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India
Railway Bridge Collapse Kills 26
At least 26 workers have been killed after a railway bridge under construction in India collapsed. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said the incident occurred during work on the Bhairbi-Sairang line railway project in the northeastern state of Mizoram. Up to 40 workers were at the site when part of the bridge toppled, according to local media reports. India’s transport infrastructure has a history of safety concerns, with accidents of these types not uncommon in the country. In October 2022, more than 140 people were killed in Gujarat when a pedestrian suspension bridge collapsed. In a statement from the BRICS summit in South Africa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said rescue efforts were underway, as well as assistance to those affected by the collapse. An investigation has been opened to determine the cause.
This map depicts the Indian town of Sairang, where a railway bridge under construction collapsed, killing at least 26 workers. Click on the map to learn more.
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Greece
Raging Wildfires Reach Turkey
Fires that have claimed 20 lives in Greece are still burning out of control in foothills near Athens and the northeastern Evros region near the border with Turkey. Eighteen of those killed are thought to be refugees and migrants who crossed the border recently, staying in the Dadia forest north of the city of Alexandroupolis. For nearly a week, fires have burned near the city and west along the coast and have stoked xenophobic tensions around the cause of the blaze. Firefighters are also trying to stop a fire spreading from the slopes of Mount Parnitha to northwest Athens. Their efforts are hindered by strong winds whipping up the flames and searing heat of up to 104°F (40°C). Six countries have been sending help via the European Union’s civil protection mechanism. The wildfires have spread to Turkey, with nine villages and more than 1,200 people evacuated in the border province of Çanakkale.
This map depicts the wildfires raging across Greece, including near Athens and in the northeastern Evros region near the Turkish border, where 18 refugees and migrants died in the Dadia forest. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Anadolu Agency
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The Moon
Chandrayaan-3 Lands
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) confirmed that the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft landed successfully on the Moon at 6:04pm New Delhi time today, making India the fourth nation to land on the Moon and the first to land in the lunar south polar region. After launching on July 14th, 2023, the lander with a rover inside touched down not far from the crash site of Chandrayaan-2, the 2019 Indian lunar lander that failed due to a software glitch. This monumental achievement comes just days after a similar Russian lander crashed, and marks India’s emergence as a space power. The lunar south pole has received increasing attention as a landing site, as the uncharted territory is thought to host an abundance of frozen water and precious elements in its deep canyons and impact craters. This ice could help supply fuel, oxygen, and drinking water for future missions. Chandrayaan-3 is expected to remain functional for two weeks, running a series of experiments, including a spectrometer analysis of the mineral composition of the lunar surface.
This map depicts the location of the Indian Lunar lander, Chandrayaan-3, in the Lunar south pole. The locations of previous landings by other nations are also highlighted. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: Having long been described as a triangle, what animal shape has been used to more accurately resemble the geography of Polynesian society and navigation pathways?
A: Octopus
Octopus and squid have appeared in the tales of migration throughout Polynesia since early times and are part of the relationships of commerce, family connections, and mythology. In accordance with Polynesian oral tradition, the geography of Polynesian navigation pathways is said to resemble the geometric qualities of an octopus with head centered on Ra’iatea in French Polynesia, traditionally known as Havai’i, homeland of the Maori people, with its tentacles spread out across the Pacific.
This illustration by Te Rangi Hīroa (aka Sir Peter Buck) shows the eight arms of the octopus extending to the far reaches of the Polynesian triangle, and connecting Aotearoa (New Zealand), Hawai’i, and Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in one unified body instead of being just an abstract symbol. In oral tradition the octopus is known by various names such as Taumata-Fe’e-Fa’atupu-Hau (Grand Octopus of Prosperity), Tumu-Ra’i-Fenua (Beginning of Heaven and Earth), and Te Wheke-a-Muturangi (The Octopus of Muturangi).
Source Moevarua
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Q: According to Herodotus, what thalassocratic civilization (maritime empire) circumnavigated Africa in 600 BC?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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