Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Lightning bolt kills 6 and injures another 6 in Eastern Cape, South Africa


sabc.co.za
Sun, 13 Dec 2015 17:35 UTC
lightning
Six people have been killed and six others were injured after they were struck by lightning at Nkanya village in Elliotdale outside Mthatha in the Eastern Cape.

This happened during a severe hail storm that hit the area late on Saturday.

Provincial Health Spokesperson, Siyanda Manana, says the deceased had just returned from the cemetery after a funeral service when the incident happened.

"People who had attended a funeral were struck by lightning. Two died on arrival at hospital. Four died at the casualty and then six were admitted in hospital. They are in a stable condition at the moment at Madwaleni hospital."
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Fire

Explosion destroys building facade in Belgium - cause unclear


RT
Sun, 13 Dec 2015 17:02 UTC
Verviers, Belgium
© Googlemaps
A powerful explosion has rocked a building in the Belgian town of Verviers, almost completely destroying its facade, local media report. It is not yet clear what caused the blast and if there have been any casualties.

Witnesses have posted numerous photos on Twitter, which showed three floors of the building had been damaged. Some users suggested there might have been a gas explosion.


Comment: There seem to have been a number of bizarre explosions around the world lately. Frequently blamed on gas or electrical transformers malfunctioning, could they be related to other bizarre electrical and seismic phenomena we've been experiencing around the world? Check out SOTT Earth Changes Summary - November 2015: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs for more bizarre phenomena.

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Attention

Fisherman attacked by shark in the Bahamas

Scott Sutton
wptv.com
Fri, 11 Dec 2015 16:29 UTC
Shark attacks
The U.S. Coast Guard responded to a report Friday that a fisherman was bitten by a shark in the Bahamas.

The Coast Guard sent a helicopter crew 67 nautical miles southwest of Andros Island.

The 26-year-old man was reportedly fishing aboard a 76-foot trawling boat when the incident occurred.

The Coast Guard center in Miami was notified through a satellite phone call made by another man aboard the vessel.

The victim was taken to Nassau for treatment.
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Fish

Widespread fish kill reported in Mobile Bay, Alabama

Ben Raines
al.com
Fri, 11 Dec 2015 15:53 UTC
Fish kill
Fish kill Mobile Bay
A widespread fish kill is underway across Mobile Bay. It appears to be affecting primarily filter-feeding fish such as menhaden, sardines, alewives and shad.

Dead fish are present in the shallows and on beaches on both sides of the bay, from Point Clear to Daphne on the eastern shore and from Arlington Point south to Fowl River on the western shore. Dead and dying fish also dot the surface of the bay, from one side to the other.

The kill does not appear to be related to a red tide bloom occurring in the Gulf of Mexico and around Dauphin Island. Instead, the bloom in the upper bay appears to be another species of algae with a similar neurotoxic effect on fish.

Fish affected by the algae swim in a markedly erratic fashion, zipping straight ahead for a time, then falling into lazy circles, often swimming on their side or even upside down.

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Windsock

Intense Alaska storm ties strongest on record

Renee Duff
Accuweather
Sun, 13 Dec 2015 09:10 UTC
A potent storm approaching western Alaska this weekend has tied the strongest recorded storm to impact the region.
Alaska forecast
This storm comes a little over a year after ex-Super Typhoon Nuri became the most powerful system on record to cross Dutch Harbor, Alaska, which is located in the Aleutian Islands, with a central low pressure of 924 millibars (27.29 inches of Hg).

The intensity of a storm is measured by the central pressure, with lower pressure equating to a stronger system.

Previous to Nuri, the old record stood at 925 millibars (27.32 inches of Hg) at Dutch Harbor, Alaska, from a strong storm that hit on Oct. 25, 1977.

To put this in perspective, Hurricane Katrina made landfall at 920 millibars (27.17 inches of Hg).

This storm raced to the northeast and pounded the western Aleutian Islands with hurricane-force winds on Saturday evening, rapidly intensifying in the process.

Winds have gusted to 122 mph (196 km/h) at Adak Island, Alaska, on Saturday night.

Further strengthening is forecast to occur once the storm enters the Bering Sea, potentially breaking the intensity reached by ex-Super Typhoon Nuri in November of 2014.


