SOLAR WATCH: Farside Active Region - Un-numbered Active Region Is Seething With Activity And Capable Of Significant Eruptions! UPDATE: Earthquake And Volcano Watch!

June 18, 2013 - SUN - The magnetic field of sunspot AR1775 is growing more complex, increasing the chance of an eruption. NOAA forecasters estimate a 20% chance of M-class solar flares on June 19th.

FARSIDE ACTIVE REGION: Meanwhile on the farside of the sun, an un-numbered active region is seething with activity, and appears capable of significant eruptions. NASA's STEREO-Behind spacecraft is stationed over the sun's east limb with a good view of the hot spot (circled):

During the early hours of June 18th, a long-duration flare from this active region hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) over the sun's eastern limb. However, none of the rocky planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars) were in the line of fire.

A new active region (circled) currently transiting the farside of the Sun erupted with a bright Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) flung into space. Because this was a farsided event, the plasma cloud was directed away from Earth. The solar rotation will carry the potential sunspot into Earth view later this week. Images by STEREO.

In a few days, the sun's rotation will carry the active region around the eastern limb and onto the Earthside of the sun. Then we will have a direct view of the underlying sunspot group and be able to better assess its potential for future flares.

The active region off the east limb generated another Coronal Mass Ejection. Again because of the location,
it is not Earth directed. Image by STEREO Ahead COR2.

Monitor the farside: You can see an animation of today's flare and monitor the active region in the days ahead by downloading NASA's Interplanetary 3D Sun app. It works on high-end iPhones (4s and 5), iPad 2s, and mini-iPads.


SUNSPOTS: Solar activity is currently at low levels. Most of the low level C-Class activity detected has been centered around Sunspot 1775 and also an approaching region off the east limb. Sunspots 1772, 1773 and 1775 are the current areas of interest while we await the new regions appearance off the southeast limb. A small new sunspot appears to be forming in the northern hemisphere to the northwest of 1773. There will remain a chance for C-Class solar flares and perhaps an isolated M-Class event.

Credit: SDO/HMI.

CORONAL HOLE: Solar wind flowing from this coronal hole could brush against Earth's magnetic field on June 23-24.

Credit: SDO/AIA.

JUPITER ECLIPSE: Consider it a solar eclipse ... of Jupiter. On June 19th the sun will pass directly in front of Jupiter, completely eclipsing the giant planet. Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory are monitoring the convergence:

The CME in the movie was blasted into space by a farside active region described in today's lead news item. Jupiter appears to be in the line of fire, but it is not. The cloud is merely passing in front of the planet; even the CMEs are eclipsing Jupiter today. Updated images of the "eclipse" may be found at the SOHO Realtime Images web page.


WATCH: SolarWatch / Earthquake Watch - June 18-19, 2013.

WATCH: Volcano / Earthquake Watch - June 21-25, 2013.

SOURCES: Space Weather | Solar Ham | Solar Watcher.

DELUGE: Tropical Depression Unleash Torrential Rainfall On Belize, Mexico, Honduras - Potential For Widespread Flooding And Mudslides!

June 18, 2013 - YUCATAN PENINSULA - The tropical disturbance that grew into a tropical depression Monday in the western Caribbean maintained its status Monday night as it moved across the southern part of the Yucatan Peninsula.

The system will unleash torrential rainfall and the potential for flooding and mudslides in the region. Although unlikely, there is a chance the system becomes Tropical Storm Barry before reaching mainland Mexico at midweek.

Tropical downpours from northern Honduras to southeastern Mexico can easily produce several inches of rain in a short amount of time.

Two-day rainfall, as of Monday morning, in Honduras includes 5.64 inches in La Ceiba and 4.26 inches in Trujillo.

Proximity to land is expected to limit the development of this system into Tuesday night before it moves closer to the warm waters of Bay of Campeche.

This enhanced satellite image shows Tropical Depression Two centered over Belize as of early Tuesday, June 18, 2013.

The system is forecast to briefly move over warm water early Wednesday morning into early Thursday; however, if the system tracks farther south, interactions between the system and the ocean will be limited. If this occurs, the depression will likely weaken.

The second name on the list of tropical storms in the Atlantic Basin for 2013 is Barry.

Beyond Wednesday, most tropical rains should move inland (westward) over Mexico.

There is a chance that some of the moisture from the system is funneled into part of south and west Texas late in the week well after the second landfall. - AccuWeather.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Hundreds Of Fish Turning Up Dead In A Pond Has Locals "Puzzled" In Temple, Texas; And Another Fish Kill In Lake Texoma, Oklahoma And Texas?!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - It's a mystery that has people in Central Texas scratching their heads. Hundreds of fish turning up dead in a Temple pond this weekend. When lifelong Temple angler Eloy Machuca came to Miller Park today he saw something he didn't expect.

Hundreds Of Fish Turning Up Dead In A Pond Has Locals "Puzzled" In Temple, Texas.

"I come down here to release some fish, usually little ones so kids can catch them, but I've never seen this many," Machua said.

What he saw were dead catfish hundreds of them.

"I would say 90 percent of them are dead."

The fish are floating around the edge of the pond and already starting to rot.

Just walking around the outside edge of this pond more than 300 dead fish were counted, a lot of them in a really gross muck.

But the question remains: how did they die?

According to Machua, "When you've got public access, there's just no telling what it could be."

Sue Goodwin owns a tropical fish store in Waco.

She said that most likely it's a lack of oxygen in the water suffocating the fish.

But what caused that lack of air is anyone's guess.

"It could have been too crowded, it could have gotten too hot, could have lost their oxygen, or somebody could have tampered with it by pouring a chemical in it."

Something as simple as maybe soap or oil.

There's also a lot of algae in the pond which robs the fish of oxygen.

It's even possible some chlorine leaked from the nearby splash pads.


WATCH: Temple Community Puzzled Over Dead Fish Pond.

And once you have a few die, it starts fouling the water and it gets the rest of them."

"I would love to see them figure out exactly what it is that's going on with these fish so that people can enjoy, can continue to enjoy the park and the water." said Temple resident Dana Everett.

