GLOBAL VOLCANISM: The Latest Report Of Volcanic Eruptions, Activity, Unrest And Awakenings – February 6, 2016! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

Popocatepetl volcano.

February 3, 2016 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.


Popocatepetl (Mexico): In the last 24 hours the Popocatepetl had nine explosions and 35 exhalations of low intensity, according to the monitoring system of the volcano, reported Cenapred.

In its latest report, the body of the Ministry of the Interior explained that four of the nine explosions occurred yesterday at 15:33, 20:19, 21:22 22:48 hours and five on Tuesday.

Also said that since Tuesday morning has been a slight emission of water vapor and gas that winds have scattered to the east-northeast.

Photo: CENAPRED.

He recalled that the light of volcanic alert remains at yellow phase two level at which it is contemplated that the explosive activity continues at a low level, falling ash and even possibility of pyroclastic flows and mudflows.

So the Cenapred urged people not to approach the volcano by the danger of falling ballistic fragments and suggested the public be alert to warnings authorities disseminate Civil Protection.

WATCH: Live streaming Popocatepetl volcano.

Copahue (Chile): Ash plume from Copahue yesterday During the past weeks, the El Agrio crater has continued to emit weak, but near-continuous emissions of fine gray ash.

Incandescence remains visible at night.

Ash plume from Copahue

According to SERNAGEOMIN, this current activity, mainly phreatic, is caused by interaction of a small body of new magma interacting with the hydrothermal system at shallow depth.

Seismic activity, although above background, is relatively low as are other monitored parameters (e.g. deformation, SO2 output etc). No larger eruption is expected for the near future.


Barren Island (India):  Minor eruptive activity (possibly strombolian) seems to continue on the remote island, at least intermittently.

Steam / ash plume and thermal hot spot at Barren Island on February 1, 2016 (MODIS / VIIRS NASA imagery)

Yesterday and the day before, a weak steam and possibly ash plume was visible on satellite imagery as well as a thermal hot spot.


Turrialba (Costa Rica): Weak, passive ash venting occurred yesterday at the western pit crater, showing that volcanic unrest continues.

Ash plume from Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano yesterday

Karymsky (Kamchatka): Several ash plumes reaching estimated 13-16,000 ft (4-5 km) altitude have been reported by Tokyo VAAC during the past days, suggesting that the volcano's intermittent explosions are currently more frequent and relatively intense.


Masaya (Nicaragua): INETER reported ongoing strong seismic and surface activity.

There here are currently two small lava lakes active contained in two pits inside the Santiago crater. Access to Masaya's crater rim, a very popular tourist destination, was closed to the public on Saturday.

An earthquake of magnitude 3 on Friday, felt by many residents, probably accompanied the opening of the second vent in the NE section of the crater.

A third vent is in the process of forming in the SE section of the crater, the latest INETER report stated.



Nevados de Chillán (Central Chile): A series of new explosions with small to moderate ash emissions occurred at the volcano during the end of last week.

This activity formed a second new crater, approx. 25x30 m wide and located 50 m beneath the northeast flank of Arrau crater, as SERNAGEOMIN staff observed on an overflight on 30 January.

Aerial view of Nevados de Chillán volcano's Arrau crater on January 30, 2016 (SERNAGEOMIN)

According to Chilean scientists, the activity is caused by phreatic (steam-driven) explosions in the shallow hydrotermal disturbances, not by fresh magma.

Temperatures in the crater areas were found to be relatively low (approx 120 deg C), which supports this interpretation as well.

It is likely that more explosions occur in the near future and an exclusion zone of 2 km around the crater was put in place.


Heard (Australia, Southern Indian Ocean): An eruption was observed by crew on board the CSIRO research vessel Investigator in late January.


WATCH: A lava flow was seen descending the NW flank of Mawson Peak.

Weak thermal anomalies were also detected on satellite data at the end of January. Whether the activity is still going on or not is impossible to determine - most of the days, the volcano is hidden beneath thick clouds preventing satellite observations.

- Volcano Discovery | El Universal [Translated].

ICE AGE NOW: Global Cooling Continues Relentlessly - Mexico Enduring The COLDEST WINTER IN ITS HISTORY! [VIDEO]

A hat! a hat! I should have worn a hat!

