Earth Changes

Locust attack threatens food security in Pakistan, South Asia

Muhammad Akbar Notezai; Atika Rehman
thethirdpole.net
Thu, 07 May 2020 07:36 UTC

© Liu Tian/Xinhua/Alamy Live News
Photo taken on March 1, 2020, shows desert locusts in Khushab, central Punjab province in Pakistan. Pakistan is suffering severe desert locust attack recently

In south western Balochistan, one of the remotest parts of Pakistan, desert locusts are busy eating crops. According to residents of Garang, a poor, sparsely populated village in Washuk district which lies a few hundred kilometres from Iran, hopper bands of the Schistocerca gregaria — commonly known as the desert locust — are growing by the day.

"Slowly and gradually, these locusts are eating away at everything in cultivated lands. Now, they are moving towards other fields in nearby villages," a farmer, Maulvi Satar Baloch, told thethirdpole.net.

In the neighbouring Kharan district, which has patches of green and cultivated lands, the situation is similar. Locusts are thriving on vegetation and eating everything green they can find, despite the spraying of pesticide.

This year's locust infestation is a continuation of 2019's outbreak in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia, which is said to be the worst in decades.

As farmers described an unprecedented presence of the insatiable pests, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned of a serious infestation that can lead to a major threat to food security.

Summer storm slams Thailand

MEGA DISASTERS
YouTube
Fri, 08 May 2020 20:19 UTC

High winds and rain arrive in Khon Kaen and Nongkhai, Thailand. May 7th 2020.

Dead 25ft whale washed up on beach in Cornwall, UK

Cornwall Live
Fri, 08 May 2020 20:09 UTC

© Greg Martin/Cornwall Live
The whale, which is starting to decompose, was reported to the Marine Strandings Network, who have chosen not to visit the site due to the coronavirus restrictions though they have been in contact with the landowners, the National Trust.

A 25ft whale, believed to be a minke, has been found dead on a Cornish beach.

The grim discovery was made on a remote beach on the Roseland Peninsula by local man Simon Tilley, who was taking his daily exercise.

He said "I thought, is that really a whale? It's been injured - hit possibly by a boat's propeller. I'm not sure how it's come here, but we've had some really rough weather recently."

The whale is thought to have washed up on the beach on either Monday night or early Tuesday morning during stormy high winds.

Heavy rainfall, hail and flooding hits Iran

Tetova News
YouTube
Thu, 07 May 2020 19:53 UTC

Iran storms: Rain, hail, flooding - May 2020

Australians report mysterious halo around the moon

Shive Prema
Daily Mail, UK
Thu, 07 May 2020 14:33 UTC

Australians observed a mysterious halo around the moon on Wednesday night.

People living in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory observed differently sized rings around the moon, which appeared to change depending on where people viewing them lived.

Canberrans reported seeing a ring around the moon while others in the NSW towns of Moss Vale, Callala Bay, Woonona, Camberwarra and Culburra also saw it.

Many people posted pictures of the night sky phenomenon to social media, questioning what exactly had caused the ring to appear.

Man killed by water buffalo in Monmouthshire, Wales

BBC
Thu, 07 May 2020 12:59 UTC

Water buffalo are usually used for tilling rice fields in Asian countries, while their milk is rich in fat and protein

A 57-year-old man who died after being attacked by a water buffalo has been named locally as Ralph Jump.

A 19-year-old man, believed to be Mr Jump's son Peter, was airlifted to hospital in Cardiff in a critical condition from the address at Gwehelog, near Usk, Monmouthshire, on Tuesday.

A woman, 22, understood to be Mr Jump's daughter Isabel, suffered leg injuries.

The water buffalo was destroyed after Gwent Police was called to the farm.

Mr Jump, who was widely known as Jon, worked as a manager with underfloor heating company Wunda Ltd in Caldicot.

The family has been living in the farm where they had established their soap company Bufalina, making the hand-made products using buffalo milk.

Torrential rain and floods leave at least 65 dead in Rwanda

Floodlist
Fri, 08 May 2020 12:34 UTC

Floods in Northern Province, Rwanda, after heavy rainfall 06 to 07 May 2020.

Emergency authorities in Rwanda report that at least 65 people have died in floods and landslides in Rwanda after torrential rain over the last few days.

Rainfall and Warnings

Meteo Rwanda said the Byimana weather station in Ruhango District recorded 140 mm of rainfall in 24 hours to 07 May. At least 7 other weather stations recorded more than 50mm of rainfall during the same period.

Last week the agency warned of heavy rain in Northern Province and Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rutsiro, Ngororero, Muhanga and Ruhango districts. Further heavy rain is expected over the next 3 days.

The month of May brings record (sometimes historic) cold to both hemispheres

Cap Allon
Electroverse
Wed, 06 May 2020 19:04 UTC

A meridional (wavy) jet stream flow -associated with low solar activity- is in full swing, dragging brutal polar air anomalously-far south/north.

Record (sometimes historic) COLD is currently buffeting vast regions of the globe, from North America to Australia, Europe to Southern Africa. You really do have to hand it to the global warming cabal — even in the face of such extreme odds -and logic- they're doggedly pursuing their absurd "world on fire" rhetoric:

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Iranians spill into the streets after 5.1 earthquake centering on sleeping volcano hits Tehran

RT
Thu, 07 May 2020 23:37 UTC

A 5.1 magnitude earthquake has jolted an area in northern Iran, home to a sleeping volcano, forcing panicked residents in and around Tehran to rush onto the streets despite the Covid-19 lockdown.

The quake sent ripples across Iran's north shortly after midnight local time on Friday, striking at a shallow depth of just 7 km, less than 10 km (6.2 mi) north of the city of Damavand. The city is located close to Mount Damavand, the second-highest volcano in Asia.

The dormant volcano sits some 70 km (43 mi) north-east of the Iranian capital Tehran, where locals reported moderate to severe shaking from the Friday morning tremor.

Photos and videos have emerged on social media showing residents flooding the streets in the aftermath of the quake.

Iranian emergency services said that at least two people died and 13 were injured in the ensuing chaos.