But it's unclear just what it will take to do that.

Another turn in this mystery, the geese and turtles who call the pond home don't seem to have been affected.

Since it's the weekend multiple calls to Temple Parks and Leisure and the local game warden went unanswered.

We'll continue to follow this story and bring you more information as we get it. - KCEN TV.

Fish Kill In Lake Texoma, Oklahoma And Texas.

Bruce Hysmith and his team from the Texas Park and Wildlife Department have been studying the dead fish in Lake Texoma since last week.

"Its hard for us to really pinpoint a cause because generally by the time we get there its erased," says Hysmith, a Biologist for Lake Texoma.

Since the fish have been floating in the water for hours, sometimes days before they are found, the evidence which could possibly determine their death has been destroyed.

Monday afternoon biologists set out again to try and determine what is killing these fish.

"The dissolved oxygen is the key thing for fish survival and so probably what is happening is these fish are migrating around the lake and they're coming in contact with water that is void of oxygen," says Hysmith.

His team measured oxygen levels but they were normal.

"We measured oxygen and it was 110% saturation so what that means is you got 10% more than what you really need but that oxygen, that can go away," explain Hysmith.

He says the levels vary substantially in different parts of the lake and at different times of the day.

In parts of the lake Hysmith and his team investigated, they saw about 1600 dead fish and out of the millions of fish that are in the lake that number is very, very small.

The number of dead fish this year so far is not too unusual but Hysmith and his team still want to keep an eye on the situation.

"We are going to keep watching it and you keep checking back with us and we'll let you know so you can keep our friendly fisherman informed."

All in all nothing found Monday afternoon out on the lake was unusual, but they did manage to find some fish worth testing.

"Our Oklahoma counterparts have collected fresh dead fish and they are sending them off to a pathologist to take a look at them maybe the pathologist can lend more insight as to what killed the fish," says Hysmith. - KTEN10.

MASS ANIMAL DIE-OFF: Catastrophic Mortality - 46 Dolphins, 111 Manatees And 300 Pelicans Have Died Since Last Summer In Indian River Lagoon, Florida; One Dolphin Turning Up Dead Everyday Last Week?!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - The Indian River Lagoon on Florida's east coast has long been known as the most diverse ecosystem in North America.

A kayaker spotted a sick dolphin stranded in shallow water in Indian River Lagoon this week and stayed with it for two hours until rescuers could capture it. Because it was suffering some from sunburn, they draped it in a sheet until they could take it to rehab. After finding 46 dead dolphins in the lagoon, this is the first live one and could provide clues to what’s been killing them off. Teresa Mazza with Hubbs-SeaWorld.

Its 156 miles of water boast more than 600 species of fish and more than 300 kinds of birds.

The lagoon is not just an ecological treasure. To the towns along its edge — Titusville, Cocoa, Melbourne, Vero Beach and Stuart, among others — it accounts for hundreds of millions in revenue from angling, boating, bird-watching, tourism and other waterfront activities.

But these days the Indian River Lagoon has become known as a killing zone.

Algae blooms wiped out more than 47,000 acres of its sea grass beds, which one scientist compared to losing an entire rainforest in one fell swoop.

Then, beginning last summer, manatees began dying. As of last week, 111 manatees from Indian River Lagoon had died under mysterious circumstances. Soon pelicans and dolphins began showing up dead too — more than 300 pelicans and 46 dolphins so far.

A dolphin swims near Round Island in the southern portion of the Indian River Lagoon on Thursday. At least 46 dolphins have died under mysterious circumstances — one a day in the past week. CHRIS ZUPPA | Times

How bad is it? In the past week, a dolphin a day has turned up dead in the lagoon, said Megan Stolen, a research scientist at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute.

"When you lose the manatees, pelicans and dolphins, you know something is going on," said Marty Baum of Indian Riverkeeper, a nonprofit environmental group that tries to act as a steward for the lagoon and the Indian River that flows into it.

Yet so far nobody can name the killer. Biologists have some suspicions but are baffled about any connection among the species' problems. The diets are different: Manatees are vegetarians, while pelicans and dolphins eat fish. The symptoms are different: The manatees' stomachs are stuffed, while the pelicans and dolphins are emaciated.

Baum's family has lived around the lagoon since the 1860s, but he can't remember anything like this ever happening.

The lagoon has had algae blooms before. None of them were like the one that hit it in 2011. Experts called the explosion of the greenish Resultor species a "superbloom" because it covered nearly 131,000 acres and lasted from early spring to late fall.

Algae coats sea grass in the Indian River Lagoon on Thursday. Already, 47,000 acres of sea grass beds have died from algae blooms. CHRIS ZUPPA | Times

Then came the "brown tide" algae bloom last summer, tinting the water a chocolate brown. The algae, Aureoumbra lagunensis, have been a recurring problem in Texas. Why it suddenly showed up in Florida is another mystery.

The algae blooms shade out sunlight needed by sea grass. By the time the algae was done, the lagoon had lost more than half its sea grass, essential to nurturing fish and other marine species.

Then came what Pat Rose of the Save the Manatee Club called "a cascade of events."

The mysterious manatee die-off began in the northern part of the lagoon last July, hit its peak around March and now produces another dead manatee about every two weeks, said Martine DeWit of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Biologists at a state laboratory in St. Petersburg examine every dead manatee that's found in Florida for a cause of death. But the Indian River Lagoon manatees have them stumped. The manatees appeared to have abruptly sickened and drowned.

Algae coats sea grass in the Indian River Lagoon on Thursday. Already, 47,000 acres of sea grass beds have died from algae blooms. CHRIS ZUPPA | Times

Normally manatees eat sea grass. With much of the sea grass gone, the manatees turned to eating a red sea weed called gracilaria. But so far there is no sign that played any role in their deaths, DeWit said. The lab is continuing to test for viruses, pollutants or something else.

Similar tests are being run on the dead pelicans and dolphins. Stolen of Hubbs-SeaWorld said the dolphin die-off first became evident in January and has not let up since.

