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Thousands of dead fish were reported Thursday afternoon on the west bank of the Indian River Lagoon about a mile north of the Martin-St. Lucie county line near Indian River Drive and Mockingbird Lane.
Tony DiChristofaro of Stuart, said he saw "thousands and thousands of dead fish coming ashore" about 2 p.m. Thursday as he was walking along the lagoon beach.
DiChristofaro said the dead fish extended along the shoreline for about a mile.
"They were still coming in," he said, "but some of them looked like they'd been there for several hours."
Kevin Baxter, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission lab in St. Petersburg Baxter said samples of the dead fish will be collected Friday.
A strong tornado hit the Italian region of Emilia Romagna on Friday at around 1400 GMT according to Italian media, injuring 11 people and damaging several houses. Numerous fields were damaged by the strong storms and the harvest could be ruined.
© Screenshot, WorldConflictReport @YouTubeThe screenshot shows the so-called Springs fire burning in Ventura County.
The blaze erupted at about 6:30 a.m. local time (9:30 a.m. EDT) Thursday off the Southbound 101 freeway, threatening hundreds of homes in Newbury Park and Camarillo, the LA Times reported. The flames had consumed 10,000 acres of brush and was 10 percent contained as of early Friday morning, NBC News reported, and had reached within "seven or eight miles" of the city of Malibu.
The so-called Springs fire caused the shutdown of a 9-mile stretch of Pacific Coast Highway and the evacuation of hundreds of Ventura County residents as it crept toward the coast.
Very low humidity and balmy spring temperatures, combined with the dry brush and the blustering Santa Ana winds, created the perfect conditions for the wildfire, which is unusual for this time of year.
Unprecedented number of deads birds washing ashore
April 2013. A week after the first reports of birds covered in a sticky glue like substance being washed up on southwest beaches, wildlife charities have confirmed that the number of dead has passed 1000. This is in addition to the 200+ birds in the care of RSPCA and South Devon Seabird Trust.
Second recent incident
The substance has been identified as polyisobutene (PIB) by researchers at Plymouth University. It is the second time in just three months that PIB has killed hundreds of seabirds in the South West.
In this latest incident birds have been found in a wide area from Dodman Point, Cornwall to the Teign Estuary, Devon but the worst hit areas have been beaches along Whitsand Bay in south east Cornwall where locals have been counting hundreds of birds every day.
Alison Fogg, zoologist and environment campaigner who lives by the sea near Lanteglos in Cornwall has been close to the unfolding disaster; "It is hard to sum up so many different emotions, from the last few days, in a few words . Seeing more than 157 dead birds on Lansallos beach, followed by hundreds more at Lantic Bay, was quite devastating. Lansallos is a small sheltered beach on the South Coast of Cornwall. A haven for nature and totally unspoilt, this beach is popular with holiday makers, walkers and locals for swimming and relaxation.
"The scale of destruction to wildlife, in the beginning of the bird breeding season and at the start of the tourist season is quite difficult to comprehend."
April 2013. A week after the first reports of birds covered in a sticky glue like substance being washed up on southwest beaches, wildlife charities have confirmed that the number of dead has passed 1000. This is in addition to the 200+ birds in the care of RSPCA and South Devon Seabird Trust.
Second recent incident
The substance has been identified as polyisobutene (PIB) by researchers at Plymouth University. It is the second time in just three months that PIB has killed hundreds of seabirds in the South West.
In this latest incident birds have been found in a wide area from Dodman Point, Cornwall to the Teign Estuary, Devon but the worst hit areas have been beaches along Whitsand Bay in south east Cornwall where locals have been counting hundreds of birds every day.
Alison Fogg, zoologist and environment campaigner who lives by the sea near Lanteglos in Cornwall has been close to the unfolding disaster; "It is hard to sum up so many different emotions, from the last few days, in a few words . Seeing more than 157 dead birds on Lansallos beach, followed by hundreds more at Lantic Bay, was quite devastating. Lansallos is a small sheltered beach on the South Coast of Cornwall. A haven for nature and totally unspoilt, this beach is popular with holiday makers, walkers and locals for swimming and relaxation.
"The scale of destruction to wildlife, in the beginning of the bird breeding season and at the start of the tourist season is quite difficult to comprehend."
© Darryl Thorpe/Cornwall Wildlife TrustDead guillemot covered in the glue like substance
Seen in April 2013 there were thousands of dead jelly fish seen on sea beach of Umargam.
Is it because of increased pollution in sea or some other reason I don't know.
But these biological creations are extremely delicate and sensitive to change in sea environment.
Is it because of increased pollution in sea or some other reason I don't know.
But these biological creations are extremely delicate and sensitive to change in sea environment.
© Cindy Cowell
The heaviest snow had moved east of Hayward at noon but was still falling in Park Falls, Ironwood and Ashland.
The Wisconsin Department of Transportation earlier advised no travel because of heavy snow on U.S. Highway 53 between Spooner and Gordon; U.S. Highway 63 from Spooner to Hayward; and state Highway 70 from Stone Lake to Siren.
