Red rainbows are an extraordinarily rare sight, with Deborah Byrd writing in earthSky.org that she’s only seen the phenomenon once despite “decades of sky watching.” Abigail’s clip was uploaded onto YouTube by paranormal channel “Disclose Screen The Grimreefar” where it sparked dozens of wild theories. One suggested that the “matrix was breaking,” in reference to the blockbuster film where humans live in a simulation and the world is run by machines.
Another Brummie commented: “I’m from Birmingham too, and I live nine floors up in a tow” A red rainbow occurs when the sun looks very low in the sky, close to the horizon, and there is the right volume of water droplets for light to be reflected, refracted and dispersed. When the sun appears to be lower in the sky, light travels a longer distance through the atmosphere which gives rise to the red appearance of sunsets because the shorter wavelengths – blue, green, and yellow – are scattered leaving mostly red hues. –Daily Star
A local agency in Iceland has detected over 5,000 earthquakes in certain parts of the country during the last couple of days. The earthquake swarm was recorded as authorities warned about a possible eruption from the country’s most active volcano. According to the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO), the earthquakes began on June 19. Many of them were recorded in northern Iceland with magnitudes of over 5. The unusual seismic activity triggered landslides in the northern part of the country. Through a series of tweets, the IMO noted that more earthquakes are expected to occur within the next couple of days. “The earthquake swarm began on 19th of June,” the agency stated. “More than 5000 earthquakes have been detected, three of which measured greater than magnitude 5. The largest was on Sunday at 19:07 of M5.8 around 30 kilometers [north northeast] of Siglufjörður.”
Reports about the ongoing earthquake swarm were made after the IMO confirmed that Grimsvotn is in danger of erupting. Located on the northwestern side of the Vatnajokull ice cap, Grimsvotn is regarded as Iceland’s most active volcano. Its last eruption, which occurred in 2011, led to the cancellation of about 900 flights in Europe and the temporary closure of a nearby airport. According to the IMO, scientists have recently detected high levels of sulfur dioxide coming from the volcano, which indicates the presence of magma beneath Grimsvotn. The scientists noted that the volcano has been showing signs of activity since January of this year.
“This is the first time that we measure so much [sulfur dioxide] at a volcano in Iceland that is not in an eruptive phase and its presence is indicative of magma at shallow level,” Melissa Anne Pfeffer of the IMO said in a statement, according to Newsweek. It is not yet clear if the earthquake swarm and Grimsvotn’s current status are related to one another. The IMO believes that the volcano’s eruption could be caused by another factor, which is glacial flooding caused by melting ice in the area. “The possibility of an eruption triggered by a glacial flood, which could occur in the coming weeks or months, has to be considered,” the IMO stated, according to Deutsche Welle. –IB Times
A meteorite-like object fell from the sky in Rajasthan’s Sanchore town on the morning of June 19. The object resulted in a one-foot-deep crater and created an explosive sound that was heard up to two kilometers away, triggering panic across the region. Even three hours after it hit the ground, the meteor-like object was emitting heat, leading many to believe it may explode.
It weighs three kilograms and made an explosive sound at the time of its crash, say locals. Officials advised locals to stay away from the impact area. After it cooled down, it was put in a jar. The unidentified object is currently with the police and under investigation. “There was a massive sound in the morning when the object fell from the sky — it was as if an airplane had crashed. However, no one could spot what had fallen.”
“It was only after sometime that the object was noticed in a one-foot-deep pit in the ground. It had fallen about 100 meters from my house. We immediately informed local authorities,” says Ajmal Devasi, a local. Mangal Singh, Information Bureau Inspector, Jalore district, said, “After we received information about the unidentified object, department officials reached the spot. The unidentified object was found to be three kilos heavy and was very hot. Investigation is underway.” But such meteorite impacts don’t seem to be a rarity in India. Beginning of March 2020, another powerful meteorite impact occurred in Uttar Pradesh. –Strange Sounds
The U.S. saw a record number of new coronavirus cases in a single day, with 45,557 diagnoses reported Wednesday, according to a tally by NBC News. Wednesday’s cases top the previous highest daily count from April 26 — during the first peak of the pandemic in the U.S. — by more than 9,000 cases, according to NBC News’ tracking data. The World Health Organization reported its single-day record on Sunday, with more than 183,000 new cases worldwide. Health experts said Monday that the resurgence in cases in Southern and Western states can be traced to Memorial Day, when many officials began loosening lock-downs and reopening businesses.
