Tsunami hits Indonesia

Mentawai Islands - A tsunami was created by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that was 13miles beneath the ocean floor. A 10 foot wave crashed a remote island and swept away homes killing at least 113 people.  Rescuers battle the seas for 12 hours to reach the some islands and some are still not reachable due to the dangerous sea. Many people are without shelters because supplies and tents have not arrived.

Hundreds of wooden and bamboo homes were washed away on the island of Pagai, with water flooding crops and roads up to 600 yards inland. In Muntei Baru, a village on Silabu island, 80 percent of the houses were badly damaged.

Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its location on a series of fault lines. These islands, that were hit by the tsunami, surrounds Indonesia in the Indian ocean. The Indian ocean does not have a sensor systems which helps detect when an earthquake happens or when a tsunami is about to happen.  If they had some kind of a system it could help reduce the number of deaths and the damage by warning the people when a tsunami is about to hit.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_indonesia_earthquake;_ylt=Aiw8K6Ditow_GBETxel0gi6s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNvMmw4dGx2BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMDI2L2FzX2luZG9uZXNpYV9lYXJ0aHF1YWtlBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDMwRwb3MDMTAEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl90b3Bfc3RvcnkEc2xrA2luZG9uZXNpYXRzdQ--

Huge windstorm hawls across the nation's midsection

Today, Tuesday October 26th, a huge storm with winds up to 81mph swept across the midsection of our nation. It was very powerful, taking down power lines, snapping trees, ripping off roofs, and creating flights to be delayed. It's pressure was similar to a category 3 hurricane, it's force was comparable to a blizzard minus the snow and it's size was huge, spreading from the Dakotas to the eastern Great Lakes, it had meteorologist fascinated. If this storm went over water it would have created a major hurricane.

Because our temperatures were in the 50s  and 60s it didn't turn into a blizzard, but some think that if it was in the 20s than is could have been. More than 145,000 homes were without power, at one point, in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and the St. Louis area. The storm was moving 50 to 60 mph creating the wind to become stronger and creating tornado's. Down in Racine County, south-east corner of Wisconsin, two people were injured after a tornado ripped off a piece of a roof on a factory. In different places, a few others were injured too.

Since this storm was massive, it  created 31 states to have had same kind of advisory out, from thunderstorm to tornadoes to blizzards, which is very unusual. There is still warnings out for the rest of tonight and tomorrow, but the meteorologist think that the worst is over and the winds will start to calm down.

Even though this storm is unusual, in its size and strength during this time of the year, the nation's midsection has seen this kind of weather and is not vulnerable.  Here in Eau Claire, the winds have been strong all day and it has been raining off and on. Time to take out those winter jackets and prepare for winter!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_midwest_storms;_ylt=AsMhjLkdye7sfTD5EbRwSKys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNoM3AyZGhuBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAxMDI2L3VzX21pZHdlc3Rfc3Rvcm1zBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDbWFzc2l2ZXdpbmRz

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Midwest-Storms/ss/events/us/102610midweststorm#photoViewer=/101026/480/urn_publicid_ap_org_f3f2ab8fbfc547af97f5fe974a27169f

Northern Mexico hit by earthquake

In Northern Mexico a 6.7 magnitude earthquake hit Mexico city having people flee into the streets, Thursday around noon. At first it was estimated that the earthquake was going to have a magnitude of 6.9, which would be 2 times strong than it's actual, 6.7, magnitude.   The shake from the powerful earthquake lasted over a minute creating a lot of panic, but it didn't cause any server damage or injuries. On Tuesday night a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit the same region and another Wednesday Morning which was a 5.8 magnitude; both didn't cause damages or injuries.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101021/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_earthquake

Update: Hurricane Paula

Hurricane Paula weakened into a tropical Storm on Wednesday, it had strong winds and rainfalls, but didn't create serve damage. Cuban were excepting the worse, but hoping for the better; and it was better. Many low lying street have turned into shallow rivers and some dirt roads are muddy roads, but nothing they can't handle. Cubans have hurricanes frequently and know what to do to try to prevent server damage the best they can, so they're not vulnerable. Once the sea turned violet some power turned off while others where already turn off in preparation. Most Cubans had there roofs and other objects tied down for the wind couldn't destroy it.  In 2008 Cuba was hit by three hurricanes in a row around this time of the year that hurt their economy, which they are still attempting to rebuild; In the beginning, many were wondering if this was going to be a repeat of that and now that it's almost over Cubans can stop worrying and start planting their tobacco fields.

http://www.news-press.com/article/20101014/WEATHER01/101014007/1053/rss06

Hurricane Puala weakens to tropical storm

From yesterday to today hurricane Paula, which was a category 2, turned into a tropical storm while moving along Cuba's northwestern coast. Paula had maximum sustained winds of 60mph and its core was about 40miles southwest of Havana, the U.S National Hurricane Center reported. The storm was moving east at about 9mph continuing along Cuba's northern coast. So far there has not been any reports of significant damage but authorities are watching the southern and northern coast closely due to heavy waves may cause flooding. As time passes it is likely that the storm will continue to lose its strength. The rainfall and wind is also weaker than excepted which gives the authorities hope that there won't be any server damage. Cuba has a weak economy due to the three hurricanes that hit in 2008 and many are still hitting from those hurricanes. Many tobacco farmers were ready to start planting for next seasons, but this storm set them back.

Since Cuba does not have a strong economy they're lucky that this hurricane weakened. They are also lucky that this Storm is approaching now instead of after the tobacco fields are planted because, even though this storm weakened, it still can do damage.  Now was evacuated but people were prepared for the worse but boarding up their doors and windors and having this outside tied down and out away.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101014/ap_on_bi_ge/tropical_weather

Earthquake in Costa Rica

On Oct 9th, around 8 pm a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit the 26miles north of San Jose, Costa Rica. The depth of the earthqauke was 98 km (61 miles). Poeple rushed into the street while items fell off the shelves and alarams rang. The shaking lasted about 30 second and the swaying motion knocked out cell service and created landslids. No major damage was report and no death or injury have been reported.

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2010/10/09/Costa-Rica-shaken-by-59-earthquake/UPI-64071286638707/
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/08/costa.rica.earthquake/index.html?hpt=Sbin

In Costa Rica, the average number of earthquakes per year per 12, 300 km2, with magnitude 5 or greater and a depth of 0-70km:

http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2009/eq_090108_bpba/neic_bpba_d.html

Vietnam Flooding

In Hanoi, Vietnam heavy rain from Friday to Sunday caused a flood killing six people and evacuating at least 13,300 people form their homes.  29 inches of rain fell leaving thousands of houses damaged and roads closed. Vietnam is prone to floods and hurricans which kills hyndreds of people every year.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101004/wl_asia_afp/vietnamfloods