HILTON HEAD ISLAND --State and federal wildlife officials are investigating the deaths of hundreds of seabirds turning up on the coasts of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
Wildlife biologists say more than 1,000 shearwaters - large, gull-like water birds that spend most of their lives far offshore until they nest - have been found dead over the past two weeks on Southeastern beaches. Since last week, more than 160 of the dead birds have been found in South Carolina, including at least 22 on Hilton Head Island.
Earth Changes
An extremely rare albatross has been seen for the first time ever in Britain after it lost its way in bad weather.
The young yellow-nosed albatross, which has only been seen once in Europe, was found at a holiday camp exhausted.
Camp owner Hugh Harris, 76, said: "It was most unusual. It was just squatted down - I think it was absolutely worn out."
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The young yellow-nosed albatross, which has only been seen once in Europe, was found at a holiday camp exhausted.
Camp owner Hugh Harris, 76, said: "It was most unusual. It was just squatted down - I think it was absolutely worn out."
A tropical seabird has appeared in the UK for the first time after being blown thousands of miles off course from its home in the Caribbean.
Experts believe the male magnificent frigatebird was pushed towards Britain by disorientating hurricane activity.
Experts believe the male magnificent frigatebird was pushed towards Britain by disorientating hurricane activity.
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| The rare bird is now recovering at Chester Zoo. |
Big Island families who have seen Kilauea's destructive power firsthand are keeping a close eye on the latest flow that began this weekend. The flow is about two miles away from the remote Royal Gardens subdivision. Property owners estimate only about five people live in the community off and on. Roads in the area are buried under lava so people have to hike just to get to the neighborhood.
A mini-tornado tore through the southern suburb of Waikiki last night, ripping off roofs, smashing dozens of fences and car ports and tearing up trees.
Gusts blowing more than 110km/h damaged about 60 houses, even ripping off air conditioning units, when the storm hit streets east of the Waikiki shopping centre.
A Weather Bureau spokesman said the actual tornado lasted about 60 seconds but the storm dropped about 40mm of rain.
Gusts blowing more than 110km/h damaged about 60 houses, even ripping off air conditioning units, when the storm hit streets east of the Waikiki shopping centre.
A Weather Bureau spokesman said the actual tornado lasted about 60 seconds but the storm dropped about 40mm of rain.
Heavy rainfall and floods have brought normal life to a standstill in eastern and western Nepal for the third day running.
One person was swept away when a river burst its banks in Dang while many in eastern Nepal were rendered homeless due to rising water levels.
One person was swept away when a river burst its banks in Dang while many in eastern Nepal were rendered homeless due to rising water levels.
Southeastern Europe was a tinderbox Wednesday in the grip of an unrelenting heatwave that has claimed hundreds of lives as wildfires swept Italy and bit into a national park in Slovakia.
A new University of Georgia study finds that sewage-contaminated groundwater is reaching the offshore reefs of the Upper Florida Keys, possibly threatening corals and human health.
"The widespread use of in-ground waste disposal through septic tanks and injection wells appears to be leading to the contamination of submarine groundwater even up to six miles offshore," said study author Erin Lipp, associate professor at the UGA College of Public Health. "When the contaminated groundwater mixes with surface water and reaches the reef, the corals as well as human health might be harmed."
The findings were presented Tuesday at a meeting of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program Steering Committee in Marathon, Fla.
Lipp and doctoral student Carrie Futch, along with Dale Griffin of the U.S. Geological Survey in Tallahassee, sampled surface water, groundwater and corals from five sites from nearshore to offshore beginning outside of Port Largo Canal and ending near Molasses Reef. Their three-year study revealed common fecal indicator bacteria and human viruses.
"The widespread use of in-ground waste disposal through septic tanks and injection wells appears to be leading to the contamination of submarine groundwater even up to six miles offshore," said study author Erin Lipp, associate professor at the UGA College of Public Health. "When the contaminated groundwater mixes with surface water and reaches the reef, the corals as well as human health might be harmed."
The findings were presented Tuesday at a meeting of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Water Quality Protection Program Steering Committee in Marathon, Fla.
Lipp and doctoral student Carrie Futch, along with Dale Griffin of the U.S. Geological Survey in Tallahassee, sampled surface water, groundwater and corals from five sites from nearshore to offshore beginning outside of Port Largo Canal and ending near Molasses Reef. Their three-year study revealed common fecal indicator bacteria and human viruses.
Emergency services evacuated hundreds of homes in the university city of Oxford today as the River Thames broke its banks and Britain grappled with its worst floods in 60 years.
Water levels rose steadily overnight and police said they had cleared up to 250 homes and gave people shelter in Oxford City's soccer stadium. Some power was cut but the defences of the local electricity substation were not breached.
Along the Thames, residents in other towns were warned that the river could go on rising throughout the day.
Water levels rose steadily overnight and police said they had cleared up to 250 homes and gave people shelter in Oxford City's soccer stadium. Some power was cut but the defences of the local electricity substation were not breached.
Along the Thames, residents in other towns were warned that the river could go on rising throughout the day.
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Massive swells, gale-force winds and heavy falls of rain are in store for large parts of the Western Cape throughout most of this week, weather forecasters warn.
The first in a series of cold fronts is likely to make landfall later on Monday, with a full week of wild weather ahead.
The first in a series of cold fronts is likely to make landfall later on Monday, with a full week of wild weather ahead.
