The News

I thought we could have a thread to discuss news around the world. We don't have something like this already, do we?

Anyway, I found an article that says there was ANOTHER oil explosion on the Gulf of Mexico. But they don't think it's spilling. Haven't we learned our lesson?


"NEW ORLEANS – Unlike the blast that led to the massive BP spill, the latest oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico killed no one and sent no crude gushing into the water.

The Mariner Energy-owned platform that erupted in flames Thursday was just 200 miles west of the spill site, but everything from the structures to the operations to the safety devices were different.

Yet when word of the latest mishap spread, residents along the coast could think only of the three-month spill that began after the drilling rig Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20, killing 11 workers.

"It's unbelievable," said Sophie Esch, 28, a Tulane graduate student from Berlin. "They should finally stop drilling in the Gulf. They should shut down all the drilling out there and not give permission to do any more. They've shown that it's just unsafe."

The Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen a mile long and 100 feet wide had begun to spread, but hours later said crews were unable to find any spill.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Steve Lehmann in New Orleans said Friday morning that an 87-foot Coast Guard cutter patrolling the area has not reported any signs of leaks. A helicopter was to survey the site later in the day.

Houston-based Mariner did not know what caused the fire. The 13 workers who were pulled from the water told rescuers that there was a blast on board, but Mariner's Patrick Cassidy said he considered what happened a fire, not an explosion.

Platforms are vastly different from oil rigs like BP's Deepwater Horizon. They are usually brought in after wells are already drilled and sealed and the oil is flowing at a predictable pressure. A majority of platforms in the Gulf do not require crews on board.

"A production platform is much more stable," said Andy Radford, an American Petroleum Institute expert on offshore oil drilling.

Many platforms, especially those in shallower water, stand on legs that are drilled into the sea floor. Like a giant octopus, each spreads numerous pipelines and can tap into many wells at once.

The Deepwater Horizon was drilling a well a mile beneath the sea, which made trying to plug it after it blew out an incredible challenge, with BP trying techniques never tested. The platform that caught fire, meanwhile, was operating in 340 feet of water in a shallow area of the Gulf known as a major source of gas.

Responding to any oil spill in such a shallow spot would be much easier than in deep water, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles to access equipment on the sea floor.

Platforms do not have blowout preventers like deep water rigs that are supposed to shut down wells if there is problem. But they are usually equipped with a series of redundant valves that can shut off oil and gas at different points along the pipeline.

Mariner Energy officials said there were seven active production wells on its platform, and they were shut down shortly before the fire broke out.

The platform was still intact and a small portion appeared burned, Cassidy said. Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the company told him the fire began in about 100 barrels worth of light oil condensate.

Photos showed at least five ships floating near the platform. Three were shooting great plumes of water onto the machinery, an image similar to when the Deepwater Horizon exploded. Crews decided to let that blaze burn itself out, and the rig sank into the Gulf two days after the blast.

On the Mariner Energy platform, the fire was out less than 12 hours.

A Homeland Security update obtained by The Associated Press said the platform was producing 58,800 gallons of oil and 900,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The platform can store 4,200 gallons of oil.

The workers aboard the platform were found huddled together, holding hands and wearing life jackets.

A captain of the Crystal Clear, a 110-foot boat that rescued them, said his craft was 25 miles away when it received a distress call.

When Capt. Dan Shaw arrived at the scene, the workers had been in the water for two hours and were thirsty and tired.

"We gave them soda and water, anything they wanted to drink," Shaw said. "They were just glad to be on board with us."

Shaw said workers told him the blast was so sudden that they did not have time to get into lifeboats. They did not mention what might have caused it.

"They just said there was an explosion, there was a fire," Shaw said. "It happened very quick."

Crew members were flown to a hospital and released by early Thursday evening.

Environmental groups and some lawmakers said the newest problem showed the dangers of offshore drilling, and urged the Obama administration to extend a temporary ban on deepwater drilling to shallow water.

"How many accidents are needed and how much environmental and economic damage must we suffer before we act to contain and control the source of the danger: offshore drilling?" said Rep. Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat.

There are about 3,400 platforms operating in the Gulf, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Together they pump about a third of the America's domestic oil, forming the backbone of the country's petroleum industry."

Fire in Canterbury/Christchurch

Live updates throughout the day on tvnz.co.nz and on TV ONE.

4:30pm A fire has broken out in a CBD building but was brought under control quickly. It's believed to have been caused by a surge as power supply returned, in combination with a gas leak. Residents and businesses are being warned to take care.

4pm Police would like to reiterate to the public that the CBD is shut and cordoned off and is likely to remain that way for most of the weekend. Police say all bars and businesses will be shut so there is no reason to come into town. They say there is extensive damage and some buildings are still unstable.

