Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Koryyakia, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits northern Colombia.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 Earthquake hits South Island, New Zealand.

Cliffs have collapsed in New Zealand during an earthquake in the city of Christchurch on the South Island. Beaches to the east of Christchurch were busy with swimmers and surfers when rocks began to fall into the sea. No serious damage or fatalities were reported in the Valentine's Day quake that struck at 13:13 local time (00.13 GMT).

5.3 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.1 Earthquake hits Oklahoma, USA.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Java, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Leyte, Philippines.

5.0 Earthquake hits Lake Baykal, Russia.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

Two 5.2 Earthquakes hit the Kermedec Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits Timor, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

Two 5.0 Earthquakes hit the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits southwestern Sakha, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.8 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

5.3 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.2 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Global Warming

Russia warming '2.5 times quicker' than global average

Russia is warming more than twice as fast as the average for the rest of the world, the environment ministry said Friday, sounding an alarm on the rise in floods and wildfires nationwide.

A government report on environmental protection said temperatures in Russia had warmed by 0.42 degrees Celsius per decade since 1976, or 2.5 times quicker than the global warming trend of 0.17 degrees.

"Climate change leads to growth of dangerous meteorological phenomena," the ministry said in a comment to the report published Friday.

There were 569 such phenomena in Russia in 2014, "the most since monitoring began," the ministry said, specifically mentioning last year's ravaging floods and this year's "water deficit" east of Lake Baikal, which led to a "catastrophic rise in fires."

Fires around Lake Baikal, including the nearby Irkutsk and Buryatia regions, tore through hundreds of square miles in the pristine area, with locals and campers forced to dig ditches as state media at one point offered the theory that fires were fuelled by "self-igniting air" caused by ozone anomalies.

Climate change has contributed to unprecedented loss of water in the Baikal itself, dropping to minimal water levels allowed by the government several times this year, including this week.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the Banda Sea.

5.4 Earthquake hits the Kuril islands.

5.4 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Taluad, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits Lake Baykal, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Maule, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits southeast of Easter Island.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.7 Earthquake hits the southeast Indian ridge.

5.2 Earthquake hits Jujuy, Argentina.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Kuril islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Antofagasta, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.0 Earthquake hits southwestern Sakha, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the southern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

Wildfires

Russia Bans Burning of Dry Fields

The Russian government said today it had banned the burning of dry farmland and fields adjacent to roads and infrastructure in an effort to reduce the risk of hugely destructive wildfires.

The measures which expands an earlier ban of stubble burning apply to the burning of dry land located on farms, near roads, railways and pipelines.

Earlier this year, huge wildfires engulfed the forested areas on the banks of Siberia's Lake Baikal, jeopardising the unique wildlife and vegetation of the world's oldest and deepest lake.

And in April, at least 34 people died in southern Siberia as a result of wildfires, apparently caused by the careless burning of farmland. Hundreds more were left homeless.

The ban also outlaws the use of open flame in these areas and requires that dry flammable vegetation be removed.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

7.9 (Initial 8.3) Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

Thousands of residents of this small city in northern Chile were sleeping outside Thursday after a powerful earthquake destroyed their homes, a tremor that also forced more than 1 million to evacuate and killed eight people in the quake-prone South American nation.

Several coastal towns were flooded from small tsunami waves set off by the late Wednesday quake, which shook the Earth so strongly that rumbles were felt across South America.

The magnitude-8.3 quake that hit off northern Chile on Wednesday night lasted for three minutes, causing buildings to sway in the capital, Santiago, and prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for the Andean nation’s entire Pacific coast. People sought safety in the streets of inland cities, while others along the shore took to their cars to race to higher ground.

Tsunami advisories were in effect for Hawaii and parts of California. Tsunami warnings in Chile were lifted early Thursday.

The tremor was so strong that people in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on the other side of the continent, felt it. People in Peru and Brazil also reported feeling the shakes. No injuries were reported outside of Chile.

6.3 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

6.2 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

6.1 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.8 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.7 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.6 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

6.3 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.3 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.5 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.7 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

7.0 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

6.2 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.4 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.9 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

6.4 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.5 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.9 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.5 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.1 Earthquake hits offshore Tarapaca, Chile.

5.1 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Dodecanese Islands, Greece.

6.5 Earthquake hits Maranhao, Brazil.

5.6 Earthquake hits San Luis, Argentina.

5.2 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.4 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Fred is located about 690 mi...1105 km WNW of the Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

Hurricane Ignacio is located about 435 mi...700 km N of Lihue Hawaii and about 505 mi...815 km NNW of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...75 mph...120 km/h. Present movement...NW or 305 degrees at 14 mph...22 km/h.

Typhoon Kilo is located 712 nm east-northeast of Wake Island, and is tracking westward at 01 knot.

Hurricane Jimena is located about 755 mi...1215 km E of Hilo Hawaii and about 950 mi...1525 km E of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...110 mph...175 km/h. Present movement...NW or 315 degrees at 3 mph...6 km/h.

