Eruption of Mount Sinabung, Sumatra - May 22, 2016

The above is an image of Mount Sinabung in 2010 - courtesy of Wikipedia.

CNN reported that 'At least seven people have died and two more are critically injured after Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupted on Saturday, the country's National Disaster Management Agency reported.'

Bernama report, 'Six people were confirmed killed so far while three others were in critical condition after being scorched by hot clouds of ash from the volcano eruption in Karo district, north Sumatra since Saturday (May 21).'

Mount Sinabung started spewing ashes on May 21 and erupted the following day on May 22. The eruption occurred at 4:48PM local time. Sumatra where Mount Sinabung is located is one hour ahead of Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia for that matter.

Mount Sinabung is on the same latitude as Kuala Lumpur at 3deg north of the Equator.

Source: Googlemaps
According to our Meteorological Department, so far no ash from the volcano had reached Malaysia and as at noon yesterday, no further eruption occurred. However, the Met Department (MetMalaysia) will continue to monitor the movement of ash and dust from Mount Sinabung eruption in Sumatra, Indonesia.

Mount Sinabung is an active volcano and has had eruptions every year, even a number of times a year according to Wikipedia.

Recent activity on Mount Sinabung has resulted in higher levels of tourism and sight-seeing in the area. The Tourism Agency of the Karo regency has officially proposed several locations to local government as potential tourist sites. Tours to different villages and viewing sites are already available in the area.

A few images from CNN depicting the aftermath of the Mount Sinabung eruption on May 22..

A scorched home after it was hit by the eruption.

A dog covered in volcanic ash

Indonesian soldiers helping out with the evacuation

Indonesia is located in what is referred to as the Ring of Fire, a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. Indonesia has at least 150 active volcanoes. However, volcanic ash is a major contributor to the high agricultural fertility that has historically sustained the high population densities of Java and Bali.

Pacific Ring of Fire - Wikipedia

Thousands flee as Mt Sinabung in Sumatra erupts

Image source: TheJakartaPost

The Jakarta Post reported that thousands of residents living in 11 villages in Karo regency, North Sumatra, fled to traditional meeting halls or jambur and houses of worship after Mount Sinabung erupted early on Sunday.

As of 1 p.m. local time, waves of people continued to flock to several jambur and houses of worship. Some were evacuated by local authorities in military and police trucks, while the remainder fled on their own initiative.

Residents have been asked to stay alert as there is a possibility of more eruptions. Residents who live within a radius of 3 km from the volcano are not allowed to go home.

Mt. Sinabung last erupted in August 2010, its first in 410 years. Thousands of residents fled, while several people died from smoke inhalation.

Mount Sinabung spews hot gas and ash during an eruption as seen from Gundaling village, Indonesia, 15 September 2013. - EPA/The Star

Indonesia has dozens of active volcanoes and straddles major tectonic fault lines known as the "Ring of Fire" between the Pacific and Indian oceans. Last month five people were killed and hundreds evacuated when a volcano on a tiny island in East Nusa Tenggara province erupted.

The country's most active volcano, Mount Merapi in central Java, killed more than 350 people in a series of violent eruptions in 2010. - AFP/The Star.



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Haze in Kuala Lumpur.. but Earthquake in China..

Stepped out of the office this afternoon to go to lunch and whaddayaknow... the haze is back! The unmistakable smell of smoke is in the air. Reports said more than a hundred hotspots (from just 1 when the haze was under control) have been spotted, most of which are at the Riau province. As a result, Bukit Rambai in Malacca being closest to that part of Sumatra is getting the smoke as the wind carries it over the Straits of Malacca.

A few other places in the Peninsula Malaysia are beginning to get unhealthy PSI readings. At 3pm, Cheras in Kuala Lumpur had a PSI reading of 117 while Banting in Selangor at 111. Bandaraya Malacca was at 105 while Bukit Rambai (Malacca) at 126.

By comparison, the haze is insignificant as opposed to the 6.6 magnitude earthquake that occurred at 7:45 this morning at Gansu province in China. 54 people have died. A second 5.6 earthquake struck the same region about 90 minutes after the first, Xinhua said, the most significant of several aftershocks.

People stand outside their homes after a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit Dingxi, Gansu province, July 22, 2013. REUTERS/China Daily

Eight towns in the remote, mountainous area sustained serious damage in the quake and subsequent flooding and mudslides. About 380 buildings had collapsed and 5,600 sustained damaged in Zhangxian county.

