WHAT IS HAPPENING AT WHITE ISLAND VOLCANO??? New Zealand/Kermadec & South Pacific QUAKE/VOLCANO WATCH

wow

i wish we did!

at least tsunami sirens are being installed here at tauranga

we sure need more of these systems, with white island, mayor island, and the numerous other undersea volcanoes near the mainland and continuing up to kermadec area..

Tsunami sirens test

[link to www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz]
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The Papamoa community are concerned tsunami sirens will not be loud enough so are taking matters into their own hands.

The Papamoa Progressive Association have invited Wellington engineering company Tactical Tooling to test the sirens, which have been described as a modern version of a World War II air raid siren.

Association president Steve Morris said the test was in response to feedback about the council's current proposal not being loud enough, and concerns about ongoing maintenance costs.

The test will take place on Friday, October 19, at 9am in Papamoa and at 10.30am in Mount Maunganui.

Fears tsunami warning could be "too late"

[link to www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz]
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Tsunami sirens could be activated too late for Western Bay residents in the event of a locally triggered wave.

A tsunami triggered by movement in the Kermadec Trench would reach the coast in about 50 minutes _ but it could take more than an hour for official warnings such as sirens to be activated, according to a draft tsunami survival guide created by Tauranga City Council.

Tsunami Survive project coordinator Katharyn Roxburgh said warning sirens may not have been activated by the time the wave hit if an official warning had not yet been issued.

"Sirens could be going off within the 50 minutes but it depends on the quality of the information. It's knowing what is the right information to do it with,'' she said.

"Chances are there won't be an official warning because there just won't be time. We're trying to preserve life.''

That is why Tauranga City Council has been undertaking extensive consultation on a tsunami survival guide.

Ms Roxburgh said the guide will not be a traditional Civil Defence document as Civil Defence procedures may not have time to take effect if a tsunami originated in the Kermadec Trench or closer.

Duty officers need to be notified and scientists need to evaluate the information before the warnings can be publicised.

A planned evacuation of Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa could take up to six hours.

The draft guide was put to councillors and community group representatives yesterday.

It outlines steps Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa residents should take in the event of a tsunami.

The document instructs people to take action based on natural warnings, such as intense or prolonged shaking and unusual sea level changes, and informal warnings, such as phone calls from friends and family, news reports and social media, rather than waiting for an official evacuation announcement.

Papamoa Progressive Association chairman Steve Morris said the sirens are an excellent final warning as long as people are educated and do not wait for the sirens before making a move.

"It's a great warning of last resort and it's got the potential to save lives. It's valid having them as long as people realise it's a last resort not a first resort otherwise they will be more at risk.''

Tauranga City Council emergency management co-ordinator Barry Somers said for people in coastal areas such as Mount Maunganui and Papamoa the best way out is likely to be by foot.

He said those in costal Papamoa should drive to the back of the urban area and walk to higher ground from there as the worst place to be stuck would be in a car on Papamoa Beach Rd.

"Most people will be looking at about half an hour in terms of walking,'' Mr Somers said.

But people need to make sure they do not end up stuck in the low area on the western side of the Tauranga Eastern Link, as water is likely to pool there. Mr Somers said people need to have considered the next safest option if they do not have time to get far enough inland or to higher ground.

High dunes along some parts of the coast may lessen the effect of the wave and the top floors of strong building may increase your chances of survival, he said.

Bold Blue Lines Mark Evacuation Paths

EVACUATION LINES: Blue lines in Wellington streets mark evacuation paths in the event of a tsunami. Local Tsunami Survive project co-ordinator Katharyn Roxburgh said the lines were a highly visible way to get the message across.
PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Bold, blue lines could be painted on roads around Tauranga's inner harbour to mark the safe zone for a tsunami evacuation.

A draft tsunami survival document for Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa suggests installing the lines to denote clearly who should evacuate_and where they need to go to.

About 120 lines have been suggested around the inner harbour at a cost of about $500 each.

The strips only work in protected harbours where the water is not expected to go too far inland.

Those living in Mount Maunganui or Papamoa should get as far inland or as high as possible as those areas would be likely to be hit by the full force of a tsunami.

Wellington already has a number of the blue lines and Tsunami Survive project coordinator Katharyn Roxburgh said it was a highly visible way to get the message across.

