PLANETARY TREMORS: Very Strong And Shallow 6.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southeast Of Andekantor, Indonesia - USGS! [MAPS + TECTONIC SUMMARY]

USGS earthquake location.

February 12, 2016 - INDONESIA - A very strong and shallow undersea-quake measuring 6.5 on the Richter scale rocked East Nusa Tenggara in central parts of Indonesia on Friday.

According to US Geological Survey, the quake hit 3 km south east of Adenkanot in Indonesia with a depth of 30.5 km (19.0 miles).

No tsunami warning was issued after the tremor,  and Indonesia's national disaster agency said there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

"The quake was felt very strongly for four seconds," disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told the AFP news agency.

USGS shakemap intensity.

"Residents panicked and rushed out of their homes."

Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency registered the temblor with a 6.6 magnitude.

The Earthquake-Report monitoring website said the area has "steep mountain ranges and its vegetation is rainforest, which means that the chance of dangerous landslides is real".

Both Indonesian authorities and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of any tsunami waves from the quake.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

Seismotectonics of the Java Region

The Sunda convergent margin extends for 5,600 km from the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, both located northwest of the map area, towards Sumba Island in the southeast, and then continues eastward as the Banda arc system. This tectonically active margin is a result of the India and Australia plates converging with and subducting beneath the Sunda plate at a rate of approximately 50 to 70 mm/yr. The main physiographic feature associated with this convergent margin is the Sunda-Java Trench, which stretches for 3,000 km parallel to the Java and Sumatra land masses and terminates at 120° E. The convergence of the Indo-Australia and Sunda plates produces two active volcanic arcs: Sunda, which extends from 105 to 122° E and Banda, which extends from 122 to 128° E. The Sunda arc results solely from relatively simple oceanic plate subduction, while the Banda arc represents the transition from oceanic subduction to continental collision, where a complex, broad deforming zone is found.

Based on modern activity, the Banda arc can be divided into three distinct zones: an inactive section, the Wetar Zone - bound by two active segments, the Flores Zone in the west and the Damar Zone in the east. The lack of volcanism in the Wetar Zone is attributed to the collision of Australia with the Sunda plate. The gap in volcanic activity is underlain by a gap in intermediate depth seismicity, which is in contrast to nearly continuous deep seismicity below all three sections of the arc. The Flores Zone is characterized by down-dip compression in the subducted slab at intermediate depths and late Quaternary uplift of the forearc. These unusual features, along with GPS data interpretations, show that the Flores Zone marks the transition between subduction of oceanic crust in the west and the collision of continental crust in the east.

USGS plate tectonics.

The Java section of the Sunda arc is considered relatively aseismic historically when compared to the highly seismically active Sumatra section, despite both areas being located along the same active subduction margin. Shallow (0-20 km) events have occurred historically in the overlying Sunda plate, causing damage to local and regional communities. A recent example was the May 26, 2006 M6.3 left-lateral strike-slip event, which occurred at a depth of 10 km in central Java, and caused over 5,700 fatalities. Intermediate depth (70-300 km) earthquakes frequently occur beneath Java as a result of intraplate faulting within the Australia slab. Deep (300-650 km) earthquakes occur beneath the Java Sea and the back-arc region to the north of Java. Similar to other intermediate depth events these earthquakes are also associated with intraslab faulting. However, this subduction zone exhibits a gap in seismicity from 250-400 km, interpreted as the transition between extensional and compressional slab stresses. Historic examples of large intraplate events include: the 1903 M8.1 event, 1921 M7.5 event, 1977 M8.3 event, and August 2007 M7.5 event.

Large thrust earthquakes close to the Java trench are typically interplate faulting events along the slab interface between the Australia and Sunda plates. These earthquakes also generally have high tsunamigenic potential due to their shallow hypocentral depths. In some cases, these events have demonstrated slow moment-release, and have been defined as ‘tsunami’ earthquakes, where rupture is large in the weak crustal layers very close to the seafloor. These events are categorized by tsunamis that are significantly larger than predicted by the earthquake???s magnitude. The most notable tsunami earthquakes in the Java region occurred on June 2, 1994 (M7.8) and July 17, 2006 (M7.7). The 1994 event produced a tsunami with wave run-up heights of 13 m, killing over 200 people. The 2006 event produced a tsunami of up to 15 m, and killed 730 people. While both of these tsunami earthquakes were characterized by rupture along thrust faults, they were followed by an abundance of normal faulting aftershocks. These aftershocks are interpreted to result from extension within the subducting Australia plate, while the mainshocks represented interplate faulting between the Australia and Sunda plates. - USGS.

MONUMENTAL DELUGE: Thousands Flee Chennai Floods In India Amid Fears More Rain Could Add To Death Toll - At Least 280 Killed This Week! [PHOTOS]

 Residents carry children through floodwaters in Chennai. Photograph: STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images

December 4, 2015 - CHENNAI, INDIA - Overflowing rivers and lakes pose added threats to India’s fourth largest city as the number of troops deployed in rescue effort is doubled to 4,000.

Thousands of people were trying to escape flooding in the Indian city of Chennai on Friday amid fears that further heavy rain will cause more destruction.

After a lull from the heaviest rains in a century that have killed at least 280 people this week, another rain burst was forecast to hit the low-lying coastal city within hours. But officials said brimming lakes were the main concern.

“The rain is not a problem now, it is the overflowing river and 30 lakes that continue to flood four districts,” a senior home ministry official in New Delhi told Reuters.

V Raghunathan, 60, a manager at an interior design company living in the south of the booming industrial and port city, complained about the lack of warning before floodgates were opened.

“The authorities didn’t give us adequate information about water being released from a nearby lake. Before we could take action. My car has sunk and I had to move to the first floor of my apartment.”

