Latest news with #USGeologicalSurvey
CBS News
4 hours ago
- Science
- CBS News
Lava fountains over 1,000 feet high shoot from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano
Hawaii's Kilauea volcano sent jets of lava shooting over 1,000 feet into the air early Friday morning, marking another explosive episode for the active volcano. The volcanic activity began at 11:30 p.m. local time Thursday, according to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, which is operated by the U.S. Geological Survey. At first, the activity was "small, sporadic spattering" and lava outflows, the observatory said. But as time went on, the activity "continued to increase in intensity." By 1:40 a.m. Friday, the lava fountains erupting from the volcano's north vent were reaching heights of over 1,000 feet, the observatory said. That intensity overlapped with an increase in seismic activity, the observatory said. Fifteen minutes later, at 1:55 a.m. local time, the volcano was continuing to emit 800-foot-high fountains of lava. A camera at the volcano continued to livestream images of impressive lava fountains shooting into the air. Lava erupts from Kilauea on June 20, 2025. U.S. Geological Survey The fountains are feeding a lava flow, the observatory said. The lava flow remains contained in the Halema'uma'u caldera, a crater at the top of the volcano, the observatory said. The volcano also released a volcanic cloud about 15,000 feet into the air. The observatory warned that the plume may include hazards, including strands of volcanic glass known as Pele's hair and rock fragments called tephra. These hazards, along with volcanic gas, can have "far-reaching effects downwind," the observatory said. Winds around the volcano are blowing from the north, so these fragments may be distributed south of the caldera, the observatory said. This is the volcano's 26th lava fountaining episode since December 2024. Most episodes have lasted for a day or less, and are separated by pauses of at least several days, the observatory said. Kilauea, located on the Big Island's Hawaii Volcanoes National Park about 200 miles from Honolulu, is one of six active volcanoes in Hawaii. It is also one of the world's most active volcanoes. Its eruptions have become a popular attraction. The USGS also offers multiple YouTube livestreams of the volcanic activity. Hawaii is also home to the largest active volcano in the world, Mauna Loa. The volcano is also located in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and last erupted in 2022.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Avoid these Midstate locations with high E.coli levels
(WHTM) — Swimmers in the Midstate should be on the lookout for E. coli. The nonprofit Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Association, which independently tests the watershed weekly for bacteria, is advising people to avoid contact with water in several locations. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now According to a June 12 test, samples from 16 sites in the Midstate recorded high levels of The organization recommends avoiding water at these locations: York and Cumberland Counties New Cumberland Boat Launch Lower Allen Community Park North Sherman Street Bridge Walnut Street Boat Launch Klines Run Park Lock 2 Boat Launch Lancaster County Columbia River Park Blue Rock Boat Launch Pequea Boat Launch F&M Marietta Avenue Floodplain Restoration Landis Mill Covered Bridge Perelman Park Canoe Access Rock Hill Access Paradise Community Park Dauphin County Swatara Creek Water Trail Boathouse Park Only one location in the four counties reported back a sample with low levels: City Island. How is Harrisburg's sewage system impacting the Susquehanna River? E. coli is a type of bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals. Individuals who swim in waters with elevated E. coli levels risk getting sick with illnesses such as meningitis, septicemia, urinary tract infections and intestinal infection, according to the United States Geological Survey. Levels can especially rise after storms, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, when water runoff and combined sewer systems empty fecal matter from humans and animals. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Earthquake reported Thursday in Northeast Ohio
[Get earthquake facts in the player above.] MADISON, Ohio (WJW) — The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 2.3-magnitude earthquake near Madison, in Lake County, on Thursday afternoon. It happened just before 1 p.m. a little more than a mile south-southeast of Madison, near Hogback Ridge Park, and about 3 miles below ground, according to the agency. Driver dies after car plunges into Portage Lakes As of Thursday afternoon, the agency had received 16 reports from people claiming they felt the shake. It was the third earthquake reported this week near the same geographical coordinates, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' earthquake database. Two minor quakes of 1.3- and 2.0-magnitude — both at different depths — were reported in the early morning hours of Tuesday, June 17. LOOK: Winds tip over semi, damage cemetery Thursday's was the eighth earthquake reported in the area so far this year. The strongest was a 2.5-magnitude quake reported on May 12, according to the data. There were 38 earthquakes there in 2024, all under a 2.0 magnitude. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Business
- New Straits Times
Antimony shortage after China's export curbs leaves battery makers sweating
