At least six whales found washed up on France’s western shores
Marine biologists are investigating the deaths of at least six whales found washed up on France’s western shores with no apparent sign of having been hit by a ship or caught in a trawler’s net.
Researchers on Monday used a mechanical digger and long knives to dissect a fin whale, the second largest species of whale after the blue whale, taking samples they believe might reveal evidence of a viral pathogen.
In an average year, between three and, at most, 10 whales are deposited dead on France’s beaches, they say.
“We have what is almost an epidemic or, at any rate, an abnormal spike in deaths,” said Willy Dabin, a researcher from the Pelagis Observatory working on the corpse.
The most recent fin whale corpse was found on Friday near Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. It measured nearly 16 metres and weighed an estimated 10 tonnes.
The common fin whales have all died within the past six weeks. All have been malnourished and shown evidence of hemorrhaging in the cardiac and respiratory systems.
“The question lurking in the background is: are humans a contributing factor in their capacity to upset the environment?” Dabin said. “Either by impacting food availability or polluting the living environment, which could leave the whales more vulnerable to disease.”
Officials put guards near the carcass at the weekend to keep intrigued locals at a distance.
“It’s disgusting,” said one local man. “I don’t know how they’re going to remove it. Cut it up piece by piece?”
Courtesy of in.reuters.com
Thousands of dead fish wash up in lake in Milton Keynes, UK
Environment Agency experts are today out at Caldecote Lake carrying out tests on the water, which connects to Caldecote brook.
Bodies of fish can be seen all round the edge of the lake and it is believed the deaths could have been caused by some sort of pollutant in the lake.
A spokesman for the Parks Trust said this morning: “The Parks Trust were informed about this yesterday and the matter has been flagged to the Environment Agency who will be investigating today.”
Courtesy of miltonkeynes.co.uk
Hundreds of dead fish wash up in Valdegrana, Spain
Although in El Puerto there is no news of the appearance of dead rodents on the beaches , at least not in the amount in which it has occurred in other cities, such as Rota or Sanlúcar, if the arrival at the shore of the portuense coast of a great quantity of fish thrown by the tide.
This phenomenon has occurred especially on the beach of Valdelagrana and according to the City Council it is something common at this time of year, due to storms and the contribution of fresh water to the Bay of Cádiz, due to the torrential rains that are coming. registering occasionally in the last dates.
The arrival of dead fish would have affected mainly Levante beach, according to some citizens who have contacted this newspaper. According to what this newspaper has learned, the workers of the beach cleaning service have been removing dozens of mullet from the shore and also fish of other species , washed away by the tide, sometimes up to 300 specimens in a single day.
This Monday, without going any further, the operators began first thing in the morning, concluding their day in the middle of the afternoon, leaving the beach clean before the tide rose and could drag them out to sea again.
Although fish kills can be caused by storms, it can also be due, at least in part, to some illegal fishing gear that has been adrift.
Courtesy of diariodecadiz.es
Thousands of animals dead due to flooding in Honduras
Thousands of animals dead due to flooding in Honduras
Courtesy of laprensa.hn
MAGNITUDE 4.2 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Depth: 10 km
Distances: 65 km SSW of Concepción de La Vega, Dominican Republic / pop: 102,000 / local time: 08:15:13.4 2020-11-27
17 km E of Padre Las Casas, Dominican Republic / pop: 8,400 / local time: 08:15:13.4 2020-11-27
MAGNITUDE 4.6 EASTERN TURKEY
Depth: 5 km
Distances: 30 km ESE of Malatya, Turkey / pop: 441,000 / local time: 11:27:55.9 2020-11-27
16 km NNW of Sincik, Turkey / pop: 7,100 / local time: 11:27:55.9 2020-11-27
MAGNITUDE 4.5 GULF OF ADEN
Depth: 10 km
Distances: 200 km SE of Mukalla, Yemen / pop: 258,000 / local time: 09:48:48.7 2020-11-27
141 km NNW of Caluula, Somalia / pop: 6,100 / local time: 09:48:48.7 2020-11-27
Cyclone Nivar makes landfall bringing rains, flood in southern India
A powerful cyclonic storm lashed India’s southeastern coast early on Thursday, uprooting trees and packing strong winds and rains as tens of thousands of people took refuge in shelters.
The centre of Nivar made landfall at 3:05am local time (21:35 GMT on Wednesday) near Puducherry with winds of up to 130 kilometres (81 miles) per hour.
Tamil Nadu minister RB Udhayakumar said late on Wednesday that about 175,000 people were moved to shelters across the state as local authorities declared a public holiday on Wednesday and Thursday, shutting everything except emergency services.
Thousands of state and national emergency personnel were deployed in the southern regions of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry as authorities suspended power supply across several cities to prevent damage to the electricity grid.
Heavy rains triggered by the storm caused flooding in some streets of the city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu’s largest city which is home to many large automobile manufacturers, according to a Reuters witness.
Flight operations at Chennai airport were suspended until Thursday morning and metro train services halted.
People were seen walking in knee-deep water in some streets in south Chennai, which has many low-lying areas susceptible to flooding. Local administration workers have been working to remove fallen trees and power lines, city corporation officials said on Twitter.
Authorities in Chennai said they were also closely observing the level of reservoirs and lakes to avoid a repeat of 2015 flooding which killed several hundred people. Lake Chembarambakkam outside Chennai discharged extra water because of the heavy rains.
Local media reported at least five deaths in and around Chennai, due to causes including trees falling, drowning and electrocution.
Initially classified as a “very severe cyclonic storm” as it swirled in the Bay of Bengal, Nivar weakened after landfall into a “severe cyclonic storm”, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
It is forecast to move north and further weaken over the next few hours, the weather bureau added.
The Meteorological Department said Nivar’s intensity had dropped to 85 to 95 kph (53 to 59 mph) and is expected to weaken further.
The fierce winds uprooted trees and toppled electricity pylons while downpours lashed parts of the region, causing flash floods.
Cuddalore district in Tamil Nadu recorded nearly 244 millimetres (9.6 inches) of rain since Wednesday morning, with a severe weather warning for further thunderstorms in place for the state.
In Puducherry, home to 1.6 million people, the rain-soaked streets and markets were deserted and Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi appealed to locals to stay indoors and abide by authorities’ instructions.
“Move to high places wherever you have to. There are relief centres. Please move there,” Bedi said in a video message on Twitter.
The navy said its ships, aircraft and crew were on standby to assist with disaster relief.
But people in some pockets along the coast were reluctant to abandon their homes and fishing boats and move to government shelters.
No evacuation orders were issued in Sri Lanka but heavy rains were forecast, particularly in the north of the island nation.
Fishermen there were advised not to go out to sea.
More than 110 people died after “super Cyclone” Amphan ravaged eastern India and Bangladesh in May, flattening villages, destroying farms and leaving millions without electricity.
But the death toll was far lower than the many thousands killed in previous cyclones of that size, a result of improved weather forecasting and better response plans.
Courtesy of aljazeera.com
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