Earth Changes

Water windfall: Scientists discover deep sources of groundwater in California's Central Valley, but oil activities pose threats

Phys.org
Mon, 27 Jun 2016 00:00 UTC

California's drought-stricken Central Valley harbors three times more groundwater than previously estimated, Stanford scientists have found. Accessing this water in an economically feasible way and safeguarding it from possible contamination from oil and gas activities, however, will be challenging.

"It's not often that you find a 'water windfall,' but we just did," said study co-author Robert Jackson, the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Provostial Professor at Stanford. "There's far more fresh water and usable water than we expected."

The research, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of June 27, highlights the need to better characterize and protect deep groundwater aquifers not only in California but in other parched regions as well.

"Our findings are relevant to a lot of other places where there are water shortages, including Texas, China and Australia," said study co-author Mary Kang, a postdoctoral associate at Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences.

3-day-old baby girl killed by family dog in Fresno, California

The Fresno Bee
Mon, 27 Jun 2016 11:51 UTC

A 3-day-old infant is dead after reportedly being attacked by dogs.

A 3-day-old baby girl was killed by family dogs in Fresno early Monday, police say.

The girl's mother thought the dogs were chained up in the back yard when the attack occurred, police said.

The baby was attacked at a home on the 3700 block of North Glenn Avenue about 12:30 a.m. Monday and died a short time later at Community Regional Medical Center, Sgt. Dan Macias said.

The 33-year old mother, who was not identified, said she left the child on the couch and "walked away for a few seconds," Macias said.

"She left the door open because it was hot and she thought the dogs were tied up," he said.

Lightning strikes kill 4 and injure 3 in Chachro, Pakistan

Dunya News
Wed, 29 Jun 2016 11:05 UTC

At least four people were killed and three other were wounded as lightning struck different area in Chachro on Tuesday, Dunya News reported.

According to details, lightning killed a 30-year-old woman in village Chopar near Chachro while a 16-year-old girl was killed by lightning in Bhoro Bheel village.

Lighting also killed two persons, and injured three other in village Bhagiseel. Hospital sources in Chachro have confirmed four deaths.

Lightning strike kills man in Lumberton, Mississippi

Therese Apel
The Clarion-Ledger
Tue, 28 Jun 2016 10:51 UTC

A Lamar County man is dead after being struck by lightning Monday night, becoming Mississippi's second lightning fatality of the year and the ninth in the nation.

Forrest County Deputy Coroner Lisa Klem said Charles Whorton III of Lumberton died of the consequences of a lightning strike. He was pronounced dead at Forrest General Hospital in Hattiesburg at 6:06 p.m.

Klem said Whorton was struck on Pine Burr Road in Lumberton.

Lamar County Emergency Management Director James Smith said Whorton and another man were outside and the other man was walking around the back of a pickup when he heard a loud pop near the front of the truck and saw Whorton fall to the ground. The other man called 911 and administered CPR until responders arrived on scene, Smith said.

At least 35 tremors recorded in Kyrgyzstan for 3 days; including a 7 point earthquake

Suyunbek Shamshiev
eng.24.kg
Wed, 29 Jun 2016 10:19 UTC

At least 35 aftershocks with the force from 3 to 7 points have been registered at the junction of the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and China from June 26 till June 29, 2016. Press service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan reported.

According to it, on June 29 at about 3.38 a.m. the Institute of Seismology of the National Academy of Sciences recorded a 7- point earthquake. The focus located in the Alai Range on the border with Tajikistan.

As reported, the strength of tremors reached 7 points in Bor-Dobo village, in the villages of Sary-Tash, Archa-Bulak, Kara Kindik - 6 points, the villages of Nura, Irkeshtam - 5-6 points. According to preliminary data, no victims and destruction was recorded.

The ministry noted that the residents of Osh region felt 4-5 point tremors.

