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United States
Idalia Soaks Southeast with Rain
After making landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on Wednesday, Idalia continues to surge up the coast of the Southeast. Florida bore the brunt of the storm, as the then-Category 3 hurricane brought flooding, rains, and winds of up to 125 mph. However, even as it weakened over southeast Georgia, floodwaters trapped residents in their homes. By the time it reached South Carolina, Idalia was downgraded to a tropical storm, with winds slowed to 60 mph, and warnings for North Carolina and southeast Virginia. Video footage from the region has documented highways and entire neighborhoods inundated with water. In taking immediate action, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell intends to prioritize power restoration and debris clean-up. With the support of the Army Corps of Engineers and at least 30,000 linemen from Florida, generators will be installed to help restore power.
This map depicts areas most at risk of flash flooding with five (green), 15 (yellow), and 40 (red) percent chance of flooding. Click on the map to learn more.
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South Africa
73 Killed in Johannesburg Blaze
At least 73 people have been killed in a Johannesburg building fire. The cause of the five-story building catching ablaze is currently unknown. Located in what was formerly a business district in South Africa’s economic hub, emergency services stated it was being used as an informal settlement by the homeless population at the time of the fire. Chronic issues with housing in South Africa are common, with approximately 1.2 million people looking for someplace to live, according to a local official. The building, which was owned by the city, was not properly maintained, with makeshift structures and debris making it difficult to search and rescue those trapped. Emergency services reported that the building was fully gutted. In the wake of the fire, Mayor Gwamanda of Johannesburg stated that officials would relocate squatters living in similar buildings and turn those buildings into social housing.
This map depicts where a multistory building in Johannesburg caught fire in the city’s central business district, killing at least 73 people and injuring 50. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Al Jazeera
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Papua New Guinea
Interstellar Debris in the Pacific
Tiny metal spheres from a 2014 meteor crash off the coast of Papua New Guinea appear to have originated from outside the solar system, according to Harvard physics professor Avi Loeb. In June, Professor Loeb and his team retrieved remnants of the object, which upon analysis, do not match the composition of any man-made alloys or previously documented space debris. The spheres have high concentrations of uranium and beryllium, signaling that the meteor originated outside of the solar system. The idea has not been ruled that the crash could have been that of an alien spacecraft – not a meteor. There are plans to continue research on these interstellar spheres to determine if their origin is intelligently designed or naturally occurring.
This map depicts the location of the 2014 meteor crash from which the interstellar spheres were retrieved.
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Q: What country passed a law to move their capital to a newly constructed island 1,250 miles (2,000 km) away from the prior capital?
A: Indonesia
Indonesia has ambitious plans to relocate its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara in East Kalimantan, Borneo. The move, expected to take place by 2045, is part of President Joko Widodo’s plan to distribute economic activity throughout the country and reduce the capital’s population and traffic congestion. The Indonesian government aims to relocate up to 1.9 million people to Nusantara by 2045, with civil servants moving as early as 2024. Nusantara is estimated to cost around $35 billion to construct, but the government has only committed to investing 20% of the money needed, banking on 80% of funding coming from foreign investment. A lack of funding is just the beginning of a slew of problems Indonesia could face by moving the capital to Nusantara, and the move could create new challenges for Jakarta. As it is now, Jakarta, home to nearly 11 million, is prone to floods and not enough is being done to mitigate the issue.
Source CNBC
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Q: What natural resource from the Sahara has historically been a precious commodity in the Sub-Saharan forest and savannah regions?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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