When China restricts exports of a key mineral, sometimes the pain is sudden and even crippling — enough to spur a major outcry almost immediately. Other times, it takes longer to be felt. For the world's makers of lead-acid batteries, China's restrictions on critical mineral antimony that were put in place late last year have become a major headache — one that their customers also now have as sky-high procurement costs are passed on. "We consider it a national emergency," said Steve Christensen, executive director at the United States-based Responsible Battery Coalition, whose members include battery maker Clarios, Honda and FedEx. He noted the key role batteries played in industry and civilian life, how antimony was used in military equipment, as well as the surge in spot prices. Antimony now costs more than US$60,000 per tonne, having more than quadrupled over the past year. "There are no quick solutions... We were completely caught off guard collectively, as an industry," he said. China likely produced 60 per cent of all antimony supply in 2024, according to the US Geological Survey. Much of antimony mined in other countries is also sent to China for processing. Beijing added the mineral to its export control list last September, requiring companies to gain licences for each overseas antimony deal. It then followed up in December with an outright ban on shipments to the US — an action seen as retaliatory after Washington further restricted exports of advanced semiconductors to Chinese companies. China's global exports of antimony are now just a third of levels seen this time last year. Christensen said US companies were hugely reliant on China for their supply of antimony and buyers were increasingly having to procure from an emerging "grey market", where sellers that had stocked up on the material were charging extremely high prices. China's restrictions on antimony precede its controls on rare earths and rare earth magnets that were imposed in response to US President Donald Trump's tariffs and do not appear to have been discussed in last week's efforts to stabilise a truce in trade tensions between the two countries. Last week's talks between China and the US also did not include any agreement on specialised rare earths such as samarium needed for military applications. Lead-acid batteries, commonly found in petrol-engine vehicles, are mostly used to start the engine and to power low-voltage instruments. They are also used as sources of backup power in various industries and to store excess energy generated by solar and wind systems. Antimony is also essential to military equipment such as night vision goggles, navigation systems and ammunition. Overall antimony demand is some 230,000 to 240,000 tonnes a year with lead-acid batteries accounting for about a third of that, according to consultancy Project Blue. While many battery makers may have access to antimony-lead alloy from recycled materials, Project Blue estimates they collectively need around 10,000 tonnes a year of higher purity antimony to top up the alloy to reach the right battery properties. Securing that additional portion could be challenging. Project Blue director Nils Backeberg said there was enough antimony outside China to satisfy non-Chinese demand but buyers needed to compete with Chinese purchasers such as the country's huge solar industry, and China's smelters were able to offer better terms. "With antimony prices at nearly five times normal market conditions, the cost becomes a factor and with supply limited on the Western market, a shortage is being felt," he said. For now, it seems that battery makers' antimony woes have not yet led to cuts in output. One source at an Indian battery maker said antimony represented only a small cost of a battery and price increases were being passed onto customers, but any more price rises could spell trouble. "If the price does increase further, everyone (in the industry) will be vulnerable," said the source. In a sign that profits are being affected, India's Exide Industries blamed high prices for antimony when it logged smaller-than-expected income for its fourth quarter. Christensen said policymakers should treat the issue as one of national security, arguing that Western countries had become "overly reliant on a single geopolitical adversary for minerals foundational to both national defence and civilian life".
Roya News
4 days ago
- Climate
- Roya News
One dead, 36 injured after 6.1-magnitude earthquake in Peru
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Peru on Sunday, leaving one person dead and 36 injured as the tremor triggered landslides, officials said. The quake hit shortly before noon and was centered around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from Callao, a port city next to the capital Lima, the National Seismological Center said. The US Geological Survey put the magnitude at 5.6. Peru said the tremor had not generated a tsunami warning. A man died in Lima when a wall fell on the car he was driving, the National Police said. In addition, the Emergency Operations Center reported 36 injuries in Lima. President Dina Boluarte called for "calm" from citizens, noting that there was no tsunami warning for the South American country's Pacific coastline. The TV channel Latina showed footage of landslides in several areas of the capital city. The quake also prompted a suspension of a major football game being played in Lima. The city's subway service was also halted. Peru is home to 34 million people and lies on the so-called Ring of Fire, a stretch of intense seismic and volcanic activity around the Pacific basin. Peru averages at least 100 detectable earthquakes every year. The last big one, in 2021 in the Amazon region, had a magnitude of 7.5, left 12 people injured and destroyed more than 70 homes.
