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Caution
Technical information and scientific data from the US Government agencies (NASA, EPA…) are subject to variation due to political expediency.
This caution also extends to the UN organizations (e.g., FAO, WHO…).
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Let the one among you lawmakers who’s NOT on a corporate payroll cast the first stone.
Let the one among you lawmakers who’s NOT on a corporate payroll cast the first stone. [Original caption: BP CEO Tony Hayward testifies about the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico at the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Capitol Hill, June 17, 2010. REUTERS/Larry Downing.] Image may be subject to copyright. More images…
How About You Rep. Joe [Big Oil] Barton?
“Joe Barton of Texas, a major recipient of oil and gas industry campaign contributions, apologized to Hayward for BP having been pressured by the White House into setting up a $20 billion escrow account for spill damages.” Reuters reported.
“It is a tragedy of the first proportion that a private corporation can be subjected to what I would characterize as a shakedown, a $20 billion shakedown,” Big Oil Barton said.
Rep. Joe Big Oil Barton can’t keep his head out of the Big Oil rupture oil wells. Photo: AP. Image may be subject to copyright.
Barton’s Forced Apology
“I apologize for using the term ‘shakedown’ with regard to yesterday’s actions at the White House in my opening statement this morning, and I retract my apology to BP.”
At least 20 people have been killed, 12 are missing and about 2,000 others have been rescued from the flood stricken southern France. The authorities said about 1,900 firefighters and police officers were mobilized in the rescue effort.
France’s national weather service said up to 40cm (15.7in) of rain had fallen since Tuesday, and warned of more rainstorm in the region.
About 100,000 people have been without electricity across the flood-stricken region, reports say.
The floods are said to be the worst in the region since for nearly 200 years.
Myanmar
“Floods and landslides have killed at least 46 people in northwest Myanmar and rescue workers are evacuating residents affected by the incessant rains, official media said Thursday.” AP reported.
India, China Flooding
Rescuers try to salvage a mini-van submerged in the flood in Nanping City, southeast China’s Fujian Province, on June 15, 2010. (Xinhua/Zhang Guojun). Image may be subject to copyright.
Up to a 100 people have been killed and more than 70 are missing as heavy floods inundated parts of India and China.
“Heavy rains caused havoc in India’s largest city of Mumbai, hitting the movement of air and rail traffic and shutting off electricity in some areas, a report said.
“Thousands of buildings and kilometers of roads have been destroyed by flooding in south-eastern China. Almost 1.5 million people there have been affected by the floods. About 600 flights were grounded at Beijing’s Capital Airport. “
Up to 300 Killed, Dozens Missing, 1.3 million Evacuated after the Latest Round of China Rainstorms, Landslides
Floods have caused substantial damage in 21 provinces in China since January, causing at least 24 billion yuan (3.5 billion U.S. dollars) in direct economic losses, the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said in a statement, Xinhua reported.
The 2010 economic losses so far 370 percent higher than last year, the statement said.
“A total of [up to 300] people died and [up to 100] other[s] were missing due to the floods, with 2 million hectares of crops affected, according to the statement.”
Seattle Police’s Officer of the Month, Ian Walsh, punched a the 17-year-old in the face as he struggled to arrest another teenager for jaywalking, police officials said.
Spring and January-May also post record breaking temps: NOAA
June 2010 could also prove be the warmest on record, by a large margin: Fire Earth
The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record for May, March-May (Northern Hemisphere spring-Southern Hemisphere autumn), and the period January-May, NOAA reported. Worldwide average land surface temperature for May and March-May was the warmest on record while the global ocean surface temperatures for both May and March-May were second warmest on record, behind 1998.
Global Temp Highlights: May 2010
The combined global land and ocean surface temperature for May was 0.69°C (1.24°F) above the 20th century average of 14.8°C (58.6°F).
Land surface temperature was the warmest on record, 1.04°C (1.87°F) higher than 20th century average of 11.1°C (52.0°F).
Ocean temperature was the second warmest on record (after 1998) at 16.3°C (61.3°F), 0.99°F (0.55°C) above the 20th century average.