And the lagoon's 700 dolphins are already somewhat beleaguered. They tend to suffer from high levels of mercury. In fact, research by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution at Florida Atlantic University has found that there's so much mercury in the lagoon's fish that people who eat them have higher mercury concentrations in their tissues than those who eat imported fish.

Scientists caught a break Friday when a kayaker discovered an ailing, sunburned, underweight dolphin stranded in the shallows, Stolen said. Rescuers were able to capture it for rehabilitation, and they hope it offers clues to what killed the others.


WATCH: Indian River Lagoon mystery ailment killing dolphins, manatees, pelicans.

When it comes to naming the cause, the list of suspects rivals a game of Clue. Stormwater runoff filled with fertilizer and other nutrient pollution has been blamed for fueling the algae blooms. Other theories point to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dumping polluted water from Lake Okeechobee, changes in water temperature or salt levels, overflow from contaminated mosquito-control ditches, even climate change, which is boosting the acidity of the world's oceans.

The Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute had hoped for $2 million in state money this year for a study of the lagoon's water chemistry, but Gov. Rick Scott vetoed the appropriation.

There are a few hopeful signs. The pelican die-off appears to have ended. As for the sea grass, "we're starting to see some regrowth in certain areas, but not as much as we'd hoped," said Tony Rice of the Indian River Lagoon Estuary Program, a government-sponsored partnership among local and state agencies.

Meanwhile, a new brown tide bloom was spotted last month. If the lagoon hasn't hit a point where it's sliding toward oblivion, said Rose, of the Save the Manatee Club, a return to normal is a long way off. "I'm thinking it's seven, eight, nine years," he said. "We could be looking at a decade before it recovers." - Tampa Bay Times.

INFRASTRUCTURE & SOCIETAL COLLAPSE: Another Gas Explosion In Louisiana - Gas Line Mysteriously Explodes In Washington Parish; Third Explosion In Less Than A Week In The State?!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Authorities late Tuesday still were trying to determine what caused a 30-inch natural gas line explosion in southern Washington Parish, but so far have said the blast does not appear to be suspicious. The line exploded at around 5:30 a.m. Tuesday on Lee Road near South Thigpen Road in the Enon area south of Franklinton, literally rocking the area and sending a fireball into the sky.

Washington Parish Sheriff Randy "Country" Seal said 55 people who lived nearby were evacuated, but no one was injured. The only notable damage to nearby property was siding that melted off of a mobile home, he said.

By mid-day, crews had secured the pipeline and residents were allowed to return to their Lee Road homes.

The state Fire Marshal's Office, the Washington Parish Sheriff's Office, Louisiana State Police and Florida Gas Transmission officials remained on scene trying to determine what caused the explosion.

Federal officials also were on scene Tuesday as a precaution, Seal said. The gas line explosion was the third explosion in less than a week in the state.


WATCH: Sheila Darity's cell phone video shows the huge gas explosion near Enon, La., early Tuesday June 18, 2013. No one was injured in the series of three blasts.

One person died in an explosion at a fertilizer plant in Donaldsonville on Friday and seven others were injured. On Thursday, a massive explosion at a chemical plant in Geismar killed two and injured at least 76 others.

"There's nothing suspicious that's caused us any concern at this point," State Fire Marshal Butch Browning said of the Washington Parish explosion.

Previous incidents

Florida Gas Transmission Co., a supplier that delivers natural gas to utility companies, owns the natural gas line that exploded Tuesday. The fire quickly was extinguished and natural gas was rerouted along its system, company spokeswoman Vicki Granado said.

Dallas-based Entergy Transfer Partners owns Florida Gas Transmission. The company has 4,958 miles of gas transmission pipelines in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. In Louisiana, it has 658 miles of pipeline.

According to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Florida Gas Transmission Co. has had 15 natural gas incidents since 2007, causing $4.7 million in property damage and three injuries. In 2012, the company had four incidents, involving no injuries, but resulting in $2.3 million.

The only other accident in Louisiana listed on the administration's database was on Feb. 13, 2012, in Pride, La. It was caused by external corrosion of the pipeline.

'The whole house just shook'

The force of the blast in Washington Parish nearly knocked Suzie Goodrich out of bed. Goodrich lives at the intersection of Lee Road and Louisiana 1072, about a mile or so from where the explosion occurred.

"I was sleeping and there was this gigantic boom," Goodrich said. "It shook the house. The whole house just shook."

Goodrich said she ran outside to see what had happened and saw huge flames shooting into the sky. She figured pretty quickly it was a gas line because "there was too much fire for it to be a house fire," she said.

Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said firefighters from his department reported 100-foot flames shooting out of the pipe at one point. Those flames could be seen from miles away, he said.

An almost-deafening roar followed the boom, which residents said lasted about an hour.


WATCH: Randy Seal, Washington Parish Sheriff, talks about gas explosion.

Doris Schilling, who lives about seven miles from the blast in the Plainview community, was putting on her makeup when her house started to vibrate.

"It felt like it was going to split my house in two," she said. "I knew something wasn't right, but I didn't know what it was."

Schilling, who works at the Sheriff's Office, called dispatch. The woman who answered was inundated with calls, she said, but told her there had been an explosion.

About five miles away, Jay Smith said he felt the explosion.

"The first thing I thought was it was Al Qaeda blowing up a gas station," Smith, who lives in a wooded area between Franklinton and Bogalusa, near the Ben's Creek Wildlife Management Area, said. "It shook my house and woke me up."

Smith said the explosion "sounded like a low-flying jet. There was a big roar. I thought it was a tornado."


WATCH: Washington Parish residents talk about gas explosion.

Smith said he immediately jumped in his truck and drove toward the explosion to make sure no one was hurt. The pine trees in the area where the blast occurred were scorched and black, he said.

The boom also woke Vicki St. Pierre, who lives on Lee Road about a quarter-mile from where the blast originated. First she thought it was thunder, then maybe a low-flying plane.

She knew a gas line had exploded when she "saw it was daylight and wasn't supposed to be."

