Another landslide looming in Bududa, Uganda

More than 300 people were buried under thousands of tons of earth and rocks in Bududa early March

Deadly landslides in the mountainous region of Bududa, about 275km east of the capital Kampala, killed more than 300 people  on March 1, 2010.

… there was a loud noise, like an explosion, that was accompanied by heavy stones rolling down Mt. Elgon … 10 minutes later, mud buried the residents who had taken shelter at the trading center and heath center. Others who were in their houses were also buried.

The worst rains and flooding in recent history to strike eastern Uganda, which triggered deadly landslide, killing 86 people, have left thousands of people homeless.  Massive mudslides from Mount Elgon near the Uganda-Kenya border have buried three villages in the Bududa district, 275km from the capital, Kampala, various news reports said.

Large Landslide in Bududa, Uganda

A natural-color image of the area struck by the deadly landslide acquired by the Advanced Land Imager on NASA’s EO-1 satellite on March 11, 2010.Tiny white dots scattered throughout the image and close to the western slopes of Mt. Elgon are probably corrugated metal roofs reflecting light. Source NASA. Large image (5 MB, JPEG)

Sounds of cracking rocks can be heard several meters away from the hill—officials

The official are now saying another landslide may be imminent in Bududa as cracks in one of the hills overlooking Nametsi village are widening, Daily Monitor reported.

The hill which is currently home to at least a thousand people has developed a larger fracture caused by continued torrential rains, Gen Julius Oketta, the coordinator of disaster response was reported as saying.

“What we have seen today is that the other crack we saw the other day has again widened so it means that if more rain falls, there is a possibility that this hill can crack. My humble appeal to all the elements in the Bugisu sub region especially Bududa and Manafwa and other areas, should watch out. Let the district leaders be more alert and warn the local authorities. We shouldn’t wait until it falls,” Gen Oketta warned.

More than 300,000 people have been displaced by floods in eastern Uganda, a cabinet minister has said. “The floods have affected over 300,000 people in three districts,” the deputy minister for disaster preparedness and refugees, Musa Eceru told reporters. “We trying to raise funds to help the affected people and we are calling for aid from both local and international sources.” A report said.

Ugandan government said about 500,000  living in mountainous areas of Uganda will have to be relocated because of the risk of mudslides.

Related Links:

• Earth Unhappiest Planet to Live on: Majority
• 2010 Disaster Calender [March]
• Global Weather Chaos
• Drought and Deluge: Two Major Mechanisms of Collapse
• 10 Facts on Climate Change

Powerful Quake Strikes E Coast of Honshu Japan

More Powerful Quakes May Be Imminent in Japan Region

Powerful quake measuring up to 7.0Mw strikes the east coast of Honshu, Japan

An earthquake measuring up to 7.0Mwstruck offshore the east coast of Japan’s main island Honshu, about 285 km northeast of Tokyo Japan, located at 37.7N, 141.9E. The quake struck at a depth of about 40km on March 14, 2010 at 08:08UTC.

Another shock measuring up to 6.0 occurred in the same area about 30 km southwest of today’s event some 21 hours earlier.

The quake was reported as a 6.6 magnitude shock by USGS/EHP.

Tsunami Status

According to Japan Meteorological Agency there was no tsunami threat as a result of the shock.

Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP.

The quake was the 10th powerful (or strong) earthquake (of a possible series of 14) that has struck Japan since August 2009.

Seismic Hazard Map of Japan

Historic Earthquakes in Japan

• 1891 10 27 – Mino-Owari, Japan – M 8.0 Fatalities 7,273
• 1896 06 15 – Sanriku, Japan – M 8.5 Fatalities 27,000
• 1923 09 01 – Kanto (Kwanto), Japan – M 7.9 Fatalities 143,000
• 1927 03 07 – Tango, Japan – M 7.6 Fatalities 3,020
• 1933 03 02 – Sanriku, Japan – M 8.4 Fatalities 2,990
• 1943 09 10 – Tottori, Japan – M 7.4 Fatalities 1,190
• 1944 12 07 – Tonankai, Japan – M 8.1 Fatalities 1,223
• 1945 01 12 – Mikawa, Japan – M 7.1 Fatalities 1,961
• 1946 12 20 – Nankaido, Japan – M 8.1 Fatalities 1,330
• 1948 06 28 – Fukui, Japan – M 7.3 Fatalities 3,769
• 1964 06 16 – Niigata, Japan – M 7.5 Fatalities 26
• 1995 01 16 – Kobe, Japan – M 6.9 Fatalities 5,502
• 2000 10 06 – Western Honshu, Japan – M 6.7
• 2003 05 26 – Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 7.0
• 2003 09 25 – Hokkaido, Japan Region – M 8.3
• 2003 10 08 – Hokkaido, Japan Region – M 6.7
• 2003 10 31 – Off the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 7.0
• 2004 05 29 – Off the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.5
• 2004 09 05 – Near the South Coast of Western Honshu, Japan – M 7.2
• 2004 09 05 – Near the South Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 7.4
• 2004 09 06 – Near the South Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.6
• 2004 10 23 – Near the West Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.6 Fatalities 40
• 2004 11 28 – Hokkaido, Japan Region – M 7.0
• 2004 12 06 – Hokkaido, Japan Region – M 6.8
• 2005 03 20 – Kyushu, Japan – M 6.6 Fatalities 1
• 2005 07 23 – Near the South Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 5.9
• 2005 08 16 – Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 7.2
• 2005 10 19 – Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.3
• 2005 11 14 – Off the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 7.0
• 2005 12 02 – Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.5
• 2006 06 11 – Kyushu, Japan – M 6.3
• 2007 03 25 – Near the West Coast of Honshu,Japan – M 6.7 Fatalities 1
• 2007 07 16 – Near the west coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.6 Fatalities 9
• 2008 05 07 – Near the East Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.8
• 2008 06 13 – Eastern Honshu, Japan – M 6.9 Fatalities 13
• 2008 07 23 – Eastern Honshu, Japan – M 6.8 Fatalities 1
• 2008 09 11 – Hokkaido, Japan region – M 6.8
• 2009 08 09 – Near the South Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 7.1
• 2009 08 10 – Near the South Coast of Honshu, Japan – M 6.1 Fatalities 1
• 2009 08 12 – Izu Islands, Japan region – M 6.6
• 2009 08 17 – Southwestern Ryukyu Islands, Japan – M 6.7
• 2009 10 30 – Ryukyu Islands, Japan – M 6.8

