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Mon, 11 Dec 2023
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"Out of control" wildfires are ravaging Brazil's wildlife-rich Pantanal wetlands


CBS News
Wed, 15 Nov 2023 13:03 UTC
Firefighters tackle forest fires in the Pantanal wetland near Porto Jofre, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, Nov. 13, 2023.
© Rogerio Florentino
Firefighters tackle forest fires in the Pantanal wetland near Porto Jofre, Mato Grosso State, Brazil, Nov. 13, 2023.
The Pantanal wetlands in western Brazil are famed as a paradise of biodiversity, but these days they have enormous clouds of smoke billowing over them, as raging wildfires reduce vast expanses to scorched earth.

Known for its lush landscapes and vibrant wildlife, including jaguars, caimans, macaws and monkeys, the Pantanal is home to the world's biggest tropical wetlands and, in normal times, a thriving ecotourism industry.

But in recent weeks it has been ravaged by fires that are threatening its iconic wildlife, as Brazil suffers through a southern hemisphere spring of droughts and record heat.

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Attention

Washington volcano Mount St. Helens is 'recharging', 50 small earthquakes recorded in 1 week

Emma Richter
Daily Mail
Thu, 09 Nov 2023 18:14 UTC
st helens

More than 400 earthquakes have been detected beneath the surface of the volcano in recent months. There have been more than 2,000 earthquakes recorded at the site since 2010
Mount St. Helens is starting to rumble again in Washington with a spike in seismic activity recorded at the volcano more than four decades after its deadly eruption.

More than 400 earthquakes have been detected beneath the surface of the volcano in recent months. There have been more than 2,000 earthquakes recorded at the site since 2010.

Specialized equipment has detected that magma has been flowing through chambers deep underground, causing the volcano to recharge.

There are fears the earthquakes could lead to another massive explosion reminiscent of 1980s eruption that left 57 people dead and permanently altered the area's ecosystem.

Comment: This is particularly notable because it comes amidst a spike in volcanic and seismic activity elsewhere: Also check out SOTT radio's:


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Tornado2

Rare waterspout appears in Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

Fil Leskovsky
en.rti.org.tw
Fri, 17 Nov 2023 12:51 UTC
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Waterspouts are common in tropical and subtropical waters, however, this is the first time spectators at Sun Moon Lake have witnessed this phenomenon.

Video script:

A rare scene of a water tornado appeared in Nantou's Sun Moon Lake on Thursday evening. The slim-looking tornado, known as a waterspout, extended from the lake all the way to the sky. Even though it was not very powerful, its shape was very clear.

The waterspout was spotted by a boatman who was looking towards the mountains. He was quick enough to document the phenomenon on his phone. He says that he has been working here for 10 years and has never seen anything similar.

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Doberman

79-year-old woman killed in dog attack in Houston, Texas


ClickonHouston
Fri, 17 Nov 2023 11:58 UTC
dog attack
The body of a 79-year-old woman was reportedly discovered in a bayou in northwest Houston, and investigators said she appeared to have several bite marks on her body.

The woman's body was found on Downwood Forest Drive near Bold Forest early Thursday morning. Family members spoke to KPRC 2′s Re'Chelle Turner and identified their loved one as Sau Nguyen.

"My mother is a beautiful lady, beautiful woman. She was lovely and everyone in the neighborhood loved her," Uan Nguyen said.

The woman's two sons Uan and Donh said they don't know what happened to their loved one, but she routinely goes walking in the same area every day.

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Seismograph

6.7 magnitude earthquake shakes southern Philippines: US Geological Survey


NDTV
Fri, 17 Nov 2023 10:11 UTC
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A strong magnitude 6.7 earthquake shook the southern Philippines on Friday, the US Geological Survey said, with local authorities warning of potential damage.

No tsunami threat was issued after the quake struck off Sarangani province on the main southern island of Mindanao at a depth of 78 kilometres (48 miles) at 0814 GMT, the USGS said in a statement.

There were no immediate reports of casualties but the quake was felt across a wide area of the mountainous island.

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Cloud Precipitation

Flood-like situation due to heavy rain in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Mamta Roy
talktoiconic.com
Thu, 16 Nov 2023 15:39 UTC
BBBBBBBB
In the United Arab Emirates, several days of heavy rain have resulted in flooding in some areas and safety advisories for drivers. Because of the recent rains, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is experiencing significant street flooding.

Authorities issued a warning that erratic weather is expected to strike the nation through Thursday. Social media posts featured videos of cars traversing waterlogged roadways.

Brigadier Ahmed al-Naqbi, the director of the Ras Al-Khaimah Police's Traffic and Patrols Department, pleaded with all drivers on Saturday to drive defensively and to follow all traffic laws and safety regulations.

Videos that the X users uploaded showed rivers quickly developing on formerly dry areas and highways completely submerged in water.