"It's a very visible and an high impact way of showing people where the safe zone for evacuation is. People that live below the blue line know where they have to go and people who live above a blue line don't have to go anywhere.''

The lines are likely to ease congestion as people in the safe areas are less likely to be trying to get out as well, she said.

Residents confirm tsunami sirens failed

[link to www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz]
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Community feedback on last month's tsunami siren test at Papamoa has backed up anecdotal evidence the sirens were too quiet.

Tauranga City Council planning engineer Barry Somers said the response from survey forms delivered to neighbourhoods in the vicinity of the test showed that the sirens were "pretty quiet" and not widely heard.

The sirens were one of two models shortlisted by the council after pressure cranked up for the city to do more about the tsunami threat following Japan's devastating earthquake last year.

Mr Somers said the biggest risk to lives in coastal Bay of Plenty was the short-notice tsunami, such as that generated by a big shallow earthquake on the Kermadec Trench north of East Cape.

Papamoa's test on June 1 was part of a "due diligence" process needed to evaluate the supplier's specifications. "It would be fair to say that it did not meet our expectations in terms of noise levels."

The next step towards Tauranga getting a tsunami warning system would be decided by the council later this month. It will include a full report on the June 1 test and an assessment of the other shortlisted siren, an example of which already warned residents living in the small beach settlement of Omaha, north of Auckland.

Papamoa's test involved mounting the sirens on cherry pickers at the corner of Palm Beach Boulevard and Sovereign Drive and the corner of Papamoa Beach Rd and Alexander Place.

Mr Somers said the test showed that the system would not reach the noise levels the council needed to achieve of a minimum 75 decibels to 80 per cent of the population. Doubts about the efficiency of electronic hooter sirens has prompted Tauranga City Council member Bill Grainger to reiterate his support for sirens of World War II.

A modern version of the air-raid siren has been promoted by Wellington engineering company Tactical Tooling as offering the answer to Tauranga's tsunami warning problems.

Company design engineer Gary Lewis said the firm originally designed electronic hooter systems but quickly discovered that, due to laws of physics, they were doomed to failure as they could never be entirely successful at long distances. He had looked at a traditional wartime siren and discovered it had an ability to generate a shock wave that had the same shape as thunder or the boom from a supersonic aircraft.

The company claimed it could achieve coverage of Tauranga using six sirens at $10,000 each, at an estimated total installed cost of $100,000.

Mr Grainger shared Mr Lewis' enthusiasm for war-siren technologies. "When a tsunami is coming in, what do people want? They want to hear something, no matter how loud it is," he said.

60 sirens to sound warning of tsunami

[link to www.bayofplentytimes.co.nz]
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An Auckland-based company has been selected as the tsunami siren provider for the Tauranga region.

Following weeks of deliberation , Meerkat Alert Systems has won the tender to become the official installer of the emergency tsunami sirens for Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa, and are now in the engineering and planning process.

The sirens are expected to be completed and installed in the Tauranga region by the end of the year.

Meerkat Alert Systems have installed sirens in Auckland, Rodney, Christchurch, Timaru and Northland.

"It falls into step with what other parts of New Zealand are doing" City Engineer, Howard Severinsen said.

"They have installed most of New Zealand's tsunami systems, and their technical submission were convincing.

"We have been up to Omaha Beach, where they have sirens installed. They test them twice a year and the public accepted it and understood the noise."

Meerkat Alert Systems will install 60 sirens across Mount Maunganui and Papamoa, and in the low-lying suburbs of Tauranga, including Maungatapu and Otumoetai.

Each siren is a modern version of the traditional air-raid siren - with each siren installed on a tall pole with two to four speakers all pointed in different directions for maximum sound coverage.

Each speaker will have a decibel level of 134 - louder than a fire siren.

Meerkat Alert Systems is working with the council to ensure the noise volume meets a reasonable level of warning in a residential area.

"The closer you are to the speakers the louder they are" Mr Severinsen said. "Then we push that sound out to 70 decibels. It is considered to be the limit of what would be considered a reasonable level of warning."

While the type of noise has yet to be determined, each siren will convey three different noises for three different signals.

"It all depends on what Tauranga City Council chooses," Meerkat Alert Systems CEO Wilfried Roding said.

"This system will generate any sound you want - different councils use different sounds."

The first alert will indicate a serious event has happened, and the public need to be alert for further news, the second is for an emergency and evacuation, and the third is an all-clear.

