A surprise windstorm that hit Washington, D.C. knocked out power to the U.S. Capitol building and other landmarks.
Winds were gusting over 50 miles per hour as the temperature fell over 45 degrees during the day according to the National Weather Service. The blast of colder air blacked out power to the Capitol Dome for half an hour in what officials called “a very rare event.”
Residents of West End reported their lights flickering and going out for the first time in years.
Utility companies say at the maximum outage, over 60,000 customers were without power across the region.
A major earthquake struck New Zealand’s north island on Monday shaking buildings and putting tens of thousands without power.
The 6.2 magnitude earthquake was centered about 70 miles northwest of Wellington, the nation’s capital, according to data from the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS reported the quake was located about 17 miles deep. A series of weaker aftershocks continued through the afternoon and evening.
While there were no immediate reports of casualties, electricity was cut off for thousands throughout the region. All trains on the rail network were stopped for railway inspectors to investigate for cracks on the tracks.
The quake was strong enough to bring down a giant eagle statue hanging from the ceiling of Wellington’s international airport. No one was hurt by the falling sculpture although commuters had to scatter. Airport authorities are investigating how the sculpture could have fallen.
New Zealand is on the southwestern edge of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
A storm with wind gusts near 120 M.P.H. roared across Europe on Monday leaving at least 13 people dead.
At least three were killed when they were crushed under falling trees and the heavy rains and high winds swept at least one woman out to sea. A teen girl in England died when a tree fell on the mobile home her family was living in while their main house was renovated.
Power outages reached 42,000 in northern France and over 600,000 homes in England.
German meteorologists recorded a record 119 m.p.h. wind gust in the North Sea.
The storm’s intensity reached the point that German officials had to stop all train service in the country and all shipping ports were closed for the duration of the storm.
Most of Syria is in darkness after a rebel artillery attack destroyed a gas pipeline feeding a major power plant.
Residents of Damascus say the entire city is without power while officials with the Bashir al-Assad administration have said the power outage is nationwide.
“A terrorist attack on a gas pipeline that feeds a power station in the south has led to a power outage in the provinces, and work to repair it is in progress,” Electricity Minister Imad Khamis told Syria’s state TV.
Khamis said it could take two days to restore the power.
The two sides in the civil war have been invited to a conference in Geneva to try and end the fighting but the government’s refusal to have President Bashir al-Assad step down is seen as an ongoing block to peace.
The Venezuelan government, facing the fallout of a massive blackout that shut down almost ¾ of the country, is creating a security force with the sole purpose of protecting the electrical grid.
While major cities have had power restored many rural areas are still without power. Continue reading →
Over 70% of Venezuela, including the capital city of Caracas, is without power after what the government is calling “sabotage”.
The blackout caused massive traffic issues as all traffic lights are out and underground transportation systems came to a complete stop. Thousands of workers were sent home because businesses could not operate without electricity. Continue reading →