Biblical Weather: Some Kind of Warning?
By Cathryn Conroy,
We just report the news, but this lineup of weather bulletins from Reuters and The Associated Press is just a little scary in its Old Testament tone:
EARTHQUAKES: A major earthquake of 7.9 magnitude shook a sparsely populated area of central Alaska on Sunday. There were no deaths and only one injury, but roads were damaged and the 800-mile Alaskan pipeline was shut down at least through Monday. Meanwhile, a series of aftershocks and fresh tremors hit Italy--as strong as 4.2 on the Richter scale, terrorizing residents after last week's 5.4 earthquake that killed 26 children, three adults, and injured scores of others. There were also earthquakes in Indonesia, Pakistan, and Japan. Weather experts assure us they are just part of a freak chain and not related. The earth is not going into a sudden spasm.
See a photo gallery of the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in San Guiliano di Puglia, Italy.
DROUGHT: While many areas in the mid-Atlantic, South, and Midwest are still suffering through the worst drought in decades, they aren't alone. Australia's drought has now become the most severe for any seven-month period since records were first kept more than 100 years ago. It ranks No. 1 in terms of landmass affected and the lack of rainfall.
VOLCANO: The capital of Ecuador is covered in white ash after a volcano erupted 59 miles northeast of Quito on Sunday. Reventador, an 11,775-foot volcano, first erupted at 7:30 a.m. with a larger blast at 9 a.m. that spewed clouds of burning ash seven miles high. There were no injuries reported.
SNOW AND FLOODS: Upstate New York, New Hampshire, and Vermont are getting hit with up to three inches of snow today. Meanwhile, heavy rain in central and southern Texas could cause localized flooding.
LOCUSTS: Good news! No reports of locusts. Yet. |
