Hegseth prunes the ranks
Photograph: EPA/Shutterstock May 6th 2025 ( published 5m ago)
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The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
Chemical leak prompts entire Ohio town to be evacuated
A chemical leak in an Ohio town has prompted officials to evacuate hundreds of residents. There was a large release of nitric acid at a powder plant near the village of Zaleski Wednesday morning, WSYX reported, citing local emergency official Robert Czechlewski. A tank with a 5,000-gallon capacity had a leak, which caused the nitric acid to release. Around 3,000 gallons of nitric acid was released, The Telegram News reported, citing officials. It's unclear what caused the leak. The plant, located in McArthur, makes explosives for mining and construction, according to WBNS. Residents of Zaleski, about an hour and 30 minutes' drive southeast of Columbus, were evacuated as a result. According to the World Population Review, Zaleski has a population of just 216 residents. The Vinton County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook Wednesday morning, 'A shelter has been setup at the Vinton County High School for those with no where to go.' Czechlewski said that when the nitric acid was released, it created a chemical reaction, causing a plume of nitric oxide that looked like a red cloud, WOWK reported. Czechlewski said situations like this typically last for a few hours, and that it is dependent on wind conditions. He said the plume is heading northeast. Once the leak is contained, the Environmental Protection Agency said it will monitor the air quality, according to WOWK. The Ohio EPA wrote on Facebook Wednesday afternoon the release of the chemicals has stopped and no injuries have been reported. A spokeswoman for the plant said that all of its employees are safe, per The Telegram News. Most workers were temporarily sent away, while some stayed back to do assessments. The plant has canceled production for the rest of the day. Senator Jon Husted, an Ohio Republican, wrote on X Wednesday afternoon, 'My team and I are closely monitoring the chemical leak in McArthur and remain in contact with federal, state, and local authorities on the situation. Please stay safe, follow local guidance, and reach out to my Columbus office if we can help.'
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Network of abandoned Victorian tunnels discovered 26ft under giant sinkhole that opened up on ordinary-looking street
Residents claim they have been 'left in the dark' over when repairs will be completed HOLEY MOLY Network of abandoned Victorian tunnels discovered 26ft under giant sinkhole that opened up on ordinary-looking street A GIANT sink hole has revealed an underground network of Victorian mining tunnels. Engineers working at the site, on Godstone High Street in Surrey, were shocked when they stumbled upon the discovery. Advertisement 8 The first sinkhole appeared in February Credit: Reuters 8 More sinkholes appeared shortly afterwards Credit: EPA 8 A network of Victorian tunnels may be partly to blame for the major collapse Credit: SWNS The huge collapse, which rocked the local community in February, has unearthed eerie eight-meter deep abandoned tunnels. Experts who are repairing the street say these sand mining networks may hold the key to what caused the sinkhole. But residents in the area claim they have been "left in the dark" over when construction will be complete, as reported by the BBC. Businesses in the area also continue to be negatively impacted by the major collapse. Advertisement Local authorities shared their hopes the road would be reopened by December this year. Lloyd Allen, infrastructure manager at Surrey County Council, said: "Currently, we're investigating the Victorian tunnels, plotting them to see the extent of them and where they go. "We'll likely be finished by the early part of December, but there's a lot of reconnecting services and redoing water mains, gas mains and electric cables." Mr Allen added how the tunnels "puts one of the pieces into place" over why the sinkhole unfolded. Advertisement Although there are still "several scenarios" that have been put forward about the cause. Shane Fry, who runs a garage on the high street, told the BBC the sinkhole has slashed his profits by a third. "They said they would keep us up to date, but this hasn't happened," he said. "We need to know. It will benefit everyone in the area." Advertisement Meanwhile, Will McLean, owner of a residential windows and doors company claimed the disaster has "reduced footfall to virtually zero". And coffee shop owner Sami Bristow, shared how her income is down about 20% compared to last year. 8 The first sinkhole grew to a length of 20m (65ft) Credit: EPA 8 The two massive sinkholes have caused havoc in the tiny village Credit: EPA Advertisement 8 Work taking place around the sinkhole should be completed by December Credit: LNP "It has been hard-hitting especially with inflation and all the other things that small businesses are having to cope with," she added. Matt Furniss, cabinet member for highways at Surrey County Council, said: "Our focus will be on ensuring the road is safe to use, so the exact date will be confirmed once we are fully assured of this." Catherine Sayer, Tandridge District Council leader, added: "Things are moving as fast as they can. Advertisement "The key thing is to get everything back to normal as quickly as possible." Locals have been allowed back into their homes after a risk assessment deemed it safe to do so. Christine Duncan, 57, who has lived in her home just outside the cordon for over two decades, says she is still in shock at what has happened. She said: "My husband was down the pub and saw a trickle of water. Then the sinkhole just suddenly appeared. Advertisement "I have lived here for 24 years, and I have never seen anything like this before. I am still in shock. I can't make heads or tails of it. "I think it is to do with the amount of lorries that drive through here. We are only a small village. Is your property at risk from a sinkhole? There are thousands of natural sinkholes, also known as dolines, in the UK, particularly in the upland areas of northern England, according to the British Geological Survey. By and large, these are not actively subsiding, but occasionally new sinkholes form, particularly after heavy rain. Built up areas can be at risk and it is believed sinkholes are becoming more common in the UK, partly due to extreme rainfall, which scientists have linked to climate change. Dr Andrew Farrant of the BGS, says: 'By their very nature, collapse features caused by burst pipes or collapsed infrastructure are mostly likely to occur in built up areas or beneath roads, and could happen in other areas with similar geology and aging infrastructure. 