MYSTIC RADIO® with Robin Alexis wants to know, "Would you be willing to help people & pets survive a possible earth change?"

Strong earthquake slams eastern Turkey, kills 51

Associated Press
March 8, 2010

OKCULAR, Turkey – A strong, pre-dawn earthquake struck eastern Turkey on Monday, killing 51 people as it knocked down stone and mud-brick houses and minarets in at least six villages, the government said.

The earthquake surprised many residents as they slept, crumpling buildings into piles of rubble. Panicked survivors fled into the narrow village streets, some climbing out of windows, as more than 50 aftershocks measuring up to 5.5 and 5.3 magnitude rattled the region.
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Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Hits Soutern East Pacific Rise

By USGS
Mar 7, 2010

Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Hits Soutern East Pacific Rise on Sunday, March 07, 2010 at 07:05:24 UTC.
-----------------------------

Floods Kill Hundreds In Africa

By United Press International
Mar 7, 2010

NAIROBI, Kenya - Floods resulting from torrential rain in Africa have killed hundreds of people and forced millions from their homes, authorities said.

The floods in eastern, central and southern Africa caused widespread damage to property and washed away entire herds of livestock, Radio France Internationale, RFI, reported.

In eastern Uganda, officials said, 300 people are believed to have been killed in a mudslide.

Thousands of villagers have been moved away from surrounding mountains because of fears of outbreaks of waterborne diseases like cholera and malaria.

Floods killed at least seven people and left dozens missing in Kenya, RFI reported. Authorities warned floods still threaten the south and west of the country.

 
 
http://www.fourwinds10.com/siterun_data/environment/weather_and_climate/news.php?q=1267890741

Strong Aftershocks Hit Quake-Stunned Chile

By Associated Press
Mar 5, 2010

CONCEPCION, Chile - The most powerful aftershock in six days sent terrified Chileans fleeing into quake-shattered streets and forced doctors to evacuate some patients from a major hospital on Friday as the nation struggled to comprehend the scope of the disaster that hit it.

People raced into the streets in pajamas as a magnitude-6.0 aftershock struck Concepcion shortly before dawn.

A magnitude-6.6 shock at 8:47 a.m. (6:47 a.m. EST; 1147 GMT) then rattled buildings for nearly a minute.

It was the strongest aftershock since a magnitude-6.9 jolt shortly after Saturday's historic quake and it sent office chairs spilling from upper floor of an already-damaged 22-story building.

Fear of additional damage led officials to evacuate some patients from the regional hospital in downtown Concepcion.

---------------------------------

Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Shakes Indonesian Sumatra

By Associated Press
Mar 5, 2010

A magnitude-6.5 undersea earthquake shook the western shore of Indonesia's Sumatra island on Friday, causing panic but no casualties or damage, an official said.

------------------------------------

Kenya Floods Kill Six, Leave Dozens Missing

By AFP
Mar 5, 2010

NAIROBI - Floods in Kenya have killed at least six people and left dozens missing, also washing away entire herds of cattle, police and the Red Cross said Friday.

The torrential rains across several parts of Kenya, including in some of its most visited natural parks, left hundreds of people homeless and required helicopter evacuations of tourists.

"Six people have been killed since yesterday. Three of them were washed away by floods in Nakuru while the three others were killed in Marsabit," a senior police officer told AFP.

"Those killed in Marsabit are young children who were washed away as they played in an open field in Dukana area," he added.

Kenya Red Cross officials said up to 100 houses remained submerged in the Garbatula region of Eastern Province and nearly 500 people were homeless.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Risk Of Deadly Malaria Is Growing In Earthquake-Ravaged Haiti, CDC Warns

By Miami Herald
Mar 5, 2010

In Haiti, the half-million people made homeless by the Jan. 12 earthquake now face another danger: malaria.

Also at risk are the relief workers who may not have built up an immunity to the sometimes-deadly strain found in Haiti.

On Thursday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 11 cases of the P.falciparum malaria infection, acquired in Haiti, have been confirmed among emergency personnel and Haitian residents who traveled to the U.S.

`Displaced persons living outdoors or in temporary shelters and thousands of emergency responders in Haiti are at substantial risk for malaria,' said the CDC.

The cases include: seven emergency responders, including six military personnel; three Haitian residents who traveled to the U.S., including one Haitian adoptee; and one U.S. traveler.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Golf Ball-Sized Hail' Brings Melbourne To Standstill

By AFP
Mar 6, 2010

MELBOURNE - A violent storm with hail-stones the size of golf balls brought Melbourne to a standstill on Saturday, as rains elsewhere threatened to inundate a rural town.

The storm, which hurled 19 millimetres (three-quarters of an inch) of rain in just 18 minutes on Australia's second city, flooded streets and forced the cancellation of horse races and an Aussie Rules match.

"It was a very dangerous thunderstorm," said the weather bureau's senior forecaster Richard Carlyon. "We don't often see storm cells like that."

Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake Hits Vanuatu

By USGS
Mar 4, 2010

Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake Hits Vanuatu on Thursday, March 04, 2010 at 14:02:30 UTC.
------------------------

St George To Evacuate As Flooding Worsens

By ABC News
Mar 4, 2010

Homes in the tiny town of Bollon have been indundated and most of the streets are underwater, while authorities say flooding in nearby St George could be worse than first expected.

A creek in Bollon, where 12 homes are already underwater, was expected to peak overnight at a record height, but the town's 120 residents have refused offers to be airlifted.

Homes and businesses in St George will be evacuated this morning, said the Balonne Shire Council CEO, Scott Norman.

The Balonne River is expected to reach its highest level in at least 20 years, and major flooding is expected in St George tomorrow

------------------------

Chile's Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 802

By Xinhua News
Mar 4, 2010

SANTIAGO - The death toll of the earthquake that shook the center-south region of the country on Saturday rose to 802, Chilean Interior Vice Minister Patricio Rosende said on Wednesday.

The number of missing people are still 19, he added.

------------------------------

UPDATE :Strong Earthquake Hits Taiwan; Injuries Reported

By Associated Press
Mar 4, 2010

TAIPEI, Taiwan - A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan on Thursday, causing widespread damage and disrupting communications around the island. Local news reports said several people were injured.

The quake was centered in the county of Kaohsiung, and struck at a depth of about 3.1 miles (5 kilometers). Kaohsiung is about 249 miles (400 kilometers) south of the capital Taipei.

No tsunami alert was issued.

Strong Quake Hits Taiwan, Knocks Out Power

By Associated Press
Mar 3, 2010

TAIPEI - A powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake rocked southern Taiwan on Thursday morning causing buildings to sway hundreds of miles to the north. No tsunami alert was issued.
------------------------------

UPDATE : Landslide Buries Villages, 80 Dead, 350 Missing

By New Vision Online
Mar 3, 2010

A massive landslide swept the slopes of Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda on Monday night, killing at least 80 people, with 350 missing and feared dead.
------------------------------

Strong 6.0 Aftershock Hits Chile, Tsunami Alert Sounded

By Wall Street Journal
Mar 3, 2010

SANTIAGO, CHILE - The U.S. Geological Survey said a preliminary 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit Chile's south-central region Wednesday, a powerful aftershock following the massive 8.8-magnitude quake that rattled the Andean nation early Saturday.

Death Toll In Chile Quake Reaches 723

By CNN News
Mar 1, 2010

Concepcion, Chile - Rescuers searched for survivors Monday as crews sought to deliver food and water and prevent looting after the fifth strongest earthquake in some 100 years ravaged central and southern Chile.

More than 1.5 million people were without power in and around the capital of Santiago, according to Chile's National Emergency Office, but the hardest-hit areas after Saturday's 8.8-magnitude quake were farther south in the Maule and Bio Bio regions along the coast.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Giant Waves Brought Death, Misery To Chile Coast

By Reuters
Mar 1, 2010

DICHATO, Chile - The sun had barely risen over the Chilean fishing town of Dichato on Saturday morning when the three giant waves roared in from the Pacific.

The first two surges startled the town's 7,000 residents, who had already been violently awakened by the earthquake that wrought destruction across a swathe of central Chile.

But it was the third surge, a huge wall of water, that tore up and smashed houses, swept cars out to sea, and sucked people's possessions into the sea, destroying more than three-quarters of the town's buildings.

"The last one almost wiped the village off the map," said David Merino, surrounded by a scene of water-logged destruction in the village, which was among the closest settlements to the 8.8-magnitude quake.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Rain, Floods Hit Quake-Ravaged Haiti, Kill 13

By Reuters
Mar 1, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE - Floods and mudslides killed at least 13 people in Haiti over the weekend, raising fears about the vulnerability of survivors of the January 12 earthquake, officials and aid workers said on Monday.

Haiti's civil protection agency said four people died when floodwaters triggered by torrential rains swept through Les Cayes, a port and the country's third-largest city located on the southern coast about 100 miles (160 km) west of the quake-shattered capital Port-au-Prince.

"At one point, people had to climb on the roofs of their homes ... Les Cayes was flooded by more than 60 percent," Joseph Yves-Marie Aubourg, the government's representative in the region, told Reuters.

Four more people were killed in nearby Cavaillon, four in Saint Louis du Sud and one in Aquin, the civil protection agency said. Three people were missing and close to 3,500 were evacuated from their homes, it added.

---------------------------------------

French Rescuers Search For More Bodies After Deadly Storm

By The Sidney Morning Herald
Mar 1, 2010

Rescuers waded through grey floodwaters in France on Monday looking for more bodies after a fierce storm that killed at least 60 people in Western Europe.

The storm dubbed "Xynthia" unleashed gale force winds and torrential rains on Sunday, destroying roads and houses along France's Atlantic coast.

The government declared a national emergency.

The French toll rose to 50 dead and at least nine people were still missing on Monday. More than 170,000 homes were without power after the fiercest storm to have battered France since 1999, officials said.

At least five people died in neighbouring Germany, according to police, three in Spain, one in Portugal and one in Belgium.

The pyramids have been set. It will pressurize and recycle the Reiki and other healing energies sent to Chile. This will enable your Reiki and Violet flame efforts to be greatly compounded in their affects on the people and the region and any other beings living or dead in the pyramid.

Robert

Huge quake hits Chile; tsunami threatens Pacific
By ROBERTO CANDIA and EVA VERGARA, AP

TALCA, Chile — One of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded struck Chile on Saturday, toppling homes, collapsing bridges and plunging trucks into the fractured earth. A tsunami set off by the magnitude-8.8 quake threatened every nation around the Pacific Ocean — roughly a quarter of the globe.
Chileans near the epicenter were tossed about as if shaken by a giant.

It was the strongest earthquake to hit Chile in 50 years. President-elect Sebastian Pinera said more than 120 people died, a number that was rising quickly.

The quake shook buildings in Argentina's capital of Buenos Aires, and was felt as far away as Sao Paulo in Brazil — 1,800 miles (2,900 kilometers) to the east.

In Talca, just 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the epicenter, furniture toppled as the earth shook for more than a minute in something akin to major airplane turbulence. The historic center of town largely collapsed, but most of the buildings of adobe mud and straw were businesses that were not inhabited during the 3:34 a.m. (1:34 a.m. EST, 0634 GMT) quake.

Neighbors pulled at least five people from the rubble while emergency workers, themselves disoriented, asked for information from reporters.

Collapsed roads and bridges complicated north-south travel in the narrow Andean nation. Electricity, water and phone lines were cut to many areas — meaning there was no word of death or damage from many outlying areas.

In the Chilean capital of Santiago, 200 miles (325 kilometers) northeast of the epicenter, a car dangled from a collapsed overpass, the national Fine Arts Museum was badly damaged and an apartment building's two-story parking lot pancaked, smashing about 50 cars whose alarms rang incessantly.

The jolt set off a tsunami that raced across the Pacific, setting off alarm sirens in Hawaii, Polynesia and Tonga. Tahitian officials banned all traffic on roads less than 1,600 feet (500 meters) from the sea and people in several low-lying island nations were urged to find higher ground.