The Northeast has reported significant decreases in cases as authorities have maintained policies about social distancing and wearing masks. Visitors who travel from U.S. hot spots who arrive in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut will be asked to quarantine for two weeks, their governors announced Wednesday. Unfortunately, as many states struggle to contain the virus after having prematurely loosened restrictions, hospitals are becoming overwhelmed by patients. In Florida, where more than 109,000 cases have been reported, available capacity for adult intensive care units is only 21 percent, according to state data updated Wednesday. Only 12 percent of Arizona’s ICU beds are available, the state health department reported Tuesday.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, praised California’s response and likened the battle against the coronavirus to a social justice crusade. “Californians have risen to the occasion on social issues so well in the past, you’ve been the leaders in the country on those things,” Fauci told the Sacramento Press Club. “This is an issue that really has social responsibility associated with it,” he said. Even so, California also recorded its biggest single-day tally of new cases Wednesday. An additional 7,149 reported cases brought the state’s total of confirmed cases to 190,222. Gov. Gavin Newsom pleaded with Californians on Wednesday to continue covering their faces. “You’re not invincible from COVID-19,” Newsom said. “Quite the contrary. This is a disease that easily spreads, very easily spreads.” –CNBC
Deaths expected to rise dramatically: With novel coronavirus infections setting a single-day national record Wednesday, health experts are taking little solace from one of the few bright spots in the current resurgence: deaths are not rising in lockstep with caseloads. But that may be just a matter of time. “Deaths always lag considerably behind cases,” Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease specialist, told Congress at a hearing Tuesday. In the weeks to come, he and others said, the death toll is likely to rise commensurately. –Newstimes
FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — The USGS is reporting a magnitude 5.8 earthquake shook around 10:40 a.m. on Wednesday centered near Lone Pine on the east side of the Sierras. Initially reported a 6.0 magnitude quake. There have also been smaller aftershocks reported of 3.6, 3.1, and 2.5. No immediate reports of injuries were reported. –Fox 26 News
Mexico City (AFP) – A powerful 7.4magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami warning along Central America’s Pacific coast and as far south as Ecuador. The epicenter was near Crucecita, in the southeastern state of Oaxaca, but the shock wave was felt as far away as Mexico City, some 700 kilometers (430 miles) distant, where it sent frightened residents rushing into the streets. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the quake struck with a magnitude of 7.4, at a depth of 23 kilometers. After initially publishing a reading of 7.1, the Mexican Seismological Service revised its figure to 7.5.
The U.S. Pacific Tsunami warning center said hazardous waves as high as three meters could strike anywhere within 1,000 kilometers of the quake’s epicenter, affecting the Pacific coast of Mexico and Central and South America. The highest waves, of one to three meters, are expected along Mexico’s southern coast near where the quake hit hardest, the center said. Waves of up to one meter could strike the coast of Ecuador, and smaller waves under a half-meter could be seen in Central American countries as well as Hawaii and Peru. “At the moment we have no preliminary reports of any damage. Several institutions are continuing to evaluate their priority infrastructure,” David Leon, the national coordinator of Mexico’s Civil Protection force, told Milenio TV station.
