United States: Chemical Plant Explosion

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United States

Chemical Plant Explosion in Texas
Early Wednesday morning, an explosion at a Texas Petroleum Chemical (TPC) plant injured three people and forced an evacuation of the area within a half-mile radius around the site. The blast, which occurred east of Houston in the town of Port Neches, blew out windows and doors in surrounding homes and lit the night sky orange. The plant reportedly produces butadiene, a colorless gas used in the production of rubber and plastic. Residents are advised to avoid the area as authorities continue to monitor the air quality.

This map depicts the location of the Port Neches Texas Petroleum Chemical plant. Click on the map to learn more.

Further Reading: CNN , Fox News, NBC News, The Hill

Graphic Source: New York Times
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Mexico
Terror Designation on Cartels
The Trump administration has officially announced plans to designate Mexican cartels as terrorist groups. Following the lethal ambush on an American Mormon family by cartel members earlier this month, the U.S. has increased its efforts to pursue the powerful drug cartels. The terrorist designation will criminalize any U.S. support of the cartels, ban members from the U.S., block any accounts within a U.S. financial institution, and hopefully slow the flow of firearms across the border. Mexico’s foreign minister has stated Mexico will not accept any foreign intervention against organized crime and will reject any “violation of sovereignty.”

This map depicts the major regions of cartel influence in Mexico, displaying the three major cartels. Click on the map to learn more.

Further Reading: New York Times, Buisness Insider, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times

Graphic Source: BBC
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United States
Storms Affect Travel
The United States is experiencing several storms this Thanksgiving week. Regions that are being particularly impacted include the West Coast and Central U.S. On Tuesday, heavy snow and winds hit states in the Northwest including California and Oregon. The snowfall progressed to the Midwest by early Wednesday morning, where it is expected to dump up to one foot of snow in some areas by the evening. Currently, over 600 flights have been cancelled and more than 3,000 flights have been delayed. This has caused a disarray in travel plans for many of the estimated 55 million people expected to be traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday.

This map depicts the national weather forecast for November 27-28. Click on the map to learn more.

Further Reading: CNN, Fox News, NBC, USA Today

Graphic Source: National Weather Service

+ The Marker Wadden is a man-made archipelago in the Dutch province of Flevoland. Check out this article about the wildlife conservation reserve on “Europe’s newest coastline.”

+ Be sure to check out Ubique’s newest Map of the Week on the National Audubon Society’s Climate Map.
+ Check out this time series map showing the spread of recent wildfires in Australia.

Yesterday’s Answer

Q: With an area of 2 acres, Santa Cruz del Islote- the world’s most densely populated island is located in which archipelago?

A: San Bernardo Archipelago
The San Bernardo Archipelago, and Santa Cruz del Islote, is located in the Gulf of Morrosquillo, off the coast of Colombia. Santa Cruz del Islote has an estimated 1,200 inhabitants and is approximately the size of two soccer fields.

Source

Today’s Question

Q: In what states can you find the largest and most populous Native American nation in the United States?

Stay tuned for the answer to today’s question in Monday’s DailyGeo.

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United States: Chemical Plant Explosion