Other highways are reported to be snow-covered, including U.S. Highway 2 east of Iron River.
The unusual May snowstorm moved just south and east of the Twin Ports but hovered over southeastern Minnesota, north-central Wisconsin and into Washburn, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron Counties where up to 14 inches fell overnight.
© Tim Isbell / Sun HeraldCindy and Roy Smith brave flood waters to wade their way into neighborhood on Brandon James Drive.
The National Weather Service on Thursday morning registered rainfall at 1.71 inches in Gulfport, 4.27 inches in Biloxi and 7.12 inches in Pascagoula.
Radar estimates showed rainfall could have been even higher in Jackson County, meteorologist Mike Efferson said. "Anywhere from 10 to 12 inches," he said. "It was significantly higher in the northern half of the county and along that eastern border that meets up with Alabama.
The Coast will see a redevelopment of showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon with possibly another 1 to 3 inches to fall on already soaked soil, while some isolated areas could see significantly more, he said.
© AFPFlooding of Saudi lake - File photo
Two others died in flash floods in neighboring Oman, local media reported, as cloudbursts swept across most Gulf countries.
The official Saudi SPA state news agency quoted a civil defense statement as saying people died in several areas including in the capital Riyadh, Baha in the south, Hail in the north and in the west.
The death toll for stock killed during the freezing winter and early spring weather has hit 100,000 and is still rising, the National Fallen Stock Company (NFSCo) has said.
The NFSCo figures show 64,000 more animals died on farms in England, Scotland and Wales between January and April 2013 compared with the same period 12 months ago. It is a rise in deaths of more than 24%.
In addition to this, Northern Ireland recorded stock losses of 29,000 in the blizzards at the end of March. A further 8,000 animals died on the Isle of Man, taking the toll to 101,000 animals over the four-month period.
A statement released by NFSCo pointed out that the figures excluded animals collected privately and those categorised as "special services" by collectors.
Special service operations are carried out by collectors where losses are more numerous than normal, the NFSCo statement said.
"Consequently the figures here will be a minimum, and will increase as new data is received," it warned.
The toll
English, Scottish and Welsh sheep losses in April were 50% higher than April 2012 costing 35,000 extra lives
Welsh cattle losses in April were more than double 2012's equivalent to almost 2,700 head
Cattle losses in England and Scotland in April were about a quarter more than 2012 (23% and 25% to 13,800
and 9,700 head respectively)
Cattle losses for England, Scotland and Wales were up 34% and more than 7,000.
The NFSCo figures show 64,000 more animals died on farms in England, Scotland and Wales between January and April 2013 compared with the same period 12 months ago. It is a rise in deaths of more than 24%.
In addition to this, Northern Ireland recorded stock losses of 29,000 in the blizzards at the end of March. A further 8,000 animals died on the Isle of Man, taking the toll to 101,000 animals over the four-month period.
A statement released by NFSCo pointed out that the figures excluded animals collected privately and those categorised as "special services" by collectors.
Special service operations are carried out by collectors where losses are more numerous than normal, the NFSCo statement said.
"Consequently the figures here will be a minimum, and will increase as new data is received," it warned.
The toll
English, Scottish and Welsh sheep losses in April were 50% higher than April 2012 costing 35,000 extra lives
Welsh cattle losses in April were more than double 2012's equivalent to almost 2,700 head
Cattle losses in England and Scotland in April were about a quarter more than 2012 (23% and 25% to 13,800
and 9,700 head respectively)
Cattle losses for England, Scotland and Wales were up 34% and more than 7,000.
People in parts of Colorado and Wyoming pulled puffy jackets, hats and umbrellas out of the closet again Wednesday for another round of wet spring snow. The May Day snow storm was making travel difficult on some Colorado highways, where several crashes were reported late Wednesday, and along Interstate 80 in southeastern Wyoming. Denver's airport reported about 50 flight cancellations, and other flights were delayed for de-icing.
By midday, more than a foot of snow had fallen at Rocky Mountain National Park. The heavy snow caused power and heat outages there and in Cheyenne, which received 15 inches of snow by noon Wednesday. West of Cheyenne, 20 inches fell near Buford, while Casper saw 4 inches of snow. Parts of the Midwest were also getting rare May snow.
South Dakota's largest city, Sioux Falls, got its first May snowfall in 37 years. The city received 1.5 inches of snow by late morning. A winter storm warning was also in effect for parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Snow fell in parts of Nebraska, and western Iowa was expecting snow between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
© AP Photo/The Argus Leader, Dalton WalkerArvid Buseman clears snow off his car Wednesday morning, May 1, 2013 in central Sioux Falls, S.D. Sioux Falls, South Dakota's largest city, got its first May snowfall in 37 years Wednesday and its largest May amount since 1944.
South Dakota's largest city, Sioux Falls, got its first May snowfall in 37 years. The city received 1.5 inches of snow by late morning. A winter storm warning was also in effect for parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Snow fell in parts of Nebraska, and western Iowa was expecting snow between Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
