Latest news with #DomLucre
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Disturbing truth behind levitating manholes in US state fueling fears of impending catastrophe
A video has taken the internet by storm, showing manhole covers lifting off the ground during heavy rains that have reignited fears of an impending storm. The clip, which is going viral on X, claims water has been rushing beneath New Orleans streets, pushing manhole covers several inches into the air across multiple neighborhoods. It has sparked fears among Louisiana locals, as the scene reminds them of Hurricane Katrina when manhole covers reportedly floated due to catastrophic flooding that killed nearly 1,400 people and destroyed around 300,000 homes. While video has been viewed more than six millions times on X, users have questioned its authenticity and claims that levitating manholes predict incoming storms. However, manhole covers can be displaced during heavy rainfall due to hydraulic pressure buildup in the sewer or drainage system. The city has been inundated with rain over the past week, receiving more than two inches just last night. Manhole covers, though heavy, is typically not bolted down and can be lifted by the force of rising water. 🔥🚨BREAKING: New Orleans Louisiana residents are claiming that a massive storm similar to Katrina could be approaching their city this year after manholes began levitating. New Orleans natives claim that 'this is a sign from the ancestors' and that this same phenomenon was… — Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) May 23, 2025 A manhole cover rises several inches as water gushes from below in New Orleans. The incident is among several caught on viral TikTok and X videos, raising concerns about underground pressure and city infrastructure Much of New Orleans sits below sea level, making its drainage system heavily reliant on pumps to remove rainwater. When those pumps can't keep up, water backs up, causing street flooding and, in severe cases, forcing manhole covers to pop off. In New Orleans, where folklore and spiritual traditions run deep, some residents see the manhole covers as more than just mechanical failures. 'In our culture, we believe nature gives us signs,' said Marie Johnson, a longtime resident, in an interview with the online magazine HypeFresh. 'These videos remind me of stories my grandparents used to tell.' However, levitating manholes are not rare in New Orleans. 'I live in New Orleans and work downtown — they do this with every heavy rain,' one user posted on X. Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans on August 29, 2005, causing $125 billion in damages. More than 50 breaches in the city's levee system led to flooding that submerged 80 percent of the city. The city's Sewerage and Water Board operates a complex system designed to manage heavy rainfall. However, as climate change brings more frequent and intense storms, the infrastructure faces mounting pressure. In response to past failures, the US Army Corps of Engineers invested $14.5 billion to upgrade the city's flood protection system, which is designed to withstand a so-called 100-year flood event. Yet concerns remain about its long-term resilience, especially as weather patterns become more extreme and unpredictable. Recent studies show parts of New Orleans are sinking at a rate of 6 to 8 millimeters per year, further increasing flood risk. This land subsidence, combined with sea-level rise, threatens to erode the city's defenses over time. Officials have increased preparedness efforts. With no current hurricane threats, the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) is taking proactive measures to prepare for heavy rain. Crews have begun lowering canal levels citywide to increase stormwater storage. Drainage teams are closely monitoring capacity and working to reduce the risk of flooding. Currently, 88 of the city's 93 drainage pumps are operational. The system can manage about one inch of rain in the first hour and half an inch each hour thereafter. If rainfall exceeds those rates, officials warn that temporary street flooding is likely. NOAA's 2025 Atlantic hurricane season outlook predicts a 60 percent chance of an above-normal season, with 13 to 19 named storms expected, including 6 to 10 hurricanes and 3 to 5 major hurricanes. The agency, which holds 70 percent confidence in these projections, credits advanced forecasting models and tracking systems for improved preparedness. 'Threats from hurricanes extend well beyond the coast,' said acting NOAA Administrator Laura Grimm. 'As we saw last year with Hurricanes Helene and Debby, inland flooding can be just as dangerous. Early, accurate forecasts save lives.'