Military helicopters dropped food to residents stranded on rooftops in India’s fourth-largest city, previously known as Madras. On Friday, the defence ministry doubled to 4,000 the number of soldiers deployed to help the rescue effort.

 Indian residents and motorists gather on a flyover as others wade through floodwaters in Chennai. Photograph: STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images

 Volunteers help to rescue affected people on a country boat in Chennai. Photograph: AP

Reports say there has been no rain in Chennai on Friday morning and water levels are receding in some parts of the city. AP

More than 7,000 people have been rescued so far by the army and the National Disaster Response force. AP

Troops have set up 25 shelters and community kitchens for the flood victim. AP

The federal weather office has predicted two more days of torrential rain. AP

A total of 269 people are now known to have died in floods in Tamil Nadu state since last month. AP

"There are people who haven't eaten for days. They have seen their possessions float away from the house," said an eyewitness. AP

A depression in the Bay of Bengal has triggered rains in coastal areas. AP

But help was slow to reach many in the city of six million, known for its car industry and IT outsourcing, with some families seeking safety on flyovers. Waters were not receding in some of the hardest-hit areas. Drinking water and fuel were in short supply, officials said.

Rescue teams urged people to leave inundated regions, while only roofs in some villages remained visible. Where water had receded, masses of black mud and garbage piled up.

“We are sending technical experts and engineers who will find a solution to flush out all the flood water. It has to be drained out soon, but we don’t know how,” said the home ministry official, who was not authorised to speak on the record and asked not to be named.

Without electricity and living with foul water lapping in their ground floor house for three days, police constable P Krishnaraj loaded his wife and two teenage daughters in a cycle cart and walked behind in knee-deep water.

He was going to move in with a colleague whose home was dry.

The number of people on the Basion Bridge flyover was rising steadily, many of them slum-dwellers whose homes had been washed away. They sat in the open, some carrying little bundles of their prized possessions, soiled rupee notes and identity cards.A small pick-up van arrived at the top of the flyover bearing water packets and biscuits and was immediately overrun by people desperate for relief.

Rajarwadi, who sold vegetables by the roadside, said she had managed to grab a packet of biscuits for her daughter. Now her plan was to move further away to catch the next volunteer food drop.

She had not seen government officials come to offer help to people camped out on the busy flyover on Thursday even though it was in the middle of the city.

Jose Sebastian, the head of a local construction company, said the biggest worry for his volunteer group was areas where the water level was too high for them to deliver food.

“We feel rather helpless,” he said. “We have lots of food, we have volunteers ready to go, but we don’t have the boats.” - The Guardian.

MONUMENTAL DELUGE: The Worst Floods In 100 YEARS - Non-Stop Torrential Rains Ravage Southern India; Streets Turned Into RIVERS; City Of Chennai Has Almost Been CUT OFF FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD; Mass Evacuation And Displacements; At Least 188 People Killed Since The End Of November; OVER ONE MILLION PEOPLE AFFECTED; Major Transportation Disruptions; Army Deployed To Worst Affected Areas! [PHOTOS]

December 2, 2015 - CHENNAI, INDIA - Thousands of people have been evacuated and a rescue operation is under way in Southern India, which has been severely flooded after several days of non-stop torrential rains, which prompted the closure of schools and factories and flight cancelations.

The city of Chennai, capital of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, has been almost cut off from the outside world. According to local media, the rains have set a 100-year-old record in the city, which is home to about 6 million people."Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds may make the situation worse in Chennai," the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said, adding that the rains may continue for at least four days.

Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes. The authorities have already canceled all flights and the trains have also stopped running, due to water on the tracks. Chennai International Airport, the fourth busiest in India, will remain shuttered until Thursday, Indian media reported.The Indian Army, Navy and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in the worst affected areas of the city.

"We have started the rescue operation but the biggest challenge is to find a way to clear the inundated airport and main roads," Anurag Gupta, a senior official at the National Disaster Management Authority in New Delhi said, as cited by Reuters.

Photos and videos of people floating in boats along streets that have turned into rivers have literally flooded social media, with residents helping each other and even rescuing pets. Hundreds of people in less-affected areas have opened their homes for those in need.

According to the local authorities, over 1 million people have been affected by the natural disaster.

"The police want to help but there are no boats. We are trying not to panic," Ramana Goda, a local resident in an affected area, told Reuters.

Heavy rains in southern India since the end of November have killed at least 188 people, Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa said.

"It was saddening to witness devastation and deaths during the festive season, but I have faith in the strength of Tamil Nadu," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday. - RT.

 

MONUMENTAL DELUGE: All-Time Rainfall Record On Verge Of Being Broken In Chennai, India - 1,025 mm Of Rainfall, The Wettest November Since 1918!

Rains left the Madras war cemetery flooded on Tuesday.  © M. Prabhu

November 27, 2015 - CHENNAI, INDIA - Chennai is on its way to have the wettest November of the century and break an all-time rainfall record.

With Monday's torrential downpour bringing 93 mm of rainfall, Chennai has crossed 1,025 mm of rainfall for the month. According to the Meteorological Department, November 1918 was the wettest month as the city received 1088.4 mm of rainfall then.

The weather station in Meenambakkam has already recorded 1144.8 mm this November. Officials recall that Chennai recorded 970 mm of rainfall in November 1985 and 1077.1 mm in October 2005. The remaining few days of this month will decide whether the city gets to break the century's record.


WATCH: Scenes from Chennai floods.

The rains so far have been severe with many rain-related deaths, including the electrocution of a couple in Velachery, death of a youngster in a wall collapse in Pattalam and the fatal fall of a man in a trench dug up in R.A. Puram to drain stagnant rainwater. Schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts will remain closed on Wednesday. As reservoirs continue to get heavy inflows, city waterways are carrying rainwater to their brim. The Adyar River is in a spate as about 6,000 cusecs is being let out from the Chembarambakkam reservoir.

