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Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake Strikes Northern California
A strong earthquake jolted residents awake in northern California early Tuesday, knocking out power to 70,000 people and damaging some buildings and a roadway. There were two reported injuries.
The magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck near Ferndale, a small town about 210 miles (345 kilometers) northwest of San Francisco and close to the Pacific coast, at 2:34 a.m. The epicenter was located about 10 miles offshore (16 kilometers). There were numerous aftershocks.
The Humboldt County Office of Emergency Services initially tweeted that there had been “widespread damage to roads and homes,” but authorities later indicated that the damage was less than what might be expected given the earthquake’s magnitude.
The region is located on California’s remote, far north coast and is home to redwood forests, mountains, a port, and a state university. Long before the state legalized marijuana, Humboldt County was part of the Emerald Triangle, a three-county region known for its clandestine cannabis production.
Two people were injured, but both were expected to recover, county sheriff’s information specialist Samantha Karges told The Associated Press in an email. According to Brian Ferguson, a California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services spokesperson, no fatalities were immediately reported.
There is “some damage” to buildings and infrastructure, and two hospitals in the area lost power and were running on generators, he said, but the scale of the damage appeared to be “minimal” compared to the magnitude of the quake. He also stated that there was a report of a gas leak.
Authorities in Ferndale closed an important bridge due to damage. The state highway department posted a photo of crumpled pavement on Twitter.
State Sen. Mike McGuire, who represents the area, said the small city of Rio Dell, which has a population of only a few thousand people, took the brunt of the damage. McGuire was not in the area at the time of the earthquake, but he said he heard “violent,” sustained shaking.
According to McGuire, there was one confirmed structural fire, a few structures came off their foundations, and the municipal water system was damaged, but it was unclear if any homes or businesses lost access to water.
He estimated that 72,000 people lost power.
The power outage affected the main transmission line that runs into the region, and Pacific Gas & Electric’s restoration work was slowed because rain prevented the use of a helicopter to assess the damage, according to McGuire. The utility expected power to be restored by evening, but he said residents should be prepared to be without power for longer. The utility did not immediately respond to the outage.
According to the California Earthquake Authority, Humboldt County has approximately 136,000 residents and is located in a region with a long history of large earthquakes, including a magnitude of 7.0 in 1980 and a magnitude of 6.8 in 2014.
The city of Eureka, population 26,000, reported on its website that its communications center was receiving a high volume of calls, but “no significant damage” was immediately reported.
Dan Dixon, 40, of Eureka, said the earthquake jolted him and his wife awake and shook everything, knocking pictures on the floor. He claimed their infant daughter slept through it.
“It was probably the most violent earthquake we’ve felt in the 15 years I’ve lived here,” he said. “It physically moved our bed.”
Caroline Titus, a Ferndale resident, tweeted a video of toppled furniture and smashed dishes in her darkened home.
“Our house is a 140-year-old Victorian. “The north/south shaking is very visible in what fell,” she tweeted.
“That was a big one,” she said in another tweet.
The earthquake occurred at the Mendocino Triple Junction, where three tectonic plates collide.
“We’re at a point in geologic time when the most exciting, dynamic area of California happens to be Humboldt County and the adjacent offshore area,” said Lori Dengler, professor emeritus of geology at Cal Poly Humboldt.
Dengler stated that it is normal for there to be uncertainty about damage following a large earthquake. However, she pointed out that much of the area is rural, and wood frame construction is common, which has helped limit damage in the past.
The quake triggered the West Coast’s warning system, which detects the start of a quake and sends alerts to cellphones in the affected area, giving people time to take safety precautions before strong shaking reaches them.
According to Ferguson, the Cal OES spokesperson, approximately 270,000 people received notifications early Tuesday.
The earthquake occurred just days after a small magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck the San Francisco Bay Area, waking thousands before 4 a.m. Saturday and causing minor damage.
That earthquake was centered in El Cerrito, about a 16-mile (25-kilometer) drive from downtown San Francisco.
The new head of the Army has stated that Britain must be prepared to fight a war within three years.
Gen Sir Roland Walker has issued a warning about a variety of risks in what he calls a “increasingly volatile” environment.
However, he stated that war was not inevitable and that the Army had “just enough time” to prepare to prevent conflict.
He stated that the Army’s fighting capacity would be doubled by 2027 and tripled by the end of the decade.
Gen Walker warned that the Britain was under threat from a “axis of upheaval” in his first speech as Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Among the primary concerns confronting the Britain in the next years, as noted by the general in a briefing, is an enraged Russia, which may seek vengeance on the West for helping Ukraine, regardless of who wins the war.
He stated: “It doesn’t matter how it finishes. I believe Russia will emerge from it weaker objectively – or completely – but still very, very dangerous and seeking some form of retaliation for what we have done to assist Ukraine.”
