Prophecy, Drought, Earthquakes, Famine, Pestilence, War, and Strange Weather.

[Shammu]

Dome of Montserrat's Volcano Collapses

Sat May 20, 10:06 PM ET

OLVESTON, Montserrat - A dome that had been growing atop the volcano on this Caribbean island collapsed Saturday, sending debris cascading down the mountain and raining ash over a wide area, scientists said. No injuries were reported.

The Montserrat government issued a statement saying residents should stay indoors, but added: "Montserrat's population is safe."

The dome had been building since August and formed the highest part of the 3,000-foot-tall volcano.

Ash plumes rose to 55,000 feet and sent a pyroclastic flow of burning gas and rock fragments shooting down the eastern flank of the mountain into the Caribbean, said Sue Loughlin, director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

"Although it's been an unpleasant morning with ash falling all around, it was a good thing in the near-term because it collapsed this growing lava dome into the sea," said Loughlin.

The spewing ash caused lightning and thunder above the collapsed dome. A rainstorm during the collapse sent torrents of mud and rocks down the slopes.

The Soufriere Hills volcano sprang to life in 1995. More than half the British Caribbean island's 12,000 inhabitants moved to Britain and elsewhere. An eruption in 1997 buried much of the south, including the capital, Plymouth, and killed 19 people.

Southern Montserrat is now an "exclusion zone" and many of the 5,000 people who live in the north of Montserrat were resettled there.

Dome of Montserrat's Volcano Collapses

[Soldier4Christ]

EBOLA FEARS AS BRIT DIES
Woman collapses on packed flight
By Stephen Moyes

A WOMAN is feared to have died from ebola after taking ill on a plane home from Africa yesterday.

Passengers and crew on the flight to Heathrow are understood to be panicking that they have contracted the contagious virus.

They helped the Briton when she was vomiting and bleeding. Some even shared their drinks with her.

Last night, tests were being run to confirm whether she had the haemorraghic fever.

The 38-year-old was on Virgin Atlantic flight VS602 from Johannesburg. It is understood she worked at an embassy in Lesotho.

She had visited a doctor before the flight complaining of flu symptoms and was told she could fly.

But during the trip, she suffered a fit that knocked her unconcious.

Cabin crew and passengers passed her drinks and did all they could to help. At around 3am, she started to vomit heavily and began bleeding.

When the Airbus A340-600, carrying 249 passengers and 18 crew, touched down at 7am she was rushed to nearby Hillingdon Hospital.

Hospital staff treated her as if she had ebola as her symptoms matched those of the virus. She died in hospital.

Cabin crew who came into contact with the woman have been told to monitor their health over the next week.

A hospital spokesman said: "A patient was brought to our accident and emergency department on May 19 after falling ill on a flight to Heathrow.

"As a precautionary measure, the patient was initially treated as if infectious. Tests are still ongoing to establish the nature of the illness."

A Virgin spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that a female passenger taken ill on flight VS602 subsequently died at Hillingdon Hospital.

"Virgin Atlantic would like to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of the passenger."

One cabin crew member said: "Those people who came into contact with the dead woman are terrified at what might have been caught."

The virus is transmitted by direct contact with infected body fluids. There is limited evidence of human-to-human airborne transmission.

[Soldier4Christ]

Caribbean Volcano Ash Grounds Flights


CARACAS, Venezuela -- A huge cloud of ash billowing from an island volcano forced the suspension of some international flights over the Caribbean on Sunday, airline and airport officials said.

The airlines took action after a dome atop a volcano on Montserrat, located about 275 miles southwest of Puerto Rico, collapsed over the weekend, sending volcanic debris cascading down the mountain and shooting ashes 10 miles into the sky.

There no injuries reported on the island with a population of about 5,000, although authorities there said residents should remain indoors as ash fell from the sky.

Flights of Venezuelan carrier Aeropostal between Venezuela and Miami were grounded, as well those to and from Aruba, Curacao, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

"As soon as it's safe to fly, we'll renew the flights," Aeropostal Vice President Juan Carlos Blanco told The Associated Press.

