Sikhote-Alin meteorite fall, Siberia On 12 February 1947, a 100-tonne meteor disintegrated about 6 kilometres above the ground in Siberia, 375 kilometres from Vladivostok. It spread debris across a region two kilometres long and a kilometre wide. At least 120 craters over a half a metre across were found, and some 70 tonnes of meteorite fragments were recovered. The largest crater was 30 metres wide and 6 metres deep, and contained a two-tonne chunk of meteorite. 2:02 PM
18.2.05
Krakatoa tsunami Until the Asian tsunami on 26 December 2004, one of the most devastating tsunami in the last two centuries was one caused by massive eruptions of the volcano Krakatoa in 1883. Krakatoa lies in the Sunda Straits between Java and Sumatra. Tsunami produced by eruptions on 26-27 August wiped out many coastal towns and villages in the region. Very few people were killed directly by the eruptions, but it is estimated that at least 36,000 people were killed by the resulting tsunami. 1:26 PM
11.2.05
According to the World Meteorological Organization, the year 2004, the fourth-hottest on record, was punctuated by powerful hurricanes in the Caribbean and deadly typhoons lashing Asia. In the Caribbean and the United States, the hurricanes of 2004 caused more than $43 billion in damages. On Haiti, as many as 1,900 people died from flooding and mudslides caused by Tropical Storm Jeanne in September. In Japan a record 10 typhoons made landfall, while storms in the Philippines killed at least 740 people. 1:55 PM
4.2.05
Earthquake affects Masterton’s water supply The cluster of earthquakes that have rattled the Wairarapa and Wellington region since 21 January 2005 has affected Masterton’s water supply. Since the magnitude 5.5 earthquake on 21 January, the water treatment plant has had difficulty siphoning the normal amount of water needed for daily demand, due to possible damage to reservoir intake pipes. The supply has also been affected by a lack of rain and intense heat. Residents were being asked to limit water use as much as possible.