More: The Star..China quake death toll more than doubles to 54, hundreds hurt

6.1-magnitude quake hits Aceh province in Indonesia

Did you feel the tremor? The Jakarta Post reported that: A 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit Bireun in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam at 1:37 p.m. local time, on Tuesday.

Source: The Star

The strong 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's northwestern province of Aceh causing buildings to collapse injuring at least 50 people.

The quake hit inland at 0737 GMT at a depth of just 10km (6.2 miles), 55km south of Bireun and 72km southeast of Reuleuet, the US Geological Survey said.

Any strong tremor is much feared after a massive quake struck off Aceh in 2004, sparking a tsunami that killed 170,000 people in the province on Sumatra and tens of thousands more in countries around the Indian Ocean.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

Source: The Star..Dozens injured as 6.1-magnitude quake hits Indonesia's Aceh



UPDATE:

"So far 22 people have died, 210 people were injured, and thousands of buildings and homes were damaged in the quake (on Tuesday)," National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a text message.

The casualties were spread over the two worst-hit districts of Central Aceh and Bener Meriah, the agency said.

In Central Aceh, six children were killed and 14 others were trapped when a mosque collapsed as they were having a Koran reading session, officials in the district said.

Source: The Star..22 dead after Indonesia quake

Strong 6.0 earthquake struck central Taiwan

I was reading about the 6.0 earthquake that jolted Taiwan this morning when my PC had a jolt itself and quit on me. The IT personnel had it checked and got it up and running again. Apparently it was a small glitch about hard drive clutter. Thank goodness!

I am always grateful that I don't have to know about how to clean hard drive, for instance, or about fixing other computer issues having an efficient IT department inhouse.

Back to the earthquake, here is an image from The Star that shows the earthquake's location.

It was reported that the strong earthquake shook buildings in Taipei, injuring at least 19 people, mostly from falling objects. A 72-year-old woman became the first known fatality from the quake. It was reported that a temple wall she was standing next to collapsed and crushed her. This happened in the rural county of Nantou,

High speed rail service has been suspended pending safety checks while the metro system in the capital Taipei was also temporarily suspended. The quake’s depth was a relatively shallow 15 kilometers (9 miles).

Many buildings in Taipei swayed. School children in Nantou were seen on tv fleeing from their classrooms during the quake. Nantou county was the epicentre of a 7.6-magnitude quake in September 1999 that killed around 2,400 people in the deadliest natural disaster in the island's recent history.

Taiwan lies near the junction of two tectonic plates and is regularly hit by earthquakes


Source: The Star

Second Anniversary of the 3.11 Japan Earthquake

Yesterday, Mar 11, Japan marked the second anniversary of the 9.03-magnitude earthquake that hit east Japan off the Pacific coast of Tohoku.

Relatives of the victims offer flowers during a national memorial service in Tokyo. Junji Kurokawa, AP - USA Today
According to Wikipedia, the earthquake triggered powerful tsunami waves that reached heights of up to 40.5 metres (133 ft) in Miyako in Tōhoku's Iwate Prefecture, and which, in the Sendai area, travelled up to 10 km (6 mi) inland. The earthquake moved Honshu (the main island of Japan) 2.4 m (8 ft) east and shifted the Earth on its axis by estimates of between 10 cm (4 in) and 25 cm (10 in).

On 12 September 2012, a Japanese National Police Agency report confirmed 15,881 deaths, 6,142 injured, and 2,668 people missing across twenty prefectures, as well as 129,225 buildings totally collapsed, with a further 254,204 buildings 'half collapsed', and another 691,766 buildings partially damaged.

Below are a few more photos from USA Today..