Related Links:

• The 9th Powerful Quake Strikes Japan Region
• Powerful Earthquake Strikes Near Izu Islands, Japan
• 8th Strong Quake Strikes Ryukyu Islands, Japan
• Seventh Powerful Quake Hits Japan Region
• 6th Strong Quake Strikes Near Ryukyu Isles, Japan
• 5th Strong Quake Strikes Japan Region
• 6 to 8 more strong EQs may yet strike region
• Earthquake Forecast: Tokyo, Japan
• M 6.4 Quake Strikes SW Ryukkyu Isls, Japan
• Magnitude 6.3 quake strikes Taiwan region
• Earthquakes

Magnitude 7.0ML Quake Strikes Obira Indonesia

Powerful Quake measuring 7.0 ML Strikes off the Coast of Obira, Indonesia.

An earthquake measuring  7.0 ML (Richter Scale) struck off the coast of Obira Island, Obi Islands (Kepulauan Obi) a group of islands in the Indonesian province of Maluku.

ShakeMap of Obira. Source: USGS

The offshore quake occurred at a depth of 56 km on March 14, 2010 at 07:57 am local time (00:57UTC) with the epicenter located at 1.58S  128.20E, about 227 km North of Ambon, Indonesia.

Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency reported.  There were no tsunami warning and, as of posting, no casualties or damage were reported.

Related Links:

• FEWW Earthquake Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Volcano Links

Cyclones ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 14

Super Cyclone ULUI a Cat 5 Storm; Tomas, at Cat 1 force,  Intensifying

With Cyclone Tomas (TC 19P) still 620km away, Fijians on Vanua Levu island probably know by now what to expect because of strong winds and heavy rains that are already arriving , leaving a foretaste of  what is about to come their way.

Tropical Cyclone Tomas (TC 19P) – Summary of Details on March 14 at 00:01UTC

• Position:  13.3S 179.5W
• Max Sustained Winds :  ~ 145km/hr (78 kts)
• Wind Gusts: ~ 175km/hr ( 94 kts)
• Movement: Southwestward
• Forward Speed:  10km/hr (~ 06 kts)
• Location: 620km  (335 NM) NORTHEAST of NADI, FIJI
• Comment: Tomas is at a Category 1 strength on the  FEWW New Hurricane Scale and is  expected to continue intensifying over the next 48 to 72 hours until ocean heat content decreases and vertical wind shear increases.
• Sources: JTWC, Digital Typhoon, CIMSS and others.

Roll down for images.

Super Cyclone ULUI, Cat 5 Hurricane Strength, Flexing Muscles on Open Water

If the super cyclone continues on its actual path (NOT forecast path), it could destroy most structures on the Island of Rennell, aka Mungava (Pop 3,000).

Super Cyclone ULUI  (TC 20P) Details on March 14 at 00:01UTC

• Position: 12.7S 161.6E
• Max Sustained Winds:  260 km/hr (~ 140 kts)
• Wind Gusts: 325km/hr (~ 175 kts)
• Movement:  Northwest
• Forward Speed:  ~13 km/hr ( 7 kts)
• Location: About 425km (230 NM) WNW of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
• Sources: JTWC, Digital Typhoon and others.

Super Cyclone ULUI. IR/WV Difference. Source: CIMSS. Click Images to enlarge.

Roll down for more images.

Related Links:

• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 13
• Tropical Cyclones Now Come in Pairs
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale

IMAGE UPDATE

The following MTSAT (NOAA) images were added at 08:00UTC – Click images to enlarge.

MTSAT – IR Image

MTSAT – Colorized IR Image

MTSAT – Visible Image

On Mar 14 at 08:00UTC

• Super Cyclone ULUI sustained wind speeds was recorded at 265km/hr
• -Cyclone Tomas intensified to a category 2A hurricane force (see below) with sustained winds of about 160km/hr