A spokesman for the Simon Bolivar International Airport that serves Caracas said American Airlines had also suspended its flights between Miami and Caracas. American Airlines officials there were not immediately available for comment.

On Aruba, all flights were canceled Sunday, including those to Miami, New York, San Juan, Puerto Rico and Toronto.

The dome had been building since August and formed the highest part of the 3,000-foot Soufriere Hills volcano.

The Soufriere Hills volcano sprang to life in 1995. More than half the British Caribbean territory's 12,000 inhabitants moved away. An eruption in 1997 buried much of the south, including the capital, Plymouth, and killed 19 people.

[Soldier4Christ]

Montserrat’s volcano threatens the region with tsunamis


BRADES, Montserrat: Around 7:20am, Saturday, 20 May 2006, residents of Montserrat witnessed the first dome collapse pyroclastic flow as it reached the sea.  All eyes turned to the sky.

Scientists at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) say they recorded signals of increased activity around 6am, Saturday morning.  Expecting that this dome collapse episode could go on for hours, the biggest concern was the possibility of explosive periods triggering pyroclastic flows into Tyres Ghaut, which is the upper reaches leading into the Belham River Valley.

Residents of Salem, Olveston, and Old Towne reported stones falling in those communities.  Head of the MVO, Dr. Sue Loughlin, confirmed that there was heavy ashing with accompanying small stones on the northwestern side of the island, especially in these villages.

The Chief Medical Officer also advised residents that people prone to asthma living in Old Towne, Olveston and Salem were likely to be affected by the then high level of gas.  Further informing them, they would benefit from moving out of those areas for a few hours.

Health authorities asked residents to be aware of this.  They advised that all asthmatics should consider moving north where the air was accommodating, and children, under 5yrs, were to be moved, if possible, to points further north.  Assistance moving to the north of the island was also made available to those residents who needed it.

The MVO’s scientist also said that another concern was the threat of tsunamis from the continuing pyroclastic flows of this eruptive event entering the sea.  The Commissioner of Police has confirmed that a coastal warning especially for the eastern side of the island was given.

The official coastal warning states, “Following a collapse of the dome at the Soufriére Hills Volcano in Montserrat in the early hours of Saturday, 20 May 2006, it has been reported that a tsunami has affected some coastal areas of Guadeloupe.  There are unconfirmed reports that English Harbour and Jolly Harbour in Antigua have been affected.”  It further advised Antigua, St. Kitts, and Nevis to closely monitor the activities taking place in Montserrat.

The MVO’s Director reported that Guadeloupe had a tsunami 3 feet high and an unconfirmed report that Antigua also experienced a possible tsunami ranging between 8 to 12 inches.

At the end of this explosive activity, the Emergency Department Situation Report stated that the impact of this volcanic activity included major ash falls.  This resulted in Vue Point Hotel having to move guest to Tropical Mansion Suites, in the north, due to the intensity of the ash and the high gas levels.  Salem was covered with ash.  Doctor Woods main road was blocked.  The public was kept informed as the situation unfolded.

When it was all over, vegetation was burning beneath the volcano.  There was evidence of scarring from ballistic rocks.  There was evidence of surges reaching all the way to the Spanish Point area.  On 19 May 2006, the dome’s height was measured as being 3,270ft (1006m).  This is 83m (270ft) higher than Chances Peak, Montserrat former highest mountain.

Now a memory, the dome has completely disintegrated and left a jagged scar where it once stood tall.  What about the people in Montserrat?  Those displaced were provided with accommodations, and the recovery process began.  The bottom line is that Montserrat’s population is safe and continues on with life as usual.

[Soldier4Christ]

Frightening Skin Disease Affects Thousands

LOS ANGELES It's a mystery disease straight out of the "X-Files." But those who suffer from it will tell you it's painfully real.

Imagine sweating beads of a black, tar-like substance; pulling colored threadlike strings from sores all over your body; or feeling like your skin is crawling with bugs. Worst of all, not only are doctors unsure of what it is, many tell patients they're making it all up.