Hawaii could face its largest waves since 1964 starting at 11:19 a.m. (4:19 p.m. EST, 2119 GMT), according to Charles McCreery, director of the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Officials evacuated people and boats near the water and closed shore-side Hilo International Airport.

Experts said tsunami waves were likely to hit Asian, Australian and New Zealand shores within 24 hours of the earthquake. The U.S. West Coast and Alaska, too, were threatened. In all, 53 nations and territories were subject to tsunami warnings.

Waves 6 feet (1.8 meter) above normal hit Talcahuano near Concepcion 23 minutes after the quake, and President Michelle Bachelet said a huge wave swept into a populated area in the Robinson Crusoe Islands, 410 miles (660 kilometers) off the Chilean coast.

Bachelet said she had no information on the number of people injured in the quake. She declared a "state of catastrophe" in central Chile but said the government has not asked for assistance from other countries.

"The system is functioning. People should remain calm. We're doing everything we can with all the forces we have," she said.

Powerful aftershocks rattled Chile's coast — 41 of them magnitude 5 or greater — in the 10 hours after the quake. Six were sizable quakes in their own right, magnitude 6 or greater.

In Santiago, modern buildings are built to withstand earthquakes, but many older ones were heavily damaged, including the Nuestra Senora de la Providencia church, whose bell tower collapsed. A bridge just outside the capital also collapsed, and at least one car flipped upside down. Several hospitals were evacuated due to earthquake damage, Bachelet said.

Santiago's airport will remain closed for at least 24 hours after the passenger terminal suffered major damage, airport director Eduardo del Canto told Chilean television. TV images showed smashed windows, partially collapsed ceilings and pedestrian walkways destroyed.

Santiago's subway was shut as well and hundreds of buses were trapped at a terminal by a damaged bridge, Transportation and Telecommunications Minister said. He urged Chileans to make phone calls or travel only when absolutely necessary.

In Concepcion, Chile's second-largest city and only 70 miles (115 kilometers) from the epicenter, nurses and residents pushed the injured through the streets on stretchers. Others walked around in a daze wrapped in blankets, some carrying infants in their arms. A 15-story building collapsed, leaving only a few floors intact.

"I was on the 8th floor and all of a sudden I was down here," said Fernando Abarzua, marveling that he escaped with no major injuries. He said a relative was still trapped in the rubble six hours after the quake, "but he keeps shouting, saying he's OK."

Marco Vidal, a program director for Grand Circle Travel who was traveling with a group of 34 Americans, was on the 19th floor of the Crown Plaza Santiago hotel when the quake struck.

"All the things start to fall. The lamps, everything, was going on the floor," he said. "I felt terrified."

Cynthia Iocono, from Linwood, Pennsylvania, said she first thought the quake was a train.

"But then I thought, `Oh, there's no train here.' And then the lamps flew off the dresser and my TV flew off onto the floor and crashed."

The quake struck after concert-goers had left South America's leading music festival in the coastal city of Vina del Mar, where organizers canceled performances on Saturday, the final night of the festival. But it caught partiers leaving a disco.

"It was very bad. People were screaming. Some people were running, others appeared paralyzed. I was one of them," Julio Alvarez told Radio Cooperativa.

The largest earthquake ever recorded struck the same area of Chile on May 22, 1960. The magnitude-9.5 quake killed 1,655 people and left 2 million homeless. The tsunami that it caused killed people in Hawaii, Japan and the Philippines and caused damage to the west coast of the United States.

Saturday's quake matched a 1906 temblor off the Ecuadorean coast as the seventh-strongest ever recorded in the world.

Heavy Rain Hits Haiti's Quake-Ravaged Capital

By Washington Post
Feb 26, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - The first heavy rain since the earthquake briefly doused Haiti's capital Thursday night as relief officials changed tack on dealing with the homeless, demphasizing plans to build big camps outside Port-au-Prince.

Instead, they want the hundreds of thousands of refugees in this city where barren hillsides and weakened buildings threaten to give way to pack up their tents and tarps and return to destroyed neighborhoods.

People dashed for shelter down streets streaming with runoff from the driving tropical rain. The 20-minute drenching swept trash along roadside gutters, clogging drains and turning depressions into ponds.

Some women stripped naked and took advantage of the downpour to take a shower - there are no bathing facilities in overcrowded tent camps that officials want to move people out of.

At a camp housing 40,000 in the hills overlooking the capital, Matin Bussreth dashed for cover from his bedsheet-tent to a neighbor's plastic tarpaulin.

"It's a deplorable moment," said Bussreth. "I heard they might be giving out tents. I hope someone will be giving me one."

With the official rainy season still a month away, forecasters warn that a potential weekend storm, the first since the Jan. 12 quake, could bring floods and mudslides to a population in a perilous state. Many dwellings are severely damaged or clinging to the sides of hillsides.
-------------------------------------
Cook Islands Brace For Another Tropical Cyclone

By Radio New Zealand International
Feb 26, 2010

The Cook Islands are again bracing for another tropical cyclone.

A tropical cyclone alert has been issued for Aitutaki and a gale warning is in force for Palmerston in the Southern Cook Islands.

Tropical cyclone Sarah is the fifth cyclone to form near the Cook Islands in six weeks.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Madeira Faces New Storm Threat After Flash Floods left 41 Dead

By Herald Sun
Feb 26, 2010

The Portuguese island of Madeira faced a new storm threat today, a week after devastating flash floods killed at least 41, left 600 homeless and 18 missing.

Jardim said 41 people were confirmed dead and 18 still missing.Weather services said Spain and France were also on the alert for a storm expected to bring hurricane force winds of up to 160 kilometres an hour over the weekend.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Strong Storm Prompts Evacuations In Southern California

By Associated Press
Feb 26, 2010

LOS ANGELES - About 200 homes were ordered evacuated today as a powerful winter storm approached Southern California, bringing another threat of mudslides to fire-scarred foothill areas.

http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20100216/NEWS/302169996

As it begins its 20th year in Clallam County, the North Olympic Land Trust has just finished paperwork to protect a total of 541 acres through conservation easements negotiated last year, which puts the nonprofit agency over the 2,000-acre mark, said Greg Good, executive director of the land trust based in Port Angeles.

Friends of the Fields, based in Sequim, led the effort to protect 38 acres of farmland, the Dungeness Valley Creamery, he said, while Clallam County provided shoreline block grants from the state Office of Community Development for protecting critical salmon habitat on another 144 acres.

Most of the land trust's work is through conservation agreements with landowners to permanently protect natural features of property from development.

Five such agreements, and one property gift, put the protected acreage at more than 2,000.

The 20th anniversary will be marked throughout the year, although no dates have been set yet, Good said.

Recently protected lands are:

• Elk Creek, near Forks, 255 acres:
Wild Salmon Center, an international nonprofit organization that aims to protect wild salmon habitats on the Pacific Rim, transferred ownership and management of this property to the land trust.

The center, also using contributions from Forks resident Becky Dickson and a grant from the state Salmon Recovery Funding Board, purchased the property from Rayonier Inc. in 2004.

The land trust plans to manage it to protect salmon habitat, old growth forest and perhaps use for educational programs.

• Ennis Creek Wildlife Preserve, 10.5 acres:
A conservation agreement with owner Rene Ewbank protects more than 300 feet of Ennis Creek, which runs through Port Angeles from its origin in the national park.

Ewbank wants the land always to be available for gardening in addition to protecting fish and other wildlife.

Her solar-powered home is also the location for her business, Fresh Hats: Love on Your Head, which are sold at the Sequim Open Aire Market.

• Little River Tenancy, 133 acres, in foothills west of Port Angeles:
Little River will be an important area for salmon when the two Elwha dams are removed beginning in 2011, said Michele d'Hemecourt, land trust conservation director.

The property's owners are Robert A. Haverfield, Susan M. Davis, Susan M. Chadd, Elaine Jaques, Michael J. Tallmadge, Freda Tallmadge, Paul E. Knowles and Kristi J. Knowles.

• Discovery Trail, 93.5 acres, Lake Farm area east of Port Angeles:
A conservation agreement with owners Ruth Jenkins and John Warrick protects scenic views from Olympic National Park and the Olympic Discovery Trail, as well as a portion of a historic lake bed that was drained in the late 1800s for farmland.

The two also are restoring a historic home on the property.

• Miller Wildlife Preserve, 11 acres SEmD primarily forestland, near Sequim:
Owner Helen Miller said her motivation to make a permanent legal agreement with the land trust began during the 93-year-old's daily walks.

"Miller's philosophy is that we are borrowing the land from future generations, and we need to share it with plants and animals," d'Hemecourt said.

Other land protected in 2009 and announced earlier was:

• Dungeness Valley Creamery, 38 acres, at 1915 Towne Road, Sequim:
The farmland was protected through a collaboration with Friends of the Fields, Clallam County and owners Jeff and Debbie Brown and Ryan and Sarah Mc-Carthey.

Friends of the Fields provided the key leadership in protecting this farmland, d'Hemecourt said.

For more information about the land trust, see www.nolt.org or phone 360-417-1815.

 
www.robinalexis.com

Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Hits Kepulauan Barat Daya, Indonesia

By USGS
Feb 16, 2010 - 10:53:06 AM

Magnitude 6.2 Earthquake Hits Kepulauan Barat Daya, Indonesia on Monday, February 15, 2010 at 21:51:48 UTC
------------------------------------
Feb 16, 2010

Hurricanes Might Hit Haiti

By Thaindian News
Feb 16, 2010

The United States weather experts have more bad news in store for Haiti. They said the 2010 hurricane season which is expected to begin in June is going to be more powerful than it usually happens.

The Colorado State University's (CSU) William Gray, a top hurricane expert allegedly reported that "The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season will be somewhat more active than the average." He further added that there is a 49 percent chance that a tropical storm would hit Haiti and places around it. The team of William Gray expects there will be 11 to 16 tropical storms which will form this year in the Atlantic, which is much more than the usual 9 to 10.

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Floods Hit Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria

By Seti Times
Feb 15, 2010

ATHENS, Greece - An emergency situation was declared on Sunday (February 14th) in the northern prefecture of Evros, Greece, where severe storms pushed water levels in the Maritsa River to dangerous levels. "We have not reached the critical point yet, but there is a risk of this," Deputy Interior Minister George Dolios said. Authorities have been forced to close rail bridges in the region.

Storms and torrential rains also hit parts of Turkey, particularly the northwest city of Edirne on Saturday. Flooding destroyed farmland and other property and forced roads and bridges to close.

-------------------------------------------

Cyclone Rene Batters Tonga, Cutting Phone Links

By Associated Press
Feb 15, 2010

NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga - Cyclone Rene battered Tonga with powerful winds Monday, cutting phone links, ripping off roofs and downing power lines in the South Pacific island nation.

All telephone links with the outside world went down as the storm pounded the capital, Nuku'alofa, on the main island of Tongatapu in the south of the kingdom.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Club of NW WA

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Have Lunch
Be with a bunch of wagging tails

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Melissa Smith

of Country Care Vet & Acupuncture will speak on
:
Emergency Preparedness For Your Dog

(what to have on hand for emergencies and when do you need to get help from your vet)

as well as Syringomyelia and your Cavalier.

A short General Meeting will be held before Dr. Smith's presentation,
which will be followed by a Spaghetti Lunch!!

W
here
St. Luke's Episcopal Church,
525 N. 5th Ave.,
Sequim, WA
1:00 pm - 4:30 pm.

There will be several wonderful auction items –
proceeds will go to St. Luke's to assist in their program to feed the homeless.

A $7.00 donation to cover expenses for the meal can be given at the door.

To help ensure there is enough food,
please
RSVP to Harriet at (360) 683-5683 or e-mail smalldogs@olypen.com
Questions please call Maryln Lovell @ 260-420-4062 or Nancy Ortowski @ 360-457-0305

 
Come spend a lovely Sunday afternoon with the

 
Last June 4, 2009 I was sitting in my backyard by a campfire when all of a sudden Pachamama appeared in front of me. She prophesized many things. One was that the Strait of Juan De Fuca was in a precarious situation. She made me promise to get my disaster kit ready. Do you have yours ready? How many signs do we need to practice common sense?
 