Central team visit 

In a bid to provide flood relief assistance, a nine-member Central team will visit flood-affected areas in Tamil Nadu on November 26 to assess the damage.

At present, a new trough lies over southwest Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Sri Lanka coast. With another upper air circulation forming near the weather system, the Meteorological Department expects it to influence the formation of a low pressure area by November 26 or November 27. - The Hindu.

 

MONUMENTAL DELUGE: India And Sri Lanka Battered By Heavy Rainfall And Widespread Flooding - Over 70 People Killed; Hundreds Of Thousands Affected; Mass Evacuations Underway; Over 5 BILLION RUPEE Allocated For Relief Fund!

 Most of the main streets are waterlogged, bringing the city to a standstill.  Getty Images

November 17, 2015 - INDIA/SRI LANKA - More than 70 people have been killed as incessant rains continue to batter the southern Indian city of Chennai, media reports say.

Most of the main streets are waterlogged, bringing the city to a standstill.

Many offices, schools and colleges have been shut due to rains in the past week.

The rains have also affected at least 80,000 people in northern parts of neighbouring Sri Lanka.

A depression formed in the Bay of Bengal has triggered rains in coastal areas of India's Tamil Nadu state and Sri Lanka.

Government officials said around 10,000 people had been evacuated from their homes in Chennai, the Reuters news agency said.

 Public transport services have also faced disruptions. AFP

 The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalitha, has announced a 5bn-rupee ($75m; £49m) relief fund for flood-affected areas. Reuters

 "The rain that was meant to be spread out over the monsoon months has poured in just a few days." AP

 Government officials said around 10,000 people had been evacuated from their homes. AP

 Some subways have also been waterlogged. AP

 And some just decided to swim through a flooded subway. AP

The National Disaster Response Force and the army are also helping in ongoing rescue work.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalitha, has announced a 5bn-rupee ($75m; £49m) relief fund for flood-affected areas.

"The rain that was meant to be spread out over the monsoon months has poured in just a few days," she said.

"No precautionary measures would have managed to prevent water logging and damages. In areas where flooding and damage have been caused, relief, rescue and repair works are being taken up on a war footing," she added.

Images from Chennai show the difficulties people have been facing to access essential services. - BBC.

 

MONUMENTAL DELUGE: "UNPRECEDENTED" Heavy Rains And Widespread Flooding In Tamil Nadu, India - Death Toll Rises To Over 60; Mass Evacuations Underway As Incessant Rainfall Wreak Havoc! [VIDEO]

People help a man carry his two-wheeler on a cycle cart as they wade through a waterlogged subway in Chennai. © AP

November 16, 2015 - TAMIL NADU, INDIA - Tamil Nadu continued to experience monsoon fury on Sunday, with heavy rains pounding various parts of the state under the influence of a well marked low pressure area over Bay of Bengal, as the death toll from rain-related incidents climbed to over 60.

There seemed to be no respite from the downpour with many parts of the city coming under water even as the weatherman forecast more rains for the next 24 hours, beginning 08:30 am.

The India Meteorological Department said in a bulletin on Sunday that the well-marked low pressure area over southwest Bay of Bengal adjoining Sri Lanka persisted and "it is likely to move west-northwestwards towards Tamil Nadu coast and would concentrate into a Depression during next 24 hours."

Under its influence, more rains were expected in the next 24 hours, the Regional Meteorological Department said.

Anaikaracharthiram (Nagapattinam) received the maximum rainfall of 18 cm recorded till 8:30 am, RMC Director SR Ramanan said, adding, Sirkali from the same district registered 17 cm. Chennai received three cm rainfall between 8:30 am and 11:30 am on Sunday.

He said heavy to very heavy rains could be expected in the northern coastal districts of the state in the next 24 hours while there could be rain in the rest of the districts. Rains were also expected in Puducherry on Monday.

The seas would be rough, he said, warning fishermen against venturing for fishing.

Meanwhile, four persons died due to various rain-related incidents on 13 and 14 November, the government said.

WATCH: Devastating floods hit Tamil Nadu.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa condoled the death of the four persons, three of whom died due to drowning in Kancheepuram district while one person in Vellore was killed in wall collapse. She announced a sum of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of the victims from the Disaster Relief Fund.

The incessant rains severely crippled normal life in the state capital Chennai, where most roads, residential areas and low-lying parts were inundated.

Subways at suburban Chennai connecting the residential areas were inundated, rendering them useless for commutation.

The sparse Sunday crowd of motorists were seen discussing alternative routes to reach their respective destinations.

Water-clogged roads resulted in slow movement of vehicles even as pedestrians were seen wading through waist-deep to knee-deep water in many places. Many residents were forced to stay put inside their homes following the inclement weather. Trains on the suburban Chennai Egmore-Tambaram were running slow.

The inclement weather also affected flight services. A Colombo-Chennai Sri Lankan flight was diverted back to that city while a city-bound IndiGo aircraft from Delhi was diverted to Bengaluru, airport officials said. A Silk Air flight from Singapore to Chennai was also diverted to Bengaluru, they said, adding that many services were delayed by between 30-45 minutes.

Meanwhile, the government announced closure of schools and colleges in Chennai on Monday. Educational institutions in several coastal districts including Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur and Tiruchirappalli, and Vellore in northern part of the states would remain closed on Monday in view of the rains, officials said.

In Coimbatore, BJP's state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan said the party would submit a detailed report on the situation in the rain-battered Cuddalore district to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

BJP national general secretary Muralidhar Rao, who is in-charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu, would soon submit the report on the situation in Cuddalore, which bore the brunt of the monsoon fury so far, she told reporters in Chennai.

Replying to a question why Modi, who had announced Rs 1,000 crore to rain-affected Jammu and Kashmir, was "silent" on the plight of the state, she said that he had already expressed his deep regrets about the devastation on social media.