St. Pierre said she remembered something a friend who worked for a pipeline company told her years ago--that if one ever explodes, get out. She took his advice, but had to leave her three dogs and a cat behind when she evacuated.

They were scared of the roar from the pipeline and she couldn't round them up, she said.

While no one was injured in the explosion Tuesday, a family of two adults was displaced, American Red Cross spokeswoman Nancy Malone said. She said the Red Cross was assisting the family with food and clothing, but they had a place to stay.

Malone said seven Red Cross volunteers were on scene Tuesday. They fed about 400 people, she said, mostly first responders and emergency personnel. - NOLA.

GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVAL: Tracking Developments At The Giant Louisiana Sinkhole - Texas Brine Reports Presence Of Gas Found During Under-Slab Monitoring, Presents Elevation Data And Begins Observation Vent Well (ORW 38); Oxy 3 Cavern Floor Rises By 18 Feet; Latest Flyover Video And Distance Map Are Released!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - The following constitutes the latest updates from the Assumption Parish Police Jury on the giant Louisiana sinkhole:

Presence of Gas Found During Under-slab Monitoring - June 14, 2013.
Texas Brine has reported to us that two additional homes (that had not previously been monitored) have undergone under-slab monitoring and the presence of gas has been found – 100% LEL and traces of H2S. Texas Brine will advise what additional steps will be taken to mitigate the presence of gas from the underneath of these slabs. No changes have been made to the evacuation order and we will update as information becomes available.

   
Oxy 3 Cavern Update - June 15, 2013.
Texas Brine has reported to us that the Oxy 3 cavern floor is now at 3,793′, which is an 18′ rise from last week’s tagging. According to the information we have, this would mean that there is 143′ left to fill the cavern to it’s roof. We will post additional information as it becomes available.

  
Elevation Data - June 17, 2013.
Below is a link to elevation data provided to us by Texas Brine.

Elevation Data [PDF]

Data from surveys (taken of wells, monuments, geoprobe wells and other landmarks) in February, March and May of this year is contained in this report.

  
Texas Brine Report - June 18, 2013.
Texas Brine has reported to us that they are beginning the next Observation Vent Well (ORW 38) which is north of the BC-2 pressure well on Sauce Piquante Lane. We have not been presented with any other specific plans for the area; however, it’s our understanding that they are being developed. We will update once information becomes available.


Distance Map - June 18, 2013.
The image below accesses an updated map identifying distance(s) from the sinkhole to the Bayou Corne community. This map has been provided by the Assumption Parish Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness.

See large image HERE [PDF].


WATCH: Latest flyover - June 18, 2013.

INFRASTRUCTURE & SOCIETAL COLLAPSE: Russian Blast - Multiple Explosions Rock Arsenal Storing 13 Million Shells In The Samara Region; Hundreds Fight Blaze; 6,000 People Evacuated; Multiple Injuries!

June 18, 2013 - RUSSIA - Large explosions rock an ammunition depot in Russia’s Samara Region, where over 13 million shells are stored. Over 500 firefighters are combatting the blaze triggered by blasts, while dozens of residents in nearby communities have sought medical help.

Multiple artillery shells keep exploding at an ammunition depot near the city of Chapaevsk, a local police spokesman told RIA.

“It is still not possible to halt the self-destruction, or to enter the firing grounds,” he added, saying that the shell shards are scattering in such a large area that there is no way the fire brigade could reach and extinguish the fire.

According to the Chief Directorate of the Interior Ministry for Samara Region spokesman Sergey Goldstein, there are “13 million shell units” at the ammunition depot, Interfax reports.

Police have cordoned off the area. At least 6,000 people from the nearby community have been evacuated to safety, Russia's Emergencies Ministry said in a statement.

11 people have been hospitalized as a result of the blasts, a source in emergency response team told RIA.

Earlier reports said that 34 people have sought medical attention in connection with the incident in Chapaevsk, according to Russian Health Ministry spokesman Oleg Salagay.

Image from twitter user@4ipzhe.

Local authorities are warning the residents of Chapaevsk not to enter the area of the blasts, and have sealed off the roads leading to the arsenal. There are some 74,000 people living in Chapaevsk just 15 kilometers from the area of the incident.

The Russia’s Ministry of Emergencies is sending two planes with robot-equipped bomb-disposal experts to Chapaevsk, reports Itar-Tass.

“Chapaevsk is covered by smoke. The shells are exploding at a military depot in Nagorny community. The federal highway has been blocked,” the city resident @andygoalkeeper posts on Twitter.

‘Fire could last for 3 days’

More than 500 firefighters with 100 units of equipment are fighting the blaze at the site of the incident, Ministry of Emergencies said. Their numbers are building up, it added.

Image from vk.com/typical_chapaevsk.

Meanwhile, officials say that the fire and the blasts could last for up to three days.

“The munitions, which are piled in stacks, keep exploding. According to experts’ estimates, the fire at the shooting ground could last for 2-3 days,” a law enforcement source told RIA.

Aleksey Kochkin of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has confirmed that the blaze could endure for up to three days “in a worst case scenario,” citing similar emergencies.

Ammunition depot explosions are not a rare occurrence in the Russian Federation. Over the last three years, more than a dozen explosions have shocked the nation taking the lives of both civilians and military personnel.

The tragic highlights include July 2010 in the Altai region where 6 people died from explosions including 4 civilians. In April 2011, an explosion at a military warehouse claimed the lives of four civilians employed by the Defense Ministry. In the Russian Udmurt region, a blast in June 2011 killed 7 soldiers and wounded more than 100 people.

Last year alone ten incidents have lit up the skies. The most tragic ones include an explosion in May 2012 in which 6 people died and four were injured. The accident in the Nizhny Novgorod region was followed by an explosion, two weeks lateer in the Far East in which two people died. In September, while dismantling the ammunition, an explosion claimed the life of one soldier in the Orenburg region. - RT.

WATCH: Strong explosions rock ammo depot storing 13mn shells in Russia.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: The Global Volcano Report For June 18, 2013 - Updates On Manam, Veniaminof, Pavlof, Fuego And Popocatépetl!