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_eroding_bluff.html
 
www.robinalexis.com

 
 
http://www.spokesman.com:80/stories/2010/feb/10/oregon-coast-swarming-with-pelicans/

DISCOVERY BAY -- A career biologist and landscape architect for 30 years, Shelly Solomon took up filmmaking and a serious cause -- promoting projects that are good news for the North Olympic Peninsula's marine environment.

She was joined on Friday by Kevin Long, project manager for the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, at the site of one of the coalition's prize projects: the restoration of Discovery Bay's tidal channels, once buried and polluted by tons of old lumber mill sawdust.

The two talked about Solomon's "Feel-Good Environmental Film Series," a party-like event to be staged Feb. 20-21 at Sirens Pub, 823 Water St. in Port Townsend.

A similar event in Port Angeles in March is expected to be organized.

It also will be sponsored by the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council.

"It just kind of morphed into a fun thing to learn about the environment," said Solomon, who has been shooting films about marine preservation and restoration projects the past four years for her production company, Leaping Frog Films.

"I thought a lot of people are out there doing great things for the environment, and I wanted to capture them on film.

"At a time when there is doom and gloom and the economy is bad, I am trying to present positive message."

The restoration of Discovery Bay's tidal channels in the summer of 2008 removed five collapsing abandoned mill buildings, fill material and old mill wood waste to restore about 11 acres of salt marsh and tidal channels at the head of the bay.

Juvenile salmonids, especially summer chum salmon from Salmon Creek, use tidal channels for refuge and feeding.

The estuary work was funded through a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which granted the project $100,000 through its Community-based Restoration Program.

The national program funds grass-roots marine and coastal habitat restoration projects that will benefit salmon species, commercial and recreational resources and endangered and threatened species.

More than 20,000 cubic yards of wood waste and 46,000 cubic yards of gravel and other materials have been removed from two sites at the mouth of Salmon Creek.

"The sheer volume of material was obscuring habitat and releasing toxic leachates," Long said.

The wood waste was composted for farm and garden mulch.

Long said the film series also is intended to encourage recruitment of new volunteers to the coalition's force of 150 to 200.

Some of those volunteers were out planting trees near the Morse Creek re-meander project site on Saturday.

Solomon has focused her camera lens on the Port Townsend waterfront eelgrass protection program, another project to remove creosote-tainted pilings from the same waterfront and the Discovery Bay tideland cleanup effort, locally.

She also traveled to the Kingdom of Tonga, an archipelago in the south Pacific Ocean, where she filmed coral reef monitoring, organic gardening and heritage plant protection projects.

Those films will be part of the series.

Also planned will be films on the Jefferson County Marine Resource Committee's native Olympia oyster restoration project on Discovery Bay, restoration of Washington's only native abalone population, and community shellfish farming and water quality-restoration on Puget Sound.

The film series is showing in Seattle this week.

The Port Townsend environmental film festival comes with a message intended to showcase the North Olympic Salmon Coalition's work, Solomon said, "so it's not just kept in the science community."

She said the festival will also serve as an educational experience, showing boaters why eelgrass protection buoys were placed on the Port Townsend waterfront.

The buoys encourage boaters to not drop anchor in the eelgrass beds, which are natural marine habitat protection for migrating juvenile salmon.

Rebecca Benjamin, salmon coalition executive director, will attend the event to talk about the Port Hadlock-based nonprofit organization's projects.

Contributors to the event include Sirens, Leaping Frog Films, North Olympic Salmon Coalition, Jefferson County Marine Resource Committee, North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council, Jefferson County Conservation District, Seton Construction, Taylor Shellfish, The Printery, Chimacum Printing and several individuals.

________

Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.

Peninsula Daily News Monday February 8, 2010
 
DISCOVERY BAY -- A career biologist and landscape architect for 30 years, Shelly Solomon took up filmmaking and a serious cause -- promoting projects that are good news for the North Olympic Peninsula's marine environment.

She was joined on Friday by Kevin Long, project manager for the North Olympic Salmon Coalition, at the site of one of the coalition's prize projects: the restoration of Discovery Bay's tidal channels, once buried and polluted by tons of old lumber mill sawdust.

The two talked about Solomon's "Feel-Good Environmental Film Series," a party-like event to be staged Feb. 20-21 at Sirens Pub, 823 Water St. in Port Townsend.

A similar event in Port Angeles in March is expected to be organized.

It also will be sponsored by the North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council.

"It just kind of morphed into a fun thing to learn about the environment," said Solomon, who has been shooting films about marine preservation and restoration projects the past four years for her production company, Leaping Frog Films.

"I thought a lot of people are out there doing great things for the environment, and I wanted to capture them on film.

"At a time when there is doom and gloom and the economy is bad, I am trying to present positive message."

The restoration of Discovery Bay's tidal channels in the summer of 2008 removed five collapsing abandoned mill buildings, fill material and old mill wood waste to restore about 11 acres of salt marsh and tidal channels at the head of the bay.

Juvenile salmonids, especially summer chum salmon from Salmon Creek, use tidal channels for refuge and feeding.

The estuary work was funded through a partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which granted the project $100,000 through its Community-based Restoration Program.

The national program funds grass-roots marine and coastal habitat restoration projects that will benefit salmon species, commercial and recreational resources and endangered and threatened species.

More than 20,000 cubic yards of wood waste and 46,000 cubic yards of gravel and other materials have been removed from two sites at the mouth of Salmon Creek.

"The sheer volume of material was obscuring habitat and releasing toxic leachates," Long said.

The wood waste was composted for farm and garden mulch.

Long said the film series also is intended to encourage recruitment of new volunteers to the coalition's force of 150 to 200.

Some of those volunteers were out planting trees near the Morse Creek re-meander project site on Saturday.

Solomon has focused her camera lens on the Port Townsend waterfront eelgrass protection program, another project to remove creosote-tainted pilings from the same waterfront and the Discovery Bay tideland cleanup effort, locally.

She also traveled to the Kingdom of Tonga, an archipelago in the south Pacific Ocean, where she filmed coral reef monitoring, organic gardening and heritage plant protection projects.

Those films will be part of the series.

Also planned will be films on the Jefferson County Marine Resource Committee's native Olympia oyster restoration project on Discovery Bay, restoration of Washington's only native abalone population, and community shellfish farming and water quality-restoration on Puget Sound.

The film series is showing in Seattle this week.

The Port Townsend environmental film festival comes with a message intended to showcase the North Olympic Salmon Coalition's work, Solomon said, "so it's not just kept in the science community."

She said the festival will also serve as an educational experience, showing boaters why eelgrass protection buoys were placed on the Port Townsend waterfront.

The buoys encourage boaters to not drop anchor in the eelgrass beds, which are natural marine habitat protection for migrating juvenile salmon.

Rebecca Benjamin, salmon coalition executive director, will attend the event to talk about the Port Hadlock-based nonprofit organization's projects.

Contributors to the event include Sirens, Leaping Frog Films, North Olympic Salmon Coalition, Jefferson County Marine Resource Committee, North Olympic Peninsula Resource Conservation and Development Council, Jefferson County Conservation District, Seton Construction, Taylor Shellfish, The Printery, Chimacum Printing and several individuals.

________

Port Townsend-Jefferson County Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.

www.robinalexis.com

Yesterday I had posted some information about what to do if there is an earthquake. Thankfully a Soul Spa member Amanda posted that it was not true for most of the building codes in America. I meant to delete the wrong information and leave Amanda's. I accidentally deleted everything. Amanda had done significant research for us.
 
Amanda, or anyone else who reads this post, please post here what we are do in an earthquake to remain as safe as possible.
 
All I know how to do is pray,
 
Robin Alexis
 
 

Teenage Girl Found Alive 15 Days After Earthquake

By Reuters
Jan 28, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE - Haiti appealed to foreign governments and charities on Wednesday to do more to help earthquake victims as rescuers pulled a teenage girl out of the rubble 15 days after her Port-au-Prince home collapsed around her.

The girl, named Darline and believed to be 16, was severely dehydrated and had a leg injury, French and Haitian rescuers said. "I don't know how she happened to resist that long. It's a miracle," said rescue worker J.P. Malaganne.

The girl was one of more than 130 people rescued alive since the January 12 quake devastated Haiti's coastal capital, killed as many as 200,000 and threw the country into chaos.

------------------------------------------
Mudslides Strand Tourists In Peruvian Mountains

By CBC News, Canada
Jan 28, 2010

Some 1,500 travellers are still stranded near the former Inca citadel and popular tourist destination Machu Picchu in Peru after mudslides from days of flooding cut a railway that is the only route to the remote area in the Andean mountains.
Rain has hampered helicopters in their effort to bring tourists out, and officials said the rail route would not be restored for another two to three days.

Helicopters flew out more than 1,000 tourists Tuesday and Wednesday, but about 250 new arrivals came to the site on Wednesday and more were expected Thursday as people complete treks on the Inca trail, the winding path through the Andean mountains that ends at Machu Picchu, the 15th-century Inca fortress that sits 2,430 metres above sea level.

Authorities barred any more hikers from walking the Inca Trail on Tuesday after mudslides from heavy rains killed two people on the trail. People who had started the hike already remained on the trail and are expected to arrive in the coming days. The trail takes about four days to traverse.

"It's worrisome. We didn't think it would take this long," Tourism Minister Martin Perez told RPP radio Wednesday. "We can evacuate 120 tourists per hour; now the only thing we need is for the climate to help us out a little bit."

Downpours let up on Wednesday, but forecasters called for moderate rain the rest of the week.

Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Garcia Belaunde said 1,500 to 1,600 tourists remain stranded with more arriving.

"Everyone is safe, though obviously uncomfortable. They are sleeping in tents, and the food gets there late, but what's important is that they are safe," he said.

Stranded travellers have complained of price gouging because of scarce food, water and accommodations in Machu Picchu Pueblo, a village of 4,000 near the citadel.

Ruben Baldeon, a town spokesman in Machu Picchu Pueblo, said bottles of water were selling for $3.50 — five times the typical price — and electricity to the town had been cut.

Five days of torrential rains in the region centred on the town of Cuzco have destroyed bridges, some 250 houses and hundreds of hectares of crops.

---------------------------------------------

Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Hits Philippine Islands Region

By USGS
Jan 27, 2010

Magnitude_6_1_Earthquake_Hits_Philippine_Islands_Region on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 at 18:49:33 UTC.

----------------------------------------------

Cyclone Olga Blows Up Again

By Cairns Post
Jan 28, 2010

Communities across the Gulf of Carpentaria have been warned to prepare for destructive winds and high tides as ex-cyclone Olga gathers strength.

The low pressure system was located about 25km north of Booroloola in the Northern Territory around 1pm (AEST) on Thursday and was expected to intensify as it moved east towards Cape York.

----------------------------------------------
Ecuador Volcano Spews Ash Across Province

By UPI
Jan 28, 2010

Ambato, Ecuador -- Wind shifts brought volcanic ash to a wide area of central Ecuador, including a provincial capital, after a once-dormant volcano erupted, authorities said. The ash from the Tungurahua volcano, which will likely lead to heavy crop loss, could also cause health problems, officials said.

But most residents of the provincial capital Ambato, in Ecuador's central Andean valley, ignored government recommendations to wear masks, health officials said

Dear Friends, 
I am passing this on to bring awareness to the plight of the Lakota peoples who have been hit hard by the recent blizzards. Please forward this to any of your contacts. Valerie Nunez is raising funds to get immediate help to them. It is my understanding that Pathways to Spirit is an organization on the reservation that works directly with the people and can get them the resources quickly.
Blessings and Light,
Debbie

---
Subject: Fwd: Native Americans Dying

Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2010, 9:20 AM

UPDATE: 
I heard from my friends this morning by eamil.  She reported that white- out conditions are happening.  14 thousands people on the Cheyenne River Reservation and the Eagle Butte Indian Reservations are without power, water, food.  There are over 6,000 utility poles down.  All crews have been called off and brought in because of the white -out conditions.  They are trying to get water in to the Reservations  today.  She says the Reservations needs help!  I contacted Bobby Kennedy's office today asking for military air support.  Waiting to hear back from his office.  I am asking that you forward this email out world wide.  If anyone has connections in Washington DC please make them aware.  Please donate $10 to www.pathwaystospirit.org 
 
Valerie Nunez
 

Sent: Mon, Jan 25, 2010 10:42 pm
Subject: Native Americans Dying

This is in response to an email that was sent out requesting help for Pine Ridge, Rose Bud, and Cheyenne River Reservations.  Please forward this email.