People pray for victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami on March 11 in Arahama district in Sendai, Japan. Japanese are marking the second anniversary of the disaster that claimed 19,000 lives and triggered a nuclear accident. Toru Yamanaka, AFP/Getty Images

A man attends a memorial ceremony in front of a destroyed government office in Ootsuti, Iwate Prefecture. Ken Ishii, Getty Images

Vehicles destroyed by the 2011 tsunami sit in a field of reeds in Namie. Yoshikazu Tsuno, AFP/Getty Images

People gather around a disaster-control center destroyed by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami as they observe a moment of silence March 11 in Minamisanriku. Shizuo Kambayashi, AP

Buddhist monks march on the seawall as they mark the anniversary in Miyako, Iwate prefecture. AP

People offer prayers in front of a memorial dedicated to tsunami victims on a beach in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. AP

A woman lights candles during a service for the victims at a park in Tokyo. Itsuo Inouye, AP

Baseball players from the Netherlands, top, and Cuba offer a silent prayer for victims during a ceremony at the World Baseball Classic tournament at the Tokyo Dome. KJazuhiro Nogi, AFP/Getty Images

A tsunami thunders ashore on March 11, 2011, top, in Natori, Miyagi prefecture. Destroyed homes and debris have been removed, as shown on March 6, as repair operations continue along the coastal area. Kyodo News Service via AP

A ship rests on a wharf on April 10, 2011, left, after it was washed ashore during a tsunami at the port in Kamaishi, Iwate prefecture. The ship has been removed and repairs to the damaged port continue.

A street in Miyako, Iwate prefecture, left, is clogged with destroyed cars, buildings and debris after an earthquake and tsunami on March 12, 2011. The same road has been cleared of damaged buildings and is open to vehicles on March 1, 2013. Kyodo News Service via AP

Related article:
- Remembering Japan - One Year Later

Flash floods hit Puchong

Was told this evening about Puchong being flooded but didn't expect it to be this bad.




According to The Star, the 30-minute flash flood was caused by backflow from monsoon drains feeding into the Klang river. It reached 0.8m in height at parts of Km 21.36 and caused a number of cars to stall.

The basement floors of IOI Mall Puchong opposite the affected highway section were flooded as well including the interior of the mall, causing several businesses at the entrance to shut down temporarily while cleaning operations were taking place.


Related article:
Freak storm and strong winds yesterday wreaked havoc across the Klang Valley resulting in flash floods and trees being uprooted damaging property.

Thousands flee Wildfires in Tasmania, Australia

Oh gosh, I just read news about wildfires raging on the island of Tasmania, Australia. Thousands have fled from the wildfires that have destroyed at least 80 properties and leaving unconfirmed reports of one man dying in the blaze, according to the police.

The fires flared on Friday as much of the country suffered a summer heatwave which pushed temperatures above 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in Tasmania, a southern island state known for its cooler climate.

One of the worst affected areas was the small community of Dunalley, some 55 kilometres (34 miles) east of Hobart, where police estimate about 30 percent of the buildings have been destroyed, including the police station and school.

Bushfires are also burning in other parts of Australia, including South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.

More: The Star..Thousands flee wildfires in southern Australia

Fire and Rain - Bangladesh and Britain

I saw a Facebook post yesterday of a shop on fire in the Setapak area. Picture was taken from a high elevation and you could see even at that distance, it was a huge building on fire. Have not seen it in the papers though.

Talk about fire, The Star reported that garment workers in Bangladesh staged mass protests Monday to demand the end to "deathtrap" labour conditions after Bangladesh's worst-ever textile factory fire, as a new blaze sparked panic and terror.

Survivors of Saturday night's fire joined several thousand colleagues blocking a highway during a march in the manufacturing hub of Ashulia, outside the capital Dhaka, with some protesters throwing stones at one factory.

Saturday's fire killed 58 people. Witnesses told how desperate workers, most of them women, cried for help and several leaped to their deaths from upper floors as they tried to escape. They will be buried at a state graveyard in Dhaka Tuesday morning. DNA samples of the dead workers have been kept so that their relatives can be identified for compensation.

Another blaze on Monday at a 12-storey building housing four garment factories sparked fresh scenes of panic as workers rushed to safety. There were no casualties.

Ashulia's more than 500 factories, make apparel for top global retailers such as Walmart, H&M and Tesco.

On the domestic front, we had a heavy downpour yesterday which isn't surprising this time of the year in this north-easterly monsoon season. Everyone who has experienced flooding in their areas are already on the alert but sometimes the unexpected can happen.

Over in other parts of the world, unexpected flood levels have left many homes being evacuated. Britain is one country as more than 800 homes in England and Wales have been flooded as heavy rain and strong winds battered the country. Environmental officials warned of more downpours to come on Monday.

Prime Minister David Cameron, in a Twitter message, described the scenes of flooding in the rural southwestern region of Cornwall as "shocking", and promised the government "will help ensure everything is being done to help".