June 18, 2013 - WORLDWIDE VOLCANOES - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.

Manam (Papua New Guinea): An eruption with a small ash plume was reported this morning and VAAC Darwin issued an advisory. A low level ash plume was also visible on Nasa's Aqua Modis image at 15:45 UTC.


Veniaminof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): The eruption continues. A lava flow is being erupted from the central intra-caldera cone, recent satellite images suggest as they show very high elevated surface temperatures in this area.

MODIS hot spot data for Veniaminof volcano showing the area of fresh lava flows (ModVolc, Univ. Hawaii).

Since about 10 hours ago, a seismic swarm and continuous tremor have appeared indicating probably an increase in this activity. No plumes were reported by AVO.


Pavlof (Alaska Peninsula, USA): No changes in activity were reported by the Alaska Volcano Observatory. Seismic activity continues to decrease and no elevated surface temperatures were detected in satellite images during the past 24 hours. No plumes were visible in satellite images, while web camera images show mostly cloudy conditions.


Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): A powerful explosion occurred yesterday at 13:23 local time, producing an eruption column rising about 4 km. This is so far one (if not the) largest single eruption in the present cycle of activity.

Current seismic recording from Popocatépetl showing the explosion yesterday.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity at all currently active volcanoes in Guatemala has been weaker today. The small new lava flow at Fuego was not mentioned in INSIVUMEH's daily reports, and only few weak strombolian explosions were observed since yesterday.

No strombolian activity was seen or heard at Pacaya and only a small explosion is mentioned for the lava dome of Santiaguito. Seismic recordings were not available today.



Complete Earthquake list (worldwide) for June 18, 2013.


- Volcano Discovery.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Large Numbers Of Dead Fish Found In Meadow Grounds Lake In McConnellsburg, Pennsylvania?!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - For years, Meadow Grounds Lake in McConnellsburg was an icon to the Fulton County community. Now it's a 204-acre mud pit, lined with stumps and fish carcasses.

"It's like losing a family member," says Dayton Tweedy, a concerned resident and member of the Friends of Meadow Grounds Lake Group.

According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC), they announced February 25, 2013 that the lake would be drained indefinitly because of seepage issues in the lake's dam.

The PFBC said it would continue testing the dam until funding could be secured, and warned in a press release that some of the fish would not be saved.

"They dug a pit up there and they just dumped the fish in a hole just to die," says Ed Carbaugh, a concerned resident and member of the Friends of Meadow Grounds Lake Group.

The community is outraged, saying they were not informed the lake would be drawn down. Some believe the area will be used to drill for natural gas rather than officials allocating funds to repair the dam.

"I think it's a little too late for us to do anything now to fill it back up. The fish are gone, wildlife's gone, the habitat is gone, and someone's wallet is going to get fat in the end," says Travis Barnett, a concerned resident.

While others are organizing: the Friends of Meadow Grounds Lake Group says they're focused on the solutions and are filing to become a non-profit.

"We're dedicated, we're organized and we will get this lake back. It's an important thing for the people of our county and the surrounding area. We will not give up until we have our lake back," adds Tweedy.

Another group that faced similar issues in Carlisle got their Opossum Lake back seven years after it was drained. Friends of Meadow Grounds Lake Group say this keeps them hopeful that their lake will be refilled.

The group is holding a public meeting June 24 at 6 p.m. at the Fulton County Library. They ask you to attend and help continue this fight.

For more information see the group's Facebook Group or their website. - Your4State.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Thousands Of Carp Found Dead In Milford Reservoir, Kansas?!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Don Phillips and Larry Riat were both amazed and perplexed about a week ago when they fished at Milford Reservoir.

The amazing part included a massive run on channel catfish as they fished from a boat, using jig lures.

File photo.

What alarmed and perplexed the 76-year-old retirees was the thousands of dead carp and other less desirable species in the water and on the shore.

"There were two dead carp about every foot. They were floating in the water about everywhere," said Riat, of Abilene.

The channel catfish were spawning, said Phillips, of Salina.

"We caught many, many of them and turned them back," he said. "They were good eatin' size."

The pair were after walleye and crappie. They caught a few crappie, but turned them back.

But what they wondered about most was the dead carp.

Why the dead carp?

Fisheries officials at the lake have been fielding reports about dead fish -- 99 percent of them carp -- for a couple of weeks, starting from the north end, said R.J. Harms, Milford operations manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Experts at the lake investigated, and Harms shared a theory that suggests the dead fish came from the Republican River, which flows into the lake.

"A lot of the (dead) fish look to be oxygen-stressed. Our oxygen profiles (in Milford) seem to be fine," Harms said.

The theory is that rain patterns over the past several weeks have caused the river flows to fluctuate and the fish to move.

Experts think that the increased flows caused carp, and perhaps some drum and other fish, to float downstream. Then, as the heavy flows subsided, the fish would get caught in shallow pools, become oxygen-stressed and die.

"Next time it rains, they would get pushed into the lake," Harms said.

High winds have contributed, as well, he said.

"That's the latest theory. We haven't heard anything different," he said. "There is nothing showing an oxygen problem (at Milford)."

Mud-covered carp

The theory makes sense, Phillips said.

"I saw several carp that were covered in mud. They had been buried for some time," he said. "Of course, a carp can live for a time without water on them, if they're in the mud."

Phillips said he harbors no concern over the quality of fish at Milford and would have no problem eating fish caught there. - Salina Journal.

GLOBAL VOLCANISM: Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano Erupts Again - Violent Explosion Produces Ash Plume Stretching 4 Kilometres Into The Sky; Volcanic Alert Issued!

June 18, 2013 - MEXICO - Mexico's huge Popocatepetl volcano erupted with an explosion of gas and ash that could be seen from miles, and could possibly create an ash cloud bound for Mexico City, about 40 miles to the southeast.

Popocatepetl volcano spews ash in its biggest eruption in weeks (Cenapred).

Observers on the scene recorded video of the massive grey ash plume erupting from the volcano, which has been restive since last year.

The ash plume stretched four kilometers into the sky and dropped incandescent chunks of rock into neighboring areas, according to Mexican newspaper Informador.