The conditions on the Reservation in South Dakota has become even more critical in the past week.  They have suffered from the sever cold and blizzard storms.  I had a friend email me (he has a small generator) from the Cheyenne River Reservation yesterday.  They informed me that they were hit with another blizzard.  The winds took out all phone lines, electricity and roads are un- passable.  They don't expect electricity to be fixed for another 3 weeks.   They have no way to heat their homes.  They couldn't get the hay to the 30 horses. as of yesterday.  Some food did reach the people.  In there words "conditions are really bad".  They had another blizzard come in last night.  I have had no other contact from my friends on the Cheyenne River Reservation since last night.  The Cheyenne River Reservation is the furthest North in South Dakota and is in a remote area.
 
The homelessness rate is 80% on the Reservations, and 50% of them are under the age of 18 years of age.
The unemployment rate is 80% to 90%.
Infant mortality is 20 times higher then the national average.
Average age of death is 45.
Living conditions are like that of third world nations.
The dog population is out of control.  Cannibalization is happening among the dogs to survive.  Local animal control in the past have brought a portable gas chamber and gathers the dogs up.  They are placed in the gas chamber and gassed to death.  The sounds of the dying dogs are unforgettable.
 
Donations can be made at www.pathwaystospirit.org a non-profit organization.  This group has been providing  services and programs on the reservations for the past 15 years.  You can read about this on their web site. 
 
Cash donations are needed Immediately for the following:
Propane (needed right away)
Electricity (needed right away)
Generators (needed right away)
shoes
Medical
Hay for the horses
Dog Food (needed right away) - Mobil vet service, vets to donate their time and services for spaying and neutering.
furniture, washer dryer, trailers
At this time, please do not donate clothing.
 
Donations can be made through PayPal on the web site by clicking on "get involved" there you can access PayPal. Please fill out section "special Instructions for merchant" and list what you would like your donation to go towards.  Example:  For generators, propane, dog food etc.
 
I am working with Carmeen the founder, and she has requested that I track the donations to insure they get applied to the right cause.  If those making donations would you please email me at luvrof4legd@AOL.com with your name, donation amount, and what you want the funds to go towards.
 
I appreciate your support....
Valerie Nunez
Native American Olympic Foundation
Co-founded by Olympic skier Suzy Chaffee
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

UPDATE JANUARY 25, 2010 - ANDINA news agency reports that the government is conducting an airlift via helicopter of the 1,954 tourists stranded in the town of Machu Picchu. They are to be ferried to the town of Ollantaytambo and then will return via road to Cusco. Women and children are to be transported first. They are currently staying at hotels, hostals, and the train station. None of the tourists are stranded at the sanctuary.

UPDATE JANUARY 25, 2010 - Reports indicate the airport is open in Cusco and the city square is in good condition. Most of the damage from rain and flooding has been on the outskirts of the city.

Peru Rail informs that there are about 2000 tourists stranded in Aguas Calientes and that the train is suspended for the time being and is affected in four areas of the track. The government is coordinating evacuations via helicopter to Ollantaytambo.

UPDATE JANUARY 25, 2010 Per reports the number of stranded tourists may be 2000 in the Cusco MP region. Efforts are being made to fly stranded individuals out of MP to Cuidad Ollantaytambo.

JANUARY 24, 2010

The mayor of Cusco has requested the government to declare a state emergency. The area has been slammed with rains and mudslides that have had severely impacted the region. The train operated by a British consortium (Peru Rail) reported that the line between Cusco and Machu Picchu has been severed at two locations and the train is not running. Road traffic including tour buses are lined up at the Cusco-Abancay highway due to flooding of the Yanama River. Four to five landslides have been reported near Machu Picchu and over 200 individuals including tourists per reports have been trapped due to mudslides. Flooding has also caused the relocation of residents in the Cusco area due to flooding.

Source: News wires and La Republica, Peru Rail

-----------------------------------
1,033 Yellowstone Quakes Recorded In Week

By Helena Independent Record
Jan 23, 2010

The Volcano Alert Level at Yellowstone National Park remained at “normal” Friday, despite a swarm of earthquakes large enough to trigger seismographs in the Flathead Valley and cause chatter on Twitter.
Working around the clock, scientists with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Yellowstone Volcano Observatory had recorded more than 1,033 earthquakes since Monday, including at least eight events over magnitude three.

Finding God in Haiti: Compassion and Justice

By Rabbi Joshua Levine - Pasadena Jewish Temple

In teaching my 6th grade class this morning at Weizmann Day School, I decided to talk about Haiti and theology. In searching for answers about why such a terrible thing happens to innocent people, there is a tendency to blame God, challenge God and question what good is religion or prayer if such horrible things can come to bring such destruction to some of the poorest people on the planet. Is this a punishment? Many of our unevolved ancestors would have thought so. Reward and punishment, classic theology in many traditions, is how we understood God and the world around us for generations.

My class was not comfortable with that theology, although some of them said, from the innocence of their beings, that perhaps God brought the earthquake so that the world would now pay attention and help the people of Haiti. Perhaps God brought the earthquake so that those horribly suffering from abject poverty would be put out of their misery. Whenever I teach, I let kids share from their hearts, even if I disagree with them, for that is how we learn, how we grow; the fact that they could think about this at all was impressive to me. Yet, as adults, we often ask the same questions, raise the same quandaries and wrestle with belief in a God who watches over a planet with so much pain without doing anything. Or so it seems.

Bad things happen in our world but it is not always our fault. There is randomness built into the fabric of our lives, a randomness that God has to allow to exist in order for us to have free-will and live as humans. God doesn't give children leukemia; God doesn't send earthquakes to destroy; God doesn't permit drunk drivers to kill innocent people; God doesn't operate that way in our world. That is not the kind of God I believe in. Many clergy are offering these thoughts today and I am grateful to them and add my voice.

Where is God? God is in the response of the community, showering the family with love and support; God is in tears that are shed, in the silences shared, in the hugs given, in the pain felt. And, when the time is right, God is in the healing that comes and in hope that can be found in moving forward with life. God is the eternal love that we feel in these moments of great pain. There is a time for text, a time for words, and there is a time for silence, a time for tears and the flowing of human empathy. That is God.

The people of Haiti are suffering so greatly now and our hearts are with them in their struggle to overcome the enormity of the destruction. God is crying with them, suffering with them. And, what did we see after the destruction from many of the Haitian people? We saw people singing to God, thanking God for the miracle of surviving. We heard people praying and praising God. We heard the beating of their hearts crying out in gratitude for what they had, not what they lost. God was their strength, their rock. What an inspiration! God is with the thousands of people who rushed to help, stepping into the destruction to try and lift others out; God is with the millions of people who are generously pouring out their wallets, in this horrible economy, to help those in need; God is with the young boy who survived a week in the rubble, to be saved and brought back into life; God is comforting all those whose relatives were not as lucky, and who are among the 200,000 or more dead, and 2 million homeless.

God doesn't desire destruction, God doesn't relish in the pain of others. Yet, in order for us to live as free human beings, making choices and living our lives, God can't intervene and stop tragedy. If God did that every time, we would be robots; if God only did it some of the time, that would be a capriciousness that we couldn't survive. There is randomness in the world and God is there to help us survive that reality. Altruism, compassion, love and hope are God's gifts to the world.

A preacher who told stories from town to town, once spoke of a little girl who was sent by her mother on an errand. The girl was gone longer than her mother thought proper. When she finally returned, the mother asked for an explanation. "Oh," she replied, "I met Ruthie on the way and her doll was broken, so I stopped to help her." "You mean you helped her to fix the doll?" "No, Mother, I don't know how to fix dolls. I stopped to help her cry." In this time of suffering, let us all stop to help the people of Haiti cry and mourn for the great loss of life in their midst. Let our compassion roll down like the might streams. And, when the time is right, when our mourning period ends, let us continue to do God's work and bring the work of our hands to the aid of the Haitian people.

I ask for everyone to send the Violet Flame to Haiti -- NOW!
Send the Violet Flame every day, as many times a day as you can.
The calls must be made from the earth plane.

Ask the Violet Flame to transmute all pain, suffering, fear, and other negatives into HOPE, LOVE, MIRACLES and BLESSINGS for all of Haiti. Please remember the animals, too.

Ask the Violet Flame to purify ALL who crossed-over so that they may receive their Ascension.

Be of Service to the earth and ALL life forms, for we are all ONE.

The ascended masters can not intervene unless you ask for our help.
Ask us and we WILL respond.

Blessings to All

I AM Saint Germain

 
 
Red Cross Emergency Guidelines
Three Steps to Preparedness
STEP ONE: Get A Kit
Overview

Shop the Red Cross Store for all your preparedness needs.
Consider the following when assembling or restocking your kit to ensure your family is prepared for any disaster:

• At a minimum, gather the basic supplies listed below. 
• Keep supplies in an easy-to-carry emergency preparedness kit that you can use at home or take with you in case you must evacuate. 
• Consider the special needs of all your family members (including babies, elderly and pets!) and supplement your kit with items that fit your needs.

KIT CONTENTS:

• Water — one gallon per person, per day  (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Food — non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items (3-day supply for evacuation, 2-week supply for home)
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAA Weather Radio, if possible)
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Medications (7-day supply) and medical items
• Multi-purpose tool
• Sanitation and personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
• Cell phone with chargers
• Family and emergency contact information
• Extra cash
• Emergency blanket
• Map(s) of the area 

Three Steps to Preparedness
STEP TWO: Make a Plan
 
HOW TO PLAN
When preparing for a disaster, always:

• Meet with your family or household members.
• Discuss how to prepare and respond to emergencies that are most likely to happen where you live, learn, work and play.   
• Identify responsibilities for each member of your household and plan to work together as a team. 
• Choose an out-of-area emergency contact person.
•  Choose two places to meet—
  
  • Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, such as a fire.
  • Outside your neighborhood, in case you cannot return home or are asked to evacuate.
• Decide where you would go and what route you would take if you had to evacuate. 
• Plan ahead for your pets.  Keep a phone list of "pet friendly" motels/hotels and animal shelters that are along your evacuation routes.

Plan for pandemic influenza:
During a flu pandemic you may be asked to stay home for an extended period of time, even if you are not sick. Schools and workplaces may close, and public gatherings such as sporting events or worship services may close temporarily. Mass transportation such as subways, buses, trains and air travel may be limited. You, your family and friends may need to rely on each other when you cannot depend on the services you normally use.
Plan ahead of time by:

1. Talking with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick.
2. Finding out your employer's plans to keep the business open if key staff can't come to work.
3. Asking your child's school or day care if there are plans to encourage children who are sick to stay home to reduce the spread of the disease.
4. Identifying how you can get information, whether through local radio, TV, Internet or other sources.

Click here for more information on how to prepare for a flu pandemic.
Three Steps to Preparedness
STEP THREE:Be Informed
Overview
Learn what disasters or emergencies may occur in your area. These events can range from those affecting only you and your family, like a home fire or medical emergency, to those affecting your entire community, like an earthquake or flood. 

• Identify how local authorities will notify you during a disaster and how you will get information, whether through local radio, TV or NOAA Weather Radio stations or channels.
• Know the difference between different weather alerts such as "watches" and "warnings" and what actions to take in each.
• Make sure that at least one member of your household is trained in first aid and CPR and knows how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). This training is useful in many emergency situations.
• Share what you have learned with your family, household and neighbors and encourage them to be informed too.