Oaxaca Governor Alejandro Murat wrote on Twitter that the state was activating safety protocols “to monitor the streets and keep the population protected.” Mexico City mayor Claudia Sheinbaum also activated response protocols, although she said there had been “no major incidents” reported. The earthquake was felt in several parts of the capital of 8.8 million people which in 2017 was hit by a 7.1 magnitude quake that left 360 people dead throughout the country. That same year, 96 people died after an 8.1 magnitude quake struck the south of the country, with Oaxaca the worst affected state. The quake has hit at a time when Mexico is already reeling from the coronavirus pandemic. It has suffered more than 22,500 COVID-19 deaths — the second most in Latin America — and 185,000 cases. –Yahoo News
Death toll: The death toll from a powerful earthquake that struck southern Mexico on Tuesday has risen to 10 people, authorities said on Wednesday, as locals began clearing the rubble and assessing the damage from the temblor. The area surrounding the popular Huatulco beach resort in the southern state of Oaxaca was hardest hit by the 7.4 magnitude quake, but the shaking could be felt as far away as Mexico City, where tall buildings swayed and thousands of people raced into the streets. Roughly 30 buildings in the capital were damaged, and in a northern neighborhood that was hard hit by a 2017 earthquake, some residents had to evacuate their homes. –Reuters -June 26, 2020
Around 3,000 tremors have hit Iceland in the past three days, the country’s meteorological service (IMO) has said as officials warn that the Grimsvotn volcano is at risk of erupting. The tremors have been caused by three earthquakes – each one with a magnitude of more than five – that struck the northern coast over the weekend, according to the IMO. One of the quakes was felt in the capital Reykjavik, located about 265km (165 miles) away from the epicentre, off the coast of Siglufjordur – a small village of around 1,200 people.
No major injuries or damage have been reported but some landslides and rockfalls have been observed in the area. “Compared to previous earthquake swarms in the area it is expected that this swarm will continue during the coming days,” Iceland’s government institution said. “But in most cases activity like this ends without a larger event.”
The cluster of earthquakes and tremors comes after authorities warned last week that Grimsvotn, the country’s most active volcano, could erupt soon after scientists recorded high levels of sulphur dioxide at the site. IMO said glacial floods caused by the tremors could cause an eruption. “The possibility of an eruption triggered by a glacial flood, which could occur in the coming weeks or months, has to be considered,” the institute said.
This indicates the presence of so-called shallow magma – a sign that a volcano may be close to erupting. Grimsvotn last erupted in 2011, sending clouds of thick ash into the atmosphere, leading Iceland to temporarily close its airspace. Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupted in April 2010, an event that grounded thousands flights across Europe for six days, amid fears that the ash could damage jet engines. Scientists have said that the effects of a possible Grimsvotn eruption would be less dramatic than that of Eyjafjallajokull. –The Independent UK
AN ENORMOUS plume of Saharan dust, nicknamed ‘Godzilla’, is heading for the U.S. bringing the “worst air pollution in 50 years.” The Saharan Air Layer (SAL) first appeared on satellite images captured over Africa in June according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The colossal cloud, usually found between 5,000 and 20,000 feet above ground level, is formed by powerful winds lifting sand and mineral particles off the surface of the Sahara and into the air. It’s assumed that strong updrafts sent sandy surface winds blowing the cloud across the desert higher into the atmosphere. The cloud typically forms between late spring and early autumn every year and travels across the Atlantic Ocean. The latest SAL has now travelled 3,000 miles, covering the Caribbean in plumes of dust.
The cloud of the Sahara Desert has reduced air quality to record “hazardous” levels and has been nicknamed the “Godzilla dust cloud.” Experts believe that the event is the most significant in the past 50 years. “This is the most significant event in the past 50 years,” said Pablo Méndez Lázaro, an environmental health specialist with the University of Puerto Rico. “Conditions are dangerous in many Caribbean islands.” The Barbados Meteorological Services advised those with respiratory issues or dust allergies to travel with prescribed medications.
Ivan Thompson, director of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service expected, the dense plume to “peak” on June 23, report the Jamaican Observer. José Alamo, a meteorologist with the U.S National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said June 23 would be the worst day for the U.S. territory as the plume travels towards the southeast U.S. coast. The main international airport in San Juan reported just five miles (eight kilometres) of visibility and flags fluttered in the gloomy-looking Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Due to the dry air and high pressure, the dust cloud has paused hurricane activity. Rick Davis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Ruskin office told the Tampa Bay Times: “The slow-moving dust is robbing the air of all its moisture. Tropical storms and hurricanes rely on the air that is both warm and most in order to form.” There is little rain, no tropical storms and stunning sunsets. Mr. Davis said: “One unique aspect of the dust will be our sunsets being incredibly vivid.” –The Sun
The Extinction Protocol 