Moreover, it was the duty of the state government to send a report to the Centre, highlighting the problems, so that it can announce suitable funds, she said.

She also said Cuddalore should be declared as natural disaster-prone district and relief measures should be taken on a war footing in both Cuddalore and Chennai, which has also been affected by the incessant rains.

Lack of proper infrastructure in Chennai was the major reason for the "pathetic situation", she alleged referring to waterlogging in several areas.

As many as 135 residents of Danushkodi, about 20 km from Rameswaram, were rescued by Police and Fire and Rescue Service personnel after they were surrounded by rain and sea water.

Most parts of Dhanushkodi was inundated, a report from Rameswaram quoting police said.

Earlier, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister S Sunararaj chaired a meeting in Rameswaram to discuss flood relief measures and asked officials to be on high alert. - Firstpost.

DELUGE: Widespread Flooding In Tamil Nadu, India - Death Toll Rises To 48!

© EPS

November 13, 2015 - TAMIL NADU, INDIA - Schools and colleges in Chennai will remain shut on Friday as the MeT has predicted heavy rainfall. The flood situation has already claimed the lives of 48 people in Tamil Nadu.

The MeT office forecast another spell of heavy showers in the next week, following the formation of a new low-pressure trough. The maximum number of deaths have been reported from Cuddalore.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa offered her condolences to the families of the victims who perished in flood waters and announced a sum of Rs 4 lakh to the berieved families as assistance from the Disaster Relief Fund.

"A new trough of low pressure has formed in South Andaman Sea. It is expected to develop into a low pressure in South Eastern Bay of Bengal on 14 November," Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) Chennai Director S R Ramanan told reporters.


WATCH: Texas police chase down escaped buffalo.

Several parts of the state, including Chennai, are limping back to normalcy after being battered by heavy rains. A low pressure trough that intensified into a deep depression and crossed the state coast on 9 November. Cuddalore district has been the worst hit.

Jayalalithaa held a review meeting with officials to assess the situation in Cuddalore where relief and rehabilitation measures had begun in full swing.

Meanwhile, several parts of Chennai and its suburbs, including the commercial hub of Velachery, received rains overnight, inundating low-lying areas further damaging roads. - The Quint.

 

PLANETARY TREMORS: Strong Magnitude 6.0 Earthquake Hits The Bay Of Bengal - Tremors Felt In East India, Delhi, And Chennai! [MAPS+TECTONIC SUMMARY]

May 21, 2014 - BAY OF BENGAL & THE ANDAMAN SEA BASIN - Mild to moderate tremors were felt in northern and eastern India on Wednesday night.

USGS earthquake location map.

Tremors were felt in places like Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar, Ranchi, Gaya and Chennai.

In Chennai tremors were felt in parts of Nungambakkam, Porur and Triplicane, according to some reports.

Tremors were also felt in Delhi and NCR.

The epicentre of earthquake was in Bay of Bengal, 275 km South-East of Paradip Garh. Its magnitude was 6:0 on the Richter scale and depth was 10 km, as per India Meterological Department.

The tremors struck around 9:52 pm.

USGS earthquake shakemap intensity

The tremor was felt for a few seconds in many areas of Odisha, including state capital Bhubaneshwar but it was enough to trigger panic among people who immediately moved out of buildings, PTI reported.

Panic also gripped several parts of Odisha's Kendrapara district where residents felt the tremors for about 10 seconds.

No reports of damage to human life and property has been reported as yet.  - ZEE News.

Tectonic Setting and Seismotectonic History of the Andaman Sea Basin.

The Andaman Sea is a highly folded and spreading geosynclinal basin, about 650 km wide from east to west and about 1200 km long from north to south. Its total area is estimated to be 600,000 to 800,000 km2.

The Andamans and the Nicobars are a group of 349 islands - summits of a submarine mountain range situated on the western side of the basin, formed by tectonic interactions. The present configuration resulted about 26 million years ago. The islands are the boundary separating the Andaman Sea basin from the Indian Ocean. The Andaman group has a total of 325 islands, while the Nicobar group has 24 islands. Only 38 of these islands are inhabited.

Tectonic Setting - The Andaman Sea Basin, is a seismically active region at the southeastern end of the Alpine-Himalayan belt,. For millions of years the India tectonic plate has moved in a north/northeast direction, colliding with the Eurasian tectonic plate. The Indian plate's eastern boundary, along the Andaman and Nicobar islands and Northern Sumatra, is a diffuse zone of seismicity and deformation, characterized by extensive faulting and numerous large shallow and intermediate earthquakes.

The Burma microplate encompasses the northwest portion of the island of Sumatra, as well as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Further to the east of the Andaman and Nicobar islands, a divergent boundary separates the Burma plate from the Sunda plate.

Seismotectonic History - The seimotectonic history of the region is extensively covered in the scientific literature (Sinvhal et al.1978, Verma et al. 1978). More recent research documents the following regional tectonic evolution. Accordingly, an extensional feature developed along a leaky transform segment of the megashear zone - the Andaman fault - between the Indo-Australian domain and the Sunda-Indochina block (Uyeda and Kanamori, 1979; Taylor and Karner, 1983). This old shear zone acted as a western strike slip guide for the extrusion of the Indochina block about 50-20 My (Tapponnier et al., 1986) - and in response to the indentation of the Indian tectonic plate into Eurasian block.

Collision of Indochina with the Sunda and Australian blocks stopped this crustal extrusion process. Subsequently, the Andaman fault system - recently prolonged through the Sumatra zone (the Sumatra fault) - reactivated due to the lateral escape of the Sumatra forearc sliver plate and as a result of the oblique convergence and subduction with the Indo-Australian plate.

The Indian plate's oblique subduction beneath the Burmese Microplate has created the Andaman segment of the great Sunda Trench. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located within the tectonic sliver near the boundary of the Indian plate and the Burmese Microplate. Similarly the oblique subduction has created the north-south trending West Andaman fault - another strike-slip fault system in the Andaman Sea to the east of the island chain.