• Download a Personal Checklist

 
Red Cross Supplemental Documents

• 27 Things to Do [PDF]
• Disaster Barrel [PDF]
• Family Disaster Planning [PDF]
• Helping Young Children Cope With Trauma [PDF]
• Disaster Preparedness Coloring Book [PDF]
• Food and Water in an Emergency [PDF]
• Emergency Supplies Checklist [PDF]
  Developed by California Office of Emergency Services
• Earthquake Safety Information [PDF]
  Developed by California Office of Emergency Services
• "Beat the Quake" information [PDF]
  Developed by the California Office of Emergency Services
• Documents in Alternate Languages
• http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d229a5f06620c6052b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=a9fc78986407f110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextchannel=92d51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD

 
 
Important Red Cross Sites
 
For All Emergencies.  FEMA, CDC, National Weather.
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=92d51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Emergency Documentation In Alternate Languages
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d229a5f06620c6052b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=a9fc78986407f110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextchannel=92d51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD
 
Prepare Your Children for a Disaster
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=e4a20c45f663b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Prepare Your Pets for a Disaster
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=7ca20c45f663b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Prepare Seniors for a Disaster
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=1e920c45f663b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Financial Planning for Disaster Preparedness
http://www.redcross.org/preparedness/FinRecovery/FinPlan/
 
Prepare Your Workplace for a Disaster
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=a7c51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Make a Contact Card for Family Members
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d229a5f06620c6052b1ecfbf43181aa0/?vgnextoid=6f89dbe0fd0de110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD
 
Preparation For An Earthquake
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=3750a5f0f013b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Preparation For A Tsunami
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=740d5d795323b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Preparation For A Blackout
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=4b0d6b9128c2b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Preparation For A Fire
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=5e06a5f0f013b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Preparation For A Chemical Emergency
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=17fba5f0f013b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Preparation For a Volcano Eruption
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=49105d795323b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Preparation For Terrorism
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=cbc95d795323b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Preparation For All Emergencies
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.86f46a12f382290517a8f210b80f78a0/?vgnextoid=17fba5f0f013b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Contact The Red Cross
 
Email inquiries by completing this form
Contact us via regular U.S. Mail or by phone at:
American Red Cross National Headquarters
2025 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 303 5000
Donation Hotlines: 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) / 1-800-257-7575 (Español)
En Español — CruzRojaAmerican.org: Contáctanos
If you are a member of the national media, please call (202) 303-5551
 
Latest Press Releases
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.edd4398600b584f5fef71210c23f78a0/?vgnextoid=00a00628b1cde110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 
Volunteering
Search for volunteer opportunities in your area
If you have questions about volunteering, find and contact your local Red Cross chapter by using the Zip Code locator on this page.
 
Training
CPR, First Aid, Disaster Education, Red Cross Instructors
http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=58d51a53f1c37110VgnVCM1000003481a10aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
 www.robinalexis.com
www.mysticradio.us
www.raisinghumanity.com
www.onlinesoulspa.com
www.metaphysicalmothering.com

Cyclone Brews Off Australia, Threatens Oil Fields

By Reuters
Jan 20, 2010

PERTH - A tropical low has formed off the remote west Australian coast and may develop into a category three cyclone by Friday, the weather bureau said on Wednesday, potentially threatening Thailand's PTTEP's PTTE.BK offshore oil operations.

----------------------------------------------

Strong Aftershock Rattles Haitians

By CNN News
Jan 20, 2010

Port-au-Prince, Haiti - A strong aftershock rocked Haiti on Wednesday morning just as much-needed medical aid via a U.S. Navy ship reached the earthquake-ravaged nation.

Patients at a hospital near Haiti's airport in Port-au-Prince immediately started praying as the ground shook like a ship rocking back and forth. They asked for forgiveness and protection, a nurse said.

----------------------------------------------

High Winds, 25+ Foot Waves, Floods All Expected Today

By The San Francisco Appeal
Jan 20, 2010

With another winter storm bearing down on the Bay Area, the National Weather Service issued an updated set of warnings and advisories this morning.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Cayman Islands Earthquake Shakes Region Still Further

By HULIQ
Jan 19, 2010

The Cayman Islands were hit by 5.8-magnitude earthquake which struck Tuesday at 9:23 AM EST. The quake's epicenter was 40 miles form the capital, George Town at a depth of 6.2 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Coral Sea Low Threatens To Form Cyclone, Hit Cairns

By Courier Mail News
Jan 19, 2010

CAIRNS is bracing for flooding and damaging winds, with a possible cyclone on the way from a developing low pressure system in the Coral Sea.

SES crews have been put on standby and some residents in low-lying areas have begun filling sandbags, as authorities warn of possible flash-flooding.

-----------------------------------------------
Flash Floods In Egypt And Israel Kill Seven

By BBC News
Jan 18, 2010

Egypt - Heavy rains and flash floods have left seven people dead in Egypt and Israel.

-----------------------------------------------
Large Kilauea Lava Pond Lighting Up Nighttime Sky

By Associated Press
Jan 18, 2010

VOLCANO — A sloshing, surging lava pond deep within the summit of Kilauea volcano is creating a bright glow and lighting up the nighttime sky.

The molten rock has illuminated Halema'uma'u crater since Thursday, a result of an interruption in the volcano's flow since early January.

Magma returning to the volcano following the interruption has caused the pond to rise within 400 feet of the crater floor. The pond is normally about 660 feet below the crater's surface.

Argentina Hit by 6.3 Magnitude Earthquake

By San Francisco Chronical
Jan 17, 2010

The latest news is a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Argentina after the 7.0 Haiti Earthquake and the 5.6 Venezuela Earthquake, and all less than a week apart.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake was centered 354 km southeast of Ushuaia, Argentina, the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, at a depth of 21 km, or about 10.5 miles down. The earthquake hit at 8am local time (1200 GMT, 8pm Singapore time). Reuters reports that no tsunami warning was immediately issued by the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.

No word of damage as of this writing. Argentina was planning to send a plane of supplies and aid for Haiti.
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Hundreds Of Houses Damaged In Cilacap Typhoon

By Antara News
Jan 17, 2010

Cilacap, Central Java - A typhoon swept through Ujungmanik village in Cilacap district, Central Java, on Saturday, leaving hundreds of houses damaged.
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First Cyclone Of Season Forming

By News.com.au
Jan 17, 2010

Queensland's first tropical cyclone of the season is set to form today, and could cross the Queensland coast as soon as tomorrow night.
A cyclone watch has been issued for Gulf communities from Pormpuraaw to Thursday Island.
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'Unrelenting' Rainfall To Hit Southern California Next Week

By Los Angeles Times
Jan 16, 2010

Four storms are expected to move through the region between late Sunday and Friday. Mountain thoroughfares will be closed and residents of foothill communities are urged to prepare for evacuation.

A series of storms is heading to Southern California and is expected to dump the heaviest rainfall since last summer's Station fire and send debris and ash rushing into such foothill communities as La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta.

"This is their worst nightmare," said Bill Patzert, a climatologist with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. "It will be unrelenting."

Strong quake hits Haiti, collapsing hospital
Jan 11, 2010

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — A strong earthquake hit the impoverished country of Haiti on Tuesday afternoon, where a hospital collapsed and people were screaming for help. Other buildings also were damaged.
The earthquake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 and was centered about 14 miles (22 kilometers) west from the capital of Port-au-Prince, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

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Queensland Floods As Southern Australia Braces For Fire

By NEWS.com.au
Jan 11, 2010

Queensland's central west has been issued with further flood warnings, while Victoria and South Australia experience "catastrophic" fire conditions.

The weather bureau re-issued warnings in the state's far west as water levels continued to rise at towns such as Windorah, about 310km southwest of Longreach, where it's expected to reach 6.5m today.

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Storm 'Daisy' Brings Snow Chaos To Europe

By Spiegel Online International
Jan 11, 2010

A weekend of snow, ice and heavy winds brought large parts of Europe to a standstill and was continuing to cause flight and train delays on Monday. Some villages in northern Germany are still cut off after huge snowdrifts made roads impassable.
A spokesman for Frankfurt airport, Germany's biggest, said passengers should expect further cancellations and delays to flights on Monday. More than 300 flights were cancelled over the weekend because of heavy snowfalls, affecting some 60,000 passengers. Thousands had to spend Saturday night on camp beds in the airport or in hotels nearby.

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Balkans Hit By Major Floods

By MINA
Jan 11, 2010

Much of eastern Europe is experiencing some of its worst flooding in decades. In Albania, a combination of heavy snow followed by equally heavy rain has caused rivers to burst their banks.

The authorities have been forced to discharge water from three hydro-electric power stations after danger levels were reached.

6.5 Northern Calif. quake leaves jumble of debris
Jan 10, 2010, AP

EUREKA, Calif. — A powerful offshore earthquake that struck near the Northern California coast left a hodgepodge of debris for communities to sort through Sunday but spared residents any serious injury.

The 6.5 magnitude temblor hit late Saturday afternoon and was centered in the Pacific about 22 miles west of Ferndale. It was felt in towns more than 300 miles south into central California and as far north as central Oregon, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Ferndale is about 240 miles north of San Francisco.

Dozens of people suffered minor injuries and thousands lost power.

In Eureka, north of Ferndale, residents of an apartment building were evacuated, and an office building and two other commercial structures in the town of about 26,000 people were declared unsafe for occupancy, according to Humboldt County spokesman Phil Smith-Hanes.

"Our initial reports were that, though this was a pretty decent quake, we survived it well," Smith-Hanes said, adding that damage assessments would continue Sunday across the county.

Nearly 10,000 remained without power some five hours after the quake, and some could remain without power through Sunday, said PG&E spokeswoman Janna Morris.

Destructive Tsunami Crashes Over Solomon Islands

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
January 4, 2010 8:32

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- A tsunami unleashed by a major earthquake plowed into the Solomon Islands on Monday with the crashing waters devastating at least one village.

Initial reports said no one was seriously hurt.

A series of major quakes have rocked the South Pacific region since Sunday, with three powerful temblors striking Monday, including a 7.2 magnitude tremor. The Solomon Island's National Disaster Management Office said reports of the devastation were beginning to filter in late Monday.

The tremors were centered beneath the ocean floor near the town of Gizo, which was badly damaged in April 2007 when a 8.1-magnitude quake sent a tsunami crashing into the coast, killing more than 50 people.

Monday's tsunami devastated a village on Rendova Island, some 188 miles (300 kilometers) from the capital Honiara, disaster management official Loti Yates told The Associated Press.

"One report from police was that one village was hit by a 6 to 10 foot (2-3 meter) wall of sea water," Yates said. "It was a total inundation police saw in a fly over."

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Over 1,000 Houses Ruined By Earthquake In Tajikistan

By Kyiv Post
Jan 4, 2010

Dushanbe - More than 1,000 houses were destroyed in a powerful earthquake that rocked the southeast of Tajikistan, costing the republic around $1.5 million.

"According to our estimates, 1,050 houses owned by rural residents were destroyed partially or completely in the Vanj district [390 kilometers southeast of the capital Dushanbe]. No one was killed [as a result of the earthquake]," the Vanj district deputy chairman, Azimjon Shamsiddinov, told Interfax over the phone on Jan. 3.

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Hundreds Flee Australia Flooding

By BBC News
Jan 3, 2010

More than 1,000 people have been evacuated from an outback town in the Australian state of New South Wales, after days of flooding.

Two areas of the state have been declared natural disaster areas after days of heavy rains swelled rivers and left farms cut off.

As water levels threatened to reach 5.5m (18ft), up to 1,200 people were moved from the town of Coonamble.

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Colombian Volcano Erupts, 8,000 Evacuation

By Reuters
Jan 3, 2010

BOGOTA - The Galeras volcano in southern Colombia erupted on Saturday, shooting rock and ash and prompting authorities to order the evacuation of about 8,000 people.

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Kenyans Swept Away In Flash Floods

By Capital FM
Jan 2, 2010

NAKURU, Kenya - At least seven people have been killed and a number of others are missing after flash floods in Naivasha, Nakuru and Koibatek districts.

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Brazil Mudslides, Floods Kill 29 After Heavy Rain

By Reuters
Jan 1, 2010

SAO PAULO - Mudslides and flooding killed at least 29 people in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro state and authorities worry the death toll could climb with more heavy rains in the forecast, local media reported on Friday.

