has shifted a team of professionals, veterinarians, animal, skilled pathologist food and pharmaceutical safety to discuss the situation on the ground and check the current status of farms livestock and live animals. In addition pharmacists should do in the area every day until further notice bacteriological and microbiological analysis of water. - El Periodico. [Translated]
Thousands of dead fish found in Cabo Frio, Brazil
Fish were found on the morning of Thursday (5) (Photo: Personal Archive)
A team from the Superintendent of State Environmental Institute (INEA) in the region was inspecting the Itajuru Channel and the Passage in Cabo Frio, in the Lakes Region of Rio on the morning of Thursday (5). The move comes after the appearance of a large amount of sardines found on site. Remember that the closed season ended earlier this month, which increases the suspicion disposal of fish due to the devaluation.
According to a statement sent by INEA, due to the prolonged drought that has caused environmental changes, such as high water temperatures and increased salinization, all possibilities are being investigated."During the survey it was found that the dead fish were all species of no commercial value (maromba sardines, slab and colloid), which also causes suspicion disposal.
The INEA will propose a joint operation with the City Department of Environment to monitor and suppress, if caught the practice, which sets environmental crime, "the statement said.The G1 Report also contacted the city to know what will be done about the school. Also note by the Secretariat of the Environment reported that the fish inspection responsibility dead in the water is the IBAMA and the Cabo Frio City Hall will make the fish cleaning as soon as possible. - Globo. [Translated]
Millions of birds killed due to avian flu during past 6 months in South Korea
Rachid H / Flickr cc
South
Korea and Taiwan have destroyed more than 2.7 million poultry in recent
weeks and months in efforts to halt highly pathogenic avian influenza
(HPAI) outbreaks of the H5N8 and H5N2 varieties, according to reports
posted yesterday by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
In
addition, South Vietnam has reported another H5N1 avian flu outbreak,
and low-pathogenicity avian flu (LPAI) H7N7 recently struck a turkey
farm in Germany, according to media and OIE reports.
The latest
outbreaks prolong a string of avian flu episodes that have surfaced this
winter in Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. Last week the World
Health Organization said the diversity and geographic extent of recent
avian flu outbreaks are greater than at any time since the debut of
modern surveillance methods. South Korea cites 65 H5N8 outbreaks
A
South Korean report posted by the OIE yesterday describes 65 H5N8
outbreaks dating all the way from late last September to late January
and involving about 2.6 million poultry. The report profiles 22
stand-alone outbreaks and "outbreak clusters" including from 2 to 13
individual incidents.
The affected sites had a total of 2,589,062
birds, including ducks, chickens, geese, and doves. Only 177 cases, all
fatal, were reported, but all the rest of the birds were destroyed to
stop the virus. Most of the outbreaks were in the southwest and
northwest of the country, with a few in the southeast, according to a
map in the report.
South Korea had widespread H5N8 outbreaks in January and February of 2014, followed by isolated outbreaks in June and July. Taiwan reports H5N2, H5N8 outbreaks
Meanwhile,
Taiwan reported that seven recent H5N2 outbreaks and two H5N8 eruptions
have forced the destruction of about 180,000 poultry, according to two
reports posted by the OIE yesterday. The country has had many H5N2,
H5N8, and H5N3 outbreaks this winter.
The report said the seven
H5N2 outbreaks involved six farms and one abbatoir and killed 29,960 of
177,328 susceptible chickens and geese, prompting the culling of all the
rest. They occurred in the city of Tainan and in Yunlin, Pingtung, and
Changhua counties. Authorities said all farms within 3 kilometers of the
affected ones would be under surveillance for 90 days, among other
precautions.
Taiwan authorities said H5N8 struck a turkey farm in
Tainan and a goose farm in Yunlin County, both in the southwest. The
virus killed 782 of 1,250 turkeys and 613 of 2,500 geese, prompting the
culling of all the rest. Findings in Vietnam and Germany
In
Vietnam, the H5N1 virus hit a poultry farm in the southern province of
Soc Trang, according to a Xinhua report today. Provincial veterinary
officials said more than 1,100 birds were culled, among other response
measures to arrest the virus. The story didn't specify what type of
poultry was affected.
And in Germany, an LPAI H7N7 virus sickened
2,320 of 23,500 turkeys, killing 100 of them, on a farm in the
northwestern state of Lower Saxony, according to an OIE report posted
yesterday. All the rest of the turkeys were destroyed. - CIDRAP.
1,100 Birds killed due to avian flu outbreak in Mekong Delta, Vietnam
The
Department of Preventive Medicine, a part of the Ministry of Health,
yesterday announced an outbreak of A/H5N1 avian flu in a farm at Dai Hai
commune, in Ke Sach District of the Mekong delta province of Soc Trang.
The
provincial Department of Animal Health liaised with the local
government to bury 1,100 two month-old chickens which infected with the
dangerous avian flu virus in the farm and implement measures against the
disease as per the regulation. The
Department of Preventive Medicine said that A/H5N1 avian flu is the
virus causing avian flu amongst chicken in Asia since 2003 and is
plaguing other nations. From 2003 to January 2015, around 777 cases of
bird flu were reported in 16 nations and 428 people succumbed to the
disease (or accounting for 55.1 percent).
Accordingly, the
Department of Preventive Medicine warned people not to eat dead poultry;
farms must be disinfected and people have to wear protective clothes
when contacting with poultry to reduce the risk of transmission. When
a person experiences a symptom of chest pain and breathing problem,
he/she has to go to a nearby medical clinic for examination and
treatment. - Saigon GP Daily.
