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Canada-United States
Titanic Tourist Craft Missing
A search and rescue mission is underway for a submarine that went missing in the North Atlantic off the coast of Newfoundland on Sunday. The Polar Prince, a research sub also used for tourists by OceanGate, had five people aboard, an operator and four passengers. According to the US Coast Guard, the vessel submerged on Sunday morning and lost contact with the surface approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes into the dive. OceanGate’s submersible is the only five-person sub capable of reaching the Titanic wreck, and had previously lost contact with the surface for several hours during a mission in 2022. The Coast Guard and the Rescue Coordination Center Halifax have deployed crews in efforts to locate the craft. The submarine is believed to have a 96-hour sustainment capability if there’s an emergency on board.
This map depicts where rescue operations are taking place to locate a tourist submarine that went missing off the east coast of Canada on its way to visit the Titanic wreckage. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: RTE
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Brazil
Severe Storm in Southern States
A winter storm struck the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul late last week, causing significant damage and loss of life. The storm, identified as an extratropical cyclone, brought torrential rain and resulted in the deaths of 11 people, with 20 others reported missing. The affected areas faced flooding and landslides, forcing many residents to evacuate their homes and seek shelter. Firefighters conducted 2,400 rescue operations across 35 affected cities. The storm also impacted neighboring Santa Catarina state. The rainfall amounts exceeded typical levels for the month of June, leading to concerns of the impacts to Brazil’s agricultural production.
This map depicts the location where a severe winter storm made landfall in southern Brazil last week. Click on the map to learn more.
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World
Earth’s Axis Migrating
Korean researchers have announced changes in Earth’s groundwater supplies have caused the Earth’s tilt to shift by as much as 31 inches (78.5 cm) between 1993 and 2010. In a process often referred to as “polar wander,” Earth’s magnetic north and south poles (also known as rotational poles) “wobble” from side to side. The angle of this tilt (also known as the obliquity) is currently at around 23 degrees, however scientists expect it to continue to change. The reintroduction of water once held within large ice caps and glaciers into the Earth’s groundwater systems has led to the redistribution of Earth’s water mass across the planet. This redistribution has been heavily influenced by human interference with climate change and global ice melting rates, and researchers believe it has the ability to change the position of the planet’s axis in the future. This change could amplify climate change down the line, as obliquity is a major control for Earth’s seasons.
This map depicts a potential shift in the geographic location of Earth’s North pole, also known as polar drift, or true polar wander. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What Cuban valley was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List for its surviving traditional tobacco-growing techniques?
A: Viñales Valley
Cuba’s Viñales Valley is located in the Sierra de los Organos Mountains in the Pinar del Rio Province. Tobacco along with other food crops is still cultivated at the bottom of the valley through mostly traditional agricultural techniques that have been around for centuries. These techniques produce higher-quality tobacco products than other mechanical techniques. The valley’s fertile soil and climate have created a conducive environment for stock-raising and the cultivation of crops. Small farms and villages are spread out across the valley and have been occupied since conquistadores sailed to the Caribbean. The culture of the valley has been influenced by a mix of cultures from Indigenous peoples, African slaves, and Spanish colonizers. The valley is also known for its extraordinary geomorphological formations known as mogotes – unusually-shaped limestone mounds that rise up from the bottom of the valley and are found nowhere else on the island. Cubans identify strongly with the Viñales Valley as its historical and cultural importance have made the area a symbol of the Caribbean landscape.
Source
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Q: Known as DC’s “forgotten river,” where does the city have a history of dumping its untreated sewage?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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