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Costa Rica
Record Migrant Losses in 2022
The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM) released a report last week revealing at least 321 migrants attempting journeys through the Caribbean died or disappeared in 2022, setting a new record. The Missing Migrants Project, the basis of the report, has been tracking missing migrants around the world since 2014. The figure of 321 dead or lost migrants in the Caribbean is a 78% increase from the 180 identified in 2021, however both numbers are believed to be only a small portion of the amount of people actually lost each year that go unidentified. Of the identified lost in 2022, the most came from Cuba, followed by Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
This map depicts the locations and numbers of confirmed migrant deaths in and around the Caribbean each year since 2018. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Barron’s
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Australia
Hunt for Lost Radioactive Capsule
The international mining company, Rio Tinto, has apologized and is working closely with Australian authorities to find a lost capsule containing enough radioactive Cesium-137 to emit radiation equal to 10 X-rays per hour. The capsule was part of a gauge used to measure the density of iron ore that came apart somewhere on the journey between the Gudai-Darri mine and a storage facility near the major city of Perth in the Western Australia state. Measuring only .236 inches (6 mm) by .315 inches (8 mm), the capsule could have been lost anywhere along an 870 miles (1,400 km) stretch of highway. Authorities have cautioned people who see the capsule to keep a distance of at least 16 feet (5 m) to avoid radiation burns or sickness.
This map depicts the route on which Australian authorities and mine workers are searching for a lost capsule containing radioactive material along a highway running through Western Australia. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Reuters
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United States
Mardi Gras Route Expansion
New Orleans Mayor, LaToya Cantrell, announced the Mardi Gras parade route would be extended for 2023 after COVID-19 precautions almost eliminated celebrations in 2021, and a lack of police support resulted in a smaller celebration in 2022. The longer route is meant to signal to the world the celebration is back and recovering from the pandemic, labor, and police shortage, with many businesses that previously closed during the pandemic now having reopened. In 2022, major parades were limited to a route that took the parade down historic St. Charles Avenue to the downtown area, but after a nearly three-year absence, the restoration of longer routes means performances can roll by the New Orleans Children’s Hospital. Carnival season begins each year on Jan. 6 and picks up steam with a growing list of balls and parades until the final two weeks before Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday,” which falls on Feb. 21 this year.
This map depicts the newly-announced longer route of New Orleans’ 2023 Mardi Gras parade. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Reaching a depth of 505 ft (154 m) below sea level, where can you find Earth’s third lowest point?
A: Turpan Depression, China
The Turpan (or Turfan) Depression is not only the lowest point in China, but also the third lowest point on Earth. Located in the northwestern mountain basin in the Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang, the Turpan Depression is a fault trough between the Bogda and Kuruktag mountain ranges. Covering an area of 19,000 sq miles (50,0000 sq km), the Turpan Basin has a harsh continental desert climate, with very limited vegetation grown in the area. Because of the drastic 16,400 ft (5,000 m) height difference between the mountain tops and the bottom of the depression, the landscape is greatly varied, with snow at the summit and desert sand at the trough. The Turpan Basin formed due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates in the Cenozoic period, and the lower section of the basin was home to the once permanent Ayding Lake, which is where the lowest surface point of the depression is. Turpan is surrounded by an abundance of centuries-old cultural and historic points in China. The nearby ancient city of Gaochang was an important location on the ancient Silk Road, dating back to the 1st century BC, but was burnt down in war in the 14th century. The Bezeklik Buddha Caves are just 19 miles (30 km) to the east, and are famous for their high-cliff, rock cut-out formations and the murals within them. Just under 4 miles (6 km) from Gaochang are the Astana-Karakhoja ancient tombs, which were the burial place for nobles and other officials from the Western Jin and Tang dynasties.
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Q: Located just offshore of Toronto’s downtown, how were the popular Toronto Islands formed?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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