Pacific

10 Stories

'Tremendous Wave Energy' Sends 8 to Hospital in California

Rogue wave crashes down on bystanders at Ventura's Pierpont Beach

(Newser) - "It's really exciting," one local said earlier this week of the giant waves that have been slamming into the California coastline of late, attracting gawkers who appear unfazed by the potential danger. A group of bystanders in the southern part of the state got more excitement on...

Airfield That Launched First A-Bombs Called Back to Service

Amid China threat, US is reviving airfield on Tinian Island for first time since World War II

(Newser) - The US Air Force is reviving the island airfield that launched the atomic bombs on Japan in World War II as it looks to disperse its power in the Pacific and avoid becoming an easy target for China. North Field on the 39-square-mile Tinian Island—part of the Northern Mariana...

US to Establish Diplomatic Ties With Cook Islands and Niue

Biden moves to shore up ties in Pacific, whose leaders have issues on climate change

(Newser) - President Biden plans to establish diplomatic relations Monday with two South Pacific nations, the Cook Islands and Niue, as his administration aims to show to Pacific Island leaders that it is committed to increasing American presence in the region. The announcement comes as Biden prepares to welcome leaders to Washington...

Whale Makes 'Amazing' but Heartbreaking Journey

Humpback with broken back made 3.1K-mile trek from Canada to Hawaii but likely won't live long

(Newser) - It's a story both inspiring and heartbreaking, and one that marine wildlife experts have been monitoring with admiration and deep concern. For at least the last decade, a humpback whale named Moon has been on the radar of scientists at the Fin Island whale research station off of British...

Obama Postpones Asia Trip for Health Care

White House postpones journey until June

(Newser) - President Obama is postponing his already delayed overseas trip as the health care push nears crunch time. The president wants to be in town for an expected vote this weekend, probably Sunday. He phoned the leaders of Indonesia, Australia, and Guam to let them know the trip's been pushed back...

Tsunami Glances Off Japan, Russia
 Tsunami Glances Off 
 Japan, Russia  
CHILE EARTHQUAKE

Tsunami Glances Off Japan, Russia

Warnings lifted as waves smaller than feared; no damage reported

(Newser) - The tsunami from Chile's deadly earthquake hit Japan's main islands and the shores of Russia today, but the smaller-than-expected waves prompted the lifting of a Pacific-wide alert. Hawaii and other Pacific islands were also spared. In Japan, where hundreds of thousands were evacuated , the biggest wave following the magnitude-8.8...

Pacific Braces for Tsunami
 Pacific Braces for Tsunami 
CHILE EARTHQUAKE

Pacific Braces for Tsunami

Japan, Australia, Hawaii, Alaska all on alert

(Newser) - Wide swaths of the south Pacific, Asia, and Australia braced for a tsunami after a devastating earthquake hit the coast of Chile this morning. Officials in Japan and Australia warned a tsunami from the earthquake was likely to hit Asian shorelines within 24 hours. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in...

Quakes Rattle Pacific
Quakes
Rattle
Pacific

Quakes Rattle Pacific

Big Shakers hit Guam and New Zealand

(Newser) - Major earthquakes rattled Guam and New Zealand last night but no major damage or injuries were reported. A 6.8 quake off the coast swayed high-rise buildings and knocked goods off supermarket shelves in Guam. Hours later the uninhabited Auckland Islands south of the New Zealand mainland were struck by...

Rower Launches Solo Pacific Trip
Rower Launches Solo Pacific Trip

Rower Launches Solo Pacific Trip

Brit woman leaves on historic 6,700-mile journey

(Newser) - A British woman yesterday launched a historic solo journey across the Pacific rowing a 24-foot-long boat. Roz Savage, 39, has already rowed twice across the Atlantic. She left Crescent City, California, for the first of three legs of the 6,700-mile odyssey to Australia. She plans to keep a blog...

Earthquake Rattles Indonesia
Earthquake Rattles Indonesia

Earthquake Rattles Indonesia

7.5 quake scares residents, but no casualties have been reported

(Newser) - A massive undersea earthquake off the Indonesian coast rocked the capital of Jakarta today. Though no casualties have been reported, the quake hit 7.5, shaking the city's tall buildings and leaving its inhabitants in shock. But the earthquake occurred 180 miles under ground, nixing the possibility of a tsunami...

10 Stories