• Massive monsoon gyre generates 3 tropical cyclones near Japan

    What meteorologists are calling a massive monsoon gyre has produced three named tropical storms in the Northwest Pacific Ocean on August 19, 2016, and all three of them are simultaneously threatening Japan. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) named them Mindulle,…

  • Shallow M6.0 earthquake hits off the east coast of Honshu, Japan

    A shallow earthquake registered by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) as M6.0 hit off the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 09:01 UTC on August 20, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). USGS is reporting the same magnitude and depth. According…

  • Very strong and shallow M7.4 earthquake hits South Georgia island region

    A very strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.4 hit South Georgia island region at 07:32 UTC on August 19, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). The epicenter was located about 261 km (162 miles) W of South Georgia, 293 km…

  • Active volcanoes in the world: August 10 – 16, 2016

    ​New activity/unrest was observed at two volcanoes between August 10 and 16, 2016. During the same period, ongoing activity was observed at 15 volcanoes. New activity/unrest: Chikurachki, Paramushir Island (Russia) | Chirpoi, Kuril Islands (Russia). Ongoing…

  • Tropical Storm “Chanthu” hits Japan

    Tropical Storm "Chanthu" made the first landfall in Japan's Chosi, Chiba prefecture around 18:30 UTC on August 16 (03:30 JST on August 17) and the second near Cape Erimo on the southern tip of the main island of Hokkaido around 08:30 UTC on August 17,…

  • Major tailings dam failure in China’s Henan Province

    Two villages in China's Henan Province were covered in red mud containing toxic heavy metals after a waste pond dam collapsed on August 8, 2016, releasing 2 million cubic meters of aluminum production byproducts. The toxic waste pond was located in Dahegou…