Geological and Nuclear Sciences said the temperature beneath Ruapehu's Crater Lake was 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit but the lake itself was only 68 degrees F., suggesting a volcanic vent may be partly blocked.
A resulting pressure build-up beneath the Crater Lake would mean a heightened likelihood of eruptions in the near future, experts said.
"We think the pressure beneath Ruapehu Crater Lake has increased and this makes an eruption more likely over the next weeks to months," vulcanologist Steve Sherburn said in a statement. Read more.
Disaster Planning Tips
An article in this week’s Your Money special section takes a look on what residents in Joplin, Missouri learned about disaster-proofing your financial life, from the tornado that devastated their community in May 2011.
Many of the lessons sound simple. Renter’s insurance is a good idea. So is a fireproof box containing important documents and some cash. Prepare a list of your medications and specific dosages, so you can replace them.
To that list, I can add a few of my own. As a journalist, I’ve covered natural disasters, but was never directly affected by one until an ice storm struck my town in January 2009. It can’t compare to the Joplin tornado or Hurricane Sandy, but the ice storm knocked out power for days. My husband was traveling so I was alone with our two young children. I huddled with them under blankets, trying to stay warm while persuading them that we were playing Laura Ingalls Wilder in her book, “The Long Winter.” We cringed at the shotgun-like sound of branches snapping from the weight of the ice. Tree limbs crashed through our roof and through a large plate glass window, terrifying the children and letting in the icy cold. View Tips.
The Sleeping Giant
A recent earthquake study conducted by FEMA rated 12 Alabama counties as code critical, with those in northwest Alabama at highest risk of a New Madrid event. Geologists and other earthquake experts assessed the potential impact on Alabama in a WHNT News 19 special report produced by reporter Nick Banaszak.
“I think most people are aware that earthquakes can occur here, but they just can’t remember the last time one shook them,” said Gary Patterson, a geologist with the Center for Earthquake Research and Information in Memphis. “You take the same magnitude earthquake, put one in California, one here. The one here is going to effect ten to twenty times larger an area. That’s incredible…We know that the earthquakes of 1811, 1812 were felt 1,000 to 1,200 miles away.”
The 1812 quake was actually the third and final act in a trilogy of mega-quakes. The final earthquake had its epicenter in New Madrid, Missouri, a tiny town along the Mississippi River that inspired the name for the notorious fault line. Accounts of the 1812 quake vary since there were no measuring instruments at the time, but most geologists say evidence shows it was at least a magnitude 8 earthquake, and possibly a 9 or higher. The shaking was so intense that church bells started ringing as far away as Boston and New York. Chimneys toppled from the Deep South to Canada, and President James Madison was awoken by the violent shaking as he slept in the White House. Eyewitnesses said it even caused the Mississippi River to flow backwards for a time. Read more and watch video.
Are You Ready for Severe Winter Weather
Research by the Highways Agency shows that 49 per cent of drivers ignore severe weather warnings, while 29 per cent of drivers do not prepare their vehicle for winter – potentially putting themselves and others at risk.
Roads Minister Stephen Hammond said: “Drivers need to make sure they and their vehicles are ready for severe weather. Vehicles are much more prone to break down as temperatures plummet and a routine incident or breakdown can become much more serious in severe weather.
“Any broken down vehicles can have a big impact on our motorways and trunk roads, making it harder for road salting vehicles and snow ploughs to operate. As well as putting the driver and passengers at risk, it takes longer to clear the roads and causes de