Powerful Quake Strikes Solomon Islands

Powerful Earthquake Measuring Up To 7.2Mw Strikes Solomon Islands

The offshore quake struck about 55 km (35 miles) WSW of Kira Kira, on Makira Island, San Cristobal, Solomon Isl., and 210 km southeast of the capital Honiara, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, the US Geological Survey EHP said.

The quake epicentered at  10.636°S, 161.443°E and struck at a depth of about 35 kilometres, at 05:30 UTC, and was said to be one of the strongest earthquakes to strike Honiara in more than a decade.

Panicked residents in the capital, fearing a tsunami, were seen fleeing to higher grounds, reports said.

Tsunami Status:

• Tsunami Information Statement from the WC/ATWC
• Tsunami Information Links

Earthquake Details:

• Magnitude:  6.7 [USGS/EHP Estimate]
• Date-Tim:
  • Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 05:30:19 UTC
  • Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 04:30:19 PM at epicenter
• Location: 10.636°S, 161.443°E
• Depth: 35 km (21.7 miles)
• Region: SOLOMON ISLANDS
• Distances
  • 55 km (35 miles) WSW of Kira Kira, San Cristobal, Solomon Isl.
  • 210 km (130 miles) SE of HONIARA, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
  • 220 km (140 miles) SSE of Auki, Malaita, Solomon Islands
  • 2,070 km (1280 miles) NNE of BRISBANE, Queensland, Australia
• Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 4.8 km (3.0 miles);
• Sourc: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
• Event ID: us2010xzal

Earthquake Location Map. Source:  USGS/EHP

Related Links:

• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

• Earthquake Forecast: Tokyo, Japan
• Earthquake Forecast 2009

Gulf of Mexico Oil Disaster: Headline News

1. As BP stock plunges to a 14-year Low, UK PM fears the firm’s “destruction”

“It is also in all our long-term interests that there is some clarity, some finality, to all of this, so that we don’t at the same time see the destruction of a company that is important for all our interests,” UK PM David  Cameron told Canadian broadcaster CBC.

2. Gulf braces for storm, halt to oil containment

“Federal officials Friday say a tropical storm or hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico could shut down spill-containment operations at BP’s leaking oil well for two weeks, a report said.

3. Govt asks appeals court to keep deepwater drilling ban

Enemy of Earth Judge Feldman had ordered the moratorium be lifted because he decided it was “too broad” and did not justify the impact on the economy. “On Thursday, he denied a stay request by the Obama administration. ”

4. BP oil spill: Suicide of fisherman ‘distraught at spill’

“Captain William Allen-Kruse was found dead with a gun on board his boat by fellow workers. Coroner Stan Vinson told US media that witnesses believe Mr Kruse, who had been a charter boat fisherman for 20 years, had been distraught at the spill.”

Related Links:

• Tropical Depression One: Forecast
• Black Rain in Louisiana?
• Gulf of Mexico in BP Crosshair
• Methane in Gulf Million Times Above Normal

• Gulf of Mexico Worth More Dead Than Alive: Oil Industry
• World’s Largest Oil Tailing Pond – Satellite Images
• BP Hayward: Frankly, I Couldn’t Give a Damn!
• Oil Disasters

Tropical Depression One: Forecast

Tropical Depression One: Initial Motion Highly Uncertain

Tropical Depression One Moving West-Northwestward Toward Belize and the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico.

GOES EAST – IR Satellite Image (AVNCOLOR Enhancement). Click image to update.

Summary of Details @ 11:00 pm EDT 03:00 UTC (source: NHC)

• Location: 16.7N 84.4W
• Distances:
  • About 415 km (255 miles) ESE of Belize City
  • About 460 km (285 miles) ESE of Chetumal, Mexico
• Maximum sustained winds 55 km/hr (35 mph)
• Present movement: WNW or 295 degrees at 15 km/hr (9 mph)
• Minimum central pressure: 1004 mb, 753.1mm (29.65 inches)

Coastal Watches/Warnings and 5-Day Forecast Cone for Storm Center (NOAA)

Click image to update forecast track.

Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Atlantic and East Pacific Oceans

• Real Time POES Imagery Atlantic/East Pacific SST Loop

• SSMI/AMSRE-derived Total Precipitable Water – Global

Satellite Imagery (GOES 12 Floater/NOAA/SSD)

• Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Sector – Water Vapor
• Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Sector – Visible
• Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Sector – Infrared

• Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean – Infrared
• Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean – IR (Aviation Color Enhancement)
• Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean – Water Vapor
• Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean – Visible
• Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean – Visible (Colorized)
• Gulf of Mexico – Infrared
• Gulf of Mexico – IR (Aviation Color Enhancement)
• Gulf of Mexico – Water Vapor
• Gulf of Mexico – Visible
• Gulf of Mexico – Visible (Colorized)

Loops/ Satellite Animations (GOES 12; NOAA/SSD)

• Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Sector – Water Vapor
• Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Sector – Visible
• Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Sector – Infrared

Related Links:

• Tropical Wave Continues to Wreak Havoc Across Caribbean
• 2010 Hurricane Forecast