February 3, 2016 - MEXICO - The situation is particularly worrying in the north, where the thermometer reached the -17 ° C mark.

In Mexico City it snowed in January, a phenomenon not seen in the capital since 1967.

31 Jan 2016 - While the storm Jonah was unleashed on the United States, in Mexico temperatures dropped to record lows.

The snow and cold forced the government to declare a state of emergency is declared in 24 of the 32 states in the country.

The National Meteorological System has warned that the worst of winter may be yet to come and that temperatures will fall in the north, northeast, east and center of Mexico.


WATCH: Heavy snowfall in Mexico.

The most affected are the northern states: Chihuahua, Coahuila, Sonora, Nuevo Leon and Tamaulipas, although significant frost and freeze municipalities of Puebla, Zacatecas, San Luis Potosi and Veracruz were also recorded.

On the heights of the "Neovolcanic", the mountain range that crosses Mexico and includes volcanoes Popocatepetl, Nevado de Toluca and Pico de Orizaba, snow dominated the landscape. - Ice Age Now.

EXTREME WEATHER: Tasmania Fighting Fire And Flood Emergencies At The Same Time - 30 Daily Records Broken For Rainfall; Several Highways Closed; Widespread Power Outages! [PHOTOS + VIDEOS]

Floods in Tasmania

February 3, 2016 - TASMANIA, AUSTRALIA - A refuge has been set up at the Triabunna council chambers for those stranded in the area.

The Tasman Highway between Buckland and Orford has been closed due to flooding and landslides, as has the highway a kilometre north of Triabunna.

One holiday-maker, who asked not to be named, said he and his young family were stuck on the other side of the Orford Rivulet, which was now a torrent.

He had been forced to walk into town for supplies, crossing the river via the beach.

"I spoke to the police and they said just to sit tight — the road south is closed and they don't know how long that will be the case for, " he said.

"They told me there was no point trying to get out at his stage."


WATCH: Floods and fires in Tasmania.

UPDATE: TASMANIA Police are urging motorists to drive to the conditions as flood waters continue to cause more road closures.

Inspector Doug Rossiter, of the South-East Division, said that there were a number of road closures currently in place, including the Tasman Highway between Orford and Runnymede and the Tasman Highway at Bicheno just north of Apsley River. The Tasman Highway north of Swansea at Meredith River is expected to open soon for four-wheel drive vehicles only.

"Please check road closures before you set out and avoid any roads that are flooded or affected by water," he said.

2PM UPDATE: Residents on the East Coast have battened down as they prepare for more storms, which have closed the highway between Hobart and Orford.

Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Michael Kent, who has taken refuge at the Gateway Cafe with other Orford locals and tourists, said Tasmania Police had just closed the Tasman Highway at Orford because of a rockfall.

Businesses such as the Orford pub and golf club and the Triabunna IGA have closed due to flooding damage and the road to Spring Beach is also closed.

The East Coast will continue to be hammered with torrential rain, winds and thunder and lightning over the next two days.

"Two weeks ago we were screaming for water and now we've got that much we don't know what to do with it," Cr Kent said.

Gray resident Michelle Kaal said she and daughter Brittany were woken up at 3.30am this morning when their house was shaking.

"The thunder and lightning was really right on top of the house - it was literally shaking with it and there were a couple of lots of lightning that lit up the whole house," she said.

Gray, located just south of St Marys, had around 362mm of rain in just over 48 hours to 9am today and is one of many East Coast towns suffering through record rainfalls.

"We might have to blow up the dinghy in the shed and get some oars to go into town today," Mrs Kaal said.
"Once the rain actually stops, usually the bulk of it disappears within 24 hours."

TasNetworks said lightning strikes and fallen power lines had caused widespread power outages across the state, with around 1500 people currently without power.

For all current outages and estimated restoration times visit: www.tasnetworks.com.au/current-power-outages

Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Malcolm Riley said about 30 daily records were broken yesterday for rainfall in January, mostly in the north and along the east coast.

He said the event was far from over.

"Every year or two we get a decent east coast rain event and this is a premier league sort of situation and it's got a long way to run so it may be one very much of note," he said.

"This is just the way things tend to happen on the East Coast — every now and then they get an
absolute dumping of rain.

