Earth ChangesS


Tsunami

British woman dies in flash floods on Majorca, Spain

Rescue teams searching the area in Majorca by helicopter
© ReutersRescue teams searching the area in Majorca by helicopter
The body of a British woman has been found in Majorca, with a man still missing, after the pair were caught up in flash floods, police on the Spanish island say.

Rescue services had been looking for the two in the Torrente de Pareis canyon area since Monday.

Spain's Civil Guard say the two were hiking on a trail from the canyon to the Mediterranean Sea.

Ten other tourists trapped by the floods were rescued. Strong winds and heavy rain have been forecast in the area.

The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.


Doberman

Jackals attack several people in Uttar Pradesh, India

Indian Jackal
Indian Jackal
Villagers killed a jackal after it allegedly attacked three people, including a child, officials here said on Thursday.

This is the second jackal to be killed in the past two days, they said.

A jackal attacked three-year-old Priyanshu in the Newari village of Karari area on Wednesday and then one Ramdas (35), who was working in his field in the same village, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) RS Yadav said.

The animal later reached Khojpur village and attacked Shivbabu, Yadav said.

The villagers surrounded the animal in the Newari area and beat it with sticks, leading to its death, later on Wednesday, the DFO said.

The animal's post-mortem confirmed that it was jackal, Yadav said.

Comment: Related: Girl killed in wolf attack in Uttar Pradesh, India - 10th such incident for Bahraich area in 2024

Records of the increasing number of attacks by other animals can be found under the Topics-Animal heading located here. Included are reports of attacks by dogs, wolves, bears, coyotes, elephants, sharks, alligators, bison, kangaroos, monkeys, hyenas, leopards, cougars, tigers, otters, wild boar, seals, sea lions, pythons and sundry others (some deadly, some non-fatal but atypical), with the database going back to 2006.


Wolf

Hyena kills 4-year-old boy in Kenya - one of several deadly attacks in 5 months

A photo of four hyenas taken at Lemek Conservancy in Masai Mara
© JEN GUYTON / NATGEOA photo of four hyenas taken at Lemek Conservancy in Masai Mara
A four-year-old boy was Wednesday mauled by a hyena at Flat Estate in Nyacaba area of Witeithie location in Juja.

This is the latest incident in the area amid calls on authorities to address the menace.

Police said the body of the boy was discovered long after he had been killed and partially eaten up by the wild animal.

The latest incident prompted angry locals to stage a protest on Thursday blocking the busy Thika Highway for hours.

They demanded action to address the menace. The residents vowed to eliminate all hyenas in the area.

Cloud Lightning

Dramatic scenes as violent storms hit southern France

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Violent storms hit the south-east of France overnight, bringing rain and flooding to the previously serene Mediterranean coastline.

Rainfall of nearly 150 mm fell within 24 hours in parts of the Alpes-Maritimes department. Storms are set to continue in some areas of the far-south east today.

The storms hit across the southern coastline from Nice to Marseille, with the latter facing severe flooding.

It was the most powerful storm the city has experienced in at least three years.

Roads flooded in Marseille

Floods were particularly damaging to Marseille's transport network, with many roads inundated with water.


Bug

Swarm of mayflies take over bridge in China - creating a slippery snow-like surface

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A swarm of thousands of mayflies took over a bridge in China - creating a slippery snow-like surface and paralysing traffic.

Ms. Lui, who was driving by the area, was left stunned when she saw the countless mayflies swirling in the air on Sunday (Sept 1).

The mayflies gathered in such large numbers that the ground was soon carpeted with their carcasses, creating a layer five centimeters deep.

The sudden onslaught of insects made the bridge's surface dangerously slippery, leading to a temporary paralysis of the traffic.


Seismograph

Shallow magnitude 6.2 quake strikes off Papua New Guinea

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A magnitude 6.2 earthquake rattled Papua New Guinea on Thursday, the United States Geological Survey said, striking off the country's northern coast.

A USGS map showed the tremor centered in a patch of ocean some 300 kilometers (186 miles) east of the town of Vanimo, which is preparing to host Pope Francis over the weekend.

A photographer based in the provincial capital of Wewak told AFP there did not appear to be major damage in the immediate aftermath of the quake.

Earthquakes are common in Papua New Guinea, which sits on top of the seismic "Ring of Fire"—an arc of intense tectonic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Wolf

Girl killed in wolf attack in Uttar Pradesh, India - 10th such incident for Bahraich area in 2024

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A 2-year-old girl was attacked and brutally killed by a wolf in UP's Bahraich. This has increased the death toll in the city to an even 10. The previous nine victims were eight children and an elderly woman of 55 years of age. These incidents took place in the Mahsi area of Bahraich. The entire town shivers at the thought of these human flesh enthusiasts, the wild wolf packs.

A little girl falls prey

Little Anjali was killed at around 4 AM. She lay peacefully with her mother, both of them sleeping outside their home in Gareth Gurudutt Singh Village. She was later found a kilometre away from her. Her body lay on the field in a lifeless fashion. Both of her hands were eaten, as reported by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO). She had no breath left in her.

Comment: See also: Wolves kill 8 people in past 2 months in Uttar Pradesh, India


Doberman

Child mauled to death by pit bull in Newark, New Jersey - 2nd attack in Essex County in a week

PIT BULL ATTACK
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating a deadly dog attack that claimed the life of a young female child in Newark on Tuesday evening, marking the second pit bull-related incident involving severe injuries or death in the county within a week.

RLS Media learned and confirmed that the fatal attack occurred before around 9:30 p.m. in the 100 block of 2nd Avenue.

Newark Police responded after multiple 911 calls reported a girl being viciously attacked by at least one pit bull.

When officers arrived, they found the girl severely injured, with the dog continuing to maul and bite the victim. Despite emergency responders rushing the child to University Hospital, the child was pronounced dead a short time later.

Black Cat

Mountain lion attacks boy at California picnic; animal later euthanized with firearm

A cougar
© DreamstimeA cougar
A mountain lion attacked and severely injured a five-year-old boy during a family picnic at a Los Angeles County park, leading to official's decision to euthanize the animal.

The attack occurred Sunday around 4 p.m. local time at the Malibu Creek State Park in Calabasas, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. At least six adults were participating at the outing when the cougar approached the vicinity of a few children playing nearby.

The cougar scratched and bit the young boy, refusing to release him until one or more adults charged at it, the department said in a statement.

First responders airlifted the child to the Northridge Hospital Medical Center to be treated for severe, but non-life-threatening injuries. Medical staff cleared him early Monday morning.


Comment: Mountain lion attack leaves man dead and injures his brother in Northern California


Cloud Lightning

Lightning strike kills 30 goats in Uttarakhand, India

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A lightning strike killed 30 goats during a storm in India. Footage shows the herd of animals found dead in an Indian forest amid heavy rainfall in Nuranu, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand, on September 2.

The tragedy occurred as the goats were grazing on damp grass during a drizzle under the open sky. Authorities said they will provide financial assistance to the owner of the deceased goats.

The India Meteorological Department attributes the relentless rainfall to a depression over the coasts of north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha, which moved northwestward and crossed Andhra Pradesh's coast near Kalingapatnam early Sunday morning.