The devastating 2004 Sumatran earthquake, which caused the worst tsunami in modern times, should have left a detectable scar on Earth's gravity field, European scientists said Monday.
A satellite planned for launch next year could detect the blemish, they said.
The magnitude 9.3 earthquake has already been said to have shortened the day by fractions of a second, shifted the North Pole by an inch, and made the planet less fat around the middle.
The new prediction comes from Roberto Sabadini and Giorgio Dalla Via at the University of Milan. The idea is fairly straightforward. The strength of Earth's gravity varies depending on the depth of a trench or height of a mountain, as well as the density of material. Even changing tides alter the gravity field.
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<>The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said yesterday it would continue to provide aid to victims of the recent tsunami and earthquakes in Indonesia and Sri Lanka until reconstruction efforts "produce results". Although the ICRC will shift its focus back to humanitarian work related to the internal conflicts in Sri Lanka and the Indonesian province of Aceh, the Geneva-based agency said many quake victims still depended on emergency aid.
<>"Most tsunami survivors still live in difficult conditions," said Reto Meister, the organisation's delegate-general for Asia and the Pacific. "Many of them have lost everything and they still depend on humanitarian aid to rebuild their lives," he added in a statement. <>The international assistance operation in the areas around the Indian Ocean devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in December is moving away from emergency aid to recovery and reconstruction. The ICRC said that "for the rest of 2005 it will go on endeavouring to bridge the gap until reconstruction begins producing results" in the two countries.
<>"Most tsunami survivors still live in difficult conditions," said Reto Meister, the organisation's delegate-general for Asia and the Pacific. "Many of them have lost everything and they still depend on humanitarian aid to rebuild their lives," he added in a statement. <>The international assistance operation in the areas around the Indian Ocean devastated by the earthquake and tsunami in December is moving away from emergency aid to recovery and reconstruction. The ICRC said that "for the rest of 2005 it will go on endeavouring to bridge the gap until reconstruction begins producing results" in the two countries.
More than 220,000 people were killed in 12 countries and hundreds of thousands of others were left homeless by the deadly waves that were sparked by a huge undersea earthquake off the west coast of Indonesia. Aceh and Sri Lanka suffered the most damage.
(Source: The AFP via The Daily News)
Indonesian scientists placed eleven volcanoes under close watch after a series of powerful quakes awoke intense subterranean forces and increased the chances of a major eruption.
As tens of thousands spent a third night in temporary camps after fleeing the slopes of Mount Talang on Sumatra island, where hot ash has been raining down since Monday, more volcanoes began rumbling into life.
Late Wednesday Anak Krakatau -- the "child" of the legendary Krakatoa that blew itself apart in 1883 in one of the worst-ever natural disasters -- was put on alert status amid warnings of poisonous gas emissions.
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As tens of thousands spent a third night in temporary camps after fleeing the slopes of Mount Talang on Sumatra island, where hot ash has been raining down since Monday, more volcanoes began rumbling into life.
Late Wednesday Anak Krakatau -- the "child" of the legendary Krakatoa that blew itself apart in 1883 in one of the worst-ever natural disasters -- was put on alert status amid warnings of poisonous gas emissions.
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A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 jolted the Tokyo region on Monday morning, but no tsunami warning was issued and there were no reports of serious damage or injuries.
Two runways at Narita International Airport near Tokyo were closed for checks but soon reopened, public broadcaster NHK said.
Some high speed bullet train lines experienced minor delays because power stopped briefly, and some local lines were halted. Officials warned of possible aftershocks and landslides.
A nuclear reactor in Tokaimura, about 68 miles northeast of Tokyo, was operating normally, NHK said.
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Two runways at Narita International Airport near Tokyo were closed for checks but soon reopened, public broadcaster NHK said.
Some high speed bullet train lines experienced minor delays because power stopped briefly, and some local lines were halted. Officials warned of possible aftershocks and landslides.
A nuclear reactor in Tokaimura, about 68 miles northeast of Tokyo, was operating normally, NHK said.
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A strong earthquake has struck near the Indonesian island of Sumatra, say seismologists. The epicentre of the quake, which had an estimated magnitude of 6.7, was about 120km (75 miles) south-west of the city of Padang, officials said.
There were no immediate reports of damage, but some people fled the coast. The latest tremor revived fears of a repeat of the 26 December tsunami disaster, which killed an estimated 300,000 people in a dozen countries. Two-thirds of the deaths occurred in Indonesia.
However, no tsunami warning was issued on Sunday.
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There were no immediate reports of damage, but some people fled the coast. The latest tremor revived fears of a repeat of the 26 December tsunami disaster, which killed an estimated 300,000 people in a dozen countries. Two-thirds of the deaths occurred in Indonesia.
However, no tsunami warning was issued on Sunday.
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