Sufferer Annette Riaubia said, "They start out like little pimples or something and you scratch them, and they bust open and they spring forth these weird fibers like a strand of a piece of cotton. "

"I saw white fiber on my face," said one woman who only wanted to be identified as Marcella. "I saw black specks coming out of what looked like pimples, really. "

It sounds like these people are talking about something out of a science fiction movie, but they're not. They're describing the painful symptoms associated with a mysterious skin disease called Morgellons.

Most sufferers have lesions on their skin that ooze multi-colored fibers.

"Blue, red, yellow, pink, white coming out of the skin, not landing on it," Riaubia said.

Black pepper-like particles are also often found on the skin. And then there's the bugs.

"The most disturbing symptom is just the crawling feeling on your skin like you got bugs crawling all over you," said Riaubia.

Marcella said, “My son felt it first: ‘Mommy I have bugs on my skin.’ I thought he must be having a vivid dream. Then I started having the symptoms.”

Marcella says that in addition to the bugs, there's severe pain. "Yes, tremendous amount of joint pain particularly the large joints. Like the hips and the knees."

These are just a few of the more than 3,500 Americans believed to be suffering from the illness.

Morgellons sufferer William Zielenbach said, "My symptoms started out as small lesions that looked like birth marks, exactly like birthmarks."

Zielenbach believes he's had the disease for the past two years. Right now he has lesion covering his arms and legs. He lives with his girlfriend, Katherine Walker, in a Hollywood apartment building. She recently came down with it and dropped about 40 pounds in a matter of months. They're now shells of their former selves.

"I was getting little lesions on my ears -- again, my case isn't as bad except for the chronic fatigue, which is how a lot of people say it starts for them," Walker said.

Another troubling symptom: hair loss.

Riaubia, who has to wear a wig, said that is her biggest symptom. She often get lesions on her scalp. "They don't actually heal. They just end up leaving strange looking scars."

On top of having to live with this devastating disease these people have had to deal with a lack of support from the medical community. Some have been diagnosed with scabies -- a contagious skin disease caused by a mite. Or they're told they’re delusional and that their ailments are from self-mutilation.

Marcella said, " went to the dermatologist first and he basically said that I was delusional."

"I’ve had everything from nerves to drug addiction to delusional parasitosis is the biggest common diagnosis,” Riaubia said.

The disease does seem to cause a brain fog or lack of clarity. However, Morgellons sufferer Jane Waldoch wanted to prove to doctors that it wasn't all in her mind so she saved the fibers that were growing out of her body.

"This has absolutely brought me to my knees," she said.

Some doctors even admit to a lack of acknowledgement of the illness.

"There are a lot of us who feel like if it doesn't exist in my medical book then it doesn’t' exist anywhere," said Dr. Hardesh Garg.

"Believe me if I just randomly saw one of these patients in my office, I would think they were crazy, too," Nurse Practitioner Ginger Savely said. She treats Morgellons patients from all over the country at her San Francisco Medical Center. “But after you've heard the story of over 100 patients and they’re all down to the most minute detail saying the exact same thing, which becomes quite impressive.”

As you can imagine, living with such an illness can cause emotional distress. Lisa Wilson’s son, Trevor, developed the disease just over a year ago. At times she'd try to help him alleviate the pain.

"It looked like a piece of spaghetti. It was about 1/8 to 1/4-inch long sticking out of his chest when has was having a very bad attack and I tried to pull it as hard as I could out and I could not pull it out."

Trevor tried several medications: antibiotics, antiparasitics and pain killers. But when things became too much to bear, he took his own life.

"I knew he was going to kill himself and there was nothing I could do to stop him," Wilson said.

Other Morgellons patients have felt this same type of deep depression. The children have their own struggles.

"I used to have the whole softball team come and sleep over and no one wants to come over anymore," one teen said.

Researchers at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences have been testing scabs and fibers from patients.

Researcher Dr. Randy Wymore said, "We don’t know what causes it. We don't know if it’s an environmental factor, if there are bacteria involved, if there are parasites, or worms or viruses."

