Earth ChangesS


Cow

Signs and Portents: Two-headed calf declared a 'godly' incarnation in India

Aamir Bashir
Daily Mirror
Mon, 09 May 2016 13:51 UTC
The two-headed cow is seen as a godly incarnation
© CatersThe two-headed cow is seen as a godly incarnation
Vets have been left shocked after a cow gave birth to a two-headed calf which has been described as a 'godly incarnation'.

The calf is conjoined at the head, but shares the same lower body and was born at a farm near the Indian city of Udaipur.

Both the farmer and the vets called out to review the animal admitted they were baffled by its appearance.

"This is a unique case of one in a million," said local veterinarian Dr Sumit Kumar.

"The newborn has two heads. But the lower body is the same. In such a case, it is highly unlikely that the calf will survive for too long."

However, despite predictions the calves are appearing to be fit and healthy.

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Tornado1

Fierce tornadoes and golf ball sized hail strike Colorado


RT
Sun, 08 May 2016 08:04 UTC
Colorado tornado
© @stormchasrbryce / Instagram
Fierce tornadoes have struck eastern Colorado, causing injuries and damaging motorhomes, as well as other buildings in the area. Four twisters hit in Yuma Country, some 150 kilometers from Denver, according to the National Weather Service.

Five people suffered minor injuries in one of the tornadoes, NWS Science and Operations officer Jeremy Martin told AP.

The twister travelled for about 15 kilometers on the ground, storm chasers said.

There was no immediate info on injury or damage from the other three confirmed tornadoes in the area.


Comment: Study: Extreme tornado outbreaks are increasing

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Bizarro Earth

Earthquake swarms a sign Mount St. Helens is recharging

Karen Graham
Digital Journal
Sun, 08 May 2016 21:28 UTC
Mount St Helen Live Cam
© www.mountsthelens.comThis live image of Mount St. Helens is from the USFS HD Volcano Cam at Johnston Ridge Observatory on May 8, 2016.
Seattle - Washington state's Mount St. Helens is letting the USGS know it is waking up again. For the past eight weeks, there have been a swarm of over 130 low-magnitude earthquakes.

"At this point, there is absolutely no sign that it will erupt anytime soon, but the data we collect tells us that the volcano is still very much alive," the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The low-magnitude quakes have increased in frequency to about 40 a week, as recorded by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN). The PNSN has a network of 300 seismology stations in Washington and Oregon, working to monitor earthquake and volcanic activity across the Pacific Northwest.

There have been no signs indicating any change in gas emissions, and no signs of magma formation beneath the surface, says the USGS, and more importantly, no signs of an imminent eruption, reports CNN. The agency reminds us that a recharge can continue for many years beneath a volcano without an eruption.
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Snowflake

Winter-like storm brings snow to Palm Springs, California

Joe Galli
KESQ News
Fri, 06 May 2016 11:06 UTC
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
© KESQ/Chris TarpeningPalm Springs Aerial Tramway
A spring storm brings winter-like conditions to the Coachella Valley. Rain drops fell on the valley floor and our local mountains got a dusting of snow.

When it's wet outside more people pop into Luigi's Barber Shop in Palm Springs to get a quick cut and dry.

"It's actually good. For some reason people don't go to work and they just feel like getting a haircut. So we get busy when weather gets like this," said Roman Ocelo Owner Luigi's Barber Shop.

Locals and tourist in the Coachella Valley enjoyed this unseasonable blast of winter weather. We talked to one man who escaped major rain in the Los Angeles area which had flooded streets.

"It was pouring in certain areas and it was pouring in Pasadena when we were on our way over," said Shawn Maestretti.

The tops of our local mountains also saw a dusting of snow. Some families at the Palm Springs Ariel tramway were caught off guard with the snowfall.

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Roses

35 missing after landslide in Southeast China


Xinhuanet
Sun, 08 May 2016 11:57 UTC
Sanming China landslide
© Xinhua/Qiu CanwangPhoto taken by a mobile phone shows the landslide site in Taining County of Sanming City, southeast China's Fujian Province, May 8, 2016. Thirty-five people got lost after a landslide hit a construction site in Taining Sunday morning.
Thirty-five people were missing after a landslide hit southeast China's Fujian province Sunday morning, sources with authorities in Sanming City said.

A rescue is underway.

The landslide occurred at about 5 a.m. in Taining county, where about 100,000 cubic meters of mud and rocks flowed downhill, burying the construction site of a hydropower station and its office building.

The local tourism administration ordered all scenic spots to suspend business starting at 8 a.m.. The mountainous county boasts rich scenic lakes and canyons.

The landslide was triggered by heavy downpours that lashed down 191.6 millimeters of rainwater in 24 hours from Saturday.