Ten people were found dead on Friday after a small hotel collapsed in the beach resort of Angra dos Reis, one of Brazil's most exclusive tourism destinations, GloboNews television channel reported, citing firefighters.

New Movie coming out about the Maya - "The Shift of Ages"
Submitted by Beckster on Sat, 11/07/2009 - 03:16.

"The Shift of the Ages film will be released in early 2010, first at film festivals, then theaters, then via DVD and digital media. The Shift of the Ages film is a docudrama: a timely, artistic and inspiring expression of ancient wisdom and prophecy proclaimed by our Indigenous Elders. The Shift of the Ages is a true account of the Mayan prophecies, the life and mission of Grandfather Cirilo and the momentous evolutionary shift currently underway in our cosmos."
http://www.shiftoftheages.com/about-shift-ages-film
You can see a clip of the movie here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpkLqn9jZLQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYJaB2TAndE&NR=1
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Mystery as Spiral Blue Light Display Hovers Above Norway

By DailyMail UK
Dec 9, 2009

A mysterious light display appearing over Norway last night has left thousands of residents in the north of the country baffled. The phenomenon began when what appeared to be a blue light seemed to soar up from behind a mountain. It stopped mid-air, then began to circulate.

A blue-green beam of light was reported to have come shooting out the centre of the spiral.
Within seconds a giant spiral had covered the entire sky. Then a green-blue beam of light shot out from its centre - lasting for ten to twelve minutes before disappearing completely.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute was flooded with telephone calls after the light storm - which astronomers have said did not appear to have been connected to the aurora, or Northern Lights, so common in that area of the world.

The mystery deepened tonight as Russia denied it had been conducting missile tests in the area. Fred Hansen, from Bo in Vesterålen, described the sight as 'like a big fireball that went around, with a great light around it again.'

Confusion: The Norwegian Meteorological Institute was flooded with calls after the light storm 'It spun and exploded in the sky,' Totto Eriksen from Tromso told VG Nett. He spotted the lights as he walked his daughter Amalie to school. He said: 'We saw it from the Inner Harbor in Tromso. It was absolutely fantastic. 'It almost looked like a rocket that spun around and around and then went diagonally down the heavens. 'It looked like the moon was coming over the mountain, but then came something completely different.'

What could it be? Astronomers say the spectacle did not appear to have been connected to the aurora, or Northern Lights: 'It was like a giant spiral - a shooting star that spun around and around. I initially thought it was a projector', added Axel Rose Berg, from Alta.

Celebrity astronomer Knut Jorgen Roed odegaard told VG Nett he had never seen anything like the lights.

He said: 'My first thought was that it was a fireball meteor, but it has lasted far too long. 'It may have been a missile in Russia, but I can not guarantee that it is the answer.'

Air Traffic control in Tromso claimed the light show lasted for two minutes, but admitted that was 'far too long to be an astronomical phenomena.'

Tromso Geophysical Observatory researcher Truls Lynne Hansen was certain the light had been caused by a missile launch.

He told Norwegian media that the missile had likely lost control and exploded. The spiral, he claimed, was the result of light reflecting on the leaking fuel. He was quoted as saying the light was sunlight, despite the strange lights showing up at night.

The Barents Observer quoted Norwegian Defence spokesman Jon Espen Lien as saying that the Norwegian military does not know what the lights were - but that they were probably from a Russian missile.

He said it was normal for Russia to use the White Sea and the Barents Sea as a testing ground for missiles.

However a Moscow news outlet tonight quoted the Russian Navy as denying any rocket launches from the White Sea area.

Norway should be informed of such launches under international agreements, it was stressed.

The Russian Defence Ministry was unavailable for comment last night.

Earth Changes Media

Climate Control Should Be Important Component of U.S. Foreign Policy

• Interviewee:

  Michael A. Levi, David M. Rubenstein Senior Fellow for Energy and Environment and Director of the Program on Energy Security and Climate Change

  Interviewer:

  Bernard Gwertzman, Consulting Editor

  June 13, 2008

  CFR Senior Fellow Michael A. Levi, who directed the Council's Independent Task Force on global climate change, says the United States needs to show the world how reducing carbon emissions can be balanced with economic growth. Levi says in the Bush administration climate change became mired in domestic discussions, whereas it is really a significant foreign policy issue. The purpose of the Task Force report, he said, was to put the issue “back where it belongs in the context of American foreign policy, to look at a broad foreign policy strategy that could draw on the various tools the United States has available to try to steer international efforts in a productive direction.”
  You directed this Independent Task Force on global climate change that has just published a report. What was the purpose of this report?
  Climate change for a long time has been a foreign policy issue. George H.W. Bush signed and the Senate ratified a United Nations framework convention on climate change back in 1992. In 1997 you had debate on the Kyoto Protocol. In the George W. Bush administration climate change has suddenly become a domestic policy issue. The focus was in Congress and when you focus on Congress you look at things through a domestic glass. The point of this task force was to pull back and put this back where it belongs in the context of American foreign policy, to look at a broad foreign policy strategy that could draw on the various tools the United States has available to try to steer international efforts in a productive direction.
  Is this different from earlier efforts at limiting smog, for instance, or acid rain?
  Traditional pollution issues differ in a couple of significant ways from climate change. One is that they are fairly local. So you emit pollutants—they may affect folks downwind and they can actually affect people often at a great distance, but they are not truly global as in the case of climate change. Related to that, most local pollutants come out of the atmosphere quite quickly. So if I implement regulations to develop new technologies and reduce my emissions, for example, of sulfur dioxide, which causes acid rain, this leads very quickly to cleaner air and to a cleaner environment. With carbon dioxide, and even more so with some other greenhouse gases, it takes an extremely long time, hundreds of years or more, for this stuff to get out of the atmosphere. That's why it can mix globally. So, you do have this global situation, but at the same time the bulk of the world's emissions come from a relatively small number of countries. And this has always been an issue. Climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution.
  Can you name the small number of countries?
  The leading emitters in the world are China, the United States, Japan, the European Union, Russia, Brazil, Indonesia, and India. Not necessarily in that order, but those are the eight biggest emitters in the world responsible for about 75 percent of global carbon-dioxide emissions.
  Do the governments or the peoples of these various areas agree that this is a problem that has to be dealt with?
  There's broad agreement that this is a problem that has to be dealt with. Where the agreement stops is on how to deal with it, on who should be taking the biggest steps, and who should be paying for those steps. And different countries perceive the dangers in different ways. The countries that are the most directly vulnerable in a near-term sense are not the ones with big emissions. Small, low-lying islands, for example, that can be vulnerable to sea-level rise. Their emissions don't matter much.

  "The United States needs to join in showing that low carbon development is consistent with robust economic growth."

  And the different countries have conflicting incentives for how they deal with the activities. For instance, there are big social and political implications in a country like Brazil if efforts are made to control deforestation. And in the United States, trying to control industrial and power emissions has effects throughout the economy. Each of these countries has different challenges and constraints to work with.
  Now let's talk about the United States. The recommendations in your report suggest that there would have to be constraints on the use of energy. How would that figure into everyone's pocketbooks?
  We endorse a cap-and-trade approach, which would, in the near term at least, raise energy costs. The projections in standard economic models show relatively small increases as long as you do this sort of thing gradually. You also need to do things in a way so that the burden isn't imposed on the most vulnerable people in the economy, or on communities that are dependent on things like coal mining, for example. In the context of the energy price rises we've seen recently, whether in electricity prices or in gasoline prices, the sorts of price increases that are projected from potential climate legislation are minimal. Now that doesn't mean that we won't be in for surprises, and we need to be prepared to craft legislation in a way that stabilizes the costs and that lets us revisit and revise what we're trying to do as we learn more both of the upsides and the downsides.
  China and India don't want to sign on to a worldwide agreement on limiting emissions. How do you get around that?
  We say a few different things. First thing, let's distinguish between China and India. Those are different kinds of challenges and China is a more immediate challenge. China's emissions are much larger than India's and they're growing rapidly. India will ultimately be quite important but Chinese emissions are substantially higher. We say in our report that the United States should not sign a grand global deal if that deal doesn't involve commitment by problem countries like China. That doesn't mean that everyone needs to sign up for the same sort of fix. The United States may sign up, as we recommend, to targets for reducing its emissions. With a country like China, what you'd like them to do is to sign up to commitments to particular actions that you're actually going to have control over. Whether it's things like fuel economy standards, whether it's on electricity pricing, on controlling emissions, things like this, where the government can actually control the outcome.

  "In the context of the energy price rises we've seen recently, whether in electricity prices or in gasoline prices, the sorts of price increases that are projected from potential climate legislation are minimal."

  We want the United States to lead by taking action at home but then to use a wide range of levers to try and get China to move in the right direction, and to try to get them into some kind of global treaty with one of those levers.
  What should we be doing here?
  The United States needs to join in showing that low carbon development is consistent with robust economic growth. That means adopting mandatory emissions reductions and working through that and showing that it can succeed in cutting emissions without making a significant dent on economic growth. It also needs to do that because the United States is responsible for a large fraction of global emissions. If the United States doesn't control its emissions it swamps what other countries are doing. 
  But it can't be a cap-and-trade system all by itself. You need to supplement it with other things. The United States needs to be taking action in directly reducing dependence on foreign oil in ways that improve its energy use and its climate change situation. It needs to use regulations in careful ways. Things like improving building efficiency. Buildings are responsible for something on the order of 30 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
  Really? Just from the heat?
  From the heat, from the electricity, from things that are very inefficient. The government needs to step in and help support research and development where the private sector isn't necessarily going to step up to the plate up front. And we also need to work on energy infrastructure. If people keep on blocking natural gas pipelines and terminals, and nuclear waste disposal, and if we don't put it in the regulatory framework for moving power at a national level, we're going to massively limit our options for reducing emissions. When you limit your options for reducing emissions, you drive your cost up so we have to be very careful about that.
  Is the technology out there now already that would allow some coal-burning factories to reduce carbon emissions?
  There are plenty of technologies out there but there is no silver-bullet technology solution to these things. When you look at coal, you look at a variety of ways to reduce emissions. The first is to burn coal more efficiently—using less coal to produce the same amount of power. That's number one. Number two is switching to other fuel sources and in different applications, whether that's cleaner burning fossil fuels like natural gas, or renewables, or nuclear. In different kinds of settings, different things can work. Another option that people look at is called carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). It's used in certain applications where the carbon dioxide is prevented from entering the atmosphere. What people would like to see in the longer term is capturing it and storing it—storing it for the very, very long term. That hasn't been demonstrated at commercial scale and that's something that we really have to focus on. Put it in the ground, or deep underwater, there are a variety of options.
  And you may figure out how to do it in the United States but that doesn't mean you can apply that in China, for example, where you're building two coal-powered plants a week. So you need international cooperation to demonstrate and test the technologies that are necessary in the kinds of places where you're going to need to implement them.
  Do you talk in the report much about increased use of nuclear power, which doesn’t emit carbon dioxide?
  We talked about nuclear foreign policy because when you look at simulations of pathways to significantly reduce emissions internationally you inevitably see a substantial use of nuclear power. So we come out with two basic conclusions. The first is that as long as it's economical, we're strongly supportive of the growth of nuclear power in countries that already have nuclear power. And if you look at projections of what needs to be done to meet these emissions reductions goals, much of that growth will happen in countries that already have nuclear power. China already has nuclear power, the United States already has nuclear power, India already has nuclear power.

  "Just like scientists tell us that no one technology is going to solve the problem, there's no one diplomatic solution that's going to solve it."

