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Russia
Smoke Travels to North Pole
For the first time in recorded history, smoke from wildfires raging in Siberia has made it to the North Pole. The smoke traveled more than 1,864 miles (3000 km) to reach the North Pole — an unprecedented distance. It also stretched over 1,200 miles (1931 km) on Wednesday to reach all the way to Mongolia in the south. The Sakha Republic has been experiencing record high temperatures recently. In June, some areas reached a ground temperature of 118 °F (48 °C) and an air temperature of almost 90 °F (32 °C)
This map depicts the extent of wildfire smoke above the Northern Hemisphere, where it recently reached the North Pole for the first time in recorded history. Click on the map to learn more.
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China
China-Russia Joint Military Drills
Chinese and Russian troops are engaging in joint exercises in northwestern China as a sign of growing military ties between the two countries. More than 10,000 troops have been deployed to northwestern China east of Xinjiang for the five-day exercise, which started on Monday. Xinjiang shares a narrow frontier with Afghanistan, and China is concerned about violence spilling over its border if the Taliban take control there. Liu Xiaowu, commander-in-chief of the Chinese troops, told state broadcaster CCTV on Monday that the exercise would include innovative combat tactics like emergency troop and heavy weapon drops, long-range strikes by J-16 fighter bombers, and the use of drones.
This map depicts the location of Russia and China’s joint military exercises. Click on the map to learn more.
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India
Landslide Buries Bus Passengers
Three vehicles and a bus carrying over 40 passengers have been buried under large amounts of debris by a major landslide. The disaster occurred on the Reckong Peo-Shimla Highway in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh in northern India earlier today. 10 people have been reportedly killed, as police and local administrations carry out rescue missions to help any survivors. This is just one of 35 major landslides that have struck Himachal Pradesh since June 13th as a result of the monsoon season, including one in late July that killed nine people and injured three others.
This map depicts the location of a deadly landslide in northern India. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: At about 5,600 ft (1,708 m) wide and 350 ft (108 m) high (about twice as wide and twice as tall as Niagara Falls), which famous waterfall holds the record for the world’s largest sheet of falling water?
A: Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls sits on the 1,680 mile (2,700 km) Zambezi River and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zimbabwe. The park’s name translates to “the smoke that thunders,” however the English name “Victoria Falls” was chosen by David Livingstone, a Scottish explorer.
Source
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Q: At 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long, where in the world can you find an island train line served entirely by long-retired subway trains?
Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in tomorrow’s DailyGeo.
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