Dois tanqueiros russos transportando mais de 4.000 toneladas de produtos petrolíferos afundaram no Mar Negro diante de condições tempestuosas, ameaçando um desastre ecológico.

Os Tanqueiros Russos e o Desastre Ambiental

O Incidente do Volgoneft-212

O tanqueiro Volgoneft-212, com 55 anos de idade e registrado em São Petersburgo, recentemente foi reequipado. No domingo, após ser atingido por uma grande onda, o navio quebrou em duas partes. Vídeos mostram a ponta do navio ficando verticalmente na água. O barco sofreu problemas na costa leste do Crimeia ocupada, a 5 milhas (8 quilômetros) do estreito de Kerch, conforme relatado pela mídia russa. O tanqueiro estava transportando 4.300 toneladas de fuel oil de baixa qualidade, conhecido como mazut. A emergência russa iniciou uma operação de resgate envolvendo barcos de puxada e um helicóptero Mil Mi-8. Treze tripulantes estavam a bordo.Depois disso, outro transportador de carga, o Volgoneft-239, também sofreu problemas na mesma área. Estava transportando 4 toneladas de fuel oil. O navio também foi relatado como afundado. "Outro navio está caindo. Merda santa!" disse um marinheiro filmando a partir de um barco perto.

Acusações de Ucrânia

Os funcionários ucranianos acusaram Moscovo de imprudência. Dmytro Pletenchuk, porta-voz da marinha ucraniana, disse: "Esses são tanqueiros russos bem antigos. Você não pode ir ao mar em uma tempestade assim. Os russos violaram as regras de operação. O resultado é um acidente."

Impacto Ecológico

Os produtos petrolíferos, se derramados no Mar Negro, causariam danos ecológicos sérios ao ambiente marinho já muito afetado pela guerra. A explosão do barragem hidrelétrica Kakhovka em junho de 2023, por parte dos tropas russas, liberou 18 bilhões de toneladas de água armazenada em um reservatório gigante. A água contaminação com combustível, esgoto e fertilizantes desagitou-se no Mar Negro. De acordo com biólogos, a poluição apagou moluscos como mexilhões e outras espécies, bem como peixes e crustáceos. Os cientistas registraram um aumento nas mortes entre golfinhos e porcos-marinhos desde o ataque total do Kremlin. Cerca de 1.000 cetáceos morreram em 2022. As populações de golfinhos-botija e golfinhos de costas brancas sofreram.

Outros Incidentes Marítimos

O acidente envolvendo barcos russos decadentes é o último desastre marítimo a ocorrer perto da costa do sul da Ucrânia. O Mar Negro tem sido uma zona de conflito militar intenso desde o início da invasão total de Vladimir Putin no país em 2022. A Ucrânia usou drones marinhos e outros míssis para afundar parte da frota marítima do Mar Negro do Russo. Forçada a deixar o porto ucraniano de Sevastopol e a se mudar para o porto russo mais seguro de Novorossiysk.

A powerful wind storm and subsequent tornado have caused significant problems in and around San Francisco. This natural disaster has not only led to traffic disruptions and property damage but has also put the safety of residents at risk. Let's take a closer look at the events that unfolded.

Ice Storm in Iowa and Nebraska

Over the weekend, an ice storm struck Iowa and eastern Nebraska. This led to the shutdown of a major interstate highway as cars and trucks slid off the road. At least one person lost their life in a crash due to the icy conditions. The National Weather Service in Des Moines issued a dense fog advisory that was set to remain in effect until 11 a.m. CT on Sunday. Thick fog spread across much of the state, reducing visibility to 1/4 of a mile or less in some areas. By Saturday evening, the ice had predominantly turned into freezing rain, but roads in eastern Iowa were still partially covered with ice or snow.Authorities reported that one person died while driving on icy roads in eastern Nebraska. A 57-year-old woman lost control of her pickup truck on Highway 30 near Arlington and collided with an oncoming truck. The other driver sustained minor injuries in the accident. Washington County, located near the eastern Nebraska border with Iowa and Omaha, was severely affected.In one social media video, a person was seen playing ice hockey in the street as the roads were slick enough. A dense fog advisory was also in place for the region through Sunday at 11 a.m. CT. The National Weather Service in Omaha warned that dense fog was continuing to develop and was expected to last through the next morning. With visibilities below a quarter mile at times and slick spots redeveloping on some roadways, they urged people to exercise caution and drive slowly. Forecasters also warned that untreated roads could refreeze overnight as temperatures dropped.

Tornado in San Francisco and Surrounding Areas

Elsewhere, a storm and wind gusts of up to 60 mph prompted the first tornado warning in San Francisco. Parts of neighboring San Mateo County were also included in the warning, which was issued at 5:51 a.m. to about 1 million people and lifted about 20 minutes later. Later on Saturday, a tornado touched down near a shopping mall in Scotts Valley, about 70 miles south of San Francisco. It overturned cars, toppled trees and utility poles, causing extensive damage.Images uploaded to social media showed at least three vehicles on their hood or side, with their windshields smashed and trees and power lines on the ground. Several people were injured and taken to hospitals. The Scotts Valley Police Department asked people to avoid the area. One of the injured was a battalion chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.In San Francisco, some trees toppled onto cars and streets and damaged roofs. The city has not seen a tornado since 2005. The damage is being assessed to determine if the city was indeed hit by a tornado. Meteorologist Roger Gass said this was the first ever warning for a possible tornado in San Francisco and that there might not have been a clear signature on radar for a warning in 2005.The fast-moving storm prompted warnings for residents to take shelter, but few people have basements in the area. Meteorologist Dalton Behringer said the biggest thing is to put as many walls between you and the outside as possible.

Winter Storms in Upstate New York and Nevada

In upstate New York, people were digging out after heavy snow fell. More than 33 inches was reported near Orchard Park, where residents are accustomed to dealing with lake-effect snow this time of year.In Nevada, up to 3 feet of snow was forecast for Sierra Nevada mountaintops. More than a foot (30 cm) fell at some Lake Tahoe ski resorts, and a 112-mph gust of wind was recorded at the Mammoth Mountain resort south of Yosemite National Park.A winter storm warning was set to expire at Saturday at 10 p.m. PT, but an avalanche warning remained in effect into the following night for elevations above 8,000 feet around Tahoe. Interstate 80 was closed along an 80-mile stretch from Applegate, California, to the Nevada line just west of Reno, where rain was falling and a winter weather advisory was in effect through the afternoon. The California Highway Patrol reopened the road in the afternoon for passenger vehicles with chains or four-wheel drive and snow tires, but it remained closed to semitrailer trucks.In western Washington, tens of thousands of people lost electricity Saturday amid a system that brought rain and gusty winds.