SHE'S A POWERFUL FORCE -- NATURAL DISASTERS

[HairOfTheDog]

Rescue Diver Dies in Thailand Cave

Former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan died after running out of oxygen in the cramped, waterlogged passageways of the Tham Luang caves in northern Thailand this morning. Rest in Peace.


The 38-year-old was trying to reach a cavern set up as a command centre 1.2miles inside the caves and had been leaving oxygen tanks around the network as part of preparations for rescuing the 12 young footballers. But he ran out of air at 2am local time and his diving partner was unable to revive him.

His body will be flown to his hometown in Roi Et for a royally-sponsored funeral, the Thai king announced. Pictures today showed military officials transporting his flag-draped coffin.

The cave's oxygen level has dropped from 21% to 15% with the presence of so many rescue workers there.

Cave diving is seriously dangerous, especially in muddy conditions, even for expert divers. I don't think it's reasonable to expect that the boys, who can't even swim, will be scuba diving out of the cave.

Elon Musk is sending teams of engineers in hopes of setting up an inflatable tube which the boys and their coach can use to crawl to safety.

Full story: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...-cave.html

[HairOfTheDog]

Good news: four of the Thai soccer players have been successfully rescued from the cave by rescue divers.


According to an official, among the freed quartet are Nattawut 'Tle' Takamsai, 11 (top), Prajak Sutham, 14 (bottom left), and Pipat Bodhi, 15 (bottom right).

Thirty-five emergency doctors were on standby as the 'exhausted' boys were flown by military helicopter or driven in ambulances to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh hospital.

Divers will not be rescuing the remaining eight children tonight, the Thai Public Broadcast Service announced, reporting: ‘Only six of the boys will be taken out tonight.’ However, authorities later confirmed they had only been able to rescue four boys, instead of the planned six.

The other eight players – and their coach – will remain underground and be rescued tomorrow, the state-funded news agency said.

Divers are expected to re-enter the caves in between ten and twenty hours' time because there were not enough air tanks along the route to continue, an official said.

A staggering 90 divers have been involved in the rescue in the Tham Luang Nang Non cave complex, with only 40 of them coming from Thailand.

Yesterday the boys' parents sent a letter to soccer coach and told him it's not his fault and they want him to keep taking care of their sons until they're rescued.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...-team.html

[HairOfTheDog]

Great news. Yesterday, the rescue teams got the last of the school boys and the coach out of the cave.

They're all in the hospital being evaluated and monitored, but all reportedly appear stable.

It was inspiring seeing so many people from all over working together to pull off a really risky mission; good planning and execution too.

[Duchess]

It was inspiring seeing so many people from all over working together to pull off a really risky mission; good planning and execution too.

It sure was! A lovely bright spot filled with hope & all good vibes. So sorry about the Seal that died :(

[HairOfTheDog]

Missouri

Duck boats are amphibious vehicles that can travel on both land and water.



Sadly, a duck boat was touring the waters when a severe wind and thunderstorm hit in Branson, Missouri last night.  

29 people were on-board and 17 are confirmed dead (drowned).  Rest in peace.

The driver of the boat is among the deceased, but the boat captain survived.

Some survivors are in critical condition, and a few are missing.

Story:  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018...806195002/

[Duchess]

17 dead. My God. I saw the headlines and there was a clip playing as I walked through the living room but I've been busy and haven't really paid attention to what happened. That's just awful.

[HairOfTheDog]

17 dead. My God. I saw the headlines and there was a clip playing as I walked through the living room but I've been busy and haven't really paid attention to what happened. That's just awful.

Yeah, there was several children on-board the popular tourist boat.  :(

The storm reportedly hit suddenly and led to 5 foot waves, 80mph winds, and the water swelling to 40 feet.  The duck boat capsized.  

Correction to my previous post:  the 17 deceased include four people who were previously missing.  Divers recovered the four missing bodies this morning.  https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati...805646002/

[Carsman]

OMG ! How very sad!

My Daughter and her family just was on that lake in a boat they rented, last weekend on vacation.

[Duchess]

I've thought about those people so much since I read the story. One woman lost several members of her family. It's just so freakin' sad :(

[HairOfTheDog]

OMG ! How very sad!

My Daughter and her family just was on that lake in a boat they rented, last weekend on vacation.

Wow, that's too close for comfort.  

There's a big push now to ban duck boats.  Apparently they've been involved in several deadly incidents over the years.  https://people.com/human-interest/duck-b...g-coffins/

I don't know if that's an overreaction or not.  Are the deaths due to the...........Design of duck boats?  Or, unpredictable weather conditions (which can lead to deaths even in the safest vehicles)?  Or, lack of safety processes and regulations (life vests aren't legally required in Missouri)?  Or, a combination of all of the above?  

In any case, there will definitely be a full investigation as a result of this tragedy and hopefully the right changes will be implemented.

I've thought about those people so much since I read the story. One woman lost several members of her family. It's just so freakin' sad :(

Nine of the fatal victims were from the same family.  :(



One of the family members who survived, Tia Coleman (^ left) says the captain waved the family away from life vests and told them they wouldn't need them.   Her husband and three children are among the family members she lost.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...ckets.html

[Carsman]

OMG ! How very sad!

