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Afghanistan
Deadly 5.9 Magnitude Quake
Over 1,000 people have died, and over 1,500 more are injured after an earthquake struck Afghanistan’s Paktika province. Because of its mountainous geography, officials at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) believe landslides likely increased the number of fatalities. The epicenter of the quake was 31 miles (50 km) southwest of the city of Khost – the largest city in Afghanistan’s Loya Paktia region, and tremors were felt as far away as Islamabad, Pakistan. The remote village of Gyan was one of the worst hit, with residents reporting the local hospital is not equipped for a disaster of this scale. State media are calling the disaster the deadliest of its kind in decades. The Taliban government has sent aid via military helicopters to the worst-hit villages, and has requested international assistance.
This map depicts the location of a deadly 5.9 magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan. The quake occurred around 1:30 AM local time. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: BBC
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China
Severe Rain & Flooding in China
Southeastern China has received record-breaking rainfall, triggering severe flooding and landslides. Tens of thousands of people living along river banks and in low-lying neighborhoods have been evacuated. Homes and properties have been severely damaged or destroyed in Jiangxi, Guangdong, Shaoguan, Heyuan, and Meizhou. The economic damage in Xinhua alone is an estimated 470 million yuan ($70.2 million, £57 million). These catastrophes come after days of monsoon downpours causing catastrophic flooding in Bangladesh and northeastern India, leaving at least 116 people dead and millions of homes flooded. More rainfall in China is expected in the incoming days.
This map depicts the inundated areas of China. Click on the map to learn more.
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Greenland
Polar Bears on Glacial Ice
Scientists have documented a previously-unknown population of polar bears living in southeast Greenland. Unlike most polar bears which hunt from sea ice, these polar bears have limited access to sea ice and instead hunt from freshwater ice from Greenland’s glaciers. This remote area of Greenland had been poorly studied due to treacherous conditions, and the newly collected genetic, movement, and population data explains how these bears have survived in an environment with more access to glacial ice than sea ice. Historical records and Indigenous knowledge enabled scientists to understand that some bears were in the area, however finding a new subpopulation was unexpected. These are the world’s most genetically isolated polar bears. They reproduce more slowly and are smaller in size. Scientists are still working out how much of these differences are genetic or based in the bears’ response to their environment.
This map depicts the sample locations of polar bears in Greenland, as well as different subpopulations. Scientists have recently discovered a unique and isolated group of polar bears in southeast Greenland, depicted in red. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Which country has the most neighboring countries at its borders?
A: China
With land borders extending almost 14,000 miles (22,000 km), China borders 14 countries, the most of any country in the world. The 14 countries China borders are North Korea to the east; Russia and Mongolia in the north; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan to the northwest; Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, and Bhutan to the west and southwest; and Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar to the south. At 2,900 miles (4,600 km) China’s longest land border is shared with Mongolia, followed by Russia and India respectively. Its smallest land border is shared with Afghanistan at a length of only 47 miles (76 km). Of all the shared borders, the majority of disputes or territorial conflicts have been seen with Bhutan, India, and Pakistan.
Source
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Q: With more than 1,000 scattered islands, how many independent nations are in Polynesia?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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