In the meantime sufferers are praying someone can unlock this medical mystery and release them from this living hell.

"It's just one big Twilight Zone episode that hopefully we'll get an end to here soon,” one sufferer said.

Nurse practitioner Savely says she's found some success by giving her patients a combination of anti-fungals, antibiotics and antiparasitics.

[Soldier4Christ]

2006 hurricane forecast: 8-10 storms
U.S. government experts say 4-6 could be ‘major’

The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season will be very active with up to 10 hurricanes, although not as busy as record-breaking 2005, when Hurricane Katrina and several other monster storms slammed into the United States, the U.S. government's top climate agency said on Monday.

“NOAA is predicting 13 to 16 named storms, with eight to 10 becoming hurricanes, of which four to six could become 'major' hurricanes of Category 3 strength or higher,” said Conrad Lautenbacher, administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The most damage is caused by storms that reach Category 3, with winds of 111-130 mph, or higher on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane activity.

“Historically, very active seasons have averaged 2-4 landfalling hurricanes in the continental United States and 2-3 hurricanes in the region around the Caribbean Sea,” the agency said in its report. “However, it is currently not possible to confidently predict at these extended ranges the number or intensity of landfalling hurricanes, and whether or not a given locality will be impacted by a hurricane this season.”

[Soldier4Christ]

Banana drama

Only lottery tickets and petrol outsell Britain's favourite fruit - and now a deadly fungus is threatening its existence. Science editor Robin McKie reports on a natural disaster that could change our eating habits, wipe out eco-systems and end a worldwide industry


It is living proof of God's benevolence, say Christians. Convenient for handling and biting, it has a tab for wrapper-removal, a pleasing taste and an obvious sell-by-date mechanism - its skin turns black. Celestial confection-making at its best.

And to judge by supermarket figures, this love of the banana is shared by millions. Sales of the fruit have recently reached all-time highs. More than 95 per cent of UK households buy bananas every week. Only lottery tickets and petrol sales outstrip them. Bananas are us, it seems.

The trouble is that this popularity is under threat. According to reports by biologists, the banana could be heading down the road to extinction. Or, to be more precise, the Cavendish - the variety sold in shops throughout Britain - may be en route to oblivion.

'We are very concerned,' said Ann Vezina, of the International Network for the Improvement of Banana and Plantain. 'There is no doubt that the Cavendish is facing a real problem.' Virtually all bananas traded internationally are this single variety, but biologists have discovered that several deadly predators -such as the black Sigatoka fungus - are now stalking the Cavendish. The result could be widespread devastation in the world's main plantations of Latin America and Asia, and a corresponding massive rise in the price of the banana.

Pests such as the black Sigatoka are extremely dangerous. However, the real problem lies with the Cavendish, say biologists. It is sexless, seedless and sterile and can only be bred by growing plants from identical cuttings. In short, all Cavendish bananas are genetically identical clones. It's as if every lamp chop sold in a supermarket was derived from fields of Dolly the sheep.

Such similarity spells danger, for plantations of doppelganger bananas lack genetic diversity and are therefore at risk of succumbing to disease. Once a fungus evolves past the natural defences of one set of trees, it will spread like wildfire through the rest.

'At the moment, we have to expend a great deal of effort to fight black Sigatoka, which attacks the banana plant's leaves,' added Vezina. 'Plantations are sprayed intensively with pesticides to keep the disease at bay. More than a third of the price of a banana goes to pay for these pesticides.' However, retailers stress there is no danger posed from these pesticides.

The trouble is that fungi are constantly evolving and trying to bypass the plant's natural defences. Far from illustrating the hand of an 'intelligent designer', the story of the supermarket banana reveals perfectly the working of natural selection.

Indeed, it is exactly this process that did for the Cavendish's predecessor. In the 1950s, Britons ate a different banana from the one now munched at desks, dinner tables and park benches. In those days, the banana of choice was the Gros Michel, until was assailed by Panama disease and was wiped out. Now the Gros Michel is an ex-banana.