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US customs officials not offering $750 for tips about migrants
"DEVELOPING: ICE is allegedly offering $750 per illegal immigrant that you turn in through their tip form. You can call the ICE hotline at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423)," says a January 20, 2025 X post from a QAnon-promoting social media user who uses the pseudonym "Dom Lucre." The post accumulated more than 28,000 likes. The same claim has circulated elsewhere, on X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Gettr. In the days after Trump took office, immigration authorities already arrested hundreds of migrants living in the United States after Trump issued a flurry of executive orders cracking down on illegal entrants. Some civic and religious leaders have criticized ICE raids on churches and schools, while officials have acknowledged that expelling all documented people living in the United States is not "realistic." "There's consequences of entering the country illegally. If we don't show there's consequences, you're never going to fix the border problem," Trump's border czar Tom Homan said on ABC News' "This Week" program. While ICE does have a phone hotline and online tip form where people can report suspected crimes, it does not offer a blanket monetary reward for tips that lead to an arrest (archived here). The agency dismissed the social media claims about offering compensation in a statement, saying: "Contrary to rumors, ICE is not giving a $750 reward for tips in support of civil immigration enforcement objectives." (archived here) While the claims about $750 payments are not accurate, ICE does occasionally incentivize tips about gang activity, child exploitation and other criminal behavior. The agency's online tip form states that while officials cannot guarantee payments in return for accurate information, ICE does have "statutory authorization" to pay some tipsters (archived here). Federal law allows authorities to compensate people who report fraud or violations of customs laws, especially if it results in the seizure of smuggled goods. However, it does not explicitly mention rewards related to people unlawfully entering the United States (archived here). ICE also maintains a "Most Wanted" list, with some rewards reaching into millions of dollars for particularly violent or infamous suspects (archived here). AFP contacted ICE for further comment, but no response was forthcoming. AFP has debunked other claims about migration here.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Yahoo
Satellite images of the words 'help,' 'trafico' near L.A. railroad go viral
There is no shortage of people using Google Earth to make unbelievable discoveries across the world from secret military facilities in China to the largest Coca-Cola logo in Chile. Enter the city of Los Angeles, where a small triangular plot of land located along the Los Angeles River in Lincoln Heights, near the corner of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Mission Road, has garnered the attention of people on social media and sparked conspiracy theories and concerns about criminal activity related to human trafficking and drug cartels. The satellite images show the word 'help' had been spelled out about a dozen times on the piece of land that is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad. The Spanish words 'trafficking,' 'federal' and 'terrorism' were also spelled out as well as 'LAPD' and 'FBI.' Despite the alarming messages, police have yet to confirm that anything nefarious is happening in that location. Laura Eimiller, spokesperson for the FBI, referred all questions to the Los Angeles Police Department. In a statement, the LAPD said that it had responded Sunday morning to an 'unknown trouble' call near Mission Road and 101 Freeway. 'Upon arrival, officers conducted a thorough investigation and found no evidence of any criminal activity or threat in the area,' the statement read. The police department also concluded that the satellite images shared on social media were taken in 2023. A news helicopter for KTLA showed that the words were still at the property as of Monday afternoon. The police department said it had notified Union Pacific Railroad about the incident and referred further questions to the railroad company. A company spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment. On the social media platform X, the images sparked conspiracy theories about human trafficking at the location because of the message and because the location is near a shipping yard. 🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: This disturbing message was spotted on Google Maps in Los Angeles, California, with the words 'Help' and 'Traffico' written in the debris, surrounded by shipping containers. It has been confirmed that the lot next to this location is a shipping yard which has… — Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) January 26, 2025 "There's a deep subterranean system under the surface that the access points are covered by containers they use cranes to remove. There's a lot more going on than what's visible on the surface," wrote a user by the name of Cyrus on the same platform. At least one other person produced a video using AI images showing shipping containers filled with people, tunnels and armed men. The video included the message: 'The truth is in the tunnels' along with the coordinates of the property. 'Someone took time to place dozens of logs and scrap to write the words 'help,' 'trafico,' 'LAPD' and 'federal' big enough to be seen on Google maps.' But a man who traveled to the location said on X that he interviewed homeless people in the area who claimed that a homeless man had been writing the messages for years. Some residents from the area confirm those details and have posted images of similar messages written on trees and walls with spray paint in the area near the property in question. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Express Tribune
26-01-2025
- Express Tribune
Mysterious 'HELP' signs in Los Angeles spark concerns over human trafficking
Mysterious messages spelling "HELP" and "TRAFICO" have been discovered near the Union Pacific railroad yard at the intersection of E Cesar Chavez Ave and Mission Rd in Los Angeles. The large-scale signs, visible from Google Maps, have sparked widespread speculation about their origin and meaning, ranging from concerns about human trafficking to protests against local displacement. 🔥🚨BREAKING NEWS: This disturbing message was spotted on Google Maps in Los Angeles, California, with the words 'Help' and 'Traffico' written in the debris, surrounded by shipping containers. It has been confirmed that the lot next to this location is a shipping yard which has… — Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) The messages, created with debris, construction materials, and even spelled out on sidewalks, have drawn attention from community members and internet users alike. Some believe they could be cries for help from someone in distress. However, others suggest they are the work of a local homeless individual dealing with mental health challenges, as similar signs have been observed off the 101 freeway embankment near the LAPD helicopter station. In Feb 2023 from the other lane you can even see the billboard has written HELP on it and a LA County van riding past it. — bm_ (@ErikLuimes) While some speculate that the signs may be part of a street art project or a protest, others believe they could be related to human trafficking, especially as the city battles an ongoing crisis. Human trafficking has been a growing issue in Los Angeles, particularly along South Figueroa Street, where federal and local authorities have intensified efforts to combat it. In 2024, a report highlighted that traffickers often target vulnerable individuals, including children as young as 11, coercing them into exploitation. Authorities have rescued 84 victims in the region this year, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Local officials, including U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada, have condemned the practices, stating that the area has become a hotspot for trafficking. Adding to the mystery, visitors to the site, including members of FaZe Clan, reported seeing drones flying over the area and were reportedly asked to leave. The effort involved in creating these large messages, using heavy materials, has left many questioning whether this is an organized protest or a symbolic cry for help. the FaZe Boys took a trip the the viral location in LA that spelled out 'HELP' on Google Maps and saw a drone flying around with mysterious writing all over the ground 👀 — ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) As discussions continue on platforms like Reddit and Twitter, no definitive explanation has emerged. The signs remain a topic of intrigue, shedding light on the social challenges faced by communities in Los Angeles.