A volcanic alert has been issued for the area.

If eruptions continue, it's possible that evacuations may be ordered for residents of the villages near the volcano, according to RT.com. Evacuations were planned as the volcano's activity grew ominous in mid-May, but were never carried out.

Another large eruption of ash was recorded on May 22, accompanied by two small earthquakes, indicating that the volcano is especially active at this time.

Ash and smoke spew from Popocatépetl volcano as seen today from the Santiago Xalitxintla, in the Mexican central state of Puebla. PABLO SPENCER AFP/Getty Images

Popocatepetl is the second-highest volcano in Mexico, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Trans-Mexican Volcano belt. It was dormant since the 1950s before becoming active in 1994 — erupting occasionally with sometimes damaging results.

A large eruption in December 2000 caused mass evacuations of the Puebla state area around the volcano, although accurate prediction of the blast ensured that no one was hurt. 

Volcano watchers can view a Mexican webcam stream of the volcano at this location. Tuesday, the webcam showed white smoke issuing from a seemingly quiet cone. - Global Post.


WATCH: Violent explosion shakes Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano.

PROTESTS & SOCIETAL COLLAPSE: Precursors To The Total Collapse Of The FAILED White Supremacy Paradigm - "People Revolution" Spreads To Brazil; Thousands Take To The Street In Anti-Government Protests!

June 18, 2013 - BRAZIL - Brazilians angry about high taxes, corruption, lavish spending on the upcoming World Cup soccer tournament and other complaints vowed to hit city streets again Tuesday, a day after the largest protests in the country in at least 20 years.

Protesters set a fire outside the Tiradentes Palace in Rio de Janeiro during a protest on June 17.

President Dilma Rousseff said Tuesday their message was being heard.

"The direct message from the streets is for more citizenship, better schools, better hospitals, better health, for direct participation," she said in a nationally televised address. "My government is trying and committed to social transformation."

The protests blocked seven lanes of the main ring road around Sao Paulo on Monday night in what was a largely peaceful, even festive demonstration.

Other protest groups marched down major business avenues in the city, while in Rio de Janeiro, crowds clogged entire city blocks, waving Brazilian flags and chanting against corruption and for democracy.

A riot officer holds a position in downtown Rio de Janeiro on June 17.

People walk in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, June 18. Brazilians took to the streets across the country to protest a 9 cent rise in bus fares. Brazil is building massive stadiums and revamping infrastructure ahead of the soccer World Cup, which it hosts next year.

Thousands participate in the protest in Rio de Janeiro on June 17.

"Brazilians want to put a stop to the various problems that exist in the country," said CNN iReporter Phillip Luiz Viana, who participated in the protests in Sao Paulo. "We see no reason to have such bad infrastructure when there is so much wealth that is so highly taxed."

Police stayed largely on the sidelines after being accused of using heavy-handed tactics in earlier demonstrations.

But they did push back when protesters attempted to storm government buildings in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo and attempted to rush the National Congress building in Brasilia, the nation's capital. Police held them at bay, the official Agencia Brasil news service reported.

In Rio de Janeiro, protesters looted and vandalized several shops and burned cars, the news agency said.

Police also used tear gas to break up a protest trying to form near a stadium in Belo Horizonte, one of six Brazilian cities hosting a dry run for Brazil's hosting of the 2014 World Cup soccer tournament.

Piles of trash burn in the streets of Rio de Janeiro on June 17.

Thousands stand in the gardens of the National Congress in Brasilia during a protest on June 17.

Protesters clash with riot police in front of Rio de Janeiro's Legislative Assembly building on June 17.

The agency reported that an 18-year-old who was not part of the demonstrations fell from an overpass when the crowd of protesters passed by. He was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition, the agency said.

While praising the largely peaceful protests, Rousseff said that what she characterized as "isolated and minor acts of violence" should be confronted "with vigor."

More protests are expected Tuesday in Sao Paulo.

They are being organized largely by university students and a group called the Free Fare Movement, which wants public transportation to be free of charge.

WATCH: Protest rallies held in Brazil's main cities.

The protests follow a week of smaller demonstrations that began in response to plans to increase fares for Brazil's public transportation system, from 3 to 3.20 reais ($1.38 to $1.47), but have broadened into wider protests over economic and social issues plaguing the country.

Protesters say they are angry about, among other things, government decisions to spend money on the World Cup and other projects instead of improving health care, education and other social programs.

Brazil is building stadiums and revamping its infrastructure ahead of the World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games, events that will put the world's focus on the Latin American nation of 201 million people.

"They destroyed schools to build parking lots for stadiums; hospitals are overcrowded; people are hungry on the streets," Rio de Janeiro protester Fernando Jones said.

WATCH: Protests spread across Brazil.

The protests have attracted international attention, and the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Brazilian authorities Tuesday to show restraint in handling protesters.

Last week, at least 100 people were injured and 120 arrested after violent clashes between police and protesters in Sao Paulo. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas against protesters and journalists, bringing complaints of brutality and targeting of media covering the events.

On Monday, Rousseff issued a statement saying that "peaceful demonstrations are legitimate and part of democracy."

"It is right for the youth to protest," she said.

Former President Lula da Silva also came out in support for the protests on his Facebook page, urging officials to work out a solution for affordable transit rates. - CNN.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Dead Fish Found Scattered Along Beaches In Kuwait?!

June 18, 2013 - KUWAIT -  Environment Public Authority (EPA) has carried out a surveillance of beaches opposing Chest Hospital and Maternity Hospital following discovery of dead fish near these beaches.

File Photo.

A team from EPA's water pollution monitoring department noticed, yesterday and today, scattered quantities of dead fish but then concluded that they were dead for long time and not recently, EPA said in a statement Saturday.

EPA said it contacted the municipality to clean the beaches, asserting keenness to follow up any reports of similar incidents to preserve the environment.  - KUNA.

MONUMENTAL GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVAL: Massive Section Of Ocean Floor Off The Coast Of Portugal Is Beginning To Fracture - Increasing Tectonic Activity Around The Passive South West Iberia Plate Margin!