And that is what worries biologists and banana fans. The Cavendish could soon follow suit, they fear, and they point out that in some small plantations, managers have discovered that the Panama fungus - to which the Cavendish was supposed to be immune - has begun to attack and kill Cavendish plants.

'The fear is the disease will get into some big plantations, then we will be in trouble,' added Vezina. 'Once the fungus gets in the soil, it cannot be got rid of.'

The impending crisis is akin to the Irish potato famine, say biologists. In the 19th century, Ireland depended on a single variety of potato that was planted over large areas of land and was ravaged by disease in one single outbreak. The current banana crisis shows that the lessons of 'mono-cultures' have not been learnt. Only unsustainable volumes of chemicals are currently keeping black Sigatoka at bay, experts point out.

'One thing we can be sure of is that the Sigatoka won't lose this battle,' said Dr Emile Frison, of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.

In a bid to find a solution to the crisis, scientists are desperately seeking new varieties of wild banana plants that could be grown instead of the Cavendish or whose genes could be introduced to strengthen the Cavendish's ability in its battle against the Panama, Sigatoka, and other diseases.

But these attempts may be doomed to failure, as the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned this month. It has found that wild banana plants species are being wiped out at an alarming rate as natural forests are destroyed across the sub-continent.

'Due to eco-system destruction, it is probable that many valuable gene sources have now been lost,' said FAO Agricultural Officer NeBambi Lutaladio.

'That could cause serious problems because bananas, particularly commercial varieties, have a narrow genetic pool and are highly vulnerable to pests and diseases.'

In fact, it may now be too late to do anything, he added. Many of the genes which could have saved the Cavendish may already have been lost. For example, India's lost bananas include a variety which is thought able to confer genetic resistance to sigatoka. Today that species exists as a single plant, which is to be found in the Indian Botanic Gardens in Calcutta.

In short, time is running out for the Cavendish. We may not be able to go bananas for much longer.

[Shammu]

9 Killed, Thousands Trapped in Thai Floods
From Associated Press
May 23, 2006 6:41 AM EDT

BANGKOK, Thailand - Flash floods left thousands of people stranded on rooftops and trapped inside trains in northern Thailand on Tuesday.

At least nine people have died and another 47 were missing in the floods, the result of three straight days of heavy rain, the interior minister said, adding that the number of dead was expected to rise. He said 220 people have been injured.

"The flooding is severe and the death toll is expected to be high," Interior Minister Kongsak Wantana said.

Tens of thousands of people were without power in the provinces of Nan, Phrae, Lampang, Sukhothai and Uttaradit.

Kongsak said most of the missing were believed buried by a landslide that engulfed dozens of houses in the Lablae district of Uttaradit province. Rescue teams had not yet reached the scene.

More than 2,000 people in the same district were trapped on their roofs or in trees, said Nitipat Pimpiriyakul, chief of the provincial Disaster Prevention and Rescue Center.

More than 1,000 passengers were also trapped inside four trains stranded in Uttaradit stations with food running out, said Montakan Sriwipas, a spokeswoman for the state railways.

Railway service to northern Thailand has been suspended, Montakan said.

Uttaradit is about 280 miles north of Bangkok.

9 Killed, Thousands Trapped in Thai Floods

[Soldier4Christ]

Montserrat versus the volcano


So a volcano erupted on the Caribbean island of Montserrat this past weekend.

What, you didn't know?

Well, to be honest, neither did I. I had flown with a girlfriend of mine to Miami -- her, for a business trip; me, to do some serious shopping -- and on the way back to Trinidad on Saturday, just as our plane was about to roll away from the gangway on its way back to Trinidad, the pilot of our aircraft suddenly came over the intercom:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to take a bit of a scenic route to Trinidad today -- instead of our normal route, we're going to head towards Haiti, and then towards Aruba and Bonaire and follow the north coast of Venezuela into Trinidad. This is because of the eruption of the volcano in Montserrat this morning, which is spewing volcanic ash into the atmosphere, and it is against FAA regulations to fly through volcanic ash."

