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South Africa
Historically Deadly Floods
The South African province of KwaZulu-Natal was hit with devastating rainfall and flooding yesterday. Some local areas witnessed a month’s worth of rainfall in one day, prompting officials to name this one of the worst storms in the country’s history. Dense mudslides submerged roads up to traffic light height, with 900 cell phone towers being reported down, and electricity and water treatment plants flooded. Authorities continue to tally losses and there are hundreds of citizens still missing and at least 250 deaths have been reported. The provincial government estimates billions of Rand worth of damage has amassed in the region, including South Africa’s busiest shipping port in Durban where companies have been forced to stop operations due to the damage. This deadly storm comes just months after heavy rainfall in January in the same region inflicted similar widescale damage and a total death toll of 230.
This map depicts the evening rainfall forecast for eastern South Africa on April 12th. Click on the map to learn more.
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United States
Brooklyn Subway Shooting
At least 29 people were shot or injured in a shooting at the 36th Street subway station in Brooklyn during morning rush hour on Tuesday. All victims are expected to survive. A lone gunman wearing a gas mask tossed two smoke grenades on the floor and fired 33 shots in a subway car of a crowded N train approaching the station in the Sunset Park neighborhood before fleeing the scene. Police officers believe some of the gunman’s belongings were left on the train, including a Glock 9-millimeter handgun and the keys to a U-Hail van. The keys led investigators to identifying 62-year-old Frank R. James as the prime suspect. New York Mayor Eric Adams has vowed to increase police patrols and expand mental health outreach programs in an effort to improve subway safety. New York’s Metropolitan Transit Authority is also considering more modern metal detectors at subway stations.
This map depicts the location of the attack at the 36th Street Station and where the U-Haul van of the suspect was found. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: DailyMail
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World
EU Advances ‘Food Diplomacy’
European Union countries have launched new efforts to tackle rising wheat and fertilizer prices, and the widespread expected food and fuel shortages in the Middle East, North Africa (MENA) and the Balkans. The “food diplomacy” program aims to get needed grain supplies and financial support to impacted countries. The program also focuses on countering the Russian narrative of price spikes and shortages being primarily due to Western sanctions rather than fallout from the invasion of Ukraine, which has disrupted global crop export markets and devastated points of crucial infrastructure. While EU sanctions have placed restrictions on fertilizers from Russia and Belarus, they have exempted food exports. New initiatives from the 27-member bloc are planned in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme, as the food and fuel crises drive resentment in vulnerable countries and threatens to increase instability and weaken EU influence in these regions.
This map depicts shifting global crop exports brought on by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Which Middle Eastern country is majority desert with a narrow coastal plain strip bordering the Mediterranean Sea? (Hint: It’s located within the Fertile Crescent!)
A: Syria
The Syrian Desert accounts for almost 85% of Syria’s land area and receives an average of less than five inches (13 cm) of rainfall a year. The country’s narrow coastal strip opens up to a small portion of the Mediterranean Sea between the countries of Lebanon and Turkey. The Fertile Crescent, home to some of the earliest human civilizations, and known as the “Cradle of Civilization,” is the large geographic region starting from the northeastern-most part of Egypt and arcing to follow the path of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers into the Persian Gulf. Syria, known for its ancient cultural heritage, has six World Heritage sites, including the ancient cities of Aleppo and Damascus. Due to the present civil war that started in 2011 however, the World Heritage Committee maintained by UNESCO added all six sites to the “List of World Heritage in Danger.”
Source
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Q: In which U.S. forest can you find ancient trees that have been fossilized over the course of 200 million years?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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