3.30pm People making claims for commercial buildings and businesses should go straight to their private insurers. Commercial businesses are covered not just for damage but also for business interruption if they have taken out business interruption cover.

3.25pm Chris Ryan clarified that Earthquake Commission covers damage to homes, including subsidence, of $100,000 and contents to $20,000. After that people's personal insurance will cover the rest.

3.20pm Chris Ryan CEO of Insurance Council says people should get claims in asap no matter how small they are. If they have to leave their houses, they should try and secure their houses as best as possible. People should take photographs and get evidence of the damage they have experienced and send that in too.

3.15pm People being warned to conserve water and not to flush toilets. Water is coming back on in some areas. Sewer mains have been shattered and the waste water system is still not functioning in all areas.

2:42pm The number to call for insurance claims is 0800 DAMAGE or through ECC website .People have 3 months to claim. Damage could hit $1 billion dollars according to Ian Simpson of the Earthquake Commission. First $100,000 of damage to residential property is covered. 100,000 claims expected. Message to people looking at making claims is make them as soon as possible in the next week.

2.41pm Christchurch Hospital numbers ave been steady. The Hospital is functioning well and is fully staffed. Most people have had mainly minor injuries. The number of cardiology admissions to the hospital is higher than normal.

2.40pm Lincoln Maternity Hospital and Burwood Birthing Unit will be closed until further notice. Women who were intending to birth at the Units prior to the earthquake should go to Christchurch Women's Hospital.

2.36pm Canterbury University will be closed for a week so it can be assessed for safety. Campus will reopen on Monday September 13.

2.29 Welfare centres are being set up around Christchurch. Mayor Bob Parker says preparations are being made at Linwood High School, Aranui High School, and Addington Raceway. There is also one at Burnside High.

2:20pm Contractors clearing streets in Christchurch. The only people being allowed into the CBD are contract workers. Any moment there is an aftershock any building could come crumbling down, so very dangerous area. State of emergency means the authorities have power to arrest people who come into the area.

2.15pm Biggest earthquake since 1931. Strong aftershocks still being felt. Last one, at 12.18pm, was 4.0 on Richter scale and 10km east of Darfield, 30km west of Christchurch.

1:55pm Could be up to two days before all power is restored to the region. However 80% of houses should have power by nightfall Saturday.

1:40pm Some supermarkets are open - these are: Countdown Rangiora, Fresh Choice Parkland and Super Value Leeston. This is in addition to Countdown on Church Corner and Ferrymead, Fresh Choice Barrington, and Super Value on Stanmore Road, in Oxford, Woolston and Sumner.

1:30pm Airport is open, but people should expect long backlogs. People should contact their airlines because their flight may be put off until tomorrow.

1.15pm: Latest roundup from Civil Defence:
- A state of emergency remains in place in Christchurch and Selwyn District. Selwyn, Waimakariri and Timaru have activated their emergency operation centres
- There are power outages in the northwest of the city although the CBD is operating normally.
- Water and sewage have been affected in several regions. Residents should conserve water. All Selwyn residents are being asked to conserve water, but especially in Rolleston where the supply is contaminated.
- Christchurch hospital is functioning normally.
- All State highways are currently open to traffic.
- Lyttleton Tunnel has been checked and reopened.
- Ashley River Bridge has had an initial check by a structural engineer and is open.
- The only current closure is on SH74 on the ring route around Christchurch. It is closed at Bromley due to major road damage.
- The rail network across the South Island remains closed, except for Dunedin
- Christchurch Airport remains closed.

1.02pm : An historic pub in the South Canterbury town of Temuka has been badly damaged and the proprietor is unsure when it will reopen. Damage to the town of Temuka, 18km north of Timaru, was not widespread but both the Royal Hotel and the St Joseph's Catholic Church were damaged. South Canterbury as a whole appeared to escape severe damage.

1.01pm: More on the storm heading for the area: WeatherWatch.co.nz said strong winds would increase during the day, with severe gales gusting to 130kmh possible later. MetService is also watching the storm, issuing a severe gale warning for the city predicting winds averaging 65kmh (gale force) with gusts to 130kmh. "Winds of that speed can be damaging and with many buildings extensively damaged it could cause a major headache for emergency services," a spokesman said.

12.40pm: The Earthquake Commission says claims are expected to run into hundreds of millions of dollars.

12.29pm : Civil Defence Minister John Carter says people will be evacuated from Christchurch CBD this afternoon though the exact scale of that is not yet known.

12.25pm: The earthquake's scale and the amount of damage has made the story lead news across the world including on the BBC, CNN and Australian media websites. Australia has a particular interest due to the number of Australians who visit the city on their way to South Island skifields.