The Volcanic Arc - The subduction process has also formed a volcanic arc. There are two known volcanoes along this arc. The one in the North is known as the Barren Island Volcano - considered active as it has erupted within recent times. The other is known as the Narcondum volcano and is considered dormant.

Seismicity of the Region - Shallow and occasional intermediate-depth earthquakes delineate the subducted slab under the Andaman-Nicobar islands joining the seismicity trend of the Indo-Burman ranges. The active seismicity of the Andaman Sea Basin, has caused many minor and intermediate earthquakes, a few major events ,and only one known earthquake with magnitude greater than 8. According to the literature (Bapat 1982) from 1900 to 1980, a total of 348 earthquakes were recorded in the area bounded by 7.0 N to 22.0 N and 88.0 E to 100 E. - Dr. George P.C.

MONUMENTAL GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVAL: Sinkholes Are Opening Up All Over The Nicobar Islands!

May 04, 2014 - NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIAN OCEAN -  While the United States Geological Survey (USGS) is sparing no effort to fill a rapidly widening sinkhole in Florida since Apr. 23, India's Geological Survey has closed its field station in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where sinkholes have sprung up all over as an aftermath of the 2004 Asian tsunami.

A sinkhole is widening in Car Nicobar, but the authorities are clueless about its potential dangers. Malini Shankar/IPS

The administration in this popular tourist destination in the Bay of Bengal may be prepared for another tsunami. But it seems clueless about these holes in the ground that can sometimes cave in or lead to other geological events like hot springs, water spouts, natural gas emissions or even cracks in the subterranean magma chambers.

Islanders told IPS that sinkholes have appeared all over Nicobar. Whether that is also the case with the Andamans remains a matter of speculation as there is no official documentation of it, nor did the administration facilitate this writer's photo assignment to visit the geologically volatile islands.

IPS discovered and photographed sinkholes in three Nicobar Islands - Car Nicobar, Kamorta and Campbell Bay.

"Car Nicobar is full of sinkholes after the tsunami. Even though I grew up here, our parents are now petrified of us swimming near the beach," says Dr. Christina Rossetti, a local of Car Nicobar who works at a government-run hospital here.

Indian Air Force officers at Car Nicobar documented a water spout in April 2013 which shot up from a sinkhole to 1,000 metres in the sky over the Bay of Bengal.

Tsunami survivors in Car Nicobar also told IPS about water spouts that injured their eyes during the disaster.

Sinkholes can be either the cause or the consequence of quicksand, hot springs, geysers, natural gas emissions or water spouts. Initially the surface starts collapsing.

"Usually the depression goes on increasing in depth and it transits from depression to saucer to cup," Dr. Arun Bapat, formerly head of earthquake engineering research at the Central Water and Power Research Station in the western Indian city of Pune, told IPS.

"Sinkholes are usually formed in calcareous formation. The reduction or dissolution of calcium due to drainage or erosion or natural flow of water can cause sinkholes. Earthquakes are not the main cause of sinkholes. But it is possible that in calcareous rock, when a landslide has occurred during or immediately after earthquake, landslides could lead to sinkholes," says Bapat.

Sinkholes look deceptively benign, but anything from quicksand to natural gas could be hidden beneath, deceiving people and livestock who may innocently trample the surface and be swallowed into geysers or cavernous black holes in the ground.

Sinkholes, which range from a few centimetres to 600 metres in diameter, can appear in the aftermath of big seismic events.

Referring to Thailand, the 2005 United Nations Environment Programme report 'Rapid Assessment after Asian Tsunami' says: "Between the earthquake of 26 December 2004 and 24 January 2005, 25 sinkholes have been reported, an unprecedented frequency; 17 of them were reported in the six tsunami-affected provinces."

But no such assessment has been done for India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

IPS approached several authorities, including the National Geophysical Research Institute, the National Institute of Ocean Technology, the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, the Geological Society of India, but drew a blank.

The secretary of the Disaster Management Authority for Andaman and Nicobar Islands (DMA) was on leave and the director of DMA did not answer calls.

Sakshi Mittal, deputy commissioner of Nicobar, said, "This has not been brought to my notice yet." Lt. Gen. A.K. Singh, Lieutenant-Governor of Andaman and Nicobar, the highest ranking official of the island territory, told IPS, "We have no idea about sinkholes, please complete your research and inform us."

This administration seems unaware of potential dangers even though the area is home to 350,000 people, 20,000 of whom are highly endangered indigenous people. Its picturesque locales drew 250,445 tourists in 2013.

Ambikaprasad Mallik, a scuba diving instructor in Havelock Island, told IPS, "If a series of sinkholes on the beach collapses at one go, the difference of levels in the water and land masses can create waves and even cause a small local tsunami."

Sinkholes occur in many parts of India and the world. They have accounted for the disappearance of human beings, livestock, rivers, buildings and vehicles.

"Sinkholes represent a hazard to property and human safety in a wide variety of geologic settings across the globe," says the USGS on one of its websites.

Florida in the U.S. is particularly prone to sinkholes, with one last year swallowing a 37-year-old man in his sleep. Another engulfed a forest in Louisiana.

Geologists fight shy of forecasting the precise cause and consequence of sinkholes.

Prof. Kusala Rajendran of the Centre for Earth Sciences at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore told IPS, "It is unlikely to lead to anything life threatening, but there may be signatures of deformation such as fissures. This might depend on the region. During seismic activity, land can go down soon after the earthquake. Sinkholes form much later. They develop gradually and are well expressed."

Bapat says, "The sinkholes recently formed in Andaman and Nicobar are probably due to the tsunami. Sometimes, due to geological formation and geometry in the coastal area, stationary waves are formed and this keeps the water vibrating in vertical direction."