Mr Roding is also working with the council to ensure the sirens are effective in all stages of emergency.

"They are activated by a scada system, a computerised system that allows the sirens to be activated by a remote or by a cellphone, internet or manually," he said.

"They will also be backed up with a battery system, to prevent failure during a powercut.

"You need to ensure that they work, even if there is no electricity supply."

Meerkat Alert Systems expect to complete their planning process in the immediate future, after obtaining resource consents and building approvals.

latest 3.0+ quakes and older 4.0+ quakes

4.0 14:24:45 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 267.7 km

3.1 12:57:02 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 49.5 km

3.4 10:23:13 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 160.6 km

3.6 09:57:11 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 239.1 km

3.1 09:37:11 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 7.3 km

3.1 09:21:13 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 111.9 km

3.3 08:53:54 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 236.6 km

4.3 05:22:18 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 260.5 km

3.0 03:03:29 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 75.5 km

3.1 02:40:04 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 198.1 km

3.1 02:38:09 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 88.4 km

3.1 18:14:50 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 7.6 km

3.3 17:42:55 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 112.3 km

3.2 15:36:05 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 101.6 km

4.6 14:43:43 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 126.2 km

4.3 07:28:50 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 33.0 km

3.3 07:11:57 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 24.0 km

4.6 06:22:46 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 133.3 km

3.0 07:29:27 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 73.4 km

3.3 07:11:57 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 24.0 km

3.8 06:23:14 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 103.4 km

4.6 05:54:41 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 33.0 km

4.4 05:30:48 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 430.6 km

3.8 04:49:12 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 130.9 km

4.0 02:17:42 Sat 05 Jan 2013 Depth: 243.7 km

4.2 12:03:30 Fri 04 Jan 2013 Depth: 8.8 km

4.1 21:43:52 Tue 01 Jan 2013 Depth: 5.0 km

4.3 03:42:31 Tue 01 Jan 2013 Depth: 6.3 km

5.0 03:11:10 Tue 01 Jan 2013 Depth: 5.0 km

map to see locations
[link to quakemap.co.nz]

19: Mexico’s Colima volcano rocked by violent eruption

[link to theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com]
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January 8, 2013 – MEXICO – Yesterday afternoon, the day of Epiphany, a violent explosion of Volcán de Fuego de Colima Mexico has affected causing a high alert in the Mexican civil protection system with the immediate evacuation of about 3,000 tourists inside the National Park Nevado de Colima. In locations around the volcano, there has been an intense rain of ashes, and from the summit of the mountain has run raised a cloud of lava and eruptive material over 2 km high. At the time there were no damages nor was required the evacuation of the countries closest to the volcano, from which we have only been able to enjoy the unique spectacle of nature, but in the next few days is not impossible that the eruption could intensify , although at the moment it is quiet. As a precaution, the National Park is closed to visitors indefinitely. –Metoweb (translated)

White Island’s eruptive episode ends

[link to www.sunlive.co.nz]

The White Island volcano is back to normal say vulcanologists who have lowered the island’s risk aerts.
GNS scientists have lowered the volcanic alert level for the island from 2 to 1 and changed the aviation colour code from Orange to Yellow.

A lava dome seen by tour operators in late November has stopped growing, signalling the end of the eruptive period, says GNS.
The lava dome was first noticed in late November, and has been monitored during the last six weeks.
The most recent visit on January 1, 2013 showed the dome hasn’t grown since previous visits on December 10 and 20.
Lava dome temperatures on January 1 were at around 200-240°C and the nearby hot lake was 70-80°C. The temperatures are similar to those made previously.
“The dome looked exactly the same as it did on our previous visits,” says GNS Science Volcanologist Nico Fournier.
“Good viewing conditions allowed us to get some remote temperature measurements using an infrared thermometer. The hot lake was really fizzing, lots of gas coming through it.”
The GeoNet webcams may show a slight glow in the night time images, related to the relatively hot dome and gases.
Results of airborne gas measurements from December 20 showed White Island was then emitting volcanic gases at the rate of approximately 400T/d SO2, 1300T/d CO2 and 10T/d H2S. Seismicity continues to show elevated levels of tremor.
While the current episode of eruptive activity is over White Island remains in a heightened state of unrest and future eruptions are still possible with little or no warning.