Comment: See our latest Earth Changes Summary for more extreme weather events across the globe:

SOTT Earth Changes Summary - November 2015: Extreme Weather, Planetary Upheaval, Meteor Fireballs

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Tornado2

Tornado whips through Canterbury, New Zealand


Radio New Zealand
Sun, 13 Dec 2015 06:21 UTC
Tornado in mid Canterbury, NZ
© Phillippa FlemingTornado in mid Canterbury

A tornado whipped through Canterbury this afternoon, while heavy rain and lightning strikes caused flooding and small fires.

The Fire Service said it had been stretched to the limit, with callouts to several small fires caused by lightning, trees crashing down on powerlines and flooding.

A hail storm hit just after 2pm, and left more than 5000 homes in south-west Christchurch without power.

Orion said it had restored supply to homes in Rolleston, Burnham and Springston, but about 1400 properties were still without electricity.

Orion expected electricity would be restored to all homes by 7pm tonight.

Mayfield cropping farmer Phillippa Fleming said she saw a tornado at about 3pm. She described it as looking like a Nike tick in the sky.

The tornado lasted about five minutes and there was lots of dust and debris when it touched the ground, Ms Fleming said.

People in Hinds and Mayfield posted videos of the tornado to Youtube.
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Cloud Lightning

Oregon declares state of emergency in 13 counties due to winter storms


RT
Sat, 12 Dec 2015 04:50 UTC
Flooded home
© Jason Redmond / Reuters
Oregon Governor Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in 13 counties late Thursday after days of extreme winds and rainfall caused flooding and landslides in the northwestern part of the state.

The affected counties include: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill.

The declaration allows the counties to apply for state funding to repair damage, in addition to providing them with emergency response personnel that can respond to communities if local resources are stretched too thin.
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Attention

Cuvier's beaked whale found dead on coast of Malaysia

Dennis Wong
The Rakyat Post
Sat, 12 Dec 2015 18:37 UTC
Dead Cuvier's Beaked Whale
© Bintulu Fire and Rescue DepartmentA sad end for the whale, as the carcass was found not far from where it was beached a day after it was pushed back into the sea.
A courageous attempt to save a beached whale turned tragic when it was found dead hours after its rescue.

The Fire and Rescue Department team despatched to Tanjung Batu beach at 7.30pm on Friday, managed to bring it back to sea after a three-hour attempt despite choppy waters.

Expressing disappointment, Bintulu Fire and Rescue Department chief William Baheng said the whale had been alive and well when they managed to bring it back to the sea, but the discovery of its carcass by the public earlier today was saddening.

"We did our best to save it despite bad weather. But to hear about the discovery of the carcass in the morning is sad news for us," said Baheng when contacted by The Rakyat Post.

A Sarawak Forestry Corporation spokesperson identified the carcass as the Cuvier's Beaked Whale or Ziphius Cavirostris, among the world's threatened marine mammal species, as listed under International Union for Conservation of Nature.
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Attention

Dead grey whale calf washes ashore in Del Mar, California

Monica Garske and Artie Ojeda
nbcsandiego.com
Fri, 11 Dec 2015 18:07 UTC
Dead whale calf
© Chris StoneMembers of the National Marine Fisheries Service examine the dead calf.
Lifeguards closed off beach access to Del Mar Shores Friday morning after a dead, newborn gray whale washed ashore, officials confirmed.

The decomposing whale was discovered at the Del Mar Shore access point, near Solana Beach, around 8:10 a.m.

According to Jim Gilpatrick with the NOAA Fisheries, the calf is about three to four weeks old.

"It may have been separated from its mother and was unable to nurse because they'll nurse all the way down to the lagoons," said Gilpatrick.

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Snow Globe

Bison herd on the loose cross highway in Saskatchewan, Canada

CBC
CBC News
Fri, 11 Dec 2015 12:54 UTC
Buffalo
People in the Tisdale, Sask., area are being told to watch out for a large herd of buffalo that's running loose. A Yukon herd is shown here. (Government of Yukon)
The Mounties are warning the public about "a herd of buffalo" running loose near Tisdale, Sask.

On Friday, a herd of as many as 100 animals was seen crossing Highway 35, about 30 kilometres south of the east-central town.

The buffalo, or bison as they are more properly called, have also been spotted on grid roads in the area in the rural municipality of Barrier Valley.

The RM says it's working on a plan to corral them to eliminate the risk to the public and motorists.

It's asking the public not to chase or scare the animals, as it will make capturing them more difficult.
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