Earth ChangesS


Attention

Gray whale dies after washing ashore in Malibu, California

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A gray whale that washed ashore in Malibu has died, wildlife officials said Sunday.

The whale was spotted Saturday off Point Dume by a man filming video over the shoreline with a drone. The whale was alive when it washed on shore and could be seen rocking back and forth as the waves crashed down.

On Sunday, Jennifer Brent, executive director of the Malibu-based California Wildlife Center, confirmed the whale had died. She said staff from the center will take samples from the whale's body to try to determine what happened. They are working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.


Attention

Bear filmed during attack in Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia

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Two people are in hospital after being attacked by a bear in the Slovak town of Liptovský Mikuláš, emergency services said.

A 49-year-old woman suffered an injury to her shoulder, while a 72-year-old man was treated for a gash on his head, officials confirmed.

Reports said police went on to drive the bear out of town and into a forest.

Videos posted on social media showed the bear bounding along a road, and in one, lunging at a man on the pavement.

The news comes a day after a 31-year-old Belarussian woman apparently fell to her death trying to escape a brown bear in the nearby Low Tatra mountains.


Doberman

Six-year-old boy killed by stray dogs in Rajasthan, India

dog attack
A six-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs on Monday when he was going to his school in Chittorgarh district of Rajasthan, police said.

The incident took place in Parsoli village under Begun tehsil, sub-inspector of Parsoli police station Prem Singh Khangarot said, adding the dogs attacked Aayush as he tried to run and injured him badly.

The boy was rushed to a nearby hospital by villagers where he succumbed to injuries, police said.

"The boy received multiple severe wounds in the attack," Khangarot said.

Kayak

Widespread flooding in Fiji - 16 inches of rain in 24 hours

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Evacuation centres are open in Fiji and roads are closed as flooding followed heavy rain, which was expected to continue on Sunday.

In an update issued just after 10am Sunday local time, the Fiji Times reported Ba town was underwater, with Vinod Patel park and main street Ba flooded, and the Elevuka creek had burst its banks.

Vehicles have been stopped by Fiji Police Force officers from entering the town area and all shops are closed.

Road access from Ba to Tavua is also closed due to flooding at Wailailai Flats.

In a a statement on Saturday night, Minister for Disaster Management Sakiasi Dikota said they had confirmed reports of flooding in the Western and Northern parts of Fiji, and floodwaters had entered Nadi town.

Some of the major rivers in the Western and Northern divisions were above alert or warning levels.


Snowflake

Saudi Arabia: Afif desert covered in hail or snow in rare event

The snowfall in Afif comes amid predictions from the latest weather maps and computer simulations, suggesting that Saudi Arabia will face a new weather system starting Sunday.
The snowfall in Afif comes amid predictions from the latest weather maps and computer simulations, suggesting that Saudi Arabia will face a new weather system starting Sunday.
The Afif desert, located west of Riyadh, was unexpectedly blanketed in snow following a bout of rain and hail on Friday afternoon.

The unusual weather event captivated residents and netizens alike, as videos of the snow-covered sands spread rapidly across social media platforms, prompting users to share their delight and amazement at the wintry scene in an area typically known for its arid climate.

The snowfall in Afif comes amid predictions from the latest weather maps and computer simulations, suggesting that Saudi Arabia will face a new weather system starting Sunday. This system is anticipated to bring widespread rainfall to the Kingdom, along with thunderstorms, hail, and dust-stirring winds.


Cloud Precipitation

Huge hailstones pound Coahuila, Mexico

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On the afternoon of last Friday, March 15, residents of the state of Coahuila witnessed an intense storm that left serious material damage. The reason was because with the rain, hail was also recorded, which was the size of tennis or even baseball balls.

It was through social networks where photos and videos of the events were shared. The material allows us to see how the intense hail strongly hits the vehicles that were parked, causing the windshields to be broken. Likewise, other properties were affected by this intense storm, leading the authorities to ask the population to be alert as the storm is expected to continue.

The events were recorded in the Carboniferous Region, which is made up of the municipalities of Sabinas, San Juan de Sabinas and Múzquiz, so the undersecretary of Civil Protection of the entity, Francisco Martínez, confirmed that only material damage was recorded and for now, no person injured.


Fire

Wildfire rages in southwest China as strong winds and poor visibility disrupt firefighting efforts

The forest fire in Yajiang county, Sichua
© XinhuaThe forest fire in Yajiang county, Sichuan province has spread quickly over several mountain ridges because of strong winds.
More than 1,000 firefighters and seven helicopters have been deployed to battle a forest fire raging in China's southwestern province of Sichuan.

The fire started around 5pm on Friday near Baizi village in Yajiang county in Sichuan's Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Garze, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.

Strong winds on Saturday afternoon fanned the blaze, which quickly spread over multiple mountain ridges, it added.

The ministry declared a level-4 emergency response, the lowest alert for fire control in forests and grasslands, and dispatched 1,260 firefighters from national and local fire rescue squads.

According to state broadcaster CCTV, a total of 3,396 villagers from a dozen villages were evacuated.

It said the firefighters resumed their operations on Sunday morning after they were forced to leave the scene on Saturday night due to strong winds and poor visibility.


Volcano

Iceland in state of emergency after volcano erupts, fourth time in 3 months

This image from video provided by Iceland Civil Defence shows lava erupting from a volcano
© Iceland Civil DefenceThis image from video provided by Iceland Civil Defence shows lava erupting from a volcano between Hagafell and Stori-Skogfell, Iceland, on March 16, 2024.
Icelandic police declared a state of emergency on Saturday as lava spewed from a new volcanic fissure on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the fourth eruption to hit the area since December.

A "volcanic eruption has started between Stori-Skogfell and Hagafell on the Reykjanes Peninsula," said a statement from the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO). Live video images showed glowing lava and billowing smoke.

Iceland's Department of Civil Protection and Emergency Management announced it had sent a helicopter to narrow down the exact location of the new fissure. The authority also said the police had declared a state of emergency due to the eruption.

According to the IMO, it occurred close to the same location as a previous eruption on February 8. Lava appeared to flow south towards the dykes built to protect the fishing village Grindavik, it said.


Arrow Down

Landslide in Rwanda causes devastation in bordering Congo

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The city of Buhozi in the Kabare territory of South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), near the Rwanda border, has once again fallen victim to landslides over the past two days. This new disaster has affected the Ruzizi River and the Nyamagana hill in the DRC.

Local civil society is calling for enhanced security measures to prevent infiltrations by foreign forces.

Houses have been flooded, and cracks are visible in some buildings.

Resident Testimony (Munguakonkwa Ndagano, Buhozi Resident):
"In Buhozi, our houses have been destroyed, and we are sleeping on the road. There is no one to help us. In Rwanda, there was also a landslide that blocked the Ruzizi River, and our fields were devastated by this landslide. People are crossing from Rwanda without control. We need the government's assistance."

Cloud Lightning

Divine message? Lightning strike at Burj Khalifa in Dubai, resembles Palestine map

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Amidst the awe-inspiring spectacle of a lightning strike illuminating the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, a striking resemblance to the map of Palestine has ignited fervent debate.

The footage, originally captured by Dubai-based photographer Zohaib Anjum, has garnered nearly 12 million views, sparking a fervent response on social media platforms.

Many viewers have drawn parallels between the path of the lightning strike and the map of Palestine, leading to interpretations by some as a potential divine sign urging intervention in the conflict.

While the emotional resonance is palpable, experts caution against attributing religious significance to the natural phenomenon, emphasizing the unpredictability of lightning's path.