jo
Ensemble
Posts: 46,436
|
Post by jo on Jan 12, 2020 6:29:25 GMT -5
Mother Earth is very restless again -- Our second most active volcano (TAAL) is now on Alert Level 3 and has spewed ash up to 1 km upwards! It is the nearest one to Metro Manila ( 50 km) and ashfall has reached some communities even in our capital. Evacuations have started lakeside - the volcano is located on an island which grew from a crater lake ( caldera) which evolved from a major eruption thousand of years ago. It can be really frightening as volcanic eruptions are also accompanied by earthquakes and lightning bolts. All flights arriving or departing have been put on hold to avoid engine damage from the ashfall. www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/volcano-erupts-in-the-philippines-prompts-evacuations/660810. Hopefully, this will be a mild one and will die down. Over 25 years ago, we suffered terribly from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo ( presumably the largest volcanic eruption in the 20th century) which caused sufferings (loss of lives, health issues, property loss, economic downturn in areas affected, and loss of many historical/cultural icons) for years on end. Jo Update : There is now ashfall ( like grey snow flurries) on our yard, rooftops, and on top of the cars! Update 2 : Alert Level raised to 4 ( Hazardous Eruption Imminent). |
|
|
|
Post by hughmanity on Jan 12, 2020 7:37:43 GMT -5
Be safe, Jo! Thoughts are with you. Mother Earth is very restless again -- Our second most active volcano (TAAL) is now on Alert Level 3 and has spewed ash up to 1 km upwards! It is the nearest one to Metro Manila ( 50 km) and ashfall has reached some communities even in our capital. Evacuations have started lakeside - the volcano is located on an island which grew from a crater lake ( caldera) which evolved from a major eruption thousand of years ago. It can be really frightening as volcanic eruptions are also accompanied by earthquakes and lightning bolts. All flights arriving or departing have been put on hold to avoid engine damage from the ashfall. www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/volcano-erupts-in-the-philippines-prompts-evacuations/660810. Hopefully, this will be a mild one and will die down. Over 25 years ago, we suffered terribly from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo ( presumably the largest volcanic eruption in the 20th century) which caused sufferings (loss of lives, health issues, property loss, economic downturn in areas affected, and loss of many historical/cultural icons) for years on end. Jo Update : There is now ashfall ( like grey snow flurries) on our yard, rooftops, and on top of the cars! Update 2 : Alert Level raised to 4 ( Hazardous Eruption Imminent). |
|
|
|
Post by mamaleh on Jan 12, 2020 11:01:12 GMT -5
This does sound very alarming. I hope everyone stays safe.
Ellen
|
|
jo
Ensemble
Posts: 46,436
|
Post by jo on Jan 12, 2020 22:16:17 GMT -5
Difficult waiting period - but it seems the volcano is taking a time-out right now. However our Dept of Volcanology said that we are still on Alert 4 level and the threat of further eruptions is still there. The lull has however given local officials time to evacuate people to safer places. One interesting info that I just learned : The volcano sits on an island on a lake ( a crater lake known as a caldera) formed when the last super-major eruption centuries ago happened, which lake is near our capital city of Metro Manila... One would think that only people on the island and the coastline of the surrounding coastal towns to the lake would be affected by potential lava flows. It seems that even large boulders can swim across the lake ( presumably the energy force allows them to do this) and reach the coastal towns and cause deadly havoc! In the meantime, we are on a clean-up period for the tons of ash ( which looked like the mushroom cloud from a nuclear explosion) that fell as far away as close to a hundred miles from the volcano ( the ash spewed into the air was much as 14-15 km high, which meant it would have a greater area to fall down to). We are hoping the rains do not start ( as that would harden the ash into cement-like mass or flow like lahar). Other major consequence is the closing of major airports including the one situated 100 miles away. We did rise after the Mt. Pinatubo episode ( the volcano was spewing volcanic materiasl for about 6 months, albeit on decreasing intensity … and for years as lahar flowed down rivers everytime there was a major storm). Fortunately, local government offices for disaster and risk management are in place and hopefully can help mitigate the impact of the disaster by being organized in providing speedy evacuations and relief. Thanks for the kind thoughts! Thanks also to WORLD VISION ( mother unit of the Global Poverty Concert and of which Hugh Jackman is an ambassador) who has readily come here to assist in providing relief! Jo Update : Weak lava flows have been reported at dawn. www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/1/13/Taal-Volcano-lava-magmatic-eruption-Philippines.html |
|
|
|
Post by chessie on Jan 13, 2020 0:16:09 GMT -5
How frightening! I do hope things will begin to quiet down. Be safe, Jo.