The Volcanic Alert Level ranges from 0 to 5 and defines the current status at a volcano. Level 1 indicates departure from typical surface background activity.
The Aviation Colour Codes are based on four colours and are intended for quick reference only in the international civil aviation community.
A reduction to code Yellow from Orange indicates volcanic activity has decreased significantly but continues to be closely monitored for possible renewed increase.
Volcanoes can erupt in many different ways. They can erupt explosively like Tongariro in 2012 when rocks and ash were hurled into the sky. They can erupt effusively with lava flows like Ngauruhoe in 1954 or in Hawaii. A lava dome is a type of effusive eruption.
Activity increased at White Island in August last year when it produced a ‘burp’ and the volcanic alert level was raised to 2, with the aviation colour code increased to orange.

Tsunami advice: run for the hills

[link to www.sunlive.co.nz]
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Tsunamis dominated discussion at the Tauranga City Council’s last scheduled meeting for 2012, with the presentation of the Tsunami Survive Papamoa evacuation plan and renewed discussion on tsunami warning sirens.

The tsunami survive plan focusses on self-reliance, with a core premise being that residents are going to have to help themselves in the case of a tsunami warning.

In a presentation on the tsunami survive plan the core advice was that residents in Papamoa will have to ‘get inland or get high’ and to ‘think feet and be prepared’.

Residents in coastal areas are advised to plan their exit route based on the fact the roads will be closed and people will need to walk or cycle out.

The aim is to head for high ground, which for Papamoa residents means head for the hills, or inland past Bell Road.

The advice in the 32 page pamphlet is not to wait for tsunami sirens to give warning, if there are other tsunami indicators like earthquakes or visible changes in sea level.

Meanwhile the tsunami sirens issue is still unresolved.

Council staff are considering using electronic signs installed by Meerkat, but the Papamoa community with the support of some councillors is pushing for air raid style sirens installed by Wellington company Tactical Tooling.

In spite of a successful test of the air raid sirens in adverse conditions, staff are still on the Meerkat track.

A Tactical Tooling representative was at the meeting, but not included in the discussion, except to answer one question.

Director Geoff Williamson said outside the meeting the company is picking up more work from communities that are discovering the Meerkat track using multiple electronic sirens is hugely expensive and doesn’t work.

The costs are going to balloon rapidly. The current proposal is for 64 electronic siren sites, with three to four sirens per pole. At a cost of $16,000 per siren that’s between $3-4 million just for the sirens.

The council staff say the Tactical Tooling system will require 18 sirens to get the same coverage at a cost of about $1.079 million.

Tactical Tooling disputes the council staff estimate saying it can be done with eight to 10 siren sites.

Tactical Tooling design engineer and co-director Gary Lewis says they can provide between eight to ten sirens installed including propane gas storage power and not including the consent for $500,000.

Christchurch came to this realisation after installing a few electronic sirens, and is now talking with Tactical Tooling, says Geoff.

[link to www.geonet.org.nz]

strange clouds around white island today

More supplies flown to Samoa

[link to www.sunlive.co.nz]

Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully and Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman say an RNZAF C-130 Hercules has landed in cyclone-ravaged Samoa with additional relief supplies.
“At the request of the Samoan Government we sent a Hercules to Apia with essential humanitarian supplies and diesel generators to support the relief and recovery effort,” says Murray.
“There is an urgent need for generators to ensure the Samoa Water Authority can pump and transport water to affected communities.
“In addition, we sent staff from the New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management to work within the Samoa National Disaster Management Office.”
Murray says further supplies were also sent to Fiji, with 300 large tarps, 20 generators, 10 chainsaws and 150 shovels arriving in Nadi on a commercial flight this afternoon.
Jonathan says he is pleased the New Zealand Defence Force has been able to support the authorities in Samoa and Fiji following Cyclone Evan.
“The involvement of the Defence Force C-130 plane reflects the next stage of the relief effort. The P3 – Orion was used extensively for search and rescue and initial damage assessment flights. The focus is now on the transportation of essential supplies for humanitarian assistance.”
New Zealand has provided $2.6 million to Samoa and $2.4 million to Fiji since Cyclone Evan hit a week ago.

3.8 17:13:40 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 245.5 km

Thread: Nuclear Event in Australia on Tuesday, 08 January, 2013 at 04:05 (04:05 AM) UTC

CYOB #4 Tropical Cyclone Narelle 8th Jan 2013
WEATHERORNUT·

Published on Jan 8, 2013
A catagory 1 cyclone Narelle off the Nth East coast , not expected to affect the coast within the next 48 hrs

hmmm...