June 18, 2013 - PORTUGAL -   A new subduction zone forming off the coast of Portugal heralds the beginning of a cycle that will see the Atlantic Ocean close as continental Europe moves closer to America.

NOAA/NGDC image of the Atlantic crustal age of the ocean floor. Geologists have detected the first evidence that a passive margin in the Atlantic ocean is becoming active. The team mapped the ocean floor and found it was beginning to fracture, indicating tectonic activity around the apparently passive South West Iberia plate margin. (Credit: Mr. Elliot Lim and Mr. Jesse Varner, CIRES & NOAA/NGDC)

Published in Geology, new research led by Monash University geologists has detected the first evidence that a passive margin in the Atlantic ocean is becoming active. Subduction zones, such as the one beginning near Iberia, are areas where one of the tectonic plates that cover Earth's surface dives beneath another plate into the mantle -- the layer just below the crust.

Lead author Dr João Duarte, from the School of Geosciences said the team mapped the ocean floor and found it was beginning to fracture, indicating tectonic activity around the apparently passive South West Iberia plate margin.

"What we have detected is the very beginnings of an active margin -- it's like an embryonic subduction zone," Dr Duarte said.

"Significant earthquake activity, including the 1755 quake which devastated Lisbon, indicated that there might be convergent tectonic movement in the area. For the first time, we have been able to provide not only evidences that this is indeed the case, but also a consistent driving mechanism."

The incipient subduction in the Iberian zone could signal the start of a new phase of the Wilson Cycle -- where plate movements break up supercontinents, like Pangaea, and open oceans, stabilise and then form new subduction zones which close the oceans and bring the scattered continents back together.

This break-up and reformation of supercontinents has happened at least three times, over more than four billion years, on Earth. The Iberian subduction will gradually pull Iberia towards the United States over approximately 220 million years.

The findings provide a unique opportunity to observe a passive margin becoming active -- a process that will take around 20 million years. Even at this early phase the site will yield data that is crucial to refining the geodynamic models.

"Understanding these processes will certainly provide new insights on how subduction zones may have initiated in the past and how oceans start to close," Dr Duarte said. - Science Daily.

DELUGE: Fatal Floods Hit North India - 80 Dead; 78,000 Stranded; 450 Roads Completely Destroyed; Record 15 Landslides; More Rains Predicted For The Region!

June 18, 2013 - INDIA -  Heavy monsoon rain for four straight days has affected tens of thousands people in Uttarakhand region, in the northern part of India, with some reports placing the death toll to be as high as 80.

Indian security personnel stayed with residents on the remains of a flood damaged road alongside the River Alaknanda in Chamoli district in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand on Tuesday.Indian Army/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

According to New Delhi TV, the two northern states in India, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, have been battered by heavy wind and rain for days, leaving thousands stranded, and forcing 5,000 army troops to be deployed to help those who have been ravaged by floods. The news station is reporting that as of Tuesday 73,000 tourists have no way of fleeing the areas, leaving visitors with very little food and some with no shelter, including hundreds of pilgrims making their way to the four shrines.

Fifty people have died in Uttarakhand alone, including five soldiers or "jawans," and countless other rescue officials. Another 60 people have not yet been accounted for, according to reports.

Army soldiers rescuing stranded villagers in the aftermath of floods triggered by heavy rain in
Yamunanagar district of Haryana on Monday.Stringer/India/Reuters

Meteorologists predict more rain for the region in the next coming days. Many of the area's roads - approximately 450 - have been completely destroyed from record number of landslides - about 15 as of Tuesday - making it nearly impossible to move to safer areas, according to The Times of India.

Also, entire villages have been wiped out.

Uttarakhand chief minister Vijay Bahuguna called the situation "grave" but is confident that the government's swift response and help from rescue teams will provide appreciable relief.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi sat down with Home Minister Sushil Kumar and Chief Ministers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand to issue directions for brisk aid for the victims of the floods, DNA India reports.

Over 78,000 people are stranded as floodwaters, rain, and heavy wind continue to batter Uttarakhand and other
states in northern India. Death toll as high as 80 as of Tuesday. (Photo : Twitter)

In a press release obtained by DNA, All India's Congress Committee (AICC) Communications Department said that Gandhi "also asked the Chief Ministers to ensure that arrangements for communication and travel is made for the stranded tourists and visitors from other states." - HNGN.

WATCH: Floods Sweep Away Houses in Northern India.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Biologists Investigate Thousands Of Dead White Bass Fish At Cave Run Lake, Kentucky?!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - Thousands of fish have died in the past week at Cave Run Lake.

Largemouth Bass. Image:  Howard L. Jelks.

Biologists are still searching for the cause, which affected white bass, said Dave Baker, a spokesman with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources.

The "fish kill" was similar to one in the early 2000s.

Bob Durborow, aquaculture extension specialist at Kentucky State University, said the white bass he examined had bacterial infections, which contributed to their condition, but was likely not the primary cause of the fish kill.

"It may have been some kind of virus," Baker added, saying biologist won't know until test results come back.

"It seems to have run its course," Baker said, adding that state officials are not seeing any new fish dying. But last weekend and earlier this week, there were many dead fish scattered around the surface of the lake.

Baker said anglers this weekend should not eat any fish that "don't look right." He said look for sores or other blemishes. To which I added, avoid eating fish that don't smell right, either! Baker reminded people not to eat dead or dying fish.

Gerry Buynak, assistant director of fisheries for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, said anglers first observed thousands of dead and struggling white bass in Cave Run Lake the weekend of June 8. No other species were affected.

The 8,270-acre lake is near Morehead.

To help maintain the fishery, biologists stocked 64,000 fingerling-sized white bass in Cave Run Lake on June 13. - Courier Journal.

PLAGUES & PESTILENCES: Disaster Precursors - Millions Of Moths Engulf Madrid, Spain?!

June 18, 2013 - SPAIN - No one is sure of precisely where they came from.