Britain’s Government Defence Review and Military Challenges
He also warned that China was determined to retake Taiwan, and Iran was likely to seek nuclear weapons.
He stated that the threats they posed may become particularly acute in the next three years, and that these countries had formed a “mutual transactional relationship” since the war in Ukraine, sharing weaponry and technology.
However, he stated that the path to conflict was not “inexorable” if the UK re-established credible land troops to assist its deterrent strategy for avoiding war.
In his speech, he described his force of slightly over 70,000 regular troops as a “medium-sized army” and made no direct call for additional resources or men.
However, he pushed the British Army to adapt swiftly, focussing on technology such as artificial intelligence and weaponry rather than numbers.
His ultimate goal is for the Army to be capable of destroying an opponent three times its size.
This would entail firing quicker and farther, he said, aided by lessons learnt from the Ukraine war.
The general’s speech at the Royal United Services Institute land warfare conference comes only one week after the government began a “root and branch” defence review to “take a fresh look” at the challenges facing the armed services.
Defence Secretary John Healey launched the assessment, describing the existing status of the armed forces as “hollowed-out” and stating that “procurement waste and neglected morale cannot continue”.
According to the most recent Ministry of Defence (MoD) numbers from April 2024, the Britain’s regular Army forces total 75,325 troops (excluding Gurkhas and volunteers).
That figure has been declining in recent years, as recruiting has failed to match retention. The previous Conservative administration lowered the planned headcount from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
Members of the NATO military alliance have agreed to spend at least 2% of GDP on defence by 2024, but several countries are unlikely to fulfil this goal.
The Britain presently spends 2.3% of its GDP on defence. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously stated that the defence review will include a “roadmap” for increasing this to 2.5%, however he has yet to provide a date for this promise.
Source: BBC
News
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
PARIS — Katie Ledecky is looking for clean Olympic races. On Wednesday, Hope had pretty much reached her limit.
The American swimmer hopes to add to her six gold medals as she competes in the 400, 800, and 1,500 meters at the Paris Games. Her program starts with the heavy 400 on Saturday, featuring Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
The 27-year-old Katie is competing in her fourth Summer Olympics, but the first since a doping scandal involving almost two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned chemical before the Tokyo Games — yet were permitted to compete with no consequences. The controversy has raised serious worries regarding the effectiveness of anti-doping initiatives.
Katie Ledecky | Vogue Image
“I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week,” Ledecky claimed. “But what truly counts is, were they training cleanly? Hopefully this has been the case. Hopefully, there has been worldwide testing.”
The International Olympic Committee has expressed concern over the ongoing US investigation into possible doping by Chinese swimmers. While awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, the IOC urged Utah officials to do whatever they could to stop the FBI investigation.
“I think everyone’s heard what the athletes think,” Katie added. “They seek transparency. They want more answers to the remaining questions. At this point, we are here to race. We are going to race whoever is in the lane next to us.
“We are not paid to conduct the tests, so we trust those who follow their regulations. That applies both today and in the future.
Katie Ledecky | ESPN Image
Katie Ledecky Hopes For Clean Races At Paris Olympics In The Aftermath Of The Chinese Doping Scandal
SOURCE | AP
As the summer holidays begin, London may experience an official heatwave with temperatures reaching up to 29 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office predicts a long period of sunny and dry weather for London after a soggy spring and summer.
After a cloudy day on Saturday, temperatures are expected to reach 27C on Sunday, with lots of sunlight.
On Monday and Tuesday, temperatures are forecast to peak at 29 degrees Celsius. Monday is forecast to offer more sunlight, while Tuesday may see some gloomy weather.
Temperatures are expected to remain in the high 20s next week, with lows of approximately 18C.
According to the Met Office, a heatwave is “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity.”
In the United Kingdom, a heatwave is proclaimed when daily temperatures meet or surpass a certain level for at least three consecutive days.
In London, the heatwave threshold is 28 degrees Celsius.
The Met Office reported that the UK is experiencing hotter and wetter weather on average due to climate change.
The UK experienced its warmest May and April on record this year, despite damp and dismal conditions in many areas.
According to the Met Office’s State Of The UK Climate 2023 report published on Thursday, the UK experienced historic levels of extreme weather last year.
In the United Kingdom, 2023 was the second warmest year on record, bringing storms, flooding, strong heatwaves, and rising sea levels; only 2022 was warmer.
It was 0.8°C higher than the average from 1991 to 2020, and 1.66°C higher than the 1961 to 1990 average.
However, 2023 will be a “cool year” in comparison to 2100, based on the planet’s warming trajectory.
The government’s plan to adapt to the hazards presented by climate change is currently being challenged in the High Court by campaigners who allege the Tory administration’s July 2023 National Adaptation Programme (NAP) fails to adequately address 61 concerns.
Source: The Standard
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