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Attention

Dead fin whale washes up on beach in Cornwall, UK


Cornwall Live
Wed, 15 Nov 2023 11:46 UTC
Police cordon off area after large whale found dead by surfers at Fistral Beach

Police cordon off area after large whale found dead by surfers at Fistral Beach
A massive 16m (50ft) whale has washed up on a popular Cornish beach. The fin whale was spotted at first light this morning on South Fistral Beach, in Newquay.

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Boat

Kenya - 46 dead and 58,000 displaced as floods worsen

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Tue, 14 Nov 2023 11:33 UTC
Floods in Elwak, Mandera County, Kenya, November 2023
© Abdul Haro
Floods in Elwak, Mandera County, Kenya, November 2023
The worsening flood situation in Kenya has forced as many as 58,000 people from their homes, according to the latest reports from humanitarian organisations.

In a recent interview with local television, the Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society, Dr Ahmed Idris, said that at least 19 of the country's 47 counties have now been affected by flooding which began in late October 2023. As many as 46 people have now lost their lives as a result of the heavy rains and flooding, Dr Ahmed Idris said.

Currently the worst affected areas are in the north of the country, in particular in Samburu, Wajir, Isiolo, Marsabit and Mandera counties. However the recent overflow of the Tana River has affected areas in the east of the country including Tana River and Garissa counties. Dr Ahmed Idris said forecasts for the coming weeks show an possible increased flooding risk for western areas of the country.


Comment: Related: East Africa - Heavy rains and floods take their toll in Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, Burundi and Malawi

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Cloud Lightning

Woman struck dead by lightning in Cartagena, Colombia

Kirsty Card
Daily Star (UK)
Thu, 16 Nov 2023 11:11 UTC
CCTV security video footage of the moment shows bikini-clad Froilanis suddenly hit by lightning

CCTV security video footage of the moment shows Froilanis suddenly hit by lightning
A mum-of-two was tragically killed by a lightning bolt while enjoying a family holiday in Cartagena, Colombia.

Froilanis Maireth Rivas Roman, 34, was caught in a thunderstorm on the beach and was struck by lightning as she walked in the Caribbean surf. CCTV footage shows the horrifying moment when Froilanis was hit by a massive electric flash and instantly fell to the ground.

Another beach-goer nearby also felt the shock but seemed to escape the full force of the strike. Shocking phone footage taken by stunned beachgoers shows hairdresser Froilanis lying flat on her back as the sea surrounds her.


Comment: Also recently an individual and 27 cattle were killed by lightning in two separate incidents in Tanzania on November 15.

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Cassiopaea

Extremely rare 'bright night' airglow phenomenon appears over Colorado


Space Weather
Wed, 15 Nov 2023 14:21 UTC
airglow
© Strong green airglow Taken by Aaron Watson on October 9, 2023 @ Paonia, Colorado, USA
Went out stargazing and it was bright out - I could see things clearly in the "darkness". The previous night's SQM read 21.3 mpsas under clear skies, tonight it was reading below 21.0 under equally as clear skies. SQM Readings of less than 21.0 mpsas on a clear night in my location is quite anomalous. The 20 second Nikon D750 exposure revealed the strong green airglow in all directions. It had a flat color density - there were no ripples. There were also no thunderstorms or lighting anywhere near the region. Interestingly, the views through the 12" dob telescope were still quite clear and enjoyable despite the bright sky quality, though the contrast was adversely affected.
WHAT ARE MYSTERIOUS 'BRIGHT NIGHTS'?

A phenomenon rarely seen in centuries might have just appeared in the night sky over Colorado--a "Bright Night." Philosophers and scientists have reported Bright Nights for literally thousands of years. It's when an otherwise dark and moonless night fills with a soft glow, allowing observers to see distant mountains or read a newspaper. Pliny the Elder, an Army commander in ancient Rome, described the phenomenon as a "nocturnal sun" (~ 113 BCE).


Comment: Pliny may, or may not, have been describing airglow: The Cosmic Context of Greek Philosophy, Part One


In the modern world, Bright Nights are seldom seen. Most of our planet's human population lives in cities, and even rural landscapes are somewhat lit by distant urban bulbs. The "nocturnal sun" has been overwhelmed.

Or has it? Enter Aaron Watson, an experienced night-sky photographer who regularly visits the darkest of dark-sky sites in remote parts of Colorado. On multiple occasions this year he has photographed red auroras and green airglow invisible from any ordinary countryside. Last month, he was at one of his favorite inky-dark sites when he may have experienced a modern Bright Night.

Comment: Whilst solar activity may be contributing to the appearance of airglow, if that was solely the cause, then it would have been documented during the previous solar maximum. Instead, it seems that this can be added to the growing list of previously rare, unusual, and even new phenomena that signals an unprecedented shift is occurring on our planet - and throughout our solar system: Also check out SOTT radio's:


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