Chernobyl DangerA sudden rise in radioactivity at...

Chernobyl Danger

A sudden rise in radioactivity at Ukraine’s damaged Chernobyl nuclear power station last month was caused by a limited chain reaction inside the entombed facility, according to government officials. About 100 tons of nuclear fuel remain inside the wrecked plant, but no decision has been made on how to safely remove it. There are plans, however, to strengthen the sarcophagus that was erected after the 1986 explosion.

Earthquakes

A sharp temblor struck southwestern China’s Yunnan province, toppling walls and injuring at least 17 people. The quake was centered in the same location as a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that left 160,000 people without shelter last Feb. 3. Earth movements were also felt in eastern Japan, the Philippines’ Mindanao Island, New Zealand’s North and South islands, Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island, the Lesser Antilles, the Aleutians and Tennessee.

Tropical Storms

High winds and flooding unleashed by tropical storm Willie killed at least 50 people, from southern China and northern Vietnam westward to Thailand, Vast areas of rice paddies were washed out. Typhoon Violet killed 10 people as it swamped eastern parts of Japan before losing force over the colder waters of the North Pacific. Typhoon Zane was taking aim on Taiwan late in the week after buffeting the Mariana Islands. Typhoon Yates moved over the open waters of the western Pacific. Hurricane Isidore formed over the warm waters of the eastern Atlantic.

Alaskan Eruption

The eruption of Pavlof Volcano continued on the remote tip of the Alaskan Peninsula. The mountain initially sent a plume of ash soaring 33,000 feet into the air.

Weed Food

An Australian scientist working on plant genetics predicted that weeds could become a boon for farmers and save the world from starvation during the next century. Jim Peacock, head of the state-run CSIRO research agency’s plant industry division, said that weed genes could be used to toughen edible plants, or enable crops that need warm climates to be grown successfully in colder areas.

Viking Queen

A British racing pigeon enthusiast nicknamed one of his lost pigeons “Viking Queen” after she arrived home safely from a 1,500-mile round trip to Norway. The 2-year-old lost her bearings in England during a July race from Scotland to Wales. A Norwegian pigeon enthusiast found the wayward bird after it crossed the North Sea, and contacted the owner, Robert Jones, whose name was on the bird’s tag. Jones told him to keep his racer because she was too far away to return, but the bird appeared so homesick that the Norwegian decided to release her Sept. 6. Viking Queen safely navigated back home, probably via the Netherlands and Belgium.

Additional sources: Japanese Meteorological Agency, U.S. National Hurricane Center at Miami, U.S. Climate Analysis Center, U.S. Earthquake Information Center and the United Nations World Meteorological Organization.

Copyrighted 1996 Chronicle Features