CNA938 Rewind - Tackling the rise in osteoporosis cases in Singapore
A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's far east on Wednesday (Jul 30) prompted tsunami alerts and evacuations stretching across the Pacific Ocean, affecting countries such as Japan and Hawaii. Japan, part of the area known as the Pacific ring of fire, is one of the world's most quake-prone countries. Hairianto Diman and Susan Ng find out how prepared the country is for natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis from Robert J. Geller, a seismologist in Japan.
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Straits Times
4 days ago
- Straits Times
Teenager suffers severe burns when foot sinks near geyser in US' Yellowstone park
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox WASHINGTON - A teenager who was visiting Yellowstone National Park was severely burned this week when his foot sank through the thin crust of ground in a popular geyser area, the US National Park Service said. The teenager, a 17-year-old boy, was hiking on July 28 in the thermal area near the Lone Star Geyser, which is in the same geyser basin as Old Faithful, when his foot broke through the crust, causing 'significant thermal burns to his foot and ankle area,' the park service said in a statement. He was taken to a hospital for treatment, the service said. Park officials, who did not release his name, said that the episode was under investigation. Geysers are a type of hot spring that erupts with both water and steam. Contact with the scalding water in a geyser can cause severe or even fatal burns, so boardwalks and trails have been constructed in the area to protect visitors as well as the thermal formations. Officials did not say whether the teenager was in areas deemed appropriate for tourists when he was hurt or had ventured past the boundaries, either intentionally or by accident. It was the first known thermal injury this year in connection with Yellowstone's famous hot springs, which have been popular but risky tourist attractions for years. They can reach temperatures hotter than 85 deg C, according to US Geological Survey. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Asia Asia-Pacific economies welcome new US tariff rates, but concerns over extent of full impact remain Business ST explains: How Trump tariffs could affect Singapore SMEs, jobs and markets Asia Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupts Singapore Thundery showers expected on most days in first half of August Singapore Synapxe chief executive, MND deputy secretary to become new perm secs on Sept 1 Singapore 5 women face capital charges after they were allegedly found with nearly 27kg of cocaine in S'pore Visitors who have ventured off the boardwalks built around the geysers and broken through ground or come into contact with the hot spray have been scorched, jailed and even killed. Since the park's beginnings in 1872, 22 people have died from burns caused by entering or falling into the hot springs. Eruptions from the Lone Star Geyser shoot up about every three hours, sometimes rising as high as 13m. An asphalt trail leads to the geyser, but the last few hundred feet are unpaved. Boardwalks and trails have been constructed at Yellowstone to protect visitors as well as the thermal formations. PHOTO: REUTERS It is among about 150 geysers in the Upper Geyser Basin, including Old Faithful, one of the most popular features in the park for its predictable and frequent eruptions. The Parks Service routinely advises visitors to remain on boardwalks and trails and avoid touching thermal features or runoff. Entering the waters is prohibited. Visitors are also warned that they should leave geyser basins if they feel ill from toxic gases. NYTIMES
CNA
6 days ago
- CNA
Millions return home as Pacific tsunamis warnings lifted
PUERTO AYORA, Ecuador: Tsunami warnings were lifted across the Pacific rim on Wednesday (Jul 30), allowing millions of temporary evacuees to return home. After one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded rattled Russia's sparsely populated far east, more than a dozen nations - from Japan to the United States to Ecuador - warned citizens to stay away from coastal regions. Storm surges of up to 4m were predicted for some parts of the Pacific, after the 8.8 quake struck off Russia's Kamchatka peninsula. The tsunamis caused widespread disruption. Peru closed 65 of its 121 Pacific ports and authorities on Maui cancelled flights to and from the Hawaiian island. But fears of a catastrophe were not realised, with country after country lifting or downgrading warnings and telling coastal residents they could return. In Japan, almost 2 million people had been ordered to higher ground, before the warnings were downgraded or rescinded. The Fukushima nuclear plant in northeast Japan - destroyed by a huge quake and tsunami in 2011 - was temporarily evacuated. The only reported fatality was a woman killed while driving her car off a cliff in Japan as she tried to escape, local media reported. In Chile, authorities conducted what the Interior Ministry said was "perhaps the most massive evacuation ever carried out in our country" - with 1.4 million people ordered to high ground. Chilean authorities reported no damage or victims and registered waves of just 60cm on the country's north coast. In the Galapagos Islands, where waves of up to 3m were expected, there was relief as the Ecuadoran navy's oceanographic institute said the danger had passed. Locals reported the sea level falling and then rising suddenly, a phenomenon which is commonly seen with the arrival of a tsunami. But only a surge of just over a meter was reported, causing no damage. "Everything is calm, I'm going back to work. The restaurants are reopening and the places tourists visit are also open again," said 38-year-old Santa Cruz resident Isabel Grijalva. Earlier national parks were closed, schools were shuttered, loudspeakers blared warnings and tourists were spirited off sightseeing boats and onto the safety of land. The worst damage was seen in Russia, where a tsunami crashed through the port of Severo-Kurilsk and submerged the local fishing plant, officials said. Russian state television footage showed buildings and debris swept into the sea. The surge of water reached as far as the town's World War II monument about 400m from the shoreline, said Mayor Alexander Ovsyannikov. The initial quake also caused limited damage and only light injuries, despite being the strongest since 2011, when 15,000 people were killed in Japan. Russian scientists reported that the Klyuchevskoy volcano erupted shortly after the earthquake. "Red-hot lava is observed flowing down the western slope. There is a powerful glow above the volcano and explosions," said Russia's Geophysical Survey. PACIFIC ALERTS Wednesday's quake was the strongest in the Kamchatka region since 1952, the regional seismic monitoring service said, warning of aftershocks of up to 7.5-magnitude. The US Geological Survey said the quake was one of the 10 strongest tremors recorded since 1900. It was followed by dozens of aftershocks that further shook the Russian far east, including one of 6.9-magnitude.
CNA
6 days ago
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Japan and earthquakes: How prepared is the country for quakes?
CNA938 Rewind - Japan and earthquakes: How prepared is the country for quakes? A powerful 8.8-magnitude earthquake off Russia's far east on Wednesday (Jul 30) prompted tsunami alerts and evacuations stretching across the Pacific Ocean, affecting countries such as Japan and Hawaii. Japan, part of the area known as the Pacific ring of fire, is one of the world's most quake-prone countries. Hairianto Diman and Susan Ng find out how prepared the country is for natural disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis from Robert J. Geller, a seismologist in Japan.
