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Morocco
Boy Trapped in Well Dies
The nation of Morocco is in mourning following the death of Rayan Oram, known widely as “Little Rayan.” Rescuers worked relentlessly for four days to save Rayan after he fell 100 feet (32 meters) into a well being repaired by his father near their home. The well was too narrow and the surrounding soil was too weak to allow a rescue operation from the top, so rescuers had to dig out a slope alongside the well shaft to tunnel to the boy from the side. The rescue effort drew worldwide attention, with the hashtag #SaveRayan in Arabic trending strongly on Twitter. Unfortunately, after breaking through through Saturday evening, Rayan was found dead. His death was announced by Morocco’s royal cabinet, with tributes coming in from around the world for how the struggle to save him unified people in Morocco and beyond.
This map depicts the location of the village of Ighrane in northern Morocco, where “Little Rayan” was found dead after a four-day effort to save him from the bottom of a well. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: France 24
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Austria
Unpredictable Deadly Avalanches
Over the past three days, the death toll in the Austrian Alps has climbed to nine after heavy snowfall followed by warmer weather caused unusually dangerous avalanche conditions. Over 100 avalanche-type incidents were reported this weekend, mainly in the western Tyrol region, with 70 requiring emergency responses. These unprecedented avalanches caused five casualties on Friday alone. In one case, a guided group of four skiers near the Swiss border were swept away, leaving one surviving member to call for helicopter support. The MeteoSwiss weather service is urging outdoor enthusiasts to exercise extreme caution.
This map depicts the danger levels for avalanches in Austria as of Monday morning. Click on the map to learn more.
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Madagascar
Second Cyclone Hits Madagascar
Cyclone Batsirai made landfall on Eastern Madagascar on Saturday, killing at least 10 people and displacing as many as 150,000 others. In the town of Nosy Varika, almost 95% of buildings were destroyed. Floods and power outages struck across the country, with the damage being compared to a bombing. Two weeks ago, Cyclone Ana hit Madagascar, killing 55 people and displacing around 130,000. The combined damages from these storms have left Madagascar with significant need for aid. Extreme weather events in Southern Africa have been increasing with intensity and frequency.
This map depicts the path of Cyclone Batsirai and its relation to Madagascar. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Which volcano sits atop the Uganda-Kenya border and is the oldest and largest solitary volcanic mountain in East Africa?
A: Mount Elgon, Uganda
Mount Elgon is a long-extinct volcano which last erupted 24 million years ago, located in the eastern province of Kapchorwa, Uganda. The solitary volcano has one of the world’s largest intact calderas, about 8 miles (13 km) in diameter, which formed following an eruption, when the chamber emptying magma collapsed. Mount Elgon stands more than 9,800 ft (3,000 m) above the surrounding plains. The southern slopes of Mount Elgon include multiple caves, with the bottom of the mountain boasting fertile lands of bananas, potatoes, barley, and coffee. A small population of elephants has been discovered that travel deep into the mountain’s famous lava tubes to mine for salts.
Source
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Q: Planning a Valentine’s Day getaway? Where would you have to travel to take your partner on a boat ride around “Lover’s Island”?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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