The warmest temperature anomalies occurred in eastern North America, eastern Brazil, Eastern Europe, southern Asia, eastern Russia, and equatorial Africa.
The Chinese province of Yunnan had its warmest May since 1951.
Many locations in Ontario, Canada had their warmest May on record.
Anomalously cool conditions were present across western North America, northern Argentina, interior Asia, and Western Europe. Germany had its coolest May since 1991 and its 12th coolest May on record.
Temperature anomalies May 2010. Source NOAA. Click image to enlarge.
Global Highlights – March-May 2010
The combined global land and ocean surface average temperature for the March-May period was 14.4°C (58.0°F), the warmest such period on record, and 1.31°F (0.73°C) above the 20th century average of 56.7°F (13.7°C).
Global land surface temperature for March-May was the warmest on record at 1.22°C (2.20°F) above the 20th century average of 8.1°C (46.4 °F).
Global ocean surface temperature was the second warmest March-May on record (behind 1998) at 0.55°C (0.99°F) above the 20th century average of 16.1°C (61.0°F).
The temperatures were very warm across eastern and northern North America, northern Africa, Eastern Europe, southern Asia, and parts of Australia.
Tasmania tied its warmest March-May period on record.
The Northeastern U.S. also had its warmest March-May period on record.
Conversely, cool temperatures enveloped the western U.S. and eastern Asia.
Western Europe was particularly dry for its spring season.
The United Kingdom experienced its driest spring in 26 years, and the 12th driest since 1910, when UK records began.
Temperature anomalies March-May 2010. Source NOAA. Click image to enlarge.
Other Highlights
Arctic sea ice covered an average of 5.06 million square miles (13.1 million square kilometers) in May 2010, which was 3.7 percent below the 1979-2000 average extent and the ninth-smallest May footprint since records began in 1979.
Arctic sea ice melted 50 percent faster than the average May melting rate, the National Snow & Ice Data Center reported.
Antarctic sea ice extent in May was 7.3 percent above the 1979-2000 average, resulting in the fourth largest May extent on record.
Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent during May 2010 was a record low at 4.3 million square kilometers below the long-term average. North America and Eurasia both had record-low snow extents for the month.
Northern Hemisphere March-May snow cover extent was fourth smallest on record.
The North American (including Greenland) snow cover extent for spring (March-May) 2010 was the smallest on record.
At last a half dozen aftershocks have followed the mainshock including a 6.5Mw, as of posting.
Up to a dozen people have been killed or injured, with more than 500 buildings damaged/destroyed near the epicenter, according to local reports.
Fire-Earth Forecast: A major quake measuring 8.5Mw or larger, with more significant aftershocks could strike the area.
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Powerful Quake Measuring Up To 7.5Mw Strikes Near the North Coast of Papua, Indonesia
The powerful shock was preceded by a foreshock measuring at least 6.4Mw.
Tsunami Status
There’s no threat of a destructive widespread tsunami in the Pacific Region, the Pacific Tsunami Center/NOAA/NWS said.
However, the earthquake and its aftershock may have generated destructive tsunamis along the local coasts within a 100-km radius of the epicenter, the report said.
10-degree Map Centered at 0°N,135°E
Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Enhanced by Fire-earth.
Details of Mainshock
GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
Region: Irian Jaya Region, Indonesia
Time: 2010-06-16 03:16:29.0 UTC
Magnitude: 7.2
Epicenter: 136.51°E 2.09°S
Depth: 5 km
Status: automatic
Distances (USGS/EHP)
185 km (115 miles) N (5°) from Enarotali, Irian Jaya, Indonesia
299 km (186 miles) ESE (118°) from Manokwari, Irian Jaya, Indonesia
473 km (294 miles) W (275°) from Jayapura, Irian Jaya, Indonesia
1,077 km (669 miles) SSE (168°) from KOROR, Palau
Details of Foreshock
GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
Region: Irian Jaya Region, Indonesia
Time: 2010-06-16 03:06:04.4 UTC
Magnitude: 6.2
Epicenter: 136.61°E 2.29°S
Depth: 5 km
Status: automatic
At least 60 people have been killed in SE Bangladesh, Burma border landslides and about 40 others in China, dozens missing
Most of the deaths in Bangladesh occurred in the beach resort of Cox’s Bazar, with other casualties reported in the neighboring Banderban district, where at least one large family was “entombed by a landslide,” Banderban police chief Kamrul Ahsan told the BBC.
