125 Quakes in 24 hrs, Hawaii Volcano Throws Lave 65ft Into the Air as New Vent Opens

“A new vent has opened on one of the world’s most active volcanos, sending lava shooting 65ft into the air.

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory said the fissure eruption on Kilauea was spotted after the floor of the Pu’u O’o crater collapsed.

It occurred along the middle of Kilauea’s east rift zone, around two miles west of Pu’u O’o.

Volcanologist Janet Babb said: ‘This is what we do. These are the moments we wait for.

‘It is exciting to see an eruption begin particularly if you can see it from the very start.’

Kilauea has been in constant eruption since January 3, 1983.

At the summit, lava receded rapidly after the eruption at around 5pm local time on Saturday, but seemed to have slowed yesterday.

There were also around 150 small earthquakes recorded within Kilauea in the last 24 hours.”  Read more.

Christchurch Earthquake: 10,000 Homes Face Demolition

“About 10,000 houses in Christchurch will have to be demolished because of damage from last month’s earthquake and parts of the city will have to be abandoned altogether, New Zealand’s prime minister has said.

The magnitude 6.3 quake hit close to the surface within three miles (5km) of central Christchurch on 22 February. It shattered homes, heritage buildings and office blocks, and caused 166 confirmed deaths. Officials say the toll is expected to rise to more than 200 as rescuers continue to search for bodies trapped in the rubble.

Earthquakes can cause sections of earth to liquefy and push up to the surface as watery silt. In Christchurch, 260,000 tonnes of silt have already been scraped away.

‘There are some parts of Christchurch that can’t be rebuilt on,’ the prime minister, John Key, told reporters. ‘The liquefaction damage from the … earthquake is so great and the land damage … is so significant we can’t remediate it.'”  Read more.

Fuego Volcano Erupts in Guatemala

“Eruptions continue at Fuego volcano, Guatemala. During the night incandescent explosions ejected lava 100 m above the crater and sent avalanches down surrounding valleys. Rumbling sounds were heard and audible degassing lasted up to six minutes at a time. Ash emissions reached a height of 800 m above the crater and drifted south and southwest.

On 3rd March 2011 an explosion occurred from Caliente crater at Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala. Ash emissions reached 10,800 ft above sea level and produced ashfall in towns to the west and southwest of the volcano. The explosion generated a pyroclastic flow which moved 2.5 km down the southwest flank. Activity continued on 4th March with moderate explosions ejecting ash to a height of 11,000 ft above sea level, and ash fall on surrounding farms.”  Source.

Dead Swans in Grand Canal in Dublin, Ireland

“We are getting reports of a number of dead swans in the GC in Dublin. They are concentrated on the 7th level from Portobello to Suir Road Bridge.

A number were taken from the water for analysis last week. A number of sick birds were also found and were taken to the DSPCA depot for treatment.

Another half dozen birds have been found dead this AM.

Initial reports suggest that the problem is NOT Avian Flu but is more likely some form of botulism or other bacterial infection. The source is as yet unknown but a number of dead and rotting sea-fish were found in the area and that is one possible source. Swans are known to be susceptible to this infection and similar cases have been reported from other areas in the past.

There were also suggestions that the dredging programme may have disturbed some bacteria in the sediment but this is seen as unlikely given the infected birds are some distance from the dredging site.”  Source.

‘Two Suns’ Spotted in China Defy Scientific Explanation

“Weeks after a story shot across the Web claiming that the imminent explosion of a nearby star would result in the appearance of a second sun in the sky — a story that was later debunked — two suns were caught on camera yesterday in China. The suns — one fuzzy and orange, the other a crisp yellow orb — appeared side-by-side, one slightly higher than the other.

What’s going on? Life’s Little Mysteries, a sister site to Space.com, asked Jim Kaler, the University of Illinois astronomer who squelched the excitement over the aforementioned exploding Betelgeuse and who has written books on the day and night sky. The double sun image is an effect of optical refraction, Kaler said, but it’s a ‘pretty darn rare’ one, and one not fully explained by science.

‘I doubt it’s been computer modeled,’ he said. ‘There must have been some blob of atmosphere somewhere that caused this truly spectacular phenomenon, which in a sense is a mirage.'”  Read more.