USGS notes: "Sinkholes are dramatic because the land usually stays intact for a period of time until the underground spaces just get too big. In most cases, the subsidence rate of a sinkhole represents the most significant potential impact and risk to public safety."

Sinkholes on volcanic slopes like Krakatau in the Java Straits have triggered minor earthquakes. Barren Island, South Asia's only active volcano located in the Andamans, has been spewing lava since January 2010.

With no public transport available to Barren Island, this writer's request to the island administration to facilitate a photo shoot there and in other parts of Andaman district where mud volcanoes are expanding was not accepted. - IPS.

MAJOR STORM ALERT: Red Alert Issued In India For Tropical Cyclone LEHAR-13 - Can Have "High Humanitarian Impact" Affecting 7.3 Million People With Maximum Wind Speeds Of 185km/h!

November 24, 2013 - INDIA - Tropical storm Lehar is forecast to strike India as a severe cyclonic storm at about 00:00 GMT on 28 November. Data supplied by the US Navy and Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center suggest that the point of landfall will be near 16.7 N, 82.8 E. Lehar is expected to bring 1-minute maximum sustained winds to the region of around 185 km/h (114 mph). Wind gusts in the area may be considerably higher.

The image shows the total rainfall accumulation associated with the cyclone.
Image: GDACS.

According to the Saffir-Simpson damage scale the potential property damage and flooding from a storm of Lehar's strength (category 3) at landfall includes: Storm surge generally 2.7-3.7 metres (9-12 feet) above normal. Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed.

Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the centre of the storm. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by battering from floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 1.5 metres (5 feet) above mean sea level may be flooded inland 13 km (8 miles) or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences within several blocks of the shoreline may be required. There is also the potential for flooding further inland due to heavy rain.

The information above is provided for guidance only and should not be used to make life or death decisions or decisions relating to property. Anyone in the region who is concerned for their personal safety or property should contact their official national weather agency or warning centre for advice.

This alert is provided by Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) which is sponsored by Crawford&Company and University College London (UCL).

Summary
Tropical Cyclone LEHAR-13 can have a high humanitarian impact based on the Maximum sustained wind speed and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Rain map with eTraP data. (Source: JRC) Storm surge maximum height. (Source: JRC)

Updated: this report is based on advisory number 7.

• Tropical Cyclone Tropical Storm (maximum wind speed of 185 km/h)
• from 24/11/2013 12:00 UTC to 18:00
• Population affected by Category 1 (120 km/h) wind speeds or higher is 7.3 million
• Vulnerability: High

Extreme Rain

Potential rainfall is calculated based on rainfall observed by several microwave satellite sensors.


SOURCES:  Trust | GDACS.

STORM ALERT: Tropical Cyclone Helen Makes Landfall In India - Heavy Rain, High Winds Lash Andra Pradesh; Alert Activated Along Coastal Districts!

November 22, 2013 - INDIA - Tropical Cyclone Helen, accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain, has made landfall across the east-central coastline of India.

This satellite image of Helen, courtesy of NOAA, was taken late Thursday, local time.

The strength of Tropical Cyclone Helen was equal to that of a tropical storm in the Atlantic Basin as it came onshore. Helen made landfall near Machilipatnam, across the Andhra Pradesh state.

Wind gusts of 95 to 130 kph (60 to 80 mph) were expected to occur in the vicinity of where Helen came onshore. Such winds are capable of causing widespread tree damage and power outages. Falling trees threaten to cause additional damage and bodily harm.

Rain amounts of around 100 mm (4 inches) with locally higher totals of 200 mm (8 inches) are expected across east-central Andhra Pradesh through Friday night, significantly heightening the concern for flash flooding.

As of Friday night, local time, 130 mm (5.12 inches) of rain had fallen in Visakhapatnam while 58 mm (2.28 inches) fell in Kakinada.


WATCH:  Cyclone Helen Nears India.

Cities in line for Helen's heaviest rain include Machilipatnam, Vijayawada and Chirala.

Helen will rapidly lose tropical storm status as it moves farther inland, causing the widespread heavy rain to taper off on Saturday. However, localized downpours could still accompany the weakened state of Helen across central India through Sunday.

As Helen dissipates, attention will turn to the Andaman Sea where another tropical cyclone will attempt to take shape this weekend. Current indications point toward this possible cyclone taking aim at eastern India around the middle of next week.

All residents of eastern India should continue to check back with AccuWeather.com as more details on next week's tropical cyclone threat become clearer. - AccuWeather.



Heavy rain accompanied by strong winds lashed coastal Andhra Pradesh as cyclonic storm Helen is all set to hit the coast near Machilipatnam on Friday afternoon.

An alert has been sounded in the coastal districts, while authorities are taking precautionary measures, including evacuation of people from low-lying area, to minimize the damage from the cyclone in the Bay of Bengal.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the severe cyclonic storm will cross the coast near Machilipatnam Friday afternoon.

The IMD's bulletin on Friday morning said Helen over west-central Bay of Bengal moved slightly westwards and lay centred about 25 km south of Narsapur and 60 km east of Machilipatnam.

Under the influence of the severe cyclonic storm, many parts of Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari, West Godavari, Visakhapatnam and other districts were receiving rain.

The strong wind have uprooted trees, communication towers and disrupted transport and electricity supply in some parts of the coastal districts. The sea conditions were rough and the sea water at some places flushed out for a few metres over land.


WATCH: Cyclone Helen nears coast, heavy rain, high wind lash Andhra Pradesh.

The high-speed wind has damaged coconut, banana and paddy crops, and dealt another blow to farmers who are still recovering from the heavy damage caused by last month's Cyclone Phailin and accompanying heavy rain.

The IMD has forecast rainfall at most places, and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall (25cm or more) over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and adjoining Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari districts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh over next 36 hours.