Source: Xinhua
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Fire

Wildfires in Alberta expected to double in size and burn for months

Carli Velocci
Gizmodo
Sun, 08 May 2016 18:29 UTC
wildfire
© Getty Images
The wildfires that began in the Fort McMurray area in Alberta last week are expected to double in size, with officials saying that it could take months to get the situation under control.

According to an update provided late Saturday, a total of 43 wildfires are burning, seven of them out of control, while 12 new wildfires ignited on Friday.

Due to increasing temperatures, excessive winds and low humidity, officials fear that the fire could move to bordering Saskatchewan. Over the weekend, the weather worsened for firefighters, with temperatures reaching up to 82 degrees and winds gusting up to 25 mph.

"In no way is this fire under control," Alberta Premier Rachel Notley said on Saturday, "Officials tell us the fire may double in size in the forested areas today. As well, it may actually reach the Saskatchewan border."
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Attention

Another dead whale washes up on Lincolnshire beach in the UK

Paul Whitelam
Lincolnshire Echo
Sun, 08 May 2016 14:26 UTC
A Minke whale which washed up on Cleethorpes beach and the removal of the sperm whales in Skegness earlier this year
A Minke whale which washed up on Cleethorpes beach and the removal of the sperm whales in Skegness earlier this year
The body of a five metre long whale has washed up on a beach in Mablethorpe.

The grim discovery comes just four months after five sperm whales beached and died on the east coast, including three in Lincolnshire near Skegness.

Scientists are still trying to work out what caused the members of the sperm whale pod to beach. Among the theories put forward so far, are that the animals were chasing squid in shallow water when they got into difficulty, they were confused by noise pollution or were ill.

The mass beaching of the whales was huge story that travelled around the world and brought Skegness global attention. the events were linked to other whale beachings in Europe.

The creature this time is believed to be a Minke whale and it was discovered on the sand just off the Sea View car park.

A spokesman for East Lindsey District Council said the latest whale to be discovered could have been dead for some time.

Comment: See also: 3 more sperm whales wash up along the North Sea coast at Skegness beach, UK

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Attention

Bizarre video shows unexplained desert blowhole shooting sand hundreds of feet in the air in Saudi Arabia

Kara O'Neill
Daily Mirror
Fri, 06 May 2016 14:16 UTC
The hole fired sand hundreds of feet into the air
The hole fired sand hundreds of feet into the air
This is the bizarre moment a huge blow hole opened in the middle of the desert - firing sand hundreds of feet into the air.

Workers tried to fill the hole using a digger to push sand into the gap, but to no avail.

But each time they pushed sand into the hole, it immediately threw it back into the air, along with other pieces of debris.

In the video, the men appear to be astounded as they watch the sand flying hundreds of feet towards the sky.

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Cloud Lightning

Lightning strikes kill six in Bangladesh


The Daily Star (Bangladesh)
Sun, 08 May 2016 13:04 UTC
Lightning
Six people were killed by lighting in Faridpur, Sirajganj and Shariatpur yesterday.

In Faridpur, two persons were killed in the afternoon when they were struck by thunderbolts, reports BSS.

Health department sources said, Amena Begum, 40, was hit by a thunderbolt at BS Dangi village while she was returning home after casting her vote in the Union Parishad electing. She was succumbed to her injuries at Charbhadrasan upazilla hospital.

In another incident, Hafiz Mondol, 35, was killed as he was hit by lighting when he was working in the field in Nagarkanada upazila's Shasha village. He was declared dead at Nagarkanda hospital. Meanwhile, four people were killed in separate incidents of lighting as nor'wester swept across Sirajganj and Shariatpur yesterday afternoon, reports UNB.

Of them, three were killed in Shahjadpur and Enayetpur upazilas of Sirajganj.
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Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills four elephants in Sri Lanka


Channel News Asia
Sun, 08 May 2016 12:55 UTC
lightning
Four elephants, including two calves, were killed by lightning in northern Sri Lanka in one of the worst wildlife tragedies to hit the country in years, officials said Sunday (May 8).

A female elephant, aged about 25 years, and two of her calves, aged 10 months and two years, and an eight-year-old female were found dead Sunday just outside the Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary, an official said.

"Villagers from neighbouring areas alerted the authorities and we carried out autopsies," wildlife veterinary surgeon Chandana Jayasinghe said. "The deaths were caused by lightning."

Local villagers in Mahavilachchiya, 250 kilometres (156 miles) north of Colombo, had reported heavy rains accompanied by thunder and lightning in the shrub jungle area on Friday when the elephants were thought to have been struck.

It was the worst natural disaster involving elephants since February 2011 when four baby elephants drowned in a major flood in the north-east of the country.
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