11.52am: PM John Key said he was very concerned when he heard the news. He received a text from his sister who lives in the city. He said "we are very happy and blessed" that no one died.

He said: "We are here to support them. We are not going to let Christchurch suffer this great tragedy on their own."

Key said it would be some time before the scale of the damage is known and it was likely central government money would be needed to help rebuild infratructure in the region.

11.49am: Prime Minister John Key is arriving at Whenuapai airport in Auckland to fly to Christchurch. A team of 20 search and rescue personnel have just taken off in an RNZAF Hercules from the base and are on their way to Christchurch.

Are you in Canterbury? Do you have images or video of the earthquake? Send them into news@tvnz.co.nz

11.33am: A round up of the latest information from authorities in Canterbury:
Road closures include Manchester Street, Hereford St, Cashel Street and Gloucester Street. Police are telling people not to come in to the CBD.
Power will back back on for 90% of Christchurch city by 6pm. Christchurch and Banks Peninsula, as well as rural Canterbury between the Waimakariri River in the north and the Rakaia River in the south is without power.
Christchurch Airport is still closed but an announcement is due around 1pm.
Christchurch Hospital is on generator power and is being over-run.
The Rail network remains largely closed across the South Island. There has been damage to a 5km stretch of track near Kaiapoi. Less extensive track damage has also been reported near Belfast and at Rolleston.
The Lyttleton Tunnel has been inspected and is safe.

11.26am: Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker compared the scale of the damage to an iceberg: though the city is not levelled, the amount of damage under the surface could be very severe. He said residents must conserve water, not flush toilets, and not come out and "rubber-neck".

11.16am : New aftershocks are being felt in central Christchurch. Details of the original quake have been amended slightly to 7.0 on the richter scale (Later upgraded again to 7.1), with the centre at a depth of 10km and 41km west of Christchurch.

10.58am : Central Christchurch has now been cordoned off to prevent people going into the CBD to view the damage or attempt to get to shops or businesses. Mayor Bob Parker told ONE News it is not clear when water supplies could be turned back on.

10.31am : Civil Defence Minister John Carter has confirmed there are two serious injuries: One man has been seriously injured by a falling chimney, another person was badly cut by falling glass. He said: "We are extremely lucky as a country that we have no fatalities. We are blessed actually."

10.29am : A state of emergency declared in the Waimakiriri area could last for seven days, says chief executive Jim Palmer. The worst hit area is Kaiapoi - much of the area is without water and sewerage.

10.28am: Striking radiographers have abandoned their industrial action to respond immediately to the earthquake. Staff in the city were scheduled to take part in a partial strike today but the union says they're turning up to work. A spokeswoman says they will also not proceed with the strike in Canterbury scheduled for Tuesday.

10.26am: Petrol seems to be running low in Christchurch. Eyewitness Graeme Price says Shell Linwood is out of petrol and BP Dellington is closed. BP Linwood is open but it's not certain how long it will stay that way, he says.

10.25am: MetService has issued a severe weather warning for much of the South Island, including Canterbury. The worst of the storm will hit the area tomorrow. It will bring heavy rain and severe gales. Temperatures tonight could fall as low as minus 2 in some parts of the region.

10.12am : Orion Power expects 90% of power to be restored by nightfall tonight. Supplies to the airport and Brighton have been restored.

10.10am: A resident of Kaiapoi, just north of Christchurch, told ONE News: "It went on so long, I have never felt an earthquake like that before. You just thought, how could the building survive? I was just screaming for my flatmate."

10.06am: A State of Emergency has now been declared, giving authorities extra powers to handle the crisis following the earthquake.

The Prime Minister is expected to arrive in the area at about 2pm.

Christchurch Airport is likely to open this afternoon after an assessment showed there is no serious damage to the runway or terminal.

9.57am: Ron Crone at Kairaki Beach tells ONE News there are holes in the road in the area. Power is out and his toilet overflowed. He described the quake as "violent". He and his partner and dog sheltered in a doorway and said his house was now "buggered, it's gone".

He said: "It is like the movies. There is a bit of carnage, power poles are down everywhere."

9.55am: Telecom says mobile networks in the South Island are holding up well but is asking people to make only emergency calls. Wireless landline phones will not work where power is out and customers are advised to use old-style wired phones where available.

9.54am: There are now reports that the earthquake was felt as far south as Invercargill and Gore.

9.48am: Water is returning to parts of Christhchurch, but many areas are still without supplies.

9.42am: Christcurch Airport about to re-open, says ONE News reporter Hannah Ockleford.