Woman dies after being attacked by two dogs in New Haven, Connecticut

Kels Dayton
wtnh.com
Mon, 27 Jun 2016 18:42 UTC

Two dogs were taken into quarantine after they attacked a woman

A 53-year-old New Haven woman has died after being attacked by two dogs outside of a home on Ella T. Grasso Boulevard last week, according to a city official.

Jocelyn Winfrey succumbed to her injuries after being treated at Yale-New Haven Hospital.

The incident happened while Winfrey was visiting Hamilton Hicks, the owner of the dogs. Both were attacked as soon as they walked onto the property, according to witnesses.

Police said a neighbor heard the commotion and tried to help by grabbing a broom. The neighbor told police that kids were also throwing rocks at the dogs to try to get them to stop biting the woman.

Brazil shivers as cold engulfs South America

Adapt 2030
You Tube
Tue, 28 Jun 2016 18:07 UTC

In the first and second week of June 2016, S.E Brazil with 38 cites below 0C, and hundreds of cold temperature records broken. Frost, snow and freezing lakes damage some crops that are ready to harvest.

Dead humpback whale found off Point Carolus, Alaska

Jerzy Shedlock
Alaska Dispatch News
Tue, 28 Jun 2016 17:51 UTC

Festus, a humpback whale monitored in Southeast Alaska for 44 years, is hauled Sunday, June 26, 2016, by two National Park Service vessels after being discovered dead in the waters off Point Carolus.

© National Park Service
Festus, a humpback whale monitored in Southeast Alaska for 44 years, is hauled Sunday, June 26, 2016, by two National Park Service vessels after being discovered dead in the waters off Point Carolus.

An initial identification suggests that a humpback whale documented for 44 years in Southeast Alaska has died, according to the National Park Service.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Superintendent Philip Hooge announced the whale's death Monday. The humpback, nicknamed Festus, was found floating in the waters off Point Carolus a day earlier, he said.

A charter vessel operator called the National Marine Fisheries Service about the floating whale around 10:20 a.m. Monday. Glacier Bay staff located and towed Festus to shore. Veterinarians are set to conduct a necropsy on Tuesday, according to the Park Service.

"More information on the cause of death and the condition of the whale are expected to be available later this week, after the veterinary examination," Hooge said.

Enormous sinkhole damages car in Colorado Springs, Colorado

KKTV 11 News
Tue, 28 Jun 2016 15:03 UTC

Crews worked Sunday to repair a water main break near Garden of the Gods Road after gushing water caused a sinkhole that damaged a car.

Colorado Springs police say the broken pipe was noticed after 8 a.m. on the 4200 block of Northpark Drive, near Garden of the Gods and Interstate 25.

"One vehicle drove into the sink hole," police said in a news release. "There was minor damage to the vehicle and no injuries were reported."

Colorado Springs Utilities was called to fix the pipe.

"The roadway will be closed to vehicle traffic for several hours while they work on the water main break," police said.

Dead humpback whale washes ashore in Rye, New Hampshire

Austin McGuigan
Seacoastonline.com
Mon, 27 Jun 2016 14:45 UTC

A 45-foot female humpback whale, identified as Snow Plow, washed onto some rocks near the Rye Harbor State Park early Monday morning.

© Rich Beauchesne/Seacoastonline
A 45-foot female humpback whale, identified as Snow Plow, washed onto some rocks near the Rye Harbor State Park early Monday morning.

Crowds gathered Monday morning to witness a 45-foot humpback whale that washed onto rocks outside of Rye Harbor State Park and Foss Beach. Marine investigators quickly identified the whale as an 18-year-old female named Snow Plow.

The whale, which lay on its back, was guessed to have been dead for days before the tides pushed it to shore.

Fisherman had reported seeing the corpse floating 20 miles out at sea Sunday.

"A once in a lifetime experience!" said Rye resident Denise Levin after witnessing her first beached whale. Levin has been living in the area for almost 50 years and had never seen a whale so close.

Marine scientists responded to the scene and were working to determine the cause of death and scientists said a necropsy would be necessary to determine the cause definitively.