At a Glance NOAA predicts an above-average to large "dead zone" in the northern Gulf of Mexico this summer.This is an area that forms each summer, with oxygen levels too low to support marine life.The high risk of flooding in the central U.S. this spring is the main indicator.Discharges of nutrients and freshwater from the Mississippi-Atchafalaya River Basin fuel the dead zone. The Gulf of Mexico “dead zone” could be large this summer after spring flooding produces higher-than-average discharges of...

At a Glance A UN report put the humanitarian crisis on par with a war zone.Rescue workers say thousands of victims may have been washed out to sea.A top U.S. general has arrived in Mozambique to begin coordinating relief efforts. The United Nations has declared an emergency in cyclone-ravaged southern Africa as some 600,000 people have been displaced and , according to a U.N. World Food Program report obtained by the New York Times. The level three emergency declaration puts...

At a Glance The city of Beira, Mozambique, was devastated by Cyclone Idai.But for years, the city's leaders have been working to fight the effects of climate change.The coastal city is located along one of the most vulnerable coasts in the world for sea level rise. It didn't take a monster cyclone to convince the mayor of Beira, Mozambique, that climate change was affecting the planet – he had already made plans to defend his city from its impacts. The...

At a Glance Golf ball-sized hail was reported along the Space Coast.The hail piled up like snow in the town of Trenton, near Gainesville.Wind gusts up to 47 mph were recorded at Port Canaveral. Hail as large as golf balls pelted a large swath of central Florida Wednesday morning as heavy storms battered the region. Florida Today reported that , pool screens blown apart and cars damaged, while piles of ice up to two inches high covered the ground in...

At a Glance Harbour Air and magniX are partnering to convert the airline's 40 seaplanes into zero-emissions ePlanes.The partnership will create the world's first all-electric airline.Commercial air travel is one of the largest contributors of carbon emissions in the world. The world's first all-electric airline will soon be whisking passengers to destinations in the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada. Harbour Air, North America's largest seaplane airline, and magniX, a leading developer of electric propulsion systems for aircraft,...

At a Glance A Norwegian cruise ship sent a mayday call and had to evacuate passengers after experiencing engine problems.Helicopters airlifted 479 passengers off the stricken ship before engines could be restarted.Thirty-six people were injured as the ship was tossed by rough seas.The ship, Viking Sky, made it back to port about 4:30 p.m. Sunday.Norway's Accident Investigation Board will investigate the incident. Some described hanging onto a wire and being battered by winds as they were hoisted into a helicopter....

At a Glance Dozens of Montana and North Dakota homes were evacuated along the Yellowstone River.The flooding occurred after a rapid snowmelt. Anticipating more flooding this spring, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum declared a statewide flood emergency.About 50 people were evacuated from a South Dakota reservation. Snowmelt flooding has prompted the evacuation of dozens of homes along the Yellowstone River in western North Dakota and eastern Montana. About 50 homes were evacuated Tuesday near Cartwright, North Dakota, home to about...

Land mines litter Halgurd-Sakran National Park in northern Iraq. (Rahel Hamad) At a Glance A study by an Iraqi researcher shows high levels of toxic metals in areas where mines have been cleared.The findings revealed elevated levels of nickel, arsenic, copper and other metals.Soil samples were taken from a remote area in Iraq. While land mines remain a lingering danger to those living in war-torn nations, new research shows that detonating them in the field could cause long-term environmental damage....

At a Glance The Army Corps of Engineers is keeping water levels lower than they typically do.Lower levels means the Corps may not have to discharge water with algae blooms during rainy weather.President Donald Trump is visiting the lake on Friday. Lake Okeechobee most likely will experience more blue-green algae blooms this summer, but steps being taken now may keep them from creating a disaster across South Florida like last year, an officer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers...

At a Glance Researchers have dubbed the affliction "Rapid Apple Decline."Apples are a $4 billion industry in the United States.Some say extreme climate could be to blame. Something is killing America’s apple trees, and researchers are scrambling to get to the root of the problem before it spreads across the country’s $4 billion industry. Scientists and growers alike are stumped by Rapid Apple Decline (RAD), sometimes also called Sudden Apple Decline, an overarching term dubbed by the Pennsylvania Department of...

At a Glance Massive crowds visiting Lake Elsinore's super bloom prompted officials to impose new rules.Visitors this weekend will be required to take a shuttle at a cost of $10 per person. Southern California's Lake Elsinore is imposing new rules to help manage traffic and the massive crowds flocking to see the spectacular super bloom of wildflowers in the area. Officials say they will close some roads this weekend and set up detours to thwart gridlock. Visitors will be required...

At a Glance Most of the dead had gone outside to take video on their phones of the rising waters.At least 10 provinces were impacted by the flooding. More than 56,000 people have been affected by flooding in Iran this month. With the threat of more heavy rain, authorities in Iran worked Saturday to evacuate villages in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. Flash flooding earlier this week , the state news agency IRNA reported, citing Iran's Health Minister Saeed Namaki....