Carol
|
|
jo
Ensemble
Posts: 46,436
|
Post by jo on Jan 13, 2020 0:52:23 GMT -5
Thanks, Carol  It seems 3 volcanoes in the Ring of Fire ( one is in Mexico) are all very active now. The earth is restless, including fanning the fire tragedy in Australia. I just saw someone tweet the picture of a plant with beautiful flowers creeping up the fire-burned grounds in Australia - and somehow that sort of gave a hopeful sign! Hope things will quiet down eventually. One thing from our experience with the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991 -- I had never seen the plants bloom more profusely and in such bright colors afterwards - I guess the ash became a ready-made fertilizer. Jo |
|
jo
Ensemble
Posts: 46,436
|
Post by jo on Jan 17, 2020 1:08:54 GMT -5
We're still on a wait-and-see as to how Taal Volcano activity is evolving. While there is relative quiet, the Dept of Volcanology has warned that some strong signs indicate that the possibility of major magma (becomes lava when erupted out) rising to the top or sides of the volcano and potential explosive eruption is still a distinct possibility... so the Alert Level is still at its highest. Forced and suggested evacuations are ongoing...and local governments (and many private intiatives) are at the forefront of taking care of the evacuees and advising on future plans should the disaster become even more devastating. In this light, it is heartening to read this OPINION ARTICLE from BLOOMBERG ( the business media group) about how our country is evolving as a model for disaster preparedness. www.msn.com/en-ph/news/opinion/taal-volcano-is-a-test-of-the-philippines-disaster-plan/ar-BBZ140V?ocid=spartandhp |
|
jo
Ensemble
Posts: 46,436
|
Post by jo on Jan 26, 2020 0:32:27 GMT -5
Not sure if this is all due to nature or the destruction of nature -- but it seems January has become a month of natural disasters and serious health issues that affect so many people.
It is frightening to view newsreports on media about the fast spreading of the deadly corona virus -- so much so that China is now implementing lockdown measures in some form to try to contain its spread. It seems it has now also been detected in Europe and the Americas.
Hope this is contained as early as possible!
Everyone, be careful!
Jo
|
|
jo
Ensemble
Posts: 46,436
|
Post by jo on Mar 9, 2020 11:34:37 GMT -5
From 2 months ago -- And it has indeed come to pass! The gardens and the wayside everywhere around here are blooming profusely and spectacularly! The bougainevilleas are trying to outdo each other in terms of color intensity and variations of color. My favorite shade of this profusely-blooming tropical and Mediterranean flower has always been the deepest shade of magenta! There are also garden walls trying to outdo each other as some plant species actually come out with flowers where the colors are displayed in different shades - from white to greenish to lavenderish to strong red to magenta -- in one flower stalk! Stunning! And all the other tropical flowers are also showing off ( like my beautiful bird of paradise)...Soon the flowering trees will have their own show! At least nature is giving us some beautiful moments as we all become very wary...or are very worried over the health threat engulfing planet earth these days. And to top that -- today the stock markets crashed to lowest levels in recent times - partly due to the oil price supercrash ( conflict between Russia and Opec … and the slowdown in demand due to slowdowns in manufacturing requirements and travel) amid rising fears of another recession. Hmm... the last time this happened -- Hugh hosted the Oscars and lifted the spirits. Hopefully, by the time the previews of The Music Man start - the joy that he brings to his performances will reflect the return to normalcy to our topsy-turvy world today! Keep safe and healthy and optimistic Jo |
|
|
|
Post by mamaleh on Mar 9, 2020 19:59:55 GMT -5
I'm glad your blossoming local gardens and other flora are making up at least a tiny bit for the awful Mt. Pinatubo experience.
Ellen
|
|
jo
Ensemble
Posts: 46,436
|
Post by jo on Mar 12, 2020 17:54:40 GMT -5
It seems that these are "the days that the earth stood still" -- did you ever see the long-ago movie with the title " The Day The Earth Stood Still"? Maybe there are blessings that attach to the universal health catastrophe now affecting the entire planet? *In Beijing, satellite photos reveal the smog that forever blanketed the city's atmosphere has gone away...maybe this is nature's return of the gift of clean air...which may eventually be felt in all the places where travel and congregating in large groups has now been curtailed? Maybe the problem of climate change can be a little arrested as the earth is allowed to breathe again ( no fuel related ozone layer impact?)? *Maybe it is time to appreciate the beautiful things that nature offers, which are immediately around us? How about those forsythia bushes that will soon brighten the yards? And the spring-blossoming trees that will come not too far away from now? *Maybe it is time to appreciate nature's gifts, via a healthier lifestyle? It has been suggested that one way to combat the virus is to maintain good nutritional habits ( from fresh produce and other nature's bounty), rules of cleanliness ( apart from exercising the lungs by singing the most famous song in the world twice over everytime  ), avoiding unnecessary encounters ( doing simple gym work in the house, instead of outside). *Families have sometimes become estranged because people are too busy...and spend a lot of time over work and play outside. Maybe this is the time for the blessings of a closer-knit family to return as we are advised to stay indoors with our loved ones more and more? The kids will be exempt from attending school but it would be welcome noise to hear them playing inside the house? *Many have become a little burdened, financially-speaking, because of the shopping attractions outside? This time, we are also giving our credit cards a little time to rest? *Stress is a common work-related or business-related illness of modern society. Allowing us pause from the day-to-day stress gives us time to breathe in the clean air of rest and relaxation? Of course there are new stresses that come with the virus - but here we can now concentrate on our priorities? Maybe we can start counting some of our newfound blessings...as we deal with resolve on helping each other beat the ubiquitous virus! Jo |
|
), avoiding unnecessary encounters ( doing simple gym work in the house, instead of outside).