Rainfall at most places with isolated heavy to very heavy falls would occur over remaining districts of south coastal Andhra Pradesh, Rayalseema and isolated heavy to very heavy rain is expected over Telangana during next 48 hours.

Gale-speed winds reaching 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, would sweep through Prakasham, Guntur, Krishna, East and West Godavari and Vishakhapatnam districts during the next 12 hours, the weather forecast said.

The IMD has warned that storm surge of about 1 to 1.5m height would inundate the low-lying areas of West and East Godavari, Krishna, Guntur districts and adjoining areas of Prakasham district at the time of the cyclone's landfall.

Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy Friday reviewed the situation with the chief secretary and other officials in Hyderabad and directed them to take all precautionary measures, especially in Krishna and Guntur districts.

A control room to monitor the situation has been opened at the state secretariat in Hyderabad. The control room numbers are 040-23456005, 23451043.

Krishna district collector Raghunandan Rao said a holiday was declared for all educational institution in coastal areas.

He said 10 relief camps were opened for people evacuated from low-lying areas, and over 5,000 people were already shifted to them. Sixty personnel of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel were deployed for rescue and relief operations.

A control room in Krishna district collector's office was opened. Its telephone numbers are 08672-252572 08672-251077

Helen is threatening Andhra coast even as the state is yet to recover from the massive damages caused by Phailin and heavy rain in October.

Andhra Pradesh has nearly 1,000-km long coastline and the nine districts face cyclone threats every year, especially between September and November. - Times of India.

STORM ALERT: Category 4 Tropical Cyclone Phailin Makes Landfall In India - 500,000 Evacuated; Biggest Storm In The Region For 14 Years!

October 12, 2013 - INDIA - As many as 500,000 people in India have been evacuated as a massive cyclone sweeps through the Bay of Bengal towards the east coast.

Cyclone Phailin, categorised as "very severe" by weather forecasters, is expected to hit Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states on Saturday evening.

Locals have been shutting up businesses and taking cover as the cyclone approaches.

The Meteorological Department has predicted the storm will bring winds of up to 220km/h (136mph).

A super-cyclone in 1999 killed more than 10,000 people in Orissa.

Cyclone Phailin is expected to be the biggest storm in the region for 14 years.

But officials say this time they are better prepared, the BBC's Sanjoy Majumder in Orissa reports.

The Meteorological Department said Cyclone Phailin was due to make landfall late on Saturday evening, Indian time. The centre of the storm was expected to hit the coast around the town of Gopalpur.

Homes at risk

Officials said Cyclone Phailin would bring a storm surge of at least 3m (10ft) that was likely to cause "extensive damage" to mud houses on the coast.

"No-one will be allowed to stay in mud and thatched houses in the coastal areas,'' said Orissa's Disaster Management Minister Surya Narayan Patra.


WATCH: Very Severe Cyclone Phailin At Landfall. 

The army is on standby in the two states for emergency and relief operations. Officials said helicopters and food packages were ready to be dropped in the storm-affected areas.

Meanwhile, the US Navy's Joint Typhoon Warning Centre predicted that Phailin could produce gusts of up to 296km/h (184 mph), while the London-based Tropical Storm Risk classified Phailin as a Category Five storm - the most powerful.

As many as 500,000 people have left their homes, many for storm shelters.

Parts of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states have suffered heavy flooding in recent days.

Fishermen have been asked not to venture out to sea.

Heavy rain and winds have already struck Orissa, where authorities have set up storm shelters for evacuees.

Janmejay Mohapatra, a resident of Orissa state capital Bhubaneswar, said it was too dangerous to go out now, as trees were down and debris was flying everywhere.

"Already the rain is very heavy and the wind is gusting at 100-120km an hour," he told the BBC. "The phone lines are down where I am and we have no electricity."

Minister Surya Narayan Patra said:"We are fighting against nature. We are better prepared this time, we learnt a lot from 1999."


WATCH: Cyclone Phailin - Windspeeds expected of 220 kms/hour, says IMD .

India's eastern coast and Bangladesh are routinely hit by cyclonic storms between April and November which cause deaths and widespread damage to property.

In December 2011, Cyclone Thane hit the southern state of Tamil Nadu, killing dozens of people. - BBC.

EXTINCTION LEVEL EVENT: Tigers Under Threat From Disappearing Mangrove Forest In India And Bangladesh!

January 30, 2013 - INDIA - Report shows vast forest, shared by India and Bangladesh, is being rapidly destroyed by environmental change  A vast mangrove forest shared by India and Bangladesh that is home to possibly 500 Bengal tigers is being rapidly destroyed by erosion, rising sea levels and storm surges, according to a major study by researchers at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and others. 

A tiger roams within the Sunderban, some 140 km south of Calcutta. © Photograph: Piyal Adhikary/EPA.

The Sundarbans forest took the brunt of super cyclone Sidr in 2007, but new satellite studies show that 71% of the forested coastline is retreating by as much as 200 metres a year. If erosion continues at this pace, already threatened tiger populations living in the forests will be put further at risk.  Natalie Pettorelli, one of the report's authors, said: "Coastline retreat is evident everywhere. A continuing rate of retreat would see these parts of the mangrove disappear within 50 years. On the Indian side of the Sundarbans, the island which extends most into the Bay of Bengal has receded by an average of 150 metres a year, with a maximum of just over 200 metres; this would see the disappearance of the island in about 20 years." 

