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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: US Geological Survey

US Geological Survey stories: 13 news summaries
UPDATED

South Pacific Avoids Tsunami After Big Earthquakes

Warning issued after off Vanuatu, canceled after only small wave materializes

Oct 7, 09 7:54 PM CDT
(Newser) - Tsunami warnings for a swath of the South Pacific—including American Samoa, Australia and New Zealand—issued after a pair of strong underwater earthquakes have been canceled after only a small wave materialized. Many residents had already moved to higher ground after the 7.8 and 7.1 temblors; American... More »

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Australia • tsunami • New Zealand • US Geological Survey • Vanuatu • earthquake • American Samoa

UPDATED

More Quakes Slam Indonesia, Still Counting Its Dead

Witness describes crumbled, burning wreckage in Padang

Sep 30, 09 9:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - Indonesia, still counting the dead and searching for the missing from yesterday’s 7.6 earthquake, was rattled by two more earthquakes this morning local time. The US Geological Survey recorded a 6.8 quake 140 miles from Padang, the western Sumatran city nearest yesterday’s epicenter; just 20 minutes... More »

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Indonesia • death toll • Padang • Sumatra • US Geological Survey • earthquake • disaster • rubble

 Test Finds Mercury 
 in Every Fish 

A quarter contaminated beyond EPA safety limit

Aug 20, 09 12:04 PM CDT
(AP) - Catch a fish in one of America's streams, and there's a good chance it will have at least trace amounts of mercury. The most comprehensive survey to date from the US Geological Survey tested more than 1,000 fish from nearly 300 streams around the nation—and found mercury in... More »

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environment • pollution • food contamination • fish • Environmental Protection Agency • trout • contamination • power plant • toxic • US Geological Survey • mercury

UPDATED

4 Earthquakes Strike Off Mexican Coast

No damage reported; 6.9 tremor felt as far away as Phoenix, LA

Aug 3, 09 3:24 PM CDT
(Newser) - A series of four earthquakes hit within an hour today under Mexico’s Gulf of California, BNO News reports. The second of the tremors, which at 9 miles deep were relatively shallow and thus more dangerous, registered a 6.9 on the Richter scale. No damage was immediately reported, and... More »

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tsunami • Mexico • Pacific Ocean • Richter scale • US Geological Survey • Pacific Tsunami Warning Center • tectonic plates • earthquake • Baja peninsula

(AP) - A strong earthquake swayed skyscrapers in Mexico City and rattled colonial buildings in neighboring Puebla state today, sending frightened people into the streets. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. "There is absolute calm, zero damage,” a Puebla official said. The US Geological Survey said the... More »

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Mexico City • evacuation • Richter scale • US Geological Survey • earthquake • Puebla • epicenter • tall buildings

(Newser) - A 4.7 magnitude earthquake rattled much of southern California last night and caused minor property damage, reports the Los Angeles Times. Windows were broken and items toppled off shelves when the temblor struck east of Los Angeles Airport. No injuries were reported. The 15-second shaker was deep, originating some... More »

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California • Southern California • San Diego • LAX • US Geological Survey • earthquake

(AP) - A strong tremor has shaken quake-hit areas of central Italy and sent rescuers and residents fleeing from damaged buildings in L'Aquila. Chunks of concrete dropped from the buildings there and the shock was felt as far away as Rome. The US Geological Survey reported that the temblor registered 5.6... More »

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US Geological Survey • earthquake • disaster • L'Aquila

(Newser) - Alaskans of all stripes are incensed by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s disparaging comments Tuesday about the necessity of volcano monitoring, the Anchorage Daily News reports. It’s “a matter of life and death in Alaska,” Sen. Mark Begich wrote the Republican. Even Gov. Sarah Palin’s office... More »

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Alaska • Bobby Jindal • volcano • US Geological Survey • federal spending • economic stimulus package • Sarah Palin • Mark Begich • rebuttal • monitoring • Bill Maher Grid

 Arctic Holds 3 Years of Oil 

A fifth of world's untapped reserves may be under melting ice

Jul 24, 08 7:24 AM CDT
(Newser) - Enough oil is believed to lie under the rapidly thawing Arctic to last the world 3 years, Reuters reports. The USGS released a forecast yesterday estimating the region has 90 billion recoverable barrels of oil and vast natural gas reserves. The agency's director said the information was vital in order... More »

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Arctic • Arctic race • oil field • US Geological Survey • Arctic oil • oil reserves

 7.8 Earthquake Rocks China 

Strikes near city of 10 million; 5 reported dead

May 12, 08 3:05 AM CDT
(Newser) - A major 7.8 magnitude earthquake rocked central China today, with shaking felt a thousand miles away in Beijing, and in Thailand and Vietnam. Exact damage or injuries were not known, but the quake hit about 60 miles from Chengdu, a city of 10 million in China's Sichuan province, reports... More »

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China • Beijing • quake • US Geological Survey • earthquake

 Big Quake
 Will Rock Calif.
 by 2038: Study 

Scientists warn state to plan for 7.5 mag temblor

Apr 14, 08 9:00 PM CDT
(Newser) - A major earthquake is almost inevitable in California in the next 30 years, a new study says. The likely target is Southern California, which has a 97% chance of a 6.7 magnitude quake and 37% chance of a 7.5. Because it has suffered more big quakes in the... More »

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California • Southern California • Richter scale • natural disaster • US Geological Survey • disaster preparedness • earthquake

Drugs Found in US Water Supply

Water drunk by 41M people contaminated

Mar 10, 08 7:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Small amounts of a wide range of prescription and over-the-counter drugs have been found in drinking water used daily by 41 million Americans in 24 major cities. A major AP investigation found pain killers, anti-seizure drugs, angina and cholesterol medications, mood-altering drugs, and other pharmaceuticals in tap water, the water... More »

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bottled water • drugs • Washington DC • Detroit • Southern California • Louisville • Environmental Protection Agency • Philadelphia • contamination • pharmaceutical • drinking water • US Geological Survey • medication • lakes • reservoirs • aquifers • water table

Major 7.7 Earthquake Shakes Chile

'Horribly strong' temblor felt across 1,300 miles in South America

Nov 14, 07 10:44 AM CST
(Newser) - A magnitude 7.7 earthquake rattled through northern Chile this morning, the AP reports, cutting power and causing injuries, but no deaths. The US Geological Survey said the temblor was centered 780 miles north of the capital Santiago, and a government spokeswoman said it was felt across 1,300 miles.... More »

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Chile • Santiago • US Geological Survey • Codelco • copper futures • Pacific Tsunami Warning Center • earthquake

13 Stories


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