5.5 south of Kermadecs.

[link to quakemap.co.nz]

You feel it T?

M5.4 SOUTH OF THE KERMADEC ISLANDS

[link to earthquake.usgs.gov]

New Zealand Earthquake Report
Magnitude 5.5, Wednesday, January 9 2013 at 10:26:57 am (NZDT) reviewed
Felt it?
Quake Details
Information about this earthquake and historical location data.

Public ID 2013p021335
Universal Time January 8 2013 at 21:26:57
NZ Daylight Time Wednesday, January 9 2013 at 10:26:57 am
Latitude, Longitude -34.67, -179.62
Intensity ? strong
Focal Depth 33 km
Magnitude 5.5
Location 475 km north-east of Whakatane

maps
[link to www.geonet.org.nz]

-------

here are some drums showing this quake
[link to www.geonet.org.nz]
[link to www.geonet.org.nz]

hiya guys

no, didnt feel it, never seem to feel them up here in the hills,on my concrete floor

but i knew something was up, because my dog has been whining/ hanging round me/going outside and looking towards the sea etc for an hour or so, now i know why!

Is the dog OK now?

Hey Tauranga !

Sizable quake there, hope it's not a precursor or anything !

If only we could find a way to use animals to properly predict earthquakes, that would save a lot of lives !

latest quakes and older 4.0+ quakes


5.5 10:26:57 Wed 09 Jan 2013 Depth: 33.0 km

3.8 00:43:47 Wed 09 Jan 2013 Depth: 63.0 km

3.8 17:13:40 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 245.5 km

4.0 14:24:45 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 267.7 km

3.1 12:57:02 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 49.5 km

3.4 10:23:13 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 160.6 km

3.6 09:57:11 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 239.1 km

3.1 09:37:11 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 7.3 km

3.1 09:21:13 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 111.9 km

3.3 08:53:54 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 236.6 km

4.3 05:22:18 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 260.5 km

3.0 03:03:29 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 75.5 km

3.1 02:40:04 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 198.1 km

3.1 02:38:09 Tue 08 Jan 2013 Depth: 88.4 km

3.1 18:14:50 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 7.6 km

3.3 17:42:55 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 112.3 km

3.2 15:36:05 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 101.6 km

4.6 14:43:43 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 126.2 km

4.3 07:28:50 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 33.0 km

4.6 06:22:46 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 133.3 km

3.8 06:23:14 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 103.4 km

4.6 05:54:41 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 33.0 km

4.4 05:30:48 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 430.6 km

3.8 04:49:12 Mon 07 Jan 2013 Depth: 130.9 km

4.0 02:17:42 Sat 05 Jan 2013 Depth: 243.7 km

4.2 12:03:30 Fri 04 Jan 2013 Depth: 8.8 km

4.1 21:43:52 Tue 01 Jan 2013 Depth: 5.0 km

4.3 03:42:31 Tue 01 Jan 2013 Depth: 6.3 km

5.0 03:11:10 Tue 01 Jan 2013 Depth: 5.0 km

map to see locations
[link to quakemap.co.nz]

yes, she is lying down sleeping in the corner of the room now

Well, that's a good sign.

yes, i take a lot of notice of my dogs behaviour in relation to quakes and local volcanic activity

there have been many quakes lately in the area between tauranga and kermadec, it has had me concerned thats for sure

also what looks like ongoing volcanic activity in the kermadec area

I know how you feel, I'm worried about quakes in my region as well !

We've had tons of minor quakes the last few weeks and scientists say we're long overdue for a big one (M7+)...so I am pretty anxious !

With our poorly constructed buildings a M7+ quake could be disastrous for our capital city !

yeah, it is

looks like we have just had another offshore quake:


2013-01-08 22:00:51.3 39.58 S 179.83 W 25 mb 4.1 A EAST OF NORTH ISLAND,
N.Z. NEWS

2013-01-08 22:00:50.6 39.90 S 178.35 W 25 mb 4.2 A EAST OF NORTH ISLAND, N.Z. NEWS

[link to www.emsc-csem.org]

yes, things do seem to be ramping up in your neck of the woods too

stay safe, my friend

You too Tauranga !

thank you, brother xxx