“At least 34 bodies were recovered from the legal and illegal camps which house up to 300,000 [ethnic Rohingya] refugees described by the UN as one of the most persecuted minorities on Earth.” A report said.
“It was a huge flash flood, it washed everything in its path away,” said district police chief Nibhas Chandra Majhi.
“At least 20,000 people have been trapped by the flash floods. We cannot reach them as the roads are flooded or blocked with mud.”
CHINA
At least 23 people have been killed an d7 others injured after a massive landslide in China’s Sichuan province buried a construction site for a hydroelectric dam.
GANZI, June 15, 2010 Rescuers search at the collapse site in Pengta Town of Kangding County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, June 15, 2010. A mountain collapse occurred and crushed work sheds at a construction site in Pengta Town at wee hours Tuesday, causing 23 people dead and seven injured. (Credit Image: Xinhua/ZUMApress.com). Image may be subject to copyright. See Fir-Earth Fair Use Notice.
“In Nanping, eastern Fujian Province, six bodies have been recovered after landslides and flash floods, triggered by heavy rains, engulfed a bus and a mini-van on Monday noon while 18 others remained missing, said Huang Xinmin, deputy secretary-general of the Nanping municipal government.” A report said.
Obama expects the enemy that started “assaulting our shores and our citizens” help us win the battle!!
“… the battle we’re waging against an oil spill that is assaulting our shores and our citizens.” Obama said.
Would you buy a used car from this guy?
“And in the coming weeks and days, these efforts should capture up to 90 percent of the oil leaking out of the well. This is until the company finishes drilling a relief well later in the summer that’s expected to stop the leak completely.”
President Barack Obama addresses the nation from the Oval Office at the White House in Washington in this television frame grab June 15, 2010.
REUTERS/Reuters TV
STOP Obama from committing America to a premature collapse!
It’s time for an intelligent, caring, competent, and can-do person to lead the country!
The Gulf of Mexico Oil Disaster is the Routine Way of Doing Things on Planet Oil Slick
Gulf of Mexico Oil Slick. MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this image at 1:55 pm (CDT) on June 12, 2010. “Oil appears to have reached beaches and barrier islands in Alabama and the western Panhandle of Florida.” Source: NASA E/O. Click image to enlarge. Download large image (11 MB, JPEG)
Other Images:
Leaking oil and gas are seen during dispersant operations at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, in this screen grab taken from a BP live video feed June 14, 2010. BP Handout (via Reuters)
One of two, giant one-ton tarballs recovered June 11, 2010, south of Perdido Pass, Florida, June 11, 2010. US Coast Guard Handout (via Reuters)
State of emergency declared in 59 Oklahoma counties, as flash floods inundate parts of Oklahoma City
Up t0 10 inches (25cm) of rain deluged parts of the Oklahoma City area leaving hundreds of people stranded.
Cars are stranded and submerged by flood water in Oklahoma City, Okla. after heavy rain hit the area on Monday, June 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams). Image may be subject to copyright. See Fire Earth Fair Use Notice.
A boat carrying firefighters sank when they attempted to rescue a 17-year-old along a North Canadian River tributary that had its banks collapsed, AP reported.
“About 6,700 homes and businesses lost power, according to the Oklahoma Corporation Commission.”
“We had one officer who came in and rescued three carloads of people with families, including children and their pets,” a police spokeswoman said.
“Aerial footage showed one northside Oklahoma City neighborhood where water tinged brick red from nearby Chisholm Creek sat hip-deep in some places and reached the tops of garages in others. Crews ferried families from their homes on small boats and jet skis. At least one person floated his way around on an innertube and other residents gathered in a garage as water worked its way up the driveway,” said the report.
“This is the most flooding that I’ve had since I’ve lived here,” said a resident.
