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Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.1 Earthquake hits central Italy.

6.0 Earthquake hits central Italy.

A pair of strong aftershocks shook central Italy late Wednesday, crumbling churches and buildings, knocking out power and sending panicked residents into the rain-drenched streets.

But hours after the temblors hit, there were no reports of serious injuries or signs of people trapped in rubble, said the head of Italy’s civil protection agency, Fabrizio Curcio. A number of people were treated for slight injuries or anxiety at area hospitals in the most affected regions of Umbria and Le Marche, he said. A 73-year-old man died of a heart attack, possibly brought on by the quakes.

The temblors were actually aftershocks to the August 24 quake that struck a broad swath of central Italy, demolishing buildings in three towns and their hamlets, seismologists said. Several towns this time around also suffered serious damage, with homes in the epicentre of Visso spilling out into the street.

2016 10 27T075003Z 01 SRE107 RTRIDSP 3 ITALY QUAKE 27 10 2016 09 10 54 423

5.9 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.7 Earthquake hits central Italy.

5.7 Earthquake hits Turkmenistan.

5.2 Earthquake hits Ascension Island.

5.1 Earthquake hits central Peru.

5.1 Earthquake hits Unimak Island, Alaska.

5.1 Earthquake hits north of Ascension Island.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific:

Hurricane Seymour is located about 820 mi…1320 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds…90 mph…150 km/h. Present movement…NNW or 335 degrees at 12 mph…19 km/h.

In the North Indian Ocean:

Tropical cyclone (tc) 03b (Kyant), located approximately 423 nm south-southeast of Calcutta, India, is tracking west-southwestward at 08 knots.

Newsbytes:

Colombia – A landslide caused by heavy rain claimed the lives of at least seven people and buried more than 10 others along a mountainous stretch of Colombia’s main highway between Bogota and Medellin on Wednesday. Four others were injured and have been taken to a local hospital.

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Wildlife

Disease decimates sunflower sea star population in the Salish Sea

Sea star wasting disease broke out in 2013, causing large-scale population decline in several species of sea stars along the west coast of North America, from Mexico to Alaska. Previous research on the disease has mainly focused on intertidal populations, and little is known about how the disease impacts sea stars living below the low tide water line.

Scientists investigated the impact of sea star wasting disease on species in the Salish Sea, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border and is home to a diverse number of sea star species. They found dramatic declines in the populations of sunflower sea stars, Pycnopodia helianthoides, along with several other sea star species.

Sunflower Star Cliff Island March 30 2015 720x320

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Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Ebeko (Russia): KVERT reported that, according to observers in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island) about 7 km E, a gas-and-steam plume continuing ash rose from Ebeko to an altitude of 1.5 km (4,900 ft) a.s.l. and drifted 15 km ENE on 20 October. The Aviation Colour Code was raised to Yellow (the second lowest on a four-colour scale). Later that day observers noted gas, steam, and ash plumes rising 1.3-1.4 km (4,300-4,600 ft) a.s.l. and drifting 10 km NE. Ground-based and satellite observations during 21-23 October indicated quiet conditions; the Aviation Color Code was lowered to Green on 24 October.