Parts of the Cornish village of Millbrook were reportedly under 1.5 metres (five feet) of water and 40 homes were evacuated, a BBC reporter who lives there said, after torrents of muddy water swept through the village on Saturday.
More..800 homes flooded as Britain soaked by more heavy rain


Source: The Star

Hurricane Sandy, a rare hybrid super-storm

It's hot today. Humid too. Outside there is not even a hint of a gentle breeze as there is no movement in the trees. It would feel like a pressure cooker outside but thanks to the aircond, indoors is a much-preferred space to be.

Still, the heat and humidity is nothing compared to what New Yorkers or residents of the U.S. east coast regions are going through at this moment.

A rare, hybrid "super storm", Sandy, as it is called has hurled a record-breaking 13-foot (43-feet) surge of seawater at New York City on Monday, roaring ashore after washing away part of the Atlantic City boardwalk. On CNN last night, the camera showed New York City was deserted as people have been asked to stay safe.

U.S. stock markets were closed for the first time since the attacks of September 11, 2001, and will remain shut on Tuesday. The government in Washington was closed and school was cancelled up and down the East Coast.

This image from The Star shows Hurricane Sandy, one of the biggest storms ever to hit the United States, battered the densely populated East Coast on Monday, shutting down transportation, forcing evacuations in flood-prone areas and interrupting the presidential election campaign.

Meteorologists say Sandy is a rare, hybrid "super storm" created by an Arctic jet stream wrapping itself around a tropical storm.

Related article:
CNN - 'Post-tropical' Sandy hits New Jersey coast

More pictures on CNN.

Related article:
Monster storm Sandy leaves New York, eastern U.S. crippled

Innocence of Muslims - Actress sues California man

Three days ago, an incoming email with the subject: There may be no anti-Islamic movie at all got me thinking whether I should post it and spread a little awareness but thought against the idea considering the sensitive nature of the issue.

But am glad now I no longer have to keep it under wraps as The Star has an article today about it. You can read about it here: Actress sues California man behind anti-Muslim film

In case you are wondering what this is all about, this is in relation to the movie/video that has stirred up quite a reaction and caused much unrest and/or deaths in some parts of the world, even in Indonesia.

Even our very own Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim was quick to react describing YouTube as being insensitive to the anguish of Muslims the world over as it has yet to remove film clips of the "Innocence of Muslims" from its listing.

Another article in the same paper published the same day says Google Malaysia blocks 'Innocence of Muslims' video clip and that

Those trying to load the video from a Malaysian Internet Protocol (IP) address would see a message that reads: "This content is not available in your country due to a legal complaint. Sorry about that."

Out of curiosity, I did a search on Google Malaysia and voila(!) was surprised to be able to access the video clip and the full movie as well. Go figure.

Let's hope this new information will put a stop to all the escalating violence in countries where people strongly reacted to this "dubbed" movie before more damage is done and more deaths resulting.

As if it's not enough that we have to contend with natural disasters left and right! I can't help thinking if all these man-made disasters are also counted as contributing to what's leading up to the end of the world on Dec 22 which by the way many experts and spiritual leaders are advising preparation for.

China earthquakes kill 67, injure 731

Just read from The Star about the earthquakes in southwest China yesterday afternoon.

Source: The Star

It was report that at least 67 people were killed and 731 injured when two earthquakes struck a remote and mountainous area of southwest China on Friday, toppling houses and sending panicked crowds onto the streets.

Residents described how people ran out of buildings screaming as the two shallow quakes hit on the border of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces an hour apart around the middle of the day. A string of aftershocks followed.

Television footage showed roads strewn with fallen bricks and rocks in Yunnan province's Yiliang county, which appeared to be worst hit.

Authorities were sending thousands of tents, quilts and coats, and Premier Wen Jiabao was also heading to the area, the state Xinhua news agency said, confirming the death and injured toll, which rose steadily throughout the day. More in The Star..China quakes kill 67, injure 731

According to the US Geological Survey, the first quake struck at 11.20 am (0320 GMT) at a depth of around 10 kilometres (six miles), and the second quake around an hour later, putting the magnitude of both at 5.6.

From NY Times, image below shows two buses navigating a road of fallen rocks after a series of earthquakes in southwest China on Friday.