“I’ve never seen it like this,” said another resident. “This is incredible.”
About 200 people have been injured, according to local reports.
Lt. Gov. Jari Askins declared a state of emergency for 59 Oklahoma counties affected by the storms and flooding.
Landslide described as a “wall of mud” destroyed more than a dozen buildings, partially burying at least five homes, and tearing through B.C.’s wine country.
The landslide struck near Testalinda Creek, south of Oliver, B.C. early afternoon local time on Sunday also burying a large a section of the province’s longest highway in the fruit growing region of southern British Columbia in up to 4m (12 feet) of mud, local media reported.
“It’s a real mess, a huge disaster. A lot of orchard land has been wiped right out. I’ve heard there was a five-minute warning,” said a local resident.
A wall of mud and rocks tore through a rural area of the Okanogan Valley Sunday, destroying at half a dozen houses and uprooting orchards and vineyards that lay in its path. Image credit: Olivier Combret For The Globe and Mail. Image may be subject to copyright. More Images …
Large, Well Organized, Low Pressure System 975 Miles WSW of Cape Verde Islands Moving NW at 15 MPH
A large, well-organized, low pressure system located about 1,000 miles WSW of the Cape Verde islands is moving northwestward at up to 15 MPH, NWS TPC/National Hurricane Center said.
Updated at approximately 2 AM, 8 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM EDT from June 1 to November 30. Special outlooks may be issued as conditions warrant. Click image to enlarge and update.
The system could become a tropical cyclone over the next 48 hours, with a probability of 60 percent, the center added.
The system “is producing widespread cloudiness along with some showers and thunderstorms.”
Satellite images show a second system tailing the first.
Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Atlantic and East Pacific Oceans
Quake Measuring 6.2Mw Strikes East of Japan’s Main Island of Honshu
The 6.2Mw quake was epicentered at 37.4N, 141.8E and struck at a depth 40km off the east coast of Honshu near Fukushima Prefecture, Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported.
JMA did not issue a tsunami warning, alert or watch.
Tremors were reportedly felt in the neighboring Tokyo, Miyagi, Yamagata, Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures, but there was no report of damage or injury, as of posting.
Two nuclear power plants located in the Fukushima prefecture were operating normally, The Tokyo Electric Power Co. said, media reported.
Fire Earth Model shows that Japan region could be struck by up to 4 additional strong to large earthquakes possibly this year/early next year, one of which could be a catastrophic event.
Powerful Earthquake Measuring at least 7.5Mw Strikes Nicobar Islands, India Region
The earthquake, which was epicentered at 7.748°N, 91.938°E and at a depth of about 35km, some 155 km (95 miles) W of Mohean, Nicobar Islands, India, occurred on Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 19:26:50 UTC, USGS/EHP said.
Tsunami Status
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) initially issued a Tsunami Warning for the entire Indian Ocean, but later downgraded the warning to India region only, and later canceled the alert.
“Sea level readings indicate that a significant tsunami was not generated,” PTWC said.
So far no damage has been reported in the Andaman and Nicobar islands regions, however a total blackout was reported the capital, Port Blair, news reports said.
Aftershocks:
The mainshock was followed by at least two significant aftershocks, with the larger one measuring 5.5Mw, as of posting.
The quake occurred about 660km NNW of the 9.2Mw Indian Ocean quake which occurred in December 2004, triggering the deadly Boxing Day Tsunami.
10-degree Map Centered at 10°N,90°E
EQ Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Map enhanced by Fire-Earth.
Earthquake Details:
Magnitude: 7.5
Date-Tim:
Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 19:26:50 UTC
Sunday, June 13, 2010 at 01:26:50 AM at epicenter
Location: 7.748°N, 91.938°E
Depth: 35 km (21.7 miles)
Region: NICOBAR ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
Distances:
155 km (95 miles) W of Mohean, Nicobar Islands, India
440 km (275 miles) SSW of Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India
1,155 km (710 miles) SW of BANGKOK, Thailand
2,775 km (1720 miles) SE of NEW DELHI, Delhi, India
Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 6.4 km (4.0 miles)
