Earth ChangesS

Snowflake

Bus halted by police in Switzerland with 1.6 tons of snow on roof

Police in the Swiss canton of Solothurn stopped the bus after it was seen travelling with a layer of snow more than 40cm thick on the roof.
© KAPOSOLOTHURNPolice in the Swiss canton of Solothurn stopped the bus after it was seen travelling with a layer of snow more than 40cm thick on the roof
Swiss police say they've stopped a Swedish bus that was traveling along a highway with more than 1.6 tons of snow on its roof.

Police in Solothurn canton (state) said Sunday that the bus was reported to officers on Saturday afternoon. They stopped it on the A1 highway near Oensingen and found that it was carrying more than 40 centimeters (16 inches) of snow on its roof.

The driver was ordered to clear off the snow.

Sheeple

Signs and Portents: Lamb born with 5 legs in Cornsay, UK

This little texel lamb was born two weeks ago at Lodge House farm in Cornsay, County Durham
This little texel lamb was born two weeks ago at Lodge House farm in Cornsay, County Durham
Just when you think you have seen it all.

This little female texel lamb was born two weeks ago at Lodge House farm in Cornsay, County Durham.

Her owner Angie Jewitt named her Hope because she beat the odds to be alive.

She now plans to keep the newborn as a pet.

Five-legged lambs are a one in a million occurrence in the UK.

And it's unclear what the odds of a five-and-a-half-legged lamb are.

Seismograph

Shallow 6.1 magnitude earthquake strikes off Taiwan

MAP TAIWAN
A shallow 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit off the eastern coast of Taiwan late on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The quake's epicentre was around 15 kilometres north of the port city of Hualien at a depth of around 8 kilometres, the USGS added.

There were no immediate reports of any destruction caused by the tremors. The USGS said there is "low likelihood of casualties and damage".

"Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are resistant to earthquake shaking, though vulnerable structures exist," the organisation said.

It cautioned, however, that earthquakes in the past have triggered landslides.

Ice Cube

Fans warned to prepare for what could be the coldest Super Bowl ever

Fans warned to prepare for what could be the coldest Super Bowl ever
© AP Photo | Mark HumphreySuper Bowl 2018 weather
Snow is cleared outside U.S. Bank Stadium Saturday, Feb. 3, 2018, in Minneapolis. The New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles are scheduled to play the NFL Super Bowl 52 football game in the stadium Sunday.
Sunday's Super Bowl is expected to be the coldest on record with temperatures in the low single digits around the 5:30 p.m. CT kickoff. Factor in the winds of around 10 mph, and it will feel like it's well below zero.

Granted, the game is indoors, but officials here are warning those who will attend Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium to be prepared - especially as the tightened security measures could lead to longer waits to get inside.

"This is very important for us to make sure that people who are coming here and visiting for the Super Bowl to please dress appropriately," NFL security chief Cathy Lanier said this week. "Even if you are only out for a few minutes, it can get quite cold here. You need to dress in layers, hats, gloves, scarves covering your extremities (and) comfortable shoes or boots."

Comment: The US, like many places on the planet right now, are predicting an unusual cold spell up ahead:


Seismograph

M5.4 shallow earthquake strikes Taiwan, long and powerful tremors reported (VIDEO)

Thailand Earthquake M5.4 Feb 4 2018
A 5.3-magnitude earthquake has struck Taiwan just over 100 kilometers south of the city of Taipei, according to revised US Geological Service data.

The epicenter of the quake was 7.5km underground. Independent service EMSC earlier put the magnitude at 6.5. Witnesses cited by EMSC have described long and powerful tremors, which visibly shook their apartments. There were no immediate reports of damage caused by the quake.

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Snowflake Cold

Moscow sees 17 inches of snow in a day - heaviest ever recorded and half its average monthly total (VIDEOS)

Record Blizzard Hits Central Russia: Moscow Under Snow Siege (VIDEO)
© Sputnik/ Evgeny Biyatov
At least one person died and several were injured after Moscow experienced its heaviest day of snowfall since records began, the city's mayor and agencies said Sunday.

Russia's meteorological service said Moscow had seen more than half its average monthly snowfall in the space of 24 hours, with 43 centimetres (17 inches) blanketing the capital by Sunday morning, agencies reported.

"One person died from a falling tree that hit an electric power line," Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said on his VKontakte social media page, adding that 360 trees had already been brought down by the extreme weather.


Ice Cube

Avalanche hits central Italy ski resort - two dead

avalanche Italy campo felice ski resort
© Associated Press/ La Repubblica
The ski resort "Campo Felice" in the Italian region Abruzzo was hit by an avalanche, emergency services reported Sunday.

According to reports, two people died as they were skiing off-piste at Campo Felice. Rescuers managed to save the third skier, who was slightly injured, and transfer him by helicopter to L'Aquila hospital.

Last January one of the deadliest avalanches struck the Abruzzo region, having engulfed the Italian luxury resort Hotel Rigopiano, leaving twenty-nine people dead and eleven injured. In total nine people, including four children, were pulled out alive.

The Italian Fire Brigade also rescued several puppies from the avalanche-hit hotel which became a symbol of hope amid tragic developments in the country.


Attention

17 rare river dolphins die in 4 months in Bangladesh

The river dolphin population in Bangladesh is dwindling
The river dolphin population in Bangladesh is dwindling
The official status of river dolphins is "critically endangered"

As many as 17 river dolphins have been found dead in Chittagong's Halda River since October last year.

Experts have mainly blamed pollution, river dredging and the plying of mechanized vessels for the deaths.

River dolphins, locally known as Shushuk, have been classified as "critically endangered" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

Fifteen dolphins were found dead between October last year and January 5. Bodies of two more were found floating in the Halda River on January 20 and February 1.

According to Halda River Research Laboratory, the river dolphin population will not exceed 1,200 across the globe and about 250 of them are believed to be found in the Halda River.

Attention

5 dead dolphins found on the coast of Almeria, Spain

SAD SIGHT: One of the dolphins to become stranded last month.
© EquinacOne of the dolphins to become stranded last month.
Five dolphins have been left stranded on the Almeria coast since the turn of the year.

According to animal rescue agency Equinac, in the first month of 2018, five dolphins, one of them common, have been found dead, washed up on various parts of Almeria's coastline.

The animals were reportedly found on the Playa de los Genoveses, Nijar, Almerimar, El Ejido, Roquetas, Retamar and in the Cabo de Gata. The numbers follow an alarming trend in the region, which saw more than 155 animals stranded on Almerian beaches between 2013 and 2015. And data released by Equinac earlier this year revealed that an estimated 80 sea animals, including dolphins, whales and sea turtles, died on Almerian shores last year.

Cloud Precipitation

Snowfall record doubled in Grande Prairie, Canada

Grande Prairie nearly doubles snowfall record Feb 2018
Grande Prairie got 23.2 centimetres of snow Friday, nearly doubling the previous record and topping off five days straight of heavy snowfall. The previous record snowfall for February 2nd was 12.2 centimetres set back in 1999.

RCMP issued a travel advisory Friday, due to snow and icy road conditions, especially along Highway 40. Since Monday, 51.2 centimetres of snow has fallen in the city.

Comment: Meanwhile in Russia, Moscow saw similarly record breaking snow: Russia's coldest winter at -67C, 'once in a century' blizzard buries Moscow expected to continue through Monday (PHOTO, VIDEO)

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