From NT Times:
More than 200,000 people were evacuated from their homes in Yunnan, a province known for its scenic beauty and ethnic diversity, said the Yunnan Provincial Civil Affairs Bureau. Prime Minister Wen Jiabao flew to the earthquake zone on Friday evening.

In the town of Luozehe, a rice- and tobacco-growing area in northeastern Yunnan, 46 people were killed, more than 700 people were injured and more than 120,000 homes seriously damaged.

The earthquake was so violent that rocks from landslides crushed cars in Luozehe, a water company worker, Tan Xuewen, said in a telephone interview. “Suddenly we felt the strong earthquake,” Mr. Tan said. “Huge rocks fell off the mountain. I immediately grabbed an old person and began to run.”

At a tiny primary school in Luozehe, the teacher, Ma Decai, said his 11 students, ages 9 to 12, were eating lunch in the dining room when the earthquake hit.

“Dirt dropped from the ceiling into our bowls and cooking pots,” Mr. Ma said. The students abandoned their meals and ran out of the room, he said. As he tried to prepare a new lunch for the students, aftershocks struck the building.

Large cracks appeared in the mud and stone schoolhouse, and the toilet collapsed.

In neighboring Guizhou Province, the authorities said they knew of no casualties. But homes in rural Guizhou, often built of wood and mud, are usually constructed on hillsides, and provincial authorities said some homes had been damaged or destroyed.

Tents, blankets and coats were being sent to the region, the official Xinhua news agency said.

Guizhou, an area of rice farms and coal mines, is also undergoing major development, with hundreds of millions of dollars pumped into the province in the last year to build roads, bridges and industrial zones. It was not immediately known if any of the new projects were damaged by the earthquake.
More on NY Times..Earthquakes in China Kill Dozens

A video from Associated Press..


and another closeup showing the damage..

Cloudy skies over Kuala Lumpur and More..

I'd say this is one moody sky or should I say, there is a lot going on up there. It's like lots of conversations and thoughts jamming together all at the same time. Picture was taken this morning. The weather here has been like this almost everyday for the past week. Certain parts of the Klang Valley have been receiving more rainfall than anticipated, resulting in flash floods occurring.

Parts of the Kuala Lumpur were flooded two days ago including Kampung Kasipillay in Jalan Ipoh. A day before that, Klang, located southwest of the city, was hit by floods.

On a more severe level elsewhere, I just read that California Governor, Jerry Brown, has declared a state of emergency in three Northern California counties on Wednesday after a wildfire that has already destroyed 50 buildings advanced with 75-foot flames on a tiny community at the doorstep of a national park.

And in Haiti, Tropical Storm Isaac strengthened over the Caribbean on Wednesday, threatening to slam into impoverished Haiti - still reeling from a devastating 2010 earthquake - and Cuba, US forecasters said.

In China in the Three Gorges Dam area, the threat of landslides along the dam's banks are forcing tens of thousands to move again. China relocated 1.3 million people during the 17 years it took to complete the Three Gorges dam. The $59-billion project was just finished last month.

The sun is still not shining this part of the world but at least we are thankful that we don't have to battle fires nor prepare for storms bashing our shores nor move people by the thousands to safer grounds. My thoughts and prayers go out to everyone out there battling one catastrophe or another.


Source of the bottom three images: The Star

Floods in Philippines - No respite from rain

CNN reported that
The death toll from five days of heavy rains and floods in the Philippines jumped to 60 on Friday, disaster officials said, with the forecast calling for even more showers across the main island of Luzon.

Most of the deaths were from drowning, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Others died from electrocution or in landslides associated with the rain and floods.

Rain is forecast for a fifth day in a row and the flooding exacerbated by recent Tropical Storm Haikui following Tropical Storm Saola. Authorities said it could take days or even weeks for the waters to recede in the lower-lying areas.

Source:CNN

Manila is badly flooded

Not only is Penang flooded, Manila, The Philippines capital city of 15 million is brought to a standstill caused by floods forcing at least 20,000 people to flee their homes as floodwaters covered half the sprawling city, according to the authorities.

Schools, financial markets and most government offices were shut as key roadways in Manila - a metropolis of some 15 million people - were made impassable by waters that in some areas reached neck-deep.

Residents of low-lying slums fled the huge shantytowns lining Manila's rivers and sewers for the safety of schools, gymnasiums and government buildings.

The death toll from eight days of sustained rains has risen to 53 with more than 268,000 people forced to flee their homes across the country, according to disaster authorities.