  At the same time we are much more skeptical about the growth of nuclear power in countries that don't have it already. We think you need to sort out in particular problems of nuclear proliferation. You have to be confident that you are not saving the planet as it were at the expense of giving everyone the potential for a bomb. So these are two very different cases: countries that already have nuclear power and countries that don't already have nuclear power. But it's hard to see a path where nuclear power isn't a significant part of the solution.
  Is progress in the United States related to a comprehensive world accord?
  U.S. domestic action is essential but the rest of the world isn't going to simply move into action because of what the United States does. We're going to have to move on a variety of fronts. Just like scientists tell us that no one technology is going to solve the problem, there's no one diplomatic solution that's going to solve it. It's not just going to be a big deal between the United States and China. It's not going to be Kyoto 2 that's going to solve it. We need a few different prongs to our approach. First, we do need to try and get a new global agreement that involves commitments from all the major countries. And that's going to be very difficult to get.
  Because China and India wouldn't be interested?
  It's important to pursue a variety of efforts to steer countries cooperatively in a constructive direction. The centerpiece of our recommendation is for what we call Partnership for Climate Cooperation that would bring together the world's biggest emitters to focus on specific actions to reduce emissions. Countries would make somewhat less formal commitments to either take actions at home to reduce emissions or to provide incentives to others to reduce emissions. The idea is to really free countries up to enter into uncharted territory in transforming the world's energy systems. And it's difficult to sign up for this part of a global agreement to do dramatic things where you don't necessarily have confidence that you can do them. In a less formal setting you may be able to get countries to step up and make much more ambitious commitments to do things. We talk a lot about the different tools you can bring to the table in doing that, whether there are different mechanisms for financial support for emissions reductions [and] cooperation in research development demonstration projects.

  Weigh in on this issue by emailing CFR.org.

Galeras Volcano Erupts

By Colombia Reports
Nov 21, 2009

Following a strong eruption of the southern Colombian Galeras volcano on Friday, more than a thousand people responded to authorities' calls to evacuate the region.
The volcano, that has caused several alerts over the past year, erupted again on Friday, forcing local authoritis to declare a red alert and call on the thousands of inhabitants of the region to evacuate.

Locals are asked to put on masks to avoid inhaling ash coming from the volcano.

Geologists monitoring the volcano's activity declared a code orange a few weeks ago and have been expecting the volcano to erupt. Until now, the majority of the locals refused to leave their homes.

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Ireland Battles Worst Floods In Decades

By Sky News

Nov 21, 2009

More than 100 Irish troops have been drafted in to support the emergency services in battling Ireland's worst floods in 30 years.

Several days of persistent rainfall has caused severe flooding in the south and west of the republic, with Cork being the city worst affected.
Rivers burst their banks and coastal towns were threatened with sea flooding caused by high tides and storm force winds.

Several major roads have been closed and train services cancelled along Ireland's western coast.

Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who is due to chair an emergency task force meeting on the crisis, said the immediate priority for the government was to provide shelter and safe drinking water.

Environment Minister John Gormley told RTE state radio: "We have been told this is a once in 800 years event. We have had no fatalities and that is a blessing."

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British Isles Brace for More Floods

By CBS/Associated Press
Nov 21, 2009

Flood-stricken towns in northern England's picturesque Lake District braced themselves for more rain on Saturday, following the wettest day in history which killed one police officer, left dozens of others trapped in their homes and washed away bridges.

The BBC reports there are 22 flood warnings in force across Scotland, northern England, the Midlands and Wales, with four being "severe."

Police said they were still conducting a search and rescue operation in the hardest-hit town, Cockermouth, where the water was receding.

Emergency services said more than 200 people were rescued from Cockermouth and about 1,000 homes were flooded.

'Cosmic Rays' May Have Caused Qantas Jet's Plunge

By Sydney Morning Herald
Nov 19, 2009

Cosmic rays are being considered by air safety investigators as a possible cause of a Qantas flight QF72 incident. The Airbus A330-303 was flying at 37,000 feet with 303 people on board when it plunged 650 feet before recovering to its original height and then plunging 400 feet. "There is a constrant stream of high-energy galactic and solar radiation interacting with the Earth's upper atmosphere," the report noted. "This interaction creates a cascade of secondary particles. Some of the secondary particles, in particular neutrons, can affect aircraft avionics systems."

Air safety investigators this morning brought down their second interim report into the flight QF72 incident, which left one flight attendant and 11 passengers with serious injuries, finding that an equipment glitch with one of three data collectors was a likely cause.

But the reason for the problems with the air data inertial reference unit, which gathers data from outside the plane and feeds it into the cockpit, remains unclear.

One explanation being considered for the October 7 incident is that cosmic or solar rays interfered with the system, noting that a single particle can cause problems with integrated circuits such as the one used in the data equipment.

The pilot declared a "mayday" an sought an emergency landing at Learmonth, Western Australia.

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58,000 Homeless After Sri Lanka Flash Floods

By AFP
Nov 19, 2009

COLOMBO — Nearly 60,000 people were left homeless in Sri Lanka Thursday following flash floods in the capital Colombo and the suburbs, an official said.

"We have a list of over 58,000 individuals who were left homeless in and around Colombo," Kodipillai said, adding that they were being housed in public buildings.

Thousands of homes were flooded on Wednesday, forcing people to seek temporary shelter in public buildings, he said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Water levels were receding on Thursday but flood victims required shelter until their homes could be cleaned or repaired, he said.

On Wednesday, some of the roads in the capital were up to two metres (six feet) under water as storm systems were unable to cope with the deluge. Many of the roads blocked on Wednesday began to clear on Thursday.

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Wales Braced For More Winds, Floods – And Possibly A Tornado

By Wales Online
Nov 19, 2009

WALES was hit by more than 90% of its monthly rainfall in the first two weeks of November as the country was yesterday warned to brace itself for further flooding and storm force 10 winds.

The Met Office said Wales could even be hit by a tornado as they predicted a further 90mm of rain and 80mph winds by tomorrow.

In North Wales, Snowdonia was battered by 90mm of rain on Tuesday night, disrupting travel and closing roads and schools.

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Mayon Eruption Feared

By Manila Standard Today
Nov 18, 2009

LEGAZPI CITY—The crater of Mayon Volcano is glowing red and spewing yellowish smoke, signs that magma or molten rock is moving up to the surface vent, says the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

The volcano spewed 973 tons of sulfur dioxide yesterday, an amount way above the normal level of 500 tons a day, Phivolcs said.

--------------------------

Second Storm Wallops B.C.

By CBC News, Canada
Nov 17, 2009

Another wet and windy storm rolled through B.C. overnight Monday and into Tuesday morning, leaving thousands of residents without power and many on Vancouver Island concerned about flooding.

*check out this first article..it states the last time they created this artificial snowstorm, the "erosive snow-melting agent was responsible for killing 10,000 trees in Beijing and decimating 200,000 square metres of grassland", what are they thinking?

Chinese Scientists Create Second Artificial Snowstorm In Beijing

By AFP
Nov 15, 2009

Chinese scientists have artificially induced the second major snowstorm to wreak havoc in Beijing this season, state media said today, reigniting debate over the practice of tinkering with Mother Nature.
After the earliest snow to hit the capital in 22 years fell on November 1, the capital was again shrouded in white yesterday with more snow expected in the coming three days, the National Meteorological Centre said.

The China Daily, citing an unnamed official, said the Beijing Weather Modification Office had artificially induced both storms by seeding clouds with chemicals, a practice that can increase precipitation by up to 20 per cent.

The office refused to comment on the report when contacted by AFP.

Yesterday, an official had said the storm was "natural".

City weather officials have previously said that such methods are aimed at alleviating a drought over much of north China, including Beijing, that has lingered for more than a decade.

But residents have griped about the flight delays, traffic snarls, cancelled classes and other inconveniences of a surprise snow storm, saying officials could warn them if they are planning to toy with the clouds.

Beyond the day-to-day hassles, experts said the weather manipulation had other undesirable side-effects in the longer term, the paper reported.

"No one can tell how much weather manipulation will change the sky," Xiao Gang, a professor in the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the paper.

"We should not depend too much on artificial measures to get rain or snow, because there are too many uncertainties up in the sky."

Zhao Nan, a Beijing engineer, was quoted as saying the more than 5500 tonnes of erosive snow-melting chloride used on city roads yesterday - nearly half the annual allotment - could "erode steel structures of buildings".

In 2005, the snow-melting agent was responsible for killing 10,000 trees in Beijing and decimating 200,000 square metres of grassland, the paper said, citing official statistics.

Despite a massive effort to clear the capital of snow that involved over 15,000 workers, many roads remained blocked, while highways into Beijing and in neighbouring Hebei and Shanxi provinces were closed, state press reports said.

Earth Changes Media
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Cyclone Kills 7, 100 Missing

By News24
Nov 13, 2009

New Dehli - At least seven fishermen were killed and fishing boats with 100 men were missing in the Arabian Sea after Cyclone Phyan hit India's western coastal region, a news report said on Thursday.

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Worst Storm Of Year As Parts Of Britain Battered By 100mph Winds

By Telegraph.co.uk
Nov 14, 2009

Intense weather conditions in Wales and southern England brought an abrupt end to an unusually mild autumn, with isolated flooding in south-western England and severe winds in coastal regions.

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Heavy Snow Storms In Northern China Kill 40

By Associated Press
Nov 13, 2009

BEIJING — Unusually early snow storms in north-central China have claimed 40 lives, caused thousands of buildings to collapse and destroyed almost 500,000 acres (200,000 hectares) of winter crops, the Civil Affairs Ministry said Friday.

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Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Hits Offshore Tarapaca, Chile

By USGS
Nov 13, 2009

Magnitude 6.5 Earthquake Hits Offshore Tarapaca, Chile on Friday, November 13, 2009 at 03:05:57 UTC.

Bob and I live on the Strait of Juan De Fuca. We live on a bluff. We so much enjoy the birds and fresh clean air. What will this bring? I pray for help.
 
WASHINGTON — Off the coast of Washington state, mysterious algae mixed with sea foam have killed more than 8,000 seabirds, puzzling scientists. A thousand miles off California, researchers have discovered the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a swirling vortex roughly twice the size of Texas filled with tiny bits of plastic and other debris.
Every summer a dead zone of oxygen-depleted water the size of Massachusetts forms in the Gulf of Mexico; others have been found off Oregon and in the Chesapeake Bay, Lake Erie and the Baltic and Black seas. Some studies indicate that North Pole seawater could turn caustic in 10 years, and that the Southern Ocean already may be saturated with carbon dioxide.
A recent bird kill off the coast of Washington state came without warning, said Jane Lubchenco, the administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. "There will be more surprises than that," she said.
The danger signals are everywhere, some related to climate change and greenhouse gases and others not:

• Every eight months, 11 million gallons of oil run off the nation's roads and driveways into waters that eventually reach the sea, the Pew Oceans Commission said in 2003. That's the equivalent of an Exxon Valdez-size oil spill.
• Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the oceans have absorbed 525 billion tons of carbon dioxide. They're now absorbing about 22 million tons of carbon dioxide a day. As that happens, the oceans become more acidic, threatening the marine food chain. The acidity could eat away the shells of such animals as the petropod, a nearly microscopic snail with a calcium carbonate covering that's eaten by krill, salmon and whales.
• More than 60 percent of the nation's coastal rivers and bays are moderately to severely degraded by nutrient runoff from products such as fertilizer, creating algae blooms that affect the kelp beds and grasses that are nurseries for many species of fish.

