Whale Rescue
Volunteers, tourists and officials struggled to save more than
120 pilot whales that became stranded on a beach at the top of New
Zealand’s South Island when the tide went out.
By Steve Newman
Whale Rescue
Volunteers, tourists and officials struggled to save more than 120 pilot whales that became stranded on a beach at the top of New Zealand’s South Island when the tide went out. The whales initially beached themselves over a long stretch of coastline, but grouped together when the sea came back in. After keeping the marine mammals wet for hours in shallow water, the rescuers used brute force to eventually push them back out to sea. When some of the whales tried to swim back to shore, the rescuers formed a human chain to prevent their return.
Earthquakes
Shaking from a powerful magnitude 6.4 temblor, centered in eastern Indonesia between Sulawesi and the Moluccas islands, caused a brief panic on land. There were no reports of significant damage or injuries.
Earth movements were also felt in northeastern Japan, the Marlborough region of New Zealand, northwest Greece, the French Alps, southeastern New Mexico and along the Nebraska-South Dakota border.
Summer Fire Season
Australia’s summer bushfire season began just before Christmas with fire crews working to contain blazes in the states of Victoria and New South Wales. One of the most serious wildfires erupted in a northern Sydney beach community, threatening a number of homes. New South Wales Rural Fire Service announced that no traditional Christmas beach barbecues would be permitted in the state due to the fire danger posed by high temperatures and strong winds.
African Bird Deaths
Thousands of birds mysteriously died in central Malawi, sparking alarm that bird flu had arrived in the East African nation. Officials said sample tissues from the birds had been sent to South Africa for analysis. Much of Africa has been on alert with the arrival of wild birds from avian influenza-affected regions of Siberia and other parts of Asia.
Ethiopia calmed fears that avian influenza had arrived by announcing that tests of dead and sick birds recently found in the country showed the birds did not have the virus. The agriculture ministry said they had died of Newcastle disease, which is another deadly viral infection among birds but harmless to humans.
Tropical Cyclones
Developing tropical depression 25W unleashed widespread flooding over central parts of the Philippines, killing at least 10 people. The disturbance briefly attained tropical storm strength before bringing heavy downpours to flood-weary Vietnam. More than 60 people have perished and several major highways have been blocked by incessant rainfall in Vietnam during most of December.
Cyclone-battered parts of southeastern India received additional heavy rainfall as Tropical Cyclone 07B passed just offshore.
Lightning Deaths
The most deadly lightning strike to hit northern Malawi in recent memory killed 11 people attending a holiday church service. The victims were among the 40 people in the Church of Central African Presbytery in Mzimba, about 190 miles north of the capital Lilongwe, when the electrical storm struck. A church spokesman said the 11 victims died on the spot while others suffered fractures, burns and other injuries. The country is currently in the height of the rainy season.
Mexican Chill
A sudden cold wave spreading across northern Mexico killed six children and forced airlines to suspend flights. The country’s health secretary warned that the low temperatures could persist in several northern states, including Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Sonora. He reminded residents in those areas that cold-weather risks include hypothermia and carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be caused by faulty heating equipment. The cold front also produced snowfall in Mexico City, forcing the cancellation of nearly 200 international and domestic flights.
Monkey Refugees
A village in northern India’s Jammu and Kashmir state has been terrorized by scores of monkeys, which have forced some people to evacuate to surrounding villages out of fear. “These monkeys strike when the male members of the family are not at home. We have appealed several times to the local administration for help, but no one has come to our rescue so far,” said Cheryai village resident Jugal Kishore. Other villagers say the simian marauders get into their houses, eat anything in sight and vandalize the rooms. Some of those who have evacuated to other villages say the monkeys have followed them, and are now terrorizing their new homes.
