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Japan
7.4 Magnitude Earthquake Hits
A strong 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan, killing four people, injuring over 100 others, and leaving millions without electricity. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a 1-meter (3.2 feet) tsunami warning to the Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, where relatively small tsunami waves were observed. Tremors traveled across a large area of Japan, shaking buildings in Tokyo and derailing a high-speed shinkansen train traveling between Shiroishi-Zao and Fukushima. The quake occurred almost eleven years to the day of a catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami which triggered the nuclear accident in Fukushima, the most severe since the Chornobyl disaster in 1986. Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority reported that reactors at the Fukushima Daini plant have resumed operation and no abnormalities detected.
This map depicts regions of Japan most affected by yesterday's earthquake with an epicenter 55 miles (89km) from that of the 2011 Fukushima earthquake. Click on the map to learn more.
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Iran
UAE Cargo Ship Sinks
A cargo ship belonging to the United Arab Emirates and carrying 30 crew sank off the coast of Iran, 30 miles (50km) from the port of Asalouye, prompting risky search-and-rescue operations by Iranian vessels. Officials have cited unfavorable weather as the cause of the incident, with wind speeds reported at 43 mph (70km/h), preventing a rescue craft from reaching the cargo ship before sinking. Twenty-nine of the crew were saved, and teams continue to search for the remaining member, according to an official from Iran’s Bushehr province. The cargo ship, owned by Dubai-based Salem Al Makrani Cargo Company, was transporting cars to the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr.
This map depicts the Persian Gulf site where a cargo ship sank off the coast of Iran . Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: AFP
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Mars
Ingenuity Mission Extended
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced the Ingenuity helicopter drone had its mission to survey Mars extended until at least September. Ingenuity made history in April 2021 as the first craft from Earth to make a powered-controlled flight on another planet. Ingenuity's original mission was solely to confirm the possibility of powered flight on Mars, but it has proven more durable than originally anticipated, having recently completed its 21st successful flight. Ingenuity's continued functionality enables scientists to survey the Mars landscape where its partner, the Perseverance rover, cannot travel.
This map depicts the flight and travel paths of the Perseverance rover and its partner, the Ingenuity helicopter drone, in Mars' Jezero Crater. Click on the map to learn more.
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Q: In which unique European border town can visitors enter a cafe in one country, and sip their coffee in another country just a few steps away?
A: Baarle - Belgium and Netherlands
Baarle is special in that the border running through the town separating Belgium and Netherlands is not a straight line. In fact, it often runs through different buildings including private homes, cafes, and museums. The border is marked as white crosses on the ground throughout Baarle. The history of this interesting border dates back to the Middle Ages, when land was divided up between aristocratic families. In 1830, after Belgium gained its independence from the Netherlands, surveyors were required to establish a precise border between the two countries, however, when they reached Baarle, they skipped it in the hopes it would be resolved later. The resolution came 165 years later when Baarle Hertog in Belgium and Baarle Nassau in the Netherlands were founded in 1995. Baarle includes 30 enclaves, with 22 Belgian enclaves in the Netherlands, 7 Dutch enclaves within those Belgian enclaves, and 1 Dutch enclave in Belgium, making for a criss-crossed border town.
Source
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Q: Not necessarily known for its desert climates, where can you find pristine, white rolling sand dunes that fill up with fresh water during the rainy seasons?
Stay tuned for the answer to today's question in tomorrow's DailyGeo.
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