Roger Vila, researcher at the butterfly diversity and evolution laboratory in the northeastern city of Barcelona identified three types of moth from photographic evidence: the gamma, noctua and catocala.

Silver Y (Autographa gamma), an owlet moth of the genus Noctuidae, one of the types of moth that have
engulfed Madrid in a population explosion blamed on spring rains Photo: Alamy

Many of them flew to the capital from southern Spain but others may have migrated from northern Africa on a long journey across the Gibraltar Strait to destinations across Europe, he said.

"What happened is that there were very special climactic conditions," Mr Vila explained.

After a cold, wet spring, the weather suddenly turned hot just as the moths were ready to emerge from their chrysalids, the scientist said. 

 The flying insects, which carry no health risk and are not the clothes-eating variety, probably ended up in Madrid because of prevailing winds, Vila said.

"They live for about a week so they will certainly die within a few says," he added. "The only question is whether more arrive at some point."

Jose Maria Camera, a vet at the Madrid city hall's health department, said there were countless moths in the city.

Residents had called the city authorities with sightings of anything from two or three moths to a barely credible 150, he said.

"The first reaction was alarm, then curiosity and even irony and jokes," the city official said.

Many citizens, for example, jokingly blame Atletico Madrid football supporters, who won this year's Spanish Cup and removed their scarves from musty drawers for the supposedly rare celebration.

On Twitter, one user is sending messages pretending to be a moth (polilla in Spanish) and signing them Polilla de Madrid. One of his latest tweets reads: "The truth is your homes are so comfy. Don't you love the sound of our wings?" - Telegraph.

MASS FISH DIE-OFF: Large Amounts Of Fish Found Floating Along The Yahe River In Yiyang City, Hunan, China?!

June 18, 2013 - CHINA - Share prices of the Heshan District Lanxi Town of yahe River played a large number of dead fish floating, involving seven or eight miles of river, resulting in yahe fishery villages suffered heavy losses.

File Photo.

Press arrival in Lanxi Town thousands of diked yahe sub basins, can smell a terrible odor, only dead fish floating on the River, large and small, attracting a lot of flies. Crystal-clear waters, now very turbid, exude unpleasant taste.

Dragon pine is reflected, on June 2, yahe showed up dead fish, ten days ' time, the fish in the river one after another are dead, they lost close to $ 400,000 worth of fish, there are also 11 contracted yahe fishery village is wiped out.

Dragon and cypress said that starting in 2001 he was in yahe fish, like dead fish also met for the first time.

Then journalists and Dragon and Cypress to aquatic fishery station in Heshan District, webmaster after listening to yahe, Wang Furong of dead fish, put forward their views.

Dead fish incident, on June 5, the Heshan District Environmental Protection Bureau and the municipal environmental protection Bureau to yahe, and took water samples from testing, but the results have not come out, we will continue to focus on. - Shuichan. [Translated]

MASS BEES DIE-OFF: Global Food Crisis - "Beemageddon" Threatens US With Food Disaster!

June 18, 2013 - UNITED STATES - US honey bees have been dying by the tens of millions, with annual death rates of about 30 percent. With fewer bees to pollinate fruits and vegetables each year, 'beemageddon' may soon cause the collapse of the agriculture industry.

Honey bees pollinate more than 100 US crops, including apples, zucchinis, avocados and plums, that are worth more than $200 billion a year. Since 2006, about 10 million bee hives at an average value of $200 each have been lost in what scientists call the Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), according to a new report by the US Department of Agriculture.

There are currently about 2.5 million honey bee colonies in the US, which is a drastic decrease from the 6 million that existed in 1947 and the 3 million that existed in 1990. Last winter alone, the honey bee population declined by 31.1 percent, with some beekeepers reporting losses of 90 to 100 percent. In the previous two winters, beekeepers lost about 22 percent of their populations.

"Currently, the survivorship of honey bee colonies is too low for us to be confident in our ability to meet the pollination demands of US agricultural crops," the USDA report states.

California's almond crop, which blooms toward the end of winter, would suffer the most. About 80 percent of the global almond supply comes from the Golden State's orchards, and 70 percent of the state's crop is marketed overseas.

US beekeepers truck about 1.5 million out-of-state colonies to the almond orchards each year, which depend on the insect's pollination. The colonies are tasked with pollinating about 760,000 acres of almond trees at the end of each winter. It takes 60 percent of all US bee colonies to pollinate the $4 billion crop.

Zac Browning, a beekeeper, told NPR that the almond orchards have become "ground zero in commercial beekeeping" and that many beekeepers drive over from their home base in the Midwest.

But with a bee shortage that gets worse every year, many of the almond orchards will never be pollinated, which could eventually cause a global almond shortage and economic consequences for the US.

The USDA knows how the agriculture industry will be affected by the large-scale bee die-offs, but does not know why exactly they are dying in such numbers. The report cites "multiple factors... including parasites and disease, genetics, poor nutrition and pesticide exposure", while also citing last summer's drought as a contributing factor.

"Undernourished or malnourished bees appear to be more susceptible to pathogens, parasites, and other stressors, including toxins," the USDA report states.

During CCDs, surviving adult bees abandon their hives, leaving behind the queen bee, brood and food stores.

"Bees across the country are not in as good a shape as last year," Eric Mussen, a University of California bee specialist, told the Christian Science Monitor. "When you stress them far enough, the bees just give in."

After large-scale honey bee die-offs each winter, beekeepers try to restore their populations in the summer. But with the populations dropping so low, the economic ramifications are almost unavoidable.

The European Commission suspects that neonicotinoids, a class of insecticides chemically related to nicotine, might be responsible - at least partially - for the die-offs and the CCDs. Honey bees have also died off in unusually large numbers in Europe, prompting the commission to impose a two-year ban on neonicotinoids last month to give scientists time to review the chemicals' impact on bee health.

But US officials have stated that they don't have enough evidence to ban neonicotinoids. And with a drastically decreasing honey bee population, 'beemageddon' might be just around the corner.

"We are one poor weather event or high winter bee loss away from a pollination disaster," Jeff Pettis, the USDA's bee research leader, said in the report. - Truth Theory.