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Wildfires picked up their destructive pace across the drought-choked West on Friday, leading residents to flee their homes and authorities to scramble for resources to beat back the flames. Blazes in Washington state that killed three firefighters and injured four others have exploded in size, while other fires charged toward populated areas in several states amid… Continue reading Western wildfires: Growing flames charge across dry states |
Category Archives: Natural Disasters
NASA Images of Hurricane Katrina and 2005 Storm Season Available
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GREENBELT, Md., Aug. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — To mark the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina this month, NASA is making available to media a special collection of videos and still images associated with the devastating storm and the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. The main web link to use for all the best video and still… Continue reading NASA Images of Hurricane Katrina and 2005 Storm Season Available |
Hurricane season is predicted to remain below average
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MIAMI — As the of peak the hurricane season approaches, forecasters predicted with confidence on Thursday that storm activity would remain low this year. “We have an even higher confidence that this year’s hurricane season will be below normal,” said Gerry Bell, the lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction… Continue reading Hurricane season is predicted to remain below average |
Video: Avalanche strikes Everest base camp as earthquake hits Nepal
As the death toll from Saturday’s massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Nepal continues to climb, a stunning video has emerged showing an avalanche striking the Mount Everest base camp.
The video, taken by German climber Jost Kobusch, was discovered on YouTube yesterday.
In it, climbers preparing for their ascent of the world’s highest peak first get a sense something is amiss when the ground starts rumbling. Soon, a massive wall of snow is seen coming down the mountain and engulfing the videographer.
While Kobusch survived, at least 18 other climbers on the mountain died. Overall the death toll from the earthquake has reached nearly 3,800, most of whom perished in Nepal.
On the mountain, the Khumbu Icefall, the primary way up the mountain, has been blocked. Hundreds of climbers and their Sherpa’s were trapped at the higher camps and are now being evacuated by helicopter.
Watch the stunning video below. Adult language warning.
Video: Russian driver pulls out of garage to find self in midst of F3 tornado
An amazing tornado video captured by a dash mounted camera was released on YouTube recently. Apparently taken in Russia on August 29, a surprised driver pulls out of his garage to discover a tornado ripping through the area.
The video begins with the driver backing out of the driveway in heavy rain. As the vehicle turns to face down the road, trees are being pummeled by strong winds and debris from other houses and nearby buildings flies through the air.
After sitting for a scant few seconds – likely struggling to comprehend Mother Nature’s fury that is erupting around him – the driver tries to go back to his garage. As he turns back, the garage collapses before his eyes.
Video added at the end shows extensive damage to cars and homes in the area.
It is believed the video is of an EF-3 rated twister that tore a 28 mile path through Kariyevo.
Major earthquake in Colorado unlikely but not impossible
Following yesterday’s magnitude 6.0 earthquake in Napa Valley, California and recent, far milder temblors near Greeley, Colorado residents have to wonder if a major earthquake is possible in the Centennial State.
Longtime Denver residents well know that earthquakes here are not unheard of.
From the late 1960s to the early 1980s, small quakes in the Denver area were relatively common. The majority of those have been attributed to the injection of liquid waste into the Earth out at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.
Similar manmade processes are believed to be the source of recent earthquake activity in Oklahoma and possibly the earthquakes seen in May and June of this year near Greeley.
Southern Colorado near Trinidad routinely sees small earthquakes. Some of the activity there may be related to mining. However the area is also home to the Northern Sangre de Christo Fault and the Southern Sawatch Fault, both of which have been sources of activity in the past.
Looking farther back, it was on November 7, 1882 that the largest known quake in the state’s history occurred. A temblor estimated at magnitude 6.6 struck near Rocky Mountain National Park. Contemporary news accounts of the day indicate damage was seen in Boulder and the quake was felt as far away as Salina, Kansas and Salt Lake City, Utah.
The latest hazard outlook from the US Geological Survey (USGS) does show a moderate hazard potential for parts of Colorado, particularly the Western Slope.
Related links:
- USGS: Colorado Earthquake History
- Live map: Colorado area earthquakes
- Live map: Global earthquakes
Video captures twin EF-4 tornadoes in Nebraska
Severe weather struck eastern Nebraska on June 16 spawning an amazing four EF-4 rated tornadoes in less than an hour. Two of these were twins, formed from the same supercell thunderstorm at nearly the same time, and stunning video from a resident’s porch shows the beasts.
While this event and the video are a few weeks old, it is well worth sharing. The imagery is a stunning display of Mother Nature’s most violent phenomena.
Timothy Klaustermeier took the video and posted it to YouTube. The nearly seven minute long video shows both tornadoes that spawned near Pilger and lifted north of Wisner. Amazingly the man appears to have been quite calm during the event as the only sounds heard are the roaring of the twisters.
The National Weather Service rated both of these tornadoes as EF4s on the Enhanced Fujita Scale which means they were packing winds of at least 166mph. One traveled over 18 miles, the other nearly 12 miles.
Two other twisters in the same area, one just before and one just after the twins, were also rated EF4s.
Extensive damage was seen in the areas of Pilger and Wisner. Two fatalities were recorded: A five year old girl and a 75 year old man. Sixteen people were critically injured in the storms.
San Diego wildfire prompts evacuation orders for 20,000 homes
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Tornado outbreak hits seven states, kills at least 18 in the South
Tornado activity in the United States had been at record low levels before this weekend. Mother Nature came roaring back to life Sunday however spawning a deadly outbreak of twisters with more expected Monday.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center accumulated reports of 31 tornadoes Sunday although the actual number will likely be less once analyzed. Seven states including Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Mississippi reported twisters.
Hardest hit were the towns of Mayflower and Vilonia near Little Rock, Arkansas. Entire sections of the towns were reduced to their base building materials as the twisters struck late in the day Sunday.
Magnitude 5.1 earthquake rattles Los Angeles area, causes minor damage
A significant magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck La Habra, California Friday breaking water mains, knocking items from shelves and rattling Los Angeles area residents.Occurring at 9:09 p.m., the US Geological Survey reported the quake was centered 4…
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