More from The Star..Philippine capital brought to standstill in floods

Kuala Lumpur could use more rainfall to alleviate the possible water shortage as well as clear the air from the haze caused by the burning hotspots.

Flash flood in Penang

In Penang, many households were affected by an early morning flood after a downpour that started at 3am.

Parts of Jalan P. Ramlee, Jalan Sungai Pinang, Jalan Patani, Jalan Air Itam and Jalan Datuk Keramat were flooded. The water level was knee-deep in some areas, and the situation was made worse by the high tide yesterday.

More from The Star..Thousands in Penang hit by morning floods

End of the World & Expected Cosmic Events in 2012

The Star reported yesterday about a UFO sighting in Sunway, outskirt of KL. Some people say they were just LED kites. Do you believe UFOs and ETs exist? What about the much-talked about "end of the world" predicted to be on Dec 22 this year?

We have for a while now been hearing talk, been talking about it ourselves, even watching a movie, 2012, about the end of the world. Is the Mayan calendar to be believed? I find the end of the world a concept hard to believe but I do subscribe to 'never say never', so anything is possible. Skeptical as we may be, or at least some of us, there are signs around us that show our world falling apart - earthquakes and tsunamis, floods, global warming, and so forth. Methinks.

Scientists even believe that ETs are sending us warning signs by way of crop circles, for instance.

Crop circles - do you think they are man-made or made by extra-terrestrials with the aim of delivering humanity a message as to what to expect and what to do going forward? Crop circles have been appearing in the last 20 to 30 years and they are found all over the world. There was even a crop circle in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, just January of last year.

Remember two suns spotted last year in China? I even saw the two suns one morning in June. Something is really happening in our solar system, in space out there. Perhaps, there is some shifting going on?

Do you think astral travel (astral projection) or out-of-body experience is possible? AstralWalker, Pane Andov, astral travels and he has been receiving messages from extra-terrestrials who ask that he passes them on. In his presentation on Expected Cosmic Events in 2012, a talk he delivered in Australia last year, he talks about crop circles, planets shifting resulting in the 'other sun' being visible on Earth, the splitting of land masses, among others. Here's the video..


Is the world coming to an end on Dec 22, 2012? Your thoughts?


Images here are video-grab shots from the video, Expected Cosmic Events in 2012

Dock from Japan washes up on Oregon beach

We have read about messages in bottles that get washed ashore. Something as small as a bottle is believable that it can float across the oceans to reach a shore on the other side. What about something as huge as a dock? Not possible? Read on..

A huge dock unmoored during last year's Japanese tsunami washed up on an Oregon beach this week which is having the authorities debating on how to remove it as well as who will be bearing the cost.


According to The Star article, the catastrophe swept an estimated 5 million tons of debris out to sea, but most of it sank. Japan has estimated that as much as 1.5 million tons of debris could still be afloat.

The 66-foot-(20-metre-) long dock is made mostly of concrete and metal, with a small metal plaque with Japanese writing attached. It washed up early on Tuesday morning on scenic Agate Beach, just north of Newport, Oregon, about 110 miles (177 km) southwest of Portland.

The dock tested negative for radiation, which was a concern because of the major radiation release at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant following March 2011's 9.0 magnitude earthquake which caused a tsunami that killed nearly 16,000 people and left over 3,000 missing on Japan's main island of Honshu.

From soccer balls and buoys to building materials, they have floated across the Pacific and washed up on shores across the U.S. West Coast.


Source: The Star..Dock from Japanese tsunami washes up on Oregon beach

Multipurpose Rescue Vehicle (MRV) made in Malaysia

With floods being so rampant nowadays especially in low-lying villages after a heavy downpour, it is a good thing too that a multipurpose rescue vehicle (MRV) has been invented. This is how it looks like..courtesy of The Star..

This locally-made Multipurpose Rescue Vehicle (MRV) is the first of its kind in the world and is designed to carry out critical rescue operations. It can navigate through aftermaths like floods, typhoons and fires and can also be driven up a 45-degree slope on hilly terrain. It can also move through muddy, slippery and inundated roads.

The MRV is manufactured by LWK Automotive Green Technologies (LWK Green) through a RM2.2mil grant given by Mosti, i.e., Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.


Source: The Star..Malaysia launches Multipurpose Rescue Vehicle