"Our forecasts have backed off a bit for tomorrow but have increased for Sunday.

Flooding at Orford on the East Coast.The Orford Bowls Club under water.

"The sea temperatures off our east and north coast are about two degrees above normal so that's actually providing a bit of extra energy to this system."

Mr Riley said Launceston, Westbury Meander, Strath Bridge, Friendly Beaches and Cressy all recorded their highest daily rainfall total for all time yesterday.

The town of Gray, just south of St Marys, had around 362mm of rain in just over 48 hours to 9am today.

St Marys Hotel barman Rodney Spilsbury said flooding in the town this morning reached about three meters deep.

"The main street above the hotel going out towards St Mary's pass was in full flood," he said.

"All the street and the vicinity which they call 'the flat' was one sheet of water, but it's all dropped now. It happened quickly, but they reckon there's more on the way so we're just waiting."

BUSHFIRES

Only road access to Temma cut off by bushfire damage to bridge © NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

Meanwhile bushfire ravaged Temma in the northwest was isolated after the fire damaged the only bridge into the area.

Without the bridge, residents of Temma and Couta Rocks remain cut off from the rest of the state.

Currently, the only way out of the area is by boat.

Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Malcolm Riley said the heaviest areas of rainfalls were in the northwest away from the northeast fire front.

"Unfortunately not a lot got into the fire area — only about 1mm or so," he said late yesterday.

WATER RESTRICTIONS
Despite the downpours, Mole Creek is the latest town to be placed on water restrictions today.

TasWater regional services department manager Mark McConnon said the impact of prolonged dry conditions continued to have an impact on the North West town despite rain in the past 24 hours.

"Recent bushfires in the area saw an increase in consumption over the last week and the inflow into the weir has not been able to keep up with demand," Mr McConnon said.

Mole Creek joins Campbell Town/Ross, Triabunna, Orford and Launceston on stage one restrictions.
Bridport, Swansea, Colebrook, Currie and Whitemark remain on stage two water restrictions.

Thunderstorms and heavy rain, which may lead to flash flooding, are forecast for the same areas today and over the weekend.

Rainfall totals of 50-100mm were expected in the North East today, with rain also increasing on the East Coast this morning and a flood watch continuing for all North and Eastern river basins. Higher rain totals are possible around elevated areas.

Meanwhile, firefighters and drought-stricken farmers could take heart from the latest Bureau of Meteorology outlook for the February to April period issued yesterday.

The Climate Outlook Overview indicates that rainfall is likely to be above average in central and southern Australia and drier than average in the far north.  - SeeMoreRocks.

GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVALS: Massive Sinkhole Opens Up In Parking Lot In Moscow, Russia - Swallows Two Cars! [PHOTOS + VIDEO]

© alicebon5 / Instagram

February 3, 2016 - MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Moscow authorities are trying to determine what caused a rather deep crevice to open up in a parking lot in the capital’s northeast.

It swallowed two cars!

Social media users jokingly suggested the drivers overlooked the parking fee.

The incident happened on Wednesday after two unsuspecting drivers parked their Hyundai and BMW on a spot that would soon turn into a gaping hole.

The Hyundai was unlucky and literally took a dive into the gap. It had to be pulled out with a crane and a tow truck, while the BMW teetered on the edge of the crater.

The surface of the hole was 15 square meters (nearly 161 square feet) and was 3 meters deep, TASS reported.

The most disappointing aspect for the drivers was that they had used paid parking, according to local residents, who shared their amazement on social media.

“A paid parking lot in front of the office - fees have been introduced just recently,” a caption to one of the photos from the scene says.

“Must have forgotten to pay,” one social media user suggested.

Провал грунта на 3-й Мытищинской улице pic.twitter.com/icPbA5X2Sw

— Алексеевцы (@alekseevcy) February 3, 2016

Local authorities said the drivers won’t have to pay for repairs, according to RIA Novosti.

Road traffic safety inspectors have warned car owners about the possibility of waterlogging, and that the current thaw in the city may lead to cracks opening in the ground.

Daily temperatures in Moscow have been above zero since January 28. Due to sleet on the roads there have been a number of accidents, including a sinkhole on a major highway that damaged as many as 14 cars. - RT.