My Daughter and her family just was on that lake in a boat they rented, last weekend on vacation.

Wow, that's too close for comfort.  

There's a big push now to ban duck boats.  Apparently they've been involved in several deadly incidents over the years.  https://people.com/human-interest/duck-b...g-coffins/

I don't know if that's an overreaction or not.  Are the deaths due to the...........Design of duck boats?  Or, unpredictable weather conditions (which can lead to deaths even in the safest vehicles)?  Or, lack of safety processes and regulations (life vests aren't legally required in Missouri)?  Or, a combination of all of the above?  

In any case, there will definitely be a full investigation as a result of this tragedy and hopefully the right changes will be implemented.

I've thought about those people so much since I read the story. One woman lost several members of her family. It's just so freakin' sad :(

Nine of the fatal victims were from the same family.  :(



One of the family members who survived, Tia Coleman (^ left) says the captain waved the family away from life vests and told them they wouldn't need them.   Her husband and three children are among the family members she lost.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...ckets.html

.

After seeing those wind driven cresting waves in the video shown from inside the boat, I said to my wife, the captain should have had all passengers put on life jackets, it was only common safety sense!

Anyway, even if they had life jackets on, the non-removable canopy on the boat only left what looked like 2-1/2 to 3 feet high windows on the side to get out making it very difficult to try to get out of that bouncing death trap! Very sad indeed!

[HairOfTheDog]

Hurricane Florence - Category 4



Grave warnings have been issued for the Carolinas as Michigan-sized 'monster' Hurricane Florence slows and changes path to promise flooding worse than Hurricane Harvey, up to four FEET of rain, a 13-foot storm surge and destruction that could cost $170 BILLION.

Over a million people are in the projected direct path and have been ordered to evacuate by today.  25 million people are expected to be impacted.

And, of course, there are residents in the evacuation zones who are telling reporters they're staying put to protect their homes and/or businesses.  I understand that inclination, but it's a stupid risk to take.  I hope they get lucky, but if Mother Nature hits them hard, they're screwed.  Officials say they are not going to risk rescue workers' lives to try and assist/save those folks.

I have to fly to Missouri tomorrow morning and hope I don't end up getting delayed for hours if flights are cancelled or delayed.

[HairOfTheDog]

This is reassuring news for animal lovers.



For many, they are a North Carolina icon - and with Category 4 Hurricane Florence barreling in, many animal-lovers are worried for the fate of the Outer Banks wild horses.

But they are being reassured that the ponies know how to ride out the storm.  

Sue Stuska, a wildlife biologist based at Cape Lookout National Seashore, where 118 wild horses live on Shackleford Banks, said the horses are highly sensitive to weather changes and instinctively know what to do in a storm.

She said they go to higher ground during flooding, including the dunes, and head for shrub thickets and a maritime forest during high winds.  

'Naturally, they are meant to be outside and they have high ground and they have thick places to hide,' Stuska said.  'Don't worry about them. They've survived for hundreds of years, and we expect that they'll be just fine.'  I hope she's right.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...icane.html

[Duchess]

That's a true statement. I used to worry about the wild horses in Chincoteague and on Assateague Island but they always fare well. It's so reassuring to know that. I almost always think animals are smarter than many people anyway.

[Duchess]

I just watched a little of the hurricane coverage. I'm not going to complain about anything for the rest of the day. I have no problems compared to what so many of those people are living through. I'm so sorry for those who will lose everything they've spent a lifetime of working for  :(

[Carsman]

In addition to Florence, Hurricane Olivia is heading towards Hawaii !

Also heard Isac and Norman are also churning around out there!

[Love Child]

I just watched a little of the hurricane coverage. I'm not going to complain about anything for the rest of the day. I have no problems compared to what so many of those people are living through. I'm so sorry for those who will lose everything they've spent a lifetime of working for  :(

I know, I feel silly complaining about the smoke and fires over the summer, this is really detrimental. So are fires, it just seems different.

P.S. I would be getting out of town for sure if a hurricane was imminent. Why would I want to stay through that-and then deal with the flooding and power outages. Ugh.

I have a cousin in Lynchburg....doesn't sound like they are taking precautions. I wish they would leave.

[Carsman]

I have a friend who just moved into a beautiful "big" New House in Myrtle Beach SC in June!
He sent me pictures of the house, it is magnificent, at least I got to see it that way, since most likely Florence will
damage it!  I was supposed to visit him this winter when I go back to SNAKEland (I HATE SNAKES)
I feel so bad for him, I wished him the very best of luck, as last I heard he's hunkering down, and staying there!

I tried to talk him into leaving, but he is & always has been very stubborn! I have his cell phone #, hope the cell towers
don't go down.

[Duchess]

I know, I feel silly complaining about the smoke and fires over the summer, this is really detrimental. So are fires, it just seems different.

Fires are a real problem too, honey. They affect your life and sometimes your health, not to mention the loss of property, homes and work places. They've got their own badness. It's all so sucky.

[Duchess]

Reporters don't have to hang onto trees and structures to convince me the weather is awful. I swear. Please move away from the surf, you dumbass bastards.