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Nepal
60 Missing After Landslide
More than 60 people have gone missing in Nepal after a landslide triggered by heavy rain swept two buses into the Trishuli river. While three survivors managed to swim to safety after jumping out of the bus, the other passengers have yet to be found. The incident occurred around 3:00am on the Narayanghat-Mugling highway near Simaltal, on a key route connecting Chitwan and Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital city. Heavy monsoon rains have swollen the river and turned its waters murky, complicating the search for the submerged buses which were likely swept downstream. Monsoon season, which brings heavy rains to Nepal from June to September, often triggers landslides in the mountainous Himalayan region.
This map depicts the 7-day rainfall accumulation in Nepal, where monsoons brought on a landslide that swept away two buses on the Narayanghat-Mugling highway. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: Barron’s
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World
Population Peak Moves Lower
The United Nations released its World Population Prospects report for 2024, projecting the world population is on track to peak at 10.3 billion people sometime in the 2080s. This revised number is lower than the 10.4 billion previously expected, and moves the arrival of the peak a few years earlier than originally anticipated. The predictions have changed as fertility rates in several large countries have dropped since the last report in 2022. Populations have peaked in over 60 countries already, including China, Italy, Japan, and Russia. India is currently the world’s most populous country with over 1.4 billion people after overtaking China two years ago, and its population is predicted to continue to grow through the middle of the century. The United States joins most other countries with fertility rates below the 2.1 child per woman replacement rate, but is predicted to be able to continue population growth via immigration.
This map depicts countries in the world that have already reached their peak populations, according to the UN’s World Population Prospects report. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: NBC News
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Canada
Vancouver Island Earthquakes
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Vancouver Island early on Thursday. This earthquake is one of several that have been reported off the coast of British Columbia over the past few days. An hour after the 8.30am magnitude 6.4 earthquake, a magnitude 5 earthquake occurred. The earthquake triggered alerts in western Washington. Since the beginning of July, 13 earthquakes have taken place off the British Columbia coast, all with magnitudes of 4.0 or above. Vancouver Island residents felt the earthquake, but no tsunami or significant damage occurred.
This map depicts the locations where the earthquakes struck. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: What Caribbean country is known as the “Island of Spice” due to its production of nutmeg?
A: Grenada
In the southern Caribbean, Grenada is one of the smallest independent countries in the Western Hemisphere. The country is made up of three main islands—Grenada (the largest) plus Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Sugarcane was an important crop for Grenada in the 18th century, but when it lost its economic value, other crops began to be produced on the island. In 1782, King George III’s botanical advisor, Sir Joseph Banks, introduced nutmeg to Grenada. The island’s soil was ideal for growing the spice, and it was closer to Europe than the Dutch East Indies, making the island an important source of spice for European traders. Today, the country is one of the world’s top producers of cinnamon, mace, cloves, and more than 20% of the world’s nutmeg.
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Q: What country is home to the most endangered tropical forest in the world?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.
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