'Many recent sinkholes have been caused by collapses of old sewers or culverts, such as the sinkhole near Merthyr Tydfil last December. 'There have been other recent instances of sinkholes due to flushing out of sands and weak sandstones, for example the sinkhole that closed Storrington High Street last October.' "I am very worried about how long it is going to take to fix the road. My main concern is that there are a lot of vulnerable people around here and there is a care home just down the road." Graham Brookes, 94, has lived in his nearby home for nine years - but says he has been involved in the area for decades. Advertisement He agreed that the main worry is for older people who will have to walk a long way to get around the cordon. He added: "We realised something was wrong because the water pressure was down. Then we found out what had happened and realised how lucky we were to still have water. "It is not going to be an easy job to fix. It will affect everyone coming into Godstone. "The village will be very badly impacted by this. But we will get through it. It will mainly effect older people because they will have to walk all the way around. Advertisement "The local businesses will also be hit hard as they can't get vans in. "It has already impacted the amount of people around. I went to the supermarket earlier and the car park was half empty when it is normally packed." Paul Ryan, 53, has lived in his home on the High Street for nine years. He said: "For the first 24 hours it was a major inconvenience. I was quite surprised, but this has been on the cards for a while. Advertisement "The locals have been worried for a while about the HGVs going through the village. They use this road as a bypass to the M25 and come down at 60mph." A 40-year-old local, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "We were without water for a considerable amount of time. "We thought that water would be delivered to us but instead we had to go to a water station. "Our water finally came back on at about 3am this morning. Advertisement "It is a very scary situation. The sinkhole is huge so we are quite worried that we are going to be evacuated. "The sinkhole will probably get even bigger which is terrifying. It is just a very upsetting time." 8 Locals continue to be affected by the sinkholes Credit: Reuters 8 Business owners say their income has been dramatically impacted Credit: PA
The Independent
7 days ago
- The Independent
Canada wildfires: How to keep yourself safe as smoke from deadly inferno reaches Europe
Smoke from the deadly Canada wildfires is blanketing parts of the US and Europe, causing widespread air quality concerns. The Environmental Protection Agency has reported "very unhealthy" air quality in the Midwest, Northeast, and Great Lakes regions of the US, prompting expert recommendations for precautionary measures. The EPA's Air Quality Index (AQI) translates pollutant levels into a single, easily understandable number: the lower the number, the better the air quality. An AQI below 50 is considered "healthy," 50 to 100 is "moderate," 100 to 150 is unhealthy for "sensitive groups," and anything above 150 is hazardous for everyone. On Wednesday, the Air Quality Index in many parts of the Upper Midwest hovered around 160. Dr Sanjay Sethi, chief of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine at the University of Buffalo's medical school, said that sensitive groups include individuals with asthma, lung disease, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poor air quality. 'If you have heart or lung problems, then you've got to be definitely more careful," Sethi said. "I would either avoid going outside or wear an N95 (mask) or at least a dust mask.' Is my air unhealthy? Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke. Even if you don't see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe. The EPA maintains a website with up-to-date, regional air quality information. PurpleAir, a company that sells air quality sensors and publishes real-time air quality data, has a citizen scientist, air quality monitoring network with a more granular map of street-by-street air quality readings. The best way to get indoor air quality readings is to buy a monitor, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University 's Healthy Buildings Program. 'You can find these low-cost, indoor air quality monitors just about everywhere online now. They don't cost all that much anymore,' Sethi said. What if I have to go outside? For most people, going outside for just a short time won't have a negative long-term impact, said Sethi. Wearing an N95 mask, which became common during the coronavirus pandemic, will help filter out the pollution. 'N95 is going to get rid of 90-95 per cent of the particles,' said Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University's Center for Climate and Health. 'If you have access to a mask that has a respirator-type attachment to it, then that's the very best.' If you must be outside and you experience symptoms, experts say you should head indoors or somewhere else with better air quality. Even if you are healthy, it's good to take precautions. "If you start wheezing, which is like this whistling sound of the chest, or if you're feeling short of breath, that's definitely more concerning,' Sethi said. How do I make my air cleaner? Close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, if you have one, setting it to circulate the indoor air. Use blankets to cover cracks that allow outside air into your home, such as under doors. Finally, swapping the air conditioner's filter for a MERV 13 filter can help, though you should make sure it's installed correctly. 'If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it's just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you're doing most of your activities in,' said Stowell.
