May 31, 1998

It is now believed that as many as 3,000 people were killed by yesterday's earthqauke in Afghanistan and the landslides produced by ground shaking (CNN; Washington Post/AP). Over 50 villages are reported to have been destroyed. (To put the earthquake in context see Reuters list of the most devastating earthquakes on the 1990's. (CNN/Reuters))

May 30, 1998

At least 114 people were killed whena mag. 6.9 quake shook northern Afghanistan. Today's quake occurred in the same remote region as the earthquake that that killed thousands of people in February (CNN/Reuters; Washington Post/AP).

*A magnitude 5.7 quake occurred off the coast of Honshu Japan.

May 28, 1998

A magnitude 5.5 quake occurred near Egypt (Washington Post/AP).

May 27, 1998

Continued flooding in China has killed 128 people and caused almost $100 million in damages (CNN/Reuters).

*Quakes today rattled Papua New Guinea (mag. 5.7) and the Kamchatka Peninsula (mag. 5.7).

May 25, 1998

Heavy rains caused flooding in southern China which killed 30 people (Washington Post/AP). "The flooding also killed 10,000 cattle, inundated 142,000 acres of farmland and caused 23,282 houses to collapse."

*Eight hundred people had to be evacuated in northern Russia when the Aldan River flooded (Washington Post/AP). Over 35,000 people have been left homeless this spring from floods on the Lena and Aldan Rivers.

May 24, 1998

Thousands have been left homeless and 84 were killed by Friday's earthquake in Bolivia (Washington Post/AP).

May 23, 1998

At least 13 have were killed after rains caused flooding and landslides in Turkey (Washington Post/AP).

*A magnitude 6.0 quake shook the Philippine Islands.

May 22, 1998

Sixty people are dead and at least 100 are still missing after a shallow mag. 6.8 quake struck central Bolivia (Washington Post/AP; Reuters). CNN reports that, "radio reports said 80 percent of the homes in Aiquile and neighboring Totora were destroyed." The quake was preceeded by a magnitude 5.9 foreshock.

May 21, 1998

Pilots have reported a small eruption of Arjuno-Welirang volcano in eastern Java (Global Volcanism Network).

*A magnitude 6.3 quake shook Sulawesi.

May 20, 1998

Pacaya Volcano in Gautemala continues to erupt ash and some villages are preparing for possible evacuation (Washington Post/AP).

*Flooding has caused authorities to evacuate the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya (Washington Post/AP).

May 18, 1998

Reports have come in over the past few days ofa number of eruptions at Pacaya Volcano in Gautemala (Global Volcanism Network). The volcano has contributed to the smoke problem that has been plaguing Central America and Texas (CNN/Reuters 5/16).

May 16, 1998

Heavy rains have caused floods which have killed Twenty-seven people in Iran (CNN/Reuters).

*A magnitude 5.9 quake occurred south of the Fiji Islands.

May 15, 1998

Honshu, Japan was shaken by a magnitide 6.1 earthquake (Reuters report) while a mag. 5.8 quake occurred in the Mariana Islands. No damage was reported.

May 13, 1998

The Alaska Volcano Observatory reported that a swarm of earthquakes shook the Alaska Peninsula around Lake Becharof (near King Salmon) this past weekend. The quakes (with a maximum magnitude of 5.2) are believed to be tectonic. However, they occurred in the vicinity of the 1977 Ukinrek Maars volcano eruption and there is a chance that they are related to volcanic activity. The report is currently posted on the Global Volcanism Network.

*A mag. 6.5 quake shook the New Britain Region of Papua New Guinea.

May 12, 1998

Updates on the cleanup and search for survivors in Italy can be found in the following CNN report.

May 11, 1998

A short eruption of Popocatepetl volcano in Mexico ejected ash over 2000m in the air on Sunday. No damage was reported (CNN/Reuters).

*A mag. 5.6 quake shook Papua New Guinea.

May 10, 1998

A mag. 5.9 quake occurred off the coast of Guatemala.

May 9, 1998

This week'smudslides in Italy have left over 115 people dead and more than 2,000 homeless (CNN/AP, CNN 5/8, and Reuters). Heavy rain, combined with clear cutting on steep slopes and poor zoning is being blamed for the slides.

May 6, 1998

Seventeen people have been killed after heavy rains caused flooding and severe mudflows in and around Naples, Italy (CNN and CNN Quicktime Move).

*A magnitude 5.6 quake shook the northern Philippine Islands.

*More detailed information was released today by the (Global Volcanism Network) about the eruption of Arenal volcano, including reports of yesterdays pyroclastic flows.

May 5, 1998

Reuters reported today that Arenal volcano in Costa Rica erupted explosively, causing the evacuation of two villages. "Officials put the area on red alert," and "geologists fear the eruption may have opened a fissure on the north side of the volcano." Also see a more recent CNN/Reuters report.

*The (Global Volcanism Network) reported minor eruptions of Sakura-Jima Volcano.

May 4, 1998

A mag. 7.7 quake occurred off the coast of Taiwan. Groundshaking was felt throughout the region, however, no major damage was reported. A tsunami warning was issued in Japan, but was recalled 3 hours later after only small waves (10 cm) were generated (Reuters; CNN).

May 3, 1998

May is starting out as a quiet month. No major events to report.

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