This was actually very bad news: about a decade ago, the Soufriere volcano of Montserrat erupted, rendering over half of the island uninhabitable, and reducing the island's population from about 20,000 to about 4,000 people -- while most survived, they also emigrated overseas. But sure enough, a few hours later, we found ourselves flying past the ash cloud far in the distance; according to the pilot, the cloud had then reached 60,000 feet.

On arriving home, I couldn't find any items by the international press until a day later, when the Washington Post had finally posted something. Interestingly, very few members of the Caribbean BlogHersphere covered it as well -- except for my buddy Georgia (you can always count on her!).

Anyway, the upshot is that all the inhabitants on the island are safe. And that's very good news.

[Shammu]

Indonesian Volcano Spews Lava, Ash

Tue May 23, 7:11 PM ET

MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia - Mount Merapi spit out lava and a spectacular series of hot clouds Tuesday, as Indonesian government observers warned that the volcano remained a danger to villagers living on its slopes.

Lava flows on the slopes of Mount Merapi as seen from
Purwobinangun, near Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, May 23, 2006.
The rumbling volcano remained a danger to villagers living on its
slopes despite an easing of volcanic activity at the mountain,
government observers said. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

One of the eruptions sent debris falling two miles down the mountain, said Safari Dwiyono, a vulcanologist at a monitoring post in the densely populated province of Central Java.

Residents in the danger zone had all been evacuated, he said, and there were no immediate reports of injuries.

Thousands of people from villages farther down the 9,800-foot volcano, however, have returned home in recent days to tend crops, milk cows and feed livestock — many complaining of boredom in government-run shelters.

But Mardiyanto, the Central Java provincial governor, said it was important they stay well away from the crater and authorities said they had no immediate plans to lift an evacuation order put in place last week.

Mount Merapi, which means "Fire Mountain," has erupted scores of times in the last 200 years, often with deadly results. It is one of the world's most active volcanoes.

In 1994, 60 people were killed by a searing gas cloud while in 1930, more than a dozen villages were incinerated, leaving 1,300 dead.

The volcano is 250 miles southeast of the capital, Jakarta.

Indonesian Volcano Spews Lava, Ash

[nChrist]

Dreamweaver,

Brother, I realize this volcano is dangerous. BUT, I looked at the picture and couldn't help but think about the incredible beauty of God's creation.

I was just reflecting on this and made a comparison involving Almighty God. There is one side of GOD that involves incredible Grace and Love, but there is another side of GOD that involves HIS Righteous Wrath. I give thanks that there is no condemnation for those who are in JESUS, so I will not experience GOD'S Wrath.

Thanks be unto GOD for HIS unspeakable GIFT!, JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Matthew 6:19-21 NASB  "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;  for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

[airIam2worship]

Amen BEPs, I couldn't help but reflect on the mighty power of God, Who can split a mountain in half!!!

                               WHO IS LIKE OUR GOD?

[Shammu]

Who can split a mountain in half!!!

                               WHO IS LIKE OUR GOD?

Sister you kow who will split, Mt. Olives in half when He places his feet on either side of Mt. Olives.

[Soldier4Christ]

Deadly Weather Hits Ind., Ky. and Tenn.

Storms with harsh rain, hail and winds rushed across a region from Tennessee to Michigan, and rising waters swept away six people. A 15-year-old was found dead in Tennessee Friday and five others remained missing.

Rescuers in Indiana were looking for a 4-year-old boy, his father and grandfather, whose pickup was carried off Thursday night. A hunt also continued in Kentucky for another 4-year-old washed away in a vehicle after two adults managed to get out.

In Tennessee, Clarksville Police Officer Andy Bechtold said rescuers early Friday found the body of one of two 15-year-olds who went missing while swimming in a creek. Two rescue workers were injured, one critically, when their small boat tipped over in the rushing water.

In central Kentucky, a 68-year-old woman was found dead early Friday on the sidewalk in front of her Lexington home. It appeared she was placing her yard waste container by the curb for pickup when she was struck by lightning, the Fayette County coroner's office said.

