Google has a crisis map showing the extent and severity of the damage from the May 20, 2013 tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma. This demonstrates the tremendous power not only of the tornado, but also of geospatial technologies. Grace and Peace
Category: Natural Disasters
Around the web 1/26/2013
GENESIS 1:1 IN KLINGON -- Creationism.com has Genesis 1:1 in Klingon. I guess that might come in handy if a Klingon shows up at the next Answers in Genesis conference. For those of us who don't know the Klingon alphabet, there is an English transliteration. Oh my, there are links to the Klingon Bible -- …
Complex megadisasters
There are disasters. There are megadisasters. And now there are complex megadisasters. From The Christian Science Monitor: Mega-quakes and mega-disasters: Will US heed wake-up call in Japan? The crisis in Japan could be considered the first "complex megadisaster" the world has ever seen — a potent combination of natural and technological calamities that might become …
Japan tsunami propagation video and graphic
From the NOAA Center for Tsunami Research --- Honshu Tsunami Propagation Animation showing the spread of the March 11 tsunami: Note how the waves reflect and refract, just like you learned about in high school physics. Also from NOAA, a plot of the maximum amplitude of the tsunami: Note the faint gray contours; they represent …
Continue reading Japan tsunami propagation video and graphic
Billings house demolished by rock slide
People like to build in pretty places. In Billings, Montana (where I spent the first eighteen years of my life), there are plenty of big houses along the Rimrocks, a cliff that forms the northern border of much of the city. Part of the landscaping for these expensive homes is the sandstone boulders, many of …
Billings tornado!
On Saturday, June 20, a rare Eastern Montana tornado destroyed the 10,000-seat Rimrock Auto Arena (formerly Metra) in Billings. No one was seriously injured or killed by this F2 tornado which went through a portion of Montana's largest city. Growing up in Billings, my memories of Metra include high school graduations (including mine), hockey games, …
Earthquake theology
With today's massive earthquake in Chile, and last month's deadly tremor in Haiti, I have a few questions for your theological pondering: Are earthquakes part of God's good creation, or did they commence with the human fall into sin? Are earthquakes good or evil? (or neutral?) Is God glorified in any way by earthquakes? Are …
Sarychev Peak eruption
From NASA's Earth Observatory: Sarychev Peak Eruption, Kuril Islands, Russia. From the Earth Observatory description: A fortuitous orbit of the International Space Station allowed the astronauts this striking view of Sarychev Volcano (Kuril Islands, northeast of Japan) in an early stage of eruption on June 12, 2009. [...] Ash from the multi-day eruption has been …
Santa Barbara fires
From NASA's Earth Observatory: Jesusita Fire, California, near Santa Barbara, California, 5/8/2009. The red outline areas indicate hotspots, and represent the areas of active wildfires. Grace and Peace
Eruption of underwater volcano, Tonga
Here's a video of an eruption of an underwater volcano near the South Pacific island of Tonga on March 19, 2009: News articles: London Times: Underwater volcano sends huge columns of ash into Pacific sky Honolulu Advertiser: 7.9 quake off Tonga could intensify volcano's eruption From NASA's Earth Observatory: Submarine Eruption in the Tonga Islands: …
Australia flooding images
While the southern parts of Australia have been burning over the past two months, the northern parts have experienced cool weather and heavy rainfall. The following images are of Normanton, Queensland, which has been cut off by flooding for several weeks. The first image is in natural color; the second is enhanced with infrared, which …
Chaiten Volcano, Chile
After 9000 years of dormancy, Chaiten Volcano, in a remote part of southern Chile, has been in an eruptive phase since May 2008. NASA's Earth Observatory posted these images of the 1/19/09 dome collapse yesterday: These images above don't do justice to the high resolution versions available at Earth Observatory: In these false color images, …
Mapping the harvest
From NASA's Earth Observatory this week: Poor harvest in Kenya From NASA's description: Ten million people could face hunger in Kenya after a poor harvest, Kenya’s government warned on January 9, 2009. According to the Associated Press, the government declared a state of emergency to free up funds for food aid. This image, which shows …
Ike damage
NASA Earth Observatory has some pictures of damage done by Hurricane Ike: The writeup explains the value of images taken from an airplane, as compared to the value of satellite shots: The photos were taken to help communities respond to the disaster. Aerial photography is valuable because it provides a highly detailed view of damage …
Ike flooding from space
Satellite imagery can often be used for a fast and accurate assessment of conditions on the surface of Earth, as can be seen in these images of the Texas and Louisiana Gulf coast before and after Hurricane Ike. The extent of flooding is clearly evident. The images are the NASA Earth Observatory site. Grace and …
Video — How a Surge Swamps Galveston
Click here for an animation of a 20-foot storm surge covering Galveston, Texas. This could happen in reality tonight. This is why the National Hurricane Center warns that those who stay put on Galveston Island face "certain death."
Barrier islands and hurricanes
LiveScience.com has a timely article: Ike Underscores Foolishness of Building on Barrier Islands. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, many (including me) questioned the wisdom of having a city in a sinking swamp along a river that would rather run in a different channel. I'm not saying I'm in favor of abandoning New Orleans now …
Hurricane Ike — headed for Galveston & Houston
The deadliest natural disaster in US history was the Galveston hurricane of 1900 (they didn't name hurricanes back then). The storm surge from this category 4 hurricane washed over much of Galveston Island, killing 6,000 to 12,000 people. Galveston is now protected by a seawall, and much of the city has been raised to a …
Continue reading Hurricane Ike — headed for Galveston & Houston
Hurricane Ike — here we go again?
The five-day forecast for the path of Hurricane Ike (presently a category 4 hurricane), from the National Hurricane Center: Pray for the people in the path of this storm, in the Bahamas, Cuba, and the US Gulf of Mexico coast. Grace and Peace
Hurricane Gustav
Speaking of New Orleans, here is the NOAA prediction for the most likely path for Hurricane Gustav (actually, it is Tropical Storm Gustav right now, but it should strengthen and become a hurricane again soon). It is unlikely that Gustav will be a category 4 or 5 hurricane like Katrina, but it could still do …
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