Tropical Storm Kevin is located about 510 mi...825 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...N or 350 degrees at 6 mph...9 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Russia - Rescuers are evacuating exhausted and starving animals which have been trapped at the flooded zoo in the Russian city of Ussuriysk for days. So far a lion and three bears have been airlifted to safety, while many animals confined to their cages are yet to be rescued.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Siberia

Wildfires destroy forest around the world's oldest and deepest fresh-water lake, Lake Baikal in Russia. By Thursday over 25,000 hectares of forest had been scorched.

Wildfires - DR Congo

At least three people have been killed and thousands left homeless by bush fires raging in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Komandorskiye Ostrova region, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, japan.

5.2 Earthquake hits northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Bali, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Sea of Othotsk, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, japan.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.4 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

Two 5.6 Earthquakes hit east of North Island, New Zealand.

5.4 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.2 Earthquake hits Metropolitana, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits the central east Pacific rise.

5.1 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits Lake Baykal, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

No current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Philippines - Floods spawned by torrential rains since Tuesday night swelled rivers criss-crossing the adjoining Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat provinces, inundating more than a hundred barangays and vast swaths of rice farms. Dozens of villages in Koronadal City, some 40 kilometres southeast of Maguindanao, were hit by rampaging floods Wednesday after more than 12 hours of heavy downpours. More than 4,000 peasant families in five towns in Sultan Kudarat and in Tacurong City were dislocated by floods that swept through farmlands near rivers.

Russia - Flash floods brought the Black Sea resort of Sochi to a standstill on Thursday and apparently killed at least one person as it halted trains and left cars half-submerged in the city where Russia staged the Winter Olympics. Roads were impassable and people were trying to retrieve parked cars that had been left almost completely under water. Others were clearing flooded cellars and courtyards where the water was knee-high. Rain also affected other areas of southern Russia, including the wheat producing and exporting region of Krasnodar, which started harvesting a few days ago.

India - Heavy rains have been battering the worst-affected Saurashtra region, where more than 50 people have died in flood-related incidents. Nearly 10,000 people have been moved to higher ground, including 1,000 who were airlifted to safety. House collapses have been responsible for most of the deaths and the toll is likely to increase. India regularly witnesses severe floods during the monsoon season.

Kashmir, India - Several parts of south Kashmir were inundated on Thursday with streams and rivulets running in spate and the Jhelum flowing above the danger mark as heavy rainfall lashed the region. A flood alert was sounded late last night for Anantnag and Pulwama districts with the MeT department predicting more rain over the next 48 hours.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

6.7 Earthquake hits the Sea of Okhotsk.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Timor Sea.

5.3 Earthquake hits eastern Uzbekistan.

5.3 Earthquake hits southern Peru.

5.2 Earthquake hits west of MacQuarrie Island.

5.1 Earthquake hits the southern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

8.3 Earthquake hits the Sea of Okhotsk.

The quake hit 373 miles below the surface in the Sea of Okhotsk. The epicentre is 223 miles west southwest of Esso, Russia. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre was quick to report that no Pacific-wide tsunami was expected. Tremors were felt as far away as Moscow, 7 000 miles from the epicentre of the quake.

It has been a busy 24 hours in the Pacific, seismically speaking. There was a magnitude 7.4 quake and later a 6.3 near Tonga. Then a 5.7 quake struck 11km west northwest of Greenville, California. No tsunamis were generated in any of the events.

7.4 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

6.5 Earthquake hits the southern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

6.6 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.8 Earthquake hits south of Tonga.

5.8 Earthquake hits the south Indian Ocean.

5.7 Earthquake hits northern California.

5.3 Earthquake hits the MacQuarrie Island region.

5.2 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

5.1 Earthquake hits southern Iran.

5.1 Earthquake hits Minahasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits New Britain, Papua New Guinea.

5.0 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tonga.

Storms and Floods

Tornado in Russia

At least 200 people have been injured by a tornado in Efremov, near Tula in central Russia. The Tula Governor has declared a state of emergency The tornado damaged 179 houses, five schools and two kindergartens.

Flash floods in Kathmandu, Nepal

Heavy rainfall swept away at least two houses in Kathmandu, Nepal. The flood also closed Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), Nepal's only international airport, for a short time.

Flooding in Norway

Hundreds of people have been evacuated following mudslides and flooding in Norway. Train services through Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen that connect Oslo and Trondheim have been closed. The flooding in Norway this year is expected to be the worst since 1995.

Storm in Bucharest, Romania injures 18

Heavy rain and strong storms in Bucharest, the capital city of Romania have injured at least 18 people including one in critical stage. The storms have left more than 17,000 residents without power.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

5.4 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.0 Earthquake hits Tarapaca, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes - Global

6.8 Earthquake hits off the coast of Aisen, Chile. No tsunami threat indicated.

6.0 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

5.8 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

5.6 Earthquake hits off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Three 5.2 Earthquakes hit off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Nine 5.1 Earthquakes hit off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

Eight 5.0 Earthquakes hit off the east coast of Kamchatka, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits Fiji.