Almost 200,000 homes and businesses lost power in southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky Thursday night, and a tractor-trailer was blown off an Ohio highway as winds reached 60 mph or more.

On Friday, the storms were moving east through New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland, and hazardous weather advisories warned of severe thunderstorms bringing damaging gusts and hail.

In southern Indiana, state police were using a helicopter to search for the 35- and 55-year-old men and the 4-year-old boy whose pickup was carried away the previous evening after entering a normally dry creek bed near Leopold in the Hoosier National Forest.

The men were returning home after moving a bulldozer to higher ground to protect it from flood waters. A 7-year-old boy who had been with them managed to swim away and was uninjured.

Large hail was reported around the state. In the southern section, more than 8,000 homes and businesses lost power and a tornado touchdown was suspected in Pike County.

About 20 miles south of the Indiana rescue effort, more workers with another helicopter hunted for a 4-year-old child who was inside a vehicle that was swept away by the swollen Sinking Creek near Irvington, Ky. Two adults got out of the vehicle safely, officials said.

"It's a very difficult search. The water right now is still rising," county emergency management director Rick Priest said early Friday.

About 187,000 Duke Energy customers in southwest Ohio and northern Kentucky without electricity at one point, and service to some Cincinnati-area homes was not expected to be restored until Saturday, spokesman Steve Brash said Friday.

In northwestern Ohio's Sandusky County, the tractor-trailer was blown off the road near Woodville, roofs were blown off a car wash and a storage building, and falling trees damaged three homes in Clyde. Wind also leveled a barn near Sidney, in the state's western section. No injuries were reported.

[Shammu]

Strong earthquake kills 211 in Indonesia

By IRWAN FIRDAUS, Associated Press Writer 33 minutes ago

YOGYAKARTA, Indonesia - A powerful earthquake rocked Indonesia's Central Java province early Saturday, killing at least 211 people, injuring scores, and flattening buildings.

The magnitude 6.2 quake struck at 5:54 a.m. 15 miles southwest of the city of Yogyakarta, causing damage and casualties there and in at least two other nearby population centers, officials said. Yogyakarta, on the island of Java, is around 18 miles from the sea and about 250 miles east of the capital, Jakarta.

In the chaos that followed the quake, rumors of an impending tsunami sent thousands of people on Java fleeing to higher ground in cars and motorbikes. But Japan's Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami.

The quake also triggered heightened activity in nearby Mount Merapi volcano, which has been spewing out clouds of hot ash, gas and lava for several weeks, a scientist said.

Five hours after the quake struck, at least 211 bodies were in seven hospitals in the region, and more injured and dead were still arriving, morgue officials told The Associated Press by telephone.

Witnesses at hospitals said hundreds of injured people were arriving for emergency treatment, many with broken bones and cuts.

TV footage showed damaged hotels and government buildings, and several collapsed buildings.

The quake cracked the runway in Yogyakarta's airport, closing it to aircraft until at least Sunday while inspections take place, Transport Minister Hatta Radjasa said.

Electricity and communications were also down in parts of Yogyakarta, police said.

"It felt really powerful, and the whole building shook," said Narman, a receptionist at a hotel in the city who goes by one name. "Everyone ran from their rooms."

The quake's epicenter was close to the Mount Merapi volcano, which has been rumbling for weeks and sending out large clouds of hot gas and ash. Activity increased as a result of the temblor, with one eruption coming soon after the volcano sent debris some 2 miles down its western flank, said Subandrio, a vulcanologist monitoring the peak.

"The quake has disturbed the mountain," he said.

There were no reports of injuries as a result of the eruption.

Activity at Mount Merapi, one of the world's most active volcanoes, has picked up in recent weeks and almost all villagers living near the danger zone have been evacuated.

Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago, is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

A magnitude 9.1 earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004, under the sea off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra Island triggered a tsunami that killed more than 131,000 people in nearby Aceh province, and more than 100,000 others in nearly a dozen other countries.

Strong earthquake kills 211 in Indonesia