The Sundarbans are known for vanishing islands but the scientists said the current retreat of the mangrove forests on the southern coastline is not normal. "The causes for increasing coastline retreat, other than direct anthropogenic ones, include increased frequency of storm surges and other extreme natural events, rises in sea-level and increased salinity, which increases the vulnerability of mangroves," said Pettorelli.  "Our results indicate a rapidly retreating coastline that cannot be accounted for by the regular dynamics of the Sundarbans. Degradation is happening fast, weakening this natural shield for India and Bangladesh.  "As human development thrives, and global temperature continues to rise, natural protection from tidal waves and cyclones is being degraded at alarming rates. This will inevitably lead to species loss in this richly biodiverse part of the world, if nothing is done to stop it.  "The Sundarbans is a critical tiger habitat; one of only a handful of remaining forests big enough to hold several hundred tigers. To lose the Sundarbans would be to move a step closer to the extinction of these majestic animals," said ZSL tiger expert Sarah Christie. - Guardian.

GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVAL: Sea Change - The Bay Of Bengal's Vanishing Islands, Kutubdia Has Halved In Size In Just 20 Years!

January 29, 2013 - BAY OF BENGAL - Rapid erosion and rising sea levels are increasingly threatening the existence of islands off the coast of Bangladesh and India  School teacher Nurul Hashem lives in a grass hut set among coconut palms and pine trees, just yards from a pristine beach on the sparkling Bay of Bengal. It sounds idyllic, but he longs to return to the island of Kutubdia, 50 miles away, where his family home has been swallowed by ever-rising tides and is now out at sea under several feet of water.  To make matters worse, the local government, which welcomed him when he arrived three years ago, wants him and thousands of other families who have fled to the coast from the island, to make way for an airport and hotel developments.  Kutubdia is one of many islands off Bangladesh and India affected by increasingly rapid erosion and some of the fastest recorded sea-level rises in the world. These "vanishing islands" are shrinking dramatically. Kutubdia has halved in size in 20 years, to around 100 sq km. Since 1991, six villages on the island of fishermen and saltworkers have been swamped and about 40,000 people have fled. Like Hashem, most have relocated to the coast near Cox's Bazar.

Disappearing world... a project for climate refugees near Cox's Bazar, as people have been forced from islands such as Kutubdia in the Bay of Bengal. © Photograph: Salman Saeed.

"The sea water is rising every day," says Hashem, who calls himself a "climate refugee".  "We lost everything. We are not happy, because we must move again. Climate change is making thousands of people homeless."  The 80,000 people left on Kutubdia all expect to follow Hashem. "The land here used to be 1km out to sea," says Mohamed Rashed from the village of Qumira Char. "We lost mosques, a school, shops, farms. We are scared of the sea now. Gradually it comes closer to our homes. When we sleep, we are scared. Every year the tide rises more and comes in further. Next year, this village may not exist."  Rashed moved his house on to a new three-metre high concrete embankment in 2008, but the high tides and tidal surges now top the barrier.  "God knows how long this village will last. If it gets worse I will have to go to the mainland. We know the end is coming," says fisherman Jakir Hossain.  At the current rate of erosion, Kutubdia will be off the map within 30 years, along with dozens of other coastal islands. Sandwip, near Chittagong, covered 600 sq km 50 years ago. It is now a tenth of the size, its area having halved over the past 20 years alone. Further north along the Bay of Bengal, 12 islands - home to 70,000 people - are said by the Bangladeshi government to be "immediately threatened" by the rising seas; 90 others in Indian waters, collectively housing more than 4 million people, are said to be at real risk. Sagar island is expected to lose at least 15% of its area in the next eight years, and may yet suffer the same fate that befell the island of Lohachara, which in December 2006 became the first inhabited island known to be lost to rising sea levels.

An abandoned building on Kutubdia. © Photograph: Salman Saeed.

Scientists attribute the disappearance of these islands to a combination of natural and possibly manmade events. The villagers say they are victims of climate change, but there is no reliable sea-level data in Bangladesh. However, sea surface temperatures in the Bay of Bengal have significantly increased, which could theoretically have caused the expansion of water. In addition, more intense cyclones and higher tides have also been observed, while increased flows from some of the giant rivers that flow into the Bay of Bengal may also be contributing.  "There is a close correlation between the rate of sea-level rise and the sea surface temperature," says Sugata Hazra, head of oceanography at Kolkata's Jadavpur University.  No scientific monitoring of sea-level rise has been done on Kutubdia, but increases of nearly 8mm a year have been recorded over 20 years at Cox's Bazar. This is nearly three times the average for Bangladesh and up to five times the worldwide average sea-level rise.  "Land has always been lost to erosion in the Bay of Bengal, but this is now becoming exacerbated," says Saleemul Huq, senior fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development in London.  "There has been a step change in the numbers who have had to move and the rate of erosion is higher than in the past. Whether it is climate change is not clear, but this can be seen as the beginning of a trend which is expected to grow exponentially," he says.

A temporary camp in the Bay of Bengal. © Photograph: Salman Saeed.

Predicted sea-level rises of up to a metre over the next century would inundate the homes of millions of people. At the present rate of 8mm a year, it may only take about 25 years to raise levels 20cm, enough to permanently waterlog and destroy the land and drinking water of as many as 10 million people in the south of the country. A one metre rise along the only partly defended 720km Bangladeshi coastline would result in nearly 20% of the country being submerged and 30 million more people being displaced. A recent report prepared by Jadavpur University and the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) estimates that a million of the 5 million people living in the delta will become climate change refugees by 2050. "We are staring catastrophe in the face," says Moqbul Ahmed, team leader with Coast, a social group working with climate-affected communities and refugees on Kutubdia and elsewhere. "They lose everything they have and they cannot recover when their land is washed away. They have no option but to migrate from the islands but they have no money, and when they leave they have no schools or hospitals. They have no work and no future." Back on Kutubdia, islanders say they do not need scientists to tell them that the annual sea-level rise is far more than 8mm. "We reckon its twice that at least," says Hashem. "The sea used to be much further away. We had to move our houses 300 yards in 2008, but the water now comes to the house. We have nowhere left to go. If we had any money we would go to Cox's Bazar or Chittagong. All we can do is fish. We cannot protect ourselves. So we stay. Our life is with the sea." - Guardian.