Five Italian seismologists and a government official are on trial for manslaughter for not predicting a major earthquake that hit a town in April of 2009. Seismologists have sort of a different job in Italy!

Two earthquakes hit southern Spain in quick succession today, resulting in several deaths and widespread damage. This comes on the day some predicted an earthquake would destroy Rome, which resulted in thousands fleeing the city. Looks like the prophesy was only off by a few countries. Let's hope those exiled Italians didn't head to Spain.

Is Rome going to be destroyed in a massive earthquake tomorrow, May 11? According to a rumored prophesy, yes! And so, "thousands of people are reported to be staying out of Rome for the next few days."

Don't worry, folks! The crisis at Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant should be "over by the end of the year," according to a timeline from plant operator Tepco. "Over," in this case, means that the reactors will be cooled. (Radiation leaks will be "reduced" in three months.) Once "cold shutdown" is achieved, the reactors will be entombed in concrete and contaminated soil will be cleaned up; right now, Tepco is taking readings at the damaged plant through the use of remote-controlled robots. [BBC]

Today we learned that Dan Quayle's son is going to save us from the earthquakes. Naturally when one thinks about an earthquake in the US, one thinks of California. But there's somewhere we're forgetting, guys. Come, let's get scared together.

Notorious Scottsdale porn scribe Rep. Ben Quayle is already making a name for himself during his freshman House term. Unfortunately, most of that is due to his terrible standup comedy. But the boy wonder now has an opportunity to redeem himself and restore the Quayle family name to its fading 1980s glory. He's been tasked with ensuring America's earthquake preparedness, from his chair in a House subcommittee.

A new tsunami warning has been issued after a 7.4 magnitude aftershock hit off the coast of Japan, 73 miles from the nuclear plant at Fukushima. The Japan meteorological agency warned of a wave up to six feet. The tsunami generated by last month's 9.0 earthquake was estimated to be over 120 feet. [Image via AP]

Poor Stefan and Erika Svanstrom! The newly-married Swedish couple and their infant daughter set out on a four-month honeymoon in December and managed to come into contact with six different natural disasters.

Japan's Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency released the first round of photographs from the interior of the stricken Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, where 180 workers, operating in rotating shifts, are struggling to contain and control the release of radiation.

This footage is taken from inside one of the cars in the parking garage. Watch the cars begin to shake and roll as the entire building sways during the earthquake.

It's now been ten days since Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami, and police are estimating that an incomprehensible 18,000 people were killed in the disaster. Meanwhile, the worst may be over at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, though higher levels of radioactivity have been detected in spinach and milk at nearby farms. Here's the latest news from Japan:

There aren't many options left for the nuclear crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant. There may be no more water to cool the no. 4 reactor, leaving the rods indefinitely exposed and certain to melt down. The Japanese emperor, who is "deeply concerned," has made a rare address to the public. Meanwhile, bankers are hogging all the planes out of the country. Here are the latest updates from the Japanese earthquake/tsunami/nuclear meltdown disaster.

The good news, which is not really "good" news much at all, is that Japan's Fukushima nuclear reactors didn't all fully melt down in the last 12 hours. That may sound cynical, but if you were following the fast developments in last night's news, a total nuclear catastrophe really did seem imminent. It's still unclear, though, how much radiation is leaking into the air, and another mid-size (6.1 magnitude) earthquake did strike southwest of Tokyo overnight. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasuries are soaring! Here's the latest news.

Another explosion hit the Fukushima Daichi nuclear power plant, injuring six as authorities scramble to cool the nuclear reactors and contain a partial meltdown three days after the facility was devastated in a massive earthquake and resultant tsunami. Elsewhere in the northeast, thousands of bodies were found washed up on shore. Here's a roundup of the latest news.

For all you looking for a tween-angle to the earthquake: The Twilight cast has been evacuated from their beachside set in Vancouver Island after a Tsunami advisory was issued for the West coast of Canada. According to People: "The actors are not believed to be in any danger, but for safety measures they apparently have been moved out of the region." The earthquake is not supposed to cause large waves on the Canadian coast.

The first tsunami waves generated from this morning's massive earthquake near Japan have now reached the Hawaiian islands. So far, everyone appears to be safe. The word from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser:

Earlier this morning an earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale rocked Japan. Here are all the must watch videos coming in from the small island nation. Are we missing any? Email us at tips@gawker.tv and we'll add them.

An earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale just hit off the coast of Japan on Friday, sending a massive, terrifying wave to the country's northeast and causing untold amounts of damage.

Yesterday in New Zealand, a 6.3 magnitude earthquake devastated Christchurch and according to the BBC, the prime minister has said at least 65 people have died.

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Christchurch, New Zealand—the second major quake suffered by the city in the last five months—causing "multiple fatalities" and trapping hundreds of people inside buildings. The video above, which is somewhat graphic, shows some of the aftermath.