9.28am: A state of emergency could be declared within the next two hours following the massive earthquake near Christchurch this morning, the government said.

9.15am: The size of the quake is downgraded to 7.1 on the richter scale, from 7.4.

9.08am: Police advise people to stay out of Christchurch city and look at shutting the CBD down.

8.38am: A man has suffered serious injuries after being hit by a falling chimney when a massive earthquake struck Christchurch early this morning. He is intensive care.

8.03am: Christchurch's Mayor has asked residents to check on the health of their neighbours but to otherwise stay indoors following this morning's massive earthquake.

Bob Parker said there were concerns about the city infrastructure, including water and sewage. Residents were asked to conserve water and not go out far. "The one thing I would ask people to do is just to check on your neighbours, particularly in areas where there are elderly people and others who would have been perhaps startled," he told Newstalk ZB.

7.55am: Large aftershock, at magnitude 5.2, brings the total to about dozen aftershocks.

That's awful! A DOZEN Aftershocks?

^ I just heard about that. Holy crap O_O

Poetic wrote:That's awful! A DOZEN Aftershocks?

it was more than a dozen (there were more after that). last i heard there were over 20. christchurch is the second largest city in nz and it's in absolute chaos

^ I heard about that on the news earlier At least nobody died. I hope those injured heal and can get their lives back in order soon, along with the rest of those affected. My heart goes out to them all.

Bus crash leaves 13 people dead on Germany highway

A Polish tourist bus crashed into ahighway bridge on Germany's highway No. 10 (A10) near Berlin on Sundayafter it was kicked by a car which pulled into the road, killing 13people and injuring 38 others.

It was the worst traffic accident so far this year in Germany, police said.

Policesaid the coach, operated by Polish Pol-Bus company with 49 people onboard, including two drivers, was on its way back to Poland after acompany trip to Spain.

As it came close to a junction nearBrandenburg state's Schonefelder, not far from capital Berlin, a redcar which was merging into the main stern suddenly lost its control andcollided with the bus. The bus then strongly hit a supporting pillar ofa highway bridge, with its head severely cracked.

At least 12bodies were found at the scene, but the death toll climbed to 13 in theevening. Some 38 people were injured, 14 of them seriously, includingthe 37-year-old woman driver of the red car.

A police spokesmancorrected initial media reports that most passengers were teenagers,saying that those on board were employees and their families of aforestry office in the Polish city Zlocieniec.

The government ofBrandenburg has gathered about 250 emergency workers, 50 policeofficers, tens of ambulances and six helicopters for the accident.

"Therehasn't been an accident like this with so many people involved inBrandenburg for a long time," Peter Salender, a police spokesman, toldreporters.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk rushed to Berlinupon hearing the tragedy, and visited the wounded in the hospital. Hetalked with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on coping with theaftermath of the accident in the evening.

The German chancellorhad communicated with Tusk by phone shortly after the accident, sayingthat German hospitals and officials would try their best to help theinjured.

German President Christian Wulff and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle also expressed their shock and condolences.

Polish authorities said they planned to send two buses to Germany to take the survivors home.

Theexact cause of the traffic accident was not immediately clear while aninvestigation was underway. Berlin was raining on Sunday morning andafternoon. Bad road conditions, driver fatigue and excessive speed areseen as possible causes.

Please some positive news. I usually ignore reading these bad news because they don't give me any positive feelings and I don't want to ruin my day with these We hear enough bad news anyway eaven if we don't want to so spred more positive things that can make us more happy than miserable

This world is only going to get worse.

yes world is so horrible ;(

I don't see world beeing so horrible. I think it is beautiful actually and we have to enjoy little things in our everyday life. Like good weather, friends and relationships and also when you succseed in something. The more you appreciate these things you can enjoy living more and get over little negative things in your life.

I don't watch or read the news that often, they make me sad (if it is sad news)

I see this today. So I will pass it on.

Healing Hands: They cannot only help cure others, they can also help cure you

@Secretperson: ^That's called reflexology if you didn't already know.

Siim wrote:I don't see world beeing so horrible. I think it is beautiful actually and we have to enjoy little things in our everyday life. Like good weather, friends and relationships and also when you succseed in something. The more you appreciate these things you can enjoy living more and get over little negative things in your life.

Tell that to the millions dying everyday from disease, starvation, murder, disaster and all that crap.

Tell that to the people who have nothing.

While we sit in our cradle of luxury. Drowning ourselves in our entertainment. Our pornography. Our material goods.

"Enjoying life".

What a beautiful life we live. Absolutely.

Chikyuu wrote:@Secretperson: ^That's called reflexology if you didn't already know.

ok I did not know of the name of this. I just share because I saw in the news