Even that doesn't tell the entire story, as competing uses for the sea multiply. Traditional ones such as fishing and shipping are competing with offshore aquaculture farms. On the energy front, it's no longer just oil and gas drilling. There are plans for deepwater wind farms and tidal and wave power-generating projects.
As the grim news mounts, a storm is brewing in Washington, D.C., over who should oversee oceans policies. A White House task force has recommended creating a National Ocean Council that would develop and implement national ocean policy and include the secretaries of state, defense, agriculture, interior, health and human services, labor, commerce, transportation and homeland security.
It also would include the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, the administrators of NASA and the Environmental Protection Agency, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the director of national intelligence and the chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Plus the president's advisers on national security, homeland security, domestic policy and economic policy. The chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy would head the council.
However, NOAA, the nation's primary ocean agency, which includes the National Ocean Service, the nation's premier science agency for oceans and coasts; the National Marine Fisheries Service, which manages living marine resources; the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, which studies climate, weather and air quality; and the National Weather Service — is missing from the task force's list.
"I am mystified why NOAA has been exempted," said Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe, the top Republican on the subcommittee.
"It was a surprise," Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said in an interview. "I didn't know it would be this sensitive."
Cantwell chairs the oceans subcommittee of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. Her panel held a hearing on the issue last week.
"NOAA is the nation's primary ocean agency," NOAA administrator Lubchenco told the subcommittee. "Our name says it all."
Created in 1970, NOAA does everything from issuing daily weather forecasts and severe storm warnings to monitoring the climate and managing fisheries. It includes a satellite office and a research arm. It operates two geostational satellites that monitor the Earth and a fleet of research ships that monitor the oceans.
Instead of being a freestanding agency like NASA or the EPA, however, NOAA is part of the Commerce Department. The commerce secretary would be a member of the National Ocean Council, but Cantwell and Snowe said that wasn't good enough.
"It's not the same," Cantwell said, adding that the commerce secretary has far broader responsibilities than just oceans.
In recommending the creation of a National Ocean Council, the White House task force noted the web of federal, state, tribal, local and international regulations and interests and found a need for "high-level direction and guidance from a clearly designated and identifiable authority."
The nation's oceans, coastline and Great Lakes are regulated by 140 laws administered by 20 federal agencies, in what's been called a "Swiss cheese" of overlapping authorities and sometimes conflicting missions.
The task force made its proposal for a National Ocean Council in an interim report released in September. A final report is due early next year.
Whatever its composition, one challenge for the council will be what's called "marine spatial planning," ocean zoning, or the marine equivalent of urban planning.
"It's going to be a difficult process," Nancy Sutley, the chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said during the Senate hearing. "We need to do it from the bottom up."
Native American tribes and groups such as those that represent sport fishermen warned that plans have to be developed regionally because a one-size-fits-all approach won't work.
A recent example of marine spatial planning involved the Coast Guard, NOAA and other agencies working to reroute shipping lanes near Cape Cod to minimize the chances of vessels colliding with North Atlantic right whales, but even that came with an unexpected twist.
"We were going to move the lanes into a site where there was an application for an offshore LNG plant," said Adm. Thad Allen, the Coast Guard commandant, referring to liquefied natural gas.
ON THE WEB
The Interagency Ocean Police Task Force interim report
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Ocean Service
The Ocean Conservancy
MORE FROM MCCLATCHY
Sea level rise threatens Atlantic coast, but building goes on
Scientists:Global warming has already changed oceans
Will U.S. go empty-handed to world climate talks?
Follow the latest politics news at McClatchy's Planet Washington
McClatchy Newspapers 2009
www.robinalexis.com
www.mysticradio.us
www.raisinghumanity.com
www.metaphysicalmothering.com

Tens Of Thousands Of Homes Flooded In Mexico

By Associated Press
Nov 7, 2009

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico — A week of torrential rain has flooded the homes of more than 200,000 people along Mexico's Gulf coast, officials said Friday. Residents in some towns complained that no help had arrived.
The flooding in eastern Tabasco state has worsened as rains persist and more rivers overflow their banks. Three people drowned earlier in the week while trying to flee a torrent of water in a drainage canal.

People "are in a desperate situation," Tabasco Gov. Andres Granier said, but he added that many were ignoring pleas to move to shelters for fear their homes would be looted.

The floods affect more than a dozen towns.

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Disaster Declared In Flood-Hit Australia

By AFP
Nov 7, 2009

SYDNEY — Australian authorities declared a natural disaster along parts of the country's east coast as heavy floods cut the main road linking major cities, stranding thousands of people.

Torrential rain soaked the Coffs Harbour region north of Sydney overnight, swamping the arterial Pacific Highway with flash floodwaters that isolated almost 5,000 people, emergency officials said on Saturday.

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KZN Freak Storm Destroys 178 Homes

By IOL News
Nov 7, 2009

A freak storm, initially believed to have been a tornado destroyed 178 homes and left 66 people injured in Nkwzela in the Ingwe Local Municipality near Bulwer, KwaZulu Natal Provincial Disaster Management said on Saturday.

Floods Could Threaten Up To 750,000 In Kenya: UN

By Reuters
Nov 6, 2009
GENEVA - Up to 750,000 people in Kenya, nearly half of them Somali refugees, could be caught up in flooding and landslides from heavy rains expected to peak in November, the United Nations warned on Friday.

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Vietnam Storm And Flood Toll Rises To 107

By AFP
Nov 6, 2009

Hanoi - The number of people killed by floods in central Vietnam rose to 107, as officials said today the new estimate of damage caused by Mirinae was at least USD 120 million.

A further 11 people were still listed as missing after the Tropical Depression struck on Monday, bringing the most devastating floods in decades to some areas, the national flood and storm control committee said in a report.

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Ida Drenches Central America, Forecast to Enter Gulf

By Bloomberg News
Nov 6, 2009

Storm Ida weakened to a tropical depression after washing ashore and dumping as many as 20 inches (50 centimeters) of rain over higher areas of Honduras and Nicaragua, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.

Vietnam Storm Death Toll Rises To 57

By Associated Press
Nov 4, 2009

HANOI, Vietnam — The death toll from Tropical Storm Mirinae rose to 57 in Vietnam on Wednesday as authorities stepped up rescue and relief operations in the affected central regions. In the hardest-hit province of Phu Yen, 24 more deaths were reported as information trickled in from isolated areas, disaster official Dang Thi Lanh said Wednesday. An additional 18 people were reported missing.

The storm and flooding left another 18 people dead and seven others missing, according to disaster officials and the government's Web site.

Soldiers using speed boats continued to move people from flooded homes and provide victims with instant noodles and water, Lanh said.

Authorities have evacuated nearly 15,000 people from Phu Yen, where the water began to recede Wednesday. A day earlier, many families scrambled to rooftops to escape the overflowing Ha Thanh River.

In the neighboring province of Binh Dinh, two military helicopters continued to drop food and water to villagers still stranded in isolated areas, said Ho Quoc Dung, deputy chairman of the provincial People's Committee.

The storm and flooding also left 52 people injured, destroyed or damaged 14,000 homes, and damaged about 12,400 acres (5,000 hectares) of rice and other crops, according the national committee for flood and storm control.

Mirinae hit the Philippines with typhoon strength over the weekend, killing 20 people before losing strength as it moved across the South China Sea toward Vietnam.

Both Vietnam and the Philippines were still recovering from Typhoon Ketsana, which brought the Philippine capital of Manila its worst flooding in 40 years when it struck in September. Ketsana killed 160 people in Vietnam.

In the Philippines, Ketsana and two later storms killed more than 900. Some 87,000 people who fled the storms were still living in temporary shelters when Mirinae struck.

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Mag. 5.3 Quake Hits Off Oregon Coast

By USGS
Nov 4, 2009

Geographic coordinates: 43.460N, 126.773W. Magnitude: 5.3 Mw. Depth: 10 km. Universal Time (UTC): 4 Nov 2009 12:38:29. Time near the Epicenter: 4 Nov 2009 04:38:29. Local standard time in your area: 4 Nov 2009 12:38:29. Location with respect to nearby cities: 201 km (125 miles) WNW (294 degrees) of Port Orford, OR.

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Earthquake Injures 270 in Southern Iran

By Associated Press
Nov 4, 2009

Tehran, Iran - A moderate earthquake hit southern Iran early Wednesday, injuring 269 people and cutting power and telephone lines, state radio reported.
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Floods Force 44,000 People From Homes In Mexico

By Associated Press
Nov 4, 2009

VILLAHERMOSA, Mexico — Flooding after days of heavy rain along Mexico's Gulf Coast has forced more than 44,000 people from their homes.
Tabasco state Gov. Andres Granier says several rivers jumped their banks, flooding homes in more than 90 communities.

The federal government declared a state of emergency and troops were helping rescue people Tuesday.

Residents expressed frustration that government infrastructure projects have not prevented yearly flooding in Tabasco. In 2007, floods killed 33 people and inundated more than 1 million homes.

"Since the 2007 floods, they say are going to complete projects and once again we've been flooded. Every time the rivers swell, we lose everything," said Hipolito Escobar, a 58-year-old farmer.

On June 4, 2009 Pachamama gave me information about possible earth changes that could take place around the globe. Thankfully the severe earthquake in our area was only a 3.9 earthquake. Since that time scientists have been informing the Strait of Juan De Fuca community what could happen if we have a big earthquake. Communitites have done drills and continue to get prepared. The other matter Pachamama warned about was a stink in the Pacific Northwest coast and in the Strait of Juan De Fuca. That has happened. It is very disturbing what has happened.
http://oceaninview.blogspot.com/2009/09/birds-in-bunches.html

By Leah Leach
Peninsula Daily News
LAPUSH — Researchers have confirmed that hundreds of sea ducks found dead and dying on West End beaches were severely chilled rather than poisoned.

Several hundred birds — mostly white-winged scoters and surf scoters — have been found ill or dead from Rialto Beach south to the southern portion of Kalaloch beach since last weekend.

The birds are dying of hypothermia at least partially because of a protein from a brown algae called dinoflagellate, Mary Sue Brancato, a resource protection officer with Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, said after receiving preliminary necropsy reports.

When the single-celled algae is beaten apart by waves, it releases a brownish-green foam containing a soapy protein that strips the protective coating of oil from the ducks' feathers.

“It's not a toxicity issue. It's a physical issue,” Brancato said.

“It is still happening,” she said Saturday. The protein from the algae “is at least partially responsible for the mortalities,” which are “well into the hundreds, several hundred.”

Initial necropsy
Initial necropsy reports from three of the seven birds submitted for the procedure last week show that all were emaciated, while some had lost waterproofing, she said, adding that she didn't know how many had been found to have protective oil stripped from their feathers.

The soapy protein could strip oil from the feathers of bird species other than scoters, Brancato said, but it is proving especially deadly to the scoters because they find their food in water close to the shoreline, and because they are moulting right now.

Foamy algae
“They are birds that forage right in the surf zone, so they are where the wave action is causing the algae to form foam,” she said.

The migratory birds also are weak right now, having traveled from nesting grounds in the interior of Canada and Alaska to moult at the seashore.

“This species has a simultaneous moult, meaning it loses its flight feathers all at one time,” Brancato said.

“When that happens, they use a lot of energy to grow new feathers, so they are quite vulnerable.

“It could conceivably affect other species. It's just that this particular species is vulnerable.”
Brown algae bloom

Bird mortalities continue to be restricted to about 25 miles of coastline, even though the brown algae bloom had, by the end of last week, spread north up the Pacific Coast and taken a right turn into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

That's because the churn of surf is what releases the potentially deadly soapy protein, Brancato said. Where the coastline is not rugged enough for energetic wave action, the algae doesn't break apart into the brownish-green foam.

Sanctuary researchers, during fly overs Thursday and Friday, confirmed that the algae had spread at least to Neah Bay.

Chris Mohr, owner of Van Riper's Resort in Sekiu, said he had seen masses of the brown algae there, but Brancato couldn't confirm that, saying conditions were such that researchers couldn't see it from the air.

About 50 volunteers are surveying the beaches daily for dead and ill birds to help researchers gather information, Brancato said.

No rescue
Researchers don't plan to do anything to attempt to save the birds.

“There are no plans for rehabilitation or a rescue operation,” Brancato said.

“We have been looking at what species are affected to see if any population level affects are occurring.

"It is a naturally occurring event.”

Scoters — which have a range extending throughout the coasts of British Columbia, Washington state, Oregon and California — are not listed as an endangered species, although their population levels have been declining lately, Brancato said.

More information should be available this week,
after more necropsies and water sample testing, she said.

Lead agencies
The sanctuary and the National Park Service are lead agencies in the research, Brancato said, with assistance from the state and federal Fish and Wildlife departments and the Quinault, Hoh, Quileute and Makah tribes.

Anyone interested in being trained as a sanctuary volunteer can phone 360-457-6622, or inquire at the office at 115 E. Railroad Ave. Suite 301, Port Angeles.
________
Managing Editor/News Leah Leach can be reached at 360-417-3531 or leah.leach@peninsula
dailynews.com.