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Sudan
Attacks in Jebel Moon
The government-affiliated militia known as the Janjaweed is believed to be responsible for attacks on non-Arab residents of the Jebel Moon area of western Sudan over the past week. Among the seventeen people killed on Monday were three human rights monitors assessing the ongoing violence in the region. The name Janjaweed is still used for a group of Arab fighters organized by former strongman Omar al-Bashir, now known as the Rapid Support Forces. The mountains in and around Jebel Moon are known to be rich in gold, leading some observers to believe the government is using the attacks to stifle local opposition to mining projects.
This map depicts recent conflicts and their effects in and around the Jebel Moon region of western Sudan. Click on the map to learn more.
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United States
Six Killed in Multi-Car Crash
On Thursday morning, a massive multi-car crash occurred on Interstate 57 in southeastern Missouri, resulting in six people dead and a pile-up of 135 cars. According to eyewitnesses, the crash site was more than half a mile (.8 km) long, with some vehicles ablaze. Foggy conditions that obscured visibility were observed around the time of the crash, though authorities are still investigating whether the fog played a role. The emergency response included more than 20 ambulances, two air ambulances, and assistance from local agricultural workers to help extinguish fires.
This map depicts the closed section of Interstate 57 where the multiple vehicle crash occurred. Click on the map to learn more.
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Graphic Source: KFVS12
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New Zealand
Mass Stranding of Pilot Whales
29 pilot whales have died in a mass stranding at Farewell Spit, a beach on New Zealand's South Island. 34 whales were found stranded and attempts to re-float the five survivors are being made. Pilot whales are the most common whale species in New Zealand waters. They can grow up to 20 feet long, and are regularly found beached in large groups. Farewell Spit has seen more than ten pilot whale strandings in the past 15 years, with the largest in February 2017, when 700 whales beached and 250 died. While there is no definitive explanation for why this beach is so deadly, a popular theory is that whales’ sonar navigation systems are confused by the shallow seabed in the bay with kilometer-wide sand flats.
This map depicts Farewell Spit in New Zealand, the location of a mass stranding of pilot whales. Click on the map to learn more.
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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?
A: Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Lençóis Maranhenses is a national park in northeastern Brazil, made up of rolling sand dunes and a 43 mi (70 km) stretch of coastline. The dunes are created by the Parnaíba and Preguicas rivers depositing sand, with some reaching heights as much as 137 ft (40 m) tall. During the rainy season, due to impermeable rock beneath, rain water fills up the valleys and creates warm, freshwater lagoons that people can swim in. Although it has the appearance of a desert, Lençóis Maranhenses receives around 47 in of rain per year.
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Q: Which country, one of the most biologically diverse places in the world, has seen significant environmental degradation in the search for oil and now holds the highest number of threatened living species in Latin America